News

'Zombie Title Crisis' costs Memphis taxpayers

Submitted by Kontji Anthony, Action News 5 Anchor/Reporter

Saturday, March 23rd, 2013, 6:52pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC - TV) - A little known foreclosure nightmare is draining money from upstanding taxpayers in Memphis.

When homeowners can no longer afford to pay their mortgage, some institutions that take over are not paying the property taxes. That is when the burden falls on taxpayers.

"It hits every single district," said Memphis Council Chairman Edmund Ford, Jr.

Ford is talking about a new foreclosure horror economists coined the Zombie Title Crisis.

"All of these properties, you can't find the person," he said.

He said the Zombie Title cases have doubled to 1,500 in Memphis over the last two years. That is when banks and realtors leave the foreclosed properties in the homeowners' names so it is hard to track the true owner.

"That's a problem," said Ford explaining how taxpayers are now paying for it. "It's a double-whammy on the city.

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Church to provide free shredding

Submitted by Andy Wise, Chief Consumer Investigator/Andy's Restaurant Scorecard

Thursday, March 21st, 2013, 1:41am

Get your old receipts, investments and tax documents in the car and over to South Memphis for some free shredding!

The lay organization of St. Andrew AME Church, 867 S. Parkway East, will offer free document shredding to the public Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The shredder will be set up on the parking lot adjacent to the church.

"We list it as a free event but we do accept donations to help with the cost, but payment isn't mandatory," said church spokesperson Michael Steward.

As a general rule, your debit and credit card receipts should be destroyed immediately after you reconcile them with your statements.

Investment documents should be shredded three years after the investment's sale.

The IRS now recommends shredding tax documents three years after the return date, instead of the conventional seven years.

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Man grazed by bullet in S. Memphis

Submitted by WMCTV Web Staff

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013, 5:12pm

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Police are investigating a shooting that happened in South Memphis Wednesday afternoon.

One man was grazed by a bullet near the intersection of Goodlett Street and Windy Hollow Circle.

According to police, rounds were fired into a vehicle and the four to five black men they believe are responsible were last seen running on foot.

There is no word yet on the condition of the man who was grazed by a bullet.

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Safer online tax prep

Submitted by Andy Wise, Chief Consumer Investigator/Andy's Restaurant Scorecard

Monday, March 18th, 2013, 3:03pm

Continuing my Your Neighborhood series on tax preparation, the folks at ScamBook.com shared five tips to help consumers protect their financial identities:

* KNOW WHO'S HELPING YOU. That means researching the CPA, tax preparer or online tax service. Check them with the IRS's Office of Professional Responsibility and confirm their tax preparer ID numbers (PTIN). Find those resources inside this story. Also, check their histories with Scambook and the Better Business Bureau.

* FILE YOUR TAXES ASAP. The sooner consumers file, the less time scam artists have to file returns using stolen Social Security numbers.

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Permission granted to “KICK BUTTS”!

Submitted by Jerica Phillips, JCFN Social Marketing Coordinator

Monday, March 18th, 2013, 9:39am

The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD), in collaboration with other local organizations, will encourage youth to take a stand against big tobacco companies and educate their peers about the importance of not smoking on Kick Butts Day, Wednesday, March 20.

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism which empowers youth to stand out, speak up and seize control against big tobacco companies. Health officials want to raise awareness of the tobacco problem, encourage youth to stay tobacco-free and urge strong action to protect kids from tobacco.

Representatives from the health department will be at the following locations on Wednesday, March 20, to distribute information and tips on smoking cessation:

• Benjamin Hooks Library
3030 Poplar Ave.
10 a.m. to noon

• University of Memphis-University Center
499 University
1 p.m.

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Memphis church members 'March on Madness'

Submitted by Anna Marie Hartman, Anchor/Reporter

Monday, March 18th, 2013, 7:39am

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Members of a Memphis Church are hoping spirituality will prevail over violence in the community. They are taking to the streets to spread their message and march on madness.

Reverend Ralph White is on a mission. Saturday, he and dozens of members of Bloomfield Baptist Church stopped to pray in a south Memphis neighborhood.

"We decided on such a beautiful day we'd get into the spirit of March Madness," said White.

But instead of watching basketball, the congregation held a "March On Madness." They went door to door, in a community where there have been several shootings in recent weeks.

"We had already planned to do this is our second year doing it, and so it just happened to fall at the time where there have been some shootings in the neighborhood," said White.

They marched over a mile bearing T-shirts and posting signs with the phrase from a bible verse, "God so loved."

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Shooter in 'senseless' murder asked to step forward

Submitted by Nick Kenney, Reporter

Friday, March 15th, 2013, 7:49am

MEMPHIS, TN- (WMC-TV) - Two people were shot, one of whom died. Now, investigators believe Albert Spencer Jr. was an innocent victim caught in the crossfire of a unknown shooter who remains on the loose.

"He will always live on in my heart," said Viola Turner, who clutched the program from her son's funeral.

Chunky cheeks as an infant earned him the nickname "Pooh", after Winnie the Pooh. For Albert Spencer Jr., it stuck into adulthood.

Turner describes him as wise, loving, and outgoing. He was studying to be a pediatric nurse and was engaged to be married.

"It's been very hard for me as a mom. To look at all the dreams that my son had and see that he will never get a chance to live out his dreams," said Turner.

On the balcony of an apartment building on January 12, Spencer was shot twice in the head.

Police say he was not the intended target.

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