(Wednesday, 15 April 2009)  "Tea parties" to protest taxes are planned; some businesses offer free or discounted treats for Tax Day; Somali pirates attack another American ship; you'll need lots of green to get the new purple iPod from Prince. Details on today's KISS News Now!

• April 15, Tax Day...and President Obama will be talking tax relief for families and fairness in the tax code today.  Demonstrators plan hundreds of rallies today to protest government spending and proposed tax increases on wealthy Americans.  One of the largest of the so-called "tea parties" is expected to be in Atlanta.  TEA stands for "taxed enough already."  But there's doubt as to what the protests are actually all about.  Critics of the tea party idea call it "Astroturf," pointing out that it wasn't organized as a grass-roots movement, but by the Republican Party bosses.
  
  Five metro Atlanta post offices are staying open until midnight for the last-minute taxpayers still not e-filing.  They include locations on Crown Road in Atlanta, plus Lawrence Street in Marietta, Sandy Springs Place in Sandy Springs, W. Ponce de Leon in Decatur, and Boggs Road in Duluth.
  
  

• The Department of Homeland Security warns that the recession--and a black Democrat as President--may prompt a swelling of right-wing extremist organizations.  CNN security analyst Peter Bergen compares it to "the Nazi party, [which] came out of the great depression in Germany, and we've seen that story repeated time and time again."  Two accused skinheads were jailed in October for plot to assassinate the president while wearing white tuxedos.  The Southern Poverty Law Center is tracking a steady--but not explosive--growth of extremist groups.
  
  

• Some businesses offer Tax Day freebies today.  They include free bite-sized cinnamon rolls at Cinnabon from 5:00-8:00 pm; discount cards at TGI Friday; some dinners for $10.40 at PF Chang and McCormick and Schmick's; and three free toppings on a large pizza when you use the code "1040" and order online from Papa John's.  If you're indulging in retail therapy today, QVC is offering free shipping.
  
  

• How hard up for money are you these days?  Enough to fake your own funeral and cremation?  That's what the federal prosecutors in LA say two women did--pulling the scam for insurance money.  They were caught when a casket broke open--and there was just a Thermos inside.
  
  

• State agriculture officials investigate alleged animal cruelty on Reverend Creflo Dollar's property.  A friend of the pastor is charged with inhumane treatment of horses; the woman who sold them to Jason Mitchell says the animals were down to skin and bones--and at least one died.  Mitchell's been evicted from Dollar's property and the Reverend's spokesman says he had nothing to do with the horses' care.
  
  
• The American ship captain on his way home to the US is delayed by another pirate attack.  But this time, Captain Phillips was traveling on the USS Bainbridge, which went to help another US food aid ship attacked by Somalis.  The bandits fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at the Liberty Sun, which got away.  The Bainbridge escorted it the rest of the way.
  
  

• A Paulding County judge says the trial must go on for accused Silver Comet Trail murderer Michael Ledford.  A defense attorney asked off the case because the state hasn't paid $60,000 in fees and bills.  Ledford himself told the judge he wants his lawyers to stay with the case because they've been on it from the beginning--but that he wants them to get paid, too.  Attorneys have now started questioning potential jurors for the death penalty case, and the judge promises the defense they'll be paid.
  
  

• Jamie Foxx apologizes to Hannah Montana for a joke he made about her on his satellite radio show.  He and his buddies blasted Miley Cyrus as "the one with all the gums" and urged her to "make a sex tape and grow up!"  On Jay Leno's show promoting his new film "The Soloist," Foxx said he tries to be "the black Howard Stern" but that he never means anything "malicious."  He looked into the camera and apologized, telling Cyrus, "I'll call you."
  
  

• Planning to buy Michael Jackson's glittery glove?  Beat it.  Jackson sued to stop auction house Julien's from selling off thousands of items from Neverland...but they'll still get to keep up an exhibit of Jackson memorabilia.
  
  


• The price of the new purple iPod Touch from Prince just might make doves cry.  His Purple Majesty's limited edition iPod--only 950 produced--comes with a 40-minute movie he made of his London 21 Nights concert in 2007, 15 tracks, and "testimonials" by celebs including Diddy, Naomi Campbell and Elton John.   It comes bundled with an exclusive, 37-pound photo gallery of a book by Kraken Opus.  The price tag...a cool $2,100. Check out the Prince Opus package here. 
  
  

• The KISS 104.1 weather forecast:  mostly sunny breezy high of 65 today, lows 39-44.  Tomorrow, mostly sunny high 67.  Friday, partly sunny high around 69, lows 43-48.