Animals in danger as country music star comes to town
January 8th, 2007 by admin
Later this month, 99.9 Kiss Country (WKIS-FM) will hold its annual “Chili Cookoff” in Pembroke Pines. This year’s event will feature popular country music acts Jo Dee Messina, Trace Adkins, and Sugarland. Unfortunately, Montgomery Gentry is also scheduled to perform.
Troy Lee Gentry, one half of the musical duo, appeared in federal court in November to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating wildlife regulations. His troubles began in 2004 when he used a bow and arrow to kill a 600-pound bear at a canned hunting facility in Minnesota. Gentry had paid $4,650 to shoot the tame bear (who had been named “Cubby”) in a fenced-in enclosure. The sick “hunt” was also caught on video for Mr. Gentry.
After killing the bear, Gentry told wildlife officials that the animal was shot in the wild. Filing a false claim is a crime, although apparently killing a tame bear in a cage is not illegal! As part of his plea bargain, Gentry will pay a $15,000 fine and has agreed not to hunt in Minnesota for five years. He also has to turn over the mounted bear, which Gentry kept at his home in Nashville.
Please write to the organizers of Kiss Country’s “Chili Cookoff” and ask them to reconsider their invitation to Troy Lee Gentry. If it’s too late to cancel his contract to perform, request that Mr. Gentry be kept away from Florida wildlife!
Contact:
-Carole Bowen, General Manager, WKIS-FM: Carole@wkis.com
-Sandy Sloane, Promotion & Marketing Director: Sloane@wkis.com
-Craig Bishop, Events Coordinator: Craig@wkis.com
Or click here to submit comments through the radio station’s online comment form.