Us State Legislation

Reaching for the stars (02/08/12)
Billy Hix of Shelbyville, a professor at Motlow State Community College who was honored in November as the state's college science teacher of the year, has been selected as one of three teacher liaisons across the United States by the Space Foundation...

Legislators pleased with proposed new districts (01/06/12)
Both of Bedford County's incumbent state legislators say they're happy with their proposed new districts. Proposed district maps were announced Wednesday by the Republican majorities in each chamber of the General Assembly. They won't be official until voted on by the General Assembly, which re-convenes next week...

MTEC highlights local college classes (12/07/11)
Middle Tennessee Education Center in Shelbyville is planning a regional marketing push this week with advertising inserts in six area newspapers, including today's Times-Gazette. MTEC, located in Bedford County Business Complex on Dover Street, is a joint venture of Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College, offering on-site day and night classes for the two institutions, as well as distance learning opportunities...

State studies bypass safety (12/04/11)
Brian Hurst, manager of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Safety Office, points out to State Rep. Pat Marsh, lef and Shelbyville Assistant Police Chief Mike Rogers where safety-related improvements could be made to the intersection of Fairfield Pike and the new Bypass (State Route 437). Possible solutions include rumble strips, signs on the bypass warning of upcoming intersections, flashing warning signs and other methods, with bid to be let by spring. Eight crashes have occurred at Fairfield Pike and Railroad Avenue, with one fatality and four with incapacitating injuries, TDOT said. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

State safety study ahead for bypass (11/18/11)
The state's transportation department will conduct a safety audit of the Shelbyville bypass following concerns expressed from local officials. Shelbyville city manager Jay Johnson said he and State Sen. Jim Tracy have spoken to TDOT, and the state has agreed to conduct the audit for the bypass, also known as State Route 437...

Safer bypass sought (11/08/11)
Local officials are asking for help from the state to make the new Shelbyville Bypass safer for motorists following a number of accidents, including one fatality. Last week, State Sen. Jim Tracy, who is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, expressed his concerns to city manager Jay Johnson about the safety of intersections crossing the newly opened State Route 437...

New bypass needs immediate changes (11/06/11)
It was only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurred at one of two poorly-engineered intersections on the new Shelbyville bypass. Driver error is cited as a major factor in the Oct. 22 wreck at State Route 487's (the official designation of the bypass) intersection with Railroad Road east of Shelbyville. Regardless, this intersection and the northern end of the bypass at U.S. 231 North have already become traffic trouble spots...

City looks closely at bypass future (08/31/11)
Now that the new Shelbyville bypass is completed, will the city annex it? City manager Jay Johnson told the city council Tuesday night many have asked what kind of development the city will see in that area now that State Highway 437 is completed. Opened to the public two weeks ago, the new highway runs from the overpass at U.S. 231 North to U.S. 41A South toward Tullahoma...

New MTEC director out to educate public (08/25/11)
Lisa D. Moore, the new director of Middle Tennessee Education Center, says she's been amazed at the support the center has from community leaders but wants to do more to make sure potential students are aware of what the center offers. MTEC, located in the Bedford County Office Complex on Union Street, is a satellite campus and joint venture of Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College. Currently, education and business degree programs are offered...

Bypass opens to traffic (08/18/11)
A ribbon-cutting was held Wednesday afternoon for the new Shelbyville bypass, State Route 437, which is now open for use. "We know this is an important part of your growth in this community," said Tennessee Commissioner of Transportation John Schroer, who spoke to a crowd of attendees at the ceremony...

Signs of progress for the bypass (08/03/11)
About two weeks of paving are left to be done on the long-awaited State Highway 437 (Shelbyville Bypass), according to B.J. Doughty, Public Information Manager for TDOT. Doughty estimates that work may be completed by Aug. 15. She told the T-G that as large projects such as this go down to the wire, it's difficult to give the exact dates for opening. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Tracy favors 'Caylee's Law' bill in Tennessee (07/26/11)
State Sen. Jim Tracy said last week that he plans to follow legislation introduced by his colleague State Sen. Bill Ketron to adopt a so-called "Caylee's Law" in Tennessee. "I do feel like there needs to be tougher penalties for that situation, where someone doesn't turn in a disappearance on time," said Tracy...

Down to earth...for now; space educator mourns shuttle program (07/20/11)
Billy Hix watched the last shuttle launch and got a tear in his eye. It wasn't sentimentality, though, as much as it was disgust. "I have lost my dream tool in teaching," said the NASA educational consultant who lives in Bedford County. "I never lied when I told my students if you want to work hard enough, you will get into space."...

State Supreme Court refuses Cook appeal (07/20/11)
Tennessee's Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from a Bedford County woman found guilty of the 2007 shooting death of a Shelbyville auto salesman. Ashley Mai Cook was convicted for the Feb. 14, 2007 murder of Bill Ross and sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler to life imprisonment for first degree murder, as well as a consecutive sentence of 20 years for conspiracy to commit first degree murder...

Stop signs being posted on State Route 64 (07/18/11)
Stop signs are being erected today, Monday, on State Route 64 (Wartrace Pike) where it intersects the soon-to-open Shelbyville bypass, State Route 437. Portable electronic message signs are also being placed to alert motorists to the newly-posted stop signs...

High note: Symphony, Cascade and Motlow bands delight crowd (05/04/11)
The crowd for Tuesday night's "Symphony at the Celebration" concert featuring the Nashville Symphony and the Cascade High School Band was so large that the box office ran out of printed tickets, according to organizers. No firm estimate of the crowd was available, but it appeared to be one of the largest ever for the annual event. ...

Bypass paving awaits sunshine (05/04/11)
A children's rhyme has become Tommy Wright's personal motto as he struggles to complete work on the Shelbyville bypass. "All I can say is, 'Rain, rain, go away,'" said Wright, whose company, Wright Paving Co., is the primary contractor on the bypass, officially State Route 437...

Planning layoffs may hit area hard (04/22/11)
Layoffs at the state Department of Economic and Community Development will affect Bedford County's ability to study the impact of proposed subdivisions and other developments, according to Bedford County director of planning and zoning Chris White. Gov. Bill Haslam announced Wednesday that 60 employees would be laid off at ECD as part of an overhaul of the agency's mission...

Symphony will bring Broadway to Shelbyville (04/14/11)
Selections from some of the most beloved musicals in theatre history will highlight the Nashville Symphony's annual concert in Shelbyville, planned for May 3 at Calsonic Arena. The annual "Symphony At The Celebration" concert will also feature the Cascade High School Band and the Motlow College Jazz Band...

Heavy load of bills on Tracy's plate (02/22/11)
Evaluating refugee resettlement, training requirements for sheriffs, and drug testing those taking government benefits is just a small sample of proposed bills introduced this year by State Sen. Jim Tracy. With the 107th General Assembly now in session, over 2,000 pieces of legislation have been filed so far after last Thursday's deadline expired for bills to be introduced...

State vs. teachers' union (02/20/11)
State Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, has said in a letter that he supports teachers but that teachers unions "are in the business of protecting membership and power, not serving the best interests of students or the teachers they represent."...

Education spending increases proposed (01/11/11)
MOORE COUNTY -- Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan and other officials told state legislators on Friday that the Board of Regents would like $8 million on a recurring basis to start a more aggressive scholarship program for students at community colleges, and another $8 million on a one-time basis to redesign and reconfigure the developmental and remedial programs at community colleges...

Bypass paving continues (12/30/10)

College classes don't attract local students (12/16/10)
Molly Culbreath, who oversees the Middle Tennessee State University side of Middle Tennessee Education Center, says she's pleased with the overall numbers for the elementary education degree program being offered at MTEC, including students from Marshall, Williamson, Maury and Coffee counties...

Bypass work resumes (06/25/10)

Bypass subcontractor to be replaced (03/09/10)
A grading subcontractor on the Shelbyville bypass, State Route 437, has gone out of business, but a new contractor should be lined up soon and state transportation officials say the change will have no impact on the completion date for the bypass. Callers to the Times-Gazette reported that work on the bypass, which connects U.S. ...

A college town now: MTEC holds ribbon-cutting, open house (02/19/10)
Middle Tennessee Education Center, a joint venture of Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College, held an open house and ribbon-cutting Thursday morning, and MTSU President Dr. Sidney McPhee announced two full degree programs which MTSU will offer at the facility...

Bypass work blocks roads (01/24/10)
Progress is continuing on the Shelbyville bypass, State Route 437, but a spokesperson from Tennessee Department of Transportation says that a second road closure is planned. TDOT Community Relations Officer B.J. Doughty told the Times-Gazette that Fairfield Pike will remain closed for the next few months as material hauling along that route continues...

Deason signal gains support (01/13/10)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to endorse the idea of placing a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 231 and State Route 82, the site of a fatal traffic accident last month. State officials say only that they will study the situation by reviewing the past three years of accident reports and are committed to making the intersection safer...

MTEC progress proves governments can cooperate, Ray says (12/11/09)
Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray led several county commissioners, Shelbyville councilmen and others on a tour of Middle Tennessee Education Center, the satellite site for Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College. Five classrooms, a lobby and offices have been remodeled and renovated out of suites in the old Medical Arts Building on Dover Street, behind the old hospital...

Hardship likely to endure as economy recovers, say conference speakers (09/25/09)
MURFREESBORO -- Several speakers at the annual Middle Tennessee State University Economic Outlook Conference said key parts of the economy have stopped getting worse -- but that may still leave several years of hardship as the economy tries to climb out of the hole...

Pipeline, higher dam among water supply ideas (04/22/08)
Alternatives on how to avoid water shortages due to drought are to be explored at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday when the Duck River Agency Board of Directors convenes for its quarterly meeting. One of the ideas is to have a pipe to transfer water from Tims Ford Lake, which is fed by the Elk River, to the Duck River below the Normandy Lake dam to maintain river flow through Shelbyville as well as water reserves for the utility serving Tullahoma and Manchester, according to the river agency's executive director and chairman of the board.. ...

Blackburn rallies local GOP (04/21/08)
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn stressed energy, the economy and national security during a speech Saturday night at the annual Bedford County Republican Party banquet. The banquet was held at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds. Blackburn said the party's losses in 2006 were the result of a loss of focus on key messages...

T-G bloggers touch all bases (03/27/08)
Here are excerpts from some recent blog postings of interest at the Times-Gazette web site: http://www.t-g.com/blogs/bettybrown/entry/17477/ This was not our first visit to the Gulf Coast since the infamous Katrina stormed through .... We went down in November of that year to take floor tiles for a church building. ...

Vets may get lottery-funded scholarships (03/21/08)
Tennessee General Assembly's lottery subcommittee looking at proposals for disbursing excess lottery funds, chaired by Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), has recommended several bills for passage to the full committee. According to Tracy, there is $460 million in the lottery reserve account, of which $50 million must be kept in savings under current law...

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