Stories from Tuesday, January 11, 2005

NASHVILLE (AP) -- Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Monday he will preserve health coverage for all children on TennCare but cut 323,000 adults from the financially troubled expanded Medicaid program. Advocates for enrollees said the cuts would be devastating and pleaded with the governor to reconsider the move that could reduce benefits as early as this spring...

MOORE COUNTY -- Motlow State Community College and Tennessee Board of Regents officials reminded state legislators of the importance of higher education during a breakfast meeting Monday on the Motlow campus. State Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron and State Representatives Curt Cobb, George Fraley, John Hood, Judd Matheny and Donna Rowland were in attendance, along with a variety of educational and local elected officials, including Bedford County Mayor Jimmy Woodson and Shelbyville City Manager Ed Craig. ...

Four men were robbed at gunpoint in their West Lane Street home early Monday, the fourth armed robbery within a week in Shelbyville. Each robbery occurred around or shortly after sunrise or sunset. The gunmen forced their way inside the victims' homes in three robberies; all victims are Hispanic; and suspects departed two of the robberies in a white car...

Webb Middle jumped out to a 2-0 start as the first quarter ended and held an 8-2 advantage going into halftime over Cascade Middle on Monday night before a frenzy of scoring took place in the second half. "Offensively, our kids were getting frustrated because they were letting the background and people saying you can't shoot against a white wall get in their heads," Cascade coach Jon Shedd said. "I told them at halftime that you can't worry about that. You've just got to shoot."...

Harris Middle School scored two dominating wins on the road Monday night at Tullahoma East in a pair of Central Tennessee Conference games. The Eaglettes remain undefeated after rolling to a 54-27 victory, while the Eagles coasted to a 47-23 win. The Eaglettes' (11-0, 10-0 conference) offense was clicking, posting a 15-5 lead at the close of the first quarter, 30-12 advantage at the intermission and 47-20 going into the final six minutes...

When Liberty and Forrest Middle School of Chapel Hill face one another on a basketball court, it's always going to be exciting. Such was the case Monday night when Liberty split with visiting Forrest, the Patriots claiming an impressive 52-32 win after the Lady Patriots were edged 27-25 in the opener...