Stories from Tuesday, November 22, 2005

George Clifford Beech, 73, of Shelbyville died Monday at Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Larry Sanders officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery...

A variety of agencies will close this weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some schedules of broad interest: Bedford County Courthouse and Courthouse Annex will close Thursday, Friday and (where applicable) Saturday. Shelbyville City Hall will close Thursday and Friday....

Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on Monday handed down a 33-year sentence for a 20-year-old Shelbyville man who pleaded guilty of a series of store robberies here last spring. In a separate case, a convicted cocaine dealer who was caught on video tape at a buyer's home in western Bedford County was sentenced to 11 years and nine months during several circuit court hearings...

Liberty Middle pulled off a hard-to-achieve victory at Cascade Middle, 37-32, in Wartrace Monday night. The Lady Champions started out fast and led 10-6 after the first quarter. "Our girls came out flat in the first half," Liberty coach Chad Spencer said. "This is a well-coached team and they came out and played with fire from the opening whistle. That is the way you are supposed to play ball."...

Ali Vincent and Carly Daffern each tallied 10 points to lead Community to a 61-36 win over host Webb at the Frank G. Barton Jr. Athletic Center on Monday night. "We played really well in the second half," Community coach Tony Garrette said. "We came out a little flat in the first half. The defense played outstanding all night. Our press looked really good, got a lot of turnovers."...

Trailing 35-29, Webb's Jordan Burchett came up with a big 3-pointer to pull his team to within three points of Community with less than five minutes to go in the game. Burchett, who had to sit out much of the third quarter with four fouls, then scored four points in a span of 30 seconds to push his Feet out to a 36-35 lead...

Bedford County Arts Council will present its 12th annual Festival of Trees at the Fly Arts Center beginning this weekend. This year's theme is "Storybook Christmas." A candlelight preview and reception will be held Friday from 7-8:30 p.m.; tickets are $10. ...

It wasn't the start the Shelbyville Golden Eaglettes had anticipated, dropping a 43-35 decision to visiting Smyrna in the season opener on Monday at SCHS Gym. Poor defense and rebounding didn't help Shelbyville's cause in new coach Lynn Burkey's first game...

The Tennessee Army National Guard soldiers who left Shelbyville on Sept. 14 have arrived in Kuwait where they are becoming acclimated to the weather. Temperatures have been recorded at 135 degrees, according to a recently-returned soldier quoted by Sgt. John Neeley, one of the guardsmen at the armory on South Cannon Boulevard...

Shelbyville Central lived up to the preseason billing after a dominating 71-43 win over visiting Smyrna on Monday night at SCHS Gym. "We just came out and played great in the first half," Eagle coach Kevin Thomas said. "We shot the basketball extremely well and that helped us a lot in the first half."...

Harris Middle School's Golden Eaglettes were on a mission when they hosted White County in a Central Tennessee Conference matchup Monday night. White County was the only team to defeat the Eaglettes last year. An upset at home wasn't on the agenda, as the Eaglettes rolled to a 49-22 win to remain undefeated (4-0, 3-0 CTC)...

Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer announced Monday that senior offensive tackle Albert Toeaina has been suspended for the Kentucky game for inappropriate conduct that took place following UT's loss to Vanderbilt. "It was, on Albert's part, a lack of control of his anger, disappointment and frustration," Fulmer said. "I think it's been dealt with appropriately. I looked at all the tape I could possibly find...