Stories from Thursday, March 30, 2006

Florida courts have ruled that a Bell Buckle family will not be able to participate in a final adoption hearing for a 4-year-old relative they cared for. The Orlando Sentinel reported Wednesday that the 5th District Court of Appeal ruled that Denise and Ivar Baklid of Orange City will be the only ones considered when a Circuit Court judge has the hearing to adopt Christian...

NASHVILLE -- Bedford County's delegation to the state Legislature is split on whether their county commissioners' request for authority to impose a tax on new construction will be granted by the General Assembly this year. State Rep. Curt Cobb (D-Shebyville) isn't hopeful about the prospects for an adequate facilities tax, but state Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shebyville) says, "I think there will be something to give them the authority" to tax new construction...

NASHVLLE -- Hundreds of Latinos from Bedford County joined thousands more who marched Wednesday from The Coliseum to Legislative Plaza for greater acceptance of immigrants and laws to accommodate them. "My father's job is 15-20 minutes away from home," Lety Pena, 12, of Unionville, told state lawmakers among a couple hundred people at a Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition reception held at the City Center in conjunction with the demonstration...

"It's all about teamwork," says Judi Burton of the 19 teams that are already hard at work planning fund-raising events for Bedford County's Relay for Life celebration. Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's signature fund-raising event, was initiated 21 years ago by a Washington doctor who ran for 24 hours as a personal crusade against cancer. It has since grown into a nationwide campaign that brings communities together in hope, celebration and memory...

All of Christopher Gibbs' living room and kitchen furnishings were taken from his Woodland Drive home while he was away overnight Friday, according to a Bedford County Sheriff's Department report not released until Wednesday. Gibbs said he had locked the door but a neighbor had been allowed in Saturday to take a couch belonging to the landlord...

Longtime Bedford County Clerk and Master Howard H. Barton, 74, of Shelbyville died Wednesday at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with H.A. Beasley officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery.

Kayden Wayne Haynes Kimberlin was stillborn Wednesday at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Willow Mount Cemetery. Hillcrest Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Funeral arrangements for Roy Porter Jr., 71, of Shelbyville, who died Wednesday at Bedford County Medical Center, are incomplete and will be announced by H. Preston Scales & Sons Funeral Home in Murfreesboro...

Playing in their eighth game in seven days, Shelbyville's Golden Eaglettes lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to District 8-AAA leader Coffee County Thursday night at home. With the game scoreless going into the top of the seventh inning, The Lady Raiders took advantage of a pair of Eaglette infield errors and scored the game-winning run...

Clutch hitting usually leads to wins. Such was the case for Shelbyville Central in a 6-4 victory over host Franklin County Thursday night. The Eagles (10-2, 4-0 District 8-AAA) have won eight in a row and are currently ranked third in Class AAA according to the Tennessee Baseball Report (www.tbca.org.)...