Stories from Thursday, June 8, 2006

Jose Nunez knew just enough English to understand "kill" and "money" spoken by the man grabbing him by the throat. And he understood the intruder, one of two in his Martha Street home early Tuesday, meant business. Nunez, 29, turned over $230, a check for $1,350 received from a local business and his Tennessee identification after the men pushed their way through his front door about midnight, police said...

It's official now. Bedford County Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler is unopposed in his bid for election to the 17th Judicial District bench seat that he's held since February 2005. Assistant Public Defender Jack Dearing has announced that he's not going to try to be a candidate for that position. His decision follows weeks of consideration on whether to challenge a state deadline...

Bond was set at $750,000 in Bedford County General Sessions Court on Wednesday for the man accused of killing his wife on May 21 at Deason, but it doesn't matter because of previous convictions in Rutherford County. Raphael Jennings, 44, had marijuana and cocaine in his system, according to drug screens conducted during probation granted with guilty pleas on charges of assault and evading police in Murfreesboro during 2004, when his future wife suffered a dislocated shoulder...

Bands and fans will be back in Manchester next weekend for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, and so will the money, according to a study conducted by Middle Tennessee State University. The total estimated business revenue impact of Bonnaroo on Coffee County is more than $14 million, according to the lead investigator of the study, Dr. Murat Arik...

The third Saturday of June is next week and everyone in Bell Buckle knows what that means -- it's RC Cola and Moon Pie time! The 12th annual RC Cola / Moon Pie Festival, celebrating one of the South's most honored traditions, is set for June 17. The festival kicks off bright and early at 7 a.m. with the 11th annual Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce 10 Mile Run. According to chamber chairman Billy Phillips, the race has had to limit entries to 1,000 participants. Over 700 are already entered...

The Middle Tennessee Mudcats and Shelbyville American Legion Post 23 junior squad split a doubleheader Wednesday night at Shelbyville Central High's field in games abbreviated to five innings each. MoMo Stewart notched a 3-0 win on the hill in the first game for the Mudcats. He allowed a leadoff single to Nick Batts in the first inning and then did not allow another hit. He walked one and struck out eight in a complete-game effort...