Stories from Friday, August 18, 2006

Nellie G. Bingham, 81, of Shelbyville died Thursday at Bedford County Nursing Home. Graveside services will be 11 a.m, Monday at Willow Mount Cemetery with Geoff Giesemann officiating. Feldhaus Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Nearly $3,000 worth of jewelry and over $350 in cash were stolen from an East Cedar Street home early Thursday. Police said they found pry marks around the back door of the home, which is occupied by a woman identified only as Mrs. Solares in police reports...

With trenches being dug for natural gas pipelines just north of Shelbyville, the interim general manager of Bedford County Utility District says the rural water and gas utility is taking steps to expand with the county's growth. "We're negotiating with several developers to probably double or triple that in the next 10 years," BCUD Interim General Manager Marty Davis said Thursday about plans to increase in the number of customers currently served...

Bedford County's Board of Education on Thursday nominated its vice chairwoman to be the president-elect of the Tennessee School Boards Association. Amy Martin is in Orlando, Fla., now at a meeting of the TSBA which will have another meeting in November when her nomination will be considered...

A verdict was delivered in less than 10 minutes Thursday by a Bedford County jury for a Shelbyville man who was found was guilty of burglarizing a house trailer and taking a TV and a number of DVDs. Steven Tyus, 43, testified in his own behalf yesterday afternoon when he said he's been living at the Blue Ribbon Motel and told the jury he'd just found the DVDs in a bag near a fast food restaurant, so he tried to pawn them. However, Steven Brown, the burglary victim, who lives in the Oakwood Grove Trailer Park near Shelbyville Central High School, testified he received a phone call while he was at work from a caller who identified himself as "John." The caller asked Brown when he'd get home from work, but the caller's voice was recognized by Brown as that of Tyus, so Brown became suspicious when he got home and realized he'd been robbed. Under questioning from Assistant Public Defender Michael Collins, Tyus told the jury he didn't burglarize Brown's house trailer and, to show that he'd tell the truth, Tyus said he'd been convicted of drug crimes, a fact that he'd have to state when questioned by Assistant District Attorney Mike Randles. The burglary was in the early morning hours of Feb. 7. Some of the goods stolen from Brown's home were taken to a pawn shop a few hours after the crime was discovered. Tyus was convicted of both charges returned by the grand jury for his indictment: aggravated burglary and theft of property valued at $500 to $1,000.

Bedford County Trustee Peggy Bush has announced that funding for the state's property tax relief program for low-income elderly, disabled, disabled veterans and widows of disabled veteran homeowners has been increased. The Tennessee General Assembly approved funding to the state's property tax relief program, making $17.75 million in state funds available for qualified homeowners. This is an increase of $7.7 million from last year. "The increase is the largest in the program's history," said Bush. "This means more people will be eligible for the program and that relief amounts per recipient may be higher than in the past." Elderly homeowners age 65 or older and any co-owners who have a combined income of $20,000 or less may qualify for property tax relief. Also, disabled homeowners and any co-owners who have a combined income of $20,000 or less may qualify for property tax relief. There is no age limit for disabled homeowners. Qualified applicants will receive property tax relief on the first $25,000 of their property's market value. This is an increase of $7,000 over the previous value limit. "This increase will provide more relief to those homeowners who are already on the program," Bush said. Disabled veterans homeowners will also see increased relief, as the relief amount will increase from the taxes due on the first $150,000 to the first $175,000 of market value. There is no income limit for disabled veterans to qualify. "A significant change to the property tax relief program is that spouses of soldiers killed in action will be eligible for property tax relief for the first time," said Bush. Tennessee's tax relief program is a state-funded program that provides a rebate or credit for all or a portion of the property taxes on residential property owned and occupied by low-income elderly, low-income disabled, and disabled veteran homeowners and their surviving spouses. To apply for the property tax relief program, or for additional questions, call Bush at 684-4303. The program is administered at the state level by the Comptroller of the Treasury, Division of Property Assessments with the assistance of tax collecting officials at the local level. Additional information can be obtained at www.comptroller.state.tn.us/pa/patxr.htm.

Addean Drake Carter, 98, of Hoover's Gap died Wednesday. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro followed by burial at Drake Cemetery.

It didn't take new Cascade Middle head coach Chris Parker to figure out a winning formula after losing nearly an entire roster of players off of last year's team. A steady diet of Tre Stewart did the Champions good as they took down rival Community Junior High 26-6 in Unionville on Thursday afternoon. The eighth grader was responsible for all 26 points for the visitors in each team's season opener...

Shelbyville Central didn't make the most of their home course advantage, falling 349-363 to Franklin County in a District 8-AAA match Thursday afternoon at River Bend County Club. It was the home opener and third match this week for the Golden Eagles...

Tennessee started early and was scheduled to finish late in completing two practice sessions Thursday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The Vols hit the field by 7 o'clock Thursday morning and were not scheduled to complete their day's activities until after 9...