Stories from Thursday, August 31, 2006

Tennessee has just one full practice remaining to prepare for Saturday's visit from ninth-ranked California at Neyland Stadium. Head coach Phillip Fulmer welcomes the regular season opener and says his players feel the same way. "I told them we could count the off-season, spring practice, the summer and our fall camp pretty much as a success, but now is when they keep score," Fulmer said. "This is the time that really matters...

Bedford County Health Department official Amy Mitchell says the department needs major renovations to be able to provide newly-required state pre-natal and primary care programs. But, for the second time, Mitchell has failed to get even a single bid on the renovation project...

Bedford County Board of Commissioners, in a special meeting Tuesday night, approved final budgets and tax rates for the new county fiscal year which began July 1, according to County Mayor Jimmy Woodson. The county property tax rate was set at $2.27 per $100 assessed value. ...

Bedford County Utility District directors are scheduled to review about half a dozen resumes tonight from applicants who want to become the rural water and natural gas service's next general manager. "The cutoff was at 4 p.m. Friday," Kennon Threet, chairman of the utility board, said of the deadline for applications as he confirmed the utility will have its personnel committee meet at 7 p.m. in BCUD offices on Bethany Lane...

The final night of preliminary classes was held Wednesday at the 68th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. Fans were greeted with a 15-class schedule, including three classes made up from Friday night's postponed schedule. U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon was among the VIP visitors Wednesday night...

KEUMBU, Kenya -- Claims of human longevity are sometimes difficult to verify, especially in less-developed cultures where government and medical record-keeping may not be up to par. Even so, the woman jumping up and down and singing a little song of thanksgiving as she shook my hand looked every day of the 100 years old claimed by her relatives...

Cascade climbs back on the saddle this Friday night for their home and Region 5-A opener against Nashville Christian. The Champions are coming off of a dominant 43-7 win at Moore County. Give how impressive the victory was, the coaching staff in Wartrace stressed how the team needed to incorporate some selective amnesia...