Stories from Monday, January 22, 2007

Bedford County Board of Education approved a 2007-2008 school calendar on Thursday night; they considered approving a 2008-2009 calendar at the same time but decided to wait a while before doing so. School will start for students with an abbreviated day on Aug. 6, 2007. School Superintendent Ed Gray said the date was chosen as a result of feedback from parents, who prefer that school start on a Monday. As normal, schools will be closed during the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration...

Funeral services for Dorothy May Gragg, 99, of Shelbyville, who died Jan. 20 at Boulevard Terrace Nursing Home in Murfreesboro, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Gowen-Smith Chapel. Jimmy Gray and Randall Harmon will officiate and burial will follow in Willow Mount Cemetery...

The 10th annual Bedford County Fair will observe another anniversary as well, with a celebration of Bedford County's 200th birthday on the fair's opening night. Judy Gambill of the fair board made the announcement during this morning's meeting of the Bedford County Bicentennial organizing committee...

CHATTANOOGA (AP) -- One group of walking horse inspectors has approved tougher inspection rules as other industry groups mount resistance to such rule changes proposed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Gallatin-based Horse Protection Commission has approved tougher inspection rules that were proposed a few years ago by the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association to eliminate the practice of soring...

Pat Baker wasn't planning on embarking on a second career at the age of 59 1/2, but after suddenly losing her job of eight years at a local manufacturer due to downsizing, there wasn't much of a choice. Now the Shelbyville grandmother is working far fewer hours for much more money ... and gets to travel around the country while doing it...

A Bedford County man given permission to build a garage larger than normally allowed says he changed plans, made it bigger with what he assumed was approval from an official, and is now frustrated since it appears demolition may be required. That's Frank Bohanek's dilemma on Redbud Road, in the subdivision across from the sod farm along Lewisburg Highway. ...

CHAPEL HILL -- Town leaders have been told by 86 persons living near Chapel Hill they don't want their land included in the municipality's urban growth area because they don't want it to be annexed. Two public hearings on Chapel Hill's urban growth plan were held this month. Nearly 150 attended the first hearing on Jan. 11, with 39 reporting opposition. About 85 were at last Tuesday night's hearing, where 47 said they want their property excluded...

Webb dominated the first and last quarters of Saturday's matchup at Mt. Juliet Christian. Problem is, the hosts showed even more of an upper hand in the middle two frames to pull out a 41-27 win. Zola Quao led the Lady Feet with 12 points as her team won the first quarter 10-7 and the final stanza 12-5...

Visiting Webb pulled their season record to within one game of .500 again with a 38-36 victory over Mt. Juliet Christian on Saturday. After carrying a slim two-point advantage into the half, the hosts outscored the Feet 9-7 in the third frame to knot matters at 32-all. Webb (8-9) had 16 of the fourth period's 30 points to pull out the win...

Funeral services for Millie R. Welch, 71, of Petersburg, who died Sunday at Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fellowship Baptist Church. The Rev. Leland Carden and James Chapman will officiate and burial will follow in Old Orchard Cemetery...