Stories from Monday, November 5, 2007

MEMPHIS (AP) -- Some parents are building support for legislation that would ban Tennessee public schools from opening earlier than the week before Labor Day after a summer of sweltering classrooms and heat-exhausted athletes. But they face opposition from most of the statewide education organizations, which want to retain flexibility for local school boards to set their own school calendars...

State Sen. Jim Tracy recorded a time of 4:47 in the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 28 in Washington. "I definitely wanted to go under five [hours], and I did that," Tracy said this morning. This was the third marathon for the 51-year-old insurance agent from Shelbyville, but his first time to compete in the Marine Corps Marathon...

Webb Middle responded to the challenges of coach Ricky Dycus and came away with a 31-24 win over Boyd Christian Middle on Saturday at the Boyd Tournament. Defensively, the Lady Feet held the hosts to a total of 10 points in the first three quarters while netting 26 of their own by halftime...

Cham Cham Quao scored 20 points and Baylor Bishop 16 for Webb Middle in the championship game of the Boyd Tournament versus Boyd Christian but it wouldn't be enough as they fell 48-47 in McMinnville on Saturday. The Feet took a 12-5 lead in the opening quarter but the hosts rallied back to take a 22-17 upper hand at the break. Drew Miller nailed a big 3-pointer to keep Webb within striking distance heading into the fourth frame, where they totaled 19 points...

Funeral services for Donald Hughes Bradley Jr. M.D., 50, of Murfreesboro, who died Sunday, will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro, with the Rev. Stephen Caine officiating. Another service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Central Church of Christ in Sparta with Don Burns officiating....

Funeral services for Mary Lou Brewer Hudson, 76, of Shelbyville, who died Monday at Bedford County Medical Center, will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hillcrest Funeral Home. Ronnie Parrish will officiate and burial will follow in Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday...

It took a while for Chris Henry to get on the field, but the rookie running back has been everything that the Titans anticipated when they surprised most observers of the NFL draft by taking him as the 50th overall pick in the second round. Henry was inactive for the first five games of the season but has made the most of his opportunities since, having rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in two games...

In a non-scientific poll on the Times-Gazette web site, participants were deeply divided over the issue of Standardized School Attire (SSA), with just under half favoring the draft proposal now being circulated. Here is how the results break down. There were 368 votes cast in the poll:...