Stories from Friday, February 1, 2008

Cascade Elementary School student Jessica Woodard has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship as the Tennessee state winner of the annual Bonnie Plant Farm Third Grade Cabbage Program. Woodard grew a cabbage plant that weighed more than 22 pounds as a part of a third grade science project last spring sponsored by Bonnie Plants of Union Springs, Ala...

Shelbyville's Wal-Mart store has become one of many hit in a scheme involving large numbers of Tracfone purchases. Police were told two individuals purchased 63 Tracfones in 32 transactions late Tuesday night in violation of store policy. A Wal-Mart official told police stores in Murfreesboro, Tullahoma and Lewisburg were struck in a similar fashion with a total of over 200 phones purchased...

Shelbyville Rotary Club (noon) invited Times-Gazette reporter Brian Mosely to speak at Thursday's meeting about his recent series on the influx of Somali refugees to Bedford County. Mosely wrote the series, which was suggested to him by local officials, to educate the community about the Somali population...

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, in a telephone conference call on Wednesday, said he is still confident about Arnold Air Force Base's chance to host Common Battlefield Airmen Training (CBAT). "I really do think we're still in an outstanding position," said Corker...

Bedford County Board of Education has revised its working document on Standardized School Attire; the most notable changes, though not the only ones, would be allowing plain blue jeans and applying the dress code only to grades 6 and up. The board has also tried to tweak the "tucked in" requirement...

Graveside services for Stephen Dewayne Bell Jr., son of Stephen Dewayne Bell Sr. and Bessie Diane Haynes-Bell of Shelbyville, who was stillborn Wednesday at Harton Regional Medical Center in Tullahoma, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Willow Mount Cemetery. Karen Jadoobirsingh will officiate...

Alfred H. York, 47, of Tullahoma, formerly of Shelbyville, died Thursday as a result of an automobile accident. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Eddie Reed and the Rev. Jim Sanders officiating. Burial will follow at Hoovers Grove Cemetery in Moore County....

Beatrice Dickens Williams, 95, of Unionville died Thursday in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at El Bethel Baptist Church, where she was a member, with the Rev. Dan Reed officiating. Burial will follow at the Dickens family plot at Unionville Cemetery...

Most people in Bedford County don't know too terribly much about Victory Baptist Academy, let alone their basketball team, but the school started back in 1974 and started their athletics program shortly thereafter. The Lady Patriots placed second in the TAACS state tournament in 1984...

The third time is the charm. At least that's the hope of Webb Feet coach Jeff Mitchell. After two consecutive years of season-ending setbacks in the quarterfinals of the Division II-A state tournament, Webb is certainly poised to get over the hump and finally advance to the Final Four at Lipscomb University in late February...

Consider the Webb Lady Feet "David" and the top of their region "Goliath." The Lady Feet may be a year or two away from making a serious run in the postseason, but just as the Biblical story goes -- anything can happen, especially in tournament basketball...

The Cascade Lady Champions are taking a step-by-step approach toward their first-ever postseason under coach Chad Spencer. With only a pair of District 9-A games left on the schedule, they hope to open up tournament play at home but need a pair of wins to reserve some bonus floor time in Wartrace as they are currently 4-6 in league play...

Not all programs subscribe to it, but the Cascade Champions challenged themselves with a terrorizing schedule this year in hopes of extending their season deep into late February. An overall record of 7-12 doesn't look too pretty on the refrigerator and coach Charlie Pope has looked as drained as an obese marathon runner following some losses this season, but the numbers on both sides of the dash head back to zero on Feb. ...

Injuries have taken their toll on the Community Viqueens on the court as well as on their hopes and aspirations this season as they will be hard-pressed to duplicate their 18-win campaign of a year ago with virtually the same roster. The Viqueens started the season by winning 9 of 12 games, including impressive wins over Van Buren County and Eagleville, and had a stretch of seven in a row before losing two-time all-district performers point guard Carly Daffern and forward Jessica Thompson to foot injuries.. ...

The Community Vikings have taken their fans on a season-long roller coaster ride with a maddening mixture of brilliant play one night against a top-notch team, then nights when it appears that they have lost interest in the game and perform well below their capabilities...

As the regular season nears an end Shelbyville Central's Golden Eagles have their sights toward their second trip to the TSSAA state tournament in three years. The Eagles (20-4, 10-0) have already claimed their third straight District 8-AAA regular season championship and have won 38 district games in a row...

For Shelbyville Central's Golden Eaglettes, there's a time and place when No. 13 could be "Lucky 13". That time would be on Saturday, March 8, and the place would be Middle Tennessee State University's Murphy Center, the site of the TSSAA state championship...

COWAN -- Harris Middle's Eaglettes closed the regular season undefeated after a 34-20 win at Franklin County South in a Central Tennessee Conference matchup Thursday night. The CTC regular season champions will attempt to claim the tournament title at Coffee County Middle in Manchester next week. Championship games are scheduled Feb. 9...