Stories from Saturday, March 8, 2008

Bedford County's unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent in the month of January to 5.4 percent, according to figures released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. In January, the county had a workforce of 22,860, with 21,620 employed and 1,240 out of work. Compared to last year, unemployment has risen 0.8 percent from last January's rate of 4.6 percent...

The Senate Education Committee has unanimously adopted a motion by State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) that would set seven capital building projects listed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission as a priority of that committee. Actually building the projects depends on state funds becoming available; the projects would be considered in the order of which is most in need of improvements. ...

A trial date has been set in Kentucky for a Shelbyville man accused of trying to cover up illegal gambling machines at a Southern Kentucky business. According to the Times Tribune of Corbin, Ky., Russell Elliott of Shelbyville was arrested in January after police allege they saw him loading illegal video poker machines into a truck at the Pilot Travel Center in Williamsburg in Whitley County...

The Next Step Home is starting a program in the coming weeks designed to equip men and women with basic life skills, enabling them to live a more productive life and contribute to Bedford County. Even though Life Skills is part of The Next Step Home, which, when it opens in the upcoming weeks, will be limited to women who've been incarcerated or have gone through rehabilitation, the Life Skills program is geared toward both men and women who desire to learn simple skills such as how to search for a job.. ...

Charles A. Lindberg Floyd, 79, of Shelbyville died Friday at Life Care Center in Tullahoma. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with Jeff Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Hollywood Cemetery in Wartrace. Visitation with the family will be 3-9 p.m. Wednesday...

Sandra Kay Womble, 61, of Tullahoma died Friday at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Tullahoma Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Smith's Chapel Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 4-8 p.m. Sunday.

Community Junior High's Sammy Bryant and Cascade Middle's Jared Carkuff hooked up in a classic pitching duel, combining for 23 strikeouts while allowing only three earned runs on Thursday night in Unionville. The Vikings prevailed 3-2 and extended their inaugural season record to 4-0. It was Bryant's third win of the year...

Few teams enter the spring season with the expectations and pressure surrounding Cascade baseball. Last season the Champions reached new heights for not only the program but also for the school with a trip to the state tournament in Murfreesboro and a final record of 31-10...