Stories from Monday, September 8, 2008

MURFREESBORO -- That best describes Middle Tennesee's historic win over Maryland on Saturday night. The Blue Raiders won every phase of the football game. What a difference a couple of weeks make. After Middle Tennessee's loss to SunBelt rival Troy in their season and home opening game, I wrote a column about what all the university had done to help create fan support and attendance for home games...

NASHVILLE -- The Titan 'D' is dependable! It's been said that defense wins championships and, if that's the case, the Titans are primed and ready. Now I'm not going to go out on a limb and proclaim that Tennessee is going to contend for a championship after the first game of the regular season, but you have to admit that the Titan defense was very impressive in the 17-10 win over Jacksonville Sunday afternoon...

A proposed change to Bedford County zoning regulations would allow quarries to be located in the rural portion of the county, away from the city. It changes the regulatory requirements on such quarries, but the developer of, and the engineer for, the proposed quarry which prompted the change say the public's interests would still be protected...

Bungs and barrels and barbecue, oh my! If the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue Oct. 24-25 in Lynchburg is as much fun as drawing the names for the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue, everybody needs to go. There were 150 applicants from 33 states to compete in this year's festival, the 20th, but only room for about 60. ...

Charges have been filed against two female Bedford County Jail inmates accused of raping another female inmate. Brooke Lee Whitaker, 25, and Evetta Mai McGee, 23, both of Shelbyville, were charged with rape and criminal responsibility for facilitation of a felony, says a report filed by Lt. Becky Hord of Bedford County Sheriff's Department...

Both major political parties are opening Bedford County campaign headquarters in preparation for November's elections. Party headquarters serve as a central point for distributing literature, signs, bumper stickers and other campaign materials. Locally, since they are only needed for a few weeks leading up to a major general election, they tend to be located in temporary space -- a vacant or under-used building that the party can obtain on a temporary basis...

Oct. 2 will be an important day for a Bedford County judicial commissioner. That's the date when the case involving Billy Hardin will either be settled or set for a jury trial. Commissioner Hardin was indicted for sexual battery and official misconduct -- both of which are felonies, and patronizing prostitution, a misdemeanor. A charge of solicitation of prostitution against Hardin was dropped in June...

Mattie Lou Eslick, 94, of Winchester, died Friday at Lynchburg Nursing Center. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today at Jennings-Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Lynchburg with Richard Logan officiating. Burial followed at Lynchburg Cemetery.

William Buford 'Buie' Simmons, of Fayetteville, died Saturday night at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Higgins Funeral Home in Fayetteville with Bill Dorriety officiating. Burial will follow at Macedonia Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today.

The Shelbyville Central cross country team ran at the Columbia High School Invitational on a hilly 3.1-mile course on Saturday. The Eagles placed 11th out of 19 teams, while the Eaglettes carried an incomplete squad and did not place. The winning time crossed the tape in 17 minutes, 13 seconds...

Shelbyville Central downed neighboring Webb 167-200 at River Bend Country Club around rain clouds on Friday afternoon. Chase Bledsoe and Brett Rittenbery both carded a 41 to lead the Eagles. Brandt Stephens turned in a 42 and Michael Watkins a 43. Sutton Jones was the top Feet golfer after stroking out a 44. Blake Cocanougher had a 49, Garrett King 51 and Will Russell 56...