Stories from Tuesday, September 9, 2008

After battling out numerous debates with friends and fellow football lovers for the last two seasons, it's starting to look like my original diagnosis of Vince Young was correct. One friend and fellow journalist said Young would be hoisting either an MVP trophy or Vince Lombardi Trophy within his first five years...

Bedford County jumped on board with the nation's campaign of suicide prevention last week when County Mayor Eugene Ray and City Mayor Wallace Cartwright signed a proclamation declaring September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. "We all are aware that the national rate of suicide is increasing," said Cissy Gilbert, a health council facilitator for the Tennessee Department of Health. "And suicide is preventable ... if we're aware, we can prevent this from happening to our loved ones."...

After taking the first two games versus visiting Columbia Academy 25-21, 25-16 in a non-district matchup, the Community Viqueens were ready to earn their first volleyball victory of the young season. Community pressed the final nail up against the coffin as they built a 24-21 lead in game three to set up a match point. ...

It was a tale of two halves Monday afternoon in Wartrace as Community Junior High and Cascade Middle took on one another in withering heat that would test the conditioning and mental toughness of both squads as the match wore on. The game ended in a 2-2 tie but could have gone in either direction at any given time during the closing minutes...

Harris Middle scored three goals in the first half and added two more in the second in a 5-0 win over visiting White County Middle in a Central Tennessee Conference soccer match Monday afternoon. The Eaglettes (7-3-2, 3-0-2) remain unbeaten in conference play...

Shelbyville Mayor Wallace Cartwright inspected the walls inside The Grapevine Monday, at 113 East Depot Street. "This could come down at any minute," he said of a wall inside The Grapevine that is shared by a building deemed unsafe for habitation by the city in March...

It is amazing to see children learn new things while developing their minds -- but there are children who face challenges and need some extra assistance. Thankfully, there is help here in Bedford County. The Child Development Center, now part of an umbrella organization called the Community Development Center, was founded in 1972 by Mack Looney, Sara Hunt, Sara Wells and the ARC of Bedford County....

The weather at this year's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration did more than create mud puddles and contribute to a few colds. Because rain kept visitors away last month, many of the civic groups operating concession stands will have a slightly reduced budget to work with this year....

An Alabama man has been accused of stealing tires from a Madison Street tire store as the owner looked on. Ervy Shane Adams, 45, Anniston, Ala., allegedly attempted to flee with several tires in the bed of his truck Friday night, Shelbyville police said...