Stories from Thursday, May 28, 2009

Vera Mae Binkley, 81, of Wartrace, died Wednesday at Life Care Center of Tullahoma. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with Phillip Lane officiating. Burial will follow at Hurricane Cemetery in Moore County. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.

A preliminary hearing has been set for a man who faces sexual charges involving two children. David Wayne Phillips, 43, will appear in General Sessions court on July 31, when he could be bound over to the Bedford County grand jury. Phillips is charged with rape of a child, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and four violations of the sex offender registry and is being held under a bond of $760,000...

A 2-year-old girl was seriously injured when she, and her safety seat, were ejected from an overturning van early Wednesday night on U.S. 231 North in northern Shelbyville, police said. Ana Singleton was listed in critical condition this morning at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, said Lt. Trey Clanton, an accident investigator with the Shelbyville Police Department...

Katy Griffin is ready to clock in. Hungry for young ladies wanting to buy into the system, hang around for the long haul and compete on a high level in soccer, Cumberland University signed the Webb goalkeeper. After the program nearly folded two years ago, the Lady Bulldogs went 5-12-1 this past season in the always-tough TransSouth Athletic Conference...

The former deputy director of the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency could be facing a sentence of eight to 12 years after pleading guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $60,000. Eugene Nichols will learn what his punishment will be on July 20 when a sentencing hearing will be conducted by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler...

Detectives with the Bedford County Sheriff's Department have recovered a pricey piece of farm equipment stolen more than a year ago and have arrested the man they claim is responsible. 28-year-old Tyler Augustus Mook of Old Nashville Dirt Road was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with theft of property over $1,000 and alteration of serial numbers. He is currently free on $20,000 bond...

Middle Tennessee Education Center, the new Middle Tennessee State University/Motlow State Community College joint venture in Shelbyville, is continuing to move toward offering classes this fall. The facility is located in the Medical Arts Building on Dover Street, behind the old Bedford County Medical Center. Offices are already open, and the plan is to have classrooms set up and ready for use by September...

Faye Marie Foxx, 85, of Tucson, Ariz., a longtime Shelbyville resident, died May 17 at UPH Hospital there. At her request, her remains were cremated and will be buried later in Massillion, Ohio. A memorial service will be held in Tucson at a later date...