Stories from Wednesday, July 1, 2009

What started as some uncovered earth in Sam Pugh's cornfield in Wheel 36 years ago has become both a popular venue for avid racing fans and quality family entertainment. The quarter-mile oval now known as Ducktona Speedway is alive and well as one of the more popular dirt tracks around...

I have dropped out of the Mafia. It remains to be seen if, like Michael Corleone, they will keep trying to pull me back in. "Mafia Wars" is a game played as a Facebook application. You work your way up in an organized crime syndicate by doing various jobs ("Blackmail a Local Official") and investing the money in various business operations, from small neighborhood businesses to huge casinos. ...

A local group that is "tead-off" about the current state of their government will be holding another "tea party" event this Saturday. The event will be held from 7-8 p.m. at H.V. Griffin Park and is being organized by the same group of citizens who put together the previous "tea party" event earlier this year...

The Volunteer Garden Club is hosting a standard flower show from 1 to 5 p.m. July 23 at the Fly Arts Center, 204 South Main St. The show is free and open to the public. This year's theme is "From These Roots." "To be a federated garden club you have to have a show every two years," said Pat Hastings, club member. "Each time we have the show at different places and have different themes."...

Police are searching for a "person of interest" for questioning in the shooting death of 31-year-old Anthon Mario Matthews, a slaying that detectives believe is a drug-related robbery. Wanted for questioning is 21-year-old Demario Jaquece Edwards, of Shelbyville, who had a previous address on Fairground Heights...

Engineers said it would take three months or more to finish it. But five weeks after digging began to repair Shelbyville's underground storm water flume, the work has been completed, and city officials hope to have traffic flowing by Thursday night...

The Bedford County Colts rounded out their summer baseball schedule with a doubleheader versus Chapel Hill in Wartrace on Tuesday afternoon. The Colts got the sticks going early with a seven-run third inning to propel them to a 9-6 win in the first game...

State Rep. Curt Cobb has been named Bedford County Clerk and Master by 17th Judicial District Chancellor J.B. Cox and has resigned from his House seat. Cobb began his new position today; he said this morning that he submitted his letter of resignation from the General Assembly on Tuesday...

Within 30 days, Bedford County Nursing Home will be under new management. In a special called meeting Tuesday evening, the county commission passed a resolution approving a lease agreement with Christian Care Center of Shelbyville, a subsidiary of Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consultants...