Stories from Tuesday, July 7, 2009

What should have been a day of joy and celebration turned into a day of unmitigated grief for the city of Nashville and Tennesseans all across the state with the word of former Titan quarterback Steve McNair's deplorable death on July 4. Nashville police may have given us the best clue as to the circumstances surrounding his murder when they revealed that McNair was shot multiple times and was found a few feet away from Sahel Kazemi, a 20-year-old waitress who died of a single wound to the head. ...

Two traffic accidents left drivers injured Saturday night and early Sunday, investigators said. A Lebanon man was flown to a Nashville hospital with head injuries after striking a horse on U.S. 231 in Deason, about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol...

Donald Ray Burks, 63, of Wartrace, died Sunday at Bedford County Nursing Home. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Trousdale Church of Christ in the Jacksboro community of Warren County. Kip Green and Mark Pierce will officiate, with burial to follow in the Trousdale Church of Christ Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church.

Shelbyville officials may be running into legal snags with getting money from a property owner for the demolition of two buildings. City attorney Ginger Shofner told Shelbyville's city council that the insurance company for Alice Albrecht, the owner of 109 East Depot St., one of the unsafe buildings brought down last year, has denied her claim...

At least one other Republican candidate has entered the special election for the 62nd District State House race created by the sudden resignation last week of Rep. Curt Cobb to take a position in the Bedford County court system. Bobby Scott informed the Times-Gazette in an e-mail Sunday that he intends to seek the seat as well. ...

Hundreds of people were making their way to H.V. Griffin Park Saturday afternoon, even before the Fourth of July celebration officially kicked off at 3 p.m. Old, young, white, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, or "simply gettin' by," they wandered past vendors, games and musical entertainment to celebrate the day together -- celebrating the freedom to assemble...

Where will the families go? Homeless advocate Dr. Carl Bailey has been asking -- and is swiftly running out of answers. With Bedford County's unemployment rate pushing 12 percent, more and more families are being forced into the streets, Bailey said...

Funeral services for William Joseph "Joey" Woodruff, 48, of Shelbyville, who died Monday, will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro. Darryl Lewis and Billy Patton will officiate and burial will follow in Woodfin Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 4-8 p.m. Wednesday.