Stories from Thursday, July 9, 2009

To the editor: For the past three years of my administration, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department has completed the fiscal year under budget. As such, we have turned back the extra funds into the Bedford County to help in these tough economic times, During the past three years, we have tried to save money was best we could by cutting back in extras around the office, limiting the use of resources, giving up the right for salary raises, and generally "tightening our belts." The Sheriff's Department is giving back 5 percent of the overall budget back to the county ญญ-- an amount that will significantly help the citizens of Bedford County. ...

Shelbyville has been awarded a grant of over a quarter million dollars that will be used to get rid of blighted structures around town. According to city planning and codes director Kip Green, the $326,023 grant is from the National Stabilization Program (NSP), part of Phase I of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, also known as the first "stimulus package" that was signed into law by former president George W. Bush...

Bedford County authorities are calling it the largest methamphetamine lab they've ever seen, and three Shelbyville residents are facing multiple charges for allegedly making the deadly drug. Arrested late last week were: According to a report by Detective Sgt. David Sakich, of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, on July 1 a search warrant was executed at a home on Frank Martin Road in a combined effort with the Moore County Sheriff's Department...

Those big, gentle mules so well known and well loved in Tennessee aren't the only long-eared critters that are roaming the Celebration grounds this weekend at The Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show. Donkeys of all sizes will be claiming their moment in the spotlight, from the big mammoth donkeys, at about 14 hands, or 56 inches at the withers, and up, to the tiny -- and lovable -- miniature donkeys, measuring under 12 hands, or 36 inches...

A proposal to build a Dollar General Store in Deason created a thorny situation for Bedford County Planning Commission, but planners eventually decided to grant a variance for the project and to change subdivision regulations so that future projects of its type would be permitted...

It's been a very interesting summer for former Shelbyville Central and Lipscomb left handed pitcher Rex Brothers. Brothers was recently selected as the 34th pick overall by the Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball's 2009 first-year player draft...