Stories from Friday, August 27, 2010

It's Celebration season, and it's also election season, which means candidates for governor and the 6th District House seat will be making the pilgrimage to Shelbyville. Businessman Mike McWherter, the Democratic nominee for governor, plans to be at the show tonight, while Republican nominee and Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam will be at the show on Sept. 4, the night of the World Grand Championship...

Gaynell Powell Brand, 69, of Unionville died Thursday. Funeral services will be conducted at noon Sunday at Lawrence Funeral Home, Chapel Hill, with Eric Neil Brand and Justin Dale Brand officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Saturday.

The phones at the Tennessee Career Center on North Main Street were ringing Thursday as the announcement of 170 new jobs for Shelbyville was made. SMW Automotive said they will open a production facility this fall at the former Summit Polymers location in Airport Industrial Park...

There are many traditions involved with the Celebration, from the formal wear of the awards presenters to the Optimist Club donuts. When thousands of visitors come to Shelbyville every year, they come for the whole package, not just to see the horses...

After an impressive win on the road at Coffee County in the season opener, Shelbyville Central's Golden Eagles will now look for a win on their home turf. The Golden Eagles face Warren County in a non-district clash tonight at 7. Shelbyville (1-0) ran wild last Friday night, gaining nearly 400 yards on the ground on the way to a 49-13 victory over the Red Raiders...

Ariel Massengale of Bolingbrook (Ill.) High committed to play basketball for coach Pat Summitt and the Tennessee Lady Vols on Thursday. She is the daughter of Carvel Massengale, a graduate of Shelbyville Central High. Her mother, Anita, is from Bell Buckle...

Bedford County's jobless rate fell nearly a full percentage point in July to 11.8 percent, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the state's department of labor and workforce development. Estimates for the county showed a labor force of 22,240 in July, with 19,610 working and 2,630 unemployed...

Bedford County increased its mail-in response rate to the 2010 U.S. Census by 10 percentage points over 2000, and was a full six percentage points over the national average. That was the message at a Census wrap-up event held Tuesday at the Chamber of Commerce building. ...

The Community Vikings look to turn the page on last season and will get a very quick indication of where they stand with their newly assembled talent in their football opener tonight against Jackson County, which handed them a 52-0 loss in the season opener last year...

Webb's girls defended their home turf in a 3-0 victory over Huntland at Lagler Field on Thursday. Hailey Williams got the Lady Feet on the board quickly with a goal in the fourth minute off an assist from Karly Grissom. Grissom then did some twine-thinning of her own in the ninth minute with Courtney Smith assisting. Their final goal came from Emilee Gibson in the 18th minute as Smith notched her second assist...

Webb totaled a team score of 177 to take a tri-match with F.C. Boyd Christian and Middle Tennessee Christian at River Bend Country Club on Thursday. Jon Wang paced the Feet (5-1) with a 42. Robert Cortner contributed a 44, Blake Cocanougher 45 and Chris Burgoon 46...

Harris Middle claimed a 4-1 victory over visiting Central Middle Magnet School of Murfreesboro Thursday afternoon. Ashlee Sutton scored off a rebound for the first goal of the game with Alexis added a goal off a penalty kick before the intermission...

Total domination! Liberty's Patriots turned in an outstanding performance on both sides of the ball in a 26-0 over visiting Eagleville in a Duck River Valley Conference on Thursday. Running back Tristan Rogers rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns in the first half while the Patriot defense allowed only 34 yards of total offense, including none in the first half to led the way...

Cascade Middle made quick work of visiting Westwood Middle with a 4-0 victory on Thursday afternoon. Juli Jones, Joscelyn Phillips and Shelby Sadler netted two goals apiece for the Lady Champions (2-1). Kristen Heath, Bailey Sudduth and Elli Wilson contributed a goal each...

Coach David Parker challenged his Cascade Middle team at practice this week to continue improving and cut down on its turnovers. In spite of a 28-26 overtime win at Forrest last Thursday, Parker knew his Champions were capable of a far superior effort...