Stories from Wednesday, September 28, 2011

When I was a child, one brand of cigarettes had advertisements featuring smokers with black eyes. "Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch!" was the brand's defiantly un-grammatical slogan. Today, computer users would rather complain about Facebook than switch to some other social networking service...

Harris Middle rolled past Franklin County South 52-12 on the road Tuesday night. With the win, the Golden Eagles are guaranteed a spot in the 2011 Central Tennessee Conference Bowl against Coffee County in Manchester on Oct. 8. Kenzell Hiles scored on a 65-yard punt return. Then, quarterback Mason Cunningham found Cris McClean for the two-point conversion as the Eagles took an 8-0 lead after one quarter of play...

Entering the game Shelbyville Central knew it must win to have a chance at the District 8AAA regular season title. After a 1-0 shutout at Columbia on Tuesday afternoon, the Eaglettes are now even in every tie-breaker with Tullahoma with one district game left on the schedule for both teams...

The Community Viqueens rebounded with a three game sweep over MTCS last night after falling to Culleoka on Monday night three sets to one. The Viqueens took the early lead with a 25-20 win in set one and never looked back. Community edged out a 25-23 victory in set two, and concluded the victory with a 25-16 win in set three...

The Cascade Lady Champs blanked MTCS 6-0 on Tuesday night. Emily Lewis netted two goals in the first half, with both assists by Alyssa Hoover in the first half. At halftime, the Lady Champs held a 2-0 advantage over MTCS. In the second half, Lewis wasted little time second half finding the back of the net. Lewis found the back of the net on her third goal barely five minutes into the second half...

Tennessee's Superme Court has denied hearing an appeal from a woman who admitted guilt in a 2008 jail rape. Brooke Lee Whitaker's application for an appeal was denied, it was announced Tuesday by the court. She will be allowed to waive legal costs, but was also denied a motion for the appointment of counsel...

A man suing the county over its bail bonding system is asking a federal judge for class action status, entering a number of exhibits in his case. Ricky Robertson has been suing since last December, claiming that Bedford County operates a system of setting bail for those arrested and presented to a judicial commissioner "that is not based on the individualized assessment of that particular person's likelihood to flee."...

Postal union members rallied Tuesday outside the Murfreesboro office of U.S. Rep. Diane Black, supporting a bill that the unions say will save the U.S. Postal Service without drastic cutbacks. Tom Taylor of Shelbyville, a retired postal worker who is branch president for the National Association of Letter Carriers, was one of the participants. He said an estimated 30 people took part in the rally. Black was not present, but her staff accepted petitions delivered by the rally participants...

Coffee County authorities arrested a Normandy man Sunday for allegedly stabbing his brother. The Tullahoma News reported that Bill Freeman, 46, of Normandy Road, Normandy was charged with aggravated assault for the alleged stabbing of Jackie Freeman...

Bedford County hopes to save about $650,000 by refinancing some of its debt, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of the county's Financial Management Committee. The refinancing will not change or extend the term of the debts being financed, which are about five years from being paid off. But it will take advantage of interest rates that are lower now than when the money was first borrowed...

The Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce held its annual Firehouse Barbecue from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Once again, the event was a great success, full of great food and fun for all who attended. More than 150 people attended the dinner and fundraiser, held at the Tennessee Fire Service and Code Academy dining hall on Unionville-Deason Road...