Stories from Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A dog was beaten to death and thousands of dollars worth of items stolen from a Midland Road home Friday or Saturday, sheriff's department investigators said. The Walker coon hound, which had been tied by a doghouse, was dead when the owner arrived home about 3 p.m. Saturday, according to a report filed by Cpl. Ronnie Gault. A relative had been at the home Friday afternoon and the dog was fine at that time...

Although the loss of Freida Fuston's life was overwhelmingly on the minds of rescue workers as her Depot Street home burned late Saturday, they still took time to give aid to her pets. Two of four dogs which had been in the home are alive today. One, Buster, lives due to the attention of firefighter Terry Vinson of the Shelbyville Fire Department...

MURFREESBORO -- The shiny new pearl on MTSU's burgeoning east side of campus continues to grow toward a late-August opening. The gem is the $65 million, nearly 211,000-square-foot Student Union. Nestled next to the year-old College of Education building to the west and the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building to the south, the Student Union will be the trendy place for students and others to gather...

With the start of the Olympic games nearly upon us, I can't help but feel a bit of patriotism overcoming me. It happens every four years and it's great. I absolutely love when we send the best athletes our country has to compete against the best of the world...

Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen has issued a ban on fireworks due to the dry conditions, according to a statement released Monday by town hall: "The Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen have decided to ban the shooting of fireworks within the city limits of Wartrace over the Fourth of July holiday and weekend," reads the statement. "This is due to the extremely high risk of fire."...

A variety of local agencies will close Wednesday for the Independence Day holiday. Here are some closings of broad interest: CLOSED WEDNESDAY Bedford County Courthouse and Courthouse Annex Shelbyville City Hall Bell Buckle Town Hall Wartrace Town Hall...

A Bedford County man convicted of child abuse lost an appeal to serve his sentence on probation. Justin Alexander Deweese had been sentenced to a three-year sentence of confinement and appealed, saying that he should receive a totally suspended sentence to be served on probation...

Months of dry weather combined with the searing heat have resulted in a "bleak" year for Bedford County farmers. County extension agent John Teague gave a depressing assessment facing those who make their living with agriculture, and how it will impact the rest of us in the future...

Grady Johnson, son of Joel and Kecia Johnson - Shelbyville, TN - Ready to celebrate the 4th of July

Shelbyville/Bedford County Crimestoppers is offering a reward up to $1,000 for information leading to the return of 13-year-old Joanna Cheyenne Starr Belcher, who was last seen June 21. She has not been seen or heard from since her disappearance, police say...

Miss Judie's Preschool welcomed family and friends to join them in celebrating this year's Holiday by holding a 4th of July Parade. (Back row: Morgan McCormick, Judie Pope, Briley Boyce, Alton Pope, {Veteran} Charles McCormick, Joy Pope Mince, Jason Mince, Kaleb Pope, Middle: Kaegan Young, Kara Brooke Adams, Gavin Anderson, Zola Ann Mince, Tanner Johnson, Slayden Mince, Tucker Johnson, Taylar Wessner, Grayson Anderson, Row McLaughlin, Front: Chase Fann, Grady Johnson, Kaemey Young, Eli Pope)...

A car belonging to a woman whose partially burned body was found beside a Franklin County road was found Monday in Bedford County. The car was found near Three Forks Bridge off Haley Road, Sheriff Randall Boyce said. Franklin County authorities took the 1995 Ford Mustang back to their county for close inspection...