Stories from Thursday, July 17, 2014

HOOVER, Ala. -- Tennessee's A.J. Johnson acknowledged his decision to stay with the Volunteers instead of heading to the NFL was one of the toughest he's ever had to make. He decided to stay in school. Now the senior hopes to lead Tennessee to its first winning record since 2009...

With the vision of back-to-back District 8-AAA championships, Shelbyville Central's Golden Eagles are working hard this summer in preparation for the upcoming football season. The team has been holding summer workouts and competing in 7-on-7 passing competitions across the midstate...

Dear editor: In November, voters will decide whether or not to return our state Constitution to neutral on the matter of abortion. With our vote, we will determine whether it is the people who should decide public policy on abortion or activist state court judges who have wrongly claimed that abortion is a fundamental right within the Tennessee Constitution...

MANCHESTER (AP) -- The two hospitals in Manchester that are less than three miles apart may merge. The Tullahoma News reported that United Regional Medical Center and Medical Center of Manchester have taken the first steps toward a combination of the two hospitals...

The children's play "Woolfie" will be presented Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and July 20 at 2 p.m. at the Fly Arts Center on South Main Street. Blending three well-loved fairy tales -- Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks and Three Bears -- "Woolfie" takes place in a series of flashbacks as the Wolf must defend himself in the Trial of the Century. ...

Pleasant Grove FCE Club met on Monday, May 19, in the fellowship hall of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. Hostess for the month was Donna Parker. Members present were: Sherry Brown, Carolyn Adiska and Donna Parker. Devotion was given by Carolyn Adiska. ...

A Shelbyville man wanted for burglary and theft of property has been captured in Nevada. Sean Stephen Bess, 26 was arrested in Elko, Nevada for two counts of being a fugitive felon from another state, according to the Elko Daily Free Press. He is being held there without bail...

July 28 is the date that work will begin on the long-awaited widening of North Main Street. That's the word handed down this week after a busload of top Tennessee Department of Transportation officials stopped in Bedford County. As part of a statewide tour, they visited the area Tuesday to look at the widening of North Main and check on the ongoing construction between Shelbyville and Tullahoma on U.S. 41A...

Early voting for the Aug. 7 primary and general elections begins Friday and runs through Aug. 2. All early voting takes place in the basement of Bedford County Courthouse, regardless of where your election-day precinct is located. You don't need a reason to early vote; it's open to anyone...

A special judge has ordered Shelbyville's board of zoning appeals (BZA) to issue a permit to Wright Paving for the operation of a rock quarry. Senior Judge Ben Cantrell of Nashville ruled that Shelbyville's BZA "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" by denying the application for the quarry on grounds "that are not supported by any material evidence."...

Luke & Kailey enjoying the white sand and clear water at Seacrest Beach, Florida on their family vacation!