From now until New Year's Eve, the Times-Gazette is looking back at 2007 by counting down the top 10 news stories of the year as voted by a panel of T-G staffers. Here are the stories revealed so far:

10) Standardized School Attire proposed

9) Celebration runs smoothly, but numbers down

7 - tie) Bedford County observes Bicentennial

7 - tie) SCHS renovation and expansion / $44M borrowed for school projects

Today, we look at the sixth and fifth most-newsworthy stories:

6) Cartwright elected mayor of Shelbyville (39 points)

Mary Anna Jenkins congratulates Wallace Cartwright on his victory in the Shelbyville mayor's race during a celebration at Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center on the night of the June 7 city election. (T-G file photo by René A. Capley) [Click to enlarge]

Wallace Cartwright defeated incumbent Shelbyville Mayor Geneva Smith on June 7 by a margin of 1,142 to 632 in City of Shelbyville elections. Jerry Robinson was a distant third with 143 votes.

Former Mayor Al Stephenson ousted incumbent Leonard Travis in the Second Ward City Council race. Stephenson received 802 votes and Jimmy Darden drew 531, with Travis in third place with 470.

Former Council member Lee Roy Cunningham returned to office in the Fourth Ward, drawing 671 votes, passing Jamie Williams (581) and June Taylor (575).

A total of 1,939 voters participated in the election, which long-time Bedford County Election Registrar Anna Clanton called "probably one of the smoothest Election Days I've ever worked."

This was the last stand-alone city election; starting in 2008, Shelbyville elections will be held in November of even-numbered years, at the same time as state and federal general elections.

5) Drought / water restrictions (41 points)

A marker buoy, normally floating in Normandy Lake, was left high and dry by the receding water line. Drought conditions have brought the lake's level to its lowest in many years, and officials are on the brink of issuing mandatory water usage restrictions. (T-G File Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge]

With the Southeast in the second year of a drought and the U.S. experiencing one of its warmest years since records have been kept, Bedford County stands teetering on the verge of mandatory water use restrictions.

Area customers have already been asked to conserve water voluntarily.

According to the National Weather Service in Morristown, above-normal temperatures and just below-normal rainfall are expected to stick around through March, as reported by The Associated Press.

Normandy Reservoir is at half its capacity, with a water level just a few feet above the mark where mandatory water use restrictions would be triggered. Duck River Agency is drawing up emergency action plans, which director Doug Murphy said is a new experience for the agency.

The dry weather has taken its toll on local agriculture. Some livestock producers have had to sell off animals because of the lack of affordable hay to feed them. In June, Mid-South Livestock Center in Unionville had its busiest day in 11 years of operation, much of it due to farmers forced to sell cattle.

One bright spot: the lake's low level allowed a cleanup event in early December, with trash being collected from areas that are normally under water.

Top story suggestions were solicited from the T-G news staff. A ballot containing 22 story possibilities was circulated to 10 different T-G staffers, each of whom selected his or her top 10 choices. Ten points were awarded for a first place vote, nine for a second place vote and so on.

SUNDAY: A tragic ending in Shelbyville