Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Bell Buckle

Bell Buckle

Bell Buckle is a small but eclectic community in northeastern Bedford County. It is home to The Webb School, a distinguished prep school, and also boasts a vibrant tourism industry centered around special events such as the RC Cola / Moon Pie Festival each June and the Webb School Arts & Crafts Festival each October.

Bell Buckle water projects start soon (01/27/12)
New water lines and meters are no longer a pipe dream for Bell Buckle. A Community Development Block Grant and a state-granted revolving fund loan will fund rehabilitation of the town's water and sewage system. The CDBG project will be the first phase, and will replace 250 older meters...

Bell Buckle performer lets the music flow (01/15/12)
If her dream out-of-the-blue phone call arrived, it would be from a big sponsor offering a world tour. For now, Emilie Burke is content with the "Arrival" of her independent-release CD by that name. The album was produced in "Big" Mike Griffin's home studio in Nashville...

Webb students ride into 'orbit' (12/09/11)
Physician and former astronaut Rhea Seddon of Murfreesboro took Webb School students with her on a journey into Earth orbit on Thursday. Seddon, a veteran of three space shuttle missions, appeared as part of the school's Follin Speaker Series. With the help of video footage, she told the story of STS-40, a 1991 mission dedicated to research in life sciences during which she and her crewmates performed a series of experiments testing the effects of space travel on humans -- and on some of the shuttle's other passengers, several laboratory rats.. ...

Offices, agencies take holiday vacations (11/22/11)
A number of businesses and organizations will close this weekend to observe the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some holiday schedules of broad interest: l Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System l Argie Cooper Public Library l U.S. Post Offices...

$1.2M loaned to Bell Buckle (11/13/11)
The water and sewer problems which have plagued the Town of Bell Buckle may soon be eased, with help from a pair of low-interest loans awarded by the state's Revolving Fund Loan program. The award was a highlight of Tuesday's meeting of the board of mayor and alderman...

Webb siren may serve town (10/13/11)
For a warning siren to be useful, you have to be able to hear it, and to know clearly what it's trying to communicate. The Town of Bell Buckle is working with The Webb School to improve emergency notification for both the town and the private prep school located there...

Arts alive! It's Webb Craft Fair time in Bell Buckle (10/12/11)
The Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce and The Webb School are excited about the 35th anniversary of one of Tennessee's favorite festivals. The Webb School Art and Craft Festival will kick off Saturday at 9 a.m. "More artists will be attending this year's event than ever before with a field of artistic talent that is sure to please and impress," said Jenny Hunt, the town's vice-mayor...

Vicious dogs, beware! (10/12/11)
Bell Buckle is considering adoption of revised animal control ordinances, with specific attention being given to the city's handling of vicious dogs within the city. Citing recent incidents in the town, The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to revise the policy, with the first public reading to occur at next month's board meeting, where a subsequent vote will be made...

Johnson 'shocked' by Webb award (09/22/11)
Mary Jo Johnson, a former Bedford County school board member who has taught English for 13 years, was recognized by the Webb School Parents' Association with the WSPA Faculty Enrichment Award. Leigh Huddleston, WSPA president, presented the award at the opening of school Faculty and Trustee Dinner...

New test gives Webb info on student skills (09/20/11)
Measuring students' ability to think critically, assimilate information, and reason is the basis of a new College Work and Readiness Assessment (CWRA) that was recently administered at The Webb School. The ultimate goal is to better prepare students for college and life...

Water rates fall for some Bell Buckle residents (09/14/11)
Bell Buckle area residents using 500 gallons or less of water per month will pay less for usage following a vote by the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Tuesday night. The new lower rate for inside the town limits will be $33.15 and the new lower rate for outside the town limits will be $36.46 for those using 500 gallons or less, according to town recorder Janet Robinson...

Bell Buckle water users complain about rates (07/13/11)
Several Bell Buckle water customers attended the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen to express their concerns about the recent hike in water rates. "You're seeing a jump of $200,000," said Rhonda Bissonnette, who owns property on Happy Valley Road. ...

Be prepared to laugh yourself silly at 'The Comedy of Errors' (07/06/11)
Spoiler alert. I can't keep it a secret any more, so if you really don't want to know what some of the funniest parts of the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival's "The Comedy of Errors" are, stop reading now. Of course, even if I do tell you about the character of "Nell," the twin-switching scenes and the wonderful steel magnolia purring cat fight between the abbess and the wife, it wouldn't matter-- there are more funny moments than I can squeeze into my column, and all are subject to change...

Bell Buckle celebrates Independence Day (07/05/11)
Organizers estimated approximately 1,500 people -- more than three times last year's number -- attended Bell Buckle's July 4 celebration on Saturday night.

Sever'd from my bliss... (06/30/11)

Wartrace, Bell Buckle water is now safe (06/23/11)
The boil water notice issued by the town of Wartrace Tuesday has been lifted, according to a release from Ron Stacy, the town's mayor. After extensive flushing, water samples tested free of the E. coli and fecal material that prompted the warning earlier this week...

Rain greets the Bard (06/23/11)
"With a hey, ho, the wind and the rain ...." When William Shakespeare penned this line for "Twelfth Night," he must have been peeking into the future, when Lane Davies would produce his plays on the grounds of Webb School. The end of the quote is "For the rain it raineth every day," which has been the case as the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival gears up for opening night on Friday...

Boil water notice lifted (06/22/11)
The boil water notice issued by the town of Wartrace Tuesday has been lifted, according to a release from Ron Stay, the town's mayor.

Rain can't reign in Bell Buckle (06/21/11)
WKRN-TV (Channel 2) weatherman Justin Bruce had two reasons to keep a close eye on the skies Saturday morning. Besides the fact that it's his job, he knew he was riding in an open convertible as the King of the RC Cola & Moon Pie parade in Bell Buckle, with WKRN anchor Anne Holt as the queen...

RCs, MoonPies fuel Bell Buckle this weekend (06/15/11)
Roads around Bell Buckle will be crowded early Saturday morning as the RC Cola & MoonPie festival gets underway with the traditional MoonPie 10-Mile Run. "We've got more than 900 runners signed up," said Joe Sheetz, president of the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce. "It's going to be awesome."...

The Bard's back in Bell Buckle (06/12/11)
Two sets of identical twins, a shipwreck, feuding cities, music and ... puppets? Once again, actor/director Lane Davies brings a unique perspective of Shakespeare to Bell Buckle for this year's Tennessee Shakespeare Festival. It opens June 24 and runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until July 10...

Bell Buckle water rates to rise 27% (06/08/11)
In its May 24 meeting the Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Alderman voted to increase water rates 20 percent, with a 3 percent increase made automatically every year thereafter. It was a necessary increase, said Mayor Dennis Webb, to stabilize the town's water department financially because of increased rates from water providers and infrastructure improvements and replacements...

Recipe contest adds to Moon Pie fest ingredients (06/02/11)
What could be better than a Moon Pie and an RC Cola? That's the question they ask in Bell Buckle this time each year, as the RC Cola & Moon Pie festival rolls around. This year, they've come up with an answer. A special treat, made with Moon Pies or RC Cola...

Bell Buckle water rates to increase (05/25/11)
Water customers both in and out of Bell Buckle city limits will be facing a rate increase of 20 percent in the next fiscal year and an automatic 3 percent increase per year after that. Mayor Dennis Webb said the increase was not only recommended by the state Municipal Technical Advisory Service, but was necessary to stabilize the water department financially. ...

Day for the dogs -- and poets, too (05/24/11)
There were some pedigreed pooches lounging in the shade Saturday at Bell Buckle, but there were just as many mutts monopolizing the Mayberry of Moon Pies. As it should be. The inaugural celebration of Bell Buckle's "Mutts in May" was not about the best-bred dogs, but about the fastest, longest, smallest, biggest, ugliest, cutest, and the ones who resembled their owners the most...

Going to the dogs (05/19/11)
The Dog Days are here -- and it isn't even summer yet. Bell Buckle is hosting its first-ever Mutts in May celebration, a day-long event that will provide fun for families as well as their furry friends. "We thought it would be something different," said Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce president Joe Sheetz, who gave credit for the idea to Maggi Vaughn and Annie Rooney. ...

Bell Buckle to allow chain link fences (04/13/11)
Dog owners may find it a bit easier to keep their animals off the streets in Bell Buckle in the near future. The board of mayor and aldermen passed a new fence ordinance on its first reading Tuesday night, although it still faces a public hearing and the second reading before final approval...

Wartrace offers deal on Bell Buckle water (04/12/11)
And the issue trickles on ... The ongoing saga of getting clean, healthy water to Bell Buckle has taken yet another turn at the Monday night board of mayor and aldermen meeting -- in Wartrace. "Bell Buckle has been switching back and forth," said Wartrace Mayor Ron Stacy...

McWherter carved time for sculptor (04/05/11)
"They'll have to have a big church to hold all the folks who will want to be attending," said Bell Buckle sculptor Russ Faxon of former Gov. Ned McWherter's funeral. Faxon was the artist commissioned to do a larger-than-life statue of McWherter, who died Monday at age 80. Throughout the year he worked on the statue, Faxon had several meetings with McWherter and came to know him well...

Sunny and Yellow: Daffodil Day returns (03/16/11)
Saturday is supposed to be warm and partly sunny -- a perfect setting for Bell Buckle's Daffodil Day. "It was a little wet last year," said Debbie Sheetz, who runs three Bell Buckle businesses with her husband Joe, the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce president...

Grease is main enemy for sewer systems (03/15/11)
How many times have you heard about how fats -- the bad fats -- can clog your arteries and lead to system failure in your body? The same holds true for the sewer system, only there are no good fats here. "Grease is a sewer killer," said Bryan Smith, supervisor of the Wartrace water and sewer departments. "At least 95 percent of our problems are due to grease."...

Sewage solutions: Down the drain, and then... (03/13/11)
The old expression "Out of sight, out of mind," is never truer than when it is applied to wastewater. Once the kitchen drain is opened or the commode flushed, most people don't give a second thought to what just got washed away. "Everybody thinks about drinking water," said Jenny Hunt, the chairwoman of Bell Buckle's Water Department. She would know, since the town has been suffering outbreaks of brown water since its changeover to BCUD, then back to Wartrace for its drinking water...

Bell Buckle to accept credit cards for bills (03/10/11)
Bell Buckle residents will soon have a new option when it comes to paying their water or tax bills. The board of mayor and aldermen voted Tuesday night to purchase software that will allow them to use debit or credit cards to make payments. "We've had a lot of requests to accept credit cards," said town record Janet Robinson...

Stray dogs becoming 'threat' in Bell Buckle (02/09/11)
Stray dogs are becoming a problem again in Bell Buckle and Mayor Dennis Webb cautions the public that the town may have to call Bedford County Animal Control in to pick the animals up. "We've been pretty lenient in the past," said Webb at Tuesday night's meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen. "But we've been getting a lot of complaints."...

Big wheels in Bell Buckle (02/01/11)
There were thrills and spills and lots of laughter filing the new gymnasium at Webb School in Bell Buckle all day Saturday as the second annual Rollin' Round Robin Classic wheelchair basketball tournament continued. The University of Alabama's men's team took top honors, defeating the team from the Shepherd's Center in Atlanta. Earlier, Shepherd beat the two-time national champions, the Alabama women's team, in a surprising upset...

Country stars to sing and...play (01/28/11)
If you're expecting to hear "Little Good-Byes," "This Woman Needs," or "I Will... But" when the country music trio SHeDAISY performs at the Rollin' Round Robin Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Bell Buckle Saturday, don't. The three Osborn sisters, Kristyn, Kelsi and Kassidy will only be performing one song -- but Kassidy promises you won't be disappointed...

Charlie Louvin dies at 83 (01/26/11)
NASHVILLE (AP) - Charlie Louvin, half of the Louvin Brothers whose harmonies inspired fellow country and pop singers for decades, has died due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Brett Steele, his manager, said the Country Music Hall of Fame singer died at his home in Wartrace early Wednesday morning...

Fans can get into Wheelchair Tournament act (01/23/11)
The Rollin' Round Robin Classic Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, sponsored by Heritage Medical Center and the Bell Buckle Parks and Recreation Department, hits the boards in the Webb School gym next Friday and Saturday, but the five teams of wheelchair athletes won't be the only ones shooting the hoops...

Moments for a hero (01/21/11)
MURFREESBORO -- The courthouse square in Murfreesboro was crowded with fire trucks and police cars Thursday morning, but there was no emergency. What there was, was a special ceremony to honor those who respond to those emergencies -- and especially those who have lost their lives in doing so...

Bell Buckle, BCUD extend water contract (01/19/11)
The water issue in Bell Buckle is still in limbo. At the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen, Mayor Dennis Webb told board members he, Water Board Chair Jenny Hunt and Water Department Supervisor Ronnie Lokey had met with Bedford County Utility District...

Foul shots hit their marks for heroes (01/16/11)
The wheelchair athletes who will fill the gymnasium at The Webb School in Bell Buckle Jan. 28 and 29 found themselves in their chairs through various reasons, from car accidents to medical conditions. In the coming years, their numbers could swell if the disabled veterans coming home from Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts join them on the court...

Wheels of steel become a big deal (01/02/11)
Well, it's officially January, so it must be getting close to time for that great annual sport tradition. Super Bowl? What Super Bowl? We're talking about the Rollin' Round Robin Classic Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Bell Buckle Jan. 29. Presented by the Bell Buckle Parks & Rec Department with Heritage Medical Center, the tournament is now in its second year, filling the Webb School gym with athletes and fans for an all-day affair...

Water woes among year's top issues (12/29/10)
Water was a problem in 2010 between Wartrace and Bell Buckle -- both in the literal and figurative senses of the word "between." The towns' water woes and a verdict in a murder trial are the next two entries on the Times-Gazette's annual countdown of the biggest news stories of 2010 as selected by a vote of staff members...

Bell Buckle faces major choice on water source (12/29/10)
Bell Buckle water customers, there may -- or may not -- be more dirty water headed your way. At the special called meeting Tuesday night, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen discussed the water quality issues that have plagued Bell Buckle water customers since early July...

Town to seek $750K for aging system (12/29/10)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday night in a 2 1/2 hour special called meeting to begin the process of applying for $750,000 in loans -- all for the town's water and sewer system. "We inherited this problem when we came into office," said Mayor Dennis Webb. "It is an antiquated system."...

Christmas spirit (12/16/10)
The Webb School Choir and String Ensemble performed to a packed house on Thursday, Dec. 9, at the annual celebration of Lessons and Carols. In addition to music and song, the service of Lessons and Carols included the reading of nine Bible passages by select members of the Webb faculty and student body. The same Bible verses are read each year; they tell the story of the fall of mankind, God's redemptive grace and His ultimate gift of Jesus Christ...

Bell Buckle officer goes full-time (12/15/10)
Bell Buckle now has a full-time police officer -- permanently. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted at the Tuesday night meeting to make the position full-time. "Thank you!" said Lori Lynn Reel, a local resident who was one of several to attend the meeting...

Time for a holiday break (11/23/10)
A variety of local offices and facilities will close for the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some closings of broad interest: Bedford County Courthouse, Bedford County Courthouse Annex and Bedford County Office Complex will close Thursday, Friday and (where applicable) Saturday...

New alderman wades into Bell Buckle issues (11/12/10)
Edwina Chilton was sworn in as the newest Bell Buckle alderman Wednesday night at the November meeting and immediately got to experience several of the recurring themes of Bell Buckle government -- water problems, historic zoning issues, roaming dogs and law enforcement...

Politics no factor in resignation, Anderson says (11/04/10)
When James Anderson resigned from the Bell Buckle board of mayor and aldermen last month, it wasn't exactly a sudden decision. By the time the election came around in August, Anderson didn't even want to run and it had nothing to do with politics -- or water...

Lovin' Louvin: Krauss, others assist Opry legend (11/02/10)
It was standing room only at the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall Saturday night as dozens of country and bluegrass musicians took the stage -- and hundreds watched from the audience. The event was a day-long benefit concert and silent auction to help the legendary Charlie Louvin, member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, in his battle against pancreatic cancer...

Krauss to perform at Louvin benefit (10/29/10)
Bluegrass legend Alison Krauss has joined the star-studded line-up for the Charlie Louvin benefit concert at the Bell Buckle Banquet banquet hall Saturday night. Hall manager Martha Akers made the announcement Thursday. The concert and auction will be held from noon until 9 p.m. Saturday at the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall...

Standing tall: Local sculptor crafts McWherter statue (10/19/10)
Former Gov. Ned McWherter, we'd like you to meet ... Gov. Ned McWherter. The former governor of Tennessee, 46th to hold that title, serving from 1987 to 1995, made his presence known on the courthouse lawn of his hometown Dresden Friday morning. The occasion was twofold -- his 80th birthday was being celebrated, as well as the installation of his 7-foot tall bronze doppelganger -- a beautiful statue in his image created by Bell Buckle's own Russell Faxon...

Crowds roam Bell Buckle (10/17/10)
"You couldn't ask for a better day," said Annie Rooney. "The weather is just perfect." Rooney, an alderwoman for Bell Buckle, is wearing another one of her famous hats this weekend as an artist and crafter, selling colorful, hand-painted items in her yard...

Bell Buckle officer goes full-time ... for now (10/14/10)
Bell Buckle will have its first full-time police officer on duty now -- but only for a trial period. "Two and a half years ago the board made a commitment when we hired a police officer that we would reassess this," said Mayor Dennis Webb in the work session before the regular meeting Tuesday night...

Anderson leaves Bell Buckle seat (10/13/10)
Bell Buckle Alderman James Anderson resigned his position in a letter sent to the members of the board of mayor and aldermen last week, with today being his last day. Mayor Dennis Webb made the announcement at the Tuesday night work session held prior to the regular meeting...

Web(b) of creativity (10/05/10)
Every region has its fall traditions. In East Tennessee, people drive into the Smokies to see the fall foliage. In West Tennessee, Oktoberfest partiers roll out the barrel on Beale Street. In Middle Tennessee, we head to Bell Buckle for the annual Webb School Art & Craft Festival. This year it will be Saturday, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m...

Bell Buckle performance art (09/19/10)

Fringe Festival invites Webb theater students (09/19/10)
Students from The Webb School in Bell Buckle are set to showcase their acting and theater production skills overseas next year, thanks to an invitation from the American High School Theatre Festival (AHSTF). The Webb Theatre program was recently selected to participate in the 2011 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. ...

Bell Buckle cleans up its acts by codifying town ordinances (09/16/10)
It's been close to three years now that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in Bell Buckle got started on some "housekeeping." In this case, it wasn't the closets that needed cleaning out or the living room that needed straightening up, but the ordinances that govern everyday life in the town...

Cool treats for hot work (09/10/10)
When there's a fire in Bell Buckle, the Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire department is there to fight it. When there's a wreck, an injury, or anything else they can help with, the volunteer firefighters and rescue workers are there for the community. Now's the chance for the community to be there for the firefighters. ...

Webb students to learn on horseback (09/07/10)
The Webb School is expanding its extracurricular offerings to include horseback riding. A pilot program initiated last spring by 1995 Webb alumna Sandi Jobe and six enthusiastic students, Webb's after-school equestrian club begins anew this month with a goal of becoming a member of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association...

Cost estimate doubles for Bell Buckle water fix (09/01/10)
The Bell Buckle water problem is hurting more than the customers' appliances and taste buds -- it's hitting the budget as well. A recent contract issued to reroute a water line around an unreachable, leaking section under the road between Bell Buckle and Wartrace had to be amended at a special called meeting Tuesday night...

Water critics flood Bell Buckle (08/11/10)
More than 20 customers of the Bell Buckle water system attended the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Tuesday night where they got the chance to express their frustration with the recent water problems. "We appreciate your patience," said Mayor Dennis Webb. "These have been trying times."...

Haslam, Tracy, Leming, Marsh, Hunt carry Bedford County in primaries (08/06/10)
Bedford County voters joined their counterparts statewide in choosing Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam as the Republican nominee for governor and giving complimentary votes to Mike McWherter, son of former Gov. Ned McWherter, as the unopposed candidate for the Democratic nomination. Haslam and McWherter will face each other, and a handful of independent candidates, in November....

Discolored water's origin uncertain (08/05/10)
"Water, water every where nor any drop to drink ..." The lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" have seemed uncomfortably appropriate for many Bell Buckle water customers in the last month, as rusty, yellowish-red water spouted from their faucets instead of the clear, clean water they were used to...

Water users boiling over smell, dirt (08/03/10)
According to the tests, the discolored water between Wartrace and Bell Buckle, below Cascade School, is safe to drink -- but neither the residents nor the town recommend it. Cooking, brushing teeth and washing dishes or clothes in it are also not recommended...

Dirty water keeps on flowing (07/30/10)
The dirty water pouring out of faucets from the Bell Buckle lines has customers annoyed and the water department mystified. "Ronnie is in the field and he's got everybody and his little brother working on it day and night," said Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb, referring to Water Department Supervisor Ronnie Lokey...

Last weekend for Shakespeare Festival (07/09/10)
It was the last night before the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival's final weekend and you'd think the cast and crew, professionals that they are, would be walking through a pick-up rehearsal, or at least reading lines, getting psyched for the last three performances of "Two Gentlemen of Verona (Tenn.)"...

Water change causes rusty Bell Buckle flow (07/08/10)
Drinking water is hardly a new topic of conversation in the Bell Buckle-Wartrace area, but in the last few weeks, there's been even more to talk about. Like quality. A Bell Buckle customer brought in a clear plastic bottle of water from her tap that was anything but clear. The water was tinged the color of rust -- and with good reason...

Water system divides towns it once joined (07/04/10)
Wartrace and Bell Buckle are at odds over water -- who supplies it and how much it costs. This was evident Thursday night at a special called water board hearing in Wartrace where both Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher and Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb explained their recent actions and reactions...

Primary, general elections have different purposes (07/04/10)
Some voters who have spoken with the Times-Gazette are unclear about the difference between the primary and general elections which will both take place on the same day in August. Here is a brief explanation: In the general election, you are helping to make the final decision about who will take office. In the primary election, you are helping to choose your party's nominee to run in the November general election for state and federal offices...

Bell Buckle switches to BCUD water (06/27/10)
Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Thursday night at a special called meeting to sign a contract with Bedford County Utility District, making BCUD the town's primary water source. Wartrace had been the primary supplier, and Bell Buckle will now have to seek a contract with Wartrace as a secondary supplier...

Bitten by the acting bug (06/27/10)
Almost all of the professional actors currently spending their weekends in Bell Buckle for the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival have impressive r�sum�s, from director Lane Davies' work in film and television to up-and-coming Patrick Waller's work in musical theater...

Review: Scene stealers abound in updated version of Shakespeare comedy (06/23/10)
There is an old saying in the acting world that you should never share the stage with kids or dogs because they'll always steal the scene. Someone should have told Diesel the Dog not to share the stage with Jerry Winsett. I always know I'm going to get a huge laugh when he shows up, but I'm never quite sure what directions it's going to come from. He can droop a subtle eyebrow and wave extravagant arms in comic gesture, but he's always going to make me laugh...

Piece of the pie (06/22/10)
Billy Phillips is over the moon. Moon Pie, that is. "I've never seen such a response, and the crowd stayed longer than it ever has before," said Phillips. Until recently, he was president of the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce and he coordinated this year's RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival, as he has done for many years. Phillips also owns two of Bell Buckle's favorite businesses, the general store and the ice cream shop...

RC-Moon Pie crowd floods family with donations (06/20/10)
Thousands of people wandered the streets of Bell Buckle Saturday sporting neon yellow wristbands. each band indicating a donation to a family who suffered in the May flooding of Nashville. By the end of the day, thousands of dollars were collected by Bedford County deputies, who then turned it over to be counted and accounted for, then it was presented to the McClain family of Nashville...

Shakespeare Festival comes alive, on and off stage (06/20/10)
It was a busy night in Bell Buckle Friday -- but a festive one. While merchants and volunteers scrambled around downtown, preparing everything for the RC Cola and Moon Pie festival, the actors and staff of the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival, just up the road at Webb School, were preparing for opening night...

Two Gents' worth of Shakespeare (06/17/10)
If Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer were born about 500 years earlier into Italian families and decided they wanted to travel and seek their fortunes, they just might have been the subjects of a Shakespeare play. In a way -- they are. Patrick Waller and Pete Vann are taking on the lead roles in the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival's 2010 production "Two Gentlemen of Verona (Tenn.)," which opens Friday night in Bell Buckle. ...

Flood victims benefit from Bell Buckle fun (06/16/10)
Considering the floods that devastated Nashville and other areas in Middle Tennessee in May, the folks in Bell Buckle have decided to dry off for this year's RC Cola-Moon Pie Festival. The synchronized wading, always a favorite part of the big day, which is Saturday, won't be on the schedule this year...

Bell Buckle water rates to increase (06/10/10)
Customers of Bell Buckle's water department will soon see an increase on their monthly bills. At the Tuesday night board meeting of the mayor and aldermen, the board voted to approve an increase in rates and fees. "The justification for that is the maintenance of the lines," said Mayor Dennis Webb, who added that those outside of town would have greater increases because the farther distance usually meant higher costs for maintenance...

Bell Buckle to benefit from the Bard (05/23/10)
Sitting outside the Blue Bird ice cream shop in Bell Buckle, Lane Davies nods and waves at the passersby. If they're local, he knows their names, and if they're Webb students, he's probably taught them some Shakespeare. For a man who spent decades in Hollywood, starring in day and night time soaps and movies, guest starring in numerous sitcoms and dramas, he's very much at home in this small town community. ...

Smith, Bell Buckle to kick up heels at amphitheater (05/21/10)
It's been years in the planning and construction -- and it's even been in use for a year -- but this Saturday will mark the grand opening of the Bell Buckle Amphitheater. "We did the Fourth of July celebration here last year, but we weren't sure we were going to meet that deadline," said Jenny Hunt, an alderwoman in Bell Buckle as well as one of the driving forces behind the town park and the amphitheater. "Besides, we've always known we wanted to open it officially with Valerie."...

Bell Buckle prepares for possible tax increases (05/13/10)
Bell Buckle residents may be looking at increases in both water rates and property taxes in the coming year. Mayor Dennis Webb told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen that he plans to call a special meeting soon to discuss the possible need for rate increases...

Bikers' thunder to shake Bell Buckle (05/13/10)
Considering the weather Middle Tennessee has had in the past few weeks, residents in and around Bell Buckle might feel a little concerned when they hear the rumble of thunder Saturday morning. There's nothing to worry about, though, Other than a 20 percent chance of rain in the forecast, it looks to be a beautiful day -- perfect for riding your thunder-rumbling Harleys and Hondas, BMWs, Kawasakis, Yamahas, Suzukis, and if you're really lucky, your Indians along the winding, rolling roads...

Geocachers to join Bell Buckle Motorcycle Day (05/12/10)
A year after Bell Buckle became the center of the geocaching world for a day, a group of Middle Tennessee geocachers are coming back as volunteers for Bell Buckle Motorcycle Day. Members of the committee that organized last year's GeoWoodstock VII festival are working with Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce to serve as goodwill ambassadors during the big event this Saturday...

Wartrace assures Bell Buckle water will flow (05/04/10)
Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher told the town's water board Monday night that he had received a letter from the mayor of Bell Buckle about the water supply. "Mayor (Dennis) Webb sent me a letter expressing their concerns about our ability to supply them with all the water they need," he said...

New marker honors Shaker's Shocker, Sain family (04/25/10)
Despite the wet weather -- with worse yet to come -- dozens of people turned up at the Sain House at the Webb School. The event was to dedicate a historical marker commemorating the Sains and their 1966 World Grand Champion Tennessee walking horse, Shaker's Shocker...

Webb to honor Shaker's Shocker, Sain (04/23/10)
A horse is a horse is a horse, of course -- but sometimes, that horse is much, much more. One such animal was Shaker's Shocker, the 1966 World Grand Champion. The big black 4-year-old stallion rode to the top honor with his owner and rider Elizabeth F. "Betty" Sain -- making her the first woman to win the title...

Shakespeare to spend summer in Bell Buckle (04/18/10)
The Bard is back. The Tennessee Shakespeare festival will take place on the Webb School campus for four weekends, from June 18 to July 11. Unlike the first year of the festival, which ran for two weekends with "A Midsummer's Night Dream," and last year, when the company produced two shows, "Midsummer" and "Romeo and Juliet" over a four-week period, this year there will be one show all four weekends...

Bell Buckle second in competition, but gains 'sister town' (04/16/10)
The voting may have ended, but something may have just begun. The Kraft Singles and Disney competition to find the Best Single Town in America ended Sunday and Bell Buckle, out of more than 400 nominees, came in second place. The winner was Three Lakes, Wis. -- the same town Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb issued a personal challenge to a few weeks ago. If Three Lakes won, Bell Buckle would send them a basket full of local treats, from Moon Pies to Captain Rodney jellies...

Bell Buckle faces water problems (04/14/10)
Wartrace is on trial. That's the word from the Bell Buckle board of mayor and aldermen, which has been less than pleased with the town's water situation since the changeover to the Tullahoma water source. "Our water rate from Wartrace has gone from $1.55 to $2.50 (per thousand gallons). That is substantial," said Mayor Dennis Webb at the Tuesday night meeting...

Burns gives Webb bite of Big Apple (04/13/10)
Documentary filmmaker Ric Burns brought New York to Bell Buckle on Monday, showing a clip of his acclaimed "New York: A Documentary Film" as part of his remarks to students at The Webb School, where he was part of the Follin Speaker Series. The first five episodes of "New York" aired on PBS stations in November 1999, the sixth and seventh episodes aired in 2001. ...

Bluegrass artist rep hits a low note (03/31/10)
A Bell Buckle woman who runs an artist representation agency has been ordered to pay restitution to a local bluegrass star after pleading guilty to three theft charges. Michelle L. Bayus of Cemetery Road, who runs MLB Music Agency of Bell Buckle & Sheffield Lake, Ohio, has been ordered to pay $13,144.59 in restitution to bluegrass artist Valerie Smith...

Bell Buckle challenges 'Best Town' counterpart (03/28/10)
Rodney Simmons keeps an eye on the internet for mentions of Bell Buckle, and a story written by Michael Skubal for The Rhinelander Daily News caught his attention last week. You see, the Daily News is the newspaper serving Three Lakes, Wis., another contender for the title of Best Single Town in America...

Bell Buckle blossoms for Daffodil Day (03/17/10)
You know it's spring when the four-wheelers get stuck in the mud down by Normandy, when the skunks come out to play in the middle of the road at night, and when the daffodils start blooming. They are blooming now and Bell Buckle is welcoming the flowers -- and the seasons -- with its annual Daffodil Day on Saturday...

Bell Buckle hopes to be America's 'Best Single Town' (03/14/10)
Sometimes, when stuff happens, it's good stuff. It just so happened that the up and coming country band Love and Theft passed through the town of Bell Buckle at some point in time and took a picture. It just so happened that Kraft Singles and Disney ABC are co-sponsoring a contest to choose the Best Single Town in America that will include a concert by the band...

Webb students experience colleges, wilderness during winter break (02/11/10)
For some high school students, winter break is a time to recuperate and relax from the demands of class work, studying, athletics and fine arts activities. For others, it's a time to expand classroom walls, their minds and physical limits. At least two groups of students at The Webb School have chosen to spend their winter break this week doing the latter...

Former homeowner's unpaid bill costs purchaser $1,500 to reconnect (02/10/10)
Dwayne Hodges got a rude shock when he purchased a new home in Bell Buckle. After paying his earnest money and signing the contract, he discovered that there was no water. Due to unpaid utility bills, the tap had been repossessed from the previous owner and it was going to cost Hodges $2,500 to reconnect...

Rollin' toward a goal: Fundraiser is a success (01/24/10)
The scene at the Webb School gymnasium was uplifting, heartwarming, inspiring -- and hilarious. Hundreds turned out for the first Heritage Medical Center Rollin' Round Robin Classic Wheelchair Basketball Tournament and got to see some of the country's top teams take each other on for the tourney title...

Webb's Elkins to be honored (01/22/10)
If "dedication" had a name it would be Dorothy Elkins. Elkins, 83, has dedicated more than 52 years of her life to The Webb School in Bell Buckle. As a secretary, she reported directly to six former headmasters of The Webb School; and as a secretary/assistant in the Alumni and Development Office, she has worked for four different development directors...

Wheelchair athletes roll into Bell Buckle (01/15/10)
When the fans start cheering "Roll Tide Roll!" in the new Webb School gymnasium Saturday morning, don't go looking for the national football champs to come thundering out onto the polished floor. Look for the national wheelchair basketball champs. The University of Alabama's Women's Wheelchair basketball team won the 2009 Women's Wheelchair basketball championship after a 34-2 season, and only missed winning the top slot the year before by one point. ...

Bell Buckle makes sign rules clearer (01/14/10)
Those wanting to put up signs in Bell Buckle, whether it's a business sign or a yard sign for their favorite politician, need to check with the Town Hall first. Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen, meeting Tuesday night, approved an ordinance that will let sign owners know what is acceptable where...

Athlete doesn't let wheelchair slow his dreams (12/22/09)
Jared Arambula has been in a wheelchair for most of his 19 years, but that hasn't kept him from going places. In the past few years alone, he has gone to Australia, London, and just this summer, Paris, France, where he was a member of the gold medal winning Junior (23 and under) Paralympic Wheelchair basketball team...

Bell Buckle employees will receive Christmas bonuses (12/10/09)
The five employees of the town of Bell Buckle will be having a merrier Christmas than they might have hoped. Although they were warned by Mayor Dennis Webb during the budget process earlier this year not to count on Christmas bonuses in light of the current economy, they will be getting them after all...

Wheelchair athletes roll into Bell Buckle for Round Robin Classic (12/09/09)
IF YOU GO The Heritage Medical Center Rollin' Round Robin Classic Wheelchair Tournament will be from 8 a.m.to 3 p.m. at the Webb School. Tickets are $5 each, with children under 5 admitted free. Lunch will be available for $5, featuring barbecue from the Best of the Butts Peoples' Choice Award winner (for two years running), as well as two sides from the Bell Buckle Café. ...

Home again: Webb School reclaims historic structure (11/19/09)
After years of outside ownership, a historic Bell Buckle property originally owned by the Webb family is once again a part of the campus. The Executive Committee of The Webb School Board of Trustees voted on Sept. 29 in a special called meeting to purchase the home and 1.18-acre property located at 309 Webb Road East. The Webb School officially took possession of the property on Thursday, Nov. 12...

Pottery with a personal touch in Bell Buckle (11/13/09)
When her 15-year-old daughter, a student at Webb School, invited her to lunch in Bell Buckle one day, Teresa Johnson knew something was up. But Scout wasn't buttering her up for an increase in her allowance, a new iPod, or permission to go to a concert...

Webb Players present Wilde play this weekend (11/12/09)
The Webb School Company Players take on Oscar Wilde this week. The players will present Wilde's comedy, "The Importance of Being Earnest," tonight through Sunday, Nov. 15 in the Black Box Theatre at the Lundin Fine Arts Center on The Webb School Campus in Bell Buckle...

Webb names new headmaster (11/10/09)
The new headmaster for Webb School is from Massachusetts, but he won't need a guide when he moves to Bell Buckle next spring. "My wife's from North Carolina," said Raymond S. Broadhead, laughing. "She translates." Of course, for the last three years, he's been getting some on-the-job training when it comes to "y'all" and "fixin' to." He was the first headmaster ever at the Elon School in Alamance, N.C., helping get the new private school up and running. ...

Seven years' effort pays off: Bell Buckle awarded water grant (11/03/09)
Between old and overloaded pipelines, changing suppliers, and flooding, Bell Buckle has had several years of bad news when it comes to water. Last week, the town finally got some good news -- it has been awarded a $294,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist in infrastructure improvements. Specifically, the grant will be used to rehabilitate the existing water system...

Rain, cold can't stop Webb Art and Craft Fair (10/18/09)
It takes more than a little rain and cold weather to keep people away from the Webb Art and Craft Fair in Bell Buckle. In fact, it takes more than a lot of rain and cold weather. "There were people here at 6 a.m.," said Linda Simmons, who manages the Downtown Craft Fair set around Captain Rodney's stage. "They said they usually get here earlier but they were running late."...

Local agencies get highway safety grants (10/16/09)
Three Bedford County agencies have been awarded highway safety grants totaling $60,260, state officials announced this week. Agencies receiving the grants are: Funding for the Governor's Highway Safety Office grants were provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Sen. Jim Tracy worked to secure these funds for Bedford County...

It's Webb Art & Craft Festival time again (10/14/09)
With hundreds of booths and thousands of visitors, the Webb School art and craft festival may be one of the biggest in the south -- if not the country. But then, that's because it's not just one show. "The official show is the Webb School Art and Craft Show, sponsored by Webb and the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce," said Billy Phillips, chamber president. "Then there's the downtown show at Captain Rodney's Stage, and the Maple Street Show and the High Street show ..."...

Pledge becomes issue at Webb candidate forum (10/08/09)
Webb School's Town Hall meeting, a debate featuring two of the three candidates for the 62nd district seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives, almost became a debate featuring one of the candidates. Democratic candidate Ty Cobb was already a no-show, and when moderator Hannah Little introduced the candidates, Republican Pat Marsh first, then Chris Brown, Brown addressed the crowd...

Adoption tour cyclists to make stop in Bell Buckle (10/07/09)
Anyone who goes to Bell Buckle for a little shopping and dining is used to seeing motorcycles parked at the curb, their riders enjoying their own shopping and dining. But Thursday, there will be different sorts of bikes filling the parking lot. About 85 bicycles will be parked outside while their riders gather for a meal -- and a celebration. It is just one stop on the Adoption Tour, a state-crossing ride to raise awareness about adoption...

Recession? What recession? In Bell Buckle, profits roll (09/22/09)
The recession is over -- and it isn't. Unemployment is down -- and it's up. Prices are dropping, skyrocketing, or remaining stable. It seems every newspaper, every news program and everybody is an expert on the economy, yet every one of them has a different interpretation on what's going on in the marketplace...

Bell Buckle artist sculpts statue for governor's mansion (09/20/09)
Sherri Warner Hunter of Bell Buckle has recently completed a large statue for the Tennessee governor's mansion titled "In the Presence of Presents." "The piece features the slate from the roof of the governor's mansion," she said. "The first lady wouldn't allow them to throw it away. She knew it could be used for something else."...

Guns in parks law affects Wartrace, but not Shelbyville or Bell Buckle (09/01/09)
A new state law which takes effect today allows handguns to be carried in public parks, unless a municipality prohibits it. Shelbyville and Bell Buckle chose to ban guns in parks, while Wartrace has allowed the new law to take effect. The only park operated by Bedford County outside city limits is a small river access point, and the county has not considered the gun ban issue at its public meetings. ...

Bell Buckle bans guns in parks (08/11/09)
Bell Buckle became the first municipality in Bedford County to officially ban guns in public parks, playgrounds and other public lands at a meeting held Monday night. Before House Bill 716 and Senate Bill 976 were passed, carrying weapons in municipally owned parks, playgrounds, centers and other buildings was a Class A misdemeanor. ...

Faxon gets commission to create McWherter sculpture (08/09/09)
Anyone who has driven by Russ Faxon's studio in Bell Buckle can tell an artist lives there. The twin bronze Tree People towering over the doorway kind of gives that away. But when you walk into his real studio -- not the gallery where the finished pieces are displayed -- you realize Faxon takes that leap from artist to genius. ...

Bell Buckle amphitheatre under budget (07/16/09)
Despite a few technical sound and lighting glitches, the opening night at the Bell Buckle Park's new amphitheater on July 4 was a big success, said Alderman Jenny Hunt last week. According to Alderman James Anderson, it's been a construction success as well...

It would be a tragedy to miss this (07/15/09)
I'd forgotten how much the play "Romeo & Juliet" annoyed me until I saw the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival's version Friday night in Bell Buckle. Oh, don't get me wrong -- I loved it and plan on going back for more this weekend! But as a mom, I just want to toss a bucket of cold water over these over-reacting, hormone-ridden teenagers and avoid the tragedy altogether. I also wanted to jerk a knot in the good Friar Lawrence's belt for being such an enabler...

Bell Buckle studies growth boundary proposals (07/12/09)
The Bell Buckle Planning Commission will be looking at any and all possibilities when it comes to re-sizing the town's urban growth boundary. At the Tuesday night meeting, the commission agreed to come up with three different proposals to present to the board of mayor and aldermen at a later date...

Shaking up Romeo in Bell Buckle (07/10/09)
Things have taken a tragic turn at the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival being held in Bell Buckle. No, there's no bad news -- in fact, things have gone very well with this year's first production, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." "We've had some great crowds," said Joey Waldrop, the 7-foot actor who had audiences in stitches with his gentle, albeit slow, character "Snout." "They've been very responsive, lots of laughter."...

Shakespeare on a summer night (06/28/09)
They gather in small groups across the field at Webb School. Some sit at picnic tables, some combined quilts for softer seating, and some just flop down on the grass. They eat fried chicken or ribs, sip on sweet tea or wine -- and they wait eagerly for the play to begin...

A midsummer night's scream in Bell Buckle (06/23/09)
In the theater world, it's called "hell week" -- those last few days before opening night, when you wonder if the set is ever going to come together, if that one actor will ever get his lines straight, and when Murphy, and his innumerable laws of what can go wrong, will show up, because you know he's going to...

Hot fun in Bell Buckle (06/21/09)
The heat index may have been over 100 degrees, but that inconvenience didn't stop thousands from turning out Saturday to take part in the fun of Bell Buckle's annual RC-Moon Pie Festival. In fact, Mayor Dennis Webb said it might be the largest crowd ever for the event -- more than the 15,000 to 20,000 that showed last year and over 1,000 runners participating in this year's 10-mile run...

Moon Pie time again in Bell Buckle (06/19/09)
They are having a ball in Bell Buckle -- and on Saturday, everyone is welcome to join in the fun at ht RC-Moon Pie Festival. This year's Synchronized Wading performance -- often referred to as "dry humor on a wet stage" -- is called "The Ball's in Your Court," and the town's first lady, Carla Webb, has outdone herself again...

Rescheduled Motorcycle Day draws healthy crowd (06/16/09)
Middle Tennessee had more than its fair share of out-of-state visitors this past weekend, but they weren't here just for the CMA Awards or Bonnaroo. Thousands of visitors found their way to Bell Buckle Saturday for the sixth annual Motorcycle Day. "It went great," said Rodney Simmons, who organized the event with Mark Felices. "We had people coming in all day. There's no way to count the bikes, but we certainly had thousands."...

The play's the thing for these interns (06/12/09)
It's a dream job for a young actor -- a Midsummer Night's Dream job, that is. On Sunday, two dormitories at Webb School opened their doors, and the actors, technicians, gophers, carpenters and general flunkies for the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival started moving in, ready to begin work on both "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Romeo and Juliet."...

Postponed Motorcycle Days returns Saturday (06/12/09)
Bell Buckle Motorcycle Days is scheduled to get revved up Saturday. The event was originally scheduled in May, but was rained out. There is no better destination for a motorcycle and its rider than the meandering roads and gently rolling countryside of Historic Bell Buckle, according to the town's chamber of commerce...

Bell Buckle approves tax increase (06/11/09)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed the second readings of the amended 2008-09 budget, the 2009-10 anticipated budget, and a property tax hike at the monthly meeting Tuesday night, with only alderwoman, Annie Rooney, voting against the rate increase...

Bell Buckle to vote on budget (06/09/09)
Bell Buckle's board of mayor and aldermen will meet at the town hall tonight for the regular monthly meeting, and the second and final reading of the 2009-10 Anticipated Budget is on the agenda. It could include a proposed 5 percent hike in property taxes. The study session begins at 6 p.m. and the regular meeting follows...

Geocachers find their way to Bell Buckle (05/24/09)
Most people, when wandering around a strange town -- even one as small as Bell Buckle -- will look at maps to figure out where they're going. Not Saturday. The treasure-hunting geocachers wandered around town peering into their handheld GPS devices, trying to find the fire hall, the banquet hall, Capt. Rodney's Stage, and, of course, the portable bathrooms...

Geocachers throng to Bell Buckle this weekend (05/21/09)
If you're the type who loves to "collect" car tags, noting the ones from far away, this weekend should provide the mother lode. Not only will the Celebration's Spring Fun Show bring in hundreds of out-of-state visitors, but the geocaching international convention in Bell Buckle, GeoWoodstock VII, will be bringing in thousands more -- including some from out of the country...

Motorcycle Day postponed until June 13 (05/15/09)
If you hear thunder rumbling through the streets of Bell Buckle this week -- that's all it is. Just thunder. The annual Motorcycle Day, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed until June 13. "We went from a zero percent chance of rain to a 70 percent chance," said Jenny Hunt, with the Chamber of Commerce. "Bikers like to plan things in advance and even if it doesn't rain, they probably wouldn't show up."...

Bell Buckle tax hike considered (05/14/09)
Bell Buckle could be facing a 5 percent hike in property tax rates. The board of mayor and aldermen passed the tax rate at the Tuesday night meeting with Mayor Dennis Webb and Alderwoman Annie Rooney voting against it. Aldermen James Anderson and Frank Reagor, who proposed the hike, and Alderwoman Jenny Hunt voted for it...

Bell Buckle cool to developers' pitch (05/10/09)
A pair of real estate developers met with a polite, but less than enthusiastic crowd at Bell Buckle's town hall Thursday night at the monthly planning commission meeting. Larry Collins and David Carroll presented an idea for developing The Hill district with a planned, village-style community that would include about 150-170 homes, a park with a pond, and an inn/convention center...

Firefighters, Bell Buckle honor Elkins (05/08/09)
It was standing room only at Bell Buckle United Methodist Church as residents, friends and family joined veterans and firefighters to say farewell to one of their own. James W. Elkins, who passed away Monday, was laid to rest Thursday afternoon at Hazel Cemetery after a service filled with memories and music. ...

VIDEO: Firefighters pay tribute to James Elkins (05/07/09)
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Elkins blazed a trail of service (05/06/09)
He was a quiet man. You could pass him in the street and not always know it. But wherever James W. Elkins passed by, he left proof of his dedication and citizenship. When James Elkins passed on Monday, he left Bedford County a legacy that few could match...

James White Elkins (05/06/09)
James White Elkins, 84, of Bell Buckle died Monday. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Bell Buckle United Methodist Church, where he was a member, followed by a graveside service will follow at Hazel Cemetery. Officiants will be the Revs. Beth Ezell, Buddy Royston, and Jack Carney. Feldhaus Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Webb School hosts Diversity Day (05/03/09)
With students from countries such as Germany, Korea, England, China, India, and Vietnam -- just to name a few -- Webb School in Bell Buckle knows about diversity -- and the students themselves like to share what they know. Friday was Diversity Day at the school, offering visitors everything from Croatian meals to traditional Indian dances, and from urban rap performance poets to European folk dancers...

Bondurant named interim headmaster at Webb (04/30/09)
The Webb School Board of Trustees has named Gordon Bondurant, of Charleston, S.C., to be interim head of school for the 2009-10 school year. Bondurant is a former head of school at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, and Darlington School in Georgia. ...

Shakespeare returns to Webb (04/23/09)
It's official -- the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival will be returning to Bell Buckle -- but you don't have to wait until June to get a taste of the Bard. Webb School students are putting on "Twelfth Night" tonight, Friday and Saturday in the chapel on campus...

Bell Buckle creates historic zoning commission (04/16/09)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the formation of a new Historic Zoning Commission by passing a resolution at its Tuesday night meeting. Mayor Dennis Webb and Rodney Simmons explained the function and composition of the commission to aldermen and visitors again, stressing that the primary concern is for external appearances of buildings in the C-1 and C-2 downtown district...

Re-enter the Bard: Camp returns to Bell Buckle (04/07/09)
If you send your child to Webb School for camp, don't worry about her coming home with a handful of braided plastic lanyards, wobbly hand-thrown pots, or a wicked case of poison ivy. She may, however, come home saying things such as "Methinks" and "Odds Bodkins!" and with paint on her jeans and splinters in her fingers...

Shakespeare returns to Bell Buckle this year (04/05/09)
"Unfortunately, I've lost my Wall." No, actor-director-producer Lane Davies isn't homeless --he's just Wall-less. Joey Waldrop, the 7-foot-tall gentle giant who played "Snout" and "Wall" in last summer's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," won't be coming back...

Bell Buckle to take closer look at 'The Hill' (04/03/09)
Rumors of a developer interested in "The Hill" prompted Bell Buckle Planning Commission Chairman Rodney Simmons to suggest annexing the area. The same rumor was why Mayor Dennis Webb asked the commission to wait. "It's something that needs to be looked at but now is not the time," said Webb. "I think an attempt to annex now would smack of political correctness. I would like to find out what's going on out there."...

Webb headmaster to step down (03/29/09)
Albert Cauz has announced that he will leave his position as headmaster of The Webb School in Bell Buckle to accept a position at The Baldwin School in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the end of this school year. Cauz' departure was announced in an e-mail Friday by Phillip G. Coop, chair of the private preparatory school's Board of Trustees...

A beautiful Daffodil Day, for a change (03/22/09)
There was something unusual about this year's Daffodil Day in Bell Buckle. It was warm and dry. "I think this is the first time ever," laughed Alderwoman Jenny Hunt. "Maybe seven or eight years ago ... we usually have it on the third Saturday in March, and that year we got the date wrong and had it on the fourth. It was beautiful. Maybe we should always have it on the fourth Saturday."...

Bell Buckle water rates rise (03/22/09)
The proposed water rate change in Bell Buckle is now in effect. A resolution raising the rates 5 percent across the board passed on its second reading at the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen, following a public hearing on the matter. The rate change will take effect immediately and show up on the customers' next build...

Daffodil Day: picture-perfect (03/19/09)
Are you having trouble seeing the forest for the trees? Don't sweat it -- sometimes the trees are worth looking at. From this Friday until April 3, a special photography gallery will be on display at the Bell Buckle Town Hall called "The Notable Tree Exhibit."...

Talk of Bell Buckle water comes to a boil (03/19/09)
Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb's proposal to discontinue a resolution governing water and sewer service to out-of-city customers was deferred at the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen -- at his request -- but the deferral did not eliminate strong discussion...

Historic overlay explained at Bell Buckle meeting (03/13/09)
The Bell Buckle Planning Commission learned more about historic zoning commissions and overlay districts at its March meeting Thursday night when Rob Crawford, the certified local government coordinator with the State Historical Commission, gave a presentation...

Bell Buckle seeks grant for water projects (02/13/09)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen granted the town the authority to apply for a Community Block Development Grant at its Tuesday night meeting. The grant, said Mayor Dennis Webb, would go toward rehabilitating the water system, a project estimated to cost around $350,000...

Bell Buckle water rates likely to increase (02/12/09)
Water rates in Bell Buckle may be going up soon. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday night to pass the first reading of a resolution that will raise the base rate, all purchases above the base rate, and add operation and maintenance fees to each monthly bill. A public hearing will be held before the second and final reading, scheduled for the March 10 meeting of the board. The rates cannot go into effect until the resolution has passed two readings...

Citizen input sought on Bell Buckle water rates (02/09/09)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen hope citizens will start coming to meetings and participating as important decisions are made. Their attendance could be especially important at Tuesday's meeting, since the board will be exploring the possibility of a hike in water rates...

Economy, utilities rate as top Bell Buckle concerns (02/06/09)
Economic vitality and the water and sewer system are the top two concerns of Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The board met Thursday afternoon in a special strategic planning session with Kristin Costanzo, of the state planning department, and Jamie Stitt, with the Economic Development Agency...

Wheelchair athletes bound for Bell Buckle (01/26/09)
The hills won't be the only things rolling around Bell Buckle come November. The town, in conjunction with Webb School, will be hosting its first collegiate wheelchair basketball tournament. Carla Webb, wife of Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb, is coordinating the event, which will be used to raise funds for a new basketball court at the town park...

Bell Buckle puts tree resolution on hold (01/19/09)
A proposed ordinance that would strictly regulate what property owners could do with their trees was tabled by the Bell Buckle planning commission at the Thursday night meeting so commission members could study it, and alternatives, before recommending it to the board of mayor and aldermen at a future date...

Historic 'overlay' suggested for Bell Buckle (01/16/09)
Bell Buckle Planning Commission moved to recommend an ordinance amendment to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Thursday night, but not without concerns. The changes to the town's zoning ordinance would create an "overlay" to the downtown historic district, which is zoned C-1, adding further restrictions to just what would be allowed to occupy the bottom floors of the main row of buildings...

Bell Buckle may ban first-floor downtown offices (01/14/09)
The Bell Buckle planning commission may be looking at some zoning changes when it meets Thursday at 6 p.m. Currently, regulations allow for private offices on the ground floor of buildings in the downtown area, but Planning Commission Chairman Rodney Simmons said the commission is considering changing that...

Bell Buckle employees given raise, bonus (12/12/08)
Christmas came early for the employees of the town of Bell Buckle Tuesday night. The board of mayor and alderman voted unanimously to give an across-the-board 2 percent bonus, as well as a 5 percent salary increases. "I have looked at the budget," said Mayor Dennis Webb. "I believe our wages are going to come in cheaper than budgeted."...

Bell Buckle hall to go blue for diabetes (11/14/08)
Tonight, the world's greatest monuments are getting the blues, from the Eiffel Tower to the Coliseum; from the Opera house in Sidney to the Town Hall in Bell Buckle, these landmarks will be illuminated with blue lights to draw attention to World Diabetes Day...

Bell Buckle zoning ordinances just 'housekeeping' (11/12/08)
A new ordinance in Bell Buckle about zoning isn't actually bringing about any changes, said Mayor Dennis Webb. "It's just a matter of housekeeping," Webb said. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed the ordinance on its first reading at the Tuesday night meeting. Webb said the town had been advised to simply add some definitions to the zoning ordinance to prevent problems further down the road...

Bell Buckle festival comes alive on DVD (11/07/08)
The promotional DVD Bell Buckle is offering that features the RC Cola Moon Pie Festival is so charming and well put together, you'd think the town hired some hotshot Hollywood producer to make it. Oh. Wait. They did. Sam Dalton, a Tennessee native but California resident until recently, has spent much of the last few decades producing his own television shows, mostly featuring travel specials for the family. ...

BCUD water offer could reduce Bell Buckle rates (10/23/08)
In a special called meeting Wednesday afternoon, Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen discussed a rate package recently presented to the town by the Bedford County Utility District. "BCUD has a proposed change of water rates," said Mayor Dennis Webb. "But they would have to be the primary source of water."...

Webb show a huge success (10/21/08)
Weather, economy, gas prices, the encroaching holiday season ... Bell Buckle alderman and Chamber of Commerce spokesman Jenny Hunt doesn't know why the Webb School Arts and Crafts Fair was such a success this year -- but she's not complaining. "Sometimes, you just say 'Thank you!'" she said. "I believe this is the smoothest the show has ever gone."...

Fair features variety of wares, even soap (10/20/08)
The Webb School Arts and Crafts show held in Bell Buckle over the weekend featured a wide variety of hand-crafted wares for sale, from paintings and pottery to woodcarvings and even handcrafted lye soap. B&B Soap Shoppe, owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Reita Barrett and Amy Northcut out of Moore County, offered the handcrafted beauty supplies at the fair...

Clear skies, cool temps bless Webb fair opening (10/19/08)
"You couldn't ask for better weather!" Rodney Simmons, a member of Bell Buckle's Chamber of Commerce, was one person who said this as the crowds poured into town for the 32nd annual Webb School Arts and Crafts Show -- but he was hardly the only one to say it...

Bell Buckle craft fair attracts crowds (10/16/08)
Bright colors, food booths, live music, and about 80,000 people. Surely it's not time for Bonnaroo already? No, the event that draws thousands of visitors to the hills of Bell Buckle is a little less frantic than the Manchester music fest, and for those who aren't crazy about mud, heat and loud bands, it's a lot more fun. It's time for the 32nd annual Webb School Art & Craft Show, scheduled this year for Oct. 18-19...

Bell Buckle police officer resigns (10/08/08)
Bell Buckle has had only a part-time police officer, working 10 hours a week and focusing on the speeding problems. Now, that town doesn't even have that. "On Oct. 3, Chris Bradley submitted his resignation," said Mayor Dennis Webb. "I accepted it."...

Caboose plans derailed (10/06/08)
Bell Buckle and Wartrace share more than a corner of Bedford County. The two small towns also share a railroad, and with it, more than 150 years of railroad history. Right now, both towns share a problem -- how to best preserve part of that history. In the mid-1990s, CSX donated old cabooses to both municipalities and since then, the towns have been trying to get the old railroad cars fixed up for one purpose or another...

Webb School, Bell Buckle to hold art festival (10/06/08)
As autumn approaches, the historic town of Bell Buckle, with its tree-lined streets and yesteryear charm, begins preparations for its 32nd Annual Webb School Art & Craft Show to be held on the Webb School campus on Maple Street Oct. 18-19. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday...

Bell Buckle firefighters see potential in old hall (09/22/08)
Everything old will be new again. At least, it will be at Bell Buckle's old fire hall. Right now, the gutted building, which used to be a Carnation dairy plant, looks anything but new, with walls torn out and cables sharing space with old rebar and other rubble. Fire Chief Ronnie Lokey looks over the clutter and de-construction and sees something else...

Bell Buckle scores 94 on water system (09/19/08)
After a year of drought, outdated sewers and costly water leakage, Bell Buckle finally has some good news. On a recent inspection by the state, the town received a score of 94 out of 100 on the water system. "It's the highest score we've ever gotten," said Janet Robinson, the town clerk and recorder. "We've gotten provisional approval before, but you have to have at least a 90 for an approval."...

Webb students brighten up Bell Buckle (09/18/08)
When most students sneak a day off campus, they can be found at the lake, the mall or the movies. Not Webb School students. Instead of soaking up some late summer sun Wednesday morning, they were pulling weeds, planting shrubs, painting -- doing whatever needed to be done to beautify Bell Buckle...

Geocaching rally will find its way to Bell Buckle (09/11/08)
What does Washington D.C. have that Bell Buckle doesn't? About 580,130 more people. What does Bell Buckle have that Washington D.C. doesn't? Just the coolest scavenger hunt in the world. Rodney Simmons announced to Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday night that the town has been chosen to host GeoWoodstock VII, a rally of GPS-using treasure hunters, mystery lovers and -- yes -- the occasional VW microbus driver from 35 countries around the world. The event is scheduled for May 2009...

Bell Buckle to pay county for stray dog pickup (09/11/08)
Stray dogs in Bell Buckle may soon find themselves guests of the county animal shelter -- but only for about 72 hours. The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday night to approve an agreement with Bedford County Animal Control to pick up dangerous dogs on request...

Bell Buckle to host barbecue cookoff (08/20/08)
Bell Buckle will host its inaugural "Best of the Butts" barbecue cookoff on Saturday, Aug. 30, on the stage behind the stores in downtown Bell Buckle. The first-time event will feature butts and ribs from a field of 24 entries. All proceeds will benefit the Bell Buckle Park...

Bell Buckle renters face higher utility costs (08/15/08)
New renters in Bell Buckle can look forward to higher utility costs when it comes to signing up than their home-owning neighbors, once the board of mayor and aldermen pass the new Water System Rules and Regulations. "We want to be very clear to the customers what the rules and regulations are," said Mayor Dennis Webb at the work session prior to the Tuesday night meeting. ...

Bell Buckle leaders look at urban growth concerns (08/08/08)
Just as Shelbyville has done recently, the town of Bell Buckle is considering changing its urban growth boundary -- but not in the way most people would expect. Where Shelbyville is planning for expansion, Bell Buckle is headed the other direction. "Would you consider pulling the UGB in -- making it more manageable and making it more meaningful?" asked Mayor Dennis Webb at a special called meeting Tuesday afternoon. ...

Unofficial Bedford County primary results (08/07/08)
These results do not include paper ballots. Primary election results, in PDF format General election results, in PDF format...

Bell Buckle BZA considers bed & breakfast (07/13/08)
The newly re-formed board of zoning appeals in Bell Buckle already has issues waiting for its first meeting. The new BZA was approved by the board of mayor and alderman at the Tuesday night town meeting, with Mayor Dennis Webb, Planning Commission Chairman Rodney Simmons and David Robinson on the board...

Bell Buckle targets speeders (07/10/08)
Bell Buckle's narrow roads with sharp curves are not conducive to speeding -- but that hasn't stopped many motorists. Now, with the presence of part-time police officer Chris Spradling, and some changes in his cruising schedule, the town leaders hope that will change...

Bell Buckle says farewell to Shakespeare crew (07/09/08)
There was more mirth than "sweet sorrow" in the parting held Monday night in Bell Buckle, as residents of the town said good-bye and thank you to the cast and crew of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' After months of preparation, the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival production was staged the last weekend in June and the first weekend in July on the grounds of Webb School and featured Lane Davies as both director and in the role of Oberon...

Teacher makes Shakespeare come alive (06/26/08)
Ruth Cordell just radiates passion. Whether it's for teaching, acting, Shakespeare, or even her prize-winning American saddlebred horses, the passion is an almost tangible aura around her. She is transferring that passion to her students this summer. ...

Local man produces webcast for boomers (06/25/08)
Don't expect these grandparents to sit and whittle on a front porch. The baby boomer generation is rapidly leaving the workforce and joining the ranks of the retired, but television and webcast producer Sam Dalton doesn't see them creeping off to the Golden Acres retirement villages for shuffleboard tournaments just yet...

Davies sets Shakespeare play in South (06/23/08)
The director of the upcoming Tennessee Shakespeare Festival's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" stands beneath the massive tent on the Webb School grounds, answering questions, giving instructions, and, yes, directing the flow of work going on around him. Clad in khakis and black T-shirt, actor Lane Davies is in his element...

RC-Moon Pie crowds swarm Bell Buckle (06/22/08)
The 14th Annual RC-Moon Pie Festival drew a healthy crowd to Bell Buckle on Saturday for sugar-laden mirth. Jenny Hunt of Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce said she was delighted at the turnout and noted that the festival itself was a free attraction in a time when people are trying to save money. ...

Fest's a family affair for Uncle Tom's Band (06/20/08)
Toby Fuss lives in Wartrace and has for some time, but Saturday will be his first visit to the RC-Moon Pie festival in neighboring Bell Buckle. The New York native, his father, Tom Fuss, and James Bolin will be taking the stage throughout the day as Uncle Tom's Band...

Wacky waders rehearse Bell Buckle fun (06/17/08)
"Something's rotten in Denmark, But it's worse in Bell Buck-ellll..." So go the lyrics to one of the songs in Bell Buckle's latest creation. There's something rotten in Bell Buckle, all right, but it's not the 13th annual Synchronized Wading planned for the upcoming RC-Moon Pie Festival. ...

Sewer taps allowed again in Bell Buckle (06/11/08)
The day Bell Buckle has been awaiting for more than three years has finally arrived -- the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has lifted a sewer moratorium on the small town. As a result, Bell Buckle will be allowed to install sewer taps now that problems with its waste water system have been corrected...

Civil War battle to be revisited (06/11/08)
The smell of black powder and thunder from the past will be heard in the hills between Bell Buckle and Wartrace this weekend as 300 Civil War reenactors gather for the 145th anniversary of the Battle of Liberty Gap. On Saturday and Sunday, visitors can step back in time and observe demonstrations of cavalry, artillery and infantry units of the period, as well as games for the kids...

'Big heart' boosts Bell Buckle park (05/28/08)
Monday evening's rainfall provided an eye-catching scene of rich greenery Tuesday morning at Bell Buckle Park, making it easy to see why the park earned the 2008 Governor's Environmental Stewardship Award for Parks and Recreation. Bell Buckle Park is a community treasure and the Governor's award is more than gratifying to those who put countless hours of blood, sweat and tears into the park that now serves as a tangible reminder to what Bell Buckle is all about...

Travel Channel gets a taste of Bell Buckle (05/19/08)
The Travel Channel's "Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo" will feature Bell Buckle and the Tennessee's RC-Moon Pie Festival on an episode airing 10 p.m. Wednesday. While filming the festival in 2007, the crew highlighted both the festival, the small town charm of Bell Buckle, and the southern tradition of an RC and a Moon Pie...

Bikers blast into Bell Buckle (05/15/08)
Be sure to keep a sharp eye on Bedford County rural roadways on Saturday as hundreds of bikes will be taking to the open highway, heading for Bell Buckle. This weekend is when riders will gather from across the state for the fourth annual Bell Buckle Motorcycle Days, which promises to be the biggest event yet...

Bell Buckle board raises tap fees (05/14/08)
Water and sewer tap fees will be going up in Bell Buckle this summer. That town's board voted Tuesday night to raise the rates inside the city from $1,000 to $2,000 and from $1,500 to $2,500 for taps outside the town's limits. Mayor Dennis Webb said the costs would be incurred by new customers, not existing ones, and will assist with higher costs for running the water system. The new rates will be implemented July 1...

Beautifying Bell Buckle (05/05/08)
The labors of a young man from Bell Buckle will pay off for years to come for the town's park and city streets. The Eagle Scout project of Matthew Bettis, the 17-year-old son of Gregg and Karla Bettis, involved the planting of 100 small trees and 400 saplings in a nursery area in Bell Buckle park...

TUB connection could help pressure in Wartrace, Bell Buckle (04/29/08)
A frequent complaint heard from water customers living in the Wartrace and Bell Buckle area is the lack of pressure in the system. But if Wartrace decides to hook up to the city of Tullahoma's water system, that problem could become a thing of the past...

Motorcycles: Part of May in Bell Buckle (04/19/08)
May 17 will be the day that the low rumble of thunder will once again enter Bell Buckle. But it won't be due to the weather. Instead, riders will gather from across Tennessee for the fourth annual Bell Buckle Motorcycle Days, which promises to be the biggest event yet...

Shakespeare Festival names artistic director (04/16/08)
The new Tennessee Shakespeare Festival, taking place in Bell Buckle this summer, has named a stage and television actor as artistic director. The board of directors has named actor-director Lane Davies to the post. Davies is best known for his TV roles, appearing recently on "Scrubs" as the character Dr. Simon Reid...

Bell Buckle aiming at cleaner property (04/10/08)
Bell Buckle passed the first reading of an ordinance establishing property maintenance regulations that will give the town a procedure to deal with residents that have overgrown or dirty lots. Mayor Dennis Webb said that there was already a measure dealing with the topic on the books, but this would give the town some recourse in dealing with the matter...

Wartrace still under boil order (04/09/08)
Wartrace water customers will have to boil their water for another day. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Wednesday that workers have finished flushing all the water lines in the system and that bacteria samples have been sent to Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for testing. ...

UPDATED: Wartrace issues water warning (04/02/08)
A drinking water warning has been issued for the Wartrace Water System due to high turbidity levels and potentially contaminated water. The Town of Wartrace issued the warning Tuesday morning and is telling customers to boil their water before using it until further notice....

Bell Buckle hires judge, attorney (03/29/08)
Bell Buckle's board of Mayor and Aldermen met for a brief special called meeting Friday to hire a municipal judge and a new city attorney. The board voted to hire Bill Haywood, who serves as Chapel Hill's municipal judge and city attorney for Lewisburg, as judge for the small village at a cost of $300 per session...

Daffodil Day goes on, despite the rain (03/17/08)
Despite wet weather, Bell Buckle enjoyed a respectable crowd for its annual Daffodil Day Festival. Ribbons were awarded during the Daffodil Flower Show to all who entered. Daffodil Day included the annual Arbor Day ceremony at which Bell Buckle was awarded its eighth-year Tree City USA designation; it is the smallest city in the state to earn that honor. Shelbyville-based Duck River Electric Membership Corp. won the Tree Line USA award for the fourth year...

Bell Buckle awaits sewer nod (03/14/08)
Bell Buckle is still waiting to hear from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) about lifting a Director's Order against the town that prevents it from installing any new sewer taps. The topic came up after the town board turned down a request from Alderman Frank Reagor, who was not present for the meeting, for a sewer tap at 104 Hinkle Hill Road...

Bell Buckle sues Ritch over tap fees (03/13/08)
The Town of Bell Buckle has filed suit against an area developer over unpaid sewer tap fees. Roger Ritch, doing business as American Value Homes, was served on March 7 with a civil suit demanding a total of $14,000. The town's board voted to move forward with collecting the unpaid sewer tap fees in November that had resulted from an accounting error...

Bell Buckle hires police officer (03/12/08)
Bell Buckle moved closer Tuesday to having law enforcement on their streets with the hiring of a part time police officer. The board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to hire LaVergne police officer Chris Spradling on a part time basis. The officer will work only 10 hours a week, with his main duty to watch for speeders...

Bell Buckle renews Tree City designation (03/11/08)
For the eighth year, Bell Buckle has been named a Tree City USA community, honoring its commitment to community forestry. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the United State Department of Agriculture Forest Service...

Faxon wins national award (02/25/08)
Bell Buckle-based sculptor Russ Faxon's bronze casting "The Signing" was among 15 award-winning statues selected last week by judges of the 75th Annual Exhibition of the National Sculpture Society in New York City. In an e-mail to friends on Thursday, Faxon reacted with his typical reserved and understated comment: "EeHaaaa! How about that?"...

Bell Buckle seeks lift of state sewer sanction (02/15/08)
Bell Buckle will be contacting the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) soon about lifting a director's order against the town in regards to their sewer system. Water manager Ronnie Lokey reported to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday that work was basically completed on the town's new equalization basin, which was required for the city to comply with a Director's Order issued by TDEC...

Bell Buckle repeals 'unenforcable' brown bag ordinance (02/14/08)
Bell Buckle's ordinance over "brown bagging" was repealed Tuesday night by that town's board following a public hearing on the topic. "Brown bagging" is the practice of a customer bringing his own bottle of wine or liquor to a restaurant to consume with a meal....

Plans underway for Daffodil Day (02/14/08)
If you are one of those who are getting tired of the cold weather, here's a bit of news to brighten your day: Daffodil Day in Bell Buckle is coming! The annual event is scehduled for March 15 and is sponsored by Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce and the Bell Buckle Tree Board...

Bell Buckle to employ part-time officer (02/13/08)
Despite opposition from some citizens, Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously voted Tuesday to hire a temporary, part-time police officer to enforce traffic and codes violations. The officer, who will be picked from Bedford County Sheriff's Department personnel, will work only 10 hours a week with his main duty to watch for speeders...

City, county could sell unused house (01/16/08)
A local real estate agent has expressed interest in an unused building on North Main Street jointly owned by the city and county, according to discussion Tuesday night by Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and property committee. The house, which at one time was used as a secure and private site for interviewing victims of alleged child sexual abuse, is currently unused, and Wayne Neese of Wayne Neese Realty & Auction Co. ...

County growth plans presented to public (01/15/08)
"Is this the right direction?" That was the question posed to interested citizens during the first of three public meetings dealing with Bedford County's revised master growth plan. With large graphics of the different proposed plans displayed, Charles Goforth of the design firm Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon (BWSC) explained to the crowd of about 50 where the county should plan for its growth over the next 20 years...

Hot chili in cool Bell Buckle (01/15/08)
"Next to music," said band leader and trumpet player Harry James, "there is nothing that lifts the spirits and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili." Bell Buckle Fire Department is preparing for its second annual Chili Cook-off, which will be held Jan. 26 at the James Elkins Fire Hall in Bell Buckle...

Bell Buckle to be featured on RFD-TV show (01/14/08)
For Bell Buckle, one of the county's biggest tourist attractions, getting nationwide exposure is a must. That is what is due to happen over the next few months as the town is to be featured on one of the country's fastest-growing television networks...

Growth plan hearings this week (01/12/08)
If the future growth of the county is a topic that concerns you, you will have three chances to sound off with your opinion this week. A series of public hearings will be held by the Bedford County's Joint Economic Development Board (JEDB) on the subject of the comprehensive master plan that is to be used as an update to Bedford County's growth plan...

Bell Buckle may allow brown-bagging (01/09/08)
Bell Buckle's board passed the first reading of an ordinance that would make "brown bagging" legal again. "Brown bagging" is the practice of a customer bringing his own bottle of wine or liquor to a restaurant to consume with a meal. The repeal was introduced by Alderman Mark Felices, who stated that he did not want to "change the character of the town," but that it was a bad law because there was no way to enforce it...

The Bard in Bell Buckle (01/08/08)
"The play's the thing," said Hamlet, and Bell Buckle will be the choice location for fans of classic literature this summer as the first Tennessee Shakespeare Festival is slated to be held, with help from a daytime television star. The event is scheduled for June 27-29 and July 4-6 on the campus of The Webb School...

Bell Buckle absorbs water rate hike (12/13/07)
Bell Buckle hopes to keep water bills low for its customers despite a dramatic rate hike from Bedford County Utility District (BCUD). The town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday to accept the latest contract from BCUD with the new rate of $4 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of 51 percent over the current rate of $2.65 per 1,000 gallons...

'Christmas in Bell Buckle' planned (11/26/07)
With handmade holiday bows and live greenery adorning the downtown area, Bell Buckle is getting ready for its annual Old Fashioned Christmas, set for this Saturday. The fun kicks off at noon with several events, such as the Old Tyme Carolers strolling the sidewalks giving their renditions of Christmas classics. Another event is the opening of the new Bell Buckle Banquet Hall operated by Greg Heinike, owner of Bell Buckle Caf�. The Hall is located behind The Cat's Meow...

Gordon honors volunteer firefighters (11/21/07)
Invoking his mother's childhood memories, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon honored the Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday for its important work. Gordon presented a plaque to the fire hall which contained a statement he read into the Congressional Record on Nov. 15 honoring the department. He told Bell Buckle officials Tuesday that his family has strong memories of what can happen when a fire gets out of control...

Bell Buckle water users asked to conserve (11/14/07)
Water was once again the main topic for Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with officials looking at a drought management plan and asking their water customers to cut back on usage. The board voted to ask residents to voluntarily reduce normal consumption of essential and domestic use by 10 percent and non-essential use by 15 percent, which are the Stage 1 restrictions being implemented in Bedford and surrounding counties...

Haunted evening ahead in Bell Buckle (10/25/07)
Thirteen is an appropriately-spooky number for a Halloween-themed event, and the town of Bell Buckle hopes for spooky fun Saturday as it hosts its 13th annual “Old Fashioned Haunted Evening.” The event, presented by Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce, kicks off at 6 p.m. and continues until 9. Admission is $4, which includes a hot dog, chips, Moon Pie and drink...

French students visit Bell Buckle (10/20/07)
Approximately 30 French exchange students spent their last day in Bell Buckle Friday, touring the shops and getting a keepsake from the village as they headed back home this weekend. For the past two weeks, the students from the city of Strasbourg have been participating the exchange with Webb School, with many of the kids staying with local students and their families during their time here...

Webb, town, county officials try to slow traffic (10/11/07)
In August 1981, 13-year-old Lisa Bennett was crossing Highway 82 in front of Webb School in Bell Buckle to visit her mother, who works at the boarding school. Lisa never made it. She was struck by a car and died of her injuries the next day. The school, the Town of Bell Buckle and county law enforcement want to prevent a reoccurrence...

Work starts soon on Bell Buckle sewer upgrade (10/10/07)
Work is progressing on an equalization basin for Bell Buckle's wastewater system, the town's board was told Tuesday. According to environmental engineer Jim Patterson, work on the basin should begin later this week or early next week. The basin is required to comply with a Director's Order issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) concerning problems with the sewer system in 2005...

Webb Art & Craft festival nears (10/08/07)
If arts and crafts are your passion, then the streets of the Webb School and Bell Buckle should be your destination in two weeks. The 31st Annual Webb School Arts and Crafts Festival takes place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21...

B.R.A.T. cyclists pass through Bell Buckle (09/18/07)
Be sure to keep a sharp eye out this week when you are on Tennessee's backroads, because you will likely encounter groups of brightly dressed bicyclists during your travels. A group of nearly 300 cyclists are taking the week off to participate in B.R.A.T., which stands for Bike Ride Across Tennessee. Bell Buckle was an early morning stop for the bikers Monday, who hale from all over the state and the nation...

Carla Webb injured in gun accident (09/18/07)
The Bell Buckle mayor's wife, Carla Webb, is recovering at home this morning following an accidental shooting in her home Monday night. According to Mayor Dennis Webb, his wife was showing a pistol that was for sale to friends who were visiting the Webb home when she dropped it...

Bell Buckle Art & Music Festival (09/14/07)
A new Bell Buckle festival is hitting town today and runs through Sunday as the Bell Buckle Art and Music Gallery festival is introduced to the community. As a part of the event there will be juried competitions in the fields of wood turning, ceramics, and glass where winning artists will earn prizes totaling $3,000 for the best in each class. The event is sponsored by the Bell Buckle Art Gallery and Bell Buckle Caf�...

Bell Buckle sidewalks to be improved (09/13/07)
Sidewalk improvements are on the way for Bell Buckle as that town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen announced a $300,000 grant during a brief meeting Tuesday. The funding is for Phase III of Bell Buckle's comprehensive sidewalk plan provided by the 2007 Tennessee Department of Transportation's [TDOT] Enhancement Program, according to alderwoman Jenny Hunt...

Bell Buckle to host art, music festival (08/28/07)
Bell Buckle is known all over the South for their festivals and artists and in just a little over two weeks, they will be hosting a brand new event. The first Bell Buckle Art and Music Gallery festival is set for Friday through Sunday, Sept. 14-16, and will showcase juried artists of North American in the fields of wood turning, ceramics, and glass...

Ezell leads Bell Buckle church (08/18/07)
The Rev. Beth Ezell has been a licensed Methodist minister for the last 10 years, and a year ago she became the pastor of Bell Buckle United Methodist Church. This is her first full-time charge. "I was very involved in the church prior to going into the ministry," Ezell said, "but I always thought I was called to be there to help the pastor. I like being in the background and not up front, but God called me, and here I am."...

Bell Buckle will soon hold court (08/15/07)
Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen began taking the first steps Tuesday in establishing a municipal court for the small community. Workshops with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service [MTAS] are to be scheduled so that board members will know the proper handling in setting up the court...

Bell Buckle borrows $1M for sewer repairs (08/01/07)
Bell Buckle Board of Aldermen and Mayor approved borrowing $1 million to pay for state mandated improvements to their ailing sewer system on Tuesday during a special called meeting. Also approved were bids for the main part of the project: a 1 million-gallon equalization tank for the town's sewer plant...

Elkins celebrates 50 years at Webb (07/28/07)
In March 1957, Dorothy Elkins was asked to help out for a couple weeks in the office at Webb School. Fifty years later she is still there, that two weeks turning into half a century of service. "My good friend Sybil Steiner called me from Webb and asked me if I could come in and help out with some filing and typing for a couple of weeks," Elkins said. ...

Still a firefighter at heart (07/23/07)
The building housing the Bell Buckle Volunteer Fire Department bears his name, the James W. Elkins Firehall, and even though he's retired, he's still a fireman at heart. Elkins was born and raised in Bell Buckle and has lived in the same house for all but the first six months of his 82 years. His home sits catty-cornered across the street from the fire hall...

Bell Buckle looks at sewer options (07/19/07)
Water and sewer issues continued to be the main topic of discussion for Bell Buckle Tuesday as they approved a telemetry system for the water system and looked over funding options for their ailing sewer system. The Board of Mayor and Alderman gave their approval to purchasing the telemetry system, which will be used check the levels of all the system's tanks and pumps remotely...

Wartrace, Webb awarded for arts support (06/30/07)
The Town of Wartrace will be receiving a $2,900 grant for their support of the arts, along with a $1,380 grant for Webb School. The announcement was made Wednesday by Rep. Curt Cobb and Sen. Jim Tracy along with the Tennessee Arts Commission. "This state is indeed fortunate to have elected leaders who support the work of the Tennessee Arts Commission in building better communities through the arts," said Ed Gerace, incoming Chairman of the Tennessee Arts Commission. ...

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