Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Weather and Environment

Weather and Environment

Duck River demand may outstrip supply (10/08/09)
A recent TVA study expects that the future demand for water on the Duck River between Shelbyville and Columbia could exceed the current supply. However, a needs assessment study to be released next month by the Duck River Agency may help to address water supply issues that may occur in the future...

Students learn about Duck River's importance (10/07/09)
Despite dreary skies and threat of rain Tuesday, fifth graders from across the county paid a visit to the Duck River to learn its importance. Duck River Watershed Education Committee kicked off its fourth annual Duck RiverFest at the Greenway behind the Shelbyville power plant with various displays and activities...

City cleanup planned (10/06/09)
Have you got junk piling up around the house, garage or shop and need to get rid of it? If so, you should set aside some time and get that stuff to the street for Shelbyville's fall clean-up, scheduled for Oct. 19-22. Trucks will be coming by on your regular garbage pick-up day to haul off just about anything you'd like to dispose of, with the exception of household hazardous waste...

Letters to the Editor, Sept. 27 (09/27/09)
To the Editor: I have had a very upsetting situation to happen recently. My great granddaughter, Rylei Hale, was put into developmental kindergarten at Community School by her mother, Amber Hale. She put her in Community School as we keep her during the week while her parents are at work at irregular hours and we live in the Community School district with the bus coming right by our house...

Heavy rains pound the county (09/18/09)
A day-long drenching brought frustration, flood and fire to Bedford County Thursday. Although few public roads were covered, such as parts of Bugscuffle Road near Wartrace, private and access lanes were impassable and yards and fields were turned into ponds...

Water rises; schools to close early (09/17/09)

Committee members challenged to give up compensation (09/17/09)
A member of the county's solid waste authority is once again challenging other committees to forgo the monthly payments they receive for attending meetings. Several months ago, member Bill Lewis made the suggestion that the authority stop accepting the $50 per month they receive for attending meetings to help out the county with its tight financial situation...

Local teacher wins national learning grant (09/17/09)
The National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with The Weather Channel, has awarded local teacher Emily Wilson, along with 18 other high school teachers nationwide, with a grant designed to bring environmental awareness into the classroom, according to a press release issued by NEEF...

Water shortage plan being prepared by DRA (09/11/09)
During the peak of the region's recent drought, Doug Murphy, the head of the Duck River Agency (DRA), said that half of the area's water supply was gone. Nearly two years later, Murphy says he wants to be better prepared when such a situation arises again...

Hog farmer accused of polluting Marshall County water (09/02/09)
A Bedford County hog farmer has been charged with polluting the water sources of four Marshall County homes with hundreds of thousands of gallons of manure. Charles Edward "Charlie" Haskins, 61, of Haskins Chapel Road was recently charged in Marshall County with four counts of causing pollution, five vandalism counts and six counts of reckless endangerment...

Energy-efficient lighting approved for two schools, discussed for others (08/25/09)
Bedford County Schools recently received grant funding for energy-efficient lighting at Central and Cascade high schools, but may consider installing such lighting at all county-wide schools, which a company says would pay for itself in less than five years...

Garbage plan trashed by city council (08/14/09)
Shelbyville's city council voted Thursday night against a motion to adopt a new solid waste collection program that would include a monthly fee. The council meeting attracted about 30 citizens attended the council meeting, which frequently has no visitors...

Proposed 'bottle bill' backed by commission (08/12/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners gave its endorsement Tuesday night to a state "bottle bill" which would add a 5-cent deposit to the cost of all soft drink, beer, energy drink or water cans and bottles, redeemable when the containers were turned in for recycling...

Flume damage to cost city less than expected (07/14/09)
Costs for the repair of Shelbyville's underground storm water flume were lower than anticipated, according to the final figures from the city. Meanwhile, officials are still waiting for an engineering report that could point to the cause of the underground collapse...

SWA demands $10K payment from scrap recycler (07/12/09)
A scrap metal recycler has until July 15 to pay the Solid Waste Authority about $10,000 he owes or the agency has threatened to take legal action and look for another firm with which to do business. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for the authority, told the board that South East Recovery Group was still some $10,000 behind in payments for scrap metal recycling...

Letter to the Editor, July 12 (07/12/09)
To the editor: My sincere thanks to the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, John Philleo, Mary Reeves and Sadie Fowler for the great coverage of the 12th Annual Duck River Clean-up on June 27, 2009. The informative article and daily reminders and the editorial prior to the clean-up were invaluable in helping publicize this important environmental project. We also are very appreciative of your excellent coverage of the actual event...

Bedford, three other counties declared farm disaster areas (07/10/09)
Gov. Phil Bredesen on Thursday announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved his request for federal farm assistance for Bedford and three other Middle Tennessee counties due to heavy rains and extensive flooding that occurred in May. Counties designated a natural disaster for agriculture include Bedford, Hickman, Moore and Perry...

Grass, hay fires aided by summer heat (06/30/09)
The summer dry season has arrived right on schedule, and with it comes the usual round of grass and hay fires. A trailer loaded with hay, owned by Venson Hawkins, of Wartrace, caught fire at the intersection of Highway 64 East and Lee Road on Saturday afternoon, Volunteer Fire Services Inc. reported...

Duck River cleanup sees progress over time (06/28/09)
When the Duck River Clean-Up project first began 12 years ago, Wayne Bomar said he couldn't travel 200 feet on his river boat without seeing trash that needed to be cleaned up. On Saturday, Bomar covered a two-mile stretch of the Duck River without seeing trash...

City will help repair duck pond (06/16/09)
Shelbyville's public works department will be contributing equipment and labor to repair a leak in a dam at the "duck pond" on Fairfield Pike after the city council approved lending the landowners a hand. But some are afraid that giving this assistance may set a precedent and open up a legal can of worms for the city...

Sludge tank to be removed (06/12/09)
A dispute over a storage tank that was built to store agricultural sludge on U.S. 41-A South was resolved after an agreement was made to purchase the land and dismantle the structure. During Tuesday's Bedford County Board of Commissioners meeting, a group of citizens that were concerned about the tank owned by Wayne Simons were directed to the Solid Waste Authority board to express their views...

Concerned citizens referred to SWA (06/11/09)
At the end of the Bedford County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday night, County Mayor Eugene Ray acknowledged the presence of citizens in the crowd wishing to address the commission. But the issue was not on the agenda, and Ray announced that it would take 10 commissioners to vote for a rules suspension to discuss any new issue...

Funds sought to repair flume (05/06/09)
Today's heavy rain will likely keep city officials from going beneath Shelbyville to learn how much damage there is in the area of an underground collapse this past weekend that could impact a massive flume. City officials are already calling on state and national representatives about acquiring federal stimulus money to pay for the needed repairs...

Deluge on the Duck: Wet weather causes problems (05/05/09)
High waters, closed roads and schools, not to mention a collapsing street, were just some of the difficulties that a weekend of wet weather brought to Bedford County. The Duck River was more than a half a foot above its flood stage of 25 feet as of Monday afternoon, at which time TVA officials had expected the waterway to crest...

Flood may leave lingering effect on farm land (05/05/09)
The heavy rains mean more than washed out roads and closed schools to area farmers. After years of drought, the floods present yet another challenge to a productive season. "Last summer, they'd have been praying for a rain like this," said John Teague, extension agent...

'Super' effort leaves Shelbyville much cleaner (05/03/09)
"Super" is how Shelbyville's public works director described last week's city-wide spring clean-up, with some residents beating workers to the curbside to pick up items they wanted. Director Mark Clanton said that in the four days the city held the clean-up, 133 loads of material were hauled away, as opposed to 86 loads during last year's event...

Schools closed today; pavement collapses (05/04/09)
Bedford County Schools are closed today due to high water, and a segment of pavement on North Main Street has collapsed, apparently due to flooding. "The river flood stage prediction by TVA has changed since yesterday," wrote Bedford County Emergency Management Agency director Scott Johnson in an e-mail. "The river was supposed to crest and start going down today. It will probably not crest until tomorrow and will continue to rise...."

Neese: Shelbyville narrowly missed two tornadoes (05/01/09)
Tennessee has had more tornado deaths in the past two years than any other state in the nation, according to WTVF (Channel 5) meteorologist Charlie Neese, and Shelbyville narrowly missed disaster on April 10, when a tornado struck Murfreesboro. Neese said two strongly-rotating storms passed right over Shelbyville, either of which could have resulted in damage if it had touched down...

SBA will offer disaster assistance to Bedford (04/26/09)
NASHVILLE -- Gov. Phil Bredesen Friday announced the Small Business Administration has issued a Disaster Declaration for Rutherford County and the seven adjacent counties -- Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Davidson, Marshall, Williamson and Wilson -- for tornadoes that struck on April 10. An SBA disaster declaration makes homeowners and businesses affected by the disaster eligible for low-interest loans...

Normandy Lake reaches normal summer level (04/23/09)
In December 2007, the man who watches over the area's water source said that half of it was gone. But as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, it's all back. And Doug Murphy, director of the Duck River Agency, wants to keep it that way. For the first time in nearly three years, Normandy Lake has reached its summer pool of 875 feet above sea level, but as soon as that level was reached, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began to release water from the dam. ...

Businesses observe Earth Day too (04/21/09)
Back in 1970, when the first Earth Day was organized, it seemed as though "Big Business" and industry were the enemies of environmentalists everywhere. They dumped toxins into the water; they loaded landfills with garbage that break down slowly, if at all, and they pumped pollutants into the air...

Church advises congregants on ways to go green (04/21/09)
The United Methodist Church designates one Sunday each year, preferably the Sunday closest to Earth Day, which is Wednesday, as a Festival of God's Creation. This past Sunday, The Rev. Lloyd Doyle of First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville gave a sermon on being good stewards in recognition of the festival...

City readies for spring cleanup (04/17/09)
If you've been wondering what to do with that piece of junk taking up space in your garage, shed or back yard, next week Shelbyville residents will be able to do something about it. The city's Spring Clean-up kicks off Monday and lasts until Thursday. During that week, residents can get rid of all that stuff that's been lying around...

County finds new outlet for recyclables (04/15/09)
Bedford County's recycling problem appears to be over, as a local company has stepped up to keep the material from going into local landfills. The best thing about the new arrangement is that people will not have drive to a different location to get rid of their recyclables, because the new place is right next to the old one...

Paint recycling approved for city transfer station (04/15/09)
Not only has the county's recycling problem been solved, (see related story) but cooperation between Shelbyville and Bedford County Solid Waste Authority has now resulted in locating a place to recycle paint. On Thursday, Shelbyville's city council approved placing items used for the recycling process at the city's transfer station...

Red Cross Murfreesboro relief update (04/13/09)
Red Cross continues providing relief to local tornado victims following Friday's devastating tornado that carved a path through Murfreesboro. Volunteers are continually traveling through all affected communities to distribute water, meals, snacks, comfort kits and clean-up kits to tornado victims who working to pick up the pieces left of their homes. ...

County escapes most of storms' wrath (04/12/09)

Storms pound state but little damage locally (04/03/09)
Bedford County escaped severe damage from the strong storms which moved across Middle Tennessee Thursday afternoon, producing heavy rain, flight delays and reports of a tornado. Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said this morning that three roads had to be closed last night due to flooding -- Zion Hill, Bugscuffle and Mullins Mill. ...

Weather alert (04/02/09)
Tornado warning issued.

Rainwater recedes prior to serious flooding (03/26/09)
The National Weather Service in Nashville issued a flood warning this morning for the Garrison Fork near Wartrace, but as of 8 a.m. only two roads were closed and Bedford County Highway Department expected the water levels to go down quickly once this morning's rain ended...

Judge reverses state ruling on farm pond (03/24/09)
A Bedford County judge has overturned a decision by the state's environmental agency that fined a local farmer nearly $10,000 for constructing a pond on his land. Chancellor J.B. Cox ruled on March 16 that the Tennessee Water Quality Control Board, a division of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), applied its own views instead of adhering to state law in a case against Bill Lancaster, formerly of State Highway 64 West...

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."...

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."...

E. coli warning for Woods Reservoir (03/18/09)
Officials at the Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center have issued a warning restricting swimming, wading and water skiing on Woods Reservoir. The restriction was issued because of elevated levels of E. coli found in the water. The source of the high levels of E. coli is unknown at this time and has not been linked to a sewage spill in Monteagle...

Lake is up, but officials can't relax yet (03/08/09)
An abundance of rainfall during the early part of winter has resulted in Normandy Reservoir meeting its operating guide for the first time in two years. But the region isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to the dry weather, with the National Weather Service saying the area is still experiencing a drought...

Winter's last chill? (03/03/09)
With temperatures supposed to be in the 70s this weekend, Sunday's snowstorm may well have been winter's last hurrah. Most areas in Bedford County received about 4 inches of the white stuff, although some reports said snow was as deep as 9 inches in certain spots...

T-G readers are using fluorescent lights (03/02/09)
Two-thirds of the respondents to a non-scientific Times-Gazette web site poll say they have replaced some or all of the incandescent light bulbs in their homes with compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs. CFLs, which are basically fluorescent bulbs twisted into a spiral so that they can occupy the same fixtures as a normal light bulb, cost more to purchase than traditional incandescent bulbs but use up to 75 percent less electricity and last far longer...

Snow hits county; as much as 9" reported (03/02/09)
A weekend snowstorm blanketed the region, closing some churches Sunday morning and Bedford County schools today. Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said this morning that while Shelbyville got about four inches, some areas of the county, including Unionville and Wartrace, got as much as eight or nine inches...

No local Household Hazardous Waste event this year (02/16/09)
Bedford County will not have a household hazardous waste collection event this year, the county's solid waste authority learned Thursday. Instead, residents will have to travel to Marshall or Coffee counties in April to dispose of household chemicals and products considered inappropriate for regular landfill disposal...

Winds hit home: Shelbyville family displaced (02/12/09)
A young family of five was left temporarily homeless Wednesday after high winds toppled an oak tree onto their Ranchero Drive mobile home. "They called us at work," said Faviola Castillo, who works at Tennessee Apparel in Tullahoma with her husband. Sergio. "The children were in school."...

Near-zero temperatures to chill Midstate tonight (01/15/09)
Baby, it's cold outside. And it's going to get colder, if the National Weather Service knows what it's talking about. According to a weather advisory, "Bitterly cold temperatures are headed for the mid state ... and cold weather safety will be a must."...

Quarry zoning change denied by commissioners (01/14/09)
A sharply-divided Bedford County Board of Commissioners, by an 8-8 vote with two members abstaining, failed to pass changes in the county zoning resolution that would have made it possible to develop quarries in rural parts of the county. The proposed rules changes had already been rejected once before by the county commission, but Bedford County Planning Commission asked for them to be reconsidered...

Washed-out road is safe, says official (UPDATED VIDEO) (01/06/09)
A county road that appears to be washed out is safe, according to Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman. A section of Ben Williams Road, 0.2 miles from Halls Mill Road, was covered with a 30-foot wide body of moving water about two feet deep Friday, and there were no warning signs to advise drivers of the road's condition...

Schools closed but weather causes few problems (12/12/08)
Bedford County Schools are closed today due to Thursday evening's wintry mix of rain and snow. Many local residents may have had their car doors frozen shut this morning, but the impact on local roads and traffic seems to be less than it might have been...

County edges back towards drought (12/09/08)
While the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) agrees that the region needs a drought management plan, the state agency says a reduction of flow from Normandy Dam can't take place without an environmental review. Meanwhile, Bedford County is classified as being in a moderate drought, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last week...

Salt use unlikely as flurries fly (12/01/08)
Although snow showers are predicted today, no accumulation is expected, and Bedford County Highway Department probably won't need to break out its supply of road salt. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said the county hasn't bought salt in the past three years...

Kids learn to conserve at Duck RiverFest (10/08/08)
For the past four years, fifth graders from around Bedford County have made the trip to the edge of the region's water supply to learn what they can do to help preserve this precious resource. 2008 was no different, and even though dark clouds finally threatened to give the area some much needed rain, the kids turned out for the fourth annual Duck RiverFest...

Locals flock to pumps ahead of Ike (09/12/08)
As Hurricane Ike bears down on Texas, Bedford County residents have been hitting the gasoline pumps in force, leading at least one chain to ask customers to limit purchases to 10 gallons. Fuel prices jumped to unprecedented levels in the wholesale markets Thursday as Ike tore across the Gulf of Mexico...

Area steps up Gustav relief (09/03/08)
Scott Johnson, of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, assisted on Sunday in processing Hurricane Gustav evacuees at Berry Field/Nashville International Airport. "The evacuees came in on military transport aircraft such as C-130s and C-17s as well as commercial charter aircraft," wrote Johnson in an e-mail to the Times-Gazette. "Our operation was set up in an Air Force hangar at the airport. I believe our group at the airport processed approximately 1,300 evacuees...

Fay cuts drought, does little for reservoir (08/31/08)
Most of Bedford County has moved back into the "moderate" drought category as the remnants of Tropical Depression Fay finished drenching the region with rain this past week. But Fay did little to raise the level of Normandy Reservoir, with the water supply only increasing by a fraction before falling again...

Fay's deluge causes few local problems (08/26/08)
Steady rainfall from the remains of Hurricane Fay continued to soak a parched middle Tennessee Tuesday morning and local officials are reporting no problems. At the Celebration, attendance was down a little bit, according to Chip Walters, public relations director for the annual event...

Tuesday night Celebration will go on, says Meadows (08/26/08)
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration plans to hold its Tuesday night performance as scheduled, at 7 p.m. While the Grounds have received a substantial amount of rainfall over the past 24 hours, the condition of the track has remained good for the continuation of the competition....

Garden tour set for Saturday (06/05/08)
If you're interested in seeing some of the Bedford County community's most beautiful gardens, it's not too late to purchase tickets. The 2008 Garden Tour, sponsored by the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee, will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m...

Crops soak up rain -- for now (06/03/08)
Dry springs and summers, late freezes and cold nights -- the weather in Bedford County in recent years hasn't been the best local farmers have seen, but it has been getting better. At Valley Home Farm on Potts Road in Wartrace, the strawberry fields are irrigated, so it wasn't the drought causing problems as much as the temperatures. Owner Bobby Potts said the pick-your-own strawberry business suffered a little from the late freeze last year, but the cool nights this year have actually helped...

Gordon committee looks at water supply issues (05/20/08)
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon chaired a House Science and Technology Committee hearing focusing on the challenges facing the United States' water supply. "In Tennessee, the first eight months of 2007 were the driest in the last 118 years," said Gordon in a news release. ...

Rain lessens drought pressure (05/16/08)
A steady amount of rain over the region has resulted in the northwestern half of Bedford County being downgraded to a "moderate" drought status, a drastic change from the rank of "exceptional" that plagued the state last year. However, data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor for Tennessee shows that the southeastern part of the county still remains in the "severe" drought category...

Spring rains help, but lake still low (05/08/08)
With Normandy Reservoir just four feet away from reaching its summer pool level, area officials realize that the current level is as high as the lake will reach this year. But plans are in the works to deal with the situation that the region faced last summer due to the extreme drought...

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...

Wartrace cleanup is this week (04/29/08)
Shelbyville did it last week; now, it's Wartrace's turn. It's time for the town's residents to put on their work gloves and get rid of all that junk laying around for the annual Wartrace Beautification Week. During the event, Wartrace residents are being encouraged to take the time to spruce up their property...

$21 million is possible cost of Normandy project (04/26/08)
With one eye on the current drought and the other eye on future flooding, the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency will soon be requesting feasibility studies for solutions -- one of which could be raising the pool level at Normandy Dam 5 feet -- which would mean construction work to raise the actual dam and replace the spillway gates...

Pipeline, higher dam among water supply ideas (04/22/08)
Alternatives on how to avoid water shortages due to drought are to be explored at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday when the Duck River Agency Board of Directors convenes for its quarterly meeting. One of the ideas is to have a pipe to transfer water from Tims Ford Lake, which is fed by the Elk River, to the Duck River below the Normandy Lake dam to maintain river flow through Shelbyville as well as water reserves for the utility serving Tullahoma and Manchester, according to the river agency's executive director and chairman of the board.. ...

Tyson seeks wastewater plant upgrade (04/18/08)
An addition to Tyson Foods' wastewater treatment facility for its Shelbyville Poultry Complex is one of the items on the city's planning commission agenda next week. The food giant is requesting site plan approval for combined additional coverage of 13,707 square feet for the treatment system upgrade at 901 West Jackson St...

Citywide cleanup is coming (04/18/08)
If you've had enough of looking at that musty old couch or need to finally get rid of that antiquated refrigerator, get ready to haul it out to the street. April 21-25 is Spring Cleanup Week in Shelbyville, which gives residents the opportunity to get rid of all that junk that's been pilling up...

Earthquake felt in Bedford County (04/18/08)
Some residents of northern Middle Tennessee say they felt an earthquake this morning centered in eastern Illinois. Calls poured in to television stations. Bedford County Communications Center said only two calls were received from local residents who felt the quake...

Weather service confirms tornado strike (04/16/08)
The National Weather Service's Nashville office has confirmed a tornado struck northeast Bedford County early Friday afternoon. "It appears that a low end EF2 tornado (111 mph-135 mph) struck from 1:15 to 1:25 p.m. starting 4.1 miles north-northeast of Shelbyville to 11.1 miles northeast of Shelbyville," said a storm report issued Tuesday following a visit by NWS meteorologists earlier in the day...

Video: turbidity explained in Wartrace (04/15/08)
David Money of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation explains turbidity to Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and Mayor Don Gallagher discusses the town's actions: ...

SWA struggles with fuel costs (04/14/08)
Rising fuel prices are causing the Solid Waste Authority to shift funds within its budget to compensate for the extra costs. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for SWA, briefed the board about the situation, saying that no additional funds would be needed yet to pay for the diesel fuel that drives their trucks...

Wartrace lifts boil order (04/12/08)
The boil water order for Wartrace was lifted Saturday morning as the town looks to buy water from Tullahoma to prevent a repeat of the problem. Mayor Don Gallagher said he will be sending a letter out to water customers as soon as the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen decide on a course of action in regards to the water situation...

Severe storms hit Bedford (04/11/08)
Residents of northeastern Bedford County can consider themselves fortunate today after high winds, part of what some believe was a tornado, blew through early Friday afternoon. No injuries were reported. The storm is not being classified as a tornado at this time, according to the National Weather Service....

Wartrace waits for test results (04/11/08)
Wartrace officials were waiting on test results and looking at the skies Friday as residents continue to endure a boil water advisory that is headed into a second week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system early last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Residents have been instructed to boil tap water before consuming it...

Wartrace boil order still in effect (04/10/08)
While Wartrace residents are being asked to boil their water for another day, Mayor Don Gallagher says he is optimistic about the situation. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

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. ...

Wartrace water testing continues (04/08/08)
Testing of the water system continues in Wartrace today as officials say that the turbidity level at Cascade Spring is dropping. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said that the testing today involves the water line...

Utilities discuss supply at water summit (04/08/08)
Several solutions are needed to avoid a repeat of last summer's drought scare, and they may include adjusting the Duck River Agency's charter, according to a consensus officials heard during a water utilities summit last week. State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), who represents Marshall and Maury counties, hosted a brainstorming session at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday with dozens of leaders from water utilities attending with county mayors and other officials...

Normandy Lake up six feet in a week (04/07/08)
Heavy rains on Friday, combined with a steady amount in the days beforehand, have brought the level of Normandy Reservoir over six feet higher than the same time last week. Also, the drought has now been lowered to a more-favorable classification of "severe" for some parts of Bedford County, according to data provided by the United States Drought Monitor...

Water conditions improving, say Wartrace officials (04/07/08)
"It's getting better, but we're not there yet." That was the word this morning from Wartrace Town Hall about the condition of their water system, the customers of which have been under an advisory to boil water since last week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Monday that the turbidity level was at 3.9, with the acceptable limit set at 1.0...

Advisory lifted for Bell Buckle; Wartrace still impacted (04/04/08)
The Town of Bell Buckle announced Friday afternoon that the order to boil water for that community has been officially lifted by David Money of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). However the order for Wartrace is still in effect and may not be lifted until the later part of next week, according to Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher....

Wartrace advisory stays in effect (04/04/08)
Even though samples have not shown the presence of any bacteria, customers of the Wartrace Water System continue to be under an advisory to boil their water before drinking it. Mayor Don Gallagher said this morning that the situation with the water supply was "still over the limit" and that he had no idea when the advisory would be lifted, but guessed that it would continue over the weekend...

Household hazardous waste event scheduled (04/04/08)
For many, spring means it's time to work on the yard and the flower garden, but it is also a good time to get rid of all that dangerous junk in the garage. With that in mind, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will be holding its annual household hazardous waste collection event April 12 at Big Springs Shopping Center from 8 a.m. until noon...

Wartrace boil order continues (04/03/08)
Customers of Wartrace Water System are still being advised to boil their water on Thursday as workers continue to observe the condition of the water. A drinking water warning was issued for the system Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

Drought now 'extreme,' improved from 'exceptional' (04/03/08)
Bedford County is no longer "exceptional" -- and that's a good thing. The National Drought Mitigation Center has lifted the "exceptional" drought category for Coffee, Franklin, Bedford and Warren Counties, with the region now listed in the second-worst rating of "extreme" drought...

Water summit planned at Horton Park (04/02/08)
A brainstorming session is scheduled Thursday evening at Henry Horton State Park in Marshall County to reach consensus on how to deal with drought in the Duck River watershed, according to State Sen. Bill Ketron. Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) represents the 13th Senate District, including Maury and Marshall counties along the Duck River. He also represents Lincoln County and western Rutherford County...

Rain continues, but still not much impact (03/31/08)
Rain many have fallen for most of the weekend, but it wasn't enough to have much impact on the level of a drought stricken Normandy Reservoir. From Friday until midnight Sunday, a total of 0.54 inches of rain fell at Normandy, bringing the level of the lake up to 862.18 feet above sea level...

Tyson says it has corrected sewage issue (03/27/08)
Problems with Tyson Foods' sewage treatment facility at its chicken processing plant in Shelbyville have been corrected, according to company officials. Last Feburary, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) issued a notice of violation to Tyson Foods' environmental office in Shelbyville, stating that the plant's sewage treatment facility discharged effluent into the Duck River with levels of ammonia greater than allowed by the plant's permit...

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...

Normandy water level rises more than a foot (03/17/08)
While just under an inch of rain fell Friday and Saturday at Normandy Reservoir, the level of the lake is up nearly a foot and a half from the same time last week. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site today at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 860.15 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Plastic recycling now available locally (03/15/08)
If you are the type who's into saving the Earth and reusing things, you will likely be making a trip to 106 Cedar King Road in Shelbyville a frequent occurrence. That's where Shelbyville Recycled Fiber Company, a division of RockTenn, is accepting plastics for recycling, answering requests from many in the county to begin the practice...

In honor of Arbor Day (03/14/08)

Normandy flow limit urged by commission (03/12/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday night calling on Tennessee Valley Authority to "limit the flow of water from Normandy Lake with emphasis on human consumption." The original document read "...emphasis on human consumption rather than aquatic life," but Doug Murphy of the Shelbyville-based Tennessee Duck River Agency told commissioners that the two are not necessarily at odds, and that it might be counterproductive to antagonize environmental groups...

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...

Lake level is up, but still far below normal (03/10/08)
TVA's gauge that measures the level of Normandy Reservoir is back in operation, but the numbers still show that the amount of water in the lake is far below normal. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site this morning at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 858.66 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Snow blankets area but leaves early (03/08/08)

Several streams polluted (02/25/08)
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has released a draft list of waterways that do not support the public's use of them, due to contamination from either waste water systems or pasture runoff. A number of streams in the Duck River watershed are on the list, including some in Bedford County. The Duck River watershed consists of Bedford, Coffee, Marshall, Maury, Rutherford and Williamson counties...

Chapel Hill seeks money for stormwater damage (02/20/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- Federal funding is being sought by the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen to deal with stormwater drainage. A $366,160 project is contemplated, according to consulting engineer Will Owen of the Murfreesboro-based engineering firm Griggs & Maloney Inc...

Donations on their way to tornado victims (02/12/08)
"This truck is just overflowing with kindness." That's how Public Fire Education Officer/Inspector Brian Nicholson of the Shelbyville Fire Department described a Big G trailer full of goods parked next to the city's main station on Monday. The loaded tractor-trailer left this morning at 7 for tornado-stricken Macon County packed with needed supplies. A twister ripped a path through the rural county last week, killing 13 people and leaving many without a roof over their heads...

Former First Christian pastor and family killed in wreck (02/08/08)
Members of First Christian Church were shocked to learn of the death of their former pastor, the Rev. Michael Welch, 51, his wife, Juli, his 11-year-old daughter, Hannah, and his 14-year-old son, Jesse, during an automobile accident Thursday afternoon in tornado-ravaged Macon County....

Rains raise Normandy level by two feet (02/08/08)
Rain that has fallen on the region over the past week has brought the level of Normandy Reservoir up over two feet, according to measurements taken by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). As of 6 a.m. Friday, the level at the lake had risen to 855.35 feet. Measurements taken last Friday placed the elevation at 852.12 feet...

Tornado relief items sought (02/07/08)

24 killed in fatal storms across Tennessee (02/06/08)
LAFAYETTE, Tenn. (AP) -- Rescue workers in rural areas began searching door to door Wednesday morning for more victims of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that killed at least 24 people statewide. Ten deaths were reported in Macon County, along the Kentucky border about 50 miles northeast of Nashville, said Randy Harris, a spokesman for the Tennessee National Guard and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency...

Rain is welcome, but much more is needed (02/05/08)
While the wet stuff from the sky has paid the area a rare visit over the past week, the head of the Duck River Agency says a lot more will be needed over the next few months to build up Normandy Lake's water supply. Executive Director Doug Murphy said that between 10 to 15 more inches of precipitation over the next three months is needed to make "a significant impact" to the level of the lake...

Cascade student wins scholarship (02/01/08)
Cascade Elementary School student Jessica Woodard has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship as the Tennessee state winner of the annual Bonnie Plant Farm Third Grade Cabbage Program. Woodard grew a cabbage plant that weighed more than 22 pounds as a part of a third grade science project last spring sponsored by Bonnie Plants of Union Springs, Ala...

Normandy flow decision may come soon (01/30/08)
The decision to reduce the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir to conserve the area's dwindling water supply could come as early as this week. However, further federal environmental studies would have to be made before any change would occur. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said Tuesday that there is "a lot of activity going on right now" with state and federal agencies discussing discharge reductions, and possibly by the end of this week they will release their plan...

Duck River Agency wants lower flow from Normandy Dam (01/25/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- With concerns that this area is in a five-year drought, Duck River Agency directors called for economic impact statements and updated river flow projections Thursday night as their executive anticipated another water release reduction at Normandy Dam...

Spring Hill joins DRA (01/24/08)
SPRING HILL -- Like water customers in Shelbyville and much of Bedford County have done for years, residents of this north Maury County city will soon be paying five cents per 1,000 gallons of water purchased to fund Duck River Agency activities. That's because the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 6-2 on Tuesday night to join the state-chartered agency. The agency is charged with the responsibility of protecting the river's water quality and quantity...

Normandy water reading uncertain (01/22/08)
What is the gauge at Normandy Dam really reading? That's a good question, after figures supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site stated Monday morning that the flow from the reservoir had stopped for about five hours early Monday. But TVA says that web site figure was inaccurate. Instead, the flow was at 114 cubic feet per second (cfs), a TVA spokesman told the T-G Monday morning...

Small steps can mean big water conservation (01/22/08)
With the level of Normandy Reservoir still dropping and no wet weather in the forecast, Stage 2 mandatory water restriction could be implemented for the region within a matter of months or even weeks. But there are already ways to cut back on water use now that won't put too much of a crimp on your family's lifestyle. Plus there's the added bonus of lower utility bills...

Utility officials brace for the worst (01/19/08)
What if the water runs out? That's the dreaded question that area utility officials are looking at as skies bring little relief to the drought-stricken Duck River basin. Actions include the beginning stages of emergency planning and a plea to Gov. Phil Bredesen for immediate action...

Watershed 'watchdogs' hold second meeting (01/18/08)
Brainstorming, organization and getting citizens involved was the focus of the second meeting of the Duck River Watershed Association [DRWA] Thursday evening. Group members, who consider themselves "watchdogs for the watershed," are concerned about the future of the Duck River and the impact the extreme drought has had. They debated solutions to the shortage of water...

Watershed group wants closer look at Tullahoma (01/16/08)
The Duck River Watershed Association should further examine the transfer of water from Normandy Lake and the Duck River watershed into to the Elk River. That suggestion comes from Sherry Beard, the executive director of the recently-organized citizens group that's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, 1304 Railroad Ave...

Braker: Shelbyville sewer plant affects water supply (01/12/08)
Calling the area's ongoing drought "a real crisis," the head of the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) believes the release of water from Normandy Dam should be cut further. Randall Braker of DRUC also took issue with the idea that Tullahoma's waste water flowing into the Elk River watershed is a "major leak" in the Duck River's water supply, as a former engineer for Shelbyville claimed last week...

Duck River Watershed group will meet next week (01/10/08)
A new citizen based organization will be holding an informational meeting next week involving issues related to the Duck River and Normandy Dam. The Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) will meet at the Bedford County Emergency Management Center, 1304 Railroad Ave., on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m...

Water from Duck River being disposed of in Elk River (01/08/08)
"Tullahoma, send us your sewage!" That's what a former engineer for the City of Shelbyville says should happen, due to the fact that the neighboring city is taking water from Normandy Reservoir and then pumping its treated water into the Elk River watershed instead of back into the Duck River watershed...

Knowledge of caves is crucial for safety (01/02/08)
Three veteran cavers say the incident in which three persons were rescued from a cave near Raus last Friday could have been prevented with proper training. "It's not easy to get lost in that cave," Paul "Bull" Snook of Christiana said. "You have to try to get lost in that one."...

'Half of our water is gone' (12/19/07)
Normandy Reservoir is now at only half of its capacity and area officials are looking at drawing up an emergency plan to cope with the dwindling supply. While several rare rain events have graced the area over the past few weeks, the much welcomed perception has only slowed the gradual reduction of water in Normandy Reservoir...

Sinkhole threatens home (12/12/07)
The expression "that sinking feeling" is taking on new life for Margaret Little as a large sinkhole slowly but steadily eats away at the foundation of her Shelbyville home. The hole, which appears to be at least 18-20 feet long and several feet deep, has already exposed much of the foundation on one side of Little's Blue Ribbon Parkway residence. One of the supports has little ground left beneath it while the sinkhole is coming within inches of another...

Drought continues to concern officials (12/05/07)
A weather system dubbed La Ni�a, Spanish for "the girl," is partly responsible for drought conditions that a weather service hydrologist says will continue through winter. It's a weather system born of different temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that set up broad patterns of moisture, or the lack of it that can lead to drought or wet weather. Other factors apply, but La Ni�a is a chief factor...

Two more churches join Storm Shelter program (11/30/07)
Two more churches, Southside Church of Christ and Rover Baptist Church, have been added to the Bedford County Storm Shelter Program. The program, a cooperative effort between the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, Bedford County Communications Center, Volunteer Fire Services, Shelbyville Fire Department, Bedford County Ham Radio Club, and local churches, offers temporary shelter during severe weather...

Water cutbacks may be needed soon (11/27/07)
If no more rain falls on the region over the next eight weeks, Bedford and other counties served by Normandy Reservoir could be seeing mandatory water restrictions put into place. That's what Executive Director Doug Murphy of the Duck River Agency said Monday after it was discovered that the lake was two feet lower than was previously reported...

Grant will keep area clean (11/26/07)
Bedford County has been awarded with a $34,221 litter grant as part of the effort to StopLitter� in Tenlnessee. Litter grant funds totaling $3 million are distributed annually by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to all 95 counties. According to TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely, the funds for the grants are obtained through the collection of a specialty tax on the malt beverage and soft drink industry through the Litter Grant Bill enacted by the General Assembly in 1981...

Normandy Lake two feet lower than thought (11/21/07)
Normandy Lake is actually two feet lower than previously thought, because a broken gauge was reporting the wrong figures. The T-G had last checked the lake's elevation on the Tennessee Valley Authority web site Wednesday, when the level was reported at 856.29 feet above sea level. However, the level on the site Tuesday morning read at 854.15...

Cleanup set for Normandy Lake (11/19/07)
The low level of Normandy Lake represents serious and well-documented problems in terms of the area's water supply. But there's at least a little opportunity in any problem, and some concerned citizens are going to take the chance to clean up some areas of the lake bed while they're exposed by low water levels. A cleanup of cans, bottles and other trash will take place Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., with a rain date of Dec. 8...

Simons did report promptly after all (11/14/07)
Miscommunication was apparently the culprit behind the county's solid waste authority not being aware that information describing the source of sludge brought into the county had already been submitted. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farm Trucking, LLC about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county...

River group will play watchdog role (11/13/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- As Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) conducted its kickoff membership meeting at Henry Horton State Park last week, a member of another watershed group told what's done to protect a river near his home. "We find violators all the time and report them," said Michael Cain, watershed assessment and restoration coordinator for the Franklin-based Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA), who indicated similar steps could be taken for the Duck River...

Waste info sought by SWA members (11/09/07)
Bedford County Solid Waste Authority continues to request information on the types of waste that are brought into the county. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farms about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county. Concerns had been brought to SWA's attention by citizens about sludge dumping in various parts of the county...

Duck River watershed group organizing (11/07/07)
A steering committee of environmental activists is holding a "kick-off" meeting Friday morning at Room A of the Henry Horton State Park Inn, where they're inviting area residents to join them in the formation of the Duck River Watershed Association. "These are people who are concerned about the water allocation issues," says Sherry Beard, spokeswoman for the steering committee, which has received financial assistance from the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association to cover costs including a charter...

DRA asks Spring Hill to join water conservation efforts (11/01/07)
To bring another city into their joint effort to conserve water in the face of continued drought, Duck River Agency officials were scheduled to meet with Spring Hill leaders this morning. It's a result of discussions at Henry Horton State Park last Thursday when directors of the Shelbyville-based five-county agency noted the fast-growing Maury County city isn't a member of the agency created to protect water quality and supply...

Water supply helped little by downpours (10/24/07)
The skies finally opened up this week and gave the region some much needed rain, but one area official says the situation with our water supply is a long way from getting back to normal. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said that this week’s rainfall wouldn’t be enough “to get us out of the condition we’re in.”...

DRA, officials to discuss dam issues (10/24/07)
More than four dozen elected leaders from the five-county area of the Duck River watershed have been invited to Henry Horton State Park on Thursday night, when they’re to be advised of circumstances surrounding the reduction in water released by Normandy Dam...

High winds hit county farm (10/20/07)
Friday morning’s storms left no damage across most of Bedford County, but left quite an impact at the Kennedy Road farm of Jerry Bradford. “It was calm, then we heard a whoosshh,” Bradford said. “We’ve heard strong wind before and didn’t get up to check until morning.”...

Normandy flow reduced (10/19/07)
The flow of water from Normandy Reservoir has been reduced by the Tennessee Valley Authority, even as the area experienced a rare rainfall this week. But one area utility official says that the lake is at the lowest level he’s ever seen and much more precipitation is needed before the situation can improve...

Usage restrictions may be ahead (10/16/07)
A total of a quarter of a million people were asked last month to voluntarily cut back on their water usage. But without significant rainfall, mandatory restrictions could be coming our way by the end of the year. "This is a fairly historic drought," Randall Braker, general manager for the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) said Monday, possibly approaching the 100 year drought level, he said...

Mussel delays decisions on water (10/16/07)
Area utility officials received word Tuesday from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that an agreement has been reached over the reduction of the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir. Officials had been waiting for issues between the federal utility and environmentalists to be ironed out before the reduction could occur...

BCUD customers asked to conserve (10/13/07)
Bedford County Utility District has adopted a water shortage management plan, due to the level of Normandy Lake, and has issued a call for voluntary water conservation by BCUD customers. Voluntary conservation is requested because Normandy Lake's level is lower than 864 feet above sea level, BCUD Commissioner Randy Head said Saturday, explaining how the system works. ...

Quality will be checked if Duck's flow is cut (10/06/07)
Duck River water quality will be closely monitored if the Tennessee Valley Authority grants a state request to combat drought conditions by releasing less water from Normandy Dam. Paul Sloan, deputy commissioner for Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said as much on Friday in his request to Bridgette K. Ellis, TVA's senior vice president of environment and research...

Group wants dam release reduced (10/03/07)
Utility officials who met last week in Columbia expect that less water will be released through Normandy Dam this month due to drought conditions. Leaders of utilities in the Duck River watershed met Sept. 26 at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation offices...

UPDATED: Water use restrictions implemented (09/21/07)
Local utility officials are implementing a voluntary Stage 1 water use reduction plan due to the dwindling amount available in Normandy Reservoir. However, mandatory restrictions would be imposed if the level of the reservoir continues to drop and the area could face a severe shortage of water by the end of the year if conditions do not improve....

Volunteers watch the weather (09/08/07)
Rain, hail, or snow don't stop weather observers from keeping records of conditions at their homes. A national volunteer group, which has 15 participants in Shelbyville and Bedford County, is taking it one step further. More observers are needed for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network, says Bedford County coordinator Dave Boylan...

Utilities to give water to those with dry wells (09/05/07)
County Mayor Eugene Ray signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring Bedford County "drought-ridden" and authorizing local water plants to make water available to those who don't have "city water" and whose wells or springs have gone dry as a result of the recent hot, dry weather...

Wildlife needs our help in drought conditions (09/05/07)
With the approach of, hopefully, cooler temperatures and shorter days, our feathered friends and wildlife of Bedford County are definitely in need of human help. Due to the sudden freeze that seems like years ago since the county has experienced extreme heat and drought over the summer months, many of the trees that normally produce food supplies for squirrels and birds have been stunted or have gone dormant before producing food,...

No water restrictions here ... yet (08/28/07)
While Gov. Phil Bredesen is asking everyone in the state to conserve water, local utilities say that Bedford County has enough of the wet stuff ... at least for the present. Bob Finney of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System said Monday that water restrictions may be coming in the future, but not now. It all depends on the rain...

Burning restrictions in place (08/28/07)
Due to extremely high wildfire danger caused by the drought, record high temperatures and low humidity, state Forestry officials announced the implementation of burning restrictions usually reserved for official wildfire season. Effective Monday, citizens are required to obtain a burning permit from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry before conducting any outdoor, open burning of debris within 500 feet of woodlands, grasslands or forest lands...

Know symptoms of heat stress (08/27/07)
As the heat wave continues, state Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper encourages Tennesseans to stay cautious; meanwhile, Bedford County Emergency Medical Services reported only one heat-related complaint during the first night of the Celebration on Thursday...

Assistance available for heat wave (08/24/07)
County Mayor Eugene Ray said Thursday that assistance is available for those who need, but cannot afford, fans or air conditioners to cope with the ongoing heat wave. Ray said the assistance is available through Tennessee Department of Health and Environment and that persons who need help can call his office, 684-7944, or Melissa Staley at the Health Department office in Columbia, (931) 490-8348, for more information...

Summer swelter makes for fall foliage (08/22/07)
A brisk breeze slips through the trees, producing a hissing whisper that signals the approach of hundreds of colorful leaves, all twisting and spinning as they make they way to the ground to mark the season. Except these events related to the fall season aren't due for another month or two...

Celebration exhibitors cope with hot weather (08/20/07)
Howard Hamilton watched the early morning rays of the sun rise over The Celebration grounds as he exercised horses. "I told the boys that we had to get an early start," he said. "It's just too hot. But, on the other hand, it doesn't look like the heat is going to leave, so they have to be conditioned for the show. It'll be hot for those classes too."...

Normandy Lake keeps local water flowing (08/15/07)
"If wasn't for Normandy Reservoir, we'd be looking at water rationing." But thankfully, said Bedford County Utility District [BCUD] General Manager Marty Davis, we do have plenty of the wet stuff and they are pumping it to their customers at record levels during this summer's continuing drought...

Drought threatens some farms' futures (08/14/07)
Constant scorching heat and no rain is putting Bedford County agriculture in a serious bind. Farmers are selling off herds and searching for ways to keep the animals they still have watered. John Teague, who runs the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Office, says that the conditions will likely result in some cattlemen going out of business this year...

Utilities keeping up with the heat (08/10/07)
With the air conditioners steadily humming as the area bakes under a stifling heat wave, utility companies in Bedford County are handling the power demands well, officials say. David Crowell, general manager for Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer said Thursday that that they are able to handle the demand for the blue spark "just fine."...

Keep your horses safe from high heat (08/08/07)
There is no doubt that Bedford County is horse country. As temperatures soar, many people may know to take care of themselves and pets but often don't consider what variables calculate together to equal extreme heat conditions for horses as well. According to State Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN, temperatures at or near 100 degrees demand people to take extra caution...

Heat advisory issued (08/07/07)
The National Weather Service has issued an advisory as a heat wave is expected to send temperatures to near 100 degrees over much of middle Tennessee this week. Afternoon heat index readings are expected to range between 100 and 105 over the next few days, and very well many go higher than that by the middle or late this week...

Agricultural disaster area declared in Tennessee (08/02/07)
All 95 counties in Tennessee have been declared an agricultural disaster, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA), it was announced Wednesday. The disaster designation makes Tennessee farmers affected by drought conditions eligible for low-interest emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), helping farmers offset crop losses suffered this growing season...

Corker travels to Greenland to study climate (07/31/07)
Getting an energy policy in place "that is right" regardless of the impact climate change has is a goal that Sen. Bob Corker expressed upon returning from a trip to Greenland this past weekend. But while they viewed glaciers and ice sheets that make up 10 percent of the world's fresh water, nothing he saw surprised him, saying instead it was the scientists that were the most informative...

Take hot weather precautions (07/30/07)
The dog days of summer have arrived and with the heat index soaring, folks need to take precautions to avoid trouble. According to forecasters, temperatures for this week are expected to stay in the mid 90s with a very little chance for thunderstorm activity. The heat index may rise to 100 degrees and above since the dew point expected to rise through the upper 60s to low 70s this week...

Fireworks cancelled due to drought conditions (06/27/07)
The fireworks display scheduled for July 4th at Shelbyville City Park has been canceled on the recommendation of Fire Chief John Habel due to the extreme drought the area is enduring. Other activities scheduled for the 4th at the park will go on as scheduled, Recreation Director Silva Pinson said...

Fish and ducks are high and dry (06/19/07)
To some, the Fairfield Pike duck pond near H.V. Griffin Park is a Shelbyville tradition. It's a place to relax, feed the ever-present ducks or even fish. For new owners Roger and Paralee Williams, it's a potential showplace fallen on somewhat hard times. Extreme drought has left what portion of the pond hasn't dried up full of dead and dying fish...

Disaster assistance granted for late freeze (06/19/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen's request for federal farm assistance for all 95 counties in Tennessee received approval Monday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Bredesen made the request April 11 after record low temperatures severely damaged crops across the state and Southeast...

Drought conditions force livestock sales (06/05/07)
Mid-South Livestock Center in Unionville was still selling cattle when contacted by the Times-Gazette at 8:10 this morning, the tail end of a long day for area farmers, some of whom have been forced to sell off their cattle due to the lack of pasture and / or water...

Drought hits farms but not city water supply (05/21/07)
While the dry weather has caused much concern for area farmers, it hasn't impacted the local water supply, at least, not yet. David Crowell, general manager of the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System says while the Duck River is down and Normandy Lake is several feet below its summer pool, the water supply for Shelbyville is fine...

Storm sirens can save lives (05/16/07)
Winds howl. The sky darkens. A tornado is near. Are we in a safe place? Will we even know the twister's coming? Bedford County's slightly safer than in times past. The storm shelter system now in place may eventually save lives. But one element is still missing: Storm sirens...

TDOT grant will benefit local airport (05/03/07)
The Shelbyville Municipal Airport has been awarded an Aeronautics Grant in the amount of $40,500 to assist with improvements to that facility. Gov. Phil Bredesen made the announcement earlier this week. "General aviation airports are critical to the economic development of communities across the state," said Bredesen. ...

Freeze, drought give one-two punch to farmers (05/01/07)
Farmers and their crops are having a tough time of it this season due to a double whammy of an extended drought and an unseasonable freeze. While many were glad to see sunny and dry weather through last winter and early spring, this area has seen so much of it that a serious drought has developed...

Global warming tour hits MTSU (04/18/07)
MURFREESBORO -- Activist and filmmaker Laurie David and musician Sheryl Crow brought their "Stop Global Warming College Tour" to Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday with a concert and multi-media presentation for students at Murphy Center. David, co-founder of Stopglobalwarming.org with Sen. John McCain and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was one of the producers of Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth."...

Governor asks for disaster declaration (04/13/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen has requested a federal designation of agricultural disaster for all 95 counties in Tennessee to help farmers who have suffered crop damages as a result of last week's deep freeze and record low temperatures. A designation from USDA would allow farmers to apply for low-interest emergency loans that could help them manage crop losses and plan for next year. Bredesen made the request Thursday in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns...

Cold hits crops hard (04/11/07)
This weekend's unseasonable cold snap has had a harsh effect on some crops and farmers, but University of Tennessee Extension Agent John Teague cautions homeowners not to panic or pull up a plant that seems to have been killed. The wheat crop has been dramatically affected. Farmer Bobby Vannatta said that his wheat crop, for use as grain, has been pretty much wiped out...

Three more churches become tornado shelters (03/08/07)
Three more churches have agreed to serve as severe weather shelters for a program organized by Bedford County Emergency Management Agency. The shelters will be opened in case of a tornado threat, to give neighbors a place to wait out the storm in safety. They will automatically be opened when a tornado warning is declared but will likely be opened sooner than that, in order to give time for people to arrive. The shelters will remain open for several hours until the storm has passed...

Severe Weather Awareness Week (02/19/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen has proclaimed Feb. 18-23 as "Severe Weather Awareness Week" in Tennessee. Throughout the week, the National Weather Service, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and other supporting groups will conduct educational activities and drills to help people prevent injuries and deaths from tornadoes, damaging winds, flash floods, lightning, and hail...

Churches will offer sanctuary from the storm (02/02/07)
Seven Bedford County churches have agreed to serve as short-term shelters when tornadoes threaten the area. A meeting Thursday night to discuss the program was attended by church representatives, firefighters, amateur radio operators and Bedford County Emergency Management Agency volunteers. The meeting was held at the BCEMA offices on Eagle Boulevard...

Feeling the wrath of Katrina (02/01/07)
As a witness of Hurricane Katrina's wrath, New Orleans resident Dr. Douglas Brinkley shared stories of that storm, political failures and heroic rescues with Webb School students earlier this week. Brinkley has recorded those experiences in a new book, "The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast."...

Inch of snow possible by morning (01/31/07)
Get ready, because the white stuff is headed our way. A wintery mix of sleet and snow is expected overnight, with forecasters predicting a 90 percent chance of precipitation. Accumulations are expected to reach one inch with lows reaching 31 degrees...

Katrina relief a complex issue (01/24/07)
Forgive this writer for his lack of compassion. There have been a few items appearing in newspapers around the country during this recent cold snap about the fate of Katrina victims some 17 months after the storm left thousands homeless. The Houston Chronicle had a story Tuesday about how a six-month extension of emergency housing assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency won't solve "the underlying problems preventing hurricane victims from rebuilding their lives."...

County gets disaster declaration (12/22/06)
As a result of drought and extreme heat that has occurred since May 1, Bedford County has received a disaster designation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced. "Middle Tennessee's farmers work hard to earn a living, but Mother Nature sometimes makes it even harder," said Gordon. "As a result of this disaster declaration, some farmers may now be eligible for emergency loans to cope with their losses...

County gets disaster declaration (11/16/06)
As a result of drought and extreme heat that has occurred since March 1, Bedford County has received a disaster designation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced. "Middle Tennessee's farmers work hard to earn a living, but Mother Nature sometimes makes it even harder," said Gordon. "As a result of this disaster declaration, some farmers may now be eligible for emergency loans to cope with their losses...

Bedford may be named disaster area (10/13/06)
NASHVILLE (AP) -- Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Thursday he has requested declarations of federal agricultural disaster for Bedford and 17 more Tennessee counties. Bredesen in August made two requests for a disaster declaration in 14 other counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved six of those counties last month. The USDA is expected to make a determination about the other eight counties soon, according to a news release...

County gets delayed disaster funding (10/05/06)
Gov. Phil Bredesen has announced that the state is providing $3.6 million in disaster assistance funding to many Tennessee communities, including Bedford County, that suffered damages due to thunderstorms, flooding, and high winds and tornadoes in 2003...

Autumn has arrived (09/25/06)
Autumn arrived at 11:03 p.m. Saturday. This is the time of year when the length of the days and nights are equal. However, the days will start getting shorter as they march toward winter and cooler temperatures. Cooler weather is a result of the angle of sunlight striking the Earth. Light loses heat as it travels through more atmosphere, and there are fewer hours for the sun to heat the earth, so the weather becomes cooler as the days lead toward winter...

Dry summer leads to hay shortage (09/25/06)
A shortage of hay is anticipated in Bedford and surrounding counties, according to the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service here, and cattlemen are concerned hay prices will increase. "The hay crop and pasture have suffered a lot," John Teague, the agricultural extension service agent, said today when asked about the harvest since autumn began Saturday night with rain that postponed a 4-H horse show...

Damage blows in with heat relief (08/05/06)
High winds Friday afternoon brought relief from last week's heat wave but left a trail of damage behind. Large trees fell as the winds hit parts of southern and central Shelbyville, along with scattered areas of Bedford County, about 2:30 p.m. One tree left Fairfield Pike just south of the duck pond blocked for approximately four hours while city crews removed debris and utility wires were replaced...

Think cool and beat the heat (07/20/06)
Despite the hot weather this week, there haven't been more patients than anticipated at the Bedford County Medical Center emergency room because of heat. "We have seen some," BCMC Emergency Room Nursing Director Keri McKamey said Wednesday afternoon. "We haven't had a large number, but from the end of June to today, we've had about 10 people who've had problems that were diagnosed as caused by heat."...

It's HOT!!! High passes 100 degrees (07/20/06)
A passing heat wave with a 104 degree heat index today and true temperatures of 100 since Tuesday prompted power demands here to approach the highest loads expected during the horse shows in late August, according to officials. "Today's our last day of the really bad heat," National Weather Service Meteorologist Mark Rose said this morning. ...

Churches find hope in the midst of tragedy (04/10/06)
MADISON (AP) -- When Metro Baptist Church Pastor Phil Martin looked out his window, he could see the whirling, black tornado bearing down on his church. So he and other church employees gathered up the 35 children at the church's preschool and rushed them to a windowless room in the middle of the church and told them all to crawl under the chairs...

County 'dodges bullets' but has some storm damage (04/08/06)
Bedford County Emergency Management Agency director Scott Johnson said Bedford County suffered some wind damage but "dodged several bullets" in regards to the tornadoes seen in other areas. "It was basically all straight-line wind damage," said Johnson on Saturday. ...

Storms hit midstate hard (04/08/06)
GALLATIN (AP) -- Dump trucks and work crews started clearing debris as people picked through their shattered homes a day after tornadoes killed 12 people in Tennessee, the second wave of violent weather to hit the state in less than a week. "We'll get on our feet again," Bernard Tavers said Saturday as he surveyed the demolished homes and piles of rubble in his neighborhood...

Use caution, common sense in severe weather (04/06/06)
Scott Johnson of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency said last weekend's tornado deaths in West Tennessee should be a reminder to all to be careful about thunderstorms and tornadoes, especially in this season. "Locally, we are vulnerable as well," said Johnson. ...

Katrina evacuees face new struggles (03/20/06)
Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast more than six months ago, but Tennessee, its contract agencies and the evacuees who've landed here are facing a transitional phase as federal officials are apparently weaning those who've been helped off government assistance and toward independence...

Temperatures to rise (02/20/06)
Temperatures forcast to reach the high 30s today with rain in the picture tomorrow. The icy conditions should disipate by tomorrow as overnight lows aren't supposed to breach freezing.

Weather pattern isn't seen often (02/13/06)
Today's snow is a by-product of a weather system that passed through Middle Tennessee over the weekend that's not seen very often, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist. "We thought we were going to get more snow Friday and Saturday, but we had a shallow layer of warm air a few hundred feet above the ground along the I-65 corridor," meteorologist Bobby Boyd explained this morning...

Winter weather causes accidents (02/09/06)

Flooding closes roads and schools (01/23/06)
Heavy rains and flooded roads closed schools today and blocked roads, especially in the western half of the county. Local National Weather Service reporter Roy Reed reported 3.51 inches of rain in Shelbyville in the past 24 hours. In the northern end of the county, farmer Bobby Vannatta recorded 1.7 inches at 4 p.m. Sunday and another 2.5 inches overnight, for a total of 4.2 inches...

Grass fire on Chestnut Ridge (01/09/06)
A wind-blown grass fire threatened five homes and consumed an estimated 50 acres of woodland off Hart Road in the Chestnut Ridge area of southern Bedford County on Sunday afternoon and evening. The flames also consumed grass and trees at Mount Herman Cemetery....

Unseasonable warmth could give way to snow (01/04/06)
This week's weather proves an old adage in Tennessee since there was a 99-year-old high temperature record broken on Monday and now computer modeling indicates it could snow late this week. National Weather Service Meteorologist Bobby Boyd has the records to prove it and he agrees with Bedford County's U-T agricultural extension agent, John Teague, "If you don't like the weather, stay put, it will change."...

Divers trapped by hurricane (11/07/05)
When five local scuba enthusiasts planned their annual diving trip to Mexico this year, they couldn't have imagined they would end up staying a lot longer than they had intended. But that's what happened to Jimmy Rhodes, Buddy Jacobs, Frank Weedon and Cathy and Bobby Miller last month when they traveled to the sunny island of Cozumel and were trapped by a Category 5 hurricane named Wilma...

Wal-Mart D.C. employee assists with relief (11/02/05)
A Shelbyville man will be returning to Hammond, La., where Hurricane Katrina ravaged his employer's warehouse just northwest of Lake Pontchartrain in late August. Shortly after the hurricane hit, Tom Allard and four other employees at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center here went to the company's warehouse in Hammond to do virtually anything that was needed...

Unexpected challenges face nurse in Biloxi (09/22/05)
As Hurricane Rita was bearing down on Texas from the Gulf of Mexico, a Wartrace woman returned from Biloxi, Miss. -- her destination eight days ago to relieve nurses who'd been working since Hurricane Katrina struck. However, during her five days of duty at Biloxi Regional Medical Center, Bonnie Vincent, a 24-year-old emergency room nurse, soon found out that she wasn't just relieving over-worked nurses. She was picking up slack left by deserters...

Rescue Unit, truckers team for Katrina relief (09/19/05)
Bedford County Rescue Unit has begun collecting furniture, appliances, tools and other items for residents of Mississippi's gulf coast who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. A variety of trucking companies have cooperated to make the project possible, including J.A. Brown Trucking, R&E Transportation, Snell Trucking and D&E Transportation...

Shelbyville family takes in evacuees (09/15/05)
Shelbyville has become the temporary haven for a grateful family evacuated from New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Ronald and Trina Vincent left home with their three children and convinced other family members to leave with them after watching New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin on television pleading that people seek shelter, admitting "with tears in his eyes" that he had had to order body bags...

Nurse is determined to help (09/13/05)
A Bedford County woman who's an emergency room nurse in Tullahoma is set to leave Wednesday for a Biloxi, Miss., hospital to relieve nurses who've been working extra hours since Hurricane Katrina struck. "I would not be surprised if they have us working 18-hour shifts," Bonnie Vincent, 24, said with a quiet resolve. "I believe that I became a nurse for a reason. I was in nursing school when 9/11 happened and so I couldn't respond. Now I can...

Calling cards, duffel bags needed (09/09/05)
Telephone calling cards and weekend sized duffel bags are what's needed for people who've evacuated Louisiana and Mississippi because of the devastation left by hurricane Katrina. That's the word from the Rev. Glenn Forsee, chairman of the Bedford County Ministerial Association, who, with Bedford County Emergency Management Agency Director Scott Johnson, went to Tullahoma Thursday...

T-G story gains wide attention (09/08/05)
When the Times-Gazette reported Tuesday that some 40,000 bodies may be found in the Gulf Coast as a result of Hurricane Katrina, that astounding estimate immediately spread to other media outlets that were reporting far fewer deaths. T-G staff writer Clint Confehr's story was the result of an interview with Gowen-Smith Chapel co-owner Dan Buckner, whose business partner, Gary Hicks of Paducah, Ky., was deployed to Gulfport, Miss., to help with recovery of bodies. ...

Rebuilding begins in Louisiana (09/08/05)
Reestablishing the Elam family's home in Slidell, La., after Katrina struck that waterfront community started with a travel trailer that was being towed from Shelbyville this morning. "It's what the insurance companies put you in instead of a motel since they're not available," said Elizabeth Elam, 27, who'd moved with her husband Richard, 29, when he got a job flying helicopters to and from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico...

Local leaders look at evacuee housing options (09/07/05)
Shelbyville and Bedford County leaders are trying to determine what can be done here for people evacuating Louisiana and Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Strained budgets, the old Harris Middle School building and system capacities are concerns facing the group that Mayor Geneva Smith dubbed the Emergency Response Action Group...

Football player blown into town by Katrina (09/07/05)
Katrina, that black cloud of a storm that's devastated America's Gulf Coast, has a silver lining for the Shelbyville Central High School Eagles' football team. "From what I hear, he's going to do us some good," Central High's principal, Don Embry, said Tuesday afternoon about 16-year-old Ryan Hornberger, who's moved here because of the hurricane...

Funeral director deploys to hurricane region (09/06/05)
A co-owner of Shelbyville-based Gowen-Smith Chapel has been deployed to Gulfport, Miss., to help with recovery since Hurricane Katrina, and his business partner here has described the grim task there. "DMort is telling us to expect up to 40,000 bodies," Dan Buckner said, quoting officials with the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, a volunteer arm of Homeland Security...

State will get funds for Katrina assistance (09/06/05)
NASHVILLE -- Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Sunday that President Bush has granted the state's request for an emergency declaration for the entire state of Tennessee as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The declaration means the state will receive 100 percent federal reimbursement for immediate relief efforts and expanded services for evacuees sheltered across Tennessee...

State asks counties for fuel update (09/02/05)
Damage to the infrastructure that supplies gasoline to this part of the country caused by Hurricane Katrina has already resulted in high prices at the pump and shortages, but now the state is asking counties to give them an update on their fuel supplies...

Three take advantage of Red Cross shelter (08/30/05)
An American Red Cross emergency shelter at Thomas School housed three people Tuesday night because of the tropical storm here following Hurricane Katrina's rampage on the Gulf Coast. And Gov. Phil Bredesen remained in Nashville, monitoring Katrina's impact on the state with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration continued with day and evening classes for the annual show...

Celebration statement on hurricane preparations (08/29/05)
The following statement was issued this afternoon by the Celebration: -- The Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration is working with local and state emergency management officials to prepare for the heavy rains and high winds expected when the remnants of Hurricane Katrina come through the area overnight Monday night and into Tuesday...

Katrina takes aim at TWHNC (08/29/05)
Tents on high ground were one suggestion for those who rented barns on low land at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, officials and tenants said at the show grounds in anticipation of the arrival of remnants of Hurricane Katrina today...

Katrina an unwelcome TWHNC visitor (08/27/05)
Remnants of Hurricane Katrina will bring two inches of rain to Shelbyville between noon Monday and sunset Tuesday, a National Weather Service meteorologist has predicted. However, the show will go on at the outdoor arena on the historic, 106-acre Celebration Grounds, according to Chip Walters, spokesman for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Inc...

Lightning strike leaves its mark (06/09/05)
A bolt of lightning stripped the bark off a front yard tree at a Shelbyville family's home Wednesday afternoon and made more noise than thunder, but what a clap that was. "It sounded like a bomb going off in the house," Bo Williams of Mullins Mill Road said. "It lit the whole house up with a bright light, set the alarm off with sirens and the alarm company called."...

Stormy Easter possible (03/27/05)
Keep your eyes to the skies today, weather experts warn. "Severe storms including long-lived supercells capable of tornadoes, some of which could be significant," are possible across Middle Tennessee by late morning and continuing through the afternoon, says an outlook issued Saturday morning by the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center...