Stories from Friday, February 20, 2009

An informal survey of Marshall County's 18 commissioners asked what percentage they thought would be the appropriate amount to cut their pay and, while only half replied, results indicate support for the pay cut. Commissioner Mickey King conducted the survey by e-mail, sending the question to his fellow commissioners. ...

Marshall County's Board of Public Utilities on Tuesday authorized its superintendent to award a contract for the enclosure of a carport and construction of an addition to the utility's shop on Rock Crusher Road.
Johnson Builders submitted the lowest of six bids received by the water system, Superintendent Tommy Whaley said shortly after the MCBPU's monthly meeting on Tuesday. Bob Ramsey, the utility's consulting engineer, said the Doyle, Tenn. contractor was the lowest of six bidders...

A socio-economic question was raised during an informational session for Marshall County ministers and church laymen Tuesday night when the subject was weatherization, a federal program to insulate homes for low income people and thereby reduce household bills...

Marshall County commissioners on Monday are scheduled to consider borrowing $3.9 million, hiring a tax attorney, protesting a prospective state budget cut, and doubling money for low income residents' heating bills. Those are just four of the topics set for the 6 p.m. ...

Greetings: Valentine Day has come and gone but I will still write this poem to all of you. Valentine Treasures Valentine treasures are people who have often crossed your mind, family, friends and others, too, who in your life have shined the warmth of love or a spark of light...

Federal union bill would hurt Tennessee's small businesses By JIM BROWN Unions haven't been an issue in Tennessee, but that would change overnight if Congress passes a bill making it easier for unions to organize. It wouldn't matter that we're a right-to-work state with one of the lowest union membership rates in the country--5.5 percent, according to the latest federal figures...

Members of the Marshall County Planning Commission attended a workshop this week to get them started on developing a land use and transportation plan for the county. The state planner for Marshall County, Kristin Costanzo, gave a power point presentation to the group of planning commissioners and others...

Nearly 40 preachers and church laymen were advised on Tuesday night how to help their parishioners get help if they're struggling to pay power bills. While it could be as simple as calling the South Central Human Resources Agency office on Old Columbia Highway, the reality of human nature was recognized as the preachers meeting started in the Lewisburg Gas Department's community room...

The Richland High School Cheerleaders have returned from Orlando, Fla. where they placed 15th in the nation in cheerleading competition. Coaches for the cheerleaders are Beth Hall and Sharon Kennedy. We congratulate the coaches and cheerleaders on a great job...

Thomas William Anderson Thomas William Anderson, 50, of Murfreesboro, died Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, from injuries sustained in an auto accident. Mr. Anderson graduated from Riverdale High School in 1976. He was a retired disabled veteran of the Army, and was a member of the Church of Christ...

The policy on punishment for cell phone use by students will remain unchanged for the time being, the school board's policy committee decided on Wednesday. Chairwoman Ann Tears discussed the proposed change to the policy with a Tennessee School Board Association legal advisor. ...

"Intermittent fasting." Remember those words. According to the "Los Angeles Times," that's a hot trend in the dieting/health maintenance field. Unlike the traditional version of going several consecutive days without food, intermittent fasting involves either scheduling certain meals or days to skip, or cutting total daily caloric intake by a large percentage, say, 30 percent...

Since 2007, arch rival Cascade has played spoiler to many a Forrest dream, sporting a 5-2 record during that span, while knocking off the Chapel Hill hoopsters in some big post-season games. Tuesday night at Eagleville, Forrest came in as the number five seed and turned the tables on the top-seeded Champions, winning in gutsy fashion 52-47, advancing to the District 9-A title game tonight at 7:30pm versus the hometown Eagles...

The Cornersville Bulldogs had the unenviable task of traveling to Huntland for a first round District 11-A game, but head coach Adrian Wilson had the Dawgs ready for the road trip, winning 51-40 and in the process secured at least one game in the Region 6-A Tournament to be held on their home floor in Cornersville next week...

More details of the fatal shooting in Cornersville emerged at the accused man's bond hearing on Wednesday. Judge Roger Brandon set Donnie Sullivan's bond at $250,000, after hearing statements from District Attorney Chuck Crawford and defense attorney Lee Bowles...