School board members made a start on a five-year plan for Marshall County Schools at their work session Monday. The work session followed the short special-called meeting that featured the momentous vote on the K-6 configuration of the Lewisburg elementary schools. The boardroom had been packed for this, but none of the audience was interested in staying to hear about long-term planning... more

POTTSVILLE - Mule Day maybe Saturday in Columbia, but the beasts of burden pulled a wagon train on Monday to Henry Horton State Park from their overnight encampment here on land provided by a well-known cattleman behind Marcy Jo's Mealhouse. "I am happy that the people can use this property, and for me to play a little part," cattleman Bud Mitchum, 75, of Spring Hill said about hosting the 2009 Mule Day Parade's men, women, mules and wagons that formed a wagon train Tuesday morning, first headed south on U.S. ... more

In previous columns, I've stressed the need to hold on to all of the coupon inserts we receive each week in the newspaper. The biggest mistake that "casual" coupon users make is to cut out the coupons for the items they think they'll buy and then toss the rest of the insert into the recycle bin. As you likely know by now, this is the biggest mistake that people make with coupons. In tossing the insert you throw away coupons for items that will be free later... more

At its last meeting, the county commission's education committee heard a good report on the board of education's transportation and maintenance departments. Commissioner Rocky Bowden told chairman Larry McKnight and commissioners Billy Spivey and Don Ledford that he had spent time with both Glen Ezell, transportation supervisor, and Sheldon Davis, maintenance supervisor... more

From staff reports While Marshall County's unemployment rate dropped from January to February, the rate is still among the highest in Tennessee. The most recent figures available show that from a workforce of 12,670 people, there were 1,870 unemployed during February, resulting in an unemployment rate of 14.7 percent... more

Lewisburg's next Goats Music and More Festival will have the country music band Shenandoah, famous for hits including "Church on the Cumberland Road." "Next To You, Next To Me" is another memorable song by Shenandoah, hired by Lewisburg City Manager Eddie Fuller who booked the band to appear on the first night of a three-day festival in Rock Creek Park... more

What police chief Chuck Forbis calls it "a rash" of forged payroll checks have turned up at local convenience stores, according to reports on file at the Lewisburg Police Department. In last Friday's Tribune, it was reported that a woman had cashed two forged checks at the Handi-Mart on South Ellington Parkway. On March 26, Officer John Christmas investigated reports of forged checks at By-Pass Market and Lewisburg Discount Tobacco... more

Starting today, and for the whole month of April, Marshall County residents can get rabies shots for their pets at a discounted price. Local veterinarians have agreed to give a rabies shot for $8 in April, instead of the usual $11. State law requires that pets be vaccinated annually... more

A Columbia man pleaded guilty Monday in Marshall County Circuit Court on a habitual motor offender charge. Ronald Stephan Blodgett, 44, of 7034 Paige Court, entered his plea after the jury was selected for his trial, according to Circuit Court Clerk Elinor Brandon Foster... more

April 1 The Town of Chapel Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen will hold a budget committee meeting at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, at the Town Hall. 2 The Marshall County Emergency Communications District Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 2, at the Emergency Operations Center in Suite 100, 230 College St., Lewisburg... more

A technology fair to teach Marshall Countians how to get the most out of computers is shaping up as virtually an all-day affair seven weeks from now. While programs, seminars and workshops might be more plentiful for beginners, the committee organizing the May 21 event has sought to have something for everyone... more

FARMINGTON -- Link Webb, president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Trainers Association, was injured in a one-vehicle crash Friday night and was hospitalized in Nashville until Monday afternoon. Lincoln "Link" Eugene Webb, 35, of 2460 State Route 64, proprietor of Webb Stables on Shelbyville Highway, was driving home alone after buying tickets to a rodeo for his family, according to his mother-in-law, Elaine Beaty, of Byrdstown, Tenn... more

Lewisburg's police chief is undecided about whether officers should be issued stun guns, he said Friday when details were emerging about a bail bondsman's injuries in Cornersville from a Taser. The chief sees advantages, but he recognizes that there's a perception among members of the general public about Tasers, the brand-name product that's the best known stun gun deployed to briefly incapacitate a suspect. ... more

Revenue from Marshall County's adequate facilities tax on each square foot of new construction is down dramatically now and, even with a projection based on construction last spring and early summer, collections could be 40 percent below what's to subsidize the county water service... more

CORNERSVILLE -- A Lewisburg-based bail bondsman was shot in the arm with his own stun gun last week while apprehending the woman who in early March walked away from a drug rehabilitation center several blocks from the Marshall County Jail, where she's now held on an escape charge... more

According to the Associated Press, a rare copy of the first comic book featuring Superman has sold on an Internet auction for $317,200. Having grown up as the proverbial "kid with 10,000 comic books," I'm proud that this copy of "Action Comics #1" has survived the dangers of 71 years, humidity, World War II paper drives, silverfish, and the like. ... more

A way to protect water quality and supply in a watershed such as the Duck River here and up to its headwaters was recently explained by environmental advocates who said state and federal funds are available for such projects. The idea was revealed during a question and answer session after a state official explained how local governments could obtain federal stimulus money for water and sewer projects. The official confirmed that those federal dollars could be spent to buy property... more

A special called meeting of Marshall County's School Board is scheduled for Monday evening when a vote is anticipated on where children in grades K-6 will go to school. Such a decision is to be made now because budgets must be set and plans made for the next school year as soon as possible, according to School Board Chairwoman Ann Tears... more

Lewisburg's Police Advisory Board has come to the conclusion that its bylaws should mention transfers of police assignments, an issue the board deliberated for a week between two meetings that began with a grievance. Lateral transfers are not mentioned in the Advisory Board's bylaws, so the board faced a technical dilemma when Detective Santiago Mcklean's grievance was heard. ... more

Maye Bennett Taylor Maye Bennett Taylor, 97, of Eagleville, died Monday, March 23, 2009, at her residence, surrounded by her family. Mrs. Taylor graduated from Eagleville High School in 1930 and was captain and center for that year's basketball team. ... more