(Bedford County Government photos) | | |
Bedford County Mayor Chad Graham, Shelbyville Mayor Randy Carroll, Wartrace Mayor Brian Ross, Normandy Mayor Cody Sharrock and Bell Buckle Vice-Mayor David Vannatta shoveled dirt onto a time capsule which was buried on the grounds of the historic Bedford County Courthouse during a ceremony on Friday, July 31.
The time capsule was to have been buried on July 3 as a kickoff to the county's 250th anniversary Independence Day celebrations, but inclement weather on that day prevented the ceremony.
Friday's ceremony included a salute to local veterans, patriotic music and pageantry, including a Tennessee Walking Horse carrying a rider and the American flag, and a mule-drawn wagon which brought the mayors to the ceremony.
The time capsule, to be unearthed on June 3, 2076, as the nation celebrates its 300th birthday, includes a variety of documents and artifacts related to Bedford County. Master of ceremonies Mark Farrar noted that the time capsule documents not only a slice of 2026 but also our plans for the future, and future generations will be able to see whether those hopes and dreams have come to fruition. Farrar urged the children in attendance to be photographed with the time capsule or the marker and to make plans to be at the courthouse in 2076.
A commemorative booklet summarized the contents of the time capsule; a downloadable version of it will be available soon on the Bedford County government website, in the section related to the county archives.
| | Paving projects for 2026-27 announced | | |
Bedford County Highway Superintendent Mark Clanton has announced the county paving projects for the fiscal year that runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. A total of 10 miles of roads are scheduled for paving:
Riverbend Road, 2.47 miles
Ashe Drive, 0.33 miles
Fairway Green Road, 0.12 miles
Hawthorne Road, 1.94 miles
Warner Bridge Road, 1.5 miles
Rowesville Road, 1.03 miles
Earl Smith Road, 1.11 miles
Rippy Ridge Road, 1.5 miles
Bedford County's official road inventory consists of 685.25 miles of roadway and a total of 633 individual roads.
For more information, contact the Highway Department at 931-684-4651.
| | Honoring the state champs | (Bedford County Government photo) | |
During their regular monthly meeting on July 14, Bedford County Board of Commissioners paid tribute to the Community High School Viqueens softball team for their state championship. A plaque was presented to the team and Head Coach Cam Farrell. County Commissioners Troy Thompson and Janice Brothers, in whose district the school is located, made the presentation.
In May, the Viqueens won the TSSAA Class 2A Softball State Championship with a 10-1 win over Marion County. They ended the season with a 35-9 record.
| Looking back -- and forward | |
County Mayor Chad Graham, who did not seek re-election, will leave office Aug. 31 after serving two terms. On July 22, he held an exit in-service with county department heads at the historic Bedford County Courthouse. Graham discussed the achievements of county government in the past eight years and the ongoing challenges that will face departments, and the new administration, in the years to come.
Following Graham's presentation, department heads were treated to a lunch on the first floor of the courthouse.
| Save the date: 'Battle of the Badges' | |
The "Battle of the Badges" blood drive, benefitting Blood Assurance, will be held 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at Cooper Steel Arena on the Celebration grounds (721 Whitthorne St., Shelbyville).
When you give, you will choose which emergency responder department you would like to honor, and the department bringing in the most donations is the winner! The goal is 250 blood products in honor of the U.S.'s 250th anniversary. To assure a shorter wait time, schedule your appointment at https://www.bloodassurance.org/bedfordcobattle
| Another successful county fair | (Bedford County Goverenment photos) | |
Bedford County Fair took place July 13-18 at Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center on Midland Road, drawing the usual happy crowds, whether that meant families eager to visit the carnival midway, young livestock exhibitors showing their first calf, or spectators looking for the roar of tractors straining down the tractor pull course.
There was also live music, plenty of food and other activities.
Although the fair is run by a private, independent not-for-profit organization, the Ag Center is owned and operated by the county, which has worked closely with the Fair Board over the years to make improvements to the property. The possibility of a county fair, as well as other youth-related agriculture and educational activities throughout the year, was one of the primary motivations for the county to create the ag center. Some people think of the fair only as the carnival midway, but it's really the various agricultural competitions -- everything from youth-raised livestock to the bounty of garden-raised produce -- which are the heart and soul of a county fair.
For more information about fair activities, go to bedfordcountytnfair.org.
For more information about the Ag Center, which is available for rental, go to bedfordcountytn.gov/departments/agriculture_and_education_center.php
| | Rosenwald Recreation & Community Center held a coffee July 20 to honor County Mayor Chad Graham and Sheriff Austin Swing for their service. Neither sought re-election and so each will leave office at the end of August. | | Smotherman remembered with bridge | A bridge in the Halls Mill area, near the intersection of Halls Mill Road and Wheel Road, was dedicated July 19 in memory of former Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman. Smotherman served as superintendent for 20 years, from 1999 until 2019, and was a highway department employee for a total of 40 years. | | Red Sand Project marks human trafficking | | |
On July 29, Bedford County Health Council held its fifth annual Red Sand Project event. The event has been held on the courthouse grounds for several years but this year was moved to The Fly Arts Center.
The Red Sand Project raises awareness of human trafficking, which, according to the Tennessee Department of Health, is "the use of force, fraud or coercion to exploit someone for labor or sex."
The project, first launched by Molly Gochman in 2014, is a “participatory art installment designed to shed light on human trafficking." Red sand, placed in sidewalk cracks, draws attention to the human trafficking victims who "fall through the cracks" of society daily. In the United States, is it estimated that a child is bought or sold for sex every two minutes. In 2024, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation received 1,170 human trafficking tips, with over 500 involving minors.
Dave Rogers, president of the health council, said the project was moved to The Fly this year in preparation for an expanded observance next year, possibly including a permanent installation of some sort. County Mayor Chad Graham expressed his support for the project and said he was sure that would continue whoever is elected to succeed him.
If you know someone who needs help to escape trafficking, contact the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline at 855-558-6484 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. You can also submit a tip online at www.ItHasToStop.com.
| | New graduate? Looking for new career choices? Maybe you belong in Bedford County government! At our jobs page, bedfordcountytn.mysmarthire.com/jobs/, you can see and apply for all open positions with county government. New positions are added frequently, so bookmark the site and check back often. (Photo by Rufino, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons) | | |
Here are some upcoming dates of interest:
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August 6: Primary and general elections, polls open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at your local precinct location.
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August 11: Bedford County Board of Commissioners regular monthly meeting, 7 p.m., historic Bedford County Courthouse
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August 18: Rules and Legislative Committee, Public Safety Committee, and Courthouse and County Property Committee, 5 p.m., historic Bedford County Courthouse, Shelbyville
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August 20: Board of Zoning Appeals, 5:30 p.m., historic Bedford County Courthouse
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August 25: Financial Management Committee, 4:15 p.m., Bedford County Business Complex, 200 Dover Street, Shelbyville, Room 110, followed by a budget study session
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August 25: Planning Commission, 7 p.m., historic Bedford County Courthouse
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August 26-Sept. 5: Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, 1110 Evans St., Shelbyville, twhnc.com
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Sept. 1: New terms of office begin for office-holders elected Aug. 6.
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Sept. 7: Non-emergency county offices and convenience centers closed for Labor Day holiday.
You can get more information about upcoming dates on the calendar at our county website, www.bedfordcountytn.gov/calendar.php
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