Feature Stories

The Webb School's orchestra classes will be joining forces with well-known electric violinist and original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra–Mark Wood-during a free event slated for 7 p.m. Feb. 27, in the Barton Athletic Center. Registration is required at http://events.webbschool.com/strings. ...

Local jewelers Billy and Sharon Lowery said recently that before most of their customers shop, they generally ask about their mascot and adopted dog child, “Sir Winston.” With the dark-eyed, royal breed spaniel about to turn 10, the Lowerys plan to sweeten this decennial celebration in a couple of ways which should benefit their community...

President: Emma Rose Vice President: Will Melson Treasurer: Lexi Bailey Secretary: Jessica Rhodes Captain: Max Hinojosa Lieutenants: Jacob Betzelberger & Sophie Miller Sergeants: Chris Ocasio, Jordan Cooper, Sean O’Gorman, Cole Banks, Noelia Torres, Sabina Rico, Lindsey Parker, Bayleigh Stovall & Makia Woodard...

Shelbyville Central High School's National Honors Society recently held a supplies drive for the Community Soup Kitchen. The soup kitchen serves meals in drive-by and pick up fashion from 4 to 5 p.m. each Tuesday at the old Save-A-Lot building on South Cannon Boulevard. From left, Dillen Haynes, Savannah Catron and Rebekah Marshall from NHS and Kay Bartley, volunteer with from the Community Soup Kitchen.

Valentine’s Day guests will certainly be wowed with this showstopper dessert, courtesy of the Dairy Alliance. Using hot chocolate whipped cream adds a special touch to the classic dessert. Make it easy by using a red velvet cake box mix. Serve in a traditional trifle bowl or make into individual servings using decorative glasses...

Local residents are urged to take heart and observe through Valentine’s Day, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Bedford County Mayor Chad Graham signed the official proclamation Wednesday at this office, with Haven and Mandy Shaw of Bell Buckle, and their 10-year-old son, Will, who was born with a congenital heart defect, in attendance...

Heart of the Home FCE Club members recently held their January and February meetings at the UT/TSU Extension office. All club members were present. The January meeting included updates on the County Council and Leadership Retreat Camp. UT/TSU Extension Agent Whitney Danhof presented a program, “Load Up Your Digital Grocery Chart.” ...

Shelby Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a joint meeting and lunch on Jan. 27, at Riverbend Country Club. Special invited guests were members from Tullahoma and Lewisburg DAR chapters. State First Vice Regent Emily Robinson delivered a greeting from Tennessee DAR Regent Cecile Wimberley, who was unable to attend...

Gavin Upchurch and Riley Meeks are on the hunt for the Valentine’s Day Cupid. The Cupid Quest is a scavenger hunt sponsored by Shelbyville Parks and Recreation.

Few things can elicit “oohs and aahs” on Valentine’s Day as much as decadent desserts. Sweets and romance seem tailor made for each other. That’s why heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and other sweets are snatched up in droves and handed out like, well, candies, come Feb. 14...

Bill Rich, right, president of Vanderbilt-Bedford Hospital, formerly Tennova Healthcare-Shelbyville, was guest speaker at the Wednesday morning meeting of Shelbyville Rotary Club. Rich stated he’s very thrilled with the changeover. He also said he was pleased with capital infusion up front from Vanderbilt. Angi Huffman was program facilitator.

Bedford County Sheriff Austin Swing, right, provided Rotary Club members with an overview of the new jail, law enforcement activities in the county and effects on the department/community from COVID-19. Finney Edwards was program facilitator.

Few foods can make people feel as if they’re being indulgent as well as chocolate. Perhaps that’s what makes chocolate such a great fit for Valentine’s Day. When giving that special someone some chocolate on February 14, you’re not just giving them something delicious, but also a chance to indulge in a forbidden fruit. But chocolate desserts can be more than merely decadent...

One Valentine’s Day tradition many couples embrace is the exchange of gifts. Shoppers might not need much advice when purchasing heart-shaped boxes of chocolates or flowers for their sweethearts. However, when shopping for jewelry, Valentine’s Day celebrants may feel as though they’re in over their heads...

New Bethel Baptist Church on Highway 64 West continues to provide worship services within the Wheel community. The pristine white building is eye-catching to passers-by.

Few events generate as much enthusiasm among sports fans and non-sports fans as the annual Super Bowl. For sports fans who can’t wait to see the National Football League crown a new champion, the game is a must-watch event. For those who aren’t football enthusiasts, Super Bowl Sunday is still a chance for them to chow down and socialize with friends and family...

St. William of Montevergine Catholic Church members said recently they believe 2020 was certainly “a time to love and a time to share.” So despite year-long cancellations from the pandemic, members set out recently to continue their seasonal “giving tree.”...

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama awarded some 2,257 degrees during its fall commencement Dec. 12. Kristopher Frazier of Shelbyville received a bachelor of science in human environmental sciences and Amy Huff of Beech Grove received a doctorate in education...

The Jan. 25 meeting of Four Corners FCE was called to order by President Linda Bailey, with 8 members present. Devotion was given by Louise Armstrong. The call to order, "I Am January" was read by Charlene Judd. An educational program, "Load up Your Digital Grocery Cart,” was given...

One of Shelbyville’s oldest seniors, Donald Francis Popham, passed away last Thursday at the age of 103. Several Times-Gazette reporters have enjoyed taking his picture over the years and were entertained in the process with his spry sense of humor. The centenarian always said the key to his longevity was “hanging out with Jack (as in Jack Daniel’s Whiskey) and staying active.

Tennessee’s Poet Laureate Margaret (Maggi) Britton Vaughn and friend Shirley Hall of Bell Buckle worked with cast and crew of the television show “American Pickers” last summer on a feature which is scheduled to air on the History Channel 8 p.m. Feb. 8. Trailers are already running, Hall said. They note this interview was a great time and the cast, while in Bell Buckle, spent quite a bit of time with the poet. Her poem "Who We Are" was designated the official 996 bicentennial poem of Tennessee.

Famous author Laura Ingalls Wilder once said, “I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” Actually a fan of Wilder, this rings particularly true for Angela Neill of the Wheel community who is simply thankful to have recovered from COVID-19 last fall. While that recovery was slow, Angela explains she and husband, Donald, who also had the coronavirus, worked really hard at getting back on their feet by Christmas...

Shiloh United Methodist Church members explain Christian faith to passers-by on its marquee right off Highway 64 West in Wheel.

Ginger Marie Stover Wilson says she hates the devil. So much so, this Bedford County native says she decided to author children’s books-those though aimed at warning young people of satanic lies. She now has several titles reviewed and online, as a result...

Local Quilts of Valor representative Amy Martin has certainly been busy, recently awarding the prestigious handmade quilts to dozens of local service veterans. She said while the pandemic certainly delayed some of the award events, it couldn’t put a damper on the spirit of each event...

Live music, featuring the band St. Paul and The Broken Bones, returns April 23 and 24 to The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater in Grundy County. In an effort to social distance, the venue plans to station its concert-goers outside in hillside pods overlooking scenic Payne Cove. ...

Liberty FCE met Jan. 18 at Pleasant Grove Methodist Church, as reported by Dorris Turrentine.  Lynn Wilhelm called the meeting to order. Ten members were in attendance. Dorris Turrentine served was hostess. Judy Smith and Ardis Rittenberry gave the devotion...

Bailey Hayne of Bell Buckle was named to the Anderson University, Anderson, S.C., dean’s list for the fall semester. In order to receive this honor, a student must maintain a 3.5 GPA or higher for the semester.

Bedford County School System recently honored retired school superintendent Don Embry with a photo montage on its official website. We are sharing a few of those past memories here from his coaching days to the most recent days when he read Dr. Seuss stories to elementary students...

Most Bedford County farm families have learned over the years that potentially, most every cut of beef can be, and sustainably should be, used in recipes. The simple, but seemingly pretentious, flank steak is no exception. Flank steak, which is cut from the diaphragm muscles of the animal, is multi purpose, and relatively inexpensive to consumers, compared to other cuts of beef. It can be in high demand as it is traditionally used in Mexican restaurants...

Most people are familiar with the conventional grilling wisdom that, when cooking meats, it’s best to “only flip once.” This has led backyard grillers to resist the urge to flip their foods in the name of flavor. That conventional wisdom may not actually be that wise. Those who flip their grilled foods often can rest assured that they are probably doing little damage to the taste of the meat and may actually be improving cooking times and doneness...

A thick cut of meat grilled over an open flame can make for a mouth-watering-meal. While such an endeavor likely won’t lead to any complaints around the dinner table, many people still shy away from grilling, especially thick cuts of meat. A thick cut of uncooked meat can intimidate even the most devoted grilling enthusiast. Such cuts tend to take a long time to cook, and many a grilling devotee has put in that time only to end up with a dried out piece of meat...

Several years ago there was a TV commercial that I really enjoyed. I would sit in my recliner in front of my TV with a smile on my face every time it came on. There was a little boy sitting all by himself at the dinner table, his arms crossing his chest, a look of defiance, anger and disgust on his face...

Wait . . . Thanksgiving and Christmas are history, right? So then what’s all this ongoing turkey talk about? A low fat source of protein, the bird isn’t just showing up on the Thanksgiving table anymore. Anyone concerned about healthy eating is wise to learn more about the health benefits of turkey and find ways to include it in their diets all through the year...

Who put sugar in the cornbread? That’s a phrase which during my childhood which would generally conjure up something kind of scandalous in both my grandmothers’ kitchens. So do you put sugar in your cornbread? Some good Southern cooks do. Not to be too objective, I’m just going to say I like my cornbread both ways. It all depends on what I’m serving with it. If it is tomatoes, certainly no sugar in the mix...

Taylor Overcast of Shelbyville was one of 412 students named to the fall semester dean’s list at Union University in Jackson. The Dean's List includes full-time students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average on a four-point scale. About 3,000 students are currently enrolled at Union...

A free six week program, offered on-line through Zoom, is aimed at helping people with diabetes learn to manage their disease and improve their health. Some of the topics covered include nutrition, controlling blood sugar, exercise, stress management, foot care, etc...

Hopefully, most everyone is well aware that their dinner plate should be well proportioned with green vegetables, especially during cold and flu season. We still admit there are evenings when we wreck our brains as to what to serve with those winter vitamins...

Gyms have begun to reopen after being closed due to potential spread of COVID-19. For most in Bedford County, it’s likely been several months since members have stepped foot into their favorite facility, so fitness enthusiasts are advised to exercise smart...

East Park Church in Shelbyville had the warmth of the early morning sun shining around it on Wednesday morning.

This bright cardinal stands out on the fresh, white snow which fell earlier this week.

Bedford County Sheriff Austin Swing congratulates Lt. Josh Tolar and Lt. Kevin Roddy for 15 years of service to the community.

In case you (expletives deleted) missed the marketing campaign, on January 5 the noble public servants at Netflix will launch a six-episode series, “History of Swear Words,” hosted by actor Nicholas Cage. The “proudly profane” program will be supplemented with historians, cognitive scientists, lexicographers and etymology experts. (The latter should feel right at home, after years of hearing, “When are you going to quit &^%$ and get a &^%$ REAL job?”)...

Shelbyville Group of Embroiderers’ Guild of America recently decorated a First Community Bank Christmas tree with all handmade ornaments. Decorating the tree within this year’s theme, “Beaded Balls and Beaded Snowflakes, left to right, were Barbara Troxler, Louise Armstrong, Catherine Talley, and Connie Smith. Anyone interested in joining the Shelbyville Embroiderers’ Guild should email louisearmstrong@bellsouth.net. 

FCM Cares, First Community Mortgage’s nonprofit, has awarded the annual J.C. Gordon Scholarship to five Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) students at a scholarship ceremony recently held on the TCAT-Shelbyville campus. The awarded funds will be used in part to purchase tools for each student recipient. ...

The Shops at Main and McGrew recently collected this abundance of canned food and monetary donations from customers and friends during the shop local Saturday event. The items were distributed at Shelbyville Community Soup Kitchen, which distributes meals from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays at the old Save-A-Lot building on South Cannon Boulevard. Christmas boxes for those in need will be distributed by SCSK volunteers next Tuesday.

Dear Santa, How are you doing this Christmas? I have been good in my personal opinion, but sometimes I have been mean to my sister at the house. I promise to do better next year! I would like a papasan chair, an American Girl doll, a baby carrier, and a Nintendo Switch. I will leave you some milk and cookies, and some macaroni and cheese on Christmas Eve. I love you, Santa, and Mrs. Claus and the reindeer...

Christmas morning is an exciting and joyous time, when Children anxiously rush to the tree to see what Santa delivered. Having a fast and easy-to-manage breakfast allows families to jump right into the festivities rather than spending most of the morning in the kitchen...

The Shelbyville Group of Embroiders Guild of America keeps busy during the Christmas season. We just learned that when they’re not making those beautiful ornaments for Christmas trees, members are also quite the cookie-bakers. We suggest putting out a plate of Barbara Morgan’s “Molasses Crinkles” or Louise Armstrong’s “Christmas Toffee” or “Town House Cookies.” Recipes are below...

Coping with the loss of a loved one can be challenging in the best of times, but many people have had to confront such challenges at a time that is unlike any other in modern history. Now, it’s Christmas and we’re still being warned to social distance, which can be distressing, especially for those needing tender love and care during their time of grief...