Feature Stories

When it comes to planning the annual Memorial Day lunch, especially during a pandemic, the best thing to do from the kitchen is likely seal the lunch with a K.I.S.S., that is, keep it simple sweeties. There are so many inexpensive places to purchase simple red, white and blue table decorations, it’s a cinch to do your own tablescape with ease. ...

Shelbyville Central High School student Trinity Vickers is a part of the Shelbyville Rainbow Hunt Group on Facebook. Here’s a poem the student has written to “spread the happiness” during COVID-19. By the way, the local Rainbow group has about 3,000 members at this time...

Sculpting from clay she found in her backyard as a child was a small beginning and eventually a pathway leading to great things for internationally exhibited sculptor Tracy H. Sugg of Wartrace. Sugg reflected recently how she visited a bronze foundry in her native state of New Mexico; she was inspired. Watching every step of the lost-wax bronze casting process, she had pretty much already discovered her life’s calling by age 8...

Bedford County Arts Council proudly announces a newly established annual $1,000 scholarship in memory of Jonathan Price, a life long participant and supporter of the arts in Bedford County, announced Christine Carlton, arts council member. The Jonathan Price Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship will be awarded to a deserving high school senior planning to continue his/her education in the area of fine arts including visual arts, performing arts, literary arts or music...

W e are slowly getting back to our new normal. The 3 three-hour no contact drive through service days seem to be growing in popularity. We are glad to see patrons again even from a social distance and with half their faces covered. Please listen to our answering machine recording at 931-684-7323 for days and times. ...

Kim Mantooth is fairly used to wearing a mask; she’s even used to the drill by now of avoiding germs. You see, while everyone else is greatly worried about the pandemic, Kim and her husband, Jay, are also living life with cancer to boot. In 2019, an oh-so-familiar enemy, breast cancer, rekindled in Kim’s body with a vengeance. First diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2015, she was cleared of cancer the following year. Life was good...

Micah Rasnick has had a little time to spare lately, so rather than have idle hands, he turned to his kitchen. Since, his Facebook page has been filled with requests lately for his warm, cinnamon rolls right out of the oven. “I have always enjoyed being in the kitchen, but have been getting more seriously into cooking over just the past three or four years,” Rasnick said. “The cinnamon rolls . . . new to me.”...

2 lbs. fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and halved 1 C. orange juice 1 C. plain yogurt 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. lime juice  1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt Place the peaches in blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and add the orange juice, yogurt, honey, lime juice, and cinnamon. Adjust the thickness with more lime juice if necessary. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving or up to 8 hours...

Motorcycle enthusiasts with Big G Express say they’re anxious to get their “knees in the breeze” after many have been quarantined due to COVID-19. Their upcoming event May 30 will help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital continue to lead the way in how the world understands, treats,and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases...

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Jack Daniel's visitor center temporarily suspended tours on March 16. Miss Mary Bobo's Restaurant and the Lynchburg Hardware & General Store also closed temporarily. Distillery operations have continued as normal. Moore County has been greatly spared with to date only 3 COVID-19 cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges cancer patients to take extra steps to lower their risks of getting sick with COVID-19. There are videos on the CDC website which may assist patients. The CDC urges patients to call their doctor right away if they have a fever or feel sick during chemo treatments...

For the last 21 years, Steven and Ceal Flippo’s hearts have been tuned in perfect harmony. Yes, and even now, in the midst of a pandemic, they’re still singing Godly music. The two say social distancing, since COVID-19 crept into the community, has likely deepened their love and appreciation for their Christian music. Set songs like “Amazing Grace” to the backdrop of “beautiful Bedford County” and Steven says it’s a match certainly made in heaven...

Karrie Brandon, Garrett Gunn and Shyan Brandon are all set for a special Mother’s Day celebration. (This photo was accidentally left out of Tuesday's Mother's Day Section. We wish all a happy Mother's Day.)

Kinley and Brantley Watts, children of Blake and Sandy Watts, demonstrate how wonderful the Community School feed program is for the local children. Lots of volunteers have helped since March 17 to make this a very significant school program all over the county. The federally-funded food service program began on a once-a-week pick up schedule on April 15, due to pandemic. Now, each Wednesday, parents line up in their vehicles at their respective school for breakfast and lunch items.

Ethan Jolley and Kayla Fults are the 2020 recipients of the FFA leadership and FFA New Horizon scholarships. Both students are 4-year members and officers of Community High School FFA. Ethan and Kayla will receive their FFA state degrees later this month at a virtual ceremony. The state FFA degree is awarded to FFA members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to the association and made significant accomplishments in their supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs.)

Shelbyville Parks and Recreation areas are still closed to organized public events until further notice. But aren't the irises pretty right now surrounding the nearby sign. Park officials hope that all recreation areas will be back up and running soon, but much is dependent on continued COVID-19 cases.

It really is the thought that counts, but why not impress the special woman in your life this weekend with a special virtual celebration. Mother’s Day is Sunday and if you must social distance due to COVID-19, why not opt for a virtual-online-gathering. Create your event on Zoom video conferencing, upload toasts to Mom on Facebook (alcoholic or non alcoholic ones) or use some other virtual way of broadcasting your love for that special celebration with family and friends...

Ricky Reed’s family is in its fourth generation of farming on Old Nashville Dirt Road. While some days he’s just plain tired of being a farmer, he just can’t seem to shed those daily chores ingrained in his being from sunup to sundown since he was a young boy...

Local author and speaker Paul Engel says he’s on a mission through his new book, “The Constitution Study” to help everyday Americans read and study the historic document. Some think people of a certain ages should already know what’s in the document? When it gets right down to the historic notes, Engel doesn’t think Americans know as much as they think about “The Constitution.”...

What do two artistically-minded Community High School alums with time on their hands, living in different states, do during a pandemic? They reunite to present an online play, of course. Those Community graduates of 2015, back by popular demand, are Aaron Gaines and Chelsea Mills. The two theatre majors have revisited, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” which they performed on the Community stage during their senior year...

Bedford County sophomores and cousins Sophie Miller and Makenna Lamb recently gave new meaning to the phrase: “Bloom where you’re planted.” While being out of school and quarantined at home, due to COVID-19, they energetically cleaned out a flower bed at Sophie’s house; they have since recreated a colorful rock pathway, which was hidden underneath the dirt and grass...

Molly Mielneczek (left) and Hope Comeaux, who is visiting Shelbyville from New Orleans, took their four-legged friend, Macy, on a walk around South Brittain Street on Tuesday afternoon then stopped off to enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze from the family swing.

Emily Jensen, 5, recently submitted some Easter art she created to the Times-Gazette.

Easter may be over for some, but Emma Younger recently got in another egg hunt before heading to her brand new swing set at home.

A local mom and her child worked together recently on this special artwork at their Shelbyville home. The mom, who did not wish to be identified, notes it was truly a great experience and she's contributed it to the Rainbow group on social media for the idea.

During World War I, posters proclaiming “Food will win the war” encouraged Americans to grow victory gardens. A century later, home gardeners are returning to that idea in the fight against a global pandemic. Backyard gardeners are coming together, mostly virtually, to learn and share stories on how to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers as the novel coronavirus raises fears about disruptions in food supplies and the cost of food in a down economy...

Carolyn Davis has never celebrated a quarantined birthday, that is, because of something called COVID-19. But last Wednesday, she and family enjoyed some of her own recipes at home. While she couldn’t go out to dine publicly, due to social distancing laws, Davis was treated to her favorite dishes at home...

​Many of us are now at home due to business shutdowns, kids out of schools, cancelled meetings, etc. in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. That means having to feed a family three meals a day at home for many days. The good news is that often there are items in your pantry or freezer that can be pulled together to create meals to feed families when we can’t get to the grocery store every day...

While the Easter Bunny may have some social distancing issues this weekend, “Bubba” the rainbow horse, owned by Mindy Pruitt and family, is keeping everyone at their Shelbyville home and on social media in the Easter parade spirit. Pruitt’s horse riding group “Riding With Mindy” joined the Shelbyville Rainbow Hunt Facebook group recently. ...

Braylin Smith, 4, happily shared his rainbow with his small town this week. His exact words were: “Maybe I can make someone smile with my cool rainbow! Because rainbows are in the sky with God.”

Pews will be empty at most local churches Easter Sunday. While they’ve always faced a full congregation from the pulpit on Resurrection Sunday, some local pastors are leaning on the internet to get God’s Good News delivered to their congregations. Most Bedford County churches will be holding Easter Sunday services online - the first for many. ...

Tatum Mitchell recently expressed her creativity as part of the Shelbyville Rainbow Hunt, which has been a very popular Facebook group during the coronavirus pandemic. Her mom says she loves rainbows.

Himesville Church of the Nazarene on Highway 82 South is making an Easter statement to passers-by that just because the building is closed, due to COVID-19, God is still alive.

Local residents, while trying to keep their social distance during the coronavirus, have recently shared interesting ways via social media for creating rainbows of hope. From cakes and cookies to “stained glass” windows representing red, blue, green, yellow, violet and indigo colors, residents continue to share from home their stories and pictures with the T-G...

A group of Tennessee Walking Horse trainers recently traded in their spurs for spatulas in an effort to help Cookeville tornado victims. Layne Leverette spearheaded the group effort, acquiring the help of Tony Edwards and Rowdy Ranch Catering staff. Dickie Gardner of Wheel offered his horse trailer, which he said helped the catering group stay out of the elements while providing food buffet lines...

One pair of hands responsible for the many Quilts of Valor presented to local veterans over the last two years belongs to Mary Young of Bell Buckle. Quilting has always been her hobby, she reveals. “I joined Happy Hands Quilters in 2007. I’ve been quilting with them ever since.”...

Community High School Smokestack Theatre senior Morgan Stepp has always admired the character Mother Abbess of "The Sound of Music." On March 13 and 14, she'll turn her role up a notch as the lead role in the musical production of "Mamma Mia!" Smokestack Theatre's spring production is coming up 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 13-14, in the Community High School auditorium. Admission is $5 per person...

As a part of Victory Baptist Academy's 45th anniversary, an alumni group known as Friends of VBA have planned a special night of food, gospel music and fun for Saturday, March 14, at their beloved Christian school on North Main Street. The fundraiser is the first of what organizers hope will become an annual event, according to one of the organizers and 1995 VBA graduate Margaret Petty...

MURFREESBORO -- J.W. Harper didn't plan on being the first African-American football player at Middle Tennessee State University. Destiny guided him there. He has gone into the history books with that designation. Earlier this month Harper, and seven other African American athletes, were honored as "True Blue" Pioneers...

A former educator is credited with coining the phrase, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." This phrase applies very well to what Thomas Magnet School's Robotic Tigers are learning through FIRST LEGO League competition. Most kids will agree that playing LEGOs is fun. ...

The Shelby Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held its annual Good Citizens Tea and Good Citizen Awards Ceremony on Sunday February 23 at First Christian Church. The meeting was called to order by Regent Muriel Robinson, who led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and The American's Creed...