NORAD Santa site gets a makeover
I like to put in a mention this time each year of the NORAD Tracks Santa web site, noradsanta.org. Although most people think of going to this site on Christmas Eve, in order to track Santa's progress as he makes his deliveries, there are plenty of good reasons to visit throughout the month of December...
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![[Masthead]](http://www.t-g.com/images/nameplate.png)
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Fog/Mist ~ Feels like: 19°F Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013 |
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Columns
A year-around attitude of gratitude
"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is 'Thank You,' it will be enough." --Meister Eckhart Many times, as I lead my congregations in prayer, I pray a simple prayer such as this, "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!" We have just celebrated the annual Thanksgiving holiday, but thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. It needs to be a regular part of our everyday lives... O God of Grace and Abundance, We come together as a community to worship You as the source of all life and all goodness. Your infinite creativity and limitless imagination bring forth earth and sky, sunshine and rain, mountains and valleys, oceans and deserts, strong winds and stillness....
At last, Instagram comes to Windows Phone
Although I've had the chance to review many fine Android phones for this column, my personal phone -- the one I don't have to send back after a week -- runs on the Windows Phone 8 operating system. I really like the way Windows Phone looks and operates, and my last phone ran Windows Phone 7.8...
Uncle Jesse and the plight of modern man
I think I've secretly tried to become Uncle Jesse. I didn't realize this until a few nights ago when I was having a conversation with a friend of mine. Occasionally, you are conversing with someone and you say something that you didn't even realized you thought. ... |
Help with health care sign-up
(12/04/13)
You've most likely heard the confusion surrounding the website for the Health Insurance Marketplace, the government's new platform for offering affordable health insurance. While the site may not be fully functional yet, Heritage Medical Center's application counselors can help make things more clear and assist with the sign-up process... 
Holiday open houses
(12/04/13)
Local businesses have begun hosting holiday open houses. The Times-Gazette will publish this schedule each Wednesday. Here's what's happening this weekend. Friday, Dec. 6 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Refreshments and door prizes Locations: 635 N. Main St., Ste. E (Main Street Professional Complex)... 
Belden joins law firm
(12/04/13)
Westmoreland Law Firm in Shelbyville has announced the addition of attorney Brian Belden to its staff. Belden recently relocated to Bell Buckle, but he's no stranger to Middle Tennessee. He grew up in Columbia and completed his undergraduate degree at Middle Tennessee State University... 
Spa helps reduce stress
(12/04/13)
You may enter the building stressed, but once they get their hands on you, will leave Balance Massage Spa feeling revitalized. With their experienced licensed massage therapists (LMT) on staff, they can perform massages of the full body, do a chair massage or foot massage reflexology... 
Shared birthdays
(12/04/13)
Apolnia Nicolos, Jazmyn Watson and Jordan Melanson shared a birthday on 11/12/13. They are students at Eakin Elementary School. (T-G Photo by Jim Davis) 
Sacrificial love: Sarah Beth, 11, will give birthday gifts to needy student
(12/01/13)
A Community Elementary School fifth-grader is foregoing birthday presents to instead present gifts to one of her peers. Sarah Beth Stacy turns 11 on Friday, Dec. 6. She is hosting a party after school that day for six of her friends. But instead of her guests bringing toys and other gifts for her, they will bring money -- to provide Christmas for a child in need at Community... 
Sunday Conversation: Elisha Hodge
(12/01/13)
Elisha Hodge is a legal eagle for the state of Tennessee and a Bedford County native. She works as the open records counsel for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury's Office of Open Records. The Office of Open Records counsel serves as the contact for concerns on access to local government public records under the Tennessee Public Records Act (Tenn. ... 
Mildred Bomar celebrated 100th birthday
(12/01/13)
Longtime Bedford County resident Mildred Bomar recently celebrated her 100th birthday in Nashville, where she now resides. Over 160 well-wishers attended the festivities. She was wife of the late Edgar Alan "Teddy" Bomar of Wartrace. They were dedicated members of Wartrace United Methodist Church for many years. ... 
Pet adoption trees
(12/01/13)
The Shelbyville Central High School NHS Service Learning Leadership class decorated two pet adoption Christmas trees for the Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Association. You can adopt dogs and cats from these trees in the Antiques, Arts & Collectibles Mall on the square and at The Fly Arts Center. Pictured (in no order) are: Octavio Ayala, Preston Brown, Sarah Coker, Brittany Cook, Allen Doyle, Courtney Hornaday, Amanda Jones, Madison Martin, Tiana Sanders, Ellie Smith, Garret Smotherman, Jonathan Smotherman, Shelby Smotherman, Karla Suazo, Alisha Tillman and Christie Tran. (Submitted photo) 
Toys for Tots
(12/01/13)
Marine Corps League Detachment 1128 Commandant Dave Uselton presents Col. Ken Crowell, USMC retired, with a $500 donation to the 2013 Toys for Tots Program. (Submitted photo) 
Smoke detectors
(12/01/13)
On Saturday, Nov. 23, the Cascade FFA chapter worked with the Shelbyville, Bell Buckle and Wartrace Fire Departments to conduct a smoke detector drive. After completing a two-hour training session, 20 FFA members, 10 alumni members and six volunteer firefighters hit the streets of Bell Buckle and Wartrace to inspect and/ or install smoke detectors. The chapter was very successful and installed 90 smoke detectors, while delivering literature about fire safety. Pictured are Haley Hollis and Carter McAnally. (Submitted photo) 
Students get financial advice from Dave Ramsey
(11/28/13)
Students in the personal finance class at The Webb School completed a course created by Dave Ramsey, personal money management expert, best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio show host. To reinforce what they have learned in the classroom, the students traveled to Financial Peace Plaza in Brentwood to hear firsthand how to avoid some of the financial pitfalls that plague young adults and how to plan for the future... 
Garden club assists state's first lady
(11/28/13)
One of Volunteer Garden Club's state projects is to help Tennessee's First Lady with flowers in the Executive Mansion. Ten Designers were asked to help with Decorations for a fundraising luncheon to improve the gardens and landscaping. Two were from the Volunteer Garden Club, June Gilmore and Becky Nichols... 
A 20-year tradition continues next month
(11/28/13)
It's a spectacular show many would expect to find in venues like Nashville -- but not down in Shelbyville. First Baptist Church is once again presenting The Living Christmas Tree -- a Shelbyville tradition of 20 years, with performances set for 7 p.m. on Dec. 6, 7 and 9, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Dec. 8...
Budget gaming systems still offer a bundle
(11/28/13)
For those on a budget, buying the newest gaming system might not be an option. The current generation of consoles and smaller devices still have plenty to offer at a manageable price. The PlayStation 3 (PS3) from Sony and Microsoft's Xbox 360 have been mainstays, with plenty of games, apps and content available for both systems... 
Webb students visit craft center
(11/28/13)
Approximately 50 students from The Webb School in Bell Buckle visited the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville this month, as part of a program organized by the Friends of the Appalachian Center for Craft of Tennessee (FACCT). Webb art teacher Michael Quinn brings his students to the center each year. ...
It's dressing all the way for T-G readers
(11/28/13)
Sorry, turkey, but the overwhelming consensus of Times-Gazette web site users in an unscientific poll is that the star of the year's biggest meal is the dressing. More than 59 percent of all respondents chose dressing, over a host of other options. Turkey was a distant second, with only 12 percent of the vote... 
Local LEGO League team competes while learning
(11/28/13)
A group of local students participating in the FIRST LEGO League has an idea for a new kind of warning sign that could warn drivers of flooded streets while at the same time notifying local emergency services of the problem. The FIRST LEGO League is a robotics program for kids ages 9-14. It's sponsored by the makers of LEGO building blocks and toys... 
Searching for Bethlehem's star
(11/28/13)
Billy Hix, director of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at Motlow College and an accomplished space educator, will once again present his program "Searching For The Christmas Star: An Astronomer's View of the Star of Bethlehem." Scheduled presentations include:... 
A holiday tradition since 1987
(11/26/13)
The jockeying for position for those Black Friday dollars is all we hear in the business news today. And to rake in those seasonal bucks means getting ahead of your competitors by opening up earlier and earlier on Friday. But now those door-busting bargain hunters can now find those sales on Thanksgiving Day as retailers as have inched their way into the holiday by unlocking their doors for shoppers... 
She's always there: Martin named School Board Member of the Year
(11/24/13)
State educators have made official what the people of Bedford County have long recognized: that Amy Martin is a special educator. The local Board of Education chairwoman was named 2013 Tennessee School Board (TSBA) Member of the Year/C. Hal Henard Distinguished Service Award Winner. ... 
Sunday Conversation: Departing minister, family will miss Shelbyville
(11/24/13)
Stephen Caine, who has been pastor of First Presbyterian Church for the past 13 years, recently announced that he would be leaving to accept a position with Indian Hill Church, a joint Presbyterian and Episcopal congregation in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. His last Sunday at First Presbyterian will be Dec. 15. Caine's wife Monnie is also a minister, who has been serving as pastor at Normandy Presbyterian Church... 
Local real estate agent recognized by REAL Trends
(11/21/13)
Geraldine Neese, an agent with Coldwell Banker Segroves-Neese Real Estate, has been recognized among America's top agents by REAL Trends. "Geraldine was among only 52 agents in the State of Tennessee who met the minimum requirement of 50 transaction units required to be included in this group," said Harold Segroves, managing broker. ...
Take steps now to reduce energy cost
(11/21/13)
FRANKLIN -- Atmos Energy Corporation said most of its utility customers in Tennessee could expect their natural gas bills this coming winter to be slightly higher compared to last winter. "Our residential customers could expect, on average, to pay 6 percent more for the natural gas they use this winter, compared with their gas costs during the past winter," said Kevin Akers, president of Atmos Energy's Tennessee Division. ...
Seniors receive blazers continuing Webb tradition
(11/20/13)
The 66 seniors in The Webb School Class of 2014 participated in Blazer Day, one of many traditions, Nov. 12, as they received their senior blazers in a special chapel ceremony. The presentation is scheduled annually on or near the birthday of founder, W. R. "Sawney" Webb, who was born on Nov. 11, 1842... |
