Stories from Thursday, December 22, 2005

JASPER -- Cascade's Ann Mullen sank two free throws with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter to finish off an 11-0 run to start the game and the Lady Champions never trailed in a 37-31 victory over Lookout Mountain in their final game of the Marion County Classic on Wednesday afternoon...

A 10-passenger airplane chartered for a flight from Nashville to Georgia and Florida developed technical difficulties shortly after take-off on Saturday and, according to a couple of the six passengers, landed in a field near Dickson. "I wasn't real upset," said Donna Stearns, proprietor of the Merle Norman store on Shelbyville's Public Square. "I felt like it was in God's hands. To will what God wills brings inner peace ... and the pilot got us on the ground OK."...

Bedford County Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on Wednesday sentenced a 38-year-old Shelbyville man to 20 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl seven times starting early last year. Dan B. Langford appeared in court wearing an inmate's orange uniform from the Bedford County Jail where he's been held since his arrest on May 10. Langford pleaded guilty to seven counts of rape of a child...

Shelbyville Central turned on the afterburners in the second half, blowing open a single-digit halftime lead on the way to a 66-36 win over White County on Wednesday night at Jackson County High in Gainesboro to advance to the championship game of the Mid-South Classic...

Shelbyville's utility board has hired a consultant on tree trimming just in time for Christmas. And while the consultant, ACRT of Akron, Ohio, will be sending arborists throughout the city's neighborhoods, they won't offer advice on Christmas trees unless, for example, a Blue Spruce is planted under electric power lines...

Shelbyville Central coach Lynn Burkey and his Golden Eaglettes ventured south for their first long road trip together and the initial results were successful as they defeated A.E. Beach of Savannah, Ga., in opening round action of the River Street Classic Wednesday night in Savannah...

A quiet thief -- or a sound sleep. Either way, Joshua Aaron Shelton woke up Monday morning to discover a Rockford Fosgate amplifier and two Rockford Fosgate speakers were taken from his Hurricane Grove Road home as he slept. The back door was locked and a window slightly open when Shelton went to sleep at 10 p.m. Sunday, Deputy Kimberly Moses said. When Shelton awoke the window was completely open and the window unlocked...

No services are planned for Joseph W. Most, 72, of Bell Buckle, who died Wednesday at his home. Doak-Howell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Troy Basso, whose column on outdoor sports now appears each Thursday in the Times-Gazette, is fulfilling a dream of his father, the late Gary Basso, who was a participant in the early B.A.S.S. tournaments in the 1970s, long before the group's tournaments began offering million-dollar prizes...

A variety of local agencies and offices will close for the Christmas holiday. Here are some schedules of broad interest: Bedford County Courthouse and courthouse annex will close Friday, Saturday (where applicable) Monday and Tuesday. Shelbyville City Hall will close Friday and Monday....

Funeral services for Patricia Ann Carroll, 54, of Shelbyville, who died Wednesday at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, will be noon Saturday at Bird Street Church of Christ. Ora Walls will officiate with burial to follow in Willow Mount Cemetery. Feldhaus Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements...