Stories from Monday, January 9, 2006

MURFREESBORO -- It's been said that big-time players make big-time plays. Such was the case when Middle Tennessee junior Chrissy Givens canned a 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining to help secure a 68-63 win for the Blue Raiders over Sun Belt Conference rival Western Kentucky's Lady Toppers Sunday afternoon in front of 3,308 fans at Murphy Center...

A wind-blown grass fire threatened five homes and consumed an estimated 50 acres of woodland off Hart Road in the Chestnut Ridge area of southern Bedford County on Sunday afternoon and evening. The flames also consumed grass and trees at Mount Herman Cemetery....

Sitting in his room at Glen Oaks Convalescent Center watching his favorite soap opera, Bill Nelson Jr., took time out to reflect on the days that he spent hitchhiking across the United States when he was young. Nelson claims that on one of his excursions, he was picked up by the man who would one day become an American icon...

A Shelbyville market was robbed of several hundred dollars by an armed man early Sunday night. "Open the register and the safe," the man, brandishing a small, black handgun, told the clerk at Depot Street Market about 6:50 p.m. The clerk complied, Officer Tim Fox of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Public defenders across Tennessee say they're overloaded with criminal cases, but the case load is down slightly in the Bedford County area for at least two reasons. "A lot of that was a result of multiple conflicts of interest," explains Donna Orr Hargrove, the elected public defender serving the 17th Judicial District comprising Bedford, Marshall, Moore and Lincoln counties...

Shelbyville Central used a balanced scoring attack as six Golden Eaglettes scored nine or more points in a 91-39 route of visiting Giles County on Saturday. "That's a dream come true," Shelbyville coach Lynn Burkey said. "We had six with nine or better and Janay (Armstrong)'s not one of them. She sat a lot with foul trouble or would have had more. She's still feeling the effects of going a week without practice. She's going to be fine...

Same song. Different verse. The high-flying Shelbyville Central dynamic duo of Barry Stewart and Dequan Twilley led the charge yet again as the senior pair netted 50 of the team's points in a 65-55 victory over visiting Giles County on Saturday night...

Webb played Nashville rival Ensworth tough for three quarters Saturday in Bell Buckle before the Lady Tigers pulled away in the final period to win 59-35. Playing their second game in two days, the Lady Feet (1-9) outscored Ensworth 16-15 in the first quarter behind forward Ashley Young's eight points...

Ensworth, competing in its first varsity season, came into Webb's Barton Center and had their way with the Feet from the opening whistle Saturday, winning 80-36. The game was moved up from February due to a scheduling conflict. Tiger point guard Tavarres Jefferson lit it up in the first quarter with 11 points, utilizing his superior quickness to beat the Webb press for easy baskets...

Lula Mae Ragsdale, 90, of Shelbyville, who died Saturday at her home, will be buried in Greenville, S.C.; no local services are planned. Gowen-Smith Chapel is in charge of local arrangements.

Mrs. Dolly Melson Robinson, 93, of Shelbyville died Saturday at Bedford County Medical Center. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. William Cartwright officiating. Burial will follow at Rosebank Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements for Frank Piemontese Jr. of Shelbyville, who died Saturday after a long illness, will be announced by Roy Funeral Home in Claremont, N.H.Visitation with the family will be Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. (Eastern).