Stories from Tuesday, January 10, 2006

A federal judge in Chattanooga has indicated he may stop the Feb. 7 execution of Gregory Thompson, the Tennessee death row inmate who confessed to the murder of Brenda Blanton Lane of Shelbyville 21 years ago. U.S. District Court Judge R. Allan Edgar on Friday granted a request from Thompson's Knoxville-based attorney, Dana Hansen Chavis, noting that Thompson had only exhausted his opportunity for relief in the Tennessee courts...

A Wilson County woman's lawsuit against the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration was answered Friday. The Celebration's response said substantially the same thing as arrest warrants against the woman, who wants $1.25 million in compensatory and punitive damages, according to public records...

The Town of Wartrace will look at an annexation request next month for property south of the existing city limits. Mayor Don Gallagher and Wartrace aldermen received a letter last month from Carl McClanahan of Bob Parks Realty, representing Patricia Painter, requesting the annexation of 128 acres on Knob Creek Road. ...

CHAPEL HILL -- Big games have a special feel to them. The pre-game music sounds crisper, the crowd is festive, yet restless, and the players warm up with a little more intensity than usual. One can feel a discernible change in the atmosphere as they enter the gym and shake off the chill. But the goose bumps don't go away for the true basketball fan...

Harris Middle's Eaglettes picked the wrong night not to bring their "A-Game" as East Middle held on down the stretch to pull off a huge 49-47 Central Tennessee Conference upset Monday in Tullahoma. Harris (9-1, 8-1 in CTC) remains atop the conference as East has two losses. The Eaglettes defeated East 46-38 earlier in the season...

Two men and two teenage boys, who told police they had just applied for jobs at a nearby store, are charged with burglarizing a Bryant Street home Friday night. A necklace, bracelet, two gold watches and one earring were stolen from the locked home of Ruth A. Castellon...

Ashley Bledsoe's steal and layup with 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter gave Cascade Middle a 26-25 lead over Community Junior High in Wartrace on Monday night. Aimee Taylor hit 1-of-2 free throws after a technical foul to push the upper hand to 27-25 with 29.8 ticks to go...

Graveside services for Mary Ethel Parsons, 85, of Nashville, who died Monday at McKendree Village, will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Willow Mount Cemetery with Jimmy Gray officiating. Visitation will be noon-2 p.m. Thursday at Gowen-Smith Chapel.

Funeral services for Mrs. Martha Jane Burks Wilhoite, 72, of Shelbyville, who died Tuesday at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with Alvin Caldwell and the Rev. James Warren officiating. Burial will follow at Hazel Cemetery in Bell Buckle.

Mrs. Flora Jane Christensen, 73, of Shelbyville died Tuesday at Bedford County Nursing Home after an extended illness. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Stephen Caine officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens...