Stories from Friday, March 17, 2006

The third of four defendants charged in a June 2002 quadruple homicide pleaded guilty on Friday to possession of less than half a gram of cocaine. As a result of a plea agreement, Jesse James Syler, 35, received a sentence of six years, to be served concurrently with federal time he is serving on a greater drug charge...

Cascade's J.R. Thomes slammed his first home run of the season as the Champions rolled to a 19-1 win over Webb in Wartrace on Thursday afternoon. MoMo Stewart singled and doubled for the Champs (1-1). Levi Bain singled twice. "Against Cornersville (on Tuesday), we didn't put the ball in play. That was the focus against Webb," Cascade coach Chris Parker said...

I thought there was a law against being in public with open containers of alcohol. Well, there is -- it just depends where you are when you are doing it. The reason this comes up is the terrible mess that's present on Monday mornings in a soccer field next to the golf driving range on Wartrace Pike where the game is played on the weekends...

One of the most noticed problems among Bedford County's wave of illegal and legal Hispanics -- but one not talked about enough by officials -- is obvious alcoholism. Note these excerpts from last weekend's police reports involving Hispanics. See Brian Mosely's column elsewhere on this page for one example of where some of these problems may be originating. Here's where many of those at the Wartrace Pike soccer fields may end up after their day of partying...

Two thefts from his auto within a week add up to quite a loss for James Holliman, Park Trail Apartments. Shelbyville police say 100 compact discs, $62 cash, a billfold and contents, prescription drugs and a box of ammunition were taken from his car, parked outside his home, March 6 and again Monday...

MURFREESBORO -- Shelbyville Central's fantastic voyage continues. The Eagles (33-3) advanced to the Final Four of the TSSAA Class AAA state tournament after defeating Hunters Lane 69-60 in quarterfinal action Thursday evening at MTSU's Murphy Center...

Aimee Taylor slapped a pair of singles and Kelly Wilson tossed a two-hit shutout as visiting Cascade took down District 9-A foe Eagleville 13-0 in five innings on Thursday afternoon. With two outs in the top of the first, Lady Champion Ann Mullen stroked a double. Mary Saylors came on as a courtesy runner. Mary Jett singled to score Saylors with the first run of the ballgame...

Webb hosted Bedford County rival Community on Thursday afternoon in a game that had plenty of offensive excitement as the two teams combined for 17 runs. Community's Viqueens (1-1) scored eight runs in the first two innings on six hits and four walks and was aided in their 11-6 win by two Webb errors. Courtney Vassar had the big hit with a two-run triple...

Shelbyville Central split a pair of games in the Grand Slam Challenge on Thursday evening. The Eagles (2-1) outscored John Overton 9-8 in their first game before dropping a 7-4 decision to host Smyrna in the nightcap. Kelby Sanders provided the game-winning hit, a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning...

Andrew Gordon scored a pair of goals as Shelbyville Central tied Oakland 3-3 in Murfreesboro on Thursday. "Our offense obviously improved," Golden Eagle coach Neal Gordon said. "We had a lot of people come off the bench and contribute. This is going to be a team that matures as we go."...

Shelbyville Central's tennis teams continue to win impressively. The Eagles defeated host Lawrence County 6-0 while the Eaglettes claimed a 6-1 victory on Thursday. Eagle senior Zach King has been sidelined for the first three matches of the season due to injury and senior Andy Delk was out because of a family engagement...

Mrs. Annie Effie Johnson, 104, of Whitfield County, Ga., died Wednesday at her residence. Funeral services were held Friday at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Whitfield County. Burial followed in the church cemetery. Mrs. Johnson was the mother of Ralph Johnson of Shelbyville.

Funeral services for Robert C. Orr Jr., 85, of Shelbyville, who died Thursday after an extended illness, will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Bobby McGee will officiate and burial will follow in Willow Mount Cemetery.

Funeral services for Thomas Covington Walker, 44, of Beech Grove, who died Thursday, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Fairfield Church of Christ. Dr. Wymer Wiser will officiate and burial will follow in Beech Grove Cemetery.

It was her 102nd birthday and Ora Charles, a resident of Glen Oaks Convalescent Center, celebrated it in style with a bevy of family and friends at Glen Oaks Convalescent and one particular special guest. Ron Howes, Nashville's News Channel 5 weatherman dropped by to wish the sprightly centenarian-plus well...

Wartrace citizens will get a change to express their opinions about a proposed annexation and new zoning classification Monday when that city's board meets. A public hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Wartrace Town Hall to provide an opportunity for input regarding the annexation of the Painter property south of Wartrace along Highway 269 and contiguous with the town's city limits...

A Bell Buckle woman and a Florida couple have all been arrested for their alleged involvement in a tax fraud scheme that federal prosecutors claim resulted in fraudulent federal income tax refund claims of millions of dollars. According to the North County Gazette, Sharon Pierce of Bell Buckle made her initial appearance in federal court in Nashville. ...