Stories from Saturday, December 8, 2007

America's wounded service members are always grateful for supportive cards and notes----especially during the holiday season. This holiday season, communities across America are invited to mail cards along with personal messages of support to wounded service members at military hospitals around the country, through a partnership between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc...

CHAPEL HILL -- "Brown bagging" isn't a problem here -- not as far as town officials know -- but they don't want it to become one, so it was a topic of discussion among officials at a recent workshop in police headquarters. Beer sale regulations are being examined by the Beer Board and Board of Mayor and Aldermen here because of refinements being written in the draft of a proposed ordinance that would allow the sale and drinking of beer with a meal at restaurants...

The mother of a Shelbyville woman was reported missing Friday in Murfreesboro after her SUV was found abandoned. Marsilene Smith, the 68-year-old mother of Leann Barnes of Shelbyville, was last seen shopping at K-Mart or Old Time Pottery on Thursday afternoon, but was reported missing by her husband Glover Smith after she did not return home after dark...

Many children probably have rooms that are filled with toys -- still with price tags -- from last Christmas. It seems like a complete waste, right? A local woman has come up with an idea to solve that problem. Candi Sowers is hosting a local toy drive/gift exchange where adults may exchange new and almost new toys, clothes, and other children's items Dec. 15 at Drake Signs & Graphic Design in Shelbyville...

Last weekend was busy as most weekends are this time of year. My husband and I had many items on our "to do" list, some of which included painting the living room, breeding our dog, and shopping for our Child Development Center adopted son, to whom we chose to give a Christmas this year in place of exchanging gifts with each other...

Floyd W. Noblitt, 84, of Lynchburg died Thursday at his home. Funeral services were Saturday at Lynchburg Funeral Home with Jack Jean and Richard Logan officiating. Burial followed at Lynchburg Cemetery.

Russell Jones, 67, of Shelbyville died Friday at Bedford County Medical Center. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where he was a member, with the Rev. Herbert L. Stewart officiating and the Rev. Sandra Avent as eulogist. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery...

As it has for decades, the Times-Gazette will again publish children's letters to Santa during the holiday season. Letters are now being accepted at santa@t-g.com or by mail at Letters to Santa, Shelbyville Times-Gazette, P.O. Box 380, Shelbyville, TN 37160...

Webb placed three girls in double figures and executed their best defensive performance of the season in taking down King's Academy 48-10 in a Middle Region matchup on Friday night in Bell Buckle. Elizabeth Lawrence led all scorers with 17 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, for the Lady Feet (3-3, 1-2 Middle Region). Zola Quao followed in the scoring column with 14. Callie Vaughn was sharp behind the arc as well with 3 3s en route to 13 points...

EAGLEVILLE -- For two and a half quarters, Cascade and Eagleville traded buckets like a pair of prize fighters exchanging blows. Champion guard Albert Hatchett's basket with 4:06 showing in the third quarter knotted matters at 38-all for the seventh and final tie of the game...

EAGLEVILLE -- To say that things didn't go as planned for Cascade and coach Chad Spencer in their District 9-A contest with Eagleville on Friday night is an understatement. Michelle Bauman went high off the glass for a bucket in the paint to trim a Lady Champion deficit to 34-31 with 3:24 left in the third quarter...

Carly Daffern, Aubrey Boyce and Marissa Jones combined for 35 points and Heather Small played stifling defense all over the floor to lead the Community Viqueens to a 44-37 victory over visiting Van Buren County in a District 9-A matchup on Friday night. It was a big win for the Viqueens (4-2, 2-1 district) on several fronts as they discovered shortly before the game that Jessica Thompson's season may very well be in jeopardy due to a stress fracture of her left foot...

Van Buren County's Darrin Baker and Justin Smith proved to be more than the Community Vikings could handle as they totaled 47 points between them Friday night to hand the home team their first district loss. The Eagles (8-1, 3-0 District 9-A) established a 13-9 advantage going into the second period and never trailed from that point...