Stories from Monday, July 14, 2008

A verbal altercation with a county resident and a deputy's written report about the incident has resulted in the firing of a convenience center operator. Ethel Gardella was terminated from her position at the Highway 64 West Convenience Center Thursday evening, according to Stanley Smotherman, after Gardella repeatedly called Tammy Cunningham and her 14-year-old son "ignorant."...

A little more than two weeks ago, I set some goals for becoming more healthy, and documented them in the first installment of this "Gut Check" column. My goals include regular exercise and a sensible diet, with added focus on the spiritual and mental challenges involved with this major lifestyle change...

Two important dates were quickly approaching and my husband and I -- being the poor planners that we are -- knew that time was running out. Around mid-June, we decided we had better make plans for our anniversary, which falls the day after Independence Day. Because we'd waited so long to make plans and didn't have much time off from work, we knew we'd have to go somewhere fairly close...

It was an odd ending to a successful weekend, but Shelbyville Senior American Legion Post 23 will gladly take it. They defeated the Louisville Legends 7-0 in just three innings on Sunday in a contest cut short by the Kentucky boys due to a lack of pitching. It capped a three-win road trip that was good enough for second place in a tournament at Southwestern High in Somerset, Ky...

Betty E. Richardson, 64, of Tullahoma, died Sunday at Life Care Center in Tullahoma. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Gowen-Smith Chapel.

Students at Liberty School will have a new face greeting them at the doors when they start classes again Aug. 8. A really, really big face. Local artist Clint Clarneau has painted the school mascot, the Patriot, about 20 feet tall on the wall over the main foyer...

Emergency management officials are planning to place tornado warning sirens around Bedford County, and are already using two existing units inside Shelbyville. Scott Johnson, director of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, says there are plans to erect 20 of the devices around the county in coming years, once funding becomes available...

Shelbyville's city council was briefed Thursday on the pros and cons of constructing a 48,000-square-foot speculative building at the Airport Business Park. It was announced in April that Duck River Electric Membership Corp. had been given a $300,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant to help build a spec building to attract an industry to Airport Business Park...

Funeral services for Ethel Haskins, 85, of Nashville, who died Saturday at her home after an extended illness, will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Lawrence Funeral Home in Chapel Hill. Stan Butt, Jr. will officiate, with burial to follow in Willow Mount Cemetery in Shelbyville. Visitation will be Monday from 4-8 p.m.