Stories from Thursday, September 25, 2008

About six weeks ago, I got two requests to teach -- literally, within a day or two of each other. One of them didn't pan out; the other one did. The first request I got was from Steve Mallard at Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville, who wanted me to teach a two-night mini-course on blogging and social networking. That course would have been held earlier this month...

A few weeks ago, I wrote my weekly column about the irony in the fact that I've never ridden a walking horse. I grew up riding performance horses -- Morgans and Saddlebreds -- in the Northeast and fondly remember showing horses. Horses are what brought me to the walking horse capital of the world, from New York, almost seven years ago...

A suspect in a robbery at a Shelbyville convenience store last Saturday has been arrested in Nashville. Derrick Lamont Parrish, 31, of Nashville, was taken into custody Tuesday, Detective Lt. Pat Mathis of the Shelbyville Police Department said. Parrish was arrested by Metro police following a tip, Mathis said...

Seven Bedford County churches united to raise more than $2,800 Sept. 12 for First Choice Pregnancy Counseling Center. Each church held a car wash; 217 locals had their cars cleaned and shined by 113 volunteers. "We are ecstatic and very grateful to all of the participating churches and also to all of those who had their cars washed or made donations," said Melanie Lambert, the center's director. ...

A proposal which would have forced all county employees to be paid by direct deposit was softened Tuesday night by Bedford County Financial Management Committee to require only those employed from this point forward to be paid that way. County finance director Robert Daniel had presented a proposed policy which would have required direct deposit immediately for new hires and would have forced all current employees to begin using direct deposit within the next year. ...

Middle Tennessee State University is seeking community input and support as it conducts a needs assessment which could result in a satellite campus in Shelbyville. If the idea is approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents and Tennessee Higher Education Commission, classes would meet in the original, single-story portion of the Medical Arts Building, known as Medical Arts Building I, behind the old Bedford County Medical Center...

The road doesn't get any easier Friday night for the Community Vikings as they face a very physical McEwen team in their quest for their second Region 5-A win of the season. The Warriors (3-1, 1-1 Region 5-A) not only muscle teams around at the line of scrimmage, but boast one of the most versatile running backs in the area in Ethan Tummins, one of only eight seniors on the roster...

As Loretta Trust looked through an old photo album Wednesday morning at Shelbyville Lanes, she couldn't help but reminisce about all the good times she and her friends have had over the years. "So many of them aren't here anymore," she said, looking down at a picture of Maggie Tilton, who got it all started...

The competition across Region 5-A doesn't get any easier this week for the Cascade Champions when they hit the road to battle a much-improved Middle Tennessee Christian team on Friday night. The Champs (4-0, 3-0 5-A) expect a playoff-like atmosphere in their first-ever trip to Murfreesboro to face the Cougars (3-1, 2-1)...

Inside sources are saying that Volunteer football coach Phillip Fulmer will be holding a press conference this evening to announce his resignation. Sources advise that he is taking a government position with FEMA, as he is the only person in America who can evacuate 100,000 people in fewer than three hours...