Stories from Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Robert Earnest 'Dr. Bob' Purvis, 75, of Johnstonville, Ga., died Sept. 23, 2008 in the SICU Trauma Unit of Grady Hospital in Atlanta from injuries received Sept. 12 near his home in the Johnstonville area. Funeral services were held Monday at Williams Funeral Home, Barnesville, Ga., followed by burial at Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville.

Ollie Madalene Lovett Brown, 86, of Columbia, died Monday at Rosewood Manor. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia with Bobby Sampson officiating. Burial will follow at Jones Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

EDITOR'S NOTE: As United Way's 2008 fundraising campaign continues, the Times-Gazette is presenting a weekly spotlight on the local health and human service agencies it supports. What started out as an idea that would allow a few physically challenged children to ride has become a nationally-accredited therapeutic riding program that serves about 35 children each year in Shelbyville...

Is a spot by any other name still a spot? Not in the spotted saddle horse world, it isn't. Although one of the appeals of the breed is the wide variety of markings, even those markings have recognizable patterns, each with its own name. To be recognized as a spotted horse, the animal must have white on it above the hocks, and not just facial markings. ...

Current World Grand Champion Tennessee walking horse Santana's El Nino continued his fall tour Monday by making a stop at Thomas Intermediate School. "I don't think many of you realize just how much the horses impact our community," Dee McCullough, principal, told the fourth and fifth grade students as they looked in awe at the black stallion. "This is Santana's El Nino; and he recently won the Super Bowl of all horse shows."...

Shelbyville could see its population climb to 25,080 by the year 2025, if census estimates are correct, according to the draft of a comprehensive growth plan the city is examining. The growth plan for the city covers a 20-year period from 2008 to 2028, and describes the planning process, documents existing conditions, establishes goals and objectives, and describes the recommended plans and implementation strategies to achieve those goals and objectives...

Harris Middle looks to be peaking at the right time as the Eaglettes claimed a 4-0 victory over visiting Coffee County Middle in the quarterfinals of the Central Tennessee Conference tournament on Monday afternoon. Savannah O'Neal and Ashley Sutton each scored for the Eaglettes (9-6-2) in the first half while Suzanna Rulz and Morgan Ward added a goal apiece in the second...

Shelbyville Central, Community, Forrest, Hampshire and Summertown competed in the Community Invitational Cross Country meet in Rover on Monday. The visitors from Chapel Hill claimed first place in both boys (35 points) and girls (30 points) team competitions...

Senior Michael Watkins saved his best for his last round as a Golden Eagle golfer. Watkins shot an 18-hole round of 76 on Monday in the Region 4-AAA tournament played at Champion's Run Golf Course in Eagleville. Brandt Stephens carded a 91 while Samantha Sullivan had a 107 in girls competition...

Manuel Russell Harmon, 83, of Shelbyville, died Monday at Bedford County Nursing Home. Graveside services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens with Jeff Curtis officiating. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel.

A satchel containing collector sports cards valued at over $7,000 was stolen from a Bryant Road home, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department was told Thursday. The cards included a 1952 Jackie Robinson baseball card and rookie cards for National Football League stars Terry Bradshaw, Ken Stabler and Joe Montana, the report said...