Stories from Wednesday, December 3, 2008

As Thanksgiving passes and Christmas draws near, many folks around Bedford County have begun to think about, and prepare for, family gatherings and other holiday traditions that will keep them busy through the remainder of the year. Holiday traditions come in many shapes and forms, and for some people, those traditions go beyond the normalcy of sitting around the tree Christmas Eve opening gifts and singing carols...

Three more companies are lining up to give presentations of their traffic camera systems to the city of Shelbyville. Meanwhile, a legal opinion by the Tennessee Attorney General says that citations based on the traffic control devices are constitutional...

Close your eyes and listen. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to make you feel as though you are in Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey or St. Vitus -- the music does all the work for you. The Pachelbel and Bach Christmas music streaming from the pipe organs of the earth's greatest cathedrals lift you up and away...

The region could be headed for another serious water shortage, the director of the Duck River Agency said Tuesday, adding the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has recently denied a request to lower the required flow from Normandy Reservoir...

NASHVILLE -- About one in six Tennesseans received food stamp assistance in the latest monthly reporting period, an increase of more than 75,000 people since the start of the year. In Bedford County, 8,596 individuals -- representing 19.8 percent of the population -- in 3,918 households received food stamps at a cost of more than $1 million during that time frame, according to figures from the Tennessee Department of Human Services and the U.S. Census Bureau...

As the holidays approach, Bedford County merchants are hoping you'll shop locally -- and save gas money in doing so. Whether you're shopping for your hard-to-buy-for husband, the woman who has everything, or for an office "swap," local merchants have got you covered...

Drug and weapons charges were filed against a Shelbyville man following a traffic stop Monday night. Westley B. Wilson III, Bird Street, allegedly had a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette on the front seat of his car and a loaded .38 Colt Special gun under the seat, police said...

Even though my column doesn't show up in the paper until Wednesday, I usually write it Monday morning -- just kind of a brain-awakening exercise to prime me for the rest of the week. So last Monday, when I wrote my Thanksgiving column, giving thanks for my health -- such as it is -- I was a little premature. About 24 hours after I wrote about my recent high blood pressure diagnosis, I was in the hospital with chest pains. An EKG revealed my heart was skipping beats...

Joyce Faye Sanders Darnell, 71, of Shelbyville, died Tuesday. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with Jimmy Kesey officiating. Burial will follow at Wheel Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Audra Mai Gordon, 99, of Tullahoma, died Tuesday at Life Care Center of Tullahoma after an extended illness. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Rosebank Cemetery in Flat Creek with Julian Goodpasture officiating. Hillcrest Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Charles Thomas Posey, 68, of Donelson, died Monday at Summitt Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Jack Carney officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Horace Fitch 'Bob' Robins, 93, of Shelbyville, died Tuesday at his home. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with Rick Clouse officiating. Per his request, his body will be cremated. Visitation will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday.

Shelbyville Central remains unbeaten on the season after taking down visiting Mt. Juliet 58-49 Tuesday night. The Eagles (4-0) now travel to Lawrence County Friday night for their District 8-AAA opener. "I like where this team is at right now and I think we're prepared for our district schedule," Shelbyville coach Kevin Thomas said. "We've played four good teams and we have really come together as a team...

When you play an extremely challenging schedule like the Shelbyville Golden Eaglettes', you have to bring your "A" game every outing. Undefeated Mt. Juliet slipped away with a 42-40 win Tuesday night at SCHS Gym. The Lady Bears (6-0) saw a lead diminish, only to regroup down the stretch...

Cody Pierce, Zach Haynes and Justin Stallings combined for 38 points and the Community Viking defense completely dominated White House-Heritage to notch their third win in as many outings, 52-40, on Tuesday night. Stallings had eight points in the first period and Pierce added five as the home team held the Patriots (2-1) under double figures to take a 17-8 lead at the horn...

The Community Viqueens proved that even an ugly win is better than no win at all in a 40-25 home basketball victory Tuesday over White House-Heritage. The game was tied at 4 after one quarter and the half ended in a 14-10 advantage for the Viqueens (3-0) behind Heather Smalls' 5-point effort...

Coming out of the gates, the Cascade Champions appeared to be streaking toward an upset over visiting Culleoka, who's won 56 games the prior two seasons combined. A 3-pointer from Christian Edmondson put the Champs in front 7-5 with 1:28 left in the first quarter. That kick-started an 8-0 spirt that lasted into the second period...

Cascade got production from several aspects of their roster to help them to a 56-20 win over visiting Culleoka on Tuesday night. Millie Carter was the deep threat from the outside, knocking down five 3-pointers to lead all scorers with 15. Tiffany Gibbs attacked the rack, got to the foul line eight times and totaled 14 points. M.K. Potts slashed through the paint and dropped in jumpers from the elbow en route to 10 points...

Webb took to the paint Tuesday night in Bell Buckle and gave Boyd Christian a run for their money as everyone on the roster contributed to a 57-37 win. The Feet (3-3) came out strong in the first period and managed to hold the Broncos (0-2) to only one bucket. Hunter Foucth had six points in the first. He led the team overall with 17 points. Luke Baum snagged the other four with a bucket and two free throws...

The Webb girls shook the Barton Athletic Center Tuesday night with a 59-24 win over Boyd Christian in a game that was gracefully defensive and aggressively offensive. In the first period, the Lady Feet (2-4) held the Lady Broncos (0-4) to only five points, while putting up 17 of their own. Elizabeth Lawrence was a sight to see, putting up 11 points in the first, connecting on a 3-pointer and four 2-pointers...