Stories from Monday, January 5, 2009

Loaded potato skins, beef pot pies and beef braccioli, all followed up with chocolate bread pudding and ultimate hot chocolate ... what's better during the cold winter months? Probably not much, as 25 people who sign up for a "Winter Comfort" cooking class this month will probably learn. The class is part of a five-part series sponsored by the University of Tennessee Extension's School of Gourmet Arts...

What an exciting week this will be for Tennessee Titan fans. Playoffs in the NFL have a completely different atmosphere. I noticed the difference in the four wild card games played on television this past weekend. You can multiply that a couple of times at LP Field Saturday...

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Tyson Foods Inc. said Monday that its president and chief executive, Dick Bond, was stepping down immediately in a move he said was in the best interest for himself and the company. Tyson operates a processing plant in Shelbyville and numerous local farmers operate chicken houses under contract to the company...

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, "Who Am I?" Have you ever been to a family gathering and wondered, "Who are these people?" I have asked myself those questions for many years. Thirty years ago, I was born into an existence that was obviously not agreeable to where my biological mother was in her life. To give me up for adoption was a decision she had to make, and that decision may have been the hardest thing she ever had to do...

A man who offered a ride to a pedestrian on New Year's Eve night told Shelbyville police the rider attacked and robbed him. The victim drove the walker, a man, to Riverwalk Park where he was attacked, police said. The suspect began beating and kicking the victim in the presence of four to five men and a woman, then took his wallet, cell phone and an unrevealed amount of money and slashed his car's tires, according to police...

A new law that took effect Jan. 1 eliminates several automatic exemptions from jury duty, meaning that persons over 65, doctors and lawyers will now have to serve. "No one can be excused now," said Circuit Court Clerk Thomas Smith, simply based on their age or occupation. Exceptions will be granted for medical hardship -- requiring a doctor's recommendation -- or for certain other hardship cases...

Participants in a non-scientific web site poll agreed with Times-Gazette staff members that the closure of the Sanford, Summit and Aleris manufacturing facilities was the most newsworthy story of 2008. After that, however, there were some differences in the rankings. The second-biggest story according to web site readers was the visit of The Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam War Memorial. T-G staffers had ranked that story ninth...

Graveside services for Mary Howard Hulan Gowen, 87, of Shelbyville, who died Sunday at The Meadows Nursing Home in Nashville, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Willow Mount Cemetery. The Rev. Bryan Elliott will officiate. Visitation with the family will be 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 10 until 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at Gowen-Smith Chapel.

Webb utilized a strong defensive performance and total dominance in the paint to outlast Huntland 50-39 at the Barton Athletic Center on Saturday night. Nursing a 31-30 advantage heading into the final period, the Feet (7-4) scored the first six points of the fourth and never looked back...

A pair of free throws at the start of the third quarter by Tayla Hyatt slimmed Webb's deficit to 26-20 against visiting Huntland on Saturday night. The Lady Hornets responded to the provocation by stinging the Lady Feet with a 16-6 run, which propelled them to a 51-36 victory...