Stories from Friday, January 9, 2009

Since the start of the season, the Harris boys have improved more than any team in the Central Tennessee Conference. Tullahoma East witnessed that first hand as the visiting Eagles claimed a 29-28 win Thursday night, their second victory in a row. Harris (3-10, 2-7 CTC) trailed 10-8 after the first quarter, held East to a single free throw in the second stanza and led 12-11 at the half. The Eagles increased the lead to 20-16 after three periods and held on down the stretch...

Alex L. Irion Jr., 92, of Paris, father of Jack M. Irion of Shelbyville, died Wednesday at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at McEvoy Funeral Home in Paris with Dr. Rob Martin officiating. Burial will follow at Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Monday.

Mildred Lou Driver, 61, of Shelbyville, died Thursday at Heritage Medical Center. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home with Bill Doak officiating. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.

I've met a lot of people in Shelbyville who have influenced me in a positive way, and I've written about many of them in this column. There's one couple, however, that I've only mentioned once, and they deserve more credit than that. Their story is one that might have made Tom Brokaw's book, "The Greatest Generation," but as it turns out, the task has fallen to me to tell it here...

Two intruders, one brandishing a knife, robbed a Pickle Street resident in her apartment Wednesday, Shelbyville police said. The victim told police two men forced their way through the back door, demanded her purse and knocked her to the floor. One of the men cut the victim on her upper left arm with the knife as she fell, police said. She was treated at the scene by Bedford County Emergency Medical Service but refused further assistance, according to police...

Before his Cascade Middle Champions took to the hardwood to face off against Moore County Middle, coach Mike Edmondson escorted his daughter Haley out to center court to receive her crown as homecoming queen. However, his team was not as victorious, falling 41-39 to the Raiders on Thursday night...

History doesn't have to be dry and dusty and involve wars, log cabins or antiques. One important facet of Shelbyville history is fairly recent -- the powerhouse Eaglettes and their domination of the state championships under former coach Rick Insell...

One of the charges against a foster mother accused of sexual relations with a teenager in her care will not be heard at her upcoming trial. Following a pre-trial conference Thursday, Judge Lee Russell announced that one of the three charges of statutory rape by an authority figure against 33-year-old Jennifer Renee McWhirter would not be presented during her trial, which begins Thursday, Jan. 22...

Webb Middle's girls needed overtime to wrap up a 36-32 win against visiting county rival Liberty on Thursday. The Lady Feet took the early lead, ending the first quarter up 6-4 thanks to a basket by Kat Coffey with 1:05 left. The Lady Patriots rallied in the second quarter to gain a 13-9 lead. With one minute left in the frame, Calvert sewed up that upper hand with back-to-back baskets under the goal...

What do old toys, precious metals and a free afternoon have in common? They can all be very profitable -- especially if that free afternoon is spent at the Treasure Hunters Roadshow at the Best Western on Madison Street in Shelbyville next week. Tuesday, Jan. ...

The murder trial of a Tullahoma man accused of stabbing Joseph Timothy Floyd of Wartrace has been moved ahead one day. Jury selection has been set for Friday, Jan. 16, with opening arguments commencing Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 9 a.m. at the Moore County Courthouse in Lynchburg in the case against Jacob Wayne "Jake" Riddle...

Eighty years ago, in 1929, the first class to attend all four years at Community High School, located in the prideful community of Unionville, graduated. "My mother and father-in-law graduated in the first class that went all four years at Community High School," said Ron Adcock, an alumnus of the school. "Thirty years later I graduated and 30 years after that the last of my three children graduated."...