Stories from Wednesday, April 8, 2009

AT&T confirmed just after press time this morning that a cable cut by a third party contractor resulted in telephone and DSL service outages for a number of AT&T customers in the northern part of Shelbyville. AT&T spokeswoman Cathy Lewandowski could not immediately supply the number of customers affected or give a definite time by which all customers will be back online...

It's never too late to learn something new -- especially for someone who has been teaching new things to young students for decades. "I started painting about 10 years before I retired," said Myra Philpott, whose work is now on display at The Fly. The Arts Council will honor her Monday, April 13, at the monthly meeting, a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. to which everyone is invited. The Woman's Club will perform a play as part of the program...

Henrietta Carlton Haarala, 88, of Port Richey, Fla., died Tuesday in New Jersey. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow at Cothran Cemetery in Rover. Visitation with the family will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel.

Leland Odus Jennings, 82, of Decherd, died Wednesday at his home after an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Carl Roberts officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Is Facebook the greatest thing to come down the pike? Or is it a colossal time-waster and a potential security threat? It could be both. More people are setting up personal accounts and using features like groups or pages to promote their business, non-profit, or hobby...

The Times-Gazette would like to make a special request for spring-themed or Easter-themed photos, which will be published in our April 19 issue. ...

Funeral services for Mildred Jean Tucker-Jacobs, 77, of Murfreesboro, who died Tuesday at Boulevard Terrace Nursing Home in Murfreesboro, will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Gowen-Smith Chapel. Jack Lambert and Bobby McGee will officiate and burial will follow in Willow Mount Cemetery...

Today is my brother's 51st birthday. So John -- happy B-Day, and congratulations for defying tradition! Our father died when he turned 50 -- as did his father and his grandfather. Our older brother died at 50, and John has been marking time, assuming that 2008 would be his last full year on this earth. ...

Far less damage than initially feared occurred when the laundry room/office at Magnolia Village Apartments on Landers Street, caught fire at midday Tuesday. Responding firefighters were notified of a unit "fully involved" at the large complex. They found smoke pouring from the small, stand-alone building, but no residential areas were involved...

Det. Carol Jean, of the Shelbyville Police Department, is bringing back periodic sexual assault and self-defense classes to the women of Bedford County. The first class will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, at Shelbyville Recreation Center...

A Murfreesboro man was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday for charges resulting from an undercover Internet sting by Shelbyville police. Dustin Lee Owens, 26, was sentenced by Judge Lee Russell to serve a pair of two-year terms concurrently for the charge of solicitation of a minor and another two years for the charge of attempted aggravated statutory rape, to be served consecutive to the first two counts...

The Shelbyville Golden Eagles continued their dominance on their own turf with a 9-0 win over Tullahoma in a District 8-AAA baseball matchup Tuesday evening. Shelbyville Central is 5-0 at home and has won five games in a row. The Eagles (9-6, 4-2 8-AAA) will attempt to sweep the two-game series with the Wildcats (4-14, 1-8) tonight at 6 in Tullahoma...

"If you're cooking, we're coming." That's the message the Bedford County Sheriff Department has for those whipping up the dangerous drug methamphetamine, as two more people were arrested Monday and charged with making the substance. Steven Dale Adams, 22, Cedar Grove Road, is charged with initiation of a process intended to result in the manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of schedule IV, possession of schedule II and possession of drug paraphernalia...

MURFREESBORO -- In a pinpoint display of "small ball," Josh Brown beat out an infield single, stole second base and circled the final 180 feet by forcing a bad throw to third to score the game-winning run in the top of the seventh to help third-ranked Cascade to a 5-4 victory over No. 10 Middle Tennessee Christian on a chilly Tuesday evening...

The Community Vikings were defeated 5-3 by Eagleville on Tuesday despite a complete-game performance by senior right-hander Chris West that included nine strikeouts. West allowed eight hits and walked three in the District 9-A baseball loss. It was a near-total turnaround for the Vikings (5-7, 3-7 9-A) after a 17-1 loss to Eagleville less than 24 hours previously...