Stories from Sunday, June 14, 2009

I'm coming up on 10 years in the newspaper business, and during that time, I've seen my share of the funny, sad, heartwarming and just plain strange. My strangest story ever involved a man who was still searching for his stolen dog five years after it was taken. He wanted to offer tips on how to keep your dog from being taken and what to do if it happened...

Kindergarten teacher Heather Conditt wasn't expecting any kind of award at Liberty School's Honor Day, just the joy of seeing her students rewarded for their hard work, but she was surprised by an award from the National Autism Society, naming her "Teacher of the Year."...

Be careful what you ask for ... you just might get it. I have been cackling happily over the prospect of an empty nest for a week, with the oldest at college, and the two youngest at camp. Unlimited computer time at home! No Spongebob Squarepants blaring through the house! No piles of dirty socks found in strange places .....

Last week, I wrote about how book and movie review blurbs are often shortened by ellipses ... leaving me to wonder what was deleted and whether the blurb was taken out of context. One of our regular online commentators, Quantumcat, posted an online comment on that column, but it was so cryptic due to her use of ellipses, I wasn't sure if she was trying to build me up or tear me down. Either one would be fine with me, but this comment was so esoteric, even I couldn't understand it...

To the editor: I wrote a letter about 40 years ago on this same subject. It's about contractors, gas companies and the power company cutting city streets and not fixing them properly. They generally just let them settle a few days after they have filled them with gravel then pave them. Of course over a period of time they settle more and leave a rough valley...

Marijuana was discovered in a vehicle following a traffic accident Wednesday night, Shelbyville police said. Brooke Wilson, 36, of Murfreesboro, allegedly was carrying a small tin of the substance in her SUV along with a bag containing a pipe with pot residue, police said...

Ruth Wendling was singing, and Kati O'Grady was accompanying her on the banjo while folks around them ate fried chicken and tamales, played horseshoes and bocce. The song Ruth was singing summed it all up. "V-A-R-I-E-T-Y spices up our day. When we get together...

MANCHESTER -- Rain doesn't seem to dampen the Bonnaroo spirit. If anything, it is expected, welcomed, and even applauded. On Thursday, as the four-day mega-music festival opened its gates on the 700-acre Coffee County farm, the rain kept up steadily, ranging from drizzle to downpour, until mid-afternoon, when the clouds made way for blue skies...

Tears streamed down Tiffany Young's cheeks as she recounted the horror of the day her son died. Two-year-old Matthew G. Woods drowned on Aug. 2, 2008, in a relative's pool in Chapel Hill. "I still don't know what happened," Young said. "I took his life jacket off when he went to the bathroom and was done swimming, and in a matter of minutes he was gone...

With the mayor breaking a tie vote, Depot Street will soon be running the other way -- towards the public square -- for a 60 trial period, after a discussion between Shelbyville city council members Thursday. However, the switchover is likely several weeks away as the public works department focuses on repairing Shelbyville's underground storm water flume first...

It's summertime and that means no school, warm evenings, and a chance for kids to get rid of some energy out at the ball field. First Christian Church of Shelbyville has sponsored a T-ball league, for children ages 4 to 6, for over 20 years.. The program commits to positive sportsmanship, a communal environment, and a chance to get youngsters involved in baseball at an early age, a league official says...

The Shelbyville Golden Eaglettes Team Camp 2 begins today and runs through Wednesday at several gyms in Bedford County. The camp brings in teams from across Tennessee and others from Florida and Alabama for scrimmage games. All games are free to the public and fans are welcomed. Host gyms include Shelbyville Central, Cascade and Community high schools, Harris Middle School, Thomas Intermediate School and Shelbyville Recreation Center...

One of my favorite things to do when I get home is to go to the herb garden outside the back door and brush up against the plants, releasing their fragrance into the air. The piney smell of rosemary, the citrusy freshness of lemon verbena and the grassy greenness of the flat leaf parsley -- all enticing with their aromas -- inspire me to rush to the kitchen and whip up a flavorful dinner...