Stories from Sunday, August 16, 2009

When you hear a lot of pounding coming from my kitchen, you know it is chicken for dinner. My meat mallet gets a lot of use in the kitchen to pound out boneless, skinless chicken breasts. After pounding them flat they can be used for sautéing. Top the chicken with a Dijon mustard sauce, coat it and fry it and serve it with gravy and mashed potatoes, or dust it with blackening seasoning and pan fry in butter to top a salad. For a quick and easy meal nothing beats a pounded chicken breast...

If there is one thing Barbara Smith has learned in the last 10 years, it's that the restaurant business is no easy feat. "You're on your feet all day," she said, as she took hot corn nuggets out of the oven. "You don't get a break." Still, pushing through the physical, financial and many other challenges restaurants bring with them, Barbara and her partner Becky Staton have managed to keep their heads above water and avoid the all-too-often heard about restaurant curse...

Two blocks of Depot Street off of the public square will convert back to a two-way thoroughfare, Shelbyville's city council decided Thursday. Public Works director Mark Clanton said Friday that work will begin early Tuesday morning to convert the street back to its original condition...

Tennessee's Secretary of State said he wants to help the Argie Cooper Memorial Library grow with a substantial state grant. Tre Hargett paid a visit to the library Wednesday, taking a brief tour of the facility with local leaders and hearing about expansion plans...

All four Republican candidates -- Joseph C. Byrd, Pat Marsh, Bobby Scott and Casey Walters -- and the lone independent candidate -- Chris Brown -- in the special election process for the 62nd District State House seat have committed to attend Bedford County Republican Women's "Meet The Candidates" forum 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Central High School auditorium...

Cheetos were not the only thing involved in a recent alleged domestic incident that attracted national attention, according to an arrest report. Bedford County Deputy Kevin Roddy's report of the incident involving James Earl Taylor and Mary S. Childers, who allegedly used Cheetos in the domestic assault, contains more details about what transpired than the warrants he filed in General Sessions Court...

About eight years ago, a group of Bedford County women began to pray about bringing a non-denominational community Bible study to Shelbyville. They accomplished this goal in 2002, and now nearly 100 people attend the class, which follows the Bedford County school system's calendar...

When Motlow State Community College first opened its doors to students in the fall of 1969, only 550 were registered to attend. Forty years later, the school is expecting more than 4,300 students for its fall 2009 semester. The college is celebrating its 40th anniversary Saturday with a day of fun and free entertainment...

The county's Solid Waste Authority has asked the county attorney to write a letter to two scrap metal dealers in an effort to collect some $18,000 owed Bedford County. Last month, Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for the authority, told the board that South East Recovery Group was still some $10,000 behind in payments for scrap metal recycling...

It's fair to say that Shelbyville Central looks to be further along going into the regular season than any other since coach Jason Hardy took over the program four years ago. Even though depth remains an issue, the Golden Eagles seem to be more experienced and all the hard work in the offseason looks to be paying off...

LYNCHBURG -- The Community Vikings began their preseason play in earnest Friday night against Moore County and Huntland in jamboree action on a sultry Friday night in Moore County. Community played Huntland to a virtual draw until the Hornets managed to punch one in on a Jonah Bradley 4-yard run at the 3:48 mark to culminate a drive aided by two Viking penalties...

Cascade girls soccer enthusiasts have been pointing to this particular year and roster for some time. Even though the sport is widely popular in other parts of the world, it is still in its infancy stages comparatively speaking at the Bell Buckle/Wartrace school. But, this year's high school team finally consists of four classes of young ladies that grew up playing the game, including some that compete year-round...

Shelbyville Central claimed a District 8-AAA victory over visiting Coffee County in a nine-hole match at River Bend Country Club Friday afternoon. It's the first win of the season for the improving Eagle golfers. "I was very proud of our boys team today," Shelbyville coach Lynn Burkey said. "They played their best round of the year as a team and began to do the things we have to do to be a better golf team."...

There are two things that scare me most about being pregnant, and last weekend confirmed my fears are justified. First of all, I am terrified that I will lose my mind as a mother. With my family 1,200 miles away and my husband a three-hour drive south, I fear I will have no one to help me, support me, encourage me -- babysit ­-- when I'm ready to pull my hair out...

Grief is a funny thing. Sometimes you can be doing just fine, going about life, thinking you have moved past whatever or whomever you have lost, and bam, it hits you like an anvil on the head. I should be as flat as the Coyote on the Road Runner cartoons by now because of how many times this has happened to me. ...

Sometimes it's important to hear what your children aren't telling you as much as what they are. For instance, when your high school senior says, "I have to be at school early tomorrow morning," he is really saying, "I've got garbage pick-up duty for calling the coach a moron." When your 10-year-old tells you, "I don't really need any extra money for snacks at school," he means, of course, "I'd really, really, really like to have extra money for snacks at school."...