Stories from Thursday, February 4, 2010

MANCHESTER -- The season came to an abrupt halt for Harris Middle's Eaglettes after a 28-25 loss to Tullahoma East in opening round action of the Central Tennessee Tournament on Wednesday evening at Coffee County Middle School. It's the first time since the conference was created that the Eaglettes (8-11) were eliminated in the first round...

Shelbyville Central's Emmanuel Andrews was recently recognized as one of the top prep basketball standouts in the nation, becoming one of just 22 players nominated for the McDonald's All-American high school boys basketball team in Tennessee. The 5-foot-10 guard is among 1,500 nominees competing nationwide to fill one of 24 positions on the team. The game takes place March 31 in Columbus, Ohio at 8 p.m. EST. The final team...

MURFREESBORO -- Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray was one of three honorees at Middle Tennessee State University's annual Unity Luncheon, a kickoff event for the school's Black History Month observance. Murfreesboro School board chair Mary McKnight Wade and foster parent Nora L. ...

Are you comfortable singing in front of a large audience? Well, could you do it ... hanging upside down? Joanna McMenamin can. The Australian and her Ukranian husband, Vlad, are among the acts in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus production of "Illuscination," which will visit Calsonic Arena Feb. 12-14...

Shelbyville's city council is apparently still going through the many applications for the vacant city manger slot. City recorder Betty Lamb said during Tuesday's evening's study session that she had sent copies of the applications for the job to the council and that she was waiting on their response...

Richard W. Carter Jr., 58, of Nashville died Wednesday. He was the brother of Wayne Carter of Shelbyville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Woodbine Funeral Home, Nashville. Burial will follow at Concord Cemetery, Manchester. Visitation with the family will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Parker Smith, 76, of Estill Springs died Wednesday at his home. He was the father of Kim Smotherman of Flat Creek. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Bethel Baptist Church in Tullahoma with Dr. Jim Rolen and Dr. Jim Tedder officiating. Burial will follow at Watson-North Memorial Park in Winchester. Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Watson-North Funeral Home.

Reba Wheeler Parsons Price, 90, of Ray's Chapel community died Thursday in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lawrence Funeral Home, Chapel Hill, with the Rev. Charles Melvin Collins officiating. Burial will follow at Wheeler Cemetery near Chapel Hill. Visitation with the family will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday.

I'm sure we've all watched one of those movies where the underdog team tries to compete against the favorite. Tension builds as the ruling comes in that the underdog is not eligible to participate because of some type of regulation. Then someone in the crowd starts the chant "let them play," and soon everyone in the stands is on their feet yelling "let them play, let them play."...