Stories from Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Mary Dolores McPhail, 77, of Shelbyville died Monday at Heritage Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 2 until 5 p.m. Thursday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home. The family chose cremation; burial will follow in Illinois at a later date.

MANCHESTER -- Harris Middle softball claimed its fourth straight win with a 6-2 victory over Westwood Middle in a non-conference matchup Tuesday. The Eaglettes (8-3) banged out 10 hits, all singles, with pitcher Jami Johnson going 3-for-3. Catcher Baylee Cook and second baseman Bailey Womble each added a pair of hits...

No matter what level of play fans are accustomed to, you have to be impressed with the Community Middle Vikings' 18-0 record after they traveled to Moore County and won 8-6 in their final regular season game. The mark establishes the best record by any team in Community sports history...

It wasn't a win but it's still better than a loss as Shelbyville Central scored late to survive a 1-all tie at Lincoln County in a District 8-AAA matchup on Tuesday. "This wasn't a very good effort by us tonight," Central coach Neal Gordon said. "We didn't play very well, and I really don't know why. Thankfully we were able to at least salvage a tie and remain in the hunt for the regular season district title."...

Shelbyville Central fell 5-0 to Lincoln County in a District 8-AAA matchup in Fayetteville on Tuesday. Alyssa Moore scattered four hits, struck out two and walked two for the Eaglettes (10-20, 4-6 8-AAA). Haylie Spence and Janie Graves each singled to account for Shelbyville's lone hits...

Many Community-Middle Tennessee Christian matchups have yielded last minute heroics or heartbreak. Tuesday night was no exception for the Viqueens in a dramatic 12-10 loss to their District 9-A rival. The game was eerily similar to one played in Unionville two weeks ago. Each team swapped leads late, then had a big inning to reclaim the advantage only to see the opponent snatch the victory in the bottom of the final frame...

A quality outing on the rubber by Leigha Carter and just one error by the defense behind her contributed to a 2-1 Cascade win over host Richland on Tuesday. The senior right-hander struck out four and gave up four hits without issuing a walk over seven full innings. The Lady Champions (8-7) committed just one error...

Shelbyville Central's Eaglettes enjoyed a clean sweep of seven matches at District 8-AAA foe Columbia on Tuesday. Heather Canonico and the doubles combo of Mallory Hutton and Sarah King claimed victories without losing a single set. All seven matches on the boys' side were decided by two points or less. The Lions downed the Eagles 4-3...

Cascade broke open a scoreless pitchers' duel in the bottom of the sixth by scratching across a pair of runs and held on to defeat visiting Moore County 2-0 on Tuesday. A throwing error with two down allowed Jared Carkuff to score the first run for the Champions (15-9, 9-1 District 9-A). Jay Bishop then slapped a base hit to left field to plate Jake Pimental with an insurance run...

Shelbyville Central junior right-hander Seth Jarrell turned in an outstanding performance on the mound and the Golden Eagle defense and offense proved to be a great supporting cast in an 8-4 win over host Lawrence County in a District 8-AAA matchup on Tuesday...

Bedford County deputies have seized around 70 pounds of marijuana and thousands of dollars in cash following a two-month investigation into the distribution of the drug. The sheriff's department announced late Tuesday that the investigation, which is still ongoing, entails the delivery of hundreds of pounds of pot into Bedford County, as well as thousands of pounds of the drug to different parts of Tennessee and other states...

Bedford County Board of Education approved three policy changes recommended by Tennessee School Boards Association Tuesday night but deferred action on a fourth in order to seek some clarification. Many of the policies passed by the board are drafted by or with the help of TSBA, and TSBA advises school boards on how to keep their policies in line with the latest legislative or legal developments...

Cancer survivors learn to celebrate life every day, but sometimes, a big celebration helps, too. Bedford County Relay for Life is holding a special luncheon Saturday at noon at the First Methodist Church in Shelbyville to honor cancer survivors and their caregivers...

It really is a small world after all. One of my faithful readers, another Mary, lives way out in Wisconsin but she's originally from Bell Buckle and found me when she was cruising through the Times-Gazette web site. I'm always asking people how they find their way to Middle Tennessee -- someday I'll ask her what on earth prompted her to leave "Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows," for the frozen North. ...

The Times-Gazette's display advertising, circulation and composition staff collected 22 awards, including six first place awards, in 15 different categories during the Tennessee Press Association's Advertising and Circulation Conference, held last week at the Sheraton Read House in Chattanooga...

It was just not the Community Vikings' day as they traveled to Chapel Hill to take on Forrest in a District 9-A contest on Tuesday afternoon. The Purple and Gold fans had to wonder if the real team had shown up or if someone hid their squad and a bus full of imposters showed up in a 16-6 loss fueled by eight errors. Five of those errors occurred in rapid succession when Community booted the ball in a variety of ways on balls hit by the game's first five hitters...

John Wesley Smith Jr., 71, of Shelbyville died Tuesday. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Rockvale Independent Original Church of God with Elder Jimmy L. Tyson as eulogist. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. New Generation Funeral Home, Antioch, is in charge of arrangements.

There was a long line of folks waiting both outside and indoors Tuesday to turn in job applications for Shelbyville's newest retailer -- Roses. Applications for 25 to 30 positions are being accepted today and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until noon and 1 to 5 p.m. at 612 Madison St., in the old Southern Family Market location...