Stories from Sunday, June 27, 2010

Since I hadn't begun work prior to Mother's Day, I didn't get to write about my amazing mother like I did my father. Sorry this is late, Mom, but better late than never, right? My mom, Miriam Pietkiewicz, is the strongest woman I have ever met. I look to her for laughter, encouragement, advice, and most importantly, love...

Kenneth Swann used to be what he calls "a religious hunter." "I hunted deer, birds, you name it," said the Normandy man. "I did a lot of fishing, too." But 34 years ago, Swann found another quarry to pursue. In fact, you could even say he was pursuing a quarry. In one brief expedition along Sugar Creek near Petersburg, he found his calling and became a rock hound...

You hear it over and over and over again -- don't judge a book by its cover. The meaning is that you shouldn't judge the content based on the external appearance, and for the most part I agree -- just not with books. I always judge a book by its cover. ...

Shelbyville police say they were forced to take a child from the arms of a man who allegedly left two children alone in his Wheeler Street home Thursday. A marijuana growing operation was found in the residence of Andrew Anthony Adreasen, 28, after his arrest police said...

Imagine being 31 years old and carrying several years of top flight experience in your profession back to your roots to take over as CEO for a business that is near and dear to your heart. As Allison Clark was introduced to Shelbyville Central's Golden Eaglettes as their new coach and the face of the program just 12 days ago, the former Eaglette sharp-shooter got teary-eyed and her voice cracked knowing she was home and back in the lockeroom thick with inspirational memories of yesteryear...

The county's jobless rate fell slightly last month to 12.1 percent, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by that state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The unemployment rate dropped only 0.1 percent since April, the preliminary numbers indicated, with a May workforce of 22,080 in Bedford County, a total of 19,410 reportedly employed and 2,670 not working...

Almost all of the professional actors currently spending their weekends in Bell Buckle for the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival have impressive résumés, from director Lane Davies' work in film and television to up-and-coming Patrick Waller's work in musical theater...

Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Thursday night at a special called meeting to sign a contract with Bedford County Utility District, making BCUD the town's primary water source. Wartrace had been the primary supplier, and Bell Buckle will now have to seek a contract with Wartrace as a secondary supplier...

Was it just an accident stemming from "horseplay" or something more? That's what will be decided as jury selection begins Monday morning in a case of reckless homicide involving the death of a Flat Creek man. Matthew Wayne Patterson stands trial this week in connection with the death of 39-year-old Anthony Kent "Rooster" Marlin in August 2009...

Volunteers from all over Bedford County turned out Saturday morning to clean the banks of Duck River. "This is really a community effort," said Helen Garner of the 2010 Duck River Clean-Up, organized by the Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee. "People bring their boats and canoes and ride up the river picking up any litter they see ... we also clean streamside, under bridges, overpasses, and access points."...