Stories from Sunday, November 21, 2010

Why Don't We Just Dance? I grew up in a family that loved to dance, and in a community that loved to dance. My grandparents were immigrants and it was a common part of their cultures to dance. Winters are long and hard many times in North Dakota and one of the indoor pastimes during those cold months was dancing. We had dances during lunch hour at school, and we had weekly dances at the YMCA or the Armory or at the Maple Lake Pavilion...

I was thrilled last week when Miranda Lambert shined during the CMA awards. Not only was it refreshing, but she had captured my heart and attention over the last year with some great songs -- one, in particular, that I (and millions of others, probably) felt was written for me. ...

For weeks, we look forward to Thanksgiving. The dressing, the green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy -- the turkey. But just like we can only take so many hours of relatives or football, if you're me, by the day after Thanksgiving, the thought of eating yet another turkey sandwich is daunting...

One of the advantages to being in magnet school, said Tara Turner, a third-grade teacher at Thomas Magnet School, is that "There are more opportunities to stretch the kids and go beyond the curriculum." How far beyond? How does the Great Barrier Reef in Australia sound? Or a guided tour of the Great Wall of China? The Pyramids of Giza?...

First Farmers Bank in Lewisburg was robbed of an undetermined amount of money at about noon on Friday, city police said. A white man in his mid-to-late 20s wearing a ball cap, no mask and a camouflage jacket "implied" that he had a weapon, but did not show it if he had one, Police Chief Chuck Forbis said...

The city has filed a brief amended answer to a $10 million lawsuit over a proposed rock quarry, mainly to state that claims against Shelbyville's planning and codes director should be barred. Earlier this week, Shelbyville responded to the federal suit filed by Norma and Tommy Wright, Wright Paving Co. Inc., and Custom Stone LLC, denying their claims and asking that the suit be dismissed...

'Tis the season -- to be busy. With Thanksgiving next week, Christmas next week, and an Indian Summer all around, people in Bedford County took advantage of the weather to get out and about Saturday. There was a lot of getting out and about to be done, too. Church bazaars, high school plays, community Thanksgiving dinners, the events ranged from the cultural, such as the Trees of Christmas exhibit opening at The Fly, to the social, such as the ham breakfast at the Senior Center...

Even though all three of Bedford County's high school football teams are home for the winter, one of Shelbyville's sons still has a shot at a BlueCross Bowl appearance. Coach Matt Williams, who played football for Shelbyville Central and graduated in 1993, guided his third-ranked Smyrna Bulldogs to a 20-14 win over visiting Blackman at Robert L. Raikes Stadium on Friday night in the TSSAA Class 6A state playoffs...

Liberty Middle's road trip to Manchester proved fruitful as the Patriots took down Westwood Middle 29-24 on Thursday night. Matt Clanton carried the Patriots (8-2) offensively with 23 points. Jacob Davidson contributed four. The Red, White and Blue were up 12-8 at halftime...

It was exhilarating, maddening, and a growing experience for the Community Middle Viqueens in a 41-39 loss to Middle Tennessee Christian on Friday night in front of a packed gym on homecoming night. In the end, it was Erin Mullins' nifty move to the basket and deft touch once she was in position to score as the buzzer sounded that gave the Lady Cougars the win and ruin a valiant come-from-behind effort by the Viqueens...

Every morning and afternoon, my neighborhood is invaded. These strange people actually get out and, like, you, know, walk. To nowhere. The end of the road and back. My husband says it's something called "ex-er-cise," but it's got me thinking more along the lines of "ex-cor-cist."...

When the two newest members of Shelbyville's city council take their seats next month, they will be facing the same problems that has dominated their discussions over the past year -- the budget. The general election earlier this month saw council incumbents Lee Roy Cunningham and Al Stephenson defeated by James "Jamie" Williams and Sam Meek...