Stories from Sunday, January 16, 2011

I think one of the hardest things about being a parent is being objective about your own children. (With American Idol looming around the corner, this becomes painfully obvious.) I worked in the school system for many years before my own kids were subjected to it, and I was determined I would not be one of the NMK parents I had to deal with on a daily basis...

War Eagle, Quack Quack, Roll Tide, Hook 'em Horns ... You get the idea. The 2010-2011 college football season just ended with Monday's BCS National Championship game. And just in case you don't keep up with football, the Auburn Tigers beat the Oregon Ducks 22-19...

When we got hammered with snow last weekend, I bet I wasn't the only working mom who jumped for joy alongside all the youngsters about the chance to play hooky. For working moms, a snow day is a free day, a day with nothing on the agenda but "make up for time lost throughout the work week."...

Bustling cities, vast deserts, ancient history, unimaginable treasures and teeming street bazaars are all things that might come to mind when contemplating Egypt. Since childhood, I have been fascinated with Egyptian history and culture, so I was delighted when my favorite tour company offered their first trip there. I began to eagerly plan my adventure, reading travel guides and researching different aspects of my destination, counting the days until my departure...

Part 1 There is often a lot of confusion about ethical coupon usage. I have found five major misconceptions that people have concerning coupons. In this article I am going to clear up 3 of the common misconceptions people have about couponing by unveiling the truth about them. Unfortunately these misrepresentations have left negative impacts on many "would be" couponers...

McMINNVILLE -- It took a little while to shake off the rust after a prolonged layoff due to inclement weather, but the Community Viqueens oiled up just enough to defeat F.C. Boyd Christian 42-19 on Friday night. Katie Leverette paced the Purple and Gold to a 12-4 advantage after one period with an eight-point effort with Georgia Ralston pitching in with a bucket as well...

McMINNVILLE -- When does an eight-game losing streak not look so bad? When it becomes nine. The Community Vikings were thoroughly thrashed in every aspect of the game by winless F.C. Boyd Christian on Friday night to the tune of a 67-51 final that was not as close as the final score would indicate. The loss leaves the Purple and Gold in an unaccustomed spot; tied for last place in District 9-A...

A second-quarter surge allowed the Webb girls to cruise past East/Middle Region visitor St. Andrew's-Sewanee 61-43 on Friday night. "I think they're finally getting the concept of playing as a team," second-year Webb coach Scott Dorsett said. "At first, they didn't know what it meant to win or what it took to win. Each week we get better and better at realizing you've got to play four quarters, you've got to play tough defense, you've got to rebound hard."...

Amidst double and triple teams throughout the evening, Webb senior Miles Davis powered his way through crowds of defenders and put the Feet on his back against East/Middle Region rival St. Andrew's-Sewanee in Bell Buckle on Friday night. A late spurt allowed Webb to snap a fourth-quarter tie en route to a 56-43 win...

The wheelchair athletes who will fill the gymnasium at The Webb School in Bell Buckle Jan. 28 and 29 found themselves in their chairs through various reasons, from car accidents to medical conditions. In the coming years, their numbers could swell if the disabled veterans coming home from Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts join them on the court...

Members of Bedford County Solid Waste Authority said that things are in "a lot better shape than six weeks ago" now that there's a place to send the county's garbage. The county is now paying $23 per ton to haul the county waste to the Middle Point landfill at Walter Hill north of Murfreesboro after the county commission voted to join the Interlocal Solid Waste Authority (ISWA) following the closing of the Cedar Ridge landfill in Marshall County...

Bedford County Board of Commissioners, meeting Saturday morning, voted to commit $35,000 to join the Interlocal Solid Waste Authority. Lynn Wampler of South Central Tennessee Development District told commissioners last month that ISWA would not require an entry fee of Bedford County, only that the county contribute its share of ongoing expenses. ...

Ann Thomas Soper, 88, of Shelbyville died Saturday at Heritage Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Jimmy Gray officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Monday evening from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Edward Cortner Huffman, 93, of Shelbyville died Saturday at his home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First Christian Church with Bryan Elliott officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Monday. Doak-Howell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Shelbyville residents will have to look for their own solutions to get rid of their garbage if the city council approves an ordinance doing away with municipal sanitation service. The council voted unanimously Thursday to direct city recorder Betty Lamb to draw up an ordinance that would do away with Shelbyville's garbage service...

I like to think of citrus fruits and juices as liquid sunshine during the long winter months. Its tangy, perky flavor wakes up the taste buds and reminds us of sunny Florida or California. Citrus is so versatile it can be used in main dishes, salads, desserts and side dishes. It is also good for winter months since it is high in vitamin C which helps strengthen the immune system. So I encourage you to break into citrus fruits and juices this month...