Stories from Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The gunman facing Volunteer Financial manager Kimberly Finch -- and the situation itself -- was all too familiar. Finch told Shelbyville police the man who robbed her at midday Tuesday was the same one who held up the Elm Street loan company on Jan. 14. No one has been charged in that incident....

There are various text-to-speech add-ons, and text-to-speech is even included with some operating systems. But SoundGecko ( soundgecko.com ) is a service that lets you plug in a web page address and receive, by e-mail, an MP3 file of the text being read aloud. The MP3 file can be saved and listened to at your convenience, on your computer or your MP3 player, phone, what have you...

Jim Brown, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says Tennessee's upcoming sales tax holiday will be a big help to families and small businesses still recovering from the recession. This year's tax holiday is Aug. 3-5. "The sales tax holiday is like the day after Thanksgiving," Brown said. ...

Murfreesboro, TN- TrustPoint Hospital announced it will be opening in mid-August. The community is invited to attend an open house celebration to visit with key physicians, meet the staff, and take a self-guided tour of the facility. The new hospital is located on Thompson Lane, Murfreesboro, about one-quarter mile from Medical Center Parkway...

Kroger is hosting a School Supply Drive now through Aug. 5 to help support public schools in Middle Tennessee. Customers are encouraged to place donations in the special drop-off bins at the front of the stores. "We are very excited to be able to support our schools in this way," said Melissa Eads, community affairs manager for Kroger in Middle Tennessee. ...

A new federal law which classifies stores selling roll-your-own "smokes" as cigarette manufacturers has largely destroyed one Shelbyville business, its manager says. "This is how I put food on the table for my daughter," said Nicki Fulton, operator -- and now, sole employee -- of U-Roll-Em on North Main Street...

Phillip and Kimberly White of Shelbyvile are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Walker Layne White. Walker was born on Saturday, July 7, 2012 in Tullahoma. He weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces. Grandparents are Linton and Judy Thompson of Hillsboro, Faye Fears of Bell Buckle, and Lavory and Katie White of Shelbyville...

Mark Smith and Kaci Eden of Shelbyville are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Gabriel Theodore Smith. Gabriel was born on Tuesday, July 17 in Tullahoma. He weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Grandparents are Leo Smith of Pennsylvania, and Jerry and Roni Moore of Shelbyville. Great-grandparents are Dale and Mary Darnell of Shelbyville...

It took two to steal a $400 bottle of whiskey from Joe's Liquors, North Main Street, on Saturday, police said Tuesday. A man and woman entered the store, removed the Hennessy bottle's box from the shelf and placed it behind a display, according to video surveillance shown to police. As the man lured the clerk to the rear of the store, the woman took the whiskey to a minivan and left while the man made a purchase and walked away...

The 2012 City Open Tennis Tournament is in the books. And while there were about 10 fewer participating players in this year's tournament, the competition was as fierce as ever. From Friday until Tuesday evening, a total of 92 participants battled on the courts at H.V. Griffin Park, vying for tournament gold...

Both drivers escaped serious injury in a crash between two Ford Fusions at the dangerous 437 Bypass-Fairfield Pike intersection at midday Tuesday. Wendy Lashay Presley, 22, of Wartrace-Bell Buckle Road, driver of the lighter-colored vehicle, was southbound on Fairfield Pike, stopped at the stop sign and pulled in front of the dark-colored car driven by Mary Evilo Morton, 77, of Haley Road, who was westbound on the bypass, officer Michael Davis of the Shelbyville Police Department said. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Evan Mallett says.... Wait up PaPa !!!

Middle Tennessee Spay and Neuter Clinic hosted its second annual "Whiskers and Paws" Summer Camp for kids in grades 1-6 at Shelbyville Central High School recently. "This free camp is a great way to teach kids about pet responsibility and the importance of spaying and neutering their pets. We have a blast doing it and the kids seem to really enjoy it," said Executive Director Kimberly Warren...

The Bedford County Board of Education received honored guests Tuesday night during a presentation on the Tennessee Educational Leaders Delegation to China. Professors Guan Ping of the Confucius Institute at Middle Tennessee State University, and Paul Cui, a former English professor at Hangzhou Normal University who served as guide to the delegation from Tennessee, were on hand to thank the board for building a bridge between our culture and theirs...

Don Gallagher has announced his candidacy for election to a District 1 seat on Bedford County Board of Commissioners in the August 2 general election. Gallagher has been serving on the county commission since March 2011, when the full commission appointed him to complete Phillip Vincent's unexpired term of office...

A man accused of a brutal case of domestic violence had his bond revoked Tuesday after being arrested for stalking the alleged victim -- his wife. David Wayne Johnson Jr., 28, will appear before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Aug. 29 for a hearing on an order of protection and a preliminary hearing on charges of especially aggravated kidnapping and especially aggravated rape...

Bedford County Financial Management Committee accepted a revised school system budget proposal Tuesday night and scheduled a special called meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners next week to approve it. But the meeting was not without some back-and-forth between county commissioners and school system officials over whether recent budget cuts were justified...

My husband and I recently visited the Washington Park International Rose Test Garden, Portland, Oregon. The garden contains some of the most beautiful roses that I have ever seen.

Terry Wayne Prince, 64, of Shelbyville died Monday, July 23, 2012 at NHC Healthcare in Columbia. Per his family's wishes, he will be cremated with no services being planned at this time. Gowen-Smith Chapel is assisting the family.

This is Mt. St. Helens as it appears today, over thirty years since the devastating eruption that altered the surrounding landscape.

Normanda Jane Scott Huffman, 93, of Shelbyville died Tuesday, July 24, 2012, at her home after an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at First Christian Church. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Sunday at the church. Feldhaus Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

James Robert Brown, Jr., 47, of Nashville, formerly of Shelbyville, died Tuesday, July 24, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with Herbert Lee Stewart officiating. Burial will follow at Holden Cemetery. Visitation will begin at noon.