Stories from Thursday, August 9, 2012

A man was found murdered at his Enon Church Road home Wednesday, investigators said. Larry Walls, 55, has been identified as the victim by the Tennessee Bureau of Identification. "We don't know how long he had been there; we don't know for sure," Sheriff Randall Boyce said. Officials were notified Wednesday afternoon after Walls' wife found his body...

Linda B. Phelps McGee Thrasher, 67, of Jackson, a former area resident, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 at her home. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Jackson, followed by a celebration of life reception.

An escaped mental patient thought to have been in western Bedford County has been captured in Marshall County. Kenneth Ryan Mallady, 35, of Hickman County was the subject of a search for several hours at midday. A 'Code Red' alert was issued for residents of the Wheel and Bedford communities at 11:40 a.m...

James Houston Jones, 80, of Shelbyville died Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. Graveside services, with military rites, will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Hillcrest Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

COLUMBIA -- Senior Legion Post 23 concluded it's summer season last weekend. As top-seeded team heading into the state tournament, Shelbyville had it's work cut out chasing the state crown. Post 23 battled through the five-game bracket and posted a 3-2 record over the weekend to finish as the 2012 state runner up...

On his first day on the job, Mike Inman jumped in with both feet running. He knows he's got work to do. Inman's transition into his role as CEO of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration began last week; and during his first day on the job -- before settling into his office, setting up a new email, getting business cards or doing anything else you might normally do on your first day on the job -- Inman began working toward a very clear goal he has set for himself...

State Sen. Eric Stewart of Winchester, a Democrat who is challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais of South Pittsburg for DesJarlais' 4th District House seat, has repeated his call for a series of debates. Stewart discussed the issue during a teleconference on Wednesday with reporters from the district...

The death of a 5-month old boy on Tuesday after being left in a hot vehicle in Nashville is the eighth child to have died in the past six days from heat stroke inside a vehicle. According to KidsAndCars.org, there have been at least 23 children nationwide who have died from heat stroke in vehicles so far this year, and three of these deaths have happened in Tennessee within the past week...

CHAPEL HILL -- If one thing is certain about this early season it's this -- Cascade is playing solid early season golf. Following a second-place finish in the Murfreesboro Invitational, Cascade hit the links at Henry Horton Golf Course in Chapel Hill on Wednesday afternoon and strung together another incredible score...

In 1997, U.S. citizens were polled about how much of the federal budget they thought went to support the space program. The poll respondents thought that the space program made up about 20 percent of the federal budget. The actual number? Less than one percent. And, with recent cuts, I'd guess it's probably lower than that today...

Let's Celebrate. We are only a couple of weeks away from the 74th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration calling of the final class. Can you imagine what it was like in 1939 to experience the first class at the inaugural Celebration? My father-in-law W. ...

Police found marijuana on a man who roamed the area around the shopping center near Walmart after allegedly stealing from the store, according to a report filed Wednesday. Joseph Michael Stevens, 24, of Beech Grove became "combative" toward officers Jeff Goodrich and Mitchell Warren as he was being arrested at the center's entrance, officer Bruce Davis said in the report. A marijuana cigarette and a blunt were found in a bag containing Stevens' belongings as he was searched, police said...

The New Duck River Baptist Association vacation Bible schools took on the task of supplying one village in a remote area of Alaska with specific items and a bucket. The buckets contained items such as dress/cloth/material packs, needles, thread, zippers, fishing spoons, fishing line, school supplies, Bibles, crayons, coloring books, children's toys, candy and non-perishable food items. ...

Brian and Karen Watt of Fayetteville are proud to announce the birth of a baby boy, Randall Jed Watt. Randall was born on Friday, Aug. 3 at Lincoln Medical Center in Fayetteville, weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. Grandparents are Edward and Joann Ashby of Shelbyville and Randall and Linda Watt of Petersburg...

Julie West has been named the new Director of Nursing at Christian Care Center. A long-time resident of Bell Buckle, she was previously a clinician for Vanguard, traveling and area which covered Tennessee and parts of West Virginia. It was the campus of CCC, and the enthusiasm of its administrator, Mike Rabuka, which sold her on the position...