Stories from Sunday, November 4, 2012

With gas prices constantly fluctuating and political uncertainty in the Middle East, from where much of America's energy is imported, many have said for decades that the United States needs to become more self-sufficient. That's why city and county leaders sat in on a presentation Thursday about the advantages of using vehicles powered by compressed natural gas -- an energy source of which America has an abundance...

Husband, Don & wife, Ellie taking their three daughters out for Halloween fun. :) (from left to right) Serenity, 3, Batgirl. Rylie, 2, Batarina. & Haley, 7, another Batgirl.

WATERTOWN -- A year ago, the Cascade Champions graduated players at nearly every position on the field. At the beginning of the season, it stood to reason this year would be a rebuilding year and any thought of the playoffs would be out of reach for such a predominantly young team...

Emotions run high for senior Jake Thomas (67) as he celebrates Cascade's 24-21 win over Watertown on Friday night in the first round of the TSSAA state playoffs. Trevor Arnold (73) looks on. (T-G Photo by Chris Siers)

Shelbyville's city council discussed plans to honor a local man who passed away over 10 years ago but left a lasting impact across the state and around the world. The local Rotary Club is working on efforts to have a statue placed in Shelbyville to honor James Bomar, a former state lieutenant governor who was also known in foreign countries as a peace-maker and humanitarian...

The costly process of creating a new stormwater management plan will be stretched out over two budget cycles, the city council was told this week. Public works director Mark Clanton briefed the council about selecting an outside engineering consulting firm to update the city's stormwater manual, as well as submitting a MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems) permit to the state...

A Shelbyville woman formerly employed at a Manchester nursing home has been accused of stealing patients' pain medication. Brooke Sissom, 33, of Double Tree Circle is accused of ordering powerful pain medication intended for patients at Manchester Health Care Center using their names and prescriptions. She was charged on Oct. 12 with nine counts of obtaining controlled substance by fraud, Manchester police said...

Tyson Foods has pledged to contribute to the American Red Cross' relief and recovery efforts for Hurricane Sandy, Donnie Smith, president and CEO of the company said Friday. A corporate match of up to $100,000 of employee donations will go to support victims of the hurricane...

A shopper at Walmart told police her purse, left in a shopping cart in the parking lot at midday Wednesday, was gone when she returned to retrieve it. The victim said store personnel told her no one had turned in the purse. The following were arrested since Wednesday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol or 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force. They were only charged; guilt or innocence will be determined by the courts...

Raising money for those who have been hurt serving our country and making sure kids have a nice Christmas is the goal behind an upcoming event in Bell Buckle. Bell Buckle's United States Annual Marine Corps Birthday Bike Rally, BBQ Cook Off & Poker Run is set for Saturday, Nov. 10 at 82 Market...

Organizers are busy planning this year's annual Celebration City Region Car Club-sponsored indoor swap meet -- and you don't have to be a car enthusiast to have a good time at this event. Sponsored by the Celebration City Region Car Club, the 2012 event will include a Christmas Village with a variety of vendors -- featuring crafts, gifts and pictures with Santa, door prizes, a tractor show and a cruise-in for both cars and motorcycles...

NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation and Special Operations Unit -- including Sgt. Aussie Thaxter of Shelbyville -- rescued a stranded hiker from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Friday afternoon. The State Troopers departed from Nashville in the agency's Huey helicopter this morning to assist in the search and rescue effort...

Christmas is less than two months away. It is such a wonderful time. "Time" filled with family, friends, great food, and gifts. It is the time that we celebrate the birth of our Savor. Unfortunately, His birth sometimes gets lost in the festivities. And oh the money we spend on gifts. I have struggled so in the past trying to find the perfect gift for the person who has everything. Just what do you give someone who has it all?...

It's been nearly three years ago that Victoria Atwell nearly died in a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Brenda Golden. The car in which Victoria was a passenger was hit by a tractor trailer as the car turned from Highway 82 onto U.S. 231 North Dec. 18, 2009...

Motlow College art student Mary Cox Pace was born with arthrogryposis, a neuro-musculo-skeletal disorder that most people would call a disability. To a lot of people, it would be, but Mary hasn't let it stop her. Although arthrogryposis made Mary a quadriplegic and robbed her of personal mobility, it didn't dare take much else from the feisty little woman who gets where she wants to go in a motorized wheelchair and has only 3 percent use of her left arm and 7 percent use of her right...

Micky Pietkiewicz, a 2009 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and former Times-Gazette intern, was recently named Ms. University of Memphis. Each year, two seniors are selected for the honor of Mr. and Ms. University of Memphis after a lengthy application process...

Local poet and writing teacher Veita Jo Hampton has self-published her first novel, "August In Defiance: A Perfect Burial," which is now available for Nook and Kindle e-readers and which will be available starting Nov. 15 in print from vendors including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble...

The Webb School Players will present "The Schoolmaker: 'Sawney' Webb and the Bell Buckle Story" on Nov. 8-11 in the Black Box Studio. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8-9 and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 10-11. "The Schoolmaker," written by Laurence McMillin, is a biography of Webb's founder Sawney Webb. Since May of 2011, professional playwrights Carol Ponder and Robert Kiefer have been conducting research and interviews in order to adapt the book for the stage...

60th anniversary Kathleen and Eugene T. Harris Sr. will celebrate their 60th anniversary on Nov. 6, Eugene's birthday. The couple has two children, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They married in 1952 while Eugene was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska...

On Nov. 9, The Webb School will open its campus for prospective students and their families for Visitors' Day. The daylong event begins at 9 a.m. with registration and breakfast and concludes at 3 p.m. The schedule includes campus tours, class visits, student panels, informational panels for parents, lunch, as well as details on boarding, admissions, financial aid and academic programs. ...

I was raised by a praying mother. The last thing Mom did before closing her eyes for sleep was to read her Bible and her devotional book and pray for her family and friends. She set that type of an example for me and my four siblings. Alpha Tangen Dezotell Scott prayed for her children up until the day that she died and I have felt Mom's prayers many times over the years...

Michael and Teresa Welborn of Wartrace are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Deanna Mahaffey to Dale Averett of Enterprise, Ala. The bride-elect is the grand-daughter of Francis Barrett of Murfreesboro, and Clarence Welborn of Lascassas, as well as the late Jesse Ross and Alice Welborn. ...

Just before a season of thanksgiving gives way to a season of giving, the church family at Fair Haven Baptist Church is encouraging its members to give -- "We're going to encourage our people to give and give to others at the same time," said Mike Cobb, the church pastor...