Stories from Thursday, December 27, 2012

Dale Reese, 82, of Shelbyville died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012 at his home after an extended illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Tom Bierovic officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday.

The body of a man reported missing Monday was found in a wooded area off South Brittain Street near St. William Catholic Church late Thursday afternoon. Family members posting on Facebook identified him as Charles 'Moto' Farrar, 42. Police had not officially released the identity as of shortly before midnight Thursday...

Machine Falls at Short Springs State Natural Area.

James Larry Hooker, 65, of Shelbyville died Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 at Community Care of Rutherford County. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Mark Hall and the Rev. Dan Seeley officiating. Burial will follow at Pressgrove Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Saturday.

Grace Lee Johnson, 73, of Cheatham County died Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Cheatham County Funeral Hone. Burial will follow at Joelton Hills Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Shelbyville's city manager is looking back at accomplishments made over the past year and striving for new goals to attain in 2013. Last December, city manager Jay Johnson asked each department head to identify five to seven goals for calendar year 2012...

Changes in the administration of local schools, allegations of inappropriate conduct by a teacher and a scout leader, and the sad resolution to a missing persons case are tied for the sixth, seventh and eighth places in the Times-Gazette's annual countdown of the year's top stories as chosen by a vote of various T-G staffers...

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette has hired Jason Reynolds as a staff writer and news clerk. He will report on general news of interest to residents of Bedford County. Reynolds also will prepare reader-submitted news for publication, such as the community calendar. To submit an item, email Reynolds at tgnews@t-g.com or call him at 684-1200...

Trees finally stopped this outdoor trampoline, located at a home on Normandy Road, after wind blew it about 250 feet during Tuesday evening's strong wind storm, which affected higher elevations of eastern Bedford County. Residents from Normandy, Rippy Ridge, Powell Hollow and Cortner roads reported very strong straight-line winds. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler)

Terry and Ashley Jennings of Murfreesboro proudly announce the birth of a son, Rhett Thomas Jennings, born Nov. 18 in Murfreesboro. The baby boy weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. His grandparents are Pat Thomas of Shelbyville, Ron and Cathy Thomas of Murfreesboro, and Mary Ruth and the late Everett Jennings of Caryville...

Helen Vandergriff, 30, of Shelbyville died Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012 at Heritage Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in Tullahoma. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held from noon-8 p.m. Friday.

I hesitate to even mention the issue of firearms, because it provokes such strong, divisive and entrenched responses on either side of the issue. But I think we've reached the point where we've got to have some sort of conversation -- "conversation" in the sense that each side actually listens to what other people are saying, something that rarely happens on this particular issue...

State Sen. Jim Tracy and his family hosted a community Christmas Breakfast at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro on Saturday. Over 800 people from across the 14th District and elsewhere in the state attended and brought donations for the Toys for Tots program...

A Shelbyville man was charged with DUI after his vehicle struck a utility pole on Horse Mountain Road in Shelbyville and overturned late Friday afternoon. Daniel Brown told police he had consumed seven or eight margaritas at a Shelbyville restaurant and was driving to a friend's home. A 12-pack of beer was found in the the car, police said...

January and February are tough months for blood collection, according to the American Red Cross. Blood drives may be canceled due to inclement weather; donors cancel blood donation appointments when the roads are bad and many people have cold and flu symptoms, making them ineligible to give blood...

A scheduled power outage for some campus buildings at MTSU will mean a quiet start for the new year beginning Wednesday, Jan. 2. Thirty MTSU buildings and the eight houses on Greek Row will have no electricity during business hours Jan. 2-3 when university offices reopen after winter break...

The Christmas season means lots of things to lots of people. Usually, it means friends and family gather for festive meals, shopping, presents, and a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. But for diehard college football fans, it's our final chance to see our teams this season. The college bowl season is upon us and below is a guide to the top 10 games you'll see this year...

GREENEVILLE -- The fourth quarter blues continue for the Golden Eaglettes. After holding a 31-30 advantage after three periods, Shelbyville Central was outscored 19-12 in the final stanza in a 49-43 loss to South Greene in the opening round of the Landair Ladies Classic...