Stories from Thursday, February 7, 2013

The BCS Championship football game and the NCAA basketball Final Four are among the best-known and most-watched sporting events in the country, but there are a wide variety of sporting events in which college students compete for the sake of school pride...

An officer spotted a joint and small bag of marijuana in a car during a traffic stop Tuesday night, Shelbyville police said. As Earl Nicholas Caron, 48, of Dunnaway Street stepped out of his vehicle, officer Jose Garza allegedly noticed the joint in the floorboard and a small bag of marijuana next to a sheet. The total amount of marijuana was 2.48 grams, Garza said...

The 108th Legislative Session is back in full force. After adjourning last May, we are back and moving very fast in this new session. We began on Jan. 8 and elected our leadership, with Beth Harwell being re-elected as the Speaker of the House. Speaker Harwell assigned members to various committees and appointed Chairmen for each committee...

Where were you when the lights went out? The Super Bowl is one of the few things left that falls into the category of shared experience -- something watched and experienced by most Americans at the same time, such that you can, the next day, confidently ask people of any age or gender, "What did you think about the game?" and get some sort of response...

Dear Editor: On behalf of cancer survivors, cancer caregivers, volunteers and the staff of your American Cancer Society, I would like to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you to the generous sponsors and donors that contributed to the success of our 2nd annual Rayz'n Cain For Relay Dance on Jan. 26...

A Shelbyville man was killed Wednesday night in Chattanooga as a car pulled in front of his motorcycle, sources say. Adam Bailey, 41, was riding his Honda CBR600 motorcycle on Highway 153 when a car driven by Samantha Stearns, 43, of Georgetown pulled from the parking lot of a funeral home into his path, WRCB-TV and WTVC-TV reported...

The Celebration is again asking for help with their waste collection from the City of Shelbyville in a continuing effort to cut costs. But some officials are worried that doing so would "open a door" for businesses to make the same request, while others want to help the Celebration in any way possible...

Brian Waggoner, a fifth grade teacher at Southside Elementary School, was named a News 2 / Tennessee Lottery "Teacher of the Week" last month and is currently in the running for "Teacher of the Month" at the Lottery's education web site, www.seehowitaddsup.com...

Following a near fatal accident this past weekend, state transportation officials have told the city that safety enhancements for a dangerous intersection on the Shelbyville Bypass will be expedited. Late Sunday evening, a Ohio woman was critically injured at the dangerous State Highway 437-Fairfield Pike intersection, after being struck by an alleged drunk driver...

A Shelbyville Central High School sophomore died Wednesday morning in a two-vehicle crash near Farmington in Marshall County, authorities said. Jackie "Trey" White III, 16, of Helton Road in western Bedford County died at the scene, according to investigators...

A Thomas Magnet School pupil has contracted head lice -- twice in a month -- and her grandfather says he believes she is being infected at school, something the principal denies. Chris O'Leary, the 8-year-old pupil's grandfather, said the family found the first infestation four weeks ago after the girl came to his house after school. He and the girl's mother, his daughter, took the girl to the doctor, who gave her a number of prescriptions...

The search for Bedford County's next superintendent will move forward on Monday when the school board interviews the three finalists. Members of the public are welcome to attend the interviews, but only to observe, not to participate, said board chairwoman Amy Martin...

This Nissan Leaf, owned by an unidentified Tullahoma man, is the first electric car known to have used the Blink charging station at Shelbyville's city hall. The charging unit was installed last summer, with another placed at the airport, but city workers say this is the first time someone has actually plugged in. Earlier this week, the Chattanooga Times-Free Press reported that while 700 charging stations have been installed around the state, only 530 electric vehicles have been registered in Tennessee. The vehicle chargers were paid for through a Department of Energy grant. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

Larry Merlo, 54, of Shelbyville died Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013 at his residence. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home in Tullahoma with Jimmy Tedder officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held form 5-8 p.m. Friday.

The Rev. Charles Melvin Coilins, 81, of Shelbyville died Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013 in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Lawrence Funeral Home in Chapel Hill with the Rev. Lewis Johnson and the Rev. Jimmy Sorrells officiating. Burial will follow at Pressgrove Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Friday.

Evelyn L. Irwin, 84, of Shelbyville died suddenly Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2013. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home with Dr. Kent Lewis and Alex Hoffner officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Sunday.

Donna and David Orr are enjoying each of the moments they have remaining. David's Valentine gift included a pendant made from his wedding band. Tennessee organ donors sport a red heart on their driver's licenses. Donna is among the state's 1812565 registered donors.More than once in life, David Orr has received an extraordinary gift of days. The gifts arrived with a built-in limitation, however...