Stories from Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The man seriously burned in Monday's fire at Southern Energy in Shelbyville has been identified as Mike Dinovo of Hillsboro in Coffee County. Dinovo, an employee of the firm, is listed in critical condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. Officials said Dinovo was burned over approximately 50 percent of his body when methanol being downloaded from a tractor-trailer into a fixed trailer exploded...

The former director of the county's Emergency Communications District has been indicted on theft charges. Cathey D. Mathis was charged with theft of property over $10,000 by direct indictment following an investigation by the Coffee County District Attorney's Office...

A large explosion at a Shelbyville oil company Monday left one employee seriously burned and disrupted the day for much of downtown Shelbyville. Witnesses said they heard two loud "booms" at Southern Energy, Lane Parkway, followed immediately by the east end of the building exploding...

Middle Tennessee State University began its Ginseng Initiative last week by planting seeds in a small garden at its Experiential Learning and Research Center. Sprouting from an idea by State Sen. Bill Ketron, MTSU and state officials began their study and exploration of growing ginseng with a planting ceremony attended by several dozen people...

Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a series of three motions Tuesday evening, all dealing with the town's sewer system. The board first voted to flow-monitor the whole sewer system at the cost of $25,000 which could provide evidence that rehabilitation of the system's Basin 3 is not necessary...

Veterans Services Officer Lee Orman was guest speaker at the November meeting of Shelbyville / Bedford County Vietnam Era Veterans. Although he has been an employee of the Tennessee Department of Veterans' Affairs for 35 years, Orman told the group he does not consider it a job...

A close contest in the first half ended up being a double-digit victory for visiting Community in a 35-21 win over Liberty on Monday night. The Viqueens led 8-5 at the end of the first quarter, 18-14 at the intermission and 25-20 going into the fourth stanza...

After a slow start, Liberty's Patriots rallied in the second half to remain unbeaten on the season with a 39-29 victory over county rival Community on Monday night. The Vikings held a 8-6 advantage at the close of the first quarter and took a 19-12 advantage into halftime...

On Saturday afternoon, the Community Viqueens and Vikings hosted the Hall of Champions day in Unionville, consisting of six basketball teams that featured both squads from Community, as well as Cascade High School. On the day, Bedford County teams went 5-1 against some of the tougher, 2A and 3A competition in the state...

The Cascade Middle Lady Champions struggled to find offensive consistency against Forrest on Monday night. Coupled with an astounding 25 fouls called against them, the Lady Rockets were able to make their way to the line and connect on only 13 of 33 attempts, which proved to be enough to claim the 34-25 win...

After trading blows with the Forrest Middle Rockets for the better part of three quarters, the Rockets were able to pull away from the Cascade Champions with a 22-point fourth quarter and claim a 51-41 victory. Through the first 18 minutes of the game, the teams essentially were mirror images of each other, with neither squad gaining a distinctive advantage...

The Harris Golden Eaglettes threw everything they had at White County on Monday night but came up just short in a 43-42 thriller. White County wasted little time getting the offense working. In the first quarter, White County outscored Harris 14-7, and added another 17 points in the second quarter to take a 31-16 lead to the half...

Camari Cannon was just too much for White County to handle. The Harris eighth-grader banked a game-high 24 points in the Eagles' win on Monday night. Of Harris' 15 points in the first quarter, Cannon banked 12 to help lead the Eagles to a big first quarter...

Donna Key, activities director for Christian Care Center of Bedford County, was the guest speaker for this month's meeting of Bedford County Republican Women. The group supports the nursing home's activities and recently donated bingo prizes. From left are Carla Herbison, President; Key; Barbara Frisby; Maleigh Claxton; Sandy Still; Carolyn Baker and Charlotte Chrestman. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at The Coffee Break on the square. (Submitted photo)

Cascade High School's Student Council recently attended the SASC convention in Greenville, S.C. Cascade received third place in the fundraising category with "Powder Puff Phrenzy." This is a regional award based on entries from 11 states and 98 schools represented by the Southern states. ...

A man carrying an illegally-long knife was arrested as he walked near Musgrave Park on Lane Parkway early Sunday night. Callers from a home and a vehicle alerted police, who found Franklin Gyurnek in possession of a "survival" knife with a 6-inch blade. The maximum length allowed in Tennessee is 4 inches, Moore wrote in his report...

Frances Jean Cook, 89, of Shelbyville died Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. Funeral services will be held Thursday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with Eddie Reed officiating. Burial will follow at Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday.

Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a series of three motions Tuesday evening, all dealing with the town's sewer system. The board first voted to flow-monitor the whole sewer system at the cost of $25,000 which could provide evidence that rehabilitation of the system's Basin 3 is not necessary...