Stories from Tuesday, March 4, 2014

An alleged online loan company scammed a Shelbyville man out of $680, police were told Friday. The man attempted to obtain a $2,400 loan from a website claiming to be Easy Finance Co. He was asked to give information on his bank account, including his Social Security number, "to make sure he could lake the payments" and must have a minimum balance of $180...

The man suspected in a wave of auto burglaries across parts of Shelbyville was arrested after allegedly stealing an iPad from a woman's hands Friday morning. Xavien Cortez Eisom, 19, of Barksdale Lane was in a vehicle at a Madison Street motel with two women, Officer Darrell Birdsong said in his report...

Nancy L. Estes, 72, of Shelbyville died Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with Jimmy Gray and Dr. Drew Hayes officiating. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m. Burial will be at Forrest Park East Cemetery in League City, Texas.

It was a season nobody wanted to end. Just one win away from the first appearance in the TSSAA Class A tournament in school history, the Community Viqueens got just the matchup they wanted--a home showdown against the Loretto Lady Mustangs. But Community never got the offense rolling and, despite making it a close game late, suffered a season-ending 34-31 defeat...

The Red Cross invites community members to donate blood in March, which is Red Cross Month. To make an appointment to donate blood or for more information about other ways to get involved with the Red Cross, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767)...

No candidates withdrew during the week-long grace period that ended at noon Thursday, so the balloted candidates are set for county-wide races in the May 6 primary election and partisan races in the August general county election. The candidates had until Feb. 20 to file their qualifying petitions, but then had until Feb. 27 to withdraw from the race if they had second thoughts -- for example, if they were surprised by who else was running for the same office...

If you were wondering how many snow days schools have taken, the answer is six. And if you were asking how many snow days are left, the answer would be two. If Bedford County gets slammed by more bad weather this season, and the remainder of the snow days are used, the school system does have options, said Superintendent Don Embry...

City public works employees David Crowell, left, and Christopher Wilhoite braved the cold Monday morning to pick up trash on Rolling Road. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Budget time is only a few months away, and the city of Shelbyville is already planning a series of meetings to hash out the numbers. With the 2014-2015 fiscal year beginning on July 1, specific and continuing goals have been set -- one of which is to maintain the current property tax rate...

Approximately 15 people -- and no media or reporters besides the T-G -- showed up at a short candlelight vigil Saturday night remembering Shelley Mook, who disappeared three years ago last Friday. Other missing persons from Bedford County were also remembered. (T-G Photos by David Melson)

Barney Joe Morgan, Jr., 69, of Manchester died Monday, March 3, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday at Manchester Funeral Home with Jeff Ingold officiating. Burial will follow at Fredonia Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.

Dorothy Jean "Dot" Alexander Higgins, 78, of Shelbyville died Friday, Feb. 28, 2012 at Carriage House Inn. The Cremation Society of Tennessee is assisting with arrangements.

The Town and Country Garden Club held its February meeting at River Bend Country Club with Nina Lambert and Naomi Thompson serving as hostesses. Scott Johnson, director of the Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, was the guest speaker. BCEMA is responsible for facilitating the preparation, training, response, recovery, and mitigation of man-made and natural disasters. The agency is also the local Homeland Security representative to the state and federal governments...

David Jarrett Hunt, 54, of Petersburg died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014 at his home. Memorial services will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 8 at Hillcrest Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 4 p.m.

John Edward Koehling, 47, of Shelbyville died Monday, March 3, 2014 at Heritage Medical Center. Per his request, his remains will be cremated. Arrangements will be announced by Doak-Howell Funeral Home.

Taken in the fog at the Venice rookery in Florida

Taken in Everglades NP

Often when gators bellow the vibrations makes the water on their backs shake.

Burrowing owl pair in Cape Coral, FL. There are 1000 pair of owls in the city.

Louis Smith, 75, of Shelbyville died Monday, March 3, 2014, at Select Specialty Hospital in Nashville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Lindsey Wade officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the church parlor. Feldhaus Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

Drugs and money were found in possession of a man who eluded an early morning pursuit but was found a few minutes later Monday. Leonard Allen Richardson, 31, of Huntsville, Ala. was stopped by Deputy Jimmy Rhodes on New Center Church Road after city police were ordered to stop a pursuit out South Cannon Boulevard. Richardson allegedly threw a large amount of money at his girlfriend, who was in the front passenger seat, as he was being arrested, Rhodes said; $2,416 was found in the vehicle...

Raymond L. 'Bushhog' Arnold, 78, of Shelbyville died Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at Heritage Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Ellen Hill officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Thursday.