Stories from Sunday, April 20, 2014

Friends and family celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sam and Patricia Parker. (Submitted photo)

I imagine most people reading this have heard of the plane that went missing somewhere in the Indian Ocean. If you haven't, Malaysian Airlines flight 370 was a scheduled flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing that lost contact with air traffic control on March 8, less than an hour after takeoff. There were 277 passengers and 12 crewmembers aboard. As of my writing this, the plane has not been found...

A preacher told the story of one sleepy Sunday afternoon when his son was 5 years old and they drove past a cemetery together. The little boy noticed a large pile of dirt beside a newly dug grave. He pointed and said, "Daddy, look! One got out!" The preacher had to chuckle at his son's reaction, but he said, "Now every time I drive by a cemetery I think of the One who got out, the Resurrected Christ."...

Happy Easter to everyone! I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend. The library was "hopping" with all sorts of activities last week. Thanks to our Book Chat Volunteers: Barbara Lamb, Monty Thomas, Al Simmons, Carolyn Smotherman, Taylor Beth Cook, Shelby Johnson, and Randa Prater, who gave their time on Monday evening. ...

A graduate of Shelbyville Central High School, the U.S. Naval Academy and National War College, Brent Canady recently spoke to members of the Shelbyville Woman's Club. Their meeting is held monthly at the Riverbend Country Club. Canady retired from the United States Navy after a 30-year career serving primarily as a helicopter pilot deploying on aircraft carriers...

April is National Donate Life Month, and one Shelbyville family is trying to get the word out about the life-saving benefits of organ donation. David and Donna Orr have drawn a lot of attention to organ donation over the last few years. Orr received a double lung transplant in 2006...

Leadership Bedford Class of 2014 completed the second session of its Workforce Readiness Class that it taught at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Shelbyville. Receiving certificates of completion were Jamie Carpenter, James Thomas, Adrian Harvey, Janet Smith, Courtney Dixon, Joyce James and Sara Basern...

The following conversation reflects a Q&A interview with Gene Williams and the Times-Gazette. Williams, an avid local volunteer, is If you have someone you would like to nominate for Sunday Conversation please contact editor Sadie Fowler at sfowler@t-g.com...

Christian Care Center of Bedford County, Union Street, is now in the midst of an eight-month renovation program that will eventually renovate every single patient room, as well as the front entrance and the activity room / dining area. Warning tape went up around the nursing home earlier this month, and visitors were directed to use the side entrance, near the gazebo, while the front entrance is being worked on...

Summer's coming. A fly told me. It didn't have to speak. He buzzed through and stopped by my computer screen for a moment. It was the first fly I've seen since last fall. Was it a he or a she? Ever thought about the fact you can't easily tell the gender of a fly? Actually. the female's 25 perccent larger and the male's abdomen is striped differently...

Dear editor, We want to take this opportunity to thank the numerous businesses, family, friends and the community of Shelbyville for the outpouring of support to make the recent benefit for Shonta' Whorley Lamb a huge success. Some donated food or auction items or helped with supplies. ...

I love the competition in college sports. My two daughters played Division I sports for four years each. While most NCAA teams truly represent college athletics, there are two in particular (football and basketball) that are more powerful than all the other sports combined...

We are finishing up the 108th Legislative Session this week. That means that we are through with session for the year. ...

Pizza Hut sponsored a pizza party for Boys & Girls Club members who made the A/B Honor Roll on their most recent report cards. Each child received a personal pan pizza for his or her achievement. Seen here are Laila Redman, Makia Woodard, Janeth Hernandez, Brianna LaBo, Tyler Moss, Logan Gunn, Camron Powell, Brandon Overstreet, Jayden Cooper, Caleb Marsh, Mikyla Lyons, Samora Brown and Mia Velasquez. Not pictured: Makaylee Ferrell, Dylan Marchi, Shane Nowlin, Mikalah Sims, Stephen Sims, Eve Speirs and James Turrentine. (Submitted photo)

MT. PLEASANT -- On Friday afternoon, the Community Viqueens split a non-district doubleheader at Mt. Pleasant. The Lady Tigers plated five runs in the first game, driving in two in the second and three in the third on seven hits. Community made a run at the home team in the top of the fourth inning after Aliyah Segroves led off the inning with a base hit. Short stop Sarah Pierce followed with a single, before Melissa Lambert hammered out the inning's final hit...

Shelbyville Central's Golden Eagles picked up another quality win with a come-from-behind 6-3 victory at Blackman on Friday evening. Trailing 2-1 going into the top of the seventh inning, the Eagles scored five runs to go up 6-2. Senior Tommy Canonico blasted a three-run double to provide the bulk of the damage...

Austin Cagle has had a busy week. The junior righty gave Community a solid effort on the bump on Friday afternoon and earned a big win for the Vikings. Community keyed off Cagle's efforts and knocked off Watertown 5-3 in the Walking Horse Classic on Friday...

When news broke that Coach Kenny Parker was stepping down from head coaching responsibilities, the Cascade High School administration began a search that spanned 27 applicants from both in and out of state. But in the end, the Champion administration needed to look no farther than their own back yard...

Local and state educators are making a special effort to promote the development of young children. The state has asked school districts to beef up their pre-K and kindergarten outreach efforts, and Bedford County is responding, said Betty Farrar, the county's pre-K coordinator...

Kids turned out at Woodfork Chapel AME Church for a community Easter egg hunt Saturday, with one golden egg containing cash. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely)

It's all about finding the eggs, as these hunters get a few points from Mom at Glen Oaks Convalescent Center on Friday. See more photos of weekend activities in Tuesday's T-G. (T-G Photo by David Melson)

Logan, Issac & Christopher

The Rev. Kent Lewis of Christ Lutheran Church was scanning the crowd at Friday's interdenominational Stations of the Cross event for someone to give one of the readings in English. He found a distinguished-looking white-haired stranger and asked if he would mind participating...