Stories from Thursday, December 18, 2014

Three Cascade High School students were found smoking marijuana behind the football fieldhouse Tuesday. A school official smelled smoke and found the boys hiding beside air conditioning units, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said. A pipe and bag containing a small amount of marijuana were found...

James C. Winnette, 91, of Shelbyville died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with Jeff Rasnick officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will follow at Old Orchard Cemetery in Petersburg. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m.

Bedford County officials had positive comments regarding the governor's selection of a state education commissioner. Gov. Bill Haslam announced the appointment Tuesday of Dr. Candice McQueen, a teacher and dean at Lipscomb University in Nashville, as commissioner of the Department of Education. She replaces the embattled Kevin Huffman, who resigned last month...

State Rep. Pat Marsh said on Tuesday that there are no plans to do away with the state-funded property tax relief program. Bedford County Trustee Tonya Davis had discussed her concerns about the program during a report to Bedford County Board of Commissioners earlier this month. The Times-Gazette incorrectly reported that those concerns had to do with the 2014-2015 fiscal year, when actually they were about future fiscal years...

Two Shelbyville Central High seniors had the opportunity recently to travel out West and network with their peers from around the country. Amanda Jones and Clorissa Campbell attended the LEAD Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico last month. They made the trip on behalf of the school's National Honor Society. The society's adviser, Claudia House, also attended...

A new project, funded by a homeland security grant, will place video cameras at the railroad crossing in Wartrace so that emergency dispatchers will know as soon as possible when the railroad tracks there are blocked. Bedford County Emergency Management Agency director Scott Johnson reported on the project during Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners' law enforcement committee...

A former Marshall County paramedic has been charged with stealing drugs stored on ambulances. At the request of 17th District Attorney General Robert Carter, TBI agents began investigating Scott Smith, 38, of Belfast, a former employee of Marshall County Emergency Medical Service, on Nov. 19. A Marshall County grand jury charged Smith with one count of theft and one count of official misconduct Wednesday...

Bell Buckle will wraps up its "Old Fashioned Christmas" this Saturday. The celebration is sponsored by the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce. It will include sleigh rides with Santa between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday and complimentary items served by several of the town's merchants...

Former teacher Myrna Cobb stopped by her grandson's classroom at Thomas Magnet School to share a special Christmas story with Lee Ann Butts' first graders. (Submitted photo)

Jennifer Jordan (right) buys a ham from Benita Caldwell, director for development of The Center for Family Development. The hams, which cost $35, benefit the center's mission of serving at-need children and families. To buy a ham, simply stop by the center's office on the square. Or, call the center at 931-684-4676. (T-G Photo by Jason Reynolds)

With the Christmas holiday approaching, the Shelbyville Central Golden Eaglettes are having a little fun in the sun on the beach. The Eaglettes are playing in the Crescom Bank Holiday Invitational basketball tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina...