Stories from Sunday, December 28, 2014

I had the privilege of playing Santa Claus at the Times-Gazette this year. It was a delightful experience helping to add some Christmas cheer to some young children's day. The Photos-with-Santa event was set up as a fundraiser for the T-G's Relay For Life team to raise money for the American Cancer Society...

I've been reading this book called "The War of Art." The book is about overcoming this force in nature called "resistance." It isn't some new age, psycho-babble about negative energies and all that, but it is about that "thing" that tries to stop us from fulfilling our innermost creative whims and desires. This author just happens to call that force resistance...

What started on a Friday, the first part of this past January, as a simple cold, ended up being one of the toughest battles of Deneen Harville's life. The day had started just like any other. Harville went to work and about her normal daily duties. Then, a fellow employee noticed that Harville appeared a little flushed...

This week the T-G caught up with local businessman, Michael Lynn. If you would like to nominate someone for Sunday Conversation, please email Sadie Fowler at sfowler@t-g.com. T-G: Tell us a little about yourself. What are your hobbies and interests?...

A native of Shelbyville has written a memoir that details her near-death experience that happened 23 years ago this week. Suzanne Coffey Mielke is the author of "Providence Road: A woman's search for purpose after a near death experience." She grew up in Shelbyville but has lived out of state for years. However, many members of her family continue to live in Shelbyville, a community that she said rallied around her family at the time...

Friday night marked the first official event at Voice and Vision's new building on Union Street. Numerous people showed up for the performances which included dancing, live music and paint. Julius Hill, co-founder of Voice and Vision, was pleased with the turnout and said he looks forward to future events that the building will host...

With the NFL regular season coming to a close and the Tennessee Titans with a chance to finish as the worst team in the league, what does the franchise do now? That's a question that so many people have but no one has an answer....at least for now. Entering the game with the Jacksonville Jaguars today, the Titans are 2-13 and have lost nine straight games...

Shelbyville's city council will "keep the ball rolling" with the proposed commerce business park, considering a number of related items this week. City manager Jay Johnson noted by moving forward, when the time is appropriate, the city will be ready to make some final decisions on the park...

First Church of the Nazarene has signed a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement and emergency services to serve as a "warming shelter" on single-digit-temperature nights. The church won't function like a traditional homeless shelter, but will simply provide refuge from the cold for people living on the streets. It may also be available in the opposite situation, when daytime temperatures climb into the triple digits during the summer...

Sometimes those perfect photographic moments make a powerful impact. The family of 21-month-old Cloey Marston entered their photo of her reaction to meeting Santa Claus in the Adorable Christmas Kids contest, sponsored by the Times-Gazette and Lowery Jewelers...

A new library and a new sheriff are the next two items on our annual countdown of the year's top local stories. 8) New library construction underway (28 points) Groundbreaking was held on May 27 for a new Shelbyville & Bedford County public library on Jefferson Street, with Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam as a special guest...