Stories from Sunday, June 14, 2015

Shelbyville assistant fire chief and fire marshal Brian Nicholson is stepping down to accept a position at the Tennessee Fire and Codes Academy. Nicholson, who has served 16 years with Shelbyville Fire Department, will become an instructor supervisor in the codes division of the academy...

Youth from Bedford and surrounding counties gathered Friday night at the R.A.P. (Rural Arts Program) Center on Union Street, to play basketball as part of the Summer Slam event sponsored by Believers Faith Fellowship in Christiana. Summer Slam is "an outreach designed to provide a safe competitive environment for kids to play basketball during hours that are the most potential for them to get into trouble," BFF pastor Jason Scales said...

A Shelbyville man has been charged in connection with alleged incidents involving teenagers near his home. Richard Taylor Napper, 68, of Landers Street is charged with four counts of aggravated statutory rape and one count of violation of an order of protection...

Shelbyville Mayor Wallace Cartwright was elected a vice president of the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) during the League's annual conference held this week in Nashville. TML elects three vice presidents, one representing each grand division of Tennessee. Cartwright was nominated by a five-member nominating committee composed of municipal officials statewide...

Has anyone noticed lately how intolerant many have become over other people's opinions? It's getting nasty, costing people their jobs, safety, and privacy. Post something on Facebook a total stranger disagrees with, and you could have your life ruined and face plastered all over news sites and the Internet...

Monty Kapavik has been appointed as Shelbyville's new building and codes director. Kapavik is replacing codes director Michael Blanks, who is pursuing new opportunities closer to his family. He has been with the Murfreesboro codes office for 15 years and is also a part-time instructor at the Tennessee Fire and Codes Academy, city manager Jay Johnson said...

The Shelbyville Woman's Club held its June meeting at River Bend Country Club last week with president Belinda Craig presiding. The first order of business was to present this year's recipient of the Shelbyville Woman's Club Scholarship. Joan Leichner reported that there were 45 candidates for the $1,000 scholarship and that entries came from all three of the county's high schools...

"Have you ever smelled a whale's breath?" Rick Sehnert poses this question from his back porch overlooking his seemingly endless rows of blackberry and blueberry bushes. The rain has just started to quiet down to a drizzle and gives the perfect backdrop to accompany Sehnert's fishing tale...

This week the T-G caught up with local artist and mother Amy Jo Krise. If you have anyone you think would make for an interesting Sunday Conversation, email Sadie Fowler at sfowler@t-g.com. T-G: You mentioned you grew up in California? At what age did you leave and how did you end up in Bedford County?...

There's a portion of society that holds true to the values of tight-knit communities and support of local business. Tracey Burks would likely fall into this category. Standing in jeans and a purple onion colored shirt, Burks greets each customer as they arrive to pick up their selection of items, all locally produced, all under the umbrella of the Locally Grown Network...

Braising is a great technique for weekend suppers. Meats and vegetables are simmered in liquid until fall apart tender and full of flavor. It fills the house with a delicious aroma and is comfort food at its best. The Rutherford County farmers market opened earlier this month and I finally made it there to pick up some of the spring produce. Our Bedford County market isn't open quite yet, hopefully in the next week or two so watch for the opening announcement...

It's been hot a few days the past week, hot and sticky. You step outside and it feels like someone is lathering warm honey onto you with a heavy mop. On days like this, the sweet oasis, commonly referred to as a swimming pool, shimmers in the day's heat like a portal to a place full of cool, wet bliss...

It is always good to get away for a while, to take a break, to step away from the routines of life for a period of time. Some people call this a vacation, others refer to it as a holiday. Many people plan their "away-time" during the summer months. For many of us with school age children or grandchildren, we make plans to get away after school is out for the year...

A comedian walks into a bar. Ouch! He hits his funny bone on the bar. He should have watched where he was going. Did my corny joke make you roll your eyes? You're not alone. My wife constantly rolls her eyes at my jokes. Maybe that's why she's having an exam at the eye doctor at the very moment I write this column...

Musical entertainment of all kinds can be found in Tennessee much of the year, but it seems particularly prevalent during June and particularly close by. There's the Wartrace Music Festival, the CMA Music Festival, and Bonnaroo, just to mention a few...

Shelbyville Central's Golden Eaglette softball program is headed in a new direction with a newly-named head coach and assistant coach. Former assistant Samantha Dye has been named head coach while Central assistant basketball coach Amy Josephson will join the softball staff...