Stories from Thursday, August 20, 2015

The fifth annual Chili Pepper River Float and Barbecue will be Saturday. Bring labeled kayaks, tubes, floats and chairs to 105 Patton Drive (Bennie & Toot's). Check-in at 1 p.m. Load floats and kayaks from 1-2. Hay wagons leave at 2. Organizers furnish transport to float. $15 donation supports Shelbyville-Bedford County Humane Association. For more information, call Bennie Carter at 205-0124 or Tooter Fulton at 639-0457. Entertainment by Kross Town band. The rain out date is Sunday...

Army National Guard Pvt. Randal D. Farrar has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina. During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.. ...

Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter Clinic is hosting Puppy Plunge dog-swimming lessons on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Shelbyville Recreation Center's outdoor pool. Cost is $10 per dog per session. There are two sessions: 9-10 a.m., small dogs under 25 pounds, and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., large dogs over 25 pounds...

The Tennessee Historical Commission and Tennessee Wars Commission are requesting applications for projects to protect Civil War and Underground Railroad sites in Tennessee. The grants are funded through the Tennessee Civil War Sites Preservation Act, established in 2013...

What's on your mind? I asked that question of some folks Wednesday at a local diner. Joe Paul and Louise Moore were grabbing lunch after seeing to the feeding of high school athletes. They were returning from a run to the store to buy food to fix box dinners for Shelbyville Central High School's football team...

The first-ever volleyball game played at Shelbyville Central will take place tonight when the Eaglettes entertain Lawrence County in a District 8-AAA match. Varsity will start at 6 with the junior varsity beginning at 5. The Eaglettes opened the season with a road loss at Coffee County on Monday...

One year ago, Coach Chris Grooms of the Community Vikings inherited his team a month before the start of the football season. Without much preparation, the Vikings went through some growing pains during Grooms' first season at the helm. But with a year under his belt, and a major off-season conditioning program, Grooms and the Vikings are expecting bigger things as they get ready for their 2015 opener Friday night at home against Cannon County...

Scam investigations kept Bedford County deputies busy Tuesday. l A man attempting to purchase bodybuilding equipment from a man on Facebook sent $130, then was told he'd have to send $300 more to Western Union to release holds they had on the items...

A charity kayak float this weekend promises to deliver more fun than you can shake an oar at. The fifth annual Chili Pepper River Float and Barbecue will be Saturday. Bring your kayak, organizer Bennie Carter said. However, the water will be too cold for tubes or floats, she said...

As serious as the emotional pain is for the mother of four children severely injured in an accident earlier this week, C.C. Andrews finds comfort in the support she's receiving from friends and neighbors. "We've learned what the word 'community' means," Andrews said. Her sons -- Alex Arroyo, 18, Jacob Andrews, 12, Joshua Andrews, 9, and Jackson Andrews, 6 -- all face a long road to recovery after the accident late Sunday afternoon on Midland Road in southern Rutherford County...

Rain this week may be slowing the digging process, but work has finally begun on uncovering two sections of Shelbyville's underground flume system for replacement next week, and to also learn the cause. Public works director Mark Clanton said work had to be halted Monday due to heavy rain, but added that crews will be working pretty much around the clock to have access ready for engineers who are coming in from Comtech...

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais discussed issues ranging from the Iran nuclear deal to the Tennessee Walking Horse industry during a public appearance Wednesday afternoon in Shelbyville. DesJarlais said he's tried to be "a neutral moderator" between the horse industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in meetings USDA claimed it was interested in fair, objective screenings...

Ophia Mae Turner, 92, of Woodbury died Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in Riverside Gardens with John Hembree officiating. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Woodbury Funeral Home.

There's nothing like a good rivalry to begin the season. On Friday night, the Cascade Champions will open the 2015 schedule with a home rendition of the long-time rivalry against Moore County. Though it doesn't carry district implications of years past, both teams are still playing for plenty of early momentum in the schedule...

Olis Kenneth Buchanan, 70, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 at Stokers Lane Church of God Sanctified in Nashville. Viewing will be from noon-6 p.m. Friday at Terrell Broady Funeral Home in Nashville and visitation from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at the church.

C. Loren Hobbs Sr., 87, of Shelbyville died Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015 at the V.A. Medical Center in Murfreesboro. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at Hillcrest Funeral Home with the Rev. Glenn Forsee officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m.