Stories from Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Every child deserves a safe place to stay. Social workers helping children experiencing traumatic family crises often have trouble finding a "short-term" home for them to stay while working to preserve the family. That's where non-profit agencies like Homes of Hope step in...

I'm cold. So cold I can't feel anything. I can't move. It's dark. I'm scared. Is he still here? I can't seem to think straight. What happened? My head hurts. I -- I can't remember. My eyes are closed. So cold, too cold to open them. But I'm cold. Really cold. Where are my parents? It's a school day. I'm sleeping too late. Too cold. I can't move my head. What is that sound? Chattering noises fill my head...

She didn't want to confess to her grandchildren that her house was haunted, but things were starting to get out of control. Just last week the kids were sleeping over, all bundled up in a pillow fort as high as the living room ceiling. They're all laughing and having fun until they all heard a hardnosed cackle from outside the living room window, and then the fort split in two from the top down...

My name is Ultear. I'm 14 years old, I have blonde hair, and turquoise eyes. I was normal until last year; that's when everything changed. I noticed that something was happening to my vision. I started to see things, but only for a split second. When this Change happens I see people turn into these pale human-like figures who have one red eye and one normal eye. The red eye usually has cracks around the edges like it's about to break open...

I remember one day of my life that was the scariest experience ever. Many years ago, I was with my friend in the woods one night. We were taking a shortcut from my house to his house. He said, "Here lets go this way." I screamed at him so loud that the crows flew off of the trees. I told him he could never go that way, and he asked why. So I told him about the story of Grim's Peak...

It's that spooky time of year again, and Shelbyville's Parks & Recreation Department is getting H.V. Griffin Park prepared for the crowds who want to tour the Haunted Woods. This Friday and Saturday, starting at 7 p.m., folks will be loaded onto a hay wagon -- taking a ride over to the new property next to the park that will eventually become part of the complex...

The baby has grown -- considerably. Back in April, I shared that the Mosely household had a new addition, a mixed pup we named Bruiser. Six months later, the beast is totally living up to his namesake. He's been snipped, chipped and has all of his shots and paperwork...

Each year, the church I attend has a pumpkin-carving event for the kids in connection with a chili supper and/or "trunk or treat" night. I don't do much Halloween decorating at my apartment, so the most I'd probably ever carve is a single pumpkin. But at the big event at church I show up with a big plastic storage container and mooch seeds off of anyone who doesn't want them. ...

The hunter walked through the brisk, dark, autumn night. He tried to avoid making sound as he walked through the nightmarish forest. He held his crossbow firmly, ready to launch the bolt at the monsters of the night. He wore his dagger at the waist, in case the bolt failed to pierce the target...

He only comes one time a year, one night, with one purpose. He comes to warn you. "Come on, Cassie, we're going to be late! The teller waits for none," my little sister Marney yelled. "I'm almost done," I said as I finished lacing up my boots. I smoothed out my skirts as I stood. "Besides, it doesn't matter if we're late. It'll probably be the same stories as last year."...

Bella Todd had a wonderful life. She was president of the debate team and a great soccer player. She had a wonderful family and lots of friends. Bella had two brothers who were always teasing her. One night, after fighting with her brothers, Bella went for a walk in Conte's Woods. She was walking along the river when someone pushed her into the water, and she drowned. The police believed it was an accident and closed the case. Nobody gave the accident a second thought...

The Times-Gazette thanks all of those who entered our annual ghost story and spooky drawing contests, and we'd like to congratulate our winners: Eli Nave, 11, of Shelbyville, a student at Southside School, won our "spooky drawing" contest with a drawing of the faceless Internet meme "The Slender Man."...

Bookkeeping Express and KAM Environmental Services held a joint Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting for their new offices at 210 S. Main St., next to the Fly Arts Center. (T-G Photo by Jason Reynolds)

Umair Haque, a consultant and author who contributes to the Harvard Business Review, has some harsh words for social media in a blog post titled "Why Twitter's Dying (And What You Can Learn From It)": "The problem of abuse is the greatest challenge the web faces today. ...

Town and Country FCE Club met Oct. 12 at Cannon United Methodist Church, with President Janet Boyce presiding and seven members present. Meagan Talley was also in attendance, the guest of her grandmother, Catherine. Boyce called the meeting to order, and presented the month's healthy habit. Jean Stimpson gave the devotion. Secretary Jane Lile read the minutes of the September meeting and then took roll call and recorded volunteer hours...

It's that time of year again. No matter what time of the day or night you travel over the next month or so, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for deer. It's mating season for the animals, and while they look cute when spotted from far away, this is the time of year when you and your car might get up close and personal with Bambi -- causing damage or even worse...

Christian rock band Carrollton is making tracks with its second album, "Sunlight and Shadows," which released in mid-September. The album reached No. 9 earlier this month on the iTunes Christian Albums Chart. I spoke recently with Justin Mosteller, the band's lead vocalist and a guitarist, about the album. ...

A local publisher has a new children's book that is sure to delight all ages. Sword of the Lord Publishers is just up the road in Murfreesboro. One of their newest titles is "Jed Cartwright and the Comanche Raiders," written by Ed Dunlop. In the book, Jed and his sister Mandy are kidnapped in St. ...

A native of Bedford County who is a lawyer and insurance lobbyist has written a book on disaster preparedness. Paul T. Martin, who grew up in the Deason area, has written "Pivot Points: Creating a Culture of Preparedness and Resiliency in America." The author shares two personal experiences in his book to advocate for personal and national preparedness. ...

CHAPEL HILL -- It took two big quarters, but the Liberty Patriots were able to scratch together their third win of the year on Tuesday night, beating Forrest Middle 55-51 on the road. Keon Johnson spearheaded another stellar offensive night for the Patriots...

UNIONVILLE -- The Community Middle Vikings used a barrage of three-pointers, with four coming from Alex Mitchell, to defeat the Cascade Champions 38-30 Tuesday night in a battle of unbeaten teams. The Vikings jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead before the Champions, with the help of a trey from Brandon Heath, went on a 6-0 run to take an 8-7 lead, which would be their only lead of the night...

UNIONVILLE -- The Community Middle Viqueens outscored the Cascade Lady Champions by small margins in three of the four quarters enroute to a 32-25 victory in an intra-county basketball game Tuesday night. Both teams started out slowly in the first quarter. The Lady Champions took a 4-3 lead, which would be their only lead of the night, before the Viqueens ended with a 6-4 advantage at the conclusion of the period...

MURFREESBORO -- Shelbyville Central had an excellent game plan in its Region 4-AAA matchup at Oakland on Tuesday evening. Playing without All-District center-back Alex Ragan, who was out with a knee injury suffered in the district championship game last week, the Eaglettes played a low-line of confrontation on defense, allowing Oakland (14-3-1) to bring the ball to the defense while the defense stayed compact, not allowing any breakaway shots...

Jamie Harrington of Christiana has joined the Shelbyville office of First National Bank of Middle Tennessee as an assistant vice president and loan officer, Brian Wilcox, executive vice president for the bank, announced. Harrington will be serving the Bedford County area and Rutherford County, working from the Murfreesboro office at 1708 Gateway Boulevard and the FNB Mortgage office at 635 North Main Street in Shelbyville...

For about 20 years now, Bedford County's 4-H program has used an annual walking horse show as its primary fund-raiser. According to 4-H agent Jeffrey Hester, it takes $14,000 a year to run the 4-H program, which provides education and fun for local school children...

With an industrial park now in the works on the north side of Shelbyville, city officials attended a conference in Nashville last week for tips. Last week, members of the city council attended the annual Governor's Economic Development Conference in Nashville...

Shelbyville's planning commission will be looking at a final plat and site plan for a new commercial building on North Main Street this week. The commission will examine the possible approval of a three-lot combination plat for 1735 N, Main -- revising a final plat of lot 1 of Northside Park, section 4, combining it into one parcel...

A Bedford County Jail inmate has filed an amended federal suit claiming that his medical needs are not being addressed. Sedrick Darion Mitchell, 37, of Landers Street filed suit in June against the Bedford County Sheriff's Office, Dr. Kenneth Mathews, Capt. Jerry Sircy, and Sheriff Austin Swing...

Run for fun, run for fitness, run for cancer patients during the Veterans Day 5K race. Bedford Cancer Foundation will hold its annual Veterans Day 5K race around 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, just prior to the start of the Veterans Day Parade. The race is being dedicated in honor of the late Jim Allison...

State apiarist Mike Studer, Tennessee Department of Agriculture's designated expert on bees and beekeeping, stressed the importance of bees during a keynote address to the Tennessee's Backroads Heritage fall banquet Tuesday night in Bell Buckle. Honeybees produce honey, of course, but if you think that's the only item in your kitchen dependent on bees, you're wrong...

Bedford County's newest school board member is now an ex-member. Tammie Patterson vacated her chair on the Bedford County Board of Education as of last Thursday, Chairwoman Amy Martin announced Tuesday night at the board's monthly meeting. Patterson wrote a letter saying she "deeply regretted" that she did not have the time to commit to the board...

Gordon Comstock, 86, of Chapel Hill died Tuesday evening, Oct. 20, 2015 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Lawrence Funeral home in Chapel Hill with the Rev. Dan Reed officiating. Burial will follow at Simpson Cemetery in Rover. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday.

Robert Lewis Gant, 74, of Manchester died Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at Life Care Center in Tullahoma. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Manchester Funeral Home with Paul Elam officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation will begin at noon.

A new restaurant in Shelbyville, Urban Plantation, located in Merchants Walk on North Main Street, is now open. The restaurant is in the former Our House Too/ Charleston On Main space. It will be open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. until after Nov. 9, then it will open Tuesday-Saturday 6 a.m.-2 p.m. serving breakfast till 10:30...