Stories from Thursday, March 30, 2017

The Motlow College Foundation will host its annual Faculty Excellence Awards ceremony on Thursday, April 13, at 3 p.m. on the Moore County campus in the Clayton-Glass Library Events Area. The ceremony will recognize the accomplishments of Motlow State Community College faculty during the 2016-17 academic year...

A group of youths from First Presbyterian and Edgemont Baptist churches got together on March 19 to assemble 95 boxes of food. These boxes contain fully cooked and easy to open foods for distribution to some of those that depend on the school for their only meals. ...

A Civil War symposium was held Saturday at Bell Buckle Banquet Hall, sponsored by Tennessee’s Backroads Heritage. Historian Ed Bearss, right, was the keynote speaker; Bearss was one of the on-camera interviews for Ken Burns’ documentary “The Civil War.” Sgt. Maj. (E-9) (Retired) Larry E. Williams is seen here presenting Bearss with a challenge coin. Other speakers included David Curry of Encore Interpretive; Carole Stanford Bucy of Volunteer State Community College; Vince Armstrong of both Middle Tennessee State University and Motlow State Community College; Shirley Farris Jones; and Thomas Cartwright of the Carter House. (Submitted photo)

Junior's House Inc., a child advocacy and protection center which is based in Lincoln County with a satellite office in Shelbyville, will observe Child Abuse Protection Month with a ceremony 1 p.m. April 7 on the lawn of Bedford County Courthouse. Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray and Shelbyville Mayor Wallace Cartwright are scheduled to participate, and the public is invited. A pinwheel garden will be set up on the grounds as a tool for awareness of child abuse...

"April Foolishness," a variety show in dinner theater format featuring a variety of local talent, will be presented Saturday at The Fly Arts Center on South Main Street. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with the show to begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15. Reservations are required for a table of eight at 931-684-8359...

April Fools' Day falls on Saturday this year. The Times-Gazette doesn't publish on Saturday, and so I won't get to do my annual April Fools' Day story this year. It just wouldn't work on Friday, the 31st, or Sunday, the 2nd. I toyed with doing an online-only story, which would show up on the website on Saturday and disappear, like Cinderella's carriage, at the stroke of midnight. ...

A Shelbyville man was surprised to receive a phone call from a collection agency telling him he owed $2,800 on a cellular phone account he didn't open in North Carolina. The victim's Social Security number had been used to open the account, Shelbyville police were told Tuesday...

"It was overwhelming at first," Detective Lt. Jason Kennedy of the Bedford County Sheriff's Office said of his time at the FBI National Academy. Kennedy, who now boasts an Academy diploma among his career achievements, says he hopes to bring lessons he learned in leadership into his work at the BCSO...

In Rep. Scott DesJarlais' district, some residents are cheering the demise of the revised national health care law bitterly opposed by the House Freedom Caucus, of which DesJarlais is a member. Registered nurse Lauren Collins said she still supports President Donald Trump but was disappointed to see him backing a health plan that made big cuts to Medicaid, the program that provides health insurance for the poor and the disabled...

The generosity of strangers has touched several lives in Bedford County. Veteran John Neeley is battling squamous cell carcinoma and Parkinson's Disease. Although Medicare and Tricare are covering all their medical expenses, the family has struggled with other expenses, John's wife Rusty said...

TULLAHOMA — Sophomore Taylor Sanders provided the offense while senior Kendall Durard handled the Tullahoma hitters in the Eaglettes’ 3-1 District 8-AAA win on Wednesday night. Sanders ripped a two-run single and added a solo home run over the right-center fence to account for all three Eaglette runs with three RBI’s...

UNIONVILLE — The Community Vikings saw an 8-0 lead evaporate, but were able to get up off the deck and come from behind for a 13-9 victory over the Huntland Hornets in a District 9-A contest Wednesday night. Robby Gray was 4-of-4 at the plate with a walk and was the winning pitcher for the Vikings...

Marjorie Ann Janis, 75, of Tullahoma died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at her home after an extended illness. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday at Fosterville Church of Christ, Jeff Adcock officiating. Burial will follow at Fosterville Cemetery. Visitation will begin at noon. Hillcrest Funeral Home is handling arrangements.