Stories from Sunday, July 2, 2017

Most kids at 5 years old are busy playing video games, watching TV or are glued to the newest form of technological entertainment. Gage Miller is a bit different. Miller, at just 5 years old, travels throughout the state competing in various golf tournaments. But he doesn’t just compete—he’s dominating the competition...

Times-Gazette staff writer Jason Reynolds started work recently on a series of articles (the first of which is in today’s paper) looking at what day-to-day life is like for the poor here in Bedford County. While reading his work, I was reminded of an annual story, published every September, by Forbes magazine: “The Expense Of Exclusive Living: The Forbes 400’s Cost Of Living Extremely Well Index.”...

Symbols can be powerful, and there’s nothing wrong with giving them their due respect. I feel the same way anyone else does when the flag is raised or the National Anthem is played. When I was at a missions program in Grundy County a couple of weeks ago, a dear friend presented me with a wooden cross on a leather strap, and I was happy to receive it, both on its own terms and because the crosses have become a sort of tradition in that program...

Mules and donkeys are already arriving on the Celebration grounds this weekend for the 26th annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show, which runs Thursday through Saturday. “We’re about ready,” said Celebration CEO Mike Inman. The Celebration itself organizes the show, which is sanctioned by four different organizations: the North American Saddle Mule Association (NASMA), the American Gaited Mule Association (AGMA), the American Council of Spotted Asses (ACOSA) and the National Miniature Donkey Association (NMDA). ...

Tennessee’s secretary of state said “No” Friday to the Trump Administration’s data mining request for voter records. The administration’s Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity sent a letter Wednesday to election administrators in every state asking for certain data to investigate alleged fraud. ...

A suspect broke into an auto dealership and stole $3,200 in key fobs, the dealer told police. The dealer at Star Auto Sales on Madison Street reported the thefts to the Shelbyville Police Department Thursday morning. He said video surveillance showed a person entering through a garage door window and removing a panel from the door to enter the office...

The Shelby Chapter of DAR met at the Riverbend Country Club on Wednesday with 16 members, one visitor and one prospective member present. The program was delivered by Dixie Hickey from the Tullahoma Chapter of DAR. She gave a unique concept of the national flag that would have been used when the members were 5 years old. ...

What is poverty? Is poverty simply not having enough food to sustain a person? Is it adequate to have just any kind of food, or should everyone have access to healthy food?

By JASON M. REYNOLDS jreynolds@t-g.com Members of 168 families waited in line for nearly two hours Thursday morning to take home 10 tons of free food. First Baptist Church on East Depot Street organizes handouts of perishable food it buys for pennies on the dollar from Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

Mary Pitner has been involved with public education in Bedford County from every conceivable angle as an elementary school teacher in every grade K-fifth grade, an assistant principal, a principal, a Central office staff member in curriculum and student services and as the mother of two former students, Martha and Mike, who attended public schools. ...

I have always loved to read. I can get lost for a season in a good book. Some of my earliest memories were of Mom reading to my brother and sister and me. We'd all gather around Mom on the sofa or the chair and listen as she read to us from some fantasy or adventure book...

It's that time of year again -- summertime in Shelbyville, which means normal fun things like no school and summer vacations that are familiar to every American city -- and also horse shows. If you're in Shelbyville, horse shows have a subtle presence this time of year no matter what your interest level is -- regardless if you even realize it...

I've found myself in conversation with patrons a couple of times lately talking about the "comfortable" books that we both cherish. The list differs from person to person, but there are a few books that remain old friends to many of us. Sometimes, but not very often, conversations like this lead me to a new comfortable "get lost in it" reading experience. ...

The Webb School Summer Program Day Camp participants took part in many fun yet educational activities last week. They learned how to use a pottery wheel and took a completed project home at the end of the week. The class is taught by Sue Wood, Webb's pottery teacher. Other classes were Engineering Challenges, Outdoor Adventures, Inspirational Math and LEGO Robotics. To see day camp photos, visit thewebbschool.com...

Collette Ashley and Kyle Thomas, both of Shelbyville, announce their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of the Rev. Mark and Mary Jane Ashley of Shelbyville. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and works for Murfreesboro Medical Clinic...