Stories from Sunday, August 20, 2017

Jere Matty talks to a group about stargazing Wednesday. Matty is the STEM education specialist for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex. The Shelbyville-Bedford County Public Library sponsored the event, which was held at Thomas Magnet School. (T-G Photo by Jason M. Reynolds)

Thomas Magnet School has welcomed several new educators this year.

When I first took a taste of one of my fermented pickles last month, it was a major disappointment. It had an off taste -- almost a carbonated, soda-water taste. Oh, well, I thought. Chalk it up to experience. It turns out I hadn't been patient enough. In the fridge, over time, the pickles got better and better, and one night last week, when I was looking for a snack and happened to reach into the pickle jar, I was surprised at how much better the pickles had gotten...

I woke up this morning to a pair of little eyes looking at me over the edge of my bed. Jojo, my youngest granddaughter, was standing there, her stuffed grey wolf cuddled in her arms, with a pleading look on her face. "Papa," she whimpered, "can I lay down with you?"...

Glen Campbell passed away earlier this month. In my mind he wasn't 81 years old and he just shouldn't be gone. He was one of those performers that I latched onto as a teen beginning to think music and movies were about the most important things in the world (except getting to date and a first real kiss). ...

Ryan and Ashlee Jolley of Shelbyville announce the birth of a daughter, Harlee Mae Jolley, on June 22 at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital. She is the granddaughter of Larry and Cathy Molder, Steve and Andea Jolley, and John and Beth Mucher, all of Shelbyville. She is the great-granddaughter of Elmer and Betty Jolley, and Bill Sadler, all of Shelbyville...

Nashville's Bennett Galleries will display "Peter Max Retrospective -- The Collected Works 1960-2017," a newly curated collection of his works ever assembled, and spans decades of celebrity portraiture and pop influence. The work will be exhibited Sept. 16-24. Gallery receptions will be Saturday, Sept. 23 from 6-8 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 24 from 2-4 p.m. Bennett Galleries is at 2104 Crestmoor Road next to The Mall at Green Hills. Admission is free...

Brandy Dawn Sudberry of Wartrace and Joshua Ryan Nichols were united in marriage on the evening of July 7 in a barn wedding in Wartrace. The bride is the daughter of Mildred and Dudley Floyd of Wartrace and the late Ricky Sudberry of Wartrace. She is the granddaughter of Martha Baldauff of Shelbyville, the late Rufus Sudberry, Jean Knox and Horace Ward...

I visited my Confederate ancestors this week, sort of. It was peaceful in Willow Mount Cemetery under the large monument honoring fallen Confederate soldiers, complete with illegible inscriptions on each side and a Confederate flag hanging limply overhead. No protestors, no Trump, just a soft summer Southern breeze and a few city workers in the distance clearing broken tree branches. And one woman, driving in my direction on Willow Mount’s narrow paths...

CORNERSVILLE – An emotional and unsettling week culminated in a tough night on the football field as the Community Vikings fell to the Cornersville Bulldogs 55-14 in the season opener Friday night. The Bulldogs capitalized on some great field position early to take a big lead, and the Vikings could not rebound from their deficit...

The first 40 seconds of Cascade’s 2017 season are 40 seconds coach Jake Tyre would like to forget. The remaining 47 minutes and 20 seconds were played pretty well, according to Tyre, despite dropping the 2017 opener to visiting Moore County, 20-7. “If you take away the first 40 seconds of the game and we’ll be alright. Take away that, and finish drives,” Tyre said...

L.R. Smith, with 40 years as a history teacher at The Webb School, was recognized by The Webb School Parents’ Association with the 2017 WSPA Faculty Enrichment Award. Amy Norris, WSPA co-president, presented the award at the opening of school recognition dinner on Aug. 9...

Shots from a BB gun damaged property at several locations in the Shelbyville area Thursday, police said. One BB shattered the rear window of a vehicle at a Horse Mountain Road home overnight Wednesday, Another BB shattered a door at a Green Lane home Thursday night. A resident heard a “pop” and noticed the front door window shattered. Police were searching at the time for a man seen shooting a BB gun from the window of a black four-door car...

Monday’s coast-to-coast solar eclipse is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime event — but it’s at the mercy of the elements, and — apparently — eclipse glass manufacturers. As everyone reading this story already knows, on Monday, a solar eclipse will be visible everywhere in North America. ...