Stories from Friday, December 29, 2017

The fun part of journalism is knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life. Occasionally I am privileged to see this happen. Journalism can be tedious at times — such as sitting in hours-long meetings — and confrontational at times. The rewarding times are when you help someone or some charity...

Arnold Air Force Base team members gave a merry Christmas to 143 area children. Toys and clothing were collected through the annual Arnold AFB Angel Tree program. The gifts went to children in Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry and Wayne counties...

Members of the Columbia State Community College Student Government Association and the President's Leadership Society attended the 48th General Assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature recently at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville...

Fly Community Theatre will hold auditions for the play "Arsenic and Old Lace," by Joseph Kesselring, 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Fly Arts Center, 204 South Main Street. The comedy, which was adapted into a popular movie starring Cary Grant, centers around Mortimer Brewster, a long-time bachelor on the precipice of marriage. ...

PORTLAND, Maine -- Dangerously cold temperatures and significant snowfall are setting in across half the country and officials are urging people to assist the homeless and elderly. Forecasters warned people to be wary of hypothermia and frostbite from the arctic blast that's gripping a large swath from the Midwest to the Northeast, where the temperature, without the wind chill factored in, dipped to minus 32 Thursday morning in Watertown, New York. ...

LAFAYETTE — After defeating Smith County in the first day of the Macon County Holiday Classic, the Webb School hoped for more success in the second day of play in the tournament. Despite placing three players in double figures and competing against Livingston Academy to the wire, the Feet came up on the short end of a 76-70 decision...

LYNNVILLE — The Community Vikings were tied with the Fayetteville City Tigers after three quarters, but the fourth quarter was the downfall for the Vikings as the Tigers took a 60-49 win in the Richland Classic Thursday morning. Community (5-7) got off slow in the 9 a.m. start as Fayetteville City jumped out to a 13-6 lead after one quarter...

Ongoing problems with Bedford County jail, and ongoing controversies within the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, take up the second and third spots on the Times-Gazette's annual countdown of the top 10 news stories of the year, as selected by a panel of T-G staffers...

SUMMERTOWN – A 13-day layoff between games did not phase the Community Viqueens Thursday in the Summertown Classic as the Viqueens beat the Wayne County Lady Wildcats 58-19. A.K. Lemmons scored 10 points in the first quarter as Community (6-6) found plenty of success on the inside. The Viqueens ended the quarter with a 15-4 lead...

MURFREESBORO – Early foul trouble proved costly to Shelbyville Central in the Eaglettes 46-42 loss to Owensboro Catholic in the State Farm Classic hosted by Riverdale on Thursday afternoon. “It was a tough start with turnovers and early foul trouble, which led to the halftime deficit,” Central coach Jessica Southern said...

RICHLAND — The Cascade Lady Champions had three players in double figures and appeared to finally have the offensive wheels moving in the right direction. What Cascade couldn’t account for was Richland’s dynamic duo of Jesse Jennings and Riley Neely, who combined for 44 points in a 54-48 win over the Lady Champions...

RICHLAND — Steele Carter was a wrecking force in the paint on Thursday night. The Cascade big man scored 19 points and led the Champions to a thrilling 55-53 win over tournament host Richland after trailing 28-20 at the half. Carter helped guide the Champs early in the contest, scoring all eight of Cascade’s points in the first quarter...