Stories from Sunday, May 13, 2018

Shelbyville was once home to four pencil manufacturers — now there is only one, Musgrave Pencil Company. But there are also Shelbyville Pencil Company and National Pen Corp., which imprint messages and logos on writing instruments and other promotional products...

A photo of Kelsey Thompson with her daughter Bexley Shang Littlejohn was selected by the Times-Gazette staff as the winner of our “Mommy & Me” photo contest, earning Thompson (who submitted the photo) a night at the Gaylord Opryland Resort plus $100 cash...

The Shelbyville/Bedford County Joint Economic and Community Development Board heard Friday from a consultant that it’s time to revise the county’s growth plan. Sam Edwards, who helps to train planning commissions, spoke to the board during a meeting on Friday...

For many Tennesseans the pain and financial loss of the 2008 recession has faded. The state’s unemployment rate is the lowest in the Southeast United States, 3.4 percent in March. Household income and the state’s Gross Domestic Product are at their highest points, and Tennessee continues to attract “high quality” jobs. (“High quality” jobs are those that pay higher than the county median wage.)...

Like most of America, Tennessee’s metropolitan areas have prospered during the last eight years, while the rural areas have lagged in almost every measure. The state has 19 of its 95 counties classified as “distressed.” What can and should we do to give every Tennessean a chance to succeed?...

The majority of Bedford County has picked up an inch or less of rain in the past week and it has been unseasonably hot for May with temperatures in the 80s and flirting with 90 on some days. This hot weather pattern is going to stick around through Mother’s Day and Monday but then changes are coming. ...

Oxycodone and acetaminophen were stolen from a home on West Lane Street home, a resident told police Thursday. The prescription medication is kept in a cabinet and a home health service’s representatives visit frequently, police were told. Two drills and a gear wrench set were stolen from a pickup at a home on South Cannon Boulevard, the victim told police Thursday...

For several years, Karla Pena has been a fixture on the mound for the Community Viqueen softball program. Pena will have the opportunity to ply her craft on the next level after recently signing a letter of intent to play softball at Martin Methodist College...

The Buddy Overcast Skate Park has been new and improved at H.V. Griffin Park. Through a newly-approved grant, the sharp new look has sure brought a lot of buzz to the area....

The annual Shining Stars event serves two purposes -- it's a fundraiser, generating money to be used to assist individuals with special needs, but it's also, first and foremost, a chance to celebrate those with special needs, to cheer them, to remind them that they have special assets as well...

Cameron Williams of Shelbyville and Trent Sutton of Wartrace have announced their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of Shannon and Duane Clark and Brent and Wendy Williams, all of Shelbyville. She is the granddaughter of Janice Williams and Tom and Elaine Sellwood, all of Shelbyville...

Tim and Kathy Harwell of Shelbyville announce the engagement of their daughter, Arin, to Franklin Calderwood of Tullahoma. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Gus and Sue Harwell and Marilyn Sanders of Lewisburg. She is a 2015 graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and graduated summa cum laude from Middle Tennessee State Universityh with a bachelor's degree in food and nurition science. ...

James Lee and Barbara Garland of Shelbyville announce the engagement of their daughter, Ginger Kay Garland, to Brian Christopher Lokey of Bell Buckle. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late James E. and Clara Garland and the late Jack and Nellie McGeehee. She is a graduate of Shelbyville Central High School and Tennessee College of Applied Technology and is employed by Fast Pace Urgent Care...

With the cooler, wet weather the growing season is behind this year. At the farmers market vendor meeting the other day, most said they won't have much until mid-June or so and the strawberries have been delayed as well. But spinach loves the cool and so we'll focus on this fabulous vegetable and have some Florentine dishes until the rest comes in. The dictionary defines Florentine as served or dressed with spinach and that's exactly what I did to my chicken this week...

Where did spring go? This has been perhaps one of the strangest springs I can recall experiencing in my 15-plus years of living in Shelbyville. It's hot now, but it's been cold and gloomy much of spring. Now that summer is upon us, we are all cramming to enjoy the comfortable weather before it gets scorching. Before too long, we'll be wishing for fall...

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. I hope that sometime in your life you have a memory of your mom (or your dad) taking you to the library. If you don't, please try to make that outing a memory now for your own little people. We love it when families visit the library together!...

When my wife and I found out that I needed to have open-heart surgery, the first person I wanted to call was my mother. I wanted her to know what we were facing, and I wanted her to be praying for me about this. After the surgery and as I was recovering, I spoke to my mom by phone every day. She was living in North Dakota, and my family and I were here in Tennessee...

Rhonda Lefler wtih Shelbyville Animal Control holds two puppies picked up recently as strays. They have assigned them temporary names as Sable and Sarge. The are believed to be Boxer mix and are estimated to be around 12 weeks old. The adoption fee of $75 covers spay or neuter, a microchip and rabies shots. Call the shelter at 684-6552 for more information. (T-G Photo by Terence Corrigan)