Stories from Sunday, March 31, 2019

My octogenarian aunt has spoken wistfully of one of her older relatives who had operated a boarding house and required college students to show up for breakfast wearing suit and necktie. Slob that I am, I nonetheless take vicarious pleasure in watching footage of crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin nattily dressed as they belt out songs with intelligible lyrics...

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." That's Dame Daphne du Maurier's time-honored and oft-quoted opening line from her novel, "Rebecca." I'll wager thousands of readers have gotten hooked on visiting old houses and on slightly creepy novels set in large sparsely populated mansions because of this book. ...

Lynn bought a new welcome mat for the front door of our house. It says "Totally Blessed and Incredibly Thankful." It serves as a beautiful expression of how we look at life. We are so very blessed and we are filled with thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done for us and for all that He has given us...

Mason and Amy Beth Gassaway of Shelbyville announce the birth of a daughter, Madelyn Elizabeth Gassaway, Feb. 26 in Murfreesboro. She weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. Grandparents are James and DeLynn McGowan, Mitchell and Liz Gassaway, and Tammy Brown. Great-grandparents are Normalyn McCullough, Wayne and Imogene McGowan, and Neal and Linda Matthews...

Community Middle School Band is having an eventful spring semester. In January, members auditioned for, and then were selected to perform with, the 45th annual Tri-Lakes Honor Band. On March 1, the Concert Band performed at the second annual Tri-Lakes Concert Festival and received a superior rating (they were one of two middle schools in attendance to receive the highest ranking)...

UNIONVILLE – The Community Vikings lost twice in the Viking Classic on Friday. After losing a close 6-5 decision to Cornersville on Friday morning, the Vikings could not get untracked and lost to Richland 14-1 in a Friday night game. The Vikings had a chance to take the lead in their game against Richland in the opening inning. Ethan Lohn and Evan Petrie had back-to-back singles, but Community could not get the clutch hit...

Shelbyville Central’s Golden Eagle soccer team fell 3-2 to host Franklin County in a District 8AAA match on Friday night for their first loss of the season. Edgar Solis scored both goals for the Eagles, assisted by Eric Botello. “We came into the game with a number of injuries that really hurt us. ...

To the editor: United Way of Bedford County’s third annual Shrimp and Crawfish Boil was a rousing success! No event of this magnitude happens without the assistance of many people. First, I want to thank the members of the UWBC board who worked so diligently before, during and after the event...

The Cascade Lady Champions claimed their second straight win of the week on Friday, beating Ravenwood in blowout fashion. Brooke Sudduth spun a gem from the pitcher’s circle and Cascade belted out six runs in the fifth inning to for the 10-run mercy rule. Cascade claimed the win, 10-0...

Shelbyville Central banged out 14 hits in a 14-9 win over Glenbrook (Illinois) South at home on Friday afternoon in the first of two game. Dalton Puckett pitched five innings to claim the win on the mound while collecting a double in single in three trips to the plate with three RBI’s...

At least $900 in counterfeit $20 bills were accepted by clerks at the Shelbyville Walmart in several transactions Wednesday, Shelbyville police were told Thursday. The report said a total of $880 was accepted at three checkouts for large purchases and an unknown amount at another register...

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” -Benjamin Franklin The Legislature has a potential bill moving that would enact the Main Street Historic Tourism and Revitalization Act. ...

Not much to talk about on the weather scene this week. Sunday night is going to be cold after a front moves through with temperatures dropping into the upper 20s by Monday morning. Sunshine with temperatures in the upper 50s Monday afternoon. I do not see any big weather systems for us next week with just a 30 percent chance of showers on Tuesday and again later in the week around Thursday and Friday. Temperatures will climb back into the upper 60s from Wednesday through Friday...

Bedford County Board of Education members were recently sent to the principal’s office — to hear the vision Tim Harwell has for Shelbyville Central High School. Harwell, who became principal in 2017, said there’s more to school success than simply test scores. Though SCHS has struggled with Tennessee Report Card indicators, Harwell received great applause following his presentation...

Shelbyville is the third highest-ranked micropolitan area in Tennessee, based on the 2019 report of an independent economics research firm. Shelbyville-Bedford County Chamber of Commerce CEO Allen Pitner made the announcement on Thursday. “Based on the strength of the industrial base, the levels of employment, the growth in the size of the local economy and the growth in total worker earnings, Shelbyville is ranked 43 out of 551 micropolitan areas in the United States,” Pitner said. ...

We are so blessed to be living in middle TN. The cherry trees and red buds are just wonderful.

Austin Peay State University in Clarksville has announced high-achieving freshmen who have been offered the Dean's Scholarship for the Fall 2019 semester. Students from this area who have been offered scholarships include Tracie Edde of Lewisburg, Race Marin of Tullahoma, Brookelynne Myers of Shelbyville and Sydney Greer of Chapel Hill...

Fawn Weaver calls herself the most recent of four storytellers helping to keep alive the memory of Nathan "Nearest" Green. When a very young Jack Daniel hired on as a "chore boy" on Dan Call's farm, it was Call's slave Nathan "Nearest" Green who taught Daniel the art of distilling whiskey. Call told Daniel that Nearest Green was the best whiskey-maker Call knew...