Stories from Thursday, May 7, 2020

To the editor, As a subscriber,  I want to thank you for your newspaper’s excellent coverage of the terrible Covid-19 outbreak in your community.        I am 100% sure that your newspaper's coverage and your editorial regarding this health crisis in Shelbyville/Bedford County played a major role in the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration’s decision to not hold its annual “Spring Fun Show” event on May 21-23, 2020...

A man accused of shoplifting allegedly sprayed a Walmart loss prevention officer with mace while running from the store Monday. Tony Jason Wilcox, 37, of Estill Springs was arrested when a vehicle in which he was a passenger was stopped on Madison Street moments later...

At least two people were treated after a head-on accident Tuesday night on Madison Street. Police said Fidencio Garcia Lajuj was westbound when he swerved into oncoming traffic, striking another vehicle head-on. Garcia, who was one of the injured, was treated at Tennova Healthcare-Shelbyville and charged with driving without a license, failure to observe due care, and violation of the child restraint law as two unsecured children were in his van. Names of others involved were not available due to a state accident reporting system that limits police from accessing their own reports.

There’s a certain flavor to how Bedford Countians go about about their work, school, play and sadly, grief. Funeral services are one of many facets of life adversely affected this spring by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to some local funeral home directors...

Although Bedford County added only one new coronavirus case from Monday to Tuesday this week, the case count increase in the last 12 days (April 23 to May 5) is showing no downward trend — rising from 130 to 201, a 54.6 percent increase. The number of people in Bedford County who tested positive for coronavirus rose 16.2 percent in one week — from 173 on April 30 to 201 May 5. The case count currently doubles every 22.5 days in Bedford County...

Margaret Nell Greene “Granny” Cooper, 91, of Wartrace died Wednesday, May 6, 2020. A private service will be held Saturday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel. Chris Marsh will officiate and Lanny Buchanan will serve as eulogist. Burial will follow at Haley Cemetery in Wartrace. Due to the Coronvirus pandemic, visitation will be Friday from 12 noon-4 p.m. Visitors can come by to pay there respects, sign the register book, view the slide show, and obtain a memorial record. No more than 10 people at a time will be allowed in the funeral home. The family will not be present.