News

James Barnett, Life Boy Scout member of Wartrace Troop 307, and father Larry Barnett, assistant scoutmaster, recently achieved an 11-day backpacking trek at the mountainous Philmont Ranch in northern New Mexico. “This trek was a dream come true,” said Larry...

Hot chili and hot cars attracted crowds to the Shelbyville square Friday night and Saturday for the First Square Fair. This brightly colored street rod drew lots of attention.

A man was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated burglary early Sunday after allegedly entering a King Avenue home, threatening residents with a pry bar and lug wrench and kicking a woman in the groin. Shelbyville police are searching for Charles Reed, who residents said damaged furniture at the home. The man’s ex-wife was present at the time, according to police...

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Law enforcement officers in five southern states are planning a crackdown on speeding motorists next week. State troopers and local officers in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee are participating in a speed enforcement campaign called Operation Southern Shield 2019, according to news releases from the state agencies...

Carina Vazquez Nunez, a recent Motlow State graduate from Shelbyville, sees the world differently from most Motlow students. She is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. “I have been blessed to view life through the lens of a minority immigrant family,” said Nunez. ...

Danielle Breezy talked to Shelbyville Woman’s Club members on Wednesday about how she first became interested in meteorology. A Philadelphia native, she witnessed devastating blizzards and a destructive tornado as a young woman. She said this powerful source fueled her desire to study the weather, leading her eventually to Nashville where she now serves as chief meteorologist. Having noted early in her talk that people accuse her of bringing weather patterns to events, Breezy and other club members left in a heavy rainstorm.

Bedford County Board of Education is expected to address several school issues when it meets in regular session 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Office. Though East Side cafeteria is quiet at this time, it will only be a few weeks before students are again filling the lunch line. Student meals remain free this year to Bedford County students.

Nancy Ayers enjoys a good book during the local Farmers Market, which is open Thursdays, beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration pavilion.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) has named Dr. Michael Torrence, president of Motlow State Community College, to its Presidential Advisory Board. Torrence joins 38 other college presidents from across the nation on the board and will provide input into the organization’s strategic plan, priorities, and direction. ...

While the city’s new Fire Station No. 3 at Shelbyville Municipal Airport on U.S. 231 North will secure fire protection in a rapidly growing area, Shelbyville Fire Department Chief Matt Doak also expects shorter response times. “There is just so much traffic congestion on this end of the city,” notes Doak...

The 28th annual Great Celebration Mule and Donkey Show kicked off Thursday morning at Calsonic and Maverick Arenas. A variety of classes are scheduled through Saturday. The event is sanctioned by the North American Saddle Mule Association and the National Miniature Donkey Association...

During regular session Thursday, Shelbyville City Council approved for the parks and recreation department to apply for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s Healthy Place grant, which would be used to purchase new playground equipment. Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Director Mike Alsup told council recently that he’s encouraged by this health program incentive. This grant is pretty inviting, he said, as it will require no matching funds from the city...

I bring you an unsettled forecast for Bedford County with at least a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms through the weekend and into Monday followed by showers and storms becoming even more likely 70 percent Tuesday and Wednesday. The remains of Hurricane Barry are expected to travel from Louisiana up to Memphis and then around St. ...

A suspect has been charged in connection with suspected drug-related deaths of two individuals in Coffee County.. Following the deaths in early June, TBI agents, Tullahoma and Manchester police and Coffee County Sheriff’s Department, authorities identified Isaiah Kalil Clark, 25, as the individual responsible for distributing controlled substances, identified as containing fentanyl, to the victims, which is believed to have caused their deaths...

A taser shock brought a vehicle and foot pursuit to an end Tuesday afternoon, according to a court affidavit. Bradley Keith Sanders, 26, of Myers Street allegedly sped away when 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force agent Shane George attempted a traffic stop on Fairground Heights. Sanders drove...

Jamie Bradshaw, Nathan Clark, Jamie Hankins, Kenny Smith and Robbie Spiller have been selected to judge the 81st Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, Aug. 21-31. The panel includes both previous Celebration judges and judges new to the show. Smith and Spiller will be judging the Celebration for the first time...

“Don’t take me to jail!” a driver stopped on North Main Street for an expired license plate told a Shelbyville police officer Wednesday. Detective Cody Swift told Samantha Marie Foreman, 27, of Smyrna she wouldn’t be going to jail unless something illegal was found...

Sherrie Moore was the featured speaker at the Christian Singles meeting at Riverbend Country Club. She gave an update on Uncle Nearest Distillery. From left are Billie Crowell, Moore and Margaret Smith.

Following public comments at previous county meetings, Bedford County Highway Superintendent Mark Clanton has worked out a way for private citizens to dispose of wood from home projects. Last month, citizens Rod and Christy Phillips appeared before the commission’s rules and legislative committee to complain that they hadn’t been allowed to dispose of two door frames and some trim following a home remodeling project. ...

Col. Jeffrey T. Geraghty assumed command of the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex as the 31st commander during a Change of Command ceremony on June 18. The center is located at Arnold Air Force Base in Coffee and Franklin counties but also includes remote locations...

A DUI suspect was charged with assault on an officer after being arrested early Wednesday. Patrick Lynn Smith, 24, of Fairway Green Drive allegedly spat at and tried to punch Shelbyville officer Brad Evans while being placed in a restraint jail at Bedford County Jail,...

An armed passerby helped a Shelbyville police officer capture a fleeing suspect Monday, Officer Darrell Birdsong was running after Russell Donald Hallenbeck, 37, of Carter Street, who had been stopped on Ligon Drive after being seen driving on Madison Street holding a cellphone to his ear, a violation of Tennessee’s new distracted driving law. Hallenbeck allegedly fled after Birdsong discovered his license was revoked...

H. Ross Perot, the colorful, self-made Texas billionaire who rose from a childhood of Depression-era poverty and twice ran for president as a third-party candidate, has died. He was 89. Perot had Shelbyville connections; he and his family were very active in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry in the 1960s and 70s. T-G contributor and former editor Mark McGee said that Ross Perot Jr. and his sister won several titles. The family's horses were trained by C.A. Bobo...

Prior to Bell Buckle's annual fireworks extravaganza Thursday night, the town park was officially named in honor of former mayor Jenny Hunt, who was instrumental during her tenure in seeing the project to fruition. "It is such an amazing, over the top honor that I'm almost speechless," said Hunt Thursday, "and that never happens! I believe next to my two daughters, the Bell Buckle Park is my hands-down greatest achievement."...

Shelbyville City Council is expected to approve some fairly large expenditures it considers necessities — police cars, garbage and fire trucks — when it meets in regular session 6 p.m. Thursday at the city courtroom. Council is set to consider a motion to approve the purchase of new Shelbyville Police Department vehicles from CDJR of Columbia through a statewide contract. ...

Starting as soon this weekend, and continuing for several days, runners from around the world will pass through Bedford County as part of the Vol State Roadrace. The 500-kilometer (314-mile) race will begin Thursday as soon as runners step off the ferry from Dorena Landing, Missouri, to Hickman, Kentucky. It will quickly enter Tennessee, near Union City, and pass southeast all the way through the state, ending at Castle Rock, Georgia...

Several bags of marijuana were found in the vehicle of a man initially stopped for speeding early Saturday, police said. Jose Hugo Santiago Robles, 21, of South Cannon Boulevard was clocked at 51 mph in a 30 mph zone by officer Darrian Lanier at 3:09 a.m. on North Main Street. Lanier said he smelled marijuana, which Robles allegedly denied having in his vehicle...

The Prevention Coalition of Bedford County will hold Naloxone (Narcan) training 6 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at the AP Building, 206 Madison St. This training is open to the general public and will be led by Joshua Crews, State of Tennessee Narcan training officer, TN Save A Life...

The Tennessee Comptroller's Office has created a new interactive web tool that provides important information about Tennessee's Tax Relief program. The Tax Relief program began in 1973 and provides property tax relief to qualifying low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, as well as disabled veteran homeowners or their surviving spouses. In tax year 2018, more than $41 million dollars was appropriated by the General Assembly to serve more than 140,000 homeowners across the state...

Before a room full of constituents, four of the six Shelbyville City Council members agreed during Tuesday's study session they were invested in continuing with the H.V. Griffin Park development project. The potential cost of the park expansion, roughly estimated at $10-$12 million, was a concern for those participating in the discussion. ...

Two young participants in Bell Buckle's Independence Day celebration on Thursday enjoy ice cream. (Submitted photo)

Two robberies were reported to Shelbyville police Wednesday. An employee of a North Main Street tax services said he was knocked out and robbed at the business Wednesday morning. The victim said a man knocked on the locked front door of Harriette’s Tax Service shortly before 9 a.m., then almost immediately struck him in the back of the head with an object. ...

•One of the first traffic stops in Shelbyville related to Tennessee’s new law banning drivers’ cell phone use resulted in a drug-related arrest Wednesday, Gregory A. Jackson allegedly was on the phone while driving through the East Depot Street-North Jackson Street intersection Wednesday afternoon. ...

An Alabama man drowned Thursday on Normandy Lake, Coffee County officials said. Thomas R. Spelce, 62, of Hazel Green, Alabama went under near the Carroll Creek area, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office told WMSR Radio of Manchester. His body was found around 10 p.m. after searches by the Coffee County Rescue Squad and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency,...

The 28th annual Great Celebration Mule & Donkey Show will kick off Thursday on the Celebration grounds, bringing mules and donkeys of all shapes and sizes to Shelbyville. While a variety of equine and non-equine events rent facilities at the Celebration each year, the mule and donkey show is actually run by the Celebration, just like the big show in August and the Spring Fun Show each May. ...

A weekend of showers and storms is ahead for Bedford County as well as much of Tennessee. An unstable atmosphere with lots of moisture and very warm air is in place across our area. Afternoon highs around 88 to 90 degrees are expected and temperatures only dropping off to around 70 at night. Next week is looking hotter with highs in the low 90s at least and the chance of rain goes back down into the slight category by Tuesday...

Following an hour of disagreement Tuesday night about H.V. Griffin Park expansion, four of the six Shelbyville City council members invested in continuing with the park development project with further study and review. Council members William Christie and Ricky Overcast said during the study session, they were not in favor of that investment as recently presented by engineers. They both had different reasons for not wanting to continue with the project...

A drug and assault suspect allegedly fought officers attempting to arrest him Tuesday, Shelbyville police said. Police arriving at a parking lot on Anthony Road said Maurice Mandell Walker, 24, of Green Lane was running from a vehicle, leaving behind a woman who said he forced her inside, beat her face, threatened her with a tire iron and refused to let out while he drove around Shelbyville...

Now that Gov. Bill Lee has signed into law a bill requiring high school graduates pass a civics exit exam, Tennessee should have greater assurance its students will be able to answer historically significant questions -- like, "Who wrote the U.S. Declaration of Independence?...

While allowing students to bring personal cell phones and other electronic devices to school currently remains a privilege, Bedford County Board of Education recently attached a stronger usage policy. The same policy, which in previous years has required a couple of pages, was condensed into one, as approved by BCBE at its May meeting. The document was a complete re-write, said superintendent Don Embry...

The sound of fireworks still makes Keon Johnson, 17, uneasy. It's been four years since the Shelbyville teen, one of the state's top college basketball prospects, nearly lost his left hand after an artillery firework exploded while he was lighting it...

Cheryl Daniel hosted a birthday party Sunday for her children Chloie Leverette and Christopher Gage Daniel, last seen before a fire in September 2012 destroyed their grandparents’ home near Unionville. Their photos are a computer rendering of what they may look like now at ages 16 and 14 respectively. “I believe they are alive and out there,” tkeir mother said, “I just wish someone would come forward.” (T-G Photo by David Melson)

A mother and son face drug charges stemming from an October 2017 raid on their Tanner Circle home. Ann Carson Sandridge, 54, and William A. Stewart Jr. 28, were served with arrest warrants Friday by the Bedford County Sheriff's Office. Agents from the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force searched the home Oct. 20, 2017 after receiving what an affidavit filed in County Court Clerk Michelle Murray's office termed "numerous complaints in regard to drug activity."...

Anna Brown of Cascade High School and Kera Reynolds of Community High School joined more than 185 students, teachers and co-op chaperones for a week-long trip to our nation's capital. The annual event, sponsored by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the state's 23 electric co-ops, provides young leaders with an opportunity to explore the nation's capital, learn about government and cooperatives and develop their leadership skills. ...

The Rev. Dr. Paul Mullikin is the new pastor of First United Methodist Church on the square, having been appointed at the recent Tennessee Annual Conference. Mullikin will preach at First UMC during its 10 a.m. service this Sunday, and the church will hold a luncheon to welcome him and his wife Barb following the service. Meat, bread and drink will be provided by the church, with side dishes and desserts to be brought by members...

PGA star Brandt Snedeker (left) along with Shelbyville native and Tennessee Golf Foundation President Whit Turnbow made a surprise visit to River Bend Country Club for the Sneds Junior Golf Tournament on Tuesday morning. (T-G Photo by Gary Johnson)

School won't start for another month, but the time to Stuff The School Bus has arrived. United Way of Bedford County is placing collection boxes at various local businesses and organizations this week for its annual Stuff The School Bus campaign. Either school supplies or money are accepted. Money can be used to buy backpacks, a more-expensive item which isn't donated very often and which United Way, due to its status as a non-profit, can purchase more cheaply than individual consumers...