by Amanda E. West | Nov 8, 2024 | Shelbyville, Stories
Christmas day was rapidly approaching, and my husband and I were seniors in high school. Warm candlelight bathed the stucco walls as the waiter jotted down our orders. When he emerged sometime later carrying my side salad on his tray, a whispered hush fell over the...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 8, 2024 | Shelbyville, Stories
WHEN THE late Kenneth “Kenny” Cooper opened his first shop with two employees, his dream was simply to make a better life for his wife, Faye, and two sons, Gary and Barry. He had no idea the impact that he — and that decision made in faith — would have on his family...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 8, 2024 | Shelbyville, Stories
WHEN SOMEONE mentions Emmy’s Restaurant, my taste buds become excited. I immediately begin fantasizing about the hand-cut sweet potato fries served with a dipping bowl of melted butter and brown sugar paired with a smoked brisket sandwich with gooey cheese oozing over...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 8, 2024 | Cover, Shelbyville
For Harris Middle School (HMS) librarian Megan Lawell, extending kindness to others is more than an incentive to focus on one week out of the year. For her, it’s a way of life worth teaching to others. “Kindness Week is a nationally recognized week that we wanted to...
by Amanda E. West | Nov 8, 2024 | Feature, Shelbyville
This past June, as temperatures hovered above the 90s and rainfall was scarce, a group of teens from Bell Buckle United Methodist Church (BBUMC), Shelbyville First United Methodist Church (SFUMC), Trinity United Methodist Church of Murfreesboro (Trinity UMC), and...
