Letter From The Editor
SHE FLASHES her lights and pushes the gas pedal a little harder. The walkie-talkie is too quiet, so she spins the dial and makes her bulletproof vest a little more comfortable. She worked hard to...
Jimmy West: A Badge, A Bear, And A Lasting Bond
THE CHURCH parking lot is full. Fire trucks, ambulances, police and sheriff ’s department cars, and other emergency response vehicles encircle the property and overflow into areas surrounding...
Jan Phillips: Selflessness, Service, and Sacrifice
AS A native of Shelbyville who began his career in public service over 50 years ago, police Chief Jan Phillips is deeply rooted within the core of our community. He started his career as an EMT at...
John Sweeney: A Lifetime of Making A Difference
“I DIDN’T CHOOSE this career. Honestly, it chose me,” said Detective Lt. John Sweeney with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office. “I never thought in a million years I would ever become an officer,...
Brews, Bites & Brushes
On the corner of Shelbyville’s square, Arty All the Time is a refreshing fusion of creative expression and cafe confections. The bright blue facade is impossible to miss, beckoning both locals and...
Homegrown Hero Jeri Clements Wears Scrubs
NO MATTER WHAT time of day it is, the emergency room at Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital is constantly abuzz with activity. Since the acquisition of the hospital by Vanderbilt in 2021, the daily census...
How an Emergency Birthed a ‘Lion’
AFTER PREVIOUSLY giving birth to her two sons, Kohen and Hollis, paired with a background in obstetrics, Abby Reed had few concerns about the upcoming delivery of her third son, Whitt. But on June...
Matt Doak: I Look Up To Those I Lead.
FIRE CHIEF Matt Doak has been a firefighter either in Bedford County or for the city of Shelbyville for 31 years. He diligently worked his way through the chain of command, beginning his career as a...
Donald Floyd and Wickey Parker: Bonds of ‘Family’ Know No Bounds
ALMOST 25 years before Regis Philbin began asking players of the popular 1990s game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” if they wanted to “phone a friend,” Donald Floyd and Wickey Parker have done...
E&D Farms: Sowing More Than Seeds
THE TENDER sweet corn grazed young Edgar Kane’s hip as he pressed his tennis shoe into the imprint his grandfather’s boot had left in the soil. When the older man fed the cows, slopped the hogs,...
Letter From the Editor
OUR FOOD nourishes us, from the soil beneath our feet to the table where we gather with family and friends. The hot sun beams from the sky into the field of sprouting seeds. Farmers rise early,...
Cook Family Farm: Un-Bee-Lievable!
ASHLEY POTTS blew a warm breath across the cover of a book, arousing dust particles into the air. Overwhelmed by a mixture of anticipation and sadness, she studied the other items that belonged to...
Annual Bedford County Fair Farm-To-Table Dinner
SOFT LINEN tablecloths, colorful stemware glasses, an eclectic mix of chairs and benches, and jars bursting with zinnias were the perfect backdrop for the first Farm-to-Table Dinner sponsored by the...
Yentz Family Farm: All Things Farming
VANESSA YENTZ is fulfilling a legacy. It isn’t just for herself or for her husband, Eric, but for their children, grandchildren, and everyone who comes in contact with the Yentz Family Farm. ...
The Shelbyville Snack Shop: A Bunch Of Crunch
PREPARE TO throw everything you thought you knew about candy out the window. The Shelbyville Snack Shop provides a new and delicious way to experience your favorite candies. Stepping into...
Garrison Valley Farms: United by Geography, Guided by Tradition
SINCE THE mid-1800s, through the Hawkins line, four generations of the Curl and Lee families have farmed the Garrison Fork River Valley in the unincorporated community of Fairfield. Don Curl and his...
Rob McGill: From Runway Dreams to Golfing Greens
ROB MCGILL dreamed of being a pilot. He even majored in aerospace at Middle Tennessee State University. After graduation, jobs in the airline industry were scarce, so McGill, who had been working in...
Hal Skelton: The Champion Who Forged a Path for All Champions
HAL SKELTON drove over the railroad tracks for the first time in 1966 and scanned the thin row of buildings. As a recent college graduate, he’d accepted the position sight unseen. Could this be...
Jared Carkuff: There’s No Place Like Home
IN THE 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz,” a tornado whisked Dorothy from the hayfields of Kansas to a colorful, whimsical land where she faced many challenges and gathered new friends along her journey....
Get a “Pizza” This
BESIDE THE historic Capri Theatre, Shovel Pizza has found its home. Upon entering, the first thing that strikes you is the sleek, contemporary design. Black, white, and wood accents create a warm...
Tailgate Like a Champion
WHEN THE stadium lights blaze and the roar of the crowd echoes, true fans know the game-day experience begins in the parking lot. Celebrate your team’s spirit with these tailgating recipes, which...
Letter From the Editor; Where Champions are Made
THE CROWD fills the stands, row after row, of people in our high school’s colors. The family in front of you sits down with a fresh hot dog from the concession stand. It’s still steaming with a...
Lisa Turner: First Female Board Member of the TWHNC
ANTICIPATION FILLS the air like the smell of donuts, onion rings, and smoked brisket. As the gate opens, a hush falls over the crowd. A snow-white Tennessee walking horse carrying a rider adorned in...
John Allan Callaway: Saddling up for Success
JOHN ALLAN Callaway is the only trainer in the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (TWHNC) history to win the World Grand Championship four years in a row. In fact, the name “Callaway” has...
J. French Brantley IV
TEN-YEAR-OLD J. French Brantley IV scooted to the edge of the seat and gazed toward the organist in the center of the arena. The melodies flowing from Larry Bright’s fingers carried J. to an...
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