Stories from Friday, December 8, 2017

The Forrest Lady Rockets are off to a solid 2017 campaign, sporting a 6-2 record after blasting McEwen 56-36 Tuesday night at Chapel Hill. “I am very pleased with where we are sitting record wise, anytime you can get some wins early it is a good thing,” Forrest coach Jeremy Jean said. “And in our two loses, if we do a few of the little things better we could have been in the games late with a chance to win.” Forrest has won four in a row and seems to have a nice mix on the court this season after the loss of several key players from last year.

The Forrest Rockets lost a heartbreaker Tuesday night at Chapel Hill, falling to McEwen 55-54 when they could not get a potential game tying shot off after holding the ball for the last minute of the game. “Last night was a tough loss to swallow,” Forrest coach Randy Toombs said. “We gave ourselves a chance and we didn't finish.” “We tried to get an ISO with a player on the wing and we just didn't execute what we had in place to run.”

The Forrest Rockets have had some bad luck the past couple of seasons, winning just 11 games and going 5-19 in district contests over the last two years. On top of that, the Rockets bitter rival, Moore County has bounced the Rockets from the district tournament play-in game the last three seasons including a controversial two-point loss last season. Despite winning just six games last year, the Rockets lost a heartbreaking 10 games by seven points or less, including losses to 1A sectional participants Community by one point and Huntland by four points.

Funeral services for Joyce Scott Williamson, of Cookeville, will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home. Interment will follow in the Crest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday from 11 a.m. until time of the service at 1 p.m...

Edward Jaggers, Jr., 91, of Franklin, TN went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, December 5, 2017. Ed was born in Broadway, NC, son of the late Edward & Dannie Jaggers. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Wanda Joyce Phillips Jaggers & brother, Daniel McDougald Jaggers...

Newton has high expectations for Lady Bulldogs The past two seasons did not end the way Cornersville coach Peyton Newton would have hoped with opening round region losses to Loretto last season and Perry County in 2015-16. This season, with a new district, Newton is expecting big things from his squad that won 26 games the past two seasons...

PULASKI, Tenn. – Martin Methodist College’s (MMC) Dramatic Arts Program will present a children’s stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story “A Christmas Carol.” English Professor Dr. Kayla Wiggins adapted the story to the stage and serves as the director. ...

Dear Heloise: I have a suggestion for young travelers: Pick out one BASIC COLOR when planning your travel wardrobe, such as gray, black, brown or even navy, and build around that one color. I use black -- black jeans with a red or white blouse, maybe a black sweater and a white one, a black pencil skirt and black low-heeled shoes. You can switch your clothing around to create new looks every day as long as you stick to one basic color. -- Emma G., Bakersfield, Calif...

Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any financial assistance programs that can help grandparents who are raising their grandkids? I’m raising two grandchildren and could use some help. Struggling Grandma Dear Struggling, Money is often an issue for the millions of U.S. ...

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also has made us able ministers of the New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” – 2 Corinthians 3:5,6...

The first three words of the U.S. Constitution are, “We the People.” The Constitution itself, our institutions of government, the democratic process — all were established to give Americans a voice in their own governance. We are still striving to make that vision real for all, but we are closer than ever...

Hey, did you know that President Donald Trump can’t be found guilty of obstruction of justice? Yeah, me neither. Thank goodness that White House lawyer John Dowd came along to clear that up for us all, and, in the process, rip a hole in the time-space continuum, dropping us into some parallel universe where we’re actually ruled by Mad King Donald, and not a democratically elected executive who’s subject to the same set of laws as the rest of us...

It’s a dreaded holiday tradition. Couples who are expecting a child (or trying to conceive) receive unsolicited naming ideas (some casually suggested, some “suggested” with intense pressure) at family gatherings. (Scholars claim the name “Adam” means “man of the earth.” I suspect God INTENDED it to mean “Thank Me there are no grandpas to be devastated – devastated! – if he’s not named for THEM.”)...

NASHVILLE – A record number of Tennesseans this year worked off their Thanksgiving feasts at Tennessee State Parks on the day after Thanksgiving. Nearly 1,500 hikers – a 15 percent increase over the same event in 2017 – attended a hike at one of Tennessee’s 56 state parks...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As Middle Tennessee continues to experience record growth, a larger number of residents are expected to utilize the VITA Free Tax Prep program to file their taxes. Powered by United Way of Metropolitan Nashville, this service helps clients save money on the cost of tax preparation fees and ensures they get all the credits and refunds they’ve earned. ...

• At the Marshall County Memorial Library: Dec. 8, Family Storytime in Chapel Hill at 10 a.m. and Friends of the Library book sale in Lewisburg; Dec. 9, Crochet Club at 10 a.m., Friends of the Library book sale; Dec. 11, Friends of the Library meeting at 5:30-all are welcome; Dec. 14, Family story time in Lewisburg at 9:30, Minecraft Free Play at 5 p.m.; Dec. 15, Family Storytime in Chapel Hill at 10 a.m.; Crochet club Dec. 16 at 10 a.m., Last Minute Christmas Crafs at 1 p.m...

• The Marshall County Board of Education will meet on Monday, Dec. 11, 2017, at 6 p.m. in the Board Conference Room, 700 Jones Circle • The Mayor and Council of the City of Lewisburg will hold their regular monthly meeting, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, at 6 p.m. at Lewisburg City Hall, 131 East Church Street...

Elaine Gilmore to Stephen C. & Lenzie S. Lashwood, Green Valley Estates S/D, Lot 20 PO, Dist. 3, $216,000; Jon Paul Newcomb to Angela Cottrill, Paul Newcomb S/D, Lot 1, 2 Acres, $87,400; Edward B. Tankersley to Sandra C. Angus, Timberhills S/D, Lot 20, Dist. ...

The Lewisburg Police Department isn’t switching their navy uniforms for red and white just yet, but they are getting into the holiday spirit. LPD is hosting their annual Cops for Kids event on Saturday for Lewisburg children. The department will treat local children at the Connelly Dream Center to breakfast and lunch with a Christmas shopping trip to Walmart in between...

‘Tis the season for Lewisburg Rotary Club’s annual Christmas Tour of Homes. The annual event combines an opportunity for residents to tour some of the county’s historic or elegant sites with a fundraising event that will allow the Lewisburg Rotary to donate to deserving county non-profits or charities in the coming year...

Joe Carr spent Wednesday in Marshall County speaking to residents he hopes will soon be his constituents. “I’m connected to Marshall County and the culture very easily,” said the sixth generation Tennessean who lives in Lascassas in Rutherford County...