Local News

Maggie Terry, an educator of 20 years, has been named Teacher of the Year for Shelby County.

Terry, an algebra teacher at Shelby County High School, received an engraved trophy and flowers at a ceremony Tuesday night at Claudia Sanders Dinner House from her principal, Eddie Oakley, and Superintendent James Neihof.

Terry, who also was named Shelby County High School Teacher of the Year, was selected by a team of administrators from Shelby County School’s Central Office, led by Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Lisa Smith.

Pension reform and the legalization of hemp, two issued addressed in the recent state Legislative session, were the key topics discussed Thursday by state Rep. Brad Montell (R-Shelbyville) and state Sen. Paul Hornback (R-Shelbyville) at a meeting in Shelbyville.

Montell told a crowd of about 50 people in Stratton Center for a legislative breakfast sponsored by the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce that he was pleased with the pension reform bill, Senate Bill 2, that passed near the end of the session in mid-March.

Shelby County officials, under fire from three residents at a meeting Wednesday night, appear to have softened their position on whether to implement mandatory curbside garbage/recycling pickup for county residents.

Members of the Shelby County Fiscal Court’s Legislative Committee, who have been spearheading aggressive plans for such a system, said after the gathering at Stratton Center that they have dropped the idea of a mandatory service, citing concerns with billing issues and a burden on senior citizens.

The resignation last month of longtime Commissioner Scott McDowell left a gap in the city’s hierarchy that Mayor Steve Eden moved Wednesday to plug.

McDowell, whose job forced him to relocate to Florida and Eden to appoint Michael Hesse to fill his seat, had been the city’s mayor pro tem, and Eden nominated Commissioner Cary Vowels to be his substitute. Commissioners approved unanimously, although Vicky Wise was absent.