Shelby County Today

January 26, 2026 - The Fannie Brown Booth Library will have a late opening tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27.

The library will open at 12-noon tomorrow.

January 26, 2026 - Shelby County Outreach Ministries will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27 and, as of right now, we will open at 10am on Wednesday, January 28.

Please be safe on the roads.

January 23, 2026 - Due to the upcoming winter storm and dangerous road conditions, Shelby County Outreach Ministries will be closed on Monday, January 26, 2026. This includes all programs. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for understanding and please be safe.

January 22, 2026 - (Album) - A Martin Luther King Jr., march and celebration was held Monday, January 19, 2026, beginning on the Center square in front of the Shelby County Veterans Memorial.

Participants gathered and just before the march began, a prayer was led by Tammy Fletcher.

The march left the square and traveled Shelbyville Street before reaching Martin Luther King Drive where it continued until it reached Bright Morning Star Baptist Church. A celebration program was then featured within the church walls.

Anita Williams, Mistress of Ceremonies, opened the program and commented on her enthusiasm in being there. She said that she was excited to see all the people that joined in the march.

“Today we pause to remember Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to reflect on the kind of life he challenged all of us to live,” said Williams.

Minister Cameron Cloudy offered an opening program for the celebration and Sister Latreaser Cartwright welcomed everyone to the event.

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“As we celebrate today, we remember Doctor King’s commitment to justice, compassion, unity and the teaching of Jesus Christ,” said Cartwright. “His work was rooted in scripture.”

Ray McCollister recited from heart the infamous “I Have a Dream” speech which is most notably remembered as being delivered on August 28, 1963 during a march on Washington, D.C.

Once McCollister completed his presentation, the Abundant Love Ministries Youth dance group performed. Pastor Anthony Jackson introduced the keynote speaker of the celebration, Minister Deshmond Johnson.

Sister Triquina Swindle Polley offered closing remarks and she thanked the Bright Morning Star Baptist Church family.

“When I took over this program, not only did I want to celebrate Dr. King, but I wanted to bring unity to our community,” said Polley. “So every year we’ve tried to go to a different church and just celebrate Dr. King and try and get all of our church to just kind of get all of our churches to kind of unite.”

She thanked Abundant Love Ministries and their youth group for always participating and she recognized Joyce Johnson for her trust in her.

“Thank you Miss Joyce for trusting me with your sacred program,” said Polley. 

Polley thanked McCollister for always making himself available to participate in the event.

At the end of the event Delbert Jackson spoke on Shelby County Black History, the importance of remembering that history and his continuing quest to preserve and highlight events from the past.

January 19, 2026 - Recently, Rotarian J. J. Ford visited Center Middle School and she spoke to twenty-four 8th grade girls, who are all members of the group known as My Sister Myself which is a service club.

Ford, a member of the Rotary Cub of Center, introduced the young girls to Rotary International, the world’s first service club, founded in 1905 by Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney. He envisioned a professional organization where people of diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form lifelong friendships. However, at that time, it did not include women.

She shared a short video with the girls which included some history of the Rotary Club International, such as Polio Eradication (1979–Present), and the eventual inclusion of women.

Following a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Rotary clubs worldwide began admitting women, who are now the fastest-growing segment of the organization.

She also shared the club’s motto - "Service Above Self.” This is also a principle MY SISTER MYSELF strives to practice, through the many service deeds they perform, such as: canned food drives, pulling trash from classrooms for custodians, buying caps and socks for senior citizens and presenting them to residents at nursing homes, working at food banks, and many other deeds. In fact, each girl has to have 5 out of 7 service points in order to travel on the spring college tour.

J.J. shared how the Rotary Club has donated over $1 million to the Roughrider Scholarship Foundation for graduating seniors. She also told the girls about many service projects Rotary of Center has done around the community such as providing ADA compliant equipment at Portacool Park for those with disabilities, contributing to youth sports parks, replacing carpet in the Redditt Room at the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library, and so much more.

J.J. wanted the girls to know that the service they’re doing now can carry over into the future. One day, they too can join the Rotary Club of Center and carry on the “motto” both groups now share.