Stories from Friday, July 25, 2014

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is offering a new service, via the department's three "Career Coach" vehicles, to Tennesseans lacking a high school diploma. The mobile Career Centers have become certified testing sites for the new High School Equivalency Test (HiSET)...

United Way of Bedford County's annual "Stuff the School Bus" collection drive is now underway; drop-boxes have been placed at participating local businesses. School supplies are being sought and are distributed to the 14 schools serving Bedford County children. For more information, call 684-6685. (Submitted photo)

Bedford County's unemployment rate jumped to 7.5 percent in June, according to preliminary figures released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The county had an estimated 20,690 employed out of a labor force of 22,360, with 1,670 out of work, it was reported. The rate jumped 1.4 percent from the revised figure of 6.1 percent in May. Bedford County's jobless rate at this time last year was at 9.2 percent...

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has announced new rules changes. Among the new rules going into effect are: l Any horse competing in a championship class must be continuously stalled on the show grounds for no less than 48 consecutive hours prior to the scheduled start time of the performance in which the championship class is to be held...

Shelbyville's planning commission discussed amending the zoning ordinance regarding cellular communications towers inside the city limits Tuesday night. Documents provided by the city of Chattanooga were looked at by the planning and codes staff. City manager Jay Johnson and planning director Amanda Rhinehart do not think the towers should be in residential areas...

Local members of the Marine Corps League voted last weekend to reimburse Sgt. Mark Cutter for his last-minute trip to Shelbyville in June to honor the memory of Pfc. Daniel McClenney, with whom Cutter had served in Afghanistan. A ceremony was held June 24 at Shelbyville Central High School to mark the 10th anniversary of McClenney's death in action. A plaque was placed at SCHS to remind future generations of students about McClenney, a graduate of the school...

Billy C. Starnes, 79, of Bedford County died Friday, July 25, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Jennings & Ayers Funeral Home in Murfreesboro with Erik Hines officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Sunday.

Joseph Hartwell Milner, Sr., 86, of Sewanee died Thursday, July 24, 2014, at Southern Tennessee Health Services at Sewanee. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cumberland Funeral Home in Monteagle with the Rev. Amanda Diamond officiating. Burial of ashes will follow at Eastern Star Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Saturday.