Stories from Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Gary Lee Smotherman, 49, of Shelbyville died Tuesday, May 19, 2015 from injuries sustained in a traffic accident May 5. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fair Haven Baptist Church with Jeff Rasnick officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Friday and beginning at noon Saturday at the church. Doak-Howell Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

There are times, we all recognize, when smartphones and other cell phones need to be put away. And yet, even if we cluck our tongues at someone else for using their phone inappropriately, we're tempted to do the same thing ourselves. Sometimes, the problem is common courtesy; sometimes, in the case of a movie or concert, the problem is copyright or similar issues...

Elizabeth Reed Raney, 92, of Brentwood, formerly of Shelbyville, died Tuesday, May 19, 2015. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Woodlawn Memorial Park In Nashville. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Wesley Green Hawkins, 82, of Shelbyville died Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at Heritage Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia with Bobby Cates officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow at Hardison Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Mary Jordon Sanders Scott, 91, of Lookout Mountain, a native of the Shelbyville area, died Monday, May 18, 2015. A memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church.

Two different committees of Bedford County Board of Commissioners made an effort to push forward Tuesday night as the county struggles with capital outlay needs and how to pay for them. "It's stuck in committee everywhere you go," said commissioner Mark Thomas at one point late in the meetings...

CalsonicKansei (CK) presented a $50,000 donation to the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Monday to help ensure a strong future workforce. The funds support the LEAP Grant (Labor Education Alignment Program) to eliminate skills gaps across Tennessee -- encouraging collaboration between education and industry...

It's budget time, and Shelbyville's property tax will remain the same -- $1.65 per $100 of assessment value. This marks the fourth consecutive year without a tax increase. During a special called city council meeting Tuesday night, first reading of the 2015-2016 proposed budget was passed, as well as the ordinance setting the city's property tax levy...

A woman allegedly pointed a gun at and threatened another driver Monday afternoon on Zion Hill Road near Unionville. The suspect was driving a black SUV, passed the victim driving in the otner direction, then quickly stopped and yelled at her, deputy Tim Fox's report said...

-- Jimmy Richardson of Tullahoma is an instrument technician in the Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) Test Operations Branch. He is recovering from injuries suffered in a 2012 traffic accident and reminds drivers, during Motorcycle Safety Month, to be careful...

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation this week awarded Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutherford County -- Shelbyville Unit a literacy grant in the amount of $1,500 to support local literacy programs. This local grant award is part of over $5.8 million in grants awarded to approximately 720 schools, nonprofits and organizations across the 43 states the company serves. ...

Every year at Titan Transfer, all employees, both office and its cross-country driving force bond together for a little healthy competition. On Jan. 1, as New Year's resolutions are made, Titan employees are busy planning their race to lose weight and win some money...

Zander Johnson leaving southside school going to middle now.

MURFREESBORO -- Cascade ace Sam Gardner probably could have called it a night after six innings of shutout baseball against Lexington (23-15) in the opening round of the Class 2A state tournament on Tuesday evening -- but he didn't. Facing a high pitch count, Gardner returned to the mound in the top of the seventh and finished the Champions' 2-0 win over the Tigers...