Stories from Thursday, June 15, 2017

Thomas Mitchell 'Snooks' Lynch, 64, of Shelbyville died Thursday, June 15, 2017 at his home. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with Phillip Crawley officiating. Visitation will be 5-9 p.m. Friday. Following the services, he will be cremated per his request. Private burial of the cremains will follow at a later date.

William Wirt Harin Jr., 92, of Nashville, a prominent figure in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and formerly of Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin, died Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at his home. A celebration of life service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ with Walt Leavor officiating. Visitation will be held 4-8 p.m. Friday at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin and beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at the church. Private graveside services will be held at Williamson Memorial Gardens.

Editor's note: The online version of this story has been updated with comments from Rep. Scott DesJarlais In the wake of Wednesday's shooting at a GOP charity baseball practice and other instances of political violence like the 2011 shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, lawmakers are talking about carrying firearms. The Times-Gazette reached out to local legislators for their thoughts...

In 2015, artist W. Michael Bush of Bell Buckle was in Marietta, Georgia, at the art shop of his friend Jerry Allen. "The show just blew me away," said Bush. Although the show as a whole wasn't necessarily political in nature, there were several thought-provoking pieces that made Bush, as an artist, wish he were doing something "with more meat to it."...

Summer reading students are getting their book learning on. The Bedford County Department of Education is running a summer reading program named Building Community Readers. The program uses crafts and science to stimulate reading, Carol Smith, Bedford County Department of Education elementary instruction supervisor, told the Times-Gazette recently. ...

The 23rd annual RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival will be held Saturday in Bell Buckle. Mark Lowry and Savannah Maddison will be crowned RC Cola King and Moon Pie Queen at the festival, which will include numerous food, craft and other vendors, a parade, a 10-mile run, live entertainment and fun and games, all wrapped up with a playful sense of humor...

Tuesday night, Bedford County Board of Commissioners tried to table a motion, only to have their attorney point out there was no motion on the floor for them to table. I've been covering local government meetings for the Times-Gazette -- mostly county government, but city and towns as well -- for the past 32 years, as of next month. In that time, I've seen a lot of things that would make Henry Martyn Robert cringe...

To the editor, Gov. Haslam is finally having fun. Too bad it is at taxpayer's expense. I think his secret is that he has learned how to communicate with his "tax cuts for the rich" Republican State Legislators. With The Improve Act, they finally have Tennessee number one in the country in corporate giveaways, incentives, and tax cuts...

Dr. Anthony Kinkel submitted a letter of resignation as president of Motlow State Community College late Tuesday afternoon, and Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora Tydings accepted his resignation Wednesday, according to a statement from TBR. Kinkel's resignation is effective Sept. 30, and he is stepping down down from his duties effective immediately...

Nancy Barnett, member of the Beta Nu Chapter of the Xi State organization of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, recently received the Order of the Rose Award, one of the highest awards of the society of women educators. The presentation was made June 1 at the 82nd Annual Xi State Convention held at the University of the South in Sewannee. Barnett joined Delta Kappa Gamma in 1971 and became a Charter member of Beta Nu in 1978...

Motlow State Community College is offering the ACCUPLACER assessment test at all Motlow campuses multiple times through the 2017 calendar year. The ACCUPLACER assessment test replaced the COMPASS test. Students planning to enroll at Motlow for the fall semester who need to take the ACCUPLACER, which is used to assess a student's readiness for college-level work, should do so as soon as possible...

Approximately 50 drywall knives were among construction equipment taken from two homes being built on Helton Road. A generator, compressor, saws and ductwork were among items inside the homes at 8 p.m. Monday and gone the next morning, the Bedford County Sheriff's Department said...

The Fairview FCE Cub met May 17 at the University of Tennessee Extension Office in Shelbyville. Marilyn Lewis read the call to order, "Success." The devotion by Patsy Parker was from a book by Penelope A. Parker. Extension Agent Whitney Danhof presented an educational lesson on picnic plans. ...