Stories from Thursday, July 20, 2017

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the Rowan County (North Carolina) Commissioners ran afoul of the Constitution for opening their meetings with Christian prayers, always given by one of the commissioners, and invited the audience to join in...

I want to thank Mr. John Carney for the 7-13-17 article "Where do county's dollars go?" That is a question I am often asked, as well as the other equally important question is " Where do the dollars come from?" I consider it an honor and a privilege to represent the citizens of this County. ...

A SCCY 9mm pistol was stolen from one of two unlocked vehicles at a Lafayette Street home overnight Tuesday, Shelbyville police said. The vehicles were last checked around 8 p.m. Tuesday and the vehicles were fine. Two people took the bar code of a 20-cent shot glass and scanned it for 28 household items at a self-serve Walmart checkout line Tuesday, Shelbyville police said...

The 20th annual Bedford County Fair will take place Monday, July 24, through Saturday, July 29, at Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center on Midland Road. The carnival midway will open Tuesday night and will start each night at 6 p.m., with extended hours on the 29th...

In his fourth season as head coach of the Community Viking football team, Coach Chris Grooms is counting on some seniors who have the experience of being around his system to lead his squad in the 2017 season. “I expect my senior class, Wyatt Sobiek, Preston Bennett, Nathan Hudson, and Shane Bowden to anchor our team,” Grooms said. “They’ve been here for four years with me and I expect big things from them.”...

A federal appeals court rejected a request July 3 for a rehearing in a case that threw out an EPA rule exempting large livestock farms from air quality testing and public reporting of their air pollution emissions. The next available steps for the agriculture community are either an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court or an act of Congress...

The architect for the county's new jail and justice center, responding to an email from a county commissioner, said the size of the judicial center was expanded by about 20,000 square feet following work sessions he held in February with various county departments...

Steven Eric Trapp, 54, of Tullahoma, a former Bedford County deputy sheriff, died Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at The Willows of Winchester. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. EDT Monday at Chattanooga National Cemetery. Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home of Tullahoma is handling arrangements.

Connie Jackson Beasley, 68, of Unionville died Thursday, July 20, 2017 in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Lawrence Funeral Home in Chapel Hill with Danny Freeman officiating. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Sunday. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery.

James Norman Nowlin, 63, of Shelbyville died Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at Tennova Healthcare-Shelbyville. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Gowen-Smith Chapel with Jeff Young officiating. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday and beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Willow Mount Cemetery.

Judy Carol Grogan, 67, of Shelbyville, died Thursday, July 20, 2017. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Feldhaus Memorial Chapel with Charles Redmond officiating. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Monday. Burial will be at Hurricane Grove Cemetery.

Cecil Rhodes Clanton, Jr., 84 of Bedford died Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at St. Thomas Midtown in Nashville. A celebration of life service wil be 1 p.m. Saturday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home with Jim Highland, Bobby McGee and Jonathan Curry officiating. Visitation will begin at noon.