Laura Louise Smartt, Carmon Ray Mears, George Martin, James Overton Polson, Rayola Morris Teal Laura Louise Smartt, 83McMinnville resident and Warren County native Laura Louise Smartt, 83, died unexpectedly June 11 at Baptist DeKalb Hospital.A retired employee of Irving College School cafeteria and Levi Straus Company and a member of Madison Street Baptist Church, she…

TO THE EDITOR: In light of the recent accident involving the FedEx driver, I would just like to thank him. Although the Lord took him away, he will always be remembered by many.Even though he just worked in McMinnville, he seemed like an every day resident. We had become accustomed to seeing him every day…

By George Plagenz / Columnist If I were the pope — and you will be happy to know that I have not been approached — I would maintain the church’s rule concerning an unmarried priesthood as the present pope has done. But I would also go to work on ordaining women ASAP, which Pope John…

By Mike Vinson / Columnist Even though the following is a two-part column, the two parts are closely related, and hopefully will intertwine to yield the desired effect. The two parts: (1) medical care/aid; (2) disability.Medical care/aidSome time back, I was sitting inside a doctor’s office, waiting to be seen. While waiting, I listened to…

By James Clark / Columnist For anyone who has every toyed with the idea of writing a book, there’s hope out there.The recent release of “Prisoners of Hope,” written by American missionary workers Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, is proof it doesn’t take brains to land a book deal. I can’t tell you if the…

Our Viewpoint Anyone examining the files at Magness Library would no doubt find a list of books which are long overdue. With that in mind, the idea for McMinnville hiring a full-time city planner is also one that’s long overdue.A city the size of McMinnville, which should grow and add appropriate infrastructure along the way,…

Cumberland County Playhouse is getting a taste of the old west as Broadway’s prettiest sharpshooter returns to the Mainstage in Annie Get Your Gun. The show opened June 13.Annie Get Your Gun is the story of the dead-eye riflewoman Annie Oakley, who went from backwoods girl to star and fell in love with ace marksman…

Novella Fowler, Rayola Morris Teal Novella Fowler, 93McMinnville resident and DeKalb County native Novella Fowler, 93, died June 11 at NHC Healthcare after an extended illness.A homemaker and a member of Mt. View Primitive Baptist Church, she was the daughter of the late William Wade and Ella Tramel Young; and was preceded in death by…

TO THE EDITOR: I recently saw a piece of an article on the newspaper Website concerning the condition of the Greek statue on the square. The article mentioned it would take $18,000 for the restoration.I’m not sure what repairs need to be made but the price tag does seem expensive. What amazed me about the…

By Duane Sherrill / Columnist We can’t have our cake and eat it too. If the state is truly against an income tax, then we must be ready to face the consequences the necessary cutbacks will bring with it.Ever since the debate began raging in the General Assembly about ways to make up the state’s…