By Dale Stubblefield / Columnist The song “Georgia,” which Ray Charles made famous, has always made the state of Georgia sound like a wonderful place to live.But over the past week, I bet there are several residents who are not so proud of their wonderful state right now.The state of Georgia has been in the…

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard The Lady Bronco softball team will be looking to rebuild its infield this year, and youth will be part of their rebuilding process.Head coach Mike Steakley has several concerns with his team this year after losing four starters to graduation.“We have a lot of crucial…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Choking back tears while seeing horrific photos of their loved one and hearing the chilling details of his final days before he died of starvation, the family of murder victim Fletcher Anderson says it was a cruel twist of circumstances which delivered the victim into…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard County commissioner Bill Zechman is asking for the community’s help in obtaining information for a resolution he is sponsoring honoring local service men and women who have been called up as a result of possible military action in Iraq.He is asking for local residents…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard A state official said Friday the likelihood of withholding all of the Hall Income tax shared with the city by the state is decreasing.Asked about the possibility the proposal was being reconsidered, Gov. Phil Bredesen’s press secretary Lydia Lenker confirmed the idea has been reevaluated…

HAMBLEN Principal Eva Ferrell of Boyd Christian High School has announced the top five members of the school’s graduating class.Earning the distinction of class valedictorian is Megan Hamblen, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Russell Hamblen. Salutatorian is Scarlette Hodge, daughter of Fred and Rebecca Hodge. Class historian is Katie Bryant, daughter of Alan Bryant and…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard ARMSTRONG After months of delays, missed deadlines and broken promises, the county’s Jail Oversight Committee gave jail architect Jim Armstrong, of Armstrong and Associates, what amounts to an ultimatum.Armstrong, who has already collected $114,000 in fees from the county, has yet to deliver a…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard JONES After seeing two days of graphic evidence depicting the starvation of Fletcher Anderson, jurors found his former care-giver, Doreen Jones, guilty of second-degree murder Saturday afternoon.The six-man, six-woman jury returned with the verdict following two hours of deliberation, capping the three-day trial. Jones seemed…

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard COOPER State Sen. Jerry Cooper insists he has done nothing wrong, but his name has nonetheless been dragged into a TBI investigation.The investigation is focusing on Tony Auyer, a Huntsville, Ala., businessman who bought buildings and 13 acres of property from Cooper in 1999. Auyer had…

Our Viewpoint There’s no need to get a ruling from a judge. The way county commissioners have handled expansion plans for Warren County Jail is almost criminal.The latest news coming from the Warren County Commission is that current jail architect Jim Armstrong is in trouble. He’s in so much trouble, commissioners are going to push…