By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard ZECHMAN Saying today’s interest rates are too good to pass up, Warren County Commission Education Committee chairman Bill Zechman proposed Monday night for the commission to look into the possibility of fully funding two major repair projects at the middle school.“Nunley Stadium and the middle…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Tragedy was narrowly avoided Monday when a 4-year-old, playing with a loaded gun, shot his younger brother, slightly wounding the 17-month-old while the two sat in their father’s truck.Their father, Roger Johnson, is a rookie police officer with McMinnville Police Department. The city-issued 40 caliber…

By Dale Stubblefield / Columnist The National Football League has the instant replay cameras, the NBA has tape review and even hockey allows the referees to check the tape on a questionable score.Now America’s game baseball has the Ques Tec system. Yes baseball the pure and simple game has gone high-Tec.As controversy has brewed over…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Sarah Hoyle’s trusty bug net hasn’t failed her yet in her quest to collect lightning bugs for scientific research. She was named the top collector in Middle Tennessee. (Amy Satterwhite photo) Researchers are back on the prowl for lightning bugs, and that news is music…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard MENDOZA An unlucky armed robber will serve eight years in prison, months after he and his alleged accomplice were tailed by lawmen leaving the scene of their crime.The defendant, Christopher Mendoza, entered a guilty plea before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to the charge of…

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale, right, poses with Keith Hamilton, left, and J.W. Holt Monday afternoon. Hamilton was hired as the new Lady Pioneer soccer coach, while Holt will be taking over the Pioneer baseball program. (Dale Stubblefield photo) The search for a coach…

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard For new WCHS baseball head coach J.W. Holt, the upcoming season will be business as usual — almost.Holt, a former Pioneer player and assistant coach, became the sixth head coach in the program’s history Monday, when he was announced as Jimmy Walker’s successor.“We did have…

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Doug Keil’s decision to depart for Lebanon was met with a mixture of disappointment and understanding by WCHS administrators Tuesday night.Principal James Bennett and athletic director Andy Jacobs both expressed how much the athletic department — as well as the entire WCHS family — will…

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard Doug Keil instructs his team from the sidelines during this file photo from last season. Keil, the Pioneers’ head basketball coach for the past three years, accepted the head coaching job at Lebanon Tuesday. (Rob Nunley photo) One day after filling two head coaching vacancies,…

Retail food stores and pharmacies in Tennessee gave the WIC program high ratings in a statewide survey designed to measure satisfaction with WIC services. Survey results show a positive satisfaction rating of 82 percent.Of over 30 areas evaluated, individual item satisfaction reached 93 percent. Results showed a slight variation by region, with West Tennessee posting…