By Nat Hentoff / Columnist Supreme Court Justice David Souter has said “the day you see a camera come into our courtroom, it’s going to roll over my dead body.” But the Supreme Court — which decides cases that affect millions of Americans — is not his court. It’s ours.In Richmond Newspapers Inc. v. Virginia…

By James Clark / Columnist With our bellies still bulging from a day of constant knife-and-fork action, our mission today is to bombard stores, malls, and just about any place containing merchandise with a retail price tag.It never quite seems like the holiday season until the ever-popular, after-Thanksgiving shopping blitz arrives. I guess it takes…

By NICK KUHN / McMinnville Urban Forester Except for the constant mistreatment by humans, a tree is in the greatest danger during severe storms. The rain, hail, wind, and resulting flooding or ice weight is a test of your tree’s health and strength.Any storm has the potential to damage your trees and in turn life…

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.) If Christmas seems like it’s coming a little early this year, that’s because it is.For the second consecutive year, the Southern Standard and over 30 local businesses are sponsoring A Warren County Christmas — a gift-giving extravaganza which will rival Christmas day itself. The…

By MELISSA STOVER / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard As we gather around for Thanksgiving dinner, many of us will be continuing a family tradition.Maybe it’s one that has been in the family for generations, or one you just started. Either way, it’s something many of us will remember our entire lives and possibly…

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Hiking in northern Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, Ben Newman stops to consult his trail map. Moments later Newman saw his first bear. Below, Ben Newman is seen at Mt. Katahdin, Me., the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. (Photos provided) He traveled 2,172 miles and…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard With the arrival of the holidays comes an upturn in crime as criminals take advantage of the increased traffic in stores and merchandise shoppers often leave inside their vehicles.“We generally see more cases of thefts, shoplifting and car burglaries around the holiday season,” said McMinnville…

By MARGARET HOBBS / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Deimer Barnes drives his unique carriage imported from Canada. This year, Barnes has the responsibility of bringing Santa to the mall the day after Thanksgiving. (Margaret Hobbs photo) Santa Claus is coming to town, and this year he is coming in style.Santa will be arriving…

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.) Little did P. Allen Smith know when he was a youngster attending William Biles Elementary that he would one day have TV shows airing on 267 stations. And he would get there through gardening.The Warren County native has been to the White House and…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard SPARKMAN There wasn’t much Joe (Eddie) Sparkman didn’t see during his 31 years with the highway patrol, a career from which he retired recently leaving with the rank of Master Trooper.“The thing I miss most about it is the people and the friends I made…