Our Viewpoint The meth epidemic has become so prevalent in McMinnville and Warren County that hardly a week goes by without some sort of meth story appearing in the local media. Indeed, there seems to be no end to this modern plague which is spreading its insidious influence throughout our society.There appears to be no…

Clockwise from top: Cream Puffs With Candied Fruit, Apple- Cranberry Salad With Baby Greens, Grilled Beef Tenderloin Crostini With Pimiento and Chipotle Pesto, Spicy Pimiento Sauce and Smoky Shrimp and Crab Dip Your holiday entertaining is winding down with the exception of finalizing plans for a New Year’s Eve gathering. You’re making your list and…

By Donald Lambro / Columnist The holidays traditionally inspire renewed faith in and optimism about the future. This is certainly truer now than it has been for quite some time.At least since Sept. 11, 2001, the world seemed to be darker as global criminals kill innocent people and terrorize nations at random. But then America’s…

By Diana West / Columnist If, as John Seabrook writes in the New Yorker, American parents bought Erector sets and Monopoly because they believed they were prepping their kids to become builders or bankers, then the British and Irish parents who bought the horse-betting game Totopoly couldn’t have been hoping for more (or less) than…

By Melissa Stover / Columnist Since I began writing for the paper about three months ago, I have been lucky not to receive many complaints about how or what I write. I have only gotten a few complaints and by complaints I mean someone writing or calling me to express their dislike of something I…

The Bristol Herald Courier Over a breakfast of sausage gravy atop flaky homemade biscuits, two scrambled eggs, thick slices of Brandywine tomatoes, grits, hot black coffee and Florida orange juice, consider this: The guy two seats over is packing heat.And as you sip your glass of Merlot or guzzle a lime-green margarita, imagine that you…

The Kingsport Times-News A report on problems with TennCare — the state’s $7.1 billion health care program for 1.3 million poor Tennesseans — shows Gov. Phil Bredesen and state lawmakers have their work cut out for them.The first half of a privately funded study carried out by McKinsey & Co. found that TennCare accounts for…

BABY BOYKyle Devin Lokey, son of Tamela Hill and Kelly Lokey, was born Nov. 13 at River Park Hospital. She weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces. The baby has a sister, Monia Hill.Grandparents are Sandra Howell of Piedmont, Ala., Elizabeth Harris and William Lokey of Rock Island. BABY GIRLIsabel Newby arrived Nov. 13 at River Park…

The residence of Donna Gonder, festively decorated for the holiday season, provided the setting for the December meeting of Ben Lomond Garden Club. Juanita Phillips was co-hostess.President Bette Myers introduced guest Shona Ringgenberg and Wally Bigbee opened the meeting with prayer. Judges for the day were Pat Kuykendall and Joletta Dean.Garden club member Pat Bigbee…

By Rob Nunley / Columnist Once again, for the second straight year, my apologies to Major Henry Livingston Jr. (1748-1828), the original author of this piece:‘Twas the day after Christmas, at the office downtown,Not a writer was writing; no one was around; Except for those two who treat gyms like apartments,your own friendly neighborhood sports…