By MELISSA STOVER / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard It wasn’t a boyhood dream to become a police officer for McMinnville Police Captain Bryan Denton. In fact, Denton says it was the last thing he wanted to do.But after a little encouragement from his father, who was a career law enforcement officer, Denton reluctantly…

Girl Scout cookie kickoff officially took place yesterdayGirl Scout cookies are here. The theme for this year’s sale, which began Jan. 1, is “Get Going, Girlfriends!”During the cookie sale, girls are encouraged to set goals and develop team-building skills. Girl scouting gives girls the tools and confidence they need to achieve their goals — now…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard Most Southerners are well acquainted with the age-old tradition of serving hogs jowl and black-eyed peas on New Years Day, but few can really say, with any certainty, how this tradition got started. However, a little research on the Internet turned up a few…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard Local craftsman Roy Hughes, of Hughes Chair Company, poses with his mother, Mazel, and some samples of the chairs produced in the shop he took over from his father Jim, who passed away in November. (Charles W. Johnson photo) Ever since the industrial revolution…

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.) Though the first lottery ticket has yet to be sold, current high school seniors and college freshmen can now apply for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship on a first-come, first-served basis.“For years we’ve been telling kids if they go to school and study hard…