By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Bids for the Main Street McMinnville downtown economic development project were reopened Thursday and were again higher than what was estimated, but closer to what officials had in mind.Three base bids were opened by the city recorder, with the lowest of the three from Apex…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard VAUGHN Thomas Vaughn is right about one thing – everybody has a view on Bonnaroo.Those words are part of the chorus of a song he has written about the three-day Bonnaroo music festival, or perhaps, its guests. The third annual festival, which attracts thousands of…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard A local business owner avoided jail time Wednesday after he shorted the state department of revenue over $75,000 by failing to turn in his sales tax collections over a five-year period.The defendant, Mel Dixon, 58, told Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley Wednesday that he had…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Judge Bart Stanley wants to hear from the house guest who was shot by his host before deciding how long the gunman will spend in jail.The defendant, Gary Cantrell, 55, had hoped the court would accept a negotiated plea agreement Wednesday which would have made…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee wants to get the word out about its new driving certificates for temporary and illegal immigrants. But instead of clarifying the situation before the certificates become available July 1, its seems that officials from other states, private companies and even law enforcement agencies in Tennessee are not certain how to treat…

By DUNCAN MANSFIELD / Associated Press Writer KNOXVILLE — An annual report from the U.S. Census Bureau this week contained an ugly indictment of Tennessee’s commitment to public education. Forty-five states and the District of Columbia spent more per child on elementary and secondary education than Tennessee in 2001-02 — a lowly ranking virtually unchanged…

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard JUDKINS Traffic congestion at Warren County High School, long a major problem for students, teachers and area residents, should lessen next school year as the Tennessee Department of Transportation is set to add an additional turning lane into the school this summer.“Sometimes traffic backs up…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard With tens of thousands flocking to the Bonnaroo music festival in Coffee County, citations skyrocketed Wednesday as deputies looked to slow down traffic in the area.“Normally we see one or two tickets. This Wednesday we had 26,” said a Warren County clerk’s office employee, noting…

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Spc. Virgil Tate, 21, shows off one of I Troop’s many gas masks he is responsible for as the unit’s nuclear, biological and chemical specialist. The Rock Island resident will be leaving with the unit for Camp Shelby, Miss., next week. (Will Stewart photo) If…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard RUTLEDGE Seemingly undaunted by the announcement the state will seek the death penalty against him, murder suspect Jimmy Lee Rutledge offered to settle his case Wednesday, even if it meant going to the death chamber as his father did over 40 years ago.Rutledge, 51, told…