COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) It’s 10 o’clock on a Friday night and all 15-year-old Sylvia Fallon wants to do is hang out with her friends at the mall. But she’ll have to dodge security: Easton Town Center, like many shopping centers across the country, has a curfew for unchaperoned teens. Here, the witching hour is 9:30…

DALTON, Ga. (AP) Carolyn Roberts was ready for heavy wind and rain as the remnants of Hurricane Ivan approached northwest Georgia, but she didn’t anticipate storm-driven sticker shock at the gas pump. Prices at the convenience store where Roberts often stops for fuel near Interstate 75 jumped by a nickel overnight Thursday, from $1.64 to…

WASHINGTON (AP) There is little doubt Bill Frist is preparing for a 2008 presidential race, but what is less clear is whether his current position as Senate majority leader will help him land the Oval Office job. “There’s no doubt that he’s acting methodically,” political scientist Norm Ornstein of the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute said…

NEW YORK (AP) It’s not just students who need to brush up on their writing. A majority of U.S. employers say about one-third of workers do not meet the writing requirements of their positions, according to a survey by the College Board’s National Commission on Writing. “Businesses are really crying out — they need to…

Our Viewpoint It’s refreshing to see Humane Society officials put aside their differences with the county and agree to reopen the animal shelter this Monday. If the Humane Society is concerned about what’s best for Warren County, it’s the right move to make. The Standard is pleased such a decision was finally reached. In an…

Bill Cathcart Tower builder Mike Mitchell clings to a rope as he and Bill look 350 feet straight down.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the “Guinness Book of World Records,” Britain’s Mirror newspaper meticulously combed through all the listings and chose the oddest entries. Here is a sampling: • Highest Shallow Dive: In January 2004, Danny Higginbottom of Louisiana dove from a height of 25 feet into 30 centimeters of water. •…

James Clark After opening the Inn at Harvest Farms Lake five years ago, Freddie and Diane Morton have sold the popular wedding spot that sits on a 30-acre lake. I don’t usually try to show my sensitive side, but I must admit I’ve been a little hurt by the fact September is national Be Kind…