NEW YORK (AP) — It March 24, 1962. Emile Griffith and Benny “Kid” Paret were inside the ring at Madison Square Garden, waiting for the bell, ready to fight for the championship of the world. In their Brooklyn apartment, 12-year-old Dan Klores and his father sat together in front of their television, eagerly anticipating the…

By DAVID GERMAIN / AP Movie Writer NICOLE KIDMAN So much is right about “The Interpreter” that it’s easy to forgive the fact the essential story is a static assassination plot whose climax hits with a dull thud instead of a sharp bang.For most of the way, it’s a thoughtful melodrama crackling with sophisticated dialogue…

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — If U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist decides to seek the Republican presidential nomination, he has a wealthy network of donors ready. Frist’s Volunteer PAC raised $4 million for GOP candidates in the 2004 election cycle, and his Senate colleague and former presidential candidate Lamar Alexander says that could be an important…

JACKSON (AP) — Sexual trafficking and prostitution are closely linked and growing international problems, an expert on the subject told Union University students. Sexual trafficking exists in order to support prostitution, said Lisa Thompson, a liaison for the abolition of sexual trafficking for the Salvation Army in Washington D.C. Thompson, who spoke Monday during the…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Professionals with real-world experience in subjects like math, science and foreign language will have an easier time of jumping into the classroom as part of a new state teaching program. Teach Tennessee aims to attract scientists, mathematicians and engineers to hard-to-fill positions by allowing them to bypass the traditional program and become…

NASHVILLE (AP) — A bill that would let colleges and universities decide whether to prohibit smoking in their dormitories was unanimously approved Tuesday by the House Agriculture Committee, a week after the same panel voted against it. The original bill by Rep. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, mandated that no smoking be allowed in dorms. But the…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Extensive questioning from a House subcommittee delayed the fate of legislation that would let couples voluntarily enter “covenant marriages,” which require pre-wedding counseling and make it more difficult to get a divorce. The bill was put off until next week for more discussion in the Domestic Relations Subcommittee. Critics said establishing covenant…

NASHVILLE (AP) — A state Senate committee Tuesday voted to add $481,000 to the Department of Correction budget to pay for six drug dog units to detect and deter drug trafficking in state prisons. “Maybe the department has come to accept that there will always be contraband in prisons,” said Sen. Doug Jackson, vice chairman…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Investigator Tom Evans of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force can easily demonstrate the existence of Internet child sexual predators with just a few key strokes. (Amy Satterwhite photo) As far as teacherjeff_52 knows, he’s sending instant messages to a 13-year old girl named…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard A major four-wheeler theft ring was busted last week as a chance encounter with two suspects by lawmen led to toppling the entire operation.Charged are Billy Blake Bowdoin, 18, of Morrison, along with two 16-year-olds and one 17-year-old. Lawmen have not released the names of…