NASHVILLE (AP) — Major ethics reform cleared a key Senate committee Tuesday, promising to crack down on influence peddling by public officials. The measure further toughened a bill already approved by the House, and was quickly scheduled for a vote in the full Senate for Thursday morning. What started out as a measure to force…

By JAMES CLARK / Editor for the Southern Standard FORD State Sen. John Ford has been bombarded by accusations this legislative session. The Democrat from Memphis has been charged with everything from not living in the district he represents to accepting nearly a quarter of a million dollars from a company that does business with…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard This accident, which occurred at the intersection of N. Chancery Street and the bypass, took place when a motorist ran a red light on July 21, 2004. The intersection is the second most dangerous in McMinnville. (File photo) New Smithville Highway and North Chancery Street…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard RENEER A teen-ager urinating in the middle of Highway 55 was struck by two vehicles and killed Saturday evening in an accident investigators are hard pressed to explain.The victim, Cassandra Dawn Reneer, 18, suffered massive injuries and was likely dead on impact when she was…

By Duane Sherrill / Columnist “Rubbin’ is racin’, son,” I told Jack even as I was bitten from behind by a wooden snake wielded by my wife who was trying to console our crying 7-year-old in the back seat as we left the NASCAR go-cart park in Pigeon Forge last week.It all started out smooth,…

Our Viewpoint Almost all of us think about keeping a close eye on our children when they’re enjoying the afternoon at a park or playground. There could be a stranger lurking around the corner just waiting for the right moment to pounce on an innocent child.But sexual predators don’t have to stake out playgrounds anymore.…

Guitar virtuoso John Jorgenson joins the Nashville Chamber Orchestra Quintet and rhythm section for a performance at Warren County High School this Sunday.Jorgenson, a three-time winner of the Academy of Country Music’s Guitarist of the Year award, was born into the music business.Jorgenson worked for eight years with Disneyland’s jazz and bluegrass group. He earned…

“Calming the Storms” is the theme for Central Church of Christ’s 28th Annual Ladies Day to be held April 16. Warren County native Cynthia Northcutt will be guest speaker for the event. Registration is from 9:30 to 10 a.m.Northcutt is a member of the Church of Christ at Cedar Lane in Tullahoma where she teaches…

By SETH WRIGHT / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Sony’s new handheld unit, shown here at actual size, offers most of the features gamers have come to expect from console games such as Tiger Woods PGA Tour’s incredibly customizable Gameface Mode. If the phrase “portable gaming” brings to mind images of kids in the…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard From left, Cecil Prater, Ed Molloy and Robert Love pal around with the pigeons as they take a rest from a trek around San Antonio’s Riverwalk. (Charles W. Johnson photos) The food! The historic buildings and architectural marvels! The wonderful art and handmade crafts!…