By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard CHEER Mental Health Alliance past president C.N. Womack, right, gets ready to present the prestigious Bell Ringer Award to Neal Cox for his eight years of volunteer service. Cox is the Bell Ringer’s 33rd recipient. (Charles W. Johnson photo) CHEER Mental Health presented its…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard The Senior Center’s Veronica Soloman, left, signs up local senior Ella Sullivan for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The program provides vouchers to purchase fresh produce at the local Farmers Market during July and August. The Farmers Market, Senior Center and Health Department have…

James Clark photo Mitchell Woodlee, 6, has the right idea about how to cool off on a hot day. He makes a trip to the city pool.

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Rust spots are appearing on some of the newly installed traffic poles downtown. (Amy Satterwhite photo) The spit-shine appearance given to the first phase of the downtown project is being tarnished by rusting traffic light poles, which are almost brand new.Three of seven traffic light…

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard This well was found by sheriff’s deputies inside a home on Bluff Springs Road. The well had reportedly been used as a dumping ground for meth-making materials. (Duane Sherrill photo) Fears of groundwater contamination around Bluff Springs Road have been raised after deputies found a…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard Non-profit organizations in Warren County have raised their monetary requests for the 2005-2006 budget by more than $105,000, a close to 50 percent increase over last year, according to figures collated by Director of Accounts Linda Hillis.Requests escalated from around $226,000 in 2004-2005 to…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard The steel workers union overwhelmingly rejected what was termed “the last best” offer by Bridgestone, the vote possibly clearing the way for the first strike in the plant’s 15-year history.The balloting, which concluded Friday evening for the union’s approximately 750 voting members, had 85 percent…

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard JERI BRYANT After swallowing over 100 pills as the partly burned body of her husband of 20 years lay only a few feet from her back door, the prime suspect in the Baker Mountain Road murder of Furlon Bryant remained silent and in a coma…

Aug. 4-5 In-service (required)Aug. 7 Open house 2 to 4 p.m.Aug. 8 Registration-opening day 8 to 10 a.m.Aug. 9 First full day of schoolSept. 5 Labor Day – no schoolSept. 15 End first six weeksSept. 16 Fair Day – no schoolSept. 21 Report cardsSept. 22 PTC from 3 to 6 p.m.Oct. 14 Fall break –…

Jeremiah Wayman smiles as he climbs out of the city pool. He had a blast splashing around with his brother, Jonathan.