By Morton Kondracke / Columnist WASHINGTON — I’ve just finished reading David McCullough’s dramatic bestseller, “1776,” an inspiring retelling of the year of our founding. One cannot ignore the parallels of what is happening today in Iraq as he leads us through a year when all seemed hopeless and lost up to the very end.…

By Jim Mullen / Columnist Our city friends, the Fergusons, are visiting the farm for a week or so. Today we are going to the county fair. The Fergusons go upstairs to change. Beverly comes downstairs wearing black Spandex leggings, a huge printed blouse and a baby blue, silk turban and gigantic Liz Taylor sunglasses.…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Soaring house prices may be making some people think twice about buying a slice of the American Dream. But plenty are still willing to take the plunge. Sales of previously owned homes fell in July as the price of a house climbed to a record high. Still, the pace of sales was…

WASHINGTON (AP) — With gas prices continuing to rise, the Bush administration on Tuesday proposed new rules to compel auto manufacturers to make pickup trucks, minivans and some sport utility vehicles more fuel efficient. Environmentalists said the plan would do little to wean the nation from its dependence on foreign oil. The proposal would require…

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — Want a bit of ginger in that beer? Or how about a strawberry Budweiser daiquiri? If the very thought of it makes your stomach lurch, this Bud isn’t for you. But Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., better known for its manly Budweiser brand, is trying to tempt more adventurous taste buds in hopes…

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Verizon Communications Inc. and Yahoo Inc. have teamed up to launch a cheaper high-speed Internet service designed to compete against cable operators and dial-up service providers. For $14.95, subscribers will be able to download Web pages via a digital subscriber line at speeds of up to 768 kilobits and upload data…

Play the Southern Standard’s Web Eye-D contest and you could win $25! Playing the game is simple. We display the eyes of a famous or noteworthy person at the Web Eye-D Contest link on our site. To win the game, and the $25, all you have to do is guess the name of the person…

He was born in Miami, Fla., May 14, 1970. He is survived by his wife Angela Slate Hawn, sons Johnathan and Spencer Hawn, all of Lebanon; parents Asbury Fred Hawn Sr. and Faith W. Earl Hawn, of Lebanon; sisters Faith (Derwin) Brownlow, of Smyrna, Connie (Joe) Murphy, of Lebanon, and Teresa (Roy) Heriges, of Lebanon;…

Ecorse, Mich., resident and Monterey native Joe Horace Wilson, 87, died Aug. 22 at Rivergate Nursing Home in Riverview, Mich., after an extended illness.A retired machine operator and a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Dearborn Heights, Mich., he was the son of James Bedford and Emily Smith Wilson; and was preceded in death…

McMinnville resident and White County native Jimmy Hugh Reece, 59, died Aug. 22 at his home.A construction worker, he was the son of the late William Hugh and Edith Christine Matthews Reece, and was preceded in death by sons, Michael Scott and Anthony Darrell Reece; sister, Dorothy Paulette Landers; brother, Jerry Wayne Reece; halfbrother, Harold…