ATHENS, Tenn. (AP) ? Sign-waving protesters criticized a judge’s decision to reduce bond for a man who confessed to the rape-slaying of his 14-month-old daughter. Bob Schultz and Brian Hester, both carpenters, took off time from work to join the Thursday morning protest outside the McMinn County Courthouse. Both said that as parents they were…

Cokie & Steven Roberts An old adage called “Miles’ Law” reads: Where you stand depends on where you sit. That’s a mild way of saying that politicians are often hypocrites. They profess to be acting on principle, but their perspective has a way of changing when they shift roles. As Democrats solidify their power on…

By DUANE SHERRILL A check kiting scheme targeting two local banks has thousands of dollars worth of hot checks bouncing around the county and has left the check writer facing a mountain of charges. The alleged passer of the checks, Alicia Kay Hernandez, 26, is presently charged with passing four worthless checks. However, according to…

By LISA HOBBS Finally! Another interview for the urban forester position has been set for this coming Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 4:30 p.m. Although the hope was to get two interviews set, there will only be one. John S. Baggett has been invited and will be talking to members of the Building and Grounds Committee.…

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON Rodney Boyd presents the Chamber Citizen Volunteer of the Year Award to current McMinnville Mayor Royce Davenport. McMinnville?s current mayor, a former county executive and a local businessman took top honors Monday night at the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce annual membership meeting and awards banquet. Carol Hamblen was chosen the…

By JAMES CLARK Gov. Phil Bredesen stressed education in his State of the State address Monday night, and our state legislators are eager to get local feedback about pressing issues facing Tennesseans. For the 23rd year, state Sen. Jerry Cooper is asking voters to respond to a constituent survey, and state Reps. Charles Curtiss and…

By DUANE SHERRILL A year after crime peaked in McMinnville at one of its highest levels ever, matters returned to relative normalcy in 2006 as reported crime dropped substantially as did calls for service. A total of 1,495 offenses were reported to city police in 2006, a number down about 8 percent from the 1,617…

Phyllis Boren tries to stay warm while directing traffic yesterday outside Bobby Ray Elementary. While temperatures in Middle Tennessee dipped into the teens earlier this week, that was swimsuit weather compared to some Northern cities. Temperatures dipped to 38 below zero in parts of Minnesota on Monday, and reached as low as minus 20 in…

By DUANE SHERRILL A pizza deliveryman was robbed at gunpoint, his masked attacker now charged with the crime after he reportedly confessed and said the robbery was all an accident. The suspect, Susej Will Riddle, 19, is charged with aggravated robbery and is being held under $50,000 bond for allegedly robbing a Pizza Hut deliveryman…

USDA-Farm Service Agency offices across the nation are continuing to enroll farmers and landowners in USDA?s Direct-Counter Cyclical Payment program for the final year of the 2002 Farm Bill. The program has provided fixed, guaranteed ?direct? payments to producers each year with additional ?counter cyclical? payments to producers when the average market price of a…