HOUSTON (AP) ? Oil giant Exxon Mobil topped its own record for the biggest annual profit by a U.S. company last year, racking up earnings that amounted to $4.5 million an hour for the world’s largest publicly traded oil company. It reported the record net income ? $39.5 billion ? despite a 4 percent drop…

Whether you?re giving roses to your sweetie or chocolates to an American beauty, as in love, you can?t always get what you want. Our ratings can help you choose the best floral or chocolate gift for your money for your beloved on Valentine?s Day. We recently evaluated roses from online deliverers and boxed chocolates bought…

By Dave Ramsey Dear Dave, We?re trying to get our debts paid off, including a couple of credit cards that we?re behind on payments. The credit card company is being really nasty even though we?re trying to work with them. The same man calls us at work even when we?ve repeatedly told him not to…

By James Clark Lionel Panter stands among the many beds available at the Mattress Planet showroom on Chancery Street. Folks may remember Lionel from Co-op, where he worked for 30 years before retiring. Since today is Feb. 4, and since folks seem to like countdowns, I feel it?s my duty to inform the men of…

By Roger Cook The oldest person to live on earth (that we have record of) was Methuselah who live 969 years. His name appears six times in the Bible, but yet we know almost nothing that he did. The only thing we really know about him is his family background. He was the grandfather of…

Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar Dear Annie: I’m 19 and attending college. I room with five other girls, and the father of one of them, “Debbie,” owns the house we live in. The problem? Debbie believes that since it is her father’s house, she gets to make all the rules. We all agree on no…

NEW YORK (AP) ? Forget about oil as the inflation bogeyman we should fear the most. The surging price of corn is the latest threat to Americans? wallets, and where it hits them may go beyond the supermarket. The issue here really starts with the government?s push to increase the use of alternative fuels like…

The January meeting of the Lucky-Northside FCEC was held at Ashburn Alley in Smithville. President Sandra Griffith conducted the meeting, with Irene Fuston reading the minutes from the December meeting. Treasurer Francis Holcomb gave the club financial report. Five members answered roll call to ?A game I like to play is. . . ? Educational…

Southern Standard readers are invited to extend happy birthday and anniversary best wishes to friends and loved ones through this weekly column. Please submit messages by our noon deadline each Thursday. No more that three wishes to any individual, please. Happy Birthday Wishes: Feb. 3 ? Happy 3rd birthday Alex Tallent. From mom, dad pappy,…

Melba Roberts and James Dillon Pistole were married Jan. 19, 1957 in a private ceremony in Warren County. To commemorate their 50th wedding anniversary, the couple enjoyed a dinner party given by their children, Jimmie Dean and Jeff Bush, Elaine and Melvin Childers and Mike and Kristie Pistole at High Point in Monteagle. Jim retired…