BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) ? Senior Kevin Sterne will see the scar on his thigh every time he pulls on his pants. Freshman Hilary Strollo will have to decide whether to bare her stomach in a swimsuit. And on the day someone slips a wedding band on her finger, junior Katelyn Carney will see the healed-up…

TOKYO (AP) ? Nissan marked its first drop in annual profit in seven years on Thursday, the first such setback under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn, who salvaged the Japanese automaker from collapse. He also acknowledged Nissan would need an extra year to meet a key production target. The big problem at Japan?s No. 3…

By Dave Ramsey Dear Dave, I?m trying to get my wife on board with us getting out of debt, but she tells me that if you don?t have credit you?re nothing. We?re Christians, we make good money ? about $75,000 a year ? so why does she feel this way? What can I do to…

A flood of new water filters is making it easier than ever to remove impurities in your tap water. And not all of them require a major investment: Consumer Reports? recent tests found two Best Buys at less than $60 a piece. Want to know what?s in your water? One way to find out is…

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks finished a strong week mostly flat Friday as investors tried to reconcile a weaker-than-expected estimate of first-quarter economic growth with fresh evidence that corporate profits remain robust. A modest advance in the Dow Jones industrials sent the blue chips to their third record close in as many days. Keeping stocks…

NASHVILLE (AP) ? The United Steelworkers union said on Thursday it has reached new contract agreements with tiremaker Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire covering 5,200 workers at eight plants. The union said workers voted on the three-year contracts on Wednesday. The plants include Akron, Ohio; Noblesville, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa; Russellville, Ark.; La Vergne, Tenn.;…

By JAMES CLARK Most everyone involved is a little bit lighter after the first McMinnville Meltdown weight loss contest sponsored by USA Gym and the Southern Standard. A total of 268 participants lost a combined 1,176 pounds, while USA Gym owner Leland Northcutt lost $2,250 in prize money. ?We made McMinnville lighter so I think…

By James Clark Justin Caten has relocated his business, McMinnville Pallet Company, to Morrison. He sells refurbished pallets and also collects used pallets. He can be reached at 409-0869. One of the perks of working for the newspaper is I get to relive the wonders of prom night every year. That prom night magic once…

Baby Boy Craig Ryan Dodd, son of Miranda and Gregg Dodd, Sr., arrived March 20 at River Park Hospital weighing 6 pounds, 12 1/2 ounces. He is joined by brothers, Dameon Abair, De?Sean Bell and Gregg ?Baby? Dodd, Jr. Grandparents include Mickey Abair, Jimmy and Mary Pruitt of Tullahoma and Joe and Joyce Dodd of…

If you suffer from the effects of arthritis or fibromyalgia, UT Extension, Warren County is offering a class to help you manage their impact on your life. It?s called Tai Chi from the Arthritis Foundation. Tai Chi from the Arthritis Foundation (TCAF) is a form of Tai Chi that is specially designed to reduce the…