By Gary Clothier WASHINGTON Q: J. Paul Getty is said to have been one of the world’s first billionaires. I have heard more than once that he actually had pay phones installed in his London home. Is this true? ‘ B.T.G., Woodhaven, Mich. A: Jean Paul Getty (1892-1976), American industrialist and founder of the Getty…

Mary Blanche Richardson, 92, of McMinnville died Friday, Jan. 18 at River Park Hospital. Born on March 16, 1915 in Puyallup, Wash., she was preceded in death by her parents, Charles O. and Florence E. Howard Rudder, and husband Elwood Richardson. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Wayne Warner of McMinnville; daughter, Florence…

McMinnville resident and Warren County native G.C. Warren, 80, died Jan. 19 at NHC in McMinnville after an extended illness. An employee of Burroughs-Ross-Colville and a member of East End Church of Christ, he served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War. The son of William Asia and…

McMinnville resident and Birmingham, Ala., native Drucilla ‘Decie’ Crouch, 80, died Jan. 19 after a brief illness. An employee of McMinnville Garment and a member of Bybee Branch Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late Linzy Elton and Anna Tanner Mason; and was also preceded in death by stepmother, Bessie Mason; son,…

JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) ‘ Two high school students are in custody after police found three guns in their cars in the school parking lot. Police said one student brought the guns to sell on Friday and authorities don’t believe the students intended to use the guns at Liberty Technology Magnet High School. “There is no…

Letter to the Editor TO THE EDITOR: A friend of mine told me that he had attended grammar school in what is now McMinnville City Hall. He said, ‘They want to tear it down and with their actions take my childhood memories and a piece of history from this town.’ A lady who works in…

By Lisa Hobbs I try not to lie. I say try because sometimes lies are necessary. For those of you who are right now thinking, ‘No it’s not! I never lie.’ Remember, lies can be verbal and non-verbal. Lies can be big or small. Lies can be harmful or helpful. However, they are still lies…

BY Morton Kondracke It was simply ridiculous for Democrats to fight about race, but it’s more serious that they won’t disagree about Iraq. None of the Democratic presidential candidates — or Congressional leaders — will acknowledge that the troop surge in Iraq creates the possibility that the United States could actually win the conflict and…

BY Thomas Vaughn In case you missed it, the word ‘change’ has become the mantra of presidential candidates from both parties. To listen to them, you would think they invented the word. From Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, to Mitt Romney, John McCain and Mike Huckabee, they’re all for something called ‘change.’ The…

‘To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.’ ‘ Thomas A. Edison ‘The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.’ ‘ Dorothy Nevill ‘Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And…