Lily Brazle, 5, makes a bouquet of some of the fireworks available at Martin’s Fireworks stand at Garden City Plaza on Sunday as proud mom Ellen looks on.

By Dakota Tinney Take a reality check. What’s really important in life? How do you put life’s issues into perspective and face your problems? It’s important to balance your life. Don’t let the little things get to you. Make every day count, and when stress is piled on remove yourself from the problem completely. Think…

By Dakota Tinney Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions. What’s the big deal? No one keeps them. Am I right? Of course I’m right! I’m going to spend less of my parents money, next thing you know you have a brand new outfit. I’m going to spend less time running up the phone bill, so just…

BY JAMES CLARK Longtime community volunteer Nelma Justin says reviving the local United Way chapter will be her greatest accomplishment if she can breathe new life into the organization. Justin, known as the driving force behind starting CHEER Mental Health, made those comments earlier this week after receiving the United Way’s second annual Achievement Award…

BY CHArles W. Johnson PELHAM The Warren County Commission is moving closer to creating an environmental officer position similar to the one which has already been in place in the city of McMinnville since 2005. According to the job description, the officer will be empowered to investigate and enforce a number of regulatory acts already…

Third-graders, take note. There will be no more excuses for misspelled or mis-applied words. The power of more than 32,000 English words is now literally in the hands of Warren County third-graders after the Noon Rotary Club completed its distribution of some 500 free dictionaries in public, private and church schools, according to club president…

BY DUANE SHERRILL A woman who rented to pawn instead of renting to own will serve 180 days behind bars for defrauding Rent-A-Center of thousands of dollars worth of furniture. The defendant, Kimberly Breedlove, 32, entered pleas Friday before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to charges of hindering secured creditors and theft for an incident…

BY DUANE SHERRILL A man who police say tried to abduct his estranged wife from her home this summer was granted full probation even though a police officer was injured chasing down the fleeing suspect. The defendant, Christopher M. Morris, 32, apologized for the injury sustained by patrolman Bryan Emery, who hurt his knee while…

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) ‘ President Bush’s final-year agenda is a stripped down list of what he can realistically hope to get done, since the clout he once touted is fading away. Bush will venture to four other continents, get more involved than ever in trying to forge Middle East peace, and continue to command two…