By SUSAN NEWBY Is increasing school violence just one symptom of an increasingly violent society, as some have suggested? Statistics don’t bear this out with crime, especially murder, supposedly on the downswing. Or is it a symptom of a celebrity-crazed society where even troubled young folks decide to grab a moment of notoriety before ending…

By Duane Sherrill Now I’m not saying I fell into some deep trance, looked into a crystal ball or was visited by dead relatives who warned me the tornado was coming, but I had an uneasy feeling going into April 11, the day the twister tore through my neighborhood. And, odd as it may seem,…

By Jim Mullen We’ve all had them — bosses, teachers, coaches, team mates, spouses and even parents who think they’re doing you a favor by snapping at you. “It’s a wonder my foot doesn’t get carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive stress of kicking your butt.” Thanks for the life lesson, coach. “Here’s an idea…

By William Rusher The remarkable performance of John McCain in the past few months has rightly garnered a lot of attention. Time was, not so long ago, when he was just one of several contenders for the Republican presidential nomination, along with Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson, and not necessarily the…

BY Steve C. Stubblefield The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that May 5, 2008 will be the final enrollment date for the Dairy Disaster Assistance Payment Program III (DDAP-III). This program provides $16 million in benefits to dairy producers for dairy production losses that occurred between Janu. 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2007, because…

By Mark Halcomb You are probably familiar with cedar-apple rust caused by Gymnosporangium juniperivirginianae. However, you may not be familiar with another very common cedar rust called quince rust. The causal agent of quince rust is Gymnosporangium clavipes. You can find this rust sporulating on eastern red cedar and some upright junipers twigs and branches…

By Duane Sherrill They can level an entire neighborhood in a matter of seconds and carve a swath a mile wide leaving nothing behind but splintered debris, their most recent power felt April 11 when an estimated 60 homes were damaged in Warren County. Tennessee serves as secondary tornado alley, ranking behind only the Midwest…

WASHINGTON (AP) ‘By 2017, consumers and taxpayers will spend more than $4 trillion on health care, accounting for one of every $5 spent, the federal government projects. The 6.7 percent annual increase in spending ‘ nearly three times the rate of inflation ‘ will be largely driven by higher prices and an increased demand for…

TODAY, APRIL 23 Westwood Church of Christ’s Relay for Life team will have a fundraising breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. at the church. Cost is $5. THURSDAY, APRIL 24 Morrison Ruritan Over 55 covered dish luncheon will be held at noon. Bring a covered dish. SATURDAY, APRIL 26 Join Coffee County High School’s Project…

By Charles W. Johnson Linda Roberts, shown here with daughter Tammy Frazier, says she still misses the excitement and challenge of being a paramedic. Times are changing. And one of the big changes in the last 50 years are the roles of men and women in our society, particularly in the workplace. More and more…