By Kathryn Lopez There’s a lot we don’t know about Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. But there’s also a lot we do. We’ve been in this presidential election swing for more than a year now, and I’ve been watching him since his big speech at the 2004 Democratic convention. We have his record in the U.S.…

By William Rusher As matters stand, the Republican Party is facing an historic shellacking in November. In part, this is just the usual yin and yang of partisan politics. The GOP has held the presidency for nearly eight years, and controlled Congress for six of them (until ousted by the Democrats in 2006). In a…

By Duane Sherrill During our road trip back from Gatlinburg last weekend, my son asked me a pointed question after hearing me gripe about the price of gasoline for hundreds of miles. His question was basic. Why doesn’t the government do anything about the price of gas? This is a government, mind you, which toppled…

BY Steve C. Stubblefield Do you have a TV in your home that works with the help of ‘rabbit ears’ or a rooftop antenna? If so, you should be aware of an important change in broadcasting coming in February 2009. If you receive free TV using an antenna and your TV is not digital, you…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ‘ When it comes to comfort, Kirk Christie’s cows have it all ‘ a new barn, a flat-screen television and waterbeds. That’s because of the dairy farmer’s philosophy that a happy cow is a productive cow. More milk means more money, so Christie doesn’t mind providing the frills. ‘Them cows are…

NEW YORK (AP) ‘ Watching “Tougher in Alaska,” you might find yourself thinking several things: ‘ How the tasks (like gold mining, salmon fishing, railroading) aren’t just hard, they’re difficult in ways you never imagined, and being in Alaska makes them even tougher. ‘ How the people devoted to each pursuit are really good at…

Homa, La., resident Regina Youngblood Riche, 46, died May 18 after a short illness. The daughter of the late Leonard and Juanita Youngblood, she was also preceded in death by stepmother, Sue Dodd Youngblood. She is survived by her husband, Hoyt Riche; son, Terrence Raper of Oregon, Ill.; stepson, James Ray Riche of Homa; brothers,…

Raymond L. Roberts Sr., 60, of McMinnville, passed from this life, Sunday May 18 at his residence of an extended illness. Mr. Roberts was born Sept. 15, 1947 in Warren County, he was a maintenance specialist at Yorozu and also worked in the nursery business for several years and was affiliated with the Baptist Faith.…

McMinnville resident and Warren County native Kenneth Ray Herman, 58, was born June 1, 1949 and died May 17 at River Park Hospital following an extended illness. A self-employed nurseryman, a United States Army Veteran of Vietnam and member of Smartt Church of God, he was the son of the late John B. and Daisy…

McMinnville resident and Bledsoe County native Dorothy Helen McGinness, 82, was born Nov. 6, 1925 and died May 19 at River Park Hospital following an extended illness. A retired school teacher and member of Bethany Church of Christ, she was the daughter of the late Hosea and Lena Hefner Roberts. She was married Dec. 26,…