By Charles W. Johnson A program implemented last year to allow local taxpayers to receive a discount on property taxes if they pay them early has been quite successful, according to Trustee Darlene Bryant. Bryant presented the idea to the Warren County Commission last July under a new state law that authorized Tennessee county governments…

By Gov. Phil Bredesen This week I addressed a joint session of the General Assembly to outline my revised budget for next year. In January, I proposed a lean budget based on revenue forecasts that were prepared in December. At that time, we all shared concerns about the national economy and its impact on our…

By JAMES CLARK When Gilley Pool opens for the season tomorrow, kids better bring more than a towel and sunscreen. They better bring their wallets after admission was raised to $8 for every adult who lives outside McMinnville city limits. What this tells me is the city of McMinnville does a poor job of hiding…

By Cokie & Steve Roberts On the campaign trail, there is much talk of bipartisanship, but back on Capitol Hill, that spirit has vanished. The latest example: collapse of Senate negotiations to help homeowners threatened with foreclosure. However, one important piece of legislation does command strong support across party lines: a federal shield law giving…

By Gene Lyons It’s long been my opinion if Hillary Clinton could be appointed president, nobody could do the job better. In a parliamentary system, she’d stand an excellent chance of becoming prime minister, since political parties tend to select leaders more on competence than the dubious skills of a game show host. Like Al…

NASHVILLE (AP) ‘ A proposal that would require a paper record for voters’ ballots in Tennessee passed the Senate. The measure was unanimously approved Thursday. The House passed the companion bill 88-6 earlier this week. Both chambers must now work out differences in the legislation before it heads to the governor for his consideration. The…

By Charles W. Johnson Magness Library was recently chosen by the National Endowment for the Humanities to receive the 2008 We the People ‘Created Equal’ Bookshelf. The library was one of 3,000 libraries across the country to receive this year’s bookshelf, a set of 17 classic books on the theme of ‘Created Equal.’ The library…

BY Roger Cook Question: After consulting your favorite news media and learning of all the happenings of the day, do you go away with a feeling of joy and happiness, or are you saddened by the events of the day? I believe we live in the greatest time in world history. I think so often…

Are you a skater? A jock? A brain? An actor? If you are any of these or are aspiring to be one, then join us on Saturday, May 31, for auditions for the popular Disney production of ‘High School Musical’ at the South Jackson Civic Center. The popular teen production will be produced by South…