Today's News

For some, a love of history turns into a hobby.
Tom Carson has done just that, collecting scrip and other monetary items, with a particular focus on Hamilton and Roane counties, where he and his wife Judy own property.
Scrip was company money typically paid to employees instead of real cash.
“They paid the employees with these. They were supposedly only good at company stores, but they were (sometimes) good elsewhere, too,” Tom Carson said.

By KEN PAULSON
First Amendment Center
It’s been almost 10 years since the Rutherford County, lost a very expensive lawsuit over the posting of the Ten Commandments in the county courthouse.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Commission, contending that the posting was an unconstitutional promotion of religion.  U.S. Judge Robert Echols agreed and ordered the Ten Commandments removed in 2004.  It will “stay down,” County Mayor Ernest Burgess said at the time, calling it “the end of the story.”

The beautiful iris blooming in our gardens with elegance is worthy of the goddess for whom it was named.

Tennessee’s state flower was one of the more popular of spring flowers in gardens of medieval Europe, and it is still one we greet with joy in our own spring gardens.

Some of us refer to these flowers as flags or, if we are French, fleur de lys.

Editor’s Note: Readers are cautioned that some names may be the same as, or similar to, other members of the community.
Feb. 22 — Leanna Lynn Ashburn, 33, 111 Tonya Lane, Harriman: two counts fraudulent use of debit card. Total bond $1,000; Feb. 25.

• Linda Sueann Calloway, 35, 1706 Bennett Circle, Harriman: DUI. No bond listed; court date Jan 7.