Cholera kills 300 in battered Zimbabwe
Nearly 300 people have died from a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe that is compounded by the country's collapsing health-care system, according to the World Health Organization.
Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 2:42 pm CST
South Africa teen sentenced in 'racist' murders
A white teen convicted of murdering four blacks, including two children, in a racist killing spree in South Africa's North West province was sentenced Friday to four life terms in prison.
Posted Friday, November 21, 2008 1:10 pm CST
U.N.: Gunmen storm Congo camp
Armed men entered a Congolese camp for displaced people Friday to kidnap and rape a girl, but when the girl screamed, the gunmen fired shots, killing a 20-year-old woman, a U.N. spokesman said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — What’s so bad about bankruptcy as an alternative to big bailouts for automakers or other critical U.S. companies? Frozen credit and the hardships of a Chapter 11 reorganization make it a tough pill to swallow for struggling industries and their workers.
But Lt. Col. Tom Hanson still hasn’t managed to pull off the picture-perfect engagement.
Published in The Messenger 11.19.08
Read More ... Glenda H. Caudle Special Features Editor
US-NATO alliance critical for national security WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. John Tanner of Union City is now the incoming president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the legislative arm of the NATO Alliance, comprised of legislators from all 26 member nations. Tanner was elected president at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s annual meeting in Valencia, Spain.WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. John Tanner of Union City is now the incoming president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the legislative arm of the NATO Alliance, comprised of legislators from all 26 member nations. Tanner was elected president at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s annual meeting in Valencia, Spain.
While serving with the U.S. Army in Qatar, Maj. Karen (Hubbard) Hanson, a former resident of Union City, worked with the military’s R&R Pass Program. This initiative exists to help service men and women enjoy some “rest and relaxation” time during their service.
Union City Council members decided to review the city’s vicious animal policy after a dog which bit a child was returned to its owner.
Olivia Kuykendall, 8, of Union City told the council Tuesday evening she was recently collecting canned goods for her school’s food drive when the dog bit her. She asked the councilmen to help make sure this didn’t happen again.
Published in The Messenger 11.19.08
Read More ... Donna Ryder Messenger Associate Editor
The chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Martin expressed regret Monday for a controversial student art exhibit that brought a barrage of criticism and protest from the public.
Thousands of children help Skyhawks open season Thousands of screaming Weakley County students filled the stands Friday afternoon cheering with wild abandon as the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks routed Maryville in the first game of the year.Read More ... Tracy Sharp, Managing Editor
Victims' program faces critical budget cuts The shrill of the ringing phone slices through the silence of the early morning hours of April Hall’s home. Groggily, she turns to see the bright red numbers of the clock beside her bed letting her know that it is 3 a.m. Before she answers, Hall has a feeling in her gut the person on the other end of the line is in dire need.Read More ... By Sabrina Bates, Chief Staff Writer
Epic numbers hit polls to vote early Weakley Countians have been coming out in record numbers to early vote in the upcoming General Election. According to statistics provided by the Weakley County Election Commissioner Diane Cashion, as of Wednesday morning, 5,503 voters have early or absentee voted in a race that will decide the next president of the United States.Read More ... By Tracy Sharp, Managing Editor
Marci Floyd
Floyd named county trustee In a surprising move Tuesday evening, members of the Weakley County Commission announced a new trustee to take the place of Donald Doster after he announced his retirement earlier this month.Read More ... By Sabrina Bates, Chief Staff Writer
Annual county dinner, auction slated The Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center Advisory Board is hosting the 10th Annual Gibson County Dinner and Auction on March 8 at the Humboldt General Hospital Conference Center. Grab your tickets now and experience “The Love Boat: Sink or Swim!” in cruise ship fashion. Vacation attire is invited and for those who may not know what to wear on a cruise ship, Hawaiian print shirts, khakis, any casual, or denim, or evening wear will be appropriate for this event!Read More ...
New-look OC girls resting much hope on few returnees The Obion Central girls may as well be starting from scratch.
This season’s team will hardly resemble that of last season when the squad posted its sixth straight 20-win campaign and was ranked No. 1 in the state for a stretch.
All totaled, the Lady Rebels lost three starters and a pair of reserves to graduation from last season’s team that posted a record of 25-4 and ultimately had its season end a step away from substate in the semifinals of the Region 7-AA Tournament against eventual Class 2A state runner-up Milan.
The starters lost were nothing to scoff at as Jana Roney is now a part of the Murray State women’s basketball team, Gentry Reedy totaled 1,000 points during her prep career and Emily McGee was a viable option at point guard.Read More ... By KENNETH COKER, Messenger Sports Reporter
Righting wrongs is loudest Rebel yell Obion Central head coach Bill Kail believes his team has some unfinished business.
The Rebels, who posted their first winning season since 2001-02 last season with a 15-11 record, still feel the sting from last season’s first-round exit — a 72-62 loss to Milan — in the District 13AA playoffs.
“That bothers me that we had a pretty successful regular season and lost in the first round of the playoffs,” Kail said when breaking down his goals for the upcoming season. “That still keeps me up at night from time to time and I know that it bothered those players, too.”
Read More ... By KENNETH COKER, Messenger Sports Reporter
Mason Storey recorded a hole-in-one recently at Wynridge Greens in Troy.
Storey’s ace came on the 158-yard hole No. 13, while using an 8-iron.
Witnesses to the shot were Wayne Storey, Keith Gilliam, Randy Kincade and Winston Faulkner.Read More ...
Twister style points same as last year; UC ladies impress This year’s Union City boys’ basketball team may not ultimately measure up to the 2007-08 squad that went 37-0 and won the Class A state championship.
For one night, however, the Tornadoes were every bit as exciting.
A young and unproven Twister team gamely fought from behind the entire night before finally nipping Class 2A Jackson South Side 97-94 in overtime Tuesday in a Hall of Champions season opener for both schools.
Sophomore Antonio Cox drained a pair of pressure-packed 3-pointers in the extra session and B.J. Marshall — one of just two proven returnees from last year’s state title team — poured in a career-high 35 points to pace the Tornadoes to the thrilling comeback triumph.
The Union City girls were equally as promising in their 2008-09 debut, using quality depth and relentless pressure that forced a whopping 43 turnovers in a 73-56 romp over the Lady Hawks.Read More ...
Though long, UC on right path While Union City High School football may not be all the way back, Darren Bowling is convinced the Tornado program is headed in the right direction.
Bowling, hired last winter to recharge the UCHS fortunes after recent mediocrity, said the Twisters’ recently-completed 10-2 season that ended with a heartbreaking 17-14 second round playoff loss to McKenzie was the first step in his long-range plan to restore the Purple and Gold to gridiron supremacy.Read More ... By MIKE HUTCHENS, Messenger Sports Editor