Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle Randall Franks was inducted into America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame alongside Jimmy Bowen, Gail Davies, Jeannie C. Riley, and Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely. “I am deeply honored to be included in such company,” Mr. Franks said. “I never imagined as a Georgia boy who just loved to play my fiddle and sing, that one day my efforts ... (click for more)

Sister trio Call Me Spinster (formerly Spinster) has teamed up with producer Summer Dregs, production company Dheff Films and choreographer Jeri Eduave to draw all your ghoulish pals out on the dance floor. There will be a viewing party the weekend before Halloween for all their local fans, with more details to come. Sisters Amelia, Rachel and Rosie (originally from St. Paul, ... (click for more)

County School Board member Rhonda Thurman said Monday that teachers are quitting the county schools because they face attacks from unruly students and they don't get backing from the administration. Supt. Bryan Johnson said, "We absolutely have challenges," but he said he puts his focus on academic improvement. He said a disciplinary committee meeting took two hours, and he would ... (click for more)

An expressive witness, general disorder, and a circus-like atmosphere defined a preliminary hearing involving four men accused of the July murder of Tracy Calloway. On July 21, Antonio Watkins, 25; Prandel Reid Jr., 27, Gary Cross, 23, and Jamichael Smith, 26, allegedly drove up to Mr. Calloway’s residence and began shooting. Calloway, who was located in a white car parked in ... (click for more)

It seems a week doesn't go by, sometimes more in one week, without Roy or someone writing some coded messages denigrating inner-city schools and the students (using another code-hint hint) that attend inner-city schools. Which reminded me of something from decades ago about teachers from foreign countries perhaps making better instructors for inner city students. At least those ... (click for more)

As it just so happened, on the same day the Hamilton County School Board held a special two-hour meeting on Monday over disturbing disciplinary concerns among its 44,000 students, the Nashville Tennessean published a revealing report on school suspensions in the Nashville Metro Public Schools. After five years and a $2 million study, the results were available -- Nashville had launched ... (click for more)