To the Editor:

Most automobile drivers follow the rules. Bicycle riders must follow the same rules as automobiles, stopping at stop signs, signaling for a lane change, stopping at red lights, being in the correct lane, etc. These are the laws that cars and bicyclists must follow.

What most automobile drivers do not know is that those of us who ride bicycles have four feet from the curb to the left.

Many states give bicyclists six, eight feet or more. Tennessee, however does give us bicyclists a full four feet. This law holds true on all roads except interstates, where cyclists are not allowed. There are more and more bicyclists all the time.

By SAM HATCHER

Not a tornado but for sure a whirlwind of sorts was experienced toward the end of last week when it was announced that Dave Gould had acquired the Hendersonville Standard and sister newspapers The Wilson Post and The Gallatin News.

Although the sale had been anticipated for several weeks, the matter was wrapped-up and closed rather quickly last Wednesday placing Dave on site here for the first time on Thursday.

While I can't say I have known Dave Gould a very long time, I can assure our readers that in the time I have gotten to know him I have learned a great deal about the man.

 “When I eventually met Mr. Right, I had no idea that his first name was Always.” ~Rita Rudner, American comedienne

By JIM HAWKINS 

Tennessee has special laws that control name changes for adults and children. In Tennessee, an adult can only have his or her name changed by marriage, by divorce, or by court order.

Here are answers to some common questions regarding Tennessee law and adult name changes.

Q.        Does a married woman have to change her name?

No.When a woman marries, she may take the surname (last name) of her husband or she may keep her existing surname, whichever she chooses. Sometimes a married couple uses a hyphenated name to reflect both surnames.

Either name that the married person selects and uses automatically will become that person’s legal surname. It is important to update Social Security and driver license records following marriage if a different name is chosen.

By WOODY MCMILLIN
Tennessee Department of Health

Whether you’re in your twenties or your sixties, you can reduce your chances of having a stroke or developing heart disease by learning about “bad” and “good” cholesterol. And the knowledge isn’t just for “old people,” strokes and heart disease happen to people of all ages.

In Tennessee from 2007 to 2011, some 16,241 persons died from stroke; of these, 1,307 or 8 percent, were under the age of 55. Similarly, from 2007 to 2011 there were 71,625 persons who died from heart disease; of these, 8,226 or 11.5 percent were under the age of 55.

Many of these deaths may have been prevented with more aggressive efforts to maintain the balance between "good" and "bad" cholesterol.

The two different types of cholesterol travel through our veins and arteries on carriers similar to trucks delivering supplies on roads and highways. These carriers are called low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

By PATRICK HALL

There are a lot of mothers in my life.

Of course, my mother goes without saying. One of my three sisters is a mother. One of my newly-found best friends is a mother. And there are other spouses of my siblings, grandmothers and aunts, etc.

They all have something in common: unbelievable strength.

It takes a lot to be a parent, and while I am not one myself, among those in my life, I admire the mothers quite a bit. Especially considering the situations some of them had to endure as mothers, they are a powerful, beautiful and wonderful group of women.

There is a lot of my mother in me. We’re both incredibly stubborn, we have a lot of pride, and we can be argumentative. She’s probably going to kill me when she reads this, but really, I’m also describing myself, so it’s not a knock on her at all.

She helped make me who I am.

While we disagree on quite a lot of things, the qualities within us both keep us connected and help us understand and accept those differences. When we disagree about politics or any topic, I can’t get mad that she doesn’t see it my way, because, I know the firmness she has within her mind. It is the same as mine.