“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.

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 JEANNIE GREGORY
State Farm

The average U.S. worker will hold up to 11 jobs between the ages of 18 and 44, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some of those past jobs probably came with a 401(k) or an IRA account as a perk. According to a recent study, more than 50 percent of American workers have two or more retirement accounts.

Why consolidate your accounts?

Say you have $3,000 sitting in one retirement savings account, $4,000 in another, and $2,000 in a third. They may be costing you money, because most funds charge annual fees for accounts containing less than $5,000. And once you reach age 70½, you will have to start taking money out of those accounts.

Who wants to keep track of all that IRS paperwork?

Is there a better option?

I Disagree; This Letter Needs To Be Read

By CHARLIE APPLETON

Here’s a letter that the young daughter of a friend sent to me last year. I tried to interest the Nashville media in it, but in their collective judgment they decided it didn’t deserve publication. I disagree. It’s my observation that it ought to be read, in light of the bizarre antics of some professional athletes and celebrities. It’s a bit outdated now; Matt Hasselbeck has been traded by the Titans to the Indianapolis Colts.

“I would like to write a letter about how lucky we are to have Matt Hasselbeck as the Titans’ quarterback.

“My name is Ellie Faber. I am 12 years old and am in 6th grade at Harding Academy. My sister Maggie and I both play select soccer (a highly competitive level of the sport) for Harpeth Youth Soccer Association in Nashville. Mr. Hasselbeck's daughter also plays select soccer for an opposing team.

“During a recent tournament, my sister's team was playing Mr. Hasselbeck's daughter's team in the finals. His daughter's team is a U10 team, while my sister's team is U9. Maggie's team had lost to her team at the beginning of the tournament. But, because Maggie’s team won the rest of its games, they went back up against each other in the finals.

“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same.”

~ From the poem “If…” by English writer Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

By JIM HAWKINS

Living in Middle Tennessee, I am alert to severe weather watches, and for good reason. My home and neighborhood were hit by a deadly tornado in April 2006. I witnessed and helped victims in the aftermath of the Super Tuesday tornado in February 2008 that struck Sumner, Trousdale, and Macon Counties; and I waded and swam in flood waters to secure neighbors’ property during the May 2010 flood.

Tennessee has a law against price gouging following disasters. With my personal hope that you never need its protections, here are some Q’s and A’s about this special law.

Q.        What do you mean by “price gouging”?

“Price gouging” happens when businesses sharply raise the prices of their goods and services after a high profile event, such as a natural disaster or an act of terrorism.

Q.        Does Tennessee have any laws against price gouging?

Yes. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a few businesses in Tennessee unfortunately took advantage and engaged in price gouging.

In the spring of 2002, the Legislature passed the Tennessee Price-Gouging Act. This law deals with businesses that jack up prices after a disaster for “goods and services that are vital or necessary for the consumer.”