On Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2, 2026, District Attorney General Jared Effler and staff, in partnership with the Children’s Centers of the 8th Judicial District, hosted the Eleventh Annual Dixie Roofing Clays for Children Sporting Clays Tournament at Iron Mountain Sporting Clays in Kodak, Tennessee. The purpose of the event was to raise money to support the Children’s Centers of the 8th Judicial District, comprised of Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Scott, and Union counties. With 159 teams and 592 individual shooters participating, this year’s tournament was one of the largest such events in the nation!

By Steve Roark
Volunteer Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

This fall looks to be a good year for nut producing trees, especially walnuts, and it’s a plentiful harvest for persimmon trees. Fruit and nut production varies from year to year, and the reasons are many.

Union County 4-H youth Presley Lay, Lexxi Cummings, and Payton Miller spent October 5–7 learning new skills and putting their creativity to work during the Union County 4-H Quilting Adventure Day Camp. Throughout the three-day camp, participants practiced their sewing skills and created beautiful quilts of their own.

Union County 4-H Grill Masters have had a sizzling season, showcasing their grilling skills, teamwork, and dedication at the 3rd Annual Union County 4-H Grill Masters Competition and the 2026 Region 4-H Grill Masters Challenge.

The 3rd Annual County Grill Masters Competition gave local 4-H members an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in preparing chicken, beef, pork, and lamb. After plenty of practice and hard work, youth competed for top honors in each meat category.

County Competition Winners

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of Education is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, 2026 at Union County High School. The workshop will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the meeting immediately to follow.

“Oh Lord!” That’s what I think when I’m out in public and I hear somebody call me by my full first name. You surprised? Brooke is a shortened version of my name, which I don’t like at all. I’ve tried to make peace with it for most of my life to no avail. I think that is one of the reasons names and even nicknames fascinate me. Seriously, I love hearing the stories of how people have not only their names, but also their nicknames.

Food pantries in Union County this week:

***TUESDAY October 20th
Fresh Wagon distribution starts between 12 and 1pm (whenever truck arrives and they get it sorted)
Big Ridge Elementary school
3420 Hickory Valley Rd.
Line up at the lower parking area, away from the front doors.

***TUESDAY October 20th
Beneath the Cross Mission Center
Free clothes closet
2pm - 5pm
3244 Hwy 61 E. Luttrell
2nd & 4th Tuesday, unless posted otherwise.

Wilson Park 12:00 – 4:00 November 7, 2026

The American Legion Post 212 invites you to celebrate the more than 1,200 Union County Veterans and all Veterans on Saturday, November 7, from noon to 4:00.

This is a FREE event for all Veterans, their families, friends, neighbors, and anyone else who appreciates the work and sacrifices these men and women have made for us and our country. We honor and thank our Veterans!

November 7, 2026 Wilson Park Maynardville

Calling all motorcycle riders! Join the American Legion Post 212 for this annual ride to the Veterans Overlook at Clinch Mountain, a scenic roadside memorial and viewpoint in Grainger County.