HMMS Welcomes Community Professionals for Hands-On Learning

Horace Maynard Middle School students have had a busy and engaging start to the school year, with several community professionals sharing their time and expertise in the first four and a half weeks. These guests have provided valuable lessons in both skilled trades and character development.

Union County Board of Education

The Union County Board of Education will meet in Special Called session at Union County High School Library on Monday, September 15, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. to Approve/Disapprove the Resolution Requesting the General Assembly to Provide Greater Flexibility with School Recess Time.

Union County Board of Education

The Union County Board of Education will meet in Special Called session at Union County High School on Monday, September 29, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. to Approve/Disapprove the Director of Schools Evaluation. A workshop will immediately follow to discuss a Teacher Incentive Plan.

The next regular workshop and meeting of the Union County Board of Education will be on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Union County High School. The workshop will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the meeting immediately to follow.

Union County Extension Office Seeks Community Input for Family & Consumer Science Programs

The Union County Extension Office is asking for input from local residents to help shape future Family and Consumer Science (FCS) programs. FCS programs cover a wide range of topics that support families and communities, including nutrition and cooking, financial literacy, health and wellness, parenting, and more.

Abigail Thomas, Union County’s Family and Consumer Science Agent, is conducting a needs assessment to better understand what resources and programs would be most helpful to the people of Union County.

Bewitched Hills: The Lore of Appalachian Superstitions

Welcome in Spooky-Season with a collection of good stories! Come to the Park Office at 125 Village Green Circle for a history of Appalachian folklore and superstitions. Park Ranger Holly Frerichs will present how different cultures melted together to pass along their folk tales and how they have impacted the heritage of Appalachian people. This years presentation will have a new focus: Appalachian Cryptids!

Seating is limited so please register to save your seat!

Mast Years: When Critters Eat Good

Many species of trees have “mast years”, when their seed/fruit production is extraordinarily high. And this year it looks to be Chestnut oak, whose acorns are thick on the ground right now. Mast refers to tree seeds that are a food source for wildlife. It comes from the old English word “maest”, referring to tree nuts that have accumulated on the forest floor. Hard mast includes all the nut trees, including oak (nine local species), hickory (four local species), walnut, beech, chinquapin, and hazelnut. Soft mast includes fleshy fruits like dogwood, sassafras, blackgum, blueberry, blackberry and cherry. The nut trees tend to have periodic bumper crop years, and when it happens, a mast year is conspicuous. Several years of low to moderate seed production will suddenly be augmented by a year when the trees are loaded. How tree species coordinate mast years all produce heavy at once is still a mystery, but it’s known trees communicate with each other through chemical signals passed through the air or through underground root/fungal connections and weather cues. You may notice that mast-consuming species such as squirrels, jays, turkey, grouse, and deer, and bear are more visible during masting years. In poor crop years, wildlife sightings drop as they move away in search of food.

Our Stormy Door

One of the first house projects Tim and I worked on together as a married couple was replacing the front door. To say it didn’t go as expected is an understatement.

Hamilton Cemetery Gathering of the Generations

Please join the Hamilton Cemetery Association for the ‘2nd Gathering of the Generations’ Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Union County Historical Society, 11:00 a.m. The day begins with sharing ancestry information among descendents of those buried in the Union County, Hamilton Cemetery. Everyone will have an opportunity to hear, see, share and learn more about their ancestry.