I was recently talking with Tabitha Young, bookkeeper at Union County High School. I graduated with her brother Kevin White from Horace Maynard High School’s Class of 1983. Tabitha told me Kevin remembered a time when I got in trouble in school for cutting my own hair.
Some of my fellow classmates are surprised that I have such a good memory for things that happened in our school days. I was equally surprised that Kevin remembered my early attempt at self-barbering.

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, we stand at a remarkable moment in history. No nation has experienced the blessings, opportunities, freedoms, and influence that the United States of America has enjoyed since its founding in 1776. While no nation is perfect and no generation has been without its challenges, it remains true that America is one of the greatest experiments in liberty ever undertaken by mankind. There is no doubt that this movement was guided by God, guarded by His Spirit and grounded in His Holy Word: the Bible.

According to Mayor Lynn Beeler, all candidates in the August election are invited to speak at the Plainview Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting on July 14. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

At the last regular meeting on June 9, the group voted to increase its scholarship to a graduating senior who resides in Plainview from $500 to $1000 for FY27. The motion also requires the graduating senior to have a 4.0 GPA. A second motion increased the 2026 scholarship to $1,000 which was awarded to Hannah Smith in May.

On June 22, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) installed stop signs at the intersection of Tazewell Pike (SR 131), Ailor Gap (SR 144) and Corryton Road, Additional warning signals have been located on the Knoxville side of Tazewell Pike to warn traffic headed toward Luttrell of the new stop signs. Plainview Mayor Lynn Beeler has requested additional safety warnings of rumple strips, arrows and stop signs painted on the roadways.

Building on a legislative initiative in 2024, which united all 95 Tennessee counties in prayer, members of both the Tennessee State House and Senate passed a House Joint Resolution. The resolution makes the month of July an unprecedented, annual call to join in prayer, fasting, and repentance.

Representatives from the Union County Rescue Squad addressed the regular meeting of the Union County Commission on Monday, June 22, 2026, and asked for the same amount of contribution that the fire departments were receiving in the budget for 2026-2027 (FY 27). Dennis Nicely spoke while Brad Harrell distributed a report on the Squad's finances and needs. According to Nicely, the squad has not been able to have the bass tournament fundraiser and tools and equipment need to be upgraded or replaced.

This article has nothing to do with cooking pinto beans. By the way, I love them fixed in an iron skillet. Instead, it’s about how a game that used pinto beans changed the way I approached life.

A new study suggests that aquatic therapy for individuals with chronic low back pain can do more than strengthen the muscles around the spine. It can also have a beneficial impact on the negative psychological factors that are often associated with the disabling disease.

The study used a randomized controlled trial involving two groups of chronic low back pain patients. It found that participants who took part in aquatic therapy reported improvements in pain-related fear and sleep disturbance compared to those who followed standard care programs.

The Union County Board of Education will meet in Special Session on Monday, June 29, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Large Courtroom at the Union County Courthouse. The only item on the agenda will be to Approve/Disapprove Budget Amendments and Transfers.

The Union County Board of Education will conduct a workshop on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Library of the Old Horace Maynard Middle School.

A Meet the Candidates event is scheduled at the Sharps Chapel Community Center on Thursday June 25th at 7:00 pm.