Snow is a weather event that is either loved or loathed, with not much middle ground. There is no denying however that a gently falling snow is a beautiful, serene sight. As with most things in nature, snow is a more complex phenomenon than it appears.

Horace Maynard Middle School is closing out a successful fall semester as school students and staff continue their mission to become an “Everything School.” The staff’s focus at HMMS is clear: excelling in all areas and providing students with opportunities for success and exploration.

Horace Maynard Middle School is proud to celebrate Susan Coffey for once again going above and beyond for her students by successfully applying for and winning another grant to support her STEM classes. Her dedication to providing meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities continues to make a lasting impact on the student at HMMS.

Prepare French bread. Cut into 11/2-inch slices. Toast in 350 F oven until lightly brown and crispy. Remove to cool. Set aside. Prepare topping: Mix tomatoes, minced red onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Rub toasted French bread slices with garlic. Then spoon on tomato topping. Add a few basil leaves for garnish.

Spine injections should not be given to adults with chronic back pain because they provide little or no pain relief compared with sham injections, say a panel of international experts in the BMJ. Their strong recommendations apply to procedures such as epidural steroid injections and nerve blocks for people living with chronic back pain (lasting at least 3 months) that is not associated with cancer, infection or inflammatory arthritis.

“There he is Momma!” My hearted pounded. Could it be? I pressed my nose against the back window of the car and pointed toward the night sky. “I see Rudolph’s red blinking nose!”
My mother gazed out of her side window. “Sorry honey. That’s a blinking light from an airplane.”
“You sure Momma?”
She paused for a second. “Yes, I am.”

The construction Career and Technical (CTE) class at Union County High School spent much of this semester building 20 beautiful, utilitarian storage boxes for folks placed in new homes by the TN Valley Coalition for the Homeless (TVCH).

TVCH is a non-profit organization existing to house the homeless, educate the community and equip stakeholders to provide lasting solutions to homelessness. They are active in 12 counties, including Union County.

The Union County Family and Community Education (FCE) Club held its December meeting at the Union County Extension Office, celebrating the Christmas season with food, games and fellowship.

Members enjoyed a variety of finger foods while participating in a fun Left-Right Dirty Santa combination game, followed by a festive round of Christmas Bingo. Laughter and conversation filled the room as members gathered to enjoy time together and reflect on the season of giving.

Making Apple Stack Cake has been a holiday tradition for my family and for many other mountain people for generations, and is culturally recognized as an Appalachian heritage. It has a long history that was interesting to sift through, pardon the pun.