Did you discover there is no Santa Claus? How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus? When in her eighties, my Aunt Duskie said Christmas had never been the same since she learned there was no Santa Claus.

Just how sure are you there is no Santa Claus?

I believe the year I was seven I still truly believed in a real, tangible Santa Claus. By the next year, I suspected that perhaps Santa was a myth. I learned for definite sure when I was nine.

Due to the bad storms, it was not a good harvest year for the pecan season. Pecans are scarcer and their price has gone up. But worry not! The Union County Lions Club snagged some really good ones again this year. And with rising food prices everywhere, where else can you get a pound of Mammoth Pecans, Chocolate Amaretto Pecans or Chocolate Covered Peanuts for $10 each?
The time is now to stock up. If you buy too many, pecans freeze well and the Lions Club will run out soon.

A new research review published in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies suggests that patients with spine-related musculoskeletal pain who see a chiropractor first may have lower overall healthcare costs compared to those who receive initial medical management. Spine pain is a significant burden in the United States, with annual costs estimated at $134.5 billion. Patients with this condition have various treatment options, each with potentially different cost implications.

Plainview Chief of Police Kenny Crider reported 52 calls for October with five incidents that resulted in two arrests. There were two traffic accidents, one with injury and one without injury, and the department wrote two citations. Chief Crider aided the Maynardville Police department in identifying and apprehending a group of men who robbed the Tobacco King in Maynardville and continued their actions in Sevier County in late October.

Big Ridge State Park Ranger Hannah Pascall informed the UC Historical Society about the restoration projects at the park during the November meeting. Ranger Pascall explained that Big Ridge was set up as a demonstration park in 1939 with the buildings and stone works built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The historical park will have three major renovation projects from 2024 through 2030 including the gatehouse, the cabins and the beach house.

In the Culinary Arts 2 class, I asked Peyton why she took this course. She really likes to cook and enjoys learning different cooking techniques, like sautéing or braising. Previously, she mostly baked and loved that, but now finds cooking to be more interesting and challenging. Using different knives for different cuts was a whole new concept for her.

Longtime Union Countian Jessica Montoya has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the 41st person in the United States to be admitted into the Academy of Veterinary Surgical Technicians as a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Surgery. With fewer than 50 veterinary surgical nursing specialists nationwide, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) is proud to have two of these esteemed professionals on its team.

Back in about 1986, Big Ridge Homemaker member Fontella Suffridge worked at the Big Ridge State Park. The park was going to start a new bluegrass festival the third Friday in August. She volunteered the Big Ridge Homemakers to provide the concessions. This was a huge undertaking and required all members to participate.

sold grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. Each member brought various baked goods that were the highlight every year. Husbands and family members helped out by cooking at the hot grills. This taught us all how to appreciate the work done at a fast food restaurant.

May your dressing be tasty
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have not even one lump.
My your salads be ...

You don’t have to be a world-class — or even weekend — athlete to develop aches and pains. Just try being a parent! Starting with a child’s infancy, it’s bending over to change diapers, lifting them into car seats, strollers and high chairs, getting down and playing on the floor, piggyback rides and at the end of the day picking up toys. Throw in lugging groceries, cooking dinner, making beds and talking on the phone, maybe with a baby on your hip, and it can equal back pain.