Improvements to State Route 33 and State Route 61 in Union County were a popular topic at the Republican Rally on 2 June in Wilson Park. Several candidates for Commission and Mayor cited the need for these improvements. Representative Dennis Powers confirmed that construction for the SR 33 and SR 61 improvements were included in the 2017 IMPROVE Act, Improving Manufacturing, Public Roads, and Opportunities for a Vibrant Economy, introduced by Governor Bill Haslam to the 109th Tennessee General Assembly.

The Nicholas Gibbs Historical Society will convene its 2018 annual meeting at 11 am June 9, 2018 at the homestead, 7633 East Emory Road, Corryton, Tennessee. Attendees are asked to bring a covered dish for the meal that follows the meeting. Local musicians will provide traditional Appalachian music and there will be an interesting speaker.

A covered pavilion has been constructed at the homestead, and donations are still being accepted toward its cost.

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to tear our kids away from the TV and video games. It wasn't always that way. Back in the day, before TV, when all we had was the radio and our imagination, we played games with each other. No expensive equipment was needed. Let me tell you about some of them. If your children haven't heard of them, why not introduce these age old games to a new generation?

On the waters of the Norris Reservoir, during the summer months, a nearly constant parade of various sorts of watercraft passes over the ruins of the Baker Iron Works and beside a long-neglected cemetery.

The old Baker's Forge Cemetery, TVA Disinterment Cemetery #240, took its name from the Baker Iron Works. Dating to at the least the early 1800s, the Baker Iron Works was Campbell County's first industry.

Mincey’s Musings
Year One, Week 22

I have always looked at decades as milestones in life. I was too young to appreciate this when I turned ten years old, but every decade beginning with age twenty presented opportunity for a significant pause to look back to what God allowed me to accomplish and forward to what He held in store.

I love good surprises. I received one years ago that I will never forget.

My husband Tim came in from work one day and asked me to close my eyes and hold out my hand. I knew it was going to be good because he was grinning from ear to ear and his eyes sparkled with excitement. So I closed my eyes and stuck out my hand.

When it comes to appreciating the natural world, getting out and seeing it is how it’s most often done. We go on vacations or road trips to see beautiful things like forests, mountains, rivers, oceans, and canyons. This makes sense, as we are wired to perceive the world mostly through the sense of sight. 30% of the neurons in our brain’s cortex is devoted to vision. For comparison, 8% is used for smell, and only 2% is used for hearing. One could conclude that sounds in our surroundings are not important, but I beg to differ.

I'm in trouble right out of the gate. There is no ham in my Ham Salad Sandwich Spread. Nope. Just good old bologna. It sounds better than saying, "Bologney Sandwich. That means something else to me. I remember taking sliced bologney sandwiches to work. They would be warm by lunch time. Yuck! Those weren't happy memories.

Luttrell Mayor Johnny Merritt made short work of the Luttrell City Council meeting May 21st in order to move on to what most residents consider to be the most important thing. Community.

“This is not the Johnny show,” said Merritt. “I work with wonderful people on the council and we have amazing people in our city who care about each other and the community."

UT Extension Union County shares history with many folks across Union County through memories of childhood involvement in 4-H, farming, seeding, canning, sewing, and more. Over the years our county has seen some admirable Extension Agents. The agents are true leaders that invest time and love into their careers and communities. Currently there are two agents on staff locally, Shannon DeWitt, agriculture, 4-H, and County Director, and Rebecca Hughes, family and consumer science and 4-H.