Before everyone congratulates Alabama Crimson Tide, which team is really the 2017 college football national champion? The answer may not be as simple as many might think. There has been some animosity this season toward the College Football Playoff Selection Committee (CFPSC); Wisconsin, Central Florida, Ohio State and their advocates have a case for why they should have been selected as one of the four teams to go to the playoffs. Perhaps, if chosen, one of those teams would have won their playoff game and then the national championship.

Wild Blue Yonder Band will return to Union County with two dates to perform their Appalachian traditional music. The public is invited to hear their free performance at Lil' Jo's in Maynardville on this Friday night, January 12, from 7:00 to 9:00. Members and guests of the Union County Historical society will benefit from Wild Blue Yonder's entertainment on Sunday, January 21, at 2:30 at the Union County Museum.

My friend Pauline Sharp sent me a picture of Gladys Stooksbury Snoderly riding a jenny. The picture was made near the Dr. F. C. Bradfute home at old Loyston. Pauline fondly recalls opening a gate for Gladys so that she could go visit some of her relatives without having to get off and back on the jenny. Gladys was born July 28, 1908 at old Loyston, the daughter of John Franklin and Mary M. Stooksbury. Pauline thinks she was about nine or ten years old–1917 or 1918–when the picture was taken. Gladys grew up in Union County.

Several years ago a memoir writing class was offered at the Senior Citizen Center at Halls Crossroads. I had been trying to write about my past and needed someone to critique my efforts. I figured this would be a good place to start. I had no idea how much it would help. The classes met the first and third Tuesday of the month. Bob Farmer was the moderator. They ended when the class reduced in size because of deaths, relocations and other interests.

Today is January 8, 2018. The first week of the New Year has ended, and the second has begun with a small icing that has closed schools throughout East Tennessee and caused several wrecks. The New Year began with a week of bone chilling cold felt throughout most of the United States, particularly in the East and South.
I began my New Year with some reading. One thing I found was a reference to the location of beds in homes. This caused me to do some pondering and reminiscing.

Have you ever heard of Scorched Gravy? It doesn't sound like much, but it's tasty. I fix it now, even when there are meat drippings for flavor. Scorched Gravy is another recipe from my childhood. Mother made it often during the Great Depression. We always had potatoes to build a meal around. Meat was another thing. With no refrigeration, fresh meat was a delicacy, not often on our table. Potatoes and gravy were.

This is the third article in a series, about rightly dividing the word of truth. We are following Jesus’ own example, in which He begins at Moses…, to expound all the scriptures concerning himself. Last time, we began looking into one of the reasons why Moses is the important place to start if we want to “rightly divide the word of truth.” Bible scriptures show that Moses is synonymous with the Law, (i.e. the Ten Commandments). Further examination of God’s Law illustrates that the Ten Commandments are more than just rules, but, in fact, are the basis for God’s Covenant with mankind.

Year One, Week One A Short Introduction It is true that when God closes one door another opens. If you are reading this article, you are seeing evidence.
I was privileged for three years to write a weekly article for the Union County Shopper. That paper’s last issue was on April 26, 2017.

Happy New Year! New Year’s Day is a day of new beginnings and reflections on the past year. We, at Historic Union County, would like to take this time to thank all of our contributors, advertisers, and readers. We have enjoyed sharing all of the good Union County had to offer in 2017 and we look forward to continuing to provide the stories that make Union County great in the new year!

A brand new year is upon us; a blank slate fresh with no mistakes (yet). For many people, New Year’s Day is a time for resolutions, turning over new leaves, numerous weight loss and exercise commercials, etc. The new year is also a time to analyze the previous year to decide what can be improved upon, forgotten about or remembered. While many take a look at his/her future year, it is also a great opportunity to propose some New Year’s resolutions for the media, Hollywood, and the NFL through the lenses of improving, forgetting or remembering.