Skunks need no introduction, with their black and white markings and universally known odor. The most common species in our area is the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), also known locally as a "polecat". This is another example of old English making it over the ocean and then preserved in mountain speech. Polecat was the name of a similar skunk species in the old country, which was particularly bad for raiding hen houses on farms. Poule is an old French word for "fowl”. The other alternative is that the first element is from the Old French pulent, which means "stinking."

Preheat broiler. Place peppers on foil lined baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until skin blisters, about 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate a quarter turn. Broil until all sides are blistered and blackened. Place in a bowl. Let stand, covered, 20 minutes.

Using tongs, place tomatoes, a few at a time in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove tomatoes. Cool slightly. Peel and finely chop tomatoes. Place in large bowl.

The halls of the new HMMS will remain empty for a short while longer. Union County Middle School students will begin school at the old Horace Maynard Middle School with a staggered schedule on August 10, 2026. The expected date for students to attend the new HMMS will be on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

At a recent Union County Public Schools Board Meeting at the end of the 2026 school year, Dr. Childress, principal of the Tennessee Virtual Academy (TNVA), recognized several outstanding students whose accomplishments “reflect not only academic excellence and superb leadership, but also the commitment to representing TNVA and Union County at the highest levels”.

At the Plainview Mayor and Board of Aldermen Meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, first Mayor William Von Schipmann was remembered for his dedication and foresight to establish the City of Plainview and set it on a course of thoughtful progress to serve the citizens.

On Monday, July 6, 2026, those in attendance got to witness growth. It was the kind of growth that occurs between what has always been and what, perhaps, needs to be. This kind of growth is a bit messy and usually seems to be triggered by an incident. That incident was the establishment of a board by the Union County Commission to oversee the farmers market in Heritage Park.

Last month's article explored the intentional curse found in the closing sentences of The Revelation of Jesus Christ and why the Bible ends with a curse. In summary, the Bible ends that way to lead us to dig a little deeper into its overall plotline. In this follow-up article, let's explore a few scriptures that show how Providence always planned to turn this curse into a blessing.

We flew into Anchorage a few days prior to our cruise departure. First stop was going by the Aurora Fine Art Gallery, that my friend and mentor, Aurora Bull, had told me about. We took the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Talkeetna, which is a quaint artistic town. In Talkeetnawe found a sweet quilt shop called The Patchwork Moose that provided the best souvenir of a northern sky fabric panel to make a keepsake throw. The blue skies were clear; therefore, we were able to see Denali from the point.

Japan's late-1980s and 1990s economic bubble led to one of the worst economic downturns in history. Before delving into this topic, it is important to define what an economic bubble is. According to the NASDAQ glossary, an economic bubble is “a market phenomenon characterized by surges in asset prices to levels significantly above the fundamental value of that asset.

The standard definition of a plant is a life form that is green and capable of making its own food through photosynthesis, and for the majority of plant families that is true, and designated as autotrophs, meaning “self-feeding”. But there are plants that defy the status quo and lack the green chlorophyll needed for food production, and must get their nourishment through other means, some by taking it from other plants by sucking their version lifeblood, sap.