Legislation has been enacted by the Tennessee legislature designating the month of July as “Celebration of Liberty” month. This is most appropriate, as Independence Day is celebrated every July 4.
Many things come to mind when thinking of liberty, everything from fireworks to commercials for insurance (“Liberty, Liberty, Liberty—Lib-er-ty”; “Liberty Bibbity”) to Scripture. Strangely, as my mind turns this year to thoughts of liberty, I have been thinking of my maternal grandfather.

The intention of this article is not political. I assure you that it does not lean toward Republican rhetoric or Democratic declarations. There is no attempt to sway you, the reader, into forming an opinion about the geopolitical chaos we see across the world today. Instead, I want to express a deeper truth that I encountered through a text message that went viral to the President of the United States from former Governor and current U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee.

I like to think of myself as being rather rambunctious when I was a child. Even though I wasn’t hyperactive, I still didn’t like sitting still for more than a few minutes at a time. But for a short while, I didn’t feel like doing anything.

The Lenoir Museum opened on July 10th, 1975. Join us on this date to celebrate 50 years of W.G. Lenoir's collection being on display!

This event will have open booths covering different topics, craft tables, guest speakers (including local historian Barry Thacker at 4pm), tribute to the Lenoir's, and a yummy cake cutting. Check back on our website and our Facebook page for updates and more information as we get closer to the date.

This event is FREE to attend.

By Shannon DeWitt, UT Extension Agent

While summer gardens are in full swing, now is the perfect time to start planning for fall. The Union County office of UT Extension is offering a free workshop, “Planning a Fall Garden,” on Wednesday, July 16 at 10 a.m., to help local gardeners make the most of the cooler seasons.

If you are a fan of MeTV, you might recently, even this very morning, have seen a rerun of the police drama Dragnet. The episodes began with the phrase, “The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.”
As a disclaimer for purposes of this article, I begin with a similar statement. “The article you are about to read is based on actual events, but incorporates a missive the author received long ago in an email. No actual names are disclosed to protect the dignity and identity of anyone who might be implicated.”

When I heard what had happened, or better yet, what had almost happened, I knew The Lord had answered my prayer in a huge way.
That Saturday started out simple enough. Tim had agreed to help our daughter Sara and her husband Jordan to pick-up a new dog kennel for her business: “Sara’s Waggy Tails.” As for me, I was happy to watch baby Maverick while they were gone. When Sara and Jordan walked through our door, I knew something was wrong when I saw the expression on their faces. Immediately they began to describe the wreck that almost happened.

By Shannon Dewitt, Union County Extension Office, and Shirlee Grabko.

On June 16th, the Knox Union Cattlemen’s Association held a Twilight Beef Tour and Farmland Preservation Presentation at Seven Springs Farm to Table. Union County Agriculture Extension Agent Shannon DeWitt began the meeting with introductions and a recognition of the contributors.

TN Valley Coalition for Homeless (TVCH) is a small, non-profit organization with a primary goal to house the homeless. They do this through their Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) program. TVCH works to house the homeless; educate the community; and provide permanent solutions to homelessness in 12 East TN counties.

Their work is strictly rural; they do not work within the cities of these counties. Anyone who is homeless or facing homelessness in Union or surrounding counties can request help by calling 888-556-0791.

8th District Attorney General to Serve as President of TNDAGC Executive Committee CAMPBELL, CLAIBORNE, FENTRESS, SCOTT and UNION COUNTIES, Tenn. (June 16, 2025) – Jared Effler, 8th District Attorney General, has been elected by fellow members of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) to serve as President of the organization’s Executive Committee. In this position, Gen. Effler will play a crucial role in guiding the overall administration of justice in Tennessee.