Work based students at Union County High School deserve special recognition for their hard work and dedication. This semester the program has eighty-seven students enrolled and working towards their industry certifications. For readers unfamiliar with the program, which receives its certifications through Express Employment, it is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to get a leg up in the work force once they graduate.

The recent holidays blew in with a winter storm that will not soon be forgotten. Here in Tennessee, we missed much of the snowfall that wreaked havoc across the Midwest and Northeast. However, wind and cold temperatures packed a punch for our power grids and landscapes over the Christmas weekend. Now we find ourselves starting 2023 with many questions about the extent of damage and next steps for our lawns and landscapes. Before we get to action steps, let’s recap our recent freeze event.

It takes some patients by surprise, but one of the first things a chiropractor will do when you visit for the first time is to measure the length of your legs. If you’ve gone to see a chiropractor because your back is bothering you, it’s reasonable to wonder why the doctor is looking at your legs. But here’s the reason: it’s not uncommon for people to have legs that are of slightly different lengths. Since your legs and feet are the foundation on which the body stands, if those lengths differ even marginally, everything above them is going to be slightly off-kilter.

I was so excited when it arrived that I clapped and danced around. What in the world was it? An island for my kitchen. Seriously.
Are you thinking, “You got excited over that?” In my defense, I had wanted one for years. This one is very pretty, it’s portable in that I can roll it to anywhere I need it to be, and it has a top that I can extend out if I need more counter space. In other words, it’s perfect. Of course, I like to show it off when people walk into my kitchen. But my island itself, isn’t what impresses them.

I remember one day at the Union County Board of Education’s Central Office Ms. Pat Baker came in. She announced she was there to fill out her retirement papers. I was most surprised. Ms. Pat said that she knew that one day she would wake up and know it was time for her to retire, and she said that was the very day.

I began smoking cigarettes when I was fifteen. It seemed like the sophisticated thing to do. Lord knows, I wanted to fit in. It soon became a habit. I would hunt for my glasses so I could find my cigarettes. I was noted for searching through the ashtray, sorting out the longest cigarette butts. It was hell to run out of cigarettes. We were living on Lee Road east of Michigan Center, Michigan. Extra money was hard to come by, trying to build our house. Every spare cent went into buying materials. Almost every cent, that is.

When the forest is laid bare each winter there is a tendency to think of it as a bleak and dreary place. But the basic structural skeleton of each tree can be seen at this time, with every branch, twig, and bud visible, thus revealing how it has grown in the past, and how it has prepared for the future. So put on a coat, go outside and go take a look.

Literally hundreds of people visit the Union County Museum each year. Some come to see the artifacts. Others view those same artifacts and displays with the nostalgia of their childhood and are inspired to research their family tree.

I am thrilled to announce that as of December 2022, Biblical instruction is offered to students of all five elementary schools in Union County. This is provided through an interdenominational program similar to the Bible Lady that many of you grew up with. It is called Bible Release Time and is provided by the Elgin Children’s Foundation.
What is Bible Release Time (BRT)?

At its December 20, 2022, the Union County Board of Education elected to negotiate a director's contract with Washburn Principal Gregory Clay. Clay had been employed as a teacher and a principal at Horace Maynard Middle School. The announcement brought a round of applause from the audience.