Here we go again with another leftover ham casserole. Only this time I am pairing it with rice. Rice combines well with a lot of things, either savory or sweet. I think of Spanish Rice and Rice Pudding. This recipe is a bit different than most rice recipes. The uncooked rice is sauteed in butter until golden, rather than cooked before it is combined with the other ingredients. Don't worry, the rice won't get gummy. If you have never cooked rice this way before, you will be surprised how nicely it turns out.

Help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. For more information: www.cdc.gov/COVID19

Attention Seniors! Need assistance with Shopping? SCHAS OUT SHOPPING is here to help! In response to government instructions for older adults to remain safely in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, Seniors Citizens Home Assistance Service has developed SCHAS OUT SHOPPING (S.O.S.) SCHAS will do your shopping and deliver your groceries directly to you. By partnering with other non-profit agencies, and by using screened employees and volunteers, Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service (SCHAS) is pleased to be able to offer this service at no cost to qualifying seniors.

As you know, the Governor has recommended that all schools remain closed through this academic school year. Union County Public Schools will be following the Governor’s recommendation.

The Union County Public School leadership team met on Thursday, April 16, 2020 to plan for the remainder of the school year. While our teachers, parents and students have worked extremely hard over the past month, our plan was meant to be short term. We realize the challenges of our short-term plan and are revising the plan beginning immediately.

How to Wear Cloth Face Coverings Cloth face coverings should— • fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face • be secured with ties or ear loops • include multiple layers of fabric • allow for breathing without restriction • be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape CDC on Homemade Cloth Face Coverings CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

Coronavirus, aka COVID-19: I hope we have all got the message by now; after all, we’ve been implored by our leaders to stay home, to keep our distance, and to wash our hands repeatedly. Our president, our governor, our religious leaders, even national celebrities are calling for us to hunker down and embrace solitude for a season. I know this is very counter-culture for us, we relish opportunities to come together for all kinds of reasons; but now is the time to withdraw, just for a little while.

Do you know the meaning of each word in this title? If so, you might want to thank a teacher.
Are you a teacher? Do you personally know a teacher? Do you have a school age child who is home from school right now because of Covid-19?
If you answered "no" to any, or all of these three previous questions, there is a good chance you have no idea of the lifestyle teachers in the United States are embracing to keep students up to speed and prepared for when/if school starts back this fall.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The coronavirus pandemic is causing rapid changes to our daily lives and the economy. Work hours are being reduced and jobs are being cut across many industries. University of Tennessee Extension has released three new publications to help those facing a downturn to their personal finances.

“UT Extension is here to serve Tennesseans, in times of plenty and in times of want,” says Christopher T. Sneed, consumer economics specialist with UT Extension. “These three publications are especially helpful when encountering difficult circumstances.”

In the second part of our tomato series, we discussed fertilization and weed control. In this edition, we will talk about two important parts of growing tomatoes, planning the garden layout and the thing we seem to either have too little or much of, water. Water is a critical resource in everything we do as humans. Sufficient water is the key to success in our gardens. I’d also like to share a photo from my 2019 tomato season, my daughter helping me with planting our garden (Photo 1). I must insist that eating the garden dirt would be an unpleasant experience, but she disagreed.