In the Beginning...

It was a bright, sunny and very cold January day when I made the trip to Sharps Chapel to visit with Dave and Tomica Whaley and see the restoration progress on their magnificent historic home. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and known in the community as the Bate Ousley House, this 1835, Five Bay, Central Passage, Federal Style Home is one of Union County's historic jewels.

In August of 2011, Glenmary Home Missioners formed the first Catholic Church in Union County, Tennessee. As a part of this formation, local Catholics would gather at the Senior Center with the first mass being held under a carport, being a “bring your own chair” event with twenty-six people in attendance. The group began to search for a rental location to house their church, meanwhile the first Sunday Mass was held in October 2011 at Miller’s Chapel United Methodist Church. Masses were held there for the month of October while the storefront property on Maynardville Highway was renovated.

County Mayor Jason Bailey continues to provide information and transparency with county government. To this end, the Mayor will host a County Project Planning Workshop on Monday, February 18, at the courthouse to discuss some possible projects that he would like to see Union County undertake as well as garner ideas from all stakeholders. “Everyone interested in planning our county's future is welcome. I would like to get ideas from everyone: commissioners, school board members, elected officials, organizations, and the citizens,” stated Mayor Bailey.

In a 2015 Gallup poll of more than 5,400 Americans, 60 percent believed chiropractic is an effective treatment for neck and back pain. It’s true that chiropractors manipulate, or adjust the spine to improve pain and mobility, but the benefits may extend beyond the back. By using varying degrees of force in an effort to adjust misaligned joints, chiropractors try to improve the relationship between the spine and nervous system, which they believe may affect the function of all the organs and systems in the body.

Who doesn't like banana pudding? It is the signature dessert of the South. Here is a variation of that yummy classic. I like strawberries almost as much as I like bananas.

I first made this variation in June of 2013 as a dessert for the Wednesday Night Bible Study Supper at Revival Vision Church of God. I delighted in introducing a dish the group wasn't familiar with. This is a tasty example.

The hill above where the barn once stood is speckled with new homes. It’s surely hard for the people who live there to imagine a time when a small lone farm house stood on the level ground below their development.

For as long as I could remember, my grandmother, Elsie Seymour Turner Heiskell and her brother Clyde Seymour had lived in that house on what was then a sparsely graveled rutted lane off Hickory Star Road.

Calling students and teachers for an all-expenses-paid summer learning opportunity! Each summer, Appalachian students and teachers join award-winning scientists at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct research projects focused on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Many participants come from Appalachia’s most economically distressed counties and often gain their first major exposure to applied science and STEM education in Oak Ridge.

Bryan Wheble has been the Pastor at Revival Vision Church of God in Maynardville for five years. In his time within the community, he has been a part of many projects working toward growth in drug and alcohol education in youth and families.

Work Based Learning at Union County High School:
Discovering the Win-Win
By Joanie Brock

Sitting unassumingly on the corner of Sharps Chapel Road and Lakeview, No Wake Market and Grill doesn’t exactly scream for your attention. However, if you make the stop, you’ll find most everything you need for a day on the lake, a picnic in the park or a relaxing, delicious meal with friends and family in the large dining area or on the outdoor deck. The business reopened November 2017 with new owners.