Final Call for Bakers: Heritage Festival Cake and Pie Contests This Week

Union County bakers have one last chance to enter the Cake and Pie Contests at the 2025 Union County Heritage Festival. Entries will be accepted at the Union County Extension Office on Thursday, October 2, from 4 to 5 p.m., and Friday, October 3, from 8 to 11 a.m. Judging will take place Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Ever Lasting Arms

Isn’t it funny how you can look back on things and see them differently after you are grown?
Back in the ancient times of the 1970s, there were no SUVS. When we went on family trips, we rode in one of Papaw’s station wagons. At least once a year, we all piled in one and headed south and east to Cades Coves in the Smokey Mountains. We always packed a picnic lunch. Sometimes Papaw would stop at the KFC in Maryville and pick up a bucket of chicken to have with it. But one trip was totally different in that Papaw drove us west and then turned north. Not only had I never been in that direction, but I also had never been on such a long trip.

Free Deer Processing Class Offered in Corryton

The Union County Extension Office will host a free Deer Processing Class on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson’s Deer Processing, 520 W Mountain View Rd, Corryton, TN 37721. The class is presented by Union County Extension’s Family and Consumer Science Agent with several guest presenters.

UT/TSU Extension Union County Announces Fall 2025 Master Beef Producer Program

Farmers and cattle producers in East Tennessee will soon have the opportunity to take part in the Fall 2025 Master Beef Producer Program, offered through UT/TSU Extension Union County.

The program provides research-based education designed to help cattle producers improve herd health, management practices, and profitability. Completion of the program will fulfill the educational requirements for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP), which allows producers to apply for cost-share funding to improve their operations through Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Lions Club Is Growing!

Chef Zach Hodge, Culinary Arts Instructor for the Union County High School, was inducted into the Union County Lions Club as its newest member in September. Chef Zach and his students have partnered with the Lions Club in several projects and events over the past year, and the Union County Lions are looking forward to working with him as a club member.

UCHS golfers advance to regional

Coach Christian Chandler announced that Jasper Brown and Aiden Bowman from Union County High School will advance to the regional golf tournament to be played on Monday, September 29. 2025, at Elizabethton Country Club. In the District tournament held at Woodlake Golf Course on Monday, September 22, Jasper defeated his opponent in a thrilling sudden death playoff by making par on hole #1 to be victorious. Aiden's score of 84 and Jasper's score of 85 elevated both to the regional tournament. Mike Johnson is the assistant coach.

BOE to elect Chair and Vice Chair

A snafu occurred at the Union County School Board meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2025. Board members re-elected Chairperson Jessica Brock in a 3-2 vote with Dr. Jimmy Carter absent and Charlie Hamilton not voting. The attorney advised the Board that the vote was valid. But further research revealed a state requirement of four votes to elect the Chairperson. So the Board will again be electing a chairperson in a special called meeting on September 29. Terry Washam was elected by acclamation as Vice-Chair and will serve as chairperson until the Chair is elected.

Prospect Road property approved for jail site

In a vote of 10 For and 1 Against, the Union County commission voted to purchase ten acres of the Hubbs property on Prospect Road in Maynardville for $300K. Absent were Commissioners Lynn Beeler, Greg Dyer, Linda Effler, Larry Lay, and Eddie Simpson. Commissioner Gerald Simmons voted against the purchase. The purchase includes an additional two acres donated by the seller to be used to build a drug rehabilitation facility. The rehabilitation facility can be built by using opioid abatement money at no cost to the property taxpayers.