The Union County Board of Education Differentiated Pay Committee will meet at Big Ridge Elementary School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 3:20 p.m.
Written by Annabelle Groce, Union County 4-Her
Being chosen to attend the 4-H Congress trip as a representative of Union County was a great honor. On the trip, my sister and I experienced citizenship and leadership firsthand as we met our state Representative, Senator, and Governor at the Capitol.
When the buses filled with top-performing 4-H’ers from all over the state first arrived in Nashville, the excitement was contagious! Once we all checked in and received our iconic dark green 4-H sweaters, we headed to a conference room where stations were set up for us to explore fun facts about our state and our county’s leaders. We also played trivia games and wrote thank-you cards to our 4-H agents for making this trip possible.
In April, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Abigail Thomas and Union County 4-H Teen Leader Jaelyn Cummings partnered to bring the Healthy Me pilot program to Whitney Copeland’s kindergarten class at Big Ridge Elementary School. Over the course of six visits, students participated in engaging lessons designed to promote emotional wellness, social skills and mindfulness.
Health Department Director Garnet Southerland introduced the Healthy Living Poster contest winner to Union County Commission. Isabella displayed her poster which admonished, "Don't get hooked on smoking". She is a student in the 5th grade at Big Ridge Elementary.
Chairman Martin Shafer opened the 28th Annual Union County Business & Professional Prayer Breakfast on Good Friday with a warm country welcome of fellowship and good food. The First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Maynardville was packed with friends who not only wanted to share fellowship, but also to donate to several UC nonprofits. Father Neil Pezzulo of St. Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church blessed the bounty and reminded everyone that no one should be afraid to walk with the Lord and enjoy the peace that comes from belief.
The Union County Commission voted to abolish the position of constable for the second reading at the commission meeting on April 28. All voted for the motion by Sidney Jessee and seconded by Kenny Moore with the exception of Angela Conner-Murphy, who abstained. A handful of citizens and a representative of the Tennessee Constables Association requested that commissioners find another solution. But the recent lawsuits that have been filed due to the wreck in Sharps Chapel heavily influenced the vote.
Members of Union County Retired Teachers Association met for lunch at Tacolandia in Maynardville in April. Officers were elected for 2025-2026: President Marilyn Toppins, Vice President Rhonda Ryder, Secretary Dawn Patelke, and Treasurer Pat Walker.
Dawn Patelke, Roger Flatford, and Rhonda Ryder volunteered to judge the UC Spelling Bee on Thursday, April 10, at the UCHS Library. The UCRTA and the UC Education Association provided prizes for the event.
This cookie has everything you like, from chocolate to cream cheese to peanut butter. I suppose you like eggs as well. Anyway, these cookies are delicious.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat at low speed for 2 minutes. Beat at medium speed for additional ...
I think I’ve become a dinosaur.
Rarely a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me how much longer I’m going to work.
The short answer: I can retire anytime I wish. I just haven’t “wished” enough yet.
The long answer: When the job becomes more of a burden than a joy, I’ll retire.
I asked my doctor, the legendary Fred A. Hurst, the same question. He told me he didn’t golf, fish, hunt or even mow his own yard, so what would he do if he retired?
Part II of my coverage of America’s slide from the most respected nation to the America of today is also keyed to the 1970’s. One helping person who was a Democratic supporter of Richard M. Nixon being re-elected for a second term was George Wallace the long time Governor of Alabama. George Wallace was a Dixiecrat, was very conservative and did not have any use for Richard Nixon’s competitor who happened to be a liberal Democrat whose name happened to be George McGovern a senator from South Dakota. According to H.R. Haldeman’s diary which he kept daily while serving as President Nixon’s Chief of Staff, whenever McGovern happened to pull up close to Nixon in the polls, Nixon would tell Haldeman to call George Wallace and get him to start campaigning harder, which would always effectively lower McGovern’s poll numbers. This can be confirmed in H.R. Haldeman’s book published after Nixon’s second term was terminated because of the Watergate debacle. The book is “The Haldeman Diaries” published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Copyright 1994. This book is a good read for those who want to know what really went on in the second Nixon Presidency.