Summer is in full swing. Several students are registering for college courses that begin in the fall. For non-Appalachian Americans and those from other countries, wouldn’t it be wonderful if an SSL class was offered?
The Appalachian region of the southeastern United States in unique in many ways, not the least of which is the local dialect of English spoken. Southern Appalachian natives are full of unique dialectical and idiomatic language patterns. Orthodox practitioners of standardized “King’s English” are sometimes bewildered at the language idiosyncrasy.

Ashley Webb, administrative assistant in the Union County Finance Office, graduated from the Certified County Finance Officer program on June 5 in Nashville. Jason E. Mumpower, the State Comptroller of the Treasury, presented her certificate after Webb completeted training and testing through the university level program designed to sharpen the skills of local finance employees. Union County Finance Director Melissa Brown, who is also a CCFO graduate, attended the graduation in support of her team member.

What’s the perfect birthday present for you? I daresay you immediately thought of something. But what about one for somebody else? A few years ago, my friend and I went in together on the perfect gift for our coworker. It seemed like a simple enough thing to do, but it didn’t quite work out that way.

Our area’s enormous plant diversity makes getting outside an adventure, with every trail or country road having something interesting to see, feel, or smell. If you’d like to add taste to some of your outings, there are several common plants that provide a variety of flavors to enjoy as a beverage. Here is a rundown of some that I have tried and enjoyed. Be sure of correct identification before consuming any wild food, and try only a small amount at first in case of food allergies.

World War II was over and Pug was home from the war. We were newly married and living in our new house on Hanover Road just outside of Pulaski. I was not knowledgeable about the benefits returning servicemen were able to receive. Too bad.

Pug had a way of doing something that affected both of us but not telling me until afterwards when I could then do nothing about it. For instance, he bought a new steel cabinet sink with double drainboards on it. The attraction for it was the name "Shirley" on the nameplate. It was bigger than necessary for our new kitchen. Then there was also the time he brought home an expensive garden tiller. It was useless on our rocky garden. It sat out on the edge of the garden until Pug found someone to take it off his hands for a fraction of what he paid for it.

I remember back in Great Depression days when we didn't have a refrigerator. Hey, we didn't even have electricity. Some folks were lucky enough to have a spring house to keep milk and other foods cool. It was usually a concrete block or stone shanty built over a spring of running water. We weren't so blessed. I don't remember eating ground beef during those days either. Mother seldom was able to drive into town. She did most of her shopping in a nearby small grocery store at a country crossroads. They didn't carry fresh meat. Mother kept chickens so we had our own eggs.

I pass a house almost every day of my life. It is a rather nice brick structure, but I’ve noticed for some time it appears to need a roof.
Last week I noticed shingles and roofing materials in the yard. Today, workers are on site to replace the roof.
I remember the last time that house was roofed. The house originally belonged to a prominent Union County businessman. His son told me that another prominent Union Countian, Clifford Stiner, built the house. I’d say it was constructed in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

A research team set out to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness compared to cognitive behavioral therapy as treatments for chronic opioid-treated low back pain and their long-term effects. CBT is considered the standard psychotherapy for chronic pain, but its long-term benefits haven’t been well studied. To date, only 17 studies have evaluated mindfulness for chronic low-back pain and three studies have compared mindfulness and CBT.

Do you know somebody who has been struck by lightning? I’m not talking about being close to a strike. I’m referring to a bolt of lightning actually touching them. Most people don’t, but I know someone who experienced this.

The next regular workshop and meeting of the Union County Board of Education will be on Thursday, August 14, 2025 at Union County High School. The workshop will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the meeting immediately to follow.