Homebound pay was doubled from $15 per hour to $30 per hour at the regular meeting of the Union County Board of education on April 16, 2026. The pay per hour is the same as the teachers who after school tutoring. The increase was necessary to provide services of three hours per week to students who have a medical reason for missing school for a short amount of time. According to Director Clay, the pay had not increased in several [at least 15] years.

Today, April 30, 2026, is the last day to vote Big Ridge your favorite park. Make a donation at this link:https://tennesseestateparksconservancy-bloom.kindful.com/my-tn-state-pa…. Any amount from $1.00 to $1000 will help Big ridge restore historical buildings and improve trails. Big Ridge needs $1,103.00 to reach its goal and be the best in East Tennessee.

UNION COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
WORKSHOP
Union County High School
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2026
6:00 p.m.

Alderman Keith Brantley and the rest of the Plainview Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) approved the first reading of the FY 27 budget which is balanced with revenues equaling expenditures in the amount of $576,432 at the regular meeting on April 14, 2026. Mayor Lynn Beeler thanked the Board for attending the workshop and approving a balanced budget. The Mayor also commented on the work that Recorder Emily Cooke did to gather all of the information to achieve a balanced budget.

Names and titles of Jesus found in the Bible

At the start of the Gospel according to the Apostle John, we are told that “John the Baptist” bore witness that Jesus was the Christ. Years ago, because of my ignorance (lack of understanding or education), I thought Christ was Jesus's last name. Then I learned that Christ is actually a title. Christ is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah. A short definition would be “Anointed One” or “Chosen One”. I am not so sure this glorious title, and it is truly glorious, can by itself truly define the one who created the Earth.

🎉🤪 WACKY WEDNESDAY IS COMING! 🤪🎉
Get ready for a day full of fun, laughter, and a little bit of wacky! 🙌😄
Wacky Wednesday is coming soon to Miller’s Chapel, and you don’t want to miss it! 🎈🎉
Come be part of five joyful sessions filled with smiles, fellowship, and good energy for ages 10 and up. Bring a friend, bring your family, and enjoy something a little different! 💛🙌

Wacky Wednesday 2026 Registration - https://form.jotform.com/261171446098157

Here is another served hot appetizer. Whip these up when needed. You should have everything in your pantry. There is nothing more comforting. Stir these up in the morning and chill until needed. Most everyone likes cheese.

Place white bread in saucepan. Pour scalded milk over bread and set aside until lukewarm. Then place pan over low heat and stir until pasty. Remove from heat. Mix in cheese and flour. Blend egg into mixture and add cayenne pepper. If the consistency seems too moist, add a tablespoon more of bread or saltine cracker crumbs. Allow mixture to cool. Shape into 3/4-inch balls, using a teaspoon. Deep fry in 350 F. deep fat until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Makes about 25 cheese balls.

By James Perry

NASCAR: Slowly dying and I’m asking why.
A few years ago, an advisor to NASCAR asked me why it was losing so many fans both at races and on TV-covered races. This advisor owned four radio stations with two of his AM stations broadcasting the races and one FM radio station covering the Knoxville market.

Walk 4 Water Union County will host its fourth annual fundraiser to support the drilling of safe water boreholes for the villages of Naminyagwe Muyenga, and Agaruru B #3 in Uganda. The event will be at the Union County Farmers Market at Heritage Park in Maynardville on Saturday, May 16. The check-in time will be 9 a.m. The program will start at 10 a.m. and the walk will follow immediately after the program.

As an amateur naturalist I have a curiosity to know how things work. In college I once saw the chemical reactions involved in photosynthesis laid out on a large poster. This all-important method plants use to make food for themselves (and ultimately us) was incredibly complex and took up half the wall. It is so complex that it’s tempting to simply say that plans bring in carbon dioxide and water, add sun energy, then a miracle happens and out comes oxygen and food. This is true but let me attempt to elaborate on the miracle part.