This past month, Union County 4-H members were hard at work preparing and rehearsing their speeches for the County Public Speaking Contest.
Competitors and their families gathered at Horace Maynard Middle School recently to hear a variety of speeches on everything from 4-H projects to historical figures and personal experiences.

In 1997, Paula Napier discovered that an elderly lady in the community was eating cat food when she ran out of money at the end of the month. Soon after, Paula started a food pantry in a little red building on Maynardville Hwy., and soon Kitty Lewis joined her.
At that time, they provided additional food for about 25 Union County residents. When Paula had to resign, Kitty took over the operation. The Food Pantry of Union County would continue to grow and soon moved to the Cedar Grove Community Center in 2004.

by Helina Bailey
Chances are, you’ve heard about people in Sharps Chapel who are worried about having to smell manure. I certainly have heard of them, and being that this is rural Tennessee, home to beautiful cattle farms and the like, I have no sympathy for them.

By James and Ellen Perry
Sunday January 15, everyone at the monthly business meeting at the Roy Acuff Museum and Union County Historical Society in Maynardville had our spirits uplifted after two years of covid restrictions, fuel prices through the roof and inflation soaring into outer space here in the good ole USA.

Chiropractors can help counteract the stress you face in daily life. Whether you spend long hours driving or you work an office job, stress can manifest in many ways that lead to headache pain. Chiropractors can also give you tips on posture, exercises, and relaxation techniques. Evaluating all possible causes of your headache pain helps us address the pain more effectively.

By Helina Bailey
“Once a Marine, always a Marine, right?” I asked the new barber at Janet’s Hair Salon. Eli Mikos sat across from his vintage barber chair and humbly responded, “Well, yeah.”
Though he sports a well-groomed beard, his clean face and mannerisms make it easy to tell that he once wore fatigues (or cammies).

Plainview is one step away from approval for a Family Dollar/Dollar Tree at Corryton Road and Tazewell Pike.
In January, Stewart Skeen, who oversees city codes enforcement, and Josh Collins, of the planning commission, met with the developer to ensure that all requirements were understood and being met. After that meeting, the developer submitted a detailed plat.

“File early and seek professional advice to file your 2023 IRS taxes” is a tip from Gail Corum, owner of Corum Bookkeeping & Tax Services.
Gail shared these and other important ideas with Union County Business & Professional Association Members at the meeting in January during lunch at Li’l Jo’s. She encouraged everyone to seek the advice of a professional, especially for completing tax forms for a business.

by Steve Roark
Groundhog Day is really another celebration of the birth of Christ, but few realize it because it has undergone a lot of change over the centuries.
February 2 used to be called Candlemas Day. a feast day commemorating when the Virgin Mary, in obedience to Jewish law, went to the Temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son, and to present her child to God as her firstborn. This is documented in Luke 2:22-38. It has been a celebration since the 4th century and was observed with lighted candles, hence the name “Candlemas.”

Food insecurity. We hear this term used on TV and read it in articles. There is a vague feeling about what the term means. It means not having access to sufficient food, or food of an adequate quality, to meet basic needs. A family with food insecurity may have some members who eat and others who go hungry. Parents, for instance, may feed their children first without much left for themselves. At least some of the time, food insecure people may not be sure where their next meal is coming from. They may only eat once a day. Or they do not have enough money to buy good, nutritious food.