The recent Artemus flight put the spotlight on the Moon, which for centuries has fascinated us humans with speculations about conditions there, such as: that it’s a very dry world; that it has Earth-like mineral soil; that weathering doesn’t occur because the lunar surface is in a vacuum, and the like. Information retrieved from the Lunar Prospector probe launched to the Moon several years ago, along with long term study of lunar rocks retrieved from the Apollo missions, has turned up some interesting facts.

The next regular workshop and meeting of the Union County Board of Education is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026 at Union County High School. The workshop will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the meeting immediately to follow.

Do you like to watch people check out in stores? When I was little, that fascinated me. It didn’t matter whether the merchandise were things such as groceries, clothes, or tools, I took in every part of the process. That being said, for some reason in my child’s mind, I thought money only meant cash. There were a couple of times when I asked my mom for a toy and she would answer: “I don’t have the money right now.” To which I would reply: “Just write a check.” She would shake her head and answer: “I can’t do that.”

If you suffer from a herniated disc, your chiropractor can draw on any of a variety of treatment techniques to address the issue.

Pelvic blocking techniques are often used to treat herniated disc symptoms. Pelvic blocking treatments include using cushioned wedges, which are placed under each side of the pelvis. Gentle exercises may also be used. These will allow changes in biomechanics to draw your disc away from the nerve it may be pressing on.

Police Chief Crider proposed purchasing the City Traffic Reporting and Information System to facilitate the writing and recording of citations at the Plainview Board of Mayor and Aldermen Meeting (BMA) on March 10, 2026. Because the city received a reimbursement for a traffic camera that was inoperable for several weeks, Plainview has additional funds in the department budget to apply toward the cost of the system. The system decreases the time to write a ticket to about two minutes and all forms are automatically filed locally and at the state level by scanning the driver's license. Chief Crider stated that the department wrote 105 citations andd 204 warnings in 2025. He noted that the result should be that both the police department and the car driver are in a safer situation with more accuracy. The system also includes trainig. The system can also be used to enforce city ordinances in the future. The BMA voted unanimously to purchase CTRIS and have it in place as soon as possible.

At the March 10, 2026 meeting of the Plainview Municipal Planning Commission, Stewart Skeen, Zoning Official, reported that he had written one permit for an accessory garage building with electric and plumbing for $350. The letter requested by Mr. Eddie Perry has been delivered. Woodbury Lot # 18 was reported to be vacant but he has not confirmed the report. The Headrick plat is complete and all documents have been given to the owner.

The next Plainview Planning Meeting is April 14, 2026, at 6:30 at City Hall.

The Union County Board of Education honored two current employees for their many years of service. Sarah Maness, a special education teacher at Horace Maynard Middle School has been teaching and mentoring children with special needs for 47 years. She established the Comprehensive Development Class at Maynardville Elementary. She has impacted the lives of numerous children in Sharps Chapel Elementary, Maynardville Elementary, and presently at HMMS. Sarah's students learn life skills, basic numeracy and literacy as well as social skills.

The Union County School Board recognized outstanding teachers of excellence at the meeting on March 19, 2026, for scoring TVAAS Level 4 or Level 5 or scoring above the state average in at least one tested subject.

At Big Ridge Elementary are Derrick Tharpe- 4th & 5th grade English. above state average; TVAAS Level 5, and Renita Malone- 4th & 5th grade Science above state average.

With a 4.0 GPA and the leadership skills honed from being the Commanding Officer of the Naval JRTC Program at Union County High School, Kailei Beeler has been appointed to attend the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Kailei will be educated to become an officer in the US Navy or the US Marine Corp. Graduating third in her class, she not only is an excellent student but she is also a scholar athlete. Kailei is a member of the BETA Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She has excelled in basketball, softball, golf, cross country, and track.

Skilled Services addressed the Union County Board of Education at its meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Skilled Services is a commercial and industrial contractor located in Knoxville that specializes in facility improvements and structural repairs to keep buildings functional, modern, and safe. The company provides a comprehensive consultation. Next in-house architects design the concept and then construction for renovation or a new build occurs. Director Greg Clay requested that Skilled Services evaluate the status of the current HMMS for future use.