Historic Union County

Spreading the good news of Union County

Having been bundled up by the Covid-19 pandemic and suffering from “cabin fever,” we decided it was time for another travel adventure.
After landing in Vancouver, Canada, we walked to the 44-story Harbor House Tower with its panoramic observation tower on its top floor. Next, we visited the nearby Chinatown which is the second largest Chinatown in North America. I stopped for a moment to photograph the welcoming Chinatown gate.

But first, let’s get out of Yucca Valley. We are heading to Bakersfield only because there is a distinct lack of lodging on the way to Yosemite. Along the route today we will also go through Needles and Barstow. Name that tune!

I will let you in on a little secret: I love loud noises. Not the sudden ones as in a balloon popping or a firecracker exploding. Let’s put it this way; if you’re ever attending a firework show and you see a short woman with glasses and her fingers burrowed inside her ears, it’s probably me.

The first time I remember becoming aware of church dinners was when I was a young child. Maynardville Baptist (now the First Baptist Church of Maynardville) was going to have a homecoming. I didn’t understand at the time that homecoming was a special service to welcome former members and pastors to renew “auld acquaintance.

We package up our ground beef in 1/2 pound freezer bags. Several of our favorite recipes only call for a half pound of ground beef. There is a good casserole for 1/2 pound ground chuck.. Of course, you have to like eggplant. I do.

Biodiversity is a big deal in ecology science these days. The dictionary defines it simply as the variety of living things in a particular area or region. Opinions on the importance of biodiversity vary, but to me the loss of native plant or animal species means something’s wrong, and rightfully raises some concerns.

What many would call a “hometown” politician is looking to serve Union County once more as mayor.
Mike Williams, previous Union County Mayor and past Tennessee State Representative and Senator for 12 years, has decided to run for county office once more.
Williams, a Union County native, started out as a schoolteacher where he taught government. He would often welcome elected officials into his classroom to speak to the students on local government, but one thing he noticed was that they only ever came knocking every four years.

With anything Savannah Jones did, she always felt the warmth of her small town, as they always showed up and showed out for her growing up, whether it be during hard times of family loss or joyous occasions of graduations and high school homecoming fundraisers.
Communities are made up of friends, families, teachers, leaders, churches, businesses and much more but what truly makes an individual’s community is the connections made throughout a person’s life.

At the June meeting, the City of Plainview honored its oldest veteran, Joe Roberts.
Jeff Collins did the honors of presenting Mr. Roberts with a plaque that noted his exemplary service in the Marine Corps during WWII.
Joe entered the war and saw action in the Pacific Theater, including Kwajalein and Guam, as a corporal in the 5th Amphibious Corps of the 3rd Marine Division. He was an MP when he was honorably discharged in 1945 at the end of the war.

The Union County Board of Education placed Dr. Jimmy Carter as the interim director at its called June 23 meeting. The action was the culmination of a series of events that left the district without a director for a short time.
Parents had voiced concerns at the May and June board of education meetings regarding bullying, vaping and other student behaviors. Carter abruptly resigned after the parents spoke on June 9.

The Union County Commission took two meetings and over 20 votes before agreeing on a reduced tax rate of 1.5899. County Mayor Jason Bailey, partly recovered from a serious automobile accident in May, chaired the meeting. He urged and coaxed the commissioners to meet the July 1 deadline to submit the FY23 Budget to the state comptroller.

By Helina Bailey
Union County Farmers Market is excited to host their first Farm to Table event! The Summer Harvest Dinner will feature an eight-course meal, highlighting produce from local farms and featuring beef from Seven Springs Farm to Table.

A & W Compressor and Mechanical Services, Inc., celebrated it’s 40th business anniversary the weekend of June 25th at Big Ridge State Park. Everyone at A&W Compressor and their families gathered under the big oak trees for a fish fry to celebrate the 40-year business milestone. Fishing and the occasional fish fry have been a long time family tradition of the company founder Archie Wilson Sr. and his lamented wife Shirley Wilson. A tradition his son Archie Wilson Jr., his wife and family share. Archie Jr.

Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic services are used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

On June 30, 2022, the Knoxville Downtown Kiwanis celebrated 100 years of providing summer camp to thousands of inner city children with a hot dog roast.
The camp on Prosser Road has been a breath of fresh air for these children to enjoy swimming, outdoor games, basketball, arts and crafts, a challenge course, hot dog roasts and other typical camp activities.

It’s Saturday morning and the pantry is empty and the refrigerator is bare. You know what time it is . . . time to shop for groceries. As you drive to your favorite grocery store, you already know the actions you are going take. You will enter the store, grab a buggy, and browse aisles upon aisles of products. After your cart is full and all items are checked off your list, you will head for the front to pay, hoping of course, to find the shortest and fastest checkout.

UT Extension provides resources to encourage learning throughout the summer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Just because children are out of school doesn’t mean learning has to stop! This summer, University of Tennessee Extension is excited to offer parents and caregivers fun resources and tips on how to teach children smart money habits that will stay with them throughout their lives.

Brent and Cindy Taylor were honored with a fiftieth wedding anniversary party May 28. The event was hosted by their family and held at Beaver Dam Baptist Church where the couple was married on June 16, 1972.
The Taylors traveled to Arizona and California in June and celebrated the actual day of their anniversary at Yosemite National Park, where they also spent their 20th anniversary.

Chickens are one of the best pets. What other pet can poop breakfast?
Eggs are only one of the many benefits of chickens. Most chickens fall into two categories, layers and broilers. Layers are defined as chickens whose primary purpose to lay eggs. Broilers are defined as chickens primary purpose is for meat production.

Farmers, veterans, and their families are invited to an evening of celebration for the farm community to be held at Heartland Meadows in Halls, Tennessee, on July 8, starting at 6 p.m. The program will feature presentations on Faith, Family, Farm, and Freedom. We will honor our special guests—representatives of the Greatest Generation who served during the World War II era—and all who have served or are serving in the armed forces of the United States.