Photo By Steve Roark
Pines can offer a dab of color in a winter landscape, and provide lumber, wildlife habitat, pleasing views, and erosion control. The native pines that grow in our area include Shortleaf, Virginia, Pitch, and White Pine. Though not a local native, Loblolly Pine has been widely planted and does well in our area.
Humans have always been vulnerable to climate and climate change and after about 1.64 million years BC, the coming of the Ice Age greatly affected the hunter-gathers; the animals began to migrate to escape the severe cold and the huge glaciers that spread like tongues across the inhabited Earth. Plants that could not survive the lower temperatures died out. Now, if possible, humans had to resettle where fishing, hunting and vegetation was plentiful, time to move on. With this, humans begin to live permanently in caves. Latecomers finding the best caves already occupied had to move on to find new caves or remain hunter-gathers.
As we are about to enter into February of 2022 many people have dropped the diets and stopped going to the gym or even put down that book they were going to finish.
At the end of the day, new year’s resolutions are hard to accomplish. It is not easy to self-start and keep ourselves accountable throughout the year.
At the workshop of its January meeting, the Union County Board of Education recognized and congratulated the Paulette Elementary School Beta Club for its achievements at the Tennessee Elementary Beta Club Convention. Dr. Lauren Effler, Supervisor of Instruction, introduced each student and presented each a Certificate of Recognition for Achievement.
The Union County Commission elected Cheryl Walker to fill the second district vacancy at its January regular meeting. Sidney Jessee Jr. nominated Walker. No one nominated the other qualifying citizen, Lance Grigsby.
Commissioner England asked that nominations close and that Walker be elected by acclimation. Commissioner Jessee, the other second district representative, provided the second. Then County Mayor Jason Bailey administered the oath of office, and Walker took her seat on the Union County Commission.
HUC and Luttrell Elementary School would like to congratulate the following students on their achievements.
Jessica Garcia left and Kaleb Hannah on the right
By Jessica Garcia
4-H Ag Science Team Member
Bees! Most people are not fond of bees. But perhaps it is because bees, specifically the honeybee, are very misunderstood creatures, insects to be precise.
Of course, we like the cute bumble bees we see in story books, but most people view bees as pesky little intruders on our summer picnics or interrupting the tending of our flower beds; and of course to some, the bee is a small but dangerous enemy, for those who are allergic to its sting.
Chiropractic is a system of therapy focused on the structure of the body, particularly the spine. Chiropractors manipulate the body’s alignment to relieve pain and improve function and to help the body heal itself.
An age-old classic program in communities across the country is the local 4-H. Ask around, it is likely that your child, if in 4th grade or above, your parents and grandparents, all have been touched by 4-H at some point in time.
Whether the memory is of giving a beekeeping speech in 4th grade, baking biscuits at the Tennessee Valley Fair, showing sheep all across the south, learning to use a sewing machine, shooting shotguns or just learning parliamentary procedure at a young age, we have all had some part in the 4-H program.
Have you heard of tai chi? Did you know that a tai chi program is offered here in Union County?
UT Extension educator, Alyshia Victoria, is certified and approved by the Tai Chi for Health Institute to teach this program. During the course, she demonstrates joint-safe exercises that help participants improve muscle strength, mobility, coordination and relaxation.
When I think of my brother, Jack Heiskell, and his loving wife, Bonnie Caughron Heiskell, I am often reminded of the story of their courtship and elopement.
“In June of 2009, we celebrated the 50th wedding anniversary of Jack and Bonnie. At this celebration she wrote their story, and we will let her tell it in her own words.
“Jack and I met when I was in high school. Jack’s sister Ginny introduced us and we started dating regularly. Not long after we started dating, my foster mother, “Mam,” thought we were getting too serious, so she told Jack not to come back to see me.
Being an East Tennessee girl, I have heard the phrase, “no tellin’” countless times. It can be used as another term for “who knows.”
For example: somebody may ask, “Do you think it will snow?” The proper response would be, “No tellin.’” That being said, I’m going to use that phrase in a little different context for this article.
Tullis Brown sat in his rocking chair in his and Sarah Brown’s bedroom watching the flames in his fireplace on this February 13, Valentine’s Eve.
It was a cold, windy night with heavy snow coming down. Tullis was a proud man nearing 80 years of age who married the prettiest girl from Redbud Hollow almost sixty years ago. Her maiden name was Sarah Loudon who came from a good family: Her father owned a good farm and a blacksmith shop in Redbud Hollow.
This is a good appetizer to serve around the holidays. Nothing special in it
except the imitation crab meat. You should have everything else.
When I first started working at Big Ridge State Park in 2010, I was greeted every day by a picture of Superintendent Jim Rob that was in the lobby just before entering the employee offices. His picture was one of a healthy upright older man with a handlebar mustache. I not sure where that picture went off to but egos can be big, and as much as I would like to think that there is another reason that picture is gone, I can think of none.
My father’s youngest sister, my aunt Fleetie Thomas, lived at 2110 Hoitt Avenue in Knoxville for many years. The two rooms at the very front of her house and the two directly behind them each had two doors, meaning that if all four doors were opened at the same time a little boy could run himself silly in a circle. This was a practically a once in a lifetime opportunity, as the front bedroom was closed off year-round.
James 4:4 KJV
[4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
I really enjoyed writing the first two parts of this series on friends, but in all honesty, I have dreaded writing this last part. It is not my intention to offend or condemn anyone, but if the Word of God offends you, well, then take it up with Him. That being said, Jesus said many people would be offended because of the words he spoke and the things he did.
Humans must have a hardwired wanderlust. For generations our ancestors were always moving on to new places, and this continues today.
On average, Americans will live in five homes in their lifetime, and in between we take vacations to see new places. Nowadays we have road maps, phone apps and global positioning system (GPS) devices to show us how to get to anywhere we wish.
Members of the Blount County 4-H Horse Club practice calculating a horse's body weight. Image Credit: Jennie Ivey, courtesy UTIA.
Seventh Annual Horse Management Field Days Will Be Held Regionally
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is planning three in-person field days focused on horse management. Presentations and hands-on educational materials will be of interest for equine owners of all experience levels.
The University of Tennessee hosts field days each year across the state as fun, educational tours for farmers, professionals, and educators to take part in. The 2022 dates have been released and it reads to be a knowledge packed year for producers across the state! There are nineteen in-person and online events planned as a showcase of the work done by AgResearch.