Stigma remains one of the greatest obstacles to mental health and substance use support. Fear of judgment, misinformation, and societal labels often prevent individuals from seeking care.

This upcoming forum will focus on identifying stigma, understanding its impact, and discussing practical ways communities can reduce barriers and improve access to services and support.

Bruce Mink, a new vendor from Rutledge, was at the May 9th Union County Farmers Market with his Herb Wagon. All his plants are grown organically and are watered with rain, not city water. In addition to vegetable plants like tomatoes, he offers a wide selection of herbs, including dill, oregano, basil, mullein, and Amaranthus. While Amaranthus is often used in traditional medicine, the National Institutes of Health states that it is also a good source of both nutrients and antioxidants.

Almost every seat was taken on May 9 at the American Legion Post 212 monthly free breakfast for Veterans. Breakfast was again delicious and prepared for the Veterans by Maynardville Food City.

There are teachers held in esteem even by students who were never in their classes. Such for me is the case with one teacher who was on staff when I was a student at Horace Maynard High School.
I’m sure throughout the years of her service she oversaw many study halls, and I’m pretty sure she taught some computer classes which could have enrolled both boys and girls. Throughout her career, she possibly taught classes of which I am unaware. The main class I knew her to teach is one I know many males would have liked to have had on their schedules, but that was not allowable.

Hickory trees are so common in our area that most of our woodlands are classified as the "Oak-Hickory" forest type. They provide humans and wildlife with important food and fiber.

There are several hickory species growing in our area, the three most common ones being Shagbark, Mockernut, and Pignut. All have compound leaves that have 5 to 9 “leaflets”. The leaves and nut husks have a strong spicy odor. The bark can be identified by its diamond shape pattern and hardness. The easiest hickory to identify in the woods is Shagbark, which has bark that hangs down in long shaggy plates that bend away from the trunk. In earlier times the non-shaggy species were called “tight bark” hickories. They will grow almost anywhere but are more often found on dry slopes and ridges.

The Union County FCE (Home Demonstration) Club traveled to Gatlinburg for a two day Spring Fling. Members took an assortment of classes and celebrated our 250th.

The Eastern Region of Family Communication Clubs came together to have an adult like 4-H event. This replaced the Spring Camp that always took place in Greenville at the Clyde Austin Camp. There was entertainment, games, good food (Ramsay’s) , fellowship and more.

Do you have a pet peeve? Is there something that bothers you probably more than it should? For me, it’s being misunderstood. A good example of this is my dislike of camping.

Before we go any further, I’m going to discuss the two types of camping I’m familiar with. The first one involves a camper, which is like a small mobile home on wheels. My in-laws used to have one many years ago that they would tow it to various campgrouns. It had a small bathroom and kitchen, heat and air, and furniture that would transform into beds. If you like to do a lot of traveling, I think this would be an awesome way to do it. But this isn’t the type that I dislike.

While some lower back pain needs to be treated by a specialist, chiropractors can help children and adolescents prevent and manage lower back pain. Most pain with no specific cause responds to rest, rehabilitation and identification of predisposing risk factors.

The Union County Heritage Festival's Art Show will occur on Saturday, October 3, 2026, 10:00AM to 4:00 PM at the Historic Snodderly House, 720 Main Street, Maynardville. Park at the house or the parking lot across from the Art Show. On Festival Day, parking is also available at Wilson Park where visitors can ride the big yellow bus free shuttle to the Art Show. Youth are encouraged to participate. If enough youth participate, then the Festival will have a special Youth Art Exhibit.

The first official day of the 2026 Union County Farmers Market on May 2 was a huge success! Many veteran Farmers Market vendors who have been attending every market for years were there, as were several vendors participating for the first time. This was the largest first-day crowd in the Market’s history, and several vendors had people in line waiting to check out.