Tips to help avoid backpack pain

Here are some tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.
Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than five to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.

Tumblin' Run: Bluegrass and Tradition

There are deep roots for mountain music, or bluegrass, in Appalachia, East Tennessee and Union County. Many local folks have a passion for the music and the customs it entails. It is a tradition that passes down through generations to our youths.
Tumblin’ Run is a local band that is carrying on the mountain tradition. Members Zeke Flatford (age 20), Lyndon Kitts (20), Tucker Jones (16), and Trey Farley (18) all have a keenness for keeping the tradition alive and bringing the old-time melodies to their audiences.

Career, tech ed thriving at UCHS; gives students careers right out of high school

The Tennessee Council for Career and Technical Education (TCCTE) is a legislated council formed to ensure that high-quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs best serve Tennesseans and prepare students for successful ventures in postsecondary education, careers, and life in general.

Big Ridge students spend the day in the boots of a farmer

Wearing overalls, boots and cowboy hats, the students of Big Ridge Elementary ventured out to the green space and found some fun farm activities as part of the 26th Annual Union County Farm Day on Thursday, September 26. The 250 students made their rounds to 17 stations demonstrating and teaching Ag in the Classroom activities led by more than 40 volunteers.
Farm Day is hosted annually by Union County Farm Bureau, which is putting efforts in to teach the youths of the community the importance of agriculture in their daily lives and give them some knowledge to take home.

Gravesites of our local heroes: Do we care?

The Chuck Swan Wildlife Management Area or “The Peninsula,” as many people call it, was abandoned when TVA bought out and moved most of the people who lived there.
More than 15,000 people (3,000 families) were displaced when Norris Dam and Norris Lake were created. They left behind the graves of their loved ones and their ancestors. They would return regularly for reunions and to “clean” the cemeteries.

Mast years are good times for wildlife

Many species of trees have “mast years,” when their seed/fruit production is extraordinarily high. Mast refers to tree seeds that are a food source for wildlife. It comes from the old English word “maest”, referring to tree nuts that have accumulated on the forest floor.
Hard mast includes all of the nut trees, including oak (nine local species), hickory (four local species), walnut, beech, chinquapin and hazelnut. Soft mast includes the fleshy fruits like dogwood, sassafras, blackgum, blueberry, blackberry and cherry.

The greatest fisherman ever

People today are fascinated with the greatest at everything. Countless articles have been written about who is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) at football, basketball, business, etc. Pick your endeavor and you can probably find a GOAT list. On most GOAT lists I have read, the author always tells why the person they picked is the greatest, based on their choice’s accomplishments. The author usually lists other “greats” and then tells us why they are good but not the “greatest.” So, who is the greatest fisher of all time? Jesus Christ is greatest fisherman of all time.

Three-legged race

If you really want to find out just how well you know somebody, partner with them in a three-legged race. I found out the hard way just how competitive Tim was.
It all started at my company’s picnic in the summer of 1988. Tim and I had been married almost three years, but we had been together for six.
One of my co-workers suggested Tim and I participate in the three-legged race. We looked at each other: “Why not?” “It sounds like fun.”
Tim tied his right leg to my left one. I wrapped my left arm around his back while he wrapped his right one around mine.