“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. It’s time to celebrate Christmas, New Year’s, and best of all the 2017 college football bowl season. This bowl season is special featuring the biggest and most interesting coaching carousel that football fans have seen in a long time: Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, Nebraska, Oregon, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Central Florida, UCLA, Arizona State and Nebraska. Added to the chaos, was the first ever early signing period from December 20th to December 22nd.

A state grant may mean great things ahead for parks in Union County. The process to develop a strategic plan for growth and development of parks is already well underway, and Union County Mayor Mike Williams said results may be seen as early as February.

Christmas gatherings are always special, but let us not forget this is a perfect time to collect those memories by hearing stories passed down through the families. Funny ones, even sad ones need to be captured while we can. There are so many centenarians that I had hoped to interview and write their stories but time got away, and regrettably, I did not get it done. History is always an unfinished work but the older I get the faster I try to record as much as I can while I can. Don’t wait, write those family stories.

It is only days until Christmas! If you haven’t hopped in the car for a ride around town with the family, it is the perfect time. The first Annual Light Up Union County contest has played a part in getting our county glowing with holiday lights. We have thirty eight entries, as well as many more along the route that are decorated. Grab some snacks and hot cocoa, start your route using our event map to see the Union County Christmas Light Trail.

Most every cook has a favorite recipe for scrambled eggs. Some add cheese. Some add milk or cream. I add a white sauce. You know, make a flour and butter roux, then add milk and cook until thickened. Do this when there are more than two or three for breakfast. It is a good company dish.

Just recently, a dear friend gave me a starter for Amish Friendship Bread and a loaf of Amish Friendship Bread. I was so excited. I remember my mom making this bread when I was younger. As a teenager, the lady who is now my mother-in-law would make this, also. My mother-in-law frequently made hers in muffins and my mom made loaves of bread. Either way, it is delicious.

The commons area at Union County High School was filled with love, compassion and the drive to do what's right Dec. 9, as volunteers gathered to help with the Union County Children's Charities Under the Tree gift distribution, formerly known as Union County Toys for Tots. Union County Trustee Gina Buckner, who has chaired the effort for many years, said 492 children were signed up to receive toys this year, up from 480 last year.

Norris Dam was finished in 1936 and the waters of Norris Lake flooded the homeland of many Union County folk who had to find farms and homes elsewhere. Many chose to relocate to the banks of rivers other than the Clinch and the Powell. Some 75 years later, Union County has not regained the population lost to the Norris Dam project. It has gained many measures of prosperity including electric power, technical assistance from Tennessee Valley Authority staff, access to many jobs, and a growing tourism industry.

Maynardville State Bank was chartered in 1922, the second bank to be chartered in Union County. The first was Luttrell Union County Bank in 1909. The Luttrell Bank was robbed shortly after it opened and its losses were significant enough that it was forced to close. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) had not been created yet and if a bank failed, for whatever reason, depositors lost their money.

Ok, so this doesn't look like my dad. If I hadn't said that, you might have thought my dad had a full beard and was portly, as they said back in the day. He really was skinny as a rail. Dad passed away on Armistice Day, what we now call Veteran's Day, November 11, in 1951. Armistice Day was to commemorate the signing of the end of World War 1. When I was growing up, that was a very important day in our house. After all, Dad was a veteran.