Haslam Proclaims January 12 TN FAFSA Frenzy Day
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has proclaimed Thursday, January 12, as the first “TN FAFSA Frenzy Day,” encouraging high school seniors and current college students to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by January 17 to maintain eligibility for key scholarship programs including Tennessee Promise. Tennessee Promise is the state’s groundbreaking scholarship and […]
Budget Committee Meets for First Time in New Year
The Jefferson County Budget Committee met on Monday, January 9, 2017, in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. The Meeting was Called to Order by Committee Chairman Scarlett. Upon a Motion from Committee Member Seals and 2nd from Committee Member McGraw the Minutes as corrected were approved. One citizen, Jean Ringe representing the Humane Society, appeared […]
Mineral Rights, White Pine School, and Zoning Dominate County Commission Work Session
Citizen concerns were the largest item of business at the Monday evening, January 9, 2017, Jefferson County Commission Work Session. The Historic Jefferson County Courthouse Main Courtroom was filled with residents waiting to share their concerns with the members of the County Commission. Three topics, the Nyrstar mineral rights issue, the White Pine School Renovation […]
Will Friday Count as a School Day?
I was wondering if the students will be able to count Friday as a school day and how many days do we have before it will shorten spring break? Generally, it requires that school be in session for half the day to be able to count it as a school day but there are always […]
The Buzzz!!
The buzz word this week is “judgment.” The head governmental hive will return to the nest this week and Buzzy Bees in the Know are buzzing that the Pines will bee high on their list. The low humm is that a mass influx of parental bees and their tiny fliers may bee flying in to […]
Time to Get Back on Track
The snow covered ground and frigid temperatures may not be the only thing getting a frosty reception this week. It is back to business as usual for the County Commission and it should be an interesting start to the new calendar year. The County Budget Committee closed out 2016 with a joint meeting of their […]
New Study Finds 1 in 5 US Gun Owners Obtained Firearm Without Background Check
One in five U.S. gun owners who obtained a firearm in the past two years did so without a background check, according to a new national survey conducted by researchers at Northeastern University and Harvard University. The study also found the share of gun owners who acquired firearms via private sale without background checks was […]
Thomas Bulfinch’s “Bulfinch’s Mythologies”
You may have noticed that sometimes I like to review specific books, like a collection of an author’s works, rather than the individual pieces; this is one of those times. For Christmas, I had the good fortune to get a copy of Bulfinch’s Mythologies, a collection of The Age of Fable, The Age of Chivalry, […]
Gratin Dauphinois
This is one of my favorite potato dishes. Thinly sliced layers of potatoes with lots of cream and topped with cheese – what’s not to love? The dish gets its name from the Dauphine region of France, and the French are famous for their gratins, with little crispy bits of food stuck on the side […]
Let it Snow
It’s January, and I am loving the snow! For some reason it seems comforting. I love its silence, as it falls to the ground. I love the clean slate look, where everything is white. I wait for the first snow like a child, and when it comes, I feel exuberant and childlike. Outside is not […]
Cold Winter Days and Gross Motor Development
When snowy and cold winter days invade our world, we are forced to stay indoors way too often. As parents, grandparents and caregivers, these are days we most dread. Children grow new behaviors as a supplement for exercise and outdoor activities. Not only are they bored, their brains are not getting the benefits that exercise […]
Mystery Sphere
As a teacher, should you ever have reason to enter a school, I offer some drop dead serious advice – beware of the mystery substance. Adults tend to rationalize a peculiar moment by predetermining that no one would do that and you just don’t find that sort of stain in a civilized society. They are […]
Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions
For many, the new year brings challenges and the promise of New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions usually aim to make us brighter happier beings, who in most cases are slimmer and have a pocket full of cash. Many of us throw ourselves into our resolutions, but usually end up failing about a month in. Want […]
Top Resolutions for 2017
January (and snow) has arrived, and with it a new year. Now is the time that many of us begin reflecting on how we want to improve our lives and attitudes in the coming months. This time things will be different, we want to love and learn all that we can with the precious three […]
Consumption of Grilled Meat Linked to Higher Mortality Risk Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Findings published in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicate that higher consumption of grilled, barbecued, and smoked meat may increase the mortality risk among breast cancer survivors. In the study, entitled “Grilled, Barbecued, and Smoked Meat Intake and Survival Following Breast Cancer,” Humberto Parada, Jr., MPH, and colleagues evaluated the link between grilled/barbecued and smoked meats […]
Commissioner Gonzales Announces Maximum Effective Rate of Interest
The Federal National Mortgage Association has discontinued its free market auction system for commitments to purchase conventional home mortgages. Therefore, the Commissioner of Financial Institutions hereby announces that the maximum effective rate of interest per annum for home loans as set by the General Assembly in 1987, Public Chapter 291, for the month of February, 2017 is […]