DEADLINE: The deadline for submitting Area Happenings, Church Events, Cemetery News, Reunions or Society items is Thursday at noon. See our website each week for a full listing of local events: www.claiborneprogress.net.

Animal Shelter Dog Park

There will be a groundbreaking at 1:30 p.m. on March 8 for a new dog park beside the Claiborne Animal Shelter. The animal shelter and future dog park are located on Ritchie Road.

Claiborne County School Board

The next regular monthly meeting of the Claiborne School Board begins at 6 p.m. on March 8 inside the large courtroom of the Claiborne County Courthouse. The next committee meeting will occur on March 22 at 6 p.m., inside the BOE Central Office board room. The public is encouraged to attend these informative monthly meetings.

Commodity Distribution

ETHRA Community Action Agency, funded in part by an agreement with the Department of Agriculture, will distribute USDA commodities for Claiborne County on March 9 at the Tri-State Growers (Farmers Market) in Tazewell from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until food is gone. You will need a commodity card to pick up commodities; the current commodity cards are orange. Please call the office at 423-973-3669, ext. 5304, 5305 and 5313 to make sure staff is available to take commodity applications if you don’t have a card. No applications will be taken at the Friday distribution. The ETHRA staff will be working out of the office during the week of the commodity distribution and may not be available for applications. Staff will be at the distribution site during the above hours or until the food supply is gone. Tazewell distribution will be Friday only. Please bring a box or bag.

Claiborne County Republican Party

The Republican Party of Claiborne County will hold a county nominating convention for local offices on March 10 at noon in the large courtroom of the Claiborne County Courthouse. In accordance with the Tennessee Republican Party Bylaws and Rules, the nominating convention will be held to duly elect nominees for local county offices that will appear on the Aug. 2 general election ballot. Any candidate that wishes to run for a local office must be a bona fide Republican. Any questions about the nominating process can be directed towards the County Chairman, Joseph Duncan. He can be reached via email at duncanjoseph300@gmail.com.

Hunter Education Class

There will be a hunter education class at the Claiborne County Justice Center March 12, 13, 15 and 16 at 6 p.m. Register online at tnwildlife.org. For questions, call Officer Michael Cavins, 865-318-3349.

Easter Egg Hunt

First Century Bank’s Annual Egg Hunt will be March 17 with a rain date of March 24. It will be at the Jaycee’s Fairgrounds with activities starting at noon. Pictures with the Easter Bunny will start at noon and the egg hunt will start at 1 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out and join in on the fun.

Claiborne Animal Shelter Open House

There will be an open house on March 17 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Claiborne Animal Shelter. Construction on the new dog park beside the shelter will be underway and the shelter will be open for everyone to visit. There will be barbeque available. For more information call 423-626-2686.

Great American Cleanup

The annual Great American Cleanup is scheduled for March 24. Claiborne County Mayor Jack Daniels, the Harrogate Garden Club and Clairfield Volunteer Fire Department will sponsor the event from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Commercial Bank in New Tazewell, Harrogate City Park and at the Volunteer Fire Department in Clairfield. This event will be part of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup™, which is the largest volunteer event in America. Groups and individuals are encouraged to help us make our communities a more beautiful place to live and work. Contact Shaunta Wilson at 423-626-2592 or claiborne_grants@yahoo.com, or Judy Robertson at 423-851-1258 or judyrobertson06@gmail.com for further information and to sign up group participants.

WSCC Special Exhibit

A special exhibit, “From Bystander to Upstander” will be on display at the Walters State Claiborne County Campus April 2-6. The potential power of the individual is highlighted by examining those who stood by during the Holocaust and those who stood up and spoke out. The exhibit features 12 stand-alone panels and was created by the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education. The exhibit is sponsored by the college’s Global Connections program, which seeks to enhance the global awareness and competitiveness of Walters State students.

VFW Fish Fry

The annual Fish Fry at the VFW Post #8779 will be held April 7 from noon until 4 p.m. This is a fundraiser for the VFW’s Christmas Angels program.

Bethel Cemetery

Anyone having loved ones buried in Bethel Cemetery, please send donations for upkeep to: Bethel Cemetery Fund, 2850 Cave Springs Road, Tazewell, TN 37879.

Bee Friends

There is a buzz in the air. Finally, spring is coming and it’s time to think about honey bee season. If you are a beekeeper or a person curious about beekeepers, join us for our meeting at Walters State Community College (the old high school) in New Tazewell. We are Bee Friends, a group of local small beekeepers. We meet on the first Thursday of every month and are open to the public. Please call Jay at 423-268-4785 with any questions.

DAV Meetings

Disabled American Veterans meet on the first Tuesday of every month. The meetings are held at 7 p.m. at 1703 Main St. Tazewell (directly next door to the Claiborne Progress office). All vets are welcome. Also, find us on Facebook.

Cumberland Gap Meetings

The regular monthly meetings for the Town of Cumberland Gap Board of Mayor and Alderman will be held the first Monday evening of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street, Cumberland Gap. The Cumberland Gap Beer Board meeting will follow. The public is invited to attend.

At least one week before the regular scheduled meeting the board holds a planning meeting to review and finalize the agenda. Those meetings begin at 6 p.m. and are usually held the Monday before the regular scheduled meeting. The public is invited to attend.

The regular quarterly meetings for the Town of Cumberland Gap Parks and Recreation Advisory Board will be held the last Monday in February, May, August and November at 5:30 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street, Cumberland Gap. The public is invited to attend.

The regular monthly meetings for the Town of Cumberland Gap Planning Commission will be held the first Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street, Cumberland Gap (if no items are to be discussed a meeting will not be held). The public is invited to attend.

The regular monthly meetings for the Town of Cumberland Gap Historical Zoning Commission will be held the first Tuesday (following the first Monday) of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street, Cumberland Gap (if no items are to be discussed a meeting will not be held). The public is invited to attend.

Narcotics Anonymous

There is a Narcotics Anonymous meeting each Thursday at 8 p.m., located at 1501 Tazewell Rd., Tazewell, behind Hardee’s.

NA meetings are also held every Wednesday and Saturday at 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Middlesboro, Kentucky. For more information call 606-670-4356.

Family Support

Do you or someone you know living in Claiborne County have a severe intellectual and/or physical disability? There may be public assistance available for their special needs. Call Greene County Skills, Inc. at 423-798-7137 or 7144 and ask Karin or Teresa about the Family Support Program. Family Support is a Tennessee state-funded program geared to serve individuals of all ages who are currently not enrolled in a Tennessee medical waiver program. Family Support may be able to help with respite or homemaker services, minor home or vehicle modifications, specialized equipment and more. We also serve individuals with disabilities in Greene, Hamblen, Union and Grainger counties.

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Cumberland Mountain Industries has announced participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals will be provided at no separate charge to eligible adults served at CMI, located at 1214 Cedar Fork Rd., Tazewell. For more information contact CMI at 423-626-6757.

Adult High School

Need a high school diploma? The Claiborne County Adult High School is now offering free classes. There is flexible scheduling offered to accommodate working adults. “The tassel is worth the hassle” – with a diploma, you can earn higher wages, have better job opportunities, can attend college, enter technical school and have careers in the military. For more information call 423-626-8222.

Free Drug Testing Kits

The Stand in the Gap coalition (SIGCO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, faith-based organization and is providing free saliva based drug testing kits with instructions. They are called “give me a reason” (GMAR) kits. Anyone with questions about or needing to obtain GMAR kits or information regarding addiction treatment or anyone interested in getting involved with SIGCO or volunteering in the office, with the jail ministry or in any other area of SIGCO can call the Stand in the Gap office, located at 502 Pennlyn Ave. in Cumberland Gap, at 423-300-1302. Leave a message with contact information and someone will return the call. You may also email standntgap@gmail.com or mail P.O. Box 539, Cumberland Gap, TN 37724.

American Legion Post #109

All veterans are invited to attend monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. Activities begin at 6 p.m. with a meal. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at 335 Fulkerson Street in Tazewell.

Beginner’s Computer Class

The Claiborne County Public Library is hosting a beginner’s computer class at the Harrogate Senior Citizens Center every other Friday at 1 p.m. For more information call the library at 423-626-5414.

City of Harrogate Meetings

The following meetings are held at Harrogate City Hall, 138 Harrogate Crossing: Board of Mayor and Aldermen – fourth Monday each month at 6 p.m.; Work Sessions – each month on the Tuesday prior to the BMA meetings, at 6 p.m.; Parks and Recreation Committee – second Monday of the month at 6 p.m., on an as-needed basis; Planning Commission – second Monday each month at 6:30 p.m. The Book Station Committee meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. at the Harrogate Book Station, 310 Bristol Road. All meetings are open to the public.

Cumberland Gap Meetings

The regular monthly meetings for the Cumberland Gap Historical Zoning Commission will be held the first Tuesday (following the first Monday) of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street Cumberland Gap (if no items are to be discussed a meeting will not be held). The public is invited to attend.

The regular monthly meetings for the Cumberland Gap Planning Commission will be held the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town, 330 Colwyn Street Cumberland Gap (if no items are to be discussed a meeting will not be held). The public is invited to attend.

The regular monthly meetings for the Town of Cumberland Gap Board of Mayor and Alderman will be held the first Monday evening of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cumberland Gap Town Hall, 330 Colwyn Street, Cumberland Gap. The Cumberland Gap Beer Board meeting follows the board meeting each month. At least one week before the regular scheduled meeting the board meets in a study session to review and finalize the agenda. That meeting starts at 6 p.m. and is usually held the Monday before the regular scheduled meeting. Both meetings are open to the public.

Greene County Skills

Greene County Skills, Inc. is seeking individuals in Tennessee that have developmental or physical disability. Tennessee has a grant program offering assistance. For more information, call Greene County Skills, Inc. at 423-798-7137, ask for Karin Hagenburger or 423-798-7144 Teresa Crawford, Family Support Coordinator.

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project

Outreach workers Tommy Brooks and Erin Haverland will be available to assist eligible veterans with enrollment in HVRP. The Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project helps veterans find secure employment through case management, job training, and referrals and links with other local service providers. Outreach workers can arrange visits with veterans in outlying areas who are unable to travel to the program office.Veterans Can Help is located at 511 Broadway, Knoxville, TN 37917. Phone: 865-524-3926. In Knoxville, call 865-546-4813 for more information.

Town of New Tazewell Meetings

The Town of New Tazewell board meetings for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen are conducted at New Tazewell City Hall at 413 First Avenue, the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen workshops are held one hour prior to the regular meeting. The Planning Commission meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. The public is invited to attend these meetings.

Town of Tazewell Meetings

The board meetings for the Board of Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Tazewell are conducted at Tazewell City Hall at 1830 Main Street, the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The BMA Workshops are on Wednesday, prior to the scheduled board meeting at 6 p.m. as needed. The Planning Commission Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. The public is invited to attend these meetings.