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JUNE 18

ETHRA will distribute USDA Commodities on June 18, 2021 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Barn. Please bring your own boxes, and you may pick up for three households only. In accordance with federal law, both ETHRA and USDA are prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

The New Tazewell City Pool will not open this summer. This decision was made based on major decking repairs and a chlorine shortage. City officials say they are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have a party scheduled and you have not been contacted, you will receive a phone call.

NOW – JULY 13

Claiborne Public Library Summer Reading Program “Tails and Tales” is running every Tuesday from June 1 through July 13 beginning at 10:30 a.m. Readers of all ages will explore the animal kingdom with a mix of special live and virtual programs. The summer reading program is open to preschool through young adult with prize drawings, story time, a reading club and more. A brown bag lunch will be served immediately following the June 15 and June 29 live shows. Registration is ongoing. For more info, call 423-626-5414 or log onto the Library Facebook page.

JUNE 19

Cosby Book Signing at the Claiborne County Public Library will be held on June 19, from noon until 2 p.m. Former Forge Ridge School principal Marty Cosby has penned an inspirational book reportedly based on true events centered on local politics.

JUNE 19 or June 22 & 24

CANNING 101 Workshop from U.T. Extension: there are two options for the Canning 101 Workshop. The first will be held on June 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Servolution Health Services. Seating is limited to 10 people. The second option will be held on June 22 and June 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tazewell Senior Citizens Center. There is a limit of 5 people on these two dates. Participants will take home with them the book “So Easy to Preserve” and a dozen canning jars mostly filled with the preserved foods from the workshop. Call: 423-626-3742 or email cbrandon@utk.edu. to pre-register.

 JUNE 23

The Claiborne Hunger Ministry has found a new home and will be reopening for distribution on June 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new location is 1199 Cedar Fork Rd. in Tazewell.

JUNE 25

THP Sobriety Checkpoint: The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting a roadside sobriety safety checkpoint on June 25 on State Route 32 near the Cumberland Gap Tunnel on State Route 58 on the Claiborne Co. TN side of the tunnel. Troopers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. Those targeted for impaired driving will also be under scrutiny for other violations observed during the checkpoint. Every year, impaired driving kills 16,000 people and injures another 305,000 individuals across the country. This info was released for the public by Kevin Kimbrough, Lt., THP/Fall Branch, Troop D.

JUNE 26

Buchanan Family Reunion will be held on June 26 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Center located at 180 Jaycee Lane in Tazewell. Please bring a covered dish to share. Drinks and utensils furnished. For more info, call Edwina at 423-489-6366.

JUNE 28

Powell Valley Electric Cooperative board of directors meeting will be held on June 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Sneedville Office, located at 340 Jail St.

JULY 15 & JULY 22

The Eastern Region 4-H Quilt Camp will be holding classes on old timey quilting on July 15 and July 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The classes will be held at the Eastern Region Extension Office in Knoxville, TN. Cost: $25 total for the two days plus lunch and snacks. Sewing machines and quilting tools will be provided. You provide the quilting fabrics. The supplies list will be sent once registered. The classes are limited to the first 12 individuals who register. For more info, call 423-626-3742.

AUG. 7

Powell Valley High School Class of 1958 and Friends Reunion will meet at noon for lunch at the Shelly Belle Restaurant located on the Powell River. A head count will be needed. The deadline is July 29 to reserve your seat. For more info, or to make your reservation, call Betty Jo at 865-933-8943 and leave a message. Or, email her at: goforitbj@yahoo.com

The East TN Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) is accepting applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for residents of Claiborne County. Applications can be mailed or taken by appointment at the ETHRA Office in Tazewell. To schedule an appointment, call 423-973-3669. To have an application mailed, call 865-691-2551. PLEASE NOTE:  if you have received assistance since Oct. 1, 2020, you cannot apply again at this time. Sponsoring this program is the TN Housing Development Agency (THDA).

Walters State Community College registration for summer and fall semesters is now open. Summer sessions: July 7 (second 5 week session) with June 28 fee deadline. Fall semester begins Aug. 23 with first fee deadline on Aug. 18. Late fee payment deadlines are available. WSCC will continue to offer traditional, hybrid and online classes. For more info, email: admissions@ws.edu or call 423-585-2685. To apply for admissions, log onto: www.ws.edu/admissions. Campuses are located in Tazewell, Greeneville, Morristown, Sevierville and Newport. Advisors are available on each campus by appointment.

 Seeking those homebound elderly and/or dependent adults wanting to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccination: Tennessee is contracting with home health agencies to identify those who qualify and to provide this service. If you are truly homebound and have not yet received or are not yet scheduled to receive the vaccination, you are eligible to be put on the list to receive it at home. To be added to the list, contact Becky Pierce at: 865-705-9675 or email her at: bpierce@ethra.org. For more info about the vaccine or how to obtain it, call: 866-836-6648.

Stand in the Gap Coalition has changed the day for its START (Support Transition and Recovery Training) group meetings. These weekly meetings will now be held each Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. with refreshments served at 6 p.m. Location: 325 Straight Creek Rd. in New Tazewell, inside the old Powell Valley Electric office. Pastor James Shoffner officiates these meetings.

The Shepherd’s Closet is now open each Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. The nonprofit is located behind Thompson’s Chapel at 1015 Old Hwy. 33 near DeRoyal. For more info, call Diane at: 423-626-3913.

G.L.O.S.S. (Girls Loving Ourselves Seriously Sober) is helping those with addictions to find their way back to sobriety. The organization offers those without rides to probation appointments, court, rehabilitation and other destinations a way to get there. There are on-site recovery coaches and one-on-one counseling. The organization is currently accepting donations of money and items like clothing, hygiene products and food to help the homeless, whose population includes many recovering addicts. For more info, call Kelly at: 423-489-2689.

Live Free Recovery Program at the Hill Church is a state-certified program that collaborates with organizations like Metro Drug and the TN Dept. of Health & Substance Abuse. Program participants meet each Tuesday at 6 p.m. with a different speaker each evening. Weekly recognition of recovery milestones are discussed prior to the participants splitting into small groups depending on individual needs. Groups include such diverse subjects as substance abuse, self-care, anger control and ‘Adulting 101’. For more info, call Pastor Kyle Prichard at: 423-526-5655. The Hill Church is located at 1216 Cedar Fork Road in Tazewell. The website is:

www.loc8nearme.com/tennessee/tazewell/the-hill-claiborne/6148721.

Need Help with FAFSA? Free services are still available online and by phone. In Claiborne, Grainger and Hancock counties, contact Melanie Powell at: 423-748-4634 or mpowell@douglascherokee.org.

NARCONON New Life Retreat: With the spread of COVID-19, many families are struggling. Added to this stress, some have realized the extent of their loved ones addiction. Narconon would like everyone to know that this essential business is open and servicing clients. Fentanyl has been making headlines recently, this is because the incredibly potent chemical has been contributing to the increase in overdose deaths across America. Most people however do not know much about the chemical. For instance many don’t know that one of the things that makes fentanyl so dangerous is the fact that it can be absorbed into the system through skin contact. Meaning getting it on your skin could cause a potentially fatal overdose. To learn more about Fentanyl visit:https://www.narcononnewliferetreat.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-fentanyl.html. ADDICTION SCREENINGS Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free screenings or referrals. 1- 800-431-1754. For more information visit: https://www.narcononnewliferetreat.org/blog/how-does-covid-19-effect-treatment.html.