Bidding farewell to an exceptional 4th of July weekend
Good Monday morning! Welcome to a brand new week. This is The Daybreaker, the first of several newsletters that will be published this week by the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) this or any of our other newsletters, please do so here. If you need to subscribe, it’s as simple as entering your email address:
Since 1904, First National Bank has been a part of Scott County. First National is local people — just like you. Visit fnboneida.com or call (423) 569-8586. (Sponsored content.)
Final reflections on Independence Day
As the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer once said, “All good things must come to an end.”
Actually, what Chaucer said, in Troilus and Criseyde, was: “But at the laste, as every thing hathe ende, She took hir leve, and nedes wolde wende.”
We’ll stick with the paraphrase.
It was a glorious holiday weekend. The 4th of July is always fun. When the weather cooperates — it’s rare to have a 4th without a threat of rain — it’s even better, and after all the storminess of June we were all ready for a few days of sunshine. And when the 4th falls on a Friday to create a three-day weekend, best of all. (The next time that’ll happen, in case you’re wondering, is 2031.)
The Town of Huntsville’s Firemen’s Fourth Festival was glorious, and not just because the weather cooperated — though that might have made the homemade ice cream taste a little sweeter and the lemonade a little colder; here’s to you, B&B Ice Cream and Sassy Squeeze! One of the largest crowds in years turned out for the Independence Day parade Friday evening, and then the Huntsville Fire Department put together what might very well have been their best-ever fireworks show to cap things off Friday night.
Almost all of us enjoyed a three-day weekend, and many of us have been on vacation at some point the past couple of weeks. But, sadly, it’s back to the grindstone today. And not just for the adults. TSSAA’s dead period is over, which means it’s back to work for many high school athletes, as well.
Fittingly, the weather is also going to take a turn. After a few thunderstorms today, storms and rain will become likely each day the rest of this week and through the weekend.
If Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summer, the 4th of July holiday is the unofficial midpoint of summer. We’re halfway through the break, and schools will soon be gearing up for students’ return to the classroom in early August. The good news, if you hate summer’s heat and humidity, is that our days are already getting shorter. We’ll see our last 9 p.m. sunset Wednesday, and our average temperature will hit its peak of 86° one week from today. By the end of July, the sun will be setting about 15 minutes earlier than it is right now, and our average temperature will be cooling. Then, it’ll be football season. And, shortly after that, the fall foliage season. (And, for the ladies, the pumpkin spice season.)
As we climb back into the saddle this week, the issue that has been Scott County’s most pressing since spring will once again be front-and-center: a proposed landfill at Bear Creek. The Town of Winfield is scheduled to meet tomorrow, and the landfill is on the agenda. Winfield’s board is scheduled to vote on joining a coalition of local governments that already includes Scott County, Oneida, Huntsville, and McCreary County. The Winfield board is also expected to finalize zoning restrictions aimed at preventing a proposed transfer station on Poplar Lane. Next week, concerned citizens will meet to voice their concerns at the Scott Christian Care Center in Oneida.
Other issues persist, as well. Although it’s happening mostly behind the scenes, a rails-to-trails transformation is still being sought for the abandoned Tennessee Railroad. New businesses are expected to make headlines in the coming weeks. And of course there’ll be issues popping up that we don’t yet know about.
The summer fun isn’t completely over, though. The Huntsville Municipal Pool remains open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily (except 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday). Admission is $3. The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area’s pool at Bandy Creek is open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (and Labor Day). Admission is $3, except $2 for children. The Scott County Chamber of Commerce’s free summer movies series begins this week, sponsored by First National Bank, One Bank of Tennessee and United Cumberland Bank. The next three weeks will feature free movies at Oneida’s Capitol 3 Theatre, beginning at noon: The Wild Robot this week, Trolls next week, and Garfield The Movie on July 23. And the Chamber’s free community pool party will be on Tuesday, July 22, at the Huntsville Pool from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., sponsored by Takahata Precision Tennessee.
So, Happy Monday — and here’s to the knowledge that while almost no one among us is actually looking forward to going to work today, the holiday weekends wouldn’t be nearly as exciting if we didn’t spend so much of our time at work.
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The Week Ahead
⛈️ Weather: A wet week is ahead, with thunderstorms becoming likely each day after today and continuing at least through the weekend. The good news is that all the rain chances should knock temperatures back into the low 80s later this week. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer its walking program, puzzles and games, and massage chairs from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. today and every weekday this week. There will also be Tai Chi at 11 a.m. today and Thursday.
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: Huntsville Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and every day this week ($3), except Friday. The Oneida Splash Pad is also open.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: Scott County Commission will meet in special session at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.
Monday: Vacation Bible School begins at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) and continues through Thursday from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. nightly, with classes for ages four through teens. Need a ride? Call Mike, (423) 223-1947.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Silver Stitches from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. today.
Tuesday: The Oneida City Park Farmers & Makers Market will be from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Call (423) 569-8300 for more information about becoming a vendor.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. For more information or requirements, call the church office at 569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Scott Appalachian Industries Senior Center in Huntsville will offer Tai Chi at 11 a.m., Healing Hearts at 1 p.m., and Seniors in Scripture at 2 p.m.
Thursday: The Scott County Board of Education will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Central Office in Huntsville.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes in Time tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!
◼️ Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
◼️ Tuesday: Echoes in Time (stories of our history)
◼️ Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
◼️ Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
◼️ Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
◼️ Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)