DEADLINE: The deadline for submitting Area Happenings, Church Events, Reunions or Society items is Thursday at noon. See our website each week for a full listing of local governmental meetings: www.claiborneprogress.net.
Free Spay and Neuter
The Animal Welfare League of Claiborne County is sponsoring a free spay/neuter for dogs and cats in the Claiborne County area for families with income less than $30,000 per year, depending upon the number of people in the household. Pick up applications at Harrogate Hospital for Animals, Russell Veterinary Services or Rowland Veterinary Services. You can also request spay applications at awlccspay@gmail.com . Complete application, including proof of income and mail to AWLCC, 200 Hatfield Morgan Lane, New Tazewell, TN 37825 or scan/email to email address above. Be sure to include a phone number.
Town of Tazewell Brush Pickup
Brush pickup for the residents of the Town of Tazewell is resuming. A maximum quantity of two brush piles 4 ft. wide x 4 ft. tall x 10 ft. long will be collected from each household per visit. Brush and limbs shall be neatly stacked in 4 ft. x 4 ft. piles with the ends facing the same direction. Exceptions: Leaves or other debris may not be mixed with brush. No stumps will be picked up or limbs larger than 6 inches in diameter. Brush must be brought to the curbside and not placed in the street or on sidewalks. Lumber or construction waste materials will not be collected. No commercial, industrial, construction, or land clearing projects are included in the brush collection program. To schedule pickup call the Tazewell City Hall at 626-5104.
Claiborne County School Board
The Claiborne County Board of Education will meet at Cumberland Gap High School on March 10 at 6 p.m. for the purpose of the regular monthly session. The public is invited to attend.
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 this date: Friday, March 11, at the Tri-State Growers (Farmers Market), Tazewell, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. As a reminder to Clairfield residents you can only pick up commodities in Tazewell. You will need a commodity card to pick up commodities. The current commodity cards are yellow. Please call the office at 973-3669 extension 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. We 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.
Egg Hunt
First Century Bank’s Annual Egg Hunt will be held at the Jaycee’s Fair Barn on March 12. Activities will start at noon with the Egg Hunt following at 1 p.m. The rain date will be March 19, same place and time.
CCSWA Board
The Claiborne County Solid Waste Authority Board will meet for the regular monthly meeting on March 14 at 6 p.m. in the large courtroom at the Claiborne County Courthouse.
Bereavement Support Group
The death of a loved one by suicide presents special problems in grieving. There is often more shock, a greater sense of injustice, more guilt and blame and a heightened sense of helplessness – and these all tend to complicate the healing process for survivors. You are not alone.
There is a safe place in this community for survivors (families and loved ones of suicide victims) to share their loss with others who are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings. Surviving Our Loss After Suicide (SOLAS) is a bereavement support group that will provide help, hope and healing. Groups are open to all adult survivors of suicide and will be held at The Well Being Foundation, 557 Narrows Road, Tazewell, TN 37879. To reach Well Being, go approximately 8.1 miles from the stop light at Cedar Fork Road then turn left on Narrows Road. The meetings will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Upcoming dates are March 15, April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17, June 7, June 21, July 19, Aug. 2, Aug. 16, Sept. 6, Sept. 20, Oct. 4 and Oct. 18. For more information call Tammy Wilson, facilitator, at 865-585-2917.
Lunch and Learn
Claiborne Medical Center is having a free Lunch and Learn community education seminar on March 16 at noon. Dr. Philip Serbin, a urologist with Hamblen Urology Clinic and a member of the CMC medical staff, will present information on ‘Urology/Prostate Issues and Treatment Options’. The seminar will be held in the hospital’s downstairs conference room, and lunch is provided. For more information, or to make a reservation for this event, please call Betsy Maples at 423-526-2192.
Clinch Valley Beekeeping Association
Clinch Valley Beekeeping Association will meet March 19 from 1-3 p.m. at the Treadway Fire Hall on Highway 131. For registration and information contact Wanda Coleman at 423-944-3230.
Finance Committee
The Claiborne County Finance Committee will meet at the Claiborne Finance Office on March 21 at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
Jail Committee
The Claiborne County Correctional Partnership Act Committee (commonly known as the Jail Committee) will meet at the training room of the Justice Center on March 24 at 4:30 p.m. The public is welcome.
Alzheimer’s Support Group
Smoky Mountain Home Health & Hospice, Alzheimer’s Support Group will meet the last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at Laurel Manor Nursing Facility. The next meeting will be March 31. Community partners: Alzheimer’s Tennessee; Smoky Mountain Home Health & Hospice; Laurel Manor Nursing Facility; Lambert Bookkeeping & Financial Services; Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service, Inc.; Claiborne-Overholt Funeral Home; Eastridge Apartments LLC; Claiborne County Office on Aging. Everyone welcome.
Claiborne Animal Shelter
The annual Claiborne Animal Shelter Fundraiser will be held April 2 at the Cumberland Gap Convention Center. The cost is $100 per plate for the banquet and silent auction. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. To reserve your seat, you may call the Shelter at 423-626-2686. To reserve a spot and pay in advance, go online to: www.claiborneanimalshelter.com.
Free Computer Classes
The Claiborne County Public Library will be offering free computer classes starting April 4. These classes will introduce first-time computer users to common computer terms and features, such as: How to use a computer; parts of a computer; email, Facebook, etc.; Microsoft Word; TEL; R.E.A.D.S. All classes will last for six weeks and participants will need to call and sign up beforehand. Classes will be held Mondays from 10 a.m. until noon. For more information and to register call the library at 423-626-5414. There will be no class the week of May 2 due to the library’s annual spring book sale.
American Legion Post #109
All veterans are invited to attend monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. The next meeting is April 12. Activities begin at 6 p.m. with a meal. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at 335 Fulkerson Street in Tazewell.
Drug Test Kits Available
Free Saliva Based Drug Testing Kits are available, provided and sponsored through UNITE and (SIGCO) Stand in the Gap Coalition. Give Me a Reason (GMAR) is designed for parents/guardians to use to talk with their children and randomly test them, which gives them a reason to say “no” when tempted or offered drugs. They can be obtained at 44 different distribution points throughout tri-state area & at the SIGCO office, located at 502 Pennlyn Ave., Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. For more information where to find a distribution point near you contact the SIGCO office at 423-300-1302 or to pick one up stop by on Thursdays between noon and 5:30 p.m.
Free GED/High Set Classes
Classes are held in the Claiborne School Board office. For more information call 423-317-1064 or email hiset@tcatmorristown.edu.
Arthur Community Center Association
The Arthur Community Center Restoration Organization has regular meetings the second Thursday and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Arthur Community Center. All residents of Arthur Community are encouraged to attend. The ACCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration of the Arthur Community Center for the public to use for meetings, family reunions, wedding receptions, etc.
Free Classes
The Claiborne County Adult High School will be offering classes for students to earn credits to receive their Tennessee state high school diploma. Flexible scheduling will be available for both day and evening classes. If you do not have your high school diploma, please contact the Claiborne County Adult High School at 423-626-8222 for more information.
Claiborne County Historical and Genealogy Society
The Claiborne County Historical and Genealogy Society is located on Old Knoxville Road across from the library. For more information call the office 526-5737. Research hours are Sundays from 1-5 p.m. CCHGS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of Claiborne County. Please mail your tax deductible contributions or annual membership dues to: CCHGS, P.O. Box 32, Tazewell, TN 37879.
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 Tazewell BMA
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 public is invited to attend all meetings of the board.