The 2025 winners, from left: Graelynn Tipton, pre-teen division; Eleanor Linthicum, junior division; Nevaeh Frazier, senior division; and Amelia Tomb, princess division. - Amanda Oakes | Anderson County Fair
Winners of the 2025 Fairest of the Fair pageant were crowned during Monday’s opening night of the 136th Anderson County Fair.
They are Graelynn Tipton, pre-teen division; Eleanor Linthicum, junior division; Nevaeh Frazier, senior division; and Amelia Tomb, princess division.
The senior division winner will represent the county in the state Fairest of the Fairs competition at the Tennessee Association of Fairs in Murfreesboro in January.
The senior queen will receive the $1,000 Shayla Sanderson Scholarship, a basket of items donated by local businesses, fair admission, pageant and interview coaching, and beauty services.
The city of Clinton is getting ready to open its pool at Jaycee Park this week. - Ben Pounds
The city of Clinton says it hopes to open the new pool at Jaycee Park this week, but the day isn’t certain yet.
“Barring delays with the delivery of electrical equipment and final inspections from various regulatory agencies, we are planning to open the Jaycee Pool and splashpad around the middle/end of [this] week,” the city announced on Facebook.
The pool’s hours of operation will be Sunday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. When school starts back on Aug. 4, the hours will change to Friday 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
This new pool is smaller than the previous one and come with a splash pad next to it. It will also have concessions.
Giving weaving and yard-spinning demonstrations during last Thursday’s event at the Lenoir Museum are, from left, Laurie Pearl, Marily Palmer and Karin Foust. - G. Chambers Williams III
There was a steady stream of visitors to the Lenoir Museum last Thursday (July 10) during the museum’s 50th anniversary celebration at the facility in Norris Dam State Park along Norris Freeway (U.S. 441).
Several special exhibits were on display, including spinning and weaving demonstrations, history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) construction of the park in the aftermath of the Great Depression.
Barry Thacker, speaking in the persona of early Welsh coal miner David Thomas, presented a history of coal mining in the area, which was centered around Briceville and Coal Creek, the original name of the community now known as Rocky Top.
The museum, which opened on July 10, 1975, features hundreds of artifacts representing Appalachian history that were collected over several decades by Will G. and Helen H. Lenoir.
Built on land that the Tennessee Valley Authority donated to the Tennessee state park system, the museum adjacent to the Crosby Threshing Barn and 18th-cCentury Rice Grist Mill along Lower Clear Creek Road.
The Museum of Appalachia will host its annual “Full Moon Pickin’ Party” on Friday evening, Aug. 8. - G. Chambers Williams III
On the heels of a fun day of events on Independence Day, the Museum of Appalachia is gearing up for a special evening of music with its annual “Full Moon Pickin’ Party,” coming up on Friday, Aug. 8.
Sponsored by Yee-Haw Brewing Company, the event will feature several performers, with Texas-native Jake Worthington serving as the main act.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and Worthington is scheduled to sing beginning at 7 p.m. The event runs until 8:30 p.m.
All performances will take place on the museum’s outdoor stage behind the administration/gift shop building.
Yee-Haw Brewing will be on hand with beer for adult guests 21 and over with proper identification, and there will be food and other beverages available for sale throughout the evening on the museum grounds.
Members of the Clinton High School Class of 1975 celebrated the 50th anniversary of their graduation with a reunion and a donation to the school. Class members toured the campus and noted improvements in infrastructure and programs. Presenting the gift are, from left, Janet Dye Townsend, Principal Robbie Herrell, Terry Sharp, Vice Principal and Athletic Director Josh Reid, and Lidelle Martin Bowling.
People gather in front of the Anderson County Courthouse on Saturday afternoon (July 12) for a prayer service as part of the call to prayer by the group “Pray4tn.” - G. Chambers Williams III
About 50 people, including Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, gathered outside the county courthouse on Saturday afternoon as part of a statewide prayer initiative begun last year by the state General Assembly.
“Pray4tn,” an organization created in response to a resolution by the Tennessee General Assembly to bring all of the state together in prayer, led the Anderson County event.
Pastors from some local churches led the open prayer session on Saturday, and Frank read a resolution passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bill Lee on May 2, calling “for those ‘physically able and spiritually inclined’ to join in prayer, fasting and repentance.”
House Joint Resolution 0051, with 59 co-sponsors in the state House and Senate, followed a similar measure passed in 2024.
According to the Pray4tn.us website, in 2024, Tennessee launched a prayer movement with House Joint Resolution 803, a “call to prayer, fasting and repentance” for the whole month of July.
Camber McDaniel and Caleb Burkhart of Knoxville were married May 25, 2025, at Country Jewell in Heiskell. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Dave Miller and witnessed by the bride’s grandmother, Ruby Lindsay of Clinton. Members of the wedding party included matrons of honor Lanie Reece and Victoria Perry; bridesmaid Kaiden Jimenez; flower girl Athena Jimenez; best men Jordan Dalton and Johnny Perry; groomsman Logan Chesney; and ring bearer Kaden Perry.
Under the Blue Star Museums Program there will be free Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge admission through Labor Day for all active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserves.
Imagination Station Summer Camp will run through Friday, July 25, with morning afternoon or all day. More information and registration are on the website, childrensmuseumofoakridge.org.
The Summer Food Drive is underway, and will run through Friday, July 16, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Bring non-perishable food donations to the CMOR lobby.
The museum is also accepting donations of dog and cat food. Do not bring items packaged in glass. Brysonn’s Closet is the recipient of this year’s food drive.
Wonderful Wednesday will be July 16 and 23 at 11 a.m. Held in the museum’s gym, each week features a different theme from health to science to animals and more. It is free with admission.
