🗞️ Early Voting Wednesday, Medicare and City Hall Thursday, Free Tractors Saturday

Or: Foggy Monday, Summer-Warm Midweek and a Jacket Weekend — Your Calm Sequatchie Week

Good morning, neighbor. Pour the coffee and take your time. If you are reading this early, you may be looking out at fog in the low spots. It should burn off soon after sunrise.

The weekend’s rough weather is behind us. Sunday’s Flood Watch and Wind Advisory both ended Sunday morning. What’s ahead is a sunny, warm week, then the first real cold front of fall by Friday night.

It is also a busy week on the calendar. Here is the short version: early voting opens Wednesday, Oct. 14. Medicare Open Enrollment, Dunlap City Hall and burn-permit season all start Thursday, Oct. 15. The free Days of Yesteryear tractor show fills downtown Dunlap on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17–18. And the library has a free wills and living trusts class Tuesday morning.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Today (Mon., Oct. 12): Columbus Day. The public library is closed. School is back after fall break, so watch for buses. Drive slowly in morning fog.
• Tue., Oct. 13, 10 a.m.: Free Wills & Living Trusts class at the library, 227 Cherry St. No sign-up.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Early voting opens (runs through Thu., Oct. 29). Election Commission: 423-949-2431.
• Thu., Oct. 15: Medicare Open Enrollment opens (through Dec. 7). Dunlap City Hall meets at 5 p.m. State burn permits required starting today.
• Sat.–Sun., Oct. 17–18: Free Days of Yesteryear, gates 8 a.m., 287 Pine St. Bring a jacket — Saturday’s high is forecast near 64.

📝 Jot This Down

1. Early voting: Wed., Oct. 14 – Thu., Oct. 29. Call 423-949-2431 for the place and hours. Bring a Tennessee or federal photo ID.
2. Medicare Open Enrollment: Thu., Oct. 15 – Mon., Dec. 7. Free, no-sales help from TN SHIP: 1-877-801-0044. Never give your Medicare number to a caller you did not call first.
3. Days of Yesteryear: Sat.–Sun., Oct. 17–18, Coops Creek Commons, 287 Pine St., Dunlap. Free admission and free parking. Gates open 8 a.m.

🌫️ Fog This Morning, Summer Warmth Midweek, Jacket Weather by the Weekend

The National Weather Service office in Morristown posted a Special Weather Statement early this morning. It warned of areas of fog on the Cumberland Plateau, especially in and near sheltered river valleys. Visibility could drop below a quarter mile at times. The fog should clear an hour or two after sunrise.

After that, the Dunlap forecast (as of about 5:30 a.m. today) looks like this:

• Mon., Oct. 12: Sunny, high near 84.
• Tue.–Thu., Oct. 13–15: Sunny, highs near 87 to 88. Lows near 58 to 61. Patchy morning fog possible.
• Fri., Oct. 16: Sunny, high near 80. Friday night low near 44.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Sunny, high near 64. Saturday night low near 39.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Sunny, high near 69.

That is a drop of more than 20 degrees from Thursday to Saturday. Forecasts this far out can shift, so check again Thursday.

What it means for you: Use low beams and leave extra room in the fog this morning. Enjoy the warm afternoons for yard work. By Friday, pull out the jackets and blankets, and check that the furnace or heat pump comes on. If you keep tender potted plants outside, plan to bring them in or cover them Saturday night.

👉 Read more (NWS forecast for Dunlap) · NWS Morristown · Dunlap.Today: Flood Watch over

🕊️ From Sunday: Storm Over, and a Hymnal Homecoming on Fredonia Mountain

The Flood Watch and Wind Advisory that covered Sequatchie County through the weekend ended Sunday morning. The weather service dropped the Flood Watch because rain came in lighter than feared.

Up on the mountain, Fredonia Church of God at 4024 Fredonia Road planned a Sunday homecoming service at 10 a.m. celebrating 75 years of the Red-Back Hymnal, with special singing and a meal afterward. Plenty of us grew up with that red hymnal in the pew rack.

What it means for you: If you still have limbs down from Saturday, pile them now and wait for a calm day — and a permit — before burning (more on that below). If your church or club held a homecoming this fall, send us a note. Those gatherings are news worth keeping.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: Fredonia homecoming)

🗳️ Early Voting Opens Wednesday — Make a Plan This Week

Early voting for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 state and federal general election runs Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Thursday, Oct. 29. You do not need a reason to vote early in Tennessee. The ballot includes state and federal races and three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution, each a yes-or-no question.

Your local home base is the Sequatchie County Election Office:

• Administrator: Jerrie Holland
• Address: 68 Spring St., Dunlap
• Phone: 423-949-2431

Counties set their own early-voting locations and hours, so call ahead before you drive. Bring a current or expired photo ID issued by the State of Tennessee or the federal government. A driver’s license, state ID or passport works. A college ID or out-of-state ID does not.

If you need to vote absentee by mail, Tennessee requires an approved reason, such as being 60 or older. Your written request must reach the Election Office by Saturday, Oct. 24.

What it means for you: Early voting is like going to the grocery store on a Tuesday morning instead of Saturday afternoon. Shorter lines, less fuss. Call the office this week, put your ID with your car keys, and look over your sample ballot at GoVoteTN.gov or with the office before you go.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: Courthouse Corner) · Tennessee Firefly: How to vote in Sequatchie · GoVoteTN

🏛️ School Board Tonight, City Hall Thursday, County Commission Likely Next Monday

School board — tonight, Mon., Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. The Sequatchie County Board of Education meets at Griffith Elementary (meal at 5 p.m.). The meeting moved a week for fall break. First readings include school policies on medicines, emergency allergy response and opioid-antidote use, plus the District Improvement Plan. Public comment is on the agenda.

Dunlap City Hall — Thu., Oct. 15, 5 p.m. A public notice published Oct. 8 says the Board of Mayor and Commissioners will meet in the Commission Room of the George L. Wagner Municipal Building, 15595 Rankin Ave. The agenda is to be posted at City Hall and on dunlaptn.gov by Tuesday, Oct. 13. Comments on agenda items are taken at the start. City Hall: 423-949-2115.

County Commission — likely Mon., Oct. 19. The Sequatchie County Commission met at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday in July and September, in the courtroom at the courthouse. If that pattern holds, October’s meeting would be Monday, Oct. 19. No October agenda had been posted on the county website as of this morning, so call ahead: 423-949-3479. Past meetings have been streamed online through BTC Fiber’s YouTube channel.

What it means for you: You don’t need a suit or a speech to attend. Sitting in the back and listening is a fine way to know what’s coming before the rumor mill gets it. If something on the agenda affects your street or your bill, a short, polite comment goes a long way.

👉 Read more (Public notice: Oct. 15 City meeting) · County meetings calendar · Dunlap.Today: board night

🏥 Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Thursday — Take It Slow, and Keep Scammers Out

Medicare’s yearly Open Enrollment runs Thursday, Oct. 15, through Monday, Dec. 7. During this window you can switch Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plans, or move between Advantage and Original Medicare. Changes take effect Jan. 1. If your plan still fits your doctors and prescriptions, you do not have to change a thing.

For free, honest help, call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044 (TTY 1-800-848-0299). SHIP counselors do not sell insurance. Medicare itself is 1-800-MEDICARE.

How to protect yourself this season:

• Type Medicare.gov into your browser yourself. The FTC warns that some top search results are paid ads made to look official.
• Medicare will not cold-call you to sell a plan or ask for your Medicare number. If someone does, hang up.
• Grieving families: WSMV reported Oct. 9 that Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Winchester warned of callers pretending to be funeral-home staff and claiming the family owes money. If you get a call like that, hang up and call the funeral home yourself using the number on your paperwork.

What it means for you: Treat plan shopping like reading the seed catalog at the kitchen table — slowly, on your own schedule. Set your Annual Notice of Change letter beside your pill bottles one evening this week. If anything changed, call SHIP. A real helper will never rush you.

👉 Read more (Medicare.gov: Open Enrollment) · TN SHIP · Dunlap.Today: Scam Watch

📚 At the Library: A Free Wills Class, Genealogy Help and Chair Dancing

The Sequatchie County Public Library, 227 Cherry St., is closed today for Columbus Day and reopens Tuesday at 8 a.m. It is also closed on Thursdays. Phone: 423-949-2357. This week’s grown-up offerings, from the library’s own calendar:

• Tue., Oct. 13, 10 a.m.: Free Wills & Living Trusts class. No sign-up.
• Tue., Oct. 13, 4 p.m.: Friends of the Library meeting.
• Wed., Oct. 14, 9–11 a.m.: Genealogy assistance. Bring your family records or notes.
• Wed., Oct. 14 and Fri., Oct. 16, 1 p.m.: Chair Dancing for adults. No sign-up; first-timers arrive a little early to sign a waiver.
• Mon., Oct. 19, 1 p.m.: Chair Dancing again.

The library is also a drop-off spot for the VFW Post 5772 Veteran Support Drive, collecting new clothing and shoes (size 9 and up) for veterans at the VA hospital in Murfreesboro. Socks and bottled water are not needed this year. The drive runs through the end of October; items can also go to Veterans Hall.

The Sequatchie County Senior Citizens Center at 103 Heard St. offers meals, transportation and social programs. Call 423-949-2228 to ask about this week’s schedule.

What it means for you: The wills class is a gentle, free way to start a conversation many of us keep putting off. And if you have been meaning to trace Grandpa’s side of the family, Wednesday morning is your chance to get some help.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Public Library) · Senior Citizens Center

🎒 Homecoming Week: Friday Morning Parade, Friday Night Football

Sequatchie County students went back to school this morning after fall break. It is Homecoming Week, so you may see costumes at the bus stop. The homecoming parade is Friday morning, Oct. 16. The library’s calendar lists 9 a.m. and its weekly post says 9:30 a.m., so call ahead or arrive early. The Indians host Community at 7 p.m. Friday for the homecoming game in Dunlap.

What it means for you: Leave a few extra minutes in the morning — buses are rolling again, and fog can hide them. A folding chair on the parade route is one of the best seats in town for grandparents.

👉 Read more (Library: Homecoming parade) · MaxPreps: Indians schedule

🔥 Burn Permits Return Thursday — Plus a Property Tax Reminder

From Oct. 15 through May 15, Tennessee requires a free Division of Forestry burn permit for debris-pile fires. A permit is good for one day only, so get it the day you burn, and have the fire out by midnight.

• Online: BurnSafeTN.org, 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Phone: 877-350-BURN (2876), Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central.

The state pauses permits when fire danger is high. Some cities and counties have stricter rules of their own, so if you live inside Dunlap city limits, check with City Hall (423-949-2115) first.

Property taxes: Dunlap.Today reports 2026 Sequatchie County bills can still be paid without interest through Feb. 28, 2027. Questions about the bill go to the Trustee, 423-949-2526. Questions about your property’s value go to the Assessor, 423-949-3534. Both offices are on Cherry Street.

What it means for you: With a dry, sunny week, keep a hose and rake handy and never leave a burn pile alone. For taxes, there is no rush this week — but writing the Feb. 28 date on the calendar now saves a headache later.

👉 Read more (TN burn permits) · Sequatchie tax look-up and payment

🚧 On the Roads: Flaggers on SR-111, SR-399 and SR-8

TDOT’s report for Oct. 8–14 lists flagger-controlled single-lane closures for resurfacing in Sequatchie County:

• SR-111 from near Lewis Chapel Road to near East Valley Road.
• SR-399 from the Grundy County line to near SR-111.
• SR-8 from south of Whitlow Road to north of Sherman Road.

Headed to Chattanooga at night? I-24 in Marion County (about mile markers 152 to 156) has single-lane closures Sunday through Thursday nights, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

What it means for you: Give yourself an extra ten minutes on those Valley roads and be patient with the flaggers — they are somebody’s neighbor, too. Daytime is the easier window for I-24 this week.

👉 Read more (TDOT roadway report) · TDOT SmartWay

🚜 Saturday and Sunday: Days of Yesteryear, the Farmers Market and a Free Clinic

The 21st Annual Days of Yesteryear Antique Tractor Show moves to a new home this year: Coops Creek Commons, 287 Pine St., in downtown Dunlap. It runs Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17–18, with gates opening at 8 a.m. both days. The Chamber lists free admission and free parking, with antique tractors, heritage farm demonstrations, classic cars, crafts, children’s activities and food. Chamber: 423-949-7608. Tractor club: 423-949-6537.

That same Saturday, the Dunlap Farmers Market is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jeff Johnson Pavilion in Harris Park, 245 Cedar St. Organizers have planned a Young Entrepreneurs Day for youth vendors that morning.

Over the mountain, Remote Area Medical holds a free dental, vision and medical clinic at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Oct. 17–18. No ID, insurance or income requirement. The parking lot opens by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, and it is first come, first served. Questions: 865-579-1530.

What it means for you: Saturday will be the coolest day of the week, so dress in layers, bring a folding chair and some cash for food. If you know someone who has put off a tooth or an eye exam, tell them about the RAM clinic this week so they can plan.

👉 Read more (Chamber: Days of Yesteryear) · Dunlap Farmers Market · RAM Chattanooga clinic

📅 Your Week on One Page (Mon., Oct. 12 – Mon., Oct. 19)

• Mon., Oct. 12: Columbus Day — library closed. School back. Morning fog. School board 6:30 p.m., Griffith Elementary.
• Tue., Oct. 13: Wills & Living Trusts class, 10 a.m., library. City agenda due to be posted.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Early voting opens. Genealogy help 9–11 a.m.; Chair Dancing 1 p.m.
• Thu., Oct. 15: Medicare Open Enrollment opens. Burn permits required. Dunlap City Hall 5 p.m. Library closed (Thursdays).
• Fri., Oct. 16: Homecoming parade in the morning (9 or 9:30 a.m. — call ahead). Football vs. Community, 7 p.m. Cold front; low near 44.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Days of Yesteryear, gates 8 a.m. Farmers Market 9 a.m.–1 p.m. RAM clinic in Chattanooga. High near 64.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Days of Yesteryear, day two. RAM clinic, day two.
• Mon., Oct. 19: County Commission likely 6:30 p.m. (call ahead). Chair Dancing 1 p.m.

Looking a little further ahead: Free walk-in flu shots at the Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Tue., Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (ages 6 months and up, no insurance needed). “Let’s Talk Medicare” at the library, Tue., Oct. 20, 10 a.m. Friends of the Library book sale Oct. 21–24. Absentee request deadline Sat., Oct. 24.

✅ Your Front-Porch Checklist for the Week

• ✅ Call 423-949-2431 for early-voting place and hours; put your photo ID with your keys.
• ✅ Set your Medicare Annual Notice of Change beside your medicine list; call TN SHIP 1-877-801-0044 with questions.
• ✅ Hang up on any caller asking for your Medicare number or saying you owe a funeral home money.
• ✅ Consider the free wills class Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the library.
• ✅ Get a free burn permit the day you burn, starting Thursday.
• ✅ Check the furnace and find the jackets before Friday night’s cool-down.
• ✅ Circle Oct. 17–18 for Days of Yesteryear — free, gates 8 a.m., 287 Pine St.
• ✅ Write Feb. 28, 2027 on the calendar for property taxes.
• ✅ Bookmark Dunlap.Today for next week’s roundup.

Practical rule: Write the date, the place and the phone number down before you need them — and if anyone rushes you for money or numbers, hang up and call someone you trust.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Local Glossary

• Early voting: Voting in person on set days before Election Day. No reason needed in Tennessee.
• Absentee ballot: A mail-in ballot. Tennessee requires an approved reason, such as being 60 or older.
• Medicare Open Enrollment: The Oct. 15–Dec. 7 window each year when you can change Medicare Advantage or drug plans for the next year.
• TN SHIP: Tennessee’s free, unbiased Medicare counseling program. It does not sell insurance.
• Annual Notice of Change: The letter your plan mails each fall listing next year’s changes in costs and coverage.
• Burn permit: Free, one-day permission from the state Division of Forestry to burn a debris pile, required Oct. 15–May 15.
• Trustee vs. Assessor: The Trustee collects your property tax. The Assessor sets your property’s value for taxes.
• Special Weather Statement: A weather service notice about a hazard, like dense fog, that doesn’t rise to a formal warning.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I vote early in Sequatchie County?

Counties set their own early-voting sites and hours. Call the Sequatchie County Election Office at 423-949-2431 (68 Spring St., Dunlap) or check GoVoteTN.gov before you go. Early voting runs Wed., Oct. 14, through Thu., Oct. 29.

Do I have to change my Medicare plan?

No. Open Enrollment is optional. If your doctors, prescriptions and costs still work for you, you can keep your plan. For free help comparing, call TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.

Is the library open today?

No. The Sequatchie County Public Library is closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Columbus Day and reopens Tuesday at 8 a.m. It is also closed Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

When does the County Commission meet this month?

Recent regular meetings were held on the third Monday at 6:30 p.m., which would be Mon., Oct. 19. No October agenda was posted as of this morning, so call the county at 423-949-3479 to confirm.

Is Days of Yesteryear really free?

Yes. The Chamber lists free admission and free parking both days, Oct. 17–18, with gates at 8 a.m., at Coops Creek Commons, 287 Pine St.

Do I need a permit to burn leaves this week?

Starting Thursday, Oct. 15, yes — a free state permit, good for one day, from BurnSafeTN.org or 877-350-2876. Inside Dunlap city limits, check city rules too.

🔗 Other Resources

• Dunlap.Today
• Dunlap.Directory — find local businesses and services
• Sequatchie County Government — 423-949-3479
• City of Dunlap — 423-949-2115
• GoVoteTN
• Medicare.gov Open Enrollment
• TN SHIP Medicare counseling
• Sequatchie County Public Library — 423-949-2357
• Sequatchie County/Dunlap Chamber events — 423-949-7608
• NWS forecast for Dunlap
• ReportFraud.ftc.gov — report a scam

☕ A Good Week to Slow Down and Show Up

Nothing on this list needs hurrying. Make one phone call about early voting, set the Medicare letter by your coffee cup, and save Saturday morning for old tractors and old friends downtown. That is a fine week in the Valley.

We’ll keep watching the courthouse, City Hall and the calendar for you. Read Dunlap.Today for calm, plain-English Sequatchie Valley news, and send us the church, club and community notes we ought to share.