🏈 Homecoming Is Today, City Hall Results Still Unposted, and Early Voting Hours Are Listed

Or: Parade Morning Logistics, What Was on Last Night’s Agenda, and 9–5 at 68 Spring Street

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Friday, October 16, 2026

Yesterday’s “tomorrow” is this morning. Homecoming is today — parade listed at 9:30 a.m. (be curbside by about 9), football Community at 7 p.m. City Hall met last night on Ordinance No. 321 (1466 and 1494 Main Street) and a sludge mitigation proposal; as of this morning the outcome is still not posted on the city site — call 423-949-2115. Early voting continues through Oct. 29, and hours are finally listed for 68 Spring St. (9–5 weekdays; Saturday half-days) — still call 423-949-2431 before you rearrange lunch. School-board outcomes from Monday’s Griffith meeting are still not online.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Today, Fri., Oct. 16: Homecoming parade listed 9:30 a.m. (one calendar still says 9 — curb by ~9). Football vs. Community, 7 p.m. High near 80 falling; afternoon gusts near 25; night ~45, gusts near 30. District office 423-949-3617 for route/drop-off.
• City Hall: Met Thu., Oct. 15, 5 p.m. Ord. 321 + sludge were on the agenda. Results not published overnight — call 423-949-2115 (Mon–Fri 7–4).
• Through Thu., Oct. 29: Early voting at Election Commission, 68 Spring St. Listed hours: weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sat. Oct. 17 & 24 9 a.m.–noon. Call 423-949-2431. Photo ID: TN or federal.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Still not Sequatchie County Commission (November per Tribune). Neighbor: Bledsoe Commission 7 p.m. Pikeville.
• Seniors: ACT Event 3 paper Oct. 27; TN Promise due Mon., Nov. 2 via collegefortn.org.

🏈 Homecoming Is Today — Parent Logistics, Not Play-by-Play

Sequatchie County High School wraps Homecoming Week today. Dunlap.Today’s homecoming article and the library’s weekly post list the parade at 9:30 a.m. The library’s online calendar sometimes still shows 9 a.m. Being curbside by about 9 covers both — and organizers already suggest arriving early for a good spot and parking.

The Indians host the Community Vikings at 7 p.m. at Indians Stadium. Leave extra minutes this morning — buses and parade traffic slow downtown. NWS has Dunlap near 80 this afternoon with temperatures falling and gusts as high as 25 mph; Friday night low around 45 with gusts near 30; Saturday night near 38. Jackets for outdoor Friday night if you are staying through the game.

If you need firm drop-off or route details, call the district office at 423-949-3617. Deeper game coverage lives in the Valley GenX Sports & Youth edition — this one is the school-calendar / commute version.

What it means for you: Treat parade morning like a school-day commute with a road closure. Pin the curb time before you leave, put a light jacket in the car for kickoff, and expect downtown to move slowly until the last float clears.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: Homecoming Oct. 16) · Sequatchie County Public Library · NWS Dunlap forecast

🏛️ City Hall Met Last Night — Results Still Not Posted

The City of Dunlap Board of Mayor and Commissioners met in regular session Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5:00 p.m. in the Commission Room of the George L. Wagner Municipal Building, 15595 Rankin Ave. As of this Friday morning, the city website still shows that agenda under “Next Meeting October 15, 2026.” We have not seen published minutes or a vote outcome overnight.

What was on the posted agenda:

• Ordinance No. 321 — to amend the zoning map at 1466 and 1494 Main Street.
• Water, Wastewater and Street Department: discussion and approval of a sludge mitigation proposal (sludge is the solid material left after treating wastewater).
• Gas Department: an adjustment on one customer account (listed as 57-5320-00).
• Police, fire, gas, water and financial reports; approval of department reports.

The agenda never said which way the rezoning would go or what the sludge plan would cost. If you live or own near those Main Street addresses — or if utility work touches your property — call City Hall at 423-949-2115 (office hours Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and ask what was decided. We will share the outcome once it is published.

What it means for you: A meeting can finish and the website can lag a day or two. One phone call clears it up. Do not wait for a Facebook rumor to harden into a “fact.”

👉 Read more (City of Dunlap: government / agenda) · Dunlap.Today: City Hall preview

🗳️ Early Voting Mid-Window — Hours Now Listed at 68 Spring Street

Early voting for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 state and federal general election runs Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Thursday, Oct. 29. Today is mid-window. Tennessee does not require an excuse to vote early.

Update vs. earlier this week: Tennessee Firefly now lists Sequatchie County early-voting hours at the Election Commission office:

• Site: County Election Commission, 68 Spring St., Dunlap
• Administrator: Jerrie Holland · Phone 423-949-2431 · Email: seqelection@bledsoe.net
• Listed early-voting hours: weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to noon; no Sunday voting
• Today (Fri., Oct. 16): listed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours can still change — call ahead or confirm in GoVoteTN before you leave work. Bring a current or expired photo ID issued by the State of Tennessee or the federal government. A college ID or out-of-state ID does not count.

On the ballot statewide: state and federal races plus three proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution (yes/no each). Sequatchie voters see U.S. House District 4 and Tennessee House District 31; there is no state Senate seat on the ballot in Sequatchie this cycle (odd-numbered districts only). Confirm your own sample ballot at GoVoteTN.gov — addresses can split districts inside one county.

Absentee by mail requires an approved excuse; written requests must reach the Election Office by Saturday, Oct. 24.

What it means for you: You no longer have to treat the site as a mystery — but treat the hours as call-ahead. Put photo ID with your keys, glance at the sample ballot, and skip the Oct. 29 line if you can go midweek. This is not an endorsement of any race or amendment.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Firefly: Sequatchie voting) · GoVoteTN · TN SOS: Sequatchie Election Commission

📋 Still Stands: County Commission Next in November — Not Oct. 19

Do not put Monday, Oct. 19 on your work calendar as a Sequatchie County Commission meeting unless the county posts one. The Dunlap-Tribune, covering the Sept. 21 regular meeting, reported the commission “is scheduled to meet again in regular session in November.” A resolution on procedural rules was postponed to that November meeting. As of this morning, the county events calendar still shows no October commission agenda.

County offices: 423-949-3479, 22 Cherry St. (Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.).

Neighbor note: Bledsoe County Commission meets Monday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Bledsoe County Courthouse in Pikeville (public notice filed). That is Bledsoe’s meeting, not Sequatchie’s.

What it means for you: Keep Oct. 19 scratched for Sequatchie. If you care about fair-building work, roads, salt budgets or opioid-abatement spending, watch for the November agenda and call 423-949-3479 once the exact day posts.

👉 Read more (Dunlap-Tribune: Sept. 21 commission) · County events calendar · Bledsoe Commission notice (Oct. 19)

🏫 School Board: Still Waiting on Oct. 12 Outcomes (Short Update)

The Sequatchie County Board of Education met in regular session Monday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary. As of Friday morning, the district board-agenda page still shows the Oct. 12 agenda — no minutes or vote results. We will not invent votes. Agenda items families were watching included first readings on school medicines, the emergency allergy response plan and opioid-antagonist use; the District Improvement Plan and TISA Accountability Report; and discussion of district property at 76 Jones Drive.

Next dates already on the district calendar: working session Tuesday, Oct. 27; next regular meeting Monday, Nov. 2.

What it means for you: A first reading is not final. When follow-up posts land, skim them once — you do not need a speech to stay informed.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie Schools: Board agendas) · Dunlap.Today: Board minutes still not posted

🎒 Schools Calendar Pointers: ACT Event 3 Oct. 27, TN Promise Nov. 2

Seniors: Free school-day ACT Event 2 paper window was Tue., Oct. 13. Event 3 paper is Oct. 27 — ask SCHS counseling which day Sequatchie picked. TN Promise (last-dollar community college / TCAT scholarship) applications for the Class of 2027 are due Nov. 2, 2026 through the THEC Student Portal at collegefortn.org.

National School Lunch Week wraps today, Friday, Oct. 16. Confirm meal setup or allergy notes: 423-949-3617.

What it means for you: Pin two fridge dates after homecoming: ACT Event 3 / Oct. 27 and TN Promise Nov. 2. The parade will eat the morning; the deadlines will not wait.

👉 TN Promise / College for TN · MaxPreps: Indians schedule

🚌 Still Open: Bus Garage Roof Bids Due Oct. 26

The Sequatchie County Board of Education is still taking sealed bids to replace the roof on the school bus garage at 14999 Rankin Ave. Public notice (Oct. 1): about 9,000 square feet of roof — tear-off, decking replacement, roughly 3,000 square feet of new trusses, and white 24-gauge metal roofing.

• Bids due: Monday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m. CT
• Site visit required before bidding, weekdays 8 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
• Licensed and insured; contractors handle permits
• Deliver sealed bids to 878 Cordell Drive, labeled ATTN: Scotty Holland, BG Roof Bid

What it means for you: Taxpayers: this is how school facilities get fixed — sealed bids, not rumor. Contractors: if you can do commercial metal roofing and have not done the site visit yet, the clock is already running.

👉 Read more (NoticeRegistry bid notice)

🚧 Roads: Still Watching on the Oct. 8–14 TDOT Package

TDOT’s Lower East / Upper Cumberland roadway report for Oct. 8–14 was still the latest Sequatchie-specific package posted as of this morning. Resurfacing with flagger-controlled single-lane closures:

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

Heading to Chattanooga at night? I-24 in Marion County (about mile markers 152–156) has had single-lane closures Sunday–Thursday nights, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., with intermittent full ramp closures (at least one ramp each direction remains open) — refresh SmartWay before you go. Also watch: Popular Springs Road in Marion County closes Mon.–Thu., Oct. 19–22, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central for paving, weather permitting (SValleyNow).

What it means for you: Add ten minutes on Valley roads. Daytime is the easier I-24 window if you can shift the commute. Check SmartWay before a night run over the mountain.

👉 Read more (TDOT roadway report Oct. 8–14) · SValleyNow: Popular Springs closure · TDOT SmartWay

📌 Quick Pointers (Not the Lead Stories)

For Gen X parents and taxpayers who also manage aging-parent logistics:

• Official 2027 Social Security COLA is 3.6% (SSA announced Oct. 14). Automatic — nobody needs a fee or gift card to “unlock” it. Deeper coverage lives in other editions.
• Medicare Open Enrollment runs through Mon., Dec. 7. Free, no-sales help: TN SHIP 1-877-801-0044.
• Burn permits — one-line only: required; skip windy Friday (home/real-estate edition owns the deep dive).
• Local brief: Dunlap Police warned about texts pretending to be church leaders asking for Green Dot cards — not legitimate. Report: Dunlap PD 423-949-3319.
• Tue., Oct. 20: Free walk-in flu shots 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at 16939 Rankin Ave (call ahead 423-949-3619); library “Let’s Talk Medicare” 10 a.m.
• Sat.–Sun., Oct. 17–18: Days of Yesteryear free tractor show, 287 Pine St. — optional family calendar pointer (weekend edition).

👉 SSA: 3.6% COLA for 2027 · Medicare Open Enrollment · SValleyNow: Dunlap PD scam warning

📅 Week-Ahead Government & Schools Calendar (Fri Oct 16 – Fri Oct 23)

• Fri., Oct. 16 (today): Homecoming parade listed 9:30 a.m. (curb by ~9). Football 7 p.m. Early voting listed 9–5 at 68 Spring St. Gusty afternoon into a cooler night.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Early voting half-day 9 a.m.–noon (listed). Days of Yesteryear free downtown (weekend edition). Saturday night low near 38.
• Sun., Oct. 18: No early voting. First-frost risk mainly on the Plateau per NWS — Valley hollows can run colder than town.
• Mon., Oct. 19: No Sequatchie County Commission (November per Tribune). Bledsoe Commission 7 p.m. Pikeville (neighbor). Popular Springs Road (Marion) paving closures begin (Mon–Thu daytime).
• Tue., Oct. 20: Free walk-in flu shots 9–4 at 16939 Rankin Ave; library Medicare talk 10 a.m. Keep watching for City Hall outcomes and any school-board follow-up.
• Wed., Oct. 21: Early voting continues (listed 9–5). Watch posted City Hall outcomes from Thursday.
• Thu., Oct. 22: Early voting still open (through Oct. 29). Refresh TDOT / SmartWay if a newer Lower East weekly report has posted.
• Fri., Oct. 23: Early voting continues. Mid-window reminder before the final week.
• Looking ahead: Absentee request deadline Sat., Oct. 24 · Bus garage roof bids Mon., Oct. 26, 10 a.m. CT · Board working session / ACT Event 3 Tue., Oct. 27 · TN Promise / next board Mon., Nov. 2 · Election Day Tue., Nov. 3 · Veterans Day Wed., Nov. 11 (no school).

✅ Your Gen X Government & Schools Checklist

• ✅ Be curbside by about 9 for today’s parade (listed 9:30 a.m.); call 423-949-3617 for route/drop-off if needed; pack a jacket for 7 p.m. kickoff.
• ✅ Call City Hall 423-949-2115 for last night’s Ord. 321 / sludge outcomes if Main Street or utilities matter to you.
• ✅ Early-vote at 68 Spring St. (listed 9–5 weekdays; Sat half-days) — still call 423-949-2431; pull your sample ballot at GoVoteTN.gov; put photo ID with your keys.
• ✅ Keep Sequatchie County Commission off Mon., Oct. 19 unless the county posts otherwise — next regular session reported for November (call 423-949-3479).
• ✅ Watch for school-board follow-up from Monday’s Griffith meeting; next regular board is Nov. 2.
• ✅ Seniors: confirm ACT Event 3 (paper Oct. 27) with counseling if needed; put TN Promise Nov. 2 on the calendar.
• ✅ Contractors: schedule the bus-garage site visit before the Oct. 26 bid deadline.
• ✅ Build ten minutes into SR-111 / SR-399 / SR-8 trips; avoid night I-24 work zones when you can; note Popular Springs (Marion) Oct. 19–22 daytime closures.
• ✅ Aging parents: COLA is official at 3.6% (automatic); Medicare OE through Dec. 7 — SHIP 1-877-801-0044.
• ✅ Bookmark Dunlap.Today, sequatchieschools.net agendas, and dunlaptn.gov.

Practical rule: Claim the curb this morning, call for last night’s votes, and early-vote on a quiet weekday — rumor is free, a wasted trip is not.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Local Government & Schools Glossary

• First reading: The first time a school board reviews a new or changed policy. It votes again before the change is final.
• Ordinance: A city law. Ordinance No. 321 on Thursday’s agenda would amend the zoning map for two Main Street parcels if adopted through the city’s process.
• Sludge mitigation: A plan to handle the solid leftovers from treating wastewater — usually disposal, hauling or treatment, not a street-sweeping project.
• Rezoning: Changing what uses a parcel is allowed under the zoning map (residential, commercial, etc.).
• Opioid antagonist: Emergency medicine (such as naloxone / Narcan) that can reverse an opioid overdose.
• TISA: Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement — the state formula that sends school dollars based on student needs.
• Early voting: Casting a ballot in person during a set window before Election Day; no excuse required in Tennessee.
• Sample ballot: A preview of the races and questions that will appear for your address.
• Constitutional amendment: A proposed change to the state constitution that voters approve or reject yes/no.
• Board of Mayor and Commissioners: Dunlap’s city governing board; regular meetings are open to the public.
• Sealed bid: A price submitted in a closed envelope by a deadline so bidders cannot match each other beforehand.
• TN Promise: Last-dollar scholarship that can cover tuition and mandatory fees at a Tennessee community college or TCAT after other gift aid.
• Agenda: The list of items a board will discuss and vote on; posted before the meeting when required.
• COLA: Cost-of-living adjustment — the automatic annual change to Social Security benefits based on inflation data.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What did City Hall decide Thursday night?

As of Friday morning, results are not posted on dunlaptn.gov. The agenda included Ordinance No. 321 (zoning map at 1466 and 1494 Main Street), a sludge mitigation proposal, a gas account adjustment, and department/financial reports. Call 423-949-2115 (Mon–Fri 7–4) and ask what was decided.

Where do I early-vote in Sequatchie County?

Election Commission, 68 Spring St., Dunlap. Firefly lists weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturdays Oct. 17 & 24 9 a.m.–noon. Still call 423-949-2431 — hours can change. Statewide window is Oct. 14–29.

When is the homecoming parade?

This morning, Friday, Oct. 16. Listed at 9:30 a.m. (one calendar still says 9) — be curbside by about 9. Football is 7 p.m. District office: 423-949-3617.

Is there a Sequatchie County Commission meeting Oct. 19?

No — not as currently reported. The Dunlap-Tribune said after the Sept. 21 meeting that the next regular session is in November. No October agenda is posted. Call 423-949-3479 before you plan around any date. (Bledsoe Commission does meet Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in Pikeville.)

What happened at the Oct. 12 school board meeting?

The board met at Griffith with public comment and first readings on medicine, allergy and opioid-response policies plus the District Improvement Plan and TISA report. As of Friday morning, no outcomes or minutes were posted online — watch Dunlap.Today and the district agenda page for follow-up. Next regular meeting: Mon., Nov. 2.

Are the medicine and allergy policy changes final?

Not from a first reading alone. The board would need to vote again before changes become final.

When are bus garage roof bids due?

Monday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. CT, sealed, to 878 Cordell Drive, ATTN: Scotty Holland, BG Roof Bid. Site visit required first.

What senior deadlines matter now?

ACT Event 3 paper is Oct. 27 (confirm with counseling). TN Promise applications for the Class of 2027 are due Nov. 2 at collegefortn.org.

📎 Other Resources

• Sequatchie County Schools board agendas: sequatchieschools.net/school-board-agenda · Main office 423-949-3617
• City of Dunlap: dunlaptn.gov/government · 423-949-2115
• Sequatchie County Government: sequatchiecountytn.gov · 423-949-3479
• Election Commission: 68 Spring St. · 423-949-2431 · GoVoteTN.gov · Firefly Sequatchie
• TDOT SmartWay: smartway.tn.gov
• TN Promise / College for TN: collegefortn.org
• Sequatchie County Public Library: sequatchielibrary.org · 423-949-2357
• SSA COLA: ssa.gov/cola · Medicare OE: Medicare.gov
• Local news home base: Dunlap.Today

🌄 Keep the Parade on Time and Last Night’s Votes on the Phone

When the week compresses — a homecoming morning that will eat the commute, a City Hall meeting that finished before the website caught up, and a ballot window that finally has hours on the page — the useful move is the boring one: claim the curb early, call 423-949-2115 if Main Street matters, and early-vote on a quiet weekday at 68 Spring St. We will keep watching the posted notices so you can spend the rest of your bandwidth on work, kids and the aging parents who still ask what the commission “really” decided.

For the next calm Sequatchie government and schools skim — and more Valley news you can use — keep reading Dunlap.Today.