🩺 A New Heart Hub in Grundy, a Medicine Cabinet Clean-Out Saturday and a Peek in the Toothbrush Cup: Your Healthy Valley Report

Or: Blood Pressure Help Up the Mountain, Free Drop-Off Spots Close to Home, a Thank-You to Your Pharmacist, Easier Breathing on a Dry Week and a Kids’ Toothpaste Recall Worth Two Minutes

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Health news this week is a lot like a good neighbor stopping by with a casserole: helpful, a little bit of news, and nothing that should keep you up at night. Most of it is about places to go and simple things to do.

Here’s what’s in today’s report. The American Heart Association just opened a Heart Hub in Grundy County, with free blood pressure help at the Littell-Partin Center. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and there are drop-off spots in Pikeville, Tracy City and Coalmont, plus year-round boxes right here in Dunlap. This is National Pharmacy Week, a fine excuse to ask your pharmacist for a medicine check-up. A new national report says asthma in the Chattanooga area sends a lot of folks to the ER, even though fewer people here have it, so we’ve got easy tips for a dry, smoky week. And more than 4.3 million tubes of toothpaste, including Barbie, Hot Wheels and Crayola kids’ flavors, were recalled over manufacturing problems. The FDA calls the health risk remote, but it’s worth a peek in the bathroom drawer.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Heart Hub in Grundy: Free blood pressure monitoring, health education and help finding care at the Littell-Partin Center. Not sure where to start? LIFT Grundy’s health worker coordinator: (931) 225-6032.
• Take Back Day: Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Nearby sites: 3051 Main St., Pikeville; 663 Railroad Ave., Tracy City; 9971 TN-56, Coalmont. Free and no questions asked.
• Pharmacy Week (Oct. 18–24): On Medicare and taking medicines for more than one condition? Ask your drug plan about a free medication review.
• Asthma: If you reach for your rescue inhaler more than a couple of times a week, local doctors say that’s worth a visit to your regular doctor.
• Toothpaste recall: Check for Brush Buddies, BB, evo or ARU toothpaste. The FDA calls it Class II, with serious harm considered remote.

❤️ Blood Pressure Help Up the Mountain: A New Heart Hub Opens in Grundy County

This one is brand-new and close to home. On Oct. 21, the American Heart Association announced a new Heart Hub at the Littell-Partin Center in Grundy County. The Heart Association says the Hub will offer blood pressure monitoring, health education and connections to care in a trusted community setting, so folks can catch problems early and manage the ones they already have.

The Hub is hosted by the South Cumberland Community Fund through its LIFT Grundy program, with support from Journey Health Foundation. It’s part of the Heart Association’s “Screen, Educate and Refer” effort, which joins a growing network of Heart Hubs across the Tennessee Valley.

“Access to healthcare should not depend on where you live,” said Tracy Wood, president and CEO of Journey Health Foundation. Layra Navarro-Flores of the American Heart Association in Chattanooga called the Hub “an important step toward closing those gaps” for rural families who face long drives to see a doctor.

LIFT Grundy also has Community Health Workers who can help with rides, benefits, food resources and finding a doctor. They can meet by appointment at the Littell-Partin Center. Their coordinator, Tina Myers-Arbuckle, can be reached at (931) 225-6032.

What it means for you: High blood pressure is like a slow drip under the sink. You don’t hear it, but it’s worth checking before it warps the floor. At home, if you live in Grundy County or travel up the mountain to Tracy City, call ahead and ask about Heart Hub hours before you go. At work, if you run a small shop with folks who never seem to get to the doctor, the Hub and LIFT Grundy’s health workers are a friendly place to point them. And anywhere in the Valley, your county health department can check your blood pressure, too.

👉 Read more (American Heart Association: Heart Hub launches in Grundy County) · LIFT Grundy: Community Health Resources

💊 Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet Saturday: Take Back Day Sites Near the Valley

Here’s the update since our last mention: on Oct. 21, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced the details for this Saturday. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. It’s a free, safe and anonymous way to get rid of prescription and over-the-counter medicines you no longer need or that have expired.

SValleyNow lists three nearby sites for Saturday:

• 3051 Main St., Pikeville
• 663 Railroad Ave., Tracy City
• 9971 TN-56, Coalmont

Can’t make it Saturday? The state says Tennessee has nearly 400 permanent drop boxes, with at least one in every county. In Dunlap, our earlier reporting listed the Dunlap Police Department, 119 Church St. (weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office, 351 Fredonia Rd., Suite A. The state’s site finder at TNtogether.com/takebackday shows more.

Tennesseans turned in 23,384 pounds of medicine on the last Take Back Day in April 2026, according to the state. That’s a lot of old pill bottles that didn’t end up in a curious grandchild’s hands or in the creek.

It also lines up with Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23–31, the national drug-prevention week many schools mark with “wear red” days. This year’s theme is “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.”, written by a middle school student. If your grandkids come home asking about red ribbons, that’s a nice opening for a kitchen-table talk.

What it means for you: It’s like cleaning out the freezer before deer season: make room, toss what’s old and know what you’ve got. At home, pull everything out of the cabinet, set aside anything expired or not needed, and drop it off Saturday or at a year-round box. Keep pills in their original bottles if you can. Businesses and churches can share the site list on a bulletin board or Facebook page.

👉 Read more (TDMHSAS and TDEC: Safe medication disposal on Take Back Day) · SValleyNow: Drug Take Back Day is Saturday · Red Ribbon Week 2026 theme

🧑‍⚕️ Thank Your Pharmacist This Week, and Ask for a Medicine Check-Up

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists says National Pharmacy Week runs Oct. 18–24, 2026. It’s a week to recognize the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who catch mix-ups, answer late-day phone calls and know half the town by name.

It’s also a good week to put them to work for you. Medicare.gov says every Medicare drug plan must offer Medication Therapy Management to people who qualify, at no cost to you. It usually means sitting down with a pharmacist or other provider to:

• Go over all your medicines and why you take them
• Get a written summary of the review
• Take home a “Recommended To-Do List” and a “Medication List”, with room for your own notes and questions

Medicare says if you take drugs for more than one chronic health condition, call your drug plan to see if you’re eligible. Even if you don’t qualify, any pharmacist can usually look over a “brown bag” of your bottles and answer questions.

Missed Fight Flu Day on Tuesday? No worries. Flu shots are still available at pharmacies, doctors’ offices and county health departments. Call the Sequatchie County Health Department at (423) 949-3619 (16939 Rankin Ave. North, Dunlap; open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and ask what’s available for you. The CDC’s next weekly flu report comes out Friday, Oct. 23; its latest report said flu activity nationally is still low but starting to rise.

What it means for you: Your pharmacist is like the mechanic who tells you which noise matters and which one doesn’t. At home, write your medicines on a card for your wallet, and bring it to every appointment. Medicare.gov suggests the same. If you care for a parent, a medicine review can untangle a counter full of bottles. At work, small businesses can remind staff that a pharmacist’s advice is free for the asking.

👉 Read more (Medicare.gov: Medication Therapy Management) · ASHP: National Pharmacy Week · TDH: Southeast Region county health departments

🫁 Breathing Easy on a Dry Week: What a New Asthma Report Says About Our Area

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported Oct. 21 on the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2026 “Asthma Capitals” report, which looked at the 100 biggest metro areas. Here’s the calm way to read it: the Chattanooga area actually has fewer people with asthma than average, but those who have it end up in the emergency room more often than in most cities. The report ranked Chattanooga fourth for asthma ER visits.

The good news is that local doctors say asthma is largely controllable with today’s treatments. “Ideally, you want to have those asthma visits be at primary care so you’re well controlled, you’re not ending up in the ER,” said Dr. Matthew Kreth, a pediatric lung doctor at Erlanger. Dr. Todd Levin of Chattanooga Allergy Clinic said many people think their asthma is fine when it isn’t. Coughing a couple of times a week or using a rescue inhaler every other day is “a lot,” he said, and worth a doctor visit.

With our dry week and folks burning leaves and brush, the CDC’s asthma action plan offers simple trigger tips: avoid smoke, keep your home and car smoke-free, and be careful with wood stoves, kerosene heaters and fireplaces.

What it means for you: Asthma is like a fire in the woodstove: easy to keep steady, harder to handle when it gets away from you. At home, if a child or grandparent has asthma, ask their doctor for a written asthma action plan and keep it on the fridge. Stay indoors or upwind when a neighbor is burning. At work, if you have employees who wheeze around dust or smoke, a quick check-in about their inhaler can go a long way. And if cost is a hurdle, ask your doctor or pharmacist about lower-cost options.

👉 Read more (Times Free Press: Chattanooga’s asthma ER visits) · AAFA: Asthma Capitals report · CDC: Asthma action plan

🪥 A Peek in the Toothbrush Cup: Kids’ Character Toothpastes Recalled

An FDA Enforcement Report lists a voluntary recall of more than 4.3 million tubes of toothpaste sold under the Brush Buddies, BB, evo and ARU brands. The maker, Pritam International, started the recall Sept. 10, and the FDA classified it as Class II on Oct. 19 because of deviations from good manufacturing practices.

Recalled products include Brush Buddies toothpastes with Barbie (bubble gum), Hot Wheels (strawberry), Crayola Silly Scents and My Little Pony designs, Brush Buddies “ice cream” flavors like vanilla and cookies ‘n cream, plus some whitening, sensitive and gum-health tubes from evo and ARU. The FDA says a Class II recall means a product may cause temporary or medically reversible health effects, and the chance of serious harm is considered remote.

For pet owners, too: on Oct. 21 the FDA posted a recall from Wedgewood Pharmacy of certain compounded veterinary medicines for pets and horses, shipped nationwide Feb. 18 through Oct. 6, 2026, because they may be too weak or too strong. If your vet ordered a custom medicine, check it at wedgewood.com’s recall lookup or call 866-562-5931, and talk with your vet before stopping anything.

What it means for you: It’s like checking the egg basket for a cracked one. Takes a minute, and most of the time it’s fine. At home, look in the kids’ and grandkids’ bathroom for those brand names. If you find one, stop using it and check the product and lot information on the FDA Enforcement Report or ask where you bought it. Dollar stores and small shops that carry these brands may want to check their shelves.

👉 Read more (CBS12: More than 4.3 million toothpaste tubes recalled) · FDA Enforcement Report search · FDA: Wedgewood Pharmacy veterinary recall

📅 This Week’s Sticky Notes

Quick reminders for the calendar by the phone (all times are our Central time):

• Now through Saturday, Oct. 24: National Pharmacy Week. Ask your pharmacist for a medicine check-up.
• Friday, Oct. 23: CDC’s next weekly flu report. Red Ribbon Week begins and runs through Oct. 31.
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Take Back Day in Pikeville (3051 Main St.), Tracy City (663 Railroad Ave.) and Coalmont (9971 TN-56).
• Anytime: Heart Hub at the Littell-Partin Center in Grundy County. Call LIFT Grundy at (931) 225-6032 for help getting started.
• Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Sequatchie County Health Department, (423) 949-3619, for flu shots and blood pressure checks.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween.
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour, and HealthCare.gov Open Enrollment begins.
• Monday, Dec. 7: Medicare Open Enrollment ends. Free help from TN SHIP at 1-877-801-0044.

✅ Your Healthy Valley Checklist

• ✅ Up in Grundy? Call ahead and stop by the Heart Hub for a blood pressure check.
• ✅ Bag up old and expired medicines for Take Back Day, Saturday 10 to 2, or a year-round drop box.
• ✅ Write your medicines on a wallet card, and ask your pharmacist or drug plan about a free medication review.
• ✅ Missed Tuesday’s flu shot event? Call the health department or your pharmacy.
• ✅ Using a rescue inhaler every other day? That’s a reason to see your regular doctor.
• ✅ Peek in the bathroom for Brush Buddies, BB, evo or ARU toothpaste.
• ✅ Pet on a custom compounded medicine? Check the Wedgewood lookup and call your vet.

Practical rule: Know what’s in your cabinet. Old medicines out, a fresh medicine list in, and a quick look at the toothbrush cup.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor, pharmacist or a trusted health professional about what’s right for you and your family. In an emergency, call 911.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Health Glossary

• Heart Hub: An American Heart Association spot in a community building where people can check their blood pressure, learn about heart health and get connected to care.
• Blood pressure monitoring: Checking your blood pressure regularly so you and your doctor can see if it’s staying in a healthy range.
• Community Health Worker: A trained local helper who connects people with doctors, rides, benefits and other services.
• Take Back Day: A national day, run with the DEA and local partners, to drop off unused medicines safely and anonymously.
• Medication Therapy Management (MTM): A free Medicare drug plan service for people who qualify, where a pharmacist reviews all your medicines with you.
• Rescue inhaler: A quick-relief inhaler for sudden asthma symptoms. Needing it often can be a sign asthma isn’t well controlled.
• Asthma action plan: A written plan from your doctor that says which medicines to take every day and what to do when symptoms get worse.
• Class II recall: An FDA level meaning a product may cause temporary or reversible health problems, with serious harm considered unlikely.
• Compounded medicine: A medicine mixed by a pharmacy for a specific patient (or pet), like a flavored liquid instead of a pill.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Grundy County Heart Hub cost anything?

The American Heart Association describes the Hub as a community resource for blood pressure monitoring, education and referrals. Its announcement didn’t list hours or fees, so call LIFT Grundy at (931) 225-6032 or ask at the Littell-Partin Center before you go.

What can I bring to Take Back Day?

The state says prescription and over-the-counter medicines you no longer need or that have expired. It’s free and anonymous. Leave needles and other sharps at home, since the DEA says Take Back sites can’t accept them, and ask the site if you have liquids.

Do I qualify for a free Medicare medication review?

Medicare says plans offer Medication Therapy Management to people who meet certain requirements, often those taking drugs for more than one chronic condition. Call the number on your drug plan card to ask.

Can I still get a flu shot if I missed Fight Flu Day?

Yes. Pharmacies, doctors’ offices and county health departments still offer them. Call the Sequatchie County Health Department at (423) 949-3619 to ask what’s available for you.

How do I know if my asthma is under control?

Local doctors quoted this week said frequent coughing or using a rescue inhaler a couple of times a week or more can mean it isn’t. Your doctor can help with an asthma action plan.

My child used a recalled toothpaste. Should I worry?

The FDA says a Class II recall means serious health problems are considered remote. Stop using the tube, and call your child’s doctor or dentist if you have questions.

🔗 Other Resources

• American Heart Association: Heart Hub in Grundy County
• LIFT Grundy: Community Health Resources
• TDMHSAS and TDEC: Take Back Day announcement
• SValleyNow: Drug Take Back Day is Saturday
• DEA: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
• Red Ribbon Week 2026 theme
• ASHP: National Pharmacy Week
• Medicare.gov: Medication Therapy Management
• Tennessee Department of Health: Southeast Region county health departments
• CDC: Weekly FluView report
• Times Free Press: Chattanooga asthma ER visits
• AAFA: Asthma Capitals
• CDC: Asthma action plan (printable)
• CBS12: Toothpaste recall details
• FDA Enforcement Report search
• FDA: Wedgewood Pharmacy veterinary recall

🌻 A Tidy Cabinet, a Steady Heart and a Calm Week

A new blood pressure spot up the mountain, a free way to clear out old pills, a pharmacist who’s glad to help, a few breathing tips and a quick look at the toothpaste. None of it calls for worry. It’s the kind of tidying-up our grandparents did every fall: check the shelves, know what you’ve got and look out for your neighbors. Pick one thing from today’s list and let the rest wait its turn.

We’ll keep watching for clinics, screenings and helpful services so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English Valley news, and find local businesses anytime on Dunlap.Directory.