The University of the South is participating in the Summer Food Service Program through July 31. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service (not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). There will be no service on July 4 or July 5. Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis at the sites and times as follows:

Palmer Library, 2115 Main St., Palmer. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Grundy Safe Communities Coalition, 14399 US-41, Tracy City. Mondays, 3–6 p.m.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 213 1st Ave., NW, Winchester. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pelham United Methodist Church, 2440 SR 50, Pelham. Wednesdays, 3– 6 p.m.

Coalmont Elementary (UT Extension), 7862 TN-56, Coalmont. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic, 19592 TN-56, Beersheba Springs. Thursdays, 3–6 p.m.

Sherwood/Crow Creek Community Center, 10225 Sherwood Rd., Sherwood. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Altamont Public Library, 1433 Main St., Altamont. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Morton Memorial UMC Food Distribution, 322 W. Main St., Monteagle. Saturday June 13 and Saturday, July 11, 8–10 a.m.

To file a program complaint alleging discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027), found online at http://www.ascr.usda/gov/compl... and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

Fax:(202) 690-7442; or Email: Program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

The Monteagle Planning Commission tackled a long agenda at a two-and-a-half hour meeting on June 2. The commission approved the site plan for Morton Memorial United Methodist’s food pantry. Parking, group living quarters, and fencing topped the discussion list for the new rules for C-1 commercial and adjacent residential property. To deter data centers from locating in Monteagle, the commission charged town planner Jonathan Rush with drafting an amendment to Industrial Zoning ordinance.

Located across the street from the church on a lot bordered by Church Street, Catherine Avenue, Winston Avenue, half of the 5,000 square foot food pantry will be a warehouse, and half will be for food distribution. The food ministry currently operates one Saturday a month and serves 300 clients. “It’s a mad house,” said church spokesperson Rich Wyckoff. When the new facility is complete, the ministry will host two food distributions per week, eight per month. Clients will come in and shop rather than staying in their cars, observed church spokesperson David Pilcher. Plans call for 25 parking spaces.

Following up on discussion at the May meeting, the amended Downtown Zoning code drafted by Rush defined the boundaries of Primary C-1 commercial by streets, with all C-1 commercial property not within the Primary district boundary designated as Secondary, and all residential property touching the C-1 commercial corridor falling under the rules for the Residential Overlay.

Commissioner Katie Trahan took issue with no minimum parking space requirements, aside from the requirement of a minimum of one parking space for residences in the Residential Overlay district. “If parking is a problem in the future, it would be a good problem to have,” said Commissioner Nate Wilson. The rationale of no minimum parking requirement in C-I commercial was to encourage development rather than “to fill downtown with parking,” Wilson stressed. “We’re trying to lower the barriers for commercial development.” When parking is offered, the new rules call for parking at the side or in the rear. Trahan argued, “tourists need parking” and “employees need to park.” Wilson suggested private parking could be supplemented with public parking and noted the new rules encouraged shared parking. He pointed to an opportunity for public parking by narrowing College Street. “Narrow lanes would slow traffic,” commented Commissioner Dan Sargent, citing an additional advantage.

By the new rules, if a business chooses to have parking, there is no required minimum number of spaces. Currently, building size, use, and other criteria determine the number of parking spaces required, with the number of handicapped parking spaces required based on the total number of spaces. If there is no parking, a business was not required to provide handicapped parking, Wilson said.

Trahan challenged the rule calling for landscaping adjacent to all parking. “That’s a lot,” she insisted. Wilson agreed 70 percent landscaping would be more reasonable.

Trahan also questioned there being no minimum building footprint size in C-1 commercial. “What would that save us from?” Wilson asked. “To encourage small businesses, we need to lower the entry points.” On the subject of fencing, Trahan spoke for forbidding chain-link fences in front, rather than just discouraging them. By the new rules, the maximum height for fences is 48 inches and requires 50 percent transparency. Wilson commented there were no rules on materials used for building construction. “That gets into design standards we’re trying to avoid,” he said.

The rules for Residential Overly property call for a 2,500 square foot minimum lot size; 40 feet maximum width and 70 feet maximum depth residence size (allowing for a shot-gun style house); and a 9 foot minimum ceiling height. Trahan asked about the provision allowing for “group quarters and dormitories.” Wilson said the intention was to allow for “hostels,” group living with individual quarters and a shared kitchen. “It’s just so broad,” Trahan countered. “Sometimes there are things [consequences] you don’t think of.” She approved of Wilson’s suggestion to add “short-term” shared quarters. Rush proposed the rule stipulate “hostels” which had a “very specific” definition.

The commission tabled approving the new C-1 rules and Residential Overlay proposal to allow for final proofreading and incorporating the suggested changes.

Wilson introduced the discussion on data centers locating in Monteagle. “The county is wrestling with it [allowing data centers to locate in Grundy County], because they don’t have zoning. We’re silent on it. [Data Centers] are not in our zoning ordinance.” Wilson proposed including data centers under “industrial uses.”

“We can’t ban them,” Wilson acknowledged, “but we could make it use upon review.” This would enable Monteagle to refuse to allow a data center to locate there due to having insufficient water for the facility’s cooling needs. Rush will draft a zoning ordinance amendment defining data centers as an industrial use only allowed upon review.

Revisiting the May discussion about the site-plan submittal process, the commission voted to adopt a timeline delineating the steps: the developer must submit an electronic copy of the proposed site plan to the town staff and the required engineering fee must be paid no later than 30 days before the next planning commission meeting; the staff will distribute the electronic copy for review to the enforcement officer, town planner, town engineer, and other reviewing officials; once all reviewing parties have made their comments, the site plan will go back to the developer for revisions. The developer will provide reviewers with a paper copy upon request. The developer must supply a paper copy for final site plan review by the planning commission.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly in Monteagle announces its 144th consecutive summer season of enrichment beginning Sunday, June 7 and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 2, featuring numerous visiting lecturers who will present morning and evening programs that are open free of charge to the public; unless otherwise noted, morning lectures begin at 10:45 a.m. (Warren Chapel) and evening lectures at 7:45 p.m. (Auditorium). Anyone interested in a full schedule of the Monteagle Assembly’s 2026 program is welcome to pick one up at the Assembly Office (tel. (931) 924-2286), or to peruse the schedule on the Assembly’s website at <MonteagleSundaySchoolAssembly.org>.

Journalist and historian Marc Leepson will present two lectures on Thursday grounded in history. In the morning, join Leepson as he shares The Unlikely War Hero, about Doug Hegdahl’s Vietnam War POW story. Hegdahl fell off his U.S. Navy cruiser in the Gulf of Tonkin on April 6, 1967. At just 20 years old, he spent nearly four hours in the water before being picked up by a small fishing boat and taken to a Vietnamese prison called the “Hanoi Hilton” by its prisoners. He fooled his captors by playing dumb, leading them to call him “The Incredibly Stupid One.” As the youngest and lowest-ranking American POW captured in Vietnam, his story is a fascinating tale of resilience and patriotic service. A book sale and signing will follow the lecture.

Thursday evening, Leepson will lecture about The Marquis de Lafayette: The Hero of Two Worlds, based on Leepson’s book, “Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General,” which is part of the World Generals Series. Lafayette is seen as an icon of both American and French history. He traveled to the U.S. colonies to fight in the Revolutionary War at the age of 19. Lafayette was critical in convincing the French government to provide financial and military support to the Americans. He also served as commander of the National Guard during the French Revolution. A book sale and signing will also follow the evening lecture.

Friday morning’s lecture will continue the theme of history but closer to our home with a lecture from Emily Senefeld on “We Shall Not Be Moved: The Highlander Folk School, 1932-1961.” Senefeld is a Sewanee alumna (C’05) and a native of Columbia, Tenn., where she teaches history at Columbia State Community College. She earned a master’s degree in history from the University of Virginia in 2010, where she focused her studies on the civil rights movement, labor history, and modern U.S. history.

Saturday evening, we welcome the community to enjoy a Jazz Picnic with Art Four Sale Band on the MSSA Mall. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy music from 5:30-8:15 p.m.

Additional events in the week ahead include the following:

Monday, June 8, 6 p.m., Mall Gazebo — The Final Crossings Gospel Band performs spiritual music. Bring a camp chair or picnic blanket.

Tuesday, June 9, 10:45 a.m., Warren Chapel — Marcus Murphy lectures on the Soong Sisters and Their Summer at the Assembly.

Tuesday, June 9, 2:30-4 p.m., Pulliam Center — Mei-Yin Hung and Bill Coryer lead a workshop: Support Your Health and Well-Being Through Energy Healing with Reiki. Advance registration required as space is limited; gate ticket required; $20 workshop fee.

Wednesday, June 10, 10:45 am, Warren Chapel — Eric Ross lectures on Living with Antiques in a Modern World. Note schedule change from printed program. Stephanie Sabbe will lecture on July 22.

Wednesday, June 10, 3 p.m., Harton Hall — Chloe Fort shares a talk/cooking demonstration on porch parties.

Thursday, June 11, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Shady Dell — Colby Henderson-Black leads a workshop: Decoupage Chicken. Advance registration required as space is limited; gate ticket required each day; no fee.

Friday, June 12, 2:30 p.m., Warren Chapel — Walter R. Green, Jr., reads from his book, “My Enemy, a book about Civil War life in occupied Franklin, Tennessee.” Book sale and signing to follow.

The Mission of the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly is to be a welcoming community of Christian faith where people gather to engage in spiritual growth and renewal, lifelong inquiry and learning, recreational, and cultural enrichment, while being good stewards of our natural resources and our Assembly heritage.

Students of Sewanee Elementary School will serve as the Grand Marshals of the 2026 Sewanee Fourth of July Parade in honor of the school’s 100th anniversary.

The announcement was made by Dylan McClure, chair of the Sewanee Fourth of July Committee, during the school’s centennial celebration on May 8. The honor recognizes a century of service to the community and the generations of students who have passed through the school’s doors since it opened in 1926.

As Grand Marshals, Sewanee Elementary students will take a leading role in this year’s parade. Students are currently designing and creating a float to commemorate the school’s centennial and will participate by riding on the float and walking in the parade.

The selection is especially meaningful in a community where many Fourth of July parade attendees are Sewanee Elementary alumni or family members of former students. For 100 years, the school has been an important part of life on the Mountain, helping shape generations of children and fostering connections that span decades.

By naming the students as Grand Marshals, the Fourth of July Committee is recognizing both the school’s rich history and the young people who will carry its legacy into the future.

Come join us on July 4 to celebrate Sewanee’s finest! Go to <http://www.sewanee4thofjuly.org; for the latest information.

Every summer the School of Letters invites our acclaimed faculty and other prominent, nationally recognized writers and scholars to read their work and speak about the writing life. The 2026 session will be through July 17.

Readings are in Naylor Auditorium at 4:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted, with a reception following in Gailor Atrium.

Join the School of Letters on June 10 at 4:30 p.m. in Naylor Auditorium for a Faculty Reading with Nickole Brown and Alice Bolin.

Nickole Brown has authored four books of poetry, including “Sister,” which was reissued eleven years after its debut in 2018 and “The Donkey Elegies,” published in 2020. She is the director and president of the Hellbender Gathering of Poets. Alice Bolin is the author of the essay collections “Dead Girls: Essays on Surviving an American Obsession,” a New York Times Notable Book of 2018, and 2025’s “Culture Creep: Notes on the Pop Apocalypse.” Her nonfiction appears in The New York Times Book Review, New York Magazine, the LA Review of Books, and The Cut.

Additional events include:

June 17, 11 a.m. to noon. Please join School of Letters faculty member Rebecca Gayle Howell for a book signing of her newly released and highly anticipated book of poetry, “Erase, Genesis,” at the University Bookstore in downtown Sewanee.

June 17, 2–3 p.m. Please join School of Letters alumna Donna Mintz, L’17, for a book signing of her literary debut, “Stars at Noon,” at the University Bookstore in downtown Sewanee

Wednesday, June 17, 4:30 p.m. Guest Reading with Eliana Ramage in Convocation Hall – Co-sponsored with the Friends of the Library.

Thursday, June 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 20th Anniversary Seminars with Adam O’Fallon Price, Dr. Pamela Royston Macfie, and Jamie Quatro - Quatro’s event will be at noon in Stirling’s. Adam O’Fallon Price’s talk is “In the Beginning: Writing a Good Story Introduction,” and the title of Dr. Pamela Royston Macfie’s talk is “A Life in Letters.”

Wednesday, June 24, 4:30 p.m. Faculty & Friends Reading with Meera Subramanian, Travis Eisenbise, & Eric Smith.

Wednesday, July 1, 4:30 p.m. Faculty Reading with Justin Taylor & Emily Adrian.

Wednesday, July 8, 4:30 p.m. John Grammer Fellow Reading with poet Joy Priest.

Wednesday, July 15, 4:30 p.m. Faculty Reading with Daniel Hornsby & Tiana Clark.

Friday, July 17, 5:30 p.m. MFA Candidate Reading in Biehl Commons. Go to <https://letters.sewanee.edu/; for more information.