A number of events are scheduled for Scott County over the next month. Here’s the run-down:

Friday, Sept. 4-Sunday, Sept. 6: Yamaha presents the Side-by-Side & ATV Round-up at Brimstone Recreation. The staging area will be Nathanial Byrge Bridge on River Road, with most activities taking place at the Half-Cabin event area on the mountain. Guided rides will be given all day Friday, with events all day Saturday and a four-hour endurance race on Sunday. Highlighting the weekend will be a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, featuring country music legend John Anderson.

Friday, Sept. 11: Sierra Hull will be presented in concert at the Scott County Airport in advance of the annual Wings Over Big South Fork.

Saturday, Sept. 12: The largest air show in the region, Wings Over Big South Fork, will take place at Scott County Airport. If you’ve never attended this air show, you owe it to yourself to make it out this year. It’s pretty spectacular.

Saturday, Sept. 19: The 26th annual Haunting in the Hills storytelling festival will be held at the Big South Fork NRRA’s Bandy Creek Visitors Center. The all-day event concludes with the telling of ghost stories around the campfire.

Saturday, Sept. 26: The annual Scott County Heritage Festival will be held at the Museum of Scott County and the U.S.S. Tennessee Museum on the campus of Scott High School. This has turned into a spectacular festival over the last few years, featuring everything from rifle making to lye soap making to a sorghum stir-off . . . it’s a throw-back to the old days and the way our ancestors used to live in the Cumberland Mountains. Plus, it’s an opportunity to visit perhaps the most unique museums in the nation. The Museum of Scott County is a student-built and operated museum featuring local history and artifacts, and the U.S.S. Tennessee Museum is the official museum of the U.S.S. Tennessee, featuring the battleship that survived Pearl Harbor.

Saturday, Oct. 5: The Boys & Girls Club of Scott County will hold its annual Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony. This year’s keynote speaker is former University of Tennessee football coach Phil Fulmer.

East Rim Overlook this evening:

Submitted without comment.

The tropical wave in the Atlantic is approaching the Lesser Antilles (700 miles east of the Windward Islands this morning) and is still disorganized, but conditions are favorable for it to become Tropical Storm Erika, and the National Hurricane Center is currently giving it a high chance (greater than 50%) of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours. There isn’t really a consensus among the models as to where this storm will track, but given the dominant pattern over the eastern U.S., you have to figure that staying out in the Atlantic, possibly threatening the East Coast, is a good bet.

Behind it, the next tropical wave is already peeling off the coast of Africa.

In a typical hurricane season (based on data from 1944-2005), there are 4 named storms by Aug. 29 and 5 by Sept. 5, so we’re pretty much right on schedule for a normal hurricane season. We’re moving towards the peak of the hurricane season (Sept. 10), and also the month in which hurricanes are most likely to enter the Gulf of Mexico.

Rico McCoy, #5
Class: Senior
Hometown: Washington, D.C. (St. John’s College)
H/W: 6-1, 220
Position: Linebacker

After recording a team-high eight tackles against Vanderbilt as a redshirt freshman, Rico McCoy earned his first start the following week against Kentucky, recorded nine tackles in that game, and has been starting ever since. He enters the 2009 season having started 27 consecutive games. He has 231 tackles to his credit, 106 of which came in an all-SEC season as a sophomore. Last season, he had four games with double-digits in tackles, including 13 against Alabama. He has appeared in every Tennessee game of his career.

With August quickly winding down and below-average temperatures on tap for the next few days, we can go ahead and say that August will be below-normal in the Cumberlands, the second consecutive such month.

The average high temperature (so far) in August is 82.6 degrees. That’s warmer than July’s 81.2, but still below the 30-year average of 84.8. The average temperature in August has been 72.0 degrees so far. Again, that’s warmer than July (70.4) but below average (72.6). It’s interesting to note that the average temperature is closer to the norm than the high temps. That’s due to all the cloudy, humid nights we had in August. In fact, our average low temperature in August has been 61.5 degrees so far. That’s actually above the average of 60.3. So we’ve been warmer than normal at night and cooler than normal during the day. How often does that happen?

It’s important to note that the year 2009 may still wind up being above-normal in the temperature department. Until July, we had been above normal every month this year since January.

It’s also interesting to note that despite the seemingly frequent threats of rain, National Weather Service data shows that we will wind up well below normal in the precipitation department in August, as only 2.10 inches of rain have been recorded at the Oneida Water & Wastewater plant. I have my doubts about that; we’ll have to check and make sure no data is missing. The norm is for 4.49 inches in August. We’re now entering what is traditionally our two driest months of the year, with September being slightly drier than October, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of pattern sets up over the eastern U.S. over the next few weeks. Will traditional fall weather (sunny and mild) greet the start of meteorological autumn, or will cloudy weather continue to dominate?

Scores of interest:

DeKalb Co. 35, Oneida 28: Quarterback Hunter Poteete was everything he was hyped to be, single-handedly powering the Tigers to 35 points — the most scored against a Tony Lambert defense in more than five years. Poteete didn’t make many mistakes. One was an interception in the endzone to end the first half. Sam Woodard returned it 104 yards for a touchdown and Oneida led 21-14 at the intermission. But it became clear that this game would come down to whoever scored last. That was DeKalb. Oneida had a drive stall at the 8-yard-line midway through the fourth quarter, and another drive late in the game resulted in a three-and-out. But for the Indians, playing nose-to-nose with a Class 4A football team despite their injuries — which were many going into the game and added their top two runningbacks for most of the second half — may be an accomplishment in itself. (Prediction was DeKalb Co. 28, Oneida 14.)

York Institute 24, Scott High 21: The Highlanders gave the Dragons all they wanted, but came up short in the end, as the Dragons won their 2nd consecutive game against Scott. It’s interesting to note that York led Stone Memorial 36-0 at halftime a week ago (by comparison, Livingston Academy only defeated Stone 35-31 last night . . . District 8-AA’s coaches picked Livingston to finish ahead of York). York is a good football team, and there’s not much shame in losing to them on their home field, which is traditionally one of the toughest places to play in the Upper Cumberlands. (Prediction was Scott 28, York 27.)

Alcoa 41, Maryville 24: Alcoa finally gets over the hump against Maryville . . . and in a big way. (Prediction was Maryville 31, Alcoa 24.)

Kingston 14, Harriman 7: Once again, Harriman comes close but can’t quite get it done against Kingston. For those in District 4-AA looking at this as a sign that Kingston is down a bit, forget it. Last year, the ‘Jackets were fortunate to beat Harriman by two, and went on to make the playoffs in the extremely tough Region 2-3A.

Midway 14, Wartburg 0: If there was any doubt that Midway was down some this year, this game just might prove it. If there was any doubt that Wartburg is on the rise this year, this game just might prove it. Wartburg will be at Oneida next Friday night, where they can shock the region if they manage to spring an upset. (Prediction was Midway 21, Wartburg 13.)

Other scores worth noting:
Whitwell 46, Sunbright 28
CAK 35, Seymour 6
Gatlinburg 37, Cosby 0
Greenback 24, Pigeon Forge 13
Morristown-East 41, Anderson County 35
Ooltewah 7, Austin-East 6
Pickett Co. 15, Oakdale 6
Red Bank 14, Boyd Buchanan 7

One week to go!

Nu’Keese Richardson, #7
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee High School)
H/W: 5-10, 165
Position: Wide receiver

Rated the #9 wide receiver in the ‘09 recruiting class and the #68 recruit overall by Rivals.Com, Nu’Keese Richardson is the recruit who started the war between Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin and the rest of the league. Richardson reneged on his commitment with Florida to sign with Tennessee on National Signing Day, and Kiffin told supporters at a breakfast the following morning that Gators coach Urban Meyer “had to cheat and still didn’t get him.” An all-purpose threat at Florida’s Pahokee High School, Richardson threw for 1,020 yards and 14 touchdowns last fall, while catching 22 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 234 yards and three more touchdowns. He is expected to make an immediate impact at Tennessee.

“Week 1″ (Two, for those of us who know how to count; One, if you’re TSSAA) of the high school football season is upon us. Tonight, most teams around the area will have one final non-district contest before getting down to the nitty-gritty of the playoff race next week. And with the opening night festivities out of the way and the regular season in full swing, it’s time to resume our “Games to Watch” series. Looking to spend $6? These are the ones worth keeping an eye on in this area:

1.) Oneida at DeKalb County: The Indians trek out I-40 and across Center Hill Lake to beautiful Smithville, Tenn., to do battle with DeKalb County tonight in what is a most intriguing matchup. DeKalb County features the best quarterback the Indians will see all season in Hunter Poteete. A Mr. Football finalist a year ago, Poteete may in fact be the best quarterback the Indians have seen in a number of years. The Tigers feature a high-flying offense that promises big plays and lots of points. But Oneida will roll into town with a defense that doesn’t like giving up big plays or lots of points. Since Tony Lambert assumed defensive responsibilities at Oneida at the beginning of the 2005 season, Oneida has given up no more than 28 points in any single ballgame. When the ball changes hands, taking the field will be an Oneida offense that struggled last week at Gatlinburg and is without its starting quarterback, against a DeKalb defense that is just not very good. Last week, DeKalb scored six touchdowns but gave up seven in a season-opening loss to Warren County. On a good night, Oneida could go toe-to-toe with DeKalb. With their injuries, it might be asking too much for the Indians to pick one up on the road this week. Prediction: DeKalb 28, Oneida 14. (IH Pickem Panel: Oneida — Rick Keeton, Tim Smith, BJ Gislason, Greasey Garrett, Matt Boyatt. DeKalb Co. — Jerry Lay, LeEtta Boyatt, Ben Garrett.)

2.) Scott High at York Institute: One of the best rivalries in the Upper Cumberlands renews itself tonight when Scott travels to Jamestown to take on York Institute. It’ll be a crowded night at YAI, if for no other reason than the Dragons’ stadium seats have been condemned by the state and seating is limited. The Highlanders are coming off a game against Sequoyah in which the defense was exceptional but the offense struggled at times, despite putting up 350 yards. York will prove to be a much more formidable opponent than the Chiefs a week ago. The Dragons led Stone Memorial 36-0 at halftime, before hitting cruise control in the second half. York is underrated in District 8-AA. Scott feels it is underrated in District 4-AA. Tonight is an opportunity for both teams to make their case. Prediction: Scott 28, York 27. (IH Pigskin Pickem Panel: Scott — Rick Keeton, Tim Smith, BJ Gislason, Greasey Garrett, Matt Boyatt, Ben Garrett. York — Jerry Lay, LeEtta Boyatt.)

3.) Maryville at Alcoa: In East Tennessee, this is the high school football game of the season. Period, dot. These two Blount County schools have represented the east in the BlueCross Bowl for so many years running it’s easy to lose count.
But for all Tornadoes coach Gary Rankin has accomplished — he was state champ again last year while Maryville came up short — one thing he hasn’t done is beat the next-town Rebs. Last year he was close. This year might be just as much of an opportunity. It’s the hottest ticket in town this night, and when it comes to hometown prep football under the Friday night lights, this one is as good as it gets. Prediction: Maryville 31, Alcoa 24. (IH Pigskin Pickem Panel: Maryville — Keeton, Gislason, Lay, G. Garrett, M. Boyatt, B. Garrett. Alcoa — Keeton, L. Boyatt.)

4.) Harriman at Kingston: It isn’t exactly Maryville-Alcoa, but this one is worth watching, as two inner-county rivals get set to revisit their distaste for one another on the banks of the Clinch River. Seldom is a season-ending loss a high note, but when Kingston only fell to Austin-East 20-14 in last year’s second-round playoff game, that set the stage for the possibility of good things to come this season. In a very talented District 4-AA, coaches think Kingston is going to finish outside looking in on the playoff picture. The ‘Jackets and long-time coach Vic King have a case to prove. On the flip-side, Harriman hasn’t beaten Kingston this decade. Last year they came the closest they’ve been so far. They had it in their grasp on their home field, but lost 20-18 and wound up missing the playoffs in a disappointing season. As the ‘09 season opens with tonight’s game, Coach Travis Tapp’s team is looking to get back on track. There’s no better way to do that than to beat their arch-rival. Prediction: Kingston 35, Harriman 14. (Panel: Kingston — Keeton, Smith, Gislason, Lay, G. Garrett, M. Boyatt, B. Garrett. Harriman — L. Boyatt.)

5.) Livingston Academy at Stone Memorial: When Crossville’s brand-new high school opened with sparkling football facilities three years ago, people around the Cumberlands whispered, “Just wait.” The feeling was that when you take a school willing to devote an endless cash flow to football, they’ll be good, and soon. To date, we’re still waiting. Stone has had its moments, but is largely still trying to get over the hump and pull off a win that will allow it to burst onto the high school football scene. Tonight, they get that opportunity. But the Panthers were thumped last week by York Institute. The final score (36-12) wasn’t too bad, until you consider that it was 36-0 at halftime, and York could’ve won by as much as they wanted to. Livingston will bring to town a team that might be their best since their Cinderella run to the state championship three years ago. Prediction: Livingston 28, Stone 13. (Panel: Stone — Keeton. Livingston — Smith, Gislason, Lay, G. Garrett, M. Boyatt, L. Boyatt, B. Garrett.)

6.) Midway at Wartburg: This game isn’t going to draw a lot of people to central Morgan County who don’t have connections with one school or the other, but it’s a good opportunity for Wartburg to show the rest of District 4 that they’re on the mend. The Bulldogs entered this season having won just one of their last 42 games. But they’re improving, and the coaches are convinced that they’re headed in the right direction. With the TSSAA realignment, they have a much easier road to the playoffs. Tonight, they can’t make a step towards the playoffs, but they can show the rest of the district that they’re going to be on that road once the district slate begins in earnest next week. Midway is as down as they’ve been in a while. But for Coach Craig Moser’s club — which always thrives on hitting hard and flying to the football — “down” is a subjective term. Prediction: Midway 21, Wartburg 13. (Panel: Midway — Unanimous.)

7.) Austin-East at Ooltewah: If you’re looking for a game outside District 4 that will be fun to watch, this one is it. After struggling by Morristown East last week, A-E travels south to battle the mighty mighty Owls, who trounced Chattanooga-Tyner a week ago and have their eyes set on a state championship. Prediction: Ooltewah 35, Austin-East 14.

It was on this date four years ago that the National Weather Service bureau in New Orleans issued a tersely-worded warning as Hurricane Katrina bore down on the Gulf coast. Below is a portion of the warning, which was issued at 11:11 a.m. Eastern time (10:11 a.m. local time). You have to wonder . . . with warnings like this from the weather bureau, why did some folks stay of their own choosing?

…DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED…

.HURRICANE KATRINA…A MOST POWERFUL HURRICANE WITH UNPRECEDENTED
STRENGTH…RIVALING THE INTENSITY OF HURRICANE CAMILLE OF 1969.

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS…PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL…LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE…INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY…A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD…AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS…PETS…AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS…AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING…BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.