The Newport Plain Talk is once again presenting its annual Bible Verse Search, beginning in today's edition, announcing Betty McMillan, The Newport Plain Talk advertising manager.

The contest runs for 16 weeks, during which more than 500 Bibles will be given away by sponsoring businesses and churches.

To enter, see the Bible Verse Contest page in each Thursday edition of the Plain Talk. Each ad will have a designated verse with a clue telling within three chapters the location of the verse. Entrants must correctly and precisely locate three verses and submit the location and sponsor's name on the entry form.

All entries must be received no later than midnight on Tuesday following the date of publication each week. Entries may be mailed to The Newport Plain Talk, P.O. Box 279, Newport, TN 37822, or brought by The Newport Plain Talk office at 145 East Broadway in Newport.

To receive your Bible, take the ad under which your name appears to that business and pick up your Bible. Only one Bible per business per week, said McMillan.

A large, family-sized Bible will be given to the Sunday school class that sends in the most entries during the 16-week campaign. Only the person winning the Bible can pick up each Bible from participating business, said McMillan.

Sponsors of this year's contest include: Stinnett Heating & Air, Inc.; Wal-Mart; Motel 6; Newport Tile & Hardwood; Excel Financial; Mercy Health Partners / Baptist Hospital of Cocke County; Newport Quick Lube; Strange Auto Salvage, Inc.; Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice, Inc.; Newport ACE Hardware; Jefferson-Cocke County Utility District; KFC; Mama's Kitchen; Sun Loan Company; Renner Trucking; First Baptist Church; White's Monuments; It's All His Real Estate; Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers; Newport Paving & Ready Mix; Interstate Tractor; Rural Medical Services, Inc.; Newport Cinema 4; McDonald's; West End Exxon; Carver's Applehouse Restaurant; Food City; Newport Federal Bank; Cosby Real Estate; Ball Corporation; Rusty Wallace Ford; White Pine Marine & RV Sales; and Denton's TV & Satellite.