Oh, Kentucky

Man, oh, man ... everything's complicated (Walton edition).

25. Floyd
23. Jackson
20. Martin
16. Knox
10. Harlan
9. Bell
8. Leslie
7. Breathitt
6. Clay
5. McCreary

Thursday morning at Paducah's Kentucky Career Center: "Come join us and bring a friend! We are working on improving reentry into our community and improving public safety. If you cannot attend, see if someone you know or work with can come in your place."

Tomorrow morning at Lexington's UK Gatton Student Center: "The event is free and open to the public, though reservations are requested, as space is limited. Participation is highly recommended for elected officials, community and economic development leaders, existing businesses within Opportunity Zones and those looking to develop projects in Opportunity Zones."

Cincinnati's Buffalo Wings & Rings eyes rollout of 25 Kentucky stores in the next five years, and you could be their person in Winchester.

Speaking of (No. 25) Floyd County, bravo to Prestonsburg's Girl Scouts Troop 5185 and everyone else who spent their Saturday mornings cleaning up around Jenny Wiley State Resort Park--which, by the way, is awesome:

Newsstand, March 1973

Paducah made Ebony!

Meanwhile, Boys' Life has an enthralling depiction on a Catlettsburg, Kentucky, Scout's springing into action to save a neighbor boy's life. (I loved these "Scouts In Action" features in Boys' Life when I was a kid.)

I don't really know much at all about National Lampoon magazine, but its March 1973 cover cracks me up. It's like one of those great overly specific Onion editorial cartoons, and, in this one, the personified magazine is marching into "GOOD TASTE" and "SWEETNESS AND LIGHT" and away from its "BAD TASTE" marked by "VICIOUS ATTACKS," "UNCALLED-FOR SMUT" and--my favorite--"TEARING DOWN WITHOUT BUILDING UP." This last one is represented by a man maniacally smashing birds with a hammer. As it moves toward a future of "MIRTH," "MERRIMENT" and "HARMLESS JOSHING," National Lampoon declares in a sturdy, seriffed font that it is "On the Right Path." Now this is a fantastic cover.

Here are the Nixons, by Norman Rockwell, on a magazine I had never heard of, First Monday. From looking at other eBay searches, it appears to be some sort of GOP-advocacy publication--and maybe even produced by a Nixon-specific organization.

I also was unaware of QST, "The Official Journal of the ARRL," or Amateur Radio Relay League of Hartford and now Newington, Connecticut.

I'm so happy to report that I still so love television, and each of this 1973 month's TV Guide covers--March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31--just absolutely makes me want to watch more.

Turning to sports, Action Sports Hockey is taking us “INSIDE THE CANADIENS’ HATE-FILLED DRESSING ROOM;” Carlos Monzon is Boxing Illustrated's fighter of the year, and The Sporting News picks Nate Archibald and Bill Walton for its pro and college players of the 1972-73 basketball season, respectively (and congratulations, William "Bird" Averitt of Hoptown and Pepperdine for his honorable mention!)

More from March 1973 magazines:

-- Music Star, "The Loneliness of Michael Jackson"

-- Country Song Roundup, "who is Jim Ed Brown?"

-- Tiger Beat, "OSMONDS: Will Religion STOP Them From LOVING YOU?!"

-- 16 Magazine, "David--Is He a Phony?!"

-- Seventeen, "the real-life BRIDGET AND BERNIE"

-- Modern Screen, “DISCOVERED! BURT REYNOLDS & DINAH SHORE’S Secret Love Hideout!”

-- TIME, "EUROPE, AMERICA'S NEW RIVAL"

-- Christian Crusade Weekly, “POWs Tell of Religious Experiences” and “US Warming Up To Cuba?”

-- Consumer Reports, “The High-Filth Diet, Compliments of FDA”

Oh, Kentucky

OK, today in the second half of the first round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association girls’ basketball tournament, we are rolling with the 27-7 Pikeville Lady Panthers vs. the 31-4 Barren County Trojanettes. Neither has ever won the state championship, so I am rooting for both of them.

But I’ve spent most of my life closer to Barren County than I have Pikeville, so I guess I’m rooting more for the Trojanettes.

Here’s a picture I took in Pikeville somewhere between 25 and 30 years ago.

And now here are a bunch of pictures I took while on vacation at Barren River State Resort Park in Lucas, an unincorporated communtiy in Barren County.

Comments flow!

Oh, Kentucky

About HB46, the effort to "Amend KRS 158.195 to require each public elementary and secondary school to display the national motto in a prominent location in the school." It received first reading in Kentucky's senate yesterday.

Good jobs news from Pike County (involving solar panels, a TEDx event and a Democrat running for governor).

Fourth "sickout" in two weeks for Jefferson County schools.

Who was your favorite teacher, in Henderson County?

Turning to sports, ...

Happy 50th, KFC in Middlesboro!

Oh, Kentucky

"Something that has stuck with me from my latest work is, 'Everyone wants to be a lion until it’s time to hunt.' I find this applies to many things and not just writing but specifically to young writers I would say it means to you that everyone wants the novel, the play on Broadway...the finished product. That is the metaphorical 'lion' but not as many want to be a lion when it’s time to write the 15th draft, or format a script or do all the “stuff” that isn’t as glamorous. You can’t be a lion without doing the hunt which is the blood, sweat and tears of what makes a lion so magnificent." Just a fantastic Q&A in Barbourville's Mountain Advocate with Cathy Goguen, "former Knox County teacher, published playwright and author, and mobility advocate...just to name a few," writes Brooke Cole Stansbury.

"We are reminded of God’s creativity and deep connection with all creatures, ecosystems, and humans.  Psalm 24 says, 'The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too.' This invites us to protect the earth as home, not only for people including future generations, not only for all plants and animals, rocks and mountains but for God. The word 'ecology' is formed from the Greek words for 'house' (oikos) and 'word, purpose' (logos). Creation is the home of God and for God’s people, ecology calls us to our purpose in this joint household. Our purpose for living, according to the Psalms, is to praise God – not alone, not as a solo, but to join our whole being in praise, with the sun and moon, with sea monsters, trees, creatures that creep along, and birds that fly. We praise God by being who God created us to be, to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God, to love one another, care for the least of these among us, and to protect and care our common home." Amen, Carol Devine of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nicholasville.

"According to a study on religion in America by the Pew Research Center, 22% of Kentucky residents are religiously unaffiliated. Younger Americans are even more likely to be nonreligious. Kentucky lawmakers should not stigmatize these students by promoting religious messages in school! National motto display bills like HB 46 are being pushed by special interests as part of Project Blitz, an effort by Christian nationalists to rewrite American history so that it favors their agenda. These bills aim to undermine the separation of religion and government and spread a false narrative that America was founded as a Christian nation. We cannot allow special interests to use our children to achieve their political goals." American Atheists Inc. issues a call to Kentuckian action.

Turning to sports, “I thank God for the opportunity to do the job I love so close to home.”

And speaking Pine Mountain State Resort Park, which is fantastic ... hiring in Pineville (immediately for a front-desk clerk).

Good jobs news from Erlanger, Elizabethtown and Lexington--and maybe Cave City, too. Bad from Madisonville.

Per USA Today, the richest Kentuckian is an Oklahoman who got himself really rich in California after a trip to Texas.

Paducah and San Antonio, Texas, are trading their UNESCO Creative City crews.

The Beaver Dam Amphitheatre summer schedule is out, and the Class of '86 is going to freak!

Spring cleanup nears in Elkton.

Beds for 50 Shepherdsville Elementary kids who need them.

Relief for cross-state commuters to and from Wickliffe.