Oh, Kentucky

Christmas parades: Owensboro, Nov. 17; Ashland, Nov. 20; Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Columbia, Lawrenceburg, Madisonville and Paducah, Dec. 1; Dawson Springs, Dec. 2; Richmond, Dec. 7; Hopkinsville (with "Skating on the Square"), Dec. 8, La Center, Dec. 15.

The Hopkins County Humane Society "MEOWvember Kitty Cafe" is tomorrow at PublicLibrary.org.

Ken Howlett of K105: Kelley Beekeeping, originally of Paducah and since 1952 of Clarkson, has been purchased by a Minnesota company.

Andrew Henderson of The Oldham Era: Steve-O's, a Buckner pizza staple since 2005, is expanding into Louisville's Clifton neighborhood.

Chuck Stinner of The Gleaner: Shaw's Flowers, a Henderson florist since 1928, thrives while it has "not changed as much as others."

Keith Lawrence in the Messenger-Inquirer delivers solid coverage from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association conference at the Owensboro Convention Center: "Chapman said that recently in Pikeville a company was looking for 100 workers. Seventy-one of the first 100 screened failed the drug test, he said." Lawrence was writing about Rex Chapman. 

Album Review: Before the Sun Goes Down by The New Respects

There is a very good chance that this could be Eric's album of the year. It is a very interesting debut album. It's rock, it's R&B, it's folk, and gospel. It's 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, it's all over the place. In the end this is what makes the album both interesting but also a fail as a three star album. Each song taken out independently is interesting, but as an album it falls short because it is too jumbled for me. I would recommend this album to everyone. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad. I am very curious to see what they do next.

Oh, Kentucky

Christmas parades: Owensboro, Nov. 17; Ashland, Nov. 20; Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Columbia (streaming live!), Lawrenceburg, Madisonville and Paducah, Dec. 1; Dawson Springs, Dec. 2; Richmond, Dec. 7; Hopkinsville, Dec. 8, La Center, Dec. 15.

I'm working to The Crittenden Press's 43-minute video of snowy driving around the county this morning, and IT! IS! GLORIOUS! (Note to self: Make this video the lead of an "Oh, Crittenden County" post.)

Gov. Bevin, emboldened.

Kentucky Downs, "a pioneer in modern Historic Horse Racing," has been sold.

"Of the 2,828 businesses operating in Hopkins County, Kentucky, in 2016, nearly 80 percent had fewer than 10 employees, for example, and all but 29 of those businesses had fewer than 500 employees. Businesses employing from two to nine people made up 68.1 percent of all businesses in Hopkins County in 2016." The Global Entrepreneurship Week observance rolls on!

"A once-in-a-lifetime deal for the parks system for Glasgow," but just another typically fantastic meeting story by Melinda J. Overstreet in the Daily Times.

Album Review: Thank You for Today by Death Cab for Cutie

I think that people naturally go through different phases in their adult lives in terms of how they relate with the world around them. I'm not saying this is true for everyone but I think it is a general thing. In your 20's for instance it's all about self. In your 30's it's all about yourself and the world. In your 40's it's all about reflecting on your life. That's as far as I've aged so I'm not sure what comes next. But I do believe these things are generally true and I think they are reflected in good songwriters. As they age their lyrics tend to follow a progression similar to this.

This is all to say that Death Cab for Cutie have released this album while in their early 40's and so at a time when they are being reflective and that is what this album perfectly captures. Not only in lyric but in music as well. There is a lot here reflecting from sounds of their youth bands like New Order, The Cure, The Smiths, etc.

I'm not sure this album would appeal to someone in their 20's but it certainly hits home for someone who has been through the reflective phase of their life. A perfect album to put on if you are driving by yourself on a drive of an hour or so. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.

Oh, Kentucky

Christmas parades: Owensboro (more than 20k expected), Nov. 17; Ashland (grandly marshaled by the voice of the Reds), Nov. 20; Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Lawrenceburg (indeed, featuring the New Jersey woman credited with helping prevent school shootings in Anderson and Shelby counties), Madisonville and Paducah, Dec. 1; Dawson Springs, Dec. 2; Richmond, Dec. 7; Hopkinsville, Dec. 8, La Center, Dec. 15.

Country Loving hails Bardstown as one of the nation's best 30 small towns for Christmas.

American Pickers falls for Big City of Madisonville.

"Unnecessary and extremely unfair." The Lebanon Enterprise takes on the grinches on the local Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Board.

In Russellville, "you will think you are on vacation in Florida." Neat story on a "ground blessing" for a forthcoming local hotel by Chris Cooper in the News-Democrat & Leader.

The last link of the once-13-stores-strong Food Fair of Somerset chain is apparently finished, reports Janie Slaven in the Commonwealth Journal.

Kentucky’s longest wooden covered bridge (in Washington County) is back!

Good jobs news from Russellville and Wilder.