Oh, Kentucky

"The E. Starling Holloway Insuror of the Year Award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution, enhanced the ideals and reputation of the insurance industry, or has made a significant contribution to his community, state and country." Congratulations to 2019-winner James England of Pikeville, who is said to exemplify "the characteristics of E. Starling Holloway" (of Madisonville).

And congratulations to Russell County Public Library Director Lindsey Westerfield. It's a bear to get a new public library open, and the director bears the bulk of the burden.

Speaking of "The Best Town on Earth," filing deadline for the city council is Jan. 10, and no one has filed for any of the six seats.

In nine of Kentucky's 120 counties, more registered voters did vote than did not in last month's gubernatorial election: Anderson, Franklin, Graves, Hancock, McLean, Metcalfe, Shelby, Washington and Woodford. And turnout was higher than in more than two decades. Very interesting report from Perry Bacon Jr. and Josh Poe in Louisville's LEO Weekly.

President Trump's nominee for the alternate to the U.S. ambassador to the UN (a Kentuckian) is a Kentuckian.

Aaron Mudd in The Bowling Green Daily News quotes the WKU Faculty Senate budget-and-finance chair: "We are no longer cutting fat. We are removing vital organs" (#RockSolidJournalismObservations).

I love me some minimally-invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and I'm thrilled to read that it's now being offered at Baptist Health Paducah (in addition to at UK HealthCare).

Christmas parades: Sharpsburg, Nov. 9; Owensboro, Nov. 23; Central City, Nov. 24; Lebanon and Louisville, Nov. 29;  Greensburg, Guthrie and Pikeville, Nov. 30; Boyce, Dawson Springs, Murray, Salem and Sebree, Dec. 1; Bardstown, Dec. 5; Clay, Fredonia, Harrodsburg, Hopkinsville, Irvine/Ravenna, London, Maysville, Monticello, Pineville, Richmond, Smiths Grove, Stanton and Trenton, Dec. 6; Arlington, Barbourville, Beattyville, Berea, Bloomfield, Bowling Green,  romley/Ludlow, Brownsville, Cadiz, Calvert City, Carlisle, Clinton, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Grayson, Greenville, Hawesville, Henderson, Horse Cave, Inez, Lawrenceburg, Leitchfield, Lexington, Madisonville, Marion, Middlesboro, Morgantown, Munfordville, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, Prestonsburg, Rabbit Hash, Raceland, Russell Springs, Salyersville, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Somerset, Trenton, Versailles, Whitley City and Winchester, Dec. 7; Auburn, Georgetown and New Haven, Dec. 8; Augusta, Burkesville, Burnside, Campbellsville, Cave City, Elkton, Franklin, Louisa, Mayfield, Providence, Williamsburg and Woodburn, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.