Oh, Kentucky

Oh, Kentucky

Oh, Kentucky

Bad jobs news from Shelbyville. Here was the best of the good from last year.

OK, now that the Christmas19 hustle and bustle are behind us, it's time to take it easy. For example, it's a perfect time to start thinking about your 2020 vacations, because this year's visitor's guide is out!

Per Angela Turner's reporting in the local Times-Tribune, there are at least three good reasons that Corbin is excited about its upcoming third World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) event in the last three years: One, the 2018 bash broke attendance records for The Corbin Arena; two, some wrestling fans reportedly say the scheduled card is more appealing than what Rupp Arena gets for Monday Night Raw, and, three, there's the building's improved sound quality.

Living in these troubled times demands creativity sometimes, and Marshall County got some, and now it has a Caring Community Center. Good play by play from Channel 6's Chris Yu.

Ready for the times to get better? Well, Danville's Advocate-Messenger says Kentucky's waiving testing fees for the General Education Diploma (GED) portends positively: "If just 50 more people earn their GEDs over the next two years as a result of this change, that could mean $420,000 more in annual income for some of Boyle County’s poorest residents."

Hallelujah, these people seem to love Burnside so! Christopher Harris on Somerset's Commonwealth Journal has a happy, fun story from the first city council meeting of the new year.

It's like we never said goodbye to Michael Scott and all of the gang. The Office! is coming to The Kentucky Center.

Oh, Kentucky

Catching up ...

Oh, Kentucky

Ninety-three and still counting, and one yet to go!

And, actually, we might be up to 94 parades, if this Daily Mail story--"Decline of the town that coal built ..."--is correct that Lynch was hosting one this month. But the town Facebook page that Ann Schmidt mentions appears to be on the fritz, and there is no specific date for the parade provided.

So, for now, I'm saying 93 confirmed Christmas19 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, Irvine/Ravenna, London, Maysville, Monticello, Pineville, Richmond, Smiths Grove, Stanton and Trenton, Dec. 6; Arlington, Barbourville, Beattyville, Berea, Bloomfield, Bowling Green, Bromley/Ludlow, Brownsville, Cadiz, Calvert City, Carlisle, Clinton, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, East Bernstadt, Frankfort, Glasgow, Grayson, Greenville, Hawesville, Henderson, Horse Cave, Inez, Lawrenceburg, Leitchfield, Lexington, Madisonville, Marion, Middlesboro, Morgantown, Munfordville, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, Rabbit Hash, Raceland, Russell Springs, Salyersville, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Somerset ("highlighted by football team's appearance"), Trenton, Versailles, Whitley City and Winchester, Dec. 7; Auburn, Georgetown and New Haven, Dec. 8; Augusta, Benton, Burkesville, Burnside, Campbellsville, Cave City, Edmonton, Elkton, Franklin, Hopkinsville, Louisa, Mayfield, Providence, Tollesboro, Williamsburg and Woodburn, Dec. 14, and Cerulean, Dec. 21!

In Prospect, they discovered gold--in a Salvation Army red kettle outside the Kroger.

Spreading Christmas "clipper love" in Paducah.

Meanwhile over in Harlan County, Hannah Reynolds from WYMT reports, there was no opposition voiced at the fiscal-court meeting when the Second Amendment-sanctuary deal came up (and quickly passed).

Curtains for curbside recycling in Warren County?

"Camp Restoration," a tiny-home community for homeless vets, is being planned off Dixie Highway in Louisville.

Quintessential American journalist Douglas White of Henderson's Gleaner delivers his typically stellar reporting and writing on local momentum toward large-scale solar-energy production. 

Elizabethtown's News-Enterprise weighs in on Vine Grove's city-hall crisis.

Cory Claxon in The Morehead News looks back on the busy first fourth months of the local Laughlin Health Building.

Oh, Kentucky

Catching up from the weekend ...

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, 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, East Bernstadt, 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, and Augusta, Benton, Burkesville, Burnside, Campbellsville, Cave City, Edmonton, Elkton, Franklin, Hopkinsville, Louisa, Mayfield, Providence, Tollesboro, Williamsburg and Woodburn, Dec. 14.

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.

Oh, Kentucky

The state's fastest internet speeds are found in Jackson and Owsley counties. "It is a gamble that has paid off," writes Kim Kobersmith in The Daily Yonder. "Residents are harnessing the power of the network to improve their lives by accessing well-paying jobs, opening new educational doors, and virtually visiting their doctors for health consultations."

"What's Next EKY?"

And how about for Daviess County's old Airport Fire Station?

Kentucky’s housing market in October: 8.4 percent more homes sold than in October 2018 at a median closing price that was 8.3 percent greater.

Bad jobs news from Paducah.

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, London, Monticello, Pineville, Richmond, Smiths Grove and Trenton, Dec. 6; Arlington, Barbourville, Berea, Bloomfield, Bowling Green, Bromley/Ludlow, Brownsville, Cadiz, Calvert City, Clinton, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Grayson, Hawesville, Henderson, Horse Cave, Lawrenceburg, Leitchfield, Lexington, Madisonville, Marion, Middlesboro, Morgantown, Munfordville, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, Rabbit Hash, Russell Springs, Salyersville, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Somerset, Trenton, Versailles, Whitley City and Winchester, Dec. 7; Auburn, Georgetown and New Haven, Dec. 8; Augusta, Burkesville, Burnside, Cave City, Elkton, Franklin, Mayfield, Providence, Williamsburg and Woodburn, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

There's a lot of stuff going on--wars and refugees, churches and cities, the 1970s and Vietnam, the 1980s and Japan, etc.--in this fascinating Georgetown News-Graphic article by Jackie Anders on the sale of the Cardome to the Catholic Diocese of Lexington. I had to read it a couple of times to take it all in, and I'm glad I did.

Bath County High has a (beautiful) new fine-arts wing. 

The NWSL is coming to Louisville.

"With forward-thinking public officials and involved volunteer groups, the rebirth of downtown Winchester will continue unabated."

"The report brings up many good questions for Danville and Boyle County. How are we doing on being a rural development hub? Are we setting our community up to succeed long-term in a world where everyone thinks rural communities are dying? How are we doing on improving quality of life, particularly for our most vulnerable populations? Are we resisting changes that could have huge impacts because we are risk-averse? Are we putting too much emphasis on old economic development methods and measuring sticks? How well are we working regionally?"

"Too big of a challenge to focus on our differences."

Free Thanksgiving dinner, in Ashland. (And Whitesburg.) (And Wurtland.)

Free Christmas trees, at LBL.

Christmas parades: Sharpsburg, Nov. 9; Owensboro, Nov. 23; Central City, Nov. 24; Lebanon and Louisville, Nov. 29; Brownsville, Greensburg, Guthrie, Mayfield and Pikeville, Nov. 30; Boyce, Dawson Springs and Murray, Dec. 1; Bardstown, Dec. 5; Fredonia, Harrodsburg, Hopkinsville, London, Monticello, Pineville, Richmond and Trenton, Dec. 6; Barbourville, Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Calvert City, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Grayson, Hawesville, Henderson, Lawrenceburg, Lexington, Madisonville, Marion, Middlesboro, Morgantown, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, Rabbit Hash, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Somerset, Trenton, Versailles, Whitley City and Winchester, Dec. 7; Georgetown, Dec. 8; Cave City, Dec. 10; Burkesville, Burnside, Elkton, Providence, Williamsburg, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

Good jobs news from Covington and Fort Mitchell.

Harrodsburg is getting a new convenience store (in an old motorcycle shop); Madisonville, a new steakhouse (in an old steakhouse), and Columbia, a new lumber company (expanded from Indiana).

A refurb for Corbin's Sanders Café is afoot.

A re-treeing of downtown Frankfort is eyed.

Mostly positive reviews for Year 1 of motorized-scooter rentals in Louisville.

"A History of Native Americans in Kentucky," Thursday at the McCracken County Public Library, from WKU’s Kentucky Archaeological Survey (since 1995). 

Christmas parades: Sharpsburg, Nov. 9; Owensboro, Nov. 23; Lebanon and Louisville, Nov. 29; Pikeville, Nov. 30; Boyce, Dawson Springs and Murray, Dec. 1; Bardstown, Dec. 5; Fredonia, Harrodsburg, Hopkinsville, London, Monticello, Pineville and Trenton, Dec. 6; Barbourville, Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Calvert City, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Henderson, Lawrenceburg, Lexington, Madisonville, Middlesboro, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Trenton, Versailles and Whitley City, Dec. 7; Georgetown, Dec. 8; Cave City, Dec. 10; Burkesville, Burnside, Elkton and Williamsburg, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

Here's your new (Distinguished Rural) Kentuckian of the Year.

Here's your new Paxton Media Group president and CEO.

No more Saturday Herald-Leaders.

Bad jobs news from Cadiz. Better from Hopkinsville.

"This Is What The Trade War Looks Like In Bourbon Country." Steve Matthews from Bloomberg's Federal Reserve/economy reporter checks in.

Coal no longer qualifies in Henderson's "least-cost portfolio" for energy. Ryan Van Velzer from Louisville's WFPL brings back the story from down river.

"For those of you who have expressed concerns and a genuine curiosity, I would like to unveil the truth as it pertains to me about the Kentucky Fried Sisters (KFS), Capital Pride Kentucky and the queer community as a whole." The founding abbess of the Kentucky Fried Sisters speaks his piece in Frankfort's State Journal.

"A belief in the possible." Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and Hawaiian Islands eyes footprint in Kentucky, reports Nina Shapiro of The Seattle Times from across the country.

"Doctors are under tremendous pressure to prescribe, and patients wear you down." Robert Smith with Kaiser Health News--via Valiant News--goes deep and dark into drugs in and around Clay County.

The Courier-Journal is promoting a 24-page special section planned for its Thanksgiving edition that it indicates will show how the tentacles of a crazy Mexican drug gang have reached throughout the United States and specifically Lexington's famous Calumet Farm.

Martin County's water crisis appears headed to a turning point this week.

Turning to sports, I've been doing a lot of deep thinking about these #ohkys and what I should be doing with them, and I think I need to always include one of these turning-to-sports items. Anyway, here's a link back to GoHeath on No. 2,296, and WKU is 4-0.

Christmas parades: Sharpsburg, Nov. 9; Owensboro, Nov. 23; Lebanon and Louisville, Nov. 29; Pikeville, Nov. 30; Boyce, Dawson Springs and Murray, Dec. 1; Bardstown, Dec. 5; Fredonia, Harrodsburg, Hopkinsville, Monticello and Pineville, Dec. 6; Berea, Bowling Green, Cadiz, Calvert City, Columbia, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Henderson, Lawrenceburg, Lexington, Madisonville, Owingsville, Paducah, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Trenton, Versailles and Whitley City, Dec. 7; Georgetown, Dec. 8; Cave City, Dec. 10; Burnside, Elkton and Williamsburg, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

Catching up ...

Good jobs news from Benton, Bowling Green, Crittenden, Eddyville, Erlanger, Lexington, Louisville (and Louisville), Maysville and Paducah.

Bad from Clay and Hopkinsville.

The governor before the Paducah Rotary, per Channel 6: "Not rules that 'take away this or stop access to that.'"

Pete Koutoulas in The Winchester Sun: "I am not advocating taking away people’s guns. Nor am I advocating a free-for-all in which everyone walks around packing. I’m not supporting any particular new laws. What I am urging my fellow Americans to do is start taking this issue seriously. I am a gun owner. I own a pistol, a shotgun and a .22 rifle. I taught my sons how to shoot and how to be safe, responsible gun owners. It is absurd that we require higher standards of those seeking to operate a motor vehicle than we do of those who wish to own a firearm. It is absurd that we refuse to consider all possible solutions when dealing with a problem that has become a national health crisis. It is beyond absurd that we allow one organization to control the narrative — an organization that represents not the majority of gun owners, but gun manufacturers. Meanwhile, we allow our elected leaders to stifle attempts to conduct serious research into the causes of the epidemic of gun violence that has seized our nation. No other nation experiences the level of gun violence that America does. No other country would tolerate it. What makes us different?"

Oh, Kentucky

I was in Munfordville and got to pick up the July 11 Hart County News-Herald. My favorite item was the "Buzz Around Bonnieville" column by Linda Watts: "No matter where you call home, we all have the same basic issues facing our communities today; the lack of affordable housing, small businesses struggling to make it, trying to keep prices competitive while making enough to pay the bills and the older population facing loneliness with family members living miles away to pursue their careers." She used that as a springboard to talk about her thankfulness "that we live in a community that offers so many actives and opportunities for fellowship." She mentioned the recent county fair and an upcoming ribbon cutting and grand opening at Barbour's Fresh Produce in Munfordville.

Ryan Van Velzer of Louisville's WFPL lays out how Owenton avoided water contamination downstream from the Jim Beam spill.

A murder in Hazard has a local homeless shelter and the city reviewing its processes and policies. "Somehow we have to be a compassionate city, but we also have to protect our city," a city councilperson says in Katie Kelley's story in The Hazard Herald.

(Refugee) farm to (Hickory & Oak) table, in Bowling Green. Neat Madison Martin report for WBKO.

Ray Hagerman, president of the Madisonville-Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation, in the local Messenger: "Madisonville is at a 15-year record for open jobs, and our employers are struggling mightily to find the talent they need in those positions. Economic development has organized two job fairs in the first half of this year, and both had hundreds more available jobs than they attracted job seekers. Studies show that people with military experience tend to have a high rate of civilian work success, and so we see Fort Campbell as a crucial pipeline of talent for our community's prosperity. And we saw Madisonville Military Day as a great start to tapping into that talent."

The National Association of Agricultural Educators nabbed itself a couple of recruits from Caldwell County High.

Mural reveal! Today at 2 Central in the old Clinton Bank lot.

Turning to sports, forget about live racing at Ellis Park today.

Oh, Kentucky

Winchester Sun columnist/Lexington IT-professional Pete Koutoulas: "As long as we have families living in our streets, hungry and sick, there are battles to be won. As long as there are people among us who lack access to health care, there are battles to be won. As long as we continue to treat families seeking refuge within our borders as criminals, there are battles to be won. As long as there are any in this land who are not sharing in the blessings of liberty, there are battles to be won."

"Chant for Peace," etc., for free, in Louisville.

The co-convener of the Northern Kentucky Poor People's Campaign reports in from the Moral Action Congress.

It's almost back-to-school time, and that means grind time for the Kentucky Refugees Ministries Summer Youth Program. 

Madisonville's 75-year-old bed-building, football-and-cheerleading-boosting and scholarship-providing Rotary Club is on the grow.

Two-year state study ending last year: Heroin, opioids and cocaine, down; methamphetamine and fentanyl, up.

Meanwhile, in Floyd County, "the drugs have took over." And, in Martin County, it'll be a sheriff's office of one, starting next month.

Jennifer P. Brown reports in The Hoptown Chronicle on an Iraq war veteran has opened a barber shop in downtown Hopkinsville. He plans to put in a putting green, and, in addition to $24 per, he's offering two years of once-every-three-weeks haircuts for $1,000.

Julianna Leach in the Grayson Journal-Enquirer has a feature on a Carter County native who studied dance at Morehead State, got a gig on a Carnival Cruise and then felt an urge to come home and open her own studio. "If there is a girl or boy that wants to dance, I want to make sure they can."

Keith Lawrence in The Messenger-Inquirer tells the story of "Chef Red," who as a single mom at age 20 learned healthcare wasn't for her, moved off to go to culinary school and has come back to Owensboro to open a healthy-meals-to-go provider. "The reason we eat fast food is because it's convenient. So, healthy food should be too."

The spirit(s) of the Graham Nighthawks live on.

And the animal-rendering stench in Metcalfe County ...?