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

In an interview with the Xinhua News Agency, "Official says collaboration with China remains significant for U.S. state of Kentucky." And Ballard County is proof.

Turning to sports, #khsbbk20 and #khsgbk20 are up and rolling. Also, Kentucky Monthly last month had a very interesting history of deer hunting in Kentucky. Actually, probably the most interesting part of Gary Garth's story to me was the history of not hunting deer in Kentucky; from 1912 to 1946, it was banned. Anyway, it's deer-hunting season of some sort now until Jan. 20. 

Way to go, Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control, Lexington Police and Kentucky State Police, and hooray that Lucy is home in Clinton County for the holidays! 

Thanks for the tip, Angel Welsh of WBKR.

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 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, 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; Augusta, Burkesville, Burnside, Elkton, Mayfield, Providence, Williamsburg, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

Just tremendous jobs news from Brandenburg ...

Bevin announces Nucor Corp. to build $1.35 billion steel mill in Meade Co.; average full-time position to pay $72k per year https://t.co/vHDaDDVFVY

— K105 Radio (@k105radio) March 28, 2019

Justin Case with WYMT in Hazard ("Dedicated to Eastern Kentucky") heads to JRL Coal in Harlan County's Coalgood community to see how the "Green New Deal" is going over. (I don't believe I had ever heard of Coalgood.)

Hiring in Elkton (for an assistant city clerk at at least $16.39 an hour) and Madisonville (for BestVines viral-video finders).

The state's birth rate among females ages 15 to 19 is about 3.6 percent. Powell County has the state's highest rate, at more than twice that.

Will London get the neonatal intensive care unit?

What happens to the homeless after Louisville gets rid of a giant camp downtown? 

Pike County's got bridge problems.

A part-time worker at a Lexington Taco Bell successfully called on his CPR training from Tates Creek High when he saw a man unresponsive outside the restaurant.

Oh, Kentucky

Whose medals are these?

Is the "war on coal" still a thing?

Most everyone appears to think Kentucky's cash-bail system needs an overhaul, and so now we wait for Real Legislature to see what's next.

In other study news, the numbers around retirement in Kentucky are simply brutal.

OTD in 1842, the Kentucky Institution for Education of the Blind was chartered by the state legislature & opened in May. Today, the @ksbwildcats continues to provide comprehensive educational services to all Kentucky students who are blind and visually impaired from birth to 21. pic.twitter.com/xrqPFfTF5o

— KY State Archives (@KYStateArchives) February 5, 2019

The accolades for Lily's Silas House and his Southernmost keep rolling in. Here's the end of an Angela Turner report in Corbin's Times-Tribune: "Maurice Manning, professor of English and Transylvania writer in residence, said the novel 'asks a brave question: Is there a limit to love or to faith? Quietly and in beautiful prose the novel answers the question. This is simply the kind of writer Silas is—courageous, open, curious. His novels are sources of discovery and wisdom.'"

Meanwhile, Kentucky Monthly's annual "Penned" winners are in--from Amburgey, Bowling Green, Brandenburg, Frankfort, Lexington, Madisonville, Owingsville and Wellington.

Oh, Kentucky

Not enough interested players causes cancellation of Trimble County High School football https://t.co/pin3fzhMJi pic.twitter.com/D1aYI8lpZ4

— WHAS11 News (@WHAS11) August 7, 2018

Meanwhile, fewest Greater Bullitt County Youth Football League teams in a decade, per The Pioneer News.

When I was at WKU in the late 1980s, there was a student a little older than me who, the story went, had paid for his college by ordering a sun-tanning bed out of a magazine, installing it in his parents' garage and opening the first service of its kind in his home Kentucky county. Then, in the early 1990s, when I was traveling around the state so much, I noticed how it seemed that even the littlest Kentucky town had a place where you could get a sun tan, a place where you could rent a movie and a place where you could get a pizza--and that sometimes you it was one place where you got all of those things ... a one-stop date shop. Then, in 1999, the Kueber brothers launched the Sun Tan City chain out of a video-rental store in Etown. And now, reports The News-Enterprise, that family has given what is "believed to be the largest single private donation to a public school district in state history" to fuel entrepreneurism in Meade County.

"If the U.S. inland waterways system has a hub, Paducah, Ky. is it."

There may or may not be Kentucky Minute reporting in the HP from the Hopkins County AARP Annual Banquet on Monday.

Oh, Kentucky

A Brandenburg native known for his barbecue in North Carolina takes over a Stephensburg icon. Interesting, twisty-turny business story from Becca Owsley in Etown's News-Enterprise.

Remember that Funtown/Guntown Mountain turnover in Cave City? "Everything will be OK."

An air-conditioning and, in turn, library outage in Auburn.

A federal grant is bringing natural gas to Hazard's Coalfields Regional Industrial Park.

One person has been detained as anti-ICE group blocks elevators at Louisville's immigration court https://t.co/qIjX4Ox3tN

— Courier Journal (@courierjournal) July 26, 2018

 

An 11.5-percent spurt in fatal drug overdoses in Kentucky last year ... "This is a fight we must win for the sake of our families, our communities and the commonwealth as a whole."

What's going wrong at the McCracken County jail?

What are McCreary and Wayne counties doing right?

Oh, Kentucky

Good jobs news from Carrollton.

You know, until about 10 years ago, I had never even heard of "heirloom seeds," but now I have a bunch of them in the garage freezer.

No, I did not know how Hart County got its name.

They're planning to get together in Kevil on Oct. 24.

The eighth-graders are celebrating at Hickman County High.

KY Poet Laureate Frederick Smock works with AP students. #Royals #amwriting @MCHSRoyals1 pic.twitter.com/yRzdJ2ieoj

— MCHS Royal Decree (@MCHSRoyalDecree) September 29, 2017

Meanwhile, in other news from the University of Louisville, ...

Oh, Kentucky

Christmas parades: Owensboro, Nov. 18; Barbourville, Fordsville, Georgetown, Madisonville, Murray and Winchester, Dec. 2; Lexington, Dec. 6, and Hopkinsville, Dec. 9.

Except for an uptick in 2006, donations to Paducah's Telethon of Stars have been on the slide since their peak in 1997, per a Channel 6 graph. Last year's total of $228,410 in gifts appears to be about on par with 1971 giving.

Continuing a fantastic but chilling series, Elizabeth Klibanoff with the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting surveys Kentucky's hate-group landscape.

"Hero."

Rest in peace, Mr. Atwell, "Caverna's most successful man."

Kentucky High-school Boys' Basketball, Two Teams Left

2 p.m. Eastern today: Bowling Green Purples (36-2) vs. Union Cooper Jaguars (32-4)

1918 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1919 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1920 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1921 Louisville duPont Manual
1922 Lexington
1923 Louisville duPont Manual
1924 Lexington
1925 Louisville duPont Manual
1926 Louisville Saint Xavier
1927 Millersburg Military Institute
1928 Ashland (Blazer)
1929 West Paducah Heath!
1930 Corinth
1931 Louisville duPont Manual
1932 Hazard
1933 Ashland (Blazer)
1934 Ashland (Blazer)
1935 Louisville Saint Xavier
1936 Corbin
1937 Midway
1938 Sharpe
1939 Brooksville

78 years ago today, the Polar Bears won their first and only basketball state championship in 1939. pic.twitter.com/SGiY2xcymS

— Polar Bears (@brackencounty) March 20, 2017

1940 Hazel Green
1941 Inez

Lester West, center, won a state championship with Inez in 1941, killed in action near Truk Island (Pacific Theater) on April 16, 1944. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1ABQeS7oYq

— Mountain Sports HOF (@MtnSportsHoF) March 30, 2017

1942 Lexington Lafayette
1943 Hindman
1944 Harlan
1945 Louisville Male
1946 Breckinridge Training
1947 Marysville

70 years ago tonight, the Maysville Bulldogs beat Brewers 54-50 in the championship game of the 1947 state tournament pic.twitter.com/Ti4JwW8G87

— Danny Weddle (@DannyEWeddle) March 23, 2017

1948 Brewers
1949 Owensboro
1950 Lexington Lafayette
1951 Clark County
1952 Cuba

1953 Lexington Lafayette

Opening game of the boys state tourney in Memorial Coliseum March 1953. 2017 @KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 opens today in Rupp Arena. pic.twitter.com/0RNNCh7dOt

— KY Photo Archive (@KYPhotoArchive) March 15, 2017

1954 Inez

What a headline from 1954!#MountainSportsHOF pic.twitter.com/v0BnDBjcFE

— Mountain Sports HOF (@MtnSportsHoF) March 30, 2017

1955 Hazard
1956 Carr Creek
1957 Lexington Lafayette
1958 Louisville Saint Xavier
1959 Calvert City North Marshall

1960 Louisville Flaget
1961 Ashland (Blazer)

Ashland Tomcats bench erupts after quarter-final match with Seneca, 1961, Memorial Coliseum. 2017 @KHSAA semifinals tonight in Rupp Arena. pic.twitter.com/n4REOkEOeC

— KY Photo Archive (@KYPhotoArchive) March 18, 2017

1962 Louisville Saint Xavier
1963 Louisville Seneca

1963 @KHSAA Sweet 16 All Tourney team included Taylor Co.’s Clem Haskins, whose Cardinals play Ballard today at 1:30pm in Rupp Arena pic.twitter.com/6qIDZeClR8

— KY Photo Archive (@KYPhotoArchive) March 16, 2017

1964 Louisville Seneca
1965 Breckinridge County
1966 Shelby County
1967 Earlington

50 years ago today Tyrone Hopson's rebound basket with :01 left gave Earlington a 54-53 win over CovCath in state finals in Freedom Hall. pic.twitter.com/mlYYiSr1lw

— Mike Fields (@MikeFieldsKHSAA) March 18, 2017

Great Day Celetbrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Earlington Yellowjackets State Championship! pic.twitter.com/2EYF3Xq02g

— Jay Burgett (@MNHCoachBurgett) March 19, 2017

1968 Glasgow
1969 Louisville Central
1970 Louisville Male
1971 Louisville Male
1972 Owensboro
1973 Louisville Shawnee
1974 Louisville Central
1975 Louisville Male
1976 Edmonson County
1977 Louisville Ballard

Sweet 16 program cover from 1977. Ballard, led by Jeff Lamp's 43 pts, beat Valley in finals in Freedom Hall. #MyReasonWhy pic.twitter.com/tWKsihRfsZ

— Mike Fields (@MikeFieldsKHSAA) March 16, 2017

1978 Shelby County
1979 Lexington Lafayette

Lafayette wins state title defeating Christian Co 62-52 in 1979. 2017 @KHSAA championship game this afternoon in Rupp Arena. pic.twitter.com/UCHm91ykTc

— KY Photo Archive (@KYPhotoArchive) March 19, 2017

1980 Owensboro
1981 Independence Simon Kenton
1982 Laurel County

Virgie’s Todd May in action, 1982 state tournament. May was named tourney MVP. Action continues today @KHSAA Sweet 16 in Rupp Arena pic.twitter.com/c8AeuzeW22

— KY Photo Archive (@KYPhotoArchive) March 17, 2017

1983 Lexington Henry Clay
1984 Logan County
1985 Hopkinsville
1986 Pulaski County
1987 Clay County
1988 Louisville Ballard
1989 Louisville Pleasure Ridge Park
1990 Louisville Fairdale
1991 Louisville Fairdale
1992 Hopkinsville University Heights
1993 Marion County
1994 Louisville Fairdale 59
1995 Breckinridge County
1996 Paintsville
1997 Middletown Eastern
1998 Scott County
1999 Louisville Ballard
2000 Elizabethtown
2001 Lexington Lafayette
2002 Lexington Catholic 83
2003 Mason County
2004 Bowling Green Warren Central
2005 London South Laurel
2006 Jeffersontown
2007 Scott County
2008 Mason County
2009 Covington Holmes
2010 Pikeville Shelby Valley
2011 Christian County
2012 Louisville Trinity
2013 Richmond Madison Central
2014 Covington Catholic
2015 Owensboro
2016 Lexington Paul L. Dunbar

Kentucky High-school Boys' Basketball, Four Teams Left

Semifinals! I'm for BG and Creek.

6:30 p.m. Eastern, Bowling Green Purples (35-2) vs. Taylor Mill Scott Eagles (24-12) 

8 p.m., Union Cooper Jaguars (31-4) vs. Louisville Fern Creek Tigers (36-2)

Kentucky High-school Boys' Basketball, Eight Teams Left

Hundredth Sweet 16 quarterfinals today ...

Noon Eastern, Scott County Cardinals (32-5) vs. Bowling Green Purples (34-2)

1:30 p.m., Taylor Mill Scott Eagles (23-12) vs. Hazard Perry County Central Commodores (29-7)

6:30 p.m., Shelbyville Martha Layne Collins Titans (25-12) vs. Union Cooper Jaguars (30-4)

8 p.m., Louisville Ballard Bruins (30-6) vs. Louisville Fern Creek Tigers (35-2)

Kentucky High-school Boys' Basketball, 12 Teams Left

Twelve teams remain in play for the 100th Kentucky High School Athletic Association boys' basketball championship, with four more first-round games on tap today ...

Noon Eastern, Louisville Fern Creek Tigers (33-2) vs. Hopkinsville Tigers (28-6)

1:3o p.m., Louisville Ballard Bruins (28-6) vs. Taylor County Cardinals (20-14)

6:30 p.m., Elliott County Lions (26-3) vs. Shelbyville Martha Layne Collins Titans (23-12)

8 p.m., Union Cooper Jaguars (28-4) vs. Meade County Green Wave (13-21)

Hoptown's WHOP 1230 AM says it will begin coverage from Rupp Arena starting at 10:35 Central. Right now, we've got the Matt Jones show.

Kentucky High-school Boys' Basketball, 16 Teams Left

Here are Kentucky's 99 high-school boys' basketball champions so far:

1918 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1919 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1920 Lexington (Henry Clay)
1921 Louisville duPont Manual
1922 Lexington
1923 Louisville duPont Manual
1924 Lexington
1925 Louisville duPont Manual
1926 Louisville Saint Xavier
1927 Millersburg Military Institute
1928 Ashland (Blazer)
1929 West Paducah Heath!
1930 Corinth
1931 Louisville duPont Manual
1932 Hazard
1933 Ashland (Blazer)
1934 Ashland (Blazer)
1935 Louisville Saint Xavier
1936 Corbin
1937 Midway
1938 Sharpe
1939 Brooksville
1940 Hazel Green
1941 Inez
1942 Lexington Lafayette
1943 Hindman
1944 Harlan
1945 Louisville Male
1946 Breckinridge Training
1947 Maysville
1948 Brewers
1949 Owensboro
1950 Lexington Lafayette
1951 Clark County
1952 Cuba
1953 Lexington Lafayette
1954 Inez
1955 Hazard
1956 Carr Creek
1957 Lexington Lafayette
1958 Louisville Saint Xavier
1959 Calvert City North Marshall
1960 Louisville Flaget
1961 Ashland (Blazer)
1962 Louisville Saint Xavier
1963 Louisville Seneca
1964 Louisville Seneca
1965 Breckinridge County
1966 Shelby County
1967 Earlington
1968 Glasgow
1969 Louisville Central
1970 Louisville Male
1971 Louisville Male
1972 Owensboro
1973 Louisville Shawnee
1974 Louisville Central
1975 Louisville Male
1976 Edmonson County
1977 Louisville Ballard
1978 Shelby County
1979 Lexington Lafayette
1980 Owensboro
1981 Independence Simon Kenton
1982 Laurel County
1983 Lexington Henry Clay
1984 Logan County
1985 Hopkinsville
1986 Pulaski County
1987 Clay County
1988 Louisville Ballard
1989 Louisville Pleasure Ridge Park
1990 Louisville Fairdale
1991 Louisville Fairdale
1992 Hopkinsville University Heights
1993 Marion County
1994 Louisville Fairdale 59
1995 Breckinridge County
1996 Paintsville
1997 Middletown Eastern
1998 Scott County
1999 Louisville Ballard
2000 Elizabethtown
2001 Lexington Lafayette
2002 Lexington Catholic 83
2003 Mason County
2004 Bowling Green Warren Central
2005 London South Laurel
2006 Jeffersontown
2007 Scott County
2008 Mason County
2009 Covington Holmes
2010 Pikeville Shelby Valley
2011 Christian County
2012 Louisville Trinity
2013 Richmond Madison Central
2014 Covington Catholic
2015 Owensboro
2016 Lexington Paul L. Dunbar

Here are the 16 teams that begin competing today at Lexington's Rupp Arena for the 2017 title:

Noon Eastern, Bowling Green Purples (32-2) vs. Graves County Eagles (27-7)

1:30 p.m., Pikeville Panthers (23-8) vs. Hazard Perry County Central Commodores (27-7)

6:30 p.m., Taylor Mill Scott Eagles (21-12) vs. Harlan County Black Bears (31-3)

8 p.m., Scott County Cardinals (30-5) vs. Pulaski County Maroons (27-7)

Here's a bracket for the tournament, and here's the KHSAA program for this week.