Kentucky for sale:
Kelly Craft--daughter of a Glasgow veterinarian and ardent Democrats, Republican-fundraising wife of an Oklahoma coal boss, chair of Gov. Bevin’s inaugural committee, co-founder of donor to UK's Joe Craft Center basketball practice facility, bridge builder according to close-friend Coach Cal, etc.—is President Trump’s choice for ambassador to Canada. (I love Canada. Matthew, some episode of "N-th Podcast," let's talk about our big trip to Canada.)
Lexington's Kentucky Coal Association, formed in 1942 “to promote the best interest of the coal mining industry in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and all those engaged therein,” thanks President Trump in The Hazard Herald.
Great report, WFPL's Lisa Gillespie: "As fast as she was deteriorating, I needed to be there for her. Something this little can really deprive me of the last times I’ll have with my mother. That hit me over and over."
"Thank you. Thank you for being men and women who work, and I mean that sincerely. There’s too many of your fellow Kentuckians who are as able-bodied as you are who choose to try and work the system. You’re paying their freight and paying your own freight." OK, it turns out that Gov. Bevin went through Leitchfield on his way to western Kentucky on Wednesday, so that means he probably spliced together a Tour 14/8/16 combo. Ambitious plan, Governor.
Nice job, City of Paducah grant writer(s), who successfully appealed to the National Endowment for the Arts and won a $75,000 grant for Market House Theatre. The money will help pay for the "Next Stage Campaign," which is intended to double capacity of Studio Theatre and set up more classrooms, rehearsal spaces and a facility for building sets.
Hoptown opens another viewing spot for the eclipse hoard.
Bad jobs news (maybe) from Madisonville.
More upheaval for Lexmark.
Western Kentucky just lost the opening game of the Conference USA tournament to the Texas-San Antonio ... I'll give you three guesses ... no ... no ... no, it's "Roadrunners," 56-52, in a performance artfully reminiscent of when the football players used to play basketball on the chain-net courts outside the dorms at the bottom of the hill in the middle 1980s. Rick Stansbury's first season in Bowling Green was the first losing season (15-17) for WKU since 2011-12. #Stansdawg reportedly has a bunch of stud recruits joining the Hilltoppers for next season, so I remain optimistic. And though there wasn't much standing or cheering to be done this season, it was fun to go back and catch up today on Rick Stansbury history at the HP.
Last week, it was the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (12-19), Morehead State Eagles (14-16) and Murray State Racers (16-17) flaming out in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and ending their seasons. But do you know what Kentuckian did navigate the OVC and is still dancing?
So, anyway, four teams from the Commonwealth have been eliminated from the national-championship race. The Northern Kentucky Norse and two other Kentucky schools are still competing.
#GoHeath
#neverforget
Kenlake, Kentucky Dam Village, Lake Barkley and Pennyrile state resort parks are all beneficiaries of "Refreshing" expenditures that Gov. Bevin announced a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, John Clay reports in the Lexington Herald-Leader that one of Gov. Bevin's appointees to his refreshed University of Louisville board of trustees had a Twitter history of Rick Pitino hate--but has subsequently deleted the account.
And, in other news, the Lexington Herald-Leader is going to be printed in Louisville.
#STANSDAWG!
Morehead re-upped with Sean Woods.
This week's bear at the Manchester Walmart does not appear to be last week's bear at the Kentucky School for the Deaf in Danville.
Rest in peace, Scooter Davis of "Beaver 96.7," an FM radio station in Bowling Green. Per a very moving tribute by Glasgow's WCLU 1490 AM, Mr. Davis "died last week after an exhaustive battle with esophageal cancer. Radio is a very personal medium, and Scooter was a very personal friend to have on and off the air. Which is why so many of his audience truly loved him. Many classmates at Metcalfe County High School have followed his career, as have countless couples whom Scooter did their wedding reception, high school reunion dance, played a song that resulted in a couple hooking up or breaking up. Or just made the day start off in a normal way."
1857 opens in Paducah.
"Be assured, MSU is not in crisis; however, ..."
Turning to sports, the Fifth Region #khsgbk and #khsbbk landscapes are shifting, and allegedly Mike Casey's jersey (from Shelbyville Jiffy softball, not UK) has turned up on (sublime) ebay.
Rest in peace, Elder DeMoss of Mortons Gap, two-time coon-hunting world champion, avid 'Cats fan, retired coal miner, Primitive Baptist minister of 42 years and husband to Mrs. Covington DeMoss for 71.
The Twitter desk loves #TBT.
Y-E-S-W-E-C-A-N.
Christmas parades: Hazard and Owensboro, Nov. 23; Ashland, Nov. 26; Lebanon and Loretto, Nov. 29; Inez, Nov. 30; Nortonville, Dec. 1; Elkton, Lebanon and Maysville, Dec. 6; Beaver Dam/Hartford (really Hartford), Bradfordville, Columbia, Henderson, Lawrenceburg, Marion, Middlesboro, Paducah, Shelbyville and Somerset, Dec. 7; Evarts, Dec. 8, and Cave City and Stamping Ground, Dec. 14.
