Oh, Kentucky

Oh, Kentucky

It's (almost) a wrap for Mayfield's first Fairgrounds Festival of Lights, and we have until Oct. 1 to sponsor a 2020 display.

The I-65 Mile Marker 0 welcome center in Simpson County, opened in 1974, is closed until probably fall.

Hoptown's Pennyroyal Area Museum targets Feb. 27 for its reopening.

Floyd County is optimistic the resurrection of Wheelwright's prison will take place, even with turnover in Frankfort.

Inez will be down to one grocery after the IGA's Monday closing.

Several Peebles, Goody's and other department stores around Kentucky are converting to Gordmanses this year, such as in Leitchfield and Winchester.

Paducah Police also is hiring.

World Trade Center Kentucky has named an interim executive director.

Kathie Stamps at Smiley Pete Publishing has an interesting report on a married-physicians couple's launch of "membership-based concierge medicine" in Lexington. Excellent name for the new biz: Downtown Drs. Brown. 

Jerry Sparks kicks off a three-part Jackson County Sun series on three people from McKee who were pardoned by former Gov. Bevin: "(M)ost of the pardons issued by the former Governor were not controversial at all. A great deal of the pardons issued were earned by the recipients through years of hard work and dedication toward turning their lives around. Unfortunately, the news cycle tends to focus on the sensational and the negative. In fairness, time should be spent addressing those people that honestly turned their lives around and earned themselves a second chance."

Huge in Kenton County: Liane Moriarity, James Patterson, Mario, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Alvin Schwartz, Lego, Game of Thrones and a bunch of Now That's What I Call Musics.

Oh, Kentucky

On the Babies 'R Us transformation in Florence.

On the Patti's comeback in Grand Rivers.

On the Christmas-decor redo debut in Columbia.

Fiber to the (Princeton) home.

Good jobs news from Berea, Erlanger, Hopkinsville and Maysville. Bad from Ashland and Shelbyville. False hope in Inez.

Turning to sports, Franklin County High's Benny Watkins Field will be under scrutiny Friday night; Martha Layne Collins High celebrates its first Division I hoops signees, and Season 4 for the SoKY Ice Rink is afoot.

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

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

What's up with Barren County's hotel-occupancy dip?

Corbin's Times-Tribune apprises us on progress on conversion of an old Economy Inn toward a splash pad.

Carter County's animal shelter, nearing a year old, is just about complete.

On Bath County's 1876 Meatshower.

Happy 175th, Midway Christian.

And now the Ferrell's in Hoptown has had a fire, but the downtown hamburger and "special breakfast" provider since 1936 is plotting its comeback. 

The new CriminalJusticeDegreeHub.com paralegal poll is out, and Kentucky has two schools in the top 10.

Google is bringing digital-literacy training to Bowling Green and Erlanger.

Oh, Kentucky

"This is a sad day for our wonderful, close-knit community. If we can't extend a helping hand for our elderly that have blazed the path for our current and future generations then that speaks volumes for our integrity." Rachel Keller Collins delivers the breaking and heartbreaking news in The Marshall County Tribune-Courier that the Marshall County Senior Citizens Center is giving up the fight.

Madisonville's hoping to draw new residents from Fort Campbell.

The Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum is leaving Owensboro for Central City.

Muhlenberg County is also getting a new indoor-sports facility.

For what (I think) is its third CEO in three years, Lexmark taps a lifer.

A couple of Erlanger-Elsmere originals are shutting down Florence's "hands-on" Herbs & More after 22 years, and it sounds like backroads driving, family visiting and maybe even (finally again) some fishing might be on the agenda. Patricia Scheyer's farewell feature at The River City News is a fun read.

Banking hiccups are holding back hemp in Kentucky, an Eddyville operator and other industry leaders tell Sen. McConnell and other congressional leaders.

There's a Head Start hard stop in Flemingsburg, but no one's yet saying what's up.

More on the passing of "King" Coleman: Per Steve LeMaster in the Floyd County Chronicle, visitation will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday in the Wayland High School gym, and the family asks memorial contributions go to the Mountain Sports Hall of Fame.

Oh, Kentucky

Update from Madisonville: Ferrell's Snappy Service is on track to be back by Flag Day!

Update from Paducah: SRO at the city commission, and 4-1 in favor of an amended fairness ordinance.

Update from Betsy Layne:

Closing of Boyle County's largest child-care provider has spurred a long, hard look at the problem, its ramifications and possible solutions among community members in and around Danville. Solid meeting coverage from Robin Hart in The-Advocate Messenger.

Thanks, Feds, for the dough to train aviation maintenance technicians at and around EKU.

The first signee to John Prine's Oh Boy Records in 15 years is from Monkey's Eyebrow.

Oh, Kentucky

He turned 100, and he wanted to mow.

Trump, Bevin, coal, renewables, TVA, the DoE, John Prine, U of L, newspapers ... this story by WFPL's Ryan Van Velzer has everything.

There's a big U.S./China economic and cultural event going down in Lexington this week, and the National Governors Association hails "the exclusive deal-making opportunity." Indeed, here's a deal struck having to do with Chinese-mined magnesium.

Kentucky is considering whether to ban tattoos on scarred skin, and you can weigh in with emailed comments.

A new bar/pizza place in Covington closes; an old restaurant in Franklin is expanding to offer coffees and breakfast.

The Gleaner's Douglas White delivers his typically outstanding 411 on the purchase of a 50-year-old Henderson Ford dealership by a Bowling Green Toyota outfit.

Untethered from presses, the Kentucky New Era has moved back to downtown Hopkinsville. Interesting trend observed by Al Cross at his always-great Rural Blog.

Booming Beaver Dam--it is about a sixth more populous since 1980--has hired its first full-time fire chief.

Corbin's tourism director says the season's first movies-in-the-park event drew about 175 to (Col.) Sanders Park.

The Paducah area's Women in Maritime Operations are (formally) getting it together.

The elementary teacher of the year is from London, and the local Sentinel-Echo is hosting a virtual celebration.

Turning to sports, a globetrotting volleyballer from Erlanger is thinking about turning away.

Oh, Kentucky

"Something that has stuck with me from my latest work is, 'Everyone wants to be a lion until it’s time to hunt.' I find this applies to many things and not just writing but specifically to young writers I would say it means to you that everyone wants the novel, the play on Broadway...the finished product. That is the metaphorical 'lion' but not as many want to be a lion when it’s time to write the 15th draft, or format a script or do all the “stuff” that isn’t as glamorous. You can’t be a lion without doing the hunt which is the blood, sweat and tears of what makes a lion so magnificent." Just a fantastic Q&A in Barbourville's Mountain Advocate with Cathy Goguen, "former Knox County teacher, published playwright and author, and mobility advocate...just to name a few," writes Brooke Cole Stansbury.

"We are reminded of God’s creativity and deep connection with all creatures, ecosystems, and humans.  Psalm 24 says, 'The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too.' This invites us to protect the earth as home, not only for people including future generations, not only for all plants and animals, rocks and mountains but for God. The word 'ecology' is formed from the Greek words for 'house' (oikos) and 'word, purpose' (logos). Creation is the home of God and for God’s people, ecology calls us to our purpose in this joint household. Our purpose for living, according to the Psalms, is to praise God – not alone, not as a solo, but to join our whole being in praise, with the sun and moon, with sea monsters, trees, creatures that creep along, and birds that fly. We praise God by being who God created us to be, to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God, to love one another, care for the least of these among us, and to protect and care our common home." Amen, Carol Devine of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Nicholasville.

"According to a study on religion in America by the Pew Research Center, 22% of Kentucky residents are religiously unaffiliated. Younger Americans are even more likely to be nonreligious. Kentucky lawmakers should not stigmatize these students by promoting religious messages in school! National motto display bills like HB 46 are being pushed by special interests as part of Project Blitz, an effort by Christian nationalists to rewrite American history so that it favors their agenda. These bills aim to undermine the separation of religion and government and spread a false narrative that America was founded as a Christian nation. We cannot allow special interests to use our children to achieve their political goals." American Atheists Inc. issues a call to Kentuckian action.

Turning to sports, “I thank God for the opportunity to do the job I love so close to home.”

And speaking Pine Mountain State Resort Park, which is fantastic ... hiring in Pineville (immediately for a front-desk clerk).

Good jobs news from Erlanger, Elizabethtown and Lexington--and maybe Cave City, too. Bad from Madisonville.

Per USA Today, the richest Kentuckian is an Oklahoman who got himself really rich in California after a trip to Texas.

Paducah and San Antonio, Texas, are trading their UNESCO Creative City crews.

The Beaver Dam Amphitheatre summer schedule is out, and the Class of '86 is going to freak!

Spring cleanup nears in Elkton.

Beds for 50 Shepherdsville Elementary kids who need them.

Relief for cross-state commuters to and from Wickliffe.

Oh, Kentucky

The sheriff office's practice of handcuffing children as young as 5 ends up costing Kenton County $337,000 in tax revenues.

The cost of natural gas is down, says the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

A state grant for almost $100,000, plus city dollars of about $20, adds up to a new training facility for Madisonville's firefighters.

A better hands-on STEM resource for K-12 students in California, more research space for the college kids in Crestview Hills and a good day all around for Thomas More (née Villa Madonna).

Good jobs news from Erlanger.

Oh, Kentucky

Good jobs news from Bowling Green, Erlanger and Lexington.

"If part of your community is doing well and the other part not doing so good then the community can only fail. But if both sides of the community flourish, then the community will rise together and we all win because the sky is the limit."

"Their new group, Co-Heirs with Christ Missions, is different from some churches they attended in Africa. Too often, Frimpong remembered, leaders preached that joining the church would change their lives immediately – that their belief would guarantee prosperity. This tactic brought people to churches, but it only exacerbated the poverty rate, as people started to believe that they didn’t need to look for work."

UK's Kentucky Kernel has a new advisor (second consecutive one from WKU), and the Todd County Standard is on the market.

Sweet Paducah Sun story about a South Carolina man returning to where he and his late wife married in 1955--with helpful bonus material on the history of PJC/PCC/WKTC/WKCTC.

Terrific Bill Estep report in the Lexington Herald-Leader on the impact of drugs on the labor market in eastern Kentucky.

A Hardinsburg barber stars in an Amazon movie that came out yesterday, and it sounds hair-raising!

With the U.S. Senior Open rolling, the USGA took a road trip to Franklin to visit with the defending champ.

Corbin's getting a mural, on Roy Kidd Avenue.

Oh, Kentucky

Hundreds gather for candlelight vigil after shooting at Kentucky high school leaves two students dead and many others injured. https://t.co/fajEeB7PuL pic.twitter.com/dKEVsBOneG

— ABC News (@ABC) January 26, 2018

At least 28 current and former educators are running for seats in the state legislature.

The water problems have Martin County boiling.

The Beaver Dam rest area did not reopen today.

Good jobs news from Greensburg.

Better cell coverage coming to Potts Creek.

Hoptown's rolling out a Gig to the home.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed a Fulton County native to lead the Army Corps of Engineers.

Erlanger's Colonial Cottage has been rolling for 85 years, and a cashier of the last five of those has brought home its first Kentucky Restaurant Association employee-of-the-year award.

Oh, Kentucky

#Raptors coach Dwane Casey was attending an all-Black school in racially segregated small town in Kentucky when MLK was assassinated. #MLKDay pic.twitter.com/MsFo15aKKw

— Gianina (@giaplusnina) January 15, 2018

23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Walk - Cadiz https://t.co/j0bSSAKjeH

— WKDZ Radio (@WKDZ) January 15, 2018

Today in my hometown, Owensboro, Kentucky @visitowensboro the @sozochildren choir was part of a MLK celebration worship service. This awesome choir was rehearsing prior to the service. It includes our Sheriff, Mayor, my 9th grade science teacher etc #thistownrocks #obky pic.twitter.com/tDJpgehPcM

— Jon Brennan (@jonbrennan_com) January 15, 2018

Lexington, UK celebrate MLK Day with downtown march and program: https://t.co/y5z4AefHVu pic.twitter.com/1x3JCNT2N4

— Kentucky Kernel (@KyKernel) January 15, 2018

Kentucky's most recently formed public library is in McLean County, created six years ago, and now it's among the first three in the state to participate in Library Economic Advantage Forum collaboration, reports Rhonda Miller with WKU Public Radio.

Channel 6, hacking off the rest of the Mississippi River counties.

Oh, Kentucky

Will Perkins reports in the Glasgow Daily Times on two brothers who opened their custom-gun business on the day before Sunday: “We can build any type of gun you want, any kind of customization you're looking for, from straight-up build or if you're trying to supe it up.”

A "trivial" dispute about leaves and glass clippings appear to be at the heart of neighborly violence that sent U.S. Sen. Rand Paul to the hospital with broken ribs.

Typical workplace power and male insecurity appear to be at the heart of a sexual-harassment settlement that led to Ky. Rep. Jeff Hoover to resigning his leadership post in the legislature. 

The Clinton County Jail reportedly had to be evacuated this morning because of a fire.

Kmart's Kentucky footprint is down to Erlanger, Grayson, Paducah, Russell Springs and Somerset following its recent spate of closings, reports West Kentucky Star.

Oh, Kentucky

Live in the @WFPLNews newsroom: Comey and kittens. pic.twitter.com/3qywIjkQuL

— Erica Peterson (@ericampeterson) June 8, 2017

Here are the proper nouns in Sen. McConnell's love letter to his state on its 225th birthday: Commonwealth of Kentucky, Union, Virginia, Kentucky County, Native American Wyandot, Kentuckian, Daniel Boone, Cumberland Gap, Ephraim McDowell, Tori Murden McClure, Atlantic Ocean, American, Colonel Harland Sanders, Diane Sawyer, Glasgow, Louisville, Muhammad Ali, Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln, Alben Barkley, Georgia Powers, African American, Kentucky Senate, Jesse Stuart, Pulitzer Prize, Robert Penn Warren, National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Grammy Award, Loretta Lynn, Chris Stapleton, Jennifer Lawrence, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, United States Senate and Bluegrass State. It would be fascinating to see to see the Microsoft Word document with tracked changes turned on.

5 Stars, Highly Recommended ...

NKU ranks No. 31 for LGBTQ inclusion.

Nice feature by Don Sergeant in the Glasgow Daily Times on an 89-year-old instructor in the free golf-instruction program for kids at the local country club. And his picture of the guy is great, too!

Good jobs news in Madisonville.

Oh, Kentucky

https://t.co/QNmYNGUGmk Kentucky Classic Orchestra held their Spring Concert this past week at Angelic Hall in Lebanon. Part two of two.

— CentralKentuckyTV (@Channel6TV) May 17, 2017

Valarie Honeycutt Spears in the Lexington Herald-Leader surveys the policy landscape for public-school "lunch shaming" in central Kentucky.

Congratulations to Gov. Bevin's old Shelbyville friend for landing a $250,000-a-year, state-government gig to lead workforce development in the state. His old company, Shelby Industries, closed in October, citing foreign competition.

Toyota is kicking in a bunch of money to help pay for K-12 and community-college programs intended to prepare students for advanced-manufacturing jobs.

"(T)here are only five communities in the state of Kentucky that have all-inclusive playgrounds, according to AccessiblePlayground.net. The closest of those is nearly an hour from the City of Madisonville, and even further for the surrounding areas we serve. As the hub of our six-county service area, we feel an obligation to meet the needs of all the children we serve. We envision an area where all children have equal opportunity to play, dream, learn to overcome challenges, exercise, and develop a love of the outdoors."

Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park is hiring for a golf-course superintendent, and it pays between $29,000 and $39,000 a year for 37.5 hours of work a week.

Camp Kum-Ba-Ya Needs List 2017
This year KBY will host the Solar Eclipse August 19-21. This list contains things that we will use for both our summer events and the solar eclipse. Anything left from our summer use will then be used during the solar eclipse. If you want, we can make the purchases for you. Just note on memo line what item you want us to get. The items that have prices are from Sams'
Canteen…
Candy Bars:
Milky Way (36 - $20.68)
3 Musketeer (24 - $26.37)
M/M Plain (24 - $26.37)
Snickers (48 - $27.58)
Butterfinger (36 - $20.68)
Kit Kat (not snack size)
Reece Cups (not snack size)
Crackers, etc.:
Granola Bars (non chocolate)
Peanut Butter (40 - $6.88)
Sweet & Salty (30 - $7.98)
Bottled Water (5 cases)
Dr. Pepper (5-12 packs)
Sprite (5-12 packs)
Coke (5-12 packs) 
Diet Coke (5-12 packs)

Hoptown girds for Little Free Libraries rollout.

Rest in peace, Mr. Schroeder, founder of Schroeder Publishing, publisher of best-selling One Thousand Fruit Jars with Current Value, founder of the American Quilters Society and The National Quilt Museum, dreamer of the flood-wall murals and husband of Meredith Carnahan Schroeder for 63 years. "His greatest love was for his family, hunting, fishing and Paducah."

Oh, Kentucky

Kentucky needs you… to run for office!! From School Board to U.S. Congress and every office in between, we need you!! 2018 is your year!

— New Kentucky Project (@newkyproject) May 9, 2017

It appears no one wants Frankfort's Capital Plaza Tower.

Madisonville's new bus system is set to debut May 22.

Good jobs news from Lawrenceburg and Louisville. Bad from Erlanger.

Gov. Bevin's in Hoptown today; Rep. Comer, Benton.

Oh, Kentucky

Unfreakingbelievable.

Good jobs news from Erlanger. And though it's not news of new jobs, this is awfully good news for the 8,200 people who have jobs at Toyota in Georgetown.

I am forever accidentally putting my vehicle in drive instead of reverse (or vice versa), so I hate it for this guy who crashed into the post office in Lily.

Rest in peace, Tom Butler, who started at WPSD in 1962, served as Channel 6's "Grammar Phantom," directed music at Paducah's East Baptist Church for 42 years, played a lot of golf at Paxton Park and is one of nine people set to be inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame later this month.

Oh, Kentucky

Rest in peace, Jack E. Bradbury, Air Force lieutenant colonel who served with the Joint Chiefs, doctor of education who taught teachers in Florida after he retired the first time, Habitat for Humanity "Can Man" after he retired the second time and moved to Madisonville, husband of Virginia for 68 years until she died in 2011 and grand marshal of the 2007 Madisonville Kiwanis Christmas parade.

Adairville on Dec. 3 is planning to put on its FIRST Christmas parade! “Light up your car, wagon, truck, lawn mower, atv, boat, whatever and be a part of this … You don’t have to get elaborate, just festive.”

More Christmas parades: Owensboro (Messenger-Inquirer reports the cold didn't deter the crowd), Nov. 19; Ashland (3,500 participants in 10 divisions), Nov. 22; Sebree, Nov. 26; Bardstown, Dec. 1; Maysville, Monticello and Richmond, Dec. 2; Berea, Bowling Green, Glasgow, Harlan, Henderson, Madisonville, Paris, Somerset and Winchester, Dec. 3; Boyce, Owenton and Schochoh, Dec. 4, and Augusta (with fireworks), Cave City, Elkton, Hopkinsville and Pikeville, Dec. 10.

It's fun to imagine this German's trip to Hodgenville and Owensboro a couple of months before the Bicentennial (Kentucky for sale): 

Good jobs news from Hopkinsville.

Elizabethtown's Towne Mall McDonald's is on the comeback trail, and Culver's, Panda Express and Starbucks may be on their way.

Tim Hortons appears to be coming to Cold Spring and Erlanger.

Edmonson County's new senior food pantry is open, and it looks great!

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce president is coming to Madisonville next month to preview the 2017 (real) legislature.

Elkton is planning to see off an 18-term/36-year city councilperson. "Light refreshments will be served."

Here (between Hector and Eriline, I think) is about where it apparently gets really bad:

There's a darkness on the edge of Bardstown. (Mister State Trooper ...)

Oh, Kentucky

It's 200 years of Daviess County, and here are some of the highlights.

Have some deer, Wisconsin.

Fort Thomas is said to be Kentucky's safest place. (Madisonville is No. 2!)

Good jobs news from Elizabethtown and Erlanger. Bad from Hodgenville.

The Heritage Foundation's county-by-county, right-to-work raid across Kentucky reaches Hardin County.

Spot treating of roads by KYTC Maintenance crews is widespread this morning. http://t.co/rV6Q7o5hPX pic.twitter.com/l82a47j42u
— KYTC (@KYTC) January 14, 2015