48 Teams Left

OK, we're getting toward the end now.  Three more teams punch their trip to Rupp Arena, although this year's tournament is starting to look like a walkover for St. X.  But Barren County's win over Warren Central shows us, once again, that defeats are not always forever:

FOURTH REGION QUARTERFINALS (at W. Kentucky):

Barren Co. 58 - 44 (16) Warren Cent.

Clinton Co. 87 - 64 Logan Co.

SEVENTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIP (at Valley H.S.):

Lou. Trinity 44 - 59 (1) Lou. St. Xavier

Because the 7th Region is so deep, its tournament is usually won of the best of the year.  This year, St. X crushed everyone.  That is very rare.

EIGHTH REGION QUARTERFINALS (at Henry Co. H.S.):

(15) N. Oldham 73 - 45 Gallatin Co.

Anderson Co. 44 - 57 Walton-Verona

TENTH REGION QUARTERFINALS (at Montgomery Co. H.S.):

Montgomery Co. 87 - 25 Harrison Co.

Mason Co. 67 - 59 Bishop Brossart

TWELFTH REGION SEMIFINALS (at Lincoln Co. H.S.):

Pulaski Co. 49 - 53 Mercer Co.

Southwestern 46 - 47 (19) Danville Christian

They have now played six games in the 12th Region tournament.  Three went to double overtime.  The other three were decided by a total seven points.  This may be the greatest tournament in the history of basketball.

THIRTEENTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIP (at The Corbin Arena):

N. Laurel 49 - 44 (18) S. Laurel (OT)

FOURTEENTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIP (at Knott Co. Cent.):

Breathitt Co. 61 - 59 (12) Hazard

Hazard finishes the year with a record of 29-3, as did Marshall Co.

FIFTEENTH REGION SEMIFINALS (at Pike Co. Cent. H.S.):

Pike Co. Cent. 76 - 93 Lawrence Co.

Martin Co. 103 - 85 Floyd Cent.

SIXTEENTH REGION SEMIFINALS (at Morehead St.):

Russell 45 - 57 Boyd Co.

(8) Ashland Blazer 61 - 39 Rowan Co.

The following top 20 teams have been eliminated:

4.  Marshall Co. (lost to (6) Calloway Co. in Regional Championship)

5.  Lex. Bryan Station (lost to (2) Great Crossing in Regional Semifinals)

10.  Lou. Manual (lost to Lou. Trinity in Regional Semifinals)

12.  Hazard (lost to Breathitt Co. in Regional Championship)

16.  Warren Cent. (lost to Barren Co. in Regional Quarterfinals)

Oh, Kentucky

Oh, Kentucky

Oh, Kentucky

You got the wrong DJ's.

In Frankfort, Wilkinson Street School will be no more.

To Taylor Mill, Dunkin' is comin'.

I'm surprised Little League wasn't already in Paducah.

I love deadline extensions.

On the pardons ...

Henderson Police gets creative in how to cost-effectively address its officer shortages.

Turning to sports, our old friend Elijah Sindelar appears to be calling it a career. 

Ninety-one 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, 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

Hiring at the pen (starting at $14.25 per hour). Seeking someone with "a sincere passion for Henderson and our region."

Locals take over Owensboro's Towne Square Mall. Paducah downtown is amid a makeover (including a possible influx of Louisville investment). I love malls and downtowns, as well as Paducah and Owensboro, so this is all great news by my score.

Lexingtonwise, Sav's No. 2 has opened downtown; Drake's No. 14, in Hamburg.

Garbage goes private in Liberty.

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, 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

Change is everywhere in Kentucky. Our license-plate letters and numbers will no longer be raised.

The new Democratic governor will give Kentucky's first Republican attorney general in 70 years an early start.

The secretary of Kentucky's justice and public safety cabinet--a Democrat appointed four years ago by the outgoing Republican governor--bows out.

On his last day in office, Gov. Bevin opined on good jobs news from Murray: "Over the past four years, we have made historic strides in improving our business climate, and it’s exciting to see those efforts culminate in transformational job-creating projects. We are grateful that TPG chose Kentucky for its new operation and appreciate the opportunities it will provide to our citizens."

As one who knows next to nothing about law, the whole deal where a governor or president on the way out pardons convicted people is one of the more curious aspects of life in the United States.

The state's anticipated $1.1 billion budget shortfall "is a lot bigger than anything that we anticipated," a Republican state representative tells Joe Sonka and Deborah Yetter of The Courier-Journal. "It's a real train wreck," amplifies a progressive economic-policy group from Berea.

Eleanor Klibanoff of the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting: "A KyCIR investigation shows LMPD brings almost every rape case to a prosecutor to decide whether to make an arrest--sometimes before they’ve done much investigating. If prosecutors decline the case, the police clear it 'by exception.' LMPD cleared three times as many 2017 rape cases 'by exception' than they did by arrest."

The Who's planned concert at NKU in April is historic for greater Cincinnati.

Brand new in Manchester: The Clay We Were.

Congratulations, Ms. McGaha, retiring operator of June's Beauty Shop in Jamestown since 19 and 62.

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, Bromley/Ludlow, Brownsville, Cadiz, Calvert City, Carlisle, Clinton, Columbia, Corbin, Cynthiana, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Grayson, Hawesville, Henderson, Horse Cave, Inez, Lawrenceburg, Leitchfield, Lexington, Madisonville, Marion, Middlesboro, Morgantown, Munfordville, Murray, Owingsville, Paducah, 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, Cave City, Elkton, Franklin, Louisa, Mayfield, Providence, Williamsburg and Woodburn, Dec. 14, and Tollesboro, Dec. 15.

Oh, Kentucky

Hey, look, Kentucky made Drudge:

Christmas parades: Sharpsburg, Nov. 9; Boyce, Dawson Springs and Murray, Dec. 1; Bardstown, Dec. 5; Harrodsburg, Hopkinsville and Monticello, Dec. 6; Berea, Bowling Green, Danville, Frankfort, Glasgow, Henderson, Madisonville, Paducah, Scottsville, Shelbyville, Trenton and Whitley City, Dec. 7, and Cave City, Dec. 10.

Oh, Kentucky

And now Nelson County has received a giant gift, too.

Restoring the African American cemeteries in and around Boyle County.

Taking the first step toward safer parks in Middlesboro.

Glasgow has hired its first female police chief.

Bringing Hazard together at GameStop.

Oh, Kentucky

Home sales are up in Kentucky.

Is Lexington's Helix Garage the country's coolest parking lot?

Public libraries are the best. At Glasgow's, you could be learning American Sign Language this summer.

Both the state's governor and its attorney general--opponents in the governor's race--are chasing miners' unpaid wages from a bankrupt Harlan County operator.

Plenty of law-enforcement opportunities in Elkton.

Bridge is out, in northern Crittenden County.

I'm so happy for Brenda Powers with the Big Sandy Area Development District and the other involved federal-, state- and local-agency personnel that the third phase of the more-than-a-decade-old "Pride on the River" sewer project is complete. (And I loved the level of detail on the saga that Mary Meadows delivered in her reporting for the Floyd County Chronicle.)

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

Perry County's fifth-annual fair drew record numbers, and organizers in part credit the new sea-lion show and world-class juggler. Katie Kelley provides a happy recap in the Hazard Herald.

Gina Kinslow of the Glasgow Daily Times delivers a similarly entertaining report from the outset of the Barren County Fair: "Some of my fondest memories are here. My whole family works all week and all my friends I've grown up with are here."

Logan and Woodford, too.

Factoring poverty, percentage of adults with bachelor’s degrees and life expectancy, USA TODAY and its 24/7 Wall Street content partner identified McCreary as the worst in which to live of Kentucky's 100 counties with population of at least 10,000.

I had no idea Kentucky has designs on making itself the nation's "Sandbox" for beta-testing "innovative products, processes, methods or procedures relating to the sale, solicitation, negotiation, fulfillment, administration or use" for the "InsurTech" industries, but I am intrigued.

Louisa--Taco Bell territory since 1995--is getting a first-of-its-kind "Explorer" prototype store with multiple levels, self-serve kiosks and two fireplaces.

Good jobs and (intriguing healthcare/mall) news from South Williamson.

Pink Lily's community impact in Bowling Green has been hailed nationally.

The Hacks Crossroad Market facelift is complete, and the Butler County store is grandly reopened (and serving homemade cheesecake).

More shelter for the animals at the Bell County Animal Shelter, thanks to someone's inheritance gift and  volunteer labor from Bell County Area Technology Center carpentry students.

Hiring in Clinton, Mayfield and Paducah (maybe you could be Channel 6's next meteorologist!).

Christmas parades: Murray, Dec. 1; Hopkinsville, Dec. 6, and Henderson and Scottsville, Dec. 7.

Oh, Kentucky

No, for real, Frankfort's Pic-Pac is closing.

Glasgow is starting to consider a new downtown park, and the comments on the local Daily Times' Facebook post about it are already strident.

The new $17.8 million library in Lyndon is open; the old ones in Fern Creek and Middletown are budget casualties.

A nonprofit's hospital grades were especially bad news for Henderson's Methodist Hospital, reports Douglas White in The Gleaner.

"There are more than 1,100 Harlan County students designated as homeless under a U.S. Department of Education definition of homeless, which includes living in substandard housing ... Harlan County Schools has the second highest percentage of homeless students in the state, according to data from the Kentucky Department of Education. More than one in every four students are considered homeless." Eye-opening but ultimately hopeful report by Report for America's Will Wright in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

From Peter Brackney's dependably interesting Kaintuckeean blog: "This summer is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City which is seen as a seminal moment in the fight for LGBT rights in this country. In Kentucky, the Kentucky Heritage Council has been working to recognize significant LGBT sites in the Commonwealth. Given the modern science, Pulaski should be so recognized. Xis contributions, as a transgender/intersex individual, to our society were significant. Given that approximately 1.7% of children are born with intersex traits (approximately the same likelihood as one having red hair), it is a demographic which should not be ignored."

As previously reported, The Internet Is Amazing™, "ham radio has been called into action again and again to provide communications in crises when it really matters," says the Amateur Radio Relay League, which had a 24-hour field day at Murray State this past weekend. Hawkins Teague was there for the Ledger & Times.

One hundred years of Kentucky Power in eastern Kentucky, and at least two more months of celebrating at Ashland's Highlands Museum and Discovery Center.

Oh, Kentucky

On the Monday after Father's Day, Madisonville took a pass on Sunday alcohol sales. Opines Bro. Bill Adcock at SurfKY.com, "Isn’t it ironic that the day after Father's Day of honoring our earthly father, the Madisonville City Council was faced with honoring or dishonoring our Heavenly Father? ... My verdict is ya'll 'Done Good' fellas."

Resetting in Columbus.

Sheltering in Tompkinsville.

Restructuring in Glasgow.

"Not much remains of the home, except the UK sign, which was untouched by the slide. Now Bowen will have to start over, and the family is asking the community for help." Garrett Wyler of Lexington's WDKY Fox 56 heads to Powell County and comes back with a very gripping story.

"This megabuck competition may be Louisville’s to lose." There's millions in it, reports Dianne Timmering at The Lane Report--"it," being them thar aging people.

Kentucky lawmakers are skeptical that squirrels are to blame for a delay in spreading internet access throughout the state. https://t.co/GQNdJ5ZzxC pic.twitter.com/Jvz2tS31mW

— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) June 20, 2019

Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders from Floyd, Johnson and Pike counties are STEM-ing it up this month at Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg.

New deals with Mattress Firm and Big Lots mean lots of hiring for Lexington-based Temper Sealy International.

Rest in peace, Mr. Kenny ("KY," "Shorty" or "Shortman") Short of Robards, friendly mentor to fellow millwrights, Henderson Moose Lodge 732 cards enthusiast, U.S. Army sharpshooter, Poole Missionary Baptist Church magi portrayer and hunting and fishing buddy of Sterling's. "To know Kenny," reads the beautiful obituary, "was to love him."

Oh, Kentucky

Will Perkins with the Glasgow Daily Times delivers a lively feature from Farm Safety Day for Metcalfe County Middle School students. It sounds like quite an elaborate event--on the working family farm of a high-school ag teacher, 40 stations focused on different aspects of farm safety and involvement from businesses from as far away as Elizabethtown and Glasgow. "It's just a super, hands-on learning experience," said an advanced-placement biology teacher.

I'll tell you what also sounds great: the Tennessee River-Line trails project!

Mayor updates on Rite Aid renovation; groundbreaking set for new water planthttps://t.co/Oiqx2KT5FU pic.twitter.com/sKLJZO2sOL

— Grayson News-Gazette (@gcnewsgazette) May 10, 2019

Paper recycling? Yes in Covington, no in Lexington.

It's signing day for Madisonville Community College's advanced-manufacturing prospects.

The 2019 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (ELI) class at Somerset's Center for Rural Development has been named. "ELI provides high school students in Southern and Eastern Kentucky with an in-depth look at what it takes to start their own business venture — from idea development to building a model prototype of their business concept."

Hiring in Harlan.

A residential treatment center for drug-addicted women and their children is planned for Clay County.

The Russell County Detention Center is moving to a higher-tech approach to identifying and tracking inmates, and the jailer interviewed on WJRS of Russell Springs--FM 104.9, "Lake Cumberland's Best Country"--sounds realistic but generally optimistic.

Three Murray State students shared their findings on "trauma journalism" with The Paducah Sun.

Oh, Kentucky

Out of Freida Smith's experience, grief and compassion grew a statewide effort to help Nebraska's flooded farmers. Just a beautiful story out of Owen County by Carol Lee Spence with the University of Kentucky, via the Northern Kentucky Tribune.

Lashana Harney of The Winchester Sun peeks in on what's happening at Robert D. Campbell Junior High. "Be prepared for greatness."

"I believe this kid has been called to play music." Will Perkins of the Glasgow Daily Times has the good word from Kindergarten Career Day at Highland Elementary.

University Magazine (of Canada) says Louisville-based Sullivan University is the 10th-best culinary school (in the United States).

Check out some of our senior photographers' favorite shots from this year: https://t.co/nbno7gM55L

— WKU Herald (@wkuherald) April 30, 2019

The bad news is you missed QuiltWeek. The good news is QuiltWeek is coming.

"Suit Up & Get Hired!" In Lexington next month. Or "ID The Missing & Unidentified" in Campbellsville on the same date.

Oh, Kentucky

Just a fantastic and inspiring feature in the Lexington Herald-Leader from Will Wright of Report for America: The People, Yes.

More Yes: Lashana Harney has a good one in The Winchester Sun on a retiring Bluegrass Community and Technical College professor and her enjoyment of "the application and then thinking critically, mastering concepts."

Astronomy Day is coming up next month, and the West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers have a full day of interesting free programming planned at LBL, and I'm invited, and so are you. Yes! Yes! YES!

Metcalfe County does not have a jail, but it does have a jailer, and now the jailer has newly approved direction on compensation and responsibilities.

The Section 8 waiting list is being reopened in Lawrence County.

Kentucky for sale:

Oh, Kentucky

"For people who are traveling through our area in their EV (electric vehicle), this will be a convenient opportunity to stop and charge for free. And it will make a good impression of Danville." https://t.co/eiuidVsvBL

— Advocate Messenger (@amnewsonline) April 4, 2019

Hugs accepted today, in Cadiz and newsrooms nationally.

Five years of live-elk shipments from Kentucky to Wisconsin successfully wrapped Wednesday.

"The business model simply doesn't work." Will Wright in the Lexington Herald-Leader delivers a sobering overview of the child-care shortage in eastern Kentucky.

Turning to sports, "he's been everything to Barren County." Nice Will Perkins feature in the Glasgow Daily Times on Terry Reed, who coached the County High Trojans to the 1990 state cross-country championship and was inducted to the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association hall of fame.

Oh, Kentucky

Good jobs news from Louisville.

Statistically Kentucky's lowest rate of unemployment? Woodford. Highest? Magoffin.

Reportedly Kentucky's healthiest county? Oldham. Least-healthy? Owsley.

The publisher of Shepherdsville's Pioneer News takes in the State of Bullitt County.

For the record, in Barren County, it's still the Glasgow Daily Times.

From the opinion page of Bardstown's Kentucky Standard:

-- "But like I said, Trump and company don’t have a monopoly on hate and violence. Islamist extremists, modern-day Khajarites, have been swimming in hate-based violence for the better part of four decades."

-- "I’m grateful that the Democratic Party elected people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. They will be the “gift that keeps on giving” for the Republicans in 2020."

Meanwhile, a local salon joins its industry's "Green Circle."

Laundry Love, in Murray.

Literacy Celebration, across Hopkins County.

Thank you, Lord, that it wasn't any worse than it was in West Paducah last week.

Via a University of Cumberlands service project, free tutoring is available to students of any age and in any subject Mondays and Wednesdays at the Whitley County Public Library.

LaRue County middle- and high-school students come back from KUNA with plenty to tell Ron Benningfield for a detailed report in Hodgenville's Herald News.

10 years and counting of independent pro wrestling in Muhlenberg County.

Lexington's "Thriller" parade may be done.

Oh, Kentucky

OK, today in the second half of the first round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association girls’ basketball tournament, we are rolling with the 27-7 Pikeville Lady Panthers vs. the 31-4 Barren County Trojanettes. Neither has ever won the state championship, so I am rooting for both of them.

But I’ve spent most of my life closer to Barren County than I have Pikeville, so I guess I’m rooting more for the Trojanettes.

Here’s a picture I took in Pikeville somewhere between 25 and 30 years ago.

And now here are a bunch of pictures I took while on vacation at Barren River State Resort Park in Lucas, an unincorporated communtiy in Barren County.

Comments flow!