Oh, Kentucky

Again, Pikeville's Mountain Top News does just a fantastic job on covering the conversation in Whitesburg ...

"I have an alternate proposal. Suppose both sides of the story are told."

Midway will celebrate Juneteenth, officially.

The Bowling Green-Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup had a happy surprise on its regular conference call Wednesday.

Bardstown and Nelson County roll out another round of small-biz relief.

A weekend Kentucky Headhunters show at the Beaver Dam Amphitheatre delivered a big boost for the Ohio County food pantry.

Gabe's is (almost) gone.

Fancy Farm is happening.

Mercer County might be getting its second solar farm.

Vanceburg police is hiring. So's the forthcoming Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.

The #ohky desk's DQ beat is blowing up of late. You might remember yesterday's dispatch from Columbia. Well, there are Blizzards in the forecast for Princeton, too.

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

Here's a fantastic, inspiring Dennis K. Brown feature in the Lewis County Herald on a lifelong resident who didn't think he had time to an organization aimed at attracting industry and employers to northeast Kentucky--until he was paralyzed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) more than two years ago. Since then, the construction contractor he founded has experienced two of its busiest years, and now Northeast Kentucky Development has launched.

Pugh's Midway of western Paducah (but not quite West Paducah)--a prime supplier of soft drinks, microwaveable breakfast sandwiches and apple fritters to lollygagging first-period English students in the Heath High School Class of '86 (among others, I'm sure)--has been swallowed by Madisonville's Rocket Oil empire and is being rebranded as Ideal Market Number 19.

Good jobs news from Pikeville.

Oh, Kentucky

Barren County High School says it's in compliance with state guidelines for its Bible-literacy course and has received no complaints from parents or students in the seven years it has been offered, reports Lisa Simpson Strange in the Glasgow Daily Times. And at Lewis County High, per Kathryn Robinson of West Virginia's WSAZ, "there's no daily devotionals, that's not done. Daily prayer is not done ... it's more of a comparative religion."

The Lake Cumberland region is working toward a memorial to people buried in unmarked graves who were enslaved during their lives, and plans are to be detailed at a breakfast Monday.

The nuns at Saint Walberg Monastery sold 85 acres to an Edgewood developer, but their neighbors in Villa Hills turned out in such large numbers Tuesday to dispute the plan that the Kenton County Planning Commission punted the question to next week, in order to move to a larger facility, in Lakeside Park. Terrific meeting coverage by The River City News.

The KHSAA Board of Control has also been meeting on some lively topics, such as how to recombobulate high-school football for the next several seasons.

The federal bust at the Jumbo Buffet in La Grange is quite a mystery--even to the owners, they say.

"The largest firearms retailer in the state of Kentucky and one of the largest volume single shop locations in the country," Whittaker Guns of Owensboro, appears to have no overnight security guards, dogs, etc. Anyway, some people broke in and stole a bunch of their guns the other night.

Madisonville is hiring for a director of its forthcoming "makerspace."

Oh, Kentucky

And about one specific message allegedly from Rep. Comer, ...

A Courier Journal columnist took aim at Rep. Comer over an alleged Twitter message; Comer denied the allegations. https://t.co/7vjZHgh9Sa

— Kentucky New Era (@KentuckyNewEra) January 5, 2018

Good jobs news from Madisonville and Springfield.

"Far from encouraging academic and objective study of the Bible and its historical context or literary value, it is clear that the coursework in these 'Bible Literacy' classes often resembles Sunday school lessons," says the ACLU, about schools in McCracken and other Kentucky counties.

Oh, Kentucky

On this 12th day of Christmas 2017, Channel 6 is reporting that the Lone Oak Road Kmart is closing.

Good jobs news from Glasgow. Hiring in Auburn.

Here's how Logan County factors wind chill in determining whether to have school.

Three chiefs and two mass walkouts for the Munfordville VFD since July 2017, per WBKO.

The Lewis County Herald reports they're now set up to shelter in Vanceburg.

Mayor Greg Fischer on Kentucky (not Louisville) and its capital, according to WAVE3 NBC: "Kentucky's communities have critical needs in terms of education, health, social services and infrastructure. To meet them, Frankfort must broaden the tax base. That means we must reform an outdated system that exempts as much as it taxes. We need to take a hard look at a tax code that exempts luxury items. It doesn't make any sense to consider cuts that could impact your child's classroom, law enforcement, drug treatment or our justice system when we don't even tax country club memberships or limousines."

Looking ahead in Paducah and McCracken County--and maybe in Paducah/McCracken County.

Meanwhile, ahead in the new year for Barbourville, a dog park--and, hopefully, more jobs.

Oh, Kentucky

Facing calls from both parties to resign, Rep. Dan Johnson refuses. He denies molestation accusation, blames political climate: https://t.co/ZIsLxnjQMz #LongCon pic.twitter.com/5wOW1QI6dy

— Kentucky CIR (@KentuckyCIR) December 12, 2017

This will take you about an hour. It's worth it, and you can support the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting here.

Good for First Baptist Church of Corbin!

Good for Madisonville Fire Department!

Christmas parades: Irvington and Owensboro, Nov. 18; Central City, Nov. 19; Ashland, Nov. 21; Lebanon, Nov. 24; Brownsville and Danville, Nov. 25; Greenup, Nov. 28; Cumberland, London, Monticello and Richmond, Dec. 1; Arlington, Barbourville, Beaver Dam (they typically alternate year to year with Hartford, but ...), Bowling Green, Cadiz, Corbin, Fordsville, Georgetown, Glasgow, Harlan, Hartford (... this year both it and Beaver Dam just went ahead and did parades on the same day), Henderson, Lawrenceburg, Madisonville, Marion, Munfordville, Murray, Paducah, Somerset and Winchester, Dec. 2; Dawson Springs, Evarts and Nortonville, Dec. 3; Mount Sterling, Dec. 4; Lexington, Dec. 5; Bardstown, Dec. 7; Frankfort and Fredonia, Dec. 8; Augusta, Berea, Burnside, Cave City, Crofton, Edmonton, Elkton, Hanson, Hickman, Hopkinsville, Paintsville, Salem, Vanceburg and Whitesville, Dec. 9, and La Center and Oak Grove, Dec. 16.

Oh, Kentucky

I had never seen this picture of Jim McDaniels with his Italian pro team, Snaidero Udine, in 1974-75. Once again, rest in peace, "Big Mac:" I worked with Jim at Jim Johnson Pontiac nearly 21 years ago. I was blessed with my first granddaughter while we worked together. He would bring all his customers to my office to see a picture of the new baby. Will always remember him holding her and his hand was bigger than her back. He called her "the baby" and we taught her to call him "Uncle Jim". Sweet memories. ... I was at Diddle area for a Murray game when he did the "illegal" dunk. Watched Big Mac beat UK. And almost watched a national champion. Great memories! ... Talk to Jim a lot when I worked at CDS drug store. He was always very nice he will be missed. ... Last time we talked he told me about nearly drowning on our Sr. Trip in a swimming pool somewhere we were. Said Coach Cline saved his life. I'd never known that story before. ... We grew up together, went to the same 3 room school, and later the same high school. I'll treasure those memories. May God give you peace in your grief. ... I will miss him coming to Wendy's getting he's food when I work there Going to miss you he was so nice when he came in we talk the longest on my break break b over prayers are with the family he was a Great friend ... When we were in school, he always sat behind me. Back then we had to set in abc order. He would have to put one leg on one side of my desk and the other on the other side. His feet was always in front of my desk. Every time I had to get out of my desk, he would have to stand up to let me out. That is if he thought I needed to get out. if not I had to set there. I left Scottsville after graduation but still kept up with his career. I was living in Florida and believe it was then that our 25th reunion came around. I was battling cancer and could not come. Somehow he found out and sent me a very nice letter and a picture of him and Jabar. Said I hear he is your favorite. After I moved back home I ran into him at Dumplings. Was surprised he knew me ( I don't look the same as high school). He gave me his number and told me to keep him informed when the group was getting together for one of our breakfast. I did and he and his lovely wife came. Was really happy to see how happy they were. ...

I really would like to know who donated a book to the Livingston County Historical Society and what the local education board's solar-panel plans are.

Guthrie Strong.

The Kentucky Emergency Management Association hails the Lewis County judge-executive for his work in getting that county "Storm Ready."

Graves County has mobilized its future workforce in the campaign to bring Mazda and Toyota manufacturing there.

Covington is incentivizing small businesses like crazy. I am particularly interested in the new restaurant named after Walt "Smoke" Justis of the 1913 Federal League Covington Blue Sox.

Larry Rowell in The Casey County News details the local food-insecurity situation.

Here's a pretty Maira Ansari feature for WAVE 3 on an Elizabethtown boy being made able to hear for the first time.

I enjoyed this Melinda J. Overstreet/Glasgow Daily Times piece on the local Kiwanians' 50 years of service, but I was hoping it would also have the date of the Glasgow Christmas parade.

Seen on C-SPAN2: U.S. Senate votes to table (kill) Senator @RandPaul's amendment to repeal AUMFs for Iraq & Afghanistan wars, 61-36. pic.twitter.com/cZFkyu4Ux0

— CSPAN (@cspan) September 13, 2017

Yes, we did have a 64-percent decline in the percentage of Kentucky's population without health insurance since 2013. (Gov. Bevin: Hold my beer.)

Alexandria is getting a new library!

Oldham County made The New York Times!

Paducah made Snopes!

Oh, Kentucky

Rest in peace, Jim McDaniels (1948-2017). We are amid a hard season.

And they're off! Just some of the nearly 50 members of the @PaducahChamber delegation in Washington, D.C. pushing for local projects #wpsd pic.twitter.com/cFF0jjtGaT

— Todd Faulkner (@TFaulknerWPSD) September 6, 2017

Against infrastructure decline.

WBKO's Kelly Dean delivers a moving feature on a family of Harvey refugees resettling in Bowling Green.

Kate Howard of the Kentucky Center for Investigative Journalism reports on the Louisville police's compassionate assistance to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

Oopsy daisy.

Individual health-insurance plans will be offered in all of Kentucky's 120 counties next year--but Blue Cross Blue Shield is getting out of 61 of them.

Kroger's got a new idea cooking in Union, and they're hiring.

Getting off the beaten path in Boyle County.

Oh, Kentucky

The Kentucky desk is opening a downtown-Madisonville branch.

It has been a rough time for newspapers, and there has been some really innovative stuff that has come out of this period. Good luck to the Danville Advocate-Messenger with its "Bluegrass Portraits"  undertaking.

Why has the Pulaski County Public Library been so lively for the last 20 years? "None of the librarians ever said my name. It was a very quiet library. I was determined then and there that if any child came into the library, nobody would going without, 'Hi, I’m glad you’re here.' It would be a loud place, a place where bicycles are ridden and trains. Normal behavior."

Kentucky for sale ("The Legend Lives On"):

Learn to glean Lexington.

You can now just pick up your groceries at the Henderson Walmart.

Bellevue's Waffle House plans are pending some Kroger developments.

Meanwhile, in Casey County, a Vanceburg native has reopened Penny's Place as a general store, and Rusty Joe's of Liberty is taking its boutique game on the road.

With the lifeguards headed back to school, Carter Caves State Resort Park is tweaking its pool schedule next month.

Hiring at Levi Jackson and in Leitchfield.

The state has announced a slew of apprenticeships in recent weeks--in moving and rigging, nursing, welding and "computer numerical control."

Honoring the "Cold-War Patriots" of West Paducah.

Rest in peace, Dale McMillen, whose "descriptions of 9th Region basketball games were inimitable, his enthusiasm for Northern Kentucky hoops melodiously flowing over the airwaves with every basket, rebound, and blocked shot."

Oh, Kentucky

I love it that he did a Merle Travis song:

It's a long way to Harlan

It's a long way to Hazard

Just to get a little brew

Just to get a little brew

Reinventing downtown Russellville.

Downtown Madisonville reinvented.

A couple of closings in downtown Danville.

And as for the old Hickman County jail and Cayce High School, ...?

Chaotic Night For Emergency Workers On Friday With Three Fires and False Gunshot Call Within An Hour - https://t.co/lcFkLvglsW pic.twitter.com/dmErABmIMQ

— The Edmonson Voice® (@edmonsonvoice) July 24, 2017

Here's the story behind the Paducah Chiefs' uniforms.

Rest in peace, Coach Prater, who piloted the Lewis County High Lions to their greatest baseball success, led the Rowan County Vikings to the 16th Region championship this past spring, was diagnosed with leukemia just days later and died at the University of Kentucky Medical Center last week at age 38.

Oh, Kentucky

The Kentucky Geological Survey at UK says we all need to settle down about the earthquake stuff over here.

"Before I Die ...," in Frankfort.

Thanks, Reagan: This state chart suggests the War on Coal started in 1980. More than 50,000 mine jobs that year, then a steady decline. ^JC pic.twitter.com/lPLtTpIu8c

— Bluegrass Politics (@BGPolitics) November 5, 2016

Remember the good, old days of Kynect? I do.

Among WKDZ's top-10 stories of last week was the sad news that Hoptown's Applebees is closing.

Alfalfa's is for sale.

The Sunfish Mall is no more.

Lyon County is NOT on a burn ban. Yet. "Just use common sense."

Mayfield Solar 1 is online, with a 20-year contract to sell power to TVA.

Lewis County is trying to stoke entrepreneurship.

Good jobs news from Hopkinsville, Louisville and Pikeville.

Paducah's Fountain Avenue revitalization is being held up as a model for other cities.

Christmas parades: Owensboro, Nov. 19; Ashland, Nov. 22; Bardstown, Dec. 1; Monticello and Richmond, Dec. 2; Berea, Glasgow, Madisonville and Winchester, Dec. 3; Boyce and Owenton, Dec. 4, and Cave City, Elkton, Hopkinsville and Pikeville, Dec. 10.

Rest in peace, Ruth Thomasine Robinson, a Martin native who operated Jan's Florist there for more than 40 years, served as mayor for 19 and died "the same week as Martin's annual Red, White and Blue Days" while she was amid serving a 90-month sentence in federal prison in Texas. "Prayers for her family. She did whatever she could to help anyone that needed help. No matter the chargers that was against her, she was a good person and had the heart of gold."

Oh, Kentucky

MUHAMMAD ALI - VO: Aerials plane, motorcade bring Ali's body home to Louisville. https://t.co/HPzOg4oIbY pic.twitter.com/hakv91IVIn

— AP USVideoAlert (@AP_USVideoAlert) June 6, 2016

Good jobs news from Mayfield, Simpsonville and Vanceburg.

With the Paducah Chiefs Baseball Club back in Brooks Stadium, the local American Legion team is playing at Heath.

Exploring the Veep's role in bringing about Barkley Regional.

Oh, Kentucky

Kentucky Oaks Mall celebrates the USA! pic.twitter.com/fel3TMnnqS

— Kentucky Oaks Mall (@kentuckyoksmall) July 1, 2015

With this week's Lewis County Gazette, you get a broadsheet U.S. flag for displaying in commemoration of Independence Day.

Remembering President Nixon's July 2, 1978, visit to Hyden ... 

Good jobs news in La Grange. Maybe also in Cox's Creek?

The City-County Park public swimming pool in Princeton is set to open (at last) on Friday. I'm so happy for those people. I'll have more on this story in "Comments"!

"This is truly an exciting time for Norse Nation."

"Helping Kentucky fans find love with other Kentucky fans."

"Want to know more classical music, but not sure where to start?"

The next Prairie Home Companion host is going to be a Murray boy, per his mom.

Rest in peace, James "Bubbles" Switzer of Vanceburg. "Aside from being a member of the city council, bus driver, dispatcher, deputy jailer and a contributor to many volunteer projects to help the city, he was a friend to everybody."

Oh, Kentucky

The super West Kentucky Genealogy Facebook page is at it again, this time posting scans of the 1939 Lowes Echo yearbook. Per the also-super Bob Mays/Ideal Rocket Oil Company/MEMSCO Mine Equipment & Mill Supply Company KHSAA history site, the boys' basketball team that season flamed out in the quarterfinals of the Third District tournament, 30-28, to Melber, which lost in the district semis to Mayfield, which lost in the first round of the First Region tournament to Paducah Tilghman, which then lost in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen to Richmond Madison, which lost in the second round to Hindman, which lost in the state championship to Brooksville. Before consolidation into Graves County High in 1986, Lowes made 15 appearances in the First Region tournament, and, in 10 of those trips, the Blue Devils were eliminated in the opening round. In 1961, at Murray State College, Lowes beat South Marshall, 95-60, and (this one must've been sweet) Mayfield, 53-44, before falling to North Marshall in the championship, 57-62. Then, in 1981, at Murray State University, Lowes beat Hickman, 71-48, and Marshall County, 41-47, before losing to (this one must've stung) Mayfield in the championship, 45-40. Those were good, but the Blue Devils' signature season was 1932: Lowes whooped Pilot Oak, 39-13, in the Second Region tournament final and got to go to Lexington for the Sweet Sixteen at UK's Alumni Gym. Nevermind that the Blue Devils lost in the first round, 48-22, to Waco (which then lost to Newport, which then lost to eventual-state-champ Hazard), what a trip that must've been!

It appears Lexington will soon be Searsless.

It appears in Paducah.

Good jobs news in McLean County.

Check out the new solar-powered phone charger in the DC office! pic.twitter.com/cGB8UT0rwI
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 3, 2013

A new Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram dealership opened in Middlesboro on Monday, and the first sale was a 2013 Kia Optima to a Pineville man.

The News-Enterprise weighs in on who should be Etown's next mayor.

Breaking: A truck full of bread apparently has been stolen from outside a Newport grocery ...

Oh, Kentucky

Obama-2012: 479-479 in Calloway County.

Romney-2012: Uncommitted didn't fare nearly as well in the Republican primary, but it did finish second to the nominee-to-be in both Lawrence and Whitley counties.

GOP-2012: Tea time, still, in Kentucky.

Paducah-2012.

Turnout was a state-low 5.59 percent in Todd County.

"There is nothing we would be more proud of than that, in the general election of 2012, Adair County should have 100% of eligible voters registered, and that turnout would be 95-100% of the voters."

Lack of insurance and registration short-circuits a KKK recruiting trip to Beaver Dam.

204 spankings for Jefferson Davis.

Another milestone in Wickliffe Mounds history.

Summertime, finally, in Providence!

For some reason, Bowling Green's Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, which came in No. 1 nationally in Newsweek's ranking, was not included in the U.S. News & World Report rankings--leaving Louisville duPont Manual as the state's top-rated high school in that magazine.

Bump ahead for Floyd County employees.

Fewer teachers in Hazard.

Help pick Union County High's next principal.

One and done: Girls' round of 64*

Just a couple of games happening tonight in the march to the 2012 Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls' Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament:

16th Region, semifinals and final at Morehead State University's Johnson Arena--2011 regional runnerup Ashland Blazer and champ Boyd County are positioned for a championship rematch. The semifinal opponents in the way tonight are Rowan County and Lewis County, respectively.

Most of the other tournaments resume with semis Friday, but three regions have already identified their finalists (hence, the *s):

First Region, at Murray State University's CFSB Center.

Second Region, at Christian County High School in Hopkinsville.

Third Region, at Owensboro Sportcenter.

Fourth Region, at Western Kentucky University's E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green.

Fifth Region, at Central Hardin High School in Elizabethtown.

Sixth Region*, at Bellarmine University's Knights Hall in Louisville--Louisville Mercy and Louisville Butler play Saturday for the championship.

Seventh Region*, at Bellarmine's Knights Hall--Louisville Assumption (a double-overtime winner over Sacred Heart yesterday) and Louisville Manual (the state's top team) play for the regional title Saturday.

Eighth Region, at Anderson County High School in Lawrenceburg.

Ninth Region, at Northern Kentucky University's Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights.

10th Region, at Campbell County Middle School in Alexandria--Campbell County and defending champ Montgomery County are on to the round of 32. They'll play Sunday for the regional title.

11th Region, at Eastern Kentucky University's Alumni Coliseum in Richmond.

12th Region, at Lincoln County High School in Stanford.

13th Region, at Corbin's The Arena.

14th Region, at Breathitt County High School in Jackson.

15th Region, at Pikeville's East Kentucky Exposition Center.

Oh, Kentucky

One and done.

Heightening ... in Northern Kentucky.

Holiday World offers all the free soft drinks you want once you're inside, so I would completely, completely support this acquisition.

“I’d like to wake up in the morning and when I’m having my quiet time not be rushed.”

The business of art.

Oh, Kentucky

This isn't exactly news, but Uncle Lee's is no more in Paducah. Gone, but not forgotten. And it's not gone from Greenville.

COC ... yeah, you know me! Cutting heads for Christ! Love it.

Drugs stink.

The Harlan Writer's Guild is incentivizing the behavior it desires.

Kentucky's "Green Bank."

Thank you, Hardin County extension agent Amy Aldenderfer and Sarah Berkshire of The News-Enterprise, for this news I can use. Great point about the lack of stem.

What to make of the surge in homeless voters?

The new local economic-development director "said it was while he was living away that he would think often of the untapped potential of Lewis County."

His will not be an easy job.

Behind the good jobs news from E-town.

Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin in Richmond?

Oh, Kentucky

The state's pension fund is projected to run out in 2022.

Getting something back open in this downtown landmark will feel good.

Hear, hear.

Kentucky vs. the EPA.



That's a postcard published in April 1989 by Printing by George and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. The photo is by Gary George, and the tiny text on the back of the postcard, to the left of where one would stick the stamp, reads, "Kentucky's largest and easternmost county, Pike County is also the world's largest producer of coal (over 30 million tons a year) and contributes more than any other Kentucky county to the state's coal severance tax coffers. This energy from the sun, trapped and buried under pressure for millions of years within the earth, is mined in two ways: surface mining (area, contour and open-pit) and underground mining (slope, shaft and drift mines). ... This view shows a rail loading facilities where raw coal is crushed, blended and loaded for shipment to the consumer."

This just in from the VFD beat.

"They retired my number. They didn't retire it because of me, but they retired my number." (By the way, I want to thank The Heath Post for giving me the motivation to discover some truly terrific sports writers, such as John Herndon.)