.....Advertisement.....
.....Advertisement.....

Columns

  • County’s cemeteries must be preserved

    For many years, I’ve been concerned about the lack of care for the small, ancient family cemeteries scattered throughout Carroll County.

    Last week, I wrote a story about the return of Sarah Morris’ headstone to one of these cemeteries. Somehow, the stone, which had broken from its base, was found among a load of gravel delivered to a man in Switzerland County at least 30 years ago.

    This story made me think about how these sacred places will be lost to future generations if something isn’t done now to preserve what is left of them.

    Click here to read more...
  • Kentucky locations are among nation’s top historic landmarks

    From a historical perspective, it is not much of a stretch to say that some of the Western Hemisphere’s first farmers were Kentuckians.

    That’s because the Red River Gorge in Eastern Kentucky is just one of a few hotspots in North and South America where archeologists say modern agriculture took its first steps.  Early bands of pre-historic settlers found its soil and climate ideal to domesticate such wild plants as the sunflower, whose seeds added both flavor and nutrition to their food.

    Click here to read more...
  • Quilts are featured in October

    October represents many different things to us these days. In the library, we love it because it is our Annual Quilt Month.

    Each October, the library is transformed with quilts hanging in the rafters and all throughout the building. It gives it even more of a welcoming, “homey” feeling. 

    This year, our community graciously loaned us almost 50 quilts to display in the library. This has been our largest showing. I still have the goal set to display my first quilt.  I did not make it this year, so there is always next year.

    Click here to read more...
  • Take the necessary precautions to protect children at Halloween

    Cooler weather, colorful leaves, comfort food and free candy are just some of the reasons that fall is my favorite time of year. It is always fun to peruse the aisles at Walmart and the catalogues with my son to decide what he is going to be this year for trick-or-treat. 

    We have thought about Darth Vader and Yoda, among other characters.  However, as I peruse the aisles and the catalogues, I have noticed there are several other essential things that we should consider when preparing for that one night of candy raiding.

    Click here to read more...
  • Homecoming is about tradition, spirit and pride

    A school is the sum of its past, and tradition, spirit and pride are a threefold cord that holds it together. Homecoming brings the past into focus by continuing old traditions and creating new ones. These traditions give alumni a way to connect with a school as it is now, and they give current students a way to connect with a school as it once was. 

    This year’s homecoming celebration demonstrated the spirit, pride and tradition, not only of the high school, but also of the entire Carroll County School District.

    Click here to read more...
  • Reforms reduce prison numbers

    One of Kentucky’s biggest challenges – and biggest success stories – over the last dozen years has centered on the state’s prison population.

    During the century’s first decade, we saw the number of people behind bars grow by 45 percent, a rate about four times the national average.  In 2007, we unfortunately led the country in this category.

    Click here to read more...
  • Life to get better for Kentucky’s previously uninsured

    From the Lexington Herald-Leader

    After years — decades, really — of talking about health-care reform in this country, a long-awaited piece finally is falling into place as Kentucky’s health insurance exchange starts up today.

    There are bound to be glitches and confusion when something this big launches. Plus, there’s a well-financed effort to malign the reforms and mislead the public. The inevitable bugs should not obscure the importance of the moment:

    Click here to read more...
  • Adapt recipes in new ways, different purposes

    Hello once again my friends. It seems that every month we meet here to discuss my favorite topic; food.

    Yes, it’s that time again and for the first time since I’ve been writing this column I’m continuing with a theme. I tend to get lots of questions about how I come up with recipes or how I adapt certain foods to be different for different settings such as a dinner at home one time and a large party the next.

    Click here to read more...
  • Red Ribbon Week stresses the need for drug-free fun

    As summer comes to a close and school has begun, students are getting into a more regular routine. Here at Champions, we are excited about fall’s arrival because that brings Red Ribbon Week and other exciting events.

    You will get to read more about our Red Ribbon Week events in October’s column, but we wanted to highlight an important part of that week early so the entire community can participate. Since Red Ribbon Week is focused on being drug-free, we stress this message to our students and the community alike.

    Click here to read more...
  • Funding for higher education reaps rewards in many areas

    In the late 1990s, when the General Assembly overhauled Kentucky’s public colleges and universities, one of the reform’s central planks was to improve the level of research.

    To spur that along, the state created “Bucks for Brains” and called on the schools to match that money with private donations, an initiative that has since raised more than $800 million.

    Click here to read more...