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Columns

  • 'When I am on that road I am in the heart of myself'

    The title? That's a quote from one of my favorite short stories - "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" by Stephen King. Re-reading that story, combined with something I saw at the side of the road brought back a few memories.

    It was a pair of tire tracks in the ditch beside the intersection of Old E'town Road and Phillips Lane. Someone did some fancy driving to avoid rear-ending another vehicle.

    And that reminded me of my dad.

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  • Finally together again

    It has been nearly five months since she came home with me. And it has taken every bit of those five months for her to finally become part of the McKinney clan.

    I adopted a kitten in July that had crawled under a vehicle at the Taylor County Courthouse. That little dirty kitten meowed her way into my heart ... and now, hopefully, finally, into my other two cats' hearts as well.

    After deciding to adopt Jennie, she had to go the vet for a checkup. Bad news. She wasn't coming home for about 10 days. She had a contagious eye infection.

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  • 'Tis not the season to be jolly for everyone

    With the sounds of Christmas music all around, chestnuts roasting on an open fire and crowds at the local shopping center, surely it is a time to be happy and bright. With families gathering for food and fun and presents, everyone must enjoy this most special time of year.

    Actually, no, this is not a happy season for everyone.

    For some this holiday season will be a time of sadness and tears. They will watch as others are happy and bright, but they will not share those feelings. For them, the holidays will be endured, not enjoyed.

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  • Don't you wish they'd make up their minds?

    "In Reversal, Panel Urges Mammograms at 50, Not 40." That was the headline.

    New York Times reporter Gina Kolata's story last week just made me shake my head in frustration.

    For years, we've been told of the importance of yearly mammograms once women hit age 40. They're not painful for most of us, but they're no picnic either. But it was important for our health because it was the "gold standard" for detecting early breast cancer. The experts also stressed the importance of monthly breast self-examinations.

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  • Why do we publish stories, photos?

    Someone asked me recently why we publish details and photos from fatal crashes, fires and other tragedies.

    That's certainly a fair question. It's also one that I'm sure has been debated in newsrooms around the world. For that reason, I believe such a question deserves what I hope is a thoughtful and considerate answer.

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  • Still serving readers, nearly a century later

    Today's newspaper features a full-color keepsake issue celebrating a decade of news in Taylor County. We plan to have nine more such issues, celebrating nine more decades of local news between now and August 2010.

    That's when the Central Kentucky News-Journal will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

    Over the past century, we have published thousands upon thousands of stories about news and events and people in Campbellsville and Taylor County. And, as with everything else over the years, the newspaper has changed.

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  • Shopping with Susan

    I consider myself a pretty good shopper. I check for bargains, compare prices and try not to spend money I don't have on items I don't need or won't use.

    But compared to Campbellsville resident Susan Wise - and likely all of the other "couponers" in Taylor County - I don't know the first thing about finding a good bargain.

    I went shopping with Wise last Thursday. She agreed to let me tag along with her as she shopped for her family of four.

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  • What do YOU read, Taylor County?

    It's official. More people in our community read the Central Kentucky News-Journal than any other publication. And the newest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations prove it.

    With 6,675 subscribers, the News-Journal reaches 57.8 percent of Taylor County's households. That percentage is called our penetration rate.

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  • Obama Administration needs to confront Canada on burley tobacco ban

    The Canadian government has enacted a law that could endanger the entire burley tobacco industry. U.S. tobacco growers need President Obama and the Office of the United States Trade Representative to ensure that the Canadians honor their trade obligations and that other countries do not follow Canada's lead in banning American blend cigarettes.

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  • National Mall - Story of Veterans, Story of Freedom

    The National Mall in Washington, D.C. receives 24 million visitors from all over the world who come to view the monuments that represent America's history.

    If you visit the mall, you will see the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the most recently completed World War II Memorial.

    The ideals and freedoms that our service men and women fought for are expressed in each monument.

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