Opinion

Summer break is officially over. It's time once again to hit the schoolbooks, trading in those lazy days for homework assignments, research papers and tests.

And it's also time for the rest of us to be more careful in our daily travels.

Classes begin Wednesday for students at Campbellsville, Taylor County and Kentucky Christian schools.

Tight financial situations seem to generate action in many different forms. Some of us cut back on our budgets, others get second jobs to make more money.

In years past, tax money was enough for local governments to provide needed services. A decade ago, however, City and County governments decided that they needed more money to operate and instituted a 1 percent countywide occupational tax, with proceeds split between the two agencies.

However, the first of this month, the two governments decided to go their own way, and now each agency has its own 1 percent tax.

Sixty-three cents. That’s the best deal going these days.

For each day a Taylor County Detention Center inmate works in our community, that’s how much it costs taxpayers.

Inmate labor isn't new to our community - inmates have cleaned our roads for several years. But now inmates can help rescue and fire personnel with the duties that often go overlooked when there are not enough hours in the day.

There's nothing like a good book, and the Taylor County Public Library tries to keep that idea alive, even during the hot, lazy months of summer.

Each year, the library participates in a statewide summer reading program sponsored by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. This year the theme was "Be Creative @ Your Library."

The free program is for children of all ages. Those who participate also receive free coupons for various statewide attractions.

Summer always seems to be a time of blood shortages, and this year is no exception.

Students in high school, college and university make up about 20 percent of the River Valley Region's blood collection. With most students on summer recess, blood centers across the state are facing even more challenge to keep up their supplies.

Summer is also the time when people take vacations and spend time doing other outdoor activities, oftentimes not taking the time to give blood as they normally might.

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad."

Maybe he read bedtime stories, planned a fishing trip or took us to that special ball game. Perhaps he helped with the dreaded algebra homework or set that curfew we didn't always agree with.

Or maybe he has lent advice or encouragement as we have become parents ourselves.

For all those things, now is the time to give thanks.

Sunday is Father's Day, and we all should set aside some time to do just that.

Everyone has opinions. We express ours quite often in this very space.

But opinions mean nothing if they are not shared. And right now, ideas are needed.

On June 15, state lawmakers will reconvene in Frankfort to address a projected budget deficit of $1 billion. The governor has a plan to cut $200 million, a plan some lawmakers say will actually gain plenty of support on House and Senate floors. He's also added the possibility of slot machines at Kentucky racetracks to the agenda.

This doesn't mean the problem is solved.

Firefighters live their lives on call, hoping they're never needed. But just after 5 a.m. Tuesday, they got the call they probably hoped they'd never receive.

A fire at the former Fruit of the Loom plant destroyed a warehouse there. And, boy, was it a doozy. The fire was so huge, it took all our local firefighters plus those from surrounding counties hours to contain it.

There's probably nothing being discussed more in our community this week than the fire.

Firefighters in the Campbellsville and Taylor County fire departments and their many volunteers will begin collecting for the Crusade for Children fundraising campaign next week.

For the past few years, volunteers have conducted door-to-door collections in a different segment of the county each night in an attempt to reach all households. Those collections start Monday evening and continue through Thursday evening.

In addition, roadblocks are held at major intersections throughout the community on Friday and Saturday and near the fire department on Sunday morning.