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Opinion

  • Support bill to protect victims,...

    For many victims of sexual assault, the physical attack is often just the beginning.

    But during this General Assembly, our lawmakers have an opportunity to make the ordeal a little less complicated for those who become pregnant by their rapists.

    Kentucky is one of 34 states where, because of a loophole in current law, women who become pregnant as a result of rape could face further harassment from their attackers when they sue for parental visitation rights to the child.

    Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, has filed a bill to close this loophole.

  • Gun control not the answer to...

    During his news conference in the wake of the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, President Obama pushed hard for Congress to quickly enact new and more restrictive gun control measures.

    He also signed 23 executive orders positioned as actions to keep our nation’s children safe.

  • Second inauguration is unneccessary...

    When athletes score a touchdown or hit a home run, sportscasters often say, “Act like you’ve been there before.”

    That’s good advice, especially for politicians like presidents and governors who are re-elected to office.

    When being elected, there’s always a celebration for the official inauguration of a president or governor. That’s fine.

  • Legislators must work together...

    For too long, Kentuckians have been held back because of partisan bickering and political games when the legislature is in session. Hopefully, with new leadership, that will change.

    We don’t believe there was much love lost between House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, and former Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, and that applied to Williams and Gov. Steve Beshear as well. All were guilty of playing partisan games that, at the end of the day, only hurt Kentuckians.

  • Kentucky needs tougher animal abuse...

    There used to be a saying that if you were out of state and murdered someone, be sure to get rid of the body in Kentucky. Local law enforcement officials, with their limited resources, not to mention competency, would never solve it. Sure enough, over the years bodies were deposited in Kentucky and their killers were never found. In some cases, it took decades just to identify the victim.

  • Here's to a newsworthy 2013

    CKNJ Editorial Board

    From triumphs to deaths, Taylor Countians made headlines in 2012.

    While compiling our annual Year In Review stories, the CKNJ staff has spent time reliving the past year.

    We read about city and county business, business closings and expansions, retirements and hires, crime and much more.

    Read about the Top 10 stories of 2012 on today's front page. The year in sports was featured in the Monday, Dec. 31, issue.

  • Holiday Helpline makes Christmas a...

    CKNJ Editorial Board

    They were piled high and deep, from tabletops to ceilings. Toys were everywhere.

    From baby clothes to toy cars to makeup sets to brand new bicycles and movie tickets, many children in Taylor County have Christmas gifts today thanks to generous donations.

    Toys for Kids and Toys for Tots officials said this year's effort to raise money to buy toys for children who might otherwise not have Christmas gifts generated about $35,000. With that money, toys were bought for about 500 children.

  •
    The true story of Christmas

     

    And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

    And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.

    And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

    And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

  • Tax reform needed now in Kentucky

    If there is a single issue on which lawmakers, business leaders and Kentucky taxpayers can agree, it’s the need for overhaul of the state’s tax code.

  • Solving the special taxing district...

    It’s important to understand a question before formulating an answer.

    State Auditor Adam Edelen made several questions very clear last week about Kentucky’s special taxing districts after his office spent six months developing a report on what it calls ghost governments.

    Among them: What is a special taxing district? How many exist in Kentucky? Who oversees them?

    How does the public get information about how they spend public money?

    What’s the process for dissolving a district?

  • Thanksgiving a time to help those...

    As we celebrate a season of thankfulness this week, many will gather around a table with family and friends to enjoy a meal. As we do this, we should remember that there are others who are not as fortunate.

    Thanksgiving is a time to offer special thanks for all we are blessed with throughout the year, but it should also be a time when we think of those who are not blessed with a hot meal or may not have a roof over their heads.

  • A better way to appoint judges

    For the sake of the people of Clinton, Cumberland and Monroe counties, here’s hoping the good David Williams shows up as circuit judge — and not the petty partisan bully whose ego frequently got the best of him as president of the state Senate.

    Gov. Steve Beshear, who thrashed Williams in the race for governor last year, used his appointment powers to rid the legislature of his Republican nemesis.

  • If you don't vote, you can...

    Do you like to complain? A lot of people do and they will especially do it when it comes to politics.

    There’s an old saying that goes, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”

    That saying is very true and if you don’t care enough to get out and cast your vote on Election Day, why should anyone care to hear what you have to say about the state of politics, whether it be on a local or national level?

  • Be aware of signs of child abuse

    Child abuse is an unspeakable injustice that doesn’t discriminate against race, religion or socioeconomic status.

    In recent years, Kentucky and Indiana have ranked among the worst states in the nation for deaths and near-deaths resulting from child physical abuse.

  • Good Samaritan teaches a lesson we...

    It only takes a moment to do some good for someone else. Often we might find ourselves too busy to stop and think about the well being of others, but one person in Taylor County recently did just that, and we should all stop and take notice of his heroic actions.

  • Celebrate Homecoming at...

    On Saturday afternoon, there will be excitement in the air as friends, visitors and alumni of Campbellsville University arrive on campus. Some will be there for the first time, while others will return after years away from a place that has always had a special spot in their hearts.

    Homecoming is about celebrating and Campbellsville University deserves to be celebrated. Not only does the university educate students from Taylor and other counties, it also has a massive economic impact on the community, which totals more than $93 million.

  •
    New reporter joins CKNJ staff

     

    There is a new face in the Central Kentucky News-Journal office.

    Leslie Moore, a Taylor County native and recent graduate of Lindsey Wilson College, joined the staff last week as our newest staff writer.

    As part of her duties, Moore will be covering activities in some of our local schools, as well as city government and other beats. She will also be working on feature stories about you, the people of Taylor County.

  • Caring for veterans should be our...

    There is a lot of talk out there about percentages. The wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, the percentage of Americans who pay no federal income tax, the percentage of voters veering left or right on any given day.

    Here’s another one. One-half of 1 percent. That’s roughly how much of the U.S. population has been active duty at any time during the past decade, many now included in the overall veteran population, about 13 percent.

  • Kentucky's cigarette tax needs...

    Here’s hoping Kentucky shared in the national decline in teen smoking reported recently by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    USA Today attributes an “historic drop in smoking,” not just among teens but across all age groups, to a 62-cent increase in the federal cigarette tax in 2009.

    Raising the federal tax to $1.01 a pack has brought in about $30 billion in new revenue to the U.S. treasury.

    Meanwhile, some 3 million fewer Americans smoked in 2011 than in 2009, even though the population has increased.

  • Stop texting and save lives

    Some Kentucky high school students recently got a better idea of how dangerous it is to text while driving when AT&T brought a simulator to their schools. Students got into a car, put on simulation goggles and attempted to text. Wearing the goggles, the teens saw a virtual road with other drivers and pedestrians.

    While texting, the young drivers ran off the road, hit other cars and even killed pedestrians, all in a virtual situation. But the scary truth is the virtual damage and loss of life mirrors reality.