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Opinion

  • Our important obligation

    "Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence."

    - Bernard Montgomery

    While it may often be unfair, elected officials are held to a higher accountability than the average person. Their character, their pasts, their integrity - all are intensely scrutinized.

    Look, for example, at the current presidential campaign. If what's going on in newspapers and on television stations across the country isn't intense scrutiny we don't know what is.

  • Don't blame others when it...

    Sometimes, we just don't know what's good for us. But when things go wrong, it's sure easy to blame someone other than ourselves.

    A story on today's front page details a problem local officials are facing with residents and their house numbers.

    Logically, one would think that posting a house number on one's home would be a no-brainer. But apparently not everyone is thinking logically.

  • Miss Frances

    "His role was as the gentle teacher, the logical, compassionate, caring and articulate teacher, who inspired you so that you wanted to please him more than life itself."

    -Singer Carol Lawrence, in speaking about composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein

    While Carol Lawrence was speaking about West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein when she made the statement above, we can't help but wonder if she'd ever met someone named "Miss Frances."

  • Luster leaving tobacco farming

    What used to be the backbone of Taylor County farmers' livelihoods is quickly becoming an overwhelming burden.

    Over the past few years, it has become glaringly obvious that tobacco has gotten further and further away from being the viable cash crop it once was for many present and former burley growers.

    While farmers have been preparing for this inevitability for several years now, it continues to be a difficult adjustment for some.

  • Save that tax rebate

    This spring, 130 million Americans will receive a tax rebate thanks to the economic stimulus package just signed by President Bush. Single earners who take home less than $75,000 will find a $600 check in their mailbox. Married couples with a combined income of under $150,000 will get $1,200, plus $300 for each of their children.

    For those who are single, that's enough for a top-of-the-line iPhone. Couples could go out and buy a 50-inch plasma television. If you have kids, there'll even be money left over for a Nintendo Wii.

  • Skinheads send message about child...

    Whether it's through a parent, a spouse, a child, a grandparent, a friend, or even ourselves, cancer will reach out its deadly hand and touch us all. And that's why we should all be concerned with research into its cure.

    What would have killed us 50, 20 or even just five years ago, is now treatable - thanks to research.

    And that's what gives us hope.

    As the second leading cause of the death in the U.S., cancer will affect all too many of us. We each have a risk - experts say half of all men and a third of all women will be diagnosed with some form of the disease.

  • Tax relief heading to Kentucky...

    The American economy has enjoyed six straight years of uninterrupted growth. But recently, that growth appears to be slowing. In my travels across Kentucky, I've met many families who are uncertain about their economic future, and I felt Congress had to act.

    I'm glad to report that we did by passing a bipartisan economic-growth package that will act as a "booster shot" for our economy by providing fast tax relief to American taxpayers.

  • Save your life, be more heart...

    We all want to live a good long life. But let's be honest. We don't always take the care we should with our bodies. We don't eat right. We don't get enough exercise. We smoke.

    And that takes its toll on our bodies ... specifically, our hearts.

    Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer in the U.S.

    And since 1963, each February has been declared as "American Heart Month" to help raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases.

    A story in last week's News-Journal told the story of two men who have had heart attacks - and successful recoveries.

  • Drug Court offers hope for those...

    No one likes to think of the community in which they live as facing a drug problem. But with the number of crimes committed in Taylor County that are reported in the News-Journal, the problem is a little difficult to ignore.

    And, after a few years, one begins to recognize the names that appear more frequently than others in court records.

    Defendants are traditionally given several chances to get their lives back on track. Judges typically try diversion and probation before prison time.

    But some people apparently won't learn without some additional prompting or help.

  • City Schools vote to make travel...

    It's funny how far two dollars will go.

    For sports teams and other extracurricular groups at City Schools, it may not be how far $2 will take them but the psychological boost knowing they may not have to raise that much more just to participate for their school.

    In January, a Campbellsville Board of Education proposal was floated that traveling groups from City Schools would have to pay $3.86 a mile for bus travel.

  • Any savings is a good savings when...

    For some reason, it always seems more difficult to fork over the money for necessities than it does for luxuries. It's much more pleasant to spend money going to the movies than paying the electric bill.

    But the electric bill is a necessity for all of us. And so is medicine.

    A story in Monday's News-Journal gave the details on local pharmacies' generic drug programs, programs that are going to save us all some money.

    Generic drugs, according to the FDA, are exactly the same as brand-name drugs. They just cost less.

  • People are willing, and like, to...

    Heading toward its 20th year, the Kentucky Lottery has certainly made its presence known in Taylor County. Last year alone, Taylor Countians bought $3.6 million in lottery tickets. That's an amazing amount of money.

    But at the same time, Taylor County has reaped benefits as well. Payback in prizes totaled $2.2 million, while $1.8 million was paid in college scholarships.

    At least we got back more than what we paid out.

    A story on today's front page details all the aspects of the Kentucky Lottery.

  • J.B. gives us all something to...

    The collective whoops of approval in living rooms around Taylor County must have surely raised the community decibel level on Super Bowl Sunday.

    But it wasn't a football game we were juiced about.

    J.B. Holmes won his second FBR Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. about 20 minutes before the Giants-New England kickoff in Phoenix. That's when his 7-foot-long putt found the bottom of the cup and a gut-wrenching playoff victory over tour veteran Phil Mickelson.

    Way to go, J.B.!

  • Bullying bill has a lot of holes in...

    A 13-year-old gets fouled on the basketball court by another student. In turn, later that evening, he sends a Myspace message to that student, saying, "You'd better watch out. I'll get you next time."

    Is that 13-year-old being a bully?

    One person might say yes, another might disagree. But who's right? And what, if anything, should be done about it?

  • Join us in celebrating Black History

    "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."

    -From Maya Angelou's "On the Pulse of Morning"

    Beginning with today's issue and continuing through the month of February, the Central Kentucky News-Journal will be running a four-part series highlighting Campbellsville residents in honor of Black History Month.

  • Dental exam a good idea if you can...

    A bill being proposed in the state legislature would require children to have a dental exam before starting school. Students today already must have a physical exam, an eye exam and up-to-date immunizations. And an addition such as this, while it could pose a hardship for some families, certainly makes sense.

    A similar bill was first proposed about seven years ago. Each year, however, it has gotten lost in the legislative process.

  • Time to step up to the plate

    Tomorrow is the last day for candidates to file to run in the May 20 Primary Election.

    On a local basis, the ballot includes races for Campbellsville City Council and 51st District State Representative.

    The State Representative's race will be particularly interesting as incumbent Russ Mobley, a Republican, is not seeking re-election. Instead, two other Republicans - Russell Montgomery and Asa James Swan - have filed to run. No Democrat had filed papers as of press deadline for this edition.

  • City Schools need to go that extra...

    We hear the words more often lately - budget cuts, recession, economic downturn. No one is sheltered from the ramifications - especially our government agencies that count on tax dollars to make ends meet.

    So, it comes as no real surprise that one of our school systems is looking at the possibility of raising the mileage fee it charges school groups for extracurricular trips.

    We can be relatively sure that there will be many more such proposals if budget cuts reach the level already being discussed in Frankfort.

    We don't have a problem with legitimate discussion.

  • Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin...

    Decades ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said to supporters of the civil rights movement in Washington, D.C., "... I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'

  • Congratulations, Megan, for a job...

    Campbellsville and Taylor County were once again well represented at this past weekend's Kentucky Junior Miss program.

    Megan Romines made a Top 15 showing. Taylor County's junior misses always do well at the state program and this year was no exception.

    Megan, you should be proud of your accomplishments. We are. We congratulate you on your success and wish for you only more in the future.