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Opinion

  • Why not pay by population?

    When it comes to public business, discussion of that business needs to be held in public. PERIOD.

    The fact there was very little public discussion Monday night at the special Taylor Fiscal Court meeting regarding the future of Rescue and E-911 leads one to believe everything was decided long before the meeting ever began.

    Magistrates voted Monday night to have the County take over E-911 service and let the City provide Rescue services for the entire county.

    But that wasn't what the City offered.

  • Get the job done

    A week of special session for Kentucky legislators will cost nearly half a million dollars - at the going rate of $64,000 a day. But, apparently, grandstanding is more important than solving the state's budget problems.

    We have a simple question: Why is the Medicaid issue still unsolved?

  • Time to plan for our future

    Have you ever tried to put together a desk or some other complicated piece without using the instructions?

    It starts out easy enough, but about mid-way through there usually seems to be extra or missing pieces.

    That seems to be what we're experiencing in Campbellsville and Taylor County.

    We need some instructions - more specifically, a plan for where we're headed. If we don't have an idea of where we're going, how are we going to get there?

  • Preparing for life

    There's no worse surprise for a college freshman than to not be ready for college, especially if they have gotten good grades in high school.

    But it's happening quite often today.

    More and more college students are finding they must enroll in remedial classes before they can even start their credit courses.

    We're glad the state Department of Education is revamping the Kentucky Education Reform Act. The fact that certain test scores are being tied to student - and school - achievement often results in inaccurate projections.

  • Three decades of service

    The headline read, "End of an era." And indeed it was. The headline was from the Dec. 30, 1998, issue of the Central Kentucky News-Journal and was accompanied by a story about Robert L. Miller's last day as Campbellsville's mayor after more than three decades.

    Last Friday, Miller died at the age of 83.

    Miller was instrumental in providing much of we take for granted today - a plentiful water supply, a city pool and park, housing units for the elderly and more.

  • Time to look at the real problem of...

    Prescription drug abuse is a scourge in Kentucky.

    Anyone in denial about the situation needs only look at the statistics. Among young people the problem is growing as the illicit use of prescription drugs outpaces marijuana and the other traditional drugs of choice such as coke, crack and meth.

  • Hospice care relieves suffering and...

    It's become as common as patient charts and nurses' stations. Everyone has been talking about it for what seems like forever and very few truly understand it. As representatives in Washington work through the most significant health care legislation of our time, we are all trying to understand what health care reform really means to providers, insurance carriers and ultimately patients and their families.

  • Winter causes problems for many

    Winter has certainly pounded Taylor County. While we haven't received the type of winter storms that have virtually shut down other parts of the U.S., we've gotten more than we have been accustomed to.

    Taylor County Schools have had 10 missed days, while Campbellsville Independent has had seven. And while both districts have already implemented makeup plans, some days will likely be added to the end of the school year. Hold off on those graduation invitations.

    But snow and ice have an impact on far more than school days.

  • Work still left to do

    Some day, prejudice will no longer be a part of our world. Some day, individuals will not be "judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character ..."

    That dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is still evident today, especially after this past week's events honoring his work to promote equality for all.

  • Guns don't kill; people do

    Respect for human life apparently doesn't have the importance it once did. Senseless tragedies such as Saturday's shooting in Tucson, Ariz. seem to be more of the norm rather than the unusual. We are reminded of the violence and loss of life in Colorado and Oklahoma as well as the recent attack on the local school board in Florida.

  • Good news for a change

    We need good news every once in a while. It makes the bad news that comes with everyday life a little easier to handle.

    A story on today's front page provides details about the good news that fatal car crashes in Taylor County have been steadily decreasing. That's definitely good news.

    And a new state law banning texting while driving for everyone and all cell phone use for drivers younger than 18 can only help.

    Following the rules is all well and good, but there is more we need to do to make our roadways safe for everyone.

  • Protecting value for the future

    As local officials begin a new term on Monday - or, as several will, take office for the first time, here's hoping that planning is an important part of their agendas.

    These are difficult financial times that we're living in today. Many of us are getting by with less in our paychecks, whether it's from fewer hours worked or furlough days. Others, not so lucky, have lost their jobs. Yet prices for many items have increased.

  • Christmas is bright in...

    'Tis the season - and nowhere is that more evident than right here in Campbellsville.

    It's a treat to drive down Main Street or through Miller Park at night.

    Have you ever wondered who is responsible for all the work?

    According to Janet Mills at City Hall, she and fire department administrative assistant Connie Wooley coordinate the annual decorating project. City employees Bill Brewer, Roger Willis, Joe Kearney, Dixie "Shorty" Hamilton, Kenny Phillips and several street department employees do the work.

  • Snow on the roads

    Kudos to workers in the City and County road departments for their long hours of work during the recent weekend snow.

    While the rest of us were snug in our warm homes, they were out in the cold, salting and scraping the roads so we could get where we needed to go.

    Snow fell during much of last Sunday and, while side streets were still snow and ice covered, most of the roads more heavily traveled were fairly clear by Monday afternoon.

    We appreciate your hard work.

  • Recycling for the future

    stew·ard·ship, n: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.

     

    If asked why recycling is important, what reasons would you give?

    There are so many: saving our natural resources, protecting wildlife habitat, using less energy, reducing water and air pollution, freeing up space in our landfills and creating new industry.

    Many communities across the country have successful recycling programs. And we should, too.

  • New rigorous standards will produce...

    A guest column by Bob King of the Council on Postsecondary Education and Dr. Terry Holliday, Kentucky Commissioner of Education.

    There has been a great deal of talk among educators about the new "Common Core Academic Standards." From classroom teachers to principals and superintendents, to college presidents, legislators, governors and the U.S. Secretary of Education, the new standards are at the center of attention.

  • Test scores don't always...

    Report cards have for decades been a traditional measure of success for students. However, over the years, test scores have become more and more important ... to the point that some school funding is contingent on the results.

    The acronyms alone will confuse most people: ACT, KCCT, EXPLORE, SAT, PLAN ... and the list goes on.

    We recognize the importance of tests, especially for minimum requirements and for college acceptance.

    But good test scores don't always mean that students will succeed - and having poor scores doesn't mean they won't.

  • Remember your blessings

    Thanksgiving is a day officially set aside as a time for gratitude. And those of us who live in Campbellsville and Taylor County have so much for which to be grateful.

    Most of us will sit down with family members and friends for a meal that can only be described as a feast. We can also be thankful that we have friends and neighbors and churches who will be there for those who don't have family and friends nearby or for those who don't have the resources to provide their own feasts.

  • A tradition of loyalty and bravery

    Veterans Day this year has a sense of urgency about it. This nation is at war.
    And thousands of miles from Kentucky, in the deserts of Iraq and mountains of Afghanistan, soldiers are dying on our behalf and on behalf of all who support right and good in the world.
    The numbers are staggering.
    Last month, we mourned the loss of the 100th Kentuckian killed on military duty in Iraq and Afghanistan since those wars began nine years ago.
    Furthermore, some 75 soldiers from units stationed at Fort Campbell have been killed since they were deployed in March.

  • Take time to wade through the...

    Tuesday is Kentucky’s general election. And all of our community’s governmental offices are up for election, from the judge/executive and magistrates to mayor and city council. Add in district judge, jailer, sheriff and school board, and there’s a full slate of local candidates to choose from. And that’s not to mention U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator.

    It has certainly been a lively campaign season. But there have also been some not-so-shining moments. Rumors, innuendoes and even some outright lies have made their way across the state.