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Columns

  • Seeing beauty, amidst tragedy

    As a reporter, I’ve encountered people who have witnessed or lost loved ones in a tragic event.

    I’ve often wondered, “What could I possibly say to comfort someone who lost their home in a house fire or lost a child in a car crash?”

    I turn on the news when I get home, more bad news. Sometimes, I just have to turn off the TV; “I’ve met my quota of tragedy for day. I can’t take anymore,” I sometimes think. Just this week it seems like there was plenty to go around.

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  • Looking to save money, try homemade laundry detergent

    I wouldn’t call myself crafty in any sense of the word. I’m terrible at gift wrapping. I know that when my husband and I have children we will most likely have to get our presents wrapped or else the kids will discover “gee, Santa wraps presents like mom,” and after watching numerous demonstrations and YouTube videos, I still cannot successfully tie a tie.

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  • Water your plants generously; prepare for harvest time

    It’s a good thing man invented hoses. Otherwise, I think our gardens would be filled with dehydrated everything. This is the time of year when Mother Nature decides to take a little siesta from doing the watering for us.

    If I ever win the lottery, I swear I’m going to have everything laser leveled and bermed so I can flood irrigate. It’s so much more efficient in time and effort. Our plants appreciate a good long drink way more than a few sips. Frequent light waterings lead to shallow roots.

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  • Two-spotted spider mites can be formidable pests

    The two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) is a common and destructive pest with an extremely wide host range that includes many trees, shrubs, flowers, weeds, fruits, and vegetable crops. Problems increase during hot, dry weather but early signs and symptoms are easy to overlook. Not only are these mites tiny but they live out of sight on the underside of leaves (Figure 1).

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  • Berry growers: beware of Drosophila
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  • Keeping plants watered, fertilized key in ‘dog days’ of summer

    I don’t scare easy. Sure, if somebody sneaks up behind me I’ll jump, but I’ll probably swing too. I’ve jumped out of airplanes, rappelled down mountains, even been surrounded by 300 Crips and Bloods that were more heavily armed than I, but I didn’t think a ride on the tractor would scare me.

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  • The Bible trumps Darwinism: Why the Book of Genesis can’t be abandoned

    In a June 13 article for Associated Baptist Press, a Frankfort minister derided Bible-believing pastors and scholars for teaching that the Genesis account of creation is historic fact, as opposed to a metaphorical story.

    The article, entitled “It’s time for evangelicals to come out for evolution,” asserts that when it comes to the creation versus evolution debate “educated evangelicals know better.”

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  • Kentucky’s stance on marriage has changed drastically, God’s hasn’t

    Last week, federal Judge John G. Heyburn II struck down as unconstitutional an amendment to our state constitution that made it illegal for Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages or perform civil unions.

    The amendment, which was approved by 75 percent of Kentucky voters in 2006, reads, “Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Kentucky.

    A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.”

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  • Reasons visitors want to come here…and just don’t know it yet

    Bravo to Judge-Executive John Wayne Conway for taking steps last week to revive the quiet local tourism commission.

    Conway appointed new members and re-appointed others in an effort to keep the county commission alive and, hopefully, renew its efforts to generate visitor traffic.

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  • Managing the Asian tiger mosquito is important, particularly now

    The Asian tiger mosquito is a serious nuisance at best and a potential public health threat at worst.

    This aggressive day-biting mosquito prefers mammals, such as humans, cats, dogs, etc., but will occasionally feed on birds.

    It is capable of transmitting 30 viruses and the dog heartworm. This accidentally introduced species probably occurs throughout Kentucky.

    The ATM  (Figure 1) can carry the chikungunya virus, which has been in the news lately.

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