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Opinion

  • Breath Easy - November is Lung...

    November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the month we celebrate the Great American Smokeout. On Nov. 19, many Americans will participate in the Great American Smokeout which is a day that honors people’s efforts to stop smoking - for a day, for weeks, forever. Are you ready?

  • Readers Write: Reader supports...

    Dear Editor,

    There is a provision in the “Healthcare” (power grab) bill that would put Planned Parenthood clinics inside your child’s school, according to the American Family Association of Tupelo, Miss.! Isn’t 52,000,000 killed by abortion enough? It’s a mean group that wants to kill the unborn; to saddle the grandchildren with tremendous debt; and to tell grandma to take pain pills instead of having the operation!

  • Orinary people accomplishing the...

    When then-Governor Ronald Reagan introduced returning POW John McCain at a speaking engagement in 1974, the future president asked, “Where do we find such men?”

    He was speaking of many veterans, when he answered, “We find them in our streets, in the office, the shops and the working places of our country and on the farms.”

    In other words, President Reagan was referring to ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things. And it isn’t just the men.

  • Saying thanks to our veterans

    “Surrounded?  I like to be surrounded.”

    Unknown U.S. Army Ranger

    I love that quote.

    The story behind it involves a convoy that had been ambushed by Taliban fighters in some forsaken mountain pass in Afghanistan.  The fight carried on for some time with the Taliban closing in.  Frantic radio calls for help seemed to go unanswered.  The officer leading the convoy began to expect the worst would happen. 

  • Richard, Stella and me

    Hey everybody! How’s it going?

    The old “Great Recession” seems to still have a lot of steam left, doesn’t it?  Well, let me tell you, things are pretty sparse around the old Begley household while I wait for my next paycheck.  

    The other day we were down to our last jar of peanut better with only dribs and drabs left.  We had one  final piece of bread, as well.  So, being the good dad that I am, I decided to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the kids got full benefit.  

  • Readers Write: Isaiah House needs...

    To the Editor,

    I have lived here in Willisburg for the last 25 years.  It is a little town in North Washington County that many like myself call home. 

  • Thieves invade 'handbag heaven...

    It all started with a purse.

    A very, very expensive purse named “Stevie.”

    No, really, I’m serious. The very, very expensive purse’s name - or its design rather - was “Stevie.”

    So, obviously, it was the perfect gift for my twin sister to surprise me with on our 30th birthday. You see, I had never been the “expensive purse” type. Give me a cheap handbag from one of our local department stores (or should I say our only department store) and I was good to go. That is, before I was introduced to “Stevie.”

  • It's a duct tape world

    The other day, my wife was picking out a newborn baby gift for a friend.  It was their  first kid.  We were at Wal-Mart and she asked me,  “Should I get diapers or an outfit?”  I replied,  “How about duct tape and rubber cement glue instead?”

    She gave me a look too tired and disinterested to even ask for an interpretation.  “I think I’ll just put money in a card instead.”

  • 13 ghosts

    The Central Kentucky Youth Actors will be performing Dracula at the Opera House on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.  My little girl, Jenny, is in the play, and I’ll be watching the Sunday performance.  Come on out and see what these kids can do on stage, and we can talk at intermission.  That is unless I owe you money or something.

    You know what?  You don’t?  Well that’s what I’m here for.  I’ll tell you what.

  • Think pink for October

    October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

    This year, more than 182,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women, following only lung cancer. While the disease affects primarily women, approximately 1,700 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year as well.

  • Showbiz really pays!

    Talk about a great day; we sure had one in Springfield Sunday.

    After a weather delay on Friday, Sunday saw sunshine and blue skies as the crew of Two Popes Production Company began filming a TV commercial for Bluegrass Cellular on Main Street.

    When filming was ready to begin, Kathy Elliott and the folks at Springfield City Hall made it known that they needed extras for the shoot. A few people showed up early Sunday morning, and lots of others came later that afternoon for the parade scene.

  • Readers Write: Readers comment on...

    Dear Editor,

    I was very surprised and disappointed to read in the “Springfield Sun”, Sept.  30, 2009 edition, that the county denied the request from the Chamber of Commerce to continue their annual funding of $5000.

    My husband and I worked in the Chamber of Commerce booth on Saturday morning of the Festival and had numerous people from out of town stop in to talk. Most had ties in the county from way back and looked forward to our Festival each year for a chance to visit with family and friends.

  •
    Youth actors return from Disney

    It actually happened.  The Central Kentucky Youth Actors cast of ‘Grease’, under the direction of Jan Fattizzi,  really did make it to Disney, and they had a truly fabulous performance.  The crowd loved it!  The applause was huge!  A couple from Germany wanted to know the time of their next performance because they wanted to watch our kids again because they were so good!  

    Yes, the CKYA cast of ‘Grease’ played to an international audience at Downtown Disney during Magic Music Days.  

  • Springfield goes Hollywood: Take 3!

    It’s hard to imagine that anyone could call it common, but it seems these days, getting attention from a movie company or some other group that can bring publicity to our little town of Springfield is, well, kind of common.

    In the four years I’ve lived here, we now have our third brush with stardom. First, it was the 2007 shot at hosting the world premier of “The Simpsons Movie.” We didn’t win the grand prize, but we were recognized around the globe, and had voters casting their ballots for us to be the true home of the animated television series.

  • The Hug-A-Bug Club

    “Enjoy your family and the life you have now.”

    Norma Goode

    I like that quote.  It came from a card Norma sent me last week.  

  • A little about heroes

    Did you ever stop to think who was really a hero in your life, aside from giving it a fleeting thought?  I know the latter had been the case for me, that is, until I took the time to prepare this article.  What had changed for me?  Actually, it is the person who this article is about.  That person is Myles Brand, recently deceased president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

    What makes Myles Brand a hero in my eyes?  Actually, it is many different things, but mainly it is the courage he displayed in many challenging situations.

  • Readers Write: Rescue squad seeks...

    To the citizens of Washington County

  • Hunting with J.B.

    My father was never a hunter, so therefore I didn’t become a hunter.  

    I always felt like I missed something when guys would start talking about hunting deer, wild turkey (not the kind in a bottle), squirrel, and so on.  It just seemed so neat going into the woods and bringing back the equivalent of a side of beef.  Mind you, until I had kids, it seemed neater to just go to Hardee’s and pick up my beef already cooked and served on buns in an air-conditioned restaurant, but that’s another story.

  • Better safe than sorry is motto for...

    It’s all too easy to become complacent when we’re doing something that’s second nature to us.

    Accidents most often happen when we’re doing something we’ve done hundreds - if not thousands - of times before.

    But when it comes to farming, that can be especially dangerous.

    According to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, farmers face a variety of hazardous environmental factors. Weather, terrain and atmospheric conditions all present a host of hazards and risks to agricultural workers.

  • The health insurance debate

    The national health insurance debate has been going on for some time.  If there is anyone out there who can solve this knotty problem with a painless solution, then I’d hope they would also take the time to look into budget deficits, a Middle East peace plan, a cure for AIDS, and an energy substitute for oil, if they have the time.

    When I was young and single, I never thought this area would be of great concern.  My first individual insurance policy cost me $327 for one year.  I never filed a single claim on it.