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Columns

  • Saluting those incredible canine heroes

    I could have sworn my dog, Max, quietly napping on my left side, perked up when Diane Sawyer introduced the story about the Navy SEAL dogs on the evening news.

    Max’s brother, Baylor, with eyes half closed, was perched like a cat on the arm of the couch. But when Diane mentioned those heroic dogs, he snapped to attention, instantly turning his head in the direction of the television.

    At least I thought he did.

    My miniature Schnauzers are about as close to being Navy SEAL dogs as I am to being a Navy SEAL. But we three enjoyed the story anyway.

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  • Join us today to begin a new laughing habit

    It’s easier to start a new habit than break an old one.

    Today as The News-Enterprise makes a change on the daily comics page, please consider it an invitation to a new, fun habit.

    “DeFlocked” joins the daily and Sunday lineup. It’s a relatively new feature by Jeff Corriveau, who made a life writing for TV programs including “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show” and “Talk Soup,” before bringing his talents to  newspaper pages.

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  • May is Foster Care Awareness Month

    Guest column by JERIANNE STRANGE

    May is National Foster Care Month, a time to shine the light on the foster care experience. Let’s start with some facts and figures:

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  • Two views: The case against hunting sandhill cranes

    If they are allowed to go through with it, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will allow for the first time in more than 100 years the hunting of sandhill cranes in Kentucky.
    Under what KDFWR calls a sandhill crane management plan, hunters will be allowed to buy permits and shoot the birds as they migrate through the commonwealth in the winter months.

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  • Two views: The case for hunting sandhill cranes

    The eastern population of sandhill cranes migrates through and winters in portions of Kentucky. Sandhill cranes are the most abundant crane species on the planet, with more than 700,000 spending part of their year in North America. The eastern population is the world’s second largest, numbering between 60,000 and 100,000 birds.
    The population continues to grow and has become increasingly visible in Kentucky in recent years. Peak counts in Kentucky now approach 20,000 cranes in the Barren River Lake area.

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  • Weather watchers watch over us

    I used to wonder why my wife, Lori, and her family are such avid weather watchers. Whenever we are in a storm warning in Kentucky, my mother-in-law in Oklahoma usually knows about it before I do.

    Not long ago she called me on my cell phone: “Are you OK?”

    I had no clue why she asked. I quickly glanced around my office for vandals, felt my pulse and answered, “I guess so. Why?”

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  • Essential news arrived as nine-word post online

    Four Alabama refugees and their dog took shelter in our house early Thursday morning. My daughter’s family escaped without injury or significant property damage but not without some degree of impact.

    After our daily April storms, the constant storm watches and warnings almost became background noise. Another threat was predicted for Wednesday but when my wife described news of Alabama’s devastation the information didn’t immediately register.

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  • What can be made of near-death experiences?

    Stories about dying, going to heaven (or hell) and selling books about it has become a veritable cottage industry these days.

    Two pastors, Don Piper and Steve Sjogren, both wrote about visions of heaven in their death or near-death experiences. Piper’s 90 Minutes in Heaven, (2004) was followed by Sjogren’s, The Day I Died (2006).

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  • Interesting details occur beyond the spotlight

    When everyone’s facing forward watching the action at center stage, some aspects of the performance go unnoticed.

    When the governor arrives in town with businessmen from India and 250 new jobs to announce, it’s a lot like that. With all attention on the speaker’s platform, some things slip by. Here are a couple observations about two guests at the Uflex plant announcement April 13 in Elizabethtown.

    Arriving early provided a few minutes to talk privately with Larry Hayes, the state economic development director.

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  • Sadness accompanies glory of Easter celebration

    My family followed traditional American Easter traditions when I was a child. In addition to preparing for the Sunday morning worship of the resurrected Christ, we anticipated the Easter event by dyeing eggs for the family egg hunt, sending Easter cards and exchanging chocolate bunnies.
    Dad was a dentist and candy generally was discouraged in our house, so chomping down on one of those miniature chocolate Easter bunnies was a rare and unusual treat.

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