The sky that morning…

What I remember most about that morning was the sky.  We’d already had a tornado in the county two days earlier, and as I was headed in to work, the sky just looked so strange.  There was already talk on the weather about how it could, and likely would, get nasty that day, but it wasn’t supposed to happen until later in the afternoon.  Still, the sky just had an eerie, foreboding look about it.  I snapped a couple of pictures with my phone to share on Facebook, but I had no idea of just how much worse that day was going to get.

As we approach March 2^nd, one year removed from a day that Morgan County folks will remember for the rest of their lives, most of us are probably taking some time to reflect…to think about that day and the days since.   I just wanted to share my thoughts as I look back on the past year, and to think a little on the years to come.  I hope that some of you will add your thoughts in the comment section below.

When I think about that day, there are definitely the memories of the large-scale destruction, but there also so many little things…small details that remain stuck in my mind…and likely always will.

Things like the sight of seeing metal swirling in the air as the tornado was hitting Wells Hill and realizing this was actually about to happen…we were about to be hit by a tornado.

The sound of so many things hitting the house, over and over, as we crouched and prayed in our little kitchen pantry.

There was the overwhelming sense of relief as those sounds faded, knowing we had made it, but those feelings were coupled with a new fear of not knowing what to expect to find when we walked out our doors.

I also clearly remember the smell as we walked Liberty Road in front of the hospital, on the way to try and find my mom.  I can remember thinking that maybe it was wood…wood that had been hidden beneath bricks and shingles for years and years, that was now newly exposed…twisted and broken and soaked by the rain.

There would be no end to the range of emotions that day and in the days to come.

Fear of not knowing the full extent of what all and who all had been lost…

Relief at finding out that family and friends were accounted for and OK…

Joy at hearing familiar voices or seeing friendly faces in the darkness that night…

Concern about family and loved ones who might not know that we were OK and having no way to get in touch with them to ease their worries.

It was as wide a range of emotions as a person can probably go through in such a short amount of time, but through all of those ran a thread of surprise…surprise that anything like this could happen here, when all of our lives we’d assumed that these hills would keep us safe from such vicious things.

In many ways, I think the emotional ups and downs of March 2^nd and the days that followed would come to serve as a sort of template for the year.  There were moments that lifted us up, and others that left us feeling flat.  This year has seen our community unite in amazing ways, but it has also exposed divisions underneath.  We have grown stronger and more courageous, but we also have a new fear inside us that may never go away.

the night the Freezer Fresh opened

They do say time heals all wounds, and we have definitely healed a lot in this past year…but I know there are scars, on the land and in our hearts, that will never let us forget that day.  Still, there has been no shortage of moments this past year to aid in that healing process.

There was the swarm of volunteers that worked throughout the county to get us back on our feet…cutting trees, carrying debris, delivering supplies, cooking food…there was no shortage of assistance, and it continues to this day…

The help from the agencies and organizations, both from within the community and outside of it, that have put so many people back in homes and back on their feet that thought they may never get that chance again…

The sight of a crowd gathered around the newly opened Freezer Fresh and the taste of that first double decker…

Watching the football team play again on a field that had been only months before covered in debris…

Seeing cars parked on Main Street again, with folks excitedly visiting a newly re-opened business.

There has been much progress in the past year, and it looks like we will continue on that path.  As the weather starts to warm and the ground starts to dry, new construction is likely to begin all over the place.  The sounds of hammers and saws building anew is starting to replace the sounds of debris and damage being torn down and hauled away.

I know that the first severe weather threat in our area this Spring is likely to make us all pee in our pants a little…and truthfully, it may be that way for a while…but I also know that continuing to see positive changes and progress…and finding ways to create new positive memories associated with the tornado…will go a long way towards easing the burden that the events of that day placed on our hearts and minds.

284 voted to stay dry.

A fair amount more decided not to vote at all.

Some will say it is the best thing for our city and county…others will say this is a defeat for progress and growth.  As much as anything, I think it revealed quite a bit about folks, and not all of it was very pretty.  I will just leave it at that, for now.

I may add some more thoughts in the coming days, but for now, I guess you can continue to support your favorite vendor of beer, wine, and spirits in a neighboring county, and I’ll just try to look at the positive…I guess I’m off the hook for that round of margaritas for everyone.

…the information that was left on my porch this weekend.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that West Liberty will be holding an election this Tuesday, January 22 to decide on the sale of alcohol within city limits.  I had thought that maybe I’d not write anything about it.  I know where I stand…I know where others stand…and I know that probably no matter what anyone says at this point, minds and votes are already decided.

Then I started thinking that if I ever want this site to grow and become a reliable source for news and information in this county, maybe I should chime in on what is turning out to be a story that could be one of the biggest this year and could possibly shape the face of our city and county for years to come.  I started writing and ended up with some big long page about where I stand and why, but after looking at it again, I think I’m going to keep this simple with a few talking points that I think highlight this issue and this election (fair warning: I ended up rambling on again!).  So here goes.

•  People who want to drink are going to drink, whether they buy it here or somewhere else, that much we know.  There’s probably a few folks reading this right now with a beer or glass of wine sitting beside them. To assume that more people will start drinking if the town goes wet makes no sense, and keeping the city dry will not somehow cure those who already have a drinking problem.
• As it stands now, really the only people in this county who do not have easy access to alcohol are the people who live in town!  Think about it…you can get alcohol just across the line in what is basically Maytown…Hazel Green…Salyersville…Morehead… Paintsville…Helechewa…if you live in pretty much any direction outside the city of West Liberty, you are closer to alcohol sales now than anyone IN the city itself, and you are potentially closer to it than you would be if the city went wet.  I know there has been a fair amount of opposition to the city going wet coming from outside the city.  I wonder if those folks have considered that?
• The Judge’s column in this week’s paper pointed out that alcohol sales in neighboring counties has not really been a benefit to those areas economically, but that’s not exactly true. In particular, Buffalo Wild Wings wanted assurances in Morehead that they would allow liquor sales by the drink (not just beer or wine), as well as Sunday alcohol sales, before deciding to open there.  Without them opening, it is doubtful the movie cinema beside them would have opened.  And it is in no small part thanks to BW’s that the city was able to make a convincing case to the Cracker Barrel folks that a store could thrive in Morehead, despite the city having a lower population than the company typically prefers before they open one.
• There were also a few statements in the paper that seemed to indicate that due to alcohol sales, surrounding areas have had to hire on more law enforcement to deal with the troubles it causes.  I would say that the need for more law enforcement in those areas has been more related to the growth of those cities, not due to the sale of alcohol.  Mt. Sterling, Paintsville, Morehead…they have all continued to expand with new businesses over the past decade or so.  Some of those items include Mt. Sterling opening a brand new hospital, and Morehead adding a super Wal-Mart and filling several vacant business spaces both in town and at the old Trademore and Pinecrest shopping centers.  Those things are signs of growth.  And while alcohol sales may not have had anything to do with it, growth brings the need for expanded services, which would necessarily include law enforcement.
• Also, all these folks opposed to the city going wet…I sure hope they aren’t eating or frequenting any establishments that sell alcohol now.  That just wouldn’t make sense, would it??

All that being said, I don’t expect there to be a huge economic gain right away if the city goes wet, but I do think it could help.  Here are some figures that are interesting:

• Ashland alone generates over $450,000 for their general fund due to a 3.5% tax on alcohol sales.
• Morehead’s revenue tax of 3% on liquor sales generates $125,000 per year plus $14,000 in permit license fee revenue all of which goes into the general fund and help the police force.
• Over $200,000 is generated each year in Madisonville through this tax which provides equipment and additional funding for the police force and firemen

Those numbers are from an older article (found here), so the revenue numbers have almost certainly increased since then.

That article also points out that in many cases, businesses and industry will decide to bypass a city or county that is dry in favor of one that is wet, and it gives specific examples.  In particular it cites a developer wanting to build a cinema complex in Western Kentucky but ruling out any dry counties as potential locations.  The reason wasn’t that they themselves wanted to sell alcohol, but the availability of it is a draw for people who want to go out and make an evening of having a nice dinner and drinks and seeing a show after.

Again, I won’t pretend to think that West Liberty is getting a BW’s or a an Applebee’s or a Kia factory just because we go wet, but I would make an argument that by at least having the option to sell alcohol, it makes the community more desirable to business interests, even if folks here argue that it tarnishes our image.  I would suspect that by going wet, we’d have a Mexican restaurant open in town by the end of the year.  That would be a signal that outside businesses are willing to invest in our future and believe in our growth.

As for the image and appeal of our town, I can see how some may think that the appearance of beer signs and neon in the windows of stores and restaurants may not be all that appealing.  I think that West Liberty has a certain charm to it, and I don’t want to lose that…but is it any more dangerous to put up beer posters than it is to advertise 10 candy bars for a dollar or cheap McRibs and $5 pizzas?  Or what about cigarettes, which kill far more people each year than alcohol?  Where are the door signs and newspaper ads about how many lives and families obesity or tobacco has destroyed?  Take a look at this graphic, which can be found here:

Alcohol is FAR behind tobacco and obesity

Alcohol destroys FAR fewer lives than obesity and tobacco, yet we can all easily grab a pack smokes, a pop, a cheeseburger, and a pop tart.  Granted, you are not likely to see any sort of tragic accidents result from doing any of those things, but long term, the effects are far worse.  So where are the yard signs speaking out against the damaging effects of cigarettes, or the parades through town calling out the evils of sugary sodas and Big Macs?

Listen, I can respect why some folks would prefer to not see alcohol sales in the city, and I’m trying to avoid being snide about this.  Alcohol does have a stigma attached, and I know that many people have had bad personal experiences with it and would just prefer it not be sold here.  But I have also read stories from places where a city or county voted to go wet, and when they interview folks later on who were opposed to it before the election, many of those same people have reversed course and admit that it isn’t all that bad, and in fact, may be even better.

So opposing views are fine…they are natural.  What is NOT OK are the scare tactics that some folks have resorted to in order to try and sway votes against going wet.  I drive home from Morehead every day, and I don’t encounter any drunks or hungry children laying in the streets.  I’m through Campton and Mt. Sterling fairly frequently and have yet to notice any there, either.  I also think it is wrong to try and use the tornadoes as a tool to sway opinion…to suggest that they have brought us all so close together and SHAME on any of us that even consider voting for alcohol sales at a time like this is just plain dirty.  I agree, the storms brought this county closer together in some ways, but it has brought about quite a bit of division, as well, due to some of the questionable decisions that have been (and continue to be) made, regarding a wide variety of things, financial and otherwise, that will affect the future of this city and county.

I don’t know if approving alcohol sales in West Liberty will be its savior, but I’m certain it won’t be its downfall.  It will open a door to new revenue and likely lead to several new businesses opening here in a short amount of time (and I’m sure we will all come back here and discuss smelly politics again after we see who gets the green light to open the one package store we’ll be allowed).  We were a close, charming town and county before the tornadoes hit, and we’ll continue to be a close and charming town and county, regardless of the outcome of this election.  No doubt the storms brought us closer together, but you know what else might bring us closer??  Sharing a big margarita at the Mexican restaurant we’ll no doubt get once the town goes wet.  First round is on me.

I did see Obama supporters expressing happiness that he’d won, but I did not encounter any malicious bragging or boasting.  I think everyone understands that the country is going through a pretty rough time right now, and the time for real celebration will be when we have clearly started to climb out of this hole.  Now, I’m not saying that Obama supporters were not being a-holes on Facebook and elsewhere…I am sure they were…I just didn’t see it.  What I saw from some of the Romney supporters, however, was pretty shocking and scary.

I don’t want to paint the reaction with broad strokes.  I definitely saw posts expressing a normal amount of disappointment at the results, which was to be expected.  I am not happy when the candidate I support loses.  It is OK to feel disappointed.  It is normal.  But,  there were also the reactions that were NOT so normal.  I saw people complaining that we’d just “elected a Muslim” and a terrorist…I saw people talking about arming themselves for what was coming next…I saw people mentioning thoughts of suicide over the outcome…and I saw no shortage of folks saying that we need to pray for this country because Obama won.  If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought that Stalin had risen from the grave and been elected President.

As I said, I can absolutely understand being disappointed at the outcome.  It stinks when your candidate loses, and there is a period of feeling bummed out and blue about it…but…you get disappointed, and then you move on and hope for the best.  We’ve all been there.  So why were so many folks as worked up as they were about this outcome?  I mean, I didn’t see many Democrats ready to jump off a building when Rand Paul got elected…and he is an idiot.  So what was it?  Was it about coal?  Was it about guns?  Was it racial?  Was it just a knee-jerk reaction?  I figure it was probably a little of all those things, and more.

I think part of the reason for the extreme reactions stems from the fact that the current Republican strategy seems to be focused on scaring the sh*t out of everybody instead of giving any real solutions to the problems we face.  The Democrats are going to take your guns…they are going to shut down the coal mines…they are going to allow gay marriages…they are going to kill old people…and Mexicans are going to take your jobs.  They basically paint a picture that the apocalypse is coming if you don’t vote Republican.  So, maybe it is only natural that when they don’t win, well…some folks think that’s it, the world as they know it is over.  How is that a good strategy?

If you watched any of the news shows after the election, you saw outcome maps that appeared to show a clearly divided nation.  Blocks of red…blocks of blue…but overall, the maps that were shown seemed to paint a much “redder” picture across the country.  And even though Obama DID win the popular vote  (sorry Mr. Trump) as well as the electoral vote, the appearance was that most regions of the country had gone Republican, but the major population centers went to the Democrats and thus swung the state and the election in Obama’s favor.  If you were a Republican voter, that had to add a bit of salt to the wound.  The maps appeared to show that most of the country voted like you did, but your candidate still lost.  The maps painted a picture that seemed to say that most people in this country supported Romney.   Below are a couple of examples of such maps:

Looks pretty red, both on the county-based map (left) and state-based map (right).

So you can see how that might upset some Republican voters.  Even though he did lose the popular vote, Republican voters could point to these maps and say that the election is being swayed by the large cities and are not representative of what the country as a whole really wants.  Turns out, these maps are very misleading.

A researcher at the University of Michigan wanted to produce a more accurate representation of the voting results.  He decided that instead of simply using red or blue, he would use shades of both to indicate voting percentages, not just show a county as red or blue.  The results show the country in a much different way:

Not overwhelmingly red OR blue…

That is quite a bit different from the maps we saw and typically see.  It shows a more “blended” nation.  There are still strongholds of red and blue, but you see more shades of those colors, as well.  This is a great map…a much more informative map…but to take it one step further, an engineer in New Hampshire named Chris Howard wanted to take the data represented in the above map but then add to it a layer reflecting population density.

So, in addition to having shades of red and purple, his map accounts for population density and displays lower population density areas as paler shades of colors, and high-density areas as darker shades.  That way, a county that has say 100 people in it but is colored completely blue or red on a typical election results map is not given the same “oomph” as say a county with 100,000 folks.  The result is truly something to see:

The color purple.

That looks like a very purple country.  You still see dark colors in heavily populated areas, but overall, it has more pale pinks and lavenders.  It is also interesting how there is a visible line dividing east and west as you approach the plains states.  He has added a much larger version here.

Something I find particularly interesting about this map is thinking about how a county or a state doesn’t necessarily just shift from one color to another when it goes from favoring one party or another.  It is likely a slow progression of “shades” moving across it.  Take a look at Texas, for instance.  At some point years ago, that whole map was likely tinted more towards red and pink.  But now, you can see blue and lavender shades that are showing up near the Mexican border.  It has to make you think about how those colors will likely inch their way north across the state until, conceivably, Texas could become as reliably “blue” as it now is “red”.

This map doesn’t mean we aren’t still a divided nation.  A pink county and a lavender county are probably just as divided as a red one and a blue one.  What it does show, though, is that one party or the other does not necessarily have a stranglehold on this country just yet.  The tried and trusted areas for each party will likely continue to remain the color they are…for now.  But for the rest of the country, it looks to me like both parties have a lot of work to do if they really want to start turning the map one shade or the other.

Part of the vision for downtown West Liberty.

On Monday November 5, the West Liberty City Council met in a special session to review and vote on approval of the “Master Plan” for West Liberty.  You may have heard of the plan without even knowing that you have.  If you saw the architectural drawing that was posted in the Licking Valley Courier some months back, you have seen the basic core of the plan.

Murphy Graves Principal Chuck Trimble was on hand to present the firm’s vision for downtown West Liberty.  The series of drawings featured a widened Main Street, a 2-level, 132-space parking structure behind the new judicial center (roughly taking up the space where Maloney’s and the Williams’ Karate Studio were), a memorial park and other green space on vacant lots along the street, a covered pavilion area and walkway leading from a parking area behind City Hall up to Main Street, a walking trail, a roundabout on Trimble Street, and rebuilt buildings on most of the lots along Main.

Trimble answered questions from the Council and citizens in attendance about the plan.  Several in attendance wanted to know what it meant for the town should the Council vote to approve the plan.  Some business owners were concerned that by adopting the plan, they would have to construct and design their buildings to match what is depicted in the drawings.  The main consensus given was that by adopting the plan, it would allow the city and other organizations to pursue funding for projects aimed at helping to rebuild and develop downtown, and it was in no way binding for the city or businesses to craft and construct their projects precisely as the drawings depict. In effect, the plan is there to serve as a vision of what downtown COULD be, not what WILL be.

After reviewing the plan, the Council voted unanimously to approve it as-is.

So what are your thoughts on the plan, given what you know about it?  Are there things you’d change?  Things you’d like to see come to downtown that you feel will be beneficial?  Sound off below!

Several of my friends know how big a fan I am of Drive-By Truckers.  Jason Isbell used to be one of the guitarists/vocalists in the band, and this song was originally on the DBT album The Dirty South.  He has his own band now, The 400 Unit, and they will soon be releasing a collection of live recordings.  This song will be on that album, and it is a tribute to late members of “The Band”.  I hope you enjoy it.

Did you survive the Spring 2012 tornado and storms in West Liberty? If you were affected in any way and would like to share you story, I am interested. My name is Carrie, and I teach writing at Morehead State. The project I am beginning to work on involves West Liberty and survivors’ narratives. Specifically, I hope to collect your shared stories, reflections, journal entries, poems, and any writings about that event.

I am especially interested in how home becomes redefined or recreated through telling stories like yours, and how place is understood. I plan to expand this project and seek participants who want to post stories on a web site, or who will fill out a survey about the experience, or who are willing to be interviewed via phone or face to face.

If you would like to share your story and participate, contact me, Carrie Coaplen: 502 533 4433 or c.coaplen@moreheadstate.edu

Below are the copies of the survey and consent forms you can fill out and give to Carrie.

Informed consent

Formatted survey

Made possible by help from the Sorghum Festival Committee, Morgan County Cooperative Extension, and Morgan County Arts and Recreation, the tent will feature over 40 talented artists and crafters waiting to bring their art to you. There will be artists from Morgan, Elliott, Johnson, Wolfe, and several other counties. In addition, there will be an area designated for readings & acoustic performances, open mic style, as well as face painting for the little ones. If you’d like to perform or read an original poem or story, just stop by the booth and sign up. See you at the festival!

how about a little music for the start of your long weekend?

I just wanted to share this with folks.  this band is called The Dexateens, and i just love ‘em.  they are no longer together, which is a damn shame, because they are just so, so good.

they are from Alabama, and they haven’t put out anything new in around 3 years, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking them out.  to try and describe them would be tricky, and would ultimately not do them justice, i think.  calling them “southern rock” or “alternative country” just doesn’t quite get it.  their lyrics are smart and creative, driving but also tender…the music can be gritty and raw at one point and then subtle and quiet the next.

this video is from an album they created called “lost and found”.  the record label offered it for free on their web site, encouraging folks to donate in order to help cover costs and hopefully make enough to put it out on CD and vinyl.  i’m not sure at this point if it has a chance of ever making it, but if you like this song, called “Kid”, then you need to go grab the download now.

this album is a bit more laid back than some of their other stuff, but it is just fantastic from start to finish.  i just think this song in particular is great, from the lyrics to the intricately layered music.

i just love it.

You can download the whole album from here: http://www.skybucket.com/media/dexateens/index.php

most of their other stuff is available on Spotify, and i’d suggest you start with “Hardwire Healing”.  it was produced by Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers), and it just flat-out rocks.

i don’t know how many of you will like them…i don’t even know how many people will see this post.  but i just love this band, and i wanted to share.

i hope you enjoy.