Opinion

Now that the wet/dry issue has been settled in Owenton for the foreseeable future, the public’s focus should be turned toward an epidemic that claims victims on an almost weekly basis in Owen County.
If you talk to police in Owenton, you’ll find they respond to a potential overdose with shocking regularity. Recently at a meeting of the Owenton City Council, Owenton Police Chief Terry Gentry said his officers worked three overdoses in a single weekend.

In my 25-plus years of working in the community newspaper business, I often get asked when I’m going to write about my extended family. (Keep in mind it’s usually my family that is doing the asking.)
While I hail from Grant County now, my roots are in Owen County. My mother is Eula Smoot and my father was Buster Baker, both Owen County natives. My Granny Baker lived on Blanton Street, across from “the cheese factory” for many, many years.

I would like to officially ask for your vote and support in the upcoming primary election. I am seeking the office of county clerk. My name is Kimberly “Kim” Smith. I currently work at Commonwealth Credit Union and have been there for over nine years. I deal with auto loans and I am a registered NMLS to assist with mortgage applications. I have worked with many of you over the years and if elected I vow to work hard for you. I have the skills needed to effectively run the clerk’s office and oversee the development the staff.

People say that the true nature of a person is revealed in a time of crisis.
If that’s the case, then the people of Owen County should be proud of the character that was on display during last week’s water crisis.

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When the taps dried up last Tuesday morning, nearly every group, department, business, organization, congregation and agency jumped into action.

Calling all prayer warriors to the former Saveway parking lot on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.
THRIVE is a youth group led by 17-year-old Logan Armstrong from Richmond, who have been called to Owen County to pray for God’s deliverance from the disease of addiction for our community and especially our youth.
 If you are a prayer warrior and believe that God can still work miracles, we invite you to stand with us on the promises of Matthew 7:7; 18:20 and join us on our knees to pray for Owen County.

I love my dog.
She was a gift for my oldest daughter Elizabeth and the honor of naming the new puppy was left up to her.
Being an 8-year-old little girl, Elizabeth chose “Cupcake.”
Not since my friend Billy Johnson named his three-legged Irish setter “Speedy Gonzales” has an animal had a less appropriate name.
When I got her from an animal shelter nearly nine years ago, she was excitable, sweet, fun, smart and mostly obedient.

I would like to nominate my mother Bonnie Woodyard for the 2013 Mother of the Year award.
Mom was born and raised in Owen County. She attended Lusby Mill School during her elementary years. She graduated from Owen County High School in 1960 at the age of 16. Mom married my father in 1961. They have been happily married for 52 years. Mom drove a school bus for the Owen County School System for almost 40 years. She also worked alongside my father to operate a dairy and tobacco farm. She has been a Sunday school teacher for as long as I can remember.

In this week’s News-Herald, you can read a story outlining some of the new laws that will soon go into effect in Kentucky on June 25.
From my days covering the General Assembly, I learned that some laws are simply passed to appease a certain group or to make a political statement.
This year, the General Assembly enacted several new laws that will truly help the people of the commonwealth.
Here are some of my thoughts on some of the new laws:

After finishing my first legislative session as majority floor leader, I am proud to look back at the significant accomplishments of the 2013 Regular Session of the General Assembly.  Most importantly, we successfully established a new spirit of bipartisan collaboration which allowed us to move the state forward in a meaningful fashion on substantive issues such as comprehensive public employee pension system reform, university bonding, a regulatory framework for hemp production, and added transparency for special taxing districts.