Challenges

Two candidates are vying for the first-district magistrate seat on the fiscal court during the Nov. 2 election. Republican Tim Isaac is running against Democratic incumbent Bobby Day Wilson, who has held the seat since 1993. Tim Isaac Isaac believes he is the best candidate for the position because he can relate to the residents of Jessamine County. “I am not going to benefit from a real-estate deal; I will be completely objective,” Isaac said. “I am not going to make money off of a Brannon Crossing deal.

Dear Editor, A good man does not exist without controversy. In this case I am speaking of Mr. Steve Meadows, Danville High School educator and forensics coach. For those of you who unfortunately do not know Mr. Meadows this is who he is: Steve Meadows is an educator, a friend, a mentor and an inspiration to many of our young adults. He is one of the most dedicated, involved teachers I have ever met both in my own academic career and in that of my three children. Mr. Meadows not only teaches, he challenges his students and he changes lives.

Nearly two-thirds of the way through the Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation's 3K Mudder Earth Challenge, the mud-soaked team of Jordan Andersen and Ashley Kennerly had to suck it up as they ventured into the portion of the course known as the Animal Kingdom. “The Bear Crawl and the Leap Frog was tough because you were already out of breath (running a mile),” Kennerly, of Berea, said. Her teammate agreed. “It was really muddy, so you had to fight the weight of the mud and everything else,” Andersen, of Lexington, said.

Kentucky Joe always held true to the promises he made while appearing on "Survivor 2 ? the Australian Outback. " Monday morning at McKinney Elementary School, Rodger Bingham, a.k.a. Kentucky Joe, made good on an off-camera promise he made a year ago. Last year, Bingham challenged the students in third through fifth grades to give their best on the CATS (Commonwealth Accountability Testing System) testing and, before he left, he said that he would give them a lesson in throwing the boomerang if they scored well.

Some of the students may not have recognized Rodger Bingham's face, but almost all knew the name of the show that catapulted him to notoriety. McKinney Elementary School Principal Don Leigh got an almost unanimous consensus when he asked the third through sixth grade students if they watched "Survivor�. Some of the hands dropped down when it was asked who saw Bingham, a.k.a. Kentucky Joe, on "Survivor 2 - the Australian Outback�, but the interest in the visitor did not. Throughout a 45-minute presentation to the students, Bingham, now the Deputy Executive Director in the Office of Agriculture Marketing and Product Promotion, had their complete attention as he shared "Survivor" stories to encourage them to give their best effort during this week's CATS (Commonwealth Accountability Testing System)

I would like to thank all those who supported me in a variety of ways. I do not take your confidence and trust lightly. Thanks to all who shared their voice and voted, period. Whether you voted for me or not, I will represent you with all I have, to the best of my ability.  It is always an interesting journey and I am always humbled by it. I congratulate the other successful candidates and wish them the best. I also believe all candidates should be commended, as running for office is not an easy thing to do. I look forward to the next two years and the challenges ahead.

What better way to support the arts than by running an obstacle course, eating bizarre food, solving puzzles, and going on scavenger hunts? The Community Arts Center's fourth annual Dantastic Race, which puts a distinct Danville spin on TV's “The Amazing Race,” will do just that, leading four-person teams all over Boyle County as they follow clues, complete challenges, and ultimately try to cross the finish line first.   The fun Community Arts Center Executive Director Mary Beth Touchstone says the race was designed specifically with 20, 30 and 40-somethings in mind.

Organizers say you need to have a fanny pack, toothbrush and flashlight, arrive with a full tank of gas, and wear your seat belt and clean underwear. You should be dressed and prepared for anything. The Community Arts Center and Danville-Boyle County Convention and Visitors Bureau will present the annual Dantastic Race, sponsored by M&M Electric, on Saturday. It’s an all-out mad dash with a $500 prize on the line. The race is like “The Amazing Race” you may have seen on TV but with more twists and harder challenges, sending you all over Danville and Boyle County.

Ever seen "The Amazing Race" on television? Daydreamed about globetrotting, undergoing challenges and working toward winning a prize? Folks at the Community Arts Center, Danville/Boyle County CVB and M&M Electric have put together a team competition along the lines of "Amazing Race" they hope is a community-building activity. Amy Wise, director of marketing for the Community Arts Center, said they've been talking about putting together such an activity for awhile. "The Amazing Race" recently began its 15th season, she added.

Ten candidates are running for the six Wilmore City Council seats during the Nov. 2 election. Incumbents Jim Brumfield, Kim Deyer, Leonard Fitch, Mary Jo Morrow, Jeff Baier and Lynne Fuller are facing challenges from Jeff James, Lynn Cooper, Michelle Beard and Dan Lewis. All of the council seats are “at-large,” and the six vote-getters will be elected. This week, The Journal will finish its two-part Wilmore council series by profiling Fuller, James, Cooper, Beard and Deyer.

When did I lose the ability to communicate with other adults? I cannot point to a specific day and time, but I do know that, at some point during the past three months, it definitely happened. It hit me full force the other day when I was trying to carry on a simple conversation with an acquaintance, nothing too deep, just idle chit-chat, but my mind was too full of the lyrics to “Six Little Ducks” and “Anna Katherine, You're My Girl,” written by Brandon Gilliam. That last one is a real crowd pleaser if you're having tummy troubles.

Nearly two-thirds of the way through the Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation's 3K Mudder Earth Challenge, the mud-soaked team of Jordan Andersen and Ashley Kennerly had to suck it up as they ventured into the portion of the course known as the Animal Kingdom. “The Bear Crawl and the Leap Frog was tough because you were already out of breath (running a mile),” Kennerly, of Berea, said. Her teammate agreed. “It was really muddy, so you had to fight the weight of the mud and everything else,” Andersen, of Lexington, said.

He scored 14 points for the Kentucky all-stars in a 106-98 loss to Ohio Saturday night, but now Dominique Hawkins knows he'll face even better competition Friday when he plays in the Derby Festival Classic Friday night at Louisville's Freedom Hall. “It's going to be real fun,” said the Madison Central star who was named Mr. Basketball earlier this month. “It will show me where Iam and let more people find out about me. There will be a lot of great, great talent in the game.” That includes three McDonald's All-Americans who played with or against six of Hawkins' future teammates at Kentucky during the recent all-star game in Chicago.

You may be aware that Kentucky law requires cities to operate in the black. We must have a budget, and we must balance that budget year in and year out. It's a challenging but good law. In fact, most people I talk with say they wish all levels of governments had to operate the same way as cities. The balancing act has become significantly harder in the last four or so years, though. For decades, the city of Nicholasville was blessed with significant growth every year. This kept our revenues strong so we could cover increased costs.

Schedules are in place and coaches can now begin team preparations for the 2013 edition of the VisitNich.com Soccerrama and Bowl. The upcoming football season will get underway Friday, Aug. 23, with East Jessamine High School hosting the third annual VisitNich.com Bowl, sponsored by the Nicholasville Tourism Commission. The Jaguars and head coach Mike Bowlin open the evening with South Oldham at 6:30 p.m. The Dragons finished the 2012 season 8-4 and defeated the West Jessamine Colts 43-32 in the first round of the KHSAA playoffs.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Even though he didn't watch Vanderbilt's win over Arkansas on Thursday night, Kentucky coach John Calipari knows his team faces a difficult task in tonight's Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals. “Played them twice. They know us, we know them. They've won five out of their last six. Since we beat them, they win five of six, and the only game they lost was at Florida, where no one won. They make (12) 3's today. We're playing them in their hometown. We've got a challenge,” said Calipari late Thursday night at the UK team hotel.” Calipari said Vandy having to play a second straight night against a rested UK¿is not necessarily an advantage for Kentucky.

Rebecca Greenwell's resume' just goes on an on. One of the state's best players since before she was in high school, the Owensboro Catholic star is a top-10 recruit who has signed with Duke, a member of two USA Basketball teams and a McDonald's All American Game invitee. And her name is surely on the first line of the scouting report Lincoln County will employ when it faces the Aces on Thursday in the first round of the Girls Sweet Sixteen in Bowling Green. “We want to deny her and put a lot of pressure on her, try to make her uncomfortable with the ball,” Lincoln coach Cassandra McWhorter said.

Former Kentucky point guard Anthony Epps, a starter on UK's 1996 national championship team, will watched a lot of college basketball. That's why he knows the challenge UK faces Saturday night against Missouri point guard Frank Pressey. “He is one of the better point guards in the country,” said Epps, an assistant girls basketball coach at Marion County. “It will be a challenge for Ryan Harrow and Jarrod Polson to step up and contain him. Florida did a great job the first time containing him (in an 83-52 win)

LEXINGTON - John Calipari really doesn't want to be mean to his basketball team - or at least that's what he said Tuesday night after admitting “I got mean” in the second half. He insists he's tired of coaching emotion, intensity, toughness. If his team won't play tougher and with more effort, then he'll concentrate on strategy. Yet after beating South Carolina 77-55 Tuesday in a game that was only close after a 16-6 run gave South Carolina an 18-17 lead midway of the first half, the Wildcats are only one game behind Florida in the Southeastern Conference standings.

LEXINGTON - Not only will Kentucky face the Southeastern Conference's best perimeter scorer tonight in Marshall Henderson, but the Cats will also be facing the league's most controversial/entertaining player. He's averaging 19.2 points per game, shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range and 86.7 percent at the foul line. But he's just as apt to taunt fans as he did at the end of Saturday's win at Auburn after making two clutch free throws or pound his chest after a big play. Kentucky coach John Calipari says Henderson, a junior college transfer, has the “ultimate green light” to shoot.