Future

A concrete crew with CC&E Concrete Finishers of Lexington began pouring the second floor of the new Bluegrass Community and Technical College building early this morning in the Winchester Industrial Park. Kenny Miller, foreground, uses a concrete pump truck to pour the concrete in place. The new $5.5 million building is expected to open for classes in January. James R. Leake & Son Construction of Richmond is the general contractor on the project.

I read this year that Disneyland is reintroducing the House of the Future, a computerized home that will anticipate every need of our future offspring's offspring. I just sighed. The original House of the Future, which opened in 1957, lasted for only 10 years. It looked like a giant cheese wheel with a piece cut out and was filled with hands-free phones, wall-sized televisions, plastic chairs, and electric razors and toothbrushes - all the neat gadgets they anticipated the George Jetsons of the future would use. Fifty-one years later, our house doesn't look like a cheese wheel.

About 200 people gathered for Asbury University's annual Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce breakfast Tuesday morning in the school's cafeteria. Speaker Sandra Gray, president of the university, gave an overview of the school's programs, pointing out growth since her arrival in 2007 that includes a 27.5-percent jump in enrollment and a 300-percent gain in athletic participation. Gray also announced several changes coming for Asbury in the next few years. On the athletics front, a new baseball complex with lights is slated for completion in November 2013, and the school will add a lacrosse program in 2014.

For the first time in his football career, there is some uncertainity about Jacob Tamme's future. From middle school to Boyle County¿High School to the University of Kentucky and then to the NFL, Tamme always knew what was coming other than having to wait to see which NFL team would draft him. However, after four years with the Indianapolis Colts that included a Super Bowl, Tamme is now a free agent. “Every step in the process, your sort of know what is coming except maybe waiting to get drafted,” said the former Boyle standout.

Vicki Tyler Goode has a word of caution for any who are tempted to open up a conversation with her about her beloved downtown Perryville: “I will talk you to death!” she said. Goode said she was inside one of the vacant historic homes recently and found a secret stash of Civil War era items in a closet and “just screamed” with joy. “There was this bayonet, from the Civil War,” she holds the found artifact gently in deference to the importance of object. “And cannonballs and ... ” All told, a pirate's booty of treasures to add to the town's museum.

Dear Editor, It seems to me that Barack Obama and Bruce Lunsford are running campaigns against George Bush. Every commercial that I see, George Bush is on it. Bush is getting a lot of publicity to not be running for a political office. Maybe he should start a reality show. If Barack Obama wanted to run against Bush, he should have run four years ago. John McCain plainly stated that in the last debate. What's in the past is in the past. We cannot change that. But Barack Obama might impact the future if he is elected, and that is what he and Lunsford should be saying, instead of rhetorical comments made about George Bush.

Dear Editor, In seven different counties, Mr. Coomer's friends and family are happy to hear that he has such excellent supporters and also that he and Mr. Weyman are not talking politics. Danville needs help and supporters that think towards the future and don't dwell on the past and politics. Life is too short to dwell on negative things. Bring forward positive actions and thinking. God knows we've heard enough negative issues to last a lifetime. Tonya Boone Danville

OneTakeEddie: What about Travis Ford, he will be the future of Kentucky. I just feel it !!!!! He's AWESOME and just gettig started & KY would love him. Don't u think? Larry: The more I think about this, the more sense it makes. Travis is a rising young coach and when UK is ready for a new coach, who would know more about the program than him or have better experience than what he is getting. I think you have hit on an excellent idea here.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative is charting a new course to meet and overcome shifting challenges, the co-op's leader said this week. The cooperative has made numerous preparations for the future, such as restructuring the organization, reviewing strategic planning and refocusing efforts to cut costs and increase revenue, said Bob Marshall, president and chief executive officer. Marshall, who took the helm at EKPC in January, made the remarks during the cooperative's annual meeting at its headquarters in Winchester.

NBADraftblog.com's Ed Isaacson correctly predicted that two of Kentucky's freshmen (Archie Goodwin and Nerlens Noel) would put their name into the NBA draft and two (Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress) would return to UK for their sophomore seasons. Now he's had a chance to watch Kentucky coach John Calipari's next No. 1 recruiting class that includes six McDonald's All-Americans and he offers his insights on those players and their futures: Question: Could you just give me your impressions of each future Wildcat?

Having recently undergone the prolonged suffering and death of my husband of 34 years, Paul Powell, I wish to share the five stages I have experienced - and will continue to experience - in the foreseeable future and accept as ongoing. I've always been intensely and intentionally private, but at this time I'm compelled to honor two women who have been steadfast friends, regardless of my compulsion to push people away from me (with my bizarre sense of humor and steel coat of emotional armor)

West Jessamine boys' soccer lost two of its top players Wednesday as seniors Sam Brown and Logan Daily signed their college letters of intent. Brown, who scored 12 goals for the 14-11-1 Colts in 2012, signed his name to play at Anderson University (S.C.) while teammate Daily, who scored 18 to lead the team, signed with Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W. Va. Head coach Brock Sutherland said he “was fortunate enough to be their first traveling soccer coach” with the Lexington Futbol Club, where each played until this season.

Think about the future. Does it include becoming a non-smoker? It makes sense: Smokers who think more about the future are more likely to stop smoking, a study suggests. Are you thinking about the future? Are you pondering the idea of stopping smoking? Research tells us that most people really don't want to stop smoking, but they do want to be healthier, smell better, have more money, be more socially acceptable to family, friends, and acquaintances, and live a longer, better quality life.

Signing day has already come and gone for Scott Conyers. There was no press conference, no row of hats on a table, no fans watching online to learn his decision. In fact, there wasn't even a letter-of-intent on the table. Conyers signing wasn't a commitment to play college baseball, but rather a commitment to serve as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard. Following his one and only season as Boyle County's starting left fielder, he plans to put down his bat and glove for a future he has been planning for some time.

CHICAGO - It was a preview of what will come at Kentucky and has UK fans already dreaming of winning the 2014 national championship before this year's Final Four even starts. Kentucky had six players in the McDonald's All-American Game here Wednesday night and all six showed at least glimpses of what they could bring to coach John Calipari's team next season. “It was definitely a preview, but not on the defensive end,” said UK commit Dakari Johnson. “It's an all-star game where you just want to have fun. I realized in practice there would not be a lot of touches for big guys, so I set screens and tried to rebound.” That unselfish, team-oriented attitude was a common theme the last four days for future Wildcats Aaron and Andrew Harrison, James Young, Julius Randle, Marcus Lee and Johnson.

CHICAGO - After she failed to make the USA Basketball tryout roster, Marion County's Makayla Epps figured she had no chance to be a McDonald's All-American. “I thought maybe I just wasn't good enough and when I did get picked, it meant so much to me. Knowing I get this opportunity means the world to me,” said Epps. She's here now to play in the McDonald's All American Game on Wednesday (7 p.m. on ESPNU) at the United Center. “I know a lot of the players. I have seen them in AAU tournaments and their names are real big out there,” Epps said.

Heavy traffic can be a pain. With the hope of easing that pain and improving safety, local officials including Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer and Jessamine County Judge-executive Neal Cassity approached the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in 2010 to ask for possible suggestions for traffic on U.S. 27. The result is a  “U.S. 27 Access Management Plan,” which, if fully approved, will govern access points along the highway between Man O' War Boulevard in Lexington and just past Baker Lane in Nicholasville.

Even before he knew that his team would be playing at Robert Morris on Tuesday night in the opening round of the NIT, Kentucky coach John Calipari did his best to assure UK fans that there was still a reason to keep playing. “I'm really disappointed we didn't make the NCAA Tournament but we are going to use this time to make us better. Now, I'm going to coach these guys, try to make them better and give everything I can to make sure we control our destiny in the future,” said Calipari via Twitter.  He also thanks the fans for doing their part.