Future

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.

 HARRODSBURG - During the 45 years they've been married, Pete and Barbara Chiericozzi have shared 28 different addresses.  Pete, a retired Lt. Col. in the Air Force Reserves, was happily unemployed and living in North Carolina when he was recruited to come to Harrodsburg in 2003 to serve as an executive for Wausau Paper. That commitment was for five years and the Chiericozzis planned to move on once again when it was fulfilled. But the more time they spent in Mercer County, the more enamored they became of the people, the pace, the landscape and the potential, and they decided to settle in for the long haul.

In 1999, a Marine general wrote as part of a concept he called the Three Block War of an actor he called the “Strategic Corporal,” and after hearing that a US soldier probably murdered over a dozen Afghans, mostly women and children, over the weekend, I went back and reread the paper. Gen. Charles Krulak, the son of the famous General 'Brute' Krulak, was prophetic about the type of world our young warriors are thrust into today, particularly junior leaders who Krulak said would have “enormous responsibilities and pressures” placed upon them.

For Doron Lamb, it has been easy not to think about a potential NBA career this season for one reason - he wants to win a national championship. “It would mean a lot to me in my second year in college,” said the Kentucky sophomore guard. “We went to the Final Four my freshman year and my second year I¿am on a great team and that would be a great college career by itself. “That was my main focus this year. Right now we are on a good pace and playing great.We want this to lead to a national championship.” Lamb has averaged 13.2 points per game - up slightly form 12.3 per game last season.

Kentucky senior guard Darius Miller will play in his last home game Thursday night. In his four-year career, the former Mason County standout and Kentucky Mr. Basketball has played for two different coaches and watched as the program went from competing in the National Invitational Tournament to a Final Four appearance last season. Miller shared his thoughts on the past, present and future following Kentucky's 83-74 victory over Vanderbilt Saturday at Rupp Arena, stretching the school's home winning streak to 51 games.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - He's hoping to help his team win a state championship and has already signed to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky, but 6-9 Alex Poythress insists being chosen to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and McDonald's All-American Game were still "big deals" to him. “That is a big dream come true,” said the Clarksville (Tenn.) Northeast star. “You dream you can play in those games when you are a little kid growing up and seeing big-time players and NBA players, so making those games was a big goal for me.” He's spent all the time he can following Kentucky's season after signing with coach John Calipari's team in November.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky sophomore forward Terrence Jones, the preseason Southeastern Conference player of the year, has often been overshadowed by the play of freshman teammates Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, as well as the late-game heroics of senior Darius Miller. However, Jones remains UK's third leading scorer (12.2 points per game) and rebounder (6.7 per game). He's second in blocked shots with 51, third in steals with 34 is shooting 50.2 percent from the field. “No one should underestimate what he means to our team,” Miller said.

LEXINGTON - Beware of the Wildcats. That's the message future opponents may want to consider after top-ranked Kentucky dismantled Florida 78-58 Tuesday night at Rupp Arena. In what many figured to be the team's first major test in the Southeastern Conference, the Wildcats passed the 40-minute essay with flying colors, sending a signal to the rest of remaining conference foes to be on the lookout for a Kentucky team that's clicking on all four cylinders and showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Do you remember when we used to think some things were impossible? Modern technology has taught us to never say never or impossible. I think about the 1970s and 1980s growing up without cell phones, computers and many of the electronically advanced gadgets that our kids today take for granted. I can't even imagine what the great innovators will come up with next. When I was a young child, I remember watching science fiction movies about cloning people and remember how obscure and unbelievable it seemed at the time.

The first time Bullitt East coach Troy Barr saw Derek Willis play, it made an immediate impression, even though Barr had no idea that Willis would eventually end up playing for him. “I saw him play in an AAU game, and it was incredible to see a kid that size handle the ball, pass the ball and shoot from the 3-point line. I think it is unreal for everyone the first time you see him play. It's an amazing thing to see,” Barr said. “That was his freshman year and I was going to watch some of our kids play and I just kind of looked over and he stood out.” Now Willis plans to stand out at Kentucky after announcing last week that he will play college basketball for coach John Calipari and the Wildcats.