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The Paducah Middle School speech team took second place overall at the Kentucky High School Speech League regional competition at Murray High School on Saturday, February 6.

Photo: Front Row from left: Quinn Atnip, Hadley Pierce, Catherine Holm, Ella Wainscott, Gabby Copeland, Paige Kight, Zyla Dortch. Second Row: Walker McNeill, Grace Bakehouse, Erin Kelly, Emily Krall, Sam Kirchhoff, Kate Criner, Dylan Nevels, Karlie Hack, Nicole Miller, Lois Akpabio. Back Row: Brandon Reichard, Nick Tooley, Vic Tyler, Liberty Guyette, Travis Trimble

For Kentucky school systems, it is not all about testing. It's just a lot about testing.

It's also a lot about college and career preparation and student achievement. Hickman County Schools, a tiny district hundreds of miles from the Capital City is doing something right in all those categories.

On February 4, 2016, Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt came down from the Capitol Plaza Tower in Frankfort to see for himself what has propelled a once was at risk system into a system of achievement all within a few years...

Psychology, sociology, history, political science, economics and philosophy -- some maintain that these and other "liberal arts" majors result in less-than-ideal job prospects.

Indeed, recently one presidential candidate called for "more welders, less philosophers" while a well-known venture capitalist quipped that English graduates, "end up working in a shoe store." Sadly, this sentiment seems to be growing right here in Kentucky.

And yet the liberal-arts majors listed above represent the undergraduate courses of study, respectively, of Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase; Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States; Samuel Palmisano, former CEO of IBM; Condoleeza Rice, former secretary of state; John Watson, CEO of Chevron, and Carl Icahn, billionaire Wall Street mogul.

And let's not forget J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame. She completed a bachelor's in French and classics..

Governor Bevin is sending a clear and powerful message to the citizens of Kentucky.

His budget for 2016-2018 is a war on higher learning.

The main gallery in Paducah School of Art and Design (PSAD)'s new 2D and Graphic Design Building has been named in Bill Ford's honor.

When Ron Leach shaved off his beard a month or so ago, his daughter asked him why. Hearing that he was going to run for office again after his defeat by Congressman Brett Guthrie in 2013, Leach's daughter said "Don't do it Dad. It's a trap."

It's a trap that combat veteran Leach is charging into...

...More often than not, one of the first issues farmers in Western Kentucky bring up is the uncertainty surrounding tax deductions for farm equipment. Owners of other types of small businesses throughout Kentucky have also raised the same concerns.

As a former small business owner, I understand and share their concerns. Last fall, I introduced the Full Expensing Act...

Federal Judge David J. Hale issued an order dated February 3, 2016 striking down Hardin County's right to work county ordinance. The District Judge said that only states may opt out of the 1935 National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Hickman County High School students met with elected officials on Thursday. Students met first with District Judge Hunter Whitesell and court personnel then it was on to the executive and legislative branches.

First Row: Jason Batts, Taylor Ramage, Nathan Hartsell, Hunter Leblanc, Jacob Stahr, Nathan Howell, Judge Whitesell

Second Row: Carley Byassee, Averee Jewell, Madelyne Reynolds, Cassidy Luker, Alyssa Moore, Tristin Boaz, Emily Pickard

Third Row: Melanie Dowdy, Cinda Yates, Chase Boaz, Ally Samuel, Chelsea Johnson, Anna Ferguson, Caylee Barnett, Lauren Cox

On January 6, 2016, I asked several questions regarding Amazon's intentions of opening a chain of brick & mortar books stores. (See Amazon enters the bricks and mortar market )

On February 3, 2016, I got my answers.

This week, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are both discussing Amazon's move into a new book selling platform. Sources close to the operations of the Settle based brick & mortar Amazon bookstore are indicating that the retail giant is planning a national super strategy of 300 to 400 Amazon book stores to be opened in 2016.

Since 2009, Emerge Kentucky has recruited and trained 140 Democratic women across the Commonwealth with the mission of increasing the number of women in elected office at all levels of government. There will be twenty Emerge candidates on the ballot this spring and fall.

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) - At its meeting in Frankfort today, the Kentucky Board of Education presented the annual Dr. Samuel Robinson Award to co-winners - Playhouse in the Park/Murray Calloway County Community Theater and the Partnership Institute for Math and Science Education Reform (PIMSER) at the University of Kentucky.

The question of who will control the Kentucky House of Representative is burning up phone, text and email wires around the Capital City. Western Kentucky has a role to play in the outcome.

Who is running against who in western Kentucky?

Candidates for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Rep. Ed Whitfield are in the fundraising phase. Because there are multiple candidate filings, there will be a May primary.

It doesn't look hopeful for the Democrats. Candidate Samuel Gaskin has raised the most of the Democrats competing with under $5000 raised. So far, his opponents have raised zero dollars.

Three candidates on the GOP side have collectively raised over one half million dollars. As of December 31, 2015, Michael Pape has $214,630 cash on hand followed closely by James Comer at $205,741. Jason Batts reported $92,603.

Murray State President Bob Davies has named Chad Lampe as the new station manager of WKMS, effective February 1, 2016. Lampe served as the WKMS news director since 2007 and as interim station manager during the national search for the position. Kate Lochte retired as station manager during the fall of 2015 after nearly 25 years of service. In his new role, Lampe will oversee all operations of the station including news, engineering, business and fundraising.

...Sanders and Clinton do mostly agree on the issues, especially on union issues. Sanders, an independent Vermont senator, doesn't rate a whole lot better than Clinton on the AFL-CIO legislative scorecard.

When she was a New York senator in 2001-2009, Clinton supported the union position on legislation 94 percent of the time. Sen. Sanders has a 98 percent score, according to the AFL-CIO.

When I taught history at a Kentucky community college, 90 and above was an A in my classes...

Rep. Sannie Overly was elected by the Kentucky Democratic Central Committee to head up the Kentucky Democratic Party. She replaces Patrick Hughes...

Overly's first job will be the four open seats in the House which will be filled in a special election on March 8th...

Graves County Central Elementary School recently hosted Graves County Public Library director Deana Gschwind and cataloger Melissa Collins to participate in the school's professional learning communities program. They taught students about library and internet etiquette and then led them in making bookmarks from duct tape.

Pictured, from left, are (front row) Nataly Mata, Nathan Toon, Clayton Pickard, Brooklyn Williams, (middle row) Mylee Hayes, Tara Nicholson, Gracie Webber, Gary Gipson, (back row) Gschwind, Collins, and student Walker Johnson.

Graves County Central Elementary School recently hosted Graves County Public Library director Deana Gschwind and cataloger Melissa Collins to participate in the school's professional learning communities program. They taught students about library and internet etiquette and then led them in making bookmarks from duct tape.

Pictured, from left, are (front row) Nataly Mata, Nathan Toon, Clayton Pickard, Brooklyn Williams, (middle row) Mylee Hayes, Tara Nicholson, Gracie Webber, Gary Gipson, (back row) Gschwind, Collins, and student Walker Johnson.

...Bubba likes to start the day off with biscuits and gravy, eggs, home fries, bacon or sausage, or large ham steaks. Lunch is usually something involving processed meats or fried something.

This Southern lifestyle is now catching up with many young and middle aged men. Health experts are seeing a future where heart problems, obesity, and general lack of medical care is attacking a whole region of America...

Graves County High School's All-Girl Cheerleaders will host their third annual area-wide prom dress consignment sale at the school between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6.

Anyone wishing to sell a very-gently-used prom or formal dress may enter their dress or dresses into the sale for a fee of $10 for the first dress and $5 for each additional dress.

Paducah, KY - Paducah Tilghman High School senior Meg Hancock has been named a regional finalist in the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Program. Hancock is among 250 high school seniors nationwide selected from a pool of 87,060 applicants to advance in the scholarship program based on academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community.

...I recently read an article in Mother Earth News Magazine that caught my attention. It was titled Craftsman Clothespins. The article brought up the fact that the clothes pins from the good old days were very sturdy. Many of the clothes pins on the market now are cheap and often come apart before you even hang up an article of clothing!

I know many people do not hang out their clothes to dry these days, but we still have uses for clothes pins. It is so refreshing to see that such a small item can still made in America!

Democratic House hopeful Jesse Wright of Mayfield says attracting industry is his top priority.

A "right to work law" is the way to do just that, claims his opponent, second district Rep. Richard Heath, R-Mayfield.

Wrong, says Wright, who has earned a unanimous recommendation for endorsement from the Paducah-based Western Kentucky AFL-CIO Area Council.

David Ramey of Murray calls himself a "no buts Democrat."

"You hear people say, 'I'm a Democrat but,'" the Fifth District state House of Representatives candidate explained. "I'm a no-buts Democrat.

"I don't apologize for being a Democrat. The Democratic Party has a history of fighting for the working men and women of this country. And I'm proud to keep making that fight."

The western Kentuckian is challenging State Rep. Kenneth Imes, a Murray Republican who favors "right to work" and opposes the prevailing wage...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 21, 2016) - Kentucky Department of Corrections Commissioner LaDonna Thompson today announced that Charles Hines has been appointed to branch manager of the agency's Internal Affairs. Hines assumed his new duties on Jan. 1.