News opinion 2008-07-19 Andanh.com

Benefit for cheerleaders is gratifying Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:45:07 -0500
It was a tragedy last spring when two Western Kentucky cheerleaders were badly injured in a car accident in Bowling Green. Since then, BT Webb and Kent Madison have been recuperating at a rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta, learning to function in wheelchairs before they come home. Webb is paralyzed from the neck down and Madison is paralyzed from the waist down. These two young men touched a lot of lives and especially those in the cheering field. The Bowling Green High School cheerleaders are showing their gratitude by holding a cheer clinic, deemed “Cheer for Courage,” that will help raise funds to offset medical expenses for the two WKU cheerleaders. It is open to girls and boys 3-years-old through eighth grade. On Monday and Tuesday, 25 of the 29 Bowling Green High School cheerleaders will be on hand at the school to help with the clinic. It is not only a chance for those at the clinic to learn how to do cheerleading moves, more importantly it is a chance to help two young men who had a very unfortunate accident. The outpouring of support for these two men has been astounding. Tom Jones, cheerleading coach for Western Kentucky University, has been holding one-day clinics at Cheernastics and accepting donations since shortly after the accident. He has raised between $5,000 to $6,000 and will be assisting at the “Cheer for Courage” event. This effort shows the dedication people in the community have to helping these young men pay off what have to be very significant medical expenses. The fact that Bowling Green High School cheerleaders are getting involved shows how tight the bond is between these cheerleaders and their university counterparts. We hope that the clinic is a success and we also wish the best for Webb and Madison as they continue their rehabilitation efforts. Registration for the clinic will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday and will cost $30 per participant. To pre-register, call 791-1751 or e-mail robinjloid@gmail.com.

Pelosi’s VP pick Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:44:45 -0500
When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly floated the name of Rep. Chet Edwards as a potential Democratic vice-presidential nominee, just about everyone was surprised. But not the 56-year-old central Texas congressman. “I had a few hints for a week or so,” he said. “She started walking up to members on the floor and saying, ’You know, you’re talking to my choice for vice president.’ So that was the first inkling.” But there was nothing casual about the speaker’s decision to push Edwards, an early Barack Obama backer she has long admired, for the second spot on the Democratic ticket. Having decided a House member would be a good complement for the freshman Illinois senator, she settled on Edwards, best known for his key role in enacting a record increase in veterans’ aid. “He’s an extraordinarily talented person” and “one of the finest people I’ve ever served with,” she said. The Pelosi-Edwards connection goes back some years to when they had adjoining congressional offices. She reportedly believes that his personal skills, centrist record and work to expand aid for veterans and their families would appeal to swing voters. Having as your chief advocate the first female speaker and permanent chair of the upcoming Democratic National Convention is a big plus. But it won’t automatically make Edwards a serious contender. And the state of play in the selection process is hard to discern, since Obama is playing it close to the vest. Unsurprisingly, Edwards is reluctant to say much besides conceding his interest. “My honest answer is that I cannot imagine any American thinking it would not be an honor to serve their country as vice president,” he said. He flatly refused to answer a direct question of whether the Obama team has asked him to provide material for vetting. To a veteran observer of political behavior, that suggests the answer is “yes.” Several presumed contenders also have said they are not being vetted. If Edwards is among those whose finances and past record are being scrutinized, that would indicate that he is, in fact, receiving serious consideration, as unlikely as his selection would be. After all, despite being widely admired on Capitol Hill, he’s unknown to the public and relatively inexperienced in high-level national politics. Even Edwards’ advocates concede that Democrats won’t carry Texas except in an unlikely landslide. Besides, he hasn’t faced anything like the pressure of a national race, despite two tough re-election contests since the 2003 GOP redistricting made his district even more heavily Republican. Edwards brings a varied background, from being an honored graduate of Texas A&M to his MBA from Harvard Business School. He was an aide to the late Rep. Olin “Tiger” Teague, a veteran Texas lawmaker who championed the nation’s veterans, a pattern Edwards adopted. In 1978, he narrowly failed to make the runoff for the seat vacated by Teague, trailing his one-time economics professor, future Sen. Phil Gramm, by just 115 votes. Later, he won a state Senate seat and, in 1990, was elected to the House. In 2006, he was re-elected with 58 percent in a district President Bush won in 2004 with 69 percent, making him the Democrat with the most Republican district in the House. Citing his role as an appropriations subcommittee chairman, supporters say he combines substantial knowledge and experience in Congress with being a fresher face than some of the well-known senators being considered. But they acknowledge he’s still something of a long shot. “The likelihood of it happening is probably somewhere about 10 or 15 percent,” said one longtime Texas strategist. After all, the last House member nominated for vice president was Republican William Miller in 1964; the last one elected was the late Speaker John Nance Garner - another Texan - in 1932.

Eyeball to eyeball Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:04:00 EST
When it comes to Iran's leadership, President Bush is clear on one point: Efforts to talk to those sorts of people amounts to "appeasement."

Whose fault is it? Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:46:00 EST
As if any more proof were needed that college coaches can't be sweet-talked or jawboned into doing the right thing, consider the case of Billy Clyde Gillispie, the University of Kentucky men's basketball skipper who not long ago offered a scholarship to an eighth-grader.

Crisis center provides indispensable service Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:47:00 EST
Every year, nearly 100,000 people find it necessary or helpful to call the Crisis and Information Center operated by Seven Counties Services. The CIC never closes.

The paint job that wouldn't die Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:40:00 EST

Forum Flashes: Good moves, bad moves Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:05:00 EST
Louisville is up to its ears in bridge issues: whether to have tolls; whether to build an East End bridge; whether to erect an additional downtown bridge or reroute the interstates instead. And then there's the Waterfront Park pedestrian bridge, which is finally seeing some progress after years of delays, thanks to lawsuits.

Unfair taxation Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:04:00 EST
As a gay taxpaying citizen of the commonwealth, it rankles me to read letters from members of the religious right who complain about funneling taxpayers' money to offices like the University of Louisville's Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Services or for studies they find offensive.

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:37 EDT

Legislature should increase funding for school supplies

I applaud organizations that assist in purchasing school supplies for students. However, as a taxpayer and supporter of our schools, every year I am appalled by the items and stipulations included on supply lists given to parents by teachers and school administrators.

Required items included rolls of toilet paper, hand soap, paper towels, tissues and napkins. Parents are told to buy specific brands of markers, pens and crayons.

The child's name is not allowed on any of the items; all gathered supplies are placed in a cabinet to be used by the entire class. Any unused items, therefore, are not returned to the child.

City mangling TIF process Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:12 EDT

By Laurie Daugherty

As a commercial real estate attorney, it is painfully apparent to me that the Urban County Council is in over its head. Tax increment financing (TIF) is a complex financing tool.

In a report dated April 10, the city's Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee recommended that the city direct the Downtown Development Authority and the Mayor's Office of Economic Development to implement TIFs for every project they become aware of in downtown and near-downtown areas.

Unfortunately, TIFs don't work that way.

Downtown plan, based on citizen input, ignored Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:17 EDT

By Bill Johnston

For many years, my wife and I, along with many others, have worked on making downtown a place where people want to be. We cared enough to invest most of our personal assets and much of our spare time, preserving and enhancing downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods.

When the Downtown Development Authority was formed, one of its earliest and most important missions was to develop a master plan for Downtown. As a member of the Downtown Development Authority's Advisory Board, I pushed as hard as I could to help ensure that we did create a master plan.

I thought that once we had a plan everyone signed off on, we would be able to avoid the battles like the one regarding CentrePointe that has consumed us and divided us during the past four months.

Delayed by caution Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:46 EDT

Call any government endeavor Operation Swift Solution and it's probably doomed to delay.

Not surprisingly, the destruction of 157 gallons of deadly sarin that began leaking in a storage bunker at the Blue Grass Army Depot almost a year ago is running behind schedule.

As Ashlee Clark reported, nerve gas that leaked last week was supposed to have been destroyed in May.

The official explanation: obtaining state environmental permits has taken longer than expected.

For sale Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:52 EDT

Signs, where have they gone?
The “We don’t rent pigs” sign appears to have disappeared. In two trips back from Lexington last week, I took the more scenic route of U.S. 31E from Bardstown south to Glasgow.

Beshear goes on the road
Some call it an “image tour,” designed to portray Gov. Steve Beshear as a vigorous leader and increase his favorability ratings. Beshear calls it a “listening tour.”

Area women get honors
Very much enjoyed the reception at the First Christian Church Tuesday to honor the “Her Story” recipients.

Mondegreen finally makes list
Each year, several new words are added to various dictionaries, indicating changes in our national lexicon.

CHEERS and JEERS: Lesson comes from Bats' championship
The Barren River Bats are world champs.

Time for good vibes to roll
We’ve all heard the phrase, “if it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”

Chinese Dir