Don Estep

I especially like the cover photo of our 2020 edition of the Community Guide magazine. It features Constable Ron “Bubba” Bowling and Judge Executive Pat White dressed in their garb for the Kayaking for Kids. The cover is comical, but inside the magazine is valuable information. You’ll find telephone numbers and information for emergency services, local government, utilities, churches, businesses and more. It is a magazine you’ll want to keep handy throughout the year. I use it often and I find it easier to find the information I seek rather than trying to find it on Google or asking Siri on my telephone. We have inserted a copy of the magazine in this...

I have just finished reading a recently published book written by Eric Moyen about Jim Host called, “Changing the Game.” Many of you know who Jim Host is and some of the things he has done. I know Jim from our college days at the University of Kentucky back in the late 1950s. When I was a sophomore at UK, he was a senior and both of us were in working in the Radio Arts department as student broadcasters. Jim was doing the play-by-play of UK’s home football and basketball games. I followed him in that position after he graduated. Over the years I have seen Jim a few times at functions and...

The News Journal, in both digital and print, is here to keep you informed on everything affecting our local communities about COVID-19. First of all we want you to know that the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that the receipt of newspapers carries no real risk of catching the COVID-19 virus. The WHO has stated that the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low, and therefore the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus through receipt of a newspaper is infinitely small. While precautions at a personal level, such as washing hands with soap and water, remain essential to preventing the spread of the disease in any...

Tomorrow, a song from the musical Annie, has these lyrics; The sun’ll come out Tomorow, Bet your bottom dollar that Tomorrow There’ll be sun! For a lot of us that is hard to believe right now, especially businesses. Many are shut down because of the Coronavirus. But we have to believe that the sun will come out tomorrow. Many workers have been laid off and many businesses, such as restaurants, are open but with a reduced staff. This newspaper is feeling the effects of the shut downs too. I’ve been employed here for 33 years and in that period only two or three times has a business had to cancel an ad....

In 1933 the United States faced perilous times. A professor from Columbia University had written the inaugural speech for president Franklin D. Roosevelt. A newspaperman read over the speech and insisted that the phrase,”There is nothing to fear but fear itself,” be included. How true that is today as we face uncertain times. But we should add to that saying “and use common sense.” Although we are inundated with information about the Coronavirus there are some people who have gone to extremes. For example, there is no reason for grocery shelves to be empty. We have been told by people we can trust that our food supply has not been affected and...

NBC has a theme on Saturdays intended for children which says, “The More You Know.” Some of our legislators in Frankfort apparently also have a theme too. It is,“The Less You Know.” I’m referring to legislation over the past several years by the Kentucky General Assembly that has eliminated much of the cities’ and counties’ legal advertising in newspapers. It is a disguise when some argue that it is an attempt to save money. In reality, it is a move to become less transparent with your tax dollars. The House passed a bill last week that most of us could live with, but an under the table move by a representative in...

Back in the saddle again. After five years of mostly consulting and doing light duties at the News Journal, I am now back as the publisher of this newspaper. I spent 28 years previously in this role. It is not like it was in 1987 when I started here. It was a building job that included lots of uncertainties. The late Cecil Wilson who owned and published the Barbourville Advocate for many years paid me a big compliment years ago when he told me that seven others had tried and failed and we were the first to succeed as a weekly in Corbin. We already had our roots firmly planted in...

A referee cost me the crown. A Pac-Ten official made an incorrect call on a Clemson touchdown that cost me the championship of our pickum’ college bowl playoffs. He called offensive interference on a Clemson score when the replay showed it was defensive interference. I jumped for joy when the T.D. was scored because I knew I had won the crown. John Stansberry and I had gone to the final game tied with 32 out of 40 correct picks. The tie-breaker would be the one closest to the final total point production. John had 65 and I had 70. The total before that touchdown was 67 which meant I needed one more...

Now I have the Christmas spirit! After walking through the beautifully decorated rooms at Seasons Restaurant in Corbin you automatically get the spirit. I don’t usually use the word awesome, but the rooms adjacent to the restaurant area are truly awesome. Shea and Jason are gifted artists. They have some of the most awesome Christmas trees you’ll ever see. Also the furniture, Santas and all the other items, all are a must see. Treat yourself to tour the gallery of decorations and while you are there enjoy their delicious food. I told my wife that I wanted to live there during the Christmas season. It definitely is a showplace. This is a lead...

A few weeks ago Bob Terrell came to my office to give me an article I had written in 1995. He had saved it along with a copy of a letter he had written to me while he was living in Oklahoma City. The article I had written was about the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City which killed many children and adults. I had visited that site a couple of years ago and we talked about the memorial that is located on the grounds where the building stood. Bob said he had run across my column while going through items he had saved and he wanted me to have...