Don Estep

One of the biggest mysteries I will never understand is why the sounds of barking dogs do not bother their owners. They bother everybody else. There is an epidemic of barking dogs disturbing numerous people in Corbin and something needs to be done about it. I was made aware of the extreme noise level the first night my wife and I spent in our new residence right in the heart of Corbin. That was a couple of months ago before we had moved back here from Henderson. The next day I drove out the street to see where the noise was coming from and I discovered a dog lot a...

In July of 2014 my wife and I moved from Corbin to Henderson, Ky. to become full-time baby sitters. Our daughter, Amber, was about to give birth to her third child and we wanted to be of assistance. She already had two daughters, one four years old and the other who celebrated her second birthday the day after the birth of Atticus on Sept. 9, 2014. While my wife, Judy, did most of the chores with the new baby boy, I pitched in with the two little girls by playing games and keeping them occupied. We were fortunate to buy a home across the street from Amber’s. It was formerly occupied by...

Most every Kentuckian, when discussing the Kentucky Derby, who hasn’t attended has said, “I would like to go just one time to see what it is like.” I was in that category for many years until my boss, Terry Forcht, made it possible for me and my wife to attend a few years ago. The Forcht Group of Kentucky has a suite at Churchill Downs that is as good as it gets. Terry has made it possible for many of his management staff from nursing homes, banks, radio, insurance and others, to attend. His generous gesture has given many of us a chance to rub shoulders with the rich...

A few years ago a friend of mine told me about a tour bus trip he and his wife had just returned from. He said it was very enjoyable and me and my wife should try it sometime. I was apprehensive about taking a tour of this kind not knowing what to expect. He told me that most of the people on the coach, (the people who run these tours prefer to call it a coach rather than a bus), were senior citizens and I would fit right in. Thanks a lot I told him. After thinking it over for a while my wife and I decided to try it, basically...

Phone Scam! Many of you have had telephone calls from telemarketers and local scam artists trying to lure you into providing credit card or other information. These crooks prey on the elderly and the uneducated. According to Consumers Union, consumers lose $350 million a year to such scams. Locally there is a scam happening right now to customers of Jackson energy. According to Laurel County Sheriff John Root the scam caller is identifying themselves falsely as Jackson Energy and stating that money is owed to Jackson Energy and the caller is seeking credit card information. These phone scams are attempting to steal money from you. Jackson Energy advises they do...

It is March so that means I have a sore throat. This time it came from Mother Nature, but that wasn’t always the cause. For 30 years I broadcast every game of the District, Regional and State Tournaments. By the time the games were over my throat had taken a pounding and thus I had a sore throat. It was broadcasting the state tournament that was the hardest on it. I did every game. Other stations would alternate announcers but I went the long haul. On press row I was told I had the record for broadcasting the most consecutive games. I did 420 in a row over a span...

Recently I saw an article on Facebook written by Patty Cantrell of a Missouri-based consulting firm, Regional Food Solutions, for Good Food on Every Table, about the local restaurants in downtown Corbin. She wrote that Corbin “has revitalized its downtown through a local-food renaissance.” I know nothing about the writer except what she wrote is true. Corbin’s downtown has become a favorite place for restaurant goers. A lot of the restaurant attention downtown started when the late Rick Curry and wife Holly opened “The Depot” in the old Daniel’s Department Store building. It was hard to believe that such a fine establishment had made its way downtown. It has great atmosphere...

From time to time the following “Blew My Mind” piece has appeared on Facebook. I do not know who the author is, but it hit home with many of the experiences that some of you and I have had in our lifetime. I cut out a few of the observations and added my comments to some of the thoughts. I think you will enjoy this: “Back before the Internet or PC or the Mac….Before semi-automatics and crack….Before Playstation SEGA, Super Nintendo, even before Atari….Before cell phones, CD’s, DVD’s, voicemails and e-mail….Go back, way, back, I’m talkin’ bout hide and seek at dusk…. Red Light, Green light…Red Rover, Red Rover…..Playing kickball &...

We are in a rut. Since the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index started publishing in 2008 Kentucky has been right at the bottom, just ahead of West Virginia. The index was published in newspapers and read on TV stations all across the country last week. You love Kentucky. I love Kentucky and we know it is the best state in the union. But we do get tired of hearing those unflattering research polls that are published. Why are we ranked 49th? Although Mississippi has the highest obesity rate, Kentucky, West Virginia, Arkansas and Louisiana consistently has had high obesity rates. Smoking. Kentucky is number one in deaths caused by smoking and has the highest percentage...