Racer’s Run Elizabeth Johnson
24 Benenuti to Paris Erin Carrico
30 Born to be Wild Carrie Szwed
56 A New Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Robert A. Valentine
Notes & Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Murray Life Staff
Pet Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Caina Lynch
A Laughing Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Murray Life Readers and Staff
The Hope of Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Suzanne Cathey
Count On It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Murray LIfe Staff
A Night to Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Austin Ramsey
Going Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ben Morrow
Uncommon Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Michael Cohen
Trivia Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Austin Dodd
Money Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Ron Arant
Garlic: The Stinking Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Logan Abbitt
Dining Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Murray Life Staff
Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 What’s Happening & Where
The Last Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Robert Valentine
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VOLUME 17 - NUMBER 1 - SPRING 2012 Printed in the USA www.mymurraylife.com ......................................................................... Publisher Robert Valentine Operations Manager/Sales & Marketing Vicki Jo Stevens Associate Managing Editor Austin Dodd Art Director Justin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC Assistant Art Director Amanda G. Newman Production Libby Files | Garrett Moberly Devin Perkins | Chelsea Hartmann
Sales & Marketing Rita Oldham | Tina Copeland Editorial Staff Logan Abbitt | Kim Cottingham Internet Consultant Justin B. Kimbro, K-Squared Designs, LLC Staff Photography Justin B. Kimbro | Allie Douglas Contributing Writers Logan Abbitt | Ron Arant | Erin Carrico | Suzanne Cathey Michael Cohen | Austin Dodd | Caina Lynch Ben Morrow | Austin Ramsey | Carrie Szwed Printing Copy Plus, Murray, Kentucky Murray Life is published five times annually for the Murray area. All contents copyright 2011 by Murray Life Productions. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or management of Murray Life. Subscription rate is $15.00 per year, two years $25.00. Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be made to Murray Life: 105 N. 6th Street, Murray, KY 42071. Subscriptions may also be made through the Web site, www.murraylifemagazine.com. All advertising inquiries should be directed to the Managing Editor at: Murray Life, or by calling 270-753-5225. E-mail us at: murraylife@aol.com This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions may be edited for length, clarity and style.
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[ $ ] intro editorial
A New Beginning by: Robert A. Valentine
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood e share the opinion that spring is the time set for us to escape the imprisoned safety of the winter home and launch ourselves into nature’s celebration of life: mud, dirt, rain, wind, flowers, buds, sun and all.
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Murray Life has not been idle during the cold winter months. Art Directors Justin Kimbro and Amanda Newman have remade the palette on which the original Murray Life was created and has added pages of color while maintaining the spirit and the features you have come to enjoy. If you’re a new reader, you’re just in time. This issue also welcomes Austin Dodd as our assistant managing editor. Austin brings experience in design and advertising to the job, and we look forward to his contributions. Your old friend Logan Abbitt is still on board, and you “foodies” will enjoy his creative and entertaining look at garlic. Animal fans will enjoy two great features: Caina Lynch returns to our pages with a look a “dog star” with a new lease on life. LBL naturalist Carrie Szwed tells us about the babies of spring, and gives you the power to save the youth of nature with insights into bunnies, birdies and fawns.
national with a 23-0 season start. Elizabeth Johnson. Editor-in-Chief of The MSU News, joins us to detail the impact of this once-in-alifetime achievement on the University, the team and the entire community. Of course, you have heard about the damage to Kentucky Lake’s Eggner’s Ferry bridge. Few people were there in those first few hours after the Delta Mariner struck the bridge and tore the road decking to rubble and metal, but reporter Austin Ramsey was on the scene within minutes and shares with us the facts, the feel and the excitement of history in the making.
Neighbors” feature. Plan your evening out with our dining guide, work puzzles, take trivia quizzes, and enjoy news in insights from gardening to humor. You can do it all again on your computer by visiting www.mymurraylife.com -- If you’re that sort of person, that is. The outside world is reopening for business, and we are ready. On that first warm spring day, when you can sit on the porch or patio and feel the sun warm your bones and your soul, we hope a copy of Murray Life might be right beside you to share the once-in-a-year moment. Enjoy! s
Spend your leisure time wisely with the help of our calendar of events, and find out what you missed in the last few weeks with our “Notes ‘n’
2012 has been a great year for Murray State University. MSU’s Racer basketball team stunned the
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[ ] notes & neighbors
They Came, They Saw, They Wore Kilts The Murray Women’s Club was lit up on the chilly Saturday evening of January 28 as the Western Kentucky Highland Society continued the tradition of celebrating the birth of Scottish Poet Robert Burns.
included Robert Worden, of Paducah, and his salute to Scotland, and John McConnichie’s toast to America. Dr. and Mrs. Jesse Wallace of Paducah traded compliments and sly barbs in the toasts “To the Lassies” and To the Laddies,” and Brian Henry offer the toast “To the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns.”
Ed Smith of Paris, Tenn., brought the evening to life with his bagpipes. After that recitation of Burns’ poem “To A Haggis” by Murray’s Robert Valentine, the assembly enjoyed a tradition Scottish meal of haggis, roast beef, roasted vegetables, “tatties,” and a “tipsy trifle.” The round of toasts
In the end, the event signaled the start of organizational efforts for this year’s Murray Highland Games, slated for October. As they say in Scotland, “an aye guid time” was had by all. s
The Other Bridge In The News to be, “Who will move first?” Now the answer seems to be, “Kentucky.” With four lanes going all the way to the border in Hazel, the pressure is on Tennessee to produce the longer leg all the way to its established ring-road system (or, bypass, known as Highway 218.
If you’re one of our long-distance subscribers or online readers, you may not have heard about plans to widen Highway 641 to the south of Murray. Murray Life has had at the top of its editorial list the improvement of this road since the present editorial team took over in 2000. Now, according to media reports, the time has come. Murray is already tied to Benton and to I-24 with a four-laned version of 641, but seems to be at the end of the line for traffic headed south. Like a giant funnel, the road shrinks to two lanes just south of Glendale Road, and the hazards multiply accordingly. To link Murray with Paris, Tennessee, would, we believe, increase the energy of a powerful cross-border
economic engine, which would benefit everyone. For years, the question has seemed
The change has been in the “Five Year Plan” since 1995 or before, so the current effort may be viewed by some with suspicion. We hope, with the rest of “Tuckasee” that the time has finally come. s
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[ ] notes & neighbors
We’ll Burn that Bridge ... During the night of Jan. 26, an ocean-going freighter – one of the largest vessels permitted to ply the waters of the Tennessee River – struck and damaged the historic Eggner’s Ferry Bridge near Aurora. Immediately, Murray and Calloway County lost the most convenient road link to the east and to the Land Between the Lakes. State and Federal construction plans were reduced to fiction and thousands of Kentuckians had to redesign their daily routines – and find more gas money in the bargain.
fully as possible. Forever Communications (the “Froggy family” of stations) bulletins kept drivers informed and reduced dangerous traffic with their ready response.
However, for a handful of journalists, it was a sad but exciting opportunity. News Director Chad Lampe of WKMSFM was a featured voice on National Public Radio and represented both his craft and his home station with clear, professional work. Murray’s own Ledger & Times kept the media and the home folks informed as
The Murray State News reacted with a degree of skills and calm that speaks as well of the University as does this year’s fantastic Racer basketball team. We get an inside look at what was required and what was done as a handful of student reporters – usually the last to see their work in print – scooped the nation on the bridge disaster and learned a
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lifetime of lessons in the bargain. See Austin Ramsey’s first-hand account of that eventful night on page 22. As we go to press, there is no definite word about repairing the bridge or devoting all resources to a speedy completion of the planned replacement. There is no question, however, that 2012 will be, at the very least, a different kind of summer for Lakeland and LBL fans. After Gov. Beshear’s visit to the site in late February, there are many who think that, perhaps, Eggner’s Ferry will return in fact as well as in name. s
[ ] notes & neighbors
How ‘Bout Them Racers? If you never heard of Murray, Kentucky, you have now. Coach Steve Prohm’s 2012 Racer Basketball team was the only undefeated team in the nation at 23-0, and the attention given to lesser teams (which would be all of them) is always tainted by the fact that the Nr. 1 team in the nation was only Nr. 7 in the minds (if we may flatter the rankings) of some. Once playoffs begin, anything can happen. However, nothing can ever erase the excitement and the pride earned and maintained throughout the season as a hand-
ful of young men made “Murray” a nationally recognized name. They made history, and we were witnesses. As we go to press, the Racers have repaid the Tennessee State cagers for their at-home
loss, and have reduced UK to the “other” one-loss team in the Commonwealth. Win or lose, they made 2012 an epic season for all of us. s
Doctor Trey Enters the Hall of Fame Just as we go to press, word is received from David Thompson, Executive Director of the Kentucky Press Association, that Murray’s Dr. Robert McGaughey, III, will join his former professors L. J. Horton and Ray Mofield in the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame. The highest honor that can be bestowed upon a member of the Fourth Estate in the Commonwealth has also gone to two other Murray-connected journalists: The Paducah Sun’s Bill Bartlemann and WHAS anchor woman Jackie Hayes. “Doc,” as he is known to student, faculty and Murrayan alike, was recognized for his service and leadership, not only as an educator for hundreds of professional media folks, but also as a working news
in town as well as on campus, he will be recognized on April 11 at the Hall of Fame presentation in Frankfort.
man. He was, for 20 years, the Public Information Officer for the Louisville-based 100th Division of the U. S. Army Reserve.
At Murray Life, we are proud not recall that he served for the first three years of our existence as the director of sales and marketing. Besides putting us on a firm footing he disproved the claim that “those who can’t do, teach.” In this case, he who taught could teach for the ages, and could do whatever was required – and do it with a joke, a smile, and a warm, generous heart. s
If you don’t know Bob McGaughey, you must be reading this online from Timbuktu. A popular figure
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2623 Wayne Sullivan Drive Paducah, KY 42003 Phone: 270-442-9726 Fax: 270-442-5058 www.computer-source.com
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[
] pet pause Rebel With a Cause by: Caina Lynch
Everyone deserves a second chance. n the midst of “the ice storm” in January, 2009, a very tattered pit-bull was found taking refuge in Sara Fineman’s garage here in Murray. After making this startling discovery, Sara contacted the Humane Society of Calloway County. He was taken in by the Humane Society and quickly melted the hearts of everyone he met.
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The Humane Society named the suffering animal “Ribbon” for the ribbons of infected and rotted flesh that were hanging down from where his ears had previously been. While the Humane Society and Westside Veterinary Service provided him the veterinary care that he needed, he began healing; recovering from being used as a “bait dog” to train fighters in dogfighting rings. Unknown stories lay behind the ligature marks on his legs and nose and severely infected ears that were oozing puss. Emails went out from the Humane Society; Ribbon’s story circulated around the country and within a week, even reached metropolitan New York. The men of National Geographic’s then upcoming series, “Rescue Ink Unleashed,” wanted to help. Just fifteen days after Ribbon was found in Murray, he was taken in by Rescue Ink, Inc. Following a sixteen-hour flight coordinated by Animal Rescue Flights from Connecticut to Murray, Joe Panz of Rescue Ink and a National
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Rebel and Johnny
Geographic cameraman met with the Humane Society Executive Director Kathy Hodge and other Humane Society volunteers to transport Ribbon to his new life of hope and a home in Long Beach, New York.
Unknown stories lay “behind the ligature marks on his legs and nose and severely infected ears that were oozing puss.
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– Caina Lynch
The original plan was to nurse Ribbon back to health and then find him a home, but the men at Rescue Ink soon came under Ribbon’s spell and decided to adopt him. Ribbon became the mascot for Rescue Ink and was re-named "Rebel." Rescue Ink is an animal rescue group of heavily tattooed motorcycle riders who use an "in your face" approach to fight animal abuse and neglect and to rescue animals in need. With the reality-TV series “Rescue Ink Unleashed,” Rebel joined the men on raids, his scarred face and muscle-bound body declared that you should never judge a book by its cover. He accompanied the men as they carried their message of hope and redemption to treatment centers for troubled youth, rehab centers, schools, etc. Three years following his rescue from the ice storm, Rebel is a star of sorts. He has traveled the country and appeared with the men of Rescue Ink on several national shows including sharing the stage with Dr. Phil as he confronted a man convicted of animal abuse on the Dr. Phil Show. He also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and, of course, National Geographic’s Rescue Ink. He even has his own fan page on Facebook. Rebel is still with the men of Rescue Ink, who have recently re-opened the Long Beach Animal Shelter. He has a busy life! February 2012 is the third anniversary of Ribbon’s rescue by the local Humane Society and the beginning of his journey to his “Forever Home” in New York City. You can see photographs and learn more about Ribbon’s (now Rebel’s) rescue at www.ForThePets.org. See more about Rescue Ink, Inc.’s work at www.rescueink-redemption.com. s For more information about any of the Humane Society’s programs, contact the Humane Society of Calloway County at 270-759-1884, humanesociety@murray-ky.net, visit our website at www.forthepets.org, find us on Facebook or stop by our office at 607 Poplar Street Suite A-1, Murray.
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[ ] a laughing matter
The Lawn of Life by: Murray Life Staff
If you haven’t started already, you’re about to begin tending the lawn. Unless you live in an apartment or the South Pole, the little green shoots are already planning your Saturday afternoons until the first frost. The least you can do now is to take a minute to laugh at this annual ritual. Enjoy!
Dave was re-seeding his lawn for the sixth straight spring when he looked over at Mike’s yard. There was not a single blade of grass – just dirt. At the same time, a truck filled with rolls of beautifully green sod pulled up at the curb and Mike came out into the front yard. “Mike, I swear, if I ever win the lottery, this is exactly what I’m going to do,” said Dave.
....................................................... A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows. - Doug Larson
....................................................... ....................................................... Q: Why are husbands like lawn mowers? A: It’s often hard to get them started, and then they don't work half the time.
“What do you mean?” said Mike. ....................................................... “I’m going to send my lawn out to be cut.” ....................................................... There's one good thing about snow, it makes your lawn look as nice as your neighbor's. - Clyde Moore ....................................................... "When spring comes the grass grows by itself. " - Tao Te Ching ....................................................... A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
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Roses are red, Violets are blue; But they don't get around Like the dandelions do. - Slim Acres
Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms, and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons. - Dave Barry
To mow, or not to mow. That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the weeds and sneers of neighbors or, by mowing, end them. To mow, to work; nothing more. Aye: there’s the rub, for who knows in such work what baseball games we might miss? But soft! Here comes the wife! I gotta go. - Anonymous, with apologies to W. Shakespeare .......................................................
Weed 'em and reap. - Unknown
Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so called scientific knowledge. - Thomas Edison
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I always thought a yard was three feet, then I started mowing the lawn. - C.E. Cowman
The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to mow it.
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This is medium level puzzle #18...Good Luck!
Instructions: Place the numbers 1 through 9 in each blank field. Each column (down), row (across) and 3x3 region must contain each of the numerals only one time.
Again, good luck! Where is the Solution? Not sure of your answers? Visit our Web site to check your solution. Go to www.murraylifemagazine.com and click the “Puzzle Solution” symbol. We’ll see you next issue with another great puzzle!
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[
] gardening The Hope of Spring by: Suzanne Cathey
ow that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is past, it is time for one of my favorite gardening activities. This ritual into spring doesn’t require any mud, sweat or tears on my part. All it requires is my no-line bifocals and a flick of my wrist and I am transported into my dream garden. It is the arrival of the first seed catalogues of the year that magically start appearing in my mailbox in January that excites me about starting another growing season.
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I remember many years ago, when I first started receiving those beautiful catalogues in the mail, it was hard not to order one of everything. Most seed companies publish color catalogues these days
and, admit it, that is what really grabs your attention, isn’t it?
Growing several different “varieties of the same
If you are an experienced gardener you know that the seed company's photographer took pictures of the best of the best. If you grow heirloom tomatoes, you know that it is almost impossible to grow an heirloom without some kind of crack or blemish.
vegetable with different maturity dates or staggering your plantings can give you a continuous supply of fresh produce all summer.
“But," you protest, “The catalogue description says the tomato is bright red with green shoulders." In your mind, that sounds like a beautiful tomato at the end of the vegetable garden rainbow. In reality, that means that you will be cutting one-third of that tomato away before you can eat it. If the tomato description says “plants should be staked for best result” that means it probably grows to about 10 feet tall. That variety is not one you would want to grow in a container on your patio. In the spring, especially in our area, pass over those that are described as “cool season annuals” as they are not going to last very long in our wacky weather. Instead, look for those that are described as "drought resistant and heat tolerant." If the description says "the plants reseed readily," then you have to decide if you want to have a plant in your garden that is going to absolutely take over.
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”
– Suzanne Cathey
If you are focusing on growing vegetables, then be sure and check for disease resistance. Most hybrids these days have some kind of disease resistance bred into them and it’s helpful to know what the different codes stand for. Most heirlooms only have whatever natural resistance has been passed down from generation to generation. If you start your own vegetable transplants, don’t make the mistake of counting from the day you seeded as you will be sorely disappointed. "Days to maturity" actually means counting from the day you transplant into the ground. If you buy your transplants from a reputable garden center they should be able to tell you the maturity dates on any vegetable plants they carry.
in full swing sowing spinach, mustard, beets, peas and edible podded peas outdoors in your spring garden. Mid-March is the time for transplanting in the ground your previously-started cabbage plants, and when you can sow your first sowing of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant indoors. Also, it is important to have a local garden center that has a knowledgeable staff to help you navigate through all the different aspects of growing flowers or vegetables. As my elders always told me, "experience is the best teacher."
Photo caption will go here.Photo caption will go here.Photo caption will go here.
Growing several different varieties of the same vegetable with different maturity dates or staggering your plantings can give you a continuous supply of fresh produce all summer.
Let's Get Growing To start, you should probably already have your list of spring flowers and
plants you want to grow. From experience, I have learned to purchase all the seed I think I need for the year right at the beginning. Most stores that carry garden seed usually have a ton of it in the spring but tend to run out fairly quickly and may not reorder once it is gone. If we are not in the middle of ice storm or blizzard and you just have to get your hands dirty, then what can you seed now to get a jump on spring? Starting in mid-January, you can sow your onion seeds indoors in flats so they can be at transplant size by March. For green onions, the evergreen hardy onions are the easiest to grow and they are winter hardy. From the 1st of February you can begin sowing your flats of brussels sprouts then moving on to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, romaine and Chinese cabbage.
It’s a new year and time to forget about last year’s failures and look forward to an awesome spring. I think for most people-especially gardeners-when those first crocus bulbs and March flowers start poking through the earth, it gives us a renewed sense of hope and energy. Happy Gardening! s
Extra Help...
Whether you are a new gardener just starting out or a seasoned one, there is a publication put out by the UK Extension Office that is called Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky. It has been a very valuable tool to me when planning what to plant and when to plant it. Despite being an avid gardener for decades and growing vegetables for the public, I still refer to it through the year to help me get organized concerning what I need to be doing and when. You can pick one up at the local extension office along with lots of other information.
By March 1st you should be
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[ ďƒ‹ ] count on it
All Creatures Great and Small by: Murray Life Staff
In this issue we discuss the treatment of baby animals found in the wild. But what about other babies and animals? Here are some numerical facts that will amaze and astound.
4,000,000: Human babies are born each year. (That's a little over one baby every ten seconds!)
Number of eggs a Mayfly can lay at once.
63%: Households in the United States with a pet.
1,000s: Number of eggs a Mayfly can lay at once.
75,000,000: Dogs owned in the U.S.
49 years: Age of the oldest known goldfish
75%: Proportion of all pets neutered.
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1,000+:
Tigers kept as pets in the U.S.
Number of people who can be killed by a few milligrams of venom from a Belcher’s Sea Snake.
1.5 billion: Cattle in the world
1,000s:
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5,000-7,000:
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9.5 million: Horses in the United States alone.
43,000 miles: How far the Artic Tern (a bird) flies each year for nesting.
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[ ] profile
A Night to Remember by: Austin Ramsey
Every once in a while, a journalist gets a story that can make his or her career. t’s not always a good thing. Sometimes, the best of stories incorporate the worst parts of humanity – they develop in disaster, deceit, even death. So, often reporters for newspapers and radio and TV stations are caught in inner catch-22s, hoping for a great story to fall in their laps, but wishing for the safety, health and well being of the people in their coverage areas.
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For my colleagues and me, the night of Jan. 26, 2012 provided one of those stories. When an 8,400-ton ocean-going Delta Mariner freighter struck one of the eastern spans of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge at 8 p.m. that night, debris from the 322-foot portion of the bridge came crashing down on the ship’s bow and the still waters of the Kentucky Lake. Thankfully, not a single person was injured or killed in the incident. The four cars on the bridge when the ship struck were either well past the damaged span or far enough away to stop before going over the edge. Indeed, even the 20 crewmembers of the ship were unscathed, and the boat suffered little damage. But with a long portion of the bridge missing, what must have been only minutes passed before the Internet was ablaze with rumors of a bridge collapse in western Kentucky. In a stroke of luck, the night class where I should have been until 9 p.m. had let out
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early, placing me in front of a newsroom computer screen at the time of the accident. So, when the newswires were ablaze with rumors and Twitter and Facebook touted first-person confirmations, I knew it was time to put on my imaginary From Left, Austin Ramsey, Editor-in-chief, Elizabeth Johnson, photographer, press fedora and Kylie Townsend, reporter, John Walker. Photo by Allie Douglass, MSU News make the short drive down time and money. Usually, they “68/80” to the bridge myself. break stories first and are on the scene as they happen, leaving The Now, being a college journalist has News with only the aftermath to cover, often a week after it happens. In a stroke of luck, the
“night class where I should have been until 9 p.m. had let out early, placing me in front of a newsroom computer screen at the time of the accident.
”
– Austin Ramsey
its advantages and disadvantages. Whereas, you sometimes get to know things before the rest of the student body does (often as exciting as additions to the Winslow Dining Hall menu for next semester), the big stories are often left to the big dogs – the professional newspapers and TV stations in our region who report on events in a larger arena, with more resources,
That’s where social-networking sites like Facebook and Twitter level the playing field. News tips are rarely called into a newsroom anymore. Today, someone need only update their Facebook status or send out a Tweet and the whole world can potentially pick up on the goings-on at any place on the globe. So, as I ran to my car and called the opinion editor John Walker, a constant stream of information was streaming onto my cell phone, as residents in the Aurora area (right next to the damaged bridge) gave their first-person accounts for a huge online audience to read. A short drive across campus and
from the ship “wasComing a low hum, reverberating across the waves that lapped at the rocks below us, and a single spotlight that pointed from the northern side of the bridge back at us, as if the huge creature was looking back to see what it had done.
”
– Austin Ramsey
John was in the passenger seat, with a reporter’s pad, recorder and pen in tow. We drove toward the lake along an eerily dark highway, as our co-workers back in Murray heard the news for themselves and called. One of the first things we had to do was get a fellow reporter in the newsroom to do research and act as a transcriber for the flow of information we would gather
once we reached the scene. Editorin-Chief Elizabeth Johnson filled the bill perfectly. She immediately made the short drive to the newsroom, updated the newspaper’s Facebook and Twitter feeds, and began making phone calls to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and U.S. Coast Guard. Meanwhile, John and I came to the end of the Calloway side of the highway, where emergency management officials were crowding all four lanes with fire trucks, police cars, orange traffic cones and a whole lot of police tape. We parked my Jeep on the side of the road and ran across to a state trooper who was directing traffic. The expression on her face seemed to carry a theme of those around her, most of whom had their backs turned from the oncoming stream of traffic to the hardly visible first truss of the bridge through a haze of mist and fog – confusion. We were quick to move when she
pointed to initial media staging area, where the earliest responding media folks were pulling in. We were among the first. From there, fire-rescue officials sent reporters across the highway to Kenlake State Resort Park, where we began to get a feel of the caliber of the incident. I interviewed a few shaken individuals who were among the last to cross the bridge before it was struck. A tennis coach and his team on their way to a meet said they remember seeing the approaching vessel and thinking, “How’s that ever going to fit?” John and I then made the short drive to the resort park’s boat launch where a mass of parked emergency vehicles packed every inch of spare road and parking lot; a current of rescue boats lit the air from the water’s edge to the distant, wounded bridge. There we were met by more arriving journalists and we interviewed more responders. Soon we were back on
Kylie Townsend’s dramatic photo was picked up by news media worldwide.
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the road to an emptied amphitheater where locals were wandering among the bushes and trees to get a first glimpse the collapsed bridge. There, we could see the full scene, free from the flash of emergency lights or dense vegetation; a sobering sight lay before us. Extending from our side of the river, the bridge rose into the night sky lit by distant state police cars, and then as the lights began to descend with the eye toward the far shore they disappeared to be replaced by a massive and crude-looking ship that looked frighteningly out of place. Coming from the ship was a low hum, reverberating across the waves that lapped at the rocks below us, and a single spotlight that pointed from the northern side of the bridge back at us, as if the huge creature was looking back to see what it had done.
Later, we learned that one of our photographers, Kylie Townsend had occupied the other side of the highway and talked her way through the myriad of emergency officials to the water’s edge to take a series of wonderfully framed photos, one of which made its way into publications such as USA Today, the New York Times and the Boston Globe. The drive back to Murray was a much quieter and assuredly slower affair. John and I, deprived of sleep and covered in mud trotted into the newsroom to edit our own photos and sit down to write the story. We made our final few phone calls, researched online and wrote the story, dotting our Is and crossing our Ts. The next morning, our story dominated the front page, along with all of the other newspapers in the
Jordie Oetken, MSU News
region. For the first time in a long time we had matched them all. We had run with the big dogs. Since the accident, our weeks have been filled with follow-up coverage. I’ve made several trips back to the bridge to assess the cleanup job and interview affected businesses, but I don’t think that night will ever leave my mind. A tragic thing happened to the people of farwestern Kentucky that night, and we had the chance to see it, to report it and help place it in the history books. s Austin Ramsey is the news editor at The Murray State News – a weekly Murray State student-run independent newspaper that covers community and campus news and events.
Austin Ramsey, MSU News
We stood there for a long time and shared the silence of those who joined us. After a few photos, we drove back to the Kenlake lobby and finished up our reporting with a makeshift press conference. We learned that the vessel was carry-
ing rocket parts for NASA and had struck the bridge in the auxiliary channel, some hundreds of feet from where it should have been. The high quarters of the freighter had torn into the bridges deck, causing it to separate from piers Six and Five and come to rest on the vessel’s superstructure.
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Some luxuries come at an unaffordable price. For instance, daily highlights on ESPN, a front-page story in USA Today, interviews with CBS Sports, the New York Times and other national media outlets, have always been out of reach for Murray State University. But when a university’s basketball team is the only undefeated program left in college basketball, things change. Major media outlets are suddenly flocking toward “The Bank” (as MSU’s CFSB Center is affectionately known), paying staffers to venture deep into western Kentucky to try to reveal the next human interest piece about this year’s team: Isaiah Canaan’s struggle with Hurricane Katrina, Ed Daniel’s ever-changing hairstyles, the success of rookie coach Steve Prohm, leaving big cities for rural living and a shot at athletic fame. The free publicity resulting from being in the national spotlight is already affecting the University and the community of Murray and will continue to do so.
“No one in Murray is complaining.”
“Somebody told me a couple weeks ago, you could write a million dollar check to the school and say, 'Give us all the advertising you can give us,' and it wouldn't probably be able to equal what's been going on since basically early December and that's the positive role athletics can play: it can impact the community, it can impact the student body and it can impact the University,” Coach Steve Prohm said. “The exposure that our University . . . is getting from this tremendous start and this tremendous run -- I don't think the school can put a price on it.” Prohm is right. The school can’t put a price tag on it. Yet. Catherine Sivills, vice president of university communications, said when the NCAA tournament is over, the University will hire an agency to run a report determining the monetary value of publicity this season. “I feel like I can say just in my head it’s going to be over $10 million worth,” Sivills said. Jim Carter, vice president of institutional advancement, said the University ran a similar report in 2010 ranging between the time that Isaiah Canaan hit a half-court shot from his knees to the time Murray State lost to Butler in the second round of the NCAA tournament. He said the report valued the publicity at approximately $2.4 million. “This has been going on now nine weeks for us,” Carter said in reference to the time period during which Murray State has been a top-25 team. “Who knows what it will be, but it is certainly something we could never buy.” Carter said even when the evaluation is complete, there are other factors that cannot be quantified like the “Murray State Anthem” video and Dick Vitale’s comments about Murray State during nationally broadcasted games. But it’s not just about the money. The publicity around the basketball team
is affecting Murray State in several immeasurable ways.
things like reputation within the region and things of that nature,” Dunn said.
The University’s Image
Enrollment
“Immediately after the first of the year, we began seeing a large increase in daily traffic to the MSU website,” said Tony Powell, web manager. “At present we are seeing five times the amount of daily traffic over what we have seen in the past, and indications are that this upward trend will continue as the Racers continue to win and attract national attention.”
The number of admitted students for next fall is up almost 250 people from this time last year, said Fred Dietz, director of enrollment. While he’s pleased about the increase, he can’t say with certainty that the winning season is the cause. However, there are signs.
“The thing that I love about all of this publicity is that most of it shows that spirit,” said Catherine Sivills. “Even though it’s related to basketball it feeds into the University and the students here.” The spirit of fun and excitement, and the friendliness of campus are recognized by media representatives, and that’s the way the University wants to be seen. University President Randy Dunn joked that this season has made him feel like the President of University of Kentucky. “I’ve had many calls for tickets, lots of emails, donors who are wanting to come back to campus for a game and it’s been a challenge for us to deal with all of the requests that are coming in,” Dunn said. While it has been a difficult task, Dunn said it is one from which the University will benefit for years. “There does seem to be a benefit that comes to many parts of the university. Obviously, more directly for s t u d e n t recruitment, for donor involvement, connecting back to the campus with alumni, and somewhat indirectly with
“I think the one thing we notice more than anything everyday are the kids talking about it and the families talking about it,” Dietz said. “Everybody’s so excited about the team and what they’re doing. We have families visiting who are saying, ‘Wow! You’re in the top 10.’” Dietz said recruiters have been leveraging the increased pride around the University when prospective students come to visit. “What we’ve used more than anything is the spirit side of it and how students are really excited about the campus and what the team’s accomplished,” he said. “It’s a talking point.” Dietz said the Racers’ win over Vanderbilt in 2010 came after most high school seniors had selected a university, so it had little effect on enrollment. But he thinks this year may be different. “This national exposure is a little different in that it’s earlier, it’s over a long period of time,” Dietz said. “It’s not just one great shot and you’re in the limelight for a little while; we’ve been in the limelight for several weeks now so it’s pretty significant from that standpoint. If the coach wants to do this every year, it’s fine with me.” Josh Jacobs, chief of staff, announced at a Student Government Association meeting that
“the University has the potential to reach
12,000 students next fall.” Graduating Seniors Fans of all ages show support for our Racers! [ 26 ]
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While some students may not realize it, awareness about the University could add a competitive edge in their job searches.
, pays , Dickie Vitale s sports caster
Murray a visit.
Famou
“It won’t hurt for us to get that kind of publicity from these various media sources. Let’s face it: it’s an unprecedented run,” said Ross Meloan, director of Career Services. “Utilize that exposure to the best of your ability as an individual looking for a position of employment. It will not hurt folks looking for positions for employment if they know some perspective employers are into collegiate sports.” Meloan said the basketball team has become a highly popular talking point. It has even become a conversation among his office and recruiters for the Spring Career Fair, the theme of which happens to be “March Madness.” “We picked the theme before Murray State’s success; we just hit it lucky,” Meloan said. “What’s been interesting is we’ve found a couple of companies who in their contact with us start conversations or email with reference to basketball.”
Alumni The success of the basketball team and the constantly interactive social media platforms combine to create an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with their alma mater. “We're talking to alumni and alumni are talking to us
like they're really touched by it; they sometimes get emotional about it because it's a tradition here at Murray State,” said senior forward Ivan Aska. im Carter said the success has drawn in less active alumni. “Let’s be honest: this has brought out alumni we haven’t heard from in a while and that’s OK,” Carter said. “Get that sweatshirt out of the closet and wear it to Kroger. We’re loving that people are reconnecting with the University with this kind of pride.” Many alumni are talking to contacts still at the University trying to get tickets to sold-out games. While Carter cannot change the fact that seats are no longer available, he said alumni are gathering across the nation for viewing parties of Murray State’s televised games. “A couple of weeks ago we went up against Louisville on the same night; they gave Murray the big screen and put the Louisville folks in the back room,” Carter said of a restaurant in Louisville.
The City of Murray The University is not the only entity capitalizing on Racer success. It’s become an advantage for the local economy. Local restaurants, hotels and other businesses are reporting increased business. Hotels are seeing more walk-ins on game nights. Restaurants have families stopping to eat before and after games. And when the Racers are on the road, fans fill the booths to watch their team on screen.
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“When there’s a home game, we’re full for dinner,” said Jim Foster of Culver’s Restaurant. Their electronic marquee, easily visible on Highway 641 just north of the CFSB Center proudly proclaimed, “We are blue and gold; Go Racers!” “I know the same thing is true for Adam Carver (Sirloin Stockade, on the south end of Murray),” said Foster, “and for everyone else up and down the strip. It’s great to see all the excitement.” “It’s going to definitely put our name in front of a lot of people who haven’t seen us before,” said Lance Allison from the Chamber of Commerce. “It is national exposure and any time you have positive national exposure it’s a good thing.” Matt Mattingly, city administrator, feels that, while there is no immediate way to measure the impact of the publicity, it could lead to business development.
“I foresee that this
national exposure
they’ll reconsider us and see what our community has to offer,” Mattingly said. Whether it lands new businesses or not, Mattingly said it’s been positive for the city. “The partnership with the University as well as the city - whenever one of those entities – the University or the city – excels, it helps both entities out,” he said. “I foresee that this national exposure only helps our great community and helps us grow in the future.”
only helps our great
“It’s For Everybody”
community and helps us grow in the future.”
For the team, it’s not just about their fame. They are experienced enough to know that honors and recognition can be fleeting, and that momentary excitement is not really the important accomplishment here.
“I think there are hopefully many businesses that have overlooked us in the past and now that we’ve got some publicity
“It's more than just Murray State men's basketball; I think some people need to realize that,” said senior guard Donte Poole. “We're doing great but we're not doing this just for us. It's for the school; it's for the community, the fans, the women's basketball team, the other teams.” Publicity, pride, recognition and a darned good party: all luxuries that Murray and Murray State can afford this year, right “in the heart of Jackson’s Purchase.”
Elizabeth Johnson is the Editor-in-Chief of The Murray State News. Portions of this article have appeared previously in The News.
Photos by Dr. Joyce Hughes
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By: Erin Carrico
S
ometimes we all need an escape, but our pocketbooks do not allow for a trans-Atlantic flight to far-off lands. Just a short trip down the road, I discovered a hidden treasure in our region allowing for an escape to Italy in only one afternoon‌
Established in 2008, the Paris Winery offers a taste of Italy close to home. Outside the city, the winery sits nestled into the hillside. Winding roads give the illusion of the Italian countryside leading to the Paris Winery Homestead. At the top of the hill sets the tasting room adjoining to Ruggero’s Italian Bistro. Expanding out from the restaurant is a large open patio, overlooking the outdoor concert facility. The tasting room holds the tasting bar and gift shop. Aside from the selection of wines, the Paris Winery offers an array of specialty items that pair well with wine selections. Kitchen gadgets, wine accessories and tasty accompaniments can be purchased and even turned into gift baskets. A unique offering not found at many wineries is the option to have a customized label made for a bottle of wine, making a special gift for anniversaries and weddings. Wine tastings happen daily in the tasting room. The staff is knowledgeable regarding the 23 wine varieties offered at the Paris Winery. I was extremely impressed with how the staff was able to accommodate my needs as well as the needs of my party. While the tasting room is intimate, the service was excellent regardless of the large number in attendance. I had ten in my party and never once felt cast-aside. The particular employee assisting me during my tasting was in-tune to my pallet, even knowing what specific wines to suggest giving me a variety of flavors to try. She did her best to get to know me and understand my wine personality, while throwing in a few pleasant tasting surprises. When tasting the Blackberry (sweet, red) she had me taste a piece of locally made toffee. The combination was incredible – it tasted exactly like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! The taste was so unexpected; I began laughing hysterically - a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for adults. My favorite of the day
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was the Riesling (semi-sweet, white). Crisp and refreshing, the Riesling left a bright note on my tongue. Most impressive wine of the day went to Ruby Red (semi-sweet, red). While apprehensive about tasting a red wine, I was quickly educated in delicate taste. Ruby Red carries a velvety, buttery taste on the tongue, only to improve when paired with chocolate truffles. The flavor burst in my mouth, leaving a depth of flavor and heaviness I have never tasted in a dessert wine.
specialties made-to-order. The famous marinara sauce was fresh, yet deep with flavor. No need in leaving hungry; the pasta dishes are served with a half-pound of pasta. The atmosphere is rustic and relaxing. Nothing fancy or pretentious about the staff or the food served, but I left feeling comforted and content. The Paris Winery staff did anything possible to see that our party had everything we could have need, and more. Even more tempting was the outside patio and the idea of being able to eat under the evening stars when spring arrives. Events are held year-round at the winery. Each month the bistro hosts a Mystery Dinner Theatre, including a five-course Italian meal while trying to solve a murder. Seating is limited, with most mystery evenings hosting a sold-out crowd. Reservations are required and well worth checking for availability. During the summer, the Paris Winery hosts the Concerts in the Vineyard series. Beginning in April, join the crowd and listen to the free concert offered. Bring a picnic and blankets, and experience the sounds of summer. Wine can be purchased and enjoyed anywhere on the patio or lawn.
Open to the tasting room is Ruggero’s Bistro, offering homemade Italian faire seven days a week. Small groupings of tables are scattered around the open-air kitchen where the smell of tomatoes and basil waft through the air. The menu offers a unique variety of Italian
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The Paris Winery welcomes visitors any day of the week. The Ciarrocchi family and the staff enjoy talking to tourists and locals, and sharing their family story. For more information visit www.pariswinery.com or call 731.644.9500.
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[ ] going green
Shedding Light on New Bulbs by: Ben Morrow
t’s too bad that Thomas Edison is no longer around to help us answer the question: Do environmentally friendly light bulbs really save enough money to justify the price? While newer types of light bulbs cost a little extra at the store, experts say it pays over time to go green.
I
Shoppers generally have to think about two things when shopping for bulbs: initial price versus energy costs, and environmental effects. The three
most commonly used bulbs in the home are incandescent bulbs (or a halogen variation), fluorescent bulbs (also called CFLs) and LED bulbs (they use Light Emitting Diodes). Tony Thompson, General Manager of Murray Electric Systems, discussed the differences between the three choices. “Florescent bulbs will consume much less than incandescent bulbs,” Thompson said. “The problem with florescent bulbs is that you need to find a way to
properly dispose of them, since they have gases inside them that may be hazardous. Florescent bulbs are also more expensive than incandescent bulbs, although you will save more money over time.” At this time, the CFL seems to be the bulb with the best ratio of initial cost to energy savings. Drawbacks, however, include taking longer to reach natural burning brightness and not dimming as well as other bulbs. Then too, CFLs tend to provide a
Energy savings versus incandescent bulbs over 50,000 hrs, assuming 25 bulbs per household. Sources: www.energysavers.gov, www.eartheasy.com
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“whiter” light than the warmer incandescent glow most Americans expect. It can become a decorating problem. There is a solution, however. Some CFLs use colored bulbs, not unlike the incandescent yellow porch lights which are not so visible to insects. In fact, CFLs already come in a rainbow selection of trendy, designer colors. If you’re looking for that warmer, less harsh glow for rooms with darker hues or rich wood tones in the decorating scheme, Consumer
Reports suggests you seek out CFLs marked “2700K.” Thompson said that LED bulbs might be the best choice for shoppers over time, even if it means a more expensive trip to the store. “If you can get past the initial cost, LED bulbs ought to save you the most money because their energy consumption is so low,” Thompson said. “They also seem to be the most environmentally friendly bulbs to
choose from.” LEDs, which cost significantly more than other bulbs, are generally expected to go down in price over time as consumers gravitate toward energy savings. They are by far the longest-lasting bulbs and are the most eco-friendly. As prices go down, the practicality of LEDs should only increase. For the time being, however, you’ll need to do the math and appease your conscience: savings, convenience, economy or style? In the new world of light bulbs, you’ve got choices. Thomas Edison, himself, would s be amazed.
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[ ] uncommon mystery The Haunted Bookshop
(1919) Christopher Morley
by: Michael Cohen
advertising writer named Aubrey Gilbert. Then the prune magnate George Chapman gets them to hire his pretty daughter Titania as a live-in clerk. Meanwhile a mystery develops concerning disappearing and reappearing copies of a collection of Oliver Cromwell's letters and speeches.
hristopher Morley was a newspaper reporter and an essayist in the grand days of the personal and literary essay, when every newspaper and magazine featured them. Morley will be familiar to Sherlock Holmes fans as the man who wrote the introduction to the standard Doubleday edition of The Complete Sherlock Holmes. He worked for a while as an editor at Doubleday. Altogether Morley wrote more than a hundred books of essays, poems, and fiction. The Haunted Bookshop was published in 1919 and combines Morley’s passion for books with his love of mystery.
C
Roger and Helen Mifflin own “Parnassus at Home,” a Brooklyn used-book store on Gissing Avenue (all the proper names in the book, by the way, have literary origins and come from the names of authors or characters or publishers). Roger and Helen are visited by an enthusiastic young
Aubrey comes back to see the Mifflins and of course falls in love with Titania. He is waylaid on his way home, after finding the cover of the Cromwell book in a drugstore. He begins to keep a watch on the bookstore, taking a room across the street, and he hears the ruffians who attacked him trying to get in the back yard of the bookstore. When we find out that the Cromwell book is one of Woodrow Wilson's favorites, we begin to put together the fact that Wilson is about to leave for a peace conference, that three cooks from a nearby Brooklyn hotel have been hired to accompany him, and that one of the cooks advertised the loss of the Cromwell book and was seen with it. The intrigue surrounding the bookshop has to do with various international concerns at the end of the First World War: among them opposition to Wilson’s proposed League of Nations, German nationalism and resentment at the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and the threat of anarchists and revolutionary Bolsheviks.
Mifflin is involved with some of these elements when he sees a man use a key to go into the bookshop in the middle of the night and recognizes him as the druggist from the shop where the Cromwell book keeps disappearing and reappearing. Eventually Gilbert rescues Titania and Roger from a bomb-throwing villain. The bookshop is haunted, not by any frightening ghosts, but by the spirits of writers and their works. The story is dated, and in its treatment of Titania and her romance with Gilbert, more than a little twee, but those are precisely its charms. And it is old enough to be in the public domain, so you can download The Haunted Bookshop for free from various sites on the web. Michael Cohen has been doing a feature commentary, “Uncommon Mysteries,” on WKMS for several years. These short mystery reviews focus on the unusual or uncommon stories which may be a deviation from conventions of the mystery genre, an odd viewpoint or historical first, or a new twist on an old plot device, such as the locked room murder or the unwilling amateur detective. This is an excerpt from Cohen's forthcoming collection of reviews. s
Aubrey first suspects that Roger
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[ ] guess what
A Trivial Quiz on Whiskey by: Austin Dodd
Kentucky is almost synonymous with “whiskey,” and Murray lies not 20 miles from a location famous for fine, handcrafted (and illegal) whiskey. Test your knowledge of everything from gourmet imports to crystal clear ‘shine with this taxing trivia test. (Answers are concealed on page 47.)
1. Bourbon whiskey, famous in Kentucky, must legally contain at least 51% of liquor made from: a. rye b. wheat c. corn d. sugar
2. "Tennessee Whiskeys" must follow the same regulations as what type of whiskey?
4. Although most people probably think of the United States when hearing the term "prohibition," the ban on booze actually dates back to at least the Xia Dynasty in China from the years: a. 2000 bce -1700 bce b. 20000 bce – 18000 bce c. 1776 - 1795 d. 1492 - 1550
5. The Dalmore 62, one of the most expensive standard bottles of whisky, was sold for how much?
a. Scotch Whiskey b. Bourbon Whiskey c. Moonshine Whiskey d. Smooth Whiskey
3. If an American whiskey is aged for at least two years, then what term is placed in front of the whiskey's name?
a. $6,200 b. $67,520 c. $1,100,250 d. $250,000
6. Any bourbon labeled as straight must state its aging duration on the bottle if it is less than how many years old?
a. straight b. aged c. fine d. good
a. 6 months b. 1 year c. 4 years d. 2 years
7. This famous whiskey maker is the only distiller in the country to dip its bottles in wax to seal them. In fact, they hold a U.S. patent on it. a. Woodford Reserve b. Maker's Mark c. Jack Daniels d. Jim Beam
8. "I like whiskey. I always did, and that's why I never drink it" Which famous person was quoted as saying this? a. Michael Jordan b. John F. Kennedy c. Queen Elizabeth II d. Robert E. Lee
9. In what year, under President Lyndon Johnson's administration, did Congress declare bourbon “America's Native Spirit?” a. 1978 b. 2002 c. 1967 d. 1964
10. Jacob Beam, creator of Jim Beam (famous Kentucky Bourbon), sold his first barrel of whisky in what year? a. 1915 b. 1795 c. 1856 d. 1978
.
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[ ] the money pages
Bring Your Portfolio Back on Course by: Ron Arant
n the long run, all of the investments selected for a well diversified portfolio are expected to generate a certain minimum rate of return, given the inherent level of risk in each of those investments.
I
The problem with using long-term return estimates to build a portfolio is that those forecasts do not help you in the short term because the short-term performance of financial markets is unpredictable. While long-term performance also is unpredictable, general trends can be noticed. Some investments may be performing well while others are performing poorly. You could build a perfect portfolio if you knew in advance which investments would perform well and which ones would perform poorly. However, investors who have any experience at all know that it is not possible to predict when each investment will move up or down, or by how much. As a result, it is not prudent to attempt to switch and swap asset classes based on shortterm market predictions. One practice that separates asset allocation from simple portfolio diversification is the rebalancing that occurs in asset allocation strategies on a regular basis. Rebalancing is the means by which you get the portfolio back to its original asset allocation target. It is accomplished by selling a portion of the investment that is over its target allocation and buying more
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of the investment that is under its target allocation or by investing new dollar amounts in the underallocated investment until the target is reached. For example, assume that your target allocation is 50% in stocks and 50% in bonds. Assume that after one year, the markets have moved the portfolio to 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds. Selling the extra 10% in stocks and buying 10% in bonds gets the portfolio back to its original asset allocation
Rebalancing is the “means by which you get the portfolio back to its original asset allocation target. It is accomplished by selling a portion of the investment that is over its target allocation and buying more of the investment that is under its target allocation
”
– Ron Arant
target of 50% in stocks and 50% in bonds. Or, investing new money in bonds until the target allocation is reached will also rebalance the portfolio. Why Rebalance? The answer to that question is twofold. First, rebalancing
helps you follow a basic investing principle: buy low and sell high. Rebalancing hinges on a theory called regression to the mean. Simply stated, regression to the mean assumes that all investments have a specific risk and return profile, and that over time all investments fall in line with those natural tendencies. Rebalancing takes advantage of overly optimistic and overly pessimistic pricing discrepancies in the marketplace. It forces the sale of a small portion of the portfolio that has gone up in value and forces a purchase in the portion that did not perform as well. Even though rebalancing may feel counterintuitive, the process basically follows the logic that it is better to
sell high and buy low than the other way around. Second, diversifying across many investments that are dissimilar and rebalancing those investments to their original target at the end of the year may help reduce the annual volatility of the portfolio as well as increase the longterm return. The frequency, timing, and methodology of rebalancing may vary. When to Rebalance There are different methods that investors use to determine when it’s time to rebalance. The two most popular ones are based on the calendar or on a percentage. When using a calendar method, investors choose to rebalance after a specific period of time, such as annually, quarterly, or monthly. Other investors prefer to use assetclass percentage targets. When a portfolio is off the target allocation by a certain percentage, it is rebalanced, regardless of when the last rebalancing took place. A rebalancing strategy based on percentages may deliver slightly higher returns and slightly less portfolio risk than the calendar method; however, percentage strategies require significantly more time to monitor and implement. Annual rebalancing is simple and cost-effective, and takes only a little time each year to implement. As always, please call your investment advisor to discuss any allocation or diversification questions you may have. s Hilliard Lyons does not offer tax or legal advice. Please consult your tax advisor or attorney before making any decision that may affect your tax or legal situation. Securities offered through J.J.B. Hilliard W.L. Lyons, LLC. | Member NYSE, FINRA and SIPC. Š2007-2009 All rights reserved.
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[ ďƒ¤ ] food
Garlic, The Stinking Rose by: Logan Abbitt
ccording to legend, garlic has wondrous mystical powers. It can ward off the "evil eye." Central European folk beliefs considered garlic a powerful ward against devils, werewolves, and, of course, vampires. To ward off vampires, garlic could be worn on one's person, hung in windows, or rubbed on chimneys and keyholes. Diseases caused by mosquito bites were considered "The touch of the vampire," and garlic acted as a mosquito repellent. Mohammed he equated garlic with Satan when he described the feet of the Devil as he was cast out of the Garden of Eden. Where his left foot touched the earth, garlic sprang up, while onion emerged from the footprint of his right foot. Roman soldiers ate garlic to inspire them and give them courage. Roman generals planted fields of garlic in the countries they conquered, believing that courage was transferred to the battlefield.
A
that, in ancient Egypt, fifteen pounds of garlic would buy a healthy male slave. When King Tut's tomb was excavated, bulbs of garlic were found scattered throughout the rooms. Pliny the Elder said it was good for toothaches, ulcers, asthma, and it stimulated the sexual and gustatory appetites. During the Dark Ages, people believed it could ward off the plague and wore garlands of it as protection. As recently as 1918, Americans wore garlic garlands in public as protection from influenza epidemics. Today, garlic is a staple in a variety of international cuisines. In the words of Alice May Brock, "Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon
First cultivated over 6,000 years ago, garlic has a long history of
culinary and medical uses, as well as mystical properties. It was so valuable
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make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy
sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good!" One of the great properties of garlic is its versatility. The flavor can vary greatly depending upon the preparation method. One raw garlic clove, finely minced or pressed, releases more flavor than a dozen cooked whole cloves. When garlic cloves are cooked or baked whole, the flavor mellows into a sweet, almost nutty flavor that hardly resembles any form of pungency. This nutty flavor makes a surprisingly nice addition to desserts, such as brownies or even ice cream. Cooked, whole cloves barely have any aroma at all, while raw garlic is the strongest in flavor.
3. Wrap red pepper flakes, mustard seed and celery seed in a spice bag, and place in the liquid mixture. Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. 4. Stir in garlic and pepper. Continue boiling for 5 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and discard spice bag. 6. Place garlic and peppers in sterile containers to within 1 inch of the top. Fill with remaining liquid to within 1/4 inch from the top and seal jar. 7. Store in the refrigerator approximately three weeks before serving. Photo by Luca Baroncini
First cultivated “6,000 years ago,
over garlic has a long history of culinary and medical uses, as well as mystical properties. It was so valuable that, in ancient Egypt, fifteen pounds of garlic would buy a healthy male slave.
”
– Logan Abbitt
Sautéing is the most common method used for cooking garlic. It will bring out the nutty but savory flavor of the garlic. It can be sautéed in oil or butter, but be careful if you use butter because it will burn much faster than in oil. One method that is rarely used today, but used to be very common, is pickling. It is amazingly simple to do at home, and incredibly delicious.
Pickled Garlic The initial creation is fast and easy. The hard part is waiting three to four weeks to feast.
Ingredients • 1/2 pound garlic, peeled • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced • 2 cups distilled white vinegar • 2/3 cup white sugar • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed Other flavors can be added optionally, such as bay leaves, black peppercorns, or oregano
Directions 1. Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl. (Cut the large cloves in half, if necessary.) Mix in the red bell pepper. 2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, place the distilled white vinegar and white sugar.
"We Season Our Garlic With Food!" The Stinking Rose is a popular and unique restaurant dedicated to the wonders of garlic. With locations in San Francisco and Beverly Hills, it’s a modern day paradise for garlic lovers or even the mildly curious. Their chefs put garlic in everything: entrees, appetizers, sides, salads, pastas and even desserts, including Gilroy’s famous garlic ice cream. They decorate with braided garlands throughout the restaurant. The Beverly Hills location has, at last count, 2,635 bulbs ofgarlic, two onions and one leek on display.
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The Garlic of Gilroy Gilroy, California holds the prestigious title of Garlic Capital of the United States. Every summer, the town hosts the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a magnificent event that can be smelled from over 20 miles away. This annual event boasts musical entertainment, a Great Garlic Cookoff, celebrity cooking demonstrations, a garlic braiding workshop, a children's area, arts and crafts, and many interactive displays. The Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen and her royal court reign over various festivities and ensure that everyone is "having a garlicy good time with fellow lovers of the pungent bulb." Over 4,000 volunteers from more than 150 non-profit groups make the festival possible, and they have raised over $9.3 million dollars for charity. More than three million people have visited the festival since it began over 30 years ago.
Garlic Steak The Ultimate vampire repellant, this tangy marinade is packed with powerful, pleasing pungency.
Ingredients • 4 pounds beef sirloin steaks, at least ¾ inch thick • 1 bottle (16 oz.) of Italian salad dressing • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce • 2 tablespoons minced garlic • salt and pepper to taste
Directions 1. Mix together Italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to create the marinade. 2. Score the steaks lightly on both sides using a sharp knife. Place in a shallow baking dish. 3. Pour the marinade over the steaks and sprinkle with garlic. Rub the marinade into the steaks using the back of a spoon or fork. Turn steaks over, and repeat on the other side. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. 4. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. 5. Grill steaks for 6 minutes per side (or to desired doneness). 6. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving. s
Photo by Tondo Susanto
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Answered the Questions on page 42? Letʼs see how you did!
Have I got an answer for you? 1. (c) Originally, the best whiskey of this type came from Bourbon County, which was actually a county of Virginia, of which Kentucky was a part. It comprised the area now occupied by 18 Kentucky counties, many of which still produce the famous product. 2. (b) Same stuff; different state. Perhaps “itʼs in the water.” 3. (a) And if itʼs less than 1 month, it might be labeled “crooked.” 4. (a) 300 years without a drink is along time for some people. 5. (d) Hard to believe it came from Scotland, famous for being very thrifty.
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6. (c) Age, we are told, seems to take some of the harshness from the liquor. 7. (b) Kentuckyʼs own! 8. (d) And it may explain why the Union had such a hard time outwitting Gen. Lee. 9. (d) It had to be ʼ64; by 1967, of course, President Johnson was on the verge of resigning. Americanʼs Native Spirit was, no doubt, doing overtime work in Washington back in those days. 10. b Not surprisingly, that particular batch sold out and no bottles are available today. They made more, however. Cheers!
[ ďƒŤ ] seen around town
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[ ] dining guide Shogun
Largo Bar & Grill
706 N 12th St., Suite 9 (270) 761-7486
Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill 816 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-5551
Asian Buffet 638 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3788
August Moon 1550 Lowe’s Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-4653
Baldy’s Grill 901 Coldwater Rd. . . . .(270) 762-0441
The Keg 1051 N 16th St. . . . . . .(270) 762-0040
216 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3663
Tom’s Grille 501 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-4521
Ann’s Country Kitchen Tumbleweed Southwest Grill 807 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 873-2300
Gloria’s World Village Food 124 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-3233
HRH Dumplin’s 305B S. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 753-0000
Jasmine Restaurant - Thai & Asian Cuisine 506 N. 12th St. Suite E (270) 761-8424
Magnolia Tea Room 306 Gilbert St. . . . . . . .(270) 492-6284 Hazel, KY
La Cocina Mexicana 501 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 767-1627 Murray
La Cocina Mexicana 314 Main St. . . . . . . . . . (270) 492-6392 Hazel, KY
Latin Lovers 716 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 767-0026
Los Portales 506 N. 12th St. . . . . . ...(270) 767-0315
318 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 492-8195 Hazel, KY
Bad Bob’s Bar-B-Que
1005 Arcadia Circle . .(270) 759-8866
406 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-9000
Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant 16814 Hwy. 68 E. . . . .(270) 474-2202 Aurora, KY
The Olive
Big Apple Café El Mariachi Loco
4645 Hwy. 119 . . . . . . . .(731) 232-8323 Buchanan, TN
806 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0054
Aurora Landing Restaurant 542 Kenlake Rd. . . . . . .(270) 474-2211 Aurora, KY
Coldwater Bar-B-Que & Catering 8284 Hwy. 121 N. . . . .(270) 489-2199
Cracker Barrel
Belew’s Dairy Bar US Highway 62 East . .(270) 354-8549 Aurora, KY
Brass Lantern 16593 Hwy. 68 E. . . . . . 270-474-2773. Aurora, KY
650 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0081
Crossland Diner 3034 Stateline Rd. W. .(270) 492-6424 Hazel, KY
Domino’s Pizza 117 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-3030
Cindy’s on the Barge 888 Kenlake Marina Ln.(270) 474-2245 Hardin, KY
Cypress Springs Resort 2740 Cypress Trail . . . .(270) 436-5496 New Concord, KY
Eagle Nest Marina & Dockside Bar and Grill 500 Eagle Nest Rd. . . .(731) 642-6192 Buchanan, TN
Kentucky Dam Village 166 Upper Village Dr. .(270) 362-4271 Gilbertsville, KY
Happiness Restaurant 412 Main Street . . . . . .(270) 293-4952
Holmes Family Restaurant 1901 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 767-0662
Hungry Bear 1310 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-7641
Laird’s Bar-B-Que 77 W. Main St. . . . . . . .(731) 247-3060 Puryear, TN
Lynn Grove Country Corner 7010 Hwy. 94 W. . . . . .(270) 435-4500
Quarters 200 N. 15th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3406
Olive Pit 905 Mineral Wells Ave.(731) 6425030 Paris, TN
Ruby Renee’s Restaurant 1196 State Route 121 North(270) 7617829
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[ ďƒŤ ] seen around town
Visit us online at :: www.wallappeals.com
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[ ] dining guide Martha’s Restaurant
McDonald’s
1407 N. 12th St. . . . . . .(270) 759-1648
Mary’s Kitchen 11205 Stadium View Dr..(270) 759-2036
Matt B’s Main Street Pizza 1411 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-1234
Mr. Gatti’s Pizza 804 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-6656
Mugsy’s Hideout 410 Main St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 767-0020
Nick’s Family Sports Pub 614 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 762-0012
Pagliai’s Pizza 970 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-2975
Papa John’s Pizza 656 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-6666
Pizza Hut 1113 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4646
Pizza Pro 1304 Chestnut St . . . . .(270) 767-1199
Renfro’s Hih Burger Inn 413 S. 4th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1155
Rudy’s, “On the Square” 104 S. 5th St. . . . . . . . . .(270) 753-1632
Ryan’s Steakhouse 801 Walmart Dr. . . . . . .(270) 759-3809
Sirloin Stockade 922 S. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-0440
107 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-5548
Murray Donuts
Backyard Burgers 801 Paramount Dr. . . . .(270) 759-2480
506 B North 12th St. . . .(270) 761-1818
Quizno’s Subs
Boulders 317 Chestnut St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-9727
1203 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 753-8880
Sammon’s Bakery
Brother’s Barbeque 401 Sycamore St. . . . . .(270) 761-7675
974 Chestnut St. . . . . . .(270) 753-5434
Sonic Drive-In
Burger King 814 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-8266
217 S. 12th St. . . . . . . . .(270) 759-9885
Subway
Burrito Shack 214 North 15th St. . . .(270) 761-4444
622 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7827
Taco Bell
Captain D’s 700 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-9383
402 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-8758
Taco John’s
Candy Cravings 506 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 759-2010
604 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-9697
Victor’s Sandwiches
Culver’s 818 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 761-2858
1301 W. Main St. . . . . .(270) 753-7715
Vietnamese Cuisine
Dairy Queen 1303 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 753-4925
1407 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7655
Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers Dinh’s Vietnamese Cuisine
1111 Chestnut St. . . . . .(270) 759-4695
1407 Main St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-7655
Zaxby’s Fidalgo Bay Coffee Shop
N. 12th St. . . . . . . . . . . .(270) 792-2375
1201 Payne St. . . . . . . . .(270) 761-4800
Hardee’s 505 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-3246
KFC 205 N. 12th St. . . . . . . .(270) 753-7101
Snappy Tomato Pizza 1550 Lowes Dr. . .(270) 761-7627 Spanky’s 9505 Hwy. 641 N. . . .(731) 247-5527 Puryear, TN
T & J’s Diner 2667 St. Rt. 94 E.. . . . .(270) 753-4826
Tom’s Pizza 506-A N. 12th St. . . . . .(270) 753-9411
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[ ] calendar of events Journey Stories, A Smithsonian Exhibit
jan. 28 - march 10 Journey Stories is a compelling Smithsonian exhibition that shows how our evolving mobility changed a young nation and how transportation made us grow. The accounts of travelers themselves express the hopes and promises of fresh starts, the grim realities of forced migrations and difficult journeys and the thrills of personal travel. The exhibit is located at Wrather Museum and is open to the public Monday through Friday 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m., and Saturday 10a.m.-1p.m.
“13” The Musical
feb. 24 - march 11 (Friday-Sunday only) Playhouse in the Park presents a
Disney Live!
Easter on the Square
march 11
april 7 There will be an Easter egg hunt for ages 0-8 starting at 9:30a.m. on the court square. Come visit with the Easter Bunny and visit the downtown businesses. This event is hosted by Murray Main Street, for additional information call 270.750.9474. ..........................................
Disney Live! Three Classic Fairytales will take place at 1 and 4 p.m. in the CFSB Center. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster. Take your family out for a wonderful adventure that the kids will never forget. Tickets may be purchased at ticketmaster.com or for more information call 270.809.5577.
Trolley and Gallery Hop Ride the trolley to multiple art exhibits around town. It will stop at Murray State and many local businesses! The opening reception for the Murray Art Guilds “Visual Evidence Exhibit” will start at the Robert O. Miller Conference Center at 5p.m., for more information call 270.753.4059.
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april 21
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march 31
hilarious, high-energy musical for all ages about discovering that cool is where you find it, and sometimes where you least expect it. For detailed information, please call 270.759.1752. Tickets may be purchased at playhouseinthepark.net.
Cruisin’ for a Cure
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Visual Evidence Exhibit
april 2 - 19 Murray Art Guild is hosting an art exhibit that will hang in the back room of the Robert O. Miller Conference Center. For additional information please call 270.753.4059.
Crusin’ for a Cure is an annual motorcycle ride to raise money for the American Cancer Society, sponsored by McKinney Insurance Services, Inc. Relay For Life Team. This event will be held in the Murray Banquet Center, for more information please call 270.753.3500. ..........................................
No Dust Tour
april 21 Dennis Reis has devoted his life to the practice of horsemanship and is dedicated to improving the horse-human relationship through the sharing of age-old methods and knowledge. To experience this tour at the Bill “Cherry” Agricultural Exposition Center, call 270.809.3125.
april 21 This event is being hosted by the Murray Calloway Endowment for
Healthcare and is a philanthropic effort to promote better healthcare in out the region. The half marathon will start at the Center for Health and Wellness, 716 Poplar Street at 7a.m. For more information, visit www.runwalkmurray.org or call 270-762-1348.
"The Mousetrap" By Agatha Christie
april 25-29 In this classic melodramatic theatre piece, the author comes forth with another hit about a group of strangers stranded in a boarding house during a snowstorm, one of whom is a murderer. Come check out this mysterious play at the Robert E. Johnson Theatre in the Fine Arts building on campus. The performance is April 25-28 at 7:30p.m., and April 29 at 2:30p.m. For more information, visit www.murraystate.edu or call 270.809.4421.
Spring Citywide Yard Sale
Downtown Saturday Market
may 5
may 12 Murray, Kentucky's downtown transforms itself on the south side of the square on Saturday mornings in May through October from 7a.m.-12p.m. It becomes the site of the Saturday morning farmer's market selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, home made goods and even fish! This 10-plus year tradition gives local folks a place to come, get some good fresh produce and visit everyone.
Clean out your closets, it’s time for Murray's bi-annual Citywide Yard Sale! Applications to participate in the yard sale can be downloaded at http://www.tourmurray.com and returned to the Murray CVB at 201 S. 4th St. along with a $10 fee. This will get your yard sale on the official map. Participants may set up a yard sale in Central Park. Maps may be picked up at 201 S. 4th St. for $2. This is a fundraiser for Freedom Fest.
The Murray Life Calendar of Events is graciously provided by the Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau. The CVB is your source for information on everything from dining, shopping, recreation and fun in the community to relocation. Learn more at www.tourmurray.com.
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[ ] advertiser’s directory Need a phone number or an address to a business but can’t remember the page you saw it on? This is your guide to Murray Life Magazine’s advertisers. Enjoy! Advertiser BB&T Bank
Page #
Advertiser
Page #
Advertiser
Page #
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Jarvis Vision Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Primary Care Medical Center (Urgent Care) . . .4
Briggs & Stratton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
K-Squared Designs, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Primary Care OBGYN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Cagle and Bailey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Kentucky Farm Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Presbyterian Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Computer Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Kopperud Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2, 3, 50
Randy Thornton Heating & Air . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Der Dutch Merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Loft, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Roof Brothers Wine & Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Mattress Guys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
SBG Real Property Professionals . . . . . . .11, 48
Ezell’s Cosmetology School . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
MidSouth Vinyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15, 33, 50
Seasons, Robert Valentine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Froggyland Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33, 50
Murray Bank, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Urology Associates, H.S. Jackson, MD . . . . .47
Glendale Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Murray-Calloway Co. Chamber . . . . . . . . . . .50
Vintage Rose Emporium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Glisson Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Murray-Calloway Co. Hospital . .61, Back Cover
Wall Appeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23, 33, 50
Grey's Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Murray Electric System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
WENK/WTPR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Heritage Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Murray Insurance Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Western Baptist Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Henry County Medical Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Murray Life Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 50, 55
West Wook Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Highway 80 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Murray Woman's Clinic . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front
WKMS FM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Hilliard-Lyons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
My Wedding Logos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19, 23
WK&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Home, Lawn & Farm Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . .8
WNBS-1340 AM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Humane Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Paris Winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Imes-Miller Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Playhouse in the Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
[ ] coming soon ... Our next edition is a celebration of Summer, and that’s just the start! Count on Murray Life for humor, shopping tips, dining guides, nature stories, trivia and more. • Check your Kentucky I.Q. with quizzes and articles about the Commonwealth, including a look back at the Murray of 1912 – a critical year in the city’s history. • Planning a Vacation? Save a bundle and have the time of your life at a Kentucky State Park – get the whole remarkable story. • Take a unique adventure “down under” when you see views of Kentucky’s own Mammoth Cave that have not been seen for 100 years. MSU’s Gross Magee – and his camera – will be your tour guide. • “A rose by any other name” would still be our gardening feature in May – still plenty of time to get started with America’s favorite decorating and fragrance-filled flower. Share the fun of Murray Life: A two-year gift subscription anywhere in the U.S. is only $25.00. Call 753-5225 or e-mail us at murraylife@aol.com and we’ll arrange to share Murray Life with your personalized gift card included.
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[ ] nature
Born to be Wild by: Carrie Szwed
pringtime often signifies new arrivals in the world of wildlife. Sometimes we may encounter these cute baby animals while gardening, driving down country roads, or going for hikes in the woods. What do you do if you come across a baby animal that is separated from its parent(s) or seems to be in distress? While our natural instinct is to take these youngsters under our wing, it is often better to simply leave these animals alone, attempt to reunite them with their natural parents, or consult a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Knowing the natural history and behavior of our most commonly encountered wildlife will help you decide what to do when you find a wild baby.
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Does the animal you found truly need help? Although some baby animals need our help, others may not need “rescuing” at all. Some animal mothers, such as deer, purposely leave their babies in what they consider a safe place while they go search for food. Other parents, such as birds, may allow their youngsters some time to explore their surroundings on their own. If you spot a young animal that appears to be abandoned, do not catch it right away. Take some time to observe its behavior. After observation, if you believe an animal is orphaned or injured, call a wildlife rehabilitator before trying to handle or care for the animal. Wildlife rehabilitators are indi-
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viduals who are licensed to take care of injured and orphaned animals. They have an extensive knowledge of local animals and their behavior. Licensed rehabilitators know what is in the best interest of these animals and can tell you how to help them. Remember – wild animals can be dangerous and may need special handling. Consult the experts before dealing with a wild animal. If you do not know a wildlife rehabilitator directly, call the KY Fish and Wildlife Department (800858-1549) or check their website (http://fw.ky.gov), where you can often find a list of licensed rehabilitators in your area. You can also contact a local zoo, nature center, or veterinarian. These facilities often work closely with rehabilitators and can provide you with contact information for them.
cute as animals can “be,Asthey will always have wild instincts and may demonstrate unpredictable behavior, which is why they should not be kept as pets.
”
– Carrie Szwed
Baby Birds There is a common belief that parent birds won’t accept their chicks back if they have been touched by
human hands. In reality, most birds have a very poor sense of smell, and cannot detect human scent on their babies. If you find a featherless baby bird, search the immediate area for its nest. Place the bird back inside the nest. If you cannot find the nest, make an artificial one by lining a small basket or tub with dried grass, poking tiny holes in the bottom for drainage, and fasten it to a tree. Cool Whip® or margarine containers often make good “nests.” Observe the baby bird in the nest for a few hours, from a distance. Only call a rehabilitator if the parents do not return or the bird appears to be injured. If you find a young bird that has recently acquired its flight feathers, chances are the parents are nearby and are simply letting their “teenager” explore and get the hang of flying. Some birds may spend up to five days on the ground before they master flight. Once again, monitor the young one for a while and then call a rehabilitator if you feel it needs assistance.
Baby Deer Have you ever come across a baby deer lying motionless in tall grass or leaf litter? Where is the mother? It turns out that mother deer will often drop their fawns off in a location that provides shelter or camouflage while they go forage for food. These fawns instinctively know not to wander off by themselves. They may lie in that same spot, concealed from danger, for hours at a time. If you find a fawn
that is quietly lying on the ground, there is no need for concern. However, if the baby appears distressed or injured, or if you know the mother has died,
Some animal mothers, “such as deer, purposely leave their babies in what they consider a safe place while they go search for food.
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– Carrie Szwed
contact a rehabilitator right away.
Baby Raccoons There is nothing cuter than a baby raccoon, but be forewarned that they do not make good pets! As they continue to grow and mature, raccoons can become destructive and aggressive. Raccoons are also susceptible to a number of diseases that are harmful to humans, including rabies and roundworm. Therefore, it is not recommended to bring a baby raccoon into your home. If you find a baby raccoon on the ground, it may have just wandered from its den. The mother raccoon may even be watching her curious tike from a distance. Wearing protective gloves, place the baby in a secure container, such as a cardboard box, and leave it in that location. The container should be deep enough to keep the baby from escaping and wandering further, but will still allow access for the mother to retrieve her baby. Leave the container outside from dusk until dawn, positioned so that predators cannot invade it. If the mother has not claimed her baby by the next morning, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.
Baby Squirrels If you find a baby squirrel on the ground, check to see if the squirrel
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may have taken quite a tumble out of a nearby tree. If the squirrel appears injured, is cold to the touch, or is surrounded by flies, contact a wildlife rehabilitator right away. If not, give the mother squirrel time to retrieve her baby. Place the baby in a shallow container at the base of a nearby tree and observe it from a distance for at least two hours. Don’t be alarmed if the baby is crying; this may help its mother find it. If the baby has not been retrieved by nightfall, contact a wildlife rehabilitator. If a rehabilitator is not available, it is okay to take the baby squirrel inside where it can stay warm and be protected from predators overnight. Do not, however, try to feed the baby or even give it water or milk. Keep it in a quiet, isolated location until a rehabilitator can be reached.
When possible, it is “always better for baby animals to be raised by their natural parents than by humans. Growing up in their natural environment, among other wild animals, allows babies to learn the skills necessary for surviving in the wild and recognizing their friends and foes.
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– Carrie Szwed
Baby Rabbits An unfortunate statistic is that less than 10% of wild baby rabbits raised in captivity will survive. Therefore, be absolutely sure the babies you find actually need help before handling or transporting them. Baby rabbits found on the ground are not necessarily orphaned. A rabbit’s nest is often just a divot in the ground lined
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with fur and grass. Baby rabbits stay in or around this nest 24 hours a day, while the mother rabbit comes back to nurse and care for them only once at dawn and once at dusk. To help determine if the mother is visiting, put twigs across the nest in a tic-tactoe pattern and check back to see if the twigs have moved. If you suspect the babies are truly orphaned, or if they have been injured, contact a rehabilitator immediately. Do not attempt to feed or give the babies water or milk. Rabbits are extremely sensitive to any kind of disturbance and need to be cared for by a trained professional.
expert care by a rehabilitator, who will ensure the baby has minimal contact to humans and our environment. That way, the baby will not “imprint” or become dependent on humans, and can eventually be released back into the wild where it naturally belongs.
Born to be Wild
As cute as animals can be, they will always have wild instincts and may demonstrate unpredictable behavior, which is why they should not be kept as pets. It is actually illegal to keep most wild animals in captivity without a permit. If you do currently possess a wild animal, consult a rehabilitator to assess whether that animal is capable of surviving on its own if released.
When possible, it is always better for baby animals to be raised by their natural parents than by humans. Growing up in their natural environment, among other wild animals, allows babies to learn the skills necessary for surviving in the wild and recognizing their friends and foes. If a natural upbringing is not possible, a wild animal should be raised with
New life abounds in the spring, and many of us are eager to see these wild wee ones grow up healthy and strong. With a community of compassionate individuals, such as we have in Murray, plus assistance from trained wildlife professionals, the next generation of wild animals can look forward to a great future. s
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[ $ ] the last word
The Lawn by: Robert A. Valentine
"Spring hasn’t really arrived until you are awakened by the first lawn mower." ince the twenty-second day of December, I have patiently watched the days grow longer. By the end of February Nature has added a full hour of sunlight from that oh-soshortest day before Christmas, and every day of the year is a little longer, and a little brighter than the one before. The extra daily ration of sunlight, whether covered by winter rain clouds or not, brightens my spirit.
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Yet, the joy is not untouched by a nagging fear. With sun comes not only warmth, but the certain demand to go outside – not to roam the wood with the dogs, or to bask in the sun in a comfy chair – but to work. And not to create a pretty border of flowers to add joy and color to life, nor to put into the soil the spindly tomato plant or the crown of roots that will one day deliver savory asparagus, but to tend the lawn.
Still, every day until Valentine’s Day, I wonder if I should start to seed the lawn. “Throw your seed on the last snow of winter,” the old timers used to say, but who knows which snow is the last? And what if you have no snow at all? How much lime does it need, or nitrogen, or potash, or fertilizer or eggshells or single malt Scotch whiskey? Do you till it up before you sow? Should you pray first?
your grass grow “onlyMaywhere you want it, may your mower start on the first pull, and may your neighbor never mow his lawn ‘til after your first cup o’ coffee on a Saturday morning
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– Ancient Suburban Blessing
The lawn. Some fellow once told me that, acre for acre, the most expensive crop grown in America is lawn. I don’t doubt it one bit. If you have a tree in your yard, you need special grass that grows in shade. If you have no trees, you need combat-trained Delta Force grass that can go for weeks without water. All of these hybrid grasses cost more than ribeye steak, pound for pound, and cannot be enjoyed with a baked potato under any conditions.
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I am sure there are some people, somewhere, who know the answers to these questions. I believe that I have spoken to most of them, at one time or another. Still, either I misunderstand or fail to grasp the secret. My lawn is very healthy, but only in spots. Some experts have blamed
the dogs, but I doubt that claim. They have a favorite place to “go,” and it is the greenest spot on the planet. Other spots will not even grow weeds. The one place grass grows with certainty and vigor is in the cracks between the bricks in the walkway. Well, the cracks and where the dogs “go.” So, this spring I will try, again, to encourage the grass to grow where it ought. Then, if I’m lucky, I will get to mow it. Weekly. Whether I want to, or not. I could pave it green, but then it discolored spots the dogs . . . you know.
and paint it would have from well, s