Paducah Life Magazine - August/September 2023

THE ADVANCED TAVR PROCEDURE FROM THE STRUCTURAL HEART SPECIALISTS AT BAPTIST HEALTH PADUCAH allowed Gail to get back to her normal activities even though she wasn’t a candidate for open heart surgery. We were the first hospital to bring this minimally invasive valve replacement procedure to the region. And it’s just one reason more people trust Baptist Health with their hearts than any other hospital system in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Find out why you can, too, at BaptistHealth.com/HeartCare.

BaptistHealth.com

EVERYONE’S HEARTBEAT IS UNIQUE. WE BELIEVE HEART CARE SHOULD BE, TOO.

ALL WILL BE REVEALED REGARDING that commentary as you read our feature story on the incomparable Sara Bradley and her once-in-a-lifetime foray to the finals of Top Chef World All Stars this season.

In the late 90s, Sara used to hang out in my game room after soccer games or on the occasional weekend. She was a friend of our oldest son, Vince. When I interviewed Sara in that same room in 2015 prior to the opening of her restaurant, freight house, we laughed about the way life brings us around the world and back together again. She had been training in fancy kitchens in New York and Chicago and had worked her way back to her hometown to start her culinary career in downtown Paducah.

That afternoon in 2015 Sara and I talked about her

visions for the future. Then, in 2019 when she was back home from grabbing the runner-up spot in Season 16 of Top Chef, I asked her what it felt like, four years later, to have competed on this high-profile TV show. She said, “I remember that conversation. To see the progression of moving back home and where my LIFE has gone since then is pretty amazing. I wanted to be in Garden & Gun. That happened. I said I wanted to win a James Beard award. That hasn’t happened, but I got to cook at the James Beard House. And Top Chef never entered my mind.”

Now, here we are in 2023 and once again Chef Sara has defied the odds of a country girl from our little part of the world by competing on the WORLD stage and almost bringing home the prize.

I remember the warm fall evening we created that cover photo for our September 2015 edition. A late summer sunset gently lit a table laden with Sara’s bounty in my backyard! From the kitchen wafted savory scents of biscuits, roasted root vegetables, succulent lamb chops, and a spiced apple pie.

As we got everything in place for the photo shoot, there was a sense of uncertainty. The freight house had yet to open. Sara was on the cusp of her life’s biggest adventure. None of us imagined that in short order, Sara would represent Kentucky at both the Beard House in New York and to a national audience as the runner-up on Bravo’s Top Chef. We did know however, that the prospects were unlimited for Sara, and the world was to be her oyster. That evening, the air crackled with possibilities. This year, those possibilities have been surpassed by far.

However, there is much more on Sara’s menu for the future. Of that, I AM certain.

And Paducah Life Magazine will be seated at the table, ready for the next course!

Darlene M. Mazzone

I hate liver. Now I really hate liver. But I love Sara Bradley. And I will always love her.

★ by D ARLENE M AZZONE

Wor dTopOn of the

Sara Bradley undertook the journey of a lifetime to London’s pubs and palaces and ultimately to Paris, France as a winning part of Bravo’s Top Chef World All Stars

SHE’S THE DIVA OF DELICIOUSNESS— the queen of cuisine—and most recently the last woman standing as a top three finalist on the 2023 edition of Top Chef World All Stars.

As all of us locals know, this wasn’t her first competitive cooking rodeo. Sara was the runner-up in Top Chef Season 16 in 2019. But this time around, EVERYONE in this culinary combat was already a winner; thus the term ALL STARS.

“It was definitely intimidating,” Sara says. “Almost everyone in this all-stars season was a winner in their former individual competitions. And ALSO, they were from all over the world. So, there’s that!”

But if you know Sara, you know that intimidation and fear do not deter this girl of grins and grits. She has fear and intimidation for breakfast (along with, we’re sure, a delectable breakfast bagel.)

“When I got the call from the casting director, I wasn’t sure I wanted to make that kind of commitment to be away from my family and the restaurant for that long again,” Sara recalls. The filming required Sara to be in Europe for three months. The production took place in 2022 from August to October.

“But then there was this sense of the need for redemption,” she adds. “And when I

Sarah Bradley

talked to Austin {her husband} about it, he was quick to say that I should absolutely do it.” Facilitated by the firm support of her husband and family and the belief that her capable staff could keep the freight house flying, she packed her pump (she was still nursing her second daughter Hazel) AND her recipes and made plans to join 15 other international chefs from every part of the world for Bravo’s ultimate kitchen caper.

Unlike her previous experience, which was amazingly filmed here in her home state, upon her arrival in merry old England, Sara was introduced to her cheftestant compatriots who hailed from locales such as Thailand, Mexico, France, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Jordan, and other parts of the planet. It was most certainly time for small town girl to sharpen her knives and her skill set and prepare to battle the best. As it turns out, she bested almost all of them!

“One of the many things I learned from this experience was how valuable my freight house team is to me,” Sara says. “There was never a moment’s reluctance for me to leave them to it. I had no reservations that it would be in good hands. But how many times does a restaurant owner walk away from their operation for three months? Seeing them take charge and maintain our level of excellence for months was such a point of pride for me and I hope for them as well. I have such a heightened level of respect for them as my colleagues. I mean, I truly could not have done this if they weren’t of the caliber where I could walk away for that long with the assurance that the freight house would be fine.”

Leaving behind her baby daughter was a challenge of a different sort. But that, too, provided a range of new thoughts and experiences that Sara says has had lifechanging implications for her AND for those who are following her on television and social media. “It goes without saying that I was the ONLY contestant pumping breast milk and shipping it across the ocean to my waiting daughter,” Sara laughs. “And not only that, it was being captured on camera!” The outpouring of comments on Sara’s social media has taken her a bit by surprise. “I have had thousands of comments and messages about my open attitude to breastfeeding and my commitment both to my career and my daughters. I did not see that coming. But the heartfelt

emotional responses from all of these women all around the country was just icing on the cake of this moment in my life.” (We are assuming that is English pea cake.)

Sara has always been a popular personality in her appearances in the two seasons of Top Chef, bringing her unique southern style to the set. But in this case, she found a new audience that not only applauded her unbridled honesty as a nursing mother, but also publicly lauded her unmitigated representation of women as capable to sustain their careers while bringing up the baby.

“You know I think I had more confidence for this season because I was the mother of two children,” Sara admits. “I think I gained the perspective of seeing things differently as a mother. Motherhood has taught me more patience. And it has enabled me to see that sometimes things are just not that significant in the grand scheme. You really get a new outlook on life after you have children. I think I had more tolerance in this competition. Some of the people around me were just freaking out and, in most cases, they were sent home.”

At this juncture, we would be remiss not to honor the contribution that Sara’s husband, Austin, made to this incomparable

Clockwise: Ali Al Ghzawi, Sara, and Buddha Lo at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic; Sara with Top Chef judge Tom Colliccho; the cheftestants in a moment of celebration; Sara, Buddha, Ali, and Amar at an Emmy event in Los Angeles.

instance. “Not only did he manage our family while I was away for three months,” she adds, “he did it while battling COVID and then a bout with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever! Again, my husband and my family were just vital to my success in every way.”

Top Chef LIFE in London

If there is one thing that Sara Bradley has shown the world (and a bunch of all stars) it’s that you do not have to live in New York or Paris or anywhere else around the globe to perform at the highest level of excellence. “I looked at the resumes of some of these people, and yeah they were impressive,” Sara recalls. “But in a Top Chef competition, it’s about the dish you prepare for the challenge you’re given. And even at that, it’s not about your cumulative performance, it’s about EACH dish you prepare for each episode. You are only as good as the last food you put in front of the judges.”

So, Sara developed a strategy of sorts. Based on her outstanding results in Season 16, she was fully aware that you don’t have to be at the top of the charts in every episode. So, Sara kept a journal of each chef’s accomplishments for

every challenge. “I knew that you don’t always have to come out on top. You just have to stay away from the bottom,” Sara explains. Sara chose her ways to win wisely and consciously calculated her approach to every cooking case in order to stay in the running. It obviously worked. And, well, you also have to be a consummate chef, but a little strategic secret sauce didn’t hurt. “I really saw this as one of the ways to push through to the end,” she adds.

Although the end did indeed come when she was paired with Amar Santana for the triple threat of the Wellingtons. Not only do each of these highly skilled cheftestants have to conceive a plan, create a recipe, garner the ingredients, prep for every part of the process, cook every element to perfection, then plate an exquisite presentation, they have to do it on the clock. “This is where you get taken out of the ordinary and forced to work against time,” Sara says. And timing wasn’t their friend when the duo delivered an undercooked entrée.

“When Amar and I got the boot,” Sara remembers, “my first thought was to throw in the towel. I felt defeated, and I was ready to pack my bags. But Austin wouldn’t let me. He would not let me leave behind the chance that I could still be competitive. So, I went to the Last Chance Kitchen.”

And we all know how that turned out. After leaving us on the edge of our collective couches following her successful score when making meat pies against Amar and Charbel Hayek, we were all thrilled to see her proudly push open those double doors in the next episode. Sara from Paducah, Kentucky was back in the game! “Winning Last Chance Kitchen was definitely a high,” Sara claims.

Leaving London

In the 14 episodes of Top Chef World All Stars we witnessed Sara beat the pants off every man and woman with a knife as she took top honors in the Frenched lamb racks race to the finish line. We watched her indulge in cheeky pints and pub bites. “I had never been to London before and I really loved the fish and chips,” Sara says. She even created her own version during the specific challenge to cook one of the dishes she liked the most and one that she felt needed improvement.

She took rice to the next level in the second episode of Rice, Rice Baby and managed to stay out of a sticky situation. She joined with others as the numbers dwindled and teams were concocted to create such things as a picnic at Highclere Castle, site of the filming of Downton Abbey. There was a street food fight and she licked her plate clean

Sarah Bradley

when the chefs were charged with crafting a plate of delights which could be eaten “hands off.” There was a holiday meal fit for a queen . . . naturally. They were in England. And, of course, there was the requisite restaurant wars.

“I actually enjoy the restaurant wars,” Sara admits. Of course, being a part of the winning team was a plus. “The pressure is kind of taken off each individual and you get a chance to work as a team and that’s a nice change of pace from the pressure cooker we’re all in when we’re on our own.” This version of restaurant wars was judged by threeMichelin-star chef Clare Smuth at her renowned restaurant, Core, in London. “Meeting all these amazing chefs is just another incredible perk of being invited to this shindig,” Sara comments. “Unfortunately, we really didn’t have that much time with any of them. They are, of course, busy and the show is on a tight timeframe in terms of production. The only one we actually got to hang with a bit was Gaggan Anand. He insisted on having a beer with us after that episode. He was so great, and it was such a crazy, amazing opportunity to meet him.” And, of course, it was Gaggan that said Sara’s pecan pork with cocoa buttermilk was good enough to make a fast-food chain out of it!

Sara thinks she employed a slightly more defined “filter” for Season 20. “I was pretty unfiltered for Season 16,” she says with a laugh. “But I think I was SO much more aware that everyone was watching this time and that perhaps I should project a little less of my truest personality.” But . . . she couldn’t quite hold back when she was chosen last for restaurant wars quipping, “’Bring it on bitches. You picked me last!?’ I think people don’t know that I came up in Michelin-star kitchens. The only thing you can do when you’re the underdog is prove everybody wrong.” Mission accomplished.

“As a former soccer player, I really enjoyed our episode at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,” Sara remembers. This was also the episode where Sara revealed she actually has a degree in statistics and psychology. Yeah, smart AND she can cook. She and her teammates showed their degrees in cheese by winning their task of utilizing Wensleydale cheese in their cauliflower Welsh rarebit.

But it would be Paris where the final showdowns would be played out. As the unfiltered Sara would characterize her presence there in episode 14, “I am f’ing pumped to be back at this point again. I really want it. I’m going to do what I do best, staying true to myself and my food and cook my heart out. This time I’m fighting it out for all the moms and the women.” In the finale the three chefs earned the opportunity to cook whatever they wanted for a four-course progressive meal. They were aided by the last three chefs eliminated and Sara chose Amar as her helpmate once more. The partners designed and created a first course of couvillion with shellfish and trinity, a second course of liver and onions with cookie butter and figs, a third course of burgoo and cornbread, and a fourth course of English pea cake with buttermilk sorbet. We apologize if you haven’t completed the season, but for those of you who did, it was the damned liver! The hard part for the fans to swallow was that it was quite apparent at the final judges’ table that sans the liver, Sara would have indeed taken the cake. By the way, they ALL LOVED the cake.

“It didn’t turn out the way I wanted,” Sara comments. “But it turned out that I learned a lot about myself and my professional life, and the way I want to run my restaurant. I think I’m more focused on the right priorities. I did this not just for me, but for my business, for my family, and as it turned out surprisingly, for many, many women like me. It was a journey of a lifetime. And my life is better for it.”

Sara in her feminine stance at Highclere Castle, Sara’s appearance on Top Chef Season 16, Sara and Top Chef judge Padma Lakshmi.

Our allegiance is to you.

to

TWO ONE

The notion of taking two institutions of higher learning and merging them into one perhaps seemed against the odds. But with the leadership of Dr. Barbara Veazey and a team of determined faculty, it turned out to be a very good bet.

AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM, WEST Kentucky Community and Technical College began the process of redesigning, reinventing, and resetting itself. Through that process the college would be transformed from its origins as a junior college and a technical school to a comprehensive institution of higher learning and a five-time winner of the prestigious Aspen Institute Award for Excellence in community colleges around the nation.

WKCTC is now entering its third decade as an award-winning amalgam of academic excellence and real-world technological expertise. This postsecondary compendium of the very best that a community college system can offer, now looks to the next generation of leadership, instruction, and inspiration. Happy anniversary WKCTC! LIFE in western Kentucky is forever enriched because of your collective devotion to higher learning.

WKCTC ★ by J ANETT B LYTHE

20 Years of Success

IN 1997, THE KENTUCKY GENERAL Assembly completely revamped higher education in the Commonwealth with the creation of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. The challenge of consolidating the community colleges with the technical colleges did not reach our region until 2002, when Dr. Barbara Veazey was hired as president and CEO of the West Kentucky District.

In 2003, two individual colleges—Paducah Community College and West Kentucky Technical College—became one new consolidated, comprehensive college known as West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC).

It was no easy task.

There were those who believed the consolidation would fail, but there were also administrators, faculty, and staff who had a vision of the newly formed college as a premier institution in the nation, and a commitment to excellence was made. Collectively and slowly, the college community embraced a vision that inspired a new culture on the campus— one of innovation, data-informed practice, and shared responsibility for students’ success.

With a sense of urgency, President Veazey led faculty, staff, and community leaders on trips across the country to visit the nation’s best colleges. WKCTC faculty and staff could see firsthand colleges that were recognized for excellence, attracted major employers, and achieved better results for students. The college examined data and probed for answers to increase graduation and transfer rates.

In 2007, the Educational Testing Proficiency (ETS) profile was administered at WKCTC for the

Top to bottom: Assistant professor Tanya Neitzke instructs a class at the Paducah School of Art and Design. Chef Laura Farrell teaches her class culinary tactics. Biology professor Latoya Jones in her WKCTC classroom.

Broadway Dental Welcomes Dr. Allison Reed

Broadway Dental welcomes Dr. Allison Reed to the team. Dr. Reed is a Paducah native. She is a graduate of the University of Louisvile School of Dentistry and completed her Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) at Eastern Carolina University.

Dr. Reed is an accomplished equestrian and a talented cellist with a minor in music from UofL. We can’t promise that she’ll perform a concert for you in the office, but we CAN promise that you will love her compassionate approach and welcome her dental expertise!

McMurry & Livingston Congratulates David Booth On His Retirement

David C. Booth has been a valued member of McMurry & Livingston for 42 years! During that time his practice included business law, banking law, and estate and probate law. David’s expertise and congenial approach to his clients and his body of work have been a vital part of our practice’s longstanding success. All of us at McMurry & Livingston will sincerely miss our partner as he enters this new phase of his life. But we know how to find him after he leaves the office—at his other job playing guitar for Soul Dog!

Celebrating Twenty Years

first time. Only 41 percent of the community college’s students were capable of basic reading skills compared to 60 percent nationally. It became clear—an almost too simplistic conclusion—the college needed to help students read better if they were going to succeed not only at WKCTC but also in the future.

As part of a Focus on Reading program, intensive faculty development programs trained the college’s faculty how to teach reading strategies in every course, regardless of student major. Faculty learning circles were formed crossing all departments allowing faculty to incorporate instructional strategies to boost students’ reading skills in the classroom.

In five years, the percentage of WKCTC students familiar with strategies to enhance reading jumped from 3% to 61%. In addition, Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) results revealed that WKCTC students spent more time preparing for class, and fewer students came to class without completing readings or assignments.

After Dr. Veazey retired and the college’s second president, Dr. Anton Reece, took the reins in 2016, the college was recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 10 Community College for a fifth time by the Aspen Institute. In addition, the college was named a Finalist

with Distinction, receiving $100,000 three times. Offering more than 200 degrees, diploma, and certificate options, WKCTC has been consistently recognized for providing students with strong job training and continuing higher education opportunities, for achieving high completion and transfer rates, and for providing strong employment results for its graduates. WKCTC also provides a great return on student investment.

According to Economic Measure Statistical International (EMSI), for every dollar invested, a student averages $6.40 in return; for tax payers, every dollar invested is a $5.20 return on investment (ROI), and for societal impact, every dollar is an ROI of $11.30.

In December 2020, WKCTC received a $15 million gift from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott—the largest gift from a single donor in the college’s history. In announcing the donation, Scott gave accolades for the college's work on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and initiatives to further opportunities for low-income and disenfranchised students under the leadership of Dr. Reece. A seven-sector plan was developed for the gift, which Dr. Reece called a “generational game changer.”

WKCTC’s Economic Impact

ONE OUT OF EVERY 32 JOBS in the WKCTC Service Region is supported by the activities of WKCTC and its studies.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

On December 20, 2020, WKCTC announced it had received an historic $15 million MacKenzie Scott National Philanthropic Trust Grant—the largest gift from a single donor in the college's history.

WKCTC’S PRESIDENT ANTON REECE, WITH input from his cabinet team, college boards, faculty, staff and students, created and developed the plan for the best ways to utilize Scott’s intent and vision for the funds—a continued focus on enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the college and in area communities.

From these discussions was born The WKCTC Guarantee—a sevensector framework that includes increasing educational opportunities for diverse regional populations, low-income individuals, and others who face barriers to education.

Part of the Guarantee is the Adult Promise Scholarship and the MacKenzie Scott Opportunities Scholarship (S.O.S.), each for new students to WKCTC. The Adult Promise is for students aged 25 years old and older, and the S.O.S. is for students 24 years old and under. These scholarships are making a difference in the lives of students such

as Ricky Martin and Treshawn Hines. Martin’s journey began at WKCTC almost five years before he first received the Adult Promise. Suffering from addiction and depression most of his life, Martin didn’t think college would ever be in his future. But after completing Four Rivers Behavioral Health’s (FRBH) short- and long-term rehab programs, Martin said his “attitude and outlook on life completely changed, and I’ve never looked back.”

Earning his GED through WKCTC’s Adult Education Center in 2019, Martin, who just celebrated his sixth year of sobriety, has worked at various locations/ capacities at FRBH, and he wants to help others like himself.

“That’s why I want to earn a degree in social work—a career where I can set an example for other people in this world that have struggled like me. I want to show it’s possible to change your life around and do some good in this world,” said the 43-year-old from Graves County. Martin began taking classes online at WKCTC in the fall of 2022, the first semester the Adult Promise Scholarship was awarded. He also received the scholarship in the spring 2023.

“I’m very thankful to MacKenzie Scott for allowing this to be possible, and to WKCTC for creating the scholarship program with the funds. What a blessing!” Martin said.

Treshawn Hines, 20, is a recipient

RICKY MARTIN

TRESHAWN HINES

of the S.O.S. “It means a lot! I am thankful and so are my parents,” Hines commented.

Hines first began playing basketball during his freshman year of high school in Alabama. Self-taught to play the game he now loves, Hines poured many hours into executing moves and techniques he studied on YouTube of his favorite NBA player—Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks.

Several years ago, he also struck up a close friendship with Solomon Robinson—a fellow West Kentucky Stars basketball teammate— through a popular online basketball simulated video game. When it came time to go to college, Hines was accepted to a university close to his home a year after he graduated high school. But the more Robinson shared about WKCTC and the Stars, Hines decided to come to Paducah, where he enrolled to study welding and joined the Stars roster in the spring of 2023.

“I’ve been interested in welding since I was a young kid watching my dad repair cars,” said Hines, who sports the #2 jersey (the same as his idol, Irving). “I want to someday open my own car shop and work with my dad.”

Of the S.O.S. that will continue to help him pay for college in fall 2023, Hines said, “It’s nice to know there are people like MacKenzie Scott who care so much and give to help others.”

To learn more about the Adult Promise and the S.O.S., visit westkentucky.kctcs.edu

Rennie Church, D.V.M. John Kelley, D.V.M. Laura Williams, D.V.M.

WKCTC ★ by J.T. C RAWFORD

Building a Legacy

When Dr. Veazey began teaching at PCC, she never imagined that she’d eventually be thrust into a leadership position that would have her completing a monumental task that was, initially, very unpopular. But through her strength, determination, and grace, she set forth a vision that came to pass. And now, 20 years later, the fruits of her labor are abundant.

LIFE, AS FAR AS EDUCATION WAS concerned, seemed just fine in Paducah in 1997. West Kentucky Tech served over 3,000 students annually, preparing them for future careers—all in a spirit of betterment that dated back to 1909 when Dr. D.H. Anderson opened the institution for Black students. Nearby, Paducah Community College, formerly Paducah Junior College, carried on its own rich history from when PJC was established in 1938. By ’97, PCC enjoyed a prestigious association with the University of Kentucky.

Then came the news. The Kentucky legislature passed the Post-Secondary Education Improvement Act. The act would remove oversight of the state’s community colleges from UK and grant leadership to a newly-formed Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Post-secondary technical schools would join with the community colleges under KCTCS. The new system was designed to increase training opportunities for students, reduce bureaucracy, help with the transferability of credits, and positively impact the state’s workforce.

That same year, Dr. Barbara Veazey was serving as Dean of Academic Affairs at PCC, which was now located on Alben Barkley Drive. West Kentucky Tech was right next door. “There was always an undercurrent of a merger in our future,” says Dr. Veazey. “Paducah Junior College

had given the land for West Kentucky Tech to be built. So, we thought that one day it could happen.”

Dr. Veazey came to PCC as a nursing instructor and quickly ascended to a leadership position. By the early ‘90s, she was coordinator of the nursing program. “Dr. Clemens, who was then President, called me into his office, telling me we're going to have an allied health building. At first, I was overjoyed,” adds Dr. Veazey. “I had been advocating for that for years. And then he said we were going to share it with West Kentucky Tech. I said, ‘Oh no, we need the space.’ He said, ‘This is going to happen, and you are going to make it happen. So, think about what you want and how you want it done. This will be the model for the merger.’”

“Ultimately it was a test,” she says. “We were able to go into a building and share a space. And that’s what it was—a shared space.” Her leadership in the creation of the allied health program launched Dr. Veazey into administration, and she was named Dean of Academic Affairs.

Soon the news came that the state’s community and technical colleges would merge. And even though the allied health cooperation had been a success, there was very little initial support for a full merger. “We were proud of the affiliation with UK. We were proud of the community college system,” says Dr. Veazey. “And we were proud of West Kentucky Tech. It had such a long history, being one of the first African American colleges in the nation. Our mission was to make them work together.”

Between the passage of HB1 and the merger of PCC and West Kentucky Tech, then PCC President Len O’Hara retired. A search for a new president began. Consequently, Dr. Barbara Veazey became the first woman president, the first to be promoted from within, and the first from western Kentucky. And her first charge was a successful marriage of PCC and West Kentucky Tech. Her goal was clear, she says. “We are going to do this and we are going to become one of the premier community and technology colleges in this nation,” she remembers. And even though the community was not necessarily supportive of the idea of a merger, once it became inevitable, Dr. Veazey was able to rally support.

One of the first steps was to get every program accredited. “If we could achieve accreditation for every discipline, then that would show we were meeting

industry standards,” she recalls. “That would drive an up-to-date curriculum, and it would drive up-todate equipment and facilities.It was all supported by our mission to be the best.”

Dr. Veazey also turned her attention to students. “Reading was a major reason why some students didn’t succeed,” said Dr. Veazey. “The faculty implemented a reading program across the curriculum, whether the student was in welding, auto body, or business. And it worked. Success followed.”

The work was often arduous and unpopular. But Dr. Veazey, along with the support of faculty and staff, outlined a vision that couldn’t be denied. And they delivered. In December 2003, the newly

christened West Kentucky Community and Technical College received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. And while the achievement was immense, the effort put forth to be the premier community college in the nation was simply the lighting of a fuse.

WKCTC, under the leadership of Dr. Veazey, expanded allied health options, established the Emerging Technology Center, the Skilled Craft Training Center, dual-credit courses for high school students, Workforce Solutions, and eventually, the Paducah School of Art and Design.“The biggest achievement,” adds Dr. Veazey, “was the collaboration between the technical programs and general education. A student could come interested in a technical program, and they could get a certificate. But they could also get an associate degree and then transfer to get a baccalaureate degree. That was our biggest accomplishment for both students and the community.

Employers could get well-educated employees in varying forms.” Then came the prestigious Aspen Institute award in recognition of WKCTC as one of the nation’s top community colleges—for five years!

“There were a lot of criticisms and discussion around our use of the word premier when we began,” adds Dr. Veazey. “But indeed, WKCTC has become a premier, award-winning institution. This college was obviously a huge part of my life. Standing back now, looking at the college 20 years later, I continue to be proud. Current accomplishments are based on our early vision—building up students, building up the community, and making West Kentucky more economically viable.”

WKCTC ★ by K ATHY M C H ANEY

some of our programs such as in allied health, we offer close to a 100% local placement rate.”

A forBlueprint the Future

The collaboration with the University of Kentucky School of Engineering, which operates an extended campus in Paducah, also helps keep toptier talent in the region. “Our partnership with UK helps us retain something like 77% of those engineers who could work anywhere in the country, stay in our region,” he said.

WITH

A BACKGROUND IN broadcasting and communications, Anton Reece, president of West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC), has no trouble touting the advantages the college brings to the region.

“I think the buzzword is return on investment,’” he explained. “Of course, we graduate great students. That is core to our mission. But the college puts $225 million into the economy. That’s economic development; that’s jobs.”

Dr. Reece also cites retaining regional talent as another important role WKCTC plays. “The oftreferred to ‘brain drain’ is something that affects a lot of smaller, rural areas,” he said. “When we talk about

The 20 years as one of the 16 colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System means intentionality in expanding the college’s regional footprint, says Dr. Reece. “More students in counties in Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee are able to get access to the incredible educational opportunities that we offer,” he noted. “And for those of us geographically in the west, we are best positioned to meet the immediate needs of not only our local workforce but of the Commonwealth. Those are the advantages of being part of a robust and vibrant community college system.”

Dr. Reece’s first experience on campus was with Paducah Community College (PCC) in the years before the college merged with West Kentucky Technical College to create WKCTC. He became the minority affairs coordinator and counselor at PCC in 1990, and by the time he joined the administrative team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2003, Dr. Reece was WKCTC’s dean of student

Dr. Anton Reece and a team of achievementoriented academicians strive to design a future for the diverse student population that makes up the campus family of WKCTC

affairs and enrollment. He served in many roles at the university, including coordinator of academic support, director of student activities, executive director of student success, and associate vice provost of academic affairs.

When WKCTC’s first president, Dr. Barbara Veazey, announced her retirement in 2015, Dr. Reece was named to replace her. He returned to Paducah in 2016 bringing to the college some 30 years of higher education experience.

In Dr. Reece’s seven years at WKCTC, a global pandemic was one of the most significant impacts on shaping the mission of the college. “COVID was a game changer in terms of the delivery—the dramatic shift from inperson to virtual,” Dr. Reece said. “COVID also raised the level of awareness for providing access to technology for students to be able to do virtual-type services.

“We were always aware that there were equity gaps— we are in a rural area where 10 miles in one direction or another can make or break internet access. But COVID highlighted and emphasized that we’ve got to lean in more and be in tune to meeting those needs,” he concluded.

Along with the need to expand connectivity, Dr. Reece also sees the need to train students for quickly developing

careers in robotics and AI (Artificial Intelligence). “I think this will be a big game changer in what we offer, and just as importantly, how we offer it,” he said.

“Meeting those known trends, and the unknown quite frankly, means being as prepared as we can.”

The framework is already in place for moving forward. “There’s always the supporting cast for robotics, which involves mechanical and electrical components,” he explained. “That multi-tier skill set in terms of how we train students is going to be part of what we offer in programs such as mechatronics systems.”

Dr. Reece and his wife Cornelia are huge supporters of education in all forms. Six years ago they created the Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program at WKCTC to recognize area teachers, administrators, and staff in K-12 partner schools. Mrs. Reece’s career spanned more than 27 years of working with students and families in grades K-12 in Knoxville, TN, McCracken County, the City of Paducah and postsecondary fields. The two devoted educators partner as a duo to lead the family of academics at WKCTC as they envision a future of success for every student who comes their way.

WKCTC ★ by J ANETT B LYTHE

A Great Education Right Down the Street

WKCTC Graduate Dylan Howard Made the Decision to Attend College in His Hometown, And Now Promotes That Philosophy to His Middle School Students

NOT EVERY STUDENT IS READY TO leave home to attend college. That was certainly the case for Paducah resident Dylan Howard when he decided to attend West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC).

“It can be kind of lonely when you go to college and don’t know a lot of people,” Howard said. “So still being able to stay in the city and work part-time was most beneficial to me.”

Howard started at WKCTC and transferred to Murray State University after two years to complete his bachelor’s degree. Today, he is an 8th-grade social studies teacher at Paducah Middle School.

“Mainly I chose WKCTC because it was very close to home,” says Howard. “ A lot of my peers in high school wanted to go to a college in a different state or out of town, and I really didn’t think I was ready to make that step. Having a college that was very close to home and affordable was really something that I was looking forward to.”

WKCTC was especially affordable for Howard because of the Community Scholarship Program (CSP) which provides scholarship funding for up to 60 credit hours toward a technical certification and/or an associate degree at WKCTC. “I was able to maintain a certain GPA and my two years at WKCTC were essentially paid for,” Howard said.

The Rotary Club of Paducah initiated the idea for the CSP as a public-private partnership with strong participation from the Rotary, the city of Paducah, McCracken County Fiscal Court, partnering high schools, and WKCTC. Students from all participating Paducah and McCracken County high schools who enroll by October 1 of their high school freshman year and meet the high school performance guidelines are

eligible to receive this gap funding scholarship, which pays the balance of tuition not paid by federal, state, and other scholarship grants for which a student is eligible.

“I’ve always lived in a single-parent household. Finances were always a struggle for my family, so going to college would be a challenge. I knew the coursework was going to be harder, and I knew I was going to have to pay bills at home,” Howard said,

adding that time management was a bit of a juggling act at first, but a skill he learned to his benefit.

In addition to his academic subjects, Howard said he also learned to build relationships and how to empower others while at WKCTC. “I like to talk to my students about the opportunities that WKCTC provides because they are getting to that next step where they are heading into high school, and it’s time to start making decisions about where they are going to go to college,” Howard said. “I always start by telling them that college is right down the street. You don’t have to go hundreds of miles away. You can get your education right here at home.”

by Amanda Hutchison

Building a More

Beautiful Paducah

The city leaders and its loyal citizens ultimately concurred that the 1960 city hall should enhance Paducah’s image

HISTORY ALWAYS SEEMS TO REPEAT ITSELF. IN 1960 AND AGAIN in 2014, the citizens of Paducah wondered what to do with a dilapidating city hall. Build a new one! Rehabilitate the old! Build downtown! Find a new building! As these ideas cycled through the community, disagreements flew between city officials, mayors, and council members. Ultimately it was the concentrated community voices that both built and preserved the city hall we have today.

In The Beginning

The first chapter of this story begins in 1960. There was talk for many years of replacing the old city hall at the corner of 4th and Kentucky. It was built in 1883 and by 1902, the Paducah Sun published an article complaining that it was “too small, and is about as unattractive public building that could be found anywhere, with the possible exception of our city hospitals.” The 1883 building included a clock tower that had stopped working after World War II. At one point the mechanisms for the clock fell through into the third story of the building. The general consensus in 1960 was that the building was in poor condition and could not house all of the offices required of the city. When the city faced an economic downturn in 1960, Mayor Robert Cherry hired the Fantus Company from Chicago for a study. Consultants from the company recommended that a new city hall be built by a famous architect. While sites were being considered, the city commission unexpectedly voted to purchase the Illinois Central Railroad Hospital (today known as the Katterjohn building) with the intention of repurposing it as the next city hall. Not yet mayor Tom Wilson and downtown merchants opposed the purchase, advocating for city hall to be located downtown. They formed an organization called Citizens for a Downtown City Hall. They petitioned to put the issue on the ballot which became a contentious

battle resulting in Katterjohn Inc. filing suit to force the city to go through with the sale. It was overruled in court. In less than ten days, over 4,000 community members signed a petition against the purchase of the building. When the ordinance to buy the ICR Hospital was put to vote, community voices rose up and it was defeated.

Land at the current city hall location was secured through the Urban Renewal Administration. R.H. (Bob) Overstreet was executive director of the Urban Renewal Local Agency in Paducah. The building of City Hall became encompassed in a larger Downtown Civic Center project that included 26 acres downtown. For the new city hall, 18 families and 24 individuals were relocated into standard housing.

By 1964, Tom Wilson was elected mayor and he returned to the recommendations of the Fantus Company. The city secured internationally known architect Edward Durrell Stone to design the building. Stone’s portfolio includes the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. and the United States Embassy in New Delhi.

The $1.5 million project was based entirely around the idea that Paducah needed a city hall that would enhance the city’s attractiveness. The community renewal plan of 1962 states, “An outstanding city hall would be an indication to citizens and visitors alike that something new

is happening in Paducah. The psychological effects of such a new building, having good land use planning and architectural design, will be of considerable value in changing Paducah’s image.”

The city’s selection of Stone was a remarkable choice. Across the country, Paducah was praised for moving beyond a cookie cutter city hall and actually designing something of architectural worth. When Paducah’s new city hall opened in 1965, American City Magazine extolled Paducah’s city leaders, “As a matter of fact, cities generally are reluctant to retain internationally known architects to design their city halls. But Paducah was not among them. This little city… wanted a city hall that would contribute to the art and architecture of the city and the nation.”

The building stands as an example of New Formalism architecture. Stone worked alongside local architectural firm Lee Potter Smith and Associates. One of its most noteworthy features is the pyramidal lantern structure that sits at the center of the building that brings light into the two-story atrium.

History Repeats

Over time the magic of city hall seemed to dissipate. Many in the city had forgotten about how this structure once stood as the pride of Paducah. In 2014, the city began once again to talk about building a new city hall. Estimates to renovate the existing city hall came in at $15.6 million. The city cited safety concerns and modernization that

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needed to be addressed. The roof was sagging, the building did not meet seismic codes, and the HVAC and electrical systems were out of date. The city hired the firm RATIO to design plans for both a new city hall and a renovated city hall. The firm concluded that renovating the building would cost $18 million dollars and building a new building could cost $18.5 million.

Just as Citizens for a Downtown City Hall came together to petition for a new structure, this time Paducah-McCracken County Growth Inc., a non-profit organization, came in to save the iconic structure. In 2015 Paducah-McCracken County Growth Inc. invited James Mason, a Knoxville geotechnical engineer, to review the structural needs of the building. Mason concluded that the work that needed to be addressed was seismic reinforcement and repair of the sagging roof. He estimated these repairs could be completed using modern techniques for $3.3 million— significantly less that than the original estimates.

In 2017, Paducah City Hall was recognized for its

historic significance. The then Downtown Development Specialist, Melinda Winchester, applied for the Paducah City Hall to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. This designation opened up the ability for the city to apply for Kentucky historic preservation tax credits.

Using this funding as well as money from the city’s general funds and solid waste reserve funds, the city was able to complete what is known as Phase 1 of the City Hall Rehabilitation project. The work was completed through an architectural and engineering contract with Marcum Engineering. Phase 1 work included the roof, concrete overhang, facade, heating and cooling systems, and windows and skylights.

The rehabilitation efforts were unveiled on May 2, 2019. In November 2019, Preservation Kentucky recognized Paducah for its preservation efforts and excellent use of the state’s historic preservation tax credit. The years ahead will write the next chapter of this unparalleled municipal building.

Paducah city hall

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“Success i s the result of per fection, hard work, learni ng f rom failure, loyalty, and persistence.” —Colin Powell

Victoria & Peter Houghton with son John from Montana and Canada are

Creativity Is A Way of Life

As the sun rises over the Ohio River, Paducah awakens to imagination and opportunity. Offering hand-painted murals, a cup of perfectly brewed coffee, or a fresh artisanal pastry from a recipe passed down through five generations, Paducah starts each day with a personal creative touch.

For visitors, Paducah is a destination marked by unique artistic expression and inspiration. For Paducah’s residents, however, creativity is more than an experience—it is a way of life.

Monica Smith, President & CEO of Southeast Tourism Society, had this to say about Paducah: “Paducah contributes a terrific example of how a community leverages its cultural assets to develop its brand and drive tourism. It also proves a remarkable illustration of the impact of creative tourism on a small city with a great story.”

As the authors of this story, Paducah’s citizens are her greatest asset. Through every occupation—whether resulting in a work of art, a home-cooked meal, a solution to a problem, or a community event— Paducah produces creativity recognized throughout the world.

During this, Paducah’s 10th Anniversary as a UNESCO Creative City, we invite you to celebrate your own unique creative energy as a citizen of Paducah.

Top: Kaihulu, a musical group from fellow Creative City, Ambon, Indonesia, performs at Yeiser Art Center’s Lower Town Arts & Music Festival.

Above: In Paducah, even playtime is a chance to let your creativity shine.

Right: Maiden Alley Cinema’s Oktoberfest celebrates Paducah’s creative craft breweries.

Barbecue on the River celebrates the culinary arts while raising funds for local non-profits.

CREATIVE CITIZEN

Dr. Simone Fearon Cardiologist Mercy Health

Q: How does Creativity affect your work as a cardiologist? It’s often said, medicine is both a science and an art. To deliver the best care, it’s beneficial to think both critically and creatively from one patient to the next.

Q: How do you experience Creativity in Paducah? As a new citizen to Paducah, I’ve enjoyed meeting people from different backgrounds, spending weekends exploring the city’s cultural heritage and charm, and probably my newest and favorite thing is listening to country pop music!

Q: What advice would you give to other Paducahans on how to find their Creative Spirit? Remember, everyone has creative energy! I believe it’s about finding ways to create experiences that best represent who we are and being open to grow and learn from these opportunities.

Above: At Market House Theatre, creativity is a community affair. Left: Locally owned restaurants explore Paducah’s distinct cultural heritage through food.

by S TEPHANIE WATSON

The Time for GIVING is Now

IT’S A BUSY—AND DELICIOUSLY FRAGRANT—SUNDAY AT THAI @ US. KIDS CRUNCH

on freshly fried spring rolls while adults ponder which level of spice will be just right. Sharp notes of lemongrass, ginger, and Thai chili mingle with the scent of sesame oil. Waiters hustle to refill creamy Thai iced teas and deliver large plates of noodles while from behind the front counter, Nan Choomnafai smiles broadly, overseeing it all.

In the kitchen, there are other sites and sounds: dishes and pans clang, hot oil bubbles, woks over open flames toss fresh vegetables, and the sounds of spices being chopped create their own symphony. Conducting this orchestration of ingredients is chef Thep Choomnafai.

Behind the well-oiled machine and the smiling faces, however, is a classic story that defies cliche. It’s a story of immigrant Americans finding their path, overcoming odds to great success, and not waiting one second to give back. But it is also a story of love that comes in many forms and that sparks a shared vision for making the world a better place one plate of food at a time.

BORN BENEATH THE SAME STARS

Nan and Thep’s upbringings have many similarities. Nan was born in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya, Thailand, and Thep was born in Chaiyaphum, Thailand. Both families struggled simply to afford food and rent.

Nan was a gifted student, but her family had no money for college. Her teacher at the time—whom she calls “mother,” a Thai tradition for those in your life with a mothering influence—had an uncle who worked at a local newspaper. The teacher’s uncle published a story about Nan’s academic potential and her inability to pay for college. It went viral. Thousands of dollars in aid poured in and the letters of support poured in as well. She was featured on news shows, radio stations, and was even contacted by the queen of Thailand to receive a royal scholarship. It looked as if her luck had changed, and college was going to be a real possibility.

One check she received, however, really caught her eye. It had been mailed from the United States, and it had come from a town called Paducah, Kentucky. Thep Choomnafai had migrated to the United States and was working in the kitchen at Jasmine Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar in Tennessee and Kentucky. He ultimately became the Paducah restaurant’s head chef. Although Thep was on a limited budget, he was moved by Nan’s story and sent her money for school from his new home in the United States.

After emailing him a heartfelt thank you, Nan and Thep struck up what she describes as an uncle-like mentorship through email. He provided her with encouragement and a listening ear when times were tough.

“Who knows when we’ll be rich. We choose to give NOW because we don’t know when that day is coming, and we’re not going to wait for it.”

—NAN AND THEP CHOOMNAFAI

And because her own parents had both passed away, that steady voice of support and love helped her tremendously.

After finishing her bachelor’s degree in Economics, Nan went on to complete her master’s degree in business administration from Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai, Thailand. But despite her academic success, finding a job wasn’t easy. Nan was born with a physical disability—a fact that doesn’t impact her ability to be a business leader— but stereotypically impeded her ability to be hired.

After years of frustration, she decided to try her luck in the U.S. And because she only knew one person in this vast new country, she decided to move to Kentucky. Surprisingly, she didn’t let Thep know she was heading his way. When they met in person for the first time, Nan bravely stated, “I’m here. You can help me, or I’ll figure it out by myself. But I’m staying.”

A PARTNERSHIP IS FORMED

Thep was shocked, but he also knew that it was now his job to help this courageous woman. He did, and when the pandemic hit and he lost his job at Jasmine, she was able to return the favor tenfold. Like many restaurant workers in 2020, things were looking a little bleak. But rather than give up, Thep decided to strike out on his own, and the mentorship he had provided Nan turned into a partnership as they learned to navigate the waters of American small business ownership.

With her business training, Nan set to the task of an indepth study of opening a business in her new hometown.

“It was way different than what I was used to in Thailand, and there was a lot to learn,” Nan notes. “I was still working on my English at the time, so it was even harder because we had to work through some language barriers. But I knew we could figure it out, and we did!”

While she worked on the business aspects, Thep created a menu and supplied the kitchen. Like many of us, you probably remember dying for a taste of good takeout in a time when going to a restaurant wasn’t possible. So you may remember the couple’s 2020 opening. They started as a takeout-only restaurant at their Lone Oak Road location and built a loyal customer base. Once they were able to open for dine-in, customers couldn’t wait to get a table.

HEY MOM & DAD!

DON’T FEAR THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL

SNACK

“Helping one of our employees, Courtney, go to cosmetology school gave us so much joy.”

A MARRIAGE OF LIKE MINDS

Over time, their mentorship turned partnership turned into something even more. In the pragmatic way they communicate about their business, Thep asked Nan if she wanted to marry him in 2020 and form a NEW partnership. She contemplated the proposal—and these are her own words— eventually said, “Yeah, ok, that will be fine.” And as matter of fact as it sounds, she says it with soft eyes and a big smile.

Appropriately, the couple was married in their restaurant in October of 2020. Two staff members catered the wedding, celebrating with the couple and coming out of the kitchen to watch the ceremony. Thep and Nan then bought their first house together—the first home either of them had ever been able to call their own. The same giving spirit that has been the foundation of their relationship is also the cornerstone for how they live their life. After buying their home, the couple purchased a second home to provide free housing for some of their employees. Other employees get assistance for housing costs, and the owners also provide many free meals to employees.

“We have a passion for helping our staff achieve their dreams. We are so thankful that since coming to America we have been able to succeed, and we want that for others!” the Choomnafais say. “We believe everyone should have a chance at the American dream.” One example of that dreammaking was a scholarship of $4,000 given to one of their employees for cosmetology school. “Helping Courtney go to cosmetology school gives us so much joy,” Nan comments.

The most full-circle move, however, has been the establishment of a charity that provides financial support for children in Thailand—like Nan—who attend public school. It was public school, says Nan, that provided hope

for her and her peers. This new project, called the Hope, Hugs, and Opportunities Project, provides money, education, scholarships, and food to school children in the US, Thailand, and beyond. In February of 2023, the owners donated 200 orders of food to the school that Nan attended as a child. They’ve now contributed financially to six different schools in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya. They’ve also sponsored programs and donated food to local schools.

Their giving isn’t limited to school children, however, and the impact of their generosity extends both near and far. In December of 2022, they catered meals for First Baptist Barlow’s International Mission Study Program. In 2021 at the height of the pandemic, they donated meals to Mercy Health Hospital and Baptist Health Paducah, and they donated meals to Mayfield relief workers after the tornado hit.

“By coming to the US, we have been able to achieve our dreams, and we are so thankful for that. When we came here, we started with nothing. America has been a wonderful country that gave us a chance,” they state.

“Because we have so much support from our wonderful customers, we have been able to start the Hope, Hugs and Opportunities project which allows us support others. We want our community to know that by supporting Thai@US, they are by extension, serving everyone who is impacted by our mission.”

Each time I’ve left the Choomnafai’s restaurant, it’s been with a free Thai iced tea and/or food in hand. Thep carefully makes the food in the back while Nan thanks me for the time and asks about coming back with my kids. Her final statement as I left on my last visit really says it all. “Who knows when I’ll be rich. I choose to give NOW because I don’t know when that day is coming, and I’m not going to wait for it.”

MARKET HAS LOTS TO CHOOSE FROM! (MANY ARE NUT FREE.)

Celebrates a Washington Street Baptist Church of More than a Century

The spirit of a group of original parishioners worshipping in a log cabin lives on in the lively and committed members of this century-old congregation

by Amanda Hutchison

THERE IS

A SENSE OF SPIRIT THAT STANDS

above and beyond the physical structure of Washington Street Baptist Church. The current building was completed in 1969, but the history of the church, its community, its general feeling of life, is 168 years old. It’s a symbol of perseverance, mission, community, and giving.

Washington Street Baptist Church is the oldest African American church in Western Kentucky. Its history begins on the first Sunday in February 1855 in a little log cabin close to the site of their current building. The congregants were African American slaves. They were former members of First Baptist Church. In their previous church they were segregated to the balcony of the church—which they soon felt was too small for the group. “I imagine that they started thinking about the goodness of the Lord and just started shouting and praising,” Pastor Henderson shares. “As a result of all the noise, they were granted permission to start their own church.”

Reverend George Brent, a white minister, offered his assistance to the newly formed congregation. In 1858 slave holders forced Reverend Brent to leave his position with the church because of his militant stance against slavery. Rever end George Washington Dupee, a freed Black man, visited the church. In August of 1858 he held a meeting and baptized 81 people in 14 minutes. He was invited to lead the church, and he decided to stay.

Under Reverend Dupee, plans for a new church commenced. The church was built by Monroe Utterback, a Black contractor from Mayfield, Kentucky. Utterback also built Burks Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. According to the Paducah Sun in 1898, 1,500 people came out to watch the first cornerstone laid down for the new church. “The crowd was so large the street, for a while, was almost impassable.”

Reverend Dupee’s predecessor, Reverend Hawkins, is re sponsible for the installation of the beautiful pictorial stained glass windows which adorned the church. He also installed its pipe organ which was another point of pride for the congregation. The church withstood several devastations including two floods and a fire. On April 19, 1942 the church was destroyed by a fire. No bank in Paducah would give money to the church. Ultimately, they were able to get money through the West Union Baptist Association, which is a part of the South Baptist Association, with the stipulation that they would become a part of the Southern Baptist Association. While the church was being rebuilt the congregation met in Lincoln School. The church was reconstructed and reoccupied on April 11, 1943.

Washington Street Baptist Church’s current building was finished in August 1969. Its completion was celebrated with an eight-day dedication service. The podium and pews from the 1940s are still in the church today.

Reverend J.W. Hawkins

Washington Street Baptist Church

A well-known Paducah artist, Violet Welty, made the painting above the baptistry. She had waived the charge of the painting in honor of Sara Kelly, who ushered for the church for 45 years.

In total, the church has had 17 pastors since its pre-civil war years. Pastor Raynarldo Henderson, originally from Chicago, Illinois, has been with the church for 31 years, with just eight more to catch the longest running minister—Reverend Dupee. Reverend Dupee had been with the church for 39 years. “We have a pastor that does not mind sitting down and taking the time to talk to all of us. He’s right there for all of us,” shares Jackie Robinson who runs the church’s REACH ministry. “Always a phone call away, door knock away, always concerned. Always.”

“One of our overarching themes is our connection to God and connection to each other,” shares Shonda Burres. “We are a people-oriented and a people-invested church. We are intentional in connecting to God’s people and meeting their needs.” Shonda is an Associate Minister for the church. “Washington Street does it well. I think Washington Street has the largest school supply distribution back to school party every year. Everything is 100% free. It’s a huge partnership with the community.”

Among other ministry programs, Washington Street Baptist Church has been running a warming center for the last two years. They have about 20 people at a time staying in their warming center and they want to expand their reach. The church wants to start a non-profit organization and erect a two-story building in place of the current warming center. Starting a non-profit would allow the church to apply for grants. “It would be an opportunity to not just give a person a week’s stay or a three-month stay, but also something that is going to be lasting for them,” Pastor Henderson shares, “where we can help them get on their feet and help them find jobs and all of the other assistance they need.”

“I want Washington Street Church to be a seven-daysa-week church,” Pastor Henderson says. “We want to be a place where you can go and get something, you can get food, you can get rent assistance. I want people to be on staff to help at all times. We often ask our church, if Washington Street was no longer here would the community know the difference or would they even care.”

Members of the church have so much pride for what their church accomplishes. Many reminisce about the extraordinary talents they have heard in the church’s choir programs. Mary Sledd, who joined the church in 1927 was committed to preserving the history of the church. She passed away in 2005 and left behind written memories of the church that she and past congregants remembered . “I sat spellbound looking at Mrs. B.A. Dawson playing the organ,” she writes. “I sat hypnotized from the first grade at five years of age until now. The same amazement under Mrs. Dawson and the choir of yesteryears have continued through the years until today.”

Washington Street Baptist Church has always existed in some physical form at the same site, but it’s not the physical structure that makes this church special. The church’s long history is no doubt grounded in the loving spirit of individual parishioners who still embody that of those who worshipped in a log cabin more than a century and a half ago.

Pastor Raynarldo Henderson

THE FOUNDING “PAPPY” OF

WASHINGTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH

Reverend George W. Dupee was born July 24, 1826 in Gallatin County to slave parents, Cuthbert and Rachel Dupee. His mother died when he was two weeks old. She asked people to raise him properly for her son was for God’s own purpose and he would be useful and live until old age. He was owned by a Baptist preacher who sold him at a young age. He worked in a rope and bagging factory. In 1841 he worked in a courthouse and was brought up under a Baptist preacher, “Father” David Woods. Dupee had a rudimentary education and was mostly self-taught. He became known as a powerful slave preacher in northern and central Kentucky. He was ordained by the President of Georgetown College and married in the old Governor’s mansion in Frankfort.

As a slave still, Dupee was a pastor at Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Lexington. There was always a fear amongst his congregation that he could be sold again. And the day did in fact come when his owner decided to put him on the auction block. The congregation convinced the pastor at Lexington First Baptist Church to buy Dupee’s freedom. After he bought the preacher’s free dom, the congregants at Pleasant Green repaid First Baptist $830 by sending installments tied in

As a free man, Dupee moved to Western Kentucky to preach to slaves, eventually settling down in Paducah to preach at Washington Street Baptist Church. In a 1996 historian John Hardin of Western Kentucky University shared, “He was one of the lights of the black Baptist movement in Kentucky.” He was ultimately granted a doctorate of divinity from the University of Louisville. In Kentucky, Dupee founded 21 churches, pastored at 13 and baptized over 10,000 people. He assisted in organizing the General Association of Kentucky Baptists and in 1867 he organized the First District Baptist Association. He was also a member of the Freemasons.

At Washington Street Baptist Church, Dupee was given the nickname, “Pappy.” Pappy was said to have run the church with “a hickory stick about two inches thick and three feet long.” He was strict in his teaching and membership. The church still has a book of the original church meeting notes. It gives a glimpse into Dupee’s strict code. In an entry for a meeting on July 22, 1890, the scribe describes charges made against members who were dancing and another charge for a member who two married men were fighting over. The entries often mention people who did not attend church. Most of the time, the member apologized and their charges were forgiven but sometimes members were expelled.

He served at Washington Street Baptist Church for 39 years. His very last sermon occurred while visiting a church in Kansas City. He preached from the text, “Ye must be born again.” After returning to his host’s home, he told his host, Pastor Sam Bacote of Second Baptist Church in Kansas City, “My work is done.” Those were his very last words. A monument for Reverend George Washington Dupee is located at Oak Grove Cemetery.

County Kate Outland & Mia Jaco | McCracken County Ashley Higdon, Daniel Higdon & Ally Hutchins | PTHS Brayden Stroud | Massac County Madison Acuff

What Lies Beneath

The river leaves a continuum of discoveries as it meanders along the shoreline that borders our western Kentucky town. Joe Cunningham’s lifelong affection for what the waterway lays waste has resulted in a home gallery dedicated to the beauty that abounds if you only look beneath the surface.

JOE CUNNINGHAM WAS 14 YEARS OLD when he began musseling on the Ohio River. At 92, the self-proclaimed river rat has always found a way to connect work with the water. In the 1940s from summer into early fall, Joe and his father would embark on river journeys to collect mussels. The mussels were made into pearl buttons at the local button factories in Paducah and Metropolis. The musseling skiff they used was hand-crafted by Joe’s father at a size of about 10 by 14 feet. From that hung about 100 hooks on either side of the boat, and as the vessel moved along the river, the brail swept along the river bottom and the mussels clamped onto the hooks. When the boat was heavy with mussels, Joe and his father would bring it ashore, steam the mussels in a large vat, and take out its meats. The meats were fed to

their hogs or given to a fisherman who used them as bait. The mussels were then sorted by different types. “I never found a pearl inside one,” Joe says. “I found half a pearl once; round with a flat bottom. These were called slugs, but I never found a perfect pearl.”

by A MANDA H UTCHISON

Captain Louis Igert’s towboat would arrive every two weeks to pick up shells from the different mussel camps along the river. Joe remembers Mrs. Igert weighing the shells as is depicted in one of the Paducah Floodwall Murals downtown. The musselers were paid for their work based on types of mussel shells and their weight. Captain Igert sold them to the button factories. Joe remembers there was camaraderie amongst the musselers. The boats were often close enough that the fishermen could talk to each other, exchange stories, and help one another if needed. When everyone received

Freshwater mussels, known as mollusks, are still found in the rivers today. There are 103 species of mussels native to Kentucky; however 20 have completely disappeared from the state and 36 are considered rare or endangered. Mussels are vital to the health of our rivers. They improve water quality by filtering contaminants, sediments and nutrients from the waterways. They are also useful in alerting us to early water quality issues.

MEANINGFUL MUSSELS

their money, they would often celebrate together. “We made good money musseling in the ‘40s,” Joe shares.

But the mussel harvest was dangerous work. The workmen had to be careful that the hooks of the brail were always pointed outward. If a hook latched on to your clothing, you could be pulled under water with the brail. There were also times that the brail would attach itself to other objects on the river bed such as metal, trash, and sunken logs. If you couldn’t break free from the entanglement, the boat might be pulled under. As a last resort, the musselers would cut the brail rope and leave a marker in the river to warn others of the dangerous spot.

During this era, there were also Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) moving their way down river posing a threat of their own. These specialized water-crafts used during World War II were built in Evansville and Pittsburgh and then transported down the river. The ships created such large waves, Joe recalls, that they could easily sink a mussel boat. “If you saw them coming, you had better head back,” Joe recounts. “They came down the river three at a time.”

In 1952, Joe joined the Navy. “Because I was a river rat, I wanted to ride the waves,” Joe recounts. After bootcamp, he received his first orders to China Lake, which turned out to be in the Mojave Desert. “I joined the Navy to take to the sea,” Joe shares. “Then I was sent to the desert. I didn’t see any water for a year.” After his year in the desert, Joe was stationed in Korea for three years. He was shocked to find that his 32-day journey to Korea would occur on an LST, the very boat he had often feared on the river.

After returning from his service in the Navy, Joe’s love of the river continued on its natural course. He began looking at the parts and parcels of the river’s productive path as it flowed by his hometown and started collecting driftwood and carving it into a variety of creatures. The river’s leavings became the ultimate beginnings of Joe Cunnningham’s creative craftsmanship. His sculptures were most often inspired by the very shape of the wood he found, but with the occasional “intervention” such as the one titled Big Nose. “I made a little slit with my carving knife,” Joe shares. “Then I added a little black and white eye and named it Big Nose.” Others are much more intricate, such as the wood spirit that has a land-locked home in their backyard.

Alongside wood carving, furniture building, and creating an abundance of art, Joe worked full-time in Metropolis at Electric Energy Incorporated for over 30 years. His wife, Nancy, who died in 2001, would often take woodworking orders for him from clients while she worked at People’s Bank in Paducah.

Joe and his current partner, Maggie Hamper, have been

together for over 20 years. And Maggie has joined him on many of his driftwood searches. “We never dreamed when we met that we we’d ever have 20 years together,” Maggie shares. “We were already senior citizens at the time.”

“I wouldn’t be here today if it was wasn’t for her,” Joe comments. “We are very compatible. We both like to do lots of things together. We play ping pong together and we dance. We tried pickleball the other day,” Joe reflects.“I had prostate cancer and she took care of me. She had breast cancer and I took care of her.”

At 92, Joe has slowed down on his wood carving and drifting, but finds other ways to stay creative. During

COVID, he started making jewelry out of silverware. “I have been carving for about 40 years and the doctors told me I needed to stay away from the dust,” Joe explains. “So I started bending spoons.” No good craft goes undiscovered when Joe has his eye on something unutilized to its full artistic potential.

The river leaves a continuum of discoveries as it meanders along the shoreline that borders our western Kentucky town. Joe Cunningham’s lifelong affection for what the waterway lays waste has resulted in a home/gallery dedicated to the beauty that abounds if you only look beneath the surface.

Butt ns The Big Business of

There were two button factories located in Paducah in the 1930s—one was The McKee Button Factory at 1310 South Third Street. The second was the Paducah Button Factory located on Bridge Street. According to a 1931 Paducah Sun Democrat article, the button industry in Paducah provided a means of livelihood to approximately 600 people in the city.

Once the mussels were brought to the factories, the workers would soak the shells in large vats where sediment and loose dirt would be removed, creating a pearl-like appearance to the shells. Saw machines were used to cut out the button shapes. The saws consisted of steel discs that were held horizontally and rotated at a high speed. As the saw moved, water was thrown at it to prevent it from getting too hot. The workers at the factory (many of whom were women) had to continually sharpen the saws.

In 1937, the women of the McGee Button factory participated in a 10-day-long strike, demanding recognition of an employee union and an increased wage. By the end of the strike, they received recognition of the union and a 10 % wage increase.

It is possible to still find the leftover mussel shells from the button factory as the shells were used as infill for projects in and around Paducah.

In 1931 the McKee Button Factory’s Paducah operations were sending between five to six tons of discs per week to be finished at the McKee’s headquarters in Muscatine, Iowa. It was the invention and popularity of plastic buttons in the 1940s that eventually ended the local businesses.

Under Kentucky Skies

by J.T. Crawford

Associate Editor J.T. Crawford and his wife Wendy get a lot of questions about “roughing it” in the backwoods of Land Between the Lakes. So we asked him to give us the lowdown on some of the hows and whys of their wilderness camping adventures

THE CERULEAN EXPANSE OF THE WEST KENTUCKY SKY dissolved into gold as the sun took its final bow for the day and slipped below the tree line on the opposite shore of the lake. The earth’s currency of colors was on full display as I gathered driftwood and assembled a campfire for the evening.

Columns of clouds that had marched in neat, white rows all afternoon were now taking on hues of purple as they relaxed into the sky. The majesty of the heavens above reflected into the waters of the lake below as the world kicked off its shoes and began to settle in for a peaceful night’s rest.

This is just one of many magical moments Wendy and I have

experienced camping along the shore of Kentucky Lake. We have a history of exploring Land Between the Lakes, especially by kayak. We often row out on a hot, summer day to eventually find a piece of secluded shoreline where we could sit, have lunch, and swim. In an effort to “get away from it all,” we truly find places of peace, disconnecting both physically and mentally from the dominant aspects of life that wear and tear on our daily lives.

The only problem with our trips in the early days of our exploration was that we had to pack up and paddle back to our point of origin before dark. What a buzzkill! Sometimes, just when the day was at its zenith, we had to think about leaving. The thought started to cross our mind—we could just sleep there. Now I know some of you adventurous types are like, hey, no big deal! Just throw something out on the ground and sleep! But I’m pretty sure most of you are like us. We asked ourselves, how do you sleep on a rocky shore? What about the bathroom? What about animals? What about food and water? And a hundred other questions.

Most of those questions went unanswered until 2020 when, in the midst of the pandemic, we found ourselves with time to ponder such a trip. We thought through an overnight stay, listing the things we would need as the day and night and next morning progressed. Seeing that we are king and queen of the dry run, we gathered everything together, laid it out in the driveway, and proceeded to strap it all to our kayaks to make sure it all fit in our dry bags and then on the vessels. It did!

The tent would be on a rocky surface, so we bought a couple of ultra-thin inflatable mattresses. They rolled up so small that we seriously doubted their efficacy in providing comfort. They would only be a couple of inches at most when inflated. We packed a couple of coolers with water and prepared food that could be heated up on a campfire. The campfire would be made with driftwood and limbs found around the shore. We already had a couple of low-profile, folding camping

KAYAKING IN KENTUCKY

chairs. It is amazing how many space-saving products are available for those exploring the outdoors. We got a portable battery charger for our phones, and with a few other odds and ends, headed out for a new adventure. Plus, we thought, if we don’t like it, it’s just one night.

We launched out and kayaked about an hour away. Long story short, the trip was a success with the exception of having to leave a bit early the next morning due to a line of storms coming in. I’d like to think of ourselves as ultra-planners, but in all our focus on how to kayak camp, I’d neglected a major piece of information—the weather forecast. But we managed to miss the storms and head home to plan another trip.

We decided to make some adjustments over time. We initially used an old tent I had, one that was not really meant for portability via kayak. So we invested in a lighter option. And most recently, we’ve graduated to hammock sleeping. Secondly, while prepping food as much as possible in advance and cooking it over a campfire was tasty, hauling it out there with the needed ice was a bit laborious. So we got some freeze-dried meals. You might have seen them at Walmart or in a sporting goods store. Mountain House Adventure Meals is a popular one. All you do is add hot water. And they are incredibly good. The food is simple and, because it is freezedried, devoid of a ton of preservatives. The biscuits and gravy became a fast favorite. We lightened our load and space with those as it eliminated weight, cooler space, and the need for as much ice. We also invested in a couple of small butane tanks with a burner. With a metal cup atop, we could heat water much faster than trying to do it in a campfire, especially when we got up in the morning and wanted coffee quickly.

The biggie—and this is where we lose some folks—is lightening the load when it comes to water. It is our most basic and biggest need. And in the summer, we needed a lot of it. On our first trip, we took the number of bottles of water we thought we needed plus extra, and we almost didn’t have enough. There is water needed for drinking, cooking, and for cleaning. We humans use a lot of H2O.

We took a look around. We were surrounded by water at the lake. Yes,

we knew better than to take big gulps of the stuff, but it seemed like a good resource. I’d heard of water filtration systems such as LifeStraw, but getting on my hands and knees to suck the lake through a straw didn’t seem all that appealing. But there are gravity-fed options such as the Platypus where you fill one bag with lake water and it drains into another through a filter. On the first trip out with it, our first order of business was to get a clean bag of water. And we’ve been using it ever since. And the filtered water is amazingly good to drink.

And ok, let’s just answer that elephant in the “woods” question. What about our biological needs? Let’s just say there are a lot of woods out there.

So why go to all the trouble? It’s a lot of work loading up, kayaking out, setting up, and living like 1800s river rats. But the payoff is disconnecting as much as possible from the stresses of a manmade world in a Kentucky space that has remained as natural as it possibly can. We generally kayak to places that are unencumbered by the progress of people. There are no roads and no structures nearby. The only ways to reach us are either by boat or tons of traversing through the woods. There, we have watched the beauty of the lake unfurl before us. We’ve enjoyed the vastness of a blue summer sky as we cooled in the waters of the Tennessee River, bald eagles and blue heron occasionally flying overhead. We’ve experienced some of the most marvelous sunsets we’ve ever seen. We’ve sat by the campfire, staring up at a ceiling of stars until the wee hours of the morning, the Milky Way a glittering blanket in a place with some of the least light pollution in our region. We’ve watched a coyote run along the shoreline as the sun rose, a light steam rising off the lake as fish go after mayflies on the surface of the water before the sun heats the day. Mostly, we’ve experienced silence from mankind.

It is truly our happy place and a treasure to be experienced. It is far from roughing it. It is soothing. You may not be there yet, not ready to spend a night in the wilderness. But I do encourage you to stoke your sense of adventure and take advantage of the natural world around us. You’ll discover a soul-satisfying beauty.

by S TEPHANIE WATSON

According to Nikki May, a deep sense of wanderlust has always been a part of who she is. After twenty years as an artistic staple in our town, she’s taking that passion to new heights by driving her “skoolie” around the country as she travels, learns, and—of course—creates.

CREATING A LIFE OUTSIDE THE LINES

ines have always had meaning for Nikki May. Whether she’s using them to create striking works of art, going beyond their limits with her nomadic lifestyle, or now quite literally having to keep her converted school bus home within them, their winding ebb and flow have brought both meaning and beauty to this local artist’s life.

It’s hard to think about Paducah artists without Nikki May coming to mind. Her drawings can be found in local stores, her art adorns the windows of an entire downtown building, and her murals are featured in a 70-foot spread in Barkley Regional’s new airport terminal. But she’s also behind some art you may not expect. As a graphic designer, she’s done branding for everything from The Quilt Museum to Market House Theater to the Lowertown Arts District, as well as the library’s Brary Bus.

Nikki’s professional background, however, is quite diverse. She first trained as an artist, studying drawing and painting in Atlanta and Athens, Georgia, in Cortona, Italy, before studying fibers in graduate school at Savannah College of Art and Design in the early 90s. After graduation, she worked for an apparel company designing and illustrating wildlife t-shirts for the Audubon Society Nature Conservancy in a small town in Alabama. Feeling the need to return to a more vibrant pace brought her back to Atlanta for a temp job as a web developer and, later, Creative Director, at IBM. A decade later, she had worked her way up the corporate ladder, and was spending weeks and months traveling to destinations as diverse as Paris, Cincinnati, Washington D.C., and New York.

Ultimately, executive life didn’t fit this artist who likes to live life outside the lines, and she found Paducah in the early 2000s on a weekend trip trying to find a smaller, more affordable place she could live without the corporate salary. It was during this time that she was introduced to the vibrant art community that was developing in the early years of the Artist Relocation Program. She found a house in Lowertown that was the right fit and brought herself and her (now remote) job at IBM to Paducah in 2003.

Nikki quickly established herself as an important piece of Paducah’s artist community,

eventually deciding to drop the corporate life and start her own web design business. This shift allowed for time to work on her own art, something that had been put on the backburner for quite a while.

“When I worked for IBM,” she says, “the only thing I did art-wise was doodling in meetings. And that actually was significant because it helped develop my ink drawing style. But I was working 80-90 hours a week, so it wasn't intentional.”

Twenty years later, she has a thriving graphic and web design business and a strong artistic identity. And as is only natural for someone with a deep sense of wanderlust, she’s now moving on to her next adventure: life in her skoolie.

THE DOODLEBUS

he name of Nikki’s new home is an obvious combination of her love of illustration and travel. Its design is also a clear outpouring of who she is: lively, imaginative, playful, and, of course, ready for adventure.

“I remember the first time I saw a school bus parked on the side of the road for sale, and I was like, that is so cool! My first fantasy was living in my house but having a mobile art studio. Then, I started not wanting to have a house,” she explains. “I travel a lot and for long periods at a time, so taking my house with me made so much more sense financially and logistically than trying to keep up with one home base while living in another.”

Nikki did a deep dive into converting a school bus into a living space once the idea really took root. She even rented one on Airbnb when she traveled to Portland, Oregon to help teach an art workshop. This experience gave her the ability to see what she liked and didn’t like, what she needed, and what she could live without. She loved it and set her sights on selling her Lowertown home.

Once she bought a bus and was ready to start the conversion, Nikki drew floor plans that would include all the things that mattered to her most: a full or queen size bed, a full-size bathtub, and a multifunctional space for work, art, and living. And while living in an 8-foot-wide, 35-foot-deep space does call for minimalism, her style choices were anything but that. Blue cabinets, an orange velvet couch, kantha cloth curtains, and art of every type make this space a true manifestation of Nikki’s vibrant and colorful mind.

But there are also some features that are just really smart design. Her dog, Rocket, has a built-in food and water bowl in a pull-out drawer under the sink. Her cat, Pixel, has a litter box in a slide-out drawer under her bed with a hole in the front for her to climb through. Her 7-foot kitchen counter doubles as a workspace and art station. Her impressive solar panel setup and 200 gallons of fresh water allow her to be able to take her bus just about anywhere without worrying about having to plug it in.

Nikki took her first trip in the Doodlebus last October to attend a meetup called Skoolie Swarm in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. These events bring people who live in converted school buses to meet up in locations all around the US. “It was really interesting to meet other people who are living in these buses full time,” she states. “Some are much more simply converted than mine, and one family even had six kids living in theirs with two sets of three-story bunks!”

She bounced her way around Florida last winter visiting several different cities and attending a “nomad gathering” for people who live on the road in all kinds of interesting and eccentric ways. She’s also discovered a company called Harvest Hosts that functions like Airbnb for RVs. Museums, golf courses, wineries, farms, distilleries, and more allow guests to park on their property for free with the expectation that they’ll support the business through purchases.

“Harvest Host has been such a cool way to stay in beautiful surroundings, meet amazing people, and support small businesses. I’d much rather buy a dozen organic eggs to stay on an idyllic farm space rather than park in a Walmart parking lot,” she notes.

In theory, Nikki’s plan for the future is to go south in the winter, north in the summer, and spend spring and fall in Paducah. In early July, she headed to upstate New York, slowly working her way up while stopping to work and visit friends until she eventually reached the Hudson Valley area. Come fall, we’ll see her again, as she undoubtedly brings us back new perspectives on art and life.

“I really like change,” she explains. “Most people don’t say that. I love starting and planning new things, so when I start getting itchy and wanting to be somewhere new, I can pick up and do that without giving up the hometown I love to return to when the weather sweetens up a bit.”

A Life Given. A Life Taken. A Future Bestowed.

Dr. Lisa Lasher delivered thousands of babies as well as a motivation for her daughter to follow her mother’s chosen medical career as an OB/GYN

H

by Amy Sullivan

school, she toyed with the idea of being a veterinarian. But in her freshman year of high school, when her mom received a second diagnosis of breast cancer, Anne realized she NEEDED to become a physician. Accompanying her mom to appointments and witnessing the human side of medicine—how compassionate doctors are towards their patients and how much that meant to their families—are the experiences Anne says that led her to medical school.

WWITH A MEDICAL MOM AS A MENTOR FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, it’s no surprise that Paducah native Anne Chaney Lasher, M. D., graduated from medical school in May 2023 and matched with Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis to begin her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN). Anne admits she always aspired to be a doctor, wanting to mirror her mother, the late Dr. Lisa Chaney Lasher.

“Growing up I was always in and out of the hospital with my mom,” Anne reflected. “When I was two, my aunts said I always picked up the phone and said, ‘Hello, my name is Dr. Lasher and I’m on call today!’”

The hospital always felt like a second home to Anne. Throughout middle

Anne graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School in 2015 and graduated from the University of Kentucky in the B.S./M.D. program, where she was a Singletary Scholar and one of seven in her class working with UK’s College of Medicine. The medical school helped guide her pre-med journey. “This experience reinforced my values of working with and for the community,” Anne said. “We volunteered and worked closely with the Ronald McDonald House, which helped me regain my focus of the human perspective in medicine and remembering your patients are going through something life changing. I always want to remind myself it’s not just a career, and you are helping change people’s lives. We are fortunate to dedicate our lives to doing that.”

Anne took her Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in her junior year. That very same night, June 2, 2018, Anne’s mother, Dr. Lisa Chaney Lasher, tragically passed away from a heart attack while she slept. “We spent one weekend working on my personal statement and application, and the

Anne Lasher

ANNE LASHER

next weekend I took my MCAT. That night my mom passed away. I think the timing was very special because she saw me get through my MCAT. She had instilled in me that I would be able to complete medical school. I got my acceptance my senior year around my birthday, which was also very special.” After graduation, Anne entered UK’s College of Medicine. After applying to medical school, Anne wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do. But after her mom passed, Anne spoke with many of her mother’s patients about their experiences. Many were happy birth stories, but the ones that stuck with her most were the more upsetting ones. “I wish to not only care for women during happy times in their life, but also to be a pillar of stability and comfort for them during tragedy; just like my mother was for her patients, and the ER physicians were to me when she passed.”

Lisa Lasher is fondly remembered in the Paducah community, especially by those at Lourdes (Mercy) Hospital, where she worked most of her 20 years of practice as an OB/GYN, delivering an estimated 5,000 babies in the Paducah community. The week she died she delivered six infants. Dr. Lasher worked tirelessly as a champion for breast cancer awareness and was a leader in developing women’s health services, touching thousands of patients’ lives. Anne remembers going with her mother to monthly meetings of the Hopeful Hearts Cancer Support Group, a place women came to talk about what they were dealing with.

“She and Dr. Daniel Howard were instrumental in starting the Women’s Center at Lourdes Hospital, which she was very passionate about,” Anne stated. “The Center provided care for women including routine mammogram screenings, pap smears—all maintenance things for women—and helped them get access to those services. My mom did lots of other things for women that I don’t know how she had time for.”

Anne’s family is full of physicians. Her mother’s brother, Glen Chaney, a Paducah pediatrician at Baptist Health, hooded her on stage during graduation at the University of Kentucky. Glen’s wife, Sally Chaney, is also an OB/GYN, now retired. Her mom’s sister, Anne’s aunt, is married to OB/GYN Dr. Jorge Cardenas of the Paducah Women’s Clinic. And two of Anne’s cousins, the Doctor Chaneys’ children, are in the medical field, one a cardiothoracic surgeon in Lexington, and one a pediatrician in Louisville.

While in medical school, Anne worked on an ovarian cancer screening trial and presented her findings in March 2022 in Phoenix at the annual Society of Gynecological Oncology meeting representing the UK School of Medicine. She collected 30 years of data for this four-year research project and is sending it in for publication where she will be the first author. She has presented at additional national and international conferences, both online and in-person.

Though medical school was challenging, Anne said she was grateful and would do it again despite how tough and grueling it could be. During her third year, she did rotations in every specialty and thought she was leaning toward OB/GYN, even though she swore for years that she never would. She knew she liked surgery and continuity of patient care and was looking for something that could combine the two. “I realized obstetrics and gynecology was a perfect fit for me. You have a close-knit bond with your patients, follow them year to year, and serve as someone they can lean on and turn to throughout their life. You also get to perform surgeries and experience the happiness of delivering babies and bringing life into the world.”

Anne recounted one of her favorite memories of her mom. “It was my 20th birthday and I got to scrub in with my mom in a C-section while she delivered twins in the very hospital she had me in! It was the last birthday I spent with her while she was on earth. I will cherish that moment forever!”

Anne credits her dad, Blaine Lasher, as her continued support who helped her through medical school after the loss of her mother. “He is my best friend. He filled the role of my mom in many ways, and especially through traveling— my

Anne Lasher with her mother, Dr. Lisa Lasher

mom and I had always loved to travel. My dad and I took a free-spirited road trip through Europe a few years ago. We booked a flight to Munich and knew we were leaving from Geneva, Switzerland, but not too much more planning went into it. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on, thanks to my dad’s adventurous spirit. We also went to Aruba to celebrate my graduation from medical school and snorkeled for four hours! He’s my rock and support person who helped me make it through med school, and even came to clean my apartment one weekend when I was stressed and overwhelmed with school.”

Lisa Lasher’s three sisters— Rita Cardenas, Anita Harper, and Rebecca Vance—have also supported Anne through her journey, helping move her into her new home in Indianapolis. She also says she couldn’t have gotten through this without her stepmother, Jennifer McIntosh, and stepsister, Kate Kimble.

In June 2023, Anne left Lexington for the first time in eight years for her residency in Indianapolis at a Catholic hospital very similar to Lourdes. She is very excited to begin her new adventure for the next four years alongside co-residents who seem like-minded.

Though her future is uncertain, Anne says, “I would love to come back to Paducah. I can’t predict the future and you never know what will happen. But if everything works out right… you never know!”

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by A MANDA H UTCHISON

the name of the game is

The River Discovery Center at 117 South Water Street is in the oldest building in downtown Paducah. As such it houses a treasure trove of artifacts that have accumulated over time.

Last year, when Polly Brasher became the Executive Director of the center, she started looking around the storage area—with the goal to organize, clean, and reuse items. There is equipment—possibly from the building of Locks 52 and 53—air apparatuses, antique tools, and old catalogues piled high in the dimly lit storage space. “I found the chart book for the Delta Queen,” Polly marvels. “And I have been told there is a paddle wheel plank somewhere for the Delta Queen, but we have not found it yet. But most surprisingly, In this process I found a boat. It was dirty and full of junk,” Polly recalls.

“And I fell in love with it.” It reminded her of the rescue boats she had seen in old photos of the 1937 flood. She was intrigued.

As the River Discovery Center Celebrates 20 Years of Operation, the Discoveries Just Keep on Coming!

JOHN CRIVELLO

DISCOVERY

Polly showed the boat to John Crivello, a volunteer at the center and asked for his help to restore it. John recruited his friend, Rick Schipp, whom he knew had a lot of experience with woodworking.

They decided the first step would be to get the boat off the ground. “Rick starting picking up 2x4s and went right to work,” John recalls, “By the end of it we had a pretty nice rack with rollers to place the boat on.” They recruited men from the Coast Guard to help them lift the boat on to the rack. They then went to work to sand it down the old finish.

Both volunteers are retired from careers on the river. John worked as a crew dispatcher and then drug tester for a barge company. Today John volunteers in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Rick worked as an engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers.

The men worked for several months in the dimly lit storage area with just a few spotlights to help them see their work. They repainted the boat, attempting to keep it as close as possible to original colors they discovered.

“It’s a unique boat,” Rick notes. “It is put together with brass tacks and has a brass keel guard.” John had shown the boat to a friend at the Coast Guard, who immediately recognized it as a Peterborough boat. The friend had grown up in Maine and would go to Canada on fishing trips. He explained to John that those boats were very popular in Canada. This identification was solidified by pictures they found of old Peterborough boats and a stamped “P” that was displayed on one of the fittings for the oar.

Peterborough Canoe Company was its manufacturer. The company was based out of Peterborough, Ontario Canada. This added to the mystery of the boat. How did this Canadian fishing boat end up in Paducah? John theorizes that it could have been a boat belonging to the Petter family of the Henry A. Petter Supply Company. The Petters had

owned the building at one point. “It was clearly highly valued by a family,” John shares. “The boat showed a lot of wear. It was not beat up, but clearly used. We would love to know the story.”

The boat project is finished but volunteers have continued to make improvements to the museum. During this interview, John and Rick showed the River Discovery Team a glass case they were restoring to display a gun that was found in storage. Polly recalls noting to John how the painting on the stair railing had chipped, and the next thing she knew, the rail had been sanded and painted. “These two never are looking for credit. They don’t make any noise,” Polly laughs. “They will just quietly work on something and then I’ll come back and see something complete!”

Polly Brasher and marketing coordinator, Caroline Veatch (far left) are ready to make big changes to the River Discovery Center in celebration of their 20th anniversary.

The team at River Discovery Center is still working on figuring out where the boat came from and how it will be displayed. In the mean- time, and true to the museum’s name, the staff and volunteers continue to sift through the discoveries within Paducah’s hidden treasure trove.

Renovation Plans

Polly Brasher and marketing coordinator, Caroline Veatch, are readying to make big changes to the River Discovery Center. In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the center plans to announce a full renovation of their center including new immersive experience exhibitions, as well as rebranding and a new website. “Most of exhibits you currently see are 20 years old,” Polly says. “It’s time to redo them.” Polly is no stranger to design. Polly was a teacher for 25 years. She then worked at the Discovery Park of America for 16 years, during which she helped with the design and building of the park as first Founding Director and then Senior Director of Education and Guest Experience. “I had the unique perspective as a former teacher who had traveled with groups of 30-60 high school students to contribute to the design,” Polly says of her other “discovery” experience. The center is working with the Louisville design firm, SolidLight.

There is information on the Discovery Center website (riverdiscoverycenter.org) about how to become a member. “Becoming a member allows you to visit over 500 museums and science centers worldwide for free,” Caroline explains. “It is a great way to support our local museum while traveling to many other places.”

by Brandi Harless H

Kyle Henderson Appointed to Federal Task Force

PADUCAH NATIVE KYLE

Henderson has dedicated his career to supporting the working men and women who build the infrastructure around us. From bridges to factories to healthcare facilities and everything in between, it’s been Kyle’s mission to ensure that, when these projects are built, the men and women who do this work are able to do so safely and receive fair wages to support their families. Kyle’s support has come in many forms over the years. First, as a pipe fitter himself, Kyle has worked on jobs around the Paducah area. Then Kyle assumed the role of business manager and business agent for the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 184, where he worked hard to ensure members were trained for safety and secured members’ jobs with fair wages and benefits.

After 15 years in his leadership role for Local 184, Kyle was offered the opportunity to serve in a more national role as a Special Representative of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry. Now he spends his days working closely with ten local unions in Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Most recently Kyle was offered the chance to serve the nation in the advancement of energy infrastructure as a Presidential Appointee of the White House Council on Environmental Quality “Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Non-Federal Lands Permitting” Task Force. This task force was created by the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies Act, and will provide recommendations to the federal government on how to ensure that carbon capture, utilization and sequestration projects, including carbon dioxide pipelines, are permitted in an efficient manner, reflect the input and needs of a wide range of stakeholders, and deliver benefits to local communities.

It’s important to me that there’s a voice for the men and women who show up every day on a job that affords them and their families the American dream.” - Kyle Henderson

As noted by the UA, Kyle’s membership on the task force is a representation of the men and women actually building these projects and will bring their voice to the conversations guiding permitting, policies, and future legislation concerning carbon sequestration. “I’ve always said, If you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” Kyle comments. “I am proud to be at the table representing the people who are and will be building this important infrastructure for our country. It’s important to me that there’s a voice for the men and women who show up every day on a job that affords them and their families the American dream. These are not just jobs, these are careers that provide benefits so workers can live and retire with dignity.”

Billions of dollars are flowing to these types of projects. Just one example of this is the recent launch of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs which will distribute $3.7 billion to accelerate private-sector investment, spur advancements in monitoring and reporting practices for carbon management technologies, and provide grants to state and local governments to procure and use products developed from captured carbon emissions.

Pantsuit Politics LIVE in Paducah

by Alyse Napp

PANTSUIT POLITICS, A CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PODCAST WHICH PRIORITIZES

curiosity over the conflict that often drives political conversations, is coming to Paducah this fall. After a series of live events around the country over the past few years, the show is excited to bring its community to Paducah, hometown of co-host Sarah Stewart Holland. This unique gathering will invite listeners of the podcast to experience the best of Paducah while also getting a chance to meet Stewart Holland and her co-host Beth Silvers. The show will offer a series of ticketed events over the course of the October 20-21 weekend this fall as well as share local dining and activity recommendations with attendees. Stewart Holland has spent years on the podcast talking up life in Paducah and is excited to invite visitors to get to know what makes it such a special, unique place.

The weekend will culminate in a live event on Saturday evening, October 21st at The 1857 Hotel, located in the heart of Paducah. Doors will open at 6:30 PM with the main program commencing at 7 PM. Attendees can expect a lively exchange of ideas, in-depth discussions, and a glimpse into the hosts’ vision for the future of Kentucky and the country. The event will be interactive, high-energy, and fun—a night capturing the different approach to the news which characterizes Pantsuit Politics.

For more information and to purchase tickets for all of the events comprising the Pantsuit Politics Live in Paducah weekend, please visit the official Pantsuit Politics website at pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/paducah-live-show Stay updated on event details and announcements by following Pantsuit Politics on social media.

Known for their balanced and respectful approach to political conversations, Stewart Holland and Silvers have captivated audiences nationwide with their informative and thought-provoking discussions. With their astute insights and unique ability to bridge ideological divides, they have cultivated a loyal following of listeners who also seek to engage in conversations that transcend partisan barriers.

“Paducah is my entire heart,” says Sarah Stewart Holland. “To be able to introduce our beloved community of listeners to this place I love feels so special. I also can’t wait for Paducah to better see and understand what we do at Pantsuit Politics.”

Beth Silvers adds, “Our show is about starting conversations. We love hearing from listeners about where they take those discussions after listening. Live events are so exciting because we get to put faces with names, hear voices instead of just reading messages, and feel the energy of the people who make our jobs so rewarding.”

In addition to the Saturday night event, Pantsuit Politics will be offering a yoga class with Silvers, a certified yoga instructor, on Friday evening, October 20 and a VIP luncheon at Freight House on Saturday afternoon, October 21. They are also working with local vendors to put together special small events around town for attendees.

including A Time To Plant; Sip & Savor; Porch Living;Wreaths for All Seasons; A Time To Cook; Dinner on the Grounds; A Place to Call Home and Arriving Home. His most recent publication, Celebrating Home, showcases the details and beauty of celebrating life’s special moments. In addition, Farmer’s work has been published in such publications as Southern Living, House Beautiful, and Traditional Home. Projects by James Farmer Designs can be found from the countryside of Connecticut to his home state of Georgia. Though his work can be found throughout the country, James has primarily built his business in his hometown of Perry, Georgia.

“As a frequent event speaker and guest, James’s outgoing and warm personality lights up any room,” says Renee Tilley, one of the event coordinators. “Everyone in the world of gardening and design considers James Farmer to be a highly respected professional with a unique talent for designing and writing. We are so thrilled that he’s coming to Paducah.”

Following the lecture on interior design and gardening, Farmer will sign purchased copies of his books. Vendors will be offering vintage garden items, home accessories, and one-of-akind clay botanicals. Participating local retailers will include Frenchtown Station, Flower + Furbish, and J. and D.’s Garden.

For tickets contact Julie Turok at 859.227.2717 or jturok1980@gmail.com.

Last the “Let

the beauty

ABOUT THE ART / The history contained in work clothes exposes the burden of the working class, from the factory where it was made, to the labors of the person wearing the clothing. My art continues this work cycle, taking into consideration both the time and physical labor of the making process. By reusing materials from the people around me, I’m exploring the identity that is wrapped up in our everyday textiles, and deconstructing in order to reconstruct them into something that I can make sense of. From long-term collaborative installations, performative mending workshops, and traditional processes like quilting, I am working through ideas of identity, care, and labor.

LEXIE MILLIKAN is an artist, educator, and Executive Director of Yeiser Art Center. Her artwork has been exhibited throughout the country and has been featured in Nashville Arts and Quiltfolk Magazine. Lexie has represented Paducah in the UNESCO Creative Cities network at events in Mexico, South Korea, and Spain.

"A child prodigy by any definition, Sierra Hull is a multi-talented bluegrass instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter who recorded her first record at the age of 11. She has brought home multiple International Bluegrass Music Awards, and her star-studded 2017 LP Weighted Mind earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Folk Album." - Steve Leggett

Now 22, she continues to push the boundaries of bluegrass and folk. We look forward to seeing you at our 23-24 Arts In Focus Series season opener!

WKCTC, a proud member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.

PHYLLIS AMOS Paducah Banker for 30 Years!

Phyllis Amos has been a daily presence at Paducah Bank for 30 years. How many people do you know who have committed 30 years to one company? (Could be why we won the #1 Best Place to Work in Kentucky!) Phyllis has brought her signature generosity and professionalism to her customers and her colleagues every day for 360 months! We are so proud of Phyllis AND Paducah Bank’s 75-year history of community commitment. There has been much disruption in downtown banking recently, but you can ALWAYS count on a warm smile from Phyllis Amos at Paducah Bank!

paducahbank.com /