Paducah Life Magazine - April/May 2022

APRIL/MAY 2022 • $ 2.95

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contents 48

eSports is Hitting with Full Force

april/may 2022 ★ from the editor page 5 ★ last word page 84

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Café de Fae Offers Nostalgic Entrees

Be Forever Pampered in Downtown Paducah Lepa Jewelry is Refined Design HOME is Where the Shopping Is Pour Yourself a Sensational Scent

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Spire Offers Unique Personal Accents Therapy and Relaxation Combine at Von Thera Getting Physical with a Couple of Triathletes Shonda Burris Looks Back on Her Local Life Thrifting is a Continuing Trend Paducah Garden Club Hosts Garden Party Clay Bohle Offers Literary Skills to Budding Authors Wickedness Prevails in Parker’s New Book Tilghman Grad Comes Home to the Stage Over and Under is Thriving and Expanding Anita Rodriguez Prays with Paint Paducah Bank Wins Governor’s Award Love Explodes onto the Paducah Scene

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RiverLine Activities Explore the Waterways Derek Operle is a New Voice of WKMS

Tyler and Whitney Create Relentlessly

Take a Special Selfie at the Beautique

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VOLUME 32, EDITION 2 executive editor/ P U B L I S H E R Darlene M. Mazzone

� associate E D I TO R S Stephanie Watson J.T. Crawford

� art D I R E C TO R Scott McWilliams

� associate art D I R E C TO R Allison Wicker

� editorial P H OTO G R A P H Y Thomas Dean Stewart

� cover P H OTO G R A P H Y Brad Rankin

� on the C OV E R Tyler Wallace & Whitney Ravellette Wallace

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DE C E MB E R 2 0 2 1 / JA NUARY 2022 • 3

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T’S A NEW DAWN. IT’S A NEW DAY. IT’S A NEW LIFE. AND I’M FEELING GOOD.

When you’re twenty-something, you see every new dawn as the beginning of a new day filled with endless possibilities. You don’t know what you don’t know. And that’s a good thing. Cases in point.

In 1976, freshly emerged from the chute of new Murray State grads, I found myself as the first Director of Public Information at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a massive industrial complex designed to enrich uranium for the nuclear industry. I was tasked with interpreting this complex scientific process to the community. (I did not know a proton from a protein.) Within the first two years of taking that position, I was assaulted by international journalists following the leak of radioactive materials at Three Mile Island and expected to communicate our facility’s position on safety and security. I believe they call this baptism by fire (or in my case fusion.)

A few years later, in the early 80s, I accepted a position as the first Director of Public Affairs at Lourdes Hospital at a time when the entire healthcare industry was being transformed from a physician-directed system to a consumerchoice system. It became my responsibility to explain to the public such new and revolutionary diagnostic technologies as electromagnetic scanners or the angioplasty balloon catheter or the intra-articular arthroscopic surgical tool.

From left are Tyler Wallace, Whitney Ravellette Wallace, Darlene Mazzone, (Yep, NO chemistry or physics classes.)

Scott McWilliams, and Stephanie Watson at our April/May cover photo shoot.

But in each of these instances, I believed I (A special thanks to Stephanie for allowing us to use her home as a backdrop!) could take on the task, work hard, and deliver the results I was being asked to achieve.

When I met Tyler Wallace and Whitney Ravellette Wallace I was reminded of my younger self. Their drive and energy and commitment and conscientious approach to their work and personal lives in our community hearken yet another new dawn and new day in a community blessed with the vision and creativity inherent in the young.

What they don’t know will be learned along the way. What they do know is that with each new day, they have the opportunity to change life as we know it. And because of that . . . I’m feelin’ pretty good!

Darlene M. Mazzone darlene@paducahlife.com

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 5

Dream, Build, Create

Relentlessly Whitney Ravellette Wallace and Tyler Wallace are Bringing Fresh Energy and Exciting New Plans to Paducah

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EHIND EVERY GREAT CONCERT, every exciting festival, every successful restaurant, bar, or cultural experience lies a visionary who was willing not only to dream, but to act. To spectators, these places and experiences may seem to appear out of thin air. If the purveyor gets it right, the efforts put into such work are largely invisible, in fact. That’s one of the main indicators of their success.

Paducah has hosted many such dreamers over the years, and now, one young couple is taking up the mantle and finding their place among the visionaries and creators who understand Paducah’s rich cultural heritage and believe deeply in its evolving future.

★

by S T EPH A N I E WAT S O N

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 7

I

T’S A QUIET EVENING AT THE Johnson Bar. Coloring pages and crayons are strewn along the bar beside hazy IPAs and well-made martinis. My drink is in process. A highball cup sits upside down on top of a smoking sage bundle while the bartender mixes reposado mezcal, Angostura bitters, lemon juice, and the vanillaflavored Liquor 43. There is still ice on the sidewalks outside, so the drink, whose name means “the warmth of the sun in winter” is certainly appropriate for tonight.

The glass has finished smoking, and my drink, called the Apricity, is topped with egg white foam and a dehydrated lemon wedge. Little red hearts made of grenadine float along the foam’s edge.

The juxtaposition of this elevated drink and the simple display of my coloring sheet and crayons is a little comical, but it also hits the spot after a long, cold week. As the minutes pass, more people arrive, and the sleek, modular couches and armchairs, as well as the bar, are starting to fill in. The music is chill, and a group of friends who gathered at a large table for the Thursday night coloring competition are laughing in the background.

What marks a typical night at The Johnson bar is a night that is, well, not typical. Known for its innovative drinks and unique programming, The Johnson Bar offers an enormous array of experiences for people of all tastes and types. If a quiet coloring night or “puzzles and potions” with a small group of friends is your thing, they’ve got you. If you prefer the heady vibes of late-night live music or a DJ and a dance floor on the weekend, they’ve got you, too. They even offer something for a Sunday morning crowd with their monthly Drag Bingo and Brunch.

Bringing new and exciting experiences to downtown is exactly what The Johnson Bar’s new owners, Whitney Ravellette Wallace and Tyler Wallace, are all about. “What we’re doing at The Johnson Bar is a microcosm of what we would like to do on a macro level,” Whitney explains.

“The Johnson Bar is my baby, and it has been the catalyst for everything else we’re hoping to build in Paducah.”

And what is the couple envisioning, exactly? Quite a bit.

Whitney and Tyler are dreamers, and they see big things coming Paducah’s way. “Paducah really is a diamond in the rough,” Tyler states. “We offer so many opportunities and experiences already, but not everyone knows about it.

We’re planning to help Paducah grow even more.”

Small to mid-sized cities across the South—think Asheville, Huntsville, Fayetteville—have gained national attention in the last few years for their expanding

8 • PADUCAH LIFE

food scenes, charming downtowns, and ease of access to an array of cultural, artistic, and outdoor activities. According to Tyler and Whitney—as well as many other downtown business owners—there’s a buzz in the air, an energy, that seems to indicate Paducah’s on the verge of being added to that list.

“You can feel there is starting to be an excitement down here,” Whitney states. “This is a place that oozes with character, and it is seriously about to get wild! At least if we have anything to say about it.”

The couple sees Paducah’s future as a top visitor destination and the downtown area as a bustling hub of life, culture, and community. They also have concrete plans for making this dream a reality. Along with running The Johnson Bar and bringing diverse experiences to Paducah’s nightlife, Tyler and Whitney separately own event production companies that they are using to energize downtown and to bring in both locals and tourists in a big way.

Tyler’s company, G2 Productions, produces large-scale events by providing everything from infrastructure such as staging, lights, sounds, and visuals, to artist relations and talent and vendor retention. What started with throwing private parties for 50 people has now grown to running events that bring in thousands. Tyler has hosted festivals in Asheville, Nashville, Wisconsin, and even right here at Kentucky Lake when he hosted Hot August Blues, the longest running music festival in the state of Kentucky and one of the longest running blues festivals in the nation.

Whitney’s company, CoCreate Events, also handles event rentals, management, creation, and coordination.

In the last couple of years, she’s organized and hosted programming at the 1857 Hotel and The Johnson Bar, including a “31 Days of Halloween” month-long extravaganza culminating with a Zombie Prom. CoCreate has used this type of smaller scale, but consistent programming, to gauge the type of programming Paducahans are hungry for.

This year, the team is bringing their companies together to focus locally on downtown’s future. “We’re now working as a cohesive unit to bring excitement and to spark life back into the community through programming and events for the greater Paducah area with the hopes of using our successes to reinvest in Paducah itself,” says Tyler.

Headlining their efforts is the production of 2022’s BBQ on the River, one of downtown Paducah’s largest and longest running festivals. Susie Coiner,

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 9

who has produced the event since its inception, saw the festival through two years “off the river” because of COVID, and now she’s passing the baton to the young couple.

“We want to make sure downtown Paducah's biggest festival for the past 20+ years transitions smoothly,” Whitney explains. “We want to make sure that we are giving our community exactly what it wants through amazing food, friendly competition, fundraising opportunities for a wide range of charitable organizations, incredible music and programming for kids and adults, and exposure for local artisans. We want to carry on the tradition while making this a beautiful experience.”

And as if these plans were not enough, the couple’s passion for growing downtown has also inspired them to start a new nonprofit called Beautiful Paducah. Beautiful Paducah will act as an umbrella organization guiding the focus of their businesses operations and providing an avenue for others to invest in the growth of our city.

Founded on five pillars of civic engagement, its work will invest in infrastructure and maintenance, landscaping and sanitation, interior and exterior design, a green initiative, and arts and diversity.

Together with the city of Paducah, Paducah Main Street Association, and their own production companies, Tyler and Whitney will use this organization to develop and maintain a broad and diverse range of programming and entertainment that will assist in the overall growth and economic expansion of the historic heartbeat of our community.

Proceeds from these programs and events will serve as the financial backbone of Beautiful Paducah, which will be invested right back into Paducah.

“Our first plans for Beautiful Paducah include tackling long-standing initiatives like Save the Columbia Theatre as well as new programming to assist in landscaping, maintenance, and aesthetically enhancing the downtown, Lowertown, and southside areas through our new nonprofit,” Tyler explains.

“As young people,” Whitney notes, “we now can shape

10 • PADUCAH LIFE

the next phase of Paducah’s development. There is an older generation who has put in a lot of love and leg work in making Paducah such an amazing city, and they’re ready for some fresh energy and love. It’s time for the younger generation to step up into these roles and join in the effort.”

For Whitney and Tyler, this is all just the beginning of a journey into which they are putting their whole hearts and souls. “We’re here for the long haul,” Whitney says. “We hope one day when we’re old and holding hands walking through an immaculate and bustling downtown, we can feel like maybe we had a little bit of a hand in getting it to this point.”

Building Strong Business Roots

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lurring the distinction between work and life is nothing new for Whitney Ravellette Wallace and Tyler Wallace. Work, in fact, has always been a family affair. Tyler’s parents are the owners of Trees-N-Trends, a home décor store whose parent location and warehouse is on the southside of town. At one point, the family maintained forty stores in the South and Midwest. As a kid, Tyler spent his time skateboarding through the warehouse “pestering the workers” and, in his teen years, he started truly learning the family trade. Tyler has served the business under a variety of titles, gaining windows into all aspects of business management and development. “Conversations at the dinner table were always about business,” Tyler recalls. “That was kind of how we bonded as a family because we were all involved in some aspect of it.”

Whitney’s parents are also business owners, but they work in agriculture rather than retail. Whitney grew up on

Beautiful Paducah team members include Sara Waddell, Ashley Anderson, Tyler Wallace, Whitney Ravellette Wallace, and Taryn Thurston.

a small farm in south Graves County, first trying her hand at the family business when she was 9 years old working in the tobacco fields. “My family taught me to work hard, which is a skill I use in approaching everything I do,” she notes. Unlike Tyler, who continued working in the family business and still serves as the warehouse and logistics manager, Whitney felt drawn to follow another path. “I know it probably sounds crazy,” she explains, “but I’ve always wanted to bartend. I love mixology and cooking and serving my creations to others, so when I got old enough, that’s what I did.”

Whitney found her footing while bartending at Big Mo’s, which served as a downtown Paducah staple for many years. This was also where she met Tyler, who was one of her frequent customers. “I always swore I’d never date someone I met bartending,” she explains with a laugh. “But Tyler was kind of stoic and different from my typical customers.” Tyler watched from afar for a bit, admiring the confident and self-assured way Whitney handled herself, and when he got the courage, he finally asked her out.

Whitney loved the hospitality industry and remembers these times fondly, but she also realized that she wanted to work for herself. That meant that going back to earn a degree in business management and nonprofits made the most sense for her.

Tyler’s event production company, G2 Productions, was also starting to take root. “I started my business by throwing small private parties and made some good friends who loved music and sound and wanted to be involved in making this bigger. The challenge is always finding good people who love what they are doing, who are trustworthy, and want to do the work.”

Paying It Forward

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hile buying The Johnson Bar in 2021 was a turning point for the couple, Whitney and Tyler have been players behind the scenes downtown for quite some time. While bartending in the area, Whitney developed a relationship with the well-known downtown developers Jorge Martinez and Paul Gourieux.

Paul and Jorge quickly noticed Whitney’s management potential and her knack for creative event planning. After she finished business school, they asked her to partner with them on a variety of projects. Whitney helped the pair to develop and manage The Johnson Bar, which Paul and Jorge opened in June 2019. This was a big first step for Whitney. “This was a first for them too,” she explains.

“They purchased the building and kind of let me fill in all the blanks.”

She also managed the couple’s downtown Mexican restaurant, Tribecca, helped develop and open Paducah Axe, and provided event assistance for them at the 1857 Hotel. In 2021, Paul and Jorge decided to shift their business interests and asked Whitney and Tyler if they were interested in purchasing The Johnson Bar. The couple accepted and took full ownership in March 2021.

“We cannot say enough about the role Paul and Jorge have played in our lives,” Whitney notes. The couple now want to pass on this kind of support to others. “There is no better way to shape and grow a community than to give business opportunities to people you trust while also providing the tools and resources to do that,” they note.

“We want to use our nonprofit, Beautiful Paducah, to return the favor and pass it on.”

This means the couple is planning to use Beautiful Paducah to build the kind of infrastructure and resources that will make it easier for someone to host an event, maintain a business, or a draw a crowd downtown. “We would love nothing more than to help support other people and businesses.” Tyler explains. “We don’t want to be the only ones, so we are building a collection of resources that will make it easier to help other people do what we want to do.”

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 11

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New Life Keeps Springing Up In

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PADUCAH A

S SPRING COMES TO DWELL UPON the river city, we recognize how downtown Paducah has echoed the same budding newness that is seen in this season of proverbial regrowth. Just as a garden is tended with expectation for growth to come, so the community has tended to our city and our small business owners, knowing full well that growth will, and has, come.

A record number of sixteen new businesses opened in 2021, which was more than the previous year in which fourteen new businesses opened, illuminating yet another record year.

“The Main Street Program focuses on economic development and business growth,” said Mayor George Bray. “Our mission is to create a robust and attractive environment for small businesses. So, we support the growth and expansion of existing businesses, and we try to attract new businesses to become part of our commercial district.

“It’s incredible, when you think about the pandemic and the uncertainty that was happening within our economy and our community more broadly—to be seeing this type of growth, this number of new businesses open year over year. It’s really encouraging and demonstrates that we have great momentum for revitalizing our downtown commercial district. And that has been work that has been happening within Paducah for more than 20 years. So, I think we’re really pleased with seeing the impact that our programs, our relationships, and our community development is having in downtown.”

Several downtown businesses have let it be known that they have had record sales numbers the past year and that they continue to see growth of their businesses year after year.

“The program is working,” Bray added. “It is helping our local businesses continue to grow and more people want to be part of it. We believe that if there is somebody who has a dream of opening a small business in Western Kentucky, or Southern Illinois, or Southeast Missouri— that they would choose Paducah as their first location for opening that business. Because we have programs and community in place to support them and want to see them grow and expand.”

The Main Street Program also has heart in place to support new and existing businesses. For not only is it good economic sense to support small businesses, but, the mayor notes, it is also good sense in terms of people as well.

“That’s why continuing to invest and support our small businesses is so critical—because the dollars stay within our community. And those small business owners are our neighbors, our friends, and our family.

And so not only is it good economic sense, but it’s also good sense in terms of people and relationships and kind of strengthening that connective tissue between the people who live here, the people who work here, and the quality of life that we’re trying to create in Paducah,” Mayor Bray concluded.

And just as a gardener continues to tend to their grounds throughout the season, so the City of Paducah cultivates small businesses. With every purchase, recommendation, restaurant reservation, and more—both new and established businesses are encouraged, energized, and revitalized to continue growing.

On the next pages, PADUCAH LIFE Magazine spoke with a few of these new entrepreneurs about their LIFE in downtown Paducah.

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 13

★

Café de Fae

by E LENA W RYE

It’s a Bit Downton Abbey Meets Downtown Paducah

14 • PADUCAH LIFE

A

S THE DOOR TO CAFÉ DE FAE creaks open, aromas of the weekly lunch specials waft through the air. Or perhaps it’s the smell of the Crème Brulee French Toast Bake that caught your brunch attention while out walking in Lowertown on a mild spring weekend.

And if not here for a bite, by all means, stay and pull up a seat and have a drink. Be it a craft cocktail or a cup of tea served up in a tasteful tea service offered, you’re welcome to sit and stay awhile at Café de Fae. Here in this historic building, afternoon lunches, weekend brunches, evening drinks, and even shopping can be found around every quaint corner.

The atmosphere exudes charm, as antique furniture, décor, and dishware is used to play host to the Café’s guests. For why should your perfectly blended house marinara dipping sauce for your warm and welcoming pizza grilled cheese be in anything but a teacup? It’s the charm that accompanies the delectable eats that will keep you coming back for more.

Owner Jade Clark Valentine says her menu inspiration is simple:, “it’s whatever sounds good to me that week. We don’t have a standing menu, we only run specials. I’ve just always had a notion for making things taste good; things that are homey, but just a little bit different. So just enough out of your comfort zone that you’re

trying something new, but it’s not so far out of your comfort zone that you’re scared of it,” Jade adds.

Once inside, it’s as if time slows down a bit within this historic home’s walls and the world quiets down while you gather with others. It’s an atmosphere that Jade wanted to create for the community. “The feedback has just been so very positive,” Jade happily admits. “We’ve heard that we’ve created a space that is welcoming, but different. That people can really relax here. We offer tea service, which is something completely different than Paducah has seen yet. So with that, we have 30 different varieties of tea that people can choose from at any given time. They can come in and pick out their tea, pick out their teapot, and order a cookie or a cupcake to go along with it.”

The tea service has proven to be a favorite with teens that come in after school. “They come and get tea service after school, which I just love. Because sometimes the parents will come in and I’ll be like, your kid is in a safe space. I have teens, too. And I’m happy to provide a place that’s quiet, that they’re going to be out of trouble and can do their homework with their friends and they’re not bothering me a bit.

Overall, it’s just been a lot of positives.”

Jade has big dreams for this culinary Lowertown treasure, but as of now, she says thank you. “I’m thankful. I’m thankful to have kind of been taken in by the Lowertown residents and by the Midtown residents and as part of the Paducah scene. I’m thankful that we’ve seen exponential growth these first six months alone. I’m just really proud of what we’re doing and I’m just super thankful for all the support we’ve garnered,” she says with true, heartfelt gratitude.

Café de Fae is located at 533 Madison Street.

A P R I L / MAY2022 2022• • 15 15 APRIL/MAY

★

Forever Entrepreneurs

by A MY S ULLIVAN

S

The Loftons are Building a “Forever” Brand and Experience with Their Two Downtown Businesses

TEWART LOFTON IS AN OPTIMIST, perpetually prepared for a rainy day. He and his wife Susan have always been supportive of their daughter Makenzie and her yearning to become an entrepreneur. Around Christmas 2019, while shopping at one of his favorite bath and body stores, Stewart jokingly said he would buy the whole store if he could. He couldn’t wash his mouth out to take it away—and was presented a couple of weeks later with an opportunity to do just that. The husband-and-wife team knew they could provide the financial piece to give now 21-year-old Makenzie the chance to prove herself as a business owner and live out her dream.

The Loftons bought the retail portion of the bath and body store and opened Forever Pampered Bath and Body Boutique in the spring of 2020, near Kentucky Oaks Mall. But before the end of that pandemic month they were shut down and moved entirely online.

Makenzie had fallen in love with downtown Paducah when she worked at the former Broadway ice cream shop when she was just 16. Susan and Stewart had also

16 • PADUCAH LIFE

had affection for Paducah’s historic district. So in November 2020, the family decided to move their business to 108 Broadway, reopen, and fight for their future at a new location.

“We love the downtown atmosphere and have always wanted to be a part of that community. We feel downtown Paducah is the heart of our community. Everything radiates from downtown outward, and we wanted to be a part of that. We were also inspired in seeing that area come together to adapt to the pandemic when businesses were having to overcome COVID. The community really stepped in and helped each other, leaned on each other, and made the best of it,” said Stewart.

Now a growing family business with Stewart at the helm as COO, Susan as supportive co-owner, and Makenzie running the daily operations, Forever Pampered is a popular specialty store in a prime location for resident shoppers and visitors to Paducah. The bath boutique offers high quality, natural alternatives to traditional body care products, including soaps, sugar and body scrubs, and bath salts. Chloe and Chloe Extreme are their top selling soaps, named for the former owner’s daughter and created to help cure her eczema. Both soaps are forged from goat’s milk and aimed at customers with sensitive and dry skin issues.

Lotions, body silks, and body butters in men’s and women’s scents are available and can be made right in front of patrons if a desired scent is not found in the

store. Other offerings include room sprays, candles, wax melts, and various essential oils.

“We are also known for our bath bombs which we make weekly in the store because we can’t keep them in stock,” said Susan. “They’re gone by the weekend. We even offer embroidery personalization on your own towels or aprons if you bring them in, which make great gifts. We are getting ready to expand our hours, opening earlier and closing later. We have curbside pickup and delivery within a 25-mile radius around holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, teacher appreciation week, Easter, and Christmas.”

With Makenzie having demonstrated her ability to run a business, the next step on the horizon for the Loftons came at the perfect time. Her first job at the former shop, The Ice Cream Factory, located at 116 Broadway, impacted Makenzie differently from most 16year-olds’ first-time employment experiences. “She loved that job with a passion,” her father emphasized. “It was her first job, but there was something about it that she just loved. The interaction with people, the atmosphere, the location, and of course, the ice cream. She often said she wished she owned the shop and it became an ongoing conversation from the time she was 16.”

When the Loftons moved Forever Pampered to Broadway, 116 was vacant, but unavailable. Not long afterwards, the family was approached by the owner who told them it was for lease. “We knew it was going to be a huge undertaking, but we had to give it a shot, all or nothing,” Stewart stated. “We saw the potential for it to be successful and wanted to give our daughter the opportunity to shine where she wanted. She proved herself in running Forever Pampered, so if she carried that same passion to the ice cream shop, it had every opportunity to be successful. It wasn’t a question or debate. When we got the opportunity, we knew we had to, whatever it took.”

Forever Sweet Creamery will offer hand-dipped homemade ice cream, with cones made in front of patrons. It won’t be your “run of the mill” ice cream store, the Forever family commented. Aligned with their philosophy at Forever Pampered, the Loftons promise

all-natural, fresh ingredients for all of their products.

Other sweet treats besides ice cream will be available, some of which won’t be revealed until opening day. The shop will have a simplistic soda bar feel, a mix between “Happy Days” and “Saved by the Bell,” according to Stewart. “It will be unique, yet simplistic. We’re holding on to that family historic downtown atmosphere that the location has always had.”

The anticipation of Forever Sweet Creamery’s opening has continued to excite Makenize as her dream gets closer to reality. Daily, people come off the boats from the riverfront to look for the shop and stop in at Forever Pampered to ask when they will open and what treats they will sell. Her enthusiasm continues to build as she watches customers approaching the store and reading the “Coming Spring 2022” sign adorning the door.

The Loftons are open to requests for their ever-developing downtown creamery such as kids’ birthday parties and other celebrations, ice cream by the pint or half-gallon, and reservation requests. The sky’s the limit, according to Stewart, and they plan to take things as they come, and to adapt and grow as their business grows.

“We are building a brand with Forever,” said Stewart.

“We attached that word to both because we want that experience to last forever. We envision this as a generational business, and are building off forever. It not a chain of stores, it’s an experience at each one.”

Find information about the Forever happenings at

@foreverpamperedpaducah on Instagram and Facebook.

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 17

★

by E LENA W RY E

The Art of the Story

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confidence for an interview—an interview that she then landed.

She hopes to pass on that same confidence to other women, whatever circumstances they face.

“I was about to do a job interview for a position that I was not the most qualified for, but I knew it was for me. I knew that I would

The Story of the Art.

UCKED INTO THE BRICK-PAVED STREET OF MARKET House Square lies Lepa Jewelry, a treasure trove of handcrafted jewelry creations made by owner Kimberly Story. Lepa Jewelry, whose name means “beautiful jewelry,” offers one-of-a kind earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings that bring together a classic appeal and modern bohemian aesthetic.

Lepa Jewelry, which originated in Huntsville, Alabama, found its second brick-and-mortar home in downtown Paducah in January 2022. Each piece— hand crafted from materials such as Argentium sterling silver, gold-filled and rose gold-filled wire, and other mixed metals—is created by Story with a certain woman and goal in mind.

“When I make jewelry, I’m generally thinking about busy women,” she notes. “I’m thinking about career women who just need a little something to make themselves feel more confident while achieving their goals.”

A career woman herself, Story spent 25 years in the financial industry before deciding to shift gears and set out on her own artistic path. Story vividly recalls a time when just the right pair of earrings gave her the perfect boost of

nail the job if I could just get the interview right,” she explains. “I was nervous because I had never done a panel interview before. I went and bought a suit, but it wasn’t until I put on the finishing touches—a bold pair of earrings

LOOK what we’ve got IN STORE for you!

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that made me feel really put together—that I thought ‘I got this.’ And I did! I nailed it. That’s the person that I think about when I’m making jewelry.”

After many years in her career, changes in her job left Story searching for her next chapter. An unplanned trip to the craft department proved to be serendipitous, and Story left with a pendant and the materials to make a matching chain. As it turned out, those necklace materials would be the token that would turn the page.

This token sat for a while, somehow making its way with Story through numerous life changes and moves across states, until one day it finally beckoned to her (ever a selfproclaimed workaholic) to sit down and take a moment to research the steps needed to make the pendant and chain into what it was meant to be. Numerous classes, tutorials, and pieces of jewelry later, Story knew that she had found her next chapter.

Story’s art has developed over

time, but unique, powerhouse pieces are still her niche. For Story, however, attention-grabbing pieces don’t necessarily have to be elaborate in design. Story’s pieces are minimalist in essence, but eye-catching in execution, offering a fun play between structure and fluidity, geometry and freeform, producing a style that’s both on-trend and timeless.

After spending the majority of her working years scaling the corporate latter, Story now enjoys the quiet moments of jewelry making. But it’s the in-person interactions in her shop that Story really treasures.

“It was the downtown area of Paducah that brought me here,” she explains. “My husband was moving for work, and I had just opened a shop in Huntsville and didn’t want to leave. Once I saw how beautiful, quaint, and open this city is, I was hooked. And I just love meeting the different people. They’re always happy and there’s always a story.

Paducah has been a wonderful place to watch my business grow.”

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★

HOME T

by E LENA W RY E

Is Where the Syle Is

HEY SAY THAT HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. AND for Kenn Gray and his downtown retail location, home is also where the inside matters.

That’s true for interior designing, but for Kenn, it’s also true for the people that he interacts with in his store.

“I love being downtown. Everybody knows that I’m a people person. I love meeting everybody. I love meeting all the new people that come in, all the people that get off the boat. I love it. I love introducing them to our glorious Paducah as I call it.”

Known for being a positive person, Kenn has an energy and positivity that he wants to share with everyone who comes through his door.

“I start the day smiling, and I end it exhausted with smiling,” he laughs.

“I love interacting with people in that positive way. So many people come into the shop and they’re happy when they leave. And that’s my goal,” Kenn says.

20 • PADUCAH LIFE 20 • PAD U CAH L I FE

And it’s hard not to leave HOME without smiling. Between the welcoming nature of Kenn and the home décor items that he has curated for one to browse amongst, it’s as if you’ve stepped off of Paducah’s Broadway and into a big-city boutique.

“I look at my shop as a wonderfully curated experience for people to experience. It’s not like something you’ll see around here, but it’s very accessible. I love buying, I love curating, so I put the things together that you normally wouldn’t see together,” Kenn adds.

Having been an interior designer for 35 years, Kenn has had experience styling all over the world and has even designed his own product line that is carried in HOME. Intrigue and style await you with each step that you take, as the items that have been selected for Kenn’s eclectic inventory are stylistically placed throughout the store. Be it staple home décor pieces, homewares, or gifts, Kenn has masterfully

made sure that there is something for everyone.

In addition to being a home décor, gift shop, and registry location, Kenn also serves as a full-service florist and wedding designer as well.

Kenn’s wedding services vary anywhere from simply creating the floral arrangements all the way to producing and coordinating the whole affair, which is what he aspires to. Taking his energy and his love for people, Kenn finds joy in being able to plan weddings for the couples that come to him. As he gets to know them, their personalities, and the vision they desire for their special day, it’s an artful opportunity for Kenn to combine

★

by E LENA W RY E & S TEPHANIE WATSON

PourRoom the

Disconnect with the World and Reconnect with your Olfactory Self

those factors to produce his clients’ dream wedding day and experience.

“It’s like a huge Christmas present to them. They kind of know what to expect, they kind of don’t, and then they’re just really surprised,” he concludes.

Be it a unique gift, just the right piece of home décor, a bouquet, or a wedding coordinator—you’ll find that HOME is where you’ll find it, and where the inside matters.

HOME is located at 216 Broadway.

A

T A WOOD TOP BAR UNDER SOFT LIGHTING, a group of friends in matching black aprons huddle close around a cluster of unmarked black bottles. They are laughing between concentrated pauses, making notations on small black clipboards after each sniff from “blind smell” bottles. Giggles ensue, eyes shift upward, and more notes are made.

Down the bar, a few women are pouring wax around floating wicks, and against the back wall, a couple in the same aprons whisper as they study and smell some of the 60 plus candles sitting beneath vintage glass domes. A green Chesterfield sofa holds another group waiting to pick up their work while downtempo music plays in the background.

An evening at the The Pour Room can be a lot of things: a relaxing escape, a cozy date night, or a chance to learn something new while

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the Pour Room connecting with friends. But, according to owner Terra Bass, one thing that will certainly be included is an experience that goes far beyond its end product.

“The Pour Room is much more than a candle shop,” she states. “Smell is one of our strongest senses—it can alter emotions, surface memories, and even change perceptions. The Pour Room is a place to disconnect with the world and reconnect with yourself and your friends in a calming, uplifting way. You just happen to get a candle out of the deal.”

The Pour Room celebrates its one-year-anniversary this April, and although “that candle place” has been met with immense popularity, it took long hours and a leap of faith to get this small business off the ground.

“My husband thought I was crazy,” Terra laughs.

“I wanted to start a candle making shop in the middle of a pandemic when people were masking and literally couldn’t smell at times due to the virus, but I knew we could do this, and I knew Paducahans would love it. We put in the hard work—I mean, we even have a little blow-up mattress where we’ve slept after working late into the night--but it’s taken off!

I’ve finally found my niche and getting to live my dream.”

Terra’s love affair with scents started at an early age when she would play in her grandmother’s perfume, but her real intrigue with fragrances, combined with her heart for hospitality, started at her former job where she served as Director of First Impressions. This position not only focused on the customers and the interaction that they received, but also the office itself—making it sure it both looked and smelled a certain way. Terra’s passion for scents grew from there.

“Customers would come in and comment on the smell of the office,” she explains. “It started with

22 • PADUCAH LIFE 22 • PAD U CAH L I FE

candles I purchased at stores around town, but then I decided to try making a signature scent for the business. There’s a science behind scent-making that is really interesting. When I started learning about that and the candle making process, I was hooked.”

That newfound passion turned into The Pour Room, and Terra’s penchant for hospitality helped her along the way. “Scents are memories, scents are places, scents are people, scents are moods,” she states. “I see maybe about 60 people a week and when they come in here, they’re not on their phones.

They’re not checking social media, emails, or text messages. They’re seriously just enjoying intentional time with people that they bring here. Which was my whole goal: to have a place where people can enjoy themselves without distractions and feel like they’re appreciated and taken care of.”

Curating an experience that would fit well with other downtown and Lowertown offerings was also a priority for Terra’s shop. Located just off Broadway on the 300 block of downtown has provided The Pour Room with a family of other businesses that are rooting for each other and creating a vibrant mix of entertainment, food, and beverage options a little further from the expected boundaries of the river wall and Market House Square.

“The businesses here look out for each other, take care of each other, and support each other’s success. We want to see our neighbors win and bring in business because that adds to the downtown experience which helps us all,” Terra explains. “I wouldn’t have my business anywhere else.”

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★

by S TEPHANIE WATSON

No Filter Required

Shalonda Mitchell Brings Insta-worthy Fashions and a New Entertainment Experience to Paducah’s Diverse Downtown Shopping

T

HIS PAST NOVEMBER, SELF-E BEAUTIQUE ADDED ONE MORE layer to the eclectic group of offerings that can be found on the popular 100 block of Broadway in downtown Paducah.

Self-E Beautique celebrates clothing that makes a statement, bringing customers one-of-a-kind pieces with a shopping experience that they are sure to remember.

“My passion is both the clothes and the experience,” says owner Shalonda Mitchell. “I love it when I can help a customer have fun finding an outfit that makes her feel good herself and excited about being seen.”

Celebrating these moments of selfhood inspired Self-E Beautique’s name, and much of Mitchell’s clothing, shoes, and accessories are composed of unexpected pieces that are fresh, fun, and most definitely meant to be seen. Displays headline kitschy jeweled headbands and bedazzled basketball and football shaped purses beside corseted body suits with puff sleeves.

But your style certainly doesn’t have to be bold to find something here. From simple oversized cardigans and high-waist jeans (which Mitchell swears will change your life) to surprising track suits with shoulder cutouts and show-stopping event wear, it’s hard to imagine a woman who wouldn’t find something in the store that makes her smile.

“I don’t just buy what I would wear. I have a variety of customers in mind when choosing which fashions to bring into the store. I want there to be a little something for everyone,” Mitchell states.

While Mitchell does love providing clothing for all ages, sizes, and tastes, it is easy to see when speaking with her that she has a soft spot for the younger crowd. Mitchell, who loves downtown, wants to provide young people with a fun place to shop and a location that will expose them to the variety of stores and experiences downtown has to offer.

“There is so much to do downtown, but the younger crowd doesn’t always see this as a place they belong. I’m hoping my store will get them down here so they can start to see that there is plenty for them in the historic heartbeat of our town,” she says.

Keeping the younger crowd in mind also inspires Mitchell to provide competitive prices. She grins when she talks about her teenage shoppers, explaining, “I started noticing that I had several teenage customers who would come in at regular intervals--just about every two weeks. After a while I realized they were waiting until payday to come in and treat themselves to something fun!

I love being the place that a young woman would want to save up for and come back to time and time again.”

And the experience of Mitchell’s store is about to get even more fun. This month, Self-E Beautique will extend its offerings with the opening of a selfie museum. Located in the back of her building, people can pay a moderate fee to take selfies with themed sets like candy land, royal thrones, and a super star vanity.

Mitchell hopes her museum can provide a fun event for old and young alike to have a laugh and strike a pose while exploring the variety of experiences downtown has to offer.

24 • PADUCAH LIFE

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 • 25

★

by D USTIN W ILCOX

T

Come for the Piercing.

Stay For The Selection.

WO YEARS AGO, PADUCAH NATIVE AUSTIN MOORE aimed to start a business in downtown Paducah like his mother and grandfather before him—so he did just that.

Spire Fine Jewelry and Piercing, Paducah’s first and only dedicated piercing studio, opened its Broadway Street doors in May, 2020. This neatly coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps the most tumultuous time to open a business in recent memory.

“It really wasn’t that bad,” Austin said. “It was an additional shock, signing the lease in March and getting shut down 17 days later.”

At age 21, Austin kickstarted the first 11 years of his piercing career at a tattoo shop in Paducah, getting his first piercing for himself a couple of years later. After that, he worked at a piercing-only studio in Nashville before launching Spire at age 33.

“We steered Spire in that direction to get away from the tattoos,” he explained. “There’s nothing that’s wrong with that side, but we wanted to do a different type of thing with more jewelry retail.”

Austin takes care of regular clients alongside one other piercer. With about 70% of business coming from nose piercings, Austin said the most common reason people seek his services is to express themselves. “Some people just love jewelry,” he explained.

Raising his two young daughters guided his decision to stay in his hometown. To some degree, he’s also following in the footsteps of his mother who opened the Flamingo Row restaurant and his grandfather who opened the Image Graphics printing company years ago.

“It just felt like it was meant to be,” Austin said.

Spire offers a variety of piercings, including ears and noses.

Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are accepted when possible.

“We want to stay small and have a very curated selection of jewelry,” he added. “As long as the clients are still there, we’re definitely going to be here.”

26 • PADUCAH LIFE

★

by E LENA W RY E

A Global Approach to Health and Healing Chanin Rodriguez Utilizes MultiDisciplinary Techniques at Von Thera

W

HEN CHANIN RODRIGUEZ TALKS about her therapeutic body work, it quickly becomes apparent that her approach to massage therapy is not an average one. “We have something for everyone because everyone’s needs are different,” she explains. “From more traditional Swedish-style massages that tackle injuries and structural issues to aesthetician services, adult and pediatric craniosacral therapy, and even ayurvedic wellness counseling, we offer treatments that meet the client’s individual needs at that time.”

Rodriguez, who has spent 24 years bringing health and healing to clients, is well-traveled and well-versed in her craft, combining therapies rooted in cultures across the globe. “I’ve traveled all over the world learning and honing my craft,” she

*

VonThera explains, “so my technique is different for everyone because everyone needs something different. And I really enjoy my clients—I enjoy seeing their progress, and I enjoy seeing them getting better.”

While many of Rodriguez’s treatments start with a client asking for help with an injury or medical issue, they don’t always stop there. Having studied the interconnectedness of the energetic and physical components of the body, Rodriguez and her team at VonThera are able to mix a variety of treatment modalities for deeper healing and relaxation.

Craniosacral therapy, for example, treats patients beyond the bounds of the musculoskeletal systems.

Amanda Meyer, a massage therapist at VonThera, explains that it “brings the body back to a place where it can self-heal and self-correct. Craniosacral Therapy is the modality that people go to when the others have failed. If you have chronic issues with stress, tension, anxiety, and have found little relief, CST could be a good fit for you.”

One of Meyer’s regular clients, she notes, seemed to have all the right indicators for health in place: a clean diet, regular exercise, and close-knit family and friends. Despite this, she suffered from chronic issues including TMJ Disorder, leaky gut syndrome, migraines, ongoing pain from several accidents, and frequent bouts of anxiety and depression.

“For her,” Meyer states, “the craniosacral sessions

28 • PADUCAH LIFE

help settle her central nervous system allowing her body time to heal and recover. After her sessions, she can finally let go of the tension she has been holding on to.”

Rodriguez is also quick to remind clients that massages don’t have to be reserved only for things such as injuries and specific medical issues, however. “It’s so amazing how massage and body work really helps with your mobility and skin; it’s good for circulation, it helps lower your blood pressure, reduce your stress, you’ll sleep better. There are so many positive things,” she explains. “It’s just such a great way to love yourself, take care of yourself, and extend your healthcare.

Even if it’s just 30 minutes—just taking that time to decompress, shut things off, just focus on yourself is good, it’s not selfish. Because we have to do that.

We can’t help others if we don’t help ourselves.”

Looking back at the years she’s spent in as a massage therapist, Rodriguez notes fondly the enjoyment she’s found being able to help others in this way and see them grow, recover, or restore.

Rodriguez first opened her business in Würzburg, Germany in 2004 under the name Jade and Earth.

In 2007, she transitioned it and its contents from Germany to Paducah. Rodriguez sold Jade and Earth in 2013 and worked privately until 2017 when she opened VonThera. VonThera moved downtown last year, and its new location can be found on the second floor of the 207 building which also houses Selcouth boutique and Prink Hair Salon.

When thinking of her customers, Chanin wants them to experience a true getaway and relaxation in the charming space that plays host to VonThera.

“Our style and our approach is very unique,” she notes. “We have the full experience—our surroundings are beautiful, our treatment is very thorough, and our work is geared toward the individual’s needs.

So, each time our customers book a session with us, we want them to have a great experience.”

“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” —Colin Powell

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30 • PAD U CAH L I FE

It’s More About the Journey than the Destination

M ★

by D USTIN W ILCOX

MICHAEL ROSS IS BUSY. A trained chemical engineer, he’s spent the past 26 years working in various roles for Evonik Corporation in Calvert City, KY, a manufacturer of catalysts. But believe it or not, that’s not even the half of it.

You see, Michael keeps every bit as busy bettering his own abilities in triathlons as he does heading up a happening business for his employer. This is a man who reaches for the stars—and then some—in seemingly all aspects of his life.

Michael completed his first triathlon as a high schooler in 1987 alongside his friend Barry Knight, an accomplished triathlete and later a Paducah firefighter.

Michael knocked out a few more triathlons when he was younger before eventually veering back to the scene for good.

“For the past 15 or 16 years, I’ve been involved in it pretty heavily, doing most of the different distances,” he said. “I’d say it

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 31

MICHAELROSS doubles as my social life. I do a lot of training, but a lot of times it’s with friends, so it’s a nice, fun activity for me.”

Michael has a running background, including the Boston and New York City marathons.

Although he acknowledged triathlons aren’t for everyone, his continued dedication to that particular craft is motivated by the satisfaction of being fit, active, and healthy.

“The thing I like about triathlons, especially long-distance triathlons, is how I can improve,” he explained. “I turned 50 last year, and I’m performing better than I ever have in my life.”

But a good race is not just about his health.

“There’s so many things that can go wrong, and there’s so many things that you have to get right,” he continued. “For me, it’s like a really complex puzzle that I have to figure out.”

Regardless, if the hours he spent training in 2020 are any indication, practice still plays a pivotal part in his perfection.

“I’ve spent many weeks and sometimes even months injured where I can’t run,” he added. “If you can’t run, then you can bike and swim. And if you can’t swim because you have a shoulder problem, you can run and bike.”

Before the pandemic, Michael would participate in about six or seven triathlons per year and does as many as he can even now. Apart from one international competition in Germany, Michael prefers to tackle the continental United States due to the simpler logistics involved.

32 • PADUCAH LIFE

“I don’t want to bother with having to do a race while I’m on vacation,” he said.

“For me, it’s nicer to go to races I can drive to and focus on the race itself. You can throw the bike in the car and just go.”

That said, Michael eagerly made the flight to the 2017 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii after striving to qualify for many years. Winning second place in his age group in the St. George, Utah Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2021 was another standout achievement.

“I had come a long way from being not that competitive in my age group,” he said. “Qualifying for Hawaii is very difficult and very competitive. Everybody wants to go to Hawaii.”

In fact, the above quote more or less sums up much of Michael’s mentality: the perpetual pursuit of progress. He tirelessly toils away at these triathlons with the unwavering intention of becoming the best version of himself he can possibly be.

And who could forget his ongoing career? Juggling countless commitments may not be easy, but the end result is always worthwhile in his eyes.

“Since COVID, I’ve been working from home,” he said. “But I used to travel a lot, and I will again once COVID restrictions start to lighten up a bit.”

Naturally, Michael is already planning his next moves—venturing to St. George again for the ironman and half ironman world championships later this year.

Regardless of motivation, it seems triathlons are more about the journey than the destination.

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Take a

The men of the Phillips family include Bryce, Chris, Caleb, and Grant.

Taking it to the Limit Dr. Chris Phillips is a “Physical” Physician Who Takes His Lungs and Limbs to Their Conceivable Limits

R

★

by D USTIN W ILCOX

HEUMATOLOGIST CHRIS PHILIPS IS DEEPLY familiar with joints, muscles, and anatomical specimen. More specifically, he knows how to treat them when they misbehave.

So perhaps it should come as no surprise that this fairly unassuming man of medicine would stretch his own lungs and limbs to their conceivable limits.

How so, you ask? Quite simply, Chris regularly puts himself through some of the most grueling physical endeavors known to humankind—the fabled triathlons — where he runs, bikes, and swims his healthy heart out purely because he can.

Triathlons come in 16-mile Sprint, 32-mile Olympic, 70.3-mile Half Ironman

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t t

Parade of Nations at Olympic Distance Worlds in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Chris is far right.

Miami Man Half Ironman 2017.

and 140.6-mile Ironman varieties, and the swimming portion typically takes place in a lake, river, or ocean.

Chris most often competes in Half Ironman distances.

The 42-year-old physician has long enjoyed running, biking, and some swimming. Adding fuel to the fire was the hearty helping of competitive spirt brewing within him. After bouncing the idea off a close friend—fellow triathlon competitor Michael Ross—Chris bit the triathlon bullet in 2015.

Now, he competes in three to four competitions a year.

“It’s a steep learning curve,” Chris said. “If you’re not used to swimming in a competition, it can be a little bit intimidating getting comfortable in the water, swimming with people around you and knowing how to breath and all that. It took a few years, but it’s been fun.”

34 • PADUCAH LIFE

Some notches on his belt include the 2016 Half Ironman World Championship in Australia and the 2017 Olympic Distance World Championship in the Netherlands. He tackled the 2019 Olympic Distance and Ironman 70.3 World Championships on back-to-back weekends in France and Switzerland, respectively.

“For me, it is a good release from work, which is pretty stressful,” he said. “It’s fun to push the body and try to hold back the clock from aging as much as possible.

You usually don’t get too much faster as you get older, but you try not to get any slower. Most triathletes are very type-A people, and I think I would count myself in that category.”

Last year, Chris knocked out four half Ironman competitions—the world championship in St. George, Utah, among them—despite taking a couple of trips to the medical tent for overheating after races. He’s currently training for the Boston Marathon and has plans to compete in several other triathlons later this year.

“It’s very technical as far as all the different components to get it right,” he added. “It’s often the case that you don’t get it all right, and you mess up this part or that, but there’s a lot of focus on the nutrition and the transitions between the portions.”

Above and beyond the multitude of health benefits, this full-on physical physician is most appreciative of the memories he’s made with his wife and three boys while traveling domestically and abroad for competitions. He’s met some close friends, too.

“Part of the reason I’ve done some of these farther away events, honestly, is to take them and expose them to different parts of the world,” he said.

One of his boys in particular is athletically inclined—while the other two gravitate

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more toward the arts—but all three of them have come to enjoy mountain biking and water sports with their dad throughout the past year.

This is one of the many reasons Chris keeps at his craft.

As an all-around family man, Chris laughs as he relates that his boys are less enamored by his physical feats than he is, since the regularity at which he performs said feats has become merely a fact of life to them. Even so, he describes his family as his support crew.

“It’s been awesome having them at these events when their schedule allows,” Chris said.

Chris is always training for whatever may be the next event on the calendar—while expertly balancing work and family, of course. Perhaps another batch of fond memories is awaiting him just around the next run, bike, or swim.

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APRIL/MAY 2022 • 35

It Takes a

VILLAGE From a “rusty fork and a food stamp,” Shonda Hollowell-Burrus has found that the most life-giving fare comes from simple seeds planted all along the way

H by Stephanie Watson

W

HEN SHONDA HOLLOWELL-BURRUS returned to Paducah in 2019, it had been 25 years since she called the city home. “When I walked back into Tilghman for the interview, I was trying to keep it together,” she explains. “All the memories came flooding back.”

Shonda was interviewing to be Dean of Students at Paducah Tilghman High School, a complex position that includes variations of counseling, discipline, staff leadership, and student advocacy. This was a job that would bring her life’s work and life story full circle.

Shonda, who describes her upbringing as “far from a silver spoon and luxury living” and more comparable to a “rusty fork and a food stamp,” primarily spent her formative years in the subsidized housing community of Elmwood Court.“I have some of the greatest memories and some of the best friends from there,” Shonda notes.“We didn’t know we were poor. We were just kids having fun.

What we didn’t have in finances, we made up for in the richness of our village. We took care of each other.”

This community taught Shonda to be humble,

respectful, and to work hard. When she became pregnant during high school, it was also this community, along with her aunt, stepmom, and dad, that stepped up and helped her to complete a hugely successful high school career at Paducah Tilghman (PTHS). As a senior, her accolades included homecoming queen, Outstanding Physical Education Student of the Year, Senior Superlative “Most Athletic,” Student Council representative, and basketball, cologuard, and softball team captains. She also maintained a job at Chuck-E-Cheese while raising her two-year-old son, Michael.

After graduation, Shonda moved to California, where she lived, raised kids, and built her career in education. While there, she obtained degrees in child development, human development education, and school counseling. Like most things she’s done, she excelled at each step of this journey.

Awards and accolades for her work abound, and in 2017 she was even awarded California State Educator of the Year for her work in counseling at the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, located about midway between Los Angeles and San Diego.

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 37

S

HONDA HOLLOWELL-BURRUS Despite the success Shonda found over the years in California--and the milder weather--she felt it was time to come home and serve the students she so deeply understands. “I didn’t always have the social skills I needed, but there were people—particularly teachers at PTHS—who didn’t see the pregnant girl from Elmwood Court. They saw the potential of who I could be. That’s what I want to give back,” she explains.

Giving back is exactly what she’s doing. Last

year, districts across the state added administrative positions whose goal would be to tackle issues of equity and inclusion in the schools. Paducah Public Schools joined that group, adding the position of chief equity officer. After two years as dean of students, Shonda found herself at the interview table once again.

She was a perfect fit.

Shonda’s work involves making sure all students, even the ones with “humble beginning,” have an equitable chance to succeed in life. “If you go off of the four-page job description,” she laughs, “you will see that the job was created with the intention of auditing equity, diversity, and inclusion in our district so that we can allow all students to achieve. Despite good intentions, our practices haven’t always served us well. We’re working to do better.”

The creation of this position is one step the district has taken in response to the results of an equity audit performed last year by Dr. Greg Vincent and Dr. Sarah

“Kids who look like me, who grew up like me, I don’t want them to wait until they’re 50 like me to see beyond their neighborhood. I want them to know what they can become regardless of where they live and their socio-economic status.”

SHONDA HOLLOWELL-BURRUS

LaCour of the Education and Civil Rights Initiative of the University of Kentucky. The audit examined several aspects of equity within administration and individual schools, including discipline, course enrollment, and achievement data.

Among its many insights, the audit found issues of academic opportunity and access, specifically regarding minority representation in advanced courses, equal access to gifted and talented programs at the elementary level, and under-identification of students with special

needs. It also found racial disparities in discipline, and an overall lack of trust regarding transparent communication among students, families, and community members.

Shonda’s current work is informed by this audit, but, on most days, she finds herself out of her office and into the places where she really learns the most: the classrooms and hallways of Paducah Public Schools. She’s talking to students and staff at all levels about the audit’s findings, and she’s using their reflections on this data to further inform her work.

“I’m asking, ‘How do you feel, do you agree or disagree with the results? What do you see in your space regarding these findings?’ It’s not always an easy topic, but let’s talk! Let’s have that discussion so we can move forward for the good of our students,” she says.

The district has also formed two new advisory councils to partner with Shonda moving forward. The Paducah Public Schools Equity Advisory Council includes 37 staff members ranging from bus drivers to teachers, principals, and cabinet members who are examining audit results to plan professional development and district initiatives for next year.

The second advisory council, The Student Equity Advisory Council (SEAC), is composed of 16 high school students from Paducah Tilghman. These student leaders come from a wide array of backgrounds and will collaborate on ways to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Recently, this group of students participated in reparative justice conversations with students from McCracken County Schools. The two Student Equity Advisory councils are working together to break boundaries and create unity where there once was division.“If you could have been in that room hearing these kids talk,” Shonda explains, “you would have been floored. The mature way in which they are talking openly and constructively about issues adults even struggle to tackle is mind blowing. We have so much to be proud of.”

According to Shonda, this type of collaboration is paramount to finding growth.“This isn’t an isolated job or journey,” she states. “We all play a role in doing better and being better. The district’s mission statement is to know each child by name and need. This work is the next step in living up to that mission.”

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT Shonda Hollowell-Burrus has spent a lifetime mentoring and molding young lives both inside and outside of the schoolhouse. She’s also the kind of person who just doesn’t see the beginning and end of her 9-5 as the real parameters of her work. “When the work you do is the work you most believe in, the rest just falls into place,” she explains.

Because of her passion for mentorship, sixteen years ago Shonda started a nonprofit in California called The Black Coal and Roses Society. This “society” provided a place of belonging for young women to learn what it means to be a person of self-worth and strong character while facing the challenges life might bring. Two years ago, she brought this nonprofit to Paducah.

“In growing up where I grew up, with life being what it was, there were so many things I didn’t know,” she explains.

“I was a teen mom at age 15. Navigating being a child while raising a child was not easy. I wanted to be able to provide opportunities and resources and a stable place for young girls to ask every question I wish I could have asked as a young woman growing up.”

The Black Coal and Roses Society, which meets at Washington Street Baptist Church and serves young ladies throughout the county, is both a place of belonging and a place to learn. “We promote sisterhood and service through academic excellence, community service, cultural development, and the fostering of positive peer to peer relationships,” Shonda notes.

The symbolism of coal that is refined over time and eventually emerges as a precious stone is an inspiring one for the young women in this group. Along with building a sense of community, the group is learning about everything from self-esteem to career planning, personal hygiene, mental health, and dealing with stress. “There is no question they can’t ask and no topic we can’t discuss,” says Shonda.

Along with her work as the Chief Equity Officer, running her nonprofit, and serving as a minister of The Washington Street Baptist Church, Shonda leads the African American Leadership Club (AALC) for Paducah Tilghman.

Under her leadership, the group has grown to 63 members and has created a culture of excellence and leadership for Black students.

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 39

I

T TAKES A VILLAGE

Shonda looks back at the neighborhood where she grew up. RIGHT: Shonda and her son, Michael.

Students in the group regularly plan and lead the meetings, tackling topics they face every day such as toxic masculinity, mental health, and peer pressure. “The leaders in these rooms are alright.

Our kids are resilient, smart, empathetic to one another,” she notes with a smile. “When I watch these kids work, I know our kids are going to be just fine.”

She is also helping these students connect to the larger world.

“When I came home after 25 years, there were so many places in Paducah I had never been,” she explains.

“That gives me a charge as the AALC advisor to expose our students to so much more than their current surroundings. I now live 10-15 minutes from where I grew up, and I had never been to this neighborhood until I moved back! Kids who look like me, who grew up like me, I don’t want them to wait until they’re 50 like me to see beyond their neighborhood. I want them to know what they can become regardless of where they live and their socio-economic status.”

Shonda is also leaning on other leaders in the community when it comes to meeting this charge. Women of Wisdom and Men of Standard presentations bring in influential African American women and men from the community to mentor students and share their own stories. The group also recently hosted its second annual Black History Celebration this year, a powerful performance which engaged the entire community in sharing the rich history of African Americans contributions and culture.

How does she do it all? “I just don’t think about it,” Shonda says. “If I think about it, I’ll get tired, so I just DO.”

40 • PAD U CAH L I FE

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of the Past

T

Thrift Shopping Saves Money, Lowers Over-Consumption, Prevents Waste, and Provides Fun!

HRIFT SHOPPING HAS EXPLODED, BECOMING ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRENDS on the shopping scene. Buying things second-hand has completely reinvented the way we shop, and why wouldn’t it? Thrifting saves money, lowers over-consumption, prevents waste, provides us with sustainable goods, and, well, it’s fun!

“People are discovering the beauty in older things,” says Dee Hanes. Dee and her husband, Ed, have owned the Twin Lakes Antique Mall in Gilbertsville for 24 years and have been collecting antiques themselves for even longer. “Things were made with quality back then that you just can’t find in stores that sell brand new things. Collecting pieces with a past life is way more fun,” she says.

“It started with collecting and restoring old automobiles,” Dee

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 45

Thrifting explains, “and then before I knew it, I was collecting glassware and all sorts of pottery. I fell in love with finding items with history.”

Similar to Twin Lakes, Benton Market Place sells furniture, clothes, old books, movies, and records, and even vintage holiday décor. Most of the products are decades old, just waiting to bring character and charm into the life of someone new.

In Paducah, the thrifting discovery takes on a host of different venues and a whole variety of genres from vintage jewelry to classic antiques to furs and frills.

The Paducah Antique Mall and Courtyard Antiques in downtown Paducah have some rare items just waiting to be discovered. Most, if not all, are from different time periods with a colorful past life. From original records for the music lovers to vintage comic book collections for the children-at-heart, these antique malls offer multitudes of fantastic finds.

While browsing these stores myself, I came across an endless amount of 40- to 60-year old cameras that any photography lover would die for. Deep on the shelves you’ll also find Paducah newspapers from WWII that are just waiting to be framed, cookbooks to be shelved, or stylish vintage apparel. I even found multiple editions of famous books from long ago.

Victoria Davis has been a devout thrifter since she was in middle school. “It started out as something I did with my mom to find school clothes, but through college I realized it was an affordable hobby I could enjoy with my friends,” Victoria explains. “Thrifting is always a unique experience, whether I’m looking for specific items or just for fun. I love finding home décor items that have some added character.”

Victoria also explains how she can get three bags of secondhand clothes for the same price as only three new sweaters in a regular retail store. She adheres to donating her own clothes, adding them into the reuse-recycle rotation. “Purchasing thrifted outfits helps me do my part in keeping the environment free of waste,” she says.

In a world that is constantly feeding shoppers fast fashion, thrifting offers people an escape. New fashion trends are sold to consumers, and in just a few weeks, those trends are out of style. Consumption rates are sky-rocketing faster for clothes than ever before, but when those clothes fall out of trend, we purge them from our closets to buy more. And what do all those unwanted clothes add to? Waste. According to Discover Magazine, thrift stores and recycling our clothes remains a solid part

46 • PADUCAH LIFE

of the solution to the global trash problem. Thrifting helps divert more than 700 million pounds of used goods from landfills each year. Shopping and helping the environment at the same time?

Sounds like a win-win.

Other Paducah stores such as Second Time Around, Between Friends, and Plato’s Closet all sell a wide variety of secondhand clothes to help savvy shoppers save money AND save the environment. Do you have clothes you no longer wear?

Donate them to Goodwill. Plato’s Closet will even pay you for donating clothes that are in really good condition. Fewer people are shying away from the words “previously owned” because the price tags are hard to beat. It’s also not unusual to find something that still has the original tag on it.

These stores make your shopping experience adventurous because you never know what you will find down each aisle. At the same time, each of these stores give you a stress-free experience as well. All the clothes are organized by size, seasons, and sometimes even by color. Every type of item, such as clothes, bags, books, shoes,

and home décor, has its own section.

Therefore, even when you’re in the middle of your thrifting hunt, you never feel overwhelmed.

“I have so many collections just from thrifting,” says Lizzie Shelton, who has been a lover of thrifting for many years. Her favorite things to search for are vintage cabbage dishes, jars, bowls, needlepoint

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artwork, decorative plates, Staffordshire dogs, and vintage Dooney and Burke purses.“Thrifting with my mother has given me some of my favorite memories that I will cherish forever. Whenever we have been on the hunt for something for a long time, it is the best feeling to finally find it,” Shelton explains.

Thrifting gives your home its own individual touch and gives your closet a unique style. On the other hand, when you purchase an item in a retail store, chances are you’ll see a duplicate in multiple other homes or the exact outfit on several other people. Thrifting gives everyone the chance to fill their home and closets with pieces that feel true and special to them.

Lizzie adds with confidence, “I will choose to thrift over purchasing new almost always.”

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 47

Gaming Goes Pro in Paducah eSports gaming is taking hold in western Kentucky and promoting a new wave of tech opportunities for young players H

by Dustin Wilcox

J

OHN TRUITT WASN’T ALWAYS A video game guy. Sure, he played Atari and Nintendo growing up in the ‘80s, but his interests have shifted since then. That’s why he didn’t initially understand his son Duncan’s intense dedication to the medium.

The way John describes it, Duncan was poised for a promising career in esports, which he passed up to pursue a degree in computer science. Seeing the potential for success in this sector lit up a proverbial lightbulb in John’s head.

“It was kind of a wakeup call for me that video games and esports weren’t just a pastime that kids spent too much time playing,” John said.

For the uninitiated among us, esports is organized competition in multiplayer video games. The scene has recently exploded to encompass professional play for substantial cash prizes, sponsored by major brands, and broadcasted via such channels as ESPN. In fact, video games are a larger industry than movies and North American sports combined, according to MarketWatch and Statista. The COVID-19 pandemic boosted global gaming revenue to an estimated $179.7 billion and esports viewership to 435.9 million in 2020.

“There’s a cultural trend where video games and especially competitive video games are supplanting traditional sports,” John said. “That doesn’t mean that traditional sports are going to go away, but it does mean that they have a big new competitor. Amongst the younger demographics, it’s wildly more popular.”

John noted that the esports phenomenon has already taken off in Asia. To his point, research firm Niko Partners reported that esports revenue in Asia account for more than half of the $1 billion in global esports revenue in 2020.

From his perspective, esports provide many of the same benefits of traditional sports — such as practice, teamwork, and goal-setting — to those who may not be athletically inclined. In this way, esports could be seen as a productive use of video games.

“As a parent, I can have an attitude of, ‘Oh, those video games, kids play those video games too much,’” John said.

“Or I can have an attitude of, ‘Okay, this is the trend. How do we take advantage of this trend to help young people to be successful in life?”

A P R I L/M AY 2022 • 49

CONTENDING WITH PADUCAH As you might expect, this national attention has brought forth plenty of private investment, even locally. Contender eSports is one such company slated to bring its own breed of esports lounges to Paducah and Cape Girardeau this summer.

John’s interest in the Contender franchise was spurred by observing the esports program at Murray State University. Discussing esports with Cape Girardeau colleagues and community members proved to him the idea was worth pursuing.

“I began to think of it as a means for retaining young people in the community,” he said.

At the same time, Codefi co-founder James Stapleton had been bouncing around similar ideas, going so far as to gather a group of investors behind the project. They soon decided to serve Paducah and other “micropolitan” cities beyond Cape Girardeau.

The Contender franchise offers three tiers of monthly memberships to utilize its suite of high-end equipment in addition to an hourly rate. The $10 level nets players five free hours of play and a discounted rate thereafter; the $90 level nets eight day passes per month; and the $225 level nets completely unlimited play.

Visitors can purchase playtime starting at $10 an hour, and groups can book party rooms at varying prices. However, John said memberships will prove most cost-effective for frequent patrons.

Why visit a public facility to play home video games, you may ask? Well, Contender aims to provide players with a consistent pipeline of face-to-face competition, something that’s less than attainable via the internet.

“In a nutshell, it’s a ready-made LAN party,” John said. “I liken it to the difference between online church versus in-person church. Generally speaking, people don’t want an online church. It’s better than nothing, but they’d rather be in the same building together.”

He said stores build a community of

50 • PAD U CAH L I FE

gamers by organizing tournaments several times a month in which teams can compete both in-store and franchise-wide.

Winning teams could be sponsored to progress to national competitions for professional play.

This comes as Paducah Tilghman and McCracken County High Schools have launched their own esports programs.

As such, Contender hopes to partner with schools in everything from media production to coding.

“It’s our intention to utilize the center and the attraction of playing video games to help young people to have opportunities on a tech track, especially kids who might not otherwise have those kinds of opportunities,” he added.

A NEW ESPORT IS BORN AT PADUCAH TILGHMAN HIGH SCHOOL Unlike John Truitt, Paducah Tilghman social studies teacher Stephen Rich remained an avid enjoyer of video games into adulthood, even before a student approached him to help start an esports program.

Stephen then spoke with the school’s principal and athletic director, who suggested he write a proposal to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) so the Tilghman program could compete with others across the state.

“I think what really made the administration interested is that a whole other group of people who don’t traditionally play other sports have an outlet now,” Rich said. “It’s bringing a whole group of kids into some extracurriculars who maybe wouldn’t have otherwise.”

KHSAA approval came in July 2021. Now, Stephen coaches 16 students in “Rocket League,”“League of Legends” and “Super Smash Bros.” after school. He said he knew about esports going into this, but he’s learning more every day.

“These guys play these games a lot better than I ever will,” he said. “Especially a game like ‘League of Legends,’ which has so many intricacies to it. It’s amazing the level of strategy these players put to it.”

Like any athletic sport, esports program members are required to receive physical examinations and maintain certain grades to hold their spots on the roster.

“A lot of times, the reason some of my students may not be eligible to play on the team is because they play too many

GAMING IN PADUCAH video games,” Stephen said.

High school esports programs such as Tilghman’s can feed into higher education. Stephen said a tournament that Murray State hosted in March likely allowed the university to scope out up-and-coming talent for its own burgeoning program.

The private sector is also taking note, exemplified by a potential partnership in the works between Contender Esports and Paducah Tilghman to allow students to utilize the company’s forthcoming facilities.

Currently, Tilghman players must compete from home on their own computers and internet connection to avoid hiccups, so Stephen thinks having access to top-of-the-line equipment could make a difference.

“One day, we were playing our last match of Tilghman esports teammates include from left Chandler Christ, ‘League of Legends’ before Joseph Reeves, coach Stephen Rich, and Gage Gottman. the playoffs, and they swapped out the router here at the school right in the middle of the match,” he said.“We didn’t get back on for five minutes, and the other team didn’t agree to a replay.”

Nearing the end of its first year, Stephen hopes to carry the program to new heights next year by setting better expectations.

“What I do is ask them questions to help them about, ‘What could I do better?’ or ‘Where did we go wrong?’ or whatever the case may be,” he said.

“My growth area is to learn how the games work.”

GAGING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEAM ESPORTS Last school year, then-junior Gage Gottman got the idea to start an esports team at Paducah Tilghman — so he did just that.

Gage has enjoyed video games for much of his life, a spark that was first lit when playing his Xbox in middle school. By eighth grade, he had built his own computer.

But it was the COVID-19 pandemic that primarily inspired him to bring esports to campus. At that time, his main point of contact with his friends was online multiplayer video games, something he believed could blossom into an in-person community.

“You’d go home and you practice for this sport regardless if you’re on the team or not,” Gage said.“So if we could put that energy into a constructive environment, then we have the potential for some players to really succeed.”

And his father was immediately supportive.

52 • PAD U CAH L I FE

“He was like, ‘Absolutely go for it,’” Gage said. “’If you see a passion and you have the background for it, why not just shoot for it?’”

Now captain of the “Rocket League” team, Gage and two other captains aim to position the esports program for success. He said playing in close proximity to like-minded people is a routinely rewarding experience.

“If you’re sitting at home online, you’re playing against people across the nation, but we’ve played against our school rivals in online video games,” Gage said, referring to Marshall County and “prestigious” Louisville schools. “We like to put them in their place.”

“Rocket League” in particular captures Gage’s attention for its fast-paced gameplay and spectator-friendly viewability. The comradely team chemistry that burst from these intense matches is similarly appealing to him.

This extends to academics in that players band together to help each other with homework when they notice some are struggling.

“This is our first year in the sport, but I really think we have a big legacy that we can create,” Gage said. “Especially with Murray being a local school, we can probably get some players and scholarships.”

On that note, Gage is only a couple months from graduating.

He’s currently deciding between attending the University of Colorado Boulder, Purdue University, or the University of Kentucky for college with plans to major in biochemistry.

“We’re hoping to build some connections so that, when we age out, we can get some really good new players back in next year and the coming years,” he said.

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CELEBRATING OUR 7-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Join us May 12-14 and help us celebrate seven years of Troutt Old Time General Store. Thank YOU for being such loyal customers!

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54 • PAD U CAH L I FE

The Farmer & The Foodie on KET

G

ET TO KNOW THE FOOD GROWN

by Kentucky farmers and celebrate the region’s diverse food traditions with a new season of The Farmer & The Foodie on KET. The locally-produced program is hosted by Maggie Keith, owner and operator of Foxhollow Farm and a passionate advocate for Kentucky farmland, and Lindsey McClave, a food and wine writer and self-taught home cook with a knack for creating original recipes with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.

The two friends travel the far reaches of the Bluegrass, where they draw inspiration from the farms, ingredients, and people they encounter. They then use what they’ve learned, bringing it into the kitchen to create delicious and approachable recipes — all of which may be found at KET.org/farmer-and-foodie.

Over the course of their most recent production shoot, Maggie and Lindsey visited more than 20 Kentucky farmers and crafted some 30 original recipes. In The Farmer & The Foodie’s all-new second season, Maggie and Lindsey explore natural ways of raising chickens, visit an urban farm in South Louisville, tour the Jeptha Creed and Maker’s Mark distilleries, and drop by Kentucky State University, where they learn about the pawpaw, Kentucky’s native tropical fruit.

Each episode wraps-up with Lindsey, Maggie, and friends sitting down and enjoying a meal together — underscoring The Farmer & The Foodie’s mantra that good food is meant to be shared.

The Farmer & The Foodie’s new season premieres Saturday, April 30. The program is produced by Kentucky Educational Television (KET) and distributed nationally by National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA).

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 55

Experiencing changes in reality may be one of the first signs of Psychosis Our iHOPE Program helps identify and support young people whose symptoms are consistent with early onset psychosis such as hearing voices or having disturbing thoughts.

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56 • PAD U CAH L I FE

Meet Them in the Garden!

Paducah Garden Club Presents Mayfair 2022

T

THE PADUCAH GARDEN CLUB WILL PRESENT “MEET ME IN THE GARDEN,” ON Wednesday, May 18.

This 31st biennial fundraiser benefits Paducah area community projects.

The $35.00 ticket includes luncheon and garden tours and can be purchased by contacting Ticket Chairman Renee Tilley either by email, reneetilley@hotmail.com or phone 270-217-2955. Event Co-chairman Trish Hines says, “It is rewarding to have the ability to support conservation and beautification projects in our city.”

The Hortense Ferne lithograph Garden tours will feature the woodland garden of Mary Kay and (pictured above) is the inspiration behind Del Washburn, the country garden of Susan and Rowland Hancock, Mayfair 2022. “I received “Garden Club” as and the shade garden of Vickie and Joe Pittard. Luncheon seatings are a gift from a dear friend many years ago,” at 11:30, 12:15 and 1:00 and will be served in the city garden of Karen said Gail Ransler. “I have loved the vintage, celebratory feel of it. So when Trish Hines Petter. The plant sale and garden shop will be held in the rear parking and I were trying to come up with a theme lot of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Garden tours, the plant sale, for Mayfair 2022 we looked no further. It and the garden shop will be open from 10 am to 1:30 pm. In case of was as if the “Garden Club” lithograph was rain “Meet Me In The Garden” will be held Thursday, May 19. No saying, Meet Me in the Garden.” refunds or exchanges on tickets.

“Members of Paducah Garden Club enjoy working together to raise money for the community in a fun, educational, and delicious way,” said Co-chairman Gail Ransler. “We are so excited to present this year’s Mayfair and we encourage everyone who is interested in purchasing tickets to do so soon as they are going fast. So grab your camera, slip on your most comfortable walking shoes, and meet us in the gardens!”

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 57

A Hero’s Journey. A Self less Pursuit. A Japanese Sanctuary

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★

by R OSS S MITH

LTHOUGH CLAY BOHLE NOW LIVES IN JAPAN, HE IS A native son of Paducah where he developed a love for video games.

This exposed him to Japanese games and properties such as Final Fantasy and Zelda. “These (games) captured my imagination in a way that just blew the doors open,” Clay mused.

Thus was the beginning of a lifelong admiration for Japanese culture which included studying martial arts, listening to J-pop, and reading about Japanese feudal history just for kicks. This love initially led to a summer homestay in Okayama at the age of sixteen. He traveled to the other side of the planet by himself and thrived.

“The freedom, the self-reliance, the raw excitement of exploring something completely new—it was my own version of the hero’s journey I enjoyed in the video games I played,” said Clay. “After that, I truly believed I was capable of anything.”

Clay knew Japan would always be a part of his life, so he pursued the Japanese language and literature as one of his majors in college, spending his junior year abroad in Nagoya, and even working for a manga company for a couple of years after graduate school.

A thoughtful individual, Clay has an authentic curiosity and a natural ease of connection. These traits are integral to his work as a Developmental Editor for the Creator Institute program, a partner of the publisher New Degree

Press. He often works with fledgling authors on their maiden writing voyage, guiding them from conception to completion of their first drafts. “What I love most is the opportunity to work with young talent and help them develop and hone their (writing) voice and skills,” Clay said.

The first editing project he worked on from start to finish was Haley Newlin’s Not Another Sarah Halls. Newlin initially conceived it as a mystery.

However, after reading the first chapter, Clay “sensed something darker underneath.” Newlin admitted that horror was her favorite genre, yet she was afraid to tackle something she loved so dearly. Enter the author whisperer. He suggested changing it to horror. That was all Newlin needed to hear. Clay has since edited her second novel (another horror), a short story to be included in Kandisha Press’s SLASH-HER anthology, a collection of slasher short stories from some of the leading women in horror, and is currently working with her on her third novel, The Nowhere Man. Clay’s work in genre fiction doesn’t stop there. In the summer of 2020, Duncan Swan published Monstre, the first in an apocalyptic, science fiction trilogy edited by Clay. Swann originally conceived it as two books, but, with Clay’s guidance and suggestion, they turned it into three books. He is currently working on the second novel in the series.

Clay taught English at his alma mater Paducah Tilghman High School for two years, most of that tenure occurring during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was a favorite among students, quickly garnering respect for his ability to connect with them. He had a deft hand, earning a reputation for being tough but fair.

In November 2021, a lifelong dream came to fruition and he once again packed up to move to Japan. This time it was to be an Assistant Language Teacher for the JET Initiative. The program is an initiative by the Japanese government to provide all classrooms, no matter how small or remote, with access to a native English speaker in the English classroom. The interview process was rigorous and took months of video interviews and, perhaps worse, waiting. Finally, out of 5,000 applicants he was one of the 800 accepted. He moved to Hokuto, Yamanashi at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Clay’s job as an ALT teacher is to assist the Japanese English teacher with English lessons by demonstrating and coaching natural pronunciation, offering insight into common phrases and popular slang, and introducing and demonstrating cultural differences. He works full-time at an elementary and junior high school within the same district. The junior high work is focused on grammar. But working with the young kids in elementary revolves around playing games with them in English. “It’s hard to complain about getting paid to play with kids and laugh a lot,” Clay admitted.

His tenure with the JET Program could be anywhere from two to five years.

Continuing to teach and edit from Japan is in his near future. Throughout his editing career, he’s worked on fifteen published novels and five are on the slate at New Degree Press for publication this year.

“It feels great to help both students and authors achieve their dreams,” said Clay.

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Wicked Western Kentucky

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★

by S TEPHANIE WATSON

Historian Richard Parker Dives Deep into the Dark Pieces of Our Region’s Past

60 • PADUCAH LIFE

T IS TEMPTING TO VIEW THE PAST WITH a sense of nostalgia. Hollywood often depicts the ‘good old days’ with uniform simplicity, particularly when portraying rural areas like our own. And with the speed and stresses of modern life, it’s no wonder that people like to think fondly of the past as a time when life was easier, when the world moved at a slower pace, neighbors knew and helped one another, and, at worst, a few kids got into some mischief, or a clumsy police officer fell asleep at his post.

In his new book, Wicked Western Kentucky, historian Richard Parker throws off these Hollywood-inspired, rosecolored glasses and dives deep into the dark past of our western Kentucky home. The book, which hit shelves in January 2022, shares “fifteen of Western Kentucky’s most nefarious people, places, and events.” With unflinching detail, Parker chronicles both shocking and entertaining moments that span 300 years of our region’s history. From a pair of serial killers who started their murderous spree in the late 1700s all the way to the late 1990s when a vampire cult emerged in Murray, Parker shares a deep understanding of the places and people of our past while connecting these events to their broader national context.

Parker’s inspiration for the book comes from his passion for truthful portrayals of the past. “I wanted to write a different kind of history,” he explains. “I hear a lot of people romanticize the past, and I think to myself, you would be horrified to read some of the stories about some of the things that took place right down the road from

your house 100 years ago. I tell people I swear western Kentucky was the most dangerous place in America during the 1890s to 1900s from the number of murders and robberies I see in old newspapers.”

Wicked Western Kentucky is an entertaining read at times and a harrowing journey into our past at others. A chapter on Western Kentucky moonshine, for example, tells the story of a moonshine-selling grandma who, reportedly, can’t remember her age and claims she “‘simply had to sell a little liquor now and then to take care of four grandchildren.’ ” During prohibition, Between the Rivers distillers are allowed to report to the revenue agent’s office at their convenience and frequently tell on one another to undermine their competition.

More sobering accounts include the terrors inflicted on African American and female sharecroppers by the group Night Riders who posed as vigilantes in the Black Patch Tobacco Wars. Another particularly gruesome story explores a morning in 1928 when seven prisoners were led in a “death march” that ended in the electric chair, nicknamed “Old Spark,” at the penitentiary in Eddyville, Kentucky. Reporters faint during executions, ghosts haunt the premises, and readers are left with the grisly look inside one of Western Kentucky’s most wicked places.

Throughout the book, Parker shines a light on largely unknown stories as well as those who could have been considered unseen people. “I try to write history that evokes larger themes,” he explains. “Wicked Western Kentucky contains many stories of the injustices against unrepresented people: African Americans, women pushed into prostitution

by poverty, family members at the mercy of their fugitive relations. The injustice done to these people is a theme that runs throughout the book.”

Parker’s interest in our region’s past is a personal one. He was born in western Kentucky and spent most of his life in Paris, TN. He grew up exploring local Civil War battlefields and historic buildings in the area. “As the regional hub for our area,” Parker explains, “history has and will always be made in Paducah. My mother’s family is from Paducah—even a great grandfather who was arrested by the Paducah police in the 1900s for stealing a chicken—so I grew up with an interest in and connection to the area.”

In conjunction with the book’s publication, Parker and his wife, Emily, will offer a “Wicked Western Kentucky: Paducah” historic walking tour in downtown Paducah this summer. Last year, the couple started their historic walking tour business, Atomic City Tours. As we reported in August, their “Forgotten Spirits” tour, which details Paducah’s rich connections to the bourbon industry, was met with huge success. This summer’s Atomic City Tours will also include a trolly tour of Coca-Cola’s history in our city and the historic Coke Plant.

Whether in book form, tour form, or in the form of the numerous historical presentations he’s done, Parker consistently brings to life the places and people who have called western Kentucky home. Wicked Western Kentucky can be purchased at most major online book retailers, and autographed copies can be purchased at www.atomiccitytoursky.com. His first book, The Wild World of the Jackson Purchase, can be found on Amazon.

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 61

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The Stage was Set in Paducah

Performer Micheal Corey Hassel Returned to His Hometown as a Cast Member of “Hairspray”

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ICHEAL HASSEL’S FIRST experience with performing may have started at seven years old, but it wasn’t until his sophomore year when he had to choose theater over track that his passion for the performing arst really took off.

Track had become a chore, so when he heard that Market House Theatre was putting on a production of “Hairspray,” prioritizing a role in his favorite musical was a no-brainer.

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 63

MICHEAL

COREY HASSEL

“

Inspiring young, Black, queer children is big for me now,” says Micheal of his role in the Hairspray touring company. “I just love entertaining people and making people smile.

”

Hassel, now 23, is on the national tour of “Hairspray” which came to the Carson Center in April. He is the understudy for Seaweed, part of the ensemble and has done many shows as a Dynamite.

“Hairspray” is not Hassel’s first time on The Carson Center stage. He did Broadway Workshop, a summer theater program offered at Paducah’s performing arts center, for three years. It was through YouTube videos and summer programs such as Broadway Workshop that Hassel grew his talents.

Rehearsals for the tour started in October and since November the cast has done around 50 shows. Hassel said he dedicates every performance to his late mother. He said he feels most connected to her when he is performing and theater started as a healing process for him. Hassel said since his mother’s passing, Glenn and Heather Denton have taken care of him, making sure his car insurance is paid and his applications are submitted.

“We have always liked to describe him as the friend who came over to spend one night and, even after a decade, hasn’t left,” Glenn Denton, a Paducah attorney at Denton Law Firm said on Hassel joining their family.

“I have a Ph.D. level degree in making sure Micheal’s Is are dotted and Ts are crossed. Whether that means making sure that his driver’s permit is obtained or making sure that he’s going to take care of his student loans.”

After graduating from Paducah Tilghman High School in 2016, Hassel attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. This is where he met Bill Jenkins, the department chair of theatre and dance. Jenkins said he considers Hassel a close friend and almost an adopted family member. Hassel said Jenkins is the first person he calls when he has news. Through his involvement in Sedoctave—an a capella group at Ball State—and shows at the university, Hassel said he quickly found community at Ball State.

64 • PADUCAH LIFE

“He is a walking billboard for Paducah, Kentucky,” Jenkins said.

“When you lose a parent at such a young age, community can be defined in many different ways, whether it is the community he developed at Ball State or the community he developed on his current tour. That started with the community of Paducah, and I think he gains great inspiration from trying to make his hometown proud.”

Andrew Shannon, one of Hassel’s best friends, said Hassel is an inspiration to him. Shannon said he experienced his energy and talent firsthand in high school when Shannon was a leader of the band.

“It is heartwarming to see my friend progress and keep his foot on the gas,” said Shannon.

Hassel said he developed a strong work ethic very early in his career and he always stayed prepared since Market House Theatre and Paducah Tilghman only did shows once a year. While Jenkins and Denton have been paternal figures, they both said it is Hassel’s tremendous talent that has gotten him this far.

“Through Micheal’s talents and achievements, he is very much a self-made man,” Glenn Denton said. “He has had people help him along the way but it is through his perseverance and hard work that he is where he is today.”

“Occasionally there is a standout black male performer but usually not,” Hassel said, noting why performing is so important to him. “Inspiring young, Black, queer children—that you can do this too—is big for me now. I just love entertaining people and making people smile.”

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 65

★

by S TEPHANIE WATSON

Building Places Where Everybody Knows Your Name Partners Dru Hardin and Blake Calhoun are Constructing Creative Eateries Amid Paducah’s Arts and Apparitions

Owners Dru Hardin and Blake Calhoun

I

T’S A BUSY SATURDAY AT ONE OF DOWNTOWN PADUCAH’S NEWEST bar and eateries. Laughing kids are scrambling over chairs, dropping bites of bacon and fried potatoes. Friends huddle at the bar watching football over Bloody Marys and eggs Benedict. A large group of women gather at high-top tables around an iced bottle of champagne and pint-sized pitchers of orange and cranberry juice. Balloons float from the chair backs of a group celebrating a birthday.

Over/Under is, at its heart, a gathering place. What was originally an idea for a sports bar has quickly evolved into a downtown staple fit for just about any occasion. “We’ve really had a pretty universal appeal,” Blake Calhoun, co-owner of Over/Under explains. “We thought we knew what we were when we first opened: a sports bar where people would hang out on the weekends and spend late nights. It turns out that we aren’t quite that, or at least we aren’t only that. But if you listen to your customers—what they want and what they show up for—you find out quickly who you really are.”

Co-owners Dru Hardin and Blake Calhoun aren’t new to owning a business, but this is their first venture into the restaurant scene. Hardin and Calhoun own CIRCO Construction, a commercial construction and custom homes company located in Paducah. It was while working on the construction of Grill 211 in downtown Paducah that the team decided it was time to try something new. “Being downtown during the day while working on Grill 211 really made us fall in love with this part of the city,” Hardin explains. “There is so much happening downtown, and we got to experience a real sense of community with the business owners, customers, and people who live here.”

After purchasing the property (which previously housed Italian Grill), the pair’s first call was to their friend and now restaurant manager, Chris Johnson. Johnson, who was managing Buffalo Wild Wings at the time, also understood and loved the sports bar scene.

Together, the three sat down and made a dream list of everything they wanted in a bar that could serve as a meeting place for friends to spend the day watching the game.

To pull it off, the team hired chef Kevin Dowdy to head the kitchen. From there, a mix of familiar bar food favorites and elevated comfort food combos emerged. Hardin wanted to serve tacos (they now offer six types) and Calhoun wanted to be known for the best burger in town. Appetizers and drinks were also a top priority on their list so sports fans spending extended time at the bar would have plenty of options.

Bringing an elevated brunch experience to downtown was another priority for the constructive team. Customers can enjoy Hardin’s signature Bloody Mary or a habanero Margarita made with his own infused jalapeño vodka and habanero tequila. Unexpected menu items include a funnel cake chicken and waffles with honey garlic drizzle and Tres Tacos with crumbled sausage, applewood smoked bacon, pulled pork, scrambled eggs, and avocado.

“I used to love showing up to a bar on a Saturday and spending the whole day watching sports with other fans,” Hardin says. “I never had to make plans to meet with people because I would already know everybody who showed up there. It’s kind of like Cheers—the place where everybody knows your name. We didn’t really have that in Paducah, and that’s what we hope we’ve created.”

Long-term, Hardin and Calhoun hope their presence helps downtown become a place where people regularly spend extended amounts of time. They imagine block parties, more festivals, increased opportunities to hear live music, and families spending the day shopping, playing, and, of course, tapping into the diverse culinary experiences downtown has to offer.

“We both just really believe in downtown and want it to be a place that people come to spend the day,” Hardin notes. “We want people to realize that downtown isn’t just a place for birthdays and anniversaries. There is something for everyone here and the more we invest in making this a fun place to spend time, the more we’ll see our city grow.”

68 • PADUCAH LIFE

Good Eats & Friendly Apparitions March marks the one-year anniversary of Over/Under. To celebrate the occasion, Hardin and Calhoun are introducing their next downtown project: a new restaurant called Stella’s. Stella’s will be located in the historic building at the corner of Market Street and Broadway. Often referred to as “the Cohen Building,” the structure has housed several businesses since its construction in 1855 and is an iconic piece of downtown architecture.

The first documented resident of the building was a dry goods store called M. Livingston and Company.

It was also home to Guthrie’s Clothing Store and Ellis-Rudy Dry Goods before R.L. Peacher Liquor Distillers and Rehkopf Distilling Company took ownership in 1914.

The Cohen family bought the building in 1921, running a variety of businesses in the space and living on the second floor. Stella Cohen, the last surviving family member, died on the premises in 1980.

Known as one of the most haunted places in western Kentucky, an abundance of stories describing Stella’s hauntings in the building have emerged over the years. By honoring her with the restaurant’s name, Hardin and Calhoun hope to maintain a friendly relationship with the mysterious specter. Stella’s will offer an upscale, tavern-like atmosphere with a limited core menu of classic American dishes as well as seasonally rotating specials.

Over/Under family members include from left William Calhoun, Blake Calhoun, Dru Hardin, Michelle Hardin, Stephanie Calhoun, and Cora Calhoun.

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by Rosemarie Steele

Each

Painting is a Prayer

71

Anita Rodriguez-Fitch finds spiritual solace in creating art

ARTIST Anita

T

Rodriguez-Fitch

reality. In 2007, the Rodriguez-Fitch family relocated from HROUGH EVERY SEASON OF HER LIFE, the West Coast to Western Kentucky. artist Anita Rodriguez-Fitch has thrilled to the call Anita’s Paducah professional career included an Art of light in her paintings. She is dazzled by the Enrichment class at the St. Mary School System, and Art light that gives form and color to objects in nature and the Appreciation and History at West Kentucky Community energy cast by their shadows. Her art is an extension of her & Technical College and the Paducah School of Art & deep spiritual beliefs. “In my artwork, I want to capture the Design. She also conducted continuing education presence of God as I find it in nature,” said Anita. watercolor classes and painting workshops for residents A California native, Anita was a quiet and introspective at a senior living facility. child who enjoyed wandering off on her own during family Though teaching was her occupation, Anita never camping trips to the mountains north of Los Angeles. “I’d abandoned the lure of liquid color and a responsive brush. be surprised by some amazing scene just lit by a shaft of In the early dawn before classes, sunlight and the sound of water she marveled at the changing colors spilling over rocks. That was the and differing light of each new day. beginning of my fascination Stirred with fresh inspiration, she with nature.” reached for her camera, brushes, and Anita recognized that she was paints and soon her series “Dayan artist at an early age. She loved break” was born. “I began looking to draw. As a young schoolgirl, she forward to waking up,” said Anita.“I could always find a pencil. Finding would focus on small sections of the something to draw on, however, took landscape, striving to capture a bit of more effort. When she couldn’t find that quiet surprising presence.” paper she availed herself to anything Anita was already considering from the blank pages on the inside retirement when COVID restriccovers of books to cash register “For me, each painting is tions were implemented at the receipts. She discovered the joy of college, spurring the process forward. a prayer—a conversation painting in elementary school when Though 2020-21 was a period of she first touched a loaded brush about the past, born in the emotional distress for many people to paper. “The sight of liquid color present, for the future.” due to continued pandemic conenthralled me,” said Anita.

- Anita Rodriguez-Fitch cerns, it was a time of grounding and As a young adult, UCLA and spiritual awakening for Anita. “After Literature were on her radar, but retirement it had become clear to me a brief health issue compelled her that I needed to be more intentional to re-evaluate her chosen path and in my religious practice and this had to extend to my art follow her heart. She earned her Bachelor and Master of making.” She notes a trinity of learning experiences that Fine Arts degrees from the California State University at transformed her. “It started with a major change in my Long Beach and soon after began sharing her love of art mindset, followed by new ideas about God and art making, through teaching. and an artist retreat that really changed my outlook.”

While living in California, Anita recalls learning about Her first experience was a 30-day coaching program by Paducah’s Artist Relocation Program in Art Calendar magaChris Stefanick, based on his book “I AM–Rewrite Your zine. She and her husband agreed Paducah would be a wonName–Reroute Your Life.” This seminar helped her replace derful place to retire—someday. However, due to unforeseen negative self-talk with uplifting powerful words. Soon circumstances, the prospect of Paducah soon became a

72 • PAD U CAH L I FE

afterward Anita embarked on a seven-week virtual journey,“Created to Thrive: An Artist’s Guide to Living in Divine Abundance” with North Carolina artist/musician/author Matt Tommey. Her final foray was a “Called to Create” artists’ retreat in Ohio.“There were some big breakthroughs on that retreat that continue to expand and change the way I approach my art making.” She discovered painting less from her training and more from her heart.

Today, Anita has found new joy in working small. She has created a series of mini paintings, which feature a different inspirational message on the back. “This latest project has taken my paintings out of the studio and into printing and publishing, something I know very little about. It’s exciting to still be learning.”

In the words of Pablo Picasso, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

“I know how old I am. I know I don’t live in a major metropolitan area. I will probably not make it into the art history books,” Anita admits. “I just want to make art—just like when I was a child.”

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 73

74 • PAD U CAH L I FE

Paducah Bank Chairman, Joe Framptom and President/CEO, Mardie Herndon with the Governor’s Award in the Arts.

Paducah Bank Wins 2o22 Governor’s Award in the Arts

P

all of our citizens and visitors.”

The bank is being recognized for its varied forms of arts involvement in the community, but the bank’s partnership with the long-standing Artist Relocation Program was one of its most noteworthy affiliations.

“There is art in every endeavor,” added Paducah Bank President and CEO Mardie Herndon. “Yes, even in banking. When local community leaders recognized an opportunity to revitalize a dilapidated neighborhood in Paducah, they put together a plan to reimagine and repurpose the buildings into art studios and artist residences. The plan became known as the Lowertown Artist Relocation Program. Paducah

★

by DARLENE M AZZONE

ADUCAH BANK HAS BEEN AWARDED ONE OF NINE annual Governor’s Award in the Arts by Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Arts Council. These prestigious awards are comprised of nine categories that celebrate the extraordinary and significant contributions of Kentuckians and Kentucky organizations to the state’s arts heritage. Each year the Kentucky Arts Council commissions a Kentucky artist to create custom work of art to serve as the award for recipients.

This year the artful award took the form of a piece of work by Jefferson County glass artist Ann Klem.

“Paducah Bank is honored to receive this Governor’s Award in the Arts,” said Paducah Bank Chairman of the Board Joe Framptom. “Our corporate contributions and thousands of volunteer hours over many years have been focused on and directed to the various arts organizations in our city—such as the Paducah Symphony Orchestra, the Market House Theatre, the Paducah School of Art and Design, and the Lowertown Artist Relocation Program— to name a few. As a designated UNESCO creative city, Paducah has long believed that the arts enrich our economy and enhance the quality of life of our citizens. Paducah Bank is hopeful that our support of so many aspects of the arts in our community has been and will continue to be a benefit to

Bank’s commitment to this program and to the communities we serve has always been unwavering. It has been said that it takes courage to be creative. I am very proud of the courage our bank has had to make a difference. Today, Paducah Bank believes in the power of the arts just as we always have. We are truly grateful for the recognition of our commitment to creative placemaking and the courage it takes to make a difference.”

APRIL/MAY 2022 • 75

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76 • PAD U CAH L I FE

H HISTORY

H by J.T. Crawford

Murder in the Atomic Age

1

Major Tilghman Tade, Chief of Detectives, examines evidence from the explosion. photos by The Paducah Sun

957 WAS PART OF A GOLDEN ERA FOR PADUCAH. THE atomic boom and completed gaseous diffusion plant had ushered in a new age of prosperity. Spirits were up as affluence flourished and the city’s population increased. New neighborhoods dotted the landscape, each house standing as a marker of Paducah’s growth.

Amid that suburban fescue sea stood a contrasting stark monument. The burned-out shell of a nearly-completed house marred the landscape. The charred remains of the home had remained in that dreadful condition for over a year by August of ’57. Its destruction was complete as were the hopes and dreams of those who once sought to call it home.

3:31 AM, August 25, 1956 — The piercing ring of the telephone woke Vivian Chaudet from a sound sleep. The 41-year-old was staying at his parents’ home at 3689 Forest Circle. They were away in Florida.

“Hello,” he uttered with barely enough wakefulness to form the word. As the caller stated their purpose, Vivian’s consciousness came into focus. Then, a long

pause. “Alright,” said Vivian. “I’ll be right out.” Early morning calls are nearly always bad news. This was no exception. Vivian got dressed and stepped outside for what was to be the last time.

Vivian was well-known around Paducah. He was a salesman for the produce company of Barger and Golightly. A decorated World War II veteran, he was a musician, dance band leader, and organist at Bellview Baptist Church. For decades, Paducahans knew Vivian as a talented performer who played, sang, or led bands at a variety of functions across the city.

Just a little over a week before that late-night phone call, Vivian had discretely married Miss Dorothy Mitchell, a Reidland High School home economics teacher. It was his third marriage, her first. That night, she was staying at her parents’ home on Madison Street.

The caller was Mrs. Alton Rogers of 201 Pepper Lane in Lone Oak. She informed Vivian that his neighboring house, one that was under construction and was to be the home for him and his new bride, was engulfed in flames. That would have been a shock to just about anyone receiving such news. It wasn’t to Vivian. It was already his second attempt to build a house there. He’d bought the property in 1955 in preparation for his marriage, and the first house he was

A P R I L /M AY 2022 • 77

Vivian Chaudet

Chaudet Murder

photos by The Paducah Sun

HISTORY Vivian

The charred remains of the Chaudet home

building burned in June of ’57 just before the couple were to move in. Defective wiring at a fuse box at the carport was determined to be the cause. By the time the second attempt at construction caught fire just a couple of months later, Vivian probably knew better than to blame an electrical issue.

He dressed methodically before heading out into the balmy, August night. Vivian entered the detached garage behind his parents’ house, opened the door of his car, and sat in the driver’s seat. A split second later, an explosion ripped through the vehicle. Shrapnel tore through Vivian’s right side from his knee to his shoulder as he was blown clear from the vehicle. Bits of metal ripped throughout the car, many even puncturing completely through the roof and into the ceiling of the garage.

Forest Circle neighbors, rocked from their slumber at 3:45 AM called police.

When officers arrived, Vivian lay, nearly lifeless, on the garage floor next to the vehicle.“They put something in my car,” he managed to utter. Those were his last words.

Vivian was taken to Western Baptist Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He never had the chance to tell anyone who “they” were.

At about the same time as the explosion, another resident of Pepper Lane phoned Vivian’s wife, Dorothy, to tell her about the fire at their under-construction home. Doro-

thy rushed out, headed to see if Vivian had heard the news yet. When she arrived at his parents’ home, she discovered a crime scene. Vivian was still on the garage floor. When she learned he was still alive, she tried to rush to his side but was prevented from doing so by the police. She was also taken to the hospital and treated for shock. And more than likely, she instantly knew who was behind her husband’s murder.

Two days earlier, Dorothy Chaudet had met with Reuben Crews, a chemist at the Atomic Energy Commission plant and a man she’d known since college. Crews had, for many years, expressed great love for Dorothy, a sentiment that went unrequited.

Dorothy would later tell officers that she’d never dated Crews and that they’d only gone on a few rides together, the last being a while before her marriage. Crews had, for years, kept his hopes up of winning her love. The same week of the explosion, Crews called on Dorothy, offering her an oil painting he’d completed. It was a portrait of Dorothy, created from an image of her from a college yearbook. She refused to accept the gift. “I’m hurt very bad,” said Crews. She replied, “I’m sorry.” Crews replied, “Then you’re sorry you married?”“No,” answered Dorothy. “I am sorry you feel hurt.”

Dorothy had already suspected Crews of the phone calls both she and Vivian had been receiving. The anonymous calls were designed to drive a wedge between her and Vivian, each one telling new lies about one another. Crews dogged

The sensational tale made newspapers from coast to coast.

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Chaudet’s car after the bombing Longfellow School

Dorothy, calling her incessantly and stopping by her parents’ house. After the murder, he was an immediate suspect.

Paducah police tracked Crews down to his mother’s home in Hollow Rock, TN where he’d gone shortly after the explosion. They questioned him, and Crews admitted that he was “desperately in love” with Dorothy and that he’d just learned of the Chaudet’s secret marriage on Friday, the day before the bombing. The police, not having any concrete evidence and not knowing the legalities of jurisdiction, left Crews in Tennessee. The next day, Crews’ mother found him dead in his bedroom.

In the days after, the story unfolded. The bomb in Vivian’s car was constructed of a high-explosive charge packed in shrapnel in a beer can. It was activated by a mercury switch which completed a circuit when tilted.

A detective later found a model of a similar bomb at a Paducah boarding house where Crews stayed. And two days before the murder, a coworker saw a mercury switch in Crews’ lunchbox at the plant.

Additionally, the destroyed house on Pepper Lane had a strong odor of gasoline. The day before the fire, Crews’ purchased five gallons of regular gas at a station near his home.

His car used ethyl gasoline, and the five-gallon container he used to purchase the gas was found empty behind the station the day after the fire.

It was pretty evident that the jilted Crews was behind the death of Vivian Chaudet. He had pestered Dorothy for years, developing a psychotic obsession that could only end in disaster. Her marriage to Vivian was more than he could bear, the object of his deluded infatuation being forever ripped from his fantasy.

In his dying, Crews only added to the mystery of the story. There was nothing at the scene of his death to point directly to suicide. Investigators immediately noticed a blue, bruise-like area on his right forearm. The FBI, who had been investigating the murder case, analyzed part of Crews’ stomach and intestines and found nothing to indicate self-poisoning. There was thought that maybe he’d exposed himself to something radioactive from the plant. Another hypothesis was that Crews had let air into his veins. After he was embalmed, the blue area remained, and a layer of skin over the spot dried up and fell off.

The sensational tale made newspapers from coast to coast. Pulp mystery magazines picked up the story. What had happened appeared obvious. But the public wanted more. The unfolding story was front-page news for The Paducah Sun-Democrat for days following the murder.

Dorothy and Vivian were probably well-aware of Crews’ instability, a reason to keep their marriage as secret as possible. They’d even maintained separate residences even after they were married. She would later remarry and die during childbirth.

The charred monument of the Chaudet’s happily-ever-after stood on Pepper Lane a little while longer, mired in legal suits over who was responsible for its demolition.

Even though Dorothy later remarried, she said Vivian was the only man she ever loved. Paducah’s most sensational murder case remained a strong memory for the community for many years. Even today, one might hear the uttered question “Did you ever hear about the musician who died in the car bomb?” Vivian Chaudet, the victim of a deranged and misguided love.

A P R I L /M AY 2022 • 79

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by Ana Moyers

Row, Row, Row Your Boat River Discovery Center partners with the Tennessee RiverLine to provide new experiences on local rivers

T

HE TENNESSEE RIVERLINE IS A VISION FOR continuous regional trail experiences extending along the Tennessee River, Knoxville, TN, to its junction with the Ohio River, running through Paducah, KY. The Tennessee RiverLine is a long-term initiative in its developmental stages that will be shared, impacted, and enjoyed by organizations and individuals across the region. The RiverLine seeks to accompany already existing riverline initiatives to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and history of the river valley, connect people and communities that neighbor the valley to the Tennessee River Valley’s rich history and landscape, and to catalyze new investments, economic opportunity, social health, and ecological stewardship. The 652-mile long river is a continuous 470,000 acre landscape open to the public with recreational

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activities including, fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, and other water-related recreations.

The Tennessee RiverLine accomplishes its mission of community building efforts through its diverse partnerships with organizations that are committed to creating a shared vision for the RiverLine. These partnerships are composed of tourism professionals, planners, agency leaders and non-profit entities including the River Discovery Center of Paducah, KY. The River Discovery Center is a local museum located at 117 S. Water Street, in Paducah, dedicated to educating the public about the importance of our rivers through interactive exhibits.

In addition to providing local river education and advocacy, the center proudly partners with the Tennessee RiverLine to provide the RiverLine’s events and services to the Paducah community, such as their upcoming paddle events.

“The goals of the Tennessee River Line project is to break down barriers for communities to be able to engage more with the Tennessee River and one of those barriers is equipment,” Julie Harris, Executive Director, said. “Some communities, mostly larger ones, have kayaks available to their community for rental; smaller communities like Paducah did not have access to the renting of kayaks.”

However, the University of Tennessee generously provided pilot communities, which includes Paducah, fleets

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paducahlife.com of kayaks in order to provide these communities with no-cost paddle experiences.

The River Discovery Center will be hosting their paddle events, partnered with the Tennessee RiverLine, on June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, and Oct 15, 2022.

The city and RDC provide spots for up to 20 individuals on their kayak fleet, having both single and tandem kayaks. Individuals may also provide their own kayaks, in addition to the 20 spots on the fleet. Registration for these events will open two weeks prior to the scheduled date.

“We plan to offer one of our paddle events for that segment of our community,” Harris said.“We also realized that many of those community members have never been in a kayak before, and may be uncomfortable, so we offered a practice session at the Noble Park Pool to help those who have never been in a kayak become more comfortable before the actual day of the event.”

The Tennessee RiverLine connects the region, its communities, and opportunities to hike, bike and paddle, making it much more than a recreational trail. Paducah’s involvement with the RiverLine aims to bring an appreciation for the river, its history, and activities to its community.

A P R I L / MAY 2022 • 81

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by Dustin Wilcox

The Art and Science of Journalism In his young career, Derek Operle has melded his interest in art and storytelling into his new role as a broadcast journalist

W WRITING CAPTURED DEREK OPERLE FROM A YOUNG AGE — but little did he know that proclivity would eventually point him toward broadcasting.

Previously a reporter for the Paxton Media Group and Paducah Sun, Derek has served as the news director of the Murray-based NPR-affiliate since November, where he churns out web and radio content for western Kentucky while guiding a reporting team of two professionals and three students.

“One of the things that I was really nervous about coming in was my inexperience in audio, but the staff here has been really helpful, and the transition was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be,” Derek said.

But a different medium wasn’t the only challenge Derek faced right out the gate. Tornado coverage dominated the start of the year, sending him to NPR’s Morning Edition and BBC News less than a month into the role.

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“I feel like the job was the hardest that it’s ever going to be, and it happened in week three,” he said.“I don’t think it’ll ever be that crazy again in this region — hopefully for a significant period of time if not ever again.”

Derek grew up in Graves County and attended school in McCracken County before completing his degree in integrated strategic communications at the University of Kentucky. He cinched his first writing gig at the Lone Oak High School newspaper, dubbed The Oak K, and was a music blogger all through college.

While at the Paducah Sun, Derek climbed his way from copy editor to entertainment reporter. He soon after became a “catch-all” reporter, gaining editorial duties and handling some of the Paxton weeklies. As a self-proclaimed arts enthusiast, Derek had hoped in high school he’d eventually write for Rolling Stone.

“I love being able to tell ‘people’ stories, and there’s really not a ton of difference fundamentally between telling art stories and telling important, hard-hitting news,” he said.

Yet life didn’t quite take him in that direction. Derek has been a dedicated WKMS and NPR listener since high school, so he was especially receptive to working for NPR himself.

“This presented a unique opportunity to both fulfill that goal while

also doing something similar to my experiences at UK with the student activities board — staff working with students to put on programs,” he said.

During those days, Derek and fellow UK students would propose and plan concerts and other large scale campus events.

“Now, I’m sitting on the other side of the desk,” he continued.

“I’m helping people like you, people like Zach, even young journalists like Lily and professionals like Liam put together news for a living.”

The current newsroom lineup includes Liam Niemeyer as assistant news director and Lily Burris as a tornado recovery reporter, as well as Zacherie Lamb, Mason Galemore and me, Dustin Wilcox, as student reporters. Following five months without a news director, Derek feels the writers are now taking strides toward better production.

“Giving structure to a group that was overwhelmed by a hole in the staff is a good first place to start because that gives the staff a foothold to really dig into local journalism that matters,” he said.

Part of his plan to reinvigorate the newsroom is assigning a handful of counties for each student reporter to monitor, imbuing a sense of “real journalistic duty” and honing their abilities as story generators.

Now 30 years old, Derek remains inextricably linked to the region that raised him.

“I love western Kentucky,” Derek said. “There’s a reason I haven’t left.”

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A P R I L / M AY 2022 • 83 AUGUS T / S E P T E MBER 2021 • 83

LastWord the

“The earth laughs in FLOWERS.” —RALPH WALDO EMERSON ★ NIKKI MAY is an artist, illustrator, surface designer, and podcaster. After an accidental ten-year career as a creative director for IBM, Nikki moved from Atlanta to Paducah as part of the Artist Relocation Program. She traded cubicles and conference rooms for the Lower Town studio she’s been sharing with a dog named Rocket and a cat named Pixel for nearly two decades. She’s now packing up her studio, along with Rocket and Pixel, to move into a school bus that she’s currently converting into a tiny house on wheels in which to live, work, create, and travel!

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APRIL/MAY 2022 • 84

Find Your Happy Place There is little more important to your family than a place that brings you together, surrounds you with wonderful forever memories, and also provides you with a sound future investment. A home can become a place where happiness lives. Suzy Gilland knows just how to help you find your happy place!

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WOW!

BANKER& CITIZEN OF THE YEAR JOE FRAMPTOM

WE’RE NOT JUST BANKERS (ALTHOUGH WE ARE PRETTY GOOD ONES).

Paducah Bank Chairman of the Board Joe Framptom was named the Citizen of the Year at the Paducah Chamber’s 2022 annual meeting. The award isn’t presented every year; only when the organization determines there is someone deserving of the distinguished honor. All of us at Paducah Bank know Joe Framptom is most certainly that person! “It would be hard to find a local organization that has not been impacted by Joe Framptom’s leadership,” said CEO Mardie Herndon. “He is a past president of the Kentucky Bankers Association, past president of GPEDC, past president of the Rotary Club of Paducah, and a past director of CSI, just to name a few.” Joe Framptom has dedicated his career to making this a community where people can thrive. As we like to say, WOW! Congratulations to the person whose vision and leadership is synonymous with Paducah Bank!

270.575.5700 / paducahbank.com /

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