‘Beauty Bash’ results in threat
In April, The Independent wrote a story about Cannonsburg Church of the Nazarene's Beauty Bash. This was an outreach event in which we treated ladies from this community with free makeovers, hairstyling and a photo shoot. Although this event was open to the public, our very special VIPs came from Safe Harbor, Hillcrest-Bruce and Boyd Central. It was such a blessing for our church to serve every one of those ladies. Not only were they pampered, they were prayed over.
In June, the Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists received the article from The Independent and found that our church was in violation of their statutes and administrative regulations regarding the practice of applying makeup in an unlicensed premises without a license to practice cosmetology. We were issued letters that ordered us to cease and desist from this practice until we receive the appropriate license, or we shall be fined up to $500 or imprisoned for up to six months or both.
There once was a man who washed the feet of all of his disciples, including his betrayer. He didn’t have a cosmetology license. His name was Jesus. He lived and died serving the men that ordered him to cease and desist.
The Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists may send letters to stop us, but they will never take away the victory that came out of that event. Praise God!
Candy Goldie, Ashland
Beer sales can boost downtown
This concerns Main Street’s pitch for limited alcohol sales.
In 2005, the Great Race returned to Ashland for an overnight stay on their journey across America in antique and classic automobiles. They were scheduled here on a Sunday evening so I went to see Mayor Tom Kelly, then police chief, about the treatment of the racers if they were to do what they had been doing in hundreds of cities for the past 23 years, after arriving, and opened a cold beer. He informed me they’d be arrested and I passed along that information during the drivers meeting prior to beginning the race in Washington, D.C.
Later, in the race we had an overnight stop in Twin Falls, Idaho. Twin Falls has the downtown most people want to see here in Ashland: Angle parking, shade trees, bench seating, etc, and most importantly an open acceptance of alcohol sales, even on Sunday. There were beer stands in the center of Main Street. Husbands and wives, beers in hand, with small children in tow walked down Main Street looking at the race cars. Uniformed policemen just walked around, enjoying the occasion as well. The crowd was three times Ashland’s.
Portsmouth routinely closes Court Street between Second and Third for festivities, including the sale of alcohol. The Ashland city commissioners may want to take a 30-minute drive to see that the only thing happening there are citizens having a good time. While there, they may observe Portsmouth has a traffic plan for their traffic lights on federal routes, unlike Ashland, which makes you stop at almost every light.
Ashland ignores DOT's “Drive Smart Kentucky.”
Bill Secrest, South Shore
If you dislike our culture, then leave
After reading that Florida changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver’s license with her face covered, made me doubt the leaders of the state of Florida's Americanism even more than I did after the first Bush election.
We Americans welcome immigrants to America, but I’m tired of the leaders of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual of their culture. As Americans, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle. This culture has been developed over centuries of struggle, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom. We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, learn the language and “our culture.”
“In God we trust” is our national motto. We adopted this motto because Christian men and women, on Christian principals, founded this nation, and it is clearly documented. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of ours.
If stars and stripes offend you or your don’t like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet, because we really don’t care how you did things where you came from. This is our country, our land, and our lifestyle.
Our first amendment gives every citizen the right to express his opinion and we will allow you the opportunity to do so. But once you’re done complaining, whining and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great American freedom — the right to leave.
Cliff Barker, Morehead
Cap-and-trade will cost consumers
I recently learned that U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler voted for the pork-filled American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 that was narrowly passed recently after months of debate. This bill has been coined “one of the biggest tax increases in history.” It comes in the form of billions of dollars in free carbon allowances members of Congress have already promised their favorite companies.
Why, then, would Rep. Chandler vote for this bill? He has been quoted to say that “supporting this bill was not a n easy decision and he struggled with the legislation.” Our nation needs climate policy that is transparent, accountable and affordable — not special interests dictating environmental policy.
Shame on Rep. Chandler for voting for this bill that will have tremendous economic consequences for both producers and consumers of coal-fired electricity in the commonwealth.
Kevin Williams, Lexington
