ASHLAND —
Keep Greenup County ‘dry’
On Jan. 22, there’s a special election in Greenup County with one topic on the ballot: Go wet or stay dry.
The vote comes following a petition containing more than 1,600 signatures pushing to change Greenup County from dry to wet.
The ballot will read as follows: “Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in Greenup County, Kentucky?”
There are no stipulations to this proposition! It’s not regulated or restricted to restaurants only. If Greenup County goes wet, there could be bars, clubs, carry- outs all over our beautiful county. All someone would have to do is get a liquor license and set up shop!
Alcohol sales in Greenup will not help the economic status. In fact, studies show that dry counties are more economically stable than wet counties. If voted wet, local cities and county officials would set the regulations on alcohol sales! Our surrounding counties that are wet have seen no major revenue, and since Russell voted to become wet, it hasn’t seen one restaurant come into town! We encourage you to vote down this proposition and keep our county dry.
Kentucky statistics: In the past year Kentucky roadways have seen 171 DUI fatalities; 23 percent of all traffic deaths are DUI related. In the past five years, Kentucky has had 975 DUI fatalities costing the state $4.58 billion dollars.
Every 52 minutes someone is killed in a drunken-driving crash. Every 90 seconds, someone is injured in a drunken-driving crash. About a third of the drunken-driving problem — arrests, crashes, deaths, injuries — comes from repeat offenders.
In 2010, 211 children were killed in DUI crashes; 131 of those 211 were passengers with the drunken driver. Teen alcohol abuse kills about 6,000 per year! That is more than all illegal drugs combined. Almost one in every three eighth- graders have tried alcohol.
Hannah Ferguson, Wurtland
Sensible gun control needed
I still believe the “love of money is the root of all evil.” Directly and indirectly, greed plays a big role in how and why so much deadly gun violence occurs in our country, possibly one of the most violent nations in history. Weapons of mass destruction made in America have been sold and distributed all over the world.
The fear-spreading National Rifle Association loves political power; gun manufacturers and gun sellers love the NRA. Money is power.
Now is the time for we the people to tell the NRA and gun merchants to stop their propaganda and the buying of politicians. Sensible gun control does not limit my freedoms one bit. It actually makes me feel more secure, less fearful.
Paul L. Whiteley Sr., Louisville
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On the increase
It’s certainly good news that a new report by Kentucky’s Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet has found the economic impact of tourism grew by 5.2 percent in eastern Kentucky in 2012, outpacing the overall statewide growth rate. However, we would be more excited bout the report if we had more confidence in how tourism spending is calculated by state government.
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After the crash
Like thousands of other Kentuckians, we remember well May 14, 1988, when a drunken driver traveling the wrong way on Interstate 71 near Carrollton struck a church bus returning home to Radcliff after day at King’s Island, causing one of he most deadly vehicle accidents in this nation’s history. The horrific crash killed 27, many of them teenagers, and injured 34 others.
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High price tage
Much has been said and written about the rapid and dramatic decline of air passenger service at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. Much less has been said and written about the tremendous economic impact the loss of air service has had on the entire region.
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Banned
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Few citations
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Step backward
We agree with Larry Brown, the lone member of the Ashland Board of City Commissioners to oppose a motion requesting City Attorney Richard “Sonny” Martin to draft an ordinance changing the time for all commission meetings to noon
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