Page 2 - Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - The Gallatin County News, Warsaw, Ky. TheTheGallatin County NewsNews Scenic Gallatin County Established 1880 An Independent Weekly Newspaper Member Kentucky Press Association Winner, KPA General Excellence Award Charles G. Warnick, Publisher 1975-1984 Denny Kelley-Warnick, Publisher Kelley Warnick, Editor Clay Warnick, Advertising Director TerryTerry Combs-Caldwell,Combs-Caldwell, OfOfficefi ce ManagerManager BobbieBobbie Hendrix,Hendrix, Assistant Manager Manager MarkMark Gray, Gray, Sports Sports ReporterReporter Mike Dickerson, News Reporter Edie Bain. News Reporter SubscriptionSubscription rates: rates: In Gallatin In Gallatin and surrounding and surrounding counties, counties,$26 per year; $26 Elsewhere per year; in Kentucky,Elsewhere $28 in per Kentucky, year; Out-of-State, $28 per $30year; per Out-of-State, year; Senior Citizens$30 per receive year; 10%Senior off; StudentCitizens rate, receive $19 per 10% year off;(nine Student months). rate, Website: $19 perwww.thegallatincountynews.com year (nine months). Telephone: Telephone (859) (859) 567-5051 567-5051 • Fax: • Fax:(859) (859) 567-6397 567-6397 • Email: • Email: [email protected] [email protected] V-E Day Remembered Tuesday, May 8, was Victory in Europe Day. It marks the 72nd Anniversary of the defeat of Ger- many in World War II. As time goes on, the notice of this important day slips further and further back into the pages of newspapers. Sadly, few mention it anymore. Maybe that’s the way it should be, but it doesn’t seem right. Defeating Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Germany was a great victory. The United States sacrifi ced its sons and daughters, our most precious treasure, so we could guarantee our freedom from oppres- sion and tyranny. The European Theater of Operations was a tough slog fi lled with many stories. As a Veteran, I’ve collected my share of those stories from those I have run across in my life. They are important. They connect us to our past and our relatives. Let me share one with you. In the summer of 1998, I was attending an army course to prepare me to become an Inspector Gen- eral. A lecturer in that course was Lt. General (Retired) Trefry, former Inspector General of the Army, and a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Viet- nam. The morning was spent reviewing how the Army is run. In the afternoon we discussed mo- rality in the Army. It was during this discussion someone made mention of the movie Saving Pri- vate Ryan, which had recently been released. I will always remember LTG Trefry’s comments on this subject: “You can have the best equipment, the best training, the best leaders, the fi rmest be- Super duper moon lief in God, but when you go across the beach, as What astronomers call a “Super Moon” hung over Gallatin County on Sunday night. Th e we did at Normandy, some live and some die, and moon appeared bigger and brighter than normal because it was closer to earth than usual. Th e there’s no accounting for it.” full moon won’t be that close to us again for 18 years. Photo by Kelley Warnick There’s no accounting for the randomness of war, but there is an accounting based on the stories left behind. If you know one, remember it, write it Kentucky Commentary down, tell it, and treasure it in the full understand- ing of great sacrifi ces to include giving one’s life for a belief in what this country stands for. Basketball dominates politics in the Bluegrass by COL John J. Braham This space’s annual parting snap- that amounts to a state religion. the offi ce. There was a lot more more, U.S. Army Retired shot of Kentucky’s political land- Kentucky voters elected Richie too much to recount here. Let’s just say scape comes after a big week for in- Farmer commissioner of agriculture in that Richie Farmer’s political career was COL Braham served more than 32 years in tersections of our politics and sports, 2003 and 2007 because he was one of one of the more venal and abusive of any uniform and another 8 years as a civil servant so much that Saturday’s Kentucky three native Kentuckians on the 1992 politician in a state where all too often in the Department of Defense. He is retired, Derby trophy presentation by Demo- Wildcat team that lost in overtime to public offi cials treat public offi ces as pri- cratic Gov. Steve Beshear is almost Duke for a Final Four slot. He’d been the vate possessions. His debacle might spell lives in Tampa, Florida, and was a high school an afterthought. state’s “Mr. Basketball” at Clay County trouble for Kentucky candidates who run classmate of Gallatin County News editor Kel- Kentucky likes to use the iconic High School. He was an icon who could on their athletic fame, a fairly common horse as its brand, and there’s bipar- draw a crowd anywhere in the state and phenomenon in American politics. ley Warnick tisan agreement on that Beshear has he waltzed into offi ce. In the wake of Farmergate, a sports kept the “Unbridled Spirit” slogan Last year, when Farmer was term- career shouldn’t disqualify. It can build adopted under Jim Host, a Republi- limited, he ran for lieutenant governor leadership skills, as evidenced by former can who was state commerce secre- on a Republican slate headed by state Morehead State basketballer Rocky Ad- tary after a career as one of America’s Senate President David Williams, who kins and Centre College footballer Jeff greatest college-sports entrepreneurs. may have picked Farmer to keep Farmer hoover, who are majority and minority But while this is the thoroughbred from running for governor himself. The leaders in the state House. capital of the world, and we do love choice turned out to be unwise; Farmer’s Williams isn’t athletic but he was a our horses, more of us treasure the marriage fell apart, he failed to attend baseball scorekeeper in grade school, fact that it’s the capital of college bas- many campaign events or raise money, as I was, and we once had to agree on ketball — as President Barack Obama and newspapers began uncovering how the hits and errors when Albany played acknowledged Friday at the White he had abused his offi ce with perks and Burkesville. Making such calls turned House with the national champion big spending. The slate lost badly. out to be good training for political jour- University of Kentucky Wildcats. An audit of the department under nalism. When some older kids objected UK coach “John Calipari is the Farmer’s watch came out last week and to my reluctance to turn their errors into most powerful person in this state,” it showed that Farmer wasn’t much of a hits, a good coach named Joe Talbott ad- WHAS Radio sports-talk host sport or much of a public offi cial. He has vised me, “Call ‘em as you see ‘em.” If Lachlan McLean said recently, in illegally killed deer, used state employ- only more politicians were so forthright. what could also be taken as a com- ees on state time to build a basketball mentary on Beshear, one of our most court in his backyard, failed to report do- Al Cross is Director of the feckless governors in memory. nations, and paid his girlfriend $70,000 Institute for Rural Journalism Beshear and his wife, Jane, are a year for doing little work, at least at at The University of Kentucky horse people, but he has repeatedly failed to deliver on his 2007 campaign promise to help the horse industry by expanding gaming at racetracks and using the money to fatten race purses like other states are doing to lure away our stallions, mares and trainers. Beshear has failed partly because many Kentuckians couldn’t give a hoot about the horse industry, which they see as elitist. The horse industry supports thousands of modest-income families, but that gets lost in the indus- The Gallatin County News try’s glitz and glitter, especially dur- ©©2012 2008 ing the ostentatious partying of Derby [USPS 213-160] Week. Come back some other time 211 Third Street, P.O. Box 435 and we’ll show you some folks strug- Warsaw, Kentucky 41095 gling to keep their horse farms going. USPS 213-160. Published each week except New Year's week at 211 Third Street, Warsaw, Kentucky 41095 by the Gallatin County Away from the horsey precincts of News, Inc. Telephone {859} 567-5051. Periodicals Postage paid at the Louisville and Lexington area, Warsaw, Kentucky 41095. Standard mail enclosed. Postmaster: the favored sport is basketball and the Send address changes to: The Gallatin County News. P.O. Box 435, Kentucky Wildcats have a following Warsaw, Kentucky 41095