As of November 11, I am a staffer at the Oldham Era in Oldham County,Ky. I am so lucky to have found a job in this market, in this economy, in my favorite state.
I wish I had something profound to say about my new job, but I am really just so humbled to have a chance to get paid for doing what I love.
Scenes from a public gun auction held by Red Hat Reality.
Fire departments from across Union County, Ky., took part in propane tank fire training. The state sponsored training showed firefighters the proper way to turn off the gas valve during a fire.
Joseph Dauwe, 9 of Morganfield, and his mother, Jackie, participate in a cake walk at Family Fun Night held at the Union County Public Library's Morganfield branch. The event is in its second year and serves as a place for community members to interact and become acquainted with the library.
Logan Buck, 2, finishes the hay bail maze at Cullenook Farms by sliding out.
Ava Rich inspects her pumpkin. Her Girl Scout troop made a donation to a local charity before taking part in the fall festivities at Cullenook.
Leslie and Lena Bragg of Waverly marked their 63rd wedding anniversary on Monday, September 30. The couple met and married in Coal City, West Virginia when Les was 24 and Lena was 19 years old. They went on to have four children; Anita “Tumpy”, Sereta Ann, Nolan and Alycia. They now have eight grandkids and four great-grandchildren. Les is a retired federal mine inspector and Lena retired from Wal-Mart.
When asked the secret to a good marriage Leslie Bragg jokingly said that he had to realize that “my wife didn’t have any faults and I only had two, everything I said and everything I did.” Lena went on to say that she and Les balance each other out, she is talkative and he is more of the quite type of person.
The two are now enjoying their retirement and can often be found on their front porch with their dog Scooter.
Allen Chandler, center, smiles as he passes Ryan Balfor while Chandler takes shelled corn to the grain dryer at Greenwell Brothers Farm.
Shelled corn is deposited into a grain drying system.
Workers wait for their trucks to be filled with the last load of corn for the day.
A worker arranges corn so it doesn't fall out during transport.
Nathaniel Morrow, 9, and Jessica Klemens ride the Sizzler on Friday, September 13, during the Corn Festival.
Members of the Union County High School Dance Team perform toe touches during a jump off on Saturday.
Robert Thomas drives through the parade on Saturday, September 14.
Members of a dove hunting party formed in part with the Healing Outside Of A Hospital, HOOAH, Program from Ft. Campbell swap stories before reviewing gun safety procedures.
Eleven o’clock on Sunday marked more than the opening of dove season-it marked another step in the healing process for five soldiers stationed at Ft. Campbell. As part of the HOOAH program the soldiers took part in a three-day dove hunting retreat over the holiday weekend.
This event was hosted by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, River Bend White Tails and Wild Wing Lodge and Kennel and was supported by numerous locals. The long weekend was filled with fishing, hunting and community building.
Katrina Coffelt hands shells to Kris Boswell during the opening day of dove season. Coffelt is one of the many volunteers who helped make the weekend possible.
The idea for the event came from a conversation between Kurt Divine and the late Ronnie Rich, retired game warden. "The outdoors is our job and we're very thankful for what our service men do," Divine said.
The HOOAH, Healing Outside Of A Hospital, program at Ft. Campbell “coordinates outdoor therapeutic events for wounded, injured and ill soldiers of Fort Campbell in conjunction with the Warrior Transition Battalion” according to their Facebook page.
It works by “showing them that there is something outside of those doors,” said program attendee Luke Hortenstine, “This is hands down an awesome program… that gets soldiers off post and away from the mundane.”
The program started in 2007 when a soldier at Ft. Campbell took a wheelchair bound friend and soldier turkey hunting according to program coordinator Staff Sergeant Matthew Taylor. That hunt helped the soldier see that there was more life to be had, according to Taylor.
“I’ve seen soldiers come full circle just by being out in the woods” Taylor said. “Its an amazing thing to watch.”
Taylor went on to say that many soldiers who participate in the program have never been hunting or fishing. “They get to decompress and relax and see that there are opportunities out there,” he said.
General Joe Orr, US
Army Retired, spent time with the soldiers and shot a few clay pigeons with them. “We don’t forget our soldiers and their families,” he said. “I think these soldiers and their families have give a whole lot and this is a great way to give back.”
For more information about the HOOAH program at Ft. Campbell contact them at (931) 561-9475 or email them at hooahprogram@yahoo.com. For more information on scheduling a local event contact Kurt Divine at (270) 389-3580.
Andrew Grisham, left, takes instruction from Tracy Lieske on how to aim for a clay pigeon during practice for the hunt on the opening day of dove season.
Gary King, diver with C & E Diving, emerges from cataloging part of the Ohio River bed off of the Caseyville boat ramp in Union County, Ky. King is part of a team that was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers to monitor for endangered mussels in areas where the Corps will dredge and add dredge debris to the river. By altering the river bottom, via dredging, the Army Corps of Engineers ensures that barges can safely navigate the river.
Chad Lewis of Lewis Environmental Consulting pilots the Madison E into position to search an area for mussels. By ensuring that no mussels, like the endangered pocketbook mussel, exist in areas that the Army Corps of Engineers want to dredge or deposit dredge debris, they ensure that the Ohio River's ecology will not be harmed by their activity.
Cole Allen, left. helps Gary King, right, prepare to dive into the Ohio River off of Caseyville, Ky. King's clothing and gloves prevent him from being cut by debris on the bottom of the river as he catalogues the contents of the river bottom.
Cody Evans of C & E Diving holds a Wartyback Mussel that was found in the Ohio River bottom during an environmental survey.
The Gleaner in Henderson, Ky., asked me to shoot a video on the bluegrass festival that was being held on the river front. Now in its 28th year, the festival draws bands from across the country to play and features a folklife area for community education and fun. I had a great time meeting all of the people involved and look forward to working with The Gleaner staff again soon!
With school starting last week, I thought it would be neat to follow a kindergardener to their first day. After a short search I found the ever so exuberant Sydney Wallace. Her mother Jenilee, who teaches 7th grade social studies, agreed to let me follow them on their first day back at school.
I've been freelancing for my local paper, The Advocate, for a few weeks now. I love being able to work in my home county, there is nothing like telling the stories of your neighbors. My editor was gracious enough to give me the front of B1 for a photo page that documents our community. So, each week I go out and find something cool going on in Union County to photograph. For my first installment I went to an end of summer bubble festival at the Uniontown branch of the public library.
Callen Henshaw, 3 of Morganfield, Ky., is placed inside of a large bubble that was formed with a toy hoop.
JT Powell, 10 of Uniontown, Ky., forms bubbles with a crate.
Miya Powell, 9 of Uniontown, Ky., laughs with her mother as she tries to make a large bubble with her hands.
Jason Comer, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture, right, looks over grape vines at White Buck Vineyards and Winey with owner Carla White. Comer’s visit was part of a 13 county tour of agriculture in western Kentucky.
Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture, James Comer, made a stop at Union County’s White Buck Winery on Monday, July 30. The visit was part of Comer’s 13 county tour that focused on agricultural diversity in western Kentucky.
“This is where the agriculture is”, Comer said about western Kentucky. He went on to explain that Union County is poised for the future. The counties diversity in coal agriculture and manufacturing industries make this area a “very important agricultural county,” Comer said.
Comer went on to say that his number one goal was to help the family farmer and offered up examples of how his office has been working for the agricultural community. Through programs like Kentucky Proud and by developing agritourism Comer seeks to secure a future for Kentucky farmers.
Kentucky Proud is a program out of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture that promotes food made in the state with a label that reads Kentucky Proud. Comer noted an addition to the program called Homegrown by Hero’s that provides Kentucky farmers who are also veterans with a special Kentucky Proud label.
Another effort to rebrand Kentucky agriculture is Udderly Kentucky. The program seeks to increase the amount of milk coming from Kentucky farms that is available in Kentucky stores. Comer said the program is currently expanding into western Kentucky.
In addition to rebranding efforts, the state has created Kentucky Wine Trails. The trails, similar to the Bourbon Trail, seek to connect tourists and wine lovers to local wineries. Local winery White Buck is a part of the network of wineries featured on the Kentucky Wine Trail.
To graduate from WKU I had to complete a capstone project. I chose to create a short documentary on coal miners. I am from a coal community in western Kentucky and have always wanted to do a project that reflected my upbringing. The result was "At the Heart of It" which you can view here.
This project is the culmination of my four years at Western and I can honestly say I used nearly every skill in my toolbox to complete this project. Through a mountain of stress I relied on my knowledge, network of support and hard work to get me through this process. Looking back, I cannot believe how much I have learned at Western and am so thankful to everyone along the way that helped me grow as a photojournalist and person.
I cannot explain how blessed I feel to have the opportunity to go to college. Both of my parents have associates degrees, but I am the first in my family to attend a traditional four-year college. I have worked very hard to get to where I am in life but I would be nothing without my support network at home. My community has always encouraged me to be my best and make something of myself. This project is a reflection of my love for the people of Union County.
The capstone process taught me so much about long term, thorough projects. It tested my limits and pushed me to push myself toward an ever-increasing goal. At times I felt like my goal was out of reach, but with persistence and patience my idea came to fruition.
Hello Friends!
I graduated! I can't explain how thankful I am to all of the people who helped me get to this point in my life. My family, friends and WKU Photojournalism community have all shaped my life in more ways than they will ever know. So, I big thank you goes out to you all and all of my photo subjects for helping me to become a visual journalist.
All my love,
Alix
Barbara Daugherty, of Morgantown, Ky., prepares to play bingo at the VFW in Bowling Green, Ky. Daugherty plays bingo two times a week, "It's relaxing," she said about playing. Daugherty won $1,500 in one game when she and her husband were stationed in Japan during his service in the Air Force.
John Stucy, left, takes his son, Elijah Stucy, 6, on an evening walk around Westerns campus. Stucy shared the locations Civil War history with his son during their walk. "He's the best thing I've got," Stucy said about his son.
South Warren Marching Band's Field directors Taylor Conrad, left, and Shelby Newton,right, direct the band during half time.
Dennis Montgomery, of Evansville, Ind., monitors fuel gauges as he refuels a member of the Canadian Snow Birds' aircraft. Montgomery has been working at the Henderson Kentucky Regional Airport for four months. The summer drought cut into his lawn care business profits and he had to reenter the job market.
Bowling Green, Ky.,
A folk studies teacher was talking about a local group of marble players during a class and I just knew I had to meet them. A few phone calls and Google searches later, I was in the Monroe County Marble Club Super Dome, a shed-like building with a dirt marble court encircled by old recliners and heated by a wood burning stove.
I was welcomed very warmly by Timmy Walden who introduced me to the players and the game. After the game, he, his father-in-law (the Colonel) and his son (Ben) made a marble for me. I cannot express how blessed I feel to play a tiny part in the lives of great people like the Waldens. I really hope to do a short documentary on the Waldens and their history with marble playing in Monroe County. They are truly a Kentucky treasure.
Below are some images I made during my time at the Super Dome. Enjoy!
Colonel Bowman was a founding member of the Monroe County Marble Club Super Dome. He is there everyday at 4 pm to open the doors and start the fire on cold days.
Royce Bartley, of Tompkisville, Ky., has been playing marbles since he was a school boy. Bartley recently hurt his foot and has not been able to play, but will soon return to the marble field.
Royce Bartley, of Tompkinsville, Ky., plans his next move during a game of Rolley Hole.
Rondell Biggerstaff, of Tompkinsville, Ky., shoots his marble.
For the past couple of months I have been working on a team with other students from my practicum class to cover a local high school rivalry. We followed Bowling Green High School and Warren Central High School through their seasons and this is the final project: www.wkujournalism.com/drive
I learned so much along the way about team work, editing and shooting video. Thanks to my team mates for an awesome ride!
