Today's Opinions

This only could have happened in a town of the size and style of Shelbyville, one with spirit and soul.

And it's a quintessential reason why you might always have preferred Mayberry to Manhattan (even if there's no doubt that you are a BIG fan of the Big Apple).

This scene could be cast and played in many places across the country and the world, to be sure, but few visitors would believe it could happen.

Some would snicker. Some would guffaw. Most would shake their heads.

You leave your old Kentucky home as a teenager and move hundreds of miles away. You get a college education in a mid-sized town and move to a larger one. You know people and work with them, and you have family members nearby. You feel comforted if not content.

Work takes you hundreds more miles away, to a bigger, sprawling city that is far more plastic and soulless than you can imagine.

We want to thank everyone who participated in the benefit for Tom and Vicky wise. Words cannot express the appreciation that we have. From the donation of the facility, all of the individuals and businesses that donated food, money, and items for the auction and all of the volunteers working the fish fry, this would not have been possible without you. In our time of need, it is a wonderful feeling to know that there are so many people and businesses that are willing to lend a helping hand. That's what made this benefit so special. We were asking for help, and everyone we asked responded.