Features

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Political newcomer Ray Gunn is running for magistrate in District 4.

Gunn, a Democrat and Vietnam veteran, is retired from the excavating business after 45 years, the last 30 of which he operated his own business, Ray Gunn Excavating, LLC.

The races are getting a little more urgent, and the candidates are reaching out to the voters.

Signs are at intersections, and community fund-raisers become the modern-era stumps on which a candidate climbs to make his or her pitch to the voters.

Take, for instance, a recent pork chop dinner held at the East 60 Fire Department, an event that resembled more a family reunion than a public forum for political candidates.

 Auditions set

Another of the candidates for the U.S. Senate seat Jim Bunning is vacating came through Shelby County last week.

Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson, a Republican, spoke Thursday night at the Stratton Center in a group of about 20 at a Republican gathering about his position on a variety of issues.

With just 27 days left before the primary election on May 18, candidates will be out in full force spreading their messages to all that will listen.

U.S. Senate candidates Rand Paul, Trey Grayson and Bill Johnson have stopped over in the county, and magisterial and constable races are becoming more active.

But perhaps the biggest election facing voters in Shelby County will be for the District 20 State Senate seat being vacated by a retiring Gary Tapp (R-Shelbyville).

Internationally known mystery writer, Sue Grafton will speak at the Shelby County Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday as part of the nationwide One Book, One Community program.

Friends of the Library in Shelbyville have purchased 250 copies of J is for Judgment by Grafton to be distributed free to the community. They can be obtained by contacting the library, but only a few remain.

On June 11, 1784, Nicholas Meriwether returned to Louisville with his family.  On Aug. 7 he wrote a lengthy and enlightening letter to his father-in-law, Captain Meriwether, describing in subdued terms his trip down the river:

“An agreeable passage of seventeen days, the water being very low.”

After discussing arrangements for the purchase of boats, he strongly recommended: