Horse Talk

This subject may be considered “past business” but after reading the Guest Opinion piece by Stewart David & the follow-up letter from Holly Hazard, I think it’s necessary to make a couple of observations on the subject of horse slaughter in the USA.

As far as I can tell their focus is entirely on the prevention of horses being slaughtered in the USA for human consumption. They seem to miss the quite obvious fact that horses are still used regularly & legally for animal foods, for various industrial & manufacturing uses here in the USA as well as being shipped overseas for those uses & to be processed for human consumption, too, both overseas as well as returned to the USA, post-processing, for human consumption.

Therefore I question how effective the legislation they tout is, even for the cause they espouse.

Further, though myself hardly a vegetarian & wary of promoting extension of the idea, I wonder why they seek these protections only for horses. Is their motivation protection of animal life or does it extend only to those animals considered “noble”?

Darryl Weaver

Photos to the Editor
Democratic Convention

Photos By Jennifer Miller

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Columbia Ave. will be blocked between Pennsylvania Ave. and Woodland Ave. thru Thursday, Aug. 5, to install fire service.

Dancin’ in the Streets!!!!

The Urban County Government’s Traffic division will be placing traffic control signs and markings on Short Street, as the Plaza paving work is nearing completion.

The city plans to open Short Street for one-way traffic from North Limestone Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard on Saturday, August 7, 2004. Short Street will function as it did before it was closed for construction of the Courthouse project, with NO PARKING AT ANY TIME on either side of the street.

There will be times when Short Street will be temporarily closed from North Limestone to MLK Boulevard for special events in the Plaza or for construction projects related to Short Street.

With reopening of Short Street, pedestrians using the Courthouse facilities will be directed by signage to cross Short Street at North Limestone or MLK Boulevard.

Have a ‘Field Day’

The Georgetown Street Neighborhood Association’s Glory Days will dedicate the new Douglass Park Playground, Saturday August 7. The dedication, to be held at Douglass Park on Lexington’s Georgetown Street, will be a part of a larger event, dubbed “Field Day.”

Field Day at Douglass Park is part of the Georgetown Glory Days initiative. It is one of a series of events in the Georgetown Street Area co-sponsored by Urban County Council Member Jacques Wigginton and the Georgetown Street Neighborhood Association. All events, according to Wigginton, are aimed at “returning the street and area to its glorious past.” The initiative is designed to focus on back-to-basic activities that “remind and return the community to its spiritual and neighborly roots.” Field Day is a day of games, music, food, and fun. Its primary objective, according to committee members, is to reintroduce old-fashioned schoolyard games and encourage the park’s use by neighborhood children.

“Everyone from the Georgetown Street and Russell Cave Road corridors is welcome to attend these events,” Wigginton said.

Field Day officially begins Saturday, August 7th at 9am and is expected to go until 4pm. Box breakfasts and lunches will be provided for children. According to organizers, Field Day events, music and food service are all designed to foster “a family reunion atmosphere.”

Saturday’s Run Routes

The following streets will be closed during Saturday’s Mid-Summer Night’s Run.

—Mill Street between Second and High from 4pm to 12midnight

—Vine between Broadway and Upper from 4pm to 12midnight

—Short Street between Midland and Jefferson from 8pm to 10pm

—Broadway between Second and High from 6:15pm to 6:45pm and from 8pm to 10pm

—Main and Vine between Broadway and Midland and all intersecting streets from 5:30pm to 6:30

—Main and Vine between Jefferson and Walton and all intersecting streets from 8pm to10pm

In the “Yeah, pull this one: it plays Jingle Bells” category

In a quote from a press release that we promise we’re NOT making up: “ Kentucky Utilities Company (KU) received a Bulldog Award for Excellence in Media Relations and Publicity for communications work during the ice storm that struck Lexington and parts of central and northeastern Kentucky in February 2003. More than 115,000 customers were without power at the height of the storm. KU received a Bronze Award in the Crisis Communications category. The contest is open to PR practitioners in companies across the nation. The Bulldog awards are presented to ‘Recognize media prowess your ability [sic] to influence public opinion through the media. The recognition rewards creativity, media savvy and tenacity, creativity and originality, strategic brilliance, fast thinking and quick turnaround, and results, results, results.” Emphasis added. Of course, this is award doesn’t recognize KU’s handling of the storm—it recognizes their handling of the MEDIA, in relation to the storm, and the outages. So maybe their PR hacks deserve an Award for “brilliance”…given that no utility leadership ended up with their heads on pikes in Ashland Park. We’d say more…But the lights…are…flickering….

Spouse Abuse Update

Nearly 200 women have joined in the fundraising effort for spouse abuse services. The United Way of the Bluegrass is now a sponsoring agency that will process funds and provide tax-exempt documentation. United Way will ensure that all funds collected will be in a protected account earmarked for spouse abuse services. Checks can be made payable to:

One Hundred Women
c/o United Way of the Bluegrass
2480 Fortune Drive, Suite 250
Lexington, KY 40509

To submit an advocacy/activism activity or event for Quickies, email rkirkland@aceweekly.com, or editor@aceweekly.com.