We all grew up hearing some version of the idea that words bounce off and don’t stick. But anyone who’s ever lived in a community knows that isn’t really how it works. Some words do stick. They act more like glue, holding stories together, shaping perception, and reinforcing how we talk about home and about each other. That unfinished sentence—Clark County is home to the beautiful…—reminded me of that.

The crisp December air settled over the quiet, historic Caudill Thacker Cemetery on Saturday as the community of Trapp fulfilled a national pledge: to remember. Gathering for the annual Wreaths Across America initiative, this rural cemetery became one of 5,598 locations across the country to simultaneously honor over 3.1 million fallen veterans. The local ceremony was intensely personal, embodying the program’s mission: Remember, Honor, and Teach. 

Every major holiday has its classic color scheme. Valentine’s Day is red and pink. Easter is pastel colors. Halloween is orange and black. Thanksgiving is Earth tones. And for hundreds of years, red and green have been the traditional colors of Christmas. I don’t personally like the red and green combo. Because I’m red/green colorblind, I see the two differently than the average bear, especially when they are beside each other. But per the color theory, these two shades are naturally complementary. And ubiquitous this time of year, as nothing signifies Christmas like these two hues. And, until now, it never occurred to me to wonder why. So I did a little research. It seems that the history of how red and green came to symbolize Christmas is a lot like the holiday itself: rooted in the wisdom traditions, modernized by commercialism, and carried on because we just really like it.

As December settles in—soft lights glowing in windows, the air carrying that unmistakable bite of winter—I’m reminded that the season of giving was never meant to be loud. It isn’t found in the biggest gifts, the grandest gestures, or the prettiest bows. The heart of Christmas has always lived in the small, steady acts of kindness that thread their way through ordinary days.

Writing for The Atlantic in 2003, Jonathan Rauch of Brookings Institution, who describes himself as an “atheistic, homosexual Jew,” celebrated apatheism, which he defined as not caring one way or the other about religion. He gloated that America’s growing indifference to Christianity was “the product of a determined cultural effort to discipline the religious mindset,” and he predicted it would reduce divisiveness in society. 

As I embrace the first night of Hanukkah and become surrounded by the swirl of other holiday traditions, I find myself thinking of these two little girls dancing in a circle with adults in a guesthouse in the village of Vadu Izei, northern Romania. They don’t know about angry headlines. They delight in traditional dress, tasty food, singing carols with their friends, and holiday joy. May we see the world through their eyes and make it so.

It seems that when friends get together for coffee, lunch, or whatever, they often end up resolving all the major problems of the day. Such was the case recently when a group of three got together for lunch and worked out the problem of universal healthcare. It’s obvious that Congress can’t resolve the problem; it’s tried for decades and still cannot come up with a reasonable solution.

In 1992, when I was studying in England, my college professor gave us an assignment that ran for the entire semester: visit 25 interesting places in England and write about each one (shoutout to Centre professor Mark Lucas for combining my two great loves of travel and writing).  But London is an almost impossible city to navigate. It isn’t designed on a grid, so winding streets and unexpected turns meant I was constantly lost.

This is a good recording from Lennon. I like a lot of the stuff he did on his own, including this. I remember the announcement of his death, December 8, 1980. Almost fifty years ago now. So sad and unnecessary.

Claims that funeral directors are finding long, rubbery “clots” in bodies and that these are caused by COVID-19 vaccines have circulated widely online and go back at least three years. But there’s no credible evidence linking such postmortem findings to vaccination. Investigations by fact-checkers and medical experts show these stories are anecdotal, often amplified by conspiracy outlets, and frequently conflate ordinary postmortem clots or COVID-related clotting with vaccines.

Like the original Broadway musical, this movie tells the story of Elphaba Thropp, a witch with green skin and high moral standards who objects to the Wizard of Oz's treatment of animals. That vocalization of objection causes the Wizard to declare Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West and her “friend”, Galinda, to become the Good Witch of the North. From there, in this second Wicked movie, we are off to see how it matches up with the story found in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 MGM movie directed by Victor Fleming, simply called The Wizard of Oz.

The world has many religions, as most know. Those with ingrained or strong religious beliefs often think theirs is the only true and correct one. How could that be, as human beings continue to populate the planet? It is a much more calming thought to believe that all major religions follow the tenet “treat others as you want to be treated.” Shouldn’t that be the basis of getting along in this world?

As Christmas approaches, Reel Classics will take a look at one of the staples in many folks’ personal library of Christmas-themed movies they turn to every year. Christmas in Connecticut stars Barbara Stanwyck as a very successful writer, Elizabeth Lane, for the popular magazine Smart Housekeeping (a take on the still popular magazine Good Housekeeping). In her articles, she represents herself as a cook, mother, wife, and resident of a lovely farm in Connecticut. She provides recipes and housekeeping advice that have drawn many fans across the country.

Faith is often loud. It’s sung from pulpits, printed in programs, and proclaimed from stages. But some of the most profound faith is quiet, steady, and persistent. It lives in women who rarely receive recognition, who never ask for applause, yet whose presence holds families, communities, and traditions together. The ones who show up before dawn and stay until the work is done, who feed everyone before feeding themselves, who hold grief and joy in the same breath—and keep on going.

A brand-new holiday tradition has officially arrived in Winchester, and it comes with wagging tails, community spirit, and nearly 50 participating businesses. The Winchester Christmas Scavenger Hunt, inspired by the journey of long-term FairyTails foster dogs Uno and Henry, runs now through December 31, and it is free for the public to play. Prize pickup will remain open until January 10.

More than a half-dozen states and Congress are examining bills relating to the corporate ownership of single-family homes. The purchase of single-family homes by large private entities has accelerated in recent years, removing such homes from the open market for individual buyers. Many of these homes are subsequently rented rather than resold to individuals or families. If they are rehabilitated for single-family use, they are often priced at a level that begins to unravel the community.

Humans are designed to look for patterns because they help us understand ourselves. We recognize a coincidence and feel a tug of wonder. The pyramid and the speed of light share a numerical whisper; the zebra’s stripes echo a hidden equation; the stars trace circles our ancestors used for navigation. The important thing isn’t whether the cosmic builders planned any of this. It’s what we feel in the noticing, it’s the awe, curiosity, humility, and connection. Between ancient stone and modern physics stretches the entire story of human consciousness.

Middle School students, do you have what it takes to make a difference in Winchester/ Clark County? Are you willing to write an essay that identifies a community problem or opportunity? One that recognizes a solution to the problem and addresses the opportunity. Does the resolution include the basic premise and principles of civic virtues? Would you like to win up to $100,000? Participate in the 2026 National Civics Bee competition.

WinCity Voices closed 2025 on a high note, surpassing fundraising goals during the Bluegrass Gives campaign and securing full funding through 2026. With record readership, new contributors, and expanded social media reach, the publication is poised to deepen its coverage of Winchester and Clark County. Plans for the coming year include a printed anthology, renewed podcast episodes, investigative reporting on local government, and community education programs—all driven by the continued support of engaged readers.

Leon was a favorite of mine way back when. I saw him in concert twice in the ‘70s in and near Nashville and again in the ‘90s at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington with my wife. This one is pretty good. Sit back and enjoy.

William Ney’s op-ed in the Louisville Courier-Journal argues that Appalachia, including nearly half of Kentucky, may be leading a national cultural shift away from loudness and spectacle toward steadiness and authenticity. He highlights how communities in eastern Kentucky respond to disasters with quiet resilience, rebuilding before credit is claimed. Musicians like Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson embody this ethos, now resonating nationally. Ney suggests Appalachia acts as an early-warning system for cultural change, valuing honesty over bravado. In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear exemplifies this steady leadership, offering a model of civility and compassion in turbulent political times.

A whole generation has grown up in Winchester since the iconic White Way was recreated in 1983. Little do they know the five-globed Main Street light was an original Winchester creation long before Ale-8 or beer cheese. The light fixture was designed by Warren Elkin, a draftsman at the Hagan Gas Engine and Manufacturing Co., and fabricated by Eagle Casting, both local companies on East Washington Street at the viaduct. Those original lamps were set 50 feet apart along Main Street, circa 1913.

For decades, American youth have been influenced to attend college rather than trade schools through government-sponsored financial support and cultural influences that push college degrees as a prerequisite for success, even when a trade profession might be a better fit. "This has created a skills mismatch in the labor market," the board adds. "Unemployment among young college grads is increasing, while employers struggle to hire skilled manufacturing workers, technicians and contractors."

Faith is supposed to be a simple thing—trust, belief, a leaning-into without demanding proof—but somewhere along the way, we dressed it up in rules and rituals and handed it over to the men behind the pulpits. We let them tell us what faith is and who gets to claim it. We let them draw borders around something that was never meant to be fenced in.

Whenever a peace plan is proffered during a time of war, it deserves careful attention. The same is true of the 28-point plan presented by the United States as an effort to terminate the war between Russia and Ukraine. While some of the points are pretty straightforward, others are ambiguous, while some are downright non-starters for either side. These conditions are what necessitate negotiations and compromise.