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Guest Commentary

Commentary: The difference between compassion and cruelty

Commentary by Allyson Dix, Managing Editor of the Barren County Progress It was one of those sweltering Kentucky mornings–the kind where the sun seems to sit still in the sky, casting down heat like a heavy blanket. In spite of it all, people gathered in droves for a community event, smiles mixing with sweat, trying…

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Advice for Graduates

By PJ Martin Editor The Herald-News   Congratulations, you are graduating high school! That means more than you think. You need a high school diploma to do almost anything these days. I know you are sick of getting advice at this point, but this may be a little different than the normal advice, so here…

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Supporting local newspapers puts community first

HB 368 will harm communities and newspapers By Jane Ashley Pace Guest Contributor Every county in Kentucky has one local business that has been there longer than any other, most more than a century – while some are even closing in on two centuries. In many of these counties, that business is their local newspaper.…

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What I Really Think

By PJ Martin The Herald-News   I’ve been told I am too blunt when it comes to saying what I think and that’s ok with me. I realize it’s true. This editorial is going to be one of those blunt, opinionated pieces. Metcalfe County has a small animal shelter (dogs only), but that shelter is…

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Here we go again

By PJ Martin The Herald-News   They’re at it again! The World Health Organization (WHO) is attempting to get a panic started just like they did with Covid only this time they want to make a pandemic out of bird flu (H5N1). They are crying wolf and it’s only a puppy. Surely after all the…

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COMMENTARY: Starbucks and Chick Fil A

Written by Paula L. Ratliff “Coffee is brewing and chicken is frying” as Glasgow prepares to welcome a Starbucks coffee house and a Chick Fil A restaurant in 2025. Never have the two been so closely linked together than probably in this writing as their corporate philosophies are miles apart. Yet, these are two major powerhouses that…

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Vote Yes

By PJ Martin The Herald-News   As most of the residents in this county, I have sat back and watched as our towns have gotten smaller and smaller. I’ve seen new businesses close almost as soon as they opened, and our family members must drive to another county to find steady work. Anyone who knows…

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Dumbing down the ACT

By PJ Martin Editor The Herald-News   While driving to work last Monday morning I heard an announcer saying that the ACT (American College Testing) had been trimmed down. What? I wondered what was meant by trimmed down, so I started searching online to see exactly what ACT did. For those unfamiliar with the ACT,…

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Christmas Wishes

By PJ Martin Editor The Herald-News   Christmas is just days away and everyone has something they silently wish for. Most people want a little snow to fall to make it feel like Christmas. Others want all their family to come back home to celebrate. I guess my wish is a bit similar to that.…

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Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

By PJ Martin Editor The Herald-News   Thankful, grateful, blessed. You see that phrase on shirts and plaques everywhere, but how many of us really are thankful, grateful, or feel we are blessed? You don’t have to be rich to be happy and you don’t have to live in a big mansion either. Some of…

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