- Associated Press - Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Recent editorials from Kentucky newspapers:

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Dec. 2

The News-Enterprise on a charity giving $300,000 to benefit a hospital in Kentucky:

A recent announcement by Kosair Charities of another significant contribution made to Hardin Memorial Health Foundation was great news for the hospital and community. This latest gift of $300,000 will be used to acquire new specialized medical equipment to further advance care and treatment of newborns and infants at the hospital.

Baptist Health Hardin’s Emergency Department and its BirthPlace delivery department will benefit from the money awarded the foundation.

According to Baptist Health Hardin, the Level II NICU at BirthPlace will purchase a mobile incubator for use in safely transporting babies to another hospital should more specialized care be required. BirthPlace also will receive specific equipment to respond to and treat potentially life-threatening postpartum hemorrhaging experienced by a women after delivery.

The money also will provide for various equipment routinely used in the hospital’s emergency department and to provide car seats for patients who need them as they depart from the hospital with their newborns.

These improvements of equipment and services will help position Baptist Health Hardin and BirthPlace to obtain a pediatric readiness designation for the emergency department and NICU, which signifies the hospital and its staff is uniquely prepared with the latest in protocol, technology and training to effectively treat critical illness or injury.

Since 2016, Kosair Charities’ total contributions to HMH Foundation have exceeded $700,000, and has included fundraising support from both Knights of Columbus 1455 and the Riasok Shrine.

November also saw another philanthropic gift given the hospital. Atria Senior Living’s Tails & Ta-Tas breast cancer awareness 5K run-and-walk event brought in slightly less than $12,000. The money was provided to the HMH Foundation to support the hospital’s Cancer Care Center.

These latest contributions are noteworthy for important reasons.

They illustrate a continued commitment and confidence in our local hospital to invest and leverage financial gifts to meet healthcare needs across the 10-county region served by the hospital.

The gifts also show that Hardin Memorial Health Foundation is alive and well in its ongoing philanthropic work to encourage and procure investments to support care at the region’s hospital long into the future.

Online: https://www.thenewsenterprise.com/

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Nov. 30

The State-Journal on a federal appeals panel upholding Gov. Andy Beshear’s order to stop in-person classes at religious schools during the coronavirus pandemic:

Last week U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ruled that the governor’s executive order halting in-person classes until the beginning of January at both public and private schools across the state infringes on church-affiliated institutions’ constitutional rights. The judge agreed with 17 religion-based private schools that challenged Gov. Andy Beshear’s emergency restriction, saying that the order violates the First Amendment and Kentucky’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Van Tatenhove wrote that governor has every right to impose some restrictions on all schools, such as requiring face masks, limiting class sizes, requiring that COVID-19 cases be reported and enforcing social distancing guidelines.

“But in an effort to do the right thing to fight the virus, the governor cannot do the wrong thing by infringing protected values,” he added, saying the “First Amendment protects the right of religious institutions ‘to decide for themselves, free from state interference, matters of church government as well as those of faith and doctrine.‘”

However, on Sunday a three-member panel of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati issued a stay on Van Tatenhove’s order and added that it will likely rule that Beshear’s order, which requires middle and high schools to continue with remote learning until early next year and will allow elementary schools to reopen next week only if the county they are in is not in the red zone on the state’s COVID-19 incidence rate map, was “neutral and of general applicability.” Currently, 115 of Kentucky’s 120 counties are in the red zone - meaning there are at least 25 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents reported daily.

Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who supported the private schools’ bid to remain open for in-person instruction, said on Twitter Sunday that he is disappointed with the ruling and vowed to take the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Much like the debate over whether face masks should be required in public, the decision to resume in-person instruction shouldn’t be a political issue, but a scientific one. Resuming in-person classes while thousands of new coronavirus cases are reported in the state each day would only endanger the health and safety of students, teachers and families. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Online: https://www.state-journal.com/

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Nov. 20

The Daily Independent on a Kentucky businesses owner who recently announced his retirement:

Sadly, we say goodbye to Gene Jackson Tire Co. in Ashland.

Owner Steve Jackson announced his retirement this week and the closure of the business on Carter Avenue.

This closure has nothing to do with lack of business or the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s all about a man who has devoted his professional life to a business and is ready to retire.

It’s a sad occasion because the business has existed for more than 70 years, and we all hate to see a long-lived establishment end for any reason.

It’s sad because, even though the business had only a handful of employees, some workers will lose their jobs.

It’s also sad because it’s a family-owned business with a meaningful history that will be lost.

The business began as a tire store in 1947, when Gene Jackson sold tires for General Tire and Rubber.

As an elementary school student, Steve Jackson began working for his father. Between college classes and military service, he worked for his father. More than 30 years ago, the father handed off the business to the son.

While the business has seen some changes over the years, one thing has been constant, Jackson said: honest.

He said he prides himself on honest dealings, especially with women, who often aren’t as educated about automobile maintenance and feel as though they are likely to be cheated at a garage.

“I made a conscious decision never to cheat a woman,” Jackson said. “They know we’re not cheating them.”

Although retirement is a welcome event to be celebrated, Jackson might find it a bittersweet experience. Going from having a daily routine to not having a daily routine is an adjustment for someone who has always worked. But over the years, because of treatment of customers, we are sure if he gets lonely, he will find he has many friends who would welcome a visit.

Online: https://www.dailyindependent.com/

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