Events Past And Future Past: This Memorial Day

PAST: This Memorial Day weekend is the 40th anniversary of the worst fire in Kentucky history, maybe our worst such tragedy ever...the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire which took 165 lives.  That’s 165 people dying in one fire.

 

A book issued 2-3 years ago by a northern Kentucky researcher makes, IMHO, a compelling case that the N. Ky-Cincy Mafia torched the place, causing these deaths...which is not the accepted cause. (A now disbarred lawyer convinced several courts it was faulty electrical wiring, and won multi-million dollar verdicts.)

 

Before all the witnesses and officials involved in this (including former Gov. Julian Carroll) die, we should have a major, new probe into this tragedy. Why the major Kentucky-Cincy media haven’t done this is beyond me. Maybe the Louisville center for news investigation, and KET, and others can get this started. It needs to be done...for all those who died needlessly, and for the possibility it was, in fact, one helluva coverup by state and local officials.

 

FUTURE: Sunday’s H-L had a fine story on progress to reopen the old Fayette County courthouse...hopefully by the end of this year. Many of the new approaches, new tenants and their plans are excellent—and are based on tourism and our heritage, such as race horses.

 

But I think we are missing a sure bet...as we have for several years now...in not trying to recapture our place in bourbon: its history and tourism, a place we have surrendered, needlessly, to Louisville.  (Why should the Bourbon Trail start there? After all, Bourbon County is here.) And the bourbon business is good, growing greatly in the last few years. And so have Kentucky wineries, many located within the greater Lexington area.

 

Years ago I visited a major wine growing area in California. A much smaller town than Lexington there had a fine, downtown wine center...which maps, info, and tastings of nearby wineries. Why can’t we do that here? For wine and bourbon?  That would tie into local restaurants and so many other things.

 

BTW, one major problem I didn’t see addressed in the HL story---parking. Our renovated courthouse and its shops and tenants will bring many more visitors (cars). Are we ready for that? Where are we going to put them?

 

One final thought, which I will elaborate on in time: TBHA!

 

I'm just sayin'...