Pete Koutoulas

WinCity Helps has launched! After months of work and data collection, a new service designed to match volunteers with community organizations seeking help has launched in Winchester: WinCity Helps.

WinCity Helps has launched!

After months of work and data collection, a new service designed to match volunteers with community organizations seeking help has launched in Winchester: WinCity Helps.

A More Innocent Time? Harry Enoch asks an important question: When and why did drag go from being considered good, clean fun to a threat to society and children?

A More Innocent Time?

Harry Enoch asks an important question: When and why did drag go from being considered good, clean fun to a threat to society and children?

It can’t happen here . . . can it? Did author Sinclair Lewis predict the future in 1935? Chuck Witt asks, “Can it happen here?” In this case, “it” refers to an authoritarian takeover of the American Republic.

It can’t happen here . . . can it?

Did author Sinclair Lewis predict the future in 1935? Chuck Witt asks, “Can it happen here?” In this case, “it” refers to an authoritarian takeover of the American Republic.

SAVE Act is unnecessary and harmful to democracy Chuck Witt opines that Congress is once again trying to stifle citizen participation in democracy with something called the SAVE (Save American Voter Eligibility) Act. Despite the ironic name, Chuck says this measure would make voting harder and discourage more people from participating.

SAVE Act is unnecessary and harmful to democracy

Chuck Witt opines that Congress is once again trying to stifle citizen participation in democracy with something called the SAVE (Save American Voter Eligibility) Act. Despite the ironic name, Chuck says this measure would make voting harder and…

All Voices Reading Room: Promoting DEI in Winchester This week, we introduce a new contributor, GRC student Heiraelle Osborne. She will be doing some exclusive writing for us, but for her initial piece, she has submitted a great story about All Voices Reading Room, initially published in “Smoke Signals,” the GRC student newspaper.

All Voices Reading Room: Promoting DEI in Winchester

This week, we introduce a new contributor, GRC student Heiraelle Osborne. She will be doing some exclusive writing for us, but for her initial piece, she has submitted a great story about All Voices Reading Room, initially published in “Smoke…

Wave more, flip off less From finger wags and “flip offs” to hands in prayer and at work, Michael Andrews offers his perspective on using human hands for good—and not so good.

Wave more, flip off less

From finger wags and “flip offs” to hands in prayer and at work, Michael Andrews offers his perspective on using human hands for good—and not so good.

Jeff’s Playlist: Storyville I presented Robbie’s first album a while back. This is his second solo effort. Released in 1991 and recorded all over the place. A real gem. Give it a listen. I think you’ll like it.

Jeff's Playlist: March 7, 2025

Chaos Compounded So much damage, so little time

Chaos Compounded
open.substack.com/pub/steady/p...

Girl, You’re Glowing! The Iconic Anglerfish Did the anglerfish that turned up on the ocean's surface—6,500 feet above its native habitat—get there by chance or by choice? Erin Skinner Smith has ideas about that.

Girl, You’re Glowing! The Iconic Anglerfish

Did the anglerfish that turned up on the ocean's surface—6,500 feet above its native habitat—get there by chance or by choice? Erin Skinner Smith has ideas about that.

In the future, may we be confident about our enlightenment Public education—whether in Clark County, Kentucky or in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine—is essential, writes Michael Andrews. Specifically, there can’t be a functioning democracy without an educated populace with shared values of human decency and inclusion—and available to all.

In the future, may we be confident about our enlightenment

Public education—whether in Clark County, Kentucky or in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine—is essential, writes Michael Andrews. Specifically, there can’t be a functioning democracy without an educated populace with shared values of human decency and…

It took seeing adult bullies to understand that my childhood bullies didn’t even really want to hurt me, they just wanted to feel powerful and how I felt about it wasn’t even in the equation.

I can’t imagine someone not outgrowing that, but apparently it happens quite a lot!

Jeff’s Playlist: The Yes Album Yes was a very popular band in my neck of the woods when I was young. This is the first of their albums that I had. . . although not their first worldwide release (but their third). Give it a listen. I think you might enjoy it.

Jeff’s Playlist: February 28, 2025

I'm very new to videography and post-editing, but I'm learning fast. Here's my latest attempt.

Field Trip: Sledding the Hill at College Park Rebecca Campomanes continues her occasional series of experiential place-oriented stories, a seasonally appropriate piece about sledding “the hill” at College Park, one of the region's best-known and most-visited snow sledding spots.

Field Trip: Sledding the Hill at College Park

Rebecca Campomanes continues her occasional series of experiential place-oriented stories, a seasonally appropriate piece about sledding “the hill” at College Park, one of the region's best-known and most-visited snow sledding spots.

Celebrating Winchester’s Black Trailblazers, part one Have you noticed the banners along Main Street honoring Winchester’s Black “trailblazers?” Harry Enoch begins a two-parter on how the banners came to be, including a brief biography of each honoree.

Celebrating Winchester’s Black Trailblazers, part one

Have you noticed the banners along Main Street honoring Winchester’s Black “trailblazers?” Harry Enoch begins a two-parter on how the banners came to be, including a brief biography of each honoree.

Tributes pour in as VanMeter remembered Matt Cizek of The Winchester Sun writes about the love and tributes in remembrance of Holly VanMeter, who passed away on Feb. 19.

Tributes pour in as VanMeter remembered

Matt Cizek of The Winchester Sun writes about the love and tributes in remembrance of Holly VanMeter, who passed away on Feb. 19.

Other Choices, Other Rooms In this, the fourth installment of Todd Garringer’s “The Diary of Jack Frazer,” we encounter a dramatic twist involving the character of Grace as we learn more about her . . .

Other Choices, Other Rooms

In this, the fourth installment of Todd Garringer’s “The Diary of Jack Frazer,” we encounter a dramatic twist involving the character of Grace as we learn more about her . . .

Celebrating Winchester’s Black Trailblazers, conclusion Harry Enoch concludes a two-part article on how the banners along Main Street honoring Winchester’s Black “trailblazers” came to be, including a brief biography of each honoree.

Celebrating Winchester’s Black Trailblazers, conclusion

Harry Enoch concludes a two-part article on how the banners along Main Street honoring Winchester’s Black “trailblazers” came to be, including a brief biography of each honoree.

Trump’s EPA Is Trying to Seize Billions From Habitat for Humanity and United Way Donald Trump’s freshly appointed Environmental Protection Agency chief is trying to seize $2 billion in federal grant money from a coalition of nonprofits that includes Habitat for Humanity. The money...

They will stop at NOTHING to fund tax cuts for the rich — especially trying to claw back money already legally appropriated (and partially spent) to help the economically disadvantaged. Some of you all voted for this.

I wrote this in a hurry, but it's straight from the heart.

Opinion | Don’t Believe Him Look closely at the first two weeks of Donald Trump’s second term and you’ll see something very different than what he wants you to see.

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/02/o...

"Let's not become a nation of frightened silent people." --Navalny

Unfortunately, $100 mil to Musky is about like $10 to the rest of us.

We plan to be a bit "feistier" here than on Facebook, for obvious reasons. These are dangerous times we live in, folks.

Leaning Into the Doomsday Clock Despite what seems to be a never-ending stream of bad news on the national and world front, Erin Smith is choosing to look for the positives. "Nature has an astounding ability to persevere, adapt, and thrive when given the time and space to do so . . . If nature can find a way, so can we."

Leaning Into the Doomsday Clock

Despite what seems to be a never-ending stream of bad news on the national and world front, Erin Smith is choosing to look for the positives. "Nature has an astounding ability to persevere, adapt, and thrive when given the time and space to do so . . . If nature can…

The Spotless Mind This is the first installment of a new multi-part Sci-Fi novella by Todd Garringer, "The Diary of Jack Frazer." In this opening piece, we learn about the dystopian dream (is it a dream?) of the central character. New installments will appear approximately once per week. Enjoy!

The Spotless Mind

This is the first installment of a new multi-part Sci-Fi novella by Todd Garringer, "The Diary of Jack Frazer." In this opening piece, we learn about the dystopian dream (is it a dream?) of the central character. New installments will appear approximately once per week. Enjoy!

According to a friend, "The Lexington Herald Leader, and multiple other newspapers across the country, published next week’s Doonesbury instead of this one (today 2/2/25). Why is the Lexington Herald-Leader run by cowards?"