In working up the Files column for this week’s paper, I learned that 25 years ago the City of Hazard was named a Certified City by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.   Certainly the committee that gave the award to the City of Hazard did not make a visit to either the Englewood Cemetery or the Riverside Cemetery, or if they did, the two places of final rest had to be in much better shape then than is the case now.

I hate to continue to “beat this drum” so much, but the forefathers of this area whose work has meant so much in bringing the standard of living to the point we enjoy today deserve nothing less than to have their place of final rest to be kept in a presentable condition.

One does not visit a cemetery to have a big time or lots of fun, but rather a visit to a burial ground is to pay respect for the loved one that is buried there.  Even though those visits are often uplifting because of the good memories that come to mind, a cemetery visit is somewhat depressing at best, and the visual impact that one has to suffer through when looking at a place that should be thought about as highly as sacred ground, but which resembles the looks of junk yard is nothing short of terrible, and this is so whether the viewer has a loved one buried there or is just driving by and sees such a mess.

There are several civic groups here in Hazard and Perry County, and I cannot urge their getting together enough to see that our cemeteries are a place of visual pride rather than a disgrace in appearance.  If a clean up crew can be put together to bring our burial grounds to a presentable level, I will be more than happy to join in to do all I am capable of doing.

On a totally different subject, I was totally shocked when I heard that 60 faith “leaders” from all across Virginia had joined together in urging Virginia’s Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to oppose a coal-fired power plant that Dominion Virginia Power plans to build in Wise County, whose county seat is Norton, Virginia.  I am no scholar of the Bible, but when ministers, rabbis and theologians signed such a letter dealing with Wise County, Virginia, where coal has meant so much for many generations, I think they need to go back and study their Bibles.

If we thought we had troubles here in Kentucky with some of our legislators trying to cripple the coal mining industry, our troubles do not compare with what could be the case in Virginia.  I also have to wonder how all those preachers would feel were it not for coal keeping their churches warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  As I said, I am not a scholar of the Bible, but I will go to my grave thinking that God gave us the resources he has for us to use.  On that point, I remember years ago, in talking with a friend who was a Christian Scientist, I asked her why God let people be trained in the medical profession if their abilities were not to be used in times of sickness?

I don’t know anything about Timothy M. Kaine, the Governor of Virginia, but for the good of the people in his state, I just hope he has his head “screwed on straight.”

Now on a third subject, while reading a Kentucky History over the weekend, I ran across these figures that I will share with you, for whatever the purpose.  The livestock count in Perry County in 1870 was 698 horses, 44 mules, 4,590 cattle and 5,735 hogs that were over six months old.  That same year, it is recorded that there were 18 tons of hay raised here along with 64,298 bushels of corn and 824 bushels of wheat.