Back then I was younger than most others, but not so now

I was younger than most of the people who worked in the downtown area of Corbin when I started my job as an announcer and sportscaster at radio station WCTT 61 years ago. Now I am older than most who work in this area as I approach my 83rd birthday this Friday. My wife and I both have birthdays this week. We have been married 58 years and we celebrate each year with a night out at a local restaurant.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

If asked which I would prefer, how it was then as to how it is now in the downtown area, I would answer how it was then. There were a variety of businesses, and they were operated by people we knew, but that is how it used to be in most small towns. Since we can’t turn back the clock, I like how it is now too. It basically  is a great area for dining and entertainment.

For 35 of the 61 years I have occupied an office on north Main Street as publisher of this newspaper. Terry Forcht gave me the opportunity to publish the Whitley Republican in 1987, then start a companion newspaper called Corbin! This Week later that year. In 1991 we merged the two under the title of News Journal but we kept the names of both under the masthead which still appears in each edition.

During this period of time I have written hundreds of columns and mostly I like to point out the good things that are happening or comment on things that I think need attention. Of those that need attention are the conditions of Kentucky Street and Gordon Hill in Corbin, plus all of highway 312 to the intersection of 776. I am not the only one who talks about this. Because I have written about this subject so many times people continually bring it to my attention. All agree it is way past time for the state to repair these roads.

I don’t know if city officials have requested the improvements from the state, but if they haven’t, they should. Kentucky Ave., which is part of U.S. 25, has deteriorated to the point it needs immediate attention.

As for that hole at the intersection of Kentucky and Gordon Streets that has been there for years, I thought I saw a VW down in it the other day. No, it is not that big but it needs fixing as does the rest of the hill and the highway.

Yesterday I saw paving crews in the north Corbin, Laurel County area paving streets that carry very little traffic. New pavement has been laid on roads all around Corbin. Then we have sections like the one on the Cumberland Gap Parkway out by Walmart and other stores that will jar your insides out when driving on that stretch of road.

Highway Department officials, why haven’t these roads been fixed that have been this way for years?

The citizens of this area deserve better!