There are many job openings, but few wanting them

About a year and a half ago we had an opening for a news reporter. Our staff urged me to call Jennifer Perkins and see if she would be interested in the job. She had done intern work here and the staff liked her and her abilities very much.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

Fortunately she accepted my offer. The staff was right, she is a very good journalist. So good in fact that she won five first place awards and ten awards overall in the recent Kentucky Press Association’s annual newspaper contest. This helped the News Journal win the General Excellence Award, which is the top honor for large weekly newspapers in Kentucky.

Others took notice of her abilities and she received job offers. One of those came from a television station. She has accepted their offer and will become a news producer. Congratulations to Jennifer and we wish her well.

In my 34 years at this newspaper I have had to fill positions several times, but for the most part most of our staff have been with us for over 20 years. However, the problem of filling positions today is much harder than it has ever been.

For example, in the past when we have advertised for a delivery driver people would line up at the door seeking the job. It was never a problem to find help.

Now with the same delivery position open we have started advertising for it and only two people have contacted me but both were not interested in the part-time position. In the past retired people and others who wanted a little extra income for a day’s work would be available.

We are not the only ones facing this situation. I have seen help wanted ads on billboards, on the Internet and in the newspaper. Businesses are begging for help.

• In section B of the News Journal are the candidates for the Ossoli Club’s 79th annual May Day Festival. There are 17 Queen candidates and nine Tiny Queen candidates.

I was the Master of Ceremonies for the 75th May Day Festival. If memory serves me right I was in the festival 73 years ago. As I have written previously, my mother saved the outfit she made for me on her foot pedal Singer sewing machine. Before she died she wanted me to have it. It is a black tail jacket and dress shirt.

Our daughters also have participated in the May Day Festival. There is nothing quite like being a young father and seeing your little darling in her beautiful gown participating in the tiny queen contest. I had that thrill many years ago. The Ossoli Club has been a blessing to the many groups and organizations they have funded in this community from the proceeds of the festival. This year’s festival will be held May 6th. at 7 p.m. at the Corbin Arena.

• And finally, if you watch television news it is difficult to not become depressed. Never in my lifetime did I think we would ever see another Hitler, but Putin is exactly that. It is hard for me to watch the butchering that is taking place.

What is happening to the poor people in Ukraine is beyond belief in our modern society. The actions of the Russian soldiers reveals a lot about the Russian society. I don’t believe under any circumstances would an American soldier perform the atrocities that we have seen.

Unfortunately in the nuclear age any actions taken by another country could trigger a nuclear disaster by Putin. Let’s hope and pray that there are some sensible people in Russia that can stop this killer.