For years I have considered the clank of a metal bat hitting a baseball to be sacrilegious. Baseball should involve the crack of the ball coming off of a wooden bat. As a baseball fan since I could get in to watch the Cincinnati Reds for free because I could walk under the...

Among ESPN host Chris Berman’s famous catchphrases is, “That’s why they play the game!” Berman would use it when preparing the audience for highlights of an upset. While the Knox Central Basketball faithful may not agree, to the rest of the 13th Region world, the Panthers’ 78-63...

I will admit to being new to being the person responsible for in-depth coverage of postseason basketball. That being said, there has got to be an easier way to determine the region bracket than what I experienced Sunday at The Arena. The coaches/representatives from each of the...

High school basketball fans in Whitley County will have at least one more week of local basketball as the Corbin Redhounds and Whitley County Lady Colonels both qualified for the 13th Region Tournament with their respective wins in the first round of the 50th District Tournament...

COVID–19 has changed the way a number of things work from voting to high school basketball. Because of the pandemic, early and absentee voting was made more widely available. It proved so popular, with voter turnout increasing exponentially in both the 2020 primary and general...

Williamsburg Independent Schools canceled in-person classes this week because of a spike in COVID–19. That announcement was made at approximately noon on Monday. Yet Monday night, the Williamsburg Lady Jackets suited up against Whitley County for a basketball game at...

High school basketball in the era of COVID–19 is driving fans, coaches and players crazy. Whether it is a team like the Whitley County Lady Colonels, who had been on a season-opening winning streak prior to Monday night’s loss to North Laurel, or the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets,...

Corbin and Williamsburg have both been at the cusp of the pinnacle of high school football in their respective classes in recent memory. Williamsburg at Class A, and Corbin at Class 4A have been to the state finals. While two out of three ain’t bad in the world of classic rocker...

High school basketball is slated to begin Monday night, but like almost everything else in the era of COVID–19, there are some changes. One of the victims of COVID-19 appears to be sportsmanship. Per the Kentucky High School Athletic Association rule changes, the traditional...

Who is the best high school football team in the area? Corbin could make the argument that, even though it lost in the regional championship game, it played the toughest schedule, and a broad spectrum of opponents from Class 2A powerhouses Beechwood and Somerset to Class 6A Dixie...

This week’s edition of The News Journal marks my third week covering sports. It has been an exciting time with high school football in the midst of the playoffs. Being a Wednesday paper, my goal has been not to spend a lot of time recapping the past week’s games. Instead, I try...

Every once in a while, a story in The News Journal about someone being arrested will draw outrage from family and friends, and even other members of the community, along with complaints that we have slandered or libeled the individual. Though there is a running joke in the...

In light of the response in the June primary election to the addition of early, in person voting and excuse–free absentee ballots, Democratic legislators have announced that they plan to introduce a number of bills to make those additions a permanent option when Kentucky voters....

My dogs have become drug addicts. Over the last week, we have been forced to medicate our two Shih Tzus nightly because the area around our house has been inundated with fireworks. I would not be surprised if some of those neighbors took advantage of the closeout sales at the...

So, what lessons can we take away from Tuesday’s election? By far, the biggest is that giving voters additional means to cast their ballot other than on election day is an effective way to increase turnout. I’m still not a fan of mail in ballots, or at least returning ballots by...

I admit I’m a train person. While I can’t identify the various types of locomotives in use, or give details on the various railcars, trains fascinate me. I don’t mind being stuck at a crossing as a train goes by. I wish there was a platform where you could stand and watch cars...

With businesses across Kentucky preparing to open their doors once again, it may feel like black Friday at some as customers return to some of their favorite places for the first time since mid–March. Customers should take a deep breath and have some patience as the stores and...

U.S. history is full of instances where people have taken a stand against what they perceive as excess, overreach, inaction, ineptness, or just plain evil on the part of local, state and/or federal government. The nation was founded by just such people, and they added provisions...

(Dean Manning is a reporter at the News Journal.) While COVID–19 has numerous people, including school children, stuck at home, it has provided the perfect opportunity for those considering adopting a pet. Yes, the Knox-Whitley Humane Association has closed to walk-in adoption....