Bowling Green Based Houchen Industries' "Crossroads IGA" Now Open In Smiths Grove, Ky.

Shell fuel pumps in front of Crossroad IGA

    I've always liked Bowling Green based Houchens Industires, Inc. http://www.houchensindustries.com/ and the story behind their incredible financial success through the years who now have their world-wide headquarters located down on Church Street in the old Fruit of the Loom building or "The Derby" as they used to call it around here.
According to their website, Houchens have experienced major growth in the last 25 years.

Side of building facing McDonalds

     "From 1988, when the company was purchased by the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), Houchens Industries has experienced unprecedented growth.  Today, Houchens Industries, Inc. is a diversified conglomerate wholly owned by its employee owners. Houchens has businesses in retail grocery and convenience stores, quick-to-service restaurants, insurance, stock brokerage and financial services, franchising of optical stores, construction, fence materials manufacturing and distribution, crushed stone aggregates and asphalt paving, recycling, tanning supply distribution, manufacturing, software and website development, property management and juice concentrate, manufacturing and distribution."

"Listed by Forbes as one of the largest 100% privately held companies in North America and according to the ESOP Association, the largest 100% employee owned company."

Sign seen from I-65

  

     With Houchens Industries being located in Bowling Green, residents in the Southcentral Kentucky area get to experience a wealth of nice, grocery, retail and convenient food markets throughout the region. One of their latest concept convenient grocery market stores is the Crossroads IGA in Smiths Grove, a small town in the northeast part of Warren County where about 850 or so residents live. The store is located right off the exit ramp of I-65, sandwiched between McDonalds and a truck stop and not far from Wendy's, just down the road. I have shopped at several of their other Crossroads IGA markets in the Bowling Green many times through the years. This new Crossroads is a brand new, state of the art, beautiful building where they are currently advertising, "Your all-new neighborhood grocery store!" Besides tons of regular food items that you would normally purchase at other larger grocery stores, they also offer fresh, fast and convenient foods including a Scholtzky's Bakery Cafe which has 15 different types of sandwiches, Cinnabon Classic Rolls and Carvell soft-served ice cream. They even have a drive-thru window available.
    I stopped by this new store earlier this week and I was very impressed. First, I filled up at their Shell Station fuel pumps located out front and then I pulled around and parked on the side of the building. When I walked in, I was blown away of how clean and orderly the store is. Everything was placed perfect on the shelves and the restrooms, being brand new, were of course super clean and nice too. I couldn't believe how many choices they had to offer as far as take out food including fresh fruits, deli items and veggies. I saw one local elderly farmer just walking around in a daze basically in awe, checking everything out. Also, I checked out the Scholtzky's Bakery Cafe but I ended up settling for a sandwich, chips, a bottled soft drink and a cheese snack out of the deli items area. The young lady who checked me out was very friendly too and I asked her how long they had been open and she said, "Two weeks!" with a smile.

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Paul Stanley's "Face The Music, A Life Exposed" Grips Your Attention With A Stranglehold

     I wrote about the mega, super rock group, "Kiss,"  in an earlier blog of mine. It was about my first and only Kiss concert that I ever attended in December of 1978 at The Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tenn., when I was 16 years-old. http://acriticfromthesouth.blogspot.com/2011/01/all-way-to-see-kiss-at-mid-south.html  I went by myself because none of my other friends wanted to go with me.  I heard recently on a podcast that "Lifelong, die-hard Kiss fans take a lot crap throughout their lifetime."  I think that statement is somewhat true.

The cover of Paul's book

Me and Paul at his book signing in Bowling Green, Ky.

    And as far as the individual members of the group are concerned, to be honest, I never thought a whole lot about lead singer and guitar player, Jewish born Paul Stanley, "The Starchild," as being my favorite member of the group.  I suppose I've always liked Jewish born Gene Simmons the best, the fire-breathing, blood spitting "The Demon," bass player of the four male members who wore make-up and black costumes on stage for years. Originally, there was also drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley too.  Gene, however, always seemed to be the most colorful to me catching my attention, on and off camera.  And now since Peter and Ace are out of the band again, now there's Tommy Thayer on lead guitar and Eric Singer on drums and they are wearing the original make-up of Ace and Peter, the Spaceman and the Catman. But for me, I had been seeing Gene on television the most throughout the recent years thanks to his hit A&E reality show, "Gene Simmons Family Jewels."  I felt the show gave me a real sense of who Gene Simmons really was.  Especially when you saw behind the scenes of his life where you got to know his beautiful wife, Shannon Tweed, and his kids, Nick and Sophia Simmons and his lovely mom who still lives in New York City.  As far as Paul was concerned throughout the years, I would catch headlines of him some in the past.  Such as the time he began to paint and sold some of his paintings at auctions and where he made over $2 million dollars from selling them according to media sources at the time. And I think that I heard somewhere along the way that he liked to cook too.  But that's about it that I can remember about Paul.

    But this book. OMG!  Wow, did I get to know Paul Stanley! Now I feel like I really know him. It all began when I got a chance to meet him at our local library in Bowling Green, Ky., for a book signing in May. I wrote this too in a recent blog and I even included a video of the event that I made. http://www.acriticfromthesouth.blogspot.com/2014/05/kiss-paul-stanley-brings-people-out-of.html  I was able to purchase a pre-signed copy and I had my picture made with him.  When I met him, I realized he's just a human being like me while side standing next to him.  He didn't shake my hand but he fist bumped me.  (I guess if I had to meet that many fans during a book signing tour, I would be a little concerned about germs or injuring my guitar playing hand too)  Before I left after our very brief meeting, I told him that my wife and I were going to see Kiss in concert in Nashville, July 16th.  He said, "We'll see you there!" he said and then smiled. I said goodbye. And that was it.  I still have my picture with him to show for it.

      Paul seems to be completely honest in his book.  Early in this 462 page turner with several great color and black and white photos, he writes about an ear defect that he was born with and how he was teased about it during school.  He writes of his home life and some of the struggles that his family endured growing up in the NYC.  He also writes about of his early years of how he became a musician and how he met Gene and how they recruited Peter and Ace and how they eventually became to be one of the biggest and hottest bands in the world.  There's a lot discussions about some of the different personalities of the different band members through the years such as Peter, Ace and Eric Carr, a drummer that passed away of heart cancer in the early 80's.  You learn about his first sexual experience and all the women that passed through in his life. Tons of them!  I thought Gene lead the field in that area, but now I'm starting to wonder if Paul has just as many sexual encounters with women as him.  You learn about Kiss' management team and original record label, Bill Aucoin and Neil Bogart of Casablanca Records.  You learn about the ups and downs of the band and their roller coaster ride to the top.  After I went to college at the University of Mississippi in their early 80's, I pretty much lost contact with Kiss.  I didn't keep up with them a lot then.  Oh, I would see them from time to time on MTV with a new video here and there they had out or something like.  But that was about it. Or I also saw where they had some new band members and went "Unmasked" to the public.  But those years, during and after college as a Kiss fan, it went totally blank for me.  I had also gotten married in 1986 and my son was born in 1987 and I had moved to Kentucky and went to work full time to raise a family.  So the book was very helpful to me to fill in the blanks of the missing Kiss years from the early 80's all the way up to about 1998 when I saw them on national television during the Halloween concert at the LA Dodgers Stadium during the reunion tour with all four original members on stage again.

Gene, Shannon and Paul

     I suppose what struck me most about this book besides Paul's honesty is how hard this man has worked to be the musician that he wanted to become and the driving force to keep Kiss together all the years.  He admits that he smoked a little pot during the early days but he has nothing against drinking and absolutely loves women or sex if you will.  That was his main vice he said, relationships and women. He gets into depth about his first marriage to actress Pam Bowen and the birth of his son, Evan, the divorce and eventually the marriage to his new wife, Erin.  I really liked this paragraph in the book where he talks about seeing Erin for the first time, "If there was ever going to be a moment that proved to me the existence of God--and I do believe there is a God--then this was it.  Sure, some people might choose to call it luck. Too me, luck, is taking advantage of a situation God puts in front of us. The woman's name was Erin. She was tall as me and had a great laugh. And she was a practicing attorney."

All of the members of Kiss throughout its history

    The only negative criticism I have about Paul's book is that I realize now what a stumbling block Peter and Ace eventually became for the band as well as their originally manager Bill Aucoin.  Some of the things, he writes about Peter and Ace are sometimes overbearing but I have to admit, they did say and do some stupid shit according to Paul in the book.  Also, I couldn't understand why he didn't invite Gene to his wedding to Erin. Technically, I understand his reasoning why and the principal behind it because Gene went around for years stating to the public and press that he did not believe in the institution of marriage.  Of course, Gene finally married Shannon after many years on their reality show, "Family Jewels."  But come on, Gene is Paul's best friend and business partner.  Gene even took Paul in and let him live in his guest house when him and his first wife separated and Gene and Paul hung out together doing things together during those times.  I feel like it probably really hurt Gene's feelings but I'm sure would never would admit it.
    In this book, I realize that Paul Stanley, at age 62, as a musician, a rock star, a husband, a father and as a human being is now self-actualized.  Throughout the book, Paul was not to afraid to admit that he pretty much has or had sought out the help of a psychiatrist and counseling to deal with a lot of his personal issues even an early age.  I really admire that. And the fact that he is strictly a hard driving, creator, co-musician and the mega force behind Kiss, who has always tried to keep the band moving forward, Paul Stanley has achieved a mountain of success in his lifetime by somebody who pulled himself up by the booth straps and did it on his own along with three other unknown musicians in make-up from NYC.  But the beautiful thing about Paul Stanley, the rock star, is that he also found the inner beauty of life with a family-his wife and four children. When he is not on the road or on tour, he admits these days he would rather be home with his family at his mansion in the hills of LA over looking the ocean, baking pizza in his brick oven on his patio. And he admits, it's not about the money anymore because you know he is worth millions of dollars like Gene, but it's about quality family time.  He admits that he loves cooking too for family and friends and I think that's really cool.  I can understand that.  That's where his human side really shines through to me.  Here you have a rock star who has survived the music business for 40 years and still rocking on the stage.  He is also business partners with Gene, owning a chain of restaurants and an arena football team.  And now he is a published author with a best selling book and a highly successful book signing tour.  I  suppose that I will never meet Paul Stanley in person again or stand that close to him.  However, after reading his book, I realize that he is just a human being just like you and me but had a drive to succeed and never give up like no other person in the music industry has before. Also, I think he sincerely cares about Kiss fans and is interested in their lives like we are his.  But thanks to modern technology, you can reach out to him on daily basis on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just remember, Paul Stanley is "Watchin You" because he'll see that you are watching "The Starchild" too.  Go buy and read the book.  You won't be disappointed and you find it hard to put it down.  Thanks Paul Stanley for sharing your life with us!

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YouTube's "Southern Women Channel" Brings It Down Home With The "Sh%t Southern Women Say" Video Series

If you're looking for some good Southern fun and want to see some good looking, funny, smart Southern women, check out the "Southern Women Channel" on https://www.youtube.com/user/SouthernWomenChannel.
YouTube.
The first episode of the series has gone viral with over five millions views since it first came out only a couple of years ago. There have been four episodes made so far and a new one that just came out recently called, "The Dixie Download."  Julia Fowler, the creator of the video series is a native of South Carolina.

Here's Julia's bio:

"Julia is an actor, writer, producer, singer and dancer. Originally from Gaffney, South Carolina, Julia holds a BA in Theater and Dance from the University of South Carolina where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. After college, she moved to New York City and achieved her childhood dream of becoming a Broadway musical theater performer. Julia eventually made the move to Los Angeles and wrote, "The Possum Trot Cloggers," a screenplay influenced by her real life experiences in the competitive clogging world. The script, originally optioned by New Line Cinema, is currently seeking independent financing. Julia recently wrote, directed and starred in the YouTube viral video, "Sh%t Southern Women Say," which was featured on NBC's "Today Show." She also created and executive produced the reality pilot, "Growing Up Broadway" for E! and performed in the Hollywood Bowl's 2012 summer production of "The Producers" directed by Susan Stroman."
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Art/Work Entertainment

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Kiss' Paul Stanley Brings People Out Of The Woodwork From Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky At His Book Signing

When I first heard the news from D93 Rock DJ Tommy Starr on Facebook that Kiss' front-man Paul Stanley was coming to Bowling Green for a book signing of his new autobiography, "Paul Stanley: Face The Music, A Life Exposed," I was a little skeptical at first.  I don't think I quite believed it.  "The Paul Stanley from Kiss is coming to good ole little Bowling Green? No way!" I thought.  So I put it on the back burner on my mind because the book signing date was still several weeks away.

However, when the day came this past Thursday, I realized it was a reality.  I started seeing postings about it on Facebook again. I posted on Facebook a couple of negative comments concerning that I hated large crowds, long lines and I didn't like standing out in the cold rain waiting. I could feel my middle age seeping in on my positive attitude towards rock legends of the days of my youth.  Then, I thought, "Hey, wait a minute, this is my chance to meet Paul Stanley in person and get his autograph. Hell yes, I'm going!"  Even my childhood friend, Ricky Williams from Memphis also posted on Facebook, "You've got to go, man. It's Paul Stanley!"

I'm glad I went.  Yes, it was crowded. There were probably about a 1,000 people from everywhere there at the Warren County Public Library-Bob Kirby Branch on Scottsville Road just off Exit 22 next to the Ramada Inn.  Lots of people had even traveled from out of town such as Evansville, Ind., and Ohio.  So people had been waiting all day too. My number was No. 267.  You had to buy the $30 book at 4 p.m. and if you lived in town like I did, you could go home for dinner and come back at 6:30 p.m. in get your place in line.  I asked the organizer of the event, Jayne Pelaski, "How did you all managed to land Paul Stanley here?"  She said, "It was a lot of hard work and it took a lot of finagling."  Of course, Paul showed up on time and you could hear the applause, hooting and hollering for him when he arrived.  How it worked is that he did not sign any

memorabilia. Only his books.  Once you got in line in this big room, the staff brought a cart around with pre-signed copies of his new books and they exchanged them for the unsigned books that you had purchased earlier in the day.  Then when you got up there to meet Paul, the staff would take you picture with him with your camera.  When it was my turned,  I approached him and introduced myself to him and tried to shake his hand.  He gave me the fist bump instead.  He was nice about it though.  He posed for picture with me and I told him that I was going to the Kiss concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on July 16th.  He said, "We'll see you there!" and smiled. Then, I walked out the backdoor and starting posting my pic with him on Facebook immediately. 

Warren County Public Library to Host KISS Frontman Paul Stanley

The Warren County Public Library will host Paul Stanley for a book signing on Thursday, May 15. Stanley will sign copies of his memoir Face the Music:  A Life Exposed.

In Face the Music, Paul Stanley—the co-founder and famous “Starchild” of KISS—reveals for the first time the incredible highs and equally incredible lows in his life both inside and outside the band. Face the Music is the shocking, funny, smart, inspirational story of one of rock’s most enduring icons and the group he helped create, define, and immortalize.

The event will be held at the Bob Kirby Branch on Thursday, May 15^th at 7:00 p.m.  Doors open at 4:00, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early to reserve their space in line. Book signing only – no memorabilia will be signed. Books will be available for purchase on site starting at 4:00. For more information, call 270-782-0252 or email Jayne Pelaski at jaynep@warrenpl.org.

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The New "Mariah's" Restaurant in Downtown Bowling Green, Ky., Is A Smash Hit!

     Downtown Bowling Green is changing and it's now the place to be these days.

It's not the same place it used to be for years and years since I moved here in the late 80's. However, anybody who decides to go downtown nowadays can get a sense and feel of the "new vibe" as soon as you approached the new gigantic parking structure next to the Bowling Green "Hot Rods" minor league baseball ballpark.  I have been seeing the progress of this particular parking structure these last couple of years and I thought, "Well, it's just another parking structure".  But I supposed it never peaked my interest until the Hitcents Park Plaza http://visitparkplaza.com/ came into fruition in the last year or so with five new restaurants currently bunched in together at the bottom of the parking structure on the plaza level next to the ballpark.  The new restaurants include the new Mariah's, Brick & Basil Pizzeria, Asia Cafe, The Holinos Mexican Restaurant and the 643 Sports Bar.  When I found this out, of course, then I became intrigued.

Supposedly, all of the restaurants are sharing one large kitchen and somehow all of the food is distributed to all of the different restaurants after it is prepared.  I wouldn't mind to take a look behind the scenes in this kitchen to see how all of this is being executed especially since I work in the service and sales industry.

    But then of course, the devil's advocate side of me has had this curious thought lingering in the back of my mind. I'm sure as taxpayers of Bowling Green and Warren County, we will all help pay for the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) which includes the building of two new parking structures (Downtown and Western Kentucky University) and several buildings and projects in one form or fashion that I have seen being built in the downtown area lately. Too many for me to recall right now. According to my mortgage company, I know that my city taxes are going up a little next year . I'm not complaining, I'm just saying.  But the county taxes, may not have not have anything to do with the TIF and the downtown redevelopment.  I don't know for sure or how all of this is working out is all I am saying.  But on the other hand, I do know that there are people here who are investing tons of their own money also into these private ventures which is a good thing for Downtown Bowling Green and our local economy.

    Anyway, back to the Hitcents Park Plaza.  The old, Mariah's in the old historic home closed down not long ago.  Former owner, Rick Kelley, sold out to the Mills family (Hitcents), because of  some financial troubles that he had been involved in these last couple of years.  But Kelley has stayed on as an adviser and consultant to the restaurant which is a good thing I think.  Also, Jodi Fleming, the manager of Mariah's is still there as well as some of the servers and staff.  Especially, Bryan Graves, head bartender and server is still there. He's a great guy and knows how to take care of his customers really well.  I understand that he is in charge or helping out with arranging entertainment that is taking place in the 643 Sports Bar and also for bands that we be performing on the Plaza area this Summer.

   All and all, the new Mariah's is a smash hit in my opinion.  This new restaurant is beautiful inside especially the bar area, our usual hangout since Patty and I have been regulars there these last couple of years.  The menu is basically the same as the old Mariah's.  There appears to be a little variation of menu item choices and maybe some price changes a little.  With our drinks, Patty and I ordered the "Say Cheeseburger" and side two salads.  The new "Say Cheeseburger" has been greatly upgraded and much improved.  They were very delicious!  The bar area has even added several new selections of wines and beers to it's stock too. However, the biggest difference of the new Mariah's in my opinion, is how grand and beautiful the new restaurant is with lots of glass, dark stained wood and very high ceilings.  There's tons of room and space for everyone.  Being brand new, the new Mariah's is super clean, charming and elegant too.  But I would say, even years down the road, the new Mariah's will serve its customers well in its new location. And with its new location and new owners, I would say that they will most likely maintain the legacy and reputation of Mariah's, keeping it alive and well for Bowling Green and anyone who walks through their doors.  It's worth a trip to Downtown Bowling Green, even if you decide not to park in the parking structure.  But please do because it's free in you are dining at one of the Hitcents Park Plaza restaurants!

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"What? Say That Again," We Said. "The Slippery Noodle Inn-Indiana's Oldest Bar," She Said.

     I was staying at the Crown Plaza Union Station Hotel in downtown Indianapolis for my company's annual meeting early last month.  After our meeting that afternoon, me and a couple of my co-workers ventured outside to explore the downtown area of Indianapolis.  One of the guys wanted to buy a pack a cigarettes.  So we walked over to this little liquor store located in the vicinity and after my co-worker made his purchased, he asked the clerk where their was a nice little bar that us guys could go hang out at.  And she said something about Indiana

's oldest bar, "The Slippery Noodle Inn," http://www.slipperynoodle.com/ and we said, "What? Say that again," we said.  She said, "Yes, The Slippery Noodle Inn-Indiana's oldest bar and it's a really cool place and supposedly it has a lot of history behind it too," she said.  The bar was not that far away from our hotel at all she also said.  So we made our way over there.
    When we arrived we order a couple of beers and I really did think it was a pretty cool place.  I liked the atmosphere too. Supposedly, during prohibition whiskey was made in the basement in the bar and the gangsters, (Brady and Dillinger gangs) used the building in the back for target practice and several of the slugs remain embedded in the lower east wall. The server allowed me to go downstairs and take a quick look and snap a picture before we left.  I didn't stay long because the other guys wanted to leave and go somewhere else.  But I loved the history of the bar and the place really appealed to me.  I'll go back and visit it again one day, that's for sure.
    Again, The Slippery Noodle Inn claims to the be oldest bar in Indiana, established in 1850.  It is located at 372 S. Meridian St. in downtown Indianapolis and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and owned by Hal and Carol Yeagy.  The bar has been owned by the Yeagys for over 50 years and and they claim that their bar is also internationally known and can attest that many well known celebrities have visited the bar over the years.  They feature live Blues music, good food and booze. They offer "carry out food and booze available" the menu claims.  It's definitely worth the trip over there if you're ever in downtown Indianapolis.  And you'll surely want to sneak a peek at the Dillinger slugs in the wall too before you leave like I did.
 

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Kiss and The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and Museum-Let's Hope For A Peaceful Induction

Okay, who's ready for the Kiss-(Gene has not said much) Paul, Peter, Ace and Rock & Hall of Fame finger pointing and taking jabs at each other in the press to be over with? My God, I hope they don't get up there tomorrow night and slug it out. Hopefully, they will act like true gentlemen and be respectful to each other while being inducted. Keep your fingers crossed, Rock and Roll lovers. However, you should at least pay one visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum before you die. You'll see and learn the true essence of the genre through the lenses of a cultural and historical perspective in America. I am glad that I went a couple years ago. And I understand that every person, musician or band that was chosen was for a good reason because they made sort sort of major contribution to Rock and Roll.

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Please Join Me On Facebook And Kill Lots Of Time Like I Do

   

Galen A. Smith Sr., and his wife, Patty

 You can now join my new Facebook page "A Critic From The South" at https://www.facebook.com/acriticfromthesouth   You'll get to read the latest news, inside information and some personal commentaries about my blog. Please check it out and "Like" new page! Thanks!

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Find What You're Looking For At Cave City's "Lost & Forgotten Treasures"

     If you're in the market for a Case knife, a mattress set or primitives, then "Lost & Forgotten Treasures," located at 601 South Dixie Hwy in Cave City, Ky., just may be place for you.  Owner Mark Coats is a honest, fair and friendly man and he will make you a good deal on any mattress set that he has available and any other item in the store.  I've personally known Mark for a while and he has always treated me right and gave me a good deal on a queen crazy quilt mattress set, not too long ago.  My wife and I love it! It's really comfortable and we get a good night's sleep every night, I promise!

    I recently stopped by his new store the other day and looked around and I really liked what I saw. Besides, the Case knives, mattress sets and primitives, he also has antiques and furniture for sale too.  I was even able purchase my grown son who likes science fiction a couple of collectible Star Wars action men for $4.99 a piece which I thought was a great deal!  And he loved them too! If you have any questions or you need to get directions on how to get there (of course it's right on the main highway and you can't miss it), you can call the store. Mark or his wife will be glad to answer any questions you have. (270) 773-7400.

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BG's Sleeper Agent's "About Last Night" Finally Out Today On RCA Records

      I was never a band dad where I pushed my son to be a musician or be in a rock band.  I thought that when he finished his college degree at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green in 2010 that he would get a job somewhere as a graphic artist because that's what he studied.  However, Tony Smith of Bowling Green's sensational indie rock/pop band, Sleeper Agent, who just happens to be my son found his own career path in life.  He started young at the age of 10 years-old.  He found the love of his life, the guitar. And started singing as a little boy, always singing a song and has always had a song in his heart.  His mother, Patty, played music as a young person.  She played piano and was in her high school marching band.  She has always sung around the house and she always knows the lyrics to songs.  Me? I always dreamed of being a rock star growing up in the 70's and 80's listening to a lot of rock music on eight tracks, cassettes and records and attended a lot of rock concerts. In the 80's, I watched a lot of MTV and VH1.  I also used to read a lot of rock music magazines and books.  And I still like to read the rock biographies.

     I've always been a writer of some sorts.  Not the best and not the worst.  I've been told by some that I have talent for writing.  So I suppose, with the genetic makeup for Tony, he got his music and writing career naturally from both Patty and I.  And then with the environment that he grew up in Bowling Green considering the local music scene
brewing for his age group, success in music was bound to happen one way or another.  Luckily, he became friends with band mate and keyboard player, Scott Gardner and his mother, Dr. Marilyn Gardner, a professor at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.  Dr. Gardner has generously supported these kids and allowed them to used her garage as a practice place and home base for years.  Once Tony and Scott formed several bands together, they finally found the right combination that has skyrocketed them to success in the the world of the entertainment business.  And today, all of us parents, are very proud of our grown children in the band. Tony, Scott, Alex, Justin, Lee and Josh.  I know that I am guilty for shaking the pom poms for them all the time on Facebook and the internet. But that's what parents are for, right? Finally, their follow-up album, "About Last Night" to their debut, "Celabrasion" from a couple years ago, is now out today everywhere on RCA Records.  Congratulations to their hard work that has led up to the glorious day and we thank their manager, Missy Worth of  West Hollywood, and her management
team, and the management team at RCA Records in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville!
    So let's celebrate with Sleeper Agent today as they share their happiness and joy of their success. They will be signing autographs, albums and CD's at the release of the new album at Mellow Matt's Music and More on Smallhouse Road and Broadway Avenue in Bowling Green next to Pizza Hut Take Out and Delivery from 5 p.m.- 6 p.m. today.   They will also play an acoustic set also.  But before that, they will also appear on Bowling Green rock DJ, Tommy Starr's "Rock Show" on WDNS FM Radio, D-93, at 3:45 p.m. Wow, what an exciting day for Sleeper Agent and the Bowing Green Music Scene!

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The Devil Made Him Do It? Pastor Exposes Himself To 15 year-old Girl

     This recent particular Bowling Green (Ky) Daily News police story posted below reminds me of the time when I was a senior at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, Miss., in the Spring of 1987 and I was working at the JD Williams Library as a student worker in the Acquisitions Department for a locally known gay man. But I wasn't gay, I was married and I still am heterosexual and married after 28 years. However, I was getting ready to walk out of the lobby of the building to go to lunch when a female student comes running down the stairs of "The Stacks" (upper level floors with shelves and shelves of books) as it was known, screaming bloody murder.  As it turns out, the sexual pervert was an older man from a surrounding town, who exposed himself to the student on the 4th level.  He ran downstairs and then ran out the front door as fast as he could.  I commence to chase him out onto the front lawn and down through the business school and on out in front of Kincannon Hall, about a 1/4 mile away.  During the chase, several other Ole Miss male students started chasing him also.  Finally, the man stopped because he realized he was out numbered.  Soon after, the UPD, (University Police Department) showed up and placed him under arrest.  The next day, I was quoted in our student newspaper, (The Daily Mississippian) about the incident.

JD Williams Library

     But the recent exposing incident that happened in Russellville, Ky., a small town, 30 miles of west of  Bowling Green, strikes me as being odd for a couple of different reasons.  For one thing, he was a pastor for God's sake! Don't tell me, the Devil made him do it, right?  Also, didn't he realize that the department store had cameras everywhere?  And the pastor had his seven year-old son with him that day. What a dumb ass!  But he was mainly a dumb ass for what he did in the first place.  This guy needs to get on his knees and repent while begging for forgiveness.  Then he needs to seek some serious counseling for his sick perversion.  If you're going to be a pastor in the public eye even if it is in a small town, you better walk the walk right especially if you're going to talk the talk.

Pastor charged with indecent exposure

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Posted: Thursday, February 27, 2014 10:42 am

By the Daily News | 0 comments

Russellville, Ky.

A Russellville pastor is charged with indecent exposure after a woman reported that a man exposed himself to her juvenile daughter while the two were shopping in Burke’s Outlet on Feb. 13.

The girl told police that the man had a small child with him and possibly left the area in a van, according to a release from Russellville police.

Pastor Kevin Lohse

Police obtained video surveillance from the store and posted a still image from the video to the department’s Facebook page. The photos quickly resulted in more than 600 shares and led to the accused perpetrator turning himself in to police, according to the release.

Kevin Lohse, acting pastor at Woodlawn Baptist Church, admitted to investigators that he was the man in the video and that he had his 7-year-old son with him that day.

Lohse can be seen on the video manipulating his zipper to expose himself to the juvenile, who was shopping in the juniors’ section of the store, according to the release.

Police charged Lohse on Wednesday with indecent exposure. He was in the Logan County Detention Center and posted a $2,500 bond.

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Posted in Police news on Thursday, February 27, 2014 10:42 am.

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Sinkhole at The National Corvette Museum In Bowling Green, Ky., That Causes Floor To Collapse Becomes A Global News Phenomenal

     I am amazed how the story of a floor collapse underneath the Big Yellow Dome at Bowling Green's National Corvette Museum that swallowed eight Corvettes in Bowling Green early this morning has become world-wide news phenomenal.

      The story has spread like wild fire thanks to social media and other news media outlets like cable television news and radio.  I have even posted and retweeted things about it on Facebook and Twitter just about all day myself.  There were news reports from USA Today, CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS, NPR, BBC, New York Times

and LA Times just to name a few.  I posted a Tweet today that said, "Who broke the story? WBKO news? (Our local television station.  That's where I first saw it on Facebook.)  However, one of my friends stated that she figured Joe Imel, the digital media director at the Bowling Green Daily News, most likely broke the story.  I agreed with her.  Joe Imel or joeimel@joeimel on Twitter has 16,400 followers.  He constantly listens to the police scanner and is usually the first to break all types of police and disaster news in the Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky communities.  He is a very dedicated photographer and journalist. Looking back on Joe's Twitter account today, it looks like he received an early morning Tweet from Bowling Green fireman, Matt Helms@fireman2915 "Floor collaspe at the big yellow dome at the national Corvette museum @joeimel."  Then Joe, retweeted, "BGFD staged at NCM for sink hole that swallowed up 6#Corvette on display in dome area More at bgdailynews.com on this breaking story."  Apparently, Matt and Joe broke the story which has now become a global news story. Great job guys!

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Krystal Restaurants Are Still Going Strong In The South Since "The Great Depression" In the 1930's

    I was visiting our local Krystal in Bowling Green recently and I noticed some literature about the history of their restaurant that they were handing out to their customers.

    Immediately, when I started reading it, I thought back to my childhood days of growing up in East Memphis, Tenn.., and my first experience of eating at the Krystal located on Popular Avenue across from East High School in the 1960's.  It was probably around 1966 or so and I would say that I was four or five years old.  I remember that there was always a line of customers waiting to get their little, hot burgers with the tasty steam onions on them.  I remember that the small building was built with black and white tile on the inside and exterior with a big silver, "Krystal" ball on top. I also remember one time that my father took brothers and I to a Memphis State (University of Memphis now) football game at the formerly Memphis Memorial Stadium which is now the Liberty Bowl in the late fall in the mid-1960's when was freezing cold outside.  We played Mississippi State and won! Anyway, after the game, we rode in the back of a pickup truck on the way back to our friend's house located in mid-town and we stopped at that Krystal to pick up a couple sackful of those hot, little burgers to warm us up.  Wow, what an awesome memory!

    Here's what the literature says about the restaurant's history. "It was Oct. 24, 1932, when the nation's first Krystal restaurant opened its doors on the corner of Seventh and Cherry Streets in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., amid the harsh financial times of the Great Depression. Its founders, Rody Davenport Jr. and J. Glenn Sherrill, believed that despite the severe economic upheaval of the times, people would patronize a restaurant that kept spotlessly clean, provided courteous service and offered a good meal at the lowest possible price. Proving this theory true, the restaurant's first customer, French Jenkins, ordered six Krystals and a cup of coffee, all for a bargain price of 35 cents."

    Also, Krystal is a restaurant chain that is based in the South. "A passion that has been passed down from generation to generation, Krystal has become an experience that nearly man, woman and child in the South has shared. As a result, many "Krystal Stories" that directly relate to the company and its products. For years now, customers have been sharing their favorite memories by writing letters and sending emails to the company's corporate office. Recognizing the passion, in 2004, Krystal began recognizing its most devoted customers by inducting them into the "Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame." To commemorate the inductions, each inductee's illustrated likeness is placed on more than one million of the restaurant's famous Krystal Hamburger and Cheese Krystal boxes and used in restaurants across the Southeast."

    And Krystal has been around for years and is still going strong. "Krystal is also keeping an eye to the future as the company invests in new restaurant designs, develops new, unique menu items and expands into new markets across the South-upholding its legacy as a Southern icon by offering that one-of-a-kind taste and personal connection you can't find anywhere else."

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