Francisco's Farm festival canceled due to pandemic

The Francisco's Farm Arts Festival, scheduled for June 13-14 at Midway University by Midway Renaissance, has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"To protect the health of our community, the artists, our volunteers and attendees, the committee has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event," it announced on Facebook. "Postponement didn’t seem to be a choice for us as there are still so many unknowns about how, or if, summer activities will be held and the logistics of rescheduling would be difficult."

The committee expressed thanks to all for their continued support of the festival and concluded, "We plan to come back with a great festival in 2021."

Midway Renaissance's Greenspace Committee to share livestream of event Sun. about women, climate justice

By Marcie Christensen

Chair, Greenspace Committee, Midway Renaissance

I hope many of you will be able to join us this Sunday, March 8, from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in the Community Room at Midway Presbyterian Church. The Greenspace Committee of Midway Renaissance and the Midway Chapter of Dining for Women will celebrate International Women's Day by sharing a live-streamed event to show how women all over the world fight for environmental justice in their countries and communities.

The impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed around the world, and they are different for women and men. Women and girls are the most adversely affected, yet they are also well-suited to find solutions to prevent further degradation and adapt to the changing climate. More and more, women and girls around the world are becoming climate justice advocates. When women participate in decision-making at national and community levels, they can help devise effective climate change solutions that build stronger communities.

The main event, in Washington, D.C., is a collaborative production of Dining for Women, Peace is Loud, UNICEF USA, and Women of Peace Corps Legacy. For more info on the national event, visit Our Biggest Chapter Meeting of the Year.  Questions? Email Marcie Christensen.

Midway Renaissance revives Greenspace Committee, plans for Francisco's Farm Art Fair June 13-14

The annual general membership meeting followed the monthly dinner at Midway Christian Church. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

By Lauren McCally
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway Renaissance announced the revival of its Greenspace Committee at the group’s annual general membership meeting Monday night. The meeting followed the monthly community dinner at Midway Christian Church, which featured leftovers from the church’s Epiphany dinner.

Greenspace was the first committee of Midway Renaissance, but went dormant in 2013, said Debra Shockley, the secretary of Midway Renaissance. “Something that’s exciting is that Greenspace is coming back,” she said, “but in a totally different integration.”

When the committee started, “Some of the things that they worked on were to remove invasive species, they planted trees, established rain guards, and a lot of other things that helped preserve and protect our environment,” Stacy Thurman, a Greenspace and City Council member, told Renaissance members.

The idea to bring this committee back came from Marcie Christensen, who wanted to help educate Midway residents and work with the city government and other organizations to teach more sustainable ways for Midway to do things.

Debra Shockley is secretary of Renaissance. (Photo by Hayley Burris)

Shockley said after the meeting that the committee’s current mission differs from the old one because that sort of work is done by the city’s Parks Board, Friends of Walter Bradley Park and other volunteers who “do the trails and the bridges” in the park.

The Greenspace Committee is “going to have educational classes, maybe seminars and stuff up at the library,” Shockley said. “They are not actually going to be working in the park. . . . This Greenspace incarnation will focus on sustainability.”

Greenspace is planning educational projects for the community and Northside Elementary, which will teach appropriate recycling techniques, community composting, and care of street trees.

“We are open to any ideas that people have or projects … here in Midway, ” Thurman said. “We welcome anybody that wants to get involved in the Greenspace Committee.”

Greenspace holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Midway Library. If you would like to join the committee, attend a meeting, share an idea or learn more about certain projects, contact Marcie Christensen via Facebook or Thurman at the library, which she manages.

Another committee mentioned during the meeting was Living History. “Living History is one of the most active committees,” said Shockley. “They do so many projects.” Some include a big sign about bourbon history by The Brown Barrel and a lot of older pictures of buildings downtown, which have been put up with information such as who owned them and what year they were built.

Planning for the June 13-14 Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, which Shockley said is Renaissance’s “primary source of income,” is going very well, event coordinator Elisha Holt told the members. “We have about 67 artists who have applied” to exhibit, she said; the deadline is March 1 and the jury will notify exhibitors by March 31.

The fair will be held at Midway University but there will also be a small block party downtown with a musical event on the evening of Saturday, June 13.

To help advertise the art fair, Renaissance will provide yard signs to contributors. Those who give $25 will receive a sign saying “Friends of Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, Midway University, June 13-14,” to put in their front yard; $100 givers will be designated friends of the art fair, and get a sign; $500 givers will be sponsors, with their name or logo on signs at the event, in the fair map and on the website. Donations need to be sent by May 1, so the committee can print the signs and distribute them.

The Renaissance board will have a workshop and strategic planning review Sunday, March 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the library conference room, and anyone is welcome to attend. The board has room for four more members, who serve three-year terms.

The next general meeting of Renaissance is scheduled for Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. in the second floor community room of the Rau Building (City Hall). Anyone is welcome to attend and the officers for 2020 will be elected.  Membership in Renaissance is $10 per person or 10 food items.

Renaissance annual membership meeting is tonight

The annual membership meeting of Midway Renaissance will be held tonight after the monthly community dinner at Midway Christian Church, probably around 7:15 p.m. The presentation will include a brief historical overview of Renaissance and upcoming activities. Dues for 2020 are $10 or 10 canned goods.

Business Association lays plans for a year of events, starting with Chocolate Stroll from 11 to 5 on Saturday

By Lauren McCally

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

               The Midway Business Association had plenty to talk about at its monthly meeting Wednesday, with Saturday’s Chocolate Stroll kicking off a long list of events planned this year.

               Members also discussed the possibility of using the MBA’s growing bank account to help others, such as Midway Renaissance and Northside Elementary, with advertising for events. They also discussed the fall festival, the possibility of an RJ Corman Railroad dinner train stopping in Midway, and potential solutions for downtown parking.

               Besides the Chocolate Stroll, which will held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the MBA also discussed a St. Patrick’s Day event, movies in the courtyard and many other events scheduled throughout the year.

               The St. Patrick’s Day event is set for Saturday, March 14, from 2 to 6 p.m. with vendors and a band, but no parade as in recent years, President Cortney Neikirk said. It will feature a blessing of the keg and a leprechaun.

                At their last meeting MBA members discussed a possible dinner train stop. One member said Corman executive Noel Rush, who handles a lot of the railroad’s community bookings, told her that he would think about what the MBA was trying to do.

               Elisha Holt, coordinator of the fall festival and other events, said local merchants who want to participate in the festival Sept. 19-20 “do not fill out the application online because in order to get the discount they need to do a paper one, since there are no discounted applications on the digital one.” Those need to be filled out by June 30.

               Although applications typically go out around Feb. 10, Holt said they were sent out before the first of January, and 29 vendors had already accepted, all of which are return vendors. Fall festival meetings will start being held in March. Holt mentioned that Country Boy Brewing would sponsor the festival stage again.

               Neikirk said the fall festival account has grown to $42,000, following profits of $38,500 last year, and the association has almost $13,000 in other accounts.

               She said the MBA will use some of that money to help Renaissance advertise its three Midsummer Nights in Midway, which have been scheduled cooperatively. “Their events help us, so we’re going to advertise for them,” she said.

               Renaissance members staff City Hall during weekend events to make public restrooms available, and the group does an annual Midway Heritage Day in the fall that the MBA makes part of its events schedule.

               Neikirk said the MBA could cooperate with other groups that hold events, such as Northside Elementary School. “It gets us all connected with each other,” she said.

               Holt said events have also been scheduled in cooperation with Versailles businesses. “We are trying to play very nicely with Versailles,” she said, noting that every summer weekend will have some sort of event in Woodford County.

               The final topic at the meeting was shortage of parking, especially for employees of restaurants and shops. Neikirk said she has talked to the restaurants and is trying to help them find a place for their employees to park somewhere other than the Main Street area.

                “You see people drive through, and there’s nowhere to park, and you watch them drive right out of town,” Neikirk said. “And that’s the thing, nobody’s going to park at Wallace Station to walk downtown.”

               Neikirk proposed that restaurant owners come together to see if a local church would be willing to rent its parking lot every day but Sunday for use of the employees, but said she is unsure if that will happen.

Council approves mayor's appointments to new board that will enforce revised rules for property maintenance

At the City Council meeting Monday evening, former mayor Tom Bozarth and Mayor Grayson Vandegrift honored city attorney Phil Moloney, who will leave the position Jan. 31 after 13 years, (Midway Messenger photo by Hayley Burris)

By Madison Dyment, Anna McAndrew and Hayley Burris
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

After passing ordinances Jan. 6 to crack down on lack of property maintenance in the city, the Midway City Council approved members of its new Code Enforcement Board Tuesday night.

The council also heard about the loss of a project to build a stage in the city park, and honored outgoing city attorney Phil Moloney, in a celebration that included a surprise visit by former mayor Tom Bozarth.

Code enforcement: Mayor Grayson Vandegrift nominated Jo Blease, Dan Roller and Jim Starks as the three members of the new Code Enforcement Board and Janet Hall as the alternate, saying all are willing to serve and are knowledgeable in the field. He gave brief biographies of each:

Blease and her husband, Ray, moved to Midway just under 10 years ago, fixing up a home at the corner of Winter and Stephens streets, giving Blease first-hand experience in property maintenance. The mayor noted that Blease is a retired school administrator accustomed to following "the letter of the law," recently served as president of Midway Renaissance, and is eager to serve on the board.

Dan Roller

Roller is a familiar face, having served as a council member in 2011-16. He was integral to the council's update of property maintenance codes and served on the old Vacant Property Review Board, which was "basically made obsolete" by a 2016 state law that paved the way for a new approach, Vandegrift said, adding, “Dan has one of the best eyes for detail of anyone I have ever known.”

Starks, a lifelong resident of Midway, brings personal experience as a landlord to the board. “He’s a great example of a landlord who owns multiple properties in Midway, who does it the right way and makes sure his tenants are living in proper conditions," the mayor said. "He invests in his properties, and he understands how expensive that gets.”

Hall, as an alternate, would fill in for a board member in the case of an absence. "She's a retired attorney who used to work for the City of Louisville on this exact same stuff: blighted and deteriorated properties," Vandegrift said.

The ordinance says initial appointments are to be staggered so one seat becomes vacant each year. Vandegrift didn't specify terms; asked about it afterward, he said Roller will take the one-year term but wasn't sure about the others because Blease has been away "and we haven’t had a great chance to discuss it. All are eligible to be reappointed to full three-year terms." There is a two-term limit.

Vandegrift said the matter would be resolved at the next council meeting, at which he also hopes to have the appointment of a code enforcement officer ready for council approval.

The Code Enforcement Board will hear cases of property owners who don’t correct violations in the time allowed by the code enforcement officer, at least 10 days. It can levy fines of $25 to $1,000 and its rulings can be appealed to circuit court.

Vandergrift, who has been trying to create the board for several years, said he would meet with the four after giving them two weeks to study the ordinances: “We took a long time on this, so to digest it, they can start writing up the questions that they may have and then I’ll get together with them, possibly with representatives of the Kentucky League of Cities if necessary, and kind of go through a little workshop or little training session with them.”

The mayor said he would like to see the board start taking complaints early next month, “but you know, it’s been two years or more; what’s the rush? We’re not going to rush this thing through them if they feel like they’re not quite ready to be taking possible appeals.”

Park stage canceled: In a more sobering moment, Vandergrift reported the failure of efforts to build a stage in the park. The initiative was funded by a $10,000 grant from the Bluegrass Community Fund, but the mayor said the Parks Board told him in a November letter that it “no longer felt that they had the resources to complete the project, given the new constraints placed upon it,” such as architectural and utility costs.

After the meeting, Council Member and Park Manager John Holloway said running electricity to the stage would cost $8,000 and some local merchants didn’t like the project because it would create an alternative entertainment venue to Main Street, which the city recently designated an "entertainment destination center" where alcoholic beverages with vendor labels can be carried openly.

The board recommended that the city return the grant. Vandegrift said he did that, but not before trying "a Hail Mary" to save the project, getting an architect to agree to design the stage for free, a savings of $5,000 to $10,000. But in the end, he said, there were still questions about electricity, parking, "who would run it, what kinds of cost would be associated with in, and what-not."

He added, "It's a disappointment. I'll be honest; there are those who, through their fingertips, made the thing more difficult, and I regret that's a thing we have to deal with, but those people are not solely at fault. Sometimes things just don't come together. I do hope that in the future, it may be able to come together."

Also, "There's simply too many things we need to fund this year," he said. "I can't sit here with a straight face and say we don't have the money. We have the money to do the things we need to do; we just don't have all the money we'd like to have to do everything we want to do. Building that stage might have meant we can't build a sidewalk to The Homeplace from Mill Road, and I just think that would just be unacceptable. It might mean we can't finish the cemetery pavilion, or finish our big sewer renovation, and that's just not something we can accept, or I can accept, right now."

Bozarth emerges from his old office.

Saying goodbye and welcome back: Lightening the mood, the council used the latter part of the 25-minute meeting to honor Phil Moloney of Lexington, who has been city attorney for 13 years, for two mayors, seven councils and 19 council members. Jan. 31 will be his final day in the position; the council passed a resolution making next week Phil Moloney Week.

“He is one of the finest attorneys one may find anywhere and his steady hand, rock-solid legal advice and great attention to detail has meant that he has left the city better than he found it,” Vandergrift said, telling Moloney later, "You often pulled me back from my worst impulses."

In a surprise, former mayor Tom Bozarth, who hired Moloney, emerged from a back office to congratulate him and assist in giving him a key-to-the-city clock.

He told Moloney, “You were the rudder of the ship that kept us all in line down the straight and narrow and kept us out of harm’s way, and I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Moloney, who told Vandegrift in a Jan. 15 letter that he is "edging closer to retirement age" and has other things to pursue, voiced gratitude and admiration for his employers.

“One of the amazing things is that every council member and mayor I have worked with all have interests of their citizens first in mind and led with their heart,” he said. “I wish Washington, D.C., could send down some representatives and see how governments are supposed to work.”

Other business: The council gave final reading and passage to a long-pending budget amendment and granted a street-encroachment permit to Tobacco Rose, a company that installs silt fences for construction projects and has bought a lot in Midway Station. Vandegrift said about seven people would work there.

UK Community Journalism students Lauren McCally and Jo'Tessa Townes contributed to this story.

Half of council likes idea of helping form neighborhood associations, half does not; mayor says to watch video

If more neighborhood associations are formed in Midway, it won't be with the help of the city government, with the possible exception of some individual City Council members.

That was the upshot of the main discussion at Monday night's council meeting, when neighborhood-association advocates asked the city for help in planning boundaries and identifying initial leaders.

Council Members Stacy Thurman, John Holloway and Sara Hicks, who sit on one side of the council table, were supportive; Council Members Logan Nance, Bruce Southworth and Kaye Nita Gallagher, who sit on the other side, said the city shouldn't be involved.

Thurman said neighborhood associations would give a greater voice to "parts of Midway that don't really have a voice or use their voice as much other parts," but Gallagher said, "I kind of think it's segregation, to a certain degree."

Mike Adams of Versailles, president of the countywide Council of Neighborhood Associations, said "The idea is to give people a voice, not segregate." Joyce Evans of Midway, a CONA board member, said "We don't feel like anyone has to belong to one association or another."

Southworth said, "I don't see anything on here that we need to do." Nance said, "If people want more governance, let them have more governance."

Evans distinguished between homeowners associations, which can be "about restricting what you can do with your property," and neighborhood associations, which are voluntary. Northridge Estates, with about 125 homes, has a homeowners' association that also functions as a neighborhood association; Campusgate has a neighborhood association that is inactive, Evans said.

Dottie Cordray of the Gayland subdivision in southwest Midway said it doesn't have a neighborhood association, contrary to a written report to the council, "but might be interested" in forming one. The subdivision has about 24 homes.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said, "I've never seen the table so evenly divided" between the council members. He suggested that the council defer the matter until constituents could watch the discussion on Facebook, in a video created by a new recording device that produces a higher quality video than those on the Midway Streaming Government Meetings page. That page will still be used for the recordings, but the meetings won't be live-streamed, at least until more internet bandwidth becomes available.

In other business, the council:

• Heard first reading, without comment, of the ordinances it has worked out to crack down on blighted property. Vandegrift has said he wants second reading and passage at the council's next meeting, on Jan. 6.
• Voted to let Vandegrift proceed with drafting a budget amendment that would delay the sewer cleanout and repair project on the east side of town, buy a $72,000 backhoe (through a state-government price contract) to replace one that has broken down, and get some of the needed money from the streets and cemetery budget lines. Vandegrift said he expected to have first reading of the amendment Jan. 6.
• Approved an encroachment permit for White Dog Trading and Storage, which is building whiskey warehouses along Georgetown Road. Vandegrift said the company's retention basin would be a permanent water feature that "would literally beautify Midway Station."
• Heard Marcie Christensen, chair of the Greenspace Commitee of Midway Renaissance, report that the committee was being revived hopes to deal with a range of environmental and sustainability issues, and is "just a kind of think tank" that is interested in knowing what residents would like it to do.
• Approved an event permit for the Frozen Rails 5K/10K Run/Walk from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on New Year's Day. Organizers said they are expecting 300 to 400 runners, who will use West Bruen, South Turner and East Stephens streets (continuing out Spring Station Road for the 10K). The fourth annual event will raise money for the Midway Ministerial Association.
• Heard that the Iron Horse Half Marathon wants to stick to its new schedule of the Sunday morning of the Midway Fall Festival, about three weeks earlier than the old schedule, but no longer use Gratz Street, which could interfere with the festival and traffic to churches.

Weather forecast for last Midsummer Nights in Midway of 2019 says rain will end just in time, bring cool temps

This year's final edition of Midsummer Nights in Midway will start at 6 p.m. this evening and run to 10 p.m. Temperatures are forecast to be 71 to 67 degrees, with the chances of rain ending by 6.

The Midway Renaissance event includes live music from Superfecta, stores open longer hours, and a long list of vendors, including Wagon Bones barbecue, Deaner’s Wieners, West Sixth Brewery, Rooster’s Whistle Coffee Co., Ashley Curtis (baked goods), My Creator’s Hands (vinyl lettered crafts), Midway Makers (crafts of all sorts), Whither Wander (handmade jewelry), Horsefeathers (fabric crafts), Two Ladies & A Kettle (kettle corn).

Restaurants will have specials, and the Railroad Drug & Old Time Soda Fountain will have ice cream. The St. Matthew's AME Church will have a fish fry.

The Midway Presbyterian Church Backpack Program will have face painting for kids; the Midway Community Garden volunteers will be on hand with information; and the Midway Branch Library will have crafts for children. The Versailles Lions Club will sell Woodford County throws.

Funeral for Donna Booth Farmer set for 2:30 today in Lexington; reception 4 p.m. at Midway Presbyterian

Donna Booth Farmer

Funeral services in Lexington today for Donna Booth Farmer of Midway will be followed by a reception for family and friends at 4 p.m. in the Midway Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.

Farmer, 65, died Aug. 6, 2019 at The Homeplace in Midway. She was the first president of Midway Renaissance, organizing the committee that wrote its bylaws and helping it incorporate as a non-profit, Renaissance said in a Facebook post: "Her ability to lead a large group, keep them focused and moving forward was inspiring to watch and learn from."

Farmer was a graduate of the University of Kentucky. After her retirement from Lexmark International she pursued her lifelong love of photography and art. She was a member of the Creative Camera Club and Midway Presbyterian Church. Survivors include her husband, Doug; a daughter, Katie Farmer; a brother, Jamie Booth of Virginia; and a niece, Taylor Booth. The full obituary is here.

Funeral services will be held 2:30 p.m. today at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, with Midway Presbyterian Church Pastor Pastor Mary Weese officiating. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Women’s March, https://womensmarch.com, or the American Cancer Society, 1504 College Way, Lexington, KY 40502.

Photos from Midsummer Nights in Midway

Here are some photos by Messenger contributor Mary Massie from last night's Midsummer Nights in Midway event, sponsored by Midway Renaissance:

Young dancers on East Main Street, the north side of which was closed for the event

The Conch on the Half Shell band invited
participation from the audience.

Wagon Bones Barbecue came from Versailles.

Railroad scale model a big hit at Midway Heritage Day

People attending Midway Heritage Day on Saturday pretty much knew what the big steam engine would look like, but not necessarily what to expect from the old scale model of Midway, recently restored, with double tracks and trains. It was a pleasant, fascinating surprise, the culmination of a community project that reflected the spirit and heritage of Kentucky's first and still iconic railroad town.

The layout was done in the early 1980s by Laurine and William Grant, who donated it to the city in 2001. A few months ago, Midway Renaissance and several community volunteers joined forces to put it back in shape, and it went on display in the old bank building on East Main Street owned by Amy and Mike Stinnett, who erected a temporary partition to facilitate the display.

View is from north. Card on control box lists volunteers (left column) and sponsors (right column, with in-kind contributions)

Those who played key roles in the restoration included Tommy and Susan Kidwell, who provided the layout benchwork and material that formed the base of the project; and Jim Hoppin, who did the custom modeling of three additions to the layout: Midway Christian Church, the mansion at Parrish Hill Farm and the Kentucky Female Orphan School, now Midway University.

View from northwest shows Parrish Hill, added, in foreground.

"We've been working on it probably since the first of February," said Hoppin, whose experience with dollhouses made him the builder of the three additions. His wife Teresa also worked on the project.

Others listed on the display's volunteer-and-sponsor card were Tom Bensberg (engines), Thomas Bookout (details and supplies), Ron Chesser, Joel Damron, Charles Diamond, Midway Christian Church, Midway Renaissance, Steve and Julie Morgan, National Model Railroad Association Division 10, Bill Penn, Amy Perry, Christy Reaves, Brian Roslowski, Kenny Smith (photographic enhancements), Frank Stevenson (buildings and supplies) and Stew Winstanley (engines and rolling stock).

Model maker Laurine Grant, with hand on chin, watched the trains run from the far end
of the model with her daughter, Jeanine Lister of Winchester. (Photos by Al Cross)

Laurine Grant, who now lives in Winchester, said in an interview that her late husband was an N-scale (9 mm track width) railroad modeler, and they decided to build a model of Midway because one of their daughters lived in the town. They lived in Connecticut at the time but later moved to West Higgins Street in Midway.

Grant said the project took about two years, done in bits and pieces, starting with photographs of buildings when they were in town to visit their daughter. "If you are a model train person or a train person, Midway was the ideal place to model," she said.

Jim Hoppin

The model was the usual 4x8-foot module used in N-scale shows, in which modules are arranged in an oval and are connected by tracks over which trains run through them. The first step in restoring it was to make it an independent display, with its own trains.

That required a whole new base, which the Kidwells provided "Without them, we would have never had it," said Reaves, who is a model railroader and calls herself "the Midway train lady." The new layout had extra room, so the volunteers decided to add the three buildings Hoppin built.

Grant said, "I thought it was wonderful. They did a very good job. . . . It's tremendous. I was very impressed and very honored."

View from the west, with history of the railroad, which was established in 1833 and reached Midway in 1835.

Midway Heritage Day, July 27, will celebrate history and culture with visit of steam locomotive to be restored

Adapted from a press release

Midway will celebrate its railroad heritage July 27, centering a day-long festival around the arrival of a historic locomotive that hasn’t visited the region in more than 60 years.

The City of Midway, Midway Renaissance and the Midway Business Association will sponsor Midway Heritage Day in conjunction with the morning arrival of Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad steam locomotive No. 2716. The event will include live music, food vendors, historical displays and walking tours, including a look at the massive visiting locomotive.

The 400-ton engine is being moved from the Kentucky Railway Museum at New Haven to be restored at the new Kentucky Rail Heritage Center in Estill County, a project of the nonprofit Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. The locomotive’s move will be a mobile kick-off for the project. 

The unprecedented event will be held in collaboration with CSX Transportation, which owns the railroad bed, and R. J. Corman Railroad Group, which leases it. The move will include several stops and a public excursion on July 26, the proceeds from which will be shared by Kentucky Steam Heritage and the Railway Museum. The locomotive is scheduled to be on display in Midway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The schedule is subject to change. 

“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to take part in the historic move that is part of a larger plan to use the railroads to revitalize parts of Eastern Kentucky,” said Corman President and Ed Quinn. “Working with Midway is always a pleasure, and their willingness to host this unique and fun event brings us even more excitement for the move.”

July 27 will also be one of Renaissance's "Midsummer Nights in Midway," with entertainment and vendors from 6 to 10 p.m. Renaissance President Christy Reaves said the news of the locomotive’s visit prompted the idea of “Heritage Day” to revolve around the history and culture of Midway. She said, “The citizens of Midway look forward to welcoming people into the community to celebrate the rich heritage of the railroad and the extraordinary sense of community that Midway enjoys. The festival will feature in-depth presentations, artifacts, discussions and tours regarding the history of Midway.”

Scale model of Midway in January, before restoration

The artifacts will include a 1950s scale model of Midway that Reaves and others have been restoring for several months. 

The main attraction, No. 2716, was built in 1943 and visited the Bluegrass Region frequently while in service until its retirement in 1956. It was one of the largest locomotives to ever run on the line between Louisville and Ashland. After being retired, it was donated to the Kentucky Railway Museum. Kentucky Steam Heritage leased it in 2016 with plans to run it on excursions and use its operation as an educational tool.

Both nonprofits will have booths at the event, promoting rail tourism on both sides of the state. The locomotive will make several other stops over the course of the weekend. For more details and updates, information on membership and donations, and to order tickets, visit www.kentuckysteam.org or the event website, www.heritagehighball.com. For more info about the Kentucky Railway Museum, visit www.kyrail.org. Further information on Midway Renaissance visit http://MidwayRenaissance.com.

Council mulls bids on old sewage-treatment plant, now a fish farm; OKs cemetery ordinance, event permits

Aquaculturist Steve Mims fed his largemouth bass after the City Council meeting Monday evening. (Photo by Al Cross)

The Midway City Council faced a tough choice Monday evening: Accept the high bid offered to buy the city's old wastewater-treatment plant, by a contractor who would use the property for storage? Or a much lower bid from the retired aquaculture professor who has been leasing it for use as a fish farm?

After a closed session so they could talk about the still-secret appraisal of the property, council members punted, tabling the issue. They could consider the bids again, or advertise for new bids.

The high bid of $20,000 came from Buchanan Contracting, a Mount Sterling company that the Woodford County Economic Development Authority recently hired to do maintenance and reconstruction work on the Midway Station industrial park.

The other bid, $13,100, came from Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture Performance for Fish, a company owned by retired Kentucky State University professor Steve Mims, who has leased the facility for the last four years.

Council Member John Holloway said both bids were below the appraised value of the property, but after Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the appraisal shouldn't be discussed publicly, the council met privately for six minutes in a back room to discuss the bids. That is allowable under an exception to the state Open Meetings Act, which allows closed sessions "when publicity would be likely to affect the value" of the property being sold.

After the closed session, Vandegrift said the discussion was about what the property is worth, and Council Member Bruce Southworth moved to table the issue. The council agreed unanimously.

Before the closed session, Mims told the council that he started the small-scale fish farm because most fish supplied to Kentucky come from out of state and the state needs local suppliers. He also is promoting a hybrid bass and paddlefish, sometimes called spoonbills, whose eggs are a competitor to caviar, the eggs of sturgeon. He said ASAP Fish one of only two paddlefish hatcheries in the nation.

Sims said he got grants for a liner that stopped leaks in the plant's 160,000-gallon tank, has put more than $20,000 into the plant's pumps, plumbing and electrical wiring; and has received informal approval to take water from Lee Branch instead of the new treatment plant across Leestown Road.

Under its lease, ASAP Fish pays the city 5 percent of its gross revenue. Vandegrift said after the meeting that last year's payment was about $800, indicating revenues of $16,000. Sims acknowledged that he has a small operation, and said he has tried to focus on the "highest-value species."

"I'd really like to keep it," Mims said. "I bid what I thought I could, based on how much money I've put into the place." He said he would continue educational programs for students and businesses, and presented letters from state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and county extension agent Adam Probst endorsing his efforts to buy the property. No one from Buchanan Contracting spoke.

Holloway said the property "looks really unkempt and awful." Mims said city workers dumped some old equipment on the property, and "I didn't feel like it was my job to have the place manicured."

On another type of bid issue, the council accepted a bid of $30,856 from Paramount Roofing of Frankfort to put a new roof on the maintenance building at the Midway Cemetery. Vandegrift said the delayed project is to be completed by June 30.

Wickey Pole Buildings of Owingsville had a slightly lower bid of $30,500, but Council Member Sara Hicks, chair of the Cemetery and City Property Committee, said Paramount would remove the old roof, install insulation and batting, and remove trash, work that under the Wickey bid would have to be done by city employees.

Budget workshop: Vandegrift announced the was calling a special council meeting for 5:30 p.m. Thursday to hold a workshop on the budget he has proposed for the fiscal year beginning July 1. He said the council might take action on line items.

Cemetery ordinance passed: The council enacted the new cemetery ordinance, which raises fees slightly to help restore the city's two historically African American cemeteries. Vandegrift said the increases still leave Midway competitive with Versailles and cheaper than Lexington.

Midway Station zoning: The council held first reading of an ordinance to rezone the remaining professional-office and residential property in Midway Station to industrial or commercial.

Events: The council approved a permit allowing closure of the north side of East Main Street for the Midsummer Nights in Midway series to be held by Midway Renaissance, and for the block party planned this Saturday by the Midway Business Association.

MBA President Cortney Neikirk said the event would have nine booths, including two food booths that won't compete with local restaurants. She said retailers in Midway are "struggling" due to competition from online vendors, so "We're trying to get as many people to see what we've got her in town."

The summer events have been held on Fridays, but this year the July event will be on a Saturday, July 27, because a historic steam engine will be spending the day in town as part of its trip from the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven to the railyard in Ravenna, where it will be restored by the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp.

July 27 will be promoted as Heritage Day, running from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The locomotive, ona flatbed railcar, is scheduled to be in Midway from 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for viewing and tours. Debra Shockley of Renaissance said 300 to 400 steam-engine enthusiasts are expected, and the 1950s model of Midway, which is being restored, will be unveiled that day.

Vandegrift, who expressed concern at the last meeting about "event fatigue," suggested that Renaissance work with the MBA on its plan for pop-up markets featuring local artists and crafters. Shockley said she would discuss that with Neikirk, who by that time had left the meeting.

Woman's Club building: After some discussion, the council approved a quitclaim deed disavowing any interest in the Midway Woman's Club building at 230 S. Gratz St., to clear the way for the club to sell it. The woman who donated the house to the club in 1952 for use as a "community house" said that if the club disbanded or failed to maintain the property, it would become city property.

Club members said they are spending too much on maintenance, limiting their charitable activities. Their attorney, Jim Rouse, said proceeds of the sale would go to those activities, under the oversight of Woodford Circuit Court.

Citizen complaint: At the start of the meeting, Vandegrift had a lively discussion with Dickie Jones, who wanted more police focus on speeders in front of his home at 6832 Midway Road, and a sidewalk on the road. He said a radar speed sign at the site hadn't slowed down traffic, but Vandegrift said that was not so. The mayor said any sidewalk would have to be built by the state, since the road is US 62.

Combs also asked if the city was going to have a committee to deal with blighted property. Vandegrift replied, "Yes, when we pass the blighted-property ordinance," something the mayor has been trying to do for almost two years. The full discussion can be seen on the Midway Government Streaming Meetings page on Facebook.

Francisco's Farm Arts Fair gets no rain but some wind

This year, the music area was moved to the amphitheatre. Food booths lined the area next to the McManis Student Center.

One vendor held the frame holding up the roof of his tent as the wind
billowed the cloth on his table at mid-afternoon. (Photos by Al Cross)

The 16th annual Francisco's Farm Arts Fair went off well and windy this weekend at Midway University. Midway Renaissance volunteers said the Saturday crowd was normal, but Sunday's was down a little due to threatening weather,  which wound up being only some moderately high wind. As a result, the fair closed at 4 p.m., an hour early to protect artwork, after 350 cars had entered. Saturday, 545 entered. The average was two to three per car, Renaissance President Debra Shockley said.

Haley and Nathaniel Wyatt of Midway watched woodworker Richard Adams of London turn a maple bowl.

John and Carolyn Malarkey of Lexington talked with weavers Petty Shepard and Mary Otieno of Kingsport, Tenn.

16th annual Francisco's Farm Art Fair Saturday, Sunday

The 16th annual Francisco's Farm Art Fair will be held Saturday and Sunday at Midway University. Sponsored by the university and Midway Renaissance, the fair will have more than 100 juried artists from several states, live music and a student art display.

The event will have some new features this year. In the university amphitheater, a new “Flavors of Francisco” offering will feature “Kentucky Proud” vendors and local wine.

Midway Renaissance named the event in 2004 for for Col. John Francisco, original owner of the land on which the city of Midway was laid out by Kentucky's first railroad.

The fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per vehicle, cash only. Visitors will enter through the "Delivery/Farm Entrance" (marked with signs) and be directed to park in grassy fields. Those with handicap permits will have access to surface lots. Golf-cart shuttles will be available.

Renaissance planning a bigger Francisco's Farm Arts Festival, more Midsummer Nights; seeks members

By Kristi Fitzgerald
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

“This is a growth year,” Elisha Holt, event coordinator for the Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival, told the crowd at the annual Midway Renaissance meeting in the fellowship hall of Midway Christian Church.

Holt said artists from all over the country have applied to be part of the festival, May 18-19 at Midway University. In the university amphitheater, a new “Flavors of Francisco” offering will feature plenty of “Kentucky Proud” products, food trucks, and local wine. “A lot of sponsors are jumping on board,” Holt added.

Renaissance President Debra Shockley explained the group's
mission with a quote from Paul Patton, governor in 1995-2003.

Renaissance's annual meeting takes place after the chili cook-off at the Christian Church to take advantage of the large crowd. Some at the cook-off were unaware of the purpose of Midway Renaissance, but President Debra Shockley offered background and past projects in hopes of encouraging the public to be excited about what is to come.

Shockley said this quote from then-Gov. Paul Patton, during his 1995-2003 term, sums up the goal of Renaissance: “All Kentucky communities should have downtown centers thriving with activity to pass on local traditions and treasures to future generations.”

Shockley mentioned projects completed by Renaissance since its founding in 2001, including a $2 million streetscape project that redid storm sewers, sidewalks, streets and utilities, and financed purchase of the building that is now City Hall. She said Renaissance is a non-profit and volunteer-only organization that has channeled $2.4 million through the City of Midway.

Shockley said Renaissance board members are developing a historical walking tour. The group has a Living History Committee that makes displays and presentations.

Aside from the arts festival, Renaissance’s main events are Midsummer Nights in Midway, on Friday nights in June, July and August. “There is lots of dancing in the street” at the events, Renaissance Secretary Peter Fisher said.

Renaissance members staff City Hall during weekend events to provide a restroom for the public because the city has no other public restrooms. They will be at City Hall handing out chocolate, hot chocolate, and coffee during the Midway Chocolate Stroll, a Midway Business Association event, Saturday, Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Shockley said the Renaissance board has room for five additional members. Each member serves a three-year term. The boatrd will hold elections at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 in the community room of the Midway library. The public is invited, and potential new members should attend or email Shockley at dshockley@RossTarrant.com.

On Thursday, March 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the library, the board will hold a strategic planning session, moderated by Bud Ratliff of The Solarity Group. "We will be discussing Midway Renaissance as it currently exists and what the future holds," Shockley said in an email.

Midsummer Nights in Midway #2, Friday evening

Photos by Sarah Ladd, University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Larry Cory, singing and leading his band

Story and photos by Sarah Ladd

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
For a larger version of any photograph, just click on it.

Hundreds of people came out for the third annual Midsummer Nights in Midway event Friday evening.

Debra Shockley of Midway Renaissance, which was experimenting with a new parking and traffic flow with vendors and the band set up in the westbound side of East Main Street, said the new arrangement was working.

Lily McDaniel (left) and Ainsley Lynch danced.

Shockley said with signs informing people of additional parking, “it worked out well. We got all the vendors in and none of the merchants are complaining, so I guess it’s a good thing.”

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the new setup was “working out really well. We’re very excited about that.”

While the street closure made room for more vendors, Shockley said the crowd for this year’s first event was about the same as in other years. Midsummer Nights will also be held on the last Fridays of July and August.

Adults had fun browsing around 20 vendors and listening to Larry Cory and The Passport Band, but it was the children who stole the show.

Early on, Emma Davis (right) danced with a flower she received from Locally Grown’s booth, where the youth ministry was set up selling T-shirts and giving away flowers. Her godmother, Angela Blackburn, watched her dance with a smile. She said she loves Midsummer Nights in Midway. “It’s great,” she said. “Every town should do this.”

Later, with the band in full gear, Midway’s Ainsley Lynch and Lily McDaniel (above) danced their hearts out to the band’s music, earning laughter and smiles from the crowd. Bandleader Larry Cory joked about the girls being his “backup dancers.”

Brenda Jackson (right) and Breauna Pennie at Jackson's craft table

Brenda Jackson, a member of Midway’s Second Christian Church, set up a table at the event to raise money for Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse ministry that allows people to send a shoebox full of goodies to less fortunate children around the world at the holidays. Jackson said she has been filling the shoeboxes for about five years and comes to Midsummer Nights to raise money for the contents and the shipping. “It keeps getting more expensive each year,” she said, but added that she is able to sell considerable produce at the event.

Her booth was full of interesting trinkets such as wooden trains featuring soda caps, candle holders, and jewelry, all of which she made herself for the ministry. She was sporting one of the bracelets she was selling. She said she made them after taking a class on jewelry making. She said the boxes are her own labor of love and “it’s just part of my passion for the church.” She said Breauna and Benisha Pennie, also members of Second Christian Church, help her with the boxes each year.

The westbound side of East Main Street, closed for the event, was filled with vendors and event-goers.

Message from the Mayor: Midway turns blue

Crowds of people, many of them dressed in blue, gathered in Midway on Sunday
to meet men's basketball team and Coach John Calipari. (Photo by Sarah Ladd)

By Grayson Vandegrift
Mayor, City of Midway

On Sunday afternoon, starting around 3 p.m., I watched as downtown Midway slowly started turning blue. But it wasn’t the bad kind of turning blue – it was Big Blue Nation making its way to the United Bank parking lot where fans of all ages met the incoming team and Coach John Calipari.

It was a whirlwind whistle-stop tour. I was notified on Friday that the team was coming via RJ Corman Railroad Co. and was asked if I could help secure a location and spread the word. The post I made to my political Facebook page alerting the region to the impending Cat sighting was shared over 100 times – far and away more than any previous post I’ve made on that page. Whether you’re a true blue fan or a casual observer, this is what UK basketball does for us Kentuckians – it unites wide swaths of us from all parts of our commonwealth. Yesterday, folks from all walks of life met in Midway to meet some Cats.

Calipari signs a poster for a fan. (Photo by Sarah Ladd)

My initial estimate of the crowd size was around 750 people, but Coach Cal tweeted that it was more like 1,000. I don’t know if his calculations would meet the rigorous standards of the “McDaniel Density Equation,” but since the guys were nice enough to stay an hour later than planned so everyone could get an autograph and a picture, we’ll defer to the coach on this one.

Another Midway happenin’ is taking place downtown this Friday. Larry Corey & and the Passport Band will be performing at the kickoff of the third annual Midsummer Nights in Midway summer concert series. As in previous years, there will also be local vendors, food & drink, but this Friday we’re going to try a new set up. We’ll be closing the lower (north) side of East Main from 5:30 to 10 p.m. for increased safety and functionality. We’re hopeful this will make the event even better, but if unforeseen issues arise from it, we’ll go back to the drawing board. I hope to see you downtown this Friday night.

Francisco's Farm Arts Fair is this Saturday and Sunday

By Sarah Ladd
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Francisco's Farm Art Fair is returning this weekend for its 1415th annual celebration of community, art and good food.

Photo by Liz Spencer, UK College of Communication and Information

The fair, Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20, will feature approximately 100 artists who will sell their work and interact with the community. According to the fair's website, only two categories are accepted: two-dimensional (oils, acrylics, drawings, pastels, mixed media, watercolors, photography, original prints) and three-dimensional and sculpture (ceramic, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, stone, wood).

Saturday, the festival will open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. On Sunday, it will open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Admission is free and parking is $5.

Metalwork by Anthony Slichenmyer

The event is named for Colonel John Francisco, the original owner of the land that became Midway. He sold his farm to the Lexington and Ohio Railroad in 1835, after which the L&O planned and built Kentucky’s first railroad town.

In 2004, Midway Renaissance began the festival on the campus of Midway College. In 2011-13, it was held at Equus Run winery, but has since returned to the campus, now Midway University.

The Kentucky Arts Council’s “Makings of a Master” exhibit and the folk and traditional art tent, among others, will be featured at this year's festival.

Cabinet by William Nardin

According to the fair's website, the Woodford County Library will provide free children's activities. "The interactive booth allows kids to create beautiful art of their own," the website says.

New this year, "On the Move Art Studio" will be at the fair on Saturday. This organization seeks to provide a platform for children from low-income families to learn about art. The fair has partnered with Woodford County Public Schools to let students to display their art. A ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday to honor the students.

Food and snack vendors will include Chrisman Mill Vineyards, West Sixth Brewery, Honnah-Lee Bubble Tea, Bite Me Gourmet Corndogs, Hogfathers BBQ, The Addie Wagon, Jasmine Rice and Go-Go Burger. Live music will be provided from the steps of the Little Memorial Library.