Merchants reach foregone conclusion, cancel festival

The Midway Business Association canceled this year's Midway Fall Festival at its monthly meeting Wednesday, due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a decision no one liked.

"It sucks," MBA President Cortney Neikirk and event coordinator Elisha Holt said, at different times.

Neikirk began the discussion in the Mezzo patio by saying, "I think we all know what the inevitable vote is." She said Mayor Grayson Vandegrift had made that clear, and though the City Council had issued a permit in  January for the event to be held Sept. 19-20, it could revoke the permit if necessary.

"In all fairness, we don't want to have the council make a decision that's ours to make," Neikirk said. She said the idea of having the event on private property wasn't "sensible . . . because Fall Festival is for the merchants."

Some events such as the Kentucky Derby are going ahead with limited attendance, but they are able to enforce limits because they can block access to parking, which can't be done with the festival, Holt said.

Neikirk said the merchants "still have some options to do a few things," such as socially distanced movie nights in the yard between Main and Martin streets, but "I don't know that it would necessarily help the merchants," and "The movies are pretty expensive" to rent.

Earlier, Holt said, "I honestly think that our fall time is dead." She said the association still hopes to have Santa Claus arrive on a train the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but remain on the train and have some sort of socially distanced interaction with children.

"People are itching to get out and do things," Holt said, but Nekirk gave the flip side: "The last thing we want to do is be overrun and be accused of causing an outbreak."

On more positive notes:

• Holt reported that the Facebook commercial filmed recently, with merchants and restaurateurs waving at a drone flying down Main Street, is almost ready and will be targeted to metropolitan areas within driving distance.
• Emily Downey, executive of the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce and the county Tourism Commission, said the agency is targeting markets such as Nashville and St. Louis with ads promoting "Woodford Weekends" for "families, gals and guys."
• After a discussion of the need for a public restroom downtown, especially on weekends when City Hall is closed, Neikirk said she would again discuss the issue with city officials.
• The city is accepting applications from businesses for federally funded grants to compensate them for pandemic-related losses. All those approved will get the same amount, Neikirk said, noting, "We fought for this." The City Council voted 3-2 for two more rounds of vouchers that citizens could redeem at businesses, but switched to grants after state officials said federal relief funds wouldn't pay for vouchers and 19 Midway business people signed a letter warning that most businesses in town could close if they didn't get direct aid.
• Vandegrift told businesses in an email, "The application is available for you to print on our city website meetmeinmidway.com. If you are unable to print you can pick up a copy at City Hall, you may just want to call ahead. Please fill out the application and return to city hall or scan and email it back to sonya@meetmeinmidway.com by 4 p.m. Friday, July 17."

Message from the mayor: Masks will be distributed soon; use properly, and still practice social distancing

By Grayson Vandegrift
Mayor, City of Midway

When things are tough, it never hurts to hear again that you’re doing a great job. So, you’re doing a great job, and we’re going to get through this together. We still have no known cases of covid-19 in Midway, but once again, I think it’s unrealistic to think we won’t have cases eventually, perhaps even soon. I also think it’s unrealistic, and even dangerous, to think the coronavirus isn’t here already. So let’s keep staying healthy at home as much as possible, keep washing your hands often, keep social distancing when you do have to go out; stay at least six feet away from anyone who doesn’t live in your household, and keep even more than six feet distance if you can. When we do see cases in our community, we won’t panic, because we’ve already got all of these precautions in place, and we’re showing that we’re getting good at this; so let’s get even better.

We will begin to likely start to see our peak in the coming weeks and into the next month. I used to have a basketball coach in high school who, when we were as tired as can be, and were sure we couldn’t go much longer, would say, “Yes you can, you just have to find that next level of strength. It’s there, you just have to find it.” He was right. And likewise, by supporting and encouraging each other we can find our next level of strength. With our peak approaching before long, let’s step up our efforts. Stay healthy at home as much as we possibly can. Consider delivery or curbside pick-up for groceries if you can. If you do have to go out, practice social distancing even better than you already are. Stay at least six feet from anyone not in your home, and if you can keep even more physical distance from others, that’s all the better.

Wash your hands often. Your hands should be starting to get dry from all that hand washing, I know mine are. Handwashing is even better than sanitizer because soap is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic: this basically means the soap attaches to both the fats and proteins on your hands and to the water molecules, and when you rinse the soap away, you rinse away the germs as well. But when you’re out of the house, which should be rare, make sure you’ve got hand sanitizer as a second defense for your hands. Don’t touch your face, especially your mouth, eyes, nose, and ears – that’s another great measure to keep yourself healthy. Also practice good personal hygiene in general. Sneeze or cough into your arm or elbow, and if you’re sick, do not leave your house.

You can call our helpline at 846-4102 at the Midway Christian Church and volunteers will run errands for you, or assist you however they can. You can also call the county’s helpline at 859-753-8228. Both of those resources are available to Midway citizens.

As early as this week, we will be ready to distribute free cloth masks to every person in Midway who wants one. We’ll be releasing more details very soon on how we’re going to distribute these. But keep in mind (and this is very important) that a mask is not your first or your best line of defense against the coronavirus. Our best line of defense remains staying healthy at home, washing our hands often, practicing good social distancing when we do have to go out and keeping good personal hygiene. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending using a cloth mask when you go to places like the grocery store or pharmacy as an added layer of defense and an added layer to prevent us from unwittingly spreading the coronavirus.

I want to thank Midway Makers Market and owner Amy Bowman, not to mention over 60 volunteers who have helped cut and press the fabric, sew the masks and prepare them with instructions for your use. I also want to thank Kevin Cosgriff and Jenean O’Neal, both Midway residents, who own and operate Diamond Graphics, for donating the printing of our informational cards that go in your mask kit.

It’s so crucial, however, that you don’t get a false sense of security or that you don’t let your guard down when wearing one. Also, make sure you don’t start messing with your mask while it’s on, because you’ll be touching your face, and defeating the purpose. You may want to wear it around the house a bit at first just to get used to it. If you feel you are letting up your first-line defenses, then stop wearing a mask; you can still protect yourself without one. But if done right, it can help. If you do get a mask, wash it before its first use, and wash it often based on frequency of use.

When visiting our local groceries like Midway Corner Grocery, don’t go at peak times; if you see quite a few cars in the parking lot, try to come back later. In smaller structures, it’s so important you still keep good social distancing, and to get what you need and move on for others. Also remember that you wash or sanitize your hands before entering a grocery, and of course, once again after you leave. And keep in mind that the Woodford County Health Department has issued an executive order requiring that only one person per household enter a grocery store, with exceptions for people who have minors and no other option for childcare and elderly folks who need assistance. Please adhere to this important measure. Railroad Drug is offering delivery and curbside; you can call them for all your prescription needs at 846-4146.

We’re truly working together as a united community, even though we’re apart right now. And I know this can seem like it’ll never end, but eventually it will. Keep your spirits up, take time for yourself, stay away from too much news, and get fresh air; just do so safely. Every single citizen of Midway should feel so proud of the work we’re doing, and by encouraging each other, we can and will get through this.

If you know of someone who is struggling, please let someone know. Feel free to let me know; my number is 859-361-6320. If you know of someone who isn’t on social media, help make sure they’re getting all the important information they need. If you know of someone who isn’t abiding by the guidelines like we all should be doing, encourage them to do better, because we need all 1,800 residents to do this right. We need a 100 percent participation rate to do our very best, and to make this intrusion on our normal lives as short as possible.

I’ll update you again by video this time next week unless circumstances call for doing another one sooner. I also frequently post information on my Facebook page, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift. In closing today, I’m going to ask, or perhaps the better word is suggest, that you try something: Every time you hear the train’s whistle blowing, with its iron horse legs rumbling down the tracks, think of how it truly represents Midway. It’s still going, even picking up steam as it glides into the future. It’s persistent, connected, and vocal. That train is synonymous with Midway, with us, and I take great comfort every day in hearing it continue on. We will do the same thing, we will continue on, just a little differently for a while longer. Thank you, and God bless.

Drone flight over Midway shows the town's old and new

By Dalton Stokes, University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
(Click on arrows button, to left of Vimeo logo, to view in full-screen mode)

State reschedules lane closure for drainage work at railroad overpass: tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Google base map

The state Transportation Cabinet has rescheduled its closure of a lane on Leestown Road at the railroad overpass 1.65 miles east of Midway for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday.

The closure is necessary for shoulder work and ditching operations, presumably to resolve a drainage issue near the overpass. The work was postponed from the original date of Monday, Dec. 16, due to inclement weather. The state has posted portable signs warning of possible ice on the highway.

The lane closure will be in effect at Woodford County milepoint 16.15 of US 62, near the overpass and Davistown Road. "All work, and closures are subject to change depending on weather, emergencies, and other factors beyond the control of the Department of Highways," the cabinet's news advisory says.

Model train displays draw children and adults downtown

Christy Reaves's "Holiday" layout (For a larger version of any photo, click on it.)

Closeup shows ice-skating detail on the top of the layout.

Story and photos by Grant Wheeler
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Train enthusiast Christy Reaves put her “Holiday” model train layout on display for the citizens of Midway and visitors to the town Saturday, marking the second year she has hosted an exhibit in the old bank building on East Main Street.

The Midway Business Association sponsors the exhibit, which Reaves said makes use of salvage parts from her past projects in Ashland. “There was so much stuff that was just going to be thrown away,” she said. “It’s great to take it and make it interesting.”

Another view of the layout shows the list of items in the Midway Business Association scavenger hunt.

Reaves said the layout made use of one she did for Halloween, in particular the upper level addition: “I liked it for Halloween so it stayed for Christmas.”

The event aims to bring joy to families and children of the community while attracting shoppers and diners to Midway, the first town in Kentucky created by a railroad (Kentucky's first railroad).

“I’m so glad that all these kids can come see it,” Reaves said as she observed her one-year-old grandson Jaiden, right, fix a fallen sign on the massive layout. She will host classes from Northside Elementary School on Monday to view her layout.

The event drew many families to view the exhibit in the building, owned by Amy and Mike Stinnett.

“It’s a wonderful exhibit,” one viewer said. “Midway being a train town is a significant part of our history. I’m glad that history can be celebrated, that and holiday season really makes this event something special for my children.”

In addition to Reaves’ exhibit, a scale model of Midway was on display in City Hall. The display featured a miniature recreation of Midway, brought to life by parts and other contributions made by citizens of the town and others.

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. It was first displayed at Midway Heritage Day in July.

The restoration added background representations of Midway Christian Church and Midway University.

This view, looking west, shows two RJ Corman trains; when the model was built, two parallel tracks ran through town.

The trains in the layout are miniature RJ Corman Railroad Co. trains, to acknowledge the company that runs trains through Midway on their journeys hauling aluminum between Berea and Louisville.

Other trains were on display. Dave Kacmarcik, below, of Kaz Woodcraft in Lexington was at City Hall to showcase and sell his handmade wooden toy trucks and trains. “Woodworking has always been a hobby of mine,” he said, “and it eventually became a hobby with an income.”

Steady rain didn't keep dozens of children and parents from turning out to greet Santa Claus as he arrived in Midway via RJ Corman Railroad right on time at 11 this morning.

Santa waved to the crowd, which had waited in and around Railroad Drug for his arrival.

Mrs. Claus led the way off the train as the crowd awaited eagerly, took pictures and tried to stay dry.

Amarion Reed, 7, of Versailles, was the first in line to meet Santa inside the old bank building. Santa's visit was sponsored by the Midway Business Association. Next week the building will house a model-train display. For a larger version of any photo on the Midway Messenger, click on it.

US 60 in Versailles to be closed at railroad crossing from 9 a.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday for work

The state Transportation Cabinet has scheduled a closure of US Highway 60 at the railroad crossing in Versailles from 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, through 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 for RJ Corman Railroad Co. to perform track and crossing maintenance. A signed detour will be in place.

Winchester columnist tells the story of the Grants and their model railroad of Midway, recently restored

Laurine Grant and daughter Jeanine Lister watched the trains run.

By Bill McCann
The Winchester Sun

I grew up with a limited view of the arts—theatre, dance, art, music, and writing, each in their various forms. But I am coming to realize that the arts are actually much wider—from painting a sermon to building a scale-model railroad layout.

Heritage Day, July 27, in Midway honored Laurine Grant of and her late husband Bill for their construction and donation to Midway of an N-scale (9mm track width) model railroad of the town.

Grant, 83, moved to Winchester in August 2018. Before that she lived in Vermont for 15 years. And before that, from about 1997 to 2000, she was a citizen of Midway.

Laurine was married for more than 50 years to William Grant. Bill Grant was a heavy equipment operator in Connecticut for more than three decades, a union member who was able to provide well for his family—particularly during the period from March to November of each year. But during the long Northeast winters, when he was laid off, he was a model railroader.

Bill and Laurine Grant raised four daughters—Shannon, Lisa, Jeanine, and Anne—who after high school mostly scattered to the four winds: Connecticut (Shannon); Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas and Colorado (Anne); Kentucky (Lisa); Arizona and Kentucky (Jeanine). In the course of time grandchildren came, Bill retired, and the couple followed—not the swallows to Capistrano, but visited or lived near their daughters and grandchildren.

During the 1980s, while Bill still worked, Lisa and her family lived in Midway and Bill and Laurine came south for visits. And almost immediately, the model railroader was hooked: Midway, the city a railroad runs through. Suddenly he had a vision: of an N-scale model of Midway for his trains.

After retiring from his construction job, Bill and Laurine moved to North Carolina to be near Anne, her husband and children. Still, Bill was a model railroader. And in 1997, they moved to Midway to be near Lisa and her family; Jeanine and her family lived in Lexington, but the pull of Midway’s trains and ongoing work on the train layout was in their minds when choosing where to live.

By 2000 the layout was complete. So before Bill and Laurine hit the road full-time in an RV camper, they donated their N-scale model of Midway to the town.

In the years since, the layout was stored away. However, this year the Midway Community Model Railroad Project’s plan to restore and expand the layout generated a lot of local support.

Finally, on Saturday at high noon, Mayor Grayson Vandergrift had a dedication ceremony where he began by saying that the community of Midway “embraces its history” as a railroad town. Then he thanked Mrs. Grant for the hard work of she and her husband and the donation of the layout to the community of Midway, before thanking the many local people and businesses that had helped restore and expand the model.

That’s the story of what happened. And as a story, it’s a pretty interesting one.

But by now you must surely have the same question I had when going to the dedication of the layout: Why is this art? You buy some plywood, paint it green, add some tracks, buy plastic buildings and trees and tape or tack them down and you have a model train set. Not so!

Truly, great art, and a large amount of time, was involved in this effort.

Jeanine Grant Lister, who now lives in Winchester, explained that tiny little spikes—“You have to use tweezers and a tiny hammer” to put the spikes in—hold down the rails. “And the buildings were made and painted by my parents, though I did make trees and helped paint the silo.” The silo, she said, was made from “part of a toilet paper roll.”

Pictures of the layout which accompany the article may give you some sense of the artistry involved in painting objects that are scaled between 1:148 and 1:160, so a 6-foot man would be roughly 1/3 of an inch tall! A train car in this scale is only a bit more than an inch tall and a few inches long. The buildings require a delicate touch and great care. Building and painting such people, buildings and scenery is truly an artistic undertaking.

Mayor Vandergrift finished speaking by saying that the Midway railroad layout would have a permanent place of honor in the town “soon.” Then he asked Mrs. Grant to speak.

“Thank you” was all she said, to great applause.

Former Messenger intern explores communication in Midway; social-media posts can drive news events

Sarah Ladd discussed her research on April 29.

By Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

For a town of 1,800 and a ZIP code of about 3,000, Midway is well covered by news and information media. The Midway Messenger provides continuous online coverage of events and issues, with a print edition about twice a year; The Woodford Sun regularly covers City Council meetings and other events in the town; and the Midway Musings social-media site has a large following.

All that was ideal grist for the mill of Sarah Ladd, who interned as a Messenger reporter last summer, recently graduated with honors from UK, then joined the Louisville Courier Journal as a reporter.

For her honors capstone course, she studied mass communication in Midway. The town is a good test bed for “The 11 Layers of Citizen Journalism” defined by Steve Outing of The Poynter Institute in 2005, Ladd said in presenting her study after the monthly community dinner at Midway Christian Church on April 29.

For Midway residents, some of her more interesting findings were the results of an online survey she conducted. It had 62 respondents. Asked where they get daily news, 22 said the Midway Messenger and 22 said Midway Musings, a “secret” Facebook group that has almost 700 members and has become an important communication platform for the town.

Chart by Sarah Ladd; for a larger, clearer version, click on it

After the top two, at 35 percent, came The Woodford Sun’s print edition, at 16.1% (10 people); the Residents of Northridge Estates closed Facebook group, 6.45% (four people); other social media, 3.23% (two people) and the Sun online, 1.6% (one person).

The impact of Midway Musings was illustrated in late July when Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said he would appoint a City Council committee to study changing the official name of Main Street to Railroad Street, which it was once called and is still called by some people. The idea was proposed on Midway Musings by local historian and merchant Bill Penn.

Vandegrift told the Messenger, "I hesitated to bring something from Midway Musings straight into potential policy without appearance by an individual at a council meeting, but this really isn’t the first time the idea has come up, and the Musings post helped show how much support this might have."

He told Ladd for her paper that he primarily gets news from the Messenger and The Woodford Sun. “I follow Musings and Northridge as well, but consider it communication more than news.” Ladd put it this way: "It’s a nice platform that people are using to facilitate news."

In her paper, she noted that the Northridge site spread word of a burglary and the official response, "breaking news." Midway Musings discourages political content, but a posting encouraging members to attend a City Council meeting to support resolution welcoming refugees to Kentucky stirred such controversy that city leaders delayed action until they could hold a public forum on the issue.

Ladd told the after-dinner crowd, “It was really interesting that a social-media group and a newspaper tied for first place,” she said. Anticipating that, she included in her survey this question: “If you used social media more than five years ago for any reason, how has it affected your knowledge of what goes on in the Midway area?” The result: 82 percent said it had increased their knowledge.

Musings founder Blake Jones said, "I want to always support forums where people can disagree without being disagreeable. I love Midway so much, and I think it is a town of exceptional people. Our diversity is our strength. "Social media gives people an anonymity at times that is not healthy, in my opinion. . . . We must all remember to measure our words, and remember that they can have consequences. Even online."

Midway Musings’ competitive impact, at least among people who voluntarily took the online survey, has been greatest on the Sun. Asked whether they had paid more or less attention to the Sun in the last five years, 39% said they paid less attention, 43% said they paid the same amount of attention, and 18 percent said they paid more attention.

Asked the same question about the Messenger, 68% said they paid more attention to it than five years ago. Ladd didn’t provide exact figures for the other respondents, but had a chart showing that by far, most of the rest said they paid the same amount of attention.

Ladd's paper noted that Sun Editor John McGary used "open sourcing" through social media to get sources for a story. "It’s so much different than having a straight, pre-approved list of experts you might call for something," she told the dinner crowd.

Ladd concluded in her paper, "The success of Midway’s current communication systems seems to be largely thanks to its size. The education levels and the sense of community trust cause the level of quality communication the small town enjoys."

Video of steam locomotive arriving on Saturday

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.

Old steam engine, restored scale model of Midway with trains highlight Midway Heritage Day

It's Midway Heritage Day, and trains abound in Kentucky's first and still iconic railroad town. Chesapeake & Ohio Steam Engine No, 2716 arrived from Frankfort shortly after 9:30 and will be here until 1, when it leaves for Lexington, Winchester and Ravenna, its permanent home.

The other special treat of the day is the restored scale model of Midway, complete with the old double tracks and trains. More later on that, but here's a photo. More will appear later.

The day will include this evening with the second installment of Midsummer Nights in Midway.

Midway Heritage Day will start with a steam engine, end with the latest edition of Midsummer Nights in Midway

Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Steam Engine No. 2716 is scheduled to be on display in Midway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, January 27, is Midway Heritage Day, a festival centered around the visit 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 are sponsoring the 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 engine.

The 400-ton locomotive is scheduled to be on display in Midway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The schedule is subject to change. It is scheduled for display in Lexington from 3 to 6 p.m. A full schedule of events and public display locations is available at www.kentuckysteam.org.

The 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 is a mobile kick-off for the project. The journey will end with a ceremony in Ravenna at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Collaborators are CSX Transportation, which owns the railroad bed, and RJ Corman Railroad Group, which leases it. “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,” Corman President Ed Quinn said.

A photo of the Midway scale model before restoration

The engine will be accompanied by two other pieces of CSX heritage, both recent special projects of the company's locomotive shop in Huntington, W.Va. The train will be led by a 1948 Clinchfield 800, an F-7 diesel-electric locomotive that was restored and repainted by CSX and is operated by the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum. The train will have a 50-year-old caboose that was donated to Kentucky Steam earlier this year after a complete restoration in Huntington.

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

Engine 2716 was built in 1943 and visited the Bluegrass Region frequently 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 Railway Museum. Kentucky Steam Heritage leased it in 2016 with plans to run it on excursions and use its operation as an educational tool in Ravenna.

Saturday will also be one of Midway 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 Midway Heritage Day to revolve around the history and culture of Midway, Kentucky's first town created by a railroad.

Both nonprofits will have booths at the event, promoting rail tourism on both sides of the state. For more info about the Kentucky Railway Museum, visit www.kyrail.org. Further information on Midway Renaissance is at http://MidwayRenaissance.com.

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.

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.

UK basketball team draws hundreds to Midway, giving new Wildcat players a rural taste of Big Blue Nation

Coach John Calipari waves to the hundreds who greeted the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team at a train stop in Midway Sunday evening. The team had planned to sign autographs for 30 to 45 minutes and leave Midway by 6:30 or so, but so many people showed up from such a wide area that they didn't finish until 7:08 p.m., according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Story and Photos by Sarah Ladd

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

C-A-T-S! Cats! Cats! Cats!

Crowds in Midway chanted the Wildcat cry on Sunday as they waited in the United Bank parking lot for the University of Kentucky’s men basketball team to arrive by train.

Head coach John Calipari brought the 2018-19 players to Midway on the team’s way back to Lexington from a kids’ basketball camp in Frankfort to give the Big Blue Nation a chance “to meet the entire team,” a UK press release said. Their R.J. Corman Railroad car arrived just after 5:30 p.m. to the cheers of fans, where they began signing autographs, giving away posters and taking pictures. 

Chris Blanton talks with friends while waiting to meet the team.

Chris Blanton of Versailles said while he waited in line that he had never met Coach Cal or any of the players present and thought the stop in Midway was a “terrific” idea. “This is a great opportunity to let these new players meet Kentucky, and let Kentucky meet them.” He said he thought the use of the train was a “fun avenue” that appealed to the children in the crowd. 

Tim Bernal, executive associate athletic director at UK, said the stop in Midway was chosen in part because “it’s one of those iconic towns in Kentucky.” He said the stop might have been right along the way of their return trip to Lexington, but “when you have a chance to do an event like this in a great town like this, you take advantage of that,” he said. “The people showing up the way they did kinda proves that it was a good decision.” Crowds were tightly wrapped around the bank parking lot.

Bernal said Midway represents rural Kentucky, but more than that, it represents Kentucky as a whole. “These are the nicest people and the most appreciative people,” he said of the crowds gathered. “I’ve got a saying that I kinda use: ‘as long as my gratitude exceeds my expectations, I’m in pretty good shape’ and everyone just seemed very grateful that we had come.”

Calipari echoed Bernal's sentiment when he told the Lexington Herald-Leader while preparing to leave Midway, "I want these guys to know the impact they have on people in the state, so I think it ended up being a good trip."

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said he was "amazed, but not surprised" by how many people came to see the Cats. "It’s incredible that the team can draw about 1000 people with 48 hours notice," he said. "Every time we have something like that, it becomes a great showcase for Midway and reminds us all of what a happening little city we live in."

Blanton said after meeting Coach Cal and the rest of the team that the experience was “pretty cool.” The team, which was scheduled to be back in Lexington at 7 p.m., stayed in Midway until around 7:15. Blanton said it was nice of the team to make time for everyone in line. “Coach Cal has a way of pushing all the right buttons,” he said.

Players signed posters, basketballs and other items for Wildcat fans.

Train brings Santa Claus to Midway, delighting children

Santa Claus made his annual arrival in Midway this morning via the RJ Corman Railroad Co. A large crowd of children and adults waited along the tracks and East Main Street for the engine and caboose, which arrived promptly at 11 a.m. Santa greeted many of the children and even some of the adults.

Santa's arrival, and Friday night's lighting of the tree, next to the tracks near the corner of Main and Gratz street, signaled the full-scale opening of the Christmas season in Midway, which merchants began on Nov. 4. For a YouTube video of Santa's arrival, by Mary Massie, click here. For her video of Santa at the Eat, Drink Breathe cafe, go here. Thanks, Mary!

Mayor's message: Tree lighting Friday, Santa Saturday

By Grayson Vandegrift

Mayor, City of Midway

This Friday evening, as you’re still recovering from the bloating that thankfulness can bring, I hope you’ll join us for the annual Midway Christmas Tree Lighting. At 6:30 we’ll light up downtown and sing some carols to kick off the final stretch of the holiday season. As I write this, there is yet to be a tree in the common area across from Steppin’ Out Boutique, but the soil in Midway is special, and I’m convinced a large enough tree will appear before Friday evening.

Of course, this event leads right into Santa’s big visit to the “little city that could,” as the jolly ol’ fat man will be riding an RJ Corman locomotive into town at 11 a.m. The Midway Presbyterian Church will be providing hot chocolate and the kids can visit with Santa at Eat, Drink & Breathe until 2:00. A big thanks to the Midway Merchants Association for all of the other fun activities that they’ll be providing on Small Business Saturday.

Here’s to hoping you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving week – and that your belt can withstand the strain! 

Raise gets first reading; Simoff says proposed council pay should be halved; 'Old Smoky' could still come

Member John McDaniel seemed
dressed for the occasion as the
council proposed a pay raise.

The Midway City Council gave first reading Monday night to an ordinance that would give the mayor and council elected next year big pay increases, but one council member said he would try to cut the council's proposed salary in half.

The long-discussed plan would raise the mayor's annual pay to $12,000 from $1,200, and the council's $600 salary to $4,800 a year. In monthly terms, the mayor would go from $100 to $1,000, and the council would go from $50 to $400.

Council Member Steve Simoff said he would propose at the next meeting, on Aug. 7, that the council members elected in November 2018 be paid $200 a month, or $2,400 a year. "We're all doing it for fifty dollars right now," Simoff said. "I just want everybody to kind of think about it."

There was no response to Simoff's suggestion. Council Member Libby Warfield, who has been the one most publicly skeptical of the proposal, was not in attendance.

Proponents of the raise have said it is long overdue and the council and mayor are badly underpaid, especially in light of the the increased responsibilities they have as Midway grows and Midway Station develops. The council could vote to enact the raises at the next meeting. For a copy of the proposed ordinance, click here.

The caboose is near the Corman track.

Locomotive needs financial fuel: Council Member John McDaniel announced that the R.J. Corman Railroad Group still has a grant available to place its "Old Smoky" steam locomotive in Midway. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the grant is for $180,000 but the cost of the project is estimated at $250,000, so the city and Corman would have to raise private money.

Vandegrift said the Corman family wants the locomotive "displayed prominently downtown," in a see-through enclosure like the one it once had in Lexington, so the likely location is where a Corman caboose now sits, at the east end of the United Bank parking lot. Placing it there will require a retaining wall and an easement on the adjoining property, he said.

The mayor said after the meeting that a possible new location for the caboose would be the hill above the intersection of Leestown Road (US 421) and Georgetown Road (KY 341), which intersects with Interstate 64, so it would greet traffic coming into town from the freeway and remind visitors of Midway's status as the first Kentucky town founded by a railroad.

Lakeshore sign and jobs: The council voted to ask the county Planning and Zoning Commission to amend its industrial-sign ordinance in a way that would allow Lakeshore Learning Materials to have a proportionally sized sign for the distribution center it is building in Midway Station.

Vandegrift said the size limit on industrial signs is 300 square feet, which "would be a dwarf sign on a five hundred thousand square-foot building." The change would remove the absolute limit but keep the ordinance's maximum of one square foot of sign for each lineal foot of building frontage. He said he had discussed the change with Planning Director Pattie Wilson and expects the commission to make the recommendation and send it back to the council for final approval.

Photo illustration shows how Lakeshore's sign would look if the industrial-sign ordinance is changed to allow it.

Lakeshore official Paul Chisholm showed the council a rendering of how the 40-foot-wide sign would look on the 575-foot-wide building. Asked about outside lighting, he said it would come from light-emitting diodes, directed downward, to limit light pollution.

Chisholm said work is on schedule and the company expects to get an occupancy permit Aug. 4 and begin the interview and hiring process there. The schedule calls for the plant to be active on Sept. 29 and make its first shipments in early November. It is expected to employ 262 people after two years.

Electric-car charging: The council agreed to reserve two spaces at the back corner of the City Hall parking lot for an electric-vehicle charging station to be installed at no cost to the city by Kentucky Utilities. Vandegrift said KU had already picked Midway to be one of 20 towns with such stations. The council also authorized him to sign a memorandum of understanding with KU.

Council Member Sara Hicks, who had pushed the idea, said it would attract new visitors to town and generate business because "They'll have to sit around for an hour" while their vehicles charge. Vandegrift said, "It's just the next step in becoming a greener city."

Other business: The council accepted a series of bids for surplus equipment, the largest sale being $350, bid by Thomas Walton for a 5-by-10-foot trailer. Brian Boettcher got a 1990 Ford Ranger truck for $250 and Simoff got a 1994 Jeep Cherokee for $186. He abstained on the vote. Council Member Bruce Southworth was among four bidders for the trailer. For the bids and the rest of the council's meeting packet, click here.

The council also approved an event permit for the "Hope for Tomorrow" 5-kilometer and 1-mile races on Nov. 4, and an encroachment permit for 216 Higgins St.