Bob Rouse, former Midway Blue Jay, makes a splash in Toronto by inviting its baseball team to our town

Bob Rouse displays his Toronto Blue Jays gear. (Photo provided by Rouse)

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

A major league baseball team in Midway? Even for a shortened season? Midway resident and Toronto Blue Jays fan Bob Rouse tried to make it happen.

The Blue Jays are looking for a home for the 2020 season after the Canadian government ruled it would be unsafe for players to travel back and forth from the U.S. amid the covid-19 pandemic.

So, Rouse decided to reach out to the team to offer up Midway University's new Don Ball Stadium to host the team.

"I am an unabashed supporter of my home town," Rouse told the Messenger. "And while I didn't really expect an MLB team to roll into Midway, I wanted to seize on the chance to put us in the spotlight.”

Rouse's email to the Toronto Blue Jays; for a larger version, click on it.

In his email to the Blue Jays, Rouse listed several reasons why Midway would be a good fit for the club including the new field, no need for fans, and the town's "remarkably good restaurants” and the mascot of the old Midway High School, the Blue Jays. (He attended elementary school in the same building.)

Rouse told the Messenger that he forgot about another point he could have made in Midway's favor: Freedman's, the equine leather shop in Midway, is based in Toronto.

His email acknowledged drawbacks, such as the lack of a hotel "But as a true-blue fan, I would be rude not to offer to help the team in this challenging time. (I should add that I own three different Blue Jays ball caps — not sure if that's a point in favor of you coming or against it.)"

Despite Midway not being a reasonable home for the Blue Jays, Rouse did get a call from Director of Fan Services Christine Robertson, and has been the subject of news stories in Toronto.

"I expected a cursory email and nothing more," Rouse told the Messenger. "The Jays asked if they could share my email with a reporter, but I really didn't think he'd pick it up. And then being live on CTV News was an even bigger surprise." He also got some U.S. coverage.

The Blue Jays are still looking for a temporary home; they hoped to play in Pittsburgh, but health officials there said no.

While they won't be coming to Midway, Rouse, a writer by trade, feels he accomplished his true goal: "Down deep, this is exactly what I was hoping for: spotlight on Midway."

Midway Univ. ranked among Top 75 regional universities in South, No. 3 in the region in students' social mobility

This photo was taken for The Lane Report before the university began construction on a new athletic field and fieldhouse.

By Grant Wheeler
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway University is excited about new regional rankings, and dealing with the pains of growth that helped it get recognition.

After opening its doors to a record class of 274 new undergraduates this fall, the university learned that has made U.S. News and World Report’s list of Top 75 Regional Universities in the South, at No. 73. Among such schools, the university is ranked No. 3 in a category new to the rankings: social mobility, which reflects how it helps students with lower incomes.

The rankings are based on several factors, including student retention, graduation rates, class sizes and faculty resources. Social mobility rankings are measured by the graduation rate of students from households with less than $50,000 income who receive federal Pell grants. The private university’s annual tuition and fees are $24,850, according to U.S. News.

“We try to keep our education affordable,” while offering a personalized learning environment to all students, President John Marsden said. “It happens in the classroom with faculty, it’s happening with coaches, it’s happening with student affairs, but it also happens in ways you might not think about such as with the financial aid counselor or the business office staff who work close to families to help them navigate a very complicated process that is paying for one’s education.”

Student athlete Lynsey Doles, president of the Student Government Association, is a junior from Ripley, Tennessee. Doles is a scholarship student who said she was attracted by Midway’s personalized learning environment. “When I made the decision to come to Midway I was looking for something small where I was a name and not just a number,” she said. “Since then I have fallen in love with Midway University.”

The university decided to go co-ed to sustain itself, President John Marsden said, citing “tight budgets, decreased interest in single-sex education, and a national trend in declining enrollments."

Since going co-educational in 2016, the university has enjoyed record breaking enrollment every year, and is ahead of the timetable in its three-year strategic plan, which calls for 650 daytime students on campus by fall 2021.

With a daytime enrollment of 643, “We only have seven more students to go!” said Vice President of Marketing and Communications Ellen Gregory.

The spike in enrollment has been warmly welcomed by faculty, but the rapid growth has posed some new issues, such as accommodating incoming students.

Housing and dining are the pressing issues. Pinkerton Hall, the first building on campus, which dates to 1847, was renovated for housing just in time this summer to meet the growing demand.

“We did not anticipate such rapid growth,” said Marsden. “The university must be willing to act very quickly and adjust with the times. . . . We certainly don’t want any obstacles that will curtail our momentum moving forward.”

Gregory described this year as being a study in time flow, explaining “some things you have to think about internally are things like food service. How many people can you feed when you only have one dining hall?”

Logistics of class schedules, capacity, and smaller issues such as the proximity of waste containers to residence halls, are all operational obstacles the administration is looking to address.

The university is proud of its strong sense of community, and some students say they feel part of the larger community of Midway, the town.

“I do feel a sense of community,” said Logan Conn, a member of the golf team and a transfer student from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky. “The school is surrounded by a variety of small shops and restaurants, and given the small class sizes I really get to know my professors in a much more intimate environment.”

The university is adding a baseball field and fieldhouse to serve the needs of its athletic teams. “We’re not building so that students will come – they are already here,” Marsden said. “We’re building so that students will stay.”

U.S. News and World Report’s rankings are available online and are to be printed in October in the Best Colleges 2020 guidebook. Find out more about Midway University at www.Midway.edu

Council plans to allow open containers of alcoholic drinks outdoors until 10 p.m. in downtown area

Google map, with Xs added by Midway Messenger to show limits
of the proposed "entertainment destination center," where the city
would post signs banning open containers beyond those points.

The Midway City Council tentatively decided Monday night the boundaries and rules of a proposed "entertainment destination center," in which drinkers can go in and out of licensed premises with alcoholic beverages as long as they stay within the center's boundaries.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift called the proposal, which the council heard July 15, an "open container ordinance." It is possible under a recent state regulation that allows cities to buy a license for $2,800. The rationale stated by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is to reduce the enforcement load on ABC agents and police, and to help localities promote tourism and economic growth.

The Versailles City Council recently adopted the idea, allowing the mayor to set and change the dates when its center will be effective. Vandegrift said Midway council members "seem to be more in favor a permanent, set time" that the council would establish with an ordinance.

"The point of the ordinance is to allow people to walk around and shop," Vandegrift said, but later asked how many shops are open at night, saying he was "playing devil's advocate." Council Member Kaye Nita Gallagher mentioned a couple of shops, adding later that even if shops were not open, they would still attract window shoppers.

Council Member Logan Nance asked if more stores might stay open later if the council passed the ordinance, which he said would give the city "kind of a unique feel." Council Member John Holloway said, "If it turns out badly, we could just stop doing it."

The council agreed to end the open-container hours at 10 p.m., the discussed what the containers would look like. Versailles requires beverages to be in an unbreakable, "non-clear" container, such as a plastic Solo cup, perhaps in a style all the restaurants could use.

Council Member Stacy Thurman said her husband Ian, an ABC agent, said one reason for such a rule is that it is "kind of tacky" to see what someone is drinking. Council Member Sara Hicks said, "I kind of like the idea of a special cup; it could be a collector's item."

Vandegrift, a former restaurateur, called it "a great idea" but ultimately "untenable" because use of the cups would likely be inconsistent. The mayor said he would leave the "non-clear" provision out of the ordinance that he would present to the council Aug. 19, but "You all can put it in."

If the ordinance is enacted and the city buys the license, it would have to post signs marking the limits of the "entertainment destination center."

Vandegrift presented a map of the proposed boundary where open containers would be allowed, and the council made one adjustment, to allow them on Dudley Street in front of The Brown Barrel and Blind Harry's. The other limits would be the corner of Gratz and Martin streets, Winter Street and the end of East Main Street. In response to a question, Vandegrift said the parking lot at the end of East Main is private property and cannot be included in the boundary.

Midway Station: John Soper, chair of the Woodford County Economic Development Authority, reported that recent closings of property sales in Midway Station had enabled EDA to make the annual interest payment on the bonds used to build the industrial and commercial park, relieving the city and county of the responsibility, and that if sales continue as expected and the bonds are refinanced this year, EDA will no longer need an appropriation from the city, which was $15,000 last year and is budgeted at $12,000 this year.

The most recent closing was on 9 acres sold to Journey Ministries, which plans to build a church and other facilities, including a day-care center that will be open to anyone. "I feel very encouraged about where we're heading," he said, adding later, "I think we've got a great location, and in the real-estate business, that's what matters."

Soper did not mention something he reported at last month's EDA meeting, that Barnhill Chimney had decided not to buy a lot for a factory to make chimney caps.

Receiving certificates of appreciation from the Midway Veterans Committee were, from left to right, City Council Member Sara Hicks, chair of the Cemetery and City Property Committee; city employees James Downs, Terry Agee, Tim Agee and  Tim Spencer; and Sonya Conner, assistant city clerk. Retired clerk-treasurer Phyllis Hudson also received a certificate.

Good works: The Midway Veterans Committee, created 20 years ago to establish a monument to veterans in the Midway Cemetery, presented certificates of appreciation to several city employees as it prepared to disband, having accomplished its purpose and turning its functions over to the city.

One of those workers, Assistant City Clerk Sonya Conner, received an award for her recent completion of three years of municipal-clerk training. Vandegrift read a letter of recognition that said she had "sincere dedication to her work and the people of Midway," demonstrated "consistent, sound judgment and fairness to all" and "in the face of adversity" often did the jobs of two people, as recently retired clerk-treasurer Phyllis Hudson had health issues.

Vandegrift also recognized the contributions of Mark Roberts, a retired employee who continues to work for the city as a contract laborer, and Wastewater Superintendent Jack Blevins, who "has done a great job bringing our sewer plant back up to specifications," probably extending its useful life by 10 to 15 years. The city recently paid off the bonds it sold to build the plant almost 20 years ago.

Later in the meeting, Holloway said it was time to buy a $1,700 monument-moving machine for the cemetery. Vandegrift said he had already told city employee Terry Agee to order it.

Mayor breaks a tie: The council turned down a request from Midway University's tennis program to sponsor a regional tournament to be held at the school Aug. 9-11. The request was for $600, but Hicks moved to give $300, the sum the council provided last year, and Gallagher seconded the motion, noting that this year's event is expected to be larger.

Holloway said "I kind of feel iffy" about the sponsorship because the city recently gave the university $5,000 for improvements at the baseball field that is owned by the city but is "pretty much" exclusively used by the school. Nance, noting that the council had exhausted its donations budget by giving $5,000 toward a van for The Homeplace at Midway, said it would be irresponsible to go beyond the budget.

On the roll call, Council Member Bruce Southworth voted yes with Hicks and Gallagher, and Council Member Stacy Thurman voted no with Holloway and Nance -- who, like her, were elected for the first time last November. Vandegrift, who was elected to his second four-year term as mayor in November, voted no, denying the request. The mayor votes only in case of a tie.

In other business, the council:

• Approved paying $1,100 for extra police during the Midway Fall Festival, the amount that the city is saving because the Iron Horse Marathon is providing portable toilets for the newly combined events. The Midway Business Association, which runs the festival, will pay the rest of the cost, estimated by coordinator Elisha Holt to be a maximum of $1,560.
• Voiced no objections to Vandegrift's plan to allow electronic payment of water bills, with a fee of 3 to 4 percent for the vendor, which would be paid by those who choose the electronic option. "Three to four percent is still less than a late fee," Nance noted.
• Heard Vandegrift report that the sidewalk work is almost done and street work is expected to start in a week or two.
• Heard Assistant Police Chief Rob Young report that in July, Versailles police "definitely stepped up a lot of the traffic enforcement . . . at the request of the city."
• Appointed Assistant Fire Chief Joe Campbell to the county's 911 board.

Bob Gibson is running for open seat in state House

Bob Gibson

The race for the open seat of state representative for Woodford County again has a candidate.

Bob Gibson, chief information officer and technology director for the Woodford County Schools, said in a press release, "I am running because I want to give everyone the opportunity to succeed. My focus has always been to advance high-quality education, promote personal development and ensure fair treatment of all. I would be proud to stand up and fight for you in an open manner, listening to your needs."

Gibson, 49, is seeking the 56th District seat of Democratic Rep. Joe Graviss, who is running for the state Senate seat being vacated by former governor Julian Carroll of Frankfort. All are Democrats. So is Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift, who entered the House race July 12 and withdrew July 19. No other candidates have announced.

The 56th District includes Woodford County and parts of Fayette and Franklin counties. "Throughout our district, I have heard that, while people have been happy with our representation in Frankfort, they also have noticed the dysfunction that consumes politics in state government," Gibson said. "Dysfunction is disastrous for taxpayers."

Gibon said he would use "a common sense approach" to focus on "quality lifelong learning; fiscal responsibility, protecting workers, properly funding education and pensions;" promoting 'farming, manufacturing, trades, and tourism;" and "statesmanship -- restoring civility and bipartisanship."

He said his 25 years of "collaborating with others and building our community through teaching, educational administration, and civic involvement . . . has given me a unique perspective of our community and how state government influences our everyday lives."

Gibson is a graduate of Woodford County High School and Centre College, where he played basketball, and of Eastern Kentucky University, where he earned a master's degree in instructional leadership in 2005. He has been a special-education and social-studies teacher and a basketball coach, and was athletic director and assistant principal at WCHS from 2006 to 2013.

Gibson ran unsuccessfully for Fiscal Court magistrate in 2006. He founded the Woodford County Public Schools Hall of Fame in 2008 and chaired the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce in 2017-18. He is married to Elizabeth Burge Gibson, an English teacher at WCHS. They live in Versailles.

Bourbon War's Midway connections hope Saturday's Florida Derby will earn him a spot in the Kentucky Derby

Bourbon War during his final pre-Florida Derby breeze at
Gulfstream Park March 22 (Photo by Dana Wimpfheimer)

By Abbey Huffman
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway-connected Bourbon War is looking to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby with a strong finish in Saturday evening’s Florida Derby.

Bourbon War earned 20 official “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points last time out, when he rallied late to finish second to Code of Honor in the Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Owned by Bourbon Lane Stable of Midway and Lake Star Stable, Bourbon War is No. 11 in Kentucky Derby points, which determine the 20 horses that can enter the May 4 classic at Churchill Downs. The Florida Derby points are 100 for first, 40 for second, 20 for third and 10 for fourth.

The Florida Derby is 1⅛ mile, the same distance as Bourbon War’s previous two races.  The son of Tapit has proven that he can handle the distance and likes the Gulfstream Park surface, with a win and a close second. 

Bourbon War recorded his final breeze in preparation for the Florida Derby on March 22.  He worked a half mile in 49.88 seconds and was ranked 19th out of the 30 who worked the distance that day. 

Trainer Mark Hennig said he was very pleased with the work and likes how the horse has been training since the Fountain of Youth.

The Florida Derby would be the last race before the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby for Bourbon War. He will break from post position 4 of 11 under his regular rider, Irad Ortiz Jr. He is third choice, with morning-line odds of 7-2.

The Florida Derby field includes Fountain of Youth winner Code of Honor, FOY fourth-place finisher Hidden Scroll (the favorite at 3-1), Holy Bull Stakes winner Harvey Wallbanger, and undefeated Maximum Security.

The Florida Derby is race 14 at Gulfstream Park and post time is approximately 6:36 p.m. The NBC Sports Network will cover the race from 6 to 7 p.m.

Midway University athletes do well in the classroom

Most of Midway University's athletes recorded a B average or better in the semester just ended, the university announced today. It said 249 student-athletes made the athletic director's honor roll by achieving a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The school has more than 400 athletes.

The dean's list, which requires a 3.6 GPA, had 114 athletes, and 42 of them scored a perfect 4.0 GPA. "As a department, Midway's student-athletes chalked up a 3.01 cumulative GPA, while 14 of the 20 teams earned above a 3.0 in the classroom," the university said in a news release.

"Taking home the honor of the highest team GPA for the second semester in a row was the equestrian hunt seat team, who collected a 3.38 team GPA," the release said. "Women's cross country was close behind with a 3.36, while women's soccer and men's golf each had a 3.28."

Rusty Kennedy, the university's vice president of admissions and athletics, said in the release, "Our student-athletes continue to amaze me with their work in the classroom. To balance their work both on the playing field and in the classroom takes focus, time management, and determination. I applaud our student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom."

Midway University breaks ground for $3.2 million field house to accommodate growing athletic programs

Midway University trustees turned sand at the ceremony, which also included local officials.

Midway University held a ceremonial groundbreaking today for a new $3.2 million facility to accommodate its burgeoning athletic programs. The 20,000-square-foot facility will be named Hunter Field House, to honor the primary donors, Jan and Richard Hunter of San Diego, Calif.

Jan Hunter, a university trustee since 2000, announced two years ago her intention to donate $2 million to the school. She told the crowd at yesterday's ceremony, "This is an institution worth investing in." She and her husband own Hunter Industries Inc., which manufactures irrigation systems.

The other major donor recognized yesterday was Trustee Belinda Betzger. Donna Moore Campbell, chair of the Board of Trustees, said the event was "a wonderful way to celebrate what has been accomplished" at the school in the last few years.

President John Marsden said the school faced great challenges in 2016, when the trustees opened daytime enrollment to men. He said daytime enrollment, which had shrunk to 266 women, is now 571, more than 400 of them athletes, and total enrollment is 1,668.

The field house will house most of the university's athletic staff and have an auxiliary gymnasium, an elevated walking track, two locker rooms, a recruitment conference room and a weight and cardio room. Construction is to begin immediately and be completed by the end of 2019 so it can be ready for the spring semester of 2020.

The project is part of the university's "Campaign of Opportunities," which it launched in 2016. "The main goals of the campaign are to raise funds for improvements to some existing facilities and construction of new facilities," the school said in a news release. "Aside from the new field house, the campaign already has funded some renovations to the existing residence halls and, when the campaign closes out, another groundbreaking will occur for an on-campus baseball stadium. To date, the University has amassed over 90 percent of the pledges needed to successfully complete the campaign."

Council rezones most of Midway Station, expands barrel chair project, hears park report, considers website

The council rezoned the hashed area, mainly in red. Lakeshore and AHK are only partly in the original Midway Station.

By Hannah Woosley and Sierra McLean
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway City Council voted Tuesday evening to rezone most of the remaining residential land in Midway Station to industrial in hopes of bringing an undisclosed company with 32 jobs.

The rezoning, recommended by the Versailles-Midway-Woodford County Planning Commission, largely closes a major chapter in the history of the property north of Interstate 64.

Midway Station started out as an industrial park 30 years ago, but attracted few jobs. In 2008, the city and the county Economic Development Authority redesigned it as a commercial and residential development. That plan was undermined by the Great Recession, and during the economic recovery the property became attractive to employers like Lakeshore Learning Materials and American Howa Kentucky, which turned it into a thriving industrial park.

Developer Dennis Anderson first said he didn’t want to ask for rezoning until he had a prospective buyer. This summer he joined the EDA in asking the Planning Commission for the rezoning.

The council vote was 5-0. Council Member Kaye Nita Gallagher was absent; she said later that she came to City Hall but left because she didn’t feel well.

Barrel Project: The council voted to accept the Midway Business Association’s offer to expand the sponsorship for one of several chairs to be made from bourbon barrels and placed around the county as a tourist attraction.

The council had approved a $1,000 sponsorship to bring a chair to Midway, commission an artist to decorate the chair and display it for a six-week period, after which it would be auctioned. It passed up a $2,000 sponsorship that would allow collaboration with the artist on the design and keep the chair in Midway permanently.

Steve Morgan, representing the MBA, proposed that it donate an additional $1,000 so the city can help design the chair and keep it. The council voted 4-1, with Johnny Wilson voting no, to switch to the $2,000 proposal.

Walter Bradley Park: Midway Parks Board Chair Cecelia Gass updated the council on the progress of the 11 items that were budgeted for the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2019.

She said six items have been completed or are on their way to completion: planting of 60 trees with edible fruits and nuts, mostly near Midway University; a new entrance to the park behind the library, with a fence built on top of the quarry for safety; a pergola over a walkway that received too much rain; picnic pavilion railings; improvement of the fence-line near the library with planted vines and flower fields; and a retaining wall near the bridge.

Gass said about half of the budget has been spent, and this was where the board projected they would be at this time.

Collective website: Elisha Holt, the MBA’s contracted coordinator, asked the council to support a collective website for all of Woodford County, with funds for the site’s marketing.

Holt said she needs $10,000 for one year for marketing projects like billboards, and print and online media. If the council were to agree to a partnership, Holt said the council has the choice of how much money to donate.

“The community is looking for a place online where a person, whether you’re a local, a tourist or somebody that’s considering moving to Woodford County, one centralized location where you can go to get everything you need to have,” Holt said.

The website’s title is UniquelyWoodford.com and would contain an events calendar, aspects from each city such as council meetings, public education, churches and health care, as well as tourism links, Holt said.

She said all content would be linked back to the original source, and that her goal is just to have a collective entity.

Council Member Sara Hicks voiced concerns, saying Holt’s site would make the Meet Me in Midway website redundant. Holt replied, “Nothing is duplicated.”

So far, the MBA and The Woodford Sun, which also contracts with Holt, are partnering with her and will have links to their website on her proposed site and vice versa, Holt said. She said she will be meeting soon with the Versailles City Council and the Woodford County Tourism Commission.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift suggested that the council not vote on the proposal immediately and might want to “put it on the next budget.” Council Member Steve Simoff, who is not running for re-election, said he is “all for supporting Midway and the surrounding cities.”

Midway University softball field: Rusty Kennedy, Midway University’s vice president of admissions and athletics, asked the council’s permission to make improvements to the university’s softball field.

He said the university wants to add a sidewalk behind the third base dugout that will lead to the blacktop, because of the mud accumulation in the spring, and pour a 3-feet-high concrete wall along the backstop from dugout to dugout.

Kennedy said the project cost would be supplemented by a softball player’s father who owns a concrete company. He said they don’t need any money from the city for the estimated $3,200 project, just the council’s approval.

The council approved Kennedy’s request 5-0.

Upcoming events: The council also approved event permits for the downtown Christmas season kickoff beginning the first Saturday in November. The events will include a chili cookoff, Santa Claus and a mini-train. Here is the schedule:

Nov. 3: Event kickoff

Nov. 17: Chili cookoff

Nov. 24: RJ Corman Railroad Co. is to bring Santa, as usual

Dec. 8 and 15: Mini-train rides

Midway U. Pres. Marsden wins award based on school's turnaround since 2012 pharmacy-school debacle

Marsden and Bluegrass Tomorrow CEO Rob Rumpke (Custom Photo)

Dr. John P. Marsden, president of Midway University since 2013, received the Excellence in Education Vision Award from Bluegrass Tomorrow on Feb. 6. The awards honor improvements to the quality of life and place in the Bluegrass Region.

Marsden's award was based on the school's turnaround since he became president five years ago. "He inherited a college with declining enrollments, cash-flow shortages, budgets in the red and other issues," said a video at the awards breakfast. "In 2015, the institution finalized an agreement regarding the financing of all debt." Under Marsden's predecessor, Wiliam Drake, Midway had lost much money on an ill-fated attempt to start a pharmacy school in Paintsville, Ky.

A university news release about Marsden's award said, "The institution worked to balance its operating budget, improve cash flow, develop a strategic plan, improve community and donor relations, develop new revenue streams with international partnerships and fundraising events, and expand graduate programs. Most importantly, he led the institution through its change to university status, its successful 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation . . . and launch of men's athletics."

The release made that last point only in passing, but it was a function of perhaps the single greatest change in the school's history: welcoming men as resident undergraduates. The change was accelerated by the closing of Saint Catharine College near Springfield; the video says Marsden worked with the college to "absorb some of the men's athletic teams." The release said Marsden has overseen the expansion of athletics from fewer than 100 student-athletes to 340 in the current academic year. In 2018-19, the school will add three more sports, giving it 20 athletic teams.

Fewer than 100 days after the decision to go co-ed, "the university welcomed its largest incoming daytime class in the history of the institution with 432 students, compared to 2015's 261 students," the release said. "In fall 2017, the daytime class grew to 482," making overall enrollment 1,217. The school also has record graduate enrollments, with addition of new MBA areas of concentration (Equine Studies, Health Care Administration, Tourism and Sport Management) and new master's degrees in education and nursing.

"I am honored to have received this award on behalf of the entire university," Marsden said in the release. "Our board of trustees, ambassadors, faculty and staff have dedicated great time and effort into making Midway University the place it is today. This has truly been a team effort. Difficult and courageous decisions were made to transform Midway University to ensure our relevance and viability and to establish a solid foundation for the future. We are grateful to Bluegrass Tomorrow for acknowledging our progress."

Marsden added, "Our work is not yet done. We have many ongoing projects to make improvements to our campus facilities, create more business partnerships, grow new academic programs and continue our outreach internationally. In 2017 we launched a mini-capital campaign to raise funds for a recreation center as an addition to our existing student center, an on-campus baseball park, and improvements to our existing residence halls. To date $4 million of the $5 million goal has been raised and we hope to break ground this fall on the recreation complex." More information is in the 2017 President's Report.

Midway University baseball team wins conference; will play in national tournament Monday morning

In its first year, the Midway University baseball team won the River States Conference tournament and is headed to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics tournament.

The Eagles will play the first round in Lima, Ohio, as the No. 5 seed in the bracket hosted by the University of Northwestern Ohio. They will play MidAmerica Nazarene Monday, May 15 at 9 a.m. The winner of that game will meet top-seed, UNOH at 4 p.m.

Live statistics and video will be provided, with audio, by UNOH at www.gomidwayeagles.com. The bracket also includes No. 2 Middle Georgia State University and No. 3 seed Hope International, a California school.

The games will be played on Racers Field at UNOH's St. Rita's Sports Complex. In the case of a postponement due to weather or games needing to be played at night, the event will move to Montgomery Field in Celina, Ohio. Admission per day will be $7 for adults and $5 for students. Tournament passes will also be available at the gate for $12 for adults and $10 for students.

Midway commencement May 13 will include first day-college men to receive bachelor's degrees; Legends owner will speak

Susan Martinelli Shea

Lexington Legends owner Susan Martinelli Shea will be the keynote speaker at Midway University's May 13 commencement ceremony, which will be the first to award bachelor's degrees to male students in the day college.

Shea, a teacher by trade, left the profession in 2004 after a family tragedy and "devoted the last thirteen years of her life to working within the inner city of Philadelphia, specifically reorganizing the learning-support program in The Gesu School, where she is chair of the Faculty Support Committee and board member," the university said in a press release. "She also founded Dancing with the Students, a non-profit organization continuing to teach ballroom dancing to students, grades four through high school, in 17 under-served schools within the Philadelphia system. In 2017, she introduced this successful program to the students of the Crawford Middle School in Lexington."

Shea owns, and her son Andy operates, the Lexington Legends, a minor league baseball club affiliated with the Kansas City Royals.

The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in the Graves Amphitheater. Receiving degrees will be 257 graduates, including 12 who transferred from recently closed St. Catharine College near Springfield and completed their degree at Midway. Among them are the first male undergrads to earn their degree since Midway became fully co-educational last fall.

"It's an honor for us to welcome Susan Martinelli Shea to campus for what will be an historic commencement ceremony," Midway President John P. Marsden said. "She has dedicated her entire professional life to working with under-served students as a teacher and nonprofit leader. I have no doubt that Susan will inspire Midway's graduates as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives."

Midway University trustee pledges $2 million to school

By Matthew Hunter

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Long-time Midway University trustee Jan Hunter announced at the trustees’ November meeting her family’s intention to donate $2 million to the school over the next two years.

Hunter (2006 photo)

In a university press release, Hunter commented on the timing of the announcement. "I recently heard someone say that 'The opportunity of a lifetime must be taken during the lifetime of the opportunity' and that spoke to me," she said. “There are so many positive things happening at Midway and we need to invest in the institution and rally others to do the same to keep building on our current momentum."

After years of falling enrollment, Midway welcomed men as undergraduates this fall and received its largest incoming class. To accommodate the growth and expansion, its residence halls and athletic facilities need enhancement, President Dr. John P. Marsden said.

“We plan to utilize this gift in the way that will touch the most students – improving their living space and enhancing our student center and athletic facilities,” Marsden said in the release, which said the school’s leadership team will draw out specifics “over the next few months” on how and where the funds will be spent.

This isn’t the first time the Hunters have been generous to the university. In 2013, Hunter and her husband, Dick, pledged $500,000 to the school shortly after Marsden started his tenure.  In February, she and trustee Belinda Metzger each gave $25,000 for upgrading athletic facilities.

Hunter has been a trustee since November 2000. She and her husband own Hunter Industries Inc. in San Diego, California, which manufactures irrigation systems.

First-ever men's basketball team at Midway University loses its first home game, 89-74; now 0-3 on season

By Matthew Hunter

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

               After starting its inaugural season in the Marian Classic in Indianapolis over the weekend, the Midway University men’s basketball team fell in the program’s first-ever home game to Lindsey Wilson College on Wednesday.

               The Eagles (0-3) came into the matchup undersized and attempted to combat that by playing zone and limiting Lindsey Wilson’s touches inside.

               Midway’s only lead of the game came just after tipoff at 4-2. Then the Blue Raiders (3-0) used a flurry of transition points off turnovers to fuel a 17-2 run, prompting Midway Coach Joe Krupinski to use his first timeout.

Lindsey Wilson worked the baseline and frequent passes to the middle to open up Midway’s zone defense to draw fouls and find open teammates.

               Midway’s backcourt wouldn’t concede the game that easily, though. Freshman guards Bryson Harris and Brandon Johnson led the Eagle attack in the first half, each netting eight points. Midway was efficient on offense in the first 20 minutes, shooting 14 of 26 from the floor, and converting on four of nine from the 3-point line.

               Krupinski said his Eagles shot well because “We moved the ball a lot better and we shared the ball better. Some of the guys finished around the rim, which that hadn’t really happened the other day.”

               Lindsey Wilson led at halftime 44-34, getting production out of forward Charles Sutton, who led all first half scorers with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including a pair of threes.

               The start of the second half showed some fight for Midway as Harris was the catalyst in a 15-3 Eagle run that pulled his team within two, 49-47.

               “He’s taken it upon himself to be the heart and soul of the team in trying to get us better every day,” said Krupinski, who coached Harris and other Eagles-to-be at now-closed Saint Catharine College last year. “He’s the one guy we have back who’s playing right now who had a significant role on the team last year.”

               Veterans Tyler Smothers, Gerry Milligan and David Jump are the other returning players who Krupinski said he wanted to get into the game plan moving forward.

               After almost losing its lead, Lindsey Wilson responded with a 25-8 run to create the largest deficit of the game, 74-55. Turnovers, which have plagued Midway’s offense early in the season, were again an issue for the Eagles.

               “Our motion offense involves them reading defenses, and we got to get better at reading those plays so we don’t continue to turn it over,” Krupinski reflected.

               Midway continued to chip into the lead as they narrowed the margin to10 with just under four minutes to go. The Blue Raiders were too much on this night as they prevailed 89-74.

               Three Eagles scored in double figures. Harris led the way with 19, freshman Brandon Maxwell contributed 14 and Johnson had 13. Lindsey Wilson’s Sutton led all scorers and tallied his first double-double of the season with 31 points and 10 rebounds.

               There was no recorded attendance for the evening, but students, faculty and community members alike showed up for the home opener.

               “I told the guys, ‘100 years from now when the first team is on the wall, that’s going to be you’,” Krupinski said with a grin. “I hope we can all look back on this and remember that we were a part of something when it gets to be really big.”

Midway University adds more sports; first home game for men's basketball team is Wednesday at 7 p.m.

By Matthew Hunter

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

               This fall, Midway University opened its doors to men for the first time since it was founded in 1847. That meant the addition of men’s sports, and the school announced recently that it will add three more sports next fall.

               The new teams will be men’s tennis, men’s cross country and co-ed cheerleading.

               “They were natural extensions of what we already had,” Athletic Director Rusty Kennedy said in a phone interview. “We had the facilities in place and it made sense to expand.”

               The announcement came after the institution’s decision to add six teams earlier this year, bringing the total number of sports offered to 17.

               The men’s basketball team began play Friday at the Marian Classic in Indianapolis, losing to Marian University 90-76. It lost the second game of the event to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 94-68.

Assistant Coach Marquis Estill and Coach Joe Krupinski watch

the men's basketball team practice. (Midway University photo)

               The team, which has former University of Kentucky standout Marquis Estill as assistant coach, tips off their first-ever home game against Lindsey Wilson College this Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Marshall Gymnasium.

               Both men’s golf and soccer are well underway. Kennedy is encouraged from what he has seen in the first couple of months of the seasons.

               “Our men’s golf team is solid and has had good finishes,” he said. “Soccer has a winning record and are third in their conference, which is impressive because there are highly ranked NAIA [National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics] teams they compete with. We are very excited for basketball, baseball and the rest of the sports to get underway in the coming months.”

               Next fall, Midway University will have men’s and women’s teams in cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, equestrian hunt seat, equestrian Western, and cheerleading. Baseball for men, and volleyball and softball for women, are also offered. Kennedy said archery will also be co-ed starting next fall.

               “Thanks in part to the addition of male and co-ed sports this year, we’ve enjoyed a record undergraduate class of incoming students,” Midway President John Marsden said in the press release.

               Kennedy, who became athletic director about nine months ago, said athletics have been a strong component of the student life experience at Midway for more than 40 years, when the institution was Midway Junior College.

               As a result of Midway admitting men and the closing of Saint Catharine College near Springfield, participation in athletics has increased partly because student-athletes and coaches migrated from Saint Catharine.

               According to Kennedy, Midway had 92 student-athletes across eight different sports when he arrived. Now, Kennedy says, Midway has 260 student-athletes across 14 different sports.

               “The decision to add these new sports so early into the academic year is so our coaches and admission staff have ample time to work to recruit for the upcoming year,” Kennedy said in the press release.

               Midway coaches go far beyond the borders of Kentucky, and even the United States of America, to recruit prospective student-athletes. In men’s soccer alone there are players from Chile, England, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Panama. In baseball, there are athletes from California and Texas.

               “We try to recruit Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio the most,” said Kennedy. “It’s our best base but we recruit neighboring states and internationally as well. We are not bound by a geographic area.”

               Prospective student-athletes are encouraged to visit Midway’s athletic site and fill out a recruiting form to get in contact with coaches, according to Kennedy.

               “It’s an exciting time at Midway University with all the growth,” Kennedy concluded. “All the things we are doing is to benefit and to open up opportunities for our students.” 

Iron Horse Half Marathon to be run Sunday morning

Map shows mileages, water stations and direction of travel. First half of course is purple; second half is red.

The annual Iron Horse Half Marathon will be run through and near Midway, starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16. Spring Station Road, Stephens Street and Weisenberger Mill Road will be closed, except for local traffic access, along the marked route from 7:30 to 11:30. The start and finish will be on North Brand Street. Organizers say all activities should be over by 12:30 p.m.

The increasingly popular race primarily benefits the Woodford Humane Society, which provides most of the volunteers along the 13.1-mile route. It is sponsored by John's Run/Walk Shop and Saul Good Restaurant and Pub of Lexington. Questions about the race can be directed to coordinator Chuck Griffis at chuck@johnsrunwalk.com or (859) 335-1818.

Midway University hires men's basketball, baseball and soccer coaches from closing Saint Catharine College

Midway University announced Monday that men's basketball, soccer, and baseball coaches from Saint Catharine College, which is closing, will come to Midway, hopefully with many of their team members. Midway also will add men's golf, the university said.

"We are pleased to bring these coaches and their team members into our Eagles Athletics family," Athletics Director Rusty Kennedy said in a news release. "We are hopeful that many of their existing student athletes will transfer to Midway to continue playing together as a team. In addition to Saint Catharine athletes, there will now be an opportunity for other male students to look at our athletics offerings and begin discussions with our coaches about our program."

The coaches hired are: Joe Krupinski, men's basketball; Tim Wolz, men's soccer; and Luther Bramblett, baseball. Otis Smith, the current golf coach, will also oversee men's golf. Midway competes in the River States Conference, formerly the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Kennedy said the school "will be able to incorporate basketball, soccer and golf into our normal operations with the facilities we have or already use; for baseball we will be playing at an off campus facility the first year."

Friday, June 10, Midway University will host an open house only for Saint Catharine students and their families. Advisers, admissions officers and financial-aid officers will be available, and staff will provide campus tours.

Last week Midway was announced as one of the official teach-out schools for students from Saint Catharine, which is just northwest of Springfield. "This means that current Saint Catharine students can easily transfer to Midway University," the school said. "Admission application fees are waived, the residency requirement or the minimum number of credits that must be taken at Midway University will be waived, and earned credits from accredited institutions (inclusive of those credits awarded by Saint Catharine College) will be accepted."

Students can find out more details on Saint Catharine Day on June 10 and register online here. Student athletes can submit a recruitment form online at www.gomidwayeagles.com.

Critt Rawlings serves the men's clothing world, including Coach John Calipari and athletes, from store in Midway

By Kayla Loy

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Growing up on a farm near Lebanon in Central Kentucky, Crittenden Rawlings watched his father dress, and “always had a love” for good clothes, he recalled.

Rawlings in his store (Lexington Herald-Leader photo by Tom Eblen)

Rawlings started designing clothes in his teens and spent decades in men’s clothing design and merchandising, concluding with eight years as president and CEO of Oxford Clothes, which has the “most famous suit in America for hand tailoring,” he said.

He was “bored to death” at Oxford and retired to a Mercer County farm, but was prompted to get back into the trade by a “ridiculous” increase in the price of men’s suits, he told Kentucky Monthly magazine three years ago. He developed his own line, selling his clothes to retailers all across the U.S. But he didn’t like having all his clothes in a warehouse, so he decided to open a retail store.

Rawlings knew there had been a men’s store in Midway, Logan’s, that had done well before it moved to Lexington, so he decided to open Crittenden and Co. in a building at the corner of East Main and Gratz streets in Midway five years ago.

“We’re very happy with the progress we have made,” he said. “We sell a lot of famous horse people, executives, from many walks of life.”

Basketball coach John Calipari and NFL quarterbacks Brett Favre and Tim Tebow have worn Rawlings’ clothing. Calipari couldn’t be reached for comment, despite repeated attempts, but his patronage of the store is no secret.

“We still get people to walk in here and say they understand we clothe Coach Cal, so it’s been a huge assistance to our business,” said Rawlings.

Rawlings, 76, thinks customers keep coming back to his store because it’s “small and intimate.”

“They’ll say many, many times that they enjoy the experience of shopping here ’cause it’s small and they get attention,” he said.

“I think the retail has changed so dramatically in the world today that it’s a pleasant surprise when people walk into a small store like this where we understand our fabrics, we understand our clothing, and we can tell them a lot more about the product than many, many stores can give or do give to their customer.”

Rawlings said he strives to give “outstanding customer service” and “offer the consumer great style, classic style, classic American style, and offer them a very good value. I think our clothing is an outstanding value in today’s world of clothing. We use great fabrics, it’s very good construction and it’s not terribly expensive.”

Early in Rawlings’ career, he received mentoring from well-known fashion designers such as Norman Hilton and Ralph Lauren.

Rawlings worked for Hilton in the mid-1960s, who is known for his work with the Ivy League look.

“He had brilliant taste in style, and so he was a great mentor to me in my early days of getting into design,” said Rawlings.

He said Lauren taught him “high standards in taste and quality,” to “never waver” and to “always design what you believe in.”

Because Lauren sticks with his beliefs, “Ralph is the greatest designer,” Rawlings declared.

Rawlings’ work is also inspired by a suit from the Duke of Windsor, which he copied while at Oxford, buying items from the Duke’s personal wardrobe at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.

“I love the construction of those garments, so when I started my company I used that code as the standard of what I do,” said Rawlings. “And what I love about it  . . . it’s light construction and very comfortable to the consumer.”

Rawlings makes most of his coats with full French face construction, which is very light in nature. Tom Eblen of the Lexington Herald-Leader described it this way: “Outer material is wrapped inside the front to provide enough stiffness. Only the sleeves are lined. Body seams are piped with silk. 

There is no other lining except two triangles of silk on the shoulders. The style makes jackets lighter and cooler.”

Rawlings said, “For today’s lifestyles, dress coats have changed so dramatically I think it’s a much more practical construction.”

The Crittenden store mostly sells sport coats and trousers. The suits are mostly custom made, ranging from $900 to $2,000 while the sports coats range from $395 to $1,295.

Silk and linen fabric are used for the jackets in the spring and summer. In the fall, primarily 100 percent wool, 100 percent cashmere, and 100 percent camel hair are used. Crittenden trousers are cotton and fine wool and priced from $155 to $295.

The racing and horse industry boosts Crittenden’s business. April, May, September and October, key months for racing meets and horse sales, are four important months – so much that their total comes close to  the total sales of November and December, which historically are the largest two months of retail sales in the U. S., Rawlings said: “Horse industry helps our business greatly.”

Midway College to unveil Athletics Walk of Fame Sat.

Midway College will unveil an Athletics Walk of Fame in the McManis Student Center Saturday, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. The display will include retired jerseys of former Midway College Eagles and a section honoring Miss Margaret Ware Parrish and the athletes who have received the award named for her.

The event will include retirement of jerseys of three athletes who will join 17 others in the Walk of Fame: Ashley "A.P." Parker (basketball, 2004-2008), all-time leader in rebounds and only player with more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds; Mikeesha Prewitt (tennis, 1996-98), most valuable player both years, Parrish Award 1997 and All-American Scholar-Athlete 1997; and Lisa Warren (cross country/track, 1997-2000), holder of school records in 5K, 800m and 1500m and share of records for 4x400m and 4x800m.

It's a doggy night at the council; budget proposed

By Cody Porter
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Monday’s Midway City Council meeting was one that went to the dogs, so to speak, after council members heard the first reading of a leash law, and heard a complaint that a cemetery entrance had been locked over a dog issue.

Among other business, Mayor Tom Bozarth distributed and briefly discussed his proposed budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year that begins July 1.

Dottie Cordrey, who lives near Gayland Drive, addressed the council during the comment period early in the meeting to discuss the blocking of access to the cemetery through part of her property. Cordrey said in her 27 years living on the property, she often encouraged guests and friends to use her yard to enter the cemetery. But when a group of friends tried to enter for the April 3 graveside service for Katie Coomes, they and Cordrey discovered the gate had been chained and locked shut.

She said she contacted someone at City Hall, but no one returned her call despite being told it would be. That comment brought a questioning look from Bozarth to City Clerk-Treasurer Phyllis Hudson.

Cordrey said she hasn’t minded having the gate where it is, but tried to get city officials to put another gate at a location near the one on her property for easy access.

Bozarth said the lock “was a Cemetery Committee decision that they wanted that closed because of people bringing dogs in the cemetery and they wanted to close up the access to it.” After the meeting, Cordrey discussed the topic with Bozarth and Cemetery Committee Chair Doris Leigh, left.

After the meeting, Cordrey told the Messenger that the only dog she knows of in the vicinity is a 14-year-old standard poodle owned by her new neighbors. “She’s extremely calm and a real sweet dog,” she said. “I had encouraged them, along with another new neighbor, to be sure to use that (gate) if they wanted to. I didn’t know dogs weren’t allowed in the cemetery. They always have her on a leash. She doesn’t go anywhere. She’s always right beside them.”

Her next step will be looking into Lexington cemetery policies on dogs, because with the size that Midway is, the town needs as many friends as it can have, Cordrey said.

Near the end of the meeting, Bozarth gave the council his proposed budget for the city in 2012-13. Discussion of the budget had been on the agenda, but he told council members in an email before the meeting that it would be discussed at a later meeting.

Bozarth announced at the meeting that the council would hold a special meeting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, to discuss it. The document he distributed does not compare his proposed expenditures with current or past expenditures.

Budget items mentioned by Bozarth included a request from the fire department for a new van; snow removal, which previously had been done free by Woodford County; and raises for emergency management and planning and zoning.

Council Member Dan Roller, who is also chairman of the Property Maintenance Committee, said the committee met at the public library April 10 to review an ordinance from Richmond on deteriorated properties.

Roller said rather than raising accelerated tax rates on blighted properties, as the committee has recommended, the Richmond ordinance details domain procedures for the city to acquire specific property. Roller said the committee voted to recommend the ordinance to the council.

Among other business at Monday’s meeting, former Midway police officer John William McDaniel III was honored for heroism after saving the life of a woman at 815 Prime with the Heimlich maneuver. Before getting a picture made with Midway’s new hero, Bozarth gave him a certificate for his act of heroism, a hat, and a bag of Lifesavers candy.

John McDaniel stands as the council votes unanimously to honor him.

On a request from Ken Tippett of the Woodford County Public School Hall of Fame, the council voted to give the hall $1,000 during each of the next three years. Other local governments are also being asked to give. Questioned by Council Member Sharon Turner, Tippett said the money would go mainly toward awards and a website.

Tippett said the Hall of Fame plans to induct two members in each of six different categories each year. In addition to athletics, which this year will see the induction of the 1937 Midway Blue Jays high school state championship team, other categories include academics and arts. Council Member Doris Leigh made a motion to accept the proposed three-year deal, Aaron Hamilton seconded, and the council voted for it unanimously.

In dealing with minutes from the last meeting, Roller discussed the sponsoring of summer events that had been discussed by Grayson Vandergrift of the Midway Merchants Association. Roller wanted to know if the city is considered a sponsor or co-sponsor of the event. Bozarth informed him the city was among the sponsors, so Roller asked that the minutes be changed to make it a co-sponsor. After a few moments of discussion Bozarth agreed to Roller’s request.

Also during the meeting, Bozarth proclaimed April to be Alcohol Awareness Month.

Greeted by hundreds, Calipari's trophy train stops

University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari's tour with the NCAA Championship trophy stopped in Midway today after a crowd of several hundred people gathered without any guarantee that the coach's R.J. Corman Railroad train would stop, only that it would slow down on its way from Lexington to Frankfort.

Calipari addressed the crowd from the back of the train, giving the team credit for the school's eighth basketball championship, and allowed students gathered on Main Street to touch the trophy.

The coach was accompanied on his trip by Joe B. Hall, below, who coached the Wildcats to their fifth championship, in 1978. (Photos and information from City Council Member Dan Roller)

Others on the train included Adolph "Herky" Rupp, son of the coach who won the first four championships.