City Personals

Happiest of birthdays to West Jenkins! He turned six whole years over the weekend. He was treated to a birthday breakfast of bacon, two cinnamon rolls and six candles to blow out for his big wish first thing in the morning. He celebrated with family and friends that afternoon with a sports themed party. He is the son of Bart and Molly Jenkins.

Being 50 is nifty as Penny Lomenick found out Monday! Surrounded by family and amazing friends, she rang in being half a century the right way! Here’s to another 50 fabulous years, as they only get better from here!

Monday was the last day to register to vote in the upcoming election. Absentee voting is open now if you are unable to make it to the polls Tuesday, August 8th. Absentee ballots can be cast at the Marshall County Circuit Clerk’s office.

There are several crucial seats up for grabs August 8th. Please, please get out and vote. Historically, voter turnout has been, for lack of a better work, embarrassing. When you see how many registered voters there are and then compare that to the number of ballots cast on election day, the difference has been sickening. I have heard many say it has been too cold, too hot or too wet to get to the polls. That is all fine and well...what are the excuses when you have over three weeks to get to the Marshall County Circuit Clerk’s office to cast your vote? There are a lot of days between now and then. Surely one of those days will have ideal conditions for voting?

I remember being drug by my family with friends of ours from pillar to post, covering every inch that Marshall County had to offer during election season when Jimmye Dale Green was running for Sheriff. It felt like we went to every political rally, and let me tell you, there were many (it seemed) and it was doggedly hot. As a child not even voting age, those rallies instilled in me that my vote would one day make a difference. Listening to all the speeches and live music, partaking in scrumptious offerings from some of the best cooks in the county and spending time with everyone who wanted their voices heard was time well spent.

As a child, everything always appeared bigger but I would swear that those old country rallies were attended by thousands of people. Looking back now, I have no doubt my numbers were way off but alas, they were elbow to elbow full. I am not sure what happened between that time and now? Have we as a society become complacent? Have we decided that just one vote, our vote, will not make a difference in the grand scheme of things? How have we gotten to this point? What was the determining factor in people staying home instead of going to the polls either on election day or to vote absentee? It is far beyond time for this county, our county, citizens to get out and let your voices be heard

Lisa and Tim Liddy will be hosting a political rally Thursday, July 20th at 7:00 p.m. The child in me hopes it is akin to the old timey rallies I attended back in the day. It is a bring your lawn chair event and will be held on Market Street beside The Apothecary. This will be a prime opportunity for candidates and voters alike to mingle. The purpose of a rally is so the political candidates can give small speeches about who they are and on what platform or premise they are running. It also gives them the time to mingle with their constituents whereas sometimes they may not be so accessible. It definitely gives the voters a chance to really listen and hear what the candidates are saying, not just whispers they have heard on the street or in stores. One may have a particular person in mind for a position based off what others have said about him or her. After the rally, who knows? Minds could be changed by giving everyone there a fair shake by truly listening. Thursday, July 20th at 7 p.m. on Market Street...a mere couple of weeks before the election itself. The date was not wasted on me, as the speeches will be fresh on the minds of everyone when they go to the polls to vote or when they go to the Marshall County Circuit Clerk’s office to absentee vote prior to Tuesday, August 8th.

Please, if you take nothing out of this epistle, vote. Vote today, vote tomorrow, vote next week or the week after or hit the polls Tuesday, August 8th and vote.