Uncategorized

By Winchester Sun

Email the author

Published 11:41 am Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Like so many things during this pandemic, it is hard to visit museums, attend religious events and go to sports or arts events.

On the other hand, there are a lot of arts and cultural event opportunities online both locally and as far away as Paris, France.

When this period of social distancing has passed, perhaps you can visit some of those places.

In the meantime, start by visiting the Bluegrass Heritage Museum and the Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee websites online.

Bluegrass Heritage Museum

The museum is much more interesting to visit in person. For such a small space, its exhibit space is cram-packed.

But online,(https://bgheritage.com/) there is a lot to read about and much to discover about Winchester and Clark County.

Links that you may particularly enjoy are those for black history, exhibits, genealogy, online documents and stories.

Under the black history link are articles written by Lyndon Comstock and Harry Enoch along with photos. Articles in this section concern the Rev. Henry Baker, Billy Bush, Elaine Ferris, Lyletown, Oliver School athletics, Poynterville and more.

The exhibits link allows visitors to view each room of the museum. It’s not the same as visiting in person, but it is a reasonable facsimile of a visit. The exhibit rooms photographed here are: Adams photos (pictures taken by Charles Lewis Adams during his services in the Pacific Theatre during World War II), agriculture, the Bean room, the Civil War exhibit, Clark County, the Guerrant room, the military room, the telephone room, the quilt room, The Winchester Sun photos and a virtual tour of the museum.

The online documents link is one of the most useable links on the website with access to articles by local historians Jerry Cecil and Harry Enoch, including “Bush Family Graveyard Tour” by Harry Enoch, “Early School Houses in Clark County” by Jerry Cecil and “A Tour of Places No Longer There: The Parking Lots of Winchester” by Harry Enoch.

The parking lot tour, if printed out, could provide a way to share local heritage sites with family on days when being inside seems too hard to endure for another moment. Twenty-three pages with discussion and photos of 18 local sites of buildings in Winchester and Clark County may help you get out and about for a day.

Without a doubt, one of the best links is “stories” which has four short videos: “Guys and Girls: Saturday at the Leeds,” “People Gathered at the Depot: President Truman Visits Winchester” and “Generations of Mission and Medicine.” Each video runs four minutes or less, narrated by either Clarence Bloomfield or Wallace Guerrant.

Finally, the link that is a work in progress is the one titled “genealogy,” which contains sources and information about Clark County families compiled by the late Kathryn Owens.

This is a portion of the website that might best be described as “under construction” since, as of today, it contains only information about families whose last names begin with the letters A or B — Adams to Bybee.

Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee

Not to be overlooked is the new website of The Winchester Black History and Heritage Committee (http://www.winchesterblackhistoryandheritagecommittee.org).

At this point, much of what is on this site can also be found on the site of Bluegrass Heritage Museum.

Yet, there are signs that the Black History and Heritage website is taking on a tone and substance all its own.

The Heritage Trail link provides a map of African-American heritage sites in or near downtown Winchester. You can download and print the map, and then drive (or walk) the Heritage Trail to read about the sites and people who are its subjects.

Another interesting link on this page is one titled, “Oral History.” This link is a series of interviews with Sherman Greene conducted by Jane Burnam and Harry Enoch. The interview, which runs more than three hours, is not yet posted in full, but the 15 minutes or so that are posted are certainly interesting.

It will be interesting to see this website evolve and take on its own flair in the days and weeks ahead, particularly as more of Greene’s interview is posted.

Bill McCann is a playwright, poet, flash fiction writer and teacher who writes about arts events and personalities. He can be reached at wmccann273@gmail.com.

NEWS PROVIDED BYHGPink PR

May 27, 2020, 17:24

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES, May 27, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hall’s Beer Cheese LLC is the dips and spreads company behind nationally recognized Hall’s Beer Cheese, the original beer cheese that has been made continuously since the 1930s, and has just released a new addition to their production line of specialty dairy products. The Hall’s Benedictine Spread will be available beginning Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at Liquor Barn retailers across Kentucky. The product will also be available to all national consumers on beercheese.com. As part of the launch promotion of the Benedictine Spread, Hall’s is offering a “Father’s Day” subscription box on the beercheese.com website that will include a sampling of their suite of spreads. The promotional box will include, three (3) 8oz. containers of the Hall’s Beer Cheese Hot, two (2) 8oz. of the Original Hall’s Beer Cheese, and a single of the new Benedictine Spread. The discounted box will also ship out a mystery gift with each subscription box. This promotional box allows for loyal consumers to benefit from the discounted pricing on their bestsellers and sample the newest member of the family. The Benedictine Spread has been carefully crafted to be true to the flavor and texture and ingredients of the spread that was handmade at Hall’s Restaurant, with the focus on a high-quality product that consumers associate with the Hall’s Beer Cheese brand. The Benedictine Spread features a crisp cucumber flavor that is paired perfectly with a range of accompaniments from crackers, flatbreads, and bagels.

“We wanted to bring back an old southern favorite which meets the elevated palates of today’s consumers who appreciate fresh and diverse flavors and textures . Our success with the Hot and Original Beer Cheese is a tough act to follow so we wanted to make sure we got this one right. The feedback has been tremendous on the Benedictine and we are excited that consumers can now try it for themselves.” says Kit Crase, Hall’s Beer Cheese owner.

About Hall’s Beer Cheese: It started as a spicy appetizer enjoyed by Central Kentuckians dining by the Kentucky River, at a location that has had a restaurant or trading post since the 1700’s, and has been Halls Restaurant for nearly a century. Hall’s Beer Cheese has developed into an internationally recognized brand. Taste of the South, Southern Living, the Wall Street Journal, Food Network and others have featured the original beer cheese spread. The unique flavor of Hall’s Beer Cheese begins with aged Wisconsin sharp cheddar cheese and finishes with a bit of spice that provides the “snap” to Hall’s Snappy Beer Cheese.

Hall’s is a locally owned business based in Mount Vernon, Kentucky.

For more info on Hall’s Beer Cheese and please visit; beercheese.com

By Whitney Leggett

Published 12:30 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Nini Edwards, second from right, and Cathy Edwards, far right, present a check for $7,786 to the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which is facilitated by the Blue Grass Community Foundation and United Way of the Bluegrass. Accepting the check is Halee Cunningham, gift planning officer and deputy counsel for BGCF, second from left. Also pictured is Cindy Banks, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce. The presentation was made at the BGCF offices on High Street in Lexington Friday. Nini Edwards said the money was raised from the local vineyard and winery’s sales of “adult Capri Suns,” which are pouches of sangria-style beverages. During April, $2 from each purchase of the drinks was put toward the Coronavirus Relief Fund efforts. (Photo by Whitney Leggett)

By Tom Kenny -May 5, 2020

WINCHESTER, Ky. (WTVQ) – Winchester-based Ale-8-One honored local high school graduates with a limited edition specialty soft drink label.

The label pays tribute to the 2020 Class of George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester.

Because of the coronavirus, the Class of 2020 across the country has missed out on things like prom, spring sports and traditional graduations.

Ale-8-One wanted to do its part to recognize and pay tribute to a class that has shown class during a difficult time when the coronavirus was robbing them of so many lifetime memories.

By Winchester Sun

Published 10:32 am Friday, May 1, 2020

Beech Springs Farm Market and Fink Meats of Clark County are two of the 103 markets across the Commonwealth accepted into the 2020 Kentucky Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market Program.

In joining the KFB Certified Farm Market Program, these markets have committed to offering quality products and service to their customers.

Acceptance by Farm Bureau tells customers that this market meets the highest standards of quality, freshness and marketing appeal.

Located off Highway 627 South in Winchester, Beech Springs Farm Market is a seasonal market featuring fresh fruits, vegetables, beer cheese and honey along with other local and Kentucky Proud products. Their fried pies are also a favorite for guests. Seasonal fall and spring plants and decor are also featured in a picturesque setting. Visit their Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.

Fink Meats provides customers frozen lamb retail cuts. Their meat comes from lambs raised on their farm and processed in a USDA facility. Additionally, Fink Meats provides their customers recipes and cooking tips upon request.

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Certified Farm Market members around the state are implementing recommended best practices for keeping employees and customers safe during the pandemic.

Our markets are working hard to provide Kentucky consumers with a safe and local food source

“As we reach an exciting 25-year milestone within the Kentucky Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market program, I would like to thank all those who have been participating for so many years, and I welcome our new members,” KFB President Mark Haney said. “It is such an important time in the life of our local markets as more and more people discover the benefits of good, wholesome, locally grown and produced goods. We look forward to another 25 years of continued success.”

Markets certified through this program are identified by the KFB Certified Farm Market logo and listed in an online directory.

The program also provides collective advertising, promotional items, educational tour opportunities and other marketing benefits with the intent to increase the net farm income of member markets.

Markets certified through this program are identified by the KFB Certified Farm Market logo and listed in an online directory.

The program also provides collective advertising, promotional items, educational tour opportunities and other marketing benefits with the intent to increase the net farm income of member markets.

By Fred Petke

Published 11:08 am Tuesday, April 28, 2020

What do you do when you have a group of performers and your performance space is closed?

You take to people’s porches.

As Leeds Center for the Arts has been closed for the coronavirus pandemic, the theater has been hosting “porch performances” every other week on its social media platforms.

“As creatives, it’s very difficult to pivot and reinvent how we perform art out there,” Leeds Director Tracey Miller said. “It’s an important part of who we are.”

The porch performances, she said, are an opportunity for anyone to post a video of themselves or someone else in an artistic pursuit.

“Every two weeks, there’s a window of time where we ask people to submit a video of them performing on Facebook,” Miller said. “We’ve had everything from poems to songs to dances. It’s been really great.”

It truly is open to anyone, she said.

“It’s not just Leeds people,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of community people participating as well. Last weekend, (Winchester City Commissioner) Ramsey Flynn played banjo.”

The next window opens Friday, she said.

“It is really fun,” she said. “There are kids of all ages.”

The Leeds performers are tackling another project in the coming days.

“We are getting ready to start writing letters to people in the community who may not have a lot of support in the community,” she said.

She said they will be writing about 470 letters of support and hope, which will be included in food boxes distributed by Clark County Community Services.

“It’s not the same, but it’s OK,” she said. “As with everyone else, we don’t have any income. We just want to continue being who we are: a community venue that makes a difference.”

Updated: 1:02 PM EDT Apr 27, 2020

The notion of Team Kentucky is alive and well in the state, something Gov. Andy Beshear has hammered in since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the state.

Since the first deaths of Kentuckians, Beshear has asked the community to turn on a green light in their honor as a show of compassion.

Advertisement

Well if you didn’t already have a green light, you may have had to resort to using what you already have.

That’s what Joseph Caliem Hardin did. In fact, he got creative and made maybe the most Kentucky version of the green light we’ve seen.

Hardin said he used the iconic (at least to Kentucky) Ale-8-One green bottle to change the color of his light.

Here’s how he did it: He cut the bottle using string and then hot glued an LED lightbulb into the bottle. Hardin said since the LED bulb produces little to no heat, it should be safe to leave on for long periods.

Both Hardin and WLKY urge using caution when making your own light bulb covering.

Kentucky’s own Hall’s Beer Cheese partners with Ale-8-One Soda and Ruth Hunt Candy to provide goodie bags to front line workers in Florida

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES, April 23, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — Kentucky’s Original Halls Beer Cheese has partnered with some of the State’s most popular local brands to create care packages for frontline workers at AdventHealth Hospital along with a bulk donation to United Against Poverty both in Orlando, Florida.
“We Kentuckians understand that Coronavirus is not a state issue, or a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue and we want to show our appreciation and support wherever it’s needed “ says Kit Crase, Hall’s Beer Cheese owner. “When I reached out to the other local brands, they had no hesitation in donating for healthcare or front line workers in any state” continued Crase.
Knowing the challenging work that healthcare workers have been doing and the tremendous sacrifice they are making, the three brands came together to provide a small show of appreciation. Each package will contain an 8oz. container of Hall’s Beer Cheese, along with bourbon balls courtesy of Ruth Hunt Candy, and a can of Ale-8-One soda, one of the most recognizable consumable goods products in the State.
Since the start of this crisis; Hall’s has made it a mission to donate to food banks, shelters and organizations nationwide. The company owner herself, Kit Crase, has been hand delivering products so as not to add to already stressed supply chains and expose any of the company’s employees to potential risk.
About Halls Beer Cheese: What started as a spicy appetizer enjoyed by Central Kentuckians dining by the Kentucky River has developed into an internationally recognized brand. Taste of the South, Southern Living, the Wall Street Journal, Food Network and others have featured the cult favorite beer cheese spread. The unique flavor of Hall’s Beer Cheese begins with aged Wisconsin sharp cheddar cheese and finishes with a bit of spice that provides the “snap” to Hall’s Snappy Beer Cheese.
Halls is a family owned business based in Lexington, Kentucky.
For more info on Hall’s Beer Cheese and please visit; beercheese.com
Media Inquiries: Niki Dec ND@hgpink.com

Winchester is home to two Kentucky favorites — beer cheese and Ale-8-OneApril 1, 202030 Views

By Katherine Tandy Brown

Spring in the Bluegrass always sparks a particular fond memory for me. On a luscious day in the early 1990s, when Keeneland’s pear and dogwood trees were in full blossom, a former colleague who knew my affinity for motorcycles would call and say, “I’m playing hooky from work today. Wanna ride to the river?” I never turned him down. He’d swing by, I’d helmet up, and we’d roar down the winding, woodsy backroads to Hall’s on the River. In the warming air, we’d while away a few hours on the outdoor deck, sipping frosty Heineken on tap, savoring tasty beer cheese, and marveling at the freshening Kentucky River before motoring back to Lexington.

These days, Hall’s still serves Kentucky comfort food. Think Hot Browns, catfish, pulled pork, and yes, that beer cheese. In 2013, the Commonwealth of Kentucky recognized Clark County as the official birthplace of beer cheese. Chef Joe Allman developed the sharp cheddar spread in the 1930s for his cousin Johnnie, owner of the Driftwood Inn, who served it as a complimentary snack to increase his customers’ desire for beer. It’s since become so popular, there’s now a Beer Cheese Trail that’s 11 restaurants strong, plus a Beer Cheese Festival. All the trail stops are in Winchester and its environs, a super destination with plenty to enjoy in addition to satisfying your appetite for beer cheese. But we’ll start there and then move along to the Winchester-Clark County activity “side dishes.”

Among the featured eateries on the Beer Cheese Trail are Loma’s at the Opera House, with beer cheese grits; the community service-focused Cairn Coffee House and its fresh-roasted, in-house cups of joe; Fire House Pizza Pub, which serves handmade Italian pies and craft beer in an 1885 fire station; Woody’s Sports Bar & Grill, where you can eat your cheese on a pretzel; and of course, Hall’s.

To nab a Beer Cheese Trail t-shirt, pick up an official card at the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Office or any of the many tourism outlets, order a beer cheese item from five of the designated restaurants, have them officially stamp their logo on the card, and return your card to the tourism office for a shirt. Become a Beer Cheese Ambassador by “cheesing” and getting stamped at all 11 stops to receive a t-shirt, a “cheesy” award, and be entered in a drawing to become a Beer Cheese Festival judge. Ya-hoo!

Come June 13, head to Winchester’s Beer Cheese Boulevard for the 11th annual festival, where you can expect a day of music, food, swilling suds at the UK Alumni Beer Garden, crafts, shopping, kids’ fun, the Big Cheesy 5K Run, and as much beer cheese as you can squirrel away. Vote for your fave for the People’s Choice award in the beer cheese-making contests. Better yet, enter the amateur division.

Strolling through downtown Winchester is like stepping back in time 100 years, with five-globe lampposts lining the streets and an elevated sidewalk. Lovingly restored architectural gems are home to quaint shops and eclectic restaurants. Visitors can choose between a prescheduled guided tour and a self-guided cell phone stroll.

Adorning many of the brightly colored buildings are murals by a local retired art teacher, Phil May. One of the murals is actually on the roof of Clark Regional Medical Center’s roof! And while it might seem an odd location, May said it gives patients on the upper floors of the adjoining medical facility a picturesque view.

Also downtown, the Bluegrass Heritage Museum is a treasure trove of regional history. Hear tales of Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone; discover how the commonwealth’s prosperous coal, tobacco, lumber and bourbon industries influenced the nation’s economy; peruse fascinating old photos from the Winchester Sun; and learn about military history, quilts and telephones for your next trivia game.

You’ll definitely want to tour Winchester’s Ale-8 One plant, where the wildly popular, citrusy-ginger soft drink was first made in 1926. The beverage’s unusual name was the winner in a contest held by its developer, George Lee Wainscott, and a nod to the era’s slang that it was the latest thing in soft drinks, i.e. “a late one.”

In 2009, the founder’s great-great nephew, Fielding Rogers, acquired the family’s secret recipe at age 28 and become the company’s CEO in 2013. Each day, he climbs a spiral staircase to the secret batching room where he mixes the formula, batch by batch, to follow his great-great uncle’s handwritten notes that hang on the wall. Every Ale-8 produced originates from his hands. Call ahead to schedule a tour.

Clark County is also home to the 242-acre Blackfish Bison Ranch, named to honor a great Shawnee chief. The ranch offers guided tours of its buffalo herd, with a focus on the historical and spiritual relationship between the buffalo and Native Americans. On an hour-long tour, you can feed these woolly beasts from a pickup or wagon, throw a tomahawk, taste pure buffalo meat, and witness a Lakota Sioux “smudge” feather ceremony, all on rolling land that once was a Shawnee hunting ground.

Discover more history at the Civil War fort at Boonesboro, an earthwork fortification built by Union soldiers to defend the fort and ferry there. A scenic, one-mile loop trail has exquisite views of the Kentucky River.

When touring Clark County builds a monumental thirst, a perfect quench awaits at Abettor Brewing Co., a cool Winchester stop on the state’s Brewgrass Trail. The brainchild of craft beer entrepreneur Tyler Montgomery, the brewery offers tours, live team trivia, and tasting of its craft brews, including Pale8 (American Pale Ale, hopped with citra and chinook, plus an added secret local ingredient) and Blue-Eyed Blonde. Abettor also serves cocktails and food truck fare.

If you’d prefer to partake in the fruit of the vine, Hamon Haven Winery has been making wines since 1980 and finally planted their own vineyard in 2000. To quote the company, “Instead of concord grapes we planted Jupiter and Mars to make an ‘Out of This World’ table wine.” Because their business hours are flexible, be sure to call ahead for tastings and tour times.

Find out about all the aforementioned and more at TourWinchester.com or call (859) 744-0556.

Katherine Tandy Brown is a correspondent for The Lane Report. She can be reached at editorial@lanereport.com.

Savannah Eadens, Louisville Courier JournalPublished 6:25 a.m. ET Sept. 3, 2019 

Beer. Cheese. Objectively two of the most beloved food items in the world. Both span centuries, continents and cultures.

But beer cheese? It’s a Kentucky thing.

Nearly every brewery and brewpub menu around Louisville has an iteration of the mouth-watering appetizer: most traditionally a combination of cheddar cheese, beer, cayenne pepper, paprika and some garlic.

Kentuckians feel strongly about their beer cheese — its serving temperature, whether it’s accompanied by a soft pretzel or chips, the best cheese to use and the beer you should never use.

And they should, since Winchester, Kentucky likes to take credit for inventing the modern pub-food concoction. It’s all about that good ol’ Bluegrass State pride!

Beer cheese is rarely seen outside of central Kentucky, or if it is, it’s usually a bastardized version, not what’s found in Winchester, Lexington or here in Louisville. And it’s so popular that the exact beer cheese recipe is kept a secret at nearly every local establishment.

We know you love it. So we’ve put together the ultimate Louisville beer cheese guide so you can get your fix on all things beer + cheese.

Temperature debate: cold vs. hot

Temperature is by far one of the most controversial issues surrounding beer cheese locally: Is it best served hot or cold?

Many Kentuckians have a strong opinion about the temperature of their beer cheese but one thing is for certain — beer cheese is definitely not the same as nachos or the processed cheese served with pretzels at high school football games. And the version of beer cheese invented in Winchester, Kentucky is served cold.

To read the full article click here.