Tom Eblen's latest column provided by the Lexington Herald-Leader

Tom Eblen

Tom Eblen: Citizens Planning Academy offers insight on Lexington's growth

When I moved back here 15 years ago, Lexingtonians were battling with bumper stickers. Builders and developers had "Growth is Good" stickers on their bumpers. Preservationists had "Growth Destroys Bluegrass Forever" on theirs.

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Archive by category ''Tom Eblen

GREENSPOT

Tom Eblen: Plan for post-tornado West Liberty calls for innovation, 'green' construction, eco-tourism

Last week, after more than a year of study and work following devastating tornadoes, West Liberty leaders unveiled a new strategic plan for their community. It is a creative, forward-looking plan designed to attract national attention and support. If successful, it could serve as a model for struggling...
NEIGHBORS

Tom Eblen: Erik Reece hopes new book will cause UK to rethink future of Robinson Forest

On a clear, spring morning, Robinson Forest looks like a rolling "river of earth," as James Still once described the natural landscape of Eastern Kentucky. Author Erik Reece said a lot of Kentuckians will never see Robinson Forest, so he and co-author James J. Krupa wrote The Embattled Wilderness...
DAILY BUSINESS REPORT

Tom Eblen: Dream of Greek restaurant affirmed with food truck experience

Since food trucks and stands started popping up in Lexington a few years ago, they have become popular with customers but created tension with bricks-and-mortar restaurants.
KENTUCKY DERBY

Tom Eblen: Rain turns Derby infield into swamp, but the party rolls on

Each year the infield seems to get smaller and tamer, even as the admission price has risen from $10 to $40. But the 139th Derby was proof that the infield is still quite a party — even on a rainy day like Saturday.
HEALTH

Tom Eblen: Muscles, balance, strength improve with help of horses

T-Ball and Wanda are hefty Norwegian Fjords who work at Central Kentucky Riding for Hope at the Kentucky Horse Park. They help heal the clients of Lisa Harris and Becky Johnson, therapists at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital. It is called hippotherapy — hippo is Greek for horse —...
TOM EBLEN

Tom Eblen: Architecture of UK's modernist buildings not for everyone — but they're worth saving anyway

When local architects started emailing me about preliminary plans to demolish several Modernist-style buildings on the University of Kentucky campus, my first reaction was to roll my eyes.
NEIGHBORS

Tom Eblen: Alfalfa, one of Lexington's oldest restaurants, celebrates 40th year

The way restaurants come and go, this one would seem like a long shot. A group of idealistic 20-somethings with little money and no experience wanted to serve wholesome food at reasonable prices. Alfalfa Restaurant not only survived, it became a local institution that is now one of Lexington's oldest...
BUSINESS

Kentucky Mudworks owes its success to thinking outside the wheel

Link Henderson moved here after college in 1997 because her best friend got married, got a teaching job in Lexington and bought a duplex where Henderson could rent the other half.
NEIGHBORS

Tom Eblen: Environmental threats, solutions were focus of resettling America conference

About 300 people from 35 states and several foreign countries came to Louisville and Springfield last weekend for a conference revisiting Wendell Berry's book, The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture. Well-known speakers pondered this question: What will it take to resettle America?
BUSINESS

Tom Eblen: Love of great coffee puts Magic Beans friends back in business

For some people, a great cup of coffee is worth a little extra trouble and expense. Keith Hautala and Schuyler Warren are two of those people, and they hope more Kentuckians will be, too.