VIVIAN RICHMOND borrowed materials from the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife, including a replica black bear skull and footprint, to share with students from Southside Elementary School. Richmond told Maverick Wurzbak and Easton Wilson, pictured, and their second grade classmates that bears have five toes and rely on thick fur to stay warm. Richmond’s impromptu teaching session on bears came after the students visited seniors at the Woodford County Senior Citizens Center on Dec. 18. Richmo	RETIRED SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY TEACHER Pam Murphy listened to Nora Harris read a holiday poem when Nora and her second grade classmates visited the Woodford County Senior Citizens Center on Dec. 18. The Woodford County Conservation District sponsored the service learning field trip. (Photo by Bob Vlach)	WOODFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT employees enjoyed hanging out with new and old friends. Pictured from left, Katie Arthur, Sammi Coleman, Jordan Coyle, Melody Traugott, Lisa Gaines and Emily Castle. (Photo by Scott White)
WOODFORD COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE held its end-of-year celebration at Grey Ridge Farm, a full-service training, breeding and sales facility for Saddlebreds located on Scott’s Ferry Road and owned and operated by Bret and Susi Day. The main barn was set up with well over 20 tables full of Woodford County merchants, farm owners, elected officials and community leaders. (Photo by Scott White)	SPARK COMMUNITY CAFE held its annual breakfast with Santa in partnership with Versailles Presbyterian Church for the Amigos Group. The event allows families to have a meaningful holiday experience regardless of their ability to pay. Pictured from left, Whitney Stepp-Gay, Lori Garkovich, Chef Marissa Prince, Annabel Nagle, Arissa Keith and Blake Heller. All gathered around Santa, who made yet another trip down from the North Pole. (Photo by Albert Chandler)	THE VERSAILLES HIGH SCHOOL CLASS of 1962 held it’s second annual Christmas luncheon at The Woodford Inn to celebrate the Christmas holidays. Pictured from left, front are Linda Downey, Pearl Hatton, Natalie Hopkins, Peggy Seal, Glenda Creech, and Rosemary Johnson. In back from left are Gloria Donnell, Ed Howard, Gary Wilson, Charlette Phillips, Bill Foley, and Raymond Weber. (Photo submitted)
MIDWAY AND VERSAILLES city governments put up beautiful Christmas trees this year for everyone to enjoy. The trees provide a popular site for family photographs, as seen on many Facebook posts this year. (Photos by Lucie Chandler)		On Saturday, Dec. 14 members of Buford-Landmark Masonic Lodge No 41, participated in the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at Camp Nelson Military Cemetery. From left are Johnny Mills and David Paul at the grave Non Evans Jr., a 50-year member of Buford-Landmark, who recently passed away. (Photo submitted)
TINY HOUSES, INC. held a party to decorate the tiny house model home on Camden Avenue for the holidays, located behind Fouser Environmental Sciences. Tiny Houses raises funds for to replace homes lost in disasters, including two in Breathitt County. From left, Nancy Fouser, Alice Kiviniemi, Ethelwyn Matthews, and Bebe Bond. (Photo by Scott White)	THE WOODFORD COUNTY WOMAN’S CLUB hosted Kentucky Humanities Chautauqua performer Simonetta Cochis as Madame Mentelle. She is pictured with Ellen Hellard. (Photo submitted)	THE WCHS CHEERLEADERS won the KHSAA Gameday state tltle for the second straight season Saturday Dec. 14 at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester. For more photos and a complete story about the cheerleaders winning back-to-back titles, see page 6. (Photo by Bill Caine)
MIDWAY UNIVERSITY MARATHONERS earned All-American honors at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Championships held Sunday, Dec. 8 in Sacramento, Calif. Jacob Kocis, pictured right, concluded his record-breaking collegiate distance running career with a second-place finish in 2:22:54. Trinity Smith, left, also came away with All-American honors, the second year in a row, finishing sixth-place in 2:58:40 in the women’s division. (Photo courtesy of Midway University)	THE WCHS LADY JACKETS SOFTBALL TEAM is volunteering their time to help with this year’s Operation Secret Santa by organizing toy donations. The players were looking for an opportunity to help the community and to bond as a team as they prepare for this year’s spring season. Pictured, from left, front row: Maddie Midkiff, Makinley Beard, Bri Coovert, Kaylee Boswell, Samantha Barber, Emma Woodrum, Lyla Pitzer and Kendall Wright. From left, back row: Kinley Sewell, Jillian Watson, Marlee Cushingber	COMMUNITY TRUST BANK AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE presented $250 to the Jeri Hartley Foundation and Cops for Kids as part of the Elf Kids Dash and Santa Shuffle on Saturday, Dec. 7. Pictured from left, Barry Hartley, Corey Cooley, Jenn Stephens and Sgt. Anthony Conner with the Versailles Police Department. (Photo by Scott White)
THE AMSDEN in downtown Versailles celebrated its 7th anniversary with an “Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration” that was free to everyone on Saturday, Nov. 30. Carolers and guests mingle in front of the Amsden Coffee Club in this picture. (Photo by Sarah Dunn)	THE VERSAILLES KIWANIS CLUB held its annual Holiday Breakfast on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Versailles Christian Church, with scouts from Cub Pack 32 and Boy Scout Troops 43 and 43G helping as servers and with clean up. The event was sponsored by Metronet Versailles and in-kind food from Save-A-Lot, Kroger and Dunkin›. Pictured from left is Whitney Stepp-Gay, Kiwanis secretary, Tony Lucido, Kiwanis president, Todd King of Metronet and Santa. (Photo by William Downey)	Buford-Landmark Masonic Lodge No 41 held its annual Christmas meal and charitable check donation to the Woodford County School’s Family Resource Center’s Backpack Program on Friday, Dec. 6. From left, Logan Culbertson, Danny Adkins, Mallory White, Deann Watts, and David Paul. Over the past 10 years the Woodford County Masons have donated $140,000 to this program. (Photo submitted)
MRS. CLAUS visited with the Nance family on Nov. 30 following the lighting of the Midway Christmas Tree. Olivia, 8, in the chair, was designated to lead the call for Santa and the lighting of the tree. Olivia›s sisters, Ivy, 2, with mom Samantha behind, and Nora, 5, made sure Mrs. Claus has the North Pole Post Office well-staffed. (Photo by Logan Nance)	Mrs. Jean Stewart of Versailles celebrated her 100th birthday Nov. 28 at the Woodford Inn with a group of family and friends. Mrs. Stewart was born in Anderson County. She is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and worked as a home demonstration agent in central Kentucky. She and Robert Stewart were married in 1953 and lived in many places thanks to Bob’s lengthy career in the US Air Force. They retired in Versailles in the mid-1970s with their daughter Susan. When asked her secret for lon	MACY’S IN MIDWAY! Commercial and art photographer Matthew Donohue of Midway obtained a permit from Midway City Council for an “alternative” Thanksgiving event that required closing part of Main Street. Donohue delighted onlookers and viewers of the Midway Musings Facebook page with a parade involving one Tom Turkey balloon being guided by Midwegians Kennedy Spalding and Everly Littrell. There is no word yet if the NBC Today Show will be covering the event live in 2025. (Photo by Matthew Donohue)
TAQUERIA BECERRA celebrated its 15TH anniversary in Versailles with a Woodford Chamber of Commerce event at its restaurant at 127 W. North Street. For many Versailles residents, Taqueria Becerra offers the best authentic Mexican cuisine, with a large selection of foods available on its menu. Editor’s note: “Try the chile rellenos (stuffed poblano peppers) . . . they are unbelievable, best ever.” The Becerra’s pictured with friends from the Chamber, third from left, are Elizabeth, Servando Sr., S	LOVE LIGHTS A TREE, an annual American Cancer Society program honoring cancer survivors and remembering lives lost to the disease, received a donation of $196.75 from Mimi Logsdon and Debra Mitchell, pictured left, on behalf of the Relay for Life team at The Woodford Sun. Peggy Carter Seal, right, accepted the check from Logsdon. Love Lights A Tree is Monday, Dec. 2 at Versailles Presbyterian Church on North Main Street beginning at 7 p.m. (Photo submitted)	THE JACK JOUETT HOUSE’S historic dry stone cemetery wall is being restored and preserved via a joint project of the Woodford County Extension Master Gardeners, dry stone mason Keenan Bishop and other community partners. (Photo by Scott White)
SATURDAZE OPTICS, designed and locally owned, recently held its ribbon cutting at My Darling & Co. on Main Street where its products are offered. Owner Tony Lucido has tailored designs for the University of Kentucky and bourbon, as well as designs for kids and adults. Pictured from left, Nicole Mullins and Haven Andrews of Mind and Body Medspa, Debbie Hinley of Shelter Insurance, Reagan Berry of My Darling & Co, William Downey, Woodford County magistrate, Brian Traugott, former Versailles mayor,	STONE FENCES TOURS, a Versailles-based business that offers a variety of bourbon, Kentucky history, vineyard, horse farm and tailored tours, held its ribbon-cutting recently at the Amsden Bourbon Bar. Owners Hope and Jerry Daniels bring years of experience as historians and teachers to the tours. Pictured from left with Woodford Chamber members looking on, Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay, and Jerry and Hope. (Photo submitted)	Sons of The American Squadron 67 presented a donation to The Food Pantry for Woodford County on Nov. 14. Accepting this donation is Executive Director Sharon Hardin surrounded by her volunteers. Presenting the check are officers, from left, Mike McLean, Mike Bryant, Tommy Vanderpool, and Joe Routt. (Photo submitted)
CANCER SURVIVORS John James and Cookie Eaves are pictured wearing “Survivor” sashes, which will be given to cancer survivors during Love Lights A Tree at Versailles Presbyterian Church on Monday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. The annual American Cancer Society program honors cancer survivors and remembers loved ones who lost their lives to the disease. (Photo submitted)	MIDWAY TOASTMASTERS welcomed three new members at their meeting on Monday, Nov. 11. Pictured from left are Steve Varriano, John Silva, and Joyce Fry, with past president Charlie Monette. The club continues to grow and invites anyone interested in improving their communication and leadership skills to learn more at midwaytm.toastmastersclubs.org. (Photo submitted)	EDWARD JONES-VERSAILLES OFFICE held its ribbon cutting on its new space on Frankfort Road recently. Edward Jones, a national company, has a team of local professionals who provide financial advisor services to individuals and businesses in Woodford County. Pictured are Dina Johnson, in the middle with scissors, Phillip Sexton, on her left, and Rea Ann Houston,retiring financial advisor, over Dina’s right shoulder, who are all financial advisors in the Versailles practice. (Photo submitted)
TRICK OR TREATING IN DOWNTOWN took place mid-morning with kids from Miss Kelly (Rabinowitz)’s daycare class at Versailles Presbyterian Church and kindergarten classes from Southside Elementary showing off their costumes and collecting lots of loot. Members of city and county government and shop owners and workers dressed up to join in the fun. Pictured here is Miss Kelly’s class before heading out on their adventure. (Photo by Kelly Rabinowitz)	CLUCKERS RESTAURANT held a fundraising bike ride and silent auction on Oct. 5 to raise money for the Versailles Police Department’s Cops For Kids program. The event raised $3,245. Pictured from left, Cluckers general manager Hunter Moore, VPD Sgt. Tim Conner, VPD Officer Ben Hartley, Cluckers employee Chris Hancock, VPD Sgt. Anthony Conner and VPD Officer Eric Radford. (Photo by Christopher Hancock)	FORMER MIDWAY MAYOR and state Rep. Carl Rollins was sworn in as a Midway Code Enforcement Board member by Mayor Grayson Vandegrift at Monday’s Midway City Council meeting. (Photo by Scott White)
GHOSTS, PIRATES, PRINCESSES and assorted movie characters, athletes, and monsters lined up down South Main Street in downtown Versailles to get their bags filled with candy from Brenda Stone and Lucie Chandler of The Woodford Sun. (Photo by Scott White)	MIDWAY UNIVERSITY HELD ITS HOMECOMING CELEBRATIONS on Oct. 26 with a parade in downtown Midway and the introduction of the Royal Court at halftime of the Midway-Walsh College sprint football game. Following the presentation of the entire Royal Court, David Emfinger, of Pine Mountain, GA, and Kaylie Clark, of Lawrenceburg, were crowned King and Queen. Pictured is the entire Royal Court with King David, fifth from right. Woodford County High School graduate Fabian Garcia is pictured at far right.	THE WOODFORD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY hosted the placement of a marker commemorating Revolutionary War hero Gen. Lafayette’s visit to Versailles on May 15, 1825, during his “Tour of America.” This is a part of the larger project, which is erecting markers in 165 other locations he visited in all 26 states in existence at the time. Pictured from left are WHS President Winfrey Adkins, WHS Vice President Bill Phelps. (Photo by Scott White)
AN AVENUE OF GOLD appeared last week as the peak of fall leaf season arrived last week with the perfect combination of the blue skies and cooler weather. This display reminded Woodford Countians of the pure pleasure and blessing of a Sunday afternoon driving the many scenic roads of Woodford County this time of year. (Photo by Scott White)