College Town At Christmas: 2017, "My Top 10 Crazy Christmas Wish List Items For The City of Bowling Green"

   

I am sorry to admit but I have struggled with getting into Christmas spirit this year so far.

I did not make it to the annual Christmas parade in downtown Bowling Green this past Saturday morning nor to the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Fountain Square Park this past Friday night either.  Like most Bowling Green citizens, I've been busy with work and life in general.  However, I have been trying to think of an idea for my annual "College Town At Christmas" blog for awhile now.  But I finally thought of idea today.  I thought, "What about if I wrote a blog based on my "My Top 10 Crazy Christmas Wish List Items For The City of Bowling Green?"  Yes, for our beloved City of Bowling Green located in Southcentral Kentucky! So here it goes.  It's some crazy, far out Christmas wish list items but I hope you enjoy them nevertheless! It's meant to be in all fun and for your amusement! I hope you enjoy them!

10.) An GM Corvette sports car themed Amusement Park like Disney World close to the Corvette plant, racetrack and museum next to I-65.  Bowling Green is the only place in the world where the Corvette is made.

9.)  A six to eight lane loop around the whole City of Bowling Green that will alleviate the heavy traffic problems especially on Campbell Lane and Nashville, Smallhouse, Three Springs and Scottsville roads.

8.) A Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky Rock & Roll Music Museum honoring the likes of Bowling Green based indie rock bands, "Cage The Elephant" and the former indie rock band "Sleeper Agent." Also, the hard rocking Kentucky rock band, "Black Stone Cherry" from nearby Edmonton, Ky., just down the road and Kentucky country cock rockers, "The Kentucky Headhunters," also from Edmonton.   Also, throw in "The Hilltoppers" from the early 50's who were from Western Kentucky University.  The museum would celebrate these bands who made an impact nationally and internationally and who have brought world-wide attention to Bowling Green and the region by national television appearances, newspaper and magazines articles, radio, internet and television interviews, albums, CD's, iTunes,  videos and concert appearances world-wide.  Also, include displays for Grammy winners "Cage The Elephant" and "The Kentucky Headhunters," as well as displays for all local and regional bands who have had an impact on the Bowling Green Music Scene.  And the museum, would feature a local beer brewery spotlighting Bowling Green's own regionally known and popular "White Squirrel" beer with a brew pub, full size restaurant and a large venue for indoor and outdoor concerts with lots of seating.

7.) Give "Cage The Elephant" and "The Kentucky Headhunters" keys to the City of Bowling Green for bringing world-wide attention to our city and region for their musical achievements with winning Grammys.

6.) A museum honoring some of Bowling Green most colorful and most recognized famous citizens, such as "Pauline Tabor," the famous madam who ran a brothel on Clay Street at one time, John Carpenter of Hollywood, Calif.,  the famous horror movie director of "Halloween" and other scary movies and the famous wrestler from Bowling Green, "Hillbilly Jim," just to name a few.

5.) A plaque somewhere downtown Bowling Green to honor and recognize the city's own local billionaire, "Brad Kelley," who likes to fly under the radar, incognito away from the public eye and press but for his founding of his former cigarette factory, "USA Gold" cigarettes and other brands.  As I understand he sold his business to Houchens Industries for a billion dollars and Houchens later sold for several more billions to a company in England.  Kelly is supposedly one of the top five landowners in the country.  We should all be proud he is from here.  "From farm boy to billionaire."

4.) A walkway bridge over University Avenue and the CSX railroad at the Old Morgantown Road entrance for the Western Kentucky University students to cross.  That's a very dangerous intersection for students to be crossing considering all of the automobile traffic and the amount of railroad traffic.

3.) A movie made about Ervin G. Houchens honoring the founder of Houchens Industries, based in Bowling Green, one the nation's largest employee stock ownership plans (ESOP).  It's basically a rags to riches story of a young boy who began working hard early life in rural Barren County, Ky.,  and later left a legacy of tremendous wealth in our community that still lives on today in many aspects and businesses.

2.) A monorail railway system for Western Kentucky University and the City of Bowling Green to alleviate all of the bus traffic.  Since we can't go underground because of karst cave systems, sinkholes and limestone underneath us, let's go above and beyond like Disney world!

1.) And finally but not least, let's create the world's largest dog park with hotels, swimming pools, cabins, lakes and pontoon boats with fishing included among other recreational things to do.  Since we have one dog park already in the city let's add new one out in the county somewhere.  Also local dog food manufacturers, Hills Pet Foods and Champion Pet Food Auburn could be major sponsors.  We could draw people in from all over the world!

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful 2017!

Jude, The Australian Shepherd From Bowling Green, Ky.

     He's wild, energetic, spunky and crazy!

He's Jude, the Australian Shepherd from Bowling Green, Ky!  He even has his own Facebook page. Check it out at https://www.facebook.com/judetheaussie/  Patty and I took Jude, an American Kennel Club Australian Shepherd dog into our pack in May of this year. Currently, he is eight months-old and he is a beautiful Red Merle Aussie with awesome markings.  This is our third Aussie to own.  The first two were Foster, a male, a National Stock Dog Registry Aussie, and Katie Red-Dog, also from the National Stock Dog Registry, who was Foster's mate.  They had two litter of puppies together and gave us many years of pleasure and happiness until they both passed away of health complications at 12 and 13 years-old, about the average life span of Australian Shepherds. Besides Jude's wild side, he has a sweet, calm side. He loves to have his belly scratched and songs sang to him in his ear while holding him on your lap and on his back.  He loves to play with his toys in the backyard especially any kind of game of fetch with a ball or frisbee and he loves to go for long walks while he is on the lease in our neighborhood and on the Greenway which is a wide, concrete bike/walkway path located down the street from our house next to the CSX railroad tracks.  But mainly Jude is a great  friend and protector and gives us lots of love and affection. He is very loyal and protects our home letting us know when strangers come onto the property or ring the doorbell, day or night.  

   

 Most of all, Jude loves going to the "Bark Park," located in our City of Bowling Green on old Cave Mill Road next to Lost River Cave.  There, Jude gets to socialize with other dogs and Patty and I have learned that dog people are crazy just like us!  Many people in our city, regardless of skin color, political background, sexual orientation or social or income status love dogs!  We are very fortunate to have a "Bark Park" in Bowling Green a.k.a. a "dog park" where dogs can socialize and mingle with other dogs in a fenced in area while the dog owners talk amongst themselves about their favorite pet or pets. It's amazing how a dog can neutralize any political affiliation or social status amongst humans where nothing negative in conversation hardly ever comes up because everybody in Bowling Green loves dogs it seems!