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TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

On September 25, 1773, from North Carolina, Boone set out with a party of family and friends for his 1st attempt to settle in the Kentucky territory.  In October, the party turned back at Cumberland Gap due to Native Americans that killed his eldest son James, and others; the Boone Massacre.

September 25, 1775, Transylvania proprietors met in Granville County, NC.  They elected James Hogg to represent them in the Continental Congress, seeking recognition as the 14th colony.  But, as time would tell, the Continental Congress failed to grant Transylvania’s independence.

On Monday, September 25, 1786, the Kentucky territory held its 4th of 10 Kentucky Conventions in Danville.  The future state had six years and six conventions remaining.  Kentucky in Retrospect by Lila Jones Kington pg 23

On September 25, 1837, Isham Talbot passed away in Frankfort.  He was the 8th and 10th Class III Kentucky Senator who lived 40 years after migrating to Kentucky.  He owned 18,000 acres at one time.

On September 25, 1862, a Civil War skirmish in Boone County, at Snow’s Pond, took place, one of two times the North and South fought in the county.  The Confederate forces wanted to slow the Federal troops moving south, so they utilized the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry, Morgan’s Men.  The rebels captured about 65 Union prisoners.

September 25, 1940, Patrolman William Burge, Louisville Police Department, died in a motorcycle accident.

On Tuesday, September 25, 1950, Louisville set a record low when the thermometer hit 36.3 degrees.  Meanwhile, in Washington, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced it had partnered with a lab to produce a commercial vaccine against mumps.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Hopkinsville native Bell Hooks, born in in 1952.  Bell is an author, feminist, and social activist whose real name is Gloria Jean Watkins.  She wrote Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism.  She grew up in a working-class family with five sisters and one brother.  Her writing deals with race, capitalism, gender, oppression, and class domination and she has published more than 30 books, appeared in documentary films, and participated in public lectures.  In 2014, she founded the Bell Hooks Institute at Berea College.

September 25, 1966, Army PFC Louis R. Randell, 19, from Covington died in the Vietnam War.

September 25, 1968, Army SGT David Thomas Seaton, 20, from Fordsville died in the Vietnam War.

September 25, 1970, Army SP4 Bruce Edward Thomas, 21, from Morehead died in the Vietnam War.

On September 25, 1972, Joseph D. Scholtz died in Louisville.  The ex-mayor was as integral a part of the River City as 4th Street is and was.  His hand and influence stretched into more segments of the community than probably any other public officeholder in the city’s history.

On September 25, 1982, Kentucky tied Kansas 0-0, ending the year 0-10-1 in Jerry Claiborne’s 1st year coaching.  He took over for Fran Curci.

September 25, 1985, thieves broke into the Lincoln County courthouse and stole 35 marijuana plants, ammunition, and a safe filled with guns.

September 25, 1990, Sergeant Robert Palmer, Elsmere Police Department, died during an unprovoked attack by his wife’s ex-husband who had already gunned down the officer’s two and three year-old children.  He returned fire, killing the assailant.

September 25, 1992, Terry Turner left Turner’s gun shop and has not been seen since.  Terry Turner left his gun store that day around 1:30 p.m.  According to an employee at the gun shop Mr. Turner left with someone in a vehicle but the employee could not see the person in the vehicle.  The case is cold.  The London Post of the Kentucky State Police would appreciate your help in solving this cold case.

On September 25, 1988, Sony Pictures released Urban Legend starring Hazard native Rebecca Gayheart as Brenda.

On September 25, 1999, the Back Street Boys sold out its Rupp Arena tickets in 24 minutes to set a new Rupp record.  The Boys clipped seven minutes off Garth’s sell-out concert in 1998.  More than 1,600 fans lined up in the early morning for a noon starting time.  Roughly 1,200 people left empty-handed.

On September 25, 2001, when the State Police rounded up 16 people in an OxyContin drug bust, six had caught charges in Kentucky’s largest drug bust in state history in February.  Detective Dan Smoot said people usually stop dealing when facing federal time, but “on OxyContin, they just won’t quit until you get them into prison.”

On September 25, 2002, bad news covered the state like a bad fog.  Governor P. Patton started discussing a settlement with his former mistress after she ruined his political career.  Across town, Kentucky’s Justice Secretary fired Ralph Kelly, Kentucky’s Juvenile Justice Commissioner, after NYC arrested him for groping a 21-year-old man while visiting over the weekend.  Lastly, Lexington faced a $1 billion lawsuit for ignoring Ron Berry’s sexual molestation of children for 30 years.

September 25, 2006, John Ed Pearce from Norton in Jefferson County died on his 89th birthday.  John Ed won a Pulitzer Prize and has been called Kentucky’s best newspaper writer.

Saturday, September 25, 2010, AllTech FEI opened the World Equestrian Games.  The opening ceremonies featured Wynonna Judd, opera star Denyce Graves, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.  Muhammad Ali also made a special appearance.  This was the 1st time someone other than Europe hosted and the 1st time the entire event occurred at one site, the Kentucky Horse Park.

September 25, 2014, Kentucky announced jobless rates fell in all 120 Kentucky counties between August 2013 and August 2014.  This was the 1st time this ever happened since Kentucky began keeping unemployment statistics.

On September 25, 2017, Thomas Masie tweeted with a link to an interesting picture, “42% of seniors paid taxes TWICE on some of their social security in 2016!  My bill would eliminate the second tax.”

On September 25, 2019, while the U.S. press and half the U.S. population got excited about a Trump impeachment, UK basketball fans set up tents to camp out for Midnight Madness tickets.

On September 25, 2020, while Justice Ruth Bader became the 1st woman to lay in State in the Capitol, Kentucky reported 930 new coronavirus cases and 12 new deaths.  “We cannot continue to have days where we have 900-plus cases,” Governor Beshear said in a written statement, asking people to please wear their masks and practice social distancing.  “The lives and the health of the Kentuckians around us depend on it.”

On September 25, 2021, six fillies went to post in Churchill Down’s $275,00 GIII Dogwood Stakes for three-year-old fillies.  The Kentucky bred won by an easy 6 lengths and paid $2.80.

On September 25, 2022, Kentuckians learned that the Commonwealth was losing primary care doctors faster than it could replenish them.  Several factors led to the dilemma, but the one most referenced was everybody’s favorite, the greatest excuse for everything; COVID-19.  Whatever the reason, 94% of the 120 counties reported a shortage.  The lengthy article never mentioned the healthcare insurers as a possible contributing factor.

On Monday, September 25, 2023, Governor B. Jones became the 24th individual to lie in state in the Kentucky State Capitol rotunda.  Brereton, 84, died a week earlier at home after a lengthy illness.  He served as the 58th governor from 1991-95 and Lt. Governor from 1987-1991.  With his wife, Libby, he founded Airdrie Stud in Midway, and built it into an internationally renowned thoroughbred horse farm.