Retiring editorial writer offers parting opinions on what rural Kentucky needs - Entrepreneur Generations

Jamie Lucke

After more than 20 years, editorial writer Jamie Lucke (pronounced Luke, as in "Book of") is retiring from the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky. In her last op-ed, she offers a laundry list of all the things she wants the paper's mainly urban readers to understand, remember and do to help the rural parts of the state.

Much of her advice is familiar to rural residents across the country. It's also sharp, well-informed, and worth a read.

Rural places should invest in more recreation-based economies, she writes, noting the recent study showing how much better off rural recreation counties are faring. She also advises Kentuckians to protect rural areas from strip mining, which offers limited benefits and hurts rural water supplies, and to skip building a proposed federal prison in Letcher County.

"I know this sounds simplistic, but the mountains have earned some kindness. Let’s do things that will make newcomers want to put down roots, even if it’s just letting some places be," Lucke writes.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/2Td8gRF Retiring editorial writer offers parting opinions on what rural Kentucky needs - Entrepreneur Generations

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