Kentucky
Kentucky Horse Park applauded for wheelchair accessibility
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – A mother and son from Georgia recently visited Kentucky for the first time. What drew them in, they say, was the wheelchair-accessible trolley rides at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Cory Lee, 34, has a form of muscular dystrophy. He’s been in a wheelchair since he was about four years old.
Sandy Gilbreath says this was the first time her son has ever been able to ride on a horse-drawn carriage. They say the inclusivity at the park amazed them and made their trip extra special.
“I really didn’t even have to think for a second about accessibility while we were there, which was amazing and really incredibly rare,” said Lee.
Sandy and Cory say they’ve been to all seven continents and 48 countries over the last ten years. They say they’ve seen a wheelchair-accessible carriage ride like they have at Kentucky Horse Park.
“When we do fall festivals, all of his life throughout the years, and they have hayrides and horse-drawn carriages, he’s never been able to do that,” said Gilbreath.
Cory was born with a form of muscular dystrophy called spinal muscular atrophy.
“I don’t want to say he doesn’t even know he’s in a wheelchair because he’s highly intelligent, but he does not act like he’s in a wheelchair,” said Gilbreath.
The Kentucky Horse Park says they’ve always had wheelchair-accessible trolley rides. Though, they got upgraded ones a few years ago. There’s a ramp and a space big enough that people don’t have to transfer out of their wheelchairs.
“Every day, we have guests here of differing abilities, and we want to make sure that everything works for them,” said Lee Carter, Kentucky Horse Park president.
Carter says last year, 1.4 million people visited the park. He says, from attractions to the museum, it’s all accessible.
“We want to make sure that you can get up close next to a horse and that you can experience that connection that everyone else does,” Carter said.
Cory was able to do just that, but this level of accessibility is not the case everywhere he goes.
“Sometimes people will say, ‘Oh yes, we’re accessible,’ but that might mean there’s a parking spot out front. We’re never 100% sure until we lay our own eyes on it,” said Gilbreath.
Sandy and Cory say they’ve made it their mission to make sure everyone can experience the world. Cory runs a travel website, posting wheelchair-accessible guides for every place they visit.
“Really trust your gut and get out there and try to see what you can and then keep pushing yourself to like see more, do more if you’re able,” said Lee.
Carter says that for the next season, they’re hoping to enhance their experience for their visual and hearing-impaired visitors.
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There is an old saying that there is no such thing as a minor procedure when it happens to you. But that’s exactly what happened over the spring football season as top transfer Lance Heard had surgery on an undisclosed injury that was deemed “minor.”
While Kentucky did not release what exactly the big left tackle had surgery on, anytime you are down your starting left tackle over Spring is not ideal. The good news is Heard has plenty of SEC experience, starting at LSU before transferring to Tennessee.
The biggest thing for an offensive line is reps, but offensive coordinator Joe Sloan told KSR he was happy with what he was seeing.
“You’re starting to see them work really well together, and they have an opportunity to be a strength of our team.” If that comes to fruition, Kentucky will have a really good year. As for the fans, expect a different style this year in Kroger Field.
Kentucky’s offense will be different
Under Mark Stoops, the calling card became a physical offensive line, a punishing run scheme, and a ball control style. That offense will be very different this year, not because of a shift away from the run game, but because there will be a lot more chances taken.
Sometimes, that is a good thing, and other times it causes turnovers. Will Stein said he never called a play he didn’t think would score a touchdown. That aggressive style is what will define Stein’s time in Lexington. He chose a defensive coordinator known for dialing up the blitz. He has gone after nearly all the top recruits, and he isn’t backing down from saying he expects to be the best head coach in the country.
Will it work? I don’t know, but I do know it will look different than what Mark Stoops was putting out. But it all depends on the health of the key players Stein brought in, and that starts with a healthy offensive line.
Kentucky
Kentucky Colonels executive to speak at Florence Rotary Club on Monday, public welcome to register
Ohio tornado warnings: what residents should know
Severe storms June 17 in Ohio: know tornado watch vs. warning, safety steps, shelters and alerts.
A tornado was confirmed to have ripped through the Florence area during the overnight storms June 18.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement June 20 saying a tornado traveled eastward 6.2 miles across the Northern Kentucky city, 10 miles south of Cincinnati. It had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, which classifies it as an EF1 “moderate” tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The tornado’s path goes mostly through residential areas, and the first evidence was found on Landings Way where several trees were snapped at their trunks, the weather service reported.
The tornado progressed east, crossing Interstate 71/75 and then seemingly dissipating on Tallwood Circle where multiple large branches were downed, the final known instance of damage.
Along the way, the tornado uprooted multiple trees and snapped branches, damaged several buildings and businesses, and snapped a large power pole near the intersection of U.S. 42 and Dream Street, according to the weather service.
How many tornadoes have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati, beyond?
As of 1 p.m. June 20, the weather service has confirmed that apart from the one in Florence, two other tornadoes touched down in Greater Cincinnati on June 18:
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled about 9 miles from Dearborn County, Indiana, to Boone County, Kentucky.
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled just over 5 miles from Franklin County, Indiana, to Butler County, Ohio.
A few other tornadoes have been confirmed outside the Greater Cincinnati region, including an EF2 that traveled 23.6 miles from Scott County, Indiana, to Trimble County, Kentucky; an EF2 that traveled 9 miles across Pike County, Ohio; and one in Grant County, Kentucky, just north of Williamstown.
The weather service said details on the Grant County tornado will be released later on June 20.
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