tobacco

Local Writer Shares 'Passions of the Black Patch'

Kate Lochte — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:22:55 +0000

Kate Lochte speaks with western Kentucky native and author Bobbie Smith Bryant on Sounds Good. Bryant was born in the Black Patch of Calloway County and shares her family's heritage in a new book titled, "Passions of the Black Patch: Cooking and Quilting in Western Kentucky." Black Patch is the region in western Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee where a specific type of tobacco, which has distinctly dark leaves, is grown.

Learn more at bobbiesmithbryant.com.

Western Kentucky Black Patch Tobacco Documentary Airing on KET Tonight

Kate Lochte — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:20:00 +0000

Last November, a new documentary about raising dark-fired tobacco titled “Farming in the Black Patch" debuted in Murray. The film starts its first run on KET at 8 p.m. Central tonight, with shows scheduled through March on both KET and KET KY. The name Black Patch comes from the dark leaves of the kind of tobacco that's smoke-cured in barns and used for pipe blends, chewing, and snuff. Kate Lochte has more with the filmmaker and writer.

Group Urges State Institutions to Go Smoke Free

John Walker and The Associated Press — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:45:22 +0000

While state lawmakers ponder a statewide smoking ban, a coalition of health care groups is sponsoring an advertising campaign urging Kentucky to go smoke-free.

KY Tobacco Sales to Minors Under National Rate

Whitney Jones and The Associated Press — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 12:31:45 +0000

A new survey of retail tobacco outlets in Kentucky shows more than 94 percent are compliant with the law barring tobacco sales to people younger than 18. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services says Kentucky's average since the program began in 1997 is 9.5 percent violation, which was below the national average of 15.8 percent in that time.

Burley Tobacco Farmers See Best Paydays in Years

Whitney Jones and The Associated Press — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:01:49 +0000

Burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee are seeing their best paydays since plunging into the free market. Tight leaf supplies and a quality crop that bounced back after this summer’s drought are bringing burley growers nearly $2 per pound.

Judge Cunningham Previews Constitution Day Speech

Kate Lochte — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:09:40 +0000

Recommended readings on the black patch wars include “The Tobacco Night Riders of Kentucky and Tennessee: 1905-1909” by James Nalland “On Bended Knees: The true story of the Night Rider Tobacco War in Kentucky and Tennessee”by Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham. Cunningham, also gives tonight's (Monday) keynote at Murray State’s Constitution day celebration. The title of his presentation, “The Fourth Amendment; the Majesty of the Ruined Tenement,” references a statement attributed to William Pitt while he was speaking about the cider excise tax in the British House of Commons in 1763. Judge Cunningham gave WKMS a preview of the speech.

Tobacco Barn Deemed Historic Landmark

Todd Hatton and AP — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:44:29 +0000

The Kentucky Heritage Council has recognized a Calloway County tobacco barn as an area landmark. Built in the 1880s, the log frame barn was part of the Arnett Farm in the southwest of the county. A descendent of the family, Sam Arnett, told the Murray Ledger & Times that he sought historic recognition for the barn as a way to signify the cultural importance of tobacco in the region. Although tobacco barns are plentiful in the area, few have been the subject of artwork. J. C. Goodman, one of Arnett's cousins, used the Old Arnett Tobacco Barn in one of his paintings.

Afternoon Round-Up 2/22/12

Rose Krzton-Presson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:21:23 +0000

Local, State, Federal Legislation:

Last week, the South Fulton city commission passed the first reading of an ordinance that would allow the fire department to respond to rural fire calls.

Governor Steve Beshear's constitutional amendment to legalize casinos in Kentucky passed the Senate's State and Local Government committee 7-4 today.

Lawmakers Urge Inclusion of Tobacco in Free Trade Agreement

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:25:09 +0000

Kentucky lawmakers are protesting a current trade agreement that they say would hurt tobacco.

The U.S. is currently negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, which includes countries like New Zealand, Peru and Vietnam. But the lawmakers say the proposal excludes tobacco protections.

At a news conference in Frankfort today, Democratic and Republican lawmakers urged President Barack Obama to add provisions for tobacco to the agreement.