By Galen A. Smith Sr.
Friday, January 18, 2008 2:59 PM CST


Because I work a lot of crazy hours at my job like a lot of us do, I have to figure a way to get out of the house every now and then and find something to do in a recreational fashion. Because if I don’t, especially during the winter months, I’ll go stir crazy! And because I tend to be a home body, I have to be creative in my thinking about what I want to do when I get out of the house on a limited budget.

Like a lot of middle class Americans these days, money is tight and traveling across the country by plane or train is not always easily attainable for me. Even to drive somewhere regionally like Nashville or Memphis can be rather expensive in gas money alone these days.

But on a recent Saturday morning with the temperature in the 40's and a gray overcast sky, I zipped up my light blue jacket and jumped into my little 1988 Maza pickup truck. I reached for a brochure called “The Civil War in Bowing Green” that I had picked up in the lobby of one our local hotels and decided to drive over to Fort Webb Park just off Beech Bend Road and Country Club Drive near the Barren River.

I turned left on Country Club Drive and then up the hill past some rolling wood fences that are painted black. I saw the Fort Webb Historical Marker and I pulled into a parking spot and got out of my truck. I noticed I was alone and I was glad of this because I like my solitude when visiting historical places. I like for my imagination to run wild. I try to realize what it was like to live “back in the day” as our young people say these days about what it was like to live during a certain time period or when some sort of historical event was taking place such as the Civil War.

In order to get to Fort Webb which is probably about 50 to 100 yards from the parking lot, you have to walk up a small trail and over some rocks. Then, you have to walk up a set of steps made out of railroad ties to get to the top of the fort. Once you get to the top, you realize it’s just a big, impacted mound of dirt that’s obviously been there for more than 100 years. However, I was impressed of what’s left of the fort which has pretty much maintained its original shape. The fort has a deep trench that was dug around it probably by some soldier with no more than hand shovels. The historical marker explains its unusual earthworks calling it a “lunette fort with embankments” that had three mounted cannons.

According to the brochure, Fort Webb is now considered to be a city park and it has retained its original configuration since the time it was constructed by the Confederate army. It is one of six forts that were in our area where guns were placed to fortify the hills because Bowling Green and Warren County had productive farms and ample qualities of fresh water. In other words, Bowling Green and Warren County offered a lot of cool supplies for an army and we were the center of a reliable and defensible transportation network that made us one of state’s most strategic cities. The L&N Railroad, a system of halfway decent roads (for that time period, I’m sure) and the Barren River could be used to move troops and supplies easily and fast. That’s why both the Confederate and Union armies wanted to occupy Bowling Green badly. Originally, the Confederates had Bowling Green and then they lost it to the Union Army. You know . . . kind like a fumble in a football game.

After my brief visit and reflection time at Fort Webb, I realized that this was enough Civil War history for me on this day. I went away from there feeling like there is really a lot more to learn about Bowling Green’s Civil War history and that this site had been an untapped source of history for me.

Perhaps, I am just scratching at the tip of an iceberg as far as Civil War history goes in Southcentral Kentucky. But seeing Fort Webb for the first time, I feel that I may be onto something big and that I need to try to visit more Civil War sites in the area in the near future. It was nice to get out of the house on a Saturday morning and take a quick look into our fertile, historical past. And best of all, it didn’t even cost me a dime, accept for the gas that I used in my little pickup truck to drive across town and back.

Galen A. Smith Sr., is a native of Memphis, Tenn., has lived in Bowling Green with his wife and son since 1988. His web-site is www.myspace.com/galenasmithsr

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According to a Bowling Green Daily News, (Ky) article by reporter Jim Gaines, "Expanded downtown clears its final hurdle," published Nov. 1, 2008, Gaines writes "Expansion of the downtown redevelopment district from 106 to 383 acres cleared its final hurdle Thursday, (Oct. 30, 2008) with the enlarged Western Kentucky University Gateway to Downtown Bowling Green getting a nod from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, Mayor Elaine Walker said."      Gaines goes on to write in the news article, "The bigger boundaries--including more projects and more potential investments -- they were hurriedly approved by city commissioners and county magistrates to be ready for Thursday's state examinations.  Backers said the state approval was needed to keep to the schedule issue of $25 million in bonds during November."       I personally do not have any problem with Jim Gaines' reporting.  However, what I do have a problem with is the lack of scrutiny that is missing by the citizens and taxpayers of the City of Bowling Green and Warren County.  People around here just lay down and roll over and let the current leaders and wealthy citizens "Fat Cats" who are in control of the city and county basically do what they want to do to us.  They just expect us working class, middle income citizens and taxpayers to bend over and take it sitting down.  They do not seek our opinions on what should be done with taxpayers dollars....they are going to do what's going to benefit them the most.  And one of the biggest culprits of this type of activity here in Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky is the Commonwealth Health Corporation, parent company of The Medical Center at Bowling Green, The Medical Center at Scottsville and The Medical Center at Franklin and many other subsidiaries of theirs.  CHC is supposed to be a "Non-Profit or Not- For-Profit" organization.  But they are a very profitable busienss and these people are literally seeking $40 million in taxpayer dollars to help them build a new building on their ever expanding campus for the Western Kentucky University nursing school.  But here's a real example of why people will not scrutinize the leaders and the  "Fat Cats" who are in control of this city, county and state regarding the Bowling Green Downtown Redevelopment and TIF funds.   I sent e-mails regarding this matter to Bowling Green Daily News Reporter Jim Gaines, Republican Senators Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning and Republican Congressmen Ron Lewis and Ed Whitfield, and Bowling Green City Commissioners Joe Denning and Brian Strow.  Here's a copy of the e-mail that I sent to them.....   Dear Sirs,                                    I am writing to all of you today in regards to Bowling Green, Ky. Downtown Redevelopment committee seeking more TIF funds to further developments in the downtown area.  One particular request for funds which concerns me greatly as a taxpayer and citizen of Bowling Green and Warren County is the Commonwealth Health Corporation, parent company of The Medical Center at Bowling Green, seeking millions of dollars in bonds in order to build a new building to their already existing expansive campus. However, I think it is a disgrace and insult to the community of taxpayers in Bowling Green and Warren County by CHC asking for these millions of dollars to build this new building.  I am fed up with the American Health Care System especially hospitals who claim to be nonprofit or not-for-profit such as The Medical Center at Bowling Green.  You can sense my disgust by reading my letter to the editor that was published in the Bowling Green Daily Oct 1.   I have it posted below....     Last modified: Wednesday, October 1, 2008 11:13 AM CDT   Fat cats profit while we continue to suffer   According to the Wall Street Journal, the 50 largest not-for-profit hospitals enjoyed a combined net income of $4.27 billion in 2001. Meanwhile, the nation's 2,919 nonprofit hospitals received $50 billion in annual tax exemptions and other subsidies The American health care system is unscrupulous and the working, middle-income families are suffering the most. We are the ones who are struggling to pay our mortgages, high rent, health insurance, fuel and grocery costs. Health insurance companies will often refuse to pay claims and ignore our phone calls and letters. It's a nationwide scandal and extremely detrimental to us. And people who can't afford health insurance or refuse to get it and people who avoid paying taxes, bounce from job to job and move around a lot, are the ones who seem to dodge the bullet in order not to become victims of this type of greed. Also, a lot of free government assistance is given to refugees, illegal immigrants and low-income families when middle-income families and citizens are denied help. To those middle-income families and citizens who supposedly have the "ability to pay," when it comes to paying these high-cost medical and hospital bills in our so-called wonderful "American health care system," I empathize and sympathize with you. Granted, there are some honest, kind-hearted, hard-working, caring doctors and nurses. However, in many cases if you can't afford to pay these bills even with having health insurance, hospital administrators and board members will choose to take you to court, garnish your check, tap into your bank account, put a lien on your home and can even force the sale of your home. Not to mention the interest and attorney's fees too. Is there such a thing as "legal highway robbery?" Galen A. Smith Sr. Bowling Green           Sir, these are some very greedy people who have added to the downturn in the local economy and who have hurt working class and middle income families in the area in many ways, let me tell you.  They claim to be nonprofit or not-for-profit hospital but they are making a killing off us hard working/middle income people by taking us to court, garnishing our wages, threatening to take our homes and taking our homes.  They have a horrible reputation in the community for this type of action.  Please investigate their motives of wanting more government bond money when they already live like "Fat Cats" on top of the hill, so to speak, (You know CHC is located on top of Hospital Hill)  and are already making a killing in profits in other areas like private health insurance payouts and by suing their own patients and employees "who supposedly have the ability to pay" and who are already victims of this messed up American Health Care system and the greedy health insurance companies.  This has become an "imposed Socialist" health care system on the American people.   I ask of you and your staff to please investigate this matter and as a extremely concern citizen and taxpayer of Bowling Green/Warren County, the state of Kentucky and the United State of America, I am asking you to see fit that CHC does not get this money.  Thank you so kindly for your time and for reading this e-mail.  I look forward to your response. Sincerely Yours, Galen A. Smith Sr. Bowling Green, Ky.         Believe it or not, I did not hear back from Sen. Mitch McConnell or Congressmen Ed Whitfield or Ron Lewis.  However, I did hear from Sen. Jim Bunning who wrote and said, "I understand your concern on this issue.  As you know, this matter is the responsibility of your local government."  And I did send Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear this same e-mail and wrote me a nice pleasant letter back stating, "Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding federal funding for The Medical Center in Bowling Green.  I hope that you will also let your Congressional Senator and Representative know your thoughts since any change or addition to the law would originate in the Federal Legislature." So which is it?  A local issue or a federal issue?  I am little confused here.  Finally, after about two weeks, I called Jim Gaines at the Bowling Green Daily News and asked him if he had received my e-mail.  I had also encouraged him in the e-mail to do some "investigative reporting" on CHC since they claimed to be  "Non-Profit or Not-For-Profit" but yet they are making a "killing" in profits off the citizens and taxpayers of Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky.  He said that he had received my e-mail but he was still trying to figure everything out about the Bowling Green Downtown Redevelopment and the TIF funds and that it was very complicated.  I understood his explanation because it is complicated...very complicated.  That's why the average citizen and taxpayer does not understand what the hell is going on.  I told Jim too that when I worked for the Bowling Green Daily News from 1990-1995 in the newsroom as a reporter and book reviewer  that reporters Robyn Minor and David Bauer did a series of investigative articles on CHC and The Medical Center at Bowling Green and won an award from the Southern Journalism Society.  Of course, it ticked off CHC and The Medical Center at Bowling Green and they quit advertising with the Bowling Green newspaper for a while.       Also, I had written Joe Denning, the only African American Bowling Green City Commissioner, an e-mail, thanking him for voting against the Downtown Redevelopment and TIF funds the first time and every other time thereafter.   I didn't hear back from Mr. Denning either.        I would encourage everyone who does not want their Bowling Green City and Warren County property taxes to go up, to please speak up or shout out!  Stay tuned for more of "Big Trouble In Little Bowling Green."

                                                                            

By Galen A. Smith Sr., Bowling Green, Ky.

When a front page story came out in the Bowling Green(Ky)Daily News recently that a book (Bluegrass: A True Story of Murder in Kentucky) had been written regarding the freshman murder of Katie Autry at Western Kentucky University, I knew that I had to get the book. I ordered the book online the first day it came out. Autry was raped and set on fire on the front mid-section of her body with hair spray in her dorm room after getting drunk at a party at the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity house on campus. She later died at Vanderbilt Hosptial in Nashville, Tenn., which is about 60 miles south of Bowling Green, a couple days later.
When I received my book, it immediately grabbed my attention and I hated to break away from it because I had to go to bed or go to work. However, the book is a short read with only 231 pages and it can be read in a brief amount of time especially if you're extremely interested in the case like I was. The author is William Van Meter, a Bowling Green native who apparently now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is a freelance journalist who contributes to such publications as "New York magazine," "Harper's Bazaar" and "The New York Times." I don't know Van Meter personally but I know of the family--the Van Meters--a prominent Bowling Green family who made a fortune in the insurance business. There are rumors that the Bowling Green community is not too happy that a book was written regarding this notrious murder case because it is a major public relations disaster for Western Kentucky University which is also located in Bowling Green. The university definitely wants to put this case to rest because of the bad publicity, I can assure you. Even one of the major local chain book stores, I heard, is not having a book signing for Van Meter and the book because they don't want to support the senationalism of the tragic death of Autry. I even heard from one person who lives in Bowling Green who knows the Van Meter family personally say that Van Meter probably would not have written the book if his mother were still alive and was still living in the community.
Being a native of Memphis, Tenn., and having lived in North Mississippi where I graduated high school and attended Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., for five years, I have now lived in Bowling Green for the last 21 years of my life. This crime is probably of the most bizarre, shocking, grizzly, heinous and tragic murder cases that has ever hit Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky since I have lived here, as far as I'm concerned. However, there was one particular case that happened in the mid-1990's in Bowling Green which was the kidnapping and murder of a little five year-old girl that drew national attention. She was kidnapped by a child predator in van at a Bowling Green apartment complex and taken across the state-line in Tennessee where she was sexually molested, raped and murdered. Police later found her skeletal remains in a ditch on a side road off Interstate 65 south of Bowling Green at the White House, Tenn., exit. Police never did find the child predator but it was speculated that it was probably a serial killer who travels the country committing these horrible and evil acts.
This particular book, "Bluegrass," summons up past events of the murder from May of 2003 to the court room trial in March of 2005 in Owensboro, Ky. At the time, I wasn't subscribing to Bowling Green Daily News, so I didn't keep up with all the details of the murder case and the trial. But I did see the news reports on the local television station WBKO Channel 13 from time to time. Mainly, I remember people in the community commenting about the case and I think the majority of citizens in Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky felt that Lucas Goodrum, the 21-year murder suspect from Scottsville, Ky., was responsible for the crime and who made Stephen Soules, another young man from Scottsville, a guilty partner in the crime by forcing him to commit rape also. However, after the reading the book, I am not sure that Goodrum is guility even though he was not found guility at the trial. Some people around here still think he is guilty. Soules made a plea bargain with life without parole in order to avoid the death penalty if he implicatd Goodrum in the case. Goodrum was connected with an extremely wealthy family from Scottsville and Soules, a mixed racial person, half white and half African American, was from a poor family, and the victim, Autry, was from a broken home and had lived in foster care for half of her life. Autry was experiencing new found freedom at Western Kentucky University where she drank alcohol at fraternity parties and was dancing a local strip club as a part-time job. Autry, being a white girl, was friends with a lot of African Americans on campus as well as being in love with a Western Kentucky University African American football player. All of this was apparently a new life for her especially since she had come from extremely strict living conditions with her foster parents in Pellville, Ky. Goodrum had a history of domestic violence in his family where he was known to have choked his ex-wife and slapped her around. Soules was known to be a follower and could easily be controlled by others such as Goodrum and even though he was thought to be a gentle person by always checking on his grandmother where he lived. There are stories of elicit sex, foul rap song lyrics and drug and alcohol abuse revealed in the book.
However, one of favorite parts of the book is where Van Meter describes Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky in a chapter about the culture and history of the area and how this part of the country between Louisville, Ky., and Nashville is a growing area in population and economically with Western Kentucky University being here along with two major hosptials and the General Motor Corvette plant, the only place in the world, where the car is produced. Not to mention, the hundreds of other factories that are in Bowling Green and in the Southcentral Kentucky area, which adds to the local economy and job market. Van Meter also describes Scottsville, Pellville, and Morgantown, Ky. Morgantown is where Katie's aunt, Betty White lives. White was and probably still is the most outspoken critic against Western Kentucky University by blaming the university for her neice's death and even filed a lawsuit against the university.
Being a former newspaper reporter and book reviewer for the Bowling Green Daily News, I would have to say this is one of the biggest books to ever be published by a writer from Bowling Green and about a murder that happened in Bowling Green which has drawn national and probably now world-wide attention because of the book being published. I highly recommed this book if your interested in true crime stories and especially if you live in Bowling Green or Southcentral Kentucky and are somewhat familiar with the case like I was. I don't think the citizens of Bowling Green or Southcentral Kentucky and the staff at Western Kentucky University, should shun Van Meter for his endeavor of writing this book. Van Meter obvisouly had the guts, the talent, the intelligence and the ability to write a book about a tragedy that we should never forget that happened in this community. Universities and college towns across America and society in general should learn a lesson from this tragic murder case and how drugs, alcohol and sex involving young people can affect them at parties and after parties on campus and off campus. When all of these elements are mixed in together, they can create a deadly combination that can affect families and friends of all races and backgrounds with a tremendous sense of loss and pain for years to come.

By Galen A. Smith Sr.
Friday, June 27, 2008 5:04 PM CDT

I remember as a young child growing up in East Memphis, Tenn., hearing the trains whistling as they traveled past our part of the city on quiet early Saturday mornings. Usually I was just waking up getting ready to go watch cartoons, bowl of cereal in hand.

Nowadays as an adult and as a resident of Bowling Green, I can still hear trains whistle all hours of the day and night, as I just live right down the street from the CSX railroad tracks. The train whistles have become a part of my life so I hardly even notice them anymore. But on a recent Saturday afternoon, I decided to pay a visit to The Historic Railpark and Train Museum and L&N Depot located at 401 Kentucky Street. You can't miss the museum because it is a large, beautiful white limestone building which sits off the street next to the CSX railroad tracks. There's a large parking lot where you can park at no charge.

I have been to the L&N Depot many times in the past as this was once a branch of the Bowling Green Library before it moved out on Scottsville Road in the former Iron Skillet Restaurant building. But I knew that this trip would be special because I was going to a real museum to take a step back in time. When I entered the building from the rear, I was greeted by Depot Coordinator Sharon Tabor. Ms. Tabor explained to me a little about the museum and then I took a tour of some real train passenger cars outside of the building led by a volunteer by the name of Mary Travelstead. I toured the Little Red Caboose, an authentic Pullman Sleeper car, the Famous Diner Car which is named "Duncan Hines" (I wonder why, huh?) and RR Presidential Office Car. Also, there's even a 1921 Railroad Post Office car that is currently being restored on the premise. The museum is also waiting for their streamlined EMD E8 Diesel 796 Engine to arrive.

After walking back inside the Depot, I noticed a gift shop which offered books and coffee mugs among other nice items. Then, Ms. Tabor showed an enormous working model railroad layout which replicates Bowling Green and other parts of Southcentral Kentucky. The little miniature buildings, trees and hills took hundreds of painstaking man hours to produce. Then, it was on to the interactive exhibits. I had the opportunity to see a short video of Alfred Owens, a Pullman Porter who went to work for the railroad in 1926. He talked about "hauling Mrs. Roosevelt." I was able to hear the sounds of different types of train engines and I heard the distinctive sound of the old Pan American speeding down the tracks as recorded by the WSM Radio station in 1934. These are just a few of the "Touch & Listen" exhibits. My favorite part of the museum tour was was the wide screen L&N Theater located upstairs. Here I was able to take a few minutes and relax in plush, first class seats while watching an assortment of entertaining railroad films and classic news reels.

When I arrived back downstairs, I entered the gift shop and purchased a Historic Railpark magnet for my wife, an avid magnet collector. She gladly added the magnet to her myriad collection which is displayed on the family refrigerator.

All in all, I was very impressed with The Historic Railpark, Train Museum and L&N Depot. It is a massive asset to Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky. We should be proud of this particular destination and of the people who have worked hard to get the railpark, museum and depot where it is today. I highly recommend a visit there as soon as possible and you won't be disappointed especially if you're a lover of trains.

(Directions: If you are traveling from Interstate 65, you take Exit 26 west onto Cemetery Road and follow Cemetery Road three miles as it becomes 8th Avenue and turn right onto Kentucky Street. Then turn left into the museum parking lot. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Phone: (270) 745-7317 Web-site, www.historicrailpark.com )

Galen A. Smith Sr., is a native of Memphis, Tenn., has lived in Bowling Green with his wife and son since 1988. His web-site is www.myspace.com/galenasmithsr