Last Minute Plan #2 of 3: Two More Maine Lighthouses!

I love lighthouses. They are beacons of hope and safety, and I've always tried to be like a lighthouse in life to people (Despite those who try to squelch my light, but that's another story). Yesterday, you read about our visit to a nice restaurant and Pepperell Cove, Maine. From Pepperell Cove and nearby Fort McClary, you can see two lighthouses. You'll learn about them today. 

(Photo: Rob zoomed into Portsmouth Harbor Light from Fort McClary)

Last week, you read about the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse and the Portland Headlight Lighthouse that we visited. Now we've seen two more of the 12 that line the coast of Maine! 

1) PORTSMOUTH HARBOR LIGHT - Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (also known as Fort Point Lighthouse, New Castle Lighthouse and the Fort Constitution Lighthouse) is located on U.S. Coast Guard Station Portsmouth Harbor in New Castle, NH, adjacent to Fort Constitution. Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse was first established in June 1771, making it the first light station north of Boston in the American colonies. Today’s 48-foot tower was built in 1878. In early 2000s, the American Lighthouse Foundation was issued a license to care for the lighthouse. Although it is on the mainland, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses noted that because of storm damage, the lighthouse is no longer accessible to the public so the only way to see it is from Pepperell Cove or nearby Fort McClary.

(Photo: Rob's zoom pic of Wood Island Light as seen from Fort McClary) 

2) WOOD ISLAND LIGHT - Wood Island Light is Maine's second-oldest lighthouse, established in 1808. Located on a 32-acre uninhabited island off the coast of Biddeford, it features a 47-foot granite tower that emits alternating white and green flashes every 10 seconds to guide ships into Saco Bay.  

(Photo: A closer pic of Wood Island Lighthouse taken from Frisbee's Wharf Restaurant at Pepperell Cove, Kittery Point, Maine. Boat lifts got in the way of the picture.) 

The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, offers special tours during the summer of the light tower and keeper’s house. Visitors would be transported by boat to the island and then tour the lighthouse. We learned that the tours are sold out a week or two in advance.

NEXT: A Short Hike at Fort McClary

Last Minute Plan #1 of 3: Great Restaurant and Pepperell Cove, Maine

Last minute plans can make for a great day. We contacted our friends and wound up enjoying a great lunch location with views of a beautiful cove and 2 Lighthouses that were on our list to see, and a short, scenic hike!  That's what today's blog is about. 

                           (Photo: L to R: Albert, Rob, George, Tom) 

NICE RESTAURANT WITH A SCENIC VIEW - On Sunday, July 11th, we talked with our friend George who said he and Albert would love to meet for lunch. We asked for suggestions and he suggested Frisbee's Wharf restaurant on Kittery Point, Maine. Frisbee's Wharf is an outdoor dining experience under a large tent, with panoramic views of one of Southern Maine's Pepperell Cove. Reservations are strongly suggested. Fresh lobster, burgers, steamers, salads, and fish 'n' chips.  **You can even get there by water taxi from nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Portsmouth, NH borders Kittery, Maine). 

ABOUT  PEPPERELL COVE - Pepperrell Cove at Kittery Point, Maine, is a beautiful, well-protected harbor with easy access from the ocean. It was dredged as a mooring field in 1914. There are over 200 moorings in Pepperrell Cove, with a mix of sailboats, powerboats, and commercial fishing boats. From the ocean, the entrance to the Piscataqua River is well marked by lighthouses on either side of the harbor, and land markers to guide you directly into Pepperrell Cove.Along the cove to the south is historic Fort McClary.  

(One of two lighthouses you can see from Pepperell Cove, Maine. This is the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse).

NEXT: Part 2: Two Lighthouses! 

Idiot of the Week: Cuban Man with Chest Tattoo of Trump was Deported Anyway

 This week's idiot is a Cuban man who thought if he got a chest tattoo of the felon's face, he would not be deported. Sadly for him, it didn't work out that way. He's now living in Cuba.  The first part of the blog is from January and the second part is the current situation in June 2026. 

(Photo credit: El Oski showed reporters a tattoo honoring the president, a commitment that took three sessions of about four hours each to complete. Eric Blackerby) 

Cuban Man Who Got Tattoo Of Donald Trump’s Face Now Fears Deportation

January 2026, News Channel 10, Florida

A Cuban man who goes by “El Oski” arrived in the United States in 2019. Instead of receiving parole, he was given I-220A, a status that prevents him from applying for the Cuban Adjustment Act, leaving him stuck in immigration limbo for years.

When Donald Trump won, El Oski believed Trump would help people like him — Cubans who supported him. His faith was so strong that he even tattooed Trump’s face on his chest. But now, he’s afraid. With arrests and deportations increasing, El Oski fears he could be next. (He was).

“I thought Trump was going to help people like me. Cubans who supported him. But now I see what’s happening, and I’m scared of being deported.”

UPDATE: June 2026: El Oski, a Cuban-born podcaster in Miami known for having a large chest tattoo of Donald Trump, was deported back to Cuba. He entered the U.S. in 2019 on an I-220A document rather than formal parole, leaving him in a legal limbo that culminated in his removal under intensified immigration enforcement.

Hero of the Week: Firefighters Rescue Man From a Connecticut River

It's summertime, and that means rescues on the water!  Firefighters from New Haven, Connecticut brought out the boats to rescue a man who apparently fell or jumped from a bridge into a river. One man who lives near the river jumped into action to help, too. 

(Photo: Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo

Firefighters Rescue Man From Q River; Kayaker Races To Help, Again

by Laura Glesby, New Haven Independent, July 1, 2026

Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo Ian Christmann was working from home on Wednesday afternoon when he and his son heard shouting from the Fair Haven side of the Quinnipiac River.

“We grabbed our binoculars [and] looked out the window,” Christmann said. Behind the fence lining the Quinnipiac River Park seawall, “it looked like someone was holding a jacket over the railing. And there was someone in the water trying to grab on.”

So for the second time in his life, Christmann raced over to his kayak, scooped up a few life jackets, and began to paddle to a person in the river trying to stay afloat.

Christmann launched the kayak from his neighbor’s backyard on the Fair Haven Heights side of the river. By the time he paddled across to the Fair Haven side, by the Ferry Street bridge, the New Haven Fire Department had arrived.

(Photo: Rescuers pull a man to safety by the Ferry Street bridge. Credit: Ian Christmann Photo)

At around 2:30 p.m., the Fire Department deployed 18 firefighters on two rescue boats to reach the man: a larger boat, Marine One, that typically stations in Long Wharf and a smaller boat, Marine Three, that’s located in Fair Haven.

The Fire Department’s Marine Three boat came to the rescue. It was the smaller boat, Marine Three, that was best positioned to navigate the river and reach the man first.

“They did a very good job at executing the rescue,” said Fire Chief Dan Coughlin. He praised Battalion Chief Wayne Vetre, who “made sure he covered all of his bases” by sending two boats with different capabilities to the scene.

According to Coughlin, the man — about 40 years old — had jumped off of the Grand Avenue Bridge. He may have been inebriated or otherwise cognitively impaired, Coughlin said; it wasn’t immediately clear what the circumstances were.

“Once he was in the water, he was having trouble staying afloat,” said Coughlin. “You get some really bad currents in that area.” After he was rescued, according to Coughlin, the man was taken to the hospital for “minor injuries.” Ascertaining that he didn’t need to assist, Christmann documented the rescue in photographs.

Book of the Week: Death of a Russian Doll by Barbara Early (Vintage Toyshop Mystery #3)

Over the last month or two, I've read two of the three Vintage Toy Shop mystery series by Barbara Early. Since there were only three and I liked the first two, I bought and just enjoyed the third one called "Death of a Russian Doll." - I would recommend reading them in order because the main character develops and grows through different relationships. Today's blog is about book three.

MY THOUGHTS - The Book of the Week is Death of a Russian Doll by Barbara Early (Vintage Toyshop Mystery #3). The first is Death of a Toy Soldier, followed by Murder on the Toy Town Express. The main character, Liz McCall and her dad, Hank manage a vintage toy shop with Liz's sister in law, Cathy. However, Hank is the former and retired chief of police, so he and Liz get caught up in murder cases. After reading book 2, book 3 starts off with a surprise revealation about one of the other characters being married and estranged from their spouse. It's all part of the Russian connection, which goes through the entire book. The mystery of the killer will keep you reading until near the end, and it may be surprising. It's really a well-thought out story with a lot of pieces that will keep you reading. 5 of 5 stars!

ABOUT THE BOOK: It’s all fun and games with toyshop owner Liz McCall until deadly secrets are unwrapped upon the eve of the holidays.

Who knew? Liz McCall is not thrilled when her boyfriend Police Chief Ken Young introduces her to his estranged wife Marya. The model-quality Russian immigrant, back in East Aurora to rekindle their romance, will be working as a hairstylist at the barber shop next door to Well Played, the toyshop Liz manages for her dad. When Marya offers to help with the shop’s doll rehab project, Liz can’t help but offer up only a weak smile, but her secret hesitations are for naught when Marya’s body is discovered in the barber shop with a hair dryer cord wrapped around her neck.

Liz’s dad, retired from the police force, is asked to investigate since Ken is the prime suspect.The whole town is abuzz with the scandal and Liz has a few questions of her own, wanting nothing more than to forget the loud argument she overheard between Marya and Ken the night before. There could have been other motives...Was Marya going to cut into a competing hairstylist business? Who is the bumbling private investigator hanging around and why won’t he explain himself?

All eyes are on Liz, including those of an odd matryoshka doll in the shop which seems to move of its own accord, to unravel this entertaining riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma that is Death of a Russian Doll, the third jolly Vintage Toy Shop mystery from Barbara Early.  

Exploring Portland, Maine #4: Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse!

This is the fourth and final blog of exploring Portland, Maine, and this one is about another lighthouse that can be seen from the more famous Portland Head Light (that was the subject of yesterday's blog). Today you'll learn all about Ram Island Light! 

(Photo of Ram Island Light, zoomed from the Portland Head Light). Credit: R.G.) 

FINDING THE LIGHTHOUSE - When we visited the Portland Head Light, we didn't expect to see another lighthouse so close to it, but in the distance and out into the bay, there it was. It wasn't until when I was writing these blogs that I learned it was the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse. The first photo was zoomed in using my cell phone camera. The second photo is actually how it looked from the Portland Head Light, to give you an idea about how far away it is from the Head Light.    

 (Photo of Ram Island Light,  as seen from the Portland Head Light.  Credit: R.G.) 

BUILDING THE LIGHTHOUSE - I learned that most of "Ram Island" was submerged whenever it was not low tide, which is why there were multiple shipwrecks on it. After 1900, the state decided to ask for federal assistance to build a lighthouse there. It was finally working in 1905, and was lit by a kerosene lamp. If you look at the zoomed in photo I took you can see the remnants of a dock that was built there. 

    I don't have the details of the construction, but I'm sure they are somewhere on-line. By 1959, the lighthouse was automated. 

FAST FACTS - Ram Island Ledge Light is a lighthouse off Cape Elizabeth, Maine, marking the northern end of the main channel leading the harbor of Portland, Maine. It is over 75 feet tall, and was built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.            

(Photo: The coast north of Portland Head Light. Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse would be located farther off to the right side of the photo, but is not shown. Credit: R.G.) 

Exploring Portland Maine, #3: Portland Head Light (Lighthouse)

Today's blog is the third in the "Exploring Portland Maine" run, and we're taking you to explore the history and beauty of the Portland Head Light (Lighthouse) on Cape Elizabeth, Maine, near south Portland. You'll learn about the Longfellow connection and movies that were filmed on location!   

(Rob and Tom at the Portland Head Light) 

HOW DID THE LIGHTHOUSE COME TO BE?  - In the 1780s, the bustling port of Portland (then part of Massachusetts) suffered from a lack of navigational aids, leading to multiple tragic shipwrecks. Responding to petitions from local merchants, George Washington authorized the project in 1787.    

(Photo: The lighthouse portion was built in the 1780s from local stone and still stands today. Credit: R.G.)    

        Washington instructed the masons to build the tower out of local fieldstone and shore rocks to keep costs low, which resulted in the 72-foot rubblestone tower still standing today. It was officially lit for the first time on January 10, 1791!

OLDEST LIGHTHOUSE IN MAINE!  Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is the oldest lighthouse in the state.  

CIVIL WAR UPGRADES - During the Civil War, the tower was raised 20 feet to improve its visibility to passing ships. Originally illuminated by 16 whale oil lamps, the station upgraded to a more powerful 2nd-order Fresnel lens in 1865. 

KEEPER'S ORIGINAL HOUSE REPLACED - In 1891, the original stone keeper's house was torn down and replaced with a two-story wood double dwelling to accommodate the lighthouse keepers and their families

FAMOUS SHIPWRECK AND RESCUE HIGHLIGHTED ON A ROCK -When you go to the lighthouse, on the southern side, visitors will see an outcropping of rock with words painted in white letters. They signify the wreck of the British ship, Annie McGuire, that crashed there on Christmas eve, 1886. Lighthouse keeper Joshua Strout and his family rescued all 14 people from the ship, Days later, the ship broke apart. 

PLAQUE OF ALL THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS - 

There's a bronze plaque that lists the names of all of the lighthouse keepers and the years they lived and worked at the Portland Head Light. 

(Photo: the plaque with the list of keeper names. Credit: R.G.) 

POETIC LINK - There's a plaque at the Portland Head Light that noted famous Portland, Maine resident and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would walk to the lighthouse (it took 25 minutes by car from Portland, so it must have taken him half a day to walk from his house). 

Many believe that Longfellow was inspired by the Portland Head Light when in 1849, he wrote his poem called “The Lighthouse.”

WHERE IS IT LOCATED? The light station sits on a headland at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine.

THE LIGHTHOUSE TODAY - The lighthouse was officially automated by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1989. Today, the former keeper's house serves as a maritime museum, and the property is owned and operated by the town of Cape Elizabeth within the scenic Fort Williams Park.

WHAT MOVIES WERE FILMED THERE? 

1) Snow Falling on Cedars (1999): The dramatic, snowy Maine coastline substituted for the Pacific Northwest in this Ethan Hawke film, heavily featuring the historic lighthouse. 

 2) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2018): The site served as a key filming location for a hidden underwater base of operations in the fifth and sixth seasons of the Marvel series. 

 3) Soarin’ Around America (2001): The ride’s famous cinematic flight over North America includes a sweeping aerial shot of Portland Head Light and its nearby waters

NEXT: Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse!

Exploring Portland, Maine #2: Maine Historical Society: When Maine became a state

In Part 2 of our exploration of Portland, Maine, we're taking you to the Maine Historical Society, located in the downtown area and right next to the Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's home (that you read about yesterday). In today's blog you'll learn about Maine's history and see a Revolutionary war cannon.

WHAT WAS MAINE KNOWN AS BEFORE IT BECAME A STATE? 

Before becoming a state, Maine was known as the District of Maine, functioning as an overseas territory and later an annexed territory of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Following the initial 17th-century European explorations, the territory went through several name changes before its annexation by Massachusetts in the 1650s:  

* Acadia: The first colonies were established by French settlers in 1604 led by du Guast and Samuel de Champlain. They called the colony Acadia, and the land claimed for France stretched from northern Maine to what is now lower Quebec, Canada.  

* Province of Maine: The official name given by early English land patents (first recorded in 1622) granted to Sir Ferdinando Gorges. 

* New Somersetshire: A short-lived territory created north of the Piscataqua River in the 1630s  

(During this time: By 1634, the first saw mills were established and wood would be the major contributor to the economy for the next 200 years. Everyone needed lumber, from homesteads and towns to shipyards. Potatoes were the next boost to Maine’s economy. 

*Massachusetts Bay Colony of England - In 1652, Maine was included as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony of England. There were many battles for control between France and Britain over the years. But England remained in control for almost 170 years.

WHEN MAINE BECAME A STATE -Maine officially became a state on March 15, 1820, entering the Union as the 23rd state.Prior to this date, Maine was a district that belonged to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its separation and admission to the Union were made possible as part of the Missouri Compromise, which allowed Maine to enter as a free state while maintaining the balance of power between free and slave states.

CANNON FROM THE USS WARREN SHIP - USS Warren was a 32-gun frigate of the Continental Navy. She was one of the thirteen frigates authorized by the Continental Congress on December 13, 1775. 

With half her main armament being 18-pounders, Warren was more heavily armed than a typical 32-gun frigate of the period. She was named for Joseph Warren on June 6, 1776. 

The USS Warren was burned to prevent capture in the ill-fated Penobscot Expedition in 1779.

THE SIX-POUNDER CANNON - The cannon in the museum was recovered in the Penobscot River near the hull of the sunken USS Warren. The cannon bears the Massachusetss seal, which depicts an Indigenous person holding a bow and arrow. Although the cannor's caster is unrecorded, it's attributed to Boston's Paul Revere (the midnight rider who shouted "the British are coming!").

The cannon is called the "six-pounder" because of it's 6 pound cannonball. The cannon on display in the museum was mounted on a reproduction of a 2-wheeled carriage (because the original would have fallen apart under water)

IN TOMORROW'S BLOG- Visiting the Portland Head Light (Lighthouse) 

2 interviews tonight, July 13, 2026 & overnight: Ghost Box & Coast to Coast!

TUNE IN!  2 Live interviews tonight, July 13, 2026 & overnight: Ghost Box & Coast to Coast AM!

July 13, 2026 

 

TUNE IN TONIGHT - Monday, JULY 13, 2026 to Author/Medium Rob Gutro's two interviews tonight and overnight. 

The first one is Ghost Box Radio at 11p.m. ET about Haunting of Wilson Castle. 

LISTEN HERE:  https://www.am950radio.com/listen-live/.

The 2nd is Coast to Coast AM radio Early Tuesday morning from 3am to 5am about Pets and the Afterlife! 

To listen on line go to

https://www.coasttocoastam.com/stations/ 

Exploring Portland, Maine #1- The Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow House

In June we took a day trip to Portland, Maine to explore several historic places and landmarks and today's blog is about the first of those. In today's blog we'll tell you about a famous poet, Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow of the 1800s,  give you a look at the inside of his house and his backyard gardens.  The house is located in what is now downtown Portland, Maine. 

(Photo: Rob and Tom inside the Wadsworth-Longfellow dining room)

ABOUT THE HOUSE - The house was constructed in 1786 in a Colonial Revival Architectural style, by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's grandfather, General Peleg Wadsworth. It was originally two stories high with a gabled roof but after a fire, Longfellow's father Stephen added the third floor and changed the roof configuration in 1815. It is three stories high, constructed of brick. The symmetrical facade contains little ornamentation except the arched windows on the first and second floors and the entry porch sheltering the door. Doric columns support a projecting pediment that covers a simple wood paneled door. 

WHO IS HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW? Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was one of the most famous and best-loved American poets and educators of the 19th century. As a professor at Harvard University, he pioneered comparative literature. 

(Photo: This painting of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow hangs in the house. Credit: R.G.)

NOT HAUNTED - One thing I usually note is whether or not a place has a resident ghost. Neither Tom nor I sensed any earthbound ghost in the house. Fortunately, no one opted to stay behind. 

UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - One of the upstairs bedrooms had a wallpaper showing a trellis covered with Ivy, because the relative who stayed there was bedridden and missed seeing the gardens behind the house.

In that same room was a round table where Henry was known to compose some of his poems. The docent said his first poem was submitted in school and the instructor was known to have said "this boy will never be a poet." 

WHEN DID LONGFELLOW LIVE IN THE HOUSE?  Longfellow lived in the house from age eight months to fifteen when he entered Bowdoin College. He continued to regularly visit his family at the home until his death. His younger sister Anne Longfellow Pierce left the house to the Maine Historical Society in 1901. The house retains its original furnishings and memorabilia from the family. Designated a National Historic Landmark, it is significant as both the oldest surviving structure on the Portland peninsula and the childhood home of Longfellow.    

(Photo Above: One of the upstairs bedrooms. Below, the kitchen.)

NO RUNNING WATER - We learned that the house had no running water. Instead there was a well located outside of the kitchen. So, as Dolly Parton said of her childhood home, "If we wanted running water, we'd have to run out and get it." 

(Photo: The dining room, also used as a temporary law office by Henry's father for a time, thus the bookcase) 

SOME KEY FACTS ABOUT HENRY - 

1) He was a core member of the Fireside Poets—a group of New England writers whose work was so accessible and uplifting that families would read them by the fire.

2) World Renowned

: He achieved unprecedented international fame and was the first American to be honored with a bust in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.

(Photo: The parlor on the first floor)

3) He is best known for memorable narrative works like "Paul Revere's Ride" and The Song of Hiawatha. His most enduring poems include “The Village Blacksmith,” “A Psalm of Life,” and the epic Evangeline.

4) He was also a Linguist and a Translator! Fluent in several European languages, he was the first American to complete a full translation of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.

THE BACKYARD GARDEN - It's a perfectly manicured pocket garden that recreates 19th-century charm. It's a hidden gem often used by locals as a quiet retreat, reading spot, or location for the museum's "Beer in the Garden" series.

TODAY YOU CAN TOUR THE HOUSE - The Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a historic house and museum at 489 Congress Street, Portland, Maine and is operated by the Maine Historical Society. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, and administratively added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. 

NEXT: THE MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

Idiot of the Week: Walton County double homicide

This week's spotlight is on a 63 year old man who was filled with anger.  He murdered his wife and daughter over an argument. This is a sickening story, but also a caution to people about others who follow the cult that helped fuel his anger. 

911 calls reveal chaotic moments after Walton County double homicide

Channel 11, June 27, 2026,

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. — The 911 calls released Friday provide new insight into the moments after a fatal shooting in Walton County that left a mother and daughter dead and resulted in murder charges against the family's patriarch.

Investigators say Ralph Mincey fatally shot his wife, Jennifer Mincey, and their daughter, Amanda McBrayer, outside the family's home Wednesday night before calling 911. Authorities arrested Mincey at the scene. 

Deputies arrived to find McBrayer already dead. Jennifer Mincey was rushed to the hospital, where she later died. Mincey called 911 himself: “I just shot my daughter and my wife of 38 years.” Asked if they were still breathing, he said, “No, it don’t look like it. It was a nine millimeter right straight to the head.” 

In one of the newly released calls, Amanda McBrayer's husband, Adam McGrath, told a dispatcher he fled the scene after witnessing the shooting.

"I literally ran away because I had two kids I've got to protect, and I'm scared to go back up there," McGrath said.

McGrath told dispatchers he believed the violence began after an argument between his wife and her father. According to the call, he said he brought his wife to her parents' home after she asked to be taken there.

"My wife was drunk, she was upset, she wanted me to bring her home," McGrath told the dispatcher. "So I brought her to her parent's house and then she got into it with her dad and her dad said, 'I've got a gun... I'm gonna pull the (bleep) trigger,' then shot her in the head. Then he grabbed his wife by the throat, threw her down and threatened to kill her too."

As deputies responded, dispatchers received another 911 call, this one from Ralph Mincey.

"My wife had told my daughter that I didn't take care of my mother. I do every day, and yeah, I just... I just shot my daughter and my wife of 38 years," Mincey told the dispatcher.

When asked whether the victims were still breathing, Mincey replied, "No, it don't look like it. It was a nine millimeter right straight to the head."

According to the Walton County Sheriff's Office, Jennifer Mincey was transported to a hospital, where she later died. Amanda McBrayer was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jail records show Ralph Mincey is charged with two counts of murder, along with several additional felony charges.

During the 911 call, Mincey also told the dispatcher he "lost it" after an argument.

Mincey’s public Facebook shows a decade expressing the kind of grievance that eventually led to violence — Confederate flag memes, “there are more of us than you can possibly imagine,” complaints about Confederate history being “erased,” posts fantasizing about a reckoning against “Democrats and Liberals,” and a defiant “I will NOT apologize” declaration for supporting Trump. 

The warning signs are usually there. Save yourselves and get out before it’s too late.

Heroes of the Week: Jessamine County firefighters rescued a dog trapped in a cave

If you've never been to Kentucky, it's known for having some really extensive and cool caves to explore, like Mammoth Cave in the south central part of the state. But there's another cave system (not part of Mammoth Cave) located north of there in Jessamine County (just south of Lexington).  That's where a beagle named Foxy fell into a cave and couldn't get out.

(Photo:  A fireman using a line brings up Foxy from the cave floor. Credit: Jessamine County Firefighters)

Firefighters Rescue a Beagle Trapped in a Cave

Jessamine Journal, March 24, 2026

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — Crews with the Jessamine County Fire District rescued a dog trapped in a cave the morning of March 21, 2026 after a technical rope operation in a wooded area off Handys Bend Road.

According to an incident report, units were dispatched at approximately 10:45 a.m. March 21 to 2500 Handys Bend Road, Wilmore, Kentucky, near the Bluegrass Sportsman’s League, for a report of a dog stuck underground. Responding crews included Rescue 22, Engine 26 and Engine 23.

(Photo: It was a team effort to rescue Foxy from a cave. Credit: Jessamine County Firefighters)

Firefighters located the cave roughly 100 yards into the woods past a campground. Officials described it as a narrow vertical slot cave, about 35 feet deep and only a few feet wide at its largest point. It extends about 40 feet below ground.

Using a rope system anchored to nearby trees, one rescuer was lowered vertically into the cave to search for the animal. The dog, a beagle later identified as “Foxy,” was located approximately 35 to 40 feet below the surface in a tight chamber beyond the initial drop.

Crews said the rescuer was able to make contact quickly and coax the dog closer using voice commands and food. Once within reach, the dog was secured in a canine rescue harness provided by Jessamine County Animal Care and Control.

The operation then shifted to a haul system, allowing crews on the surface to raise both the rescuer and the dog safely out of the cave. Officials said the team navigated minor obstacles, including rock formations and debris near the entrance, during the lift.

A rescuer was lowered into the cave and found the dog approximately 35-40 feet down. Crews lifted the rescuer and dog out of the cave using a rope system. They say the dog appeared to be uninjured.

Book of the Week: Killoe by Louis L'Amour

I love westerns, and I've read several by famous author Louis L'Amour, but this one was not one of my favorites. Recently I finally read "Killoe" that was originally published in 1962! That's today's book of the week.

The book characters include a 23-year-old, 6-foot tall ranch hand named Dan Killoe, his dad, his step brother Tap and a bunch of other supporting characters. They decide to move their large herd west to find a new place to live, and travel through desert and hostile lands with maurading cattlerustlers, Comanches who have bloodlust, and others. 

My Take- Usually I really like westerns, but this one was slow-going for me. I couldn't get into the characters. Dan, the main character, felt like he was always being told he wasn't good enough. It wasn't until 2/3rds of the way through the book, he had to take charge, but it still didn't grab me.  If you like stories where characters lose almost everything, and then somehow get things back, this works. I honestly read faster to get to the end. 3 out of 5 stars for this one. 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Dan Killoe—over six feet of tough, raw, lightning fast man.  He had a trail heard and a mass of settlers to get across unknown territory to a new land.  Then he gave shelter to a stranger being hunted by Felipe Soto, scar-faced leader of the renegade Comancheros. ...

Interview! WAVY-TV's Ghost Tales Talks "Ghosts on a Medium's Vacation"

IT'S A NEW VIDEO! WAVY-TV is located in Hampton, Virginia. Recently, WAVY-TV's Ghost Tales host, Ashley Knight speaks with medium Rob Gutro about his paranormal experiences while on vacation (in this 25 min. interview), and his "Ghosts on a Medium's Vacation" series of books that cover Ireland, England and Tombstone, Arizona's BirdCageTheatre.

(To get the 3 books in the series: https://tinyurl.com/4c4hu3pn )

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lNHK9iLcLUU?si=0v12S2BABzNH3P8M