The World Equestrian Game are coming

It's an exciting time to live and work in Lexington, KY with the World Equestrian Games only three days away. Similar to the Olympics, the World Equestrian Games (or WEG) occur once every four years (opposite the Summer Games) and feature the world championship for eight different equestrian events: dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, reining, and vaulting. Hosting WEG would be an honor for any city, but Lexington has the unique privilege of being the first non-European city chosen.

Lexington is taking advantage of the international attention with Spotlight Lexington, a free entertainment event running through the Games in downtown Lexington. Though it is likely to add to the anticipated traffic problems associated with the extra tourists, media and athletes, Spotlight Lexington is a great opportunity to connect the community with WEG.

World Equestrian Games official website

Spotlight Lexington website

Warning Sirens Heard in Lexington

If you were outside around noon in Lexington, Kentucky last Friday, you probably heard something that sounded like this.  It was the severe weather alert coming from one of 26 outdoor warning sirens that are located in parks in and around Lexington (see map). The nearest siren to Yunker & Park is at Woodland Park, close enough that we can hear the warnings indoors. However, while we appreciate the advanced notice of community emergencies at our desks, the primary purpose of the warning sirens is to alert people outside to seek shelter.

Each siren has a range of about half a mile and are used by the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) to warn citizens of severe weather or chemical emergencies. According to Stephen Jackson, operations manager for the LFUCG Division of Emergency Management, the warning system "is typically activated from Police dispatch when there is a National Weather Service alert for severe weather."

The warning sirens produce three different tones to signal different events (caution: siren videos are loud!):
• the Westminster Chime (video): severe thunderstorm watch/warning and tornado watch
• Stead (video): tornado warning, and
• Wail (video): evacuations and shelter-in-place

Jackson informed me that "Police dispatch will perform monthly tests and that will rotate through the various shifts." These tests use the Westminster chime and a test schedule can be found at the LFUCG website.  However, if you hear one of these sounds, you should seek shelter inside and turn on the radio or television for further information. As Jackson reminds us, "Emergency preparedness is everyone's business and responsibility."

Waiting for Spring

We’re not only about dispensing sage legal advice and vindicating the rights of our clients here at Yunker & Park plc. The attorneys and employees of the firm also lead incredibly exciting, vital and dynamic lives outside of the practice of law. On occasion, we will use this blog to share some of this excitement with you.

For instance, did you know that I am an avid amateur horticulturalist? Which means that right about now –– in the depth of a seemingly sunless, snowy February –– I’m busy poring over seed catalogs and dreaming of compost. I’ve even gotten a jump-start on the spring growing season by starting a variety of cool-temp-loving veggies indoors in my basement: broccoli, chard, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, leeks, Italian parsley, and scallions. This has been made much easier this year thanks to our new 4-foot, 4-bulb HO fluorescent grow-light fixture. The seedlings really love the extra light!

Also, this year I’m trying to grow artichokes for the first time. Most artichoke cultivars do not produce edible flower buds until the second year. In order to grow artichokes from seed in climates such as Kentucky’s that are too cold for the artichokes to over-winter without special protection (zones 7 and colder), you have to trick the plants through the process of vernalization into thinking that their first summer is really their second. You do this by starting the plants indoors in a warm environment (above a heated germination mat in my case), and then moving them outside early enough in the year to experience a period of colder temperatures (40-50˚F). By the time the warmer days of June arrive, the plants think they have experienced winter, and are ready to begin the flowering process. I’m curious to see if this will actually work. Check this blog later this summer for an update!

And now, a picture of my son holding the mythical 3 pound, 7.5 ounce sweet potato we grew last year:

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of Yunker & Park plc, a Lexington, Kentucky law firm. Topics will of course include commentary on current legal issues, but will also cover other areas of interest such as gardening, college basketball and the use of cats by the CIA during the Cold War.

Enjoy!