1) The meeting between Peabody Energy's C.E.O. and Kentucky state government officials on wednesday will feature Governor Fletcher and an odd assortment of legislators. Senate President David Williams has invited Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley to attend. But House Speaker Jody Richards apparently hasn't invited House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover to join the house delegation. He probably should. My guess is that Hoover is just as skeptical of the immediate need to pass legislation for Peabody as his democratic colleagues. Hoover is a straight shooter. He won't lie or tote the party line for Fletcher or Williams if Peabody's C.E.O. won't promise to bring his coal-to-natural gas operation to Kentucky if the legislature passes energy incentives in a special session this month.

2) Did anybody else find it amusing that one of the first organizations cited for violating Louisville's new smoking ordinance is the River City F.O.P. Yup, that's the Louisville Metro Police officer's club. They were cited for violations during their fundraising bingo games. The F.O.P. hires a private company to run those games.

3) Coming back from the Highlands Renaissance Festival in Eminence this weekend, my family stopped at the Dairy Queen in Eminence for a drink. My 11-year-old son and his 10-year-old friend sat down for a minute then shriveled their noses and asked if we could leave. I hadn't even started on my Kit Kat Blizzard. I asked why they wanted to leave and they said "because those guys are smoking in here and it smells." Now I'm not a smoker and I don't like cigarette smoke around when I'm eating. But these two kids, who've grown up eating in smoke-free restaurants in Louisville, took it to a new level. It made me wonder how long it will be before every restaurant and public place in Kentucky is smoke free. I think it will happen in my lifetime. 12 states, including Illinois, currently have statewide smoking bans. Both candidates for Kentucky governor say they oppose a statewide smoking ban.

4) Looking forward to seeing how the state school board is going to screw up the selection of an interim commissioner.