Community Paparazzi

Community Paparazzi I’m Gwen Clayton, a journalist for more than 30 years. This page will feature my advice to nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

I have always worked under tight budgets, so I know how to tell a story with photos using just an iPhone as a camera.

Last stop before home: Romero’s in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. This place never disappoints. Tonight, Eddie ordered the spic...
06/05/2026

Last stop before home: Romero’s in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky.

This place never disappoints. Tonight, Eddie ordered the spicy salmon with spaghetti and I got the chicken Parmesan sandwich. So good!

We both love this place so much. The food is always excellent, the service is great, and you can’t beat the vibe of this tavern-style fusion restaurant with a horror movie theme.

Romero’s is located at 2 E Main Street, Mt Sterling, Kentucky.

It wouldn’t be a paparazzi’s trip to Mississippi without a stop in Tupelo to visit Elvis Presley Birthplace.
06/04/2026

It wouldn’t be a paparazzi’s trip to Mississippi without a stop in Tupelo to visit Elvis Presley Birthplace.

06/04/2026

Greenup County residents and business owners: FIVCO Area Development District is updating its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. They’re having a meeting tonight (Thursday, June 4) at the Greenup Community Center at 5 pm to take public input. I strongly encourage everyone to attend and share your thoughts with them.

If you ever find yourself in Starkville, Mississippi, I recommend Bluto's Greek Tavern at 511 University Drive. Excellen...
06/03/2026

If you ever find yourself in Starkville, Mississippi, I recommend Bluto's Greek Tavern at 511 University Drive. Excellent Greek food. I got the Greek salad. Eddie ordered a traditional gyro. Plus we had a side of pepper jack sticks with granch (Greek ranch) dressing.

Muscadine Ripple for the win, baby! This delicious treat is made with muscadine grapes grown locally. Bully’s Ice Cream ...
06/03/2026

Muscadine Ripple for the win, baby! This delicious treat is made with muscadine grapes grown locally.

Bully’s Ice Cream is made with milk produced daily at MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and is sold through MAFES Sales Store.

Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) are native to the Southeastern United States, including the southern and central Appalachian regions.

06/03/2026

Pro tip: When you’re at a conference, be sure to wear a suit jacket. The temperature of the room is set to accommodate people (mostly men) wearing suits. I’ve been to dozens of conferences over the years and you’d think I’d remember this. I wore a thin, summer blouse today and I’m freezing.

If you look in the third row, you’ll see a woman reaching into the aisle, taking a photo with her phone. That’s me.
06/03/2026

If you look in the third row, you’ll see a woman reaching into the aisle, taking a photo with her phone. That’s me.

Let’s be honest. The best part of a conference is the swag. I’m at the 2026 Appalachian Regional Commission conference i...
06/03/2026

Let’s be honest. The best part of a conference is the swag.

I’m at the 2026 Appalachian Regional Commission conference in Starkville, Mississippi. I get banners for two states on my name tag because I work in West Virginia and live in Kentucky.

Goodies include: a guitar-shaped wooden cutting board from Visit Mississippi, cookies from The Caramel Factory, cowbell and bulldog action figure from Mississippi State University, and an EZ Gripper from Starkville: Mississippi's College Town. Plus a bunch of munchies.

Listening to Steve Azar at Mississippi State University. He and his band are the musical guest for the opening reception...
06/03/2026

Listening to Steve Azar at Mississippi State University. He and his band are the musical guest for the opening reception of the 2026 Appalachian Regional Commission Annual Conference in Starkville.

I’m here repping my day job, Region 2 Planning and Development Council.

06/02/2026

Pro tip: Welcome to June. This is Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community. You’re going to see a lot of businesses with rainbow flags showing their support of their employees and patrons who are members of this community.

If you do NOT want to fly a rainbow flag or publicly declare your support, please don’t make a special post saying you “welcome everyone all year long and therefore do not feel the need to slap a rainbow over your logo.”

Of course all lives matter and all customers should be welcome all year long. But those of us who are cisgender/heterosexual (aka “straight”) can walk into a restaurant, hotel or other business and assume we will be treated with respect and dignity. The purpose of Pride Month is to let people who are LGBTQ+ know they will be treated with the same level of respect and dignity, and not harassed, shunned, or shamed.

No, you don’t NEED a rainbow to get that message across but to intentionally state that you refuse to participate sends a message that can be interpreted as passive aggressive, like what you’re actually saying is you’re not friendly toward this segment of the community.

You don’t need to make a statement at all.

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