This week you and other viewers had a lot to say about the news stories we shared with you. And your reaction ranged from lightbulbs to Brad James to Lexington water fountains and a fatal shooting.

Let's start with the light bulb story. We told you about Brown University students handing out compact fluorescent light bulbs to the needy. The bulbs use less energy than regular or incandescent bulbs, but a viewer pointed out , "...CFL bulbs have mercury in them..." and that you almost need training to dispose of them or dealing with broken CFL bulbs. He went on to say we should add that fact to any story we do on the bulbs in the future. He also sent a link to the EPA rules for safe disposal. Here are two links to check out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-LOtKIIKcg    and  http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling/manage.htm .

Now on to the rest of the comments this week.

"For entertainment, weather, sports or news, Channel 36 is what I chose." Callie

There were plenty of nice things said about us, but most of the love was for Brad James, who retired on Thursday.

 "He is one of the best weatherman that I have ever listened to and watched and i'm really going to miss Brad." Anonymous

"I've seen him in the store before and he's like real down to earth and stopped and had a coversation with me. So, I'm really going to miss Brad James." Anonymous

"I have watched this channel for years and its my favorite place to watch and I hate to see him go." Anonymous

"Dear Brad. You are one of a kind. I have always watched and I am really going to miss you and your good weather reports. May God Bless You." Pam

Well love was in the air, and in the water. When we asked for your opinion about kids playing in the downtown Lexington fountains, most of you said, you liked it.

TIedyeavenger wrote, "Watching kids play in the fountain is one of the best things about my commute home, and the sounds of laughter are a background to my day." Tiedieavenger

But there were others who have a different view - like R.S. who writes, "Not everybody like to hear the screams of children and see them acting like animals in public." R.S.

The story that may have created the biggest buzz was the one about Joshua Pyles, a Pulaski County man who shoot and killed a man who was apparently threatening him and wouldn't leave his property.

Robert emailed to say, "He made a reasonable demand for these scumbags to take themselves and their deadly intentions out of his home. The fatal results are solely the fault of the three dirt bags." Robert

Rory simply writes, "Chalk up one more for the good guys!" Rory

Ashram sent this email. "It's sad that a life had to be taken. But, the context of the killing was that the attackers were warned with the presence of lethal force to leave after trespassing the victim's property with intent to harm him. When I say "victim," I mean the homeowner who was being threatened by the three attackers and not the one attacker who had been shot dead by the victim. Anyway, the attackers failed to take heed of that warning and one of them paid for that mistake with his life." Ashram

And Adam wrote more about our coverage of the story than the facts of the case. "It's good to see a gun related self-defense reported by the media. Kudos to you WTVQ!" Adam

But not everyone was happy with us.

Dave called twice to say we should have had more coverage on that stabbing and decapitation that happened on a bus up in Canada.

"It's really newsworthy. It's way more newsworthy than a lot of the local news in Kentucky." Dave

Then Debra let us know she does not like the fact that we air a used car commercial on our station in Spanish.

"This is America and we speak English in America. America is not a bi-lingual country." Debra

But this call saved the day.

"I do have a compliment to make. I really thought you guys did a good job tonight...leading with an education story in the 5:30 newscasts. I'm so tired of routine stories about police cases that are just straight off the police blotter, but I was really please to see an education story lead at 5:30. So, compliments to you for a story that really matters." Anonymous

Thank you for your comments and for watching.

Don

This week our viewers had a lot to say, and most of it was about that 'writ' filled against Lexington and the state of Kentucky regarding services for illegal immigrants. We'll get to those comments, but we begin with Aleda's question. "What's the difference between recession, depression, and inflation?... Government and media keep talking about them, but to me they're just words. thanks."

Let me get out of the way and allow you to tell us how you feel. This week viewers were thinking about gas prices and police officers.  

The first comment was aimed at Kentucky State Police. "...they obviously have no problem driving around (State Cruisers) as a personal vehicle. I see them all the time driving around town..." And the next comment was aimed at Nicholasville Police and Jessamine County Sheriff's Deputies. "How the police officers and sheriff's and deputy sheriffs and all that, can drive their vehicles - their police patrol cars - to go do other work, security work?"

This week the two most popular issues: Gas Prices and Rebate Checks. Let me begin a few of your questions. Sheila called and left this message, "I'd like to know what the government is going to do about the gas prices?" And Trina asked this question, "Answer me this. How does Bush get away with having so much money and jacking the gas prices up on the poor people?"

Today we are focusing on the money we are spending on gas and the money we want from those rebate checks. Let's begin with gas prices and what they are doing to some folks here in the bluegrass. Here are the words left on our Viewer Voice Line.

The biggest story of the week was also the saddest story of the week - the murder suicide out in Western Kentucky.

This week we told you that the State Insurance office reported car insurance rates have dropped this year and that they dropped last year. 

We received several calls and emails wrapping us up in viewer love this week. We will get to your kind words in a moment, but first your reaction to some of the recent news stories.

This week WTVQ 36 felt your love and your disdain, and we are not the only ones.