For decades, Al Cross was perhaps the preeminent political journalist in the state of Kentucky. He still writes a column every other week or so for his former employer, the Louisville Courier-Journal, but most of his time these days is spent teaching students as head of the University of Kentucky’s Rural Journalism and Community Issues. Cross oversees the Midway Messenger blog his students write (with a bit of help from him), is at most Midway City Council meetings, and is considered a national expert on community newspapers like The Woodford Sun.