Ohio and Indiana residents might be jealous about a recent survey that found Kentucky to be the kindest state in the nation.
Lucius Jackson sat outside his Covington home waving at people who walked or drove down 13th Street.
"I run across a lot of friendly people and a lot of open-hearted people in Kentucky," he says. "It is very welcoming here."
The new kindness study, commissioned by Verizon, asked people from all 50 states what kind acts they would do. Ohio came in 13th. Indiana was 29th.
As you can imagine, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was over the moon about it. "We don't always live up to the calling to love our neighbor better than ourselves but we try and do it better than most," he told WVXU's Cincinnati Edition host Michael Monks.
Jackson has plenty of examples of how people have been kind to him. The retired maintenance man recalled how years ago his boss helped him buy a house when it may not have otherwise been financially possible. "I got back to the job. That's when he asked me if I wanted a house. You know, I just seen a house I wished I liked to have," he said.
Melissa Silberstang was walking to a bakery nearby, Bean Haus on Greenup Street. It doesn't surprise her Kentucky is the kindest. "That's my experience. I walk down the street and say hi to everyone and everyone is so nice," she says.
Tim Smith was at the bakery and says he's traveled the world but is always glad to come back to the Commonwealth. "I mean we always have time to say hi, stop by and ask people how they're doing and really want to know how they're doing."
