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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 16, 2012 17:03:03 GMT -5
Kentucky coal company forced to sell coal to India Commonwealth News Center press release
Thanks to a new private-sector agreement, Kentucky coal will help produce affordable, reliable energy to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies for the next 25 years, Governor Steve Beshear announced today. New Jersey-based FJS Energy LLC signed a 25-year, $7 billion dollar contract with India’s Abhijeet Group to purchase coal exports from Kentucky and West Virginia through Kentucky-based affiliates FJSE Marshall Inc. and FJSE River Coal. “It’s no secret that the coal industry is in a state of flux in America, what with erratic market conditions, the uncertain regulatory atmosphere and the ever-changing energy picture. But international markets need coal, and this private partnership is a great example of a new market for Kentucky resources,” said Gov. Beshear. “My administration has worked hard to strengthen ties with India, and we’re looking forward to a long and successful partnership with many more economic opportunities.” Gov. Beshear was joined by Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters, Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Larry Hayes, and Rep. Keith Hall, Chair of the House Energy Subcommittee as well as representatives from FJS Energy, Abhijeet Group, Booth Energy Group and River Trading Company. India needs additional energy sources to produce steel and generate electricity. Under the agreement, Kentucky coal companies will export about 9 million tons of coal per year to the Abhijeet Group. While India does produce coal, domestic production can’t keep up with demand. FJS Energy’s chairman of the Board and former Chairman of Coal India, Dr. M.P. Narayanan, echoed his support of the agreement. “The deal with the Indian group, besides strengthening trade and business relationship between both the countries, will benefit both the companies optimally. Abhijeet Group is a marquis client for coal producers and suppliers in U.S. and is one of the fastest growing companies in India. FJS Energy is a reliable partner in supplying the needs of its growing list of satisfied clients.” “I am delighted to partner with FJS Energy which is a reliable and high quality coal producer in the U.S. The import of coal will help us meet India’s increasing demand for energy and steel,” said Mr. Anand Kumar, Executive Director of Abhijeet Group. “This partnership is an example of the strong potential between American producers and Indian customers. We see a significant growth of our mutually rewarding relationship.” “Our energy team looks forward to working with our India counterparts to provide access to the coal reserves in Kentucky,” said Jim Booth of Booth Energy. “We are very pleased that we have forged a partnership that meets their demand abroad and creates and sustains Kentucky jobs.” “The origins of River Trading Company go back more than 100 years. As owners and operators of 5 mid-stream assets on the U.S. inland river system, we realize the significant potential to provide high quality Kentucky and West Virginia coal to India for years to come,” said John Grantham, Vice President of East Division of River Trading Company. “Since the U.S. coal industry is moving from being a swing supplier to a steady provider to the international market, we look forward to India being a big part of that growth.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 30, 2012 16:54:24 GMT -5
Kentucky Officials Watching Isaac Commonwealth News Center press release
State and local officials continue tracking Tropical Storm Isaac as it moves up the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) has issued warning orders to alert KYEM and partnering Kentucky Cabinets personnel of the possibility of severe weather from this storm system that may impact the Commonwealth over the Labor Day Weekend. "Sharing information in advance allows better coordination and response to needs that may arise", said John Heltzel, director of KYEM. "From the local county emergency manager and county judge to Governor Beshear's office, staying in touch helps us to better understand the risk and prepare in advance should help be needed", he concluded. The main threats of Isaac's remnants to the Ohio Valley will be rain, thunderstorms, wind, and possible flash flooding, starting at the end of the week and continuing through the holiday weekend. Widespread flash flooding is not expected in Kentucky. Presently, models show Isaac moving up the Mississippi River Valley with its main effects west of the Commonwealth. KYEM urges the public to be aware of these risks as they enjoy the holiday weekend and stay tuned to local broadcast and NOAA Weather Alert Radios for updates and alerts. If you encounter flooded roads while driving, stop and turn around. Should you see a downed power line, do not approach it, but instead call your utility provider. Road conditions throughout the state can be found on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's website at: www.511.ky.govby calling 511 in Kentucky or 1-866-737-3767 for out-of-state callers. Weather safety tips and weather alerts can be found on the KYEM website at: www.kyem.ky.govWeather updates and local forecast can be found at: www.weather.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Sept 10, 2012 17:42:31 GMT -5
Arts in Education Week in Kentucky Commonwealth News Center press release
Emphasizing the important role the arts play in the development of young people, Gov. Steve Beshear has proclaimed September 9-15 as Arts in Education Week in Kentucky. "Education in the arts boosts children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills," said Gov. Beshear. "The arts play an important role in the lives of young people and help us educate a strong and competitive work force." Arts in Education Week was established by resolution in 2010 by the U. S. House of Representatives. The weeklong designation emphasizes the many benefits of arts in schools, and applauds the efforts of educators and organizations that provide arts programming for children. The Kentucky Arts Council supports arts in education through various grants and programs. The following initiatives are available to teachers and schools throughout Kentucky via the arts council: * Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and administered in partnership with the state arts agencies. Deadline to apply: October 15. * The Teaching Art Together Grant lets teachers collaborate with professional artists on the design and implementation of innovative 5- to 20-day residencies. Deadline to apply: October 15 * The TranspARTation Grant enables Kentucky teachers and schools to offer students quality arts experiences by providing transportation funding for arts field trips. Next deadline: December 1. * Specialists With Arts Tactics Team consultants are available to provide three- to six-hour consultancies to assist schools and districts with policy writing, including the arts in the CSIP/CDIP, arts curriculum alignment, developing performance assessments and integrating the arts across the curriculum. Applications accepted year-round. * The Teaching Artists Directory is an online directory of Kentucky artists who produce high quality artistic work and have the skills and competencies needed to work with teachers and students in designing and implementing arts education programs. The state's arts organizations, in partnership with the arts council, shape the lives of thousands of Kentucky students each year through arts events and arts in education programs. "Kentucky is extremely fortunate to have a vibrant arts community that provides opportunities for children to experience the arts," said Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council. "Many children in Kentucky experience the arts for the first time at school. The arts council is proud to be a partner of Kentucky schools, teachers and arts organizations who work tirelessly to provide a well-rounded education to children that includes the arts." Grants are available to Kentucky teachers and schools, both public and private. Learn more about grant opportunities online at artscouncil.ky.gov. Or contact Rachel Allen, arts education director, at 502-564-3757, ext. 486, or via email at rachel.allen@ky.gov. The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Post by Press Release on Sept 11, 2012 19:43:08 GMT -5
Adopt-a-Highway groups ready to ‘fall sweep’ roadsides Commonwealth News Center press release
Volunteers will be out in force next week to “fall sweep” Kentucky highways. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) announced today that Sept. 16-22 is Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week. “The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet appreciates the efforts of our Adopt-a-Highway volunteers, who help keep our highways and communities beautiful and litter-free,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. More than 800 groups now participate in Kentucky's Adopt-a-Highway program, which the cabinet established in 1988. Volunteers clean approximately 5,100 miles of roadside annually, setting an example of responsible environmental stewardship. By reducing litter, the Adopt-a-Highway program promotes public environmental awareness and makes it easier to promote tourism. The program also creates a partnership between citizens, community and government, and establishes a sense of pride in our Bluegrass State. The Transportation Cabinet salutes all participants and thanks them for their tireless efforts. GET INVOLVED! How can you contribute to your community, make a difference, send a message and educate others – all while having fun with friends and family? Join Kentucky’s Adopt-a-Highway Program. By taking personal responsibility for one of your area roadways, you will be setting an example for your community. The environment is everyone’s responsibility. Adopt-a-Highway provides the opportunity to be a part of the solution. Each year, the KYTC spends about $5 million and 200,000 worker hours to remove 96,000 bags of litter from Kentucky roadways. As an Adopt-a-Highway volunteer, you will save thousands in taxpayer dollars and demonstrate to others that a clean environment is important. Any permanently established business, association, community or public organization, or government entity can adopt a stretch of highway. A wide range of groups throughout Kentucky now participate, including homemaker clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, high school organizations, service clubs, veterans, college fraternities and sororities, sports teams and church groups, among others. Volunteers adopt two-mile sections of highway under a two-year, renewable contract with the Transportation Cabinet. Adopt-a-Highway coordinators can explain the fundamentals of the program to volunteer groups, work with group members in locating an available highway, and keep them notified of news and upcoming events. Litter pickups are held at least four times per year or as many times as necessary to keep the area reasonably litter-free. The Cabinet coordinates three annual clean-up efforts throughout the year. HOW DO I JOIN? Groups interested in becoming members of the Adopt-a-Highway Program can find details and district coordinator information at: adopt-a-highway.ky.govSafety guidelines are provided to volunteers and should be reviewed prior to each cleanup. Your Adopt-a-Highway coordinator will help you get in touch with your county's maintenance crew superintendent to arrange warning sign placement on the date of your pickup. Trash bags and safety vests can be obtained at each state maintenance facility, and litter-bag removal is provided by the state highway crews. For more information, visit: adopt-a-highway.ky.govFor questions or comments, contact Miranda Thacker, 502-564-3419, or e-mail Miranda.Thacker@ky.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Sept 29, 2012 8:57:04 GMT -5
Attorney General Conway splits time between his job and political associations Commonwealth News Center press release
Attorney General Jack Conway has been named Co-Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA). The announcement was made during the 2012 DAGA Fall Policy Forum on September 27, 2012 in Washington, D.C. "It is an honor to serve as Co-Chair of an organization that is dedicated to assisting attorneys general across the country in the important work they do," General Conway said. "DAGA provides a forum by which attorneys general can interact and share information with each other, as well as corporate, civic and individual members, so that we can better address the most pressing issues facing the country." General Conway is serving as DAGA Co-Chair along with California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. Attorney General Conway has also been tapped for several leadership roles with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). NAAG's President, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, appointed General Conway to the Association's Executive Committee, which formulates policies and strategies to help attorneys general respond effectively, individually and collectively, to emerging state and federal issues. Additionally, General Conway is serving as Co-Chair of NAAG's Consumer Protection Committee and Co-Chair of the Substance Abuse Committee, with Florida's Attorney General Pam Bondi, a Republican. "General Bondi is a friend and a true partner in the effort to combat prescription drug abuse," General Conway said. "As prosecutors, we have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of prescription pill abuse. That's why we have worked together in a bipartisan fashion to shut down the pill pipeline between Florida and Kentucky and to ensure that all 50 states have prescription drug monitoring programs and that all of the programs can share data across state lines." As co-chairs of NAAG's Substance Abuse Committee, Generals Conway and Bondi recently threw their support behind The Medicine Abuse Project, a new national action campaign to prevent a half a million teens from abusing prescription medications within five years. Earlier this year, Generals Conway and Bondi testified together in front of a Congressional subcommittee about the explosion of prescription drug abuse and their efforts to fight illicit pills.
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Post by Kentucky News on Sept 29, 2012 9:04:31 GMT -5
Support Kentucky’s Libraries with New license plate Commonwealth News Center press release
A new Kentucky license plate gives drivers the opportunity to show their support for libraries. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives Commissioner Wayne Onkst recently presented the “Support Kentucky’s Libraries” license plate to Gov. Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear. “Kentucky’s public libraries welcomed more than 20 million visitors last year who checked out more than 30 million books and other items,” said Gov. Beshear. “It’s clear that Kentuckians love their public libraries, and now they have another way to show their support.” The new plate is available at any county clerk’s office with a $25 application fee. At the time of issuance, an optional $10 can be paid to fund library science scholarships. “Public libraries not only make reading possible and more accessible to Kentuckians, they offer computer access and a place in our communities for continued education and job training courses,” said Mrs. Beshear. “People truly value the positive impact public libraries have in our communities and this license plate is a perfect way for them to display their support.” The Kentucky Library Association (KLA) worked with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to make the license plate available. Citizens from across the Commonwealth signed the application petition, which requires a minimum of 900 signatures to create a new plate. “In this difficult economic climate, public libraries fill a critical need in the community,” said KLA Library Awareness Committee Chair and Logan County Public Library director Linda Kompanik, who spearheaded the effort to bring such a license plate to Kentucky. “For years, we’ve had library users who expressed interest in a way to show their support for libraries of all kinds – public, academic and special libraries. This new license plate is a great way to do just that.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 1, 2012 19:47:59 GMT -5
Court ruling against Obama's EPA to save electic customers $225 million Commonwealth News Center press release
The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) has accepted a settlement regarding a proposed environmental compliance plan and associated environmental surcharge request submitted by Big Rivers Electric Corporation. Under the settlement, Big Rivers will not construct the most costly emission control projects it proposed in its original plan, thus reducing the total cost by about 80 percent. The modified plan will cost $58.5 million - $225 million less than Big Rivers originally proposed. As a result, ratepayers on the Big Rivers system will see a smaller impact of the environmental compliance costs on their electric bills. Most of the changes in the environmental compliance plan are the result of a federal court decision that overruled certain emission control rules issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The dropped projects were intended to comply with those regulations. Because the federal court ordered the EPA to produce new regulations to address the same types of emissions, electric utilities such as Big Rivers may be required to install additional controls in the future. The federal court decision came a day before the Aug. 22, 2012, start of the formal evidentiary hearing on the Big Rivers application. The hearing was suspended for a day while the parties to the case negotiated the settlement. The PSC earlier held meetings in Paducah and Henderson to take public comments on the Big Rivers proposal. Big Rivers is owned by and provides wholesale power to three rural electric distribution cooperatives: Jackson Purchase Energy Corp., Kenergy Corp. and Meade County Rural Electric Cooperative Corp. Together, the three cooperatives serve 112,000 customers in 22 counties in western Kentucky. In addition to Big Rivers, the parties to the settlement are the Kentucky Office of Attorney General, representing ratepayers in general; the Kentucky Industrial Utility Customers, Inc., representing large industrial consumers; Kenergy Corp.; and the Sierra Club, which represented environmental interests. Big Rivers had proposed to construct new or upgraded pollution control systems at its power plants in Hawesville (Coleman plant), Centertown (Wilson plant) and Sebree (Green and Reid plants). Nearly half the cost of the original plan was to go for a system commonly known as a scrubber, as well as associated facilities, at the Wilson plant. Big Rivers also proposed to complete the conversion of the Reid plant to burn natural gas instead of coal, at a cost of $1.2 million. The settlement agreement removes the two most expensive projects – the $139 million scrubber at Wilson and an $81 million nitrogen oxide control system at Green – while retaining smaller projects to control mercury and soot at Coleman, Wilson and Green. It also includes the coal-to-gas conversion at Reid. Reducing the number and cost of projects also reduces the projected impact on rates. Residential and commercial customers and all but the 22 largest industrial customers would not see their bills increase until about 2018, the company says. Total bills for the 22 largest industrial customers would increase in 2016 by amounts ranging from 2.7 percent to 3.4 percent, which is about a third to one-half of the increase under the original plan. Although the environmental compliance costs would begin to be assessed in 2016, when the pollution control facilities go into operation, all but the 22 largest industrial customers would be insulated from any increases in their bills until sometime in 2018. Big Rivers will use two funds that were created in 2009 to temporarily insulate all but the largest customers on the Big Rivers system from future rate increases tied to fuel prices or environmental compliance costs. Absent the funds established in 2009, bills for residential and commercial customers would go up by 3.6 percent in 2016, rather than in 2018. Since 1994, Kentucky laws and regulations have allowed utilities such as Big Rivers to recover environmental compliance costs separately from their general rates. The costs are recovered through a surcharge that appears as a separate item on electric bills. Generation and transmission cooperatives such as Big Rivers pass the costs through to distribution cooperatives, who in turn pass them through to retail customers. The Kentucky law under which the application is being considered – known as the environmental surcharge mechanism - gives the PSC more limited review and discretion than it has in general rate cases. Today’s order, the settlement agreement and other documents in the case are available on the PSC Web site, psc.ky.gov. The case number is 2012-00063. The PSC is an independent agency attached for administrative purposes to the Energy and Environment Cabinet. It regulates more than 1,500 gas, water, sewer, electric and telecommunication utilities operating in Kentucky and has approximately 90 employees.
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 15, 2012 15:41:56 GMT -5
Do you want an old state truck to ride? Commonwealth News Center press release
If you’re looking for a well-used car, truck, van or SUV, then the state fleet auction on Oct. 16 may be just for you. The auction begins at 10 a.m. and will be held at the State Service Garage, 513 Barrett Street in Frankfort. On Tuesday, more than 200 vehicles, ranging over years, makes and models, are on the auction block. Vehicles have been categorized with a status of either “clean” or “salvage.” The oldest clean status vehicle is a 1994 Chevy Blazer with 70,126 miles. The newest clean status vehicle is a 2007 Dodge Ram truck with 103,251 miles. Almost 50 vehicles are classified as salvage. Average miles for these vehicles are 120,027 with the highest mileage exceeding 200,000. “Each year our fleet management team identifies vehicles that have no more useful life for state government,” said Pete McDonald, director of the Division of Fleet Management. “Annually, we retire all sorts of vehicles that people consider to still have value. So, fleet auctions are fairly popular.” In 2010 the average sale price of running vehicles was $2687.50 and in 2012 the average was $2886.46. People interested in the auction may pre-register and inspect the vehicles from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 15, 2012. In addition, they may register and view the vehicles on the morning of the sale from 8:00 – 9:50 a.m. Questions can be directed to Fleet Management Inventory at (502) 564-9943. More information and a list of vehicles is available online at: finance.ky.gov/services/surplus/Pages/publicauctions.aspxFull payment is due within one hour after the last item is sold. Payment can be made with cash; cashiers, certified, or travelers checks; money order or personal check with proper identification.
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 17, 2012 12:55:14 GMT -5
New Prescription Abuse Laws Driving Pill Mills Out of Business Commonwealth News Center press release
Since the implementation this summer of House Bill 1 (HB1), the state's landmark prescription drug abuse bill, 10 pain management clinics have closed, prescriptions for some of the most-abused controlled substances are dropping, and a record number of investigations are under way into suspicious prescribing practices, Governor Steve Beshear announced. "We knew that this bill would have an immediate impact on thwarting the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs in our state, and the statistics over the last few months are already showing progress," said Gov. Beshear. "But we will not rest. Too many families and communities have been shattered by prescription drug abuse. We will not let up on these doctor shoppers and greed-driven practitioners who continue to supply these poisons to addicted Kentuckians." HB1, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, passed in a special legislative session this spring. The bill included multiple elements to prevent the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs and to enhance law enforcement's tools to investigate illegal prescribing practices. The law went into effect July 20. "In the three short months since House Bill 1 took effect, the headlines have been clear: The pill mills are closing up shop. They need to know we're not going to rest until they are all gone," said Speaker Stumbo. "I want to thank Governor Beshear, my colleagues in the General Assembly, law enforcement and many in the medical community who got on board to make this law possible. I'm sorry that some doctors have led their patients to believe that this legislation somehow makes it more difficult for them to prescribe needed medicine. Nothing could be further from truth. Protecting patients is at the heart of this law." "Every law requires change, and transitions are sometimes hard," said Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers. "But we have already seen great benefits to Kentucky's families and communities due to the passage of HB1." "The abuse of prescription drugs is an epidemic in our state and we have to have strong, enforceable and practical laws and regulations to protect patients," said Dr. Preston Nunnelley, President of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML). "We are cooperating with law enforcement and are aggressively pursuing investigations against physicians who are prescribing inappropriately or negligently. I have no doubt that HB1 is saving lives." "House Bill 1 has solidified our longstanding relationship with other front-line agencies and provided us with a unified front as we combat one of the most serious threats facing our state," said Attorney General Conway. "The agreement our office drafted and entered into with other agencies requires the sharing of this information and helps provide law enforcement with the ability to use its resources to target the most egregious cases of illegal or inappropriate prescribing. The dramatic increase in shared information and increased enforcement by the KBML is good news for families across the Commonwealth touched by prescription drug abuse." HB1 Impact: Fewer ‘Pill Mills' The new law mandates that all new pain management clinics must be owned by a licensed medical provider, and all pain management clinics must employ a medical director in good standing with one of the professional licensure boards. The Office of Inspector General identified 44 facilities as pain management clinics in 2012. Eighteen of them have closed or have discontinued providing pain management services – including 10 that shut down since HB1's implementation. "Not all pain management clinics are ‘pill mills', prescribing large volumes of pills to patients with little medical oversight. But the fact that nearly a dozen clinics voluntarily closed down before we could check their patient records and prescribing practices signals to us that they couldn't take the heat," said Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes, of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The Office of Inspector General is currently processing 11 applications for licensure as pain management facilities under the new law. That process includes on-site surveys and evaluation of records and practices. "House Bill 1 has proven effective at shutting down pill mills – those who profit from pain. As co-chairman of the implementation task force for this law, I am working with all stakeholders to make sure that its mission is upheld," said Rep. John Tilley.
HB1 Impact: More KASPER reports, registered users HB1 expanded the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system, the state's prescription monitoring system, by requiring all prescription providers of controlled substances to register. Regulations promulgated by the various medical professional licensure boards mandate that licensees use the KASPER system before prescribing controlled substances. When the law passed in April, KASPER had 7,911 registered accounts. On Oct. 1, KASPER had 21,542 registered users – nearly triple its accounts from just six months earlier. Users include physicians, dentists, optometrists, advanced practice registered nurses, and podiatrists. A year ago, KASPER provided an average of 2,888 reports daily. Now, providers request an average of 18,149 reports each day. The vast majority of those reports – 93 percent – are processed in less than fifteen seconds. "Providers are learning that requesting a KASPER report takes less time than measuring a patient's blood pressure, and the practice is becoming routine instead of a special task," said Mary Begley, CHFS Inspector General. "These reports are providing crucial information that can flag a problem user, or may also warn a provider of otherwise unforeseen complications from drug interactions."
HB1 Impact: Fewer Controlled Substances Dispensed KASPER recorded 219 million doses of hydrocodone dispensed in Kentucky in 2011. That's enough for 51 doses for every man, woman and child in Kentucky. However, records since HB1 implementation indicate that the prescriptions are declining for certain controlled substances. In August 2011, doctors prescribed 20.9 million doses of hydrocodone. A year later, hydrocodone prescriptions in August dropped to19.3 million doses – a 7.5 percent reduction. In that same time period, oxycodone prescriptions dropped 6.4 percent; alprazolam (Xanax) prescription doses fell by 9 percent; and oxymorphone (Opana) prescriptions dropped 38 percent. "No one could argue that 219 million doses of hydrocodone dispensed a year in a state our size is appropriate," said Van Ingram, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy. "What we are beginning to see is the impact of medical providers reviewing KASPER reports and making changes in patient treatment. This not only puts the brakes on doctor shoppers, it also improves patient care." A 2010 CHFS poll of KASPER users noted that 94 percent of medical providers said that the program is an effective tool in tracking an individual's prescription history, and nearly 94 percent reported satisfaction with the tool. Nearly nine in 10 KASPER users reported denying a prescription for a controlled substance to a patient based on information provided by a KASPER report. HB1 Impact: More Investigations, License Suspensions of Medical Providers HB1 requires that when a complaint about prescription abuse is lodged with any of several investigative agencies – the Attorney General, Kentucky State Police (KSP), CHFS, or any of the professional licensure boards – that complaint must be shared with the remaining agencies. The Memorandum of Agreement entered into by these agencies facilitates the distribution and use of the information for administrative and law enforcement purposes. KBML disciplined 18 physicians for prescribing violations in 2011. But in just the last six months, KBML has taken disciplinary action against 33 physicians for prescribing violations. Those actions include nine emergency orders of license suspension and one emergency license restriction. Another 15 physicians agreed to indefinite restriction of their prescribing authority, and five more surrendered their licenses rather than have them revoked. "The immediate cross-agency investigation of a prescribing complaint has accelerated our ability to review practices and take action against providers who are prescribing inappropriately," said Dr. Nunnelley. "The Board considers violations involving prescribing of controlled substances to be very serious and is committed to carrying out the intent of HB1."
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 17, 2012 16:25:39 GMT -5
Kentucky Spirit become first Health Company to Cancel Kentucky Medicaid Managed Care Contract Commonwealth News Center press release
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services today acknowledged Kentucky Spirit Health Plan’s announcement that it will abandon its obligation to the Commonwealth and the approximately 125,000 Medicaid recipients it serves in 104 Kentucky counties in July 2013, one year before the contract expires. Kentucky Spirit is one of three managed care organizations (MCOs) that signed three-year contracts with the state in 2011 to provide Medicaid managed care. The contracts expire July 5, 2014. Kentuckians enrolled in Kentucky Spirit coverage will continue to receive health care with no interruptions, and the Cabinet will ensure a smooth transition for those patients to another managed care organization in the coming months. “Our top priority remains the continued health care of Medicaid patients, and we will make sure those patients experience no disruption in health services,” said Governor Steve Beshear. “However, we are disappointed in Kentucky Spirit’s decision to break its contract. We have worked with the company to address its questions since Kentucky Spirit agreed on the contract terms last year. We will continue to work within the contract process to make sure members are provided healthcare services and providers get the payments they are due. We will hold this company accountable to its contractual commitments through whatever means necessary on behalf of both the members and taxpayers.” Kentucky Spirit offered the lowest bid in response to the Requests for Proposal that were issued in early 2011, but now cites lost profits as the motivating factor in the company’s decision to leave. Kentucky Spirit’s parent company, Centene, is a St. Louis-based, NYSE publicly traded company with an estimated $6.6 billion in gross revenues and more than 5,300 employees. Centene currently offers Medicaid managed care services in 19 states including Wisconsin, where it has offered core Medicaid and specialty services since 1984. Centene has operated similar programs in several other states dating back to the 1990s. Kentucky Spirit serves approximately 25 percent of the more than 550,000 Kentucky citizens who are enrolled in Medicaid managed care outside of Jefferson and 15 surrounding counties that comprise Region 3. The remaining Medicaid managed care membership is now almost equally divided between Wellcare and Coventry. “Clearly, with this level of experience with Medicaid managed care, the Commonwealth expected that Centene and its state-based subsidiary Kentucky Spirit had a sound and tested business strategy,” said CHFS Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes. “I am deeply frustrated that this publicly traded, Fortune 500 company has chosen to put profits above people and will not honor the terms of its contract. The managed care model is working in many states and is working here in Kentucky. The recent RFP process in Region 3 demonstrated that the managed care market in Kentucky is healthy and viable.” Secretary Haynes said the Department for Medicaid Services will work with members to ensure they experience a smooth transition with no interruption in services. “I’d like to echo the Governor’s statement that the Commonwealth’s number one priority is to provide quality patient care to Kentucky’s Medicaid recipients,” said Secretary Haynes. “We will continue to hold Kentucky Spirit accountable and in compliance so that providers are paid and members continue to be covered.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Nov 8, 2012 17:35:13 GMT -5
Forty-Eight Percent of Kentucky manufactures say they will not hire anyone in 2013 Commonwealth News Center press release
Only fifty-two percent of Kentucky manufacturers say they plan to hire between one and 19 employees in 2013, according to the recently conducted 2012 Annual Manufacturing Wage and Benefits Survey. The survey is sponsored by the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet’s Department of Workforce Investment and the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM), and will be distributed beginning Monday, Nov. 12. “This study represents data collected from 184 companies in Kentucky representing over 68,000 employees,” said Beth Brinly, commissioner of the Department of Workforce Investment. “It gives us a valuable snapshot of what is happening in the manufacturing industry. It shows that manufacturers are pleased with their workforce and that turnover rates remain fairly low.” The survey showed that the positions of manufacturing employees included in the survey made an annualized average of $47,486 in 2012. Most companies that responded to the survey -- 94 percent -- offer health insurance to their employees, while 92 percent of those cover family members as well. Questions about benefits showed that 79 percent of the companies provide nine or more paid holidays per year and 55 percent provide an annual bonus. “KAM clearly understands the importance of helping the Commonwealth’s manufacturing community control costs, especially when making hiring and promotion decisions,” said Greg Higdon, KAM president and CEO. “KAM's annual Wage & Benefits Survey Report is a valuable tool for manufacturers to use in their efforts to compensate employees in a fair and competitive manner.” Sixty-four percent of Kentucky manufacturers surveyed are emphasizing education and training in green practices, such as reducing their energy use, making environmentally friendly products, reducing pollution, conserving natural resources and being more cost effective. This number is up 10 percent from last year. New green products are being developed by 32 percent of these companies. IQS Research of Louisville collaborated with KAM on the development of the wage and benefits survey for Kentucky’s manufacturing community. The Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet’s Department of Workforce Investment, Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation, Northwest Kentucky Forward, Greater Louisville Inc., Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation and the Foundation for Kentucky Industry also supported the survey this year. In addition to the statewide report, the Department of Workforce Investment worked with KAM to produce a set of regional reports. The information gives manufacturers timely and accurate wage and benefits information such as paid vacation and sick time, health insurance and overtime pay when making hiring and promotion decisions. To conduct the survey, IQS Research e-mailed invitations to Kentucky manufacturers. Information was collected and compiled from July 2012 - September 2012. Of the employers who participated, 39 percent said that they had fewer than 100 employees. All of the information provided in the report is in aggregate form, so as to not identify individual companies. Companies were also asked about hiring temporary workers. About 73 percent of the employers currently use temporary staff as compared to 67 percent in the last report. Furthermore, 45 percent of the employers plan to maintain this level. The manufacturing sector employs about 217,338 people in Kentucky as of March 2012, according to the Department of Workforce Investment. Visit www.KAM.us.com or call 502-352-2485 for information on how to purchase a copy of the 2012 KAM Wage and Benefits Survey report.
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Post by Kentucky News on Nov 14, 2012 21:05:18 GMT -5
Thanksgiving themed 2012 Fall Reading List Commonwealth News Center press release
In an effort to increase youth readership, First Lady Jane Beshear today announced her Top 10 Fall Reading as a part of the First Lady’s Reading Recommendations Initiative. The theme of the 2012 autumnal list is Thanksgiving. “The Thanksgiving holiday is a time for reflection, celebration and gratitude,” said Mrs. Beshear. “It is an excellent opportunity to teach students lessons of cooperation and how to respect the environment. Many of my selections on this list highlight Native American culture and emphasize the art of storytelling and the importance of nature in our lives.” Mrs. Beshear introduced the Reading Recommendations program in the summer of 2009 and issues reading lists four times per year. 2012 Fall Reading List
1.“Brother Eagle, Sister Sky” by Susan Jeffers (Ages 4 – 8) – “The story is an adaptation of a speech delivered by Chief Seattle at treaty negotiations in the 1850s. The chief’s message of embracing nature and respecting the land are especially relevant in today’s culture. This story’s eloquent and imaginative words are paired with emotive color drawings that will help instill the importance of environmental consciousness in young readers.” 2.“The Last of the Mohicans” by James Fenimore Cooper (Ages 12 & up) – “First published in 1826, this classic novel is an outstanding fictional depiction of the early American frontier. Set during the French and Indian War, the story follows a white woodsman named Hawk-eye and his Mohican Indian comrade Chingachgook, as they join forces to help the daughters of a white military officer travel through hostile territory in upstate New York.” 3.“Corn is Maize” by Aliki (Ages 4 – 8) – “In this story, the author gives a simple description of how corn was discovered and used by the Indians, and how it came to be an important food throughout the world. This book combines science and history through words and colorful illustrations that will not only entertain young readers, but also help them learn.” 4.“Ten Little Rabbits” by Virginia Grossman (Ages 1 & up) – “This spirited book celebrates Native American traditions of weaving, dancing and storytelling as it teaches very young readers how to count from one to ten. The detailed, vivid illustrations of the rabbits and their blankets are truly eye-catching and the simple, rhyming text helps expound the numerical lesson.” 5.“If You Were At The First Thanksgiving” by Anne Kamma (Ages 6 – 10) – “Told from a child’s viewpoint, this book portrays what it was like to be a part of the first Thanksgiving day. It tells how the Native Americans and Pilgrims came together for the historic harvest celebration and offers an account of what it was like to live in America in the 1620’s.” 6.“The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce: A Pilgrim Boy, Plymouth, 1620” by Ann Rinaldi (Ages 9 - 12) – “Jasper Pierce is a young Puritan boy who travels on from England to America on the Mayflower. This story is an account of Jasper’s distinctive experiences on the boat and his first year in the ‘New World.’ This book puts an inventive, historical twist on a classic coming of age story.” 7.“Arrow to the Sun” by Gerald Dermott (Ages 3 – 6) – “This Caldecott Medal book is filled with bold and stunning pictures that capture the spirit of Pueblo Art. The story expresses the classic tale of hero’s quest and depicts Native Americans’ respect for the sun and life.” 8.“Arilla Sun Down” by Virgina Hamilton (Grades 9 - 12) – “This young adult novel follows 12-year-old Arilla Adams on her journey to discover and understand who she it. Arilla is used to standing in her older, successful and talented brother’s shadow. Like her brother, Arilla is part Native American and part African American, but unlike her brother, she struggles to find her place in the world. I know many adolescent readers will identify with Arilla and her path to self-discovery.” 9.“One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims” by B.G. Hennessey (Ages 2 – 5) – “This story follows 10 young pilgrims and 10 young Wampanoag children as they hunt and gather food for Thanksgiving dinner. When they all come together for dinner, everyone gives thanks, eats and celebrates. The rhythmic text paired with vibrant autumn colors will keep very young readers engaged with this Thanksgiving tale.” 10.“The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush” by Tomie dePaola (Ages 4 – 8) – “Filled with beautiful and vivid illustrations, this book describes the spirited legend of a young artist and how the sunset came to be colorful. The story’s protagonist is a young boy named Gopher who is not skilled enough to be a warrior in his tribe, but becomes a talented artist. He learns to use the resources and environment around him to recreate the magnificent colors of the sunset in his work.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Nov 14, 2012 21:11:56 GMT -5
Public Safety Secretary Michael Brown trying to do away with office of constable Commonwealth News Center press release
The office of constable is outdated and irrelevant as an arm of law enforcement and poses potential liabilities for counties, according to a report released today by Justice and Public Safety Secretary J. Michael Brown. Citing several high-profile incidents involving constables over the past year, Sec. Brown in April directed the Department of Criminal Justice Training to convene a working group to assess whether constables still had a viable role in modern day law enforcement functions. “I asked DOCJT to develop a comprehensive, objective view of the authority, usefulness and purpose of constables – to look at all angles of the office and determine if a position that served a defined need 200 years ago was still relevant today,” Sec. Brown said. “The answer is a resounding no.” The six-month review included an historical perspective of constables in Kentucky and other states’ experiences with the office, as well as statewide surveys conducted with primary stakeholders that elicited more than 1,400 responses. The report, “Constables in Kentucky: Contemporary Issues and Findings Surrounding an Outdated Office,” reveals an overwhelming majority of county and law enforcement officials see little to no practical purpose behind the constitutional office, and believe it should be abolished or its law enforcement authority eliminated or restricted. The report also notes there is no required training, education and experience among office holders – a standard inconsistent with other Kentucky law enforcement officers, who are certified according to the Peace Officer Professional Standards. “Certified peace officers today meet rigorous pre-employment standards and training and are regulated through multiple layers of oversight and public scrutiny,” Sec. Brown said. “That standard is diluted when law enforcement powers are shared with individuals who lack the required training and accountability.” The actual law enforcement benefit to counties is negligible, the report indicates, as constables currently perform less than one-fourth of one percent of the law enforcement work in Kentucky. For the most part, constables perform security guard functions, direct traffic at events, or serve civil warrants. “As none of these functions require law enforcement authority their authorized (and sometimes unauthorized) activities creates liabilities and risks to counties,” according to the report. Even among constables themselves, who were a sixth key stakeholder group surveyed, there exists a dramatic disparity in the type of duties they perform; the understanding of what their role is; and the level of education and training they receive. "While constables undeniably wish to perform a public service, the fact remains that for many of them the role is a part time position with no certified requirements, no certified standards and no training," said DOCJT Commissioner John Bizzack. "What we have today is a position that has been called a hobby. And as a hobby, the office shouldn't have the same law enforcement authority as trained, certified professional officers." A copy of the full report is available at: docjt.ky.gov/constables.html
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Post by Kentucky News on Nov 21, 2012 6:40:31 GMT -5
Current Version of GED® Test to Expire Commonwealth News Center press release
Kentucky Adult Education announced that the current version of the GED® test will expire at the end of 2013. The current version, known as the 2002 Series GED® test, will be replaced with the new 2014 GED® test on January 2, 2014. The important point that Kentuckians need to know is this – people who have taken the 2002 Series GED® test, but have not passed all five parts, have only until December 18, 2013, to take the current test. If they do not pass all five parts by December 18, 2013, they will need to start over again in 2014 with the new GED® test. More than 16,000 Kentuckians have passed parts, but not all, of the current GED® test version. “The GED test opens doors to college, better jobs and the satisfaction of earning a high school credential,” said Reecie Stagnolia, vice president, Kentucky Adult Education. “We want to be sure everyone is aware of this deadline. GED test-takers must act now to finish and pass before the current test expires.” Kentucky Adult Education offers free classes to help adults earn their GED®. To find an adult education center in your county, visit www.knowhowtogoky.org or call toll free (800) 928-7323. GED® testing information is also available at: www.finishtheGED.comA couple of important tips you should know about GED® testing in Kentucky before the end of 2013: The last day to take the current version of the GED® test is December 18, 2013.
All GED® test-takers must first pass the Official GED Practice Test™, which is available at all local adult education programs.
“To anyone who has already started the GED test, your future is calling. By passing the GED test, you can answer that call,” said Randy Trask, president and CEO of GED® Testing Service. “You owe it to yourself. Don’t miss the chance to turn one small step into your next big opportunity in life.”
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 9, 2013 20:54:21 GMT -5
One-day Goods Drive Benefits Kentucky Domestic Violence Association Shelters Commonwealth News Center press release
First Lady Jane Beshear is encouraging Kentuckians to volunteer and participate in the 5th Annual “Shop & Share” day, a one-day goods drive to benefit domestic violence shelters across the state. The drive will be held at Kentucky Kroger and Food City stores on the Saturday of Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “All of us are aware of the appalling crime of domestic violence, and many Kentuckians have had friends or family members who have been victims themselves,” Mrs. Beshear said. “Shop & Share is easy way for people to contribute to victims and their families. While gathering their game-day supplies or doing their weekly grocery shopping, Kentuckians can purchase necessities for the shelters and then directly donate the items at the store.” Volunteers at each Kroger and Food City store will provide a list of items needed at the shelters, such as canned foods, school supplies, toilet paper and soap. Monetary donations will also be accepted. To sign-up as a volunteer, please visit: secure.kentucky.gov/FormServices/FirstLady/ShopandShareLast year, the combined goods and monetary donations for Shop & Share day were estimated at more than $782,000. “Thanks to the generosity and support of Kentuckians, Shop & Share has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for domestic violence victims and their families,” said Mrs. Beshear. “Every year we reach a new monetary achievement, and this year our goal is to collect more than $1 million in donations.” All collected contributions will be given to the 15 Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA) shelters across the state. Organizational partners for 2013 Shop & Share include the First Lady’s Office, KDVA, Kroger, Food City, the Kentucky Commission on Women, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, the Girls Scouts of Wilderness Road Council and the Kentucky Drug Court. For more information on Shop & Share, please visit: firstlady.ky.gov/Pages/shopshare.aspxFor more information on the KDVA, please visit: www.kdva.org
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 14, 2013 22:03:39 GMT -5
Attorney General Conway Announces Arrest, Indictment of Pain Clinic Owner Commonwealth News Center press release
General Conway and United States Attorney of the Eastern District, Kerry B. Harvey, today jointly announced the indictment of 44-year-old Ernest William Singleton, Double D. Holdings, LLC and S & R Medical Enterprise, LLC, dba Central Kentucky Bariatric and Pain Management Center (formerly in Georgetown, Ky.) and Grant County Wellness Clinic (formerly located in Dry Ridge, Ky.) for prescription drug and money laundering conspiracies. Singleton was arrested at the Washington County Sheriff's Department this morning and is charged with conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to launder funds from October 2010 until January 2013. "Illegal pill mills have fueled the prescription drug epidemic in Kentucky that now kills more people than traffic accidents," General Conway said. "I appreciate the hard work of my Drug Branch Investigators, working in coordination with our state and federal law enforcement partners, in bringing this case forward." The charges against Singleton are the result of an investigation by General Conway's Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI), working in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Kentucky State Police. Prosecution of this case is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office. In addition to the indictment, Singleton, Double D and S&R Medical Enterprises are subject to the forfeiture of farm land, vehicles, businesses and other property that were acquired as proceeds of or used to facilitate the alleged crimes. Search and seizure warrants were executed today at numerous locations including a Georgetown pharmacy co-owned by Singleton and two private residences in Springfield and Lawrenceburg. Singleton closed his pain management centers in Kentucky and opened a center in Jeffersonville, Ind. following the implementation of House Bill 1, which requires that the owner of a pain management clinic be a licensed physician. A date for Singleton to appear in federal court has not yet been set. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count. While no physicians were named in this indictment, the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML) has taken disciplinary action against five doctors affiliated with the Central Kentucky Bariatric and Pain Management Center and Grant County Wellness Clinic. Two have agreed to indefinite practice restrictions and must pay $10,000 fines for violating the Medical Practice Act, while one physician remains suspended pending final action by the KBML. A charge is merely an accusation and a person is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 21, 2013 7:22:11 GMT -5
Public urged to ending discrimination Commonwealth News Center press release
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Executive Director John J. Johnson is celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Day by calling on Kentuckians to renew their commitment to ending discrimination and achieving true equal opportunity for all Kentuckians. He delivered his call to action in a keynote speech to elected officials, students, faculty, and community members at Somerset Community College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast Friday, January 18. “We should use occasions like this to recommit ourselves to rid America of the violence, hatred, bigotry, and inequality that remains in our nation.” said Johnson. “Those of us who pause to honor Dr. King’s birth and life must leave here with a greater determination and commitment to make real the promise of democracy in this town and throughout our state,” he said. Noting that Dr. King’s influence, “reached from the greatest corridors of power in this world – to the smallest communities and hollows like those in rural Kentucky,” Johnson also reminded attendees of Dr. King’s direct ties to Kentucky; specifically, his participation in a historic 1964 march to the state capitol in Frankfort, calling for an end to segregation in the Commonwealth. On Sunday, January 20, Johnson brought his message to parishioners and community members at a Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday church service in Middlesboro, Kentucky. There, he highlighted some of Kentucky’s most pressing civil rights issues: access to high-quality education for all children; protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals; restored voting rights for individuals who have committed felonies; and solutions to poverty and unemployment. The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is the state authority that enforces the Kentucky and United States Civil Rights acts, which make discrimination illegal. The Kentucky Civil Rights Act protects people from discrimination in the areas of employment, public accommodations, housing, and financial transactions. It prohibits discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, national origin, disability and gender. It additionally protects people on the basis of familial status in the area of housing, which covers families with children in the household under age 18-years old and covers women who are pregnant. The bases of age, 40-years old and over, and tobacco-smoking status, are protected in the area of employment. It is against the law to retaliate against any person who complains of discrimination to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. For help with discrimination, contact the commission at 1.800.292.5566. The TDD telephone number is 502.595.4084. Visit the website at kchr.ky.gov.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 24, 2013 18:38:38 GMT -5
Fair Board Approves Lease for Kentucky Kingdom Commonwealth News Center press release
Approval of a new lease agreement today by the Kentucky State Fair Board moves the reopening of Kentucky Kingdom to as early as spring 2014. The investors, Kentucky Kingdom LLLP, now must secure the final private loans – worth $25 million - before the park can open. The investors have agreed to initially invest $45 million in the park, which has been closed since 2009. “This agreement is great news for the families who will visit Kentucky Kingdom and will certainly be a shot in the arm for local and regional tourism,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “This lease will also mean hundreds of jobs as well as much-needed income for the Fair Board. We are pleased that we were able to reach a mutually agreeable lease so the park can reopen as quickly as possible.” The Fair Board and Kentucky Kingdom investors agreed to a 50-year lease after the state issued a request last year seeking proposals to reopen the park. Kentucky Kingdom LLLP was the only entity to submit a proposal. The lease includes a provision that will allow for the expansion of the water park at Kentucky Kingdom. The state’s Finance and Administration Cabinet negotiated the lease. “This lease agreement is a fair deal for both our state taxpayers and for the investors seeking to operate the park,” said board chairman Ron Carmicle. “The lease protects taxpayers from shouldering private debt and ensures that the park operators have every opportunity to succeed. As soon as the private financing is finalized, the countdown begins to a reopened and reinvigorated tourist attraction.” The rental income starts at $475,000 the first year for the Fair Board and will increase by $50,000 a year for the first 15 years of the agreement. Kentucky Kingdom is required to spend $13 million in 2013 and 2014 to get the park open. It must spend another $7 million on the park through the 2016 season. After 2017, it must spend at least $1 million annually on the park. Kentucky Kingdom will seek state tourism development incentives through the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority. Details of the lease agreement are below. Summary of Kentucky Kingdom LLLP Lease Agreement: 1. Kentucky Kingdom LLLP to invest $45 million to improve amusement park with opening in spring 2014. $20 million in equity investment and a $25 million loan. All improvements become property of Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB). $13 million to be invested in 2013 and 2014, of which $3 million going into debt reserve fund as required by Lender; $2 million invested upon completion of 2014 season; $2 million invested upon completion of the 2015 season; and $3 million invested upon completion of 2016 season. Development plan set out in No. 6 commences after 2017 season. 2. Lease is for a 50 year initial term with four additional five-year renewal options. 3. 57 acres plus a potential four acres for expansion of the water park. 4. Rent starts at $475,000 per year beginning in 2014 and increases $50,000 a year for 15 years until it caps out at $1.2 million for the remainder of the initial term. KSFB receives 5 percent of the gross revenue in excess of $25 million for each operating year. 5. Parking - KSFB to pay Kentucky Kingdom $1.25 per visitor up to $450,000. 6. Kentucky Kingdom to spend at least $1 million per year (for the remainder of the initial term of the lease) and capping out at $2.5 million a year or somewhere in between based on a formula that is based on projections. All funds must be spent on park during initial term. If park is sold (after KSFB approval), then KSFB gets all funds in maintenance reserve account. 7. All rides/improvements purchased with $45 million will become the property of the state. Kentucky Kingdom may lease future rides with other development funds in order to leverage more new rides to increase attendance. When the leased rides are paid off, they also become the property of the KSFB. 8. Mortgage will be placed on property to secure a portion of the $25 million loan taken out by Kentucky Kingdom with bank. This is pursuant to KRS 56.515. 9. Lease can be sold with the consent of the KSFB to experienced park operator. 10. Lease may be terminated by either party within 90 days after execution if the financing package is not acceptable to either Kentucky Kingdom or KSFB. Finance and Administration Cabinet and KSFB will be involved in negotiations with bank to ensure that the financing details are known to them during the financing acquisition phase. 11. After lease is signed, if park requires major unforeseen work not covered by Kentucky Kingdom’s projections, it may terminate lease within 90 days of execution of lease.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 29, 2013 22:25:03 GMT -5
2013 Kentucky Official Highway Map now available Commonwealth News Center press release
The 2013 Kentucky Official Highway Map is now available across the Commonwealth at rest areas, welcome centers, local convention and tourism offices and all Kentucky State Parks. As always, the new map contains a wealth of information for motorists. At the same time, its “Only One Kentucky” theme highlights the beauty, natural attractions and features unique to Kentucky: • The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which explores the rich tradition and heritage of “America’s Official Native Spirit.” • Eastern Kentucky’s Red River Gorge Scenic Byway, which takes motorists to one of the nation’s special natural areas, offering stone arches, caves, cliffs, ravines and waterfalls. • The Great River Road in Western Kentucky, which highlights the Mississippi River’s pathway of history carrying people, cultures, ideas, art and music along its route. • The Wilderness Road Heritage Highway, which follows the steps of Daniel Boone and was crucial to settlement of the West. The trail leads motorists to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, renowned country music venue Renfro Valley and Berea, Kentucky’s crafts capital. • Woodlands Trace, which meanders along a ridge of land between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. It is a beautiful drive in rolling terrain with plenty of opportunities to pull off and explore on your own or at developed interpretive facilities. • The Belle of Louisville, America’s last true Mississippi River steamboat still in operation, is also featured on the map along with Lexington’s world famous Kentucky Horse Park. • The Lincoln Heritage Scenic Highway, which explores the history and culture in six communities in the region where Abraham Lincoln was born. “The Official Kentucky Highway Map is certainly a great aid for planning a trip and finding your way, but it’s also much more,” Gov. Steve Beshear said. “Our highway map is part of our effort to make a good first impression on the many thousands of people who will visit and travel our Commonwealth in 2013.” The highway map, published annually by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, is packed with information for the traveling public. The 2013 map reflects many system improvements, such as KY 313 in Hardin and Meade counties; a widened, four-lane U.S. 27 in Garrard County, and the new KY 873 in Clay County, which now accesses the Hal Rogers Parkway from U.S. 421. U.S. sanctioned bike routes are listed on the map along with symbols to indicate limited access parkways and divided highways. Fifteen inset maps detail Lexington, downtown Lexington, the Louisville area, downtown Louisville, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Henderson, Hopkinsville, Paducah, Elizabethtown-Radcliff, Northern Kentucky, Covington-Newport, downtown Frankfort, Richmond-Berea and Ashland. The cover of the map features horses and riders cantering along a lake shore of Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Western Kentucky. The back of the map highlights more “Only in Kentucky” features, along with information about Kentucky traffic laws, sharing the road with motorcycles and seat belt safety. A personal message from Gov. Beshear tells travelers about the improvements that will come about in the Louisville area as a result of the Ohio River Bridges Project. The project, nearing the start of construction, includes new crossings in downtown Louisville and eastern Jefferson County, plus a drastically improved Kennedy Interchange, where Interstates 64, 65 and 71 meet in Louisville. “The cabinet takes pride in the quality of the Official Kentucky Highway Map,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “We believe it is an invaluable resource for all motorists but especially for visitors.” “Kentucky has some of the most picturesque scenery in America and it can be found along rural roads and modern highways just about anywhere you travel,” Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Marcheta Sparrow said. “The highway map is an excellent way to let travelers know about the special places to visit in Kentucky and how to find them.” Multiple legends identify every type of street and highway, including bicycle routes and scenic byways. They also pinpoint Kentucky State Parks and Resort Parks, colleges and universities, airports and river ports, hospitals, welcome centers and rest areas and Kentucky State Police posts. To view or download an electronic version of the Official State Highway Map, county maps or city maps, visit: www.transportation.ky.gov/maps/pages
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Post by Kentucky News on Feb 5, 2013 19:13:36 GMT -5
More Than $500,000 Raised on ‘Shop & Share Day’ Commonwealth News Center press release
Surrounded by donated items stacked in the Capitol Rotunda, First Lady Jane Beshear today announced the successful outcome of Shop & Share Day, a one-day drive to provide domestic violence shelters with needed goods. The combined goods and monetary donations were estimated at more than $533,000, Mrs. Beshear said. “Despite inclement weather, Kentuckians turned out on Saturday to support our domestic violence shelters, victims and victim’s families,” said Mrs. Beshear. “Thank you to the many volunteers who graciously offered their time and to the thousands of people who bought and donated items. This outstanding contribution will go a long way toward helping domestic violence victims in our state.” Shop & Share Day was Saturday, Feb. 2 at Kentucky Kroger and Food City stores. Volunteers at each store provided shoppers with a list of needed items, allowing shoppers to purchase and donate the items directly at the stores. On Saturday, the First Lady was joined by Madeline Abramson, Dr. Alexandra Gerassimides and Northern Kentucky University President Geoffrey Mearns and his wife Jennifer Mearns to participate in taking donations. All collected contributions will be given to 15 Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (KDVA) shelters throughout the state. Joining Mrs. Beshear today to thank Kentuckians for their contributions were Rep. Regina Bunch, KDVA President Darlene Thomas, Girl Scout Troop No.1528 of Williamsburg and representatives from Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana and Girl Scouts of Kentucky Wilderness Road Council. “Your home should be your safe haven; the place you find the greatest sense of love, peace and comfort,” said Rep. Regina Bunch. “It shouldn’t be a place where you live in constant fear, just awaiting the inevitable. Our domestic violence shelters help victims build new homes and I thank all of the Kentuckians who donated to Shop & Share to help support those shelters.” Organizational partners for 2013 Shop & Share include the First Lady’s Office, KDVA, Kroger, Food City, the Kentucky Commission on Women, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, the Girls Scouts of Wilderness Road Council and the Kentucky Drug Court. "Thanks to the First Lady's vision, help from hundreds of volunteers and the generosity of citizens around the Commonwealth, our domestic violence programs are able to help meet the basic needs of our families. We are blessed,” said KDVA President Darlene Thomas. The KDVA was founded in 1981 and is a coalition of Kentucky’s 15 domestic violence programs providing services to victims of domestic violence and their children. Its purpose is to provide mutual support, information, resource sharing and technical assistance; to coordinate statewide services; and to advocate collectively on behalf of victims of domestic violence. For more information on the KDVA, please visit: www.kdva.org
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Post by Kentucky News on Feb 28, 2013 18:27:29 GMT -5
Report: 39 Percent of 2006 College Graduates Were Not Employed in Kentucky Five Years Later Commonwealth News Center press release
A new report from the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS) shows that 61 percent of graduates from the state’s public or independent postsecondary institutions in 2006 appear to be employed in Kentucky five years later. “This information is important to policymakers because it provides a preliminary gauge for the return-on-investment for education programs, and it helps us understand how likely our college graduates are to remain in Kentucky after they finish their credentials,” said Charles McGrew, executive director of KCEWS. “In addition, educators, parents and students can use the data to make more informed decisions about career choices and what they can expect in income from various degrees.” The Employment and Earnings of Kentucky’s College Graduates: A Preliminary Report studied Kentucky college graduates and provides a comparison of employment rates and earnings for people who completed different levels of degrees and credentials, as well as for various academic majors. This report marks the first time that Kentucky has tracked actual graduates to employment data. The data gathered illustrates that Kentucky students who complete higher levels of education are earning more money, McGrew said. According to the report, median annual earnings in 2011 for the graduates who were employed in Kentucky ranged from $23,117 for certificate earners to $72,500 for those who completed a professional program. The difference between median earnings for people who completed a bachelor’s degree and those who completed an associate’s degree or diploma was about $4,000 per year. The gap in median earnings between people who earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree was about $12,000 per year. The report indicates that 70 percent of in-state students who completed a credential were working in Kentucky five years later as opposed to 21 percent of out-of-state or non-resident students. The report also shows that health/social services and education were the largest industries in Kentucky employing 2006 graduates after five years. More than half of the people who completed a master’s degree in 2006 in Kentucky work in education. McGrew said one of the reasons for this high number is that teachers are required to continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree to remain employed while most professions do not make that a requirement. More than half of the people who completed a degree or certificate in 2006, and as much as 91 percent of those who completed a master’s degree, are working in a primarily publicly funded sector, including education, health care or public administration, said McGrew. Roughly four out of five of people who completed a master’s degree were working in Kentucky five years later. “This is the first time that Kentucky’s higher education institutions have received this type of information from an actual class of graduates over a five-year period, so it should prove very useful,” said Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Joseph U. Meyer. “For example, they can use it to pinpoint potential areas of growth at their schools or determine which degrees or certificates are not aligned to Kentucky’s workforce needs.” For the report, KCEWS linked college and university records collected from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education with the employment and earnings records reported to Kentucky’s Office of Employment and Training through the Unemployment Insurance program. The data does not include people who work out of state, federal employees, the military and those who are self-employed. “Kentucky is one of a fairly small number of states that can link education and employment data to provide outcomes such as these,” McGrew said. “A small number of states are beginning to do this type of work but not enough to provide many good comparisons to Kentucky’s data and there are no actual national figures for comparison for this level of detail.” KCEWS was created through an executive order in December 2012. It serves as an independent source that securely links data from early childhood, K-12, teacher certification, postsecondary, adult education, workforce and other sources to provide a broader understanding of the educational process as a seamless system. It will expand the work started by the Kentucky P-20 Data Collaborative and is attached to the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. KCEWS is a joint effort by the cabinet, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Education Professional Standards Board. To access the report, go to: kcews.ky.gov/SpecialReports.aspxFor information about KCEWS and to view other reports and data, visit: KCEWS.ky.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Feb 28, 2013 18:28:49 GMT -5
March Declared Sexual Assault Awareness Month Commonwealth News Center press release
The prevention and advocacy efforts of several groups and individuals were highlighted today as part of the kickoff of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Capitol Rotunda event was cosponsored by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP). Governor Steve Beshear has signed a proclamation declaring March as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Kentucky. CHFS Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes said her staff values its collaborations with groups like KASAP. “Prevention is a priority, and KASAP works hard to educate Kentuckians in all walks of life about sexual assault,” she said. “These efforts are changing the culture of our communities and helping to end sexual violence.” Sen. John Schickel, of Union, and Rep. Leslie Combs, of Pikeville, have sponsored Sexual Assault Awareness Month resolutions in the state Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.KASAP Executive Director Eileen Recktenwald said she’s seeing more attention focused on sexual assault prevention. “It’s gotten a lot easier to talk about,” she said. “Along with the groups and individuals we honor today, more and more parents, teachers and community leaders are addressing the issue. Sexual assault prevention is a vital part of health education.” Recktenwald said it’s also important that sexual assault survivors realize they are not alone. The state’s network of rape crisis centers offer comprehensive assistance to all survivors, she said. “Women, men, young people and even friends and relatives of those recovering from sexual assault may have many questions, or just want to spend time with someone who understands,” she said. “Advocates with these centers offer compassion and dignity to women and men who experience such a profound trauma.” Recktenwald said that even friends and relatives of assault survivors may get help through the centers. Kentucky is building stronger prevention and survivor programs through collaboration. “We are grateful for the support of lawmakers, government officials and community partners who bring attention to the prevalence and devastation of the crime of sexual assault,” she said. Nearly 8 percent of Kentucky’s citizens will report experiencing rape in their lifetime – 2 percent higher than the national average. “The key to prevention of sexual assault is education,” said Phyllis Millspaugh, a program administrator for the Family Violence Prevention Branch in the CHFS Department for Community Based Services. “We need to take every opportunity to talk about safety and personal boundaries, especially among teen boys and girls.” Teens are part of the highest risk age group for sexual assault, Millspaugh said. “It’s important that we remind young people that sexual assault is a crime. It is never acceptable to force sexual activity, no matter what the circumstances,” she said. “Beyond awareness, we must encourage counseling and especially reporting.” At an awards dinner tonight in Frankfort, two Kentuckians will receive the Sexual Assault Awareness Month Award for their contributions to end sexual violence. The winners, who were also recognized at the Rotunda event, are Rick Bartley, Pike County Commonwealth Attorney; and Elizabeth Rittinger, coordinator of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and Developing Options in Violent Emergencies (DOVE) programs for St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood. Also recognized as the 2013 Innovative Program Award winner was the Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati’s Trauma Care Program. Through the Women’s Crisis Center, which serves northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, this nonprofit volunteer group provides clean clothes and personal products to survivors of rape, assault and violent abuse at hospitals and women’s shelters each month. For more information about the sexual assault prevention programs and services and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, please visit: chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/dpp/violenceprevention.htmwww.kasap.org/SAAM.html
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Post by Kentucky News on Mar 7, 2013 14:05:24 GMT -5
Kentucky's labor force lost jobs in January Commonwealth News Center press release
In January 2013, Kentucky’s civilian labor force was 2,085,509, a decrease of 820 individuals compared to the previous month. Employment also fell with 53 fewer jobs, while the number of unemployed people dropped by 767. As a result Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate dropped below 8 percent to 7.9 percent, according to the Office of Employment and Training (OET), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The revised December 2012 state rate was 8 percent. Kentucky’s unemployment rate has not been below 8 percent since November 2008 when it was 7.8 percent. The preliminary January 2013 jobless rate was .6 percentage points below the 8.5 percent rate recorded for the state in January 2012. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate increased to 7.9 percent in January 2013 from 7.8 percent in December 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. “With the exception of a few blips, the unemployment rate has been improving quite steadily over the last year,” said economist Manoj Shanker of the OET. “The improvement in the labor market has been steady, though painfully slow. Mixed signals from the federal government and uncertainty in the foreign market have slowed the hiring process in Kentucky.” Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, are based on estimates from the Current Population Survey of households. It is designed to measure trends rather than to count the actual number of people working. It includes jobs in agriculture and those classified as self-employed. In a separate federal survey of business establishments that excludes jobs in agriculture and people who are self-employed, Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased by 400 jobs in January 2013 from the previous month. On an over-the-year basis, the state’s nonfarm employment has grown by 1 percent with the addition of 18,300 jobs. “Kentucky has now recovered 85,700 or about 71 percent of the 120,000 nonfarm jobs lost during the employment downturn period between January 2008 and February 2010,” said Shanker. Nonfarm data is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics program. According to this survey, four of Kentucky’s 11 major nonfarm North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) job sectors registered gains in employment, while five declined and two remained the same. The government sector, which includes public education, public administration agencies and state-owned hospitals, increased by 3,100 jobs in January 2013. The sector had 400 fewer jobs compared to January 2012. “Almost all the gains in local and state government were in education employment. After undergoing years of budget cuts, some of the jobs in schools and colleges are coming back,” said Shanker. Kentucky’s manufacturing sector rebounded in January 2013 with a gain of 1,500 jobs compared to December 2012. Since January 2012, employment in manufacturing has increased by 9,900 jobs or 4.6 percent. “A review of the statistics indicate that almost all of the growth, both in January and over the past year, was in durable goods industries, which include motor vehicle manufacturing as well as machinery, electrical equipment and appliances,” said Shanker. The construction sector posted an increase of 600 positions in January 2013 from a month ago. Since January 2012, employment in construction has fallen by 1,200 positions or 1.7 percent. The information sector rose by 400 jobs in January 2013. This segment has declined by 700 positions since January 2012. The industries in this sector include traditional publishing as well as software publishing; motion pictures and broadcasting; and telecommunications. The educational and health services sector remained the same from December 2012 to January 2013. The sector has posted an increase of 3,100 jobs since January 2012. Employment in the mining and logging sector was unchanged from December 2012 to January 2013. The number of jobs in this sector has dropped by 4,200 or 18 percent since last January. The financial activities sector declined by 100 jobs in January 2013. Compared to January a year ago businesses involved in finance, insurance, real estate and property leasing have gained 3,000 jobs. The number of jobs in the other services sector, which includes repairs and maintenance, personal care services, and religious organizations, fell by 500 positions January 2013. Compared to a year ago, there has been a loss of 1,700 jobs. Kentucky’s professional and business services sector dropped by 700 jobs in January 2013. This category includes establishments engaged in services that support the day-to-day activities of other organizations, including temporary employment services. Since last January, jobs in the sector have increased by 2,300. Kentucky’s leisure and hospitality sector fell by 1,000 jobs in January 2013. Since January 2012, the sector has expanded by 3,000 positions. This sector includes arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services. “Almost all the job loss was in the area of arts and entertainment which comprises 10 percent of the sector. Employment in theatre, dance and museums is driven by discretionary spending. Though the overall employment situation is improving, wages are stagnant. When faced with tough choices people tend to forego a theater performance and use the money to pay down their debt and pay for school,” said Shanker. The state’s trade, transportation and utilities sector lost 3,700 jobs in January 2013. This is the largest sector in Kentucky with 373,800 positions, and accounts for about 20 percent of nonfarm employment. Since January 2012, jobs in this sector have increased by 5,200 or 1.4 percent. “The decline is in the transportation and warehousing subsector, which has had 30 months of steady year-over-year growth,” said Shanker. “The hiring environment appears to have weakened as the warehouse delivery industry reassesses its employment needs, especially with increased automation.” Civilian labor force statistics include nonmilitary workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. Kentucky’s statewide unemployment rate and employment levels are seasonally adjusted. Employment statistics undergo sharp fluctuations due to seasonal events, such as weather changes, harvests, holidays and school openings and closings. Seasonal adjustments eliminate these influences and make it easier to observe statistical trends. However, because of the small sample size, county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at: www.kylmi.ky.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Mar 21, 2013 16:41:02 GMT -5
Kentucky lost over 2000 jobs in February Commonwealth News Center press release
In February 2013, Kentucky’s civilian labor force was 2,083,557, a decrease of 2,148 individuals compared to the previous month. Employment fell by 149, while the number of unemployed people dropped by 1,999. The government sector, which includes public education, public administration agencies and state-owned hospitals, increased by 700 jobs in February 2013. The sector had 400 more jobs compared to February 2012. In a separate federal survey of business establishments that excludes jobs in agriculture and people who are self-employed, Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased by 6,800 jobs in February 2013 from the previous month. On an over-the-year basis, the state’s nonfarm employment has grown by 1.3 percent with the addition of 23,000 jobs. Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate stayed at 7.9 percent from January 2013 to February 2013, according to the Office of Employment and Training (OET), an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The preliminary February 2013 jobless rate was .4 percentage points below the 8.3 percent rate recorded for the state in February 2012. The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate decreased to 7.7 percent in February 2013 from 7.9 percent in January 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, are based on estimates from the Current Population Survey of households. It is designed to measure trends rather than to count the actual number of people working. It includes jobs in agriculture and those classified as self-employed. “Preliminary February 2013 employment estimates show a considerable improvement in Kentucky’s labor market,” said economist Manoj Shanker of the OET. “Our nonfarm job levels have now reached a post-recession recovery highpoint. We have made considerably more progress than the average state in gaining back lost jobs from the Great Recession.” Nonfarm data is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statistics program. According to this survey, six of Kentucky’s 11 major nonfarm North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) job sectors registered gains in employment, while five declined. Kentucky’s manufacturing sector had the highest number of new jobs as the sector grew by 3,100 positions or 1.2 percent in February 2013. Since February 2012, employment in manufacturing has increased by 13,100 jobs or 6 percent. “Most of the employment gain continues to be in the durable goods industries, which include motor vehicle manufacturing as well as machinery, electrical equipment and appliances,” said Shanker. “The economy’s fundamentals are improving. Though there is less disposable income from the expiration of the 2 percent payroll tax cut, consumers are spending money on cars and keeping the assembly lines humming,” said Shanker. The state’s leisure and hospitality sector rebounded in February 2013 with 2,300 more jobs. Since February 2012, the sector has expanded by 5,200 positions or 3 percent. This sector includes arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services. “The majority of employment in the leisure and hospitality sector is in hotels and restaurants and that has seen steady growth,” said Shanker. “However, 10 percent of the jobs in this category are in the arts and entertainment field and that has been far from steady.” The educational and health services sector gained 1,200 positions in February 2013. The sector has posted an increase of 1,700 jobs since February 2012. “Health care jobs are the real driver for this sector. We have had seven months of steady month-to-month growth. More importantly, this sector has expanded every year since 1990,” said Shanker. The construction sector posted an increase of 900 positions in February 2013 from a month ago. Since February 2012, employment in construction has risen by 300 jobs. “Kentucky has added construction jobs in three of the last four months. The housing market is showing signs of recovery. Low unemployment and record-low mortgage rates have encouraged more people to buy. Nationally, February housing starts were the strongest in almost five years,” Shanker said. The state’s trade, transportation and utilities sector added 800 jobs in February 2013. This is the largest sector in Kentucky with 375,100 positions, and accounts for about 20 percent of nonfarm employment. Since February 2012, jobs in this sector have increased by 5,700 or 1.5 percent. The number of jobs in the other services sector, which includes repairs and maintenance, personal care services, and religious organizations, fell by 100 positions February 2013. Compared to a year ago, there has been a loss of 1,700 jobs. Kentucky’s professional and business services sector dropped by 200 jobs in February 2013. This category includes establishments engaged in services that support the day-to-day activities of other organizations, including temporary employment services. Since last February, jobs in the sector have increased by 1,600. Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at: www.kylmi.ky.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Mar 22, 2013 16:08:16 GMT -5
State Vehicle Auction 10 a.m. on March 26 Commonwealth News Center press release
Nearly 175 vehicles, including more than 60 cargo and passenger vans, are being retired from the state motor pool and will be auctioned off March 26. Approximately 100 used tires, not usually offered at auction, will also be sold. The public auction begins at 10 a.m. at the State Service Garage, 513 Barrett St. in Frankfort. “Each year the state turns over part of its vehicle inventory,” said Pete McDonald, director, Kentucky Division of Fleet Management. “Many individuals and organizations can benefit from buying a low-cost car, truck or van at the auction.” This is the first fleet sale of the year. Vehicles range over years, makes and models, from 1995 to 2007. Vehicles have been categorized with a status of either “runners” or “non-runners.” One of the oldest vehicles on the runner list is a 1995 Ford E350 Club Wagon with 87,178 miles. One of the newer runner status vehicles is a 2006 Ford Expedition with 111,834 miles. Almost 30 vehicles are classified as non-runners to be sold as salvage. “Over the years, we’ve seen businesspeople, churches, non-profit agencies and many others buy vehicles at our surplus property auctions,” said Danny Ford, director of the Division of Surplus Properties. “Whether you need a farm truck or a van, you may be able to find something suitable and affordable.” In 2012 the average sale price of running vehicles was $2,886.46. People interested in the auction may pre-register and inspect the vehicles from 1:30 - 4 p.m., Monday, March 25. In addition, they may register and view the vehicles on the morning of the sale from 8 - 9:50 a.m. Questions can be directed to Fleet Management Inventory at 502-564-9943. More information and a list of vehicles are available online at: finance.ky.gov/services/surplus/Pages/publicauctions.aspxFull payment is due within one hour after the last item is sold. Payment can be made with cash; cashiers, certified, or travelers checks; money order or personal check with proper identification. Any check over $5,000 must be accompanied by a letter of credit from the bank.
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Post by Kentucky News on Apr 13, 2013 11:17:49 GMT -5
National Work Zone Safety Week is April 15-19 Commonwealth News Center press release
A split second of driver distraction can turn a highway work zone into a death zone. According to the Federal Highway Administration, on average, a person dies every 15 hours, and four are injured every hour, in a work zone in the United States. The past three years in Kentucky, 11 people died and 471 people were injured in highway construction and maintenance work zones. That underscores the importance of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s work zone safety campaign April 15-19, in conjunction with National Work Zone Safety Week. The cabinet is hosting events across the state to highlight the safety message and will run radio public service announcements featuring Transportation Cabinet employees and children of employees. “Sadly, mothers and fathers are killed every year while working to make our roadways safe,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “We hope our message – voiced by children of our own employees – will encourage drivers to think about the consequences of speeding and not paying attention in work zones.” The Transportation Cabinet will invest in hundreds of highway projects again this year. Traditionally, the highway construction season kicks off in April. Cabinet engineers and contractors work cooperatively to design projects and work schedules that minimize delays and crashes. “Work zone safety concerns all of us,” said Bill Bell, director of the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety. “Every driver shares the responsibility for keeping our roadways safe. By working together, we can end the needless loss of life in highway work zones.” The cabinet asks motorists to practice 10 work zone safety tips: 1. Expect the unexpected.
2. Slow down.
3. Don’t tailgate. Keep a safe distance between vehicles.
4. Keep a safe distance from workers and equipment.
5. Pay attention to signs.
6. Obey road crew flaggers.
7. Stay alert and minimize distractions.
8. Keep up with the traffic flow.
9. Schedule enough time and call 511 or go to www.511.ky.gov for Kentucky traffic and travel information.
10. Be patient and stay calm.
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Post by Kentucky News on Apr 26, 2013 13:36:00 GMT -5
KHEAA giving away iPad Commonwealth News Center press release
Kentucky residents have another chance to win a new iPad from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) in a sweepstakes being held through Facebook in May. The contest runs from 12 a.m. on May 1, 2013, through 12 a.m. on June 1, 2013. To enter, a Kentuckian must click on the orange graduate icon on the KHEAA Facebook page, answer one question about college, and “like” KHEAA on Facebook. KHEAA will not share or sell any personal information to a third party. Only Kentucky residents are eligible. Employees of KHEAA or its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), and their immediate family members are not eligible. Prior winners are also not eligible. The drawing will be held in early June, and the winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond by email within three calendar days to receive the fourth-generation iPad. If no response is received within three days, another winner will be drawn. To learn how to plan and prepare for higher education, go to www.gotocollege.ky.gov. For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.comKHEAA P.O. Box 798 Frankfort, KY 40602 (800) 928-8926, ext. 6-7372
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Post by Kentucky News on Apr 26, 2013 13:36:48 GMT -5
Kentucky to take part in Rx drug take-back Commonwealth News Center press release
Governor Steve Beshear today announced that Kentucky will again take part in a national prescription drug take-back program to safely dispose of unused, unneeded or expired medications. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday at locations throughout the state. The service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked of people dropping off medications. “My administration has made reducing prescription drug abuse a priority, and while we’ve made significant advances, the effects of this addiction are simply too devastating to become complacent,” Gov. Beshear said. “Medications, once they are no longer needed for their prescribed purposes, should be disposed of properly to reduce their risk of being diverted and abused.” The Take-Back Day addresses vital public safety and public health issues: medicines left in home cabinets are susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse, and studies show a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, the initiative creates a safe, environmentally conscientious way to dispose of medications once they are no longer needed, since flushing the drugs down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. In total, the five previous DEA Take-Back events have removed more than 2 million pounds, or 1,018 tons, of prescription medications from circulation. To find a collection site near them, residents can visit: www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html
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Post by Kentucky News on May 2, 2013 4:20:50 GMT -5
Beef Month in Kentucky Commonwealth News Center press release
As the weather warms, Kentuckians are firing up their grills for tasty burgers and steaks. Gov. Steve Beshear recognizes this American tradition and is proclaiming May 2013 “Beef Month in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.” “I encourage all Kentuckians to support Kentucky’s beef cattle industry and to salute our cattle farmers during the month of May for their contribution to Kentucky’s agricultural and rural economy,” said Gov. Beshear. “The Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund has helped make this industry top-notch, with more than $67 million supporting projects related to the cattle industry in Kentucky since 2001.” From beef farmers to feed manufacturers, equipment dealers and food marketers, thousands of people play a role in bringing beef from pasture to plate. In fact, beef farmers generated nearly $630 million in cash receipts from the sale of cattle and calves in 2011. Kentucky has more than 2 million head of cattle on Kentucky farms, and as one of the largest segments of American agriculture, the beef industry ranks in the top five among agricultural commodities in Kentucky. Beef also plays a key role in a healthy diet. Emerging research continues to support findings that protein, like that enjoyed in lean beef, can help maintain healthy weight, build muscle and gain the energy needed for active lives. Since there are over 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean, like filet mignon, T-bone, top sirloin and 93 percent lean beef, today’s consumers have plenty of healthy beef options. Visit: www.kybeef.comfor ways to celebrate beef month or join in a Beef Council promotional event. For more information on Kentucky’s Beef Industry contact Alison Smith with the Kentucky Beef Council at 859-278-0899 or 859-285-0204.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jun 19, 2013 6:38:00 GMT -5
Raise a Glass (of Milk), Toast Dairy Month Commonwealth News Center press release
Governor Steve Beshear recognized the official beverage of Kentucky by proclaiming June 2013 Dairy Month in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Gov. Beshear signed a proclamation in recognition of the importance of Kentucky’s dairy industry to the Commonwealth. “I urge all Kentuckians to support Kentucky’s dairy industry, and to salute Kentucky’s dairy farmers and processors for their contributions to Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “The Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund has helped the re-growth of Kentucky’s dairy industry with more than $13 million in grants and loans related to the dairy industry.” Dairy farming is a family tradition; one that has been a way of life for many generations. Kentucky dairy farmers and processors are proud to provide consumers and their families with safe, wholesome dairy foods. They take pride in producing a nutritious product for their neighbors and communities. More than 130 million gallons of milk are produced on Kentucky farms. In 2012, cash receipts from the sale of milk were nearly $215 million, making a vital contribution to the economy of Kentucky. Kentucky also boasts several dairy processing facilities that produce a variety of dairy products, including gourmet cheeses, yogurts, cottage cheese, bottled milk, salad dressings and ice cream. The economic impact of Kentucky’s dairy industry is more than $767 million. During this month, the Kentucky Dairy Development Council (KDDC), Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA), the Dairy Processors Association of Kentucky (DPAK) and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) have been celebrating dairy month with special events being held across the state. The theme for this year is “Dairy Packs Power!” Dairy foods offer nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, protein and potassium, which play key roles in building strong bones and teeth. Milk, cheese and yogurt “Pack Power” with protein and are a healthy part of a balanced, nutritious diet. Take time to celebrate June Dairy Month by enjoying the many dairy products available locally, including an ice cold glass of milk – the official beverage of Kentucky. For more information about the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA), visit www.southeastdairy.org or visit www.junedairymonth.org for ways to celebrate the occasion. For more information on Kentucky’s dairy industry contact the Kentucky Dairy Development Council at (859) 516-1129 or by e-mail at kddc@dairy.org. Visit www.kyproud.com to find Kentucky dairy products near you.
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