Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

KTRS will work with panel to come up with "reasonable solution" to funding woes, but bonding still "very viable option"

06/22/2015 06:47 PM
FRANKFORT — After a push to authorize $3.3 billion in state bonds fizzled earlier this year, the head of the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System said Monday the agency will explore other funding options with a task force specifically impaneled to suggest ways to put KTRS on solid financial footing. Monday marked the first time officials with KTRS presented details on their pension and health insurance plans to the Public Pension Oversight Board, which had the agency added to its purview in... Read more 

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell joins bipartisan chorus of voices calling for "move beyond" Confederate flag

06/22/2015 04:55 PM
Joining voices on both sides of the aisle, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said “it’s time to move beyond” the Confederate battle flag flying on the grounds of the South Carolina state Capitol. In a statement sent to the media Monday afternoon, McConnell said the “Confederate Battle Flag means different things to different people, but the fact that it continues to be a painful reminder of racial oppression to many.” The symbolic “reminder of racial oppression” dating back to the Civil War... Read more 

C-SPAN to spotlight Lexington's literary and historic heritage

06/22/2015 04:33 PM
LEXINGTON – Lexington’s history and literary life are being highlighted by C-SPAN as part of their Cities Tour which airs on C-SPAN 2 and C-SPAN 3. Crews are in the Lexington area this week, taking specially outfitted Local Content Vehicles, in partnership with Time Warner Cable, visiting various literary and historic sites interviewing local historians, authors and civic leaders. C-SPAN was welcomed on Monday by Lexington Mayor Jim Gray and Time Warner Cable at a press conference to announce the producing of... Read more 

The Chatter: Rand Paul campaign returning donations from white supremacist Charleston shooting influencer; S.C. Gov. Haley to call for removal of Confederate flag

06/22/2015 04:15 PM
A white supremacist leader who apparently influenced suspected Charleston, S.C., church shooter Dylann Roof made multiple donations to 2016 Republican presidential candidates including U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. Earl Holt III donated at least $2,250 to the campaign of Paul as well as thousands more to the presidential campaigns of Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum, according to The Guardian. Paul’s campaign told the New York Times that they planned on donating the money they’ve identified as coming from Holt... Read more 
Kentucky Lawmakers Still Considering $3.3 Billion Bond For Teacher Pensions
from Ryland Barton
Kentucky teacher pension officials are still asking for a $3.3 billion bailout of the system, saying it would increase the plan’s funded ratio from 53 percent to 66 percent and reduce the amount the state has to contribute. A bill that sought to authorize the bonding measure passed the Democrat-led state House, but it failed in a conference committee during the last days of this year’s legislative session. Critics of the plan said that the bonding measure would hurt the state’s credit rating. Kentucky Teacher Retirement Systems director Gary Harbin said rating agencies already know about the state’s debt level and the new bonds [...]
Tue, Jun 23, 2015 12:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville Metro Police Chief: FOP Letter Damaged Relationship With Community
from Jacob Ryan
The controversial open letter from the president of the local Fraternal Order of Police damaged the relationship between the community and law enforcement, Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad said. “Absolutely,” Conrad said on Monday evening. “I think we lost some ground because of that letter.” The letter sent last week by Sgt. David Mutchler included a section addressing “sensationalists, liars and race baiters” who criticized police and their tactics. The letter sparked instant outrage. Activists took to social media and city leaders issued statements. Mayor Greg Fischer denounced Mutchler’s letter, saying “this letter does not reflect the sentiments of me or the [...]
Tue, Jun 23, 2015 10:56:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Former Pike lawmaker had mine inspector in 'his back pocket,' prosecutor says as bribery trial begins
from jcheves@herald-leader.com (John Cheves)
A jury was seated Monday in U.S. District Court in Pikeville and opening statements were presented in the trial of former state Rep. Keith Hall. The defense acknowledged that Hall,Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 11:33:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville MSD OKs Flood Buyout Funding—But City Funding Still In Question
from Ashley Lopez
The Metropolitan Sewer District approved its end of a plan on Monday that would potentially fund a $3 million quick buyout program for Louisville homes that have been repeatedly damaged by flooding. Related StoryFunding For Short-Term Flood Buyout Program Won't Come From Louisville MetroThis means agency has agreed to spend $1 million to buyout homes that have sustained flood damages so often that they are currently prohibited by city rules from repairs. But the plan—part of recent recommendations from a workgroup appointed by Mayor Greg Fischer—also called for funding from Louisville Metro Government. That likely won’t happen for some time—if at all, according to [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 9:48:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
UK's refusal to release information about animal research violates open-records law, state rules
from lblackford@herald-leader.com (Linda B. Blackford)
The University of Kentucky has twice violated the state's open records law since 2014, according to opinions released Monday by the Kentucky attorney general's office.Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 9:31:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Sam Youngman: Confederate flag poses big test for Rand Paul
Whatever position Rand Paul takes on the issue of whether the Confederate flag should still fly on the grounds of the state Capitol in South Carolina will tell us a…Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 9:15:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Monday, June 22, 2015

Today's Political Headlines


With postsecondary education attainment tied to funding, CPE President Bob King calls for additional money

06/21/2015 02:30 PM
With “the steady of erosion” of state funding for Kentucky’s public colleges and universities since the recession, Bob King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, says the state’s education achievement stats have dropped dramatically. “When the legislature and governor were prepared and did invest in education the universities delivered,” King said, pointing to higher education reforms put in place in 1997 and later investments made by the legislature in the early 2000s. As a result of the reforms and... Read more 

New committee could give new voice to 911 funding issue, Rep. King says

06/20/2015 02:26 PM
With a new special House committee on technology in place, Rep. Martha Jane King will have an avenue to present legislation she’s championed recently on 911 funding for local governments. King, chairwoman of the newly impaneled House Special Committee on Advanced Communications and Information Technology, said her bill to shore up funding for emergency 911 services. In her western district alone, the Lewisburg Democrat said Logan and Todd county fiscal courts subsidized their 911 programs by $750,000 last year. HB 418,... Read more 

First joint appearance lacks debate feel, but gubernatorial hopefuls continue public sparring on taxes, plans

06/19/2015 09:22 PM
The first “debate” between Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway and Republican gubernatorial nominee Matt Bevin Friday wasn’t an exchange of ideas, but rather a pair of broad speeches limited to 15 minutes with only Bevin, by virtue of speaking last, given an opportunity at rebuttal. The two shared the stage for the first time as their parties’ nominees at the Kentucky County Judge-Executive Association/Kentucky Magistrates and Commissioners Association Joint Summer Conference at the Galt House in Louisville. Their pre-lunch remarks drew... Read more 

Candidates for governor, attorney general react to South Carolina killings

06/19/2015 04:32 PM
This week a young man ambushed and killed nine African-Americans in an historic church in Charleston, S.C., and as the country comes to grips with the latest tragedy, Pure Politics asked Kentucky gubernatorial and attorney general hopefuls how leaders in those offices can help stop the violence. The accused, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, is in police custody for his actions as President Barack Obama again tries to console a nation in the face of another mass shooting, which some are describing... Read more 

Rep. Martha Jane King hopeful special House panel on technology paves the way for statutory committee on subject

06/19/2015 09:02 AM
State Rep. Martha Jane King has been clamoring for a technology-focused legislative committee since joining the General Assembly in 2009, saying such a panel could have eased the path for bills on the deregulation of landline telephone service and reformulating how much cellular telephone users pay in monthly 911 surcharges. The Lewisburg Democrat will get that opportunity on Tuesday when she gavels in a special House panel on advanced communications and information technology. “Technology is like any other subject matter,” King said... Read more 
West Louisville Biofuel Plants Plan Met With Resistance
from Ashley Lopez
An Indiana-based renewable energy company has begun trying to sell West Louisville residents on a proposal to build two biofuel sites in the area. It’s not going well. Nature’s Methane’s proposed plant would convert organic waste into methane —a natural gas—on Maple Street. West Louisville residents are expressing concerns that the plant would bring odor, health risks and unsightly infrastructure to the neighborhood. They also question why the plant must be built in such a densely populated area. But company officials say the plant works best if it’s in a densely populated area because it’s closer to the source of organic feed. The company’s representatives say [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 10:49:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
White supremacist donated to GOP presidential candidates
The leader of a white supremacist group cited by Charleston church murder suspect Dylann Roof made $65,000 in donations to Republicans, including several to Republican presidential candidates, The Guardian newspaper…Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Jun 22, 2015 5:39:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Most of America Could Be Fed With Local Food, Study Says
from Erica Peterson
Under certain scenarios, a large percentage of Americans could subsist on a diet made up of mostly local food, according to a new study. The study out of the University of California Merced measured the areas of the country with available farmland, calculated how productive the farmland is and where people live. Throughout most of the country—including Kentucky—more than 80 percent of the population could be fed a balanced diet from food that could theoretically be grown within 50 miles. “What was surprising was how much capacity still exists,” said Elliott Campbell, a professor at UC Merced and one of the study’s [...]
Sun, Jun 21, 2015 12:17:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Drug that was supposed to stem Kentucky's heroin epidemic creates a whole new problem
from mmeehan1@herald-leader.com (Mary Meehan)
Kentucky doctors have new restrictions for prescribing Suboxone after efforts to curb pill mills created a new cash-for-pills market and a street trade for the drug designed to safely wean…Click to Continue » [...]
Sat, Jun 20, 2015 10:51:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Confederate flag sets off debate in GOP 2016 class
Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president in 2012, called for the immediate removal of the Confederate battle flag from outside the South Carolina Statehouse, scrambling the 2016 GOP presidential…Click to Continue » [...]
Sat, Jun 20, 2015 7:05:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Strange Fruit: Rachel Dolezal Didn’t Come Out—She Got Caught
from Laura Ellis
As we celebrate Juneteenth this weekend, it’s with the impossible-to-ignore knowledge of how much work the United States still has to do to achieve safety and true equality for all its citizens. We recorded this show before a white supremacist named Dylann Roof opened fire on a Bible study group at historically black Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina. It was before many in the mainstream media assumed he was mentally ill. It was before Roof’s roommate said he’d been planning the attack for six months, but no one tried to stop him. It was before Roof was taken into [...]
Sat, Jun 20, 2015 12:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Friday, June 19, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Florida nonprofit pushing local right-to-work ordinances sues KREF

06/18/2015 11:13 PM
FRANKFORT — A Tampa, Fla., nonprofit focused on enacting local right-to-work ordinances sued the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance in federal court Thursday, claiming the state’s ban on corporate political donations violates its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The Goldwater Institute filed the action in U.S. District Court in Frankfort on behalf of Protect My Check Inc., a 501(c )(4) formed in September that’s involved in defending right-to-work ordinances passed by local governments in Kentucky. The Kentucky Constitution bans contributions by corporations... Read more 

Conway releases tax records in spite of Bevin's refusal, reveals forced energy stock sale worth $5.4M

06/18/2015 09:28 PM
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jack Conway released three years of tax returns as promised Thursday, offering the public a glimpse at his personal finances ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Conway’s campaign and other Democrats have hounded Republican candidate Matt Bevin to follow suit since the Louisville businessman told Pure Politics June 10 he would if elected, but not as a candidate. The Kentucky Democratic Party, in fact, released an online clock on Monday to track the amount of time... Read more 

Medical providers tell legislators about the challenges they face with Medicaid MCOs

06/18/2015 06:27 PM
ERLANGER — Members of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources heard from health care providers on Thursday in northern Kentucky about the impact of Medicaid managed care on their abilities to run their businesses successfully. Some of the issues include non-payment, late payment and the complicated and lengthy process to get approvals to treat many Medicaid patients. Josh Greeman, director of the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, told the committee that one factor crippling health care providers is the fact that... Read more 
Truck Farm Takes the Garden to Louisville Youth
from Ja'Nel Johnson
The Food Literacy Project recently launched a mobile edible learning garden. Truck Farm Louisville is a garden planted in the bed of a pickup truck. It will travel to Louisville area schools, where students will get their hands dirty learning about the origin of food. “The Truck Farm will let us take our, what we call a field to fork program, out on the road and reach more children and families,” said Carol Gundersen, executive director of the Food Literacy Project. The traveling garden will support the organization’s mission of helping the community build healthy relationships with food, farming and land, she said. The teens, [...]
Fri, Jun 19, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Eastern Kentucky Doesn’t Have Enough Lawyers to Handle Social Security Cases
from Ryland Barton
Eastern Kentucky doesn’t have enough lawyers to represent Social Security recipients who have been notified that their payments will be discontinued, according to attorneys in the region. Last month, the Social Security Administration sent suspension notices to 900 disability benefits recipients and 600 Supplemental Security Income recipients who had been clients of Eric Conn, an Eastern Kentucky attorney who has been under investigation for filing fraudulent disability claims. Benefits were restored on June 4 after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the SSA. Disability recipients were given 30 days to come up with medical records to prove their disability at the time they [...]
Fri, Jun 19, 2015 1:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Funding For Short-Term Flood Buyout Program Won’t Come From Louisville Metro
from Ashley Lopez
Louisville Metro’s budget, which will go to a final vote in a week, will not include money for a proposed flood buyout program. A city workgroup earlier this month recommended a $3 million plan for a short-term buyout program for homes that have sustained repetitive flood damage. The workgroup also recommended the the buyout be paid for by Louisville Metro, MSD and federal money. But that’s not happening now. Chris Poynter, a spokesman for Mayor Greg Fischer, said the city budget will not include money for a short-term program that would buyout as many as 30 homes over a few months. “You know, really MSD [...]
Thu, Jun 18, 2015 10:01:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
UK HealthCare announces plans for second 12-story medical tower, new focus on outpatient care
from mmeehan1@herald-leader.com (Mary Meehan)
Not yet finished with a 12-story, $1 billion building project begun in 2004, UK HealthCare announced Thursday plans for another 12-story tower to replace Good Samaritan Hospital. The budget for…Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jun 18, 2015 9:25:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Jack Conway releases tax returns for past three years, challenges Matt Bevin to do the same
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
Democrat Jack Conway made public his income tax returns for the last three years Thursday and urged Matt Bevin, his Republican opponent in this year's race for governor of Kentucky,Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jun 18, 2015 2:35:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Florida group challenges Kentucky law that bans corporations from making political contributions
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
A Florida-based group is challenging in court a Kentucky law that bans corporations from making political contributions to candidates and parties.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Jun 18, 2015 1:47:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Proposed bill would change school lockdown procedures in response to armed intruders

06/18/2015 08:30 AM
ERLANGER — State Rep. Diane St. Onge will re-file a bill for the 2016 session which would address changes in the way school officials look at lockdown procedures in the event of an armed intruder. St. Onge, R-Lakeside Park, doesn’t feel that current procedures don’t necessarily deal specifically with an armed intruder. “There’s certain dangers with that if we don’t have any parameters that are set,” St. Onge said. “So in compliance with FEMA and the DHS, this is something which I... Read more 

Northern Kentucky looks to elevate community with five-year strategic plan

06/17/2015 11:30 PM
ERLANGER — Northern Kentucky leaders have unveiled a five-year strategic action plan on Tuesday that will enable the nine-county area to become more vibrant and prosperous in the future. The initiative, myNKY, designates four goals that were decided on after some 15,000 ideas were submitted from individuals in the region. The four goals in the myNKY 2015-20 work plan include: Education: 1,000 more children prepared for kindergarten Health: 20,000 more adults rating health status as excellent or very good Jobs: 5 percent increase in the... Read more 

Health officials laud Medicaid expansion while lawmakers question cost, MCOs

06/17/2015 11:00 PM
FRANKFORT — After hearing from state health officials on the benefits of expanding Medicaid eligibility, lawmakers questioned future costs to cover the newly eligible as well as the effectiveness of a program in which some health-care providers go several months without full reimbursements. Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Audrey Haynes and Department for Medicaid Services Commissioner Lisa Lee testified before the Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee Wednesday, telling legislators that expanded Medicaid coverage has not only drastically reduced the... Read more 

New child-care rankings to make it easier for parents to choose early education programs wisely

06/17/2015 04:16 PM
FRANKFORT — Parents of young children will now have another tool to choose the best child-care facility for their children thanks to a new rating system for facilities that will take effect in 2016. Gov. Steve Beshear signed House Bill 234 on Monday, which expands the STARS for KIDS NOW quality rating system to include almost all early care and education programs so families can more easily make choices based on quality. The new rating system focuses on instructional quality, staff qualifications,... Read more 

Twenty-three empaneled to explore funding woes at KTRS

06/16/2015 04:54 PM
A 23-member group has been empaneled via executive order to examine funding issues at the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System, Gov. Steve Beshear announced in a news release Tuesday. The panel, created via executive order and called the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System Funding Work Group, is expected to present its recommendations by Dec. 1 and explore how other states grant pension benefits, various funding options and draft a plan to improve KTRS’s financial standing, according to the release. “Our teachers are the foundation... Read more 

Northern Ky. Chamber head disappointed that no gubernatorial debates taking place in northern, eastern or western Kentucky

06/16/2015 10:10 AM
FORT MITCHELL — Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President and former Secretary of State Trey Grayson is unhappy that there will be no gubernatorial debates held in northern Kentucky. It was announced that Democratic gubernatorial nominee Attorney General Jack Conway and GOP nominee Matt Bevin will participate in five debates beginning this Friday at the County Judge-Executives/Magistrates Conference in Louisville. The gubernatorial candidates are also scheduled to meet at Kentucky Farm Bureau’s “Measure the Candidates” event July 23; a debate hosted by... Read more 

Clock's literally ticking on Bevin's tax returns, figuratively ticking on detailed policy from Conway

06/15/2015 09:10 PM
As Kentucky Democrats set up an online clock to track how long it’s been since Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin said he would not publicize his tax records during the campaign, the GOP hopeful is calling on Democrat Jack Conway to release his first written policy platform. The Kentucky Democratic Party set up the online timer on Monday to keep up with “the amount of time Bevin is refusing to disclose this important information to Kentucky residents,” according to a news... Read more 
Grimes: Gubernatorial Candidate Curtis Can’t Use E-Signatures For Kentucky Ballot Petition
from Ryland Barton
Independent candidate for governor Drew Curtis needs to get 5,000 signatures by Aug. 11 in order to appear on the ballot in November’s general election. Curtis, who runs news aggregation website Fark.com, was hoping to gather some of the signatures online. But on Wednesday Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky’s chief election official, said online signatures won’t count towards his petition. “As the Kentucky Supreme Court has recognized, the purpose of the information required on a petition of candidacy is to enable verification of the signers’ identities,” said Lynn Zellen, a spokesperson for Grimes’s office. “In order to serve that purpose, filing [...]
Wed, Jun 17, 2015 8:29:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Indiana Health Officials Look Ahead in Battle Against HIV, Hepatitis C
from Ja'Nel Johnson
Indiana state health officials say they’re working to transfer more responsibility to local officials dealing with the response to the HIV outbreak in the southeastern part of the state. Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams and Deputy State Health Commissioner Jennifer Walthall  outlined the transition and long-term sustainability efforts in a news conference Wednesday. Adams said he wants to make it clear that the Indiana health department is not leaving Scott County, where 170 people have been newly-diagnosed with HIV since December. “This is a transition to more local control, more local empowerment. But the state will remain partners with Scott [...]
Wed, Jun 17, 2015 8:19:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Rand Paul tries to court evangelicals while keeping live-and-let-live libertarian base
The libertarianism that launched Paul’s political career can be a tough fit with the religious right, which plays an outsized role in the primary elections to select the Republican nominee…Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Jun 17, 2015 7:47:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Streamlines Access to HOMEbuyer Program
from Jacob Ryan
The Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund is reworking the way it disperses money from a federal program, which will allow it to get low-income residents into housing faster. The federally funded HOMEbuyer program provides developers with money to construct homes for low-income residents, and to help those residents find and thrive in an affordable housing setting, said Rachel Hurst, executive director of the affordable housing trust. Hurst said the program kicked-off midway through last year and, initially, developers weren’t required to respond with a full plan in place. For example, a developer could apply for funds before ensuring there were qualified families to [...]
Wed, Jun 17, 2015 6:44:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray won't say if he will veto changes council made to his budget
from bmusgrave@herald-leader.com (Beth Musgrave)
Lexington Mayor Jim Gray applauded the work of the Urban County Council in its deliberation of his proposed $323 million budget on Tuesday but declined to say if he would…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Jun 16, 2015 9:14:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Beshear appoints group to find solutions for Kentucky's unstable teacher retirement fund
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
Gov. Steve Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday to create a 23-member group to address the state's financially strapped Teachers' Retirement System.Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Jun 16, 2015 9:05:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Beshear creates special panel to study teachers’ retirement funding; Hoover criticizes it
from Jack Brammer
By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday to create a 23-member group to address the state’s financially strapped Teachers’ Retirement System. Beshear named David Karem, a former Democratic state senator from Louisville and a former chairman of the state Board of Education, to chair the panel and to submit a report to him by or on Dec. 1. Beshear leaves office in early December and could turn over any recommendations to the 2016 General Assembly. The creation of the special panel drew applause from the top two legislative leaders – House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, and Senate [...]
Tue, Jun 16, 2015 8:35:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
John Schaff named new head of Legislative Ethics Commission
from Jack Brammer
HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU FRANKFORT -- John Schaaf, who has been legal counsel for the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission since 2004, will become its news executive director Aug. 1. Schaaf will replace Anthony Wilhoit, who is retiring. The bipartisan commission, made up of private citizens, selected Schaaf from 38 applications from all over the country, commission chairman George Troutman of Louisville said in a release. In 1992, Schaaf worked with the Task Force on Governmental Ethics to draft the legislation which created the Legislative Ethics Commission. Before joining the commission as its legal counsel, Schaaf was general counsel for the Legislative Research Commission for 16 [...]
Mon, Jun 15, 2015 7:50:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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