Archive for August, 2009

State Park manager suspended for allowing alcohol sales

FRANKFORT — The manager of the Greenbo Lake State Resort Park was suspended for 15 days in August for allowing a cash bar at the state park in a dry county.

Cary Q. Lyle was suspended after officials with the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, which oversees the state park system, discovered that a non-profit connected to Lyle had served alcohol during a March fund-raiser at the Greenup County state park, according to documents obtained by the Herald-Leader.

Greenup County is a dry county and alcohol can not be served in state parks without special permission.

Lyle is vice president of the Greenup County Growing with the Arts Council, which held the fund-raiser. Lyle told state officials that he did not know that the event included a cash bar, but state officials said Lyle was present during meetings where the cash bar was openly discussed. Lyle returned to work on Aug. 27 but could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Lyle has 60 days to appeal the decision to the state Personnel Board.

– Beth Musgrave

State will close Lexington juvenile facility to save money

FRANKFORT — A Lexington juvenile detention facility that treats sex offenders will close by November because of the latest round of cuts to the state budget, officials said Monday.

Bluegrass Youth Development Center — which currently houses 25 juvenile sex offenders — will close its doors this fall to make up a projected four percent, or $4 million, cut to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

The 25 offenders will be moved to two treatment programs in Owensboro and Mayfield. The 46 staff at the facility will be offered jobs at other juvenile justice facilities, said Jennifer Brislin, a spokeswoman for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

The move comes after Gov. Steve Beshear announced Thursday that most state agencies — with several exceptions — will have to make deeper-than-expected cuts to balance the books for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Putting around with Beshear raises money for Democratic Party

FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear is hosting the second annual “Capitol Classic Golf Scramble” to raise money for the Kentucky Democratic Party.

An e-mail release Monday from state Democratic Party Chairman Charles E. Moore said the golfing event will be held Sept. 28 at Kearney Hill Links in Lexington.

Chandler to discuss health care at American Cancer Society event

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Versailles, will discuss health care legislation at Lexington’s American Cancer Society headquarters on Tuesday.

The 1 p.m. discussion is described in a cancer society news release as a chance for cancer patients to call on Chandler “to pass legislation that guarantees adequate, affordable insurance for people with cancer and for those who could get cancer.”

The event will be held on the terrace between the American Cancer Society office, at 1504 College Way off Alumni Drive, and the neighboring American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.

- Cheryl Truman

Web site promotes ‘fight’ to raise money for Paul

FRANKFORT – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul and a mysterious supporter are attempting to paint GOP front-runner Trey Grayson as a Washington D.C. insider.

Supporter Josh Manuel, whom Paul campaign manager David Adams said he doesn’t know, has launched a Web site promoting a “Kentucky Fight” between Paul and Grayson on Sept. 23.

The site, titled “Rand ‘We the People’ vs. Trey ‘The DC Insiders,’” notes that 23 Republican U.S. senators, including Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell, are to hold a $500-per-plate fundraiser for Grayson’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign in Washington on Sept. 23.

“This deck stacking favoritism in a highly contested GOP primary is unacceptable,” said the site, www.kentuckyfight.com. It encourages donors to pledge $100 to Paul’s campaign in response.

Webb plans to be sworn in Monday as new senator

FRANKFORT — State Rep. Robin Webb plans to become state Sen. Webb on Monday.

Webb, a Democratic state representative since 1999, said Friday that her swearing-in ceremony to become the new state senator from the 18th District in northeastern Kentucky is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday in the circuit court room of the Carter County Courthouse. Circuit Judge Rebecca Phillips is to administer the oath of office.

‘Comment’ will discuss prison riot, League of Cities

Three journalists will discuss the riot at Northpoint Training Center near Burgin and the resignation of Sylvia Lovely as executive director of the Kentucky League of Cities on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky,” a public affairs show on the Kentucky Educational Television network.

Joining host Ferrell Wellman will be Linda Blackford of the Lexington Herald-Leader, David Brock of The Advocate-Messenger in Danville and Greg Stotelmyer of Lexington’s WTVQ-TV.

McConnell says he won’t endorse in U.S. Senate race

LOUISVILLE – U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell will not make a formal endorsement in next year’s Republican primary election for the U.S. Senate even though he is hosting a fundraiser next month for Secretary of State Trey Grayson’s Senate campaign.

“I won’t take a position in the primary,” McConnell told reporters Thursday before the 46th annual Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast at the state fair.

Asked about the $500-a-person fundraiser he and 22 other GOP senators are hosting Sept. 23 for Grayson at the National Republican Senatorial Committee headquarters in Washington, McConnell said any Republican candidate can use the facilities.

Cuts to most state agencies will be 4 percent

FRANKFORT — Most state agencies can expect a four percent cut to their budgets to makeup a projected shortfall for the fiscal year that began July 1, a state official told a state legislative committee on Thursday.

Mary Lassiter, state budget director, told the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue that most state agencies will see a four percent cut with the exception of the main funding formula for K-12 education, universities and the Medicaid program.

Beshear: No rush to find permanent transportation secretary

LOUISVILLE – Mike Hancock will stay on as interim secretary of the state Transportation Cabinet at least through next year’s legislative session, Gov. Steve Beshear said Thursday.

“We’re in no rush to name a permanent secretary. Mike is knowledgeable, particularly about the budget,” Beshear said. Kentucky’s General Assembly will meet next year from January through mid-April.