Archive for April, 2011

Williams, Moffett take on Beshear at Fayette GOP dinner

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

Two Republican candidates for governor took on Democratic incumbent Steve Beshear more than each other Saturday night at the Fayette County Republican Party dinner.

Senate President David Williams of Burkesville claimed Beshear, who has no opponent in May’s Democratic primary election, has no agenda and Louisville businessman Phil Moffett said Forbes magazine last October labeled Kentucky as the worst run state in the nation and that Kentucky’s bond rating has declined because of the state’s financial picture.

Williams and Moffett were at center stage at the Fayette GOP dinner at the Griffin Gate Marriott attended by about 200 people and hosted by Lexington sports media celebrity Dave Baker.

A third Republican candidate for governor, Jefferson County Clerk Bobbie Holsclaw, was invited but did not show up, said Fayette County GOP Chair Carol Rogers.

Beshear seeks federal disaster declaration for farmers, eases regulations on trucks

FRANKFORT — Gov. Steve Beshear asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Friday for a disaster declaration on behalf of Kentucky farmers following severe storms and flooding that have hit the state since April 17.

“Reports indicate that Kentucky farmers have significant losses of crops and infrastructure, and the conditions have critically impacted spring plantings,” Beshear said in a statement. “The severe storms and flooding have significantly impacted Kentucky’s farms and assistance from the USDA is critical and necessary to offset resulting income losses.”

Beshear’s request covers the counties of Ballard, Graves, Marion, Breckinridge, Hancock, Marshall, Caldwell, Henderson, McCracken, Carlisle, Hickman, McLean, Crittenden, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Daviess, Livingston, Union, Fulton, Lyon and Webster.

‘Comment” will discuss storms and governor’s race; ‘KY Tonight’ will feature lt. gov. candidates

Storms in Kentucky and the South and this year’s governor’s race and other elections will be topics on this weekend’s “Comment on Kentucky,” a public affairs show of the Kentucky Educational Television network.

Joining substitute host Bill Bryant of WKYT-TV in Lexington will be three reporters — Phillip M. Bailey of WFPL-FM in Louisville, Gregory Hall of The Courier-Journal and Jack Brammer of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

The 30-minute show airs live Friday at 8 p.m. EDT on KET1. It also will be broadcast at 6:30 a.m. Saturday on KET KY, 7:30 a.m. Sunday on KET KY, 12:30 p.m. Sunday on KET 1, 8 a.m. Monday on KET KY and 7:30 p.m. Monday on KET KY.

On Monday, “Kentucky Tonight” on KET and at www.ket.org/live, will feature host Bill Goodman talking with the Republican primary candidates for lieutenant governor — state Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer of Clay County, state Rep. Mike Harmon of Danville and Bill Vermillion Jr., a Navy veteran from Caneyville.

It will air at 8 p.m. on KET1.

Department of Insurance asks Passport to tighten reporting, conflicts of interest

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Department of Insurance wants the Passport Health Plan to require more of its staff to report conflicts of interest and also wants more reporting on how some grant money is spent.

The recommendations came out of an insurance audit of Passport Health Plan, which was the subject of a scathing state audit in November that questioned the organization’s management. Passport Health Plan is currently the only Medicaid managed health care plan in Kentucky, serving more than 160,000 poor people in Jefferson and 15 counties.

Williams and Farmer defend Farmer’s state expenses and begin bus tour

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

LOUISVILLE – Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams and his running mate, Richie Farmer, defended Farmer’s controversial state expenses Thursday before boarding a big blue-and-white bus to start their “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way” campaign tour of the state.

Williams, president of the state Senate, and Farmer, state agriculture commissioner, appeared together at a news conference in Louisville before leaving on their bus tour that will run every day except Sundays through May 16.

Williams, in his comments to a crowd of about 50 at the Jefferson County GOP headquarters, noted recent news reports about Farmer’s travel expenses and Farmer’s popularity as a basketball star at the University of Kentucky in the 1990s.

“When we started, I thought you were shooting three-pointers and I was taking charges,” Williams said to Farmer. “You are taking some charges yourself. When they are talking about you, they are leaving me alone.”

Democrats chide Williams for defending Farmer’s Sweet 16 expenses

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams Wednesday for defending a $1,576, four-night hotel bill his running mate, Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, racked up at state expense during last month’s Sweet Sixteen boys’ basketball tournament in Lexington.

Williams, president of the state Senate from Burkesville, said in a video released by the Democratic Party that Farmer’s “celebrity status” helped justify the expense, which included a $359-a-night suite at the Hilton Lexington/Downtown.

Farmer’s office has said he was at the tournament to promote the Kentucky Proud program, a marketing effort to encourage Kentuckians to buy local food products.

Logsdon said Wednesday that Williams was asked at a Legacy 2011 Newsmakers Series Forum Tuesday night in Newport whether it was fair for state taxpayers to pick up the tab for Farmer’s hotel stay.

Richie Farmer reverses course, will participate in state furlough

By John Cheves
jcheves@herald-leader.com

On second thought, Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has decided to participate in the state furlough.

Farmer, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, late Tuesday issued an apology and reversed his previous stand, saying he will participate in the state government furloughs by donating six days of his $110,346 annual salary to charities.

“I am sorry that I did not come to this conclusion sooner,” Farmer said. “It was never my intention to make it seem that I was insensitive to the plight of state employees.”

On April 9, the Herald-Leader reported that Farmer was the state’s only constitutional officer to skip the furloughs.

Unlike most state workers, who must take six furlough days this fiscal year, constitutional officers are exempt because the law prohibits them from altering their own salaries. But Gov. Steve Beshear and the others, citing a need for shared sacrifice, get around that by writing checks to the state treasury or to charities to forfeit their pay on furlough days.

Kentucky state resort parks put out welcome mat for pets

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Department of Parks is putting out the welcome mat for pets.

In a new policy announced Tuesday for its 17 resort parks, the department immediately will allow pets in specially-designated lodge rooms.

Pet owners will pay a $25 fee for each reservation. A limited number of rooms will be available for pets at each lodge.

Upon check in, guests who choose a pet-friendly room will receive a copy of the park pet policy and will be required to sign a waiver form verifying that they will comply with the policy.

Guests who bring a pet into a room not designated for pets will be subject to an additional charge of $25 per stay and a $100 cleaning fee.

Luallen questions Fish and Wildlife contract for luxury suite at Louisville Bats games

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – State Auditor Crit Luallen is questioning $3,900 the state Department of Fish and Wildlife paid the Louisville Bats minor league baseball organization to promote the agency.

A $3,400 contract the department had in 2010 with the Bats called for four “sponsor nights” at the Louisville ballpark. It provided discounted admissions to four games for owners of hunting and fishing licenses and the use of a 22-person luxury suite for two games, not including food and beverage.

The department also paid $500 to use the luxury suite an additional two nights but used it for only one of the two optional nights for a total of three nights, said Luallen spokesman Terry Sebastian.

Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Mark Marraccini said the agency stands by the expense.

The agency’s partnership with the baseball team directly ties to the department’s mission to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in the state and provide opportunities for hunters, fishers and boaters, Marraccini said.

Hemp arises as issue in race for ag commissioner

By ROGER ALFORD | Associated Press

FRANKFORT — Most candidates for agriculture commissioner have come out in favor of allowing Kentucky farmers to grow industrial hemp as an alternative crop, despite reservations from law enforcement that it could be used to camouflage illegal marijuana crops.