COMER VOTES NO ON DEBT LIMIT EXTENSION
Congress is avoiding a first-ever government default on debt obligations, for now. The House passed a short-term debt limit extension on Tuesday. The short-term extension was negotiated by Senate Republicans and Democrats last week. First District Congressman James Comer voted against the extension, saying it gives President Biden and Speaker Pelosi a blank check to worsen inflation by ramming through their wasteful spending plans. The measure now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature.
YARMUTH RETIRING
A veteran Kentucky Democrat will not seek re-election in the House next year. John Yarmuth released a video statement yesterday announcing his retirement, calling his time in the House an incredible journey. He has been in the House since 2007 and chairs the powerful Budget Committee. Yarmuth is the only congressional Democrat representing Kentucky. Senator Mitch McConnell said he applauded John for his many years of public service and wish him well on his retirement.
CALLOWAY COVID-19 RATES CONTINUE TO TREND DOWNWARD
The Calloway County Health Department reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. Two of the cases were over 60 years of age. The county currently has 76 cases isolated at home and 7 are hospitalized. Calloway County’s latest reported positivity rate is 5.77% which is lower than the state rate of 8.12%. Calloway County is now one of 19 counties in the state outside the red zone for COVID-19 Incidence Rates. The state reported 1,202 confirmed new cases and 30 confirmed new deaths Tuesday. There were 1,329 hospitalized as of Tuesday, which is 348 less than last Tuesday, including 398 in ICU, which is 96 less than a week ago.
MURRAY TO BE PART OF BREWERY HOP
Nine different western Kentucky conventions and visitors bureaus are banding together for the West Kentucky Brewery Hop. The Hop is meant to encourage people to visit as many of the 13 area breweries as possible. The project is similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, but with craft beer. The project connects breweries in Henderson, Beaver Dam, Owensboro, Paducah, Murray, Benton, Bowling Green, Glasgow, and Hopkinsville.
LOW INTEREST LOANS AVAILABLE FOR RURAL HOSPITALS
The Kentucky Rural Hospital Loan Program is making $20 million in low-interest loans available to assist rural hospitals across the commonwealth. The funds administered will directly impact the 1.8 million Kentuckians living in rural areas by maintaining or upgrading hospital facilities, retaining or increasing the current staff, and providing health care services not currently available to citizens. Any hospital located within a Kentucky county with a population of less than 50,000 is eligible to apply. Eligible hospitals can receive a loan amount ranging from $25,000 to $1 million per hospital facility with a 1% fixed interest rate.
IN AND AROUND KENTUCKY
WASHINGTON DC—Senator Mitch McConnell wrote a letter yesterday to Attorney General Merrick Garland concerning his announcement that the Department of Justice will scrutinize and target parents who express concern about their children’s public education. In the letter, McConnell said that parents absolutely should be telling their local schools what to teach. He added that telling elected officials they’re wrong is democracy, not intimidation. Earlier this week, Garland noted what he called a disturbing trend in threats against school boards over mask and COVID vaccine mandates, coupled with debates about whether or not critical race theory should be taught in schools.
ESTILL COUNTY—An audit shows that misuse of public funds in Estill County continued even after a former judge-executive resigned. State Auditor Mike Harmon issued a report yesterday criticizing how the Fiscal Court collected, managed, and spent funds during the 2019 Fiscal Year. Harmon says he raised similar concerns in previous audits. He says lack of controls, oversight, and review procedures made it possible to misuse funds and manipulate financial records.
LEXINGTON—The prosecution in the Jacob Heil case brought forth emotional testimony in the trial’s second day. Heil is accused of getting behind the wheel in 2018 and hitting and killing four-year-old Marco Shemwell while the boy was outside a UK game in Lexington. The child’s father Ben testified yesterday about the circumstances of the crash. A firefighter and police officers at the scene also gave their testimony, sharing crash reconstruction details and witness statements. Day three of the trial begins today and is expected to wrap up tomorrow.
BATH COUNTY—A former Bath County sheriff’s deputy is facing sentencing after pleading guilty to producing child pornography. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 40-year-old Joshua Preece pleaded guilty yesterday as part of a plea agreement. Sentencing is set for February 1, 2022. Preece faces a minimum of 15 years, but not more than 30 years, a fine of up to 250-thousand dollars, and at least five years of supervised release.
OWENSBORO—Owensboro’s ROMP will be moving its schedule back to summertime for the 2022 festival. The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum announced this week that next year’s event will be held early in the summer. Organizers say attendance at this year’s festival suffered because of the September event date. The organizers also say many of their volunteers are students and can only work during the summer.
RICHMOND—A suspect in a Richmond murder is in custody. Police say 24-year-old Camron Thomas was arrested Monday in connection with the killing of 59-year-old Freddie Biggs in October 2020. Biggs was shot during a reported burglary at an apartment in the 300 block of East Main Street and later died from his injuries. Police say more arrests in the case are possible.
TENNESSEE—State health officials say the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially hard on school staff members across the Volunteer State. Two Rutherford County educators lost their lives over the fall break, bringing the death toll among school staffers to more than 20. The Tennessee Education Association says there is currently no agency that’s keeping track of the exact number of school staff members who have died from the coronavirus. Health officials blame the return to schools for the semester as one reason behind the increase in fatalities.
TENNESSEE—A Republican state lawmaker is calling his colleagues medical Nazis for their support of private businesses’ rights to issue mandates for the COVID-19 vaccine. State Representative Bruce Giffey from Paris says such mandates are discriminatory and, in an email, he urged lawmakers to take away businesses’ authority to require employees to be vaccinated. His email came a day after Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order banning vaccine mandates in the state.
TENNESSEE—A study by the financial services website WalletHub ranks Tennessee low when it comes to energy efficiency. According to the study, Tennessee is among the top five states for being least energy efficient. The study looked at data regarding auto and home energy efficiency. It concluded Americans on average spend about two-thousand dollars on utilities and another 15-hundred-68-dollars on motor fuel and oil.
TENNESSEE—The community of Kodak, Tennessee, has reason to brag a little these days. Reader’s Digest just named the central Tennessee city one of the “Nicest Places in America.” A big reason for its award is the lengths to which the management of the Quality Inn in Kodak went to take care of the community following a winter storm. The motel rented rooms at a discount rate or for free in the case of residents who lost their electricity during the storm.
