by State Rep. Michael Lee Meredith
This week in Frankfort, House Republicans worked hard to promote something we all should value, transparency in government. Our caucus attempted to bring the first reading on Senate Bill 45. It would require public disclosure of all retirement benefits for all current and past legislators. The bill passed the Senate earlier this session by a margin of 38-0, with all members voting. Unfortunately, the bill has not enjoyed the same success in the House.  We have not even had an opportunity to have discussion on the floor.

It is important for Kentuckians to have the ability to know what their elected officials are doing in Frankfort.  That includes the public pensions they will be collecting. Public pension transparency remains a priority, and I will work to see positive action toward that end.

On a high note, the Senate passed the first House Bill of the 2016 Regular Session this week. House Bill 175, my peace officer bill, passed unanimously and will now head to the Governor for his signature. It will be only the second piece of legislation signed into law by the Governor this session.

The budget process seems to go on forever.  The work of our subcommittees, which have been meeting for several weeks now, is a reminder that the process is working as it should. The Executive Branch budget is typically not voted on by the House budget committee until after the first week of March, as was the case during the 2012 and 2014 sessions. That is expected to be the case again this session. The budget subcommittees are expected to meet until then.

Education is always at the top of our list of priorities in a budget session. This year is particularly challenging with the more than $30 billion pension liability Kentucky faces. K-12 education comprises around 44 percent of all state General Fund spending, with postsecondary education claiming a share of around 14 percent. The next largest share of General Fund spending goes to health care—or, specifically, state Medicaid—which claims around 13 percent of General Fund appropriations as we strive to meet the needs of our citizens.
 
Given our attention to health care, it is not surprising when legislation designed to improve health care delivery in the Commonwealth receives support in the House.  This was the case last Monday when the House voted 94-0 to approve House Bill 163. This bill would create a new Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) law for Kentucky to improve the process by which registered and practical nurses both in our state and other states that are party to the NLC can practice in any NLC state under a multistate license. HB 163 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
 
As always, I welcome your comments and concerns on any issues facing our Commonwealth during the 2016 Regular Session. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via email at [email protected]. You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.

The Edmonson County 5/6 Center academic team won the KAAC Governor’s Cup Elementary District 37 overall championship on Saturday, February 27, 2016.  The Edmonson County team competed against teams from Hiseville, North Jackson, Park City, and Red Cross Elementary School.  Park City Elementary did an excellent job serving as the district host. 

The Edmonson County elementary team earned eight awards in written assessment testing.  Brody Johnson placed first in both arts and humanities testing and language arts testing.  Fourth grader, Brycen Daniels, earned second place in arts and humanities and tied for fifth place in science.  Jonas Miller finished second in social studies testing.  Cadence Warthan placed third in the language arts assessment.   Ethan Edwards earned fourth place in social studies while Ian White tied for fifth in social studies.

The Edmonson County 5/6 Center team placed first in the quick recall competition.  In round one Edmonson County faced Red Cross Elementary.  Edmonson County took the lead on the first question of the game and never looked back.  The team held a commanding 23 to 3 lead at half time.  Edmonson County finished the game with a 35 to 12 victory.  In their next round of play, Edmonson County faced North Jackson Elementary.  Once again the Wildcats pounced on the competition early on and held a 22 to 3 lead at half time.  The team continued its strong play in the second half and won by a final score of 39 to 7.   North Jackson won its next round and faced Edmonson County in the finals.  While neither team answered the first question, Edmonson County answered the next four correctly.  By question nine, North Jackson cut the lead to 4 to 3, but the team never got that close to Edmonson County again.  The Wildcats outscored North Jackson 18 to 0 in the remainder of the first half to take a 22 to 3 lead.  The 5/6 Center team played well in the second half on its way to 35 to 12 victory. 

The combination of points earned from quick recall and testing earned the Edmonson County 5/6 Center academic team first place overall in the Elementary Governor’s Cup District 37 Tournament.  The team scored 32 points overall to edge out Hiseville’s 31.5 points to win first place.  North Jackson finished third with 30 points overall. 

Cave Country Trails will be hosting a free community trail planning workshop to create more awareness of the group’s vision and work toward the creation of a master trail plan tomorrow, February 27, at the Edmonson County Public Library from 11am-3pm. Cave Country Trails is a nonprofit organization whose vision is to create a larger network of trails connecting communities in the Mammoth Cave area with hiking, biking, walking, equestrian and water trails.

The Edmonson Tourism Commission will host the event and will provide pizza at the workshop.

The trail planning workshop is designed to identify community trail assets, brainstorm trail connections and prioritize recommendations through breakout sessions and the creation of a composite map of a proposed master trail plan. Workshops are open to the public and will last three to four hours. Trail users and community officials are encouraged to attend. Learn the history of the Cave Country Trails group and find out more ways to get involved in regional outdoor recreational opportunities.

Russell Clark, an official from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, will lead the workshop. A Transportation Engineering Technologist from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will also discuss the role of the transportation department in making this vision a reality. Seth Wheat, of the Kentucky Department of Adventure Tourism, will provide details about Trail Town designation opportunities and the regional importance of outdoor recreational tourism.

Tony Rose, DJ for the WDNS Tony Rose Morning Show, and the coordinators of the annual Stuff The Bus donation drive, are pleased to extend an open invitation to all High School Seniors in the Southern Kentucky Area, the opportunity to apply for the Stuff The Bus Scholarship Fund.  Through the generous facilitation of the Western Kentucky University College Heights Foundation,  applications are being accepted now through the deadline of  April 1, 2016.
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Requirements:  All high school seniors with appropriate validation of community service.  Seniors who are the children and/or grandchildren of current or retired School Bus Drivers in the Southern Kentucky Counties of:   Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Grayson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, or Warren (including any city, county, private, or home schools within these counties).  Students must have held a part time job during their high school tenure. 

Specific details and qualifications for scholarship application can be found on the WKU Stuff The Bus Scholarship Fund page at  http://www.wku.edu/chf/stuffthebus/stb-sf-guidelines.php    Students applying for the award may indicate on their application that they are applying for the Stuff the Bus Scholarship.

​MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky., February 22, 2016 – Park campgrounds and picnic areas will open for the season in the coming week.  Mammoth Cave Campground, Maple Springs Group Campground, and the headquarters picnic area will open February 28, 2016. 
 
Sites at the Mammoth Cave Campground, near the visitor center, are available on a first-come, first-served basis March 1 - May 14 and September 16 - November 30; reservations are recommended May 15 – September 15.
 
Maple Springs campsites, by reservation only, are designed for groups of up to 24 people, and four of the sites accommodate campers with horses.  The reservation period for Maple Springs is March through November.
 
To make campground, picnic shelter, or cave tour reservations, call 877-444-6777, or go online at www.recreation.gov.   Mammoth Cave Campground, Maple Springs Group Campground and the picnic shelters are closed December - February. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos
Passionate dog owners see their dogs not just as animals, but members of their own families. Sparky, our two-year old yellow lab is no different, and we're exceptionally proud of him today.

Sparky came to the back door early this morning howling and crying in a bark that I'd never heard from him, one that was eerily similar to a coyote howl. He has several different barks and sounds: playful, stranger alert, stray dog, and even an "I hate these dang birds" bark, but this was none of those. 

As I opened the door, he continued crying while walking backwards toward our swimming pool, which was around the corner of the house, out of view. As I started toward the pool, Sparky took off like a bullet. 

When I turned the corner, I saw Sam, the neighbor's 95 lb 7-year old German Shepherd in our pool, trapped in ice where he had fallen through. Thankfully, the combination of the low water level and Sam's height had allowed him to stay above water as he clung to a large chunk of ice. Sparky was on his belly with his front paws in the pool in a paddling motion, as if he was trying to reach for Sam.

I was able to reach one of Sam's paws from the edge of the pool and pull him out, while Sparky barked and cheered us on. Sam sat down on our deck for a few seconds while Sparky climbed on top of him with a bear hug. They celebrated with a short round of playful wrestling.

Sam got back up, shook off the ice, and walked back home, which is just a couple houses down from us. Our neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Suoy, assured us that Sam was ok and they were very grateful to Sparky for letting someone know.

Bazzell Middle School of Scottsville, Kentucky, served as the regional Governor’s Cup host.  After a snow delay, the teams competed in the regional future problem solving and English composition on Thursday, February 11, 2016.  The team wrote about challenges to helping populations recover from natural disasters.  The team’s efforts resulted in a fourth place regional finish, the best for the ECMS in several years. 

Four ECMS students placed in regional testing events on Saturday, February 13th, and will advance to the KAAC State Finals.  In social studies, Eli Pedigo placed first and Gavin Rose placed third.  Arey Durbin placed fourth in arts and humanities testing. Sixth grader Meredith Hennion placed fourth in language arts. 

The regional quick recall competition proved to be a combination of a mental marathon and an emotional roller coaster.  Warren East defeated ECMS in round one of regional play.  Warren East held a 14 to 12 lead at halftime.  ECMS started the second half strongly to take a 19 to 15 lead, but Warren East did not fold under pressure and countered with a seven point scoring run.  The final score indicated a 25 to 23 loss for ECMS.  Many people at the tournament were stunned at the ECMS loss. Others were overjoyed because they felt the loss was the end for ECMS that day. 

ECMS recovered from its loss and played well in round two.  ECMS outscored Russellville 18 to 4 in the first half of play and ended the game with a 27 to 11 victory. 
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Glasgow Middle School fell to ECMS in round three.  ECMS took a commanding 21 to 10 half-time lead over Glasgow. Seventh grader Sarah Stewart led the team with 10 tossup points in the game, as ECMS won by a final score of 37 to 25. 

ECMS faced Bowling Green in a classic quarterfinal match in round four.  Spectators watched the score intently in the first half as the teams tied three times and swapped the lead four times with ECMS holding on to a 19 to 16 lead.  The competition remained fierce in the second half.  With about 1 minute left in the second half, ECMS held a three point, 29 to 26 lead.  Bowling Green correctly answered questions 30 and 31 to close the gap to one point.  Next, the Bowling Green team answered question 32 to tie the score and send the game into overtime. KAAC overtime rules provide victory for the first team to score five points.  In overtime, team captain Eli Pedigo buzzed in and correctly answered three tossup questions while his team mates helped on two bonus questions to gain a 5 to 2 overtime victory.

In the semi-finals game, ECMS once again faced Warren East.  Gavin Dooley scored the first point of the game, and ECMS never surrendered the lead.  ECMS held a commanding 23 to 9 lead at half-time.  The Wildcat academic team continued to play well on its way to a 37 to 19 victory. 

Coach Greg Gray released the following statement:

Darren Doyle, story
Scammers are everywhere these days. Whether it's a threatening phone call for you to pay your taxes or to ask for your personal info, or an email requesting your bank account number so a cancer patient can give you a million dollars for helping transfer her money to an American account, new methods for ripping people off are being discovered each day.

One of the most popular places for scammers these days is Craigslist. There, you can easily find an item for sale that's too good to be true, or like in the case of Chalybeate resident Jonathan Hodges, an offer to buy your item immediately if you simply give some personal information.

Hodges recently posted a car for sale on the popular market site and soon received a text message from someone claiming that they wanted to buy the car instantly.

Hodges, who could easily tell this was a scam, decided to have a little fun with the would-be crook instead of just deleting the text. Take a look below at the text messages that were exchanged. Although Hodges' response was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, some would agree that it was good advice:
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This week has been a flurry of activity in Frankfort, with the ceremonial signing of the first pro-life bill in 12 years, legislation dealing with economic development, and continued work on the budget and pension reform.
On Thursday, Governor Bevin held a ceremonial signing for SB 4, the informed consent bill, at the statewide “Rally for Life” held in the capitol rotunda. I am proud to stand for life and our will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

Budget talks are ongoing, as various budget committees and subcommittees are meeting every week to work through one of the more difficult budgets in years.  Though revenues have increased slightly, runaway pension liabilities as well as increased Medicaid and corrections costs have made it necessary for the Governor and General Assembly to take action.  As the process moves forward, we will work tirelessly to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. While we recognize the need to tighten our belts, we are also dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable among us during these tough economic times.

Kentucky’s equine industry is a remarkable jewel throughout the Commonwealth, and our members are proud to participate in a bipartisan effort to level the tax playing field for our signature industry. HB 112 would exempt feed, supplies, and any other equipment used to take care of horses from the state sales tax. Other livestock industries already benefit from these exemptions and the passage of this bill would level the playing field for the equine industry. The bill passed unanimously out of the Agriculture and Small Business Committee, and will now move to the House Committee on Appropriations and Revenue.

In another effort to expand economic development across the Commonwealth, the House unanimously passed a bill to define certain data centers, such as Amazon and Google, as manufacturing establishments. HB 237 will give these types of cloud-based firms, which often offer high-tech jobs, the very same tax incentives that many other existing industries receive. We eagerly await Senate action on this bill that could help provide good-paying jobs for Kentuckians, and potentially breathe life into Kentucky’s rural areas.

Transparency in government is very important to us, and we firmly believe that Kentucky’s retirement systems should be fully transparent to the public, especially when there is more than $30 billion in unfunded liabilities. This is why we were dismayed this week when House Democrats refused to take up Senate Bill 2, which provides much-needed oversight to these struggling systems. Teachers, state workers, and tax payers have the right to know about the agencies that handle their public retirement benefits.

As a final note for this week, HB 175, an act relating to peace officers, passed the House unanimously on Tuesday.  It is the first bill that I have been the primary sponsor of to pass the full House and the first Republican sponsored bill to pass the House this session.  I’m proud of this effort to make simple changes in our existing statute to protect the powers given to federal peace officers and look forward to moving this bill through the Senate in the coming weeks. 

As always, I welcome your comments and concerns on any issues facing our Commonwealth during the 2016 Regular Session. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via email at [email protected]. You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.

Girl Scouts: A Recipe for Success--
Cookies are in: If you haven't placed an order yet...or if you just need more, then please contact Girl Scout Troop #313.   Below is a list of the upcoming booth sales....stop by and see them, they'll be offering some delicious incentives too! 
BOOTH SALE DATES
Feb 20 @ Bank of Edmonson County 8:00am-12:00pm
Feb 23 @ Minit Mart 4:00pm-8:00pm
Feb 27 @ Cee Bee 8:00am-12:00pm
March 4 @ Greenwood Mall 6:00pm-9:00pm
March 5 @ Park City Shell 9:00am-1:00pm
March 8 @ Auction Place 5:00-8:00pm (behind Sav-a-Lot)

by Fallon Willoughby ECHS College Coach
For many, part of being college-ready seems to be having your mind made up about major you will declare the instant you walk onto your college campus for orientation. I have had several students come to my office upset and worried because they are not sure what career path to choose, what major to follow, or how to decide between the two choices that they have narrowed it down to.
 
The reality, I tell them, is that they may wind up picking neither. According to borderzine.com* “About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.”  This does not hold true for everyone. There is around 20 percent of students who never change their major – I was one of them. However, what I thought I wanted as my future career choice changed drastically while I was in college and I am now pursuing a different path. 
 
When students become too focused on one specific career, they forget to take the time to explore their options.  If you are interested in two different things, take an introductory class for both of them. You need college class electives to graduate anyways, and it will be time well spent. Look at the programs and class requirements for each path. One may have more math or science than you originally thought.  Another may take you to a different path or not lead to the career you wanted at all.  You have four years to spend at college taking classes – make sure it is something you are passionate about, that will lead to the career you want, and that you enjoy.
 
I always encourage students to speak to their advisors when they arrive at their college as well.  Tell them what you are interested in, and what career you ultimately want to have. I know one fellow student who went for a degree in criminal science and found out it would not lead to what she wanted.  After she graduated.  You do not want to waste four years of your life (or even five or six) on the wrong thing. Talk to other students in the program. Better yet, talk to your professors. They will have a wealth of information you can get nowhere else.
 
Last but not least, take advantage of the time you have now. There are many opportunities to research careers before you even head off to college in August. As juniors in high school, and as seniors up until you leave, you have the chance to go job shadow someone in that career. It may seem daunting to find someone in that field and ask if you can follow them around, but I’m sure that many would be more than willing to help you figure out what a day in that life is like.  Research the career online (the occupational handbook is fantastic for this) and look at job growth and salary. Look at the program requirements at the different colleges you are interested in.  Be aware of the path you are choosing.
 
Remember, you do not have to decide right away, and even if you do, it is not set in stone. There will come a time when you have to stick to what you choose in order to graduate, but take advantage of your freshmen year. Learn who you are and what you want to be. There is no better time than the present. 

http://borderzine.com/2013/03/college-students-tend-to-change-majors-when-they-find-the-one-they-really-love/

Jamie Carnes, Supervisor of State and Federal Programs of Edmonson County Schools, spoke with us today regarding the matter of Edmonson County Family Resource Youth Service Center offices (along with many other entities across the state) facing budget cuts - possibly as early as this year.  

"These folks are active in helping many local families with basic needs and the support necessary for their children to be successful in school," Carnes said. "They are a huge part of "Cram the Cruiser" and "Stuff the Bus" in our county, and they also are instrumental in distributing holiday food baskets and Christmas gifts annually for those who might not otherwise get them."

He forwarded us this Call To Action statement on behalf on the ECFRYSC:

     THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION!  By now, we are all aware the Governor’s budget has been released and the Family Resource and Youth Services Centers’ budgets have been reduced by 9% for the next fiscal year with 4.5% of that reduction coming in this current school year.  This cut will have a major impact on our programing and staffing state wide.  The FRYSCKy Coalition is asking you to SOUND THE ALARMS AND SOUND THEM LOUDLY! 
     It is VERY important that you, your families, your community partners, teachers or other school staff, and anyone else willing to voice support for our program to take action.  We need to communicate the negative impact this will have on our centers’ ability to help strengthen and stabilize the most vulnerable families and students of our Commonwealth. 
     At this time, we ask that you and all FRYSC supporters communicate with the House of Representatives and the Senate.
     Contact your representative and senator immediately!  Make the contact via phone (1-800-372-7181), regular mail, email, Twitter, or Facebook (when posting on FB, please post on the wall for everyone to see).  Our message and voice should be united in repeating the following information:
THIS MESSAGE IS FOR REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MEREDITH AND SENATOR CARROLL GIBSON.  PLEASE DO NOT CUT FUNDING TO THE FAMILY RESOURCE AND YOUTH SERVICES CENTERS BY 9%. 
 
TOLL FREE LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE LINE:  1-800-372-7181
 
     Together, we can send a message and make a difference for the students and families of Kentucky!
 
Brian H. Akers
FRYSCKy-President

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky., February 1, 2016 – During the 1800s, enslaved African Americans guided tourist excursions through the dark, silent passages of Mammoth Cave.  Their role in society was that of slaves, but in their daily lives they were leaders.
 
In recognition of Black History Month, on each Saturday in February park staff will convey the legacy of enslaved guides at Mammoth Cave through walks, talks, video clips, and student art exhibited in the visitor center.  The Black History Month activities are free and open to the public; reservations are not needed.
 
Saturday ranger walks will depart from the visitor center at 10:30 and 1:30.  The 1¼-hour accessible walks will follow the Heritage Trail, overlooking Mammoth Cave’s Historic Entrance, and will terminate at the Old Guide’s Cemetery, the final resting place of famed Stephen Bishop.

• February 6, 2016, Park Guide Cory Fish will present In the Footsteps of Slavery.  The scar of slavery can still be felt along the ridgelines overlooking Mammoth Cave. Ranger-led walk along our ¾ mile Heritage Trail, exploring the large role enslaved African Americans played in Mammoth Cave’s rich history.  
• Saturday, Feb. 13, 20 & 27, 2016, join Park Guide Jerry Bransford for The Enslaved Leaders of Mammoth Cave, as he dons period costume to lead a walk along the Heritage Trail.  Bransford will explain the rich heritage, contributions and legacy of these guides at Mammoth Cave during the 1800. 

Two video clips that feature stories of the enslaved Mammoth Cave guides will play in the visitor center exhibit area the entire month of February, courtesy of WKU-PBS and KET.

The Dream Works student art exhibit program provides approximately 100 students from schools across the country an opportunity to temporarily display art on a park-related theme in the park visitor center. In 2015-2016, the theme is “200 years of Cave Tours”.  Each piece of art is a collaborative creation. Students researched Mammoth Cave history as it relates to Native Americans, European settlers, and African Americans.