Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Applications for the 2019 Warren RECC Scholarship are now available. Warren RECC will award up to seven $1,500 scholarships to high school seniors and non-traditional students pursuing post-secondary training at an accredited degree-granting institution. 
 
"Warren RECC was created in 1938 by members of the local community and we are proudly still locally owned and operated," said a Warren Recc representative. "We are pleased to support our students and their educational pursuits as part of our commitment to the communities we serve."
 
Applications can be found at wrecc.com or can be picked up at any Warren RECC office. Applications must be postmarked by May 31, 2019 to be considered. 

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
​Girl Scout Troop #313 delivered several boxes of Girl Scout cookies to Edmonson County Senior Food Pantry Coordinator Vicky Walker, to provide to the elderly residents of Edmonson County. 

The troop has chosen the Senior Food Pantry as their designated donation site for their cookie booths for several years.

​by Rep. Michael Meredith:
​​During the recently-concluded 2019 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, the General Assembly took action to begin addressing some major issues facing the Commonwealth, like school safety, protecting the life of the unborn, and ensuring our farmers are competing on a level playing field.
 
Without a doubt, protecting the lives of our unborn children was once again a top priority for us this session. We passed SB 9, which bans abortion after a heartbeat can be detected, HB 5, which bans abortion on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin or disability, and HB 148, which aligns our laws to prohibit abortion should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade.
 
We also took action to combat increasing school violence, an effort driven by the tragic shooting at Marshall County High School last year. The School Safety and Resiliency Act lays the groundwork for securing our schools and strengthening our students by setting state goals to provide more trained law enforcement officers and counselors in our schools. SB 1 also focuses on oversight and accountability by appointing a statewide school safety marshal, and increases suicide prevention and active shooter training for personnel, among numerous other steps meant to reduce the risk of violence in our schools. The next step in the effort to secure our schools will come in the 2020 budget, as legislative leaders have already committed to increasing funding to support these new initiatives.
 
On a personal level, one major issue I focused on this session was protecting a significant part of our agriculture community by ensuring appropriate labeling requirements are in place for “fake meat.” HB 311 was legislation I sponsored which makes consumers aware of how the meat they eat is raised. My bill would prohibit cultured animal meat, which is produced in a lab, from being labeled like regular meat. Instead, it would bear the appropriate label informing consumers how it was created.

Companies are already beginning to experiment with lab-grown meat, which takes stem cells from animal muscle tissue to create fake meat. While not available in stores, this measure will ensure that we are prepared for that coming reality, and that our cattle farmers are protected from misleading labeling on products they did not produce. Our cattle farmers play a critical role in rural economies like ours, and it is important that we look out for them.
 
I was also pleased to see two measures I sponsored to help our first responders become law. HB 132 enacts stiffer penalties for killing or attempting to kill an EMS worker, in the same manner we have enhanced penalties for those who take the life of a police officer or firefighter.
 
Meanwhile, HB 273 is another piece of legislation I sponsored to support our firefighters. This legislation creates the Alan “Chip” Terry Professional Development and Wellness Program, aimed specifically at helping these community servants deal with mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder that are specifically associated with job-related experiences. This program will be primarily funded out of the Firefighters Foundation Program Fund, and will offer peer support and counseling to both professional and volunteer firefighters.
 
While these were some of the major issues I worked on this session, I passed a total of eight bills that will soon become law. Other bills of mine included legislation to ensure that safety is prioritized on amusement parks, as well as a bill which gives the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions the ability to better regulate consumer loan companies.
 
Each of these bills have been signed into law by the Governor and will be in affect by the end of June. It was an honor for me to go to Frankfort this session and work hard to produce results for the 19th House District. I look forward to building on these accomplishments in future years.
 
Rep. Michael Lee Meredith represents the 19th House District, which includes Edmonson and part of Warren Counties. Contact him with any questions, concerns, or advice. He can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or via e-mail at Michael.Meredith@lrc.ky.gov

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Bank of Edmonson County employees wore blue on Friday April 12, 2019 in support of April being child abuse prevention month. 

By wearing blue, employees showed their commitment to preventing child abuse and supporting strong families and healthy children in all of Edmonson County and Kentucky. 

submitted flyer:

Moriah Peterson, story and photos:
Nearly 100 kids and their families attended Kindergarten Express on Thursday evening April 11, 2019. 

School staff walked around the high school gym with prospective students and did learning activities and pre- kindergarten screenings.  

​"We are so excited for the fantastic turnout we had at our first district wide kindergarten registration, said Carol Stice, Instructional Supervisor of Edmonson County Schools.  "We look forward to making this event bigger and better every year. I also want to thank the Family Resource Center for their help in planning this event."

​by: Senator Steve Meredith
After 30 productive legislative days in Frankfort, the Kentucky General Assembly bid farewell to the 153rd Regular Session.
 
In our final legislative week, the General Assembly saw the ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 1, the pivotal bipartisan measure to enhance school safety. Also known as the School Safety and Resiliency Act, SB 1 was widely considered as the highest-legislative priority of the 2019 Regular Session by both the House and the Senate. While no legislation is perfect, when it concerns the well-being of our students, inaction is not an option. This collaborative measure is a step in the right direction, and I look forward to addressing these school safety provisions further in the 2020 budget session.
 
Discussion on pension reform was an immense priority this week. With the passage of House Bill 358, the Senate acted to help Kentucky’s regional universities and “quasi-governmental” agencies, like health departments and mental health boards that have struggled to meet their employer pension contributions.
 
This measure would allow our schools and other agencies to stop participating in the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) by July of next year. Employees of the exiting groups hired before 2014 could keep their pensions or join a defined contribution plan. All employees hired after 2014 would be required to join the defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k) retirement plan.
 
In addition to House Bill 358, the Senate approved a number of bills that will become law upon the governor’s signature, including:
 
House Bill 11 would ban the use of tobacco and e-cigarettes, such as vaping devices, on public school campuses, in school vehicles and at school activities beginning with the 2020-'21 school year. 
 
With only 42 percent of Kentucky school districts being 100 percent tobacco free, this legislation would provide a healthier learning environment for our students, and help promote a tobacco free lifestyle.
 
Senate Bill 18 would address pregnancy-related discrimination by clarifying employers’ responsibilities when it comes to making reasonable accommodations for pregnant employees.
 
SB 18 would do this by clearly outlining in statute what constitutes reasonable accommodations and explaining the proper procedures for the employment of pregnant women. Another provision states SB 18 would apply only to businesses with 15 employees or more.
 
Senate Bill 162 is designed to increase the pool of qualified applicants to be school resource officers. SB 162 would do this, in part, by creating the Kentucky State Police school resource officer program. 
 
House Bill 458 would address changes in Kentucky’s tax code that were embodied in House Bill 354 that was signed by the governor earlier this week
 
It would address deferred tax deductions and net operating losses incurred under the unitary reporting requirements that were passed last session. It would also make sure financial organizations established as “thrifts” in Kentucky would get the same tax relief banks will receive under House Bill 354, a measure that passed earlier in the session. And HB 458 will clarify that local deposit taxes on banks can continue to be levied.
 
While the 30-day session concluded shortly before midnight Thursday, the work in Frankfort continues. To provide a continuity of study and action between sessions, interim joint committees are formed to discuss issues in-depth for the 2020 Regular Session.
  
It is an honor to represent you in Frankfort, and I look forward to continued discussion on a number of issues facing our district and the Commonwealth.
 
If you have any questions or comments about the issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me atStephen.Meredith@LRC.ky.gov.  You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.legislature.ky.gov.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Edmonson County 8th grader Brody Johnson, competed in the National NAQT Individual Player Tournament in Chicago on Sunday April 7, 2019.

This national level tournament had 85 competitors. Brody advanced to the Elite 8, playing for nine rounds.

According to Brody's mother, Jodi Johnson, the first five rounds consisted of nine to ten players competing against each other. The remaining rounds up to the 11th final round were head-to-head competition.

Body is ranked #6 in the nation. 

During the meeting, Maykaylee Thompson read her stirring Patriots’ Pen essay. She won the District 5 Patriots’ Pen Award.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Mammoth Cave National Park will kick off the annual National Park Week by celebrating National Junior Ranger Day and offering the Discovery Tour for free on Saturday, April 20.  
 
National Park Week is an annual celebration for people to discover and enjoy our country’s remarkable network of natural, cultural, and recreational sites. Mammoth Cave National Park is one of over 400 individual park units managed by the National Park Service and is proud to be a destination where visitors can learn, explore, and connect with the country’s rich natural and cultural heritage.
 
National Junior Ranger Day
 
National Junior Ranger Day is an opportunity to introduce and connect young people and their families to Mammoth Cave’s natural and cultural resources and develop essential stewardship practices. The Junior Ranger program is more than just following activities in a booklet, it is about engaging with visitors of all ages so they can create experiences and memories that will be carried with them for their entire lives. Last year, over 500 people participated in National Junior Ranger Day events held at Mammoth Cave National Park.  
 
National Junior Ranger Day activities will begin at 9 am in the picnic area. Multiple programs will be presented throughout the day by Park Rangers and activities will include guided hikes and hands on learning opportunities that focus on geology, biology and the vast human history of Mammoth Cave. Junior Ranger Adventure Books are available for free at the park’s visitor center, but are not a requirement to participate in Junior Ranger Day activities.
 
For a complete schedule of Junior Ranger Day activities and meeting locations, visit nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.
 ​

​Free Discovery Tour for National Park Week
 
The National Park Service offers the first day of National Park Week as a fee free day to encourage everyone to get out and visit a park. Mammoth Cave will provide a free self-guided Discovery Tour between 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. Cave tour participants must pick up a ticket in the visitor center before going on the tour.
 
The ¾-mile tour route requires a walk down and up a steep path to the Historic Entrance and navigating 160 steps. Participants will pass through the Rotunda, one of the largest rooms within the cave, explore a vast canyon passageway, and view a 19th-century saltpeter mining operation.
 
For more information on National Park Week visit nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-park-week.htm.

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 Mammoth Cave National Park will celebrate Wildflower Day on Saturday, April 13 with ranger and volunteer led walks, talks, and activities beginning in the park at 9:30 am. Wildflower Day events are free and open to the public with no reservations required.

Mammoth Cave National Park is home to over 100 species of spring wildflowers. Each year the park’s wildflowers and blooming trees treat park visitors to colorful displays along park trails, roadways, and forests from early spring until mid-May. Wildflower Day provides a chance for visitors to learn about what is blooming in the park and the important role wildflowers play in our human history and environmental health.

​Activities planned for this year’s Wildflower Day include wildflower themed walks along popular hiking trails, scavenger hunts, arts, crafts, and puppet shows. Wildflower events are designed to fit all ages and abilities and will take place throughout the day, ending with an evening program at 7 pm in the park’s outdoor amphitheater. A complete schedule and listing of Wildflower Day events can be found at www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/calendar.htm. 

For more information about Mammoth Cave National Park go to www.nps.gov/maca or call 270-758-2180

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