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Photo: Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Racial disproportionality and disparities for youth and families of color in the area of child welfare services will be the topic of statewide meeting this week.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ (CHFS) Department for Community Based Services (DCBS), Hardin County Family Court Judge Brent Hall, and community leader and juvenile justice advocate Pastor Edward Palmer will host the annual meeting of the Race Community and Child Welfare (RCCW) Initiative on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Tourism Center, 1030 North Mulberry St., Elizabethtown, Ky.
DCBS Commissioner Adria Johnson said the forum lets child welfare partners discuss strategies to remove barriers for children and families of color.
“Racial disproportionality is prevalent in Kentucky’s child welfare program, but by focusing attention to solutions that are specific to the problem, we can preserve families and achieve good outcomes for all children,” Johnson said.
In Kentucky, racial disproportionality and disparate outcomes for children of color occur across all public systems. Nationally, children of color are overrepresented in child serving agencies such as education, child welfare and juvenile justice in comparison to their percentage of the population.
Disparate outcomes include children of color removed from their homes and entering out of home care at a rate one and a half times to that of white children. Data shows that children of color are:
- less likely to achieve permanency when exiting out of home care
- less likely to graduate from high school
- more likely to be suspended from school
- are more likely to be committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice for offenses and
- more likely to be referred to criminal court as a youthful offender.
The RCCW Initiative engages public system and community partners in developing and evaluating local collaborations and strategies aimed at eliminating disparities for children of color in the child welfare system. In the last year, Hardin County collaborative efforts have eliminated the overrepresentation of African-American children entering foster care in that county. The percentage of children of African-American heritage entering foster care in Hardin County is lower than their representational percentage of all children in the county.
Johnson said the state’s RCCW program sponsors workshops for DCBS staff, childcare agency providers and other partners to reduce racial bias; provides diversity information for foster parent training and distributes a quarterly newsletter.
Pastor Palmer, of the Sign of the Dove Church in Radcliff, said that racial disparity is a community issue and will take all stakeholders working toward a solution.
“With the number of children in care growing, the state needs support to meet their psychological and biological needs,” Palmer said. “It really takes the village to assist those families in crisis, to facilitate better outcome for families and children.”
Palmer provides a visitation center at his church for parents and children removed and in foster care to visit frequently thereby increasing the chances of reunifying the family.
Judge Hall said that Family Court judges like himself play an important role in listening to families and encouraging the development of community supports to meet the needs of vulnerable families.
“Judicial leadership is critical to setting expectations for family engagement for all involved with families dealing with child maltreatment,” Hall said.
Judge Hall helps facilitate Hardin County’s Minority Advisory Council, which focuses on improving child protection and court processes, resources and family engagement. Hall recently led a training session of 25 participants, which included court personnel, Foster Care Review Board members, Family Resource Center Coordinators, CASA advocates and community members.
Judge Karen Howze, a national expert on cultural competency and Judge in Residency with the National Council for Juvenile and Family Court Judges, will also speak at the annual meeting.
For more information about DCBS programs and Kentucky child welfare, log on to http://chfs.ky.gov/dcbs/.
For more information about how you can become a foster or adoptive parent, or to get more general information about supporting families in the child welfare system, email: openhearts@ky.gov, visit the state adoption website adopt.ky.gov, which helps families more easily navigate the foster care and adoption process or call 1-800-232-KIDS (5437).
Credit: KY State Parks
Seventeen Kentucky State Resort Parks will serve the Thanksgiving Day buffet on Nov. 23, 2017.
Kentucky State Parks will serve 2,000 pounds of turkey, 1,500 pounds of sweet potatoes, and 750 pounds of country ham. Additionally, 4,300 pieces of fried chicken, 1,300 pounds of roast beef, and 12,000 rolls will be served along with 600 pies, including pecan and pumpkin.
The parks have hosted the Thanksgiving Day buffet for more than 40 years and typically serve around 10,000 guests.
For starters, the buffet includes soups, cheeses, and salads. The menu features turkey, dressing, baked ham, carved roast beef, and fried chicken. Vegetables include old-fashioned candied yams, country-style green beans, and mashed potatoes with giblet gravy.
The cost for the buffet is $19.50 plus tax (drink included) for adults, $9.50 for children ages 6-12, and free for children five and under.
The buffet will be served starting at 11 a.m. and closing time will vary by park.
Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park will be offering a reduced buffet and price.
For more information on the Thanksgiving Day buffet and other state park events, visit www.parks.ky.gov
The Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Mobile Registration Bus is hitting the road again in an effort to help students and their families register for the 2018-19 school year.
The bus will make its first of 19 stops over the next four weeks on Monday, November 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Maupin Elementary School (1312 Catalpa Street).
All incoming kindergartners, students who are new to JCPS, and students who have had a change of address should register. Parents or guardians should bring a photo ID and any one of the following: utility bill, lease, house contract, paycheck stub, or government-issued check.
Families can also register using the JCPS website or by visiting any JCPS school or the JCPS registration site located at 4309 Bishop Lane. Additionally, parents who have questions regarding school registration may call the JCPS Parent Assistance Center at 485-6250.
The initial application period for enrollment in JCPS for the 2018-19 year opened October 30 and will continue through December 15. The first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018.
A complete list of JCPS Mobile Registration Bus stops is available below and online here.
JCPS Mobile Registration Bus Schedule
- Monday, Nov. 6, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Maupin Elementary School, 1312 Catalpa Street
- Tuesday, Nov. 7, 4 to 6 p.m.
- George Unseld Early Childhood Education Center, 5216 Ilex Avenue
- Wednesday, Nov. 8, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, 1115 W. Chestnut Street
- Thursday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- California Community Center, 1600 St. Catherine Street
- Monday, Nov. 13, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Maupin Elementary School, 1312 Catalpa Street
- Tuesday, Nov. 14, 4 to 6 p.m.
- George Unseld Early Childhood Education Center, 5216 Ilex Avenue
- Wednesday, Nov. 15, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, 1115 W. Chestnut Street
- Thursday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- California Community Center, 1600 St. Catherine Street
- Monday, Nov. 27, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Maupin Elementary School, 1312 Catalpa Street
- Tuesday, Nov. 28, 4 to 6 p.m.
- George Unseld Early Childhood Education Center, 5216 Ilex Avenue
- Wednesday, Nov. 29, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, 1115 W. Chestnut Street
- Thursday, Nov. 30, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- California Community Center, 1600 St. Catherine Street
- Monday, Dec. 4, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Maupin Elementary School, 1312 Catalpa Street
- Tuesday, Dec. 5, 4 to 6 p.m.
- George Unseld Early Childhood Education Center, 5216 Ilex Avenue
- Wednesday, Dec. 6, 4 to 6 p.m.
- Coleridge-Taylor Elementary, 1115 W. Chestnut Street
- Thursday, Dec. 7, 4 to 6 p.m.
- California Community Center, 1600 St. Catherine Street
- Tuesday–Thursday, Dec. 12–14, 4 to 6 p.m.
- JCPS Parent Assistance Center, Lam Building (4309 Bishop Lane)
Kentucky Arts Council staff will offer informational workshops throughout the state during November for artists, teachers, community members and other arts stakeholders interested in learning how to apply for grants, get involved with programs and otherwise work in partnership with the state arts agency.
Arts council staff will discuss and answer questions about the arts council’s Al Smith Individual Artists Fellowship, Emerging Artist Award, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant, Performing Artists Directory and the various arts education grant, program and directory opportunities, like Teaching Art Together, Arts First Aid, Showcasing the Arts, Specialists With Arts Tactics, TranspARTation and the Teaching Artists Directory.
The workshops for the Al Smith Fellowship and Emerging Artist Award will focus on the literary arts, including fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, playwriting and screenwriting.
“Serving artists in our programs is an important part of what we do, but we also want to reach artists who are not in those programs, and who may not be aware of what the Kentucky Arts Council has to offer,” said Chris Cathers, arts council acting executive director. “These sessions have been carefully mapped out to hit every region of the state in order to be accessible to as many Kentuckians as possible.”
Workshops will be on the following dates in these Kentucky communities (with programs to be discussed):
- Nov. 8, 2 p.m., at the Boone County Public Library main branch, 1786 Burlington Pike in Burlington (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 13, 10 a.m., at the Rowan County Arts Center, 205 E. Main St. in Morehead (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 13, 3:30 p.m., at the Boyd County Public Library, Kyova branch, 10699 U.S. Highway 60 in Ashland (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 16, 1 p.m., at the Hardin County Public Library, 100 Jim Owen Drive in Elizabethtown (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 16, 5:30 p.m., at the Louisville Free Public Library Main Branch, 301 York St. in Louisville (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m., at the Lexington Public Library main branch, 140 E. Main St. in Lexington (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory, Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship, Teaching Artists Directory, arts education grants)
- Nov. 28, 1 p.m. CST, at the Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, 2000 College Drive in Madisonville (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory)
- Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m. CST, at The Carson Center, 100 Kentucky Ave. in Paducah (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory)
- Nov. 29, 10 a.m. CST, at the John L. Street Public Library, 244 Main St. in Cadiz (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory)
- Nov. 29, 5 p.m. CST, at the Warren County Public Library main branch, 1225 State St. in Bowling Green (Al Smith Fellowship, Emerging Artists Award, Performing Artists Directory)
For more information on these events, contact Tamara Coffey, tamara.coffey@ky.gov or 502-892-3121.
First Lady Glenna Bevin recently invited more than 80 children and family members from across Kentucky directly affected by pediatric cancer to the Governor’s Mansion for a pajama party.
The children and their families were treated to dinner, crafts, music and a movie. Additionally, the American Childhood Cancer Organization provided books for each child, sibling and parent with information on clinical trials, psychosocial support, education related issues and long-term survivorship.
“Matt and I were so honored to host Pjammin’®,” said Mrs. Bevin. “It was a night full of fun, and seeing the excitement on the faces of all the children brought joy to everyone in the Governor’s Mansion. Pediatric cancer affects more families than people realize. It is an issue I hold close to my heart, and I hope other Governors and First Ladies will take part in this amazing initiative.”
Gov. and Mrs. Bevin joined forces with Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund and Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Foundation to be the first Governor and First Lady to host a Pjammin’® event at the Governor’s Mansion.
This Pjammin’® event benefited the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Foundation, a new non-profit organization created to work with the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. Through Pjammin’®, in addition to funds raised through tax check-offs, ACCO has raised nearly $45,000 to support innovative research for Kentucky children fighting cancer.
Gov. Matt Bevin recently congratulated Fritz Winter North America LP on opening phase one of its iron casting foundry and manufacturing facility in Franklin, a large-scale project producing brake rotors and bringing about 200 new jobs to Southwest Kentucky.
The company’s Stadtallendorf, Germany-based parent, Fritz Winter Eisengießerei GmbH & Co. KG, invested $110 million in the initial phase, which could grow to about $194 million with a planned expansion. Total employment could surpass 300.
“Fritz Winter is a global leader in the automotive supply industry, and we are thrilled to welcome the company’s operations to Kentucky,” said Gov. Bevin, who visited the German company’s headquarters during a Europe trip last year. “This company is making a long-term investment, as its nearly $200 million foundry demonstrates, and their presence in Franklin is already creating hundreds of jobs. Fritz Winter’s Simpson County facility will prove to be a game-changer for countless families in the region. Kentucky is grateful for their strong vote of confidence.”
Company executives announced the project in December 2015 and construction of the facility began in late 2016 in the Wilkey North Industrial Park. Employees at the facility began casting and machining disc brake rotors in June and celebrated its grand opening along with state and local officials in late October.
“After a construction time of not even one year, the first products rolled off the production line. This is a performance we can be really proud of,” said Jörg Rumikewitz, CEO of Fritz Winter.
The company cited Kentucky’s central location between American-owned automakers in the northern US and European-owned automotive assembly plants in the South. The location also will bring opportunities for new business with customers in the commonwealth and Midwest.
Ulf M. Kranz, the company’s CFO, said the new facility helps Fritz Winter produce brake parts locally for global vehicle platforms.
“After we have supplied the American market from Germany for more than 50 years now, our first iron foundry in the USA is an important milestone of our globalization strategy,” Kranz said. “This investment and our ability to meet the requirements of globally thinking customers in the automotive industry increase the competitiveness of Fritz Winter and therefore contribute to safeguarding the existing employment at Stadtallendorf.”
Founded in Stadtallendorf, Germany in 1951, Fritz Winter is a world-market leader in the production of cast iron engine blocks and heads, brake rotors and drums, flywheels and hydraulic housings. It serves the international car and truck industry and has developed a competitive advantage in lightweight and material-specific design. The family-owned company began exporting to the US in 1966 and currently employs 3,700 people worldwide.
Sen. David Givens, of Greensburg, said the local community stands ready to meet the company’s needs.
“I am pleased to congratulate Fritz Winter on its grand opening in Franklin,” Sen. Givens said. “I know our workforce in Simpson County and the surrounding region will serve the company well in filling its employee needs, and I look forward to Fritz Winter’s success in Kentucky and beyond.”
Rep. Wilson Stone, of Scottsville, thanked everyone involved with bringing Fritz Winter to the region.
“This is truly a great day for Franklin and our region’s auto industry,” Rep. Stone said. “I’m proud to welcome Fritz Winter as our community’s newest corporate citizen and want to thank our state and local leaders for coming together to help make all of this possible.”
Franklin Mayor Ronnie Clark noted that Fritz Winter’s impact will stretch beyond the community’s borders.
“We appreciate the partnership we had with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development in landing the Fritz Winter project for Franklin, Kentucky,” Mayor Clark said. “Our local high school students, along with many residents of Franklin, now have a great opportunity for high-paying, skilled jobs with this excellent company. Fritz Winter will be one of the premier industries not only in Franklin, but in Kentucky as well. We are excited to have them as a part of our community.”
Simpson County Judge-Executive Jim Henderson said the company will have a substantial impact right away.
“Fritz Winter is one of the top economic development projects that Simpson County has ever landed,” Judge-Executive Henderson said. “This $193 million project will provide hundreds of new jobs for our local and area citizens. We are already seeing the positive economic impact that this project is having on our community. We are very grateful that Fritz Winter chose Franklin, Kentucky for its first North American manufacturing facility.”
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in December 2015 preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $5 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
Additionally, KEDFA approved Fritz Winter for up to $690,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.
Fritz Winter also can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies can receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. In fiscal 2017, the Kentucky Skills Network provided training for more than 120,000 Kentuckians and 5,700 companies from a variety of industry sectors.
Gov. Matt Bevin joined Toyota executives and local officials in Georgetown to celebrate the opening of the company’s $80 million North American production engineering headquarters.
More than 600 engineers at the new facility connect the dots between Toyota’s vehicle design teams and its factory production lines. Known as the Production Engineering Manufacturing Center, the Georgetown facility will also help innovate and develop new technology for Toyota’s manufacturing plants across North America.
“Toyota’s impact on the Kentucky economy reaches every corner of the commonwealth, and this production engineering headquarters is just the latest example of the company’s dedication to our great state,” Gov. Bevin said.
“It is my goal to turn Kentucky into the center of engineering and manufacturing in the United States, and this is the type of project that proves that goal is attainable. I want to thank Toyota for its continued show of faith in Kentucky and our workforce, and I look forward to more announcements of this nature in the years ahead.”
The center and its state-of-the-art lab serves as the manufacturing nucleus for Toyota’s 14 North American plants. It became possible as Toyota began consolidating its North American headquarters to Texas. The company donated a portion of its previous engineering campus in Erlanger, Ky., for a new STEAM-based educational center to serve the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region. In March, Gov. Bevin announced a $6.8 million Work Ready Skills Initiative grant to Boone County Schools to reconfigure Toyota’s office and engineering lab into a learning environment. The school is expected to be open in time for the 2019-2020 school year.
Now a core group of Toyota’s North American production engineers will work in Georgetown. By locating the new center next to Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. (TMMK) – the company’s largest manufacturing plant globally – the engineering team can gain quick feedback on innovations in a production environment.
“Our production engineers are at the top of their game and help shape the future of Toyota,” said Jim Lentz, chief executive officer of Toyota Motor North America. “They push the limits every day on what’s possible in manufacturing to produce ever-better vehicles. And their hard work and commitment to quality shows in the products we build in our 14 plants across North America.”
During today’s event, production engineers showcased the TILT Lab, a space focused on problem solving and innovation, where engineers move ideas from the concept stage to prototypes using technology such as 3-D printers, virtual reality, welders, lasers and more. Advancements made in the TILT Lab will be used at facilities across North America to improve processes and solve challenges. The i-Road, a three-wheeled vehicle that is a hybrid of a car and a motorbike, was also on display during the event.
The unveiling of the engineering facility follows Toyota’s announcement in April of a $1.33 billion “Reborn” project that is reinvesting, refurbishing and updating the TMMK plant. A paint shop fitted with new equipment and technology also is part of the investment. Separately, Toyota in September announce it will invest an additional $121 million in TMMK to expand its 2.5 liter engine production capacity.
Sen. Damon Thayer, of Georgetown, said he’s intrigued to get a look at the new facility.
“I congratulate TMMK on this next step in the company’s multimillion dollar expansion here in Georgetown,” Sen. Thayer said. “TMMK has been a great economic and community partner for our region, and I look forward to the final completion of the engineering headquarters project.”
Rep. Mark Hart, of Falmouth, said working in tandem with companies like Toyota ensure continued growth.
“Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is the heart of Scott and surrounding counties, providing thousands of jobs and bringing unparalleled economic benefits to us all,” Rep. Hart said. “Their rapid expansion this year solidifies that Toyota is here to stay as long as we continue to provide a pro-growth environment where good companies like this can thrive.”
Georgetown Mayor Tom Prather expressed gratitude for Toyota’s continued commitment.
“We are so excited and pleased with the new on-site PEMC at Toyota in Georgetown and the continued reinvestment into the plant, the community, the region and the commonwealth,” Mayor Prather said.
Scott County Judge-Executive George Lusby noted the company’s history in the community.
“The new Toyota Production Engineering and Manufacturing Campus is another in a long line of quality investment on the part of great community partner Toyota Motor North America,” Judge-Executive Lusby said.