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Gov. Matt Bevin today granted pardons to 10 Kentuckians previously convicted through the Commonwealth’s justice system.
“This is the week that we as Americans set time aside to celebrate our nation’s independence and the blessings of individual liberty,” said Gov. Bevin. “It is an appropriate time to use the authority vested in my office to grant a fresh start at independence and liberty for several individuals who have lost both due to their previous criminal behavior.
“My office receives many requests for pardons. All of them are in the process of being carefully reviewed. After much deliberation, I believe that unique circumstances warrant executive action for these 10 men and women. There will be additional pardons granted, as warranted, in the months and years ahead.”
The power of governors to pardon is vested in Section 77 of the Kentucky Constitution.
Governors, for the most part, have historically waited until their final days in office to issue pardons—wanting to avoid potential political ramifications. Gov. Bevin, however, has demonstrated a consistent record of making decisions based upon what he believes is the right thing to do, regardless of politics.
The Bevin Administration has initiated groundbreaking criminal justice reform efforts aimed at removing barriers for offenders to successfully reenter society.
In 2016, Gov. Bevin signed into law historic felony expungement legislation that gives non-violent felony offenders who have paid their debt to society a second chance. House Bill 40 allows Kentuckians convicted of certain Class D felonies—who have paid their debt to society, have stayed out of trouble as required by the law, and have shown that they are indeed trying to get back on track—to erase their criminal records and obtain a second chance at jobs, housing, and other opportunities sometimes denied felons.
Also, this past February, Gov. Bevin issued an executive order that removes questions about criminal history from the initial application for state jobs in the executive branch. The Fair Chance Employment Initiative means that applicants will not be required to check the box for criminal convictions on the initial state application, a policy in line with twenty-four states and more than 150 cities and counties across the nation.
Pardon applications are sent directly to the Governor’s Office, along with a statement of the reasons for seeking relief and three letters of recommendation. An application form may be obtained by contacting the Governor’s Office at 502-564-2611.
The list of individuals pardoned can be accessed here.
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
Few things in the outdoors in Kentucky can top being on Lake Cumberland at daybreak on a summer morning, watching a planer board or large bobber disappear, followed by the sound of a slipping drag.
Striped bass pull like no other fish in Kentucky and landing a 22-inch or longer keeper brings a rush of adrenaline that gives you the shakes. Now in the fourth year of normal water levels since the drawdown to repair Wolf Creek Dam, the striped bass in Lake Cumberland are well on the way to returning to the glory days.
“The striped bass in Lake Cumberland are doing great,” said John Williams, Southeastern Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “There are multiple year classes in the lake with many keepers over 22 inches. We are getting more fish over 30 inches. Their body condition is fantastic.”
Although striped bass are in good numbers in Lake Cumberland, the spring fishing proved frustrating in the lake this year.
“Some guides had a hard time this spring finding fish, but now they are on fish, they found them,” Williams said. “Because we had so much rain this year and they released so much water from the lake, it spread the fish throughout the water column. This leads to spotty fishing.”
Williams said a recent temperature profile of the lake shows a gradual temperature change through the depths. “There is only a 10 degree temperature drop from 20 feet deep to 60 feet deep,” he said. “The water temperature is 70 degrees at 20 feet and 60 degrees at 60 feet deep. They have a wide range of the water column that changes only a few degrees. Usually, the temperature changes are much more abrupt as you descend in the water column in summer. They have 40 feet of depth to roam now.”
Anglers fishing live bait in the middle of this range are catching stripers. “I had my first ever triple on my boat this last weekend,” said Joe McWilliams, an avid striped bass angler who has a vacation home on the lake. “I’ve been fishing about 40 to 50 feet deep.”
McWilliams uses an old school method to judge his depth. “My rods are 7 feet long, so I do 7 pulls of line the length of the rod to get my depth right now,” he said. “In summer, I usually put two rods out at 10 to 15 feet, two more out from 28 to 35 feet and then two more out at 42 to 48 feet or so and adjust until I find fish.” McWilliams typically fishes the mid-lake region from Harmon Creek up to Fall Creek.
He employs three planer boards on each side of his boat with two large bobber rigs drifting off the back, all rigged with live threadfin shad or alewives on 3/0 circle hooks. A light drag helps keep the marauding stripers from snapping off the 20-pound leaders McWilliams uses.
A remote controlled trolling motor helps McWilliams slowly troll the bait he gathers in the pre-dawn via a casting net and a green light mounted under his boat slip. “I check my lines every 20 to 25 minutes or so,” McWilliams said. “I want fresh, lively bait on at all times.”
The river channel is key to finding the schools of baitfish stripers rip through with abandon. “The baitfish in summer seem to relate to the old Cumberland River channel,” Williams, the biologist, said. “The stripers will be close to the baitfish.”
A good sonar unit helps locate these schools. It is common in summer on Cumberland to see small scattered blobs of bait suspended over flats adjacent to the old river channel. However, once the boat cruises over the drop down into the river channel, the screen often fills with large blobs of bait. Study the depth of the blobs and start fishing.
“Modern sonar units are so good at finding schools of baitfish,” Williams said. “They really help narrow down where to fish.”
You do not have to troll to catch striped bass in summer. Once you find the baitfish, cast 1/2-ounce white and light blue doll flies down the points nearest the bait. Some anglers use downriggers to deep troll large white doll flies with a white or chartreuse curly tailed grub as a trailer.
No matter the technique employed, the early bird gets the worm for summer striped bass fishing. “You have to be out there early at this time of year,” Williams said. “You need to have your bait in the water before the sun rises. The bite is usually done by 9 a.m. or so.”
Lake Cumberland striped bass are under a 22-inch minimum size limit and a 2-fish daily creel limit. “Keep your keeper-sized fish and quit fishing when you reach your two fish daily limit,” Williams said. “Striped bass don’t release well anyway, but when you are pulling them out of deep water the pressure and temperature change really stresses them in summer.”
If you want a thrill like no other, get on Lake Cumberland this summer and hear your drag sing from a strong striped bass pulling with all its might.
Actors Theatre of Louisville is delighted to announce the return of their successful Community Ticket Grant program for the 2017-2018 Season, sponsored in part by Brown-Forman. In serving Actors Theatre’s mission to unlock human potential, build community, and enrich quality of life by engaging people in theatre that reflects the wonder and complexities of our time, this city-wide initiative extends the opportunity to experience Actors Theatre’s robust programming to any members of Louisville and Southern Indiana’s community groups and 501(c)(3) charities, who for various reasons, may not have the resources to attend a performance on their own.
In its inaugural season, the Community Ticket Grant program served 61 area charities, which granted the opportunity for a theatrical experience to 1,500 local residents. “We are thrilled to provide this opportunity again for everyone in our community to participate in the power of live theatre,” said Melissa Hines, Marketing Manager. “We had an overwhelmingly positive response this past season, which only solidifies the importance of this program. We want our audience to be reflective of our dynamic and diverse community, and the Community Ticket Grant program is one more way to remove any barriers to accessing artistic programming.”
Qualifying community groups and 501(c)(3) charities serving individuals in the greater Louisville and Southern Indiana area are welcome to apply to receive complimentary tickets to an Opening Night performance from a selection of Actors Theatre’s 2017-2018 Season Brown-Forman Series, holiday shows, and 42nd Humana Festival productions. Each group may apply for up to three productions a year with ticket quantities ranging from a minimum of 10 tickets up to a maximum of 150 tickets. The selected groups will be awarded tickets to one of their three production choices for the 2017-2018 Season. Groups will work with Melissa Hines, Marketing Manager, and members of the Actors Theatre Box Office to coordinate attendance details and seating selection for their group members.
As part of their grant applications, groups may request tickets to the following productions in Actors Theatre’s 2017-2018 Season:
- Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches
- Thursday, August 31, 2017 at 7 p.m.
- Fifth Third Bank’s Dracula
- Friday, September 8, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.
- Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika
- Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 7 p.m.
- Fifth Third Bank’s A Christmas Carol
- Friday, November 24, 2017 at 8 p.m.
- Skeleton Crew
- Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 8 p.m.
- Little Bunny Foo Foo
- Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 8 p.m.
- The Magic Play
- Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
- 42nd Humana Festival of New American Plays
- Lineup and grants available November, 2017
Deadline to submit applications for the 2017-2018 Season is August 4, 2017. Additional season information, program rules and restrictions, and the online application form can be found at actorstheatre.org/community-ticket-grant. Specific questions may be directed to Melissa Hines, Marketing Manager, at mhines@actorstheatre.org or 502.584.1265 x3140.
Attorney General Andy Beshear has joined a broad, bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in opposing a cable and telecommunications industry petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intended, in part, to halt states from enforcing false advertising laws related to internet speeds.
Beshear said part of his duty is to protect Kentuckians from unfair and deceptive business practices and to ensure consumers are receiving the internet speeds purchased from their cable providers.
Under Kentucky’s Consumer Protection Act, Beshear’s office works with consumers through the complaint process on whether fixed and wireless broadband providers have been truthful in their contracts with consumers.
Beshear said if the FCC “improperly guts” state and federal requirements that bar deceptive advertising of internet speed, his office and Kentuckians will be helpless against false and misleading claims by broadband providers.
“We believe the industry is seeking a ruling that exceeds the authority of the FCC,” Beshear said. “We believe the request is procedurally improper, and would upend the longstanding dual federal-state regulation of deceptive practices in the telecommunications industry. Like other industries that provide goods and services to Kentuckians, providers of broadband internet service must be truthful in their advertisements and be held accountable when they are misleading.”
USTelecom and NCTA (The Internet & Television Association) submitted the industry’s petition to the FCC in May. The industry, specifically, is asking the FCC to convert a limited safe harbor from FCC’s own enforcement, into blanket federal and state immunity for fixed and wireless broadband companies from liability for false statements contained in advertisements and marketing.
A total of 35 attorneys general oppose the industry’s petition. Nearby states include Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Photo: Neighborhood Place
Neighborhood Place partners offer workshops to benefit individuals of all ages in July including a “Healthy Journey for Two Educational Baby Shower”, a “Healthy Living Club”, a Back to School event at Valley High School, a “Best College Match Free Informational workshop”, a “Diabetes Self-Management Class Series”, and much more. To learn more about these offerings and several others please refer to the list below.
Neighborhood Place is also proud to support the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) offered by the Louisville Farmer’s Market Association. The SFMNP provides income eligible seniors, sixty years or older, with $28 in checks per season to purchase fresh, unprocessed, locally grown fruits, vegetables and other items. Eligible individuals can apply at a local Neighborhood Place and several other locations. Call 574-6164 for more information or download this flyer.
July 5 and 6, Work and Learn Program for K-TAP Recipients Info Session
Call 502-213-2149 for more information. Individuals who are receiving K-TAP who are interested in completing their GED or upgrading their skills in preparation for college enrollment are invited to stop by and talk with case managers from the Work and Learn program. Find out how to earn an hourly wage at an approved job site and upon completion of your GED, receive a cash bonus.
- July 5, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd. 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. July 6, NorthWest Neighborhood Place, 4018 W. Market St., 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- July 10, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
July 5 and 7, Diabetes Self-Management Class Series at South Central Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave.. Registration is required by calling 574-6663. Whether you are recently diagnosed or have been diabetic for years and need a refresher, this class is for you! Topics covered will include what are diabetes, glucose monitoring, problem solving, healthy eating, medication management, sick day management, healthy exercise, and goal setting. Sponsored by Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
Each Tuesday, Couponing Support Group at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 313-4635 to register or for more information. Learn tips and money saving ideas to help build extra financial wealth in using coupons while grocery shopping.
July 6, Sodexo Hiring Opportunities at First Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Road, at T.J. Middle School. Call 574-4516 for more information. Sodexo, a food-service agency, will provide on-the-spot interviews for positions with Jewish Hospital, Our Lady of Peace and University of Louisville Hospital. Bring your resume and be prepared for an interview. This is one of Sodexo’s busiest hiring seasons. Stop by if you are looking for employment that can lead to a full-time or part-time position.
July 6 and 11, AT&T Internet Sign-ups
Louisville Digital Inclusion Group will have a table to sign people up for AT&T Access, a $10/month high-speed internet service for SNAP (food stamp) recipients. Eligible residents can register for internet services, and receive information about low-cost internet plans.
- July 6, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place at Fairdale, 1000 Neighborhood Place, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- July 10, Ujima Neighborhood Place, 3610 Bohne Ave., 2 – 4:30 p.m.
- July 11, South Jefferson Neighborhood Place at Valley, 10200 Dixie Highway, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- July 14, South Central Neighborhood Place, 4255 Hazelwood Ave., 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
July 11, Healthy Living Club at South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, 1 – 2 p.m.
Located at 1000 Neighborhood Place. Call 363-1483 for more information. Join the support group on the second Tuesday of every month to discuss healthy living and to get the support you need to eat better, get active, and lose weight. This month a focus on reading food labels, the nutritional value of food and preparing a healthy plate. Come and join the fun. Drawings for prizes and healthy snacks provided.
July 11, Free Blood Pressure Checks at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 313-4635 for more information. Louisville Metro Health and Wellness health educators will provide free blood pressure checks.
July 13, A Healthy Journey for Two Educational Baby Shower at First Neighborhood Place, 1- 3 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd. Contact Mendy Mason at 341-5400 to register or for more information. A Healthy Journey for Two is an educational baby shower open to any expectant mothers. The class will include a range of information and resources, as well as free baby items, gift cards, prizes, and snacks. Hosted by Seven Counties and KIDSNow. Fathers are welcome but must be registered.
July 13, Foster Parent Recruitment Meeting at First Neighborhood Place, 6 – 8 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd., side of Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Call 595-5437 (KIDS) for more information. Detailed information will be provided on the requirements and process of how to become a foster or adoptive parent. Information such as an explanation of foster care, special needs adoption, and information on foster parent training classes will be provided. Sponsored by Kentucky Foster Care and the training classes will be provided. Sponsored by Kentucky Foster Care and the Special Needs Adoption Program.
July 13, Kitchen Table Conversations at NorthWest Neighborhood Place, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Located at 4018 W. Market St. Call Margaret Murphy at 502.313.4909 for more information. This popular resource support group for relatives raising grandchildren meets the second Thursday of each month. A monthly guest speaker help this group focus on the unique issues that caregivers may have raising younger children. Aunts, uncles or anyone raising their grandchildren are welcome to attend. Lunch is provided free of charge.
July 18, Community Dental Care Information Sessions at South Central Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 502-366-4442 for more information. Community Dental Care is a full-service dental organization designed to increase access to health care in communities with the goal of improving the overall health of the population. Representatives will be on site to provide information about services offered and to assist in scheduling appointments for dental needs or for pediatric health needs.
July 18, Best College Match Free Informational Workshop at Ujima Neighborhood Place. 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 313-4635 to RSVP. Greg and Opal Dawson, authors of “Best College Match: 5 Steps that Earned $1,000,000 in Scholarships”, will discuss their ‘Five Steps to Finding the Best College Match’ for your child. Raffles will also be held for an autographed book or a one-hour “Best College Match” one-on-one consultation.
July 17, 24 and 31, Diabetes Self-Management Class Series at First Neighborhood Pace, 2:30 – 5 p.m.
Located at 1503 Rangeland Rd. Registration required by calling 574-6663. Whether you are recently diagnosed or have been diabetic for years and need a refresher, this class is for you! Topics covered will include what are diabetes, glucose monitoring, problem solving, healthy eating, medication management, sick day management, healthy exercise, and goal setting. Sponsored by Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness.
July 19, Legal Aid Office Hours at South Central Neighborhood Place, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 4255 Hazelwood Ave. Call 485-7130 for more information. A Legal Aid Society staff member will be on hand to answer questions, talk about cases that Legal Aid handles and provide referrals.
July 20, Choices Domestic Violence Educational Workshop located at Ujima Neighborhood Place, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Located at 3610 Bohne Ave. Call 313-4635 to register. The workshop is facilitated by the Center for Women and Families’ domestic violence advocates, a psycho-educational group for women, men, and teens who have experienced abuse in their intimate relationships. The objectives of the group are to raise awareness about intimate partner violence and the supportive services that are available; support and encourage participants’ healing and reconciliation of their experiences; and to prepare the participants to practice self-care and engage in healthy relationships going forward.
Two opportunities for 4 Your Child – Dads Making the Difference Workshop Series
For more information and to register, contact Dr. Cheri Langley at (502) 709-9323 or at Cheri.Langley@louisville.edu. “4 Your Child” is an eight-week fatherhood program that aims to improve the quantity and quality of fathers” involvement by integrating responsible parenting, economic stability, and relationship education services. Participants may be compensated for their time up to $220 but registration is required.
- Saturdays, July 22 – Sept. 16, First Neighborhood Place, 1503 Rangeland Rd. , at T.J. Middle School, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Saturdays, July 29 – Sept. 23, Charmoli Center Neighborhood Place, 200 Juneau Dr., Ste. 200, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
July 27, Back to School Festival at Valley High School, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Located at 10200 Dixie Highway. For more information call 363-1483. This annual event is open to families with children in kindergarten through high school. School supplies and backpacks will be provided while supplies last to families that participate in three, ten-minute ‘mini-trainings’. Over twenty presenters and more than forty vendors will be at the event plus mascots and lots of hands on fun to help everyone “Unlock Your Superhero Powers”. Sponsored by South Jefferson Neighborhood Place, Cane Run Neighborhood Place, Louisville Metro Department of Resiliency and Community Services, South Jefferson Community Partnership, Drug-Free Communities Grant, area JCPS schools, Kidz Club, Kosair Charities, Fairdale Christian Church, Fairdale First Baptist Church and Valley View Church.
There will be no residential garbage, recycling or yard waste collection within the Louisville Metro Urban Services District (former Louisville city limits) on Independence Day, Tuesday July 4. The usual Tuesday collections will be made on Wednesday, and the rest of the week will follow the same pattern of a one day delay.
The Waste Reduction Center, at 600 Meriwether Avenue, all staffed recycling centers and the Haz Bin hazardous materials facility at 7501 Grade Lane will also be closed on July 4. They will resume normal operations on Wednesday, July 5.
Residents who rely on private haulers for garbage, recycling and yard waste collection should consult those haulers about holiday collection schedules.
Photo: State Treasurer website
Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball returned $87,477.23 worth of unclaimed property to the Kentucky Easter Seal Society on Thursday morning.
“I am a big believer in property rights,” Treasurer Ball said in a statement. “One of my favorite things to do in government is to return people’s property back to them. I’m thankful my office is able to play a role in returning money to this organization.”
The Treasurer has proactively returned $47,332.62 worth of unclaimed property to Fayette County during the first quarter of 2017. This initiative proactively searches for unclaimed property in three key areas: local government, schools, and charities. That money can go a long way in helping charities around the Commonwealth.
“Easter Seals Cardinal Hill appreciates the work done by Treasurer Allison Ball and the Unclaimed Property Division to return these funds for our organization,” Executive Director Jenny Wurzback stated. “This will be a great help as we continue our mission of Taking on Disabilities Together!”
The Kentucky State Treasurer administers Kentucky’s Unclaimed Property Fund. Unclaimed property generally consists of payroll checks, unclaimed safety deposit boxes, old life insurance policies, stocks, or vendor checks that have remained unclaimed by their owners after several years.
Since Treasurer Ball has taken office, the Unclaimed Property Division has been working on proactively seeking schools, local governments, and charities in the state that have unclaimed property. This first quarter alone, the division was able to proactively return a total $264,809.39 across the Commonwealth.
“Proactively reaching out to schools, local governments, and charities has been a priority of mine since taking office,” Treasured Ball shared. “It’s important to make sure these groups are aware that they have unclaimed property and we get it returned quickly. These institutions are essential to local communities and any bit of money we can return to them can go a long way in strengthening the local economy.”
In total, Treasurer Ball has returned over $5.9 million dollars of unclaimed property during the first quarter of 2017 and over $30 million since she took office.
To check for unclaimed property, please visit www.treasury.ky.gov.
