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Photo: Kentucky State Parks
The Old Mulkey Meetinghouse State Historic Site will host the 4th Annual Celebration of Quilts and Quilting June 9-11.
The event, held in honor of Lucille Page, will feature an exhibit of over 60 quilts in the meetinghouse. This year’s featured quilter is Joan Coe of Turkey Neck Bend, Ky.
The celebration begins with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. Friday night at the meetinghouse and continues 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A variety of quilting related demonstrations will be conducted Saturday in the meetinghouse yard and Sunday in the park shelter. There is no admission fee and all activities are free while supplies last.
Also on Saturday, the Monroe Crafters will host a small craft fair in the meetinghouse yard and the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society will be on hand to discuss their registry process.
The Celebration is held annually in conjunction to Monroe County’s Drive-by Quilt Hanging. During the quilt hanging residents throughout the county will be hanging quilts in their yard, on their fence or in their doors to honor the community’s heritage of quilting.
The Celebration of Quilts and Quilting is sponsored by the family of Lucille Page, Robertson’s-Southern Ivy, the Monroe County Tourism Commission and the Monroe Arts Council. For more information, call Old Mulkey at 270-487-8481 or visit http://parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/old-mulkey/events.aspx
Mayor Greg Fischer and Kent Oyler, president and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc., today announced that Louisville Forward, the city’s economic development organization, and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), the city’s chamber of commerce, have been jointly recognized as Top U.S. Economic Development Groups for 2016 by Site Selection magazine.
Working together in 2016, with partners in two states and 15 counties, these two groups have helped the Greater Louisville region welcome 70 projects, representing nearly $1.4 billion in investment and more than 8,500 jobs. GLI attracts leads looking at the region and transitions projects to the local economic development organization after the company has narrowed its search.
“Louisville is seeing tremendous growth right now – from our highly skilled workforce to infrastructure improvements to our welcoming and inclusive culture – and quality companies are investing in our city at a rate never seen before,” said the Mayor. “This recognition is proof that our strategic partnership with GLI is working and the hard work of our economic development team, led by Chief Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, is paying off.”
As the economic hub for the region, Louisville Forward had a banner year in 2016, locating 61 projects in Jefferson County, representing $1.3 billion in investment, and creating 6,820 new jobs. Louisville Forward also celebrated the $310 million expansion of UPS Centennial Hub and the announcement of Computershare’s regional office with 1,100 jobs, representing a $32 million investment.
“This award proves that this region continues to be the best place in the world to relocate, expand or start a business. The diversity of resources here and the collaborative, community attitude make this an excellent market for new business,” said Oyler. “We will use this momentum to encourage more investment throughout our 15 counties.”
In 2016, GLI generated 9 leads for the 15-country region, resulting in projects representing $69 million in investment, and creating 1,750 jobs with an additional 43 projects in the pipeline to end the year. GLI also celebrated the launch of OneJet flight service out of Louisville International Airport, which was facilitated by GLI’s Regional Air Coalition and the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.
Louisville Forward was formed in July 2014 to unite economic development efforts and built environment functions, allowing business owners to go from concept to permit in one streamlined agency. To achieve its goals of raising the median wage across the city and growing the number of jobs, the Louisville Forward team focuses on five strategic business categories that are historic and contemporary areas of strength to Louisville; Advanced Manufacturing, Food and Beverage, Lifelong Wellness and Aging Care, Logistics and eCommerce, and Business Services.
Since its creation, Louisville Forward has helped businesses create nearly 12,000 new jobs in Louisville, representing an investment of more than $2.4 billion dollars. This award marks the third straight year that Louisville Forward has been recognized by Site Selection magazine.
GLI is focused on growing the regional economy. As the region’s largest convener of business leadership, GLI leads global economic and outreach strategies focused on business attraction; nurtures the entrepreneurial eco-system; and champions the development of the community’s talent base. As the voice of Greater Louisville’s business community, GLI advocates for a pro-business environment and facilitates businesses engagement on issues that impact regional competitiveness.
The recognition is based on six criteria – total projects, total investment associated with those projects and total jobs associated with those projects; and those same three numbers calculated per capita for the metro area.
Top projects for the groups that are featured in the May issue of Site Selection magazine include:
Clariant Corporation – headquartered in Switzerland, Clariant Corporation, a leading manufacturer of catalysts, announced the development of a $100 million manufacturing plant located on Hill Street near 12th and 13th Streets. Clariant created 41 new jobs with the expansion of the Louisville operation.
Evolent Health – a strategic alliance between Passport Health Plan and Evolent Health created The Medicaid Center of Excellence. The Center is the first of its kind in the country and combines Passport’s expertise in Medicaid managed care with Evolent’s industry-leading technology and operations to offer centralized services for provider-led Medicaid health plans nationwide.
Guess, Inc. – located in Jefferson Riverport International, Guess Inc. announced its $11.5 million expansion to build a second warehouse of 232,500 square feet, more than doubling the footprint of the distribution center. The new warehouse created 200 new jobs, bringing its total employee count to 600.
In addition to the projects mentioned above, Louisville Forward and GLI partnered to attract global law firm Hogan Lovells to open its global business services center in Louisville, an $8.9 million investment, creating 250 high-quality jobs.
Click here for more information about Louisville Forward.
Click here for more information about GLI.
Attorney General Andy Beshear announced yesterday that he is demanding Gov. Matt Bevin rescind a June 2 executive order dissolving and reorganizing numerous state education boards.
Failure to do so, Beshear said, would result in legal action by the AG’s office challenging last week’s unlawful and unconstitutional move by the governor, which mirrors conduct taken by the governor against the boards of the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Retirement Systems.
“The governor does not have ‘absolute authority’ over state boards,” Beshear said. “He cannot ignore laws passed by the General Assembly that create independent boards, lay out their structure and set mandatory terms for their members. Put simply, he cannot rewrite laws he does not like through executive orders.”
Beshear said his duty is to the law and to enforce Kentucky’s system of checks and balances. The power claimed by the governor to dissolve or reorganize any state board eviscerates all checks and balances and would effectively give the governor control over all decisions of every state board, including the Registry for Election Finance or the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.
“I’m especially troubled that the governor has hit Kentucky’s education system with yet another executive overreach,” Beshear said.
Last year, Beshear challenged the governor’s illegal and wrongful withholding of $18 million from Kentucky’s public colleges and universities. The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled in September 2016 that the money was unlawfully withheld, and stated in its decision that the job of the attorney general is “to vindicate the public rights of the people of the Commonwealth.”
Beshear’s request to the governor to rescind the June 2 executive order is not about charter schools nor is it a challenge to Senate Bill 1, he said.
In fact, Beshear said the governor’s board reorganization last week ignores and rewrites portions of Senate Bill 1.
“Gov. Bevin did not veto SB 1,” Beshear said. “But now he wants to substitute his judgment for that of the General Assembly and singlehandedly change the law.”
In the June 2 executive order, the governor dissolved four statutorily created boards, removing more than 35 members before the end of their mandatory term. He then created four new boards with the same names and duties but allowing himself to appoint all new members and the chair.
“We have seen this type of illegal behavior by the governor time and time again,” Beshear said. “My job as attorney general is to enforce the Constitution, to maintain the separation of powers and to ensure no branch of government exceeds the powers that we the people granted to it. I’m hopeful the governor will rescind his executive order and allow the education boards to properly operate under the law – without his undue influence.”
Photo: State Treasurer website
Treasurer Allison Ball will voluntarily cut current year general fund appropriation spending by one percent, her office announced yesterday morning.
“My role as State Treasurer is to be fiscally responsible with the money taxpayers send to Frankfort,” Treasurer Ball said. “As state government continues to sort out budget challenges and pension liabilities, I am committed to doing my part to ensure my office is financially efficient without disrupting services and also ensuring state budget obligations are met.”
Treasurer Ball’s decision to voluntarily cut her current year general fund appropriation by one percent comes at the request of Budget Director John Chilton, who sent a letter to the State Treasurer’s Office in addition to the other Constitutional Officers asking them to join the Governor in cutting their budgets. Treasurer Ball also cut last year’s general fund appropriation by 4.5% for similar reasons, saving thousands of dollars for Kentucky taxpayers.
“I take my responsibility as watchdog for taxpayer dollars very seriously,” Treasurer Ball said. “My staff has been able to maintain, and in some cases improve, the quality of service we provide while also saving taxpayers money.”
Despite Treasurer Ball’s voluntary cuts, under her leadership her office has improved service quality. Last year the Treasurer’s Office reduced an unclaimed property backlog from ninety days to zero days, and launched a new transparency website at no new cost to taxpayers. Treasurer Ball also started the STABLE Kentucky initiative to help people with disabilities save and invest up to $445,000 over a lifetime. This major change in the law also came at no additional cost to Kentucky taxpayers.
Photo: Kentucky Cabinet For Economic Development
Kentucky received a 2017 Gold Shovel award from Area Development magazine, recognizing the commonwealth’s success last year attracting corporate investments that create jobs and grow the economy, Gov. Matt Bevin and the publication’s editors announced earlier this week.
The honor, a first for Kentucky, follows the recent announcement that, in only five months of 2017, the state shattered its all-time, full-year record for corporate investment.
“This Gold Shovel award brings additional national attention to the fact Kentucky is a serious economic development contender, both in our recent achievements and for what we have in the pipeline,” Gov. Bevin said. “We’re making changes to improve Kentucky’s business climate by cutting red tape, revolutionizing our workforce development and building our reputation internationally as a top choice for engineering and manufacturing projects, tech investment and service-related businesses. We’re honored to receive this award and are moving forward with focus and urgency to bring investment and new jobs to communities across Kentucky.”
The annual Shovel Awards by Area Development, a leading trade publication, recognize state economic development agencies that drive significant job creation through innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes and promotions that attract new employers and investments in new and expanded facilities.
Area Development invited each of the 50 states to submit information about its top-10 job creation and investment projects initiated in 2016. Based on the number of high-value-added jobs per capita, amount of investment, number of new facilities and industry diversity of the 10 submitted projects, Kentucky qualified for the Gold Shovel award among states with populations between 3 million and 5 million. The top-10 projects and associated job creation figures are listed here and a full report of 2016 corporate investment is available here.
“The states and communities receiving 2017 Shovel Awards have compiled impressive lists of new and expanded facilities,” said Geraldine Gambale, editor of Area Development. “They have found the right recipe for success and deserve to be recognized for winning high-impact economic development projects.”
Commenting on Kentucky’s award, she noted “the state’s economic growth is broad-based, as evidenced by new projects under way in a diverse range of sectors, including automotive, distribution, biotech and food processing.”
Terry Gill, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development secretary, said he expects the performance to continue throughout this year.
“This Gold Shovel award not only highlights policy achievements at the state level, but also recognizes the dedicated work of our Cabinet staff and our partners,” Sec. Gill said. “Without enthusiastic participation from regional, county and city economic development organizations, the state’s business community, utilities, non-profits and educational institutions, the recent successes that drew this award and those that are propelling our current record-breaking performance wouldn’t be possible.”
Kentucky previously received Silver Shovel awards in 2007 and 2011–2016.
A full review of this year’s Gold and Silver Shovel award winners will be published in the Q2/2017 issue of Area Development and posted online at www.areadevelopment.com in early June.
This year’s corporate investments in Kentucky – at nearly $5.8 billion – already topped the 2015 record of $5.1 billion.
Those investments also put Kentucky on pace this year to create the most new jobs in a decade. To date in 2017, more than 9,500 new jobs have been announced. And the numbers for both jobs and investment are increasing daily.
Kentucky’s low costs of housing, innovative workforce-training and pipeline programs, and its ideal location within 600 miles of 60 percent of the U.S. population all make it a top choice for new business locations and expansions.
Nineteen interstates and highways, major rail networks, barge traffic on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, five commercial airports and dozens of regional airports all serve Kentucky businesses. As well, electricity costs for industrial use are nearly 20 percent lower than the national average.
Kentucky holds a leading position in air cargo capability, offering the UPS Worldport and Centennial ground hub in Louisville, DHL Americas hub and Amazon Prime Air in Northern Kentucky and several large FedEx facilities throughout the state. This strong distribution logistics presence allows products to move anywhere in the world virtually overnight.
The commonwealth’s geographic advantage as a gateway between the Midwest and South, make it an ideal location for engineering and manufacturing operations including steel and aluminum-related operations. A strong automotive, appliance and aerospace presence – including factory systems designers and integrators – provide new and expanding businesses with ready sources of raw materials, finished components, expertise and customers.
Other core and high-growth sectors include food and beverage production – which encompasses the bourbon and spirits industry – technology, healthcare research and development and chemicals and rubber production.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at ThinkKentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Watch the Cabinet’s “This is My Kentucky” video on YouTube.
Gov. Matt Bevin has made the following appointments to Kentucky Boards and Commissions:
Frank E. Collecchia and John Valentine Boardman III have been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System.
- Frank E. Collecchia, of Louisville, is an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Louisville. He shall serve for a term expiring March 10, 2019.
- John Valentine Boardman III, of Lexington, is a financial planner. He shall serve for a term expiring March 10, 2021.
The Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) is administered by an 11-member Board of Trustees. Two, the education commissioner and the state treasurer, serve by reason of their office. Two, who are required to have investment experience, are appointed by the governor. The remaining trustees are elected by TRS members to staggered four-year terms. Kentucky law requires that four trustees be active members, one trustee be a retired member and two trustees be from outside the teaching profession.
Patrick Kelly Downard has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Kentucky Retirement Systems.
- Patrick Kelly Downard, of Louisville, is retired from the Louisville Metro Council. He will replace Mark Lattis, who has resigned, and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending June 17, 2019.
The Kentucky Retirement Systems (KRS) is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees. It administers retirement benefits for approximately 365,000 current and former employees of state and local government—through the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS), the County Employees Retirement System (CERS), and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS).
Attorney General Andy Beshear announced he joined with attorneys general from Massachusetts and New York to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to crack down on the national onslaught of robocall messages and oppose ringless robocalls.
In the joint comment letter sent last week, Beshear, AG Healey and AG Schneiderman oppose a petition requesting ringless robocalls, which deliver voicemails to consumers without causing their phones to ring, be exempt from consumer protections under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
In the petition filed by All About the Message, ringless robocalls would be exempt from the protections arguing that they should not be considered “calls.”
The attorneys general contend that this exemption further opens the floodgates to more harassing calls and messages.
“Protecting Kentuckians from the constant barrage of unwanted scam and robocalls is an ongoing priority of my office,” said Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. “We must strengthen the protections to our citizens, not clear the way for costly, unwanted calls.”
“Massachusetts residents already face a constant barrage of harassing, intrusive and unwanted robocalls,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. “Granting companies a free pass to push ringless voice messages to consumers’ phones just adds more robocalls and causes significant financial harm to those who are charged for checking their messages.
“New Yorkers are already the victims of countless unwanted phone solicitations,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “The federal government has a basic responsibility to protect American consumers. That certainly doesn’t mean making it even easier for companies to spam them costly, unsolicited, ringless robocalls.”
The purpose of the TCPA is to protect consumers from unwanted and intrusive calls. The FCC’s Robocall Strike Force reports that robocalls are the number one source of complaints it receives, with consumers receiving an estimated 2.4 billion robocalls per month in 2016.
The letter points out that these ringless robocalls prevent consumers from blocking unwanted messages with many of the latest call blocking apps for mobile phones. In addition, whether they ring or not, robocalls can impose significant costs on consumers, especially those with prepaid cell phones or limited minutes who are charged for checking their messages. Consumers with limited size voicemail boxes may miss important messages when their voicemail is clogged with unwanted messages.