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SubscribeChristian County flock depopulated; surveillance continues
Federal and state authorities say a case of low pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in a commercial poultry flock in western Kentucky.
Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout said the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the presence of H7N9 low pathogenic avian influenza in samples taken from the Christian County premises.
The virus exposure at the premises was initially detected by the Murray State University Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville while conducting a routine pre-slaughter test last week. Dr. Stout said there were no clinical signs of disease in the birds. The affected premises is under quarantine, and the flock of approximately 22,000 hens was depopulated as a precautionary measure, Dr. Stout said.
“Dr. Stout and his staff have extensive experience and expertise in animal disease control and eradication,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “They have an excellent working relationship with the Kentucky Poultry Federation and the poultry industry. They are uniquely qualified to contain this outbreak so our domestic customers and international trading partners can remain confident in Kentucky poultry.”
Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) may cause no disease or mild illness. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) can cause severe disease with high mortality.
The OSV and its partners in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) are conducting surveillance on flocks within a six-mile radius of the index farm, Dr. Stout said. The company that operates the farm is conducting additional surveillance testing on other commercial facilities it operates within that area. Continue reading
After 6 years of litigation, serious doubt cast on legality of slot-like gambling devices.
The Franklin Circuit Court handed a significant victory to opponents of the Encore Gaming System, a slot-machine style system similar to Instant Racing. Late last week, the trial court denied a motion for partial summary judgment in a case in which The Family Foundation has argued that the slot-machine style system is unconstitutional and violates Kentucky law.
“The ruling shows that the Judge in this case understands the issues at stake and is willing to go where the argument leads,” said Martin Cothran, a spokesman for The Family Foundation, the group opposing the Encore gaming system. “Not only that,” he said, “but the wording of the Court’s decision could make it difficult, if not impossible, for the race tracks and the Horse Racing Commission to ultimately prevail in this case,” said Cothran.
The group said that the ruling traps the advocates of expanded gambling pushing the new form of electronic gambling into a dilemma they may not be able to escape. The Court agreed with The Family Foundation’s arguments, he said.
“We argued that the gambling pools created under this new system of gambling may never be fully paid out to winning players as required by state law, a requirement acknowledged by the Racing Commission’s own expert witness. We also argued that players might win more money than a wagering pool could pay. In this event the host tracks would add more money to the pool. When the host track adds money to a wagering pool, the host track becomes a participant in the wagering, just like in Las Vegas style slot-machines. The Judge agreed in his decision. So the slot-type games either fail to pay out pools to players or the host tracks are participating in the wagering to keep the gaming system solvent. Either way, the games appear to violate Kentucky law,” said Cothran.
“This might explain the Racing Commission’s attempts to change the underlying law by legislation in the current 2017 Session of the General Assembly. Legislative efforts to change the law concerning what is and is not pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing faced weak support in the House and strong opposition from constituent groups.” The proposed legislation died in the House from lack of support.
Solution Tree, an educational publisher and professional development provider, has announced Fern Creek High School as the winner of the second annual DuFour Award.
Named in honor of Dr. Richard DuFour, the award was created to honor high-performing schools that demonstrate exceptional levels of student achievement. In a career that spanned four decades, Dr. DuFour was a teacher, principal, superintendent, and champion of the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ process. His advocacy and tireless dedication to school improvement led to the founding of the DuFour Award in 2016.
Fern Creek High School was recognized during the Summit on PLC at Work™, which took place in Phoenix, Ariz., February 22-24, 2017. During the ceremony, Solution Tree presented the school with a check for $25,000.
“Fern Creek was a finalist for the first annual DuFour Award last year,” said Solution Tree’s CEO, Jeffrey C. Jones. “Through hard work and persistence, they were able to take it to the next level and earn the top honor this year. I’m delighted to honor their commitment to continuous school improvement.”
Fern Creek’s application included an essay and short video detailing the school’s dedication to the professional learning community process, improving student learning, and advancing instructional best practices.
“Fern Creek High School’s turnaround story is grounded in our commitment and fidelity to professional learning communities,” said Principal Nathan Meyer. “The workshops and institutes led by Rick DuFour that we attended when we were first identified as a Priority School in 2010 galvanized us and strengthened our resolve to improve student learning. Rick DuFour publicly recognizing our school’s work during the past year has been an incredible honor for our entire staff. This award becomes a tangible representation of our teachers’ commitment to the three big ideas of a PLC, centered on student learning, professional collaboration, and being results driven.”
DuFour Award Committee chairman Thomas W. Many said, “Along with a litany of impressive statistics, the school has expanded access to more rigorous curriculum, disrupted inequity, and expanded opportunities for college and career readiness all while improving their ranking in the state from the 10th to the 87th percentile in academic achievement.”
Attorney General Andy Beshear joined AARP of Kentucky and members of the faith-based community to launch a partnership to protect local congregations and the communities they serve from con artists and the latest scams.
The Interfaith Travel Series Scam Alerts, hosted by Beshear’s Office of Senior Protection, will hold events at more than 20 different locations around the state with members of the faith-based community.
Beshear launched Scam Alerts last year as the state’s first direct messaging service that notifies Kentuckians of financial schemes by con artists to steal money or a person’s identification.
“One of my top priorities is to protect Kentucky families, especially our seniors, from the emotional and financially devastating effects that scams and financial exploitation can cause,” Beshear said. “I am proud to be partnering with AARP of Kentucky and congregations across Kentucky who want to protect their members and their communities.”
Beshear said the scam awareness events give his office the opportunity to partner with area faith-based communities and churches, and work with senior Kentuckians one-on-one through local senior ministries.
Joining Beshear at today’s announcement were: the Rev. Steve Weaver, senior pastor at Farmdale Baptist Church in Frankfort; the Rev. Ron Loughry, executive director, Fern Creek/Highview United Ministries in Louisville; the Rev. Dr. Valerie Washington, senior pastor, Hughlett Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Louisville; and Charlotte Whittaker, of Hartford, who serves as the AARP Kentucky State President.
“I am honored to be included in the efforts of the Office of Senior Protection to help the seniors of Kentucky,” Washington said. “The Hughlett Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church family is comprised of approximately 55 percent senior citizens. On a personal note, it was the Senior Protection Department in Texas that rescued my father from scam artists. For months they were taking his checks, leaving him with nothing. Lastly, due to the technology today, many of our senior citizens are targeted due to their lack of technical skills. Therefore, it behooves us to take an active part in their private and personal lives, preventing them from becoming victims. It also helps them to become more cognizant of the scams and con artists who prey on our communities.”
“One of the chief responsibilities of government is to protect its citizens,” Weaver said. “I’m thankful that the Office of the Attorney General is providing this service to the seniors of the Commonwealth which offers information to protect them from those who would prey upon them.”
“I am encouraged and excited that our Attorney General Andy Beshear, through his Office of Senior Protection, is taking this initiative to reach out across the Commonwealth, engaging in dialogue with faith communities around the concerns of older adults,” Loughry said. “My organization, Fern Creek/Highview United Ministries, along with all the community ministries that are part of the Association of Community Ministries in the Louisville Metro area, have long been concerned for and provided services for the older adult population.”
“One of AARP’s missions is to help people outsmart con artists before they strike,” Whittaker said. “Our goal is to help Kentuckians safeguard against identity theft and scams so they can keep their hard-earned money. We look forward to working with Attorney General Beshear and faith groups across the Commonwealth as we fight to end fraud and scams, and keep Kentuckians money where it belongs – in their pockets.”
Beshear is working to bring new solutions and ideas to address scams because of the severe harm they are having on Kentucky families. Just last year more than 3 million consumers were conned out of $765 million across the country. Seniors nationwide lose nearly $37 billion a year to elder financial exploitation.
To date, more than 100 nonprofit and retail organizations have joined Beshear’s initiative as a Scam Alerts partner, including Kroger, AARP of Kentucky, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, the Better Business Bureau and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Kentuckians have recently received Scam Alerts on the Sweetheart Scam, IRS Scam, Seasonal Employment Scam and a scam targeting veterans.
Beshear hosted the first Interfaith Scam Alerts event at Shelby Christian Church in Shelbyville earlier this month.
“Protecting our seniors against fraud, scams and financial exploitation is a priority,” said Laura Witt, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Anderson, Shelby and Spencer counties. “General Beshear’s Interfaith Initiative brought that message to our local citizens. Thank you General Beshear and the Office of Senior Protection for educating our seniors and caregivers about Scam Alerts. Scam Alerts is a great way to protect yourself from predators. Thanks to the Attorney General’s Office of Senior Protection for bringing it to our community.”
Currently there are 25 congregations participating in the 2017 Interfaith Travel Series Scam Alert. The Kentucky Baptist Convention is partnering with the Office of the Attorney General on this initiative. The congregations are:
- Allen Baptist Church: Prestonsburg
- Beargrass Christian Church: Louisville
- Beaver Dam Baptist Church: Beaver Dam
- Blooming Grove Baptist Church and St. John United Methodist Church: Hopkinsville
- East Somerset Baptist Church: Somerset
- Eastwood Baptist Church: Bowling Green
- Farmdale Baptist Church: Frankfort
- First Baptist Church Bracktown: Lexington
- First Christian Church: Frankfort
- Flemingsburg Baptist Church: Flemingsburg
- Hughlett Temple A.M.E. Zion Church: Louisville
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish: La Grange
- Kentucky Refugee Ministries Inc.: Louisville
- Lone Oak First Baptist Church: Paducah
- New Covenant Baptist Church: Louisville
- New Hope Christian Center: Hazard
- Memorial United Methodist Church: Elizabethtown
- Sand Spring Baptist Church: Lawrenceburg
- Shelby Christian Church: Shelbyville
- Shiloh Baptist Church: Lexington
- St. Bernard Parish: Louisville
- St. Elizabeth Training and Education Center: Erlanger
- St. Stephen Church: Louisville
- The Temple AIBS: Louisville
The next event in the series will be at 10 a.m. March 16 at the Allen Baptist Church in Prestonsburg. For dates, times and locations of each upcoming event, please click here. Congregations interested in participating in the series may contact Beshear’s Office of Senior Protection at 502-696-5300.
Kentuckians may sign up for Scam Alerts by texting the words KYOAG Scam to GOV311 (468311), or enroll online at ag.ky.gov/scams and select text message or email alert.
Emergency Alert System Activation Will Appear as an Actual Tornado Event
The National Weather Service (NWS-KY) and the Kentucky Emergency Alert System (EAS, which includes all Kentucky broadcast radio and TV stations) will conduct a tornado drill in support of the Governor’s order naming February “Severe Storm Preparedness Month.”
This statewide tornado drill will include an activation of the EAS – the loud, screeching tones that we hear on television and radio during times of severe weather. The test will make use of the the ‘live’ Emergency Alert System code “TOR” and is scheduled for Friday, March 3 at 10:07 AM EST. If there is a threat of actual severe weather on the scheduled test day, the test drill will be postponed to March 1st or the first day with non-threatening weather conditions.
The Kentucky State Emergency Communications Committee (SECC) has obtained, from the FCC, a one-time waiver of federal rules to allow broadcasters to legally relay this drill, which can normally only be aired during actual tornado events.
One of the stipulations of the waiver grant is that all broadcasters will make every practicable effort to inform the public that the drill is coming and it will be a test, not an actual emergency. Additionally, since this drill must be originated by regional NWS offices, the message may run twice in some areas.
The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) arrived in Subic Bay for a brief port call that highlights the strong community and military connections between the Philippines and the United States, February 14, 2017.
The Louisville crew will participate in a series of community service projects and sporting events during the crew’s visit to the Philippines.
The ship will also use the stop to conduct some minor maintenance with the assistance of Filipino companies.
The Philippines is a longstanding treaty ally of the United States with a history of partnership of more than 70 years. The American and Philippine militaries have worked closely together on areas of mutual interest such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter terrorism, cyber security and maritime security.
Louisville is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
The First Lady’s Office, along with Kentucky Youth Advocates, Kosair Charities and Casey Family Programs, last week hosted the third meeting of the First Lady’s Youth Leadership Council in Frankfort. Members met to discuss and brainstorm solutions to today’s issues that affect them. The fourteen-member council consists of young people representing different backgrounds throughout the state.
“These council members serve as a voice for the voiceless, and it has been an honor to see what each of them have accomplished over the past year,” said Mrs. Bevin.
The Council kicked off their retreat by attending the Governor’s State of the Commonwealth Address at the Capitol on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the group was invited to have breakfast with Gov. Bevin and several legislators. The Council also attended a rally for child advocacy and a luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion where representatives of the Governor’s Cabinet, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and various legislators were in attendance. During this working luncheon, council members shared their personal testimonies and were presented with citations of achievement by Rep. Addia Wuchner, Chair of the House Committee on Health and Family Services.
“I’ve never been in any event such as I was yesterday,” said Natalia Hatchell, a council member from Youth Build Louisville. “I feel important to be a part of such a great movement and to be able to be a voice of the youth.”
Lt. Gov. Hampton concluded the luncheon by encouraging members to continue their work on behalf of Kentucky’s young people.
“Your stories are powerful and need to be shared not only with other kids in Kentucky, but also with adults,” Lt. Gov. Hampton said. “The next generation of leaders are in this room today and I’m excited to see what you accomplish.”
These events were made possible by the partnering of Kentucky Youth Advocates and Kosair Charities, along with funding provided by a grant from Casey Family Programs.
The Council will reconvene in May 2017.
