Look what happened, from the Messenger-Inquirer:

Former Daviess County Board of Education chairwoman Helen Mountjoy received the 2012 Friend of Education Award award from the Kentucky School Boards Association Friday during the group’s annual conference in Louisville.

Mountjoy was nominated by the board, with whom she served from 1981-1988, in part, for her involvement with the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act. The award, now in its 24th year, recognizes an individual, business or civic organization’s commitment to the promotion of public elementary and secondary education.

-SNIP-

“She’s been a true asset and friend, not only to Daviess County, but to the state of Kentucky and the nation as a whole,” [DCPS Interim Superintendent Mike Gray] said Friday.

-SNIP-

The Daviess County school board noted in its nomination for the award, her legacy “is best sum- marized not in the awards, trophies and honors that have been bestowed upon her — deservedly so — but in the fact that, due to her visionary leadership, tire- less efforts and positive contributions, education in Kentucky has focused its emphasis on student performance and achievement, which, in turn, provide equity and opportunity for all students to achieve their goals in life.”

Wow. And you wonder why Kentucky’s educational system is a disaster. Because it honors the good old boys who continue to corrupt the system.

This is like having an honest leadership organization that’s spent decades fighting organized crime giving an award to Julian Carroll.

Oh, and Lonnie Napier’s hair made an appearance. Forgot about that.

Another grocery store in the poorer end of Bowling Green has closed. The food deserts are growing all over the state. [BGDN]

A bunch of Kentucky’s school districts are run by absolute brainless whackadoos, as we’ve proved here time and again. So leaving the drop-out age up to school districts? Really? Well, you get what you pay for. [CN|2]

How long have we been yelling about Frankfort not doing enough to promote the bourbon industry in Kentucky? [H-L]

Remember William Shackleford? He’s got a documentary coming out about black metal called Out of the Black. [Site & Video]

The more things play out in Frankfort, the less likely a gambling bill that will pass seems realistic. Primarily because Steve Beshear still has not met with legislators. [C-J/AKN]

Do America’s infrastructure problems go beyond crumbling roads and bridges? [HuffPo]

How can a police chief in a city the size of Georgetown be “relieved” of his duties without an explanation? [H-L]

Because it seems this story is about to spiral out of control unless some folks in Georgetown start talking about what went down. [WKYT]

A forum is being held on Monday, February 6 from 10:00 A.M. to noon in Booth Auditorium at the University of Pikeville to discuss its potential move into the state system. [News-Express]

Rick Santorum, the political genius, says you will have health care if you stop buying iPads and such. Because you have money for that and all. [Wonkette]

He really is a genius, warning of America’s demise and scaring meemaw and poppop half to death. [HuffPo]

Publisher of A Kentucky Newspaper, Arnold Garson, is retiring on March 2. You knew this was just a temporary dumping ground for him. Did he even bother putting Kentucky plates on his vehicle? [Deep Newspaper Thoughts]

A million dollar lottery ticket was sold in Frankfort. Probably to some dirtbag legislator who will use it to buy more hookers and coke. [H-L]

Steve Beshear says the gambling amendment is a done deal. Princess Damon Thayer says it’s merely close. [C-J/AKN]

Alison Lundergan Grimes has some sort of slogan contest poll thing going on. Don’t pick something stupid. [SoS]

Sam Sifton, national editor for the New York Times will be at Bellarmine on the 9th to discuss presidential campaign coverage. [Press Release]

Get a grip, bar owners, and quit it with the racist crap. You may not be a racist but what you do and say can most certainly be racist. [Curt Morrison]

On top of the earlier story about 27 people getting indicted in Franklin county, 15 were arrested in Lee County. The pill problem isn’t going away like Jack Conway says it is. [H-L]

State House Democrats say the Congressional redistricting map is very close. Which means more cat fights are on the way. [CN|2]

Senate Bill 21 was okayed today. It’s maybe a good move. Would allow school districts to stay open on election days if no schools are being used as polling locations. [Deep Senate Thoughts]

You know these new stem cell research developments are going to drive the mouth-breathers so insane they can’t stand it. [The Economist]

The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is soliciting nominations for the Governor’s Volunteer Awards. [Click the Clicky]

Are fewer people seeking unemployment aid because the job market is improving or because their benefits are running out and they have to stop looking for work? [WKYT]

Come on. What is he snorting? What the hell is wrong with this man? [WKYT]

Steve Beshear says shutting down pill mills is a top legislative priority. But it most certainly wasn’t in 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011. Even Jack Conway was talking about how bad the pill problem was and complaining about how the governor wouldn’t have anything to do with alleviating the problem. [H-L]

Whaaaaaat? A frozen lake that is more than 20 million-years-old? We thought the Earth was only 5,000-years-old! [WaPo]

Brave Patriot Marilyn Parker got endorsed by Metro Council Republicans. Here’s your proof that Louisville’s Metro Council Republicans are dumber than Kentucky Democrats by a mile. DUMB AS HELL. [C-J/AKN]

Rick Santorum says government shouldn’t try to limit prescription drug costs. And, wait, nope, still not relevant. [MSNBC]

What’s wrong with a little human trafficking? Goodness gracious. Can’t even sell a kid or two these days. [H-L]

Now, hopefully you hateful ass liberal women have gotten the message about why we refuse to promote the Komen bunch on this site every time you send us crap. [RawStory & NY Times]

Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd not only put on hold the filing deadline for candidates for state House and Senate districts — he effectively shut down the business of the General Assembly. [Ronnie Ellis]

Southern Republican / Kentucky Democratic thinking: pay raises for teachers are bad because it’s against the bible or something – pay raises for legislators are good because of the bible or something. [Wonkette]

This explanation of possibly why beehives sometimes just up and vanish is a nice reminder that Jamie Comer is playing pat-a-cake on the apiarist front. But at least he’s not playing pat-a-cake with hookers in his office. [The Economist]

Washington’s state senate has decided that it doesn’t hate the gays. Sometime in the next 35-40 years, Kentucky will decide the same. [WaPo]

Guess Republicans aren’t fans of automatic U.S. spending cuts after all. Since they’re moving to stop them. [Reuters]

You can’t throw your garbage away in Lexington these days without finding a mummified human body in the trash can. [WLEX18]

Looks like Kentucky is going to get a No Child Left Behind waiver. [WFPL]

Is this really one of Steve Beshear’s top priorities or is he merely trying to save face with disabled people in Kentucky? [Page One]

Today House Republicans in Warshington earned their salary by worrying about strip clubs. [Wonkette]

Mittens Romney literally said he is “not concerned about the very poor.” That’s how your mormon cultist overlord feels about a huge swatch of the United States of America. [WaPo]

Quietly, the U.S. is moving to block lawsuits filed by military families over medical malpractice. [The Atlantic]

Ruh ro, here comes everybody freaking out about the Republicans they have to pick between. [NPR & Politico]

We still can’t believe it requires legislation to keep some uptight homeowners association from freaking out over a child’s playhouse. The House panel rejected the bill. [WKYT]

A for-profit college regulator bill is proceeding to the State House. Remember when Jack Conway was feigning concerned about this when he was in the fight of his life? [H-L]

Aww, look how concerned Denise Harper Angel got over her new Democratic opponent, Curt Morrison. [The 'Ville Voice]

What was that, again, about Greg Fischer saving Louisville Metro Government money? Look what Metro Council had to deal with and look at the excuses offered by Fischer’s office. [C-J/AKN]

Oh, look, how Republicans in Warshington are having journalists arrested. Sounds like something Kentucky Democrats would try to pull. [HuffPo]

Wow, we’re still pretending that Frankfort isn’t bought and paid for by king coal, payday loan sharks and associated pals? And Kerri Richardson still feels comfortable officially lying? Hope she’s able to stay on long enough to get a good retirement – at least enough to make up for what’s sure to eat her conscience. [C-J/AKN]

Here’s the smart politician’s guide to avoiding scandal. Start with don’t being stupid. [NPR]

This is why the mortgage industry is a flipping disaster. It’s why America can’t have nice things. [Pro Publica]

Just cold caught in the net? Alabama’s immigration law is proving too strict and too costly. [The Economist]

Teabagger Phil Moffett officially filed to run for the State House in the 32nd District. [SoS]

Why groups like the ASPCA and Humane Society take what they can and give nothing in return. [Nathan Winograd]

Morehead State University’s president is skeptical of the University of Pikeville shenanigans. [Ryan Alessi]

This is the wet dream of Steve Beshear and Greg Fischer. The absolute tops for them. You know they’re aching to pull this stunt. [Mother Jones]

While Jack Conway has spent the past few weeks proclaiming Kentucky’s prescription pill mill problem water the the bridge, the war rages on in, you know, the real world. [HuffPo]

Will Kathy Stein joining the redistricting lawsuit matter at the end of the day? Who believes this will change anything in Kentucky? How fitting that Greg Stumbo and Larry Clark – two of the people who have worked since 2008 to remove Kathy Stein from office – would join the suit in support of all their shenanigans. [H-L]

Proposed anti-bullying legislation in Kentucky is horribly flawed and will likely die on the vine. Again. Bullying shouldn’t be illegal just for protected classes – it should be illegal AND IMMORAL to bully any child. This isn’t a gay-only thing. Or a race-only thing. This story about Rutgers student Tyler Clementi’s suicide illustrates it perfectly. [New Yorker]

A burning issue. Tighter regulation, bountiful natural gas and declining installation costs for renewable energy herald the end of America’s coal era. [The Economist]

HAHAHA PEE ALERT. The Muppets finally attacked Faux News. Miss Piggy lookin hongry. [Wonkette]

Here’s your reminder that this silly welfare drug testing legislation was withdrawn in Indiana after it was amended to include testing for legislators. This should happen in Frankfort ASAP. [HuffPo]

But you know what’s maybe crazier?

University of Kentucky president Eli Capilouto is spending $1.2 million on a single Chicago consultant to determine the size of UK’s bureaucratic bloat.

That same consultant has already received $280,000 for spending three months of “study” prior to a Board of Trustees retreat on October 1.

That’s $1.5 million on a single consultant. In a single year. From a single source. And there are no golden eggs anywhere that we can find.

Why is that crazy? A mere one percent salary increase to all 12,000 University of Kentucky employees – excluding hospital staff – would only cost $3. 6 million, according to an email blast from Lee Todd. And UK already has some of the country’s top business and public administration professors on-staff. Some of the brightest minds in the world that could produce the reports from these “studies” at little or no cost.

That’s what’s maybe crazier.

His key issue of the effort?

Reforming student aid to promote affordability and value: To keep tuition from spiraling too high and drive greater value, the President will propose reforms to federal campus-based aid programs to shift aid away from colleges that fail to keep net tuition down, and toward those colleges and universities that do their fair share to keep tuition affordable, provide good value, and serve needy students well. These changes in federal aid to campuses will leverage $10 billion annually to help keep tuition down.

That’s direct from a White House release. They’re going balls-to-the-wall in this push.

Here’s more:

Rewarding Schools that Keep College Affordable

The President’s proposal to reform student aid to keep tuition from spiraling too high and drive greater value will improve distribution of federal financial aid and increase campus-based aid. This reform will reward colleges that are succeeding in meeting the following principles:

1. Setting responsible tuition policy, offering relatively lower net tuition prices and/or restraining tuition growth.
2. Providing good value to students and families, offering quality education and training that prepares graduates to obtain employment and repay their loans.
3. Serving low-income students, enrolling and graduating relatively higher numbers of Pell-eligible students

The campus-based aid that the federal government provides to colleges through Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Perkins Loans, and Work Study is distributed under an antiquated formula that rewards colleges for longevity in the program and provides no incentive to keep tuition costs low. The President is proposing to change how those funds are distributed by implementing an improved formula that shifts aid from schools with rising tuition to those acting responsibly, focused on setting responsible tuition policy, providing good value in education, and ensuring that higher numbers of low-income students complete their education. He is also proposing to increase the amount of campus-based aid to $10 billion annually. The increase is primarily driven by an expansion of loans in the federal Perkins program – which comes at no additional taxpayer cost.

Colleges that can show that they are providing students with good long-term value will be rewarded with additional dollars to help students attend. Those that show poor value, or who don’t act responsibly in setting tuition, will receive less federal campus-based aid. Students will receive the greatest government grant and loan support at colleges where they are likely to be best served, and little or no campus aid will flow to colleges that fail to meet affordability and value standards.

Do you think Jimbo and Shirley Q. are paying attention as they both pocket millions of dollars each year and continually jack tuition up through the roof?

Only time will tell but our money’s on them not giving a flip and doing everything they can get away with until reforms are enacted.

Quick, let’s pretend the Energy and Environment Cabinet cares about Earth Day! [Click the Clicky]

The state is now appealing the decision to release child abuse records. We repeat, Steve Beshear’s administration is now appealing the decision to release child abuse records. That’s how quickly they flip-flop and waste your tax dollars. [Debby Yetter]

And just like that, ANOTHER attorney was hired at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. [SoS]

Jerry Abramson desperately wants to run for the U.S. Senate. Or for Congress. So papaw is floating him all over the state to sound official. [State-Journal]

Andy Barr says he’s raised $425,000 in his second bid against Ben Chandler. [Press Release]

Apparently the Council on Postsecondary Education didn’t pay attention to what President Barack Obama had to say in his State of the Union address. [C-J/AKN]

Do you want to read another story about people suing over the ridiculous Greg Stumbo-Damon g…Thayer redistricting poop? Of course you do. [Ronnie Ellis]

Maybe you want to read yet another story about the redistricting lawsuit. So. Here you go. [H-L]

Oh, nope, you need another story about it all. The case will be heard at 10:30 A.M. on Monday by Judge Phillip Shepherd, who will hopefully strike down this bogus mess. But don’t hold your breath. [AP/Amanda Van Benschoten's Replacement]

Maybe it’d be easier to just watch a video about the redistricting mess. [WKYT]

Yes, a bridge over Kentucky Lake was struck by a tugboat last night and it partially collapsed. No one died, though, so calm down. It’s not earth-shattering news and there’s no need for us to write 45 times about it. [Press Releases/Email Blasts]

When Jerry Abramson says small businesses should have a large role in tax reform in Kentucky? He means gigantic businesses that employ thousands and operate outside the state. [Business First]

Newspapers in Eastern Kentucky are on fire this week over pill mill busts throughout the region. Just a week ago, Jack Conway was saying the problem was disappearing. Funny how that works. [The Morehead News]