Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that tons of Kentucky businesses, unions and government organizations have been accepted into the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program. The program helps maintain coverage for early retirees aged 55+ who aren’t yet eligible for Medicare. Those accepted receive reimbursement for medical claims.
“In these tough [...]

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You know how the state’s social workers spend about 80 hours per week trying to scrape by? Most without basic office supplies and the ability to care for the state? And how many had planned to take overtime in order to make sure Kentucky’s helpless children were a little less helpless?
Not gonna happen. [...]

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The Education & Work Force Development Cabinet is touting the fact that unemployment rates fell in 111 of Kentucky’s 120 counties between July 2009 and July 2011.
Here’s what the cabinet said in a release earlier today:
Boyd County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 7.7 percent. They were followed by Fayette and Oldham [...]

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I’ll be the first person to tell you mountaintop removal is a fucking disaster and will ruin Kentucky. And we should, indeed, move away from coal when we can. But pulling out of the WEG because of king coal sponsorship? How bout pulling out because it’s too expensive for the common folk to [...]

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Wonder how many of those non-merit state employees (the folks appointed by Steve Beshear) canned last week were folks who didn’t contribute to the Beshear – Abramson campaign? [Deep Thoughts]
Aww, how cute! Rand Paul says Barack Obama is an elitist on the non-existent mosque issue. And says liberals are arrogant in their [...]

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What’s that sound? I hear this is unofficially being called Non-Merit Layoff Day in Frankfort. Can’t confirm any numbers (200 saving $5 million?), but quite a few non-merit employees were axed today. So many, in fact, that some didn’t even bother showing up for work. Anyone have details? [Frankfort Rumor Mill]
Kentucky [...]

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Remember the big press event and release from Governor Steve Beshear on July 13 about the Vogelsang Corporation’s plans to build a new facility in Georgetown?
He claimed it would create 43 new jobs and invest nearly $3.5 million.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 13, 2010) – Gov. Steve Beshear today announced that Vogelsang Corporation will relocate its manufacturing [...]

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Kentucky Youth Advocates really knows how to scare the bejeebus out of people:

Kentucky’s unemployment rate dropped to 9.9% in July. Because of the overall reduction in the workforce. Because many people fell off the unemployment rolls.

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Look, it’s no secret that I support Jim Gray to be the next mayor of Lexington. It’s not because he’s a Democrat, a liberal, a progressive or a member of any minority group. It’s not just because he’s someone other than the disappointing current mayor, Jim Newberry. It’s not just because he [...]

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Will the state furlough plan get canned? No one I speak with seems to have a solid feel for how this will go. But come on – there’s no way they’re gonna get nixed, right? [Bluegrass Politics]
Doesn’t Nobama know? Muslin is not in the constitution! [Wonkette]
Jack Conway loves him some Elizabeth Warren. [...]

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