No, you weren’t dreaming when we told you Phil Moffett was running for office. So take your pee break now before reading about it from the Associated Press. [H-L]

SuperPACs are worrying the DCCC chairman. Unfortunately, the Democrats were basically voiceless and silent when this mess came to fruition. [Politico]

Louisville has a few new finalists for Metro Police chief. A couple of them are shockingly great. [The 'Ville Voice]

Now that Papaw Beshear has suddenly decided the bourbon industry is worthy of his attention – after nearly five years – we can only hope he starts paying attention to Kentucky’s ridiculous label taxation and the fact that it’s tough to get many imports in the Commonwealth. [WFPL]

Goodness gracious, isn’t anything safe these days? Some doofus burgled a pharmacy in Georgetown. [WLEX18]

You already know Laurel County is a hot mess. Almost as bad as Clay County. So this won’t surprise you in the least. [WKYT]

Finally some news from Eastern Kentucky that isn’t embarrassing. Some high school students in Morehead made an astronomical discovery. [H-L]

Really, Joe Gerth? When has the legislature ever NOT been meek? The filing deadline issue is just their excuse this time. [C-J/AKN]

What would Jesus do if he was a teabagger wingnut “Christian”? Oh, the jokes to be made. [Wonkette]

We’re still loosely alarmed that these are the people in charge of making sure the University of Louisville Hospital isn’t a nightmare. [Page One]

Did you see Rachel Maddow get into a slap fight on the teevee about the Republicans trying to wage a war on contraception? She ought to remind Americans that Democrats are pussing out and doing the same damn thing. [HuffPo]

GLAAD ought to recognize that you can’t fire someone for being gay in Louisville. Not ALL of Kentucky is a disaster. [GLAAD]

People often ask us why the House Democrats aren’t as organized as the House Republicans. But they’ve finally started putting press releases or something online, occasionally. They just never tell anyone about them. Because 99% of the Dem staffers are 80-years-old and have no clue what the internet is. [Democratic Caucus]

The hair of the dog. Does a bit more debt keep the economic recovery on track? [The Economist]

The Indianapolis stadium deal is souring and you can bet it’s only a matter of time until Louisville faces a similar, though smaller, problem with its arena. [Bloomberg]

This failing museum in Lexington – the Explorium – owes money to the city and its director is stepping down. Would you expect less from a joint that bills itself as Kentucky’s only children’s museum? Since, you know, that’s not remotely accurate? [H-L]

The economic impact of the stimulus is unclear and highly debated. But one thing is for sure: it’s done more to promote government transparency than any piece of legislation in recent memory. But that’s still just scratching the surface. [Governing]

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer today announced his top five finalists to be the new Metro Police chief. [The 'Ville Voice]

Now that Roseanne Barr is running for the presidency as a Green Party candidate, that’s someone you can finally get behind, right? [Politico]

Work on the collapsed bridge at Kentucky Lake is on hold while the Coast Guard awaits a plan of action. [WKYT]

Testimony describes the differences in how states report and review child fatalities as a result of abuse. [H-L]

Jamie Comer finally fired the friend of Richie Farmer’s girlfriend. We’re still waiting on someone to stage a Richie Farmer Intervention, amen. [C-J/AKN]

Donald Trump isn’t just endorsing Mittens Romney for being rich, he’s also starting a cemetery at his fancy golf course or something. [Wonkette]

Don’t miss Comment on Kentucky tonight at 8:00 P.M. Eastern on KET. Scheduled guests: Ronnie Ellis, Roger Alford, Janet Patton. When Ronnie’s on, you know it’s good. [KET]

The Supreme Court is beginning to drop hints about its looming health care reform decision. [HuffPo]

Here are two more stories about the major drug indictment operation in Franklin County. [State-Journal & More State-Journal]

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]

While Jack Conway has been keen to publicly embarrass himself by saying the pill problem in Kentucky is going away? Uh, well, take a look at those indicted:

Jason Allen Ware, 34, Frankfort, Ky Debra Q. Baker, 61, Frankfort, Ky Jodi L. Ware, 38, Frankfort, Ky Jeffrey Keith Ware, 31, Frankfort, Ky Henry Earl Penn, 47, Frankfort, Ky Jeff Allen Carrier, 43, Frankfort, Ky Elizabeth A. Cummins, 57, Frankfort, Ky Jessie Taylor Quire, 34, Frankfort, Ky Artis Ike “Peter” Quire, 43, Frankfort, Ky William Risque Beeler, 43, Frankfort, Ky Jason Corde Smith, 40, Frankfort, Ky Willis Earl Bickers, 31, Frankfort, Ky Douglas Robert Smith, 22, Frankfort, Ky Kelly Ray Smith, 38, Lexington, Ky Andrea Sue Corman, 33, Frankfort, Ky Aimee Denise Hockensmith, 27, Frankfort, Ky John Charles Herman, 30, Lawrenceburg, Ky Jason Thomas Dezarn, 32, Lawrenceburg, Ky Brian Keith Bobbitt, 41, Frankfort, Ky Michael Lee Baker, 44, Frankfort, Ky Floyd Thomas Quire, 49, Frankfort, Ky Angela Michelle Shelton, 41, Frankfort, Ky Mark Allen Perkins, 43, Frankfort, Ky John Wayne Wiley, 43, Frankfort, Ky Joe Quire, 28, Frankfort, Ky Shelly L. Hopper, 37, Lawrenceburg, Ky Bronson Dwayne Masters, 34, Frankfort, Ky

Feeling frisky, reporters? Click here to see photos of many of those indicted.

Operation Untouchable was a six month investigation into the illegal sale of Oxycodone via the Florida pipeline. They estimate that 36,120 pills were illegally distributed in Franklin County by the criminal syndicate between December 2010 and January 2012. That’s 885,450 milligrams of Oxy. Something like $920,000 worth of drugs.

The name “Operation Untouchable,” though? Comes from the druggies themselves. They made t-shirts bearing the words “The Untouchables.”

What was that, again, about Jack Conway drying up pills in Kentucky? Because his office had nothing to do with what was going on in his own back yard.

AN ACT relating to domestic violence.

Amend KRS 403.740 and 403.750 to allow a court to direct the care, custody, or control of pets in domestic violence orders.

Still think it’s unnecessary?

Then read this:

A Fort Campbell soldier has been convicted of torturing his wife’s dog and a jury recommended he serve three years in prison.

The Christian County jury handed down the verdict Thursday in the case of 43-year-old Marc T. Staley. Prosecutors say he skinned his wife’s dog after the couple got into a fight in December 2010.

Staley told jurors he choked the Jack Russell terrier named Baxter until it stopped breathing in a fit of rage after the dog bit him.

While clearly not the most pressing issue in Kentucky, there’s no reason the legislature shouldn’t push this through. Now.

“I certainly get a sense that the Florida pipeline is starting to close off,” Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said.

At that same moment, a story hit about a pain pill dealer in Jack’s back yard was getting arrested:

A Frankfort man was arrested last week after sheriff’s deputies found him with hundreds of prescription pills to sell in Franklin County.

-SNIP-

He sold an additional 248.5 Percocet pills on Jan. 13 to a confidential witness working with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland said. Later on the same day, Ware was arrested when there was an arrangement for him to sell 50 more Percocet tablets, Cleveland said.

-SNIP-

There are about 900 pills total in the case.

-SNIP-

Since October, local law enforcement officers have arrested about 50 suspects related to large drug sale operations.

Woopsiedaisy?

We hear Franklin County has had a tough time getting anywhere with Jack’s office. Now may be a good time to correct that issue.

Yesterday, former prosecutor Carol Cobb filed to run for Commonwealth’s Attorney in Jefferson County. [Press Release]

Did you see Kelly Flood text messaging during the prayer/invocation at the budget address last night? [Funny How That Works]

Last night, Papaw Beshear gave his annual budget address. If you want to skim over it, click the clicky. There are no surprises. [Click the Clicky]

Beshear’s decision to maintain funding for the prison system while cutting funds for the already struggling Kentucky State Police, prosecutors and Administrative Office of the Courts is shortsighted and, frankly, dumb as hell. [H-L]

Who’ll replace Danny Ford now that he’s retiring from the State House? [Press Release]

Here’s more on Ford’s retirement. After 7,000 years in the state legislature. He’s apparently being shipped off to a rest home somewhere. We’ll try to find out when visiting hours are. [WKYT]

Chuck Schumer’s brother gave Mitch McConnell $1,000 last fall and that is apparently a big deal. It’s apparently shocking to find out that Warshington insiders play pat-a-cake with each other. [Politico]

Here they go trying to make the University of Pikeville a public university without any sort of study or solid proof that it’s worth it. Common sense, as an Eastern Kentuckian, says it’s not. [C-J/AKN]

Maybe you should take a look at the latest Big Mac Index. Sometimes it’s an eye-opener when it comes to economic realities. [The Economist]

Seriously, what the hell is in the water in Laurel County? Is it trying to turn into the new Clay County? [WLEX18]

Don’t forget that bourbon legend Joy Perrine was on a fancy drinking show and you should watch it. [Page One]

A year later, it looks like voters’ views of Republicans are dimming. Favorability was 36-51 last year. Now it’s 29-58. [Daily Kos]

So let’s take a look at some realities. Time to clear up myths from people like Linda Belcher, who are easily frightened by whatever they hear from Hal Rogers and his band of folks living richly off the federal teat. (Or is it Phil Osborne who scares the bejeebers out of Linda?)

• People like Linda claim 70% of medication containing pseudoephedrine purchased in Kentucky is used to make meth. The reality? The Kentucky State Police said in 2010 that the number is more like 15%. Legislative Research Commission? It says the number is a whopping two percent. Far cry from 70%.
• State Senator Jerry Rhoads and State Representative Brent Yonts have presented legislation that will protect consumers while blocking meth offenders at the point of sale. While critics claim it’s just a stunt, it would immediately stop at least 5,500 known meth offenders from buying pseudoephedrine. Offenders using “smurfs” to make their purchases can be tracked in real time by law enforcement.
• Jenseon and Belcher have bills that would exempt gel cap forms of pseudoephedrine from being Rx-only. But, uh, 97% of consumers buy solid dose tablets. And pseudoephedrine is “readily extractable” from liquid and gel forms, according the DEA.
• 508,000 Kentuckians bought 1.3 million boxes of pseudoephedrine in 2011. Almost 80% (301,385) of them bought a single box. Note: the yearly limit is 30.
• A whopping TWO PEOPLE purchased their absolute legal limit in 2011. Meaning it makes sense to lower the amount that can be legally purchased without a prescription.
• Greg Stumbo loves to claim that there are tons of pseudoephedrine alternatives that work just as well. But, uh, the 15 medications containing pseudoephedrine on the market made up a full two-thirds of cold & allergy medication sales in Kentucky in 2010. Common sense says that, no, they don’t work as well.
• 20 counties make up 76% of Kentucky’s meth problem. Ten counties made up 60% of the problem. 32 counties had no meth labs. 88,000 people in Lexington bought pseudoephedrine and there was ONE meth lab in Fayette County. So, no, it’s not a statewide epidemic.
• While folks claim KASPAR is a viable system for tracking meth problems – better than the current MethCheck system – you have to realize that 987 people still died from prescription drug abuse in 2011. That’s the real epidemic in Kentucky. Only 30% of doctors use it and it takes seven days until law enforcement can see data. MethCheck? Takes about sixty seconds for data to be live. Make pseudoephedrine Rx-only? Hello, doctor shopping – Kentucky’s latest cash crop.
• MethCheck stopped the sale of 32,257 boxes and a total of 14,410 purchases of pseudoephedrine in 2011. That kept 78,188 grams of meth off the streets, according to the National Precursor Log Exchange and the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators.

No one has been able to present a legitimate concern about just making medications containing pseudoephedrine prescription-only for convicted meth offenders.

And we don’t even need to bother rehashing the potential costs to the state’s Medicaid system and the working poor.

Move quickly on tax overhaul? We don’t think so. You can’t jack around with Kentucky’s tax code in any “quick” manner without screwing 99% of people and businesses. [H-L]

Louisville’s Metro Sewer District has severed ties with its board attorney, Larry Zielke, after hundreds of millions of years. Only because of a scandalous audit. And everything will continue getting swept under the rug. [C-J/AKN]

Redistricting really does have all of Frankfort in a foul mood and we expect several cat fights over the next few days. [Ronnie Ellis]

To say that legislators are wrestling with redistricting would be a major understatement. They’re all pissed at Greg Stumbo for playing pat-a-cake and threatening not to deal with things for another year. [AP]

Bunches of legislators are complaining to us that they’re going to castrate Stumbo over this pat-a-caking and over his dumb moves with Keith Hall. We’ll believe it when we see it. [CN|2]

Fraternal Order of Police representatives say that crime is up in Lexington by 9.5% in just a year. [WKYT]

Fraud and folly: The untold story of General Electric’s subprime debacle. For General Electric Co., hawking subprime mortgages was a long way from making light bulbs and jet engines. [CFPI]

Remember when Haley Barbour came to Kentucky to play footsie with some out-of-touch Republicans last year? Look at the crap he’s pulled with letting some murderers off the hook. [WLEX18]

First Ron Paul was complaining that the media wasn’t paying enough to attention to his campaign. Now he’s complaining that there’s too much. [Wonkette]

Mittens Romney’s campaign can’t decide whether or not it wants to hate the gays. Yet another reason the presidential race is so laughable. [HuffPo]

Since when is it rare for White House staffers to be changed around? It was just the other day when Daley took the job. [NYT]

Just an important reminder that Kentucky truly did dodge a bullet when Bruce Lunsford beat Greg Fischer. It says a lot when you have to be thankful that Mitch McConnell is better than Louisville’s mayor. [The 'Ville Voice]

If all children were aborted, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. So let’s abort all children. [HuffPo]

Republicans refuse to tax millionaires fairly. Millionaires don’t object. Imagine that. [NPR]

Police may not like being filmed but they better get used to it. Technology and civil liberties go hand-in-hand. [The Economist]

There are still too many lingering questions about what’s going on at Kentucky Retirement Systems. [Page One]

Jim Gray decided to just cold move his fancy Christmas tree outside city hall. Hahaha. [H-L]

None of us here think Alison Grimes’ transition team warrants an entire story so we’re just going to link to one about it. But really – Julian Carroll and Teresa Isaac handling the budget?! HAHAHA. [WFPL]

What was that, again, about hospice not being a booming, money-making industry? [Bloomberg]

23 double-dippers in New Jersey are pocketing millions of dollars. The same thing is happening in Frankfort. [NJ Watchdog]

Ben Chandler finally decided to wake up and he’s asking questions about the potential closure of the Lexington post office. [WLEX18]

According to a poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics: Young Iowa voters are less excited and passionate about the 2012 election than they were in 2008. [Press Release]

With a whopping 60% of death penalty cases in Kentucky getting overturned, you’d think it would be common sense to suspend this murderous practice. [Ronnie Ellis]

There’s a lot from Louisville today regarding Greg Fischer and the disastrous Metro Animal Services. A former employee speaks up about Fischer’s bogus claims, the director says something stupid about the press and a Republican on Metro Council shows some real leadership. Can you imagine what a disaster Fischer would have been if he were elected to the United States Senate? [The 'Ville Voice Here, Here & Here]