Lexington/Richmond

Many say the un-official start to summer is Memorial Day.  If you agree with that premise, then it’s already been a pretty hot summer.  A weather specialist at the University of Kentucky says it’s hard to say what comes next.  Many Kentuckians may already be thinking about fall, dreaming about cooler temperatures.   Summer doesn’t officially arrive until June 21st, but a great deal of hot humid weather has already come to many Kentucky communities.

It’s going to be easier for Kentuckians with associate degrees at an eastern Kentucky school to move into full-fledged Bachelor’s degree programs. On Monday (today) Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State and Hazard Community and Technical College announced details of a collaborative regional education program.  EKU President Doug Whitlock says it’s called the Associate to Baccalaureate Degree Pathway

The US Army Corps of Engineers has resumed rehabilitation work on part of Wolf Creek Dam in southern Kentucky.  Officials began repairs in 2006 after determining the dam could fail, which would cause major flooding in several downstream cities, including Nashville. The dam’s condition also forced engineers to lower water levels on Lake Cumberland. Project manager David Hendrix says completion of the repairs is more than two years away.

Kentucky’s best known education advocacy group is examining new academic standards and what they may mean for both students and teachers.  The annual spring meeting is taking place at a central Kentucky state park.

Starting tonight, construction of a new kind of interchange could slow evening traffic flow in Lexington.  Work began last week on what’s called a “double cross over diamond interchange” along Harrodsburg Road.

FRANKFORT - Gov. Steve Beshear Friday announced funding for water supply projects in several Eastern Kentucky counties. Residents living along or in KY HWY 476 (Breathitt), Mudlick/Franks Creek (Johnson), Paintsville Lake area (Johnson), Dry Creek/Clear Creek (Knott), Treadway Road (Lee/Owsley), Trace Fork/Spicy Ridge (Martin), Whoopflarea (Owsley/Perry), South Perry (Perry) and Vicco (Perry/Letcher) should be noticing the construction of a water supply project funded by the Division of Abandoned Mine Lands in their communities.

Federal inspectors issued 30 citations at an underground coal mine in Letcher County during a special inspection last month, according to a news release. Among other things, the citations allege that the operator of Vision Coal Inc.'s Mine No. 2 failed to follow the approved plans for supporting the mine roof and drilling test holes, exposing miners to potential injuries from roof falls and the danger of being inundated by water and harmful gases, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said.

Hundreds of Lexington citizens took the opportunity to view and discuss new plans for a large grass field in the middle of downtown. More than three hundred people crowded into the old courthouse inside the Lexington History Center for a public meeting on the long-delayed CentrePointe project. Chicago Architect Jeanne Gang and her firm, Studio Gang, presented their re-imagined ideas for the lot which has been vacant for nearly three years.

Trail maintenance is an ongoing need in natural areas all across Kentucky.  In response,  Saturday has been designated National Trails Day.  Volunteers in eastern Kentucky will work on a couple of trail projects. Workers will gather near the Cumberland Falls area to re-route a quarter mile portion of trail along Bark Camp Creek in Whitley County.  Steve Barber is executive director of the Sheltowee Trace Association.

Lexington's Police and Fire Pension Fund was the hot topic at Thursday's meeting of the Lexington Forum. Brenna Angel reports on what both sides had to say.  Councilmember Doug Martin came armed with a packet of information about the Lexington Police & Fire Pension Fund, which has an unfunded liability of $200 million. Martin says the fund should be closed to new employees and benefits should be adjusted.

The FBI special agent who headed a watershed investigation into public corruption in Clay County has died. Timothy S. Briggs, 46, apparently suffered a heart attack while jogging with another agent Tuesday near the FBI office in London. Briggs was a dogged, hard-working investigator who was passionate about rooting out corruption and other crimes, said officials who worked with him.

Work on the Fox Valley Dam project is once again under way after inclement weather put a damper on progress. The Fox Valley Dam was found to be "partially incompliant" by the Kentucky Office of Dam Safety nearly two years ago because several structures were built in its "breach zone."

When members of the Patrick family took to their yard for a Memorial Day weekend picnic, little did they know their gathering would be crashed by an unwanted visitor - a five-foot tall black bear. The bear raided the family's grill, helping itself to hamburgers, hot dogs, buns and other goodies. The animal was eventually shot by a state wildlife officer.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration has released the results of its April impact inspections, and two Kentucky coal mines were among the eight cited. MSHA began conducting impact inspections after last year’s explosion in a West Virginia coal mine, and the agency targets mines with a history of compliance problems.

A heartfelt first meeting took place Tuesday at the Harlan County Courthouse, but the connection that brought the two together goes back over 65 years. Henry Lee Burkhart was one of many young men from Harlan County who fought in World War II. He was killed on Feb. 5, 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge and was buried nearby. But Burkhart's family never knew where he was buried until they were contacted by a Belgian woman who told them she had been caring for Burkhart's grave. Now, the two families have met face to face.

Enforcement of new regulations included in Madison County’s smoking ban begins next week.  The local Clean Indoor Air Regulations now officially cover Hookahs and electric cigarettes. The Clean Indoor Air policy currently prohibits smoking in public places in Madison County.  The smoking ban broadens Monday to include hookahs and electronic cigarettes and eliminates the exemption for retail tobacco stores.  Christie Green with the Madison County Health Department says six inspectors will be monitoring the community.

The Fayette County School Board has narrowed its search for a new superintendent to three individuals.  The decision was made Tuesday night following a two hour closed door session.  Names of the three finalists are expected to be announced today after they agree to interview for the position.  The three were chosen from among 14 applicants coming from ten states including Kentucky.

Frankfort developer Michael Davenport returned today from Joplin, Mo., where he and his family helped distribute supplies and gave $100 bills to survivors. A tornado struck the area on May 22 killing 146, and 29 are still missing. Davenport said he felt called to help the survivors and left Friday in his motor home to deliver supplies to a church there.
“God put it on my heart,” he said.

Jean Miller celebrated Memorial Day at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Nicholasville in honor of her husband and brother-in-law, who are both buried there. She and friend Dottie VanWinkle, both of Lexington, braved the early afternoon heat to be part of the annual memorial service that included stories from veterans and music by the West Jessamine High School Band.