For the first time since its inception, over a half million people last year traveled the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The new attendance record represents a 15 percent increase over 20-11. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experience Director Adam Johnson says there were visitors from all 50 states and over 50 countries.
Pressure’s building on Kentucky lawmakers to refine their “Pill Mill” legislation. Since it was enacted last year, some physicians, pharmacists and other health care providers complain its provisions are overly cumbersome.
Some 1,500 activists have gathered, hoping to break down political gridlock. Organizers say their ‘Meeting to Make America Work’ in New York City attracted Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. They want to send a message to the President and Congress to ‘stop fighting and start fixing.’ So far, former Kentucky Treasurer Jonathan Miller says more than half million people and 25 members of Congress are involved in the effort.
Money coming into Kentucky’s state accounts recently indicates a positive trend, but an official who studies the figures warns against reading too much into them. For the first six months of the fiscal year, receipts have increased almost four percent. The official revenue forecast for the entire year calls for two point four percent growth.
With winter weather comes another opportunity to save energy around the home. In so doing, it can also help utilities conserve electricity. Old power hungry and heat generating appliances can drive up the monthly electric bill. Kentucky Utilities Spokeswoman Liz Pratt says it can be a sizeable cost.
“In about 70 percent of the home energy use can be used in the heating and cooling of appliances. So, that is a significant amount of monthly energy usage going to heating and cooling appliances,” said Pratt.
Kentucky retailers are hoping for an ‘end of the year’ rush between now and Tuesday. The 2012 holiday shopping period is certainly not one for the record books. Laura Leigh Goins with the Kentucky Retail Federation says businesses gauge sales from November through the end of December.
Thanksgiving is often the biggest, most complex home cooked meal of the year, which means there are a lot of mistakes. It can also be a busy day for firefighters. The National Fire Protection Association says Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires.
Motorists this Thanksgiving Week are apt to see congested interstate highways around Kentucky. Holiday travel is anticipated to increase slightly for the five day period. Triple-A spokesman Christopher Oakford says that’s been the trend in recent years.
One of the key republicans in state government believes change in legislative leadership is a good thing. Long time Senate President David Williams recently resigned to take on judicial responsibilities in his home region. Agriculture Department Commissioner Jamie Comer moved from the legislature to take his current job. Comer favors restricting tenure in leadership positions.
Blood donations have been in high demand since Super Storm ‘Sandy’ struck the eastern seaboard. As part of a national network, blood gathered by the Lexington-based Kentucky Blood Center has been sent to disaster areas. Blood Center spokeswoman Denise Fields says some blood products collect in the commonwealth have already been sent to New York.
