Todd Hatton

Music From the Front Porch co-host Mike Gowen organizes the "Turn of the Century Social" at Murray’s Central Park this Saturday from 10 to 2 with reenactors in period costumes reenacting scenarios at the old schoolhouse, courthouse, and train depot. Mike stopped by Sounds Good to talk with Todd Hatton about the weekend festivities. PS: Todd will be there handing out some WKMS News CDs (technology from the future).

Democratic state representative and Kentucky House Education Committee chair Carl Rollins is leaving his seat to accept the top job at the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority.  Legislative Research Commission Executive Director Bobby Sherman says the resignation would be effective at the close of business today.  Rollins says the new job will require his full attention.  In addition to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, Rollins also will oversee the Kentucky Higher Education Loan Corporation.

Murray State President Dr. Randy Dunn will be in Normal, Illinois tomorrow for an interview to become Illinois State University president.  Dunn is one of four candidates for the position.  Youngstown State in Ohio has announced Dunn is among the three finalists for their presidency.  MSU Director of Community Relations Mark Welch says the three candidates will interview in Youngstown between May 1st and 3rd.  The Murray State Board of Regents opted not to renew Dunn’s contract in March.  His current contract with Murray State expires July 2014.

A federal grand jury has indicted former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer on four felony counts of misappropriating state funds and one of solicitation.  The indictment, unsealed today in Lexington, charges Farmer with using his state position to obtain thousands of dollars' worth of gifts, hotel rooms, clothing and computers. It also charges him with hiring friends who did little or no work for the state.  The indictment says that throughout his tenure as agriculture commissioner from 2004 to 2012, Farmer wrongfully used public funds and state resources to obtain goods and services for himself and his family.

After several years of advancing major education initiatives, Tennessee lawmakers this year failed to pass the biggest school bills before them. 

The 108th Tennessee General Assembly, which adjourned Friday, debated a proposal to create a school voucher program and a so-called parent trigger measure that would allow parents to decide the fate of a struggling school.  Both appeared to have momentum but failed by the end of the session.

The Delta Regional Authority is sweetening the pot for cross-state applications for federal grants to strengthen training partnerships between community colleges and employers. 

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Seth Harris said Friday that $474.5 million is available nationwide under the third round of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grants program. 

National Weather Service forecasters say a line of storms moving in out of the west this afternoon will bring a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes lasting into the evening.

Michael Robinson joins us on Sounds Good. His winning Murray High School speech team benefits from a speaking engagement on April 25th in Murray that bring's NPR's Morning Edition co-host (and former Murray resident) David Greene to Murray. Click here for more information about the visit.

The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant has been enriching uranium since 1952, making it the world’s oldest such facility.  Now, in 2013, it faces an uncertain future.  New technology and a depressed market for their product have led the U.S. Department of Energy to consider closing the facility when USEC’s lease on the site expires next month.  This threatens some 1,200 jobs in McCracken County.  But, there are glimmers of hope.

Update: The bridge has reopened to traffic.  

The US 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge over Kentucky Lake is CLOSED to traffic after a tow boat pushing several empty barges hit one of the bridge piers.  The U.S. Coast Guard reports the Motor Vessel Evey T was headed downstream when a wind gust blew the tow into the right pier on the main channel just after three this afternoon.