Local/Regional News

By Birmingham - Lytle

Berea, KY – Berea has ranked number
24 on the list of the top 25 Arts Destinations by the readers of American Style magazine. It's the only Kentucky city to make the roster. To celebrate, the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, held a public reception Wednesday recognizing the award. Executive Director Victoria Faoro sees the national recognition as a blossoming opportunity.

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – Governor Beshear says as soon as he learned of Kentucky State Police plans to make the driver's test English-only, effective June 1st, he immediately ordered the policy reversed. Beshear says the policy change was a mistake because Kentucky has always been a welcoming state for foreigners, and it has paid off. "We have been a state that assisted legal foreigners when they come here to live and to work to adapt to our way of life and to be able to get conveniences like driver's licenses."

By Tony McVeigh

Lexington, KY – Paul Salamanca clerked for outgoing Supreme Court Justice David Souter before joining the UK faculty some 14 years ago. Salamanca says Judge Sotomayor may have to counter Republican assertions that she has a tendency to "legislate from the bench". Professor Salamanca says unless conservative opponents uncover some particularly damaging personal or professional information on Judge Sotomayor, he predicts she will ultimately be confirmed to the highest court in the land.

By Tony McVeigh

By Bryan Bartlett

Lexington, KY – The ten-thousand square foot center at the Mapleleaf shopping center began accepting donations from the public several weeks ago. Erin Gold, Vice President of the Bluegrass Division for Goodwill, says the organization had originally set an early June opening for the donation and retail center. But, Gold says an overwhelming response to the call for donations combined with an enthusiastic corps of employees allowed them stock the store more quickly.

Washington, DC – Kentucky U-S Senator Mitch McConnell has released the following statement regarding Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

"Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly. But we will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law even-handedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences.

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – In November, we observe Veterans Day, a day to honor those who served our nation in war. But Memorial Day is different. Originally called Decoration Day, and dating back to the end of the Civil War, it's held to honor those who died in military service, says Jason LeMay of Kentucky Military Affairs. "Veterans Day is for the living. Memorial Day is the one day we can stop and say thank you to those people who gave everything they had, their life, to something more than themselves."

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – Last year, there were more than 21-hundred accidents involving motorcycles in Kentucky. One-hundred-two cyclists or their passengers died, and of those, 64 were not wearing helmets. Retired State Trooper Pat Zalone of Mt. Sterling says those are sobering statistics. "The best thing I ever did was took the motorcycle safety course when I started riding again. And you know, we're never too old to start re-learning and safety is the key - the key issue."

By Jen Schatz

Lexington, KY – Rain barrels are miniature versions of much larger detention and retention ponds that help control runoff from rain events. Last year, the city's Department of Environmental Quality made available, on an experimental basis, 500 of the brown, plastic containers nicknamed "The Lily". Mayor Jim Newberry says the Lily is an economical and "green" way for Lexington residents to get hundreds of gallons of free water.