Resolve to be a regular blood donor this New Year by donating blood with the American Red Cross on Wednesday January 27th at Lindsey Wilson College in the Holloway Health and Wellness Center from 10am – 4pm! Address is 388-398 Williams St. Columbia, KY 42728. All presenting donors will be entered to win a Super Bowl LVI getaway. Plus, a chance to win a Big Game at home package, which includes a 65-inch television and $500 gift card to put towards food and fun!
LCDHD currently reports 61 active COVID cases in Adair
Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021
From Lake Cumberland District Health Department:
Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 12.45%.
Deaths: We are happy to report no new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 280 deaths resulting in a 1.81% mortality rate (about 1 in 55) among known cases. This compares with a 0.96% mortality rate at the state level, and a 1.68% mortality rate at the national level.
Hospitalizations: We presently have 67 cases* in the hospital. This is 2 more than what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 871 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.64% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 18) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.8%. The latest data shows that 95.56% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 32.76% of ventilator capacity is being utilized. (*This number is an estimation. Due to the high numbers, we only check with the hospitals on Fridays now. Therefore, the best time to see the most accurate hospital data will be in the Saturday News Brief.)
Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 15,456 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 7.4% of our total population have been a confirmed case. However, we do not know how many additional people may have had COVID-19 and were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and never tested.
Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 144 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 9; Casey: 6; Clinton: 12; Cumberland: 7; Green: 4; McCreary: 7; Pulaski: 55; Russell: 8; Taylor: 13; and, Wayne: 23. In all, we have released 91.4% of our total cases.
Active (Current) Cases: Taking into account deaths and releases, our active cases decreased by 60 more than the new cases we added today. This leaves us with 1,043 active cases in our district across all 10 of our district’s 10 counties. On 12/10/2020 we were at our peak number of active cases, 1,340.
Where Did Cases Visit Prior to Isolation: The most common places cases visited prior to isolation are (in descending order): Businesses, Schools, Family, and Long-term Care/Residential Facilities. We have had 60 cases tied to Christmas gaterings, 43 tied to Thanksgiving gatherings, and 7 tied to New Year’s events. Of our active cases, 9% can not be tied back to another known case (community-spread cases).
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 84 today: Casey: 12; Clinton: 3; Cumberland: 2; Green: 1; McCreary: 3; Pulaski: 46; Russell: 1; Taylor: 11; and, Wayne: 5. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.014. This means our total case count is projected to double every 48.78 days. The most new cases we ever added in a single day was on 12/30/2020 when we added 301 cases. Today’s new cases include:
Casey: A 49-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 41-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 16-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 57-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 8-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 73-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Casey: A 19-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 12-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 48-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 21-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 18-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Casey: A 26-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Clinton: A 31-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Clinton: A 42-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Clinton: A 29-year-old male who is released, Resolved;
Cumberland: A 7-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Cumberland: A 42-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Green: A 54-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 84-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 53-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
McCreary: A 56-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 38-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 59-year-old female who is released, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 17-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 70-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 31-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 17-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 42-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 30-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 67-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 27-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 71-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 68-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 22-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 25-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 23-year-old female who is released, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 63-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 18-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 80-year-old female who is hospitalized, Asymptomatic;
Pulaski: A 20-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 70-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 61-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 37-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Pulaski: A 29-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 77-year-old female who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Pulaski: A 76-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 24-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 15-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 29-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 85-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 85-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 17-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 26-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 28-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 48-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Pulaski: A 38-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 23-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 5-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 37-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 65-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 39-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 22-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 14-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 3-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 49-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 25-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Pulaski: A 38-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Russell: A 25-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 20-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Taylor: A 66-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 8-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 56-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 72-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 64-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 59-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 16-year-old male who is self-isolated, Asymptomatic;
Taylor: A 38-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 73-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Taylor: A 42-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 20-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 28-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 4-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 71-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Wayne: A 21-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
We are getting numerous questions about why different counties in the state are at different places with their COVID-19 vaccine administration response. For the moment, all counties are supposed to still be primarily focused on Phase 1a (medical staff, and nursing homes). However, since the Moderna vaccines come in shipments of 100 doses, in some occasions there may be some left-over vaccine from week to week where Phase 1a recipients can not be found. Every provider in every county is encouraged to use this surplus vaccine. So, in some instances, some counties will vaccinate a few folks in Phase 1b (first responders, school staff, or those ages 70 and over) with this surplus Phase 1a vaccine. Also, since 100 doses goes much farther in a small county with a population of, say, 6,000, than it would in a county with a population of 70,000, everyone is going to have to become comfortable with the fact that some counties are going to get ahead of other counties when progressing through the COVID-19 vaccination phases.
Also, as far as the local health departments go, the State Department for Public Health arranges for our vaccines to be shipped to us from the drug companies. Likewise, any other are providers who are receiving vaccines (hospitals and maybe a few others), are having their orders also arranged directly by the State Department for Public Health. The local health departments have no input over which local providers receive the vaccine or how the distribute it. They are all supposed to be following the COVID-19 Vaccination Phase Guidance, but if they don’t, it is outside of our influence. We do plan on reaching out to our community health care partners soon and beginning to have online meetings with them to better coordinate our overall response. Again, though, how they ultimately chose to utilize their vaccine will be up to them.
On a very positive note, we ended last week with no deaths the last couple of days. We start this week with no known COVID-19 deaths in our district. Also, we began last week with 115 new cases, today, 84. However, we have 1,043 active cases today compared with 795 last Sunday; and, we have 67 hospitalized cases today compared to 63 last Sunday. For our district, we had our largest 7-day incidence rate per 100,000 last week on Friday, a little over 103 new cases per day (a little more than 1 per 1,000 per day). Finally, our district’s ICU capacity is stretched very thin. So, let’s all do our part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by wearing our face coverings, avoiding crowds (especially in confined spaces), social distancing when around others, increasing our hand hygiene, increasing our general sanitation, and by avoiding the touching of our faces.
The Lake Cumberland area has experienced 15,456 cumulative confirmed cases and there have been 304,712 confirmed COVID-19 cases across all 120 Kentucky Counties as of today (this includes 303,625 statewide plus 1,087 recently reported cases in Lake Cumberland not in the Governor’s/Department for Public Health’s daily report). Regardless of the confirmed case count for any Lake Cumberland County, we believe COVID-19 to be widespread. The LCDHD is working tirelessly, including nights and weekends, to identify and contact all those with whom any positive case may have come into close contact, and to follow-up with positive cases when ready to be released. Additionally, we are striving diligently to follow-up on business-related complaints regarding noncompliance with the Governor’s Executive Orders. We are also working with any community partner that requests assistance for prevention or post-exposure planning/response. Finally, we are working with all community partners regarding vaccination planning.
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
LCDHD is currently operating in Phase 1a of our COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. This includes vaccines for healthcare workers and first responders. We are not pre-registering for future vaccination phases at this time, as vaccines are not readily available. Please follow this website and the LCDHD social media sites such as Facebook for details about future vaccine availability once additional vaccine is received. Also, don’t forget about the contract with Walgreens and CVS pharmacies to vaccinate the long-term care facilities and personal care homes — residents and staff.
https://www.lcdhd.org/2021/01/10/public-information-brief-1-10-21/
SATURDAY, JAN. 9, 2021:
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 142 today: Adair: 5; Casey: 7; Clinton: 11; Cumberland: 3; Green: 11; McCreary: 14; Pulaski: 70; Russell: 7; Taylor: 8; and, Wayne: 6. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.015. This means our total case count is projected to double every 47.45 days. The most new cases we ever added in a single day was on 12/30/2020 when we added 301 cases. Today’s new cases include:
Adair: A 19-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 42-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 64-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 29-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 3-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 2021:
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 243 today: Adair: 12; Casey: 8; Clinton: 28; Cumberland: 8; Green: 10; McCreary: 20; Pulaski: 104; Russell: 14; Taylor: 19; and, Wayne: 20. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.015. This means our total case count is projected to double every 46.41 days. The most new cases we ever added in a single day was on 12/30/2020 when we added 301 cases. Today’s new cases include:
Adair: A 43-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 17-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 41-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 69-year-old female who is released, Asymptomatic;
Adair: A 13-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 63-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 24-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 55-year-old female who is released, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 6-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 20-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 51-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 20-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Gov. Beshear: More Than 15,000 COVID Cases Reported Over Past Three Days
Governor, state officials provide cases, vaccines, testing, unemployment, long-term care updates
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 8, 2021) – On Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the third-highest ever report of new COVID-19 cases, surpassed only by the Jan. 7 and Jan. 6 reports.
The Governor has reported 15,403 new COVID-19 cases in just three days.
“We are at a really tough point once again in our war against COVID-19. We have successfully stopped three waves of this virus, but we are now seeing a real and significant increase in cases and our positivity rate from people’s gatherings around the holidays,” said Gov. Beshear. “I wish it hadn’t happened. We’ve got to make sure that moving forward we are not gathering in that way, and we’ve got to know that we wear a mask now to protect ourselves.
“You need to be wearing a mask anywhere outside of your own household. It’s gotten that bad and these mutated versions appear to be spreading really fast.”
According to the most recent White House Federal Report for Kentucky, the state’s fall and winter surge has been at “nearly twice the rate of rise of cases as the spring and summer surges.”
The report continues: “The acceleration suggests there may be a United States COVID-19 variant that has evolved here, in addition to the United Kingdom variant that is already spreading in our communities and may be 50% more transmissible.
“Aggressive mitigation must be used to match a more aggressive virus: Without uniform implementation of effective face masking (two or three-ply and well-fitting) and strict social distancing, epidemics could quickly worsen as these variants spread and become predominant.”
The White House report recommends the creation of high throughput vaccination sites, continued active vaccination encouragement by the Governor, health officials and other community influencers and televised vaccinations, as Gov. Beshear and state officials conducted Dec. 22, in addition to four more group vaccinations where photos were shared with the media on Dec. 23, Dec. 28, Jan. 4 and another set on Jan. 4.
The Governor also shared guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which directly conflicts with the policies outlined in Kentucky House Bill 1 that would strip the Governor of emergency powers to enact some restrictions that have saved thousands of lives during the pandemic and are supported by Kentuckians.
A recent poll indicated 66% of Kentucky voters approve of the way the Governor has handled the pandemic. The COVID States Project, a consortium of top universities, in its latest report, finds solid majorities of Kentuckians support all seven COVID-restriction categories, which includes 85% supporting restrictions on large gatherings, nearly 74% backing limits on restaurants and 67% supporting limits on in-person school instruction.
The CDC advises: “Given the potential for a rebound in the number of cases or level of community transmission, a low threshold for reinstating more stringent mitigation standards will be essential.”
The Governor also suggested the bill was both counterproductive and contradictory: “The CDC reopening plan written into the guidance that would become law in this bill says that if we’ve got cases going up instead of two weeks of cases going down, things should be shut down. This is the problem when you put guidance into law that was never intended to be law: House Bill 1, based on what it references, may be requiring a shut-down of Kentucky that does not and should not need to happen.
“Also, is House Bill 1 saying that restaurants have to be open but people aren’t allowed to go in them? That makes no sense.”
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
New cases today: 4,750
New deaths today: 13
Positivity rate: 11.9%
Total deaths: 2,856
Currently hospitalized: 1,748
Currently in ICU: 393
Currently on ventilator: 217
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Oldham, Kenton, Warren and Morgan. Each of these counties reported 150 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 758.
To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.
Condolences for U.S. Capitol Police Officer Killed in Line of Duty
The Governor said he was heartbroken to learn a Capitol police officer has died after sustaining injuries from the attack on our U.S. Capitol by domestic terrorists.
“This is what happens when you foster disrespect, hate, and division,” said Gov. Beshear. “Every public servant must be responsible for their words and the messages they send. Our thoughts and prayers are with the officer’s family.”
Vaccine Progress Update
The Governor said 107,799 initial vaccine doses have been administered across the state; 47,385 have been administered since Monday’s report, which Gov. Beshear said highlights the impact of the state’s push to dramatically speed up vaccinations in the commonwealth.
“A shot that sits in a freezer for an extended period of time is no use to anyone,” said Dr. Stack. “Because it is incredibly difficult to find everyone who meet very specific, discrete criteria, and because, unfortunately, there is a substantial portion of the population who is opting to wait for the vaccine or has some concern or hesitancy about it, at the end of the day, we want every vaccination administration site to give at least 90% of the vaccine that reaches the state within seven days, even if that means moving to people in a lower priority category who are willing and able to receive it.”
New Northern Kentucky Testing Location Announced
Today, Gov. Beshear announced a new COVID-19 testing site, created in partnership with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at the Covington West IRS Parking Lot
(302 W. 4th Street Parking Lot, Covington, KY 41011).
The site will be open Jan. 11 to Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When they arrive at the testing location, Kentuckians should follow instructions on the signage and given by onsite personnel. There are no public restrooms available at the test site. After receiving an appointment, it is very important to print and bring the test voucher on the day of your test. Kentuckians can register for a test here.
Unemployment Insurance Update
Today, Amy Cubbage, general counsel for Gov. Beshear, said of the almost 1.5 million claims, only 90,000 initial claims across all programs have unresolved issues.
“A number of those claims appear to be fraudulent claims that will never pay out, and we estimate the true number of claims in that group is approximately 30,000. Only about 5% of claimants have outstanding initial issues, with about a quarter of those having filed in the last three months,” Cubbage said. “We are also proud that we have been able to pay benefits to more than 90% of claimants, where prior to the pandemic our average payment rate was 75%.”
Cubbage also provided more information about the new federal benefits provided by Congress in December in the Continued Assistance Act. The Continued Assistance Act provided:
- An 11-week extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for non-traditional and contract employees, which means claimants under that program can qualify for a total of 50 weeks;
- An 11-week extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which provides some claimants who have exhausted traditional UI benefits continued benefits;
- An opportunity to regain the Extended Benefits program; and
- An 11-week $300 per week supplement similar to the $600 per week supplement Congress provided during the spring and summer.
She explained more about stimulus payments for unemployment insurance claimants announced by the Governor last night. The Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI) is working on programming to get these payments out to those who qualify by the end of next week. These are one-time payments that will arrive in the same manner as regular unemployment payments, whether by direct deposit to a bank account or a prepaid debit card. There are two types of payments under this program:
- A $1,000 payment to people who have filed claims from March 4 through Oct. 31 and have yet to have their claims resolved. Kentuckians are eligible if OUI has proof of identity and if their claims have not been flagged as fraudulent. Approximately 20,000 to 24,000 Kentuckians are eligible for these payments.
- A $400 payment to people who would have qualified for the $400 FEMA supplemental payment in August and September, but didn’t have a benefit amount high enough to qualify under the President’s order. People who drew a weekly benefit amount of $175 or less in November and December will qualify for the $400. Approximately 60,000 Kentuckians are eligible for these payments.
“Watch the KCC website for updates on timing and more specific details about these payments,” Cubbage said. “Also, if you receive your benefits on a prepaid debit card, please check the notice on the KCC website about the upcoming change in debit card providers. There will be a lag between providers, so unless you change your payment method to direct deposit into a bank account you will receive a paper check for a short period of time. If you prefer to receive a check rather than a direct deposit, please make sure we have your correct address.”
Finally, Cubbage provided an update on overpayments to claimants.
“You may remember that early in the pandemic we had some issues with mistaken payments being made to claimants, and now they’ve been asked to pay those back. As you know, the Governor asked us to find a way to forgive those overpayments because those were our mistake, not yours,” Cubbage said. “The Continued Assistance Act actually amended the federal law and allows us to waive those, but state law doesn’t at this time. So we are hoping the General Assembly will give us the flexibility to waive those payments while they are here. We look forward to working with them to achieve that.”
Long-Term Care Update
Today, Adam Mather, inspector general at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, provided an update on vaccine progress in the commonwealth’s long-term care facilities.
As of yesterday, vaccinations had been given to staff and residents in 287 long-term care and assisted living facilities. Nearly 24,000 initial doses have been administered.
“There will be significant ramp-ups and a pledge by both partners to be finished administering initial doses by Jan. 25. Some delays in vaccinating residents have been related to COVID-19 outbreaks in facilities, but those residents will be able to be vaccinated at a later date. As the Governor mentioned, staff vaccinations remain a bit of an issue, but a caveat to that is that some of the facilities have decided to split their staff in half in case there are any reactions, so they can ensure they don’t have a staffing shortage.
“With that said, I want to point out that we haven’t seen any negative side effects from residents or staff reported other than soreness.”
Price-Gouging Prohibited
Today, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order prohibiting price-gouging, extending a previous order. This order will remain in effect for the duration of the state of emergency.
More Information
To view the full daily report, incidence rate map, information on testing locations, vaccines, contact tracing, school reports and guidance, guidance for health care providers and the White House Coronavirus Task Force reports for Kentucky and more, visit kycovid19.ky.gov.
Adair County schools announce lunch menu
The Adair County School District announces lunch menu for week of Jan. 11.
Shelton receives key firefighting honor
The Columbia/Adair County Fire Department named Robby Shelton (center) Firefighter of the Year for 2020.
He is joined by Adair County Fire Chief Dennis Loy and Columbia City Fire Chief Mike Glasgow.
Gov. Beshear reveals three-pillared Better Kentucky Budget proposal
FRANKFORT – Thanks to the many sacrifices made by Kentuckians during the pandemic, the State of the Commonwealth is stronger and more prepared than most to defeat COVID-19 and sprint into our future, Gov. Andy Beshear declared Thursday in a speech to a joint meeting of the General Assembly.
The Governor delivered his combined State of the Commonwealth and Budget Address in a virtual speech recorded in his office due to coronavirus restrictions and delayed a day by the attack on the U.S. Capitol by domestic terrorists.
“Tonight, I address both a state and a country that are hurting,” Gov. Beshear said during his address. “Hurting from a pandemic that has swept across the world, upended our economy and taken the lives of our loved ones. Hurting from attacks on our democracy that yesterday rose to the level of a direct attack on the United States Capitol.”
The Governor urged Kentuckians to reject violence and political rhetoric that incites hatred and division.
Looking to the future, the Governor unveiled a three-pillared Better Kentucky Budget proposal that will help ensure we take full advantage of every opportunity and lead in the post-COVID economy.
“To achieve our goal of a better Kentucky, all branches of government must be prepared to take bold action,” Gov. Beshear. “We have not had this much opportunity for new investment in our people and our future in a generation. Let’s make it count. Let’s have courage. Let’s be bold. Let’s not fumble the opportunity.”
The Governor’s proposal includes measures everyone should support. The proposed budget includes relief to unemployed workers and small businesses; makes long-needed improvements to the unemployment system; provides assistance for more Kentuckians to attend college or earn a certificate; and expands broadband. It also includes raises for educators and state employees; an extra $100 million to build and renovate schools; funding increases for K-12 and higher education; full funding for retirement and Medicaid; money for additional social workers; and an additional $100 million for the Rainy Day Fund, which is now at its highest level ever.
During his address, before laying out details of his vision for a better Kentucky, the Governor asked those willing to say a prayer and participate in a moment of silence for the more than 2,800 Kentuckians lost to COVID-19.
He also recognized Kentuckians’ selfless actions, which, along with the smart, aggressive steps his administration has taken, suppressed three waves of infection and saved thousands of Kentucky lives.
“You don’t have to take my word for it,” the Governor said. “You can look at the devastating experiences in states that failed to take the same aggressive steps we have to stop this deadly virus. Adjusted for population, we have suffered less than half the number of deaths as the people of Tennessee and less than one-fourth the number of deaths as the citizens of North and South Dakota. Through these trials, we learned that an effective virus response is necessary to sustain and rebuild our economy.”
Despite the economic damage caused by the pandemic, which negatively affected many small businesses and families, Gov. Beshear said the hard work of his administration, especially his State Budget Director, John Hicks, led to encouraging state budget news that allows the state to provide relief to those still hurting and to invest.
Director Hicks said the budget is structurally sound, fiscally responsible including the largest ever Rainy Day Fund and includes $600 million in one-time funds. The budget also adheres to the revenue estimates of the Consensus Forecasting Group and it does not rely on new taxes, new revenue measures or spending cuts.
Pillar 1: Immediate Relief to Families and Businesses Harmed During the Pandemic For small business relief for those that have experienced losses because of the pandemic, the Governor is proposing a fast-tracked bill to immediately make available $220 million in the Better Kentucky Small Business Relief Fund. This represents the single largest relief fund of its kind in generations.
For individual relief, the Governor is authorizing $48 million in CARES Act funding to those who have waited too long to receive unemployment benefits and to help those who missed out on the federal government’s Lost Wages Assistance Program because they made too little.
The Better Kentucky Budget also allocates $47.5 million to correct a legacy of underfunding the unemployment insurance (UI) system after the Governor’s administration inherited a UI operation running on an IT system that has been in operation since the 1970s and is functionally obsolete.
In the years leading up to the pandemic, the previous administration, and previous sessions, closed in-person offices and cut 95 skilled employees from UI. In addition, the UI budget was slashed by $16 million. This, coupled with a once-in-a-lifetime, 1,300% year-over-year increase in claims meant many Kentuckians have had to wait too long during a difficult time for their payments. The Governor’s budget includes General Fund spending of $1.1 million in fiscal year 2021 and $8.4 million in fiscal year 2022 to provide funding to restore employees to help with unemployment claims at the 12 career centers throughout the commonwealth.
“This is help they are owed and deserve and far too many have waited far too long,” the Governor said.
Finally, using CARES Act funding, the Governor has already repaid $152 million in UI loans, and his budget proposal adds another $100 million in repayment.
Pillar 2: Investing in Our People The Governor is prioritizing the needs of our children and families, including their education, health care and retirements.
Gov. Beshear recognized that educators and school staffers have had to overcome incredible challenges this year, quickly adjusting to online instruction when needed and making sure children were fed even when they were not in the classroom. The Governor is proposing a $1,000 raise for teachers and classified staffers, who have gone above and beyond in their duties.
He is investing in our children by increasing the SEEK formula and funding textbooks and technology. The Governor is supporting preschool programs in disadvantaged areas and restoring a teacher loan forgiveness program.
The Governor also is proposing a 1% raise for our hardworking state employees. He is seeking to improve compensation for local and state law enforcement and firefighters, who are always on the front lines, with a $600 stipend increase from the Law Enforcement and Firefighters Foundation Program funds, bringing the stipend up to $4,600. He also provides a full exclusion of military pensions from the Kentucky income tax, recognizing the service that our men and women in uniform have provided to our country and the commonwealth, and welcoming them to live, work and retire here.
The Better Kentucky Budget invests in our families’ health care by fully funding Medicaid, adding 76 new social workers for child protective services, increasing the number of slots available for Michelle P Medicaid waivers and more. He said his administration will continue to address inequities in access to health care, which have been spotlighted by the pandemic.
The Governor is supporting the selfless local health departments by doubling their General Fund support, adding another $12 million in fiscal year 2022 to improve their epidemiology and clinical capacity.
To support healthy retirements, the Governor is providing pension relief to critical quasi-governmental agencies, like child advocacy centers and domestic violence shelters, as well as local health departments and community mental health centers. The Governor’s Better Kentucky Budget also includes full pension funding for the Teachers’ Retirement System for just the second time.
The Governor includes more than $580,000 for the University Press of Kentucky and $20 million in aid to small nonprofit organizations.
In doing what is right, Gov. Beshear’s budget reinstates funding for the Commission on Women, reinstates the Office of Minority Empowerment and provides additional funds each year to reinvest in the Commission on Human Rights.
Pillar 3: Investing Boldly in Our Future The third pillar of the Better Kentucky Budget makes bold, strategic investments in our future using $272 million in one-time funds to improve infrastructure and create thousands of jobs, all while exercising fiscal responsibility.
“The shock of COVID-19 has brought on our current transformational period, and how we lead in the next year will dictate whether Kentucky simply recovers back to the old normal or, instead, takes its place among the most productive and innovative states in the union,” said Gov. Beshear.
His budget focuses on repairing crumbling schools, some of which date to before the 1930s, with a one-time $100 million investment to renovate or replace them. This will improve the educational experience for students and teachers, while also creating thousands of construction jobs.
He is investing in our workforce with more dollars to higher education and by creating the Better Kentucky Promise, a program that aims to provide the necessary last dollars that should allow nearly 6,300 Kentuckians to complete associate’s degrees or secure certificates.
The budget provides $50 million to fund last-mile broadband coverage. This is the first time ever that state dollars have been used to invest in expanding broadband.
“We used to think of broadband in terms of just business. Now we know it touches every part of our lives: the education of our kids, how we receive health care. This is the most important infrastructure of the future,” Gov. Beshear said.
The Governor is proposing the Emerging Industries Fund, which is designed to provide flexible resources targeted to Kentucky’s future economy and developing technologies in agritech, aerospace, health care, logistics, advanced manufacturing and other key areas. By incentivizing these sectors, Kentucky will be more prepared to succeed in the post-COVID economy.
The Better Kentucky Budget also includes $7.7 million in state bond funds to match $38.7 million in federal dollars to repair, replace and improve local drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and $6 million in state bonds so that localities can access federal funds for critical flood control projects in our communities.
The Governor also wants lawmakers to address the transportation budget. He said doing so will require both short-term and long-term solutions, but it is time to create more jobs and stimulate the economy.
Building a better Kentucky also means our laws do not unduly restrict us from innovation.
“I’m asking all of my cabinet secretaries to identify ways to modernize with an eye towards determining what services can remain remote. A resident of Paducah or Ashland who wants a license or certificate shouldn’t have to spend more time in their car coming to Frankfort than he or she does actually taking the test to get the certificate,” said Gov. Beshear.
And speaking of laws that unduly restrict growth, the Governor said it is time to legalize medical marijuana, pass sports betting and save historic horse racing.
The Governor also said part of building a better Kentucky is acknowledging and addressing the racism that continues to exist in this country and in this commonwealth.
“To live our motto, ‘United We Stand,’ requires us to view and treat each other as equals,” Gov. Beshear said.
Finally, Gov. Beshear urged lawmakers to come together in support of all Kentucky families, and to take the virus seriously to avoid more pain, death and disruption and to set politics aside.
“So, let me be clear: Every moment in this short session that we spend fighting is a loss for our Kentucky families. Such fighting will leave us empty-handed and further behind those states that recognize this moment and this opportunity. Our goal should be to act swiftly and with wisdom on behalf of the people of the commonwealth.
“Now is our time. We can’t play politics while our people struggle,” the Governor added.
The Governor said there are many issues that Republicans and Democrats can agree on, and he looks forward to working with Senate President Robert Stivers, House Speaker David Osborne and every member of the General Assembly to set a positive tone in Frankfort and take advantage of this opportunity.
The Governor said: “We get to decide how history looks back on us in 10, 20 or 50 years. This is our chance. Let’s think and act differently so we can get different and better results.”
During his remarks, the Governor mentioned that over the past year, the words of President Abraham Lincoln, whose statue holds a place of pride in the Capitol Rotunda, have motivated him during the tough days and inspired his vision.
“I am reminded of his message to the federal legislature in 1862. He said, ‘The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.’
“While half of the country disagreed with every decision President Lincoln made, history has judged him amongst our greatest leaders.
“President Lincoln – the epitome of leadership in times of turmoil and division – reminds us of the importance of this moment. He said, ‘Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.’”
Gov. Beshear concluded his remarks by reminding Kentuckians that this is likely one of the most important and formative years for Kentucky in a generation.
“Let’s get to work in building a better Kentucky,” he said.
Note: To help limit the spread of COVID-19, the Governor filmed his nearly 30 minutes of remarks at his desk in the Capitol Building in Frankfort. Based on a suggestion from KET, the speech was pre-recorded to avoid any technical issues. KET will provide full coverage and live close captioning.
State adds over 10,000 Covid-19 cases in two days
FRANKFORT, Ky. – On Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth’s second-highest daily report – yesterday’s report was the highest-ever – and the state’s highest positivity rate since May 5.
The Governor has announced 10,653 cases in just two days.
“We are in a dangerous place. It is now clear that we are seeing an escalation related to holiday gatherings. This is not the time to make it harder to react to this virus when it may be surging again,” said Gov. Beshear. “We have to have the tools to fight back.
“Wear your masks all the time when you are indoors and there is anybody else there who is from outside your household. At this point, do it for your own safety. That’s what we need to do to get through these next couple months. Over the last two days, we have vaccinated 32,524 Kentuckians. We are ready to defeat this virus and we need to make sure we protect our people while we do.”
He said Kentuckians can watch his joint State of the Commonwealth and budget address tonight at 7 p.m. EST via his social media channels, where closed captions are also available. For full coverage, Kentuckians can tune to Kentucky Educational Television.
Yesterday, the Governor released a statement on the events that unfolded at the United States Capitol that you can view here.
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
New cases today: 4,911
New deaths today: 37
Positivity rate: 11.9%
Total deaths: 2,843
Currently hospitalized: 1,744
Currently in ICU: 424
Currently on ventilator: 217
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Warren, Kenton, Morgan and Boone. Each of these counties reported 150 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 683.
Mary Harris
Mary Harris, 97, of Columbia, KY died Wednesday, January 6, 2021at Campbellsville Nursing and Rehab in Campbellsville, KY. Born in Harlan, KY she was the daughter of the late Austin and Ida Mason Halcomb and wife of the late Haywood Harris.
Survivors include her stepchildren Hayward Harris, Betty Rice, Irene Curtis and Mildred Francis Holliman and several step-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by two children Loretta Coomer and Ronnie Harris; two step-sons Kermit and Carlos Harris and two siblings Marie Saltess and Gillis Halcomb.
Funeral services will be 12:00pm Monday, January 11, 2021 at Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home with burial in the Peaceful Acres Cemetery in Harlan County, KY. Visitation will be on Monday after 10:00am at the funeral home.
For the health and respect of the family, please follow all rules for social distancing and everyone attending will be required to wear a mask or face covering.
ACHS swimmers prepare to dive into 2021
Nick Coe is preparing to begin his first season as head swim coach at Adair County High School. After several years as an assistant with the Indians, Coe is ready to hit the ground running as head coach.
However, due to COVID-19, Coe and his squad are hoping to begin preseason practice this week, some two months after the swim teams usually get their seasons underway. For sure, it has been an unusual year.
“We’ve not had a chance to practice yet, but for me I just want to make sure I make note of the changes going on. One day, there could be this rule, and then the next day it changes,” Coe said last week. “I am just making sure I am following guidelines set forth by the KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association), Lindsey Wilson College (practice facility home) and our school.
“It can be hectic at times. The kids are very eager to get started. They’re eager to get into the water. They love this sport and it is stressful for them to have the virus keep pushing the season forward.”
The Indians are heading into the year after posting a pretty successful 2019-20 campaign. Luke Rich, an eighth-grader, highlighted last year by making it to the finals of the 100 breaststroke.
“We’re going to have a very young team. I think this will be only our fourth season to even have a program,” Coe said. “The success we’ve had for being such a young team has been phenomenal. Luke reached the finals in the state last year and we did extremely well in the region, considering the number of swimmers we had in the meet.”
Coe said Adair County’s roster last year had several swimmers who had never competed in a meet, but set personal best times every outing. ACHS will have a large boys’ squad this campaign and is expected to have a full girls’ squad, too. Many seventh grade girls plan to come out for the team, Coe said.
“For us heading into this year, the key is mainly experience,” Coe said. “With so many new swimmers, we need the experience to knock off some of the nerves, and that is so important. (That is because) we will have a lot of middle school kids swimming this year.”
Coe said training this year will include helping the Indians and Lady Indians get physically stronger. He also wants to work on individual development because he hopes to spread the swimmers around to the events they like to do, while also making sure Adair County is represented in as many events as possible.
“Luke Rich will be one of the swimmers we will be expecting big things from,” Coe said. “He does the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. He is a region champion and set a personal best in the 100 breaststroke at the state. Skeet Carter should have a good year too, just missing out for last year’s region meet.
“Swimming last year, Genevieve Myles figured out the events she swam and dropped 15 seconds in time. Senior Ashley Smith should do well for us in the sprints, especially the freestyle and the backstroke.” He also mentioned Brianna Hillock and Mia Wilkerson.
Now, Coe is focused on getting his team ready for the season opener. Though he is still working on completing his schedule, he expects to have it finalized in a couple of weeks.
“We’re working on consistency with them, working on conditioning,” Coe said. “(We’re preparing for a tough schedule because) I do definitely want to swim against established, successful teams. I want our kids to have to compete because this could be our year to move up.”
By Scott Wilson
Assistant Editor
scott@adairvoice.com

Open Prayer Room
Jan. 7, 2021
There will be open prayer room Wednesday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at Trinity United Methodist Church.
There will be members of the prayer team in the prayer room to pray with people if they want to be prayed with.
Private prayer is welcomed too. There will be drive up prayer moments for persons who don’t feel comfortable coming inside.
For more information, call the church at 270-384-3259. You can call and request prayer on the phone.
Adair County Elementary School’s SBDM council meeting is Jan. 12
Adair County Extension Board Meeting
The Adair County Extension Board meeting is Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 at 5 p.m. via Zoom.
To access the public meeting, email Tony Rose at trose@uky.edu
Students return to in-class learning next week; high school goes four days a week
It has been approximately six weeks since students in the Adair County School District have been attending classes at their respective schools. With COVID-19 numbers rising, Gov. Andy Beshear directed all educational facilities to go to virtual learning.
On Monday, Jan. 11, Adair County students will take a step toward getting things back to normal as they are scheduled to attend in-person classes for the remainder of the school year.
“Things are looking pretty good right now. We’re excited about getting the kids back,” said Adair County Superintendent Dr. Pam Stephens. “The schools are calling every student’s home to find out if they will be returning face to face or continuing with the virtual option.
“The virtual option is going to stay out there for Adair County for the remainder of the school year. I don’t see that changing at all because we want to give people options. We know we can educate the kids better when they’re here, but we also understand the fear factor.”
Stephens said the plan for returning to class would have high school students attending four days a week with students at the primary center, the elementary school and the middle school using the hybrid plan. Students there will go either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday or Friday.
She said part of the reasoning behind the move is the student numbers at the high school are low enough that classes can be social distanced with relative ease. The primary and elementary students’ attendance numbers are up, and the size of classrooms at the middle school do not allow enough room for social distancing a large group of students.
That plan suits Robyn Mantooth, a freshman reading and English teacher at the high school, just fine.
“The virtual teaching plan is new so it has definitely been challenging, but with that you just have to rise up to the challenge,” said Mantooth. “The reason why I even became a teacher was because of that one-on-one with the students. I am very excited to see the students coming back, a little cautious, too. With Covid numbers on the rise, I want to see them, but I know we need to be cautious.”
Stephens said school officials are also going to make in-class work more along the lines of how school typically is.
“We know our kids have lost a lot,” Stephens said. “We’re already looking at a different version of a summer school program, possibly. We’re looking to the future, but we’ve planned for the current.
“We know we can cover more material when we are sitting looking at students face to face. We’re not going to slow down the students that are coming face to face (by having virtual and in-person students together). We’re not going to hold anyone back.”
Mantooth said she’s wondering how many students she will have on Monday and how she will be able to accommodate everyone while making sure she and the students follow safety protocol.
“When students arrive in the classroom, I do not tell them to get on the Chrome Book and that I have a video for them to watch. I teach them at the board,” she said. “I hope I can still teach them the way they need to be taught. I also want to be able to meet their emotional needs, too.
“I am ready to make it fun in the classroom, but it is not a one way street. I need the kids to be responsive. I need them to be open-minded and talk back with me. It is how I have always taught.”
By Scott Wilson
Assistant Editor
scott@adairvoice.com

Record 5,742 COVID-19 cases, 34 deaths reported in the commonwealth
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:
New cases today: 5,742
New deaths today: 34
Positivity rate: 11.7%
Total deaths: 2,806
Currently hospitalized: 1,778
Currently in ICU: 428
Currently on ventilator: 244
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Warren, Kenton and Daviess. Each of these counties reported 200 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 828.
State of the Commonwealth is at 6 p.m.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 6, 2021) – Gov. Beshear released the following statement about the delay of the State of the Commonwealth:
“Based on the events at our nation’s Capitol, the Senate President, Speaker of the House and I have jointly agreed to delay the joint session for the State of the Commonwealth and the Budget address to 7 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 7. We all recognize the gravity of this situation.” – Gov. Andy Beshear
Lake Cumberland District Health Department Jan. 6, 2021 update
Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 11.66%.
Deaths: We are sad to report 2 new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 276 deaths resulting in a 1.87% mortality rate (about 1 in 53) among known cases. This compares with a 0.98% mortality rate at the state level, and a 1.7% mortality rate at the national level. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones.
Hospitalizations: We presently have 73 cases* in the hospital. This is 14 less than what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 846 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.74% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 17) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.9%. The latest data shows that 97.78% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 26.67% of ventilator capacity is being utilized. (*This number is an estimation. Due to the high numbers, we only check with the hospitals on Fridays now. Therefore, the best time to see the most accurate hospital data will be in the Saturday News Brief.)
Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 14,744 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 7.06% of our total population have been a confirmed case. However, we do not know how many additional people may have had COVID-19 and were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and never tested.
Released (Not contagious) Cases: We released 62 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 3; Casey: 4; Clinton: 5; Cumberland: 4; Green: 3; McCreary: 8; Pulaski: 8; Russell: 4; Taylor: 9; and, Wayne: 14. In all, we have released 90.1% of our total cases.
Active (Current) Cases: We added 218 more cases today than we had deceased and/or released cases. This leaves us with 1,184 active cases in our district across all 10 of our district’s 10 counties. On 12/10/2020 we were at our peak number of active cases, 1,338.
Where Did Cases Visit Prior to Isolation: The most common places cases visited prior to isolation are (in descending order): Businesses, Family, Schools, and Long-term Care/Residential Facilities. We have had 58 cases tied to Christmas gaterings, 43 tied to Thanksgiving gatherings, and 2 tied to New Year’s events. Of our active cases, 10% can not be tied back to another known case (community-spread cases).
New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 282 today: Adair: 9; Casey: 17; Clinton: 25; Cumberland: 14; Green: 6; McCreary: 13; Pulaski: 85; Russell: 24; Taylor: 37; and, Wayne: 52. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.01. This means our total case count is projected to double every 67.28 days. The most new cases we ever added in a single day was on 12/30/2020 when we added 301 cases.
T.J. Community Mission Foundation plans open house for Shanti Niketan Hospice Home
Jan. 7, 2021
The T.J. Community Mission Foundation Board members are pleased to announce an Open House for the Shanti Niketan Hospice Home on Tuesday, January, 12th from 10AM to 6PM. The 10,400 square foot facility is located at 1020 Glenview Drive and includes 8 inpatient rooms, kitchen and living spaces, private areas for families and guests along with access to a private patio.
T.J. Community Mission Foundation Past Chairman Bill Prather stated, “We are so pleased to see construction of the Shanti Niketan Hospice Home complete. It will be a blessing to many families in the years to come. We deeply thank all that have contributed time and financial resources towards making this day a reality.”
In 2015, the board of directors of the T.J. Community Mission Foundation identified a critical need in our community for a residential hospice home for patients facing end-of-life care and where families can seek a place of comfort, counseling and compassionate treatment in a home-like setting.
Neil Thornbury, CEO of T.J. Regional Health said, “The Shanti Niketan Hospice Home is a testament of how fortunate we are to live in a community with so many generous people who have made this dream a true reality. This Hospice Home will provide us the opportunity to serve our patients and their entire family in a setting that fosters peace, dignity and respect at the end stage of their life.”
Dr. Bharat Mody, lead philanthropic supporter, commented “Shanti Niketan is a beautiful, perfect name for this hospice home in our community. In my mind, Shanti Niketan is a place where the residents are mentally and spiritually cared for and given enough knowledge and understanding to keep themselves calm and strong in the face of discord or stress. This hospice home will be a loving sanctuary in our community where people can come and get shanti (inner peace) and rest, and prepare for the next step of their journey. We are humbled by the support of those who selflessly care about others—most of whom they don’t know—with their hearts are full of love and compassion.”
Registration is required to attend so that social distancing guidelines are observed. You can register at tjregionalhealth.org/calendar or by calling 270.651.4348.
18 staff, students test positive for virus
Adair County Schools Superintendent Dr. Pam Stephens has released the latest Covid numbers for the school district. A total of 18 staff and students have tested positive for the virus.
Gov. Beshear, Legislative Leaders Agree to Delay State of the Commonwealth
Joint session will be at 7 p.m. Thursday
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 6, 2021) –) – Gov. Beshear released the following statement about the delay of the State of the Commonwealth:
“Based on the events at our nation’s Capitol, the Senate President, Speaker of the House and I have jointly agreed to delay the joint session for the State of the Commonwealth and the Budget address to 7 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 7. We all recognize the gravity of this situation.” – Gov. Andy Beshear
Congressman Comer Issues Statement on Violence at U.S. Capitol
1st District Congressman James Comer is safe after the House floor was evacuated earlier today. Comer issued the following release:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “At this time, my staff and I are safe and I am in an undisclosed location after evacuating the House floor when protestors made their way inside the Capitol. The outrageous rioting and violence taking place at the Capitol Building is completely unacceptable and not who we are as a nation of law and order. Mob violence is wrong regardless of political affiliation.”