Tuesday, March 2, 2021
From Mike Keltner, Adair Co Emergency Management Directory

The Statewide Tornado Drill will be conducted Wednesday, March 3 at 9:07 a.m. cst.

The Adair County Outdoor Warning Sirens will be activated at 9:07 a.m. as part of the Statewide Tornado Drill and this will also serve as the monthly siren test.

National Weather Service information:

The Kentucky Weather Preparedness Committee, made up of the WCMs (and acting or assistants) of all the KY-serving WFOs, KYEM, and a few other weather-safety conscious folks, has once again designated this year’s Severe Weather Awareness Week on its traditional dates at the beginning of March.

This year’s Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 1-7 (Monday – Sunday).

The  Statewide Tornado Drill will be conducted WEDNESDAY March 3 at 10:07 AM EST (9:07 AM CST)

For the Tornado Drill, we will be using a TEST Tornado Warning VTEC code to activate the Emergency Alert System, except in the counties served by NWS Wilmington OH, per agreement with Cincinnati area broadcasters. The Test code will NOT activate the Wireless Emergency Alert, but some residents may receive alerts or push notifications through certain third party apps.

Participation at the County or local level is encouraged, within prevailing KYEM and/or CDC guidelines. This is a great opportunity to review and practice your tornado safety plan, whether you are at home, school, or your workplace.

The KET call-in show has been cancelled due to COVID and the stretch of relentless winter weather during the middle of February.

COVID-19 cases decline for seventh straight week, positivity rate declines to 4.84%

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 1, 2021) – On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 18 industries can increase capacity to 60% as the state completes its seventh straight week of declining COVID-19 cases.

Today, the Governor reported the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases since Sept. 28 and the lowest positivity rate since Oct. 18.

“Today, we have more good news than at any time in the pandemic. We’ve never seen what we are seeing now in terms of a downward trend. Previously, we had experienced only three consecutive weeks of declining cases,” said Gov. Beshear. “COVID hospitalizations, ICU admittance and those needing a ventilator have either decreased or stabilized.

“This capacity increase is an initial step where we will watch and see to ensure we don’t see a corresponding increase in cases.”

The following businesses can now increase capacity to 60%:

• Indoor auctions
• Barbershops/cosmetology/hair salons
• Bars and restaurants
• Bowling alleys
• Indoor educational and cultural activities
• Fitness centers
• Funeral and memorial services
• Government offices/agencies
• Massage therapy
• Movie theaters
• Nail salons
• Office-based businesses
• Places of worship (recommendation)
• Retail
• Tanning salons
• Tattoo parlors
• Vehicle and vessel dealerships
• Venues and event spaces

The Governor said he intends to increase child care capacity to regular group size on March 15 if positive trends continue.

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Arriving in Kentucky
Gov. Beshear said the first Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses will be arriving in the state this week and delivered to independent pharmacies.

“The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot, highly effective vaccine adds to the growing weekly supply available to Kentucky that has risen in just over a month from around 57,000 to over 100,000 first doses and growing,” said Gov. Beshear.

“Independent pharmacies have been preparing for months and are eager to play a part in putting this pandemic to an end. Your independent pharmacies are always there to serve and provide for the communities we work in, live in, and go to church in,” said David Figg, chief executive officer of Rice’s Pharmacy in Ohio County. “This vaccine in our pharmacies is another way to ensure access in all corners of the state, even those that may struggle with transportation. We are committed to making sure every dose is utilized, and this Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a great third vaccine in our arsenal. We will not let the commonwealth down.”

Update on Emergency Response to Record Flooding
Today, the Governor and state officials said the State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 3 operations status, supporting the response to severe flooding in some counties after extremely heavy rainfall across the commonwealth – more than six inches in some areas.

“Our first responders have been in harness saving lives throughout the entire weekend. We will be facing the impact of flooding of rivers and tributaries throughout the commonwealth over the next few days,” said Michael Dossett, Director of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. “The National Guard has been activated with 72 personnel on duty in Barren, Calloway, Johnson, Laurel, Pike and Rockcastle counties, providing support and equipment: 23 high-axle vehicles, two helicopters, six backhoes and six dump trucks to support resource requests.”

In total, 34 cities and counties have declared states of emergency. Four emergency shelters and one warming center has been opened. Swift water rescues were conducted in at least 42 counties.

Water rescues continue today in Eastern Kentucky as crews clear emergency routes of flood debris and landslides.

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Monday, March 1, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 509
New deaths today: 15
Positivity rate: 4.84%
Total deaths: 4,652
Currently hospitalized: 719
Currently in ICU: 180
Currently on ventilator: 82

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Boone, Kenton, Laurel and McCracken. Each county reported at least 20 new cases. Jefferson County reported 95.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

The Governor reminded Kentuckians that starting today, individuals in Phase 1C can sign up for appointments at regional vaccination centers. To learn more about Kentucky’s 410 vaccination sites, visit vaccine.ky.gov or kycovid19.ky.gov/ky-covid-vaccine.

“This week, we have already set a record by vaccinating more than 100,000 Kentuckians in a single week,” said Gov. Beshear. “As of today, we have vaccinated just under 700,000 Kentuckians – 16% of our total population and over 20% of our eligible population.”

Long-Term Care Update
Cabinet for Health and Family Services inspector general Adam Mather said all first doses have been given in the federal long-term care program for residents, staff and contract employees who wished to receive the vaccine. The program is moving toward its maintenance phase.

“Over the course of this week, institutional pharmacies that have enrolled in both the state and federal systems will receive vaccines to administer at long-term care facilities. We are working to enroll the remaining pharmacies and they will be added to the program,” said Mather. “This ensures that new residents, new staff, and reluctant residents and staff will be able to be vaccinated.”

Free or Reduced-Cost Rides to and from COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments
The Governor reminded Kentuckians that public transit agencies across the commonwealth are offering free or reduced-cost transportation to and from vaccine appointments.

These services are already operating in over 90 counties, covering 75% of all counties across Kentucky. Kentuckians can find transportation services near them by heading to kycovid19.ky.gov for a full list of participating public transit agencies and their phone numbers. Or, call the Kentucky COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline, 855-598-2246.

Student Loan Reimbursements for State Veterans Home Nurses
Gov. Beshear said nurses at Kentucky’s state veterans’ homes can now receive up to $40,000 over four years to pay off their student loans. To learn more, see the full release.

“I congratulate KDVA and especially their nursing home staff and administration for not giving up and for finding an incentive that works in the framework of state government so we can provide great service to those who have served our country,” said Gov. Beshear.

Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund
The Governor reminded Kentuckians to apply to the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund for assistance with housing and utility costs. The program is open to individuals in 118 counties (Jefferson and Fayette counties have their own parallel assistance programs). To learn more about eligibility and how to apply, visit teamkyhherf.ky.gov.

Vaccine Water Rescue
Today, Gov. Beshear announced that local officials completed a water rescue of COVID-19 vaccines. The Lee County Health Department lost power and was flooded, but vaccines in the department’s care were saved.

“Last night’s weather flooded the Kentucky River District Health Department causing the power to go out and jeopardizing the COVID-19 vaccines being stored there,” said Gov. Beshear. “Thankfully, the Kentucky River District director, Scott Lockard, and his incredible team, along with the Lee County Emergency Management, conducted a water rescue to keep these vaccines safe for our people. These folks lost a number of vehicles that day, but they did not lose one dose of vaccine.”

COVID-19 Deaths Audit
Today, the Governor announced the state will conduct an audit to ensure every Kentuckian lost to COVID-19 is counted.

Neighboring states like Ohio and Indiana have engaged in audits using death certificates and matching them to reported deaths. Kentucky performed this audit in real time until cases increased in November.

“It will likely take a decade to fully understand and calculate the loss of life and the long-term health impacts of this pandemic,” said Gov. Beshear. “But I am committed to honoring all of those lost by making sure each is counted. We can have no unknown loss and no unknown soldiers.”

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.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 1, 2021) – Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency on Sunday evening, Feb. 28, due to extremely heavy rainfall across the commonwealth throughout the weekend. The Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is activated and monitoring reports from county emergency services agencies.

“By declaring a state of emergency, we can mobilize the state resources needed to support the cities and counties affected by this heavy rainfall,” said Gov. Beshear. “We are acting swiftly to ensure the safety and security of Kentucky families and to get the needed help to our communities.”

The entire commonwealth received heavy rainfall over the weekend and remained in either a flood watch or flood warning until early Monday morning. This morning, a total of 13 counties and cities have declared states of emergency, including Breathitt, Calloway, Casey, Elliott, Estill, Johnson, Knott, Magoffin, Owsley, Perry and Pike counties and the cities of Paintsville and Salyersville.

The Kentucky National Guard has been activated and is responding to assist with high water emergencies.

Rounds of heavy rain occurred Sunday night. Most of this additional rainfall is likely to become runoff, leading to the threat of flash flooding. In addition, areal flooding of streams and creeks is likely, along with additional instances of river flooding.

“The impact of extremely heavy rainfall and flash flooding across the commonwealth led to numerous emergency rescues and evacuations in counties from west to east,” said Michael Dossett, director of KYEM. “The Governor’s state of emergency activated the National Guard, and we have been coordinating requests for assistance from counties across the state.”

Dossett added: “We’ve experienced flooding in numerous regions. Please be aware of the presence of emergency responders and use caution near the many closed local and state roadways due to high water.”

Some basic safety tips for flooding awareness:

• Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters – TURN AROUND. DON’T DROWN!
• Do not drive over bridges that are above fast-moving floodwaters. Floodwaters can scour foundation material from around the footings and make the bridge unstable.
• Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 1 foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground.
• Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.

For more information about KYEM, visit kyem.ky.gov.

Feb. 25, 2021

FRANKFORT – Legislative leaders have made another adjustment to the calendar for the Kentucky General Assembly’s 2021 Regular Session.

Under the change, the Senate and House of Representatives are now scheduled to convene on March 11 in addition to other previously scheduled days.

Lawmakers are still scheduled to conclude the session on March 30, the last day allowed by the state constitution.

The revised 2021 Regular Session Calendar can be viewed online at: https://legislature.ky.gov/Documents/21RS_Calendar.pdf

Statewide Testing Positivity Rate: 5.9%.

Deaths: We are sad to report 5 new deaths today. We have experienced a total of 357 deaths resulting in a 1.77% mortality rate (about 1 in 56) among known cases. This compares with a 1.13% mortality rate at the state level, and a 1.78% 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 29 cases in the hospital. This is 13 less than what we reported yesterday. We have had a total of 1,109 hospitalizations resulting in a 5.51% hospitalization rate (about 1 in 18) among known cases. The state hospitalization rate is 4.71%. The latest data shows that 97.78% of Lake Cumberland’s ICU beds are filled, and 14.52% of ventilator capacity is being utilized.

Total (Cumulative) Cases: The Lake Cumberland District has experienced a total of 20,136 cases since the onset of the outbreak. This means that 9.64% 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 76 cases today from isolation. Released cases include: Adair: 11; Casey: 4; Clinton: 3; Cumberland: 5; Green: 6; McCreary: 3; Pulaski: 13; Russell: 8; Taylor: 13; and, Wayne: 10. In all, we have released 96.3% of our total cases.

Active (Current) Cases: Taking into account deaths and releases, our active cases decreased by 12 more than the new cases we added today. This leaves us with 381 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, 1,342.

Where Did Cases Visit Prior to Isolation: The most common places cases visited prior to isolation are (in descending order): Businesses, Family, Schools, and Medical Facilities. Of our active cases, 7% can not be tied back to another known case (community-spread cases).

New Cases: We report that our total case count has increased by 69 today: Adair: 6; Casey: 1; Clinton: 3; Green: 6; McCreary: 3; Pulaski: 17; Russell: 5; Taylor: 27; and, Wayne: 1. Our current new case growth rate is: 1.003. This means our total case count is projected to double every 214.59 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 53-year-old female who is released, Resolved;
Adair: A 71-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 19-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 30-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 74-year-old male who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;
Adair: A 20-year-old female who is self-isolated, still symptomatic;

​​​​​​​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2021) – In accordance with a proclamation from the White House, Gov. Andy Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff until sunset on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, to commemorate the milestone of more than 500,000 American lives lost to COVID-19. The Governor and First Lady will join President and Mrs. Biden and Vice President Harris and Mr. Emhoff in observing a moment of silence tonight at sundown in remembrance of those who have died from the virus.

Gov. Beshear encourages individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the commonwealth to join in this tribute. Flag status information is available at https://governor.ky.gov/flag-status.

Governor announces regional vaccination sites will open Phase 1C appointments March 1

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2021) – On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced COVID-19 cases have declined for six straight weeks in the commonwealth. He also reported the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases since Oct. 5.

“The trends are going in a positive direction, perhaps the most positive since the pandemic began,” said Gov. Beshear. “What that means is that we’re doing a good job. Do I think that vaccines are starting to have an impact? Certainly in the long-term care community. Hopefully we’ll see more of it in the overall state. But we’re seeing more people wearing masks, engaging in social distancing, thinking about the number of contacts they have in their day, and it is working.”

The Governor announced that regional vaccination sites will open to Kentuckians in Phase 1C beginning March 1, and he expects other vaccination sites to move into Phase 1C around the same time.

Gov. Beshear encouraged all vaccine sites to continue prioritizing Phase 1A and 1B individuals, even as 1C appointments are made as well. He asked all providers to continue outreach to vulnerable Kentuckians who may have a harder time navigating the vaccine sign-up system.

More than 583,000 Kentuckians have received at least their first dose of the vaccine.

Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, updated Kentuckians on the federal pharmacy program for COVID-19 vaccines.

“The good news is, we have wildly expanded our vaccine provider network in a very short time frame,” said Dr. Stack. “As of today, we have 47 independent pharmacies and 77 Walgreens pharmacies across the state participating in this program to help get vaccines to Kentuckians right in their local communities. We are going to continue to move progressively faster, getting closer and closer to where you live.”

Finally, the Governor highlighted a tragic milestone in the nation’s war against COVID-19.

“This country has now lost more than 500,000 Americans to the coronavirus. It is an almost unimaginable loss. While we have good news about the direction things are going, we’re going to emerge from this with a lot of scars inside and out,” said Gov. Beshear. “Let’s all remember that we’ve got to love one another and be patient with one another through that. While I hope that we are months away from the end of this virus, it’s going to take a little longer to process our collective grief.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 530
New deaths today: 13
Positivity rate: 6.6%
Total deaths: 4,460
Currently hospitalized: 870
Currently in ICU: 243
Currently on ventilator: 119

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Oldham, Campbell and Kenton. Each county reported at least 20 new cases. Jefferson County reported 95.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

Governor and First Lady Launch Team Kentucky Gallery
On Monday, First Lady Britainy Beshear invited Kentuckians to lend their artistic talents to a new Team Kentucky Gallery, which will be located in a main hall of the state Capitol in Frankfort. The gallery will feature art in six-month installments.

The deadline to submit artwork for the first installment is May 15. For more information, see the full release.

“The Capitol is the peoples’ house, and there is no better place to highlight Kentuckians’ voices represented through art,” said First Lady Beshear. “We want to make sure Kentuckians across the commonwealth see their stories and communities represented. This exhibit is by Team Kentucky, for Team Kentucky, just as it should be.”

$40 Million in Federal Emergency Relief Funding to Non-Public Schools
Today, First Lady Beshear announced that Gov. Beshear has authorized the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to administer $40,817,799 in emergency assistance to non-public schools for reimbursement of COVID-19 related costs or to provide COVID-19 related services.

The U.S. Department of Education has allocated this funding to Kentucky for emergency assistance that must be directed to non-public schools. All non-public schools may apply to the state for reimbursement or for services through the recently authorized Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools under the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. More information will be available soon on the KDE website.

$4.6 Million in Grants Expand Treatment and Recovery Services for Opioid Use Disorders
Today, First Lady Beshear and Gov. Beshear along with the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) and the Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities announced that a total of $4,645,070 has been awarded to 12 nonprofit organizations throughout the commonwealth. The total grant funding has been distributed among Community Mental Health Centers and Neonatal Abstinence Treatment Programs from the Senate Bill 192 Treatment Grant which is administered by ODCP.

The grant awards are primarily focused on addressing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome by offering comprehensive residential treatment services to pregnant and parenting women. To learn more, see the full release.

Virginia Moore Access Award
Today, First Lady Beshear also announced a special recognition for Team Kentucky’s primary American Sign Language interpreter, Virginia Moore, who is executive director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

“Our very own Virginia Moore has been honored for demonstrating her dedication to advocating for the deaf and hard of hearing community in Kentucky,” said First Lady Beshear. “The award, properly named the Virginia Moore Access Award, is presented by the Kentucky Educators for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing here in Kentucky.”

Indoor Visitation Resumes for Some Long-Term Care Facilities
Today, Gov. Beshear reminded Kentuckians that indoor visitation has resumed for non-Medicare-certified facilities that have been through the vaccination process.

Those facilities include assisted living facilities, personal care homes, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and independent living facilities. They do not include Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities at this time because, for those facilities, the federal government would also need to waive restrictions.

Memorial
“Today, we share the loss of Gladys Bass, who passed away from COVID-19 on Feb. 10 at the age of 94. Her death came just eight weeks after her soulmate and husband of 74 years, Lewis ‘Sonny’ Bass, passed away from the virus,” said Gov. Beshear. “His loss left her heartbroken.

“Gladys was born in Lexington and was the youngest of eight children. She attended the University of Kentucky before meeting Sonny in Cincinnati. It was love at first sight, and they decided to build a beautiful life together.

“She effortlessly managed a busy household while encouraging Sonny throughout his many endeavors in life. When Sonny and his partners started Heritage House Nursing Home in 1961, the predecessor of Humana, you could find Gladys mopping floors, vacuuming or working the front desk to help get their first nursing home open.

“Gladys was the sweetest, most caring and loving woman, the matriarch that kept the foundation of the Bass family strong. Her friends and family always knew how much they were loved.

“Gladys’ loving spirit, beautiful smile and unending patience blessed this world for 94 years, and we are all better for it. She taught her family to love unconditionally, live life to the fullest and eat a piece of chocolate at every meal. We will mask up for Gladys, for Sonny and for every beloved Kentuckian lost to this horrible virus.”

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.

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 1,017
New deaths today: 18
Positivity rate: 6.99%
Total deaths: 4,336
Currently hospitalized: 934
Currently in ICU: 259
Currently on ventilator: 128

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton and Boone. Each county reported at least 40 new cases.

WINTER WEATHER UPDATE FOR TODAY:

This is an updated weather announcement for Thursday, February 18th. Due to inclement weather and hazardous conditions, the T.J. Health Pavilion, all Rural Health Clinics and the T.J. Family Medicine Center will be closed today.  As always, T.J. Samson and T.J. Health Columbia remain open 24/7.

Updates, delays, and closures will be posted as more information becomes available. Visit our weather page: T.J. Regional Health and follow us on Facebook and local media the most up-to-date information.

Feb. 18, 2021

Due to inclement weather the Planning and Zoning public hearing scheduled for tonight is rescheduled for next Thursday, February 25 at 6:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting is for a request for a zone change from R1 to C2 for property located at 614 Fairground Street owned by Easton Bryant.  The hearing is open to the public.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 17, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear said road crews are continuing to work around the clock to clear roads as the state prepares for its third winter storm in eight days, expected to start this evening.

“We have now made it through two winter storms, with a third on the way. I’m happy to be able to say we had a relatively quiet night, but let me stress that – even with a bit of a break in the weather – it’s still important to limit travel,” said Gov. Beshear. “If you must travel, it’s still important to be very careful. Slow down, watch out for snow plows, salt trucks and other emergency vehicles.”

The Governor said the State Emergency Operations Center is currently activated at Level 3, supporting the power outage response and the winter storm recovery. As of Wednesday morning, 44 counties and 24 cities have declared states of emergency.

The Governor said tomorrow, regional vaccination centers will stay open. If it’s too difficult or dangerous for Kentuckians to reach their appointments, Gov. Beshear encouraged them to reschedule using the link in their appointment confirmation email.

Weather Update

• Multiple rounds of wintry weather are likely to impact the region starting Wednesday afternoon through early Friday morning.
• Snow, sleet, freezing rain and a cold rain will be possible across the region.
• The best potential for snow accumulations is expected to be across Central and Eastern Kentucky. Ice accumulations under a quarter inch will be possible across Southern and Eastern Kentucky.
• Frostbite and hypothermia can occur if people are outdoors for extended periods of time, especially in single-digit temperatures.
• Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued for Kentucky. To learn more, click here.
• Click here to view the National Weather Service forecast provided at 11 a.m. EST.

Power Outages

• There are widespread outages across Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky. As of 8 a.m. EST, there are approximately 96,000 Kentucky customers without power, with numerous counties reporting downed trees.
• Power has been restored to approximately 58,000 customers after outages peaked at more than 154,000.
• Work crews in Eastern Kentucky – especially the Jackson and Pikeville highway districts – are still dealing with falling trees and downed power lines.
• Department of Highways maintenance facilities are still without power in five counties – Boyd, Floyd, Lawrence, Magoffin and Martin.
• One consequence of power outages is that gas pumps can’t operate. Yesterday, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) began hauling motor fuel into the area so crews can refuel equipment, and those efforts will continue today.
• Power outages have also impacted traffic signals. Treat any dark signals as a four-way stop.
• Clearing downed trees will be a major task today in impacted areas. Division of Forestry crews are out in high impact areas. Kentucky National Guard teams are on standby to assist the Forestry crews to remove cut debris.
• Kentuckians experiencing a downed power line or power outage should contact their local utility company. If possible, use an alternate source of heat but be aware of the dangers of alternate heat sources and carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators, camp stoves or charcoal grills always should be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows. Never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/co/guidelines.htm for more information.

“During this event, the weather created physical damage to the infrastructure that transmits and delivers the electricity to households. Electric companies must respond safely, swiftly and efficiently to restore service to large numbers of affected customers,” said Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett.

Director Dossett said there are four steps necessary to restore power:

• Assess the extent, locations and severity of damage to the electricity system;
• Provide the physical and human resources required for repairs;
• Prioritize sites/components for repair based on factors including the criticality of the load and the availability of resources to complete the needed repairs;
• Implement the needed repairs and reassess system state.

“As such, households may experience times of intermittent or extended outages as the electric utilities create a safe environment for work to move through the phases of restoration,” said Director Dossett. “Electric utilities are implementing their mutual aid agreements to ensure everyone is working together to have the resources. Utilities are cooperating and some aid is coming from out of state.”

Road Conditions

• KYTC crews are treating and plowing statewide and report most highly traveled priority A routes are passable. Plows are making headway on secondary, lower-volume routes.
• Several areas are severely affected, especially eastern and northeastern counties.
• At this time, Kentucky State Police (KSP) reports no interstate closures. However, the situation is fluid and KSP may have to close an interstate in the event of a collision or additional winter weather that is expected to arrive later this evening.
• All 16 KSP posts located throughout the commonwealth continue to report slick and hazardous road conditions. Beginning Monday evening and into this morning, KSP has responded to multiple vehicle collisions throughout the state with several resulting in fatalities. The hazardous, icy roadway conditions are believed to be a contributing factor.
• Kentuckians should refrain from traveling if at all possible. Please stay home and allow emergency responders to do their work during this winter storm.
• Kentuckians are urged to tune in to local media for information on weather, and visit snowky.ky.gov for snow and ice resources and goky.ky.gov to check road conditions.

“Our front-line snow-fighters are still out there: from Lyon to Lawrence, Paducah to Pikeville, Hickman to Harlan, Clinton to Campbell and all parts in between. More than 2,000 employee team members plus contractors across the commonwealth are working hard to keep our people safe,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “I also want to commend the state Division of Forestry, which has provided chainsaw crews to help us clear downed trees in a number of eastern counties. They’ve been a tremendous help. Please limit your travel, drive very carefully and allow extra time to get where you’re going.”

Wellness Support
Kentucky National Guardsmen are currently providing assistance in Boyd, Carter, Crittenden, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Jackson, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Magoffin, Menifee, Owsley and Rockcastle counties.

Guardsmen are assisting with wellness checks, transporting those in need to warming stations and shelters, providing crews to transport medical staff and providing debris removal teams to assist the Kentucky Division of Forestry.

There are currently 23 warming centers open, with another 16 on standby. There are six emergency shelters open, with one on standby.

KSP troopers are also responding to wellness checks and helping Kentuckians as needed. If you need help, please contact a KSP post directly. KSP is requesting Kentuckians only utilize 911 for emergencies.

For additional information on this week’s news updates from Gov. Beshear click here.

Governor, state officials also update Kentuckians on winter storm safety

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 16, 2021) – On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians on the winter storm that has impacted communities across the commonwealth, as well as the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

“The federal government is once again increasing our vaccine supply. The Biden administration announced today they will send 13.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to states per week, up from 11 million last week,” said Gov. Beshear. “The administration will also double the number of doses sent directly to retail pharmacies. Next week, Kentucky is expected to receive 87,860 vaccine doses.”

The Governor and other state officials also updated Kentuckians on the commonwealth’s winter storm recovery.

The Kentucky Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 3 operations status. The Kentucky National Guard is assisting emergency efforts by providing debris removal teams to help the Kentucky Division of Forestry clear trees, supporting local officials with transport of citizens to warming centers and shelters and providing crews to transport medical staff.

“Kentuckians are doing what we do best – taking care of each other. Under the continuing state of emergency, we have leveraged assistance from our state agencies in providing response and recovery assets and equipment to assist our many East and Southeastern counties heavily impacted by the recent power outage,” said Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett. “At the height of the outage, 154,400 homes were without power. Restoration efforts will be ongoing into the coming week.”

Director Dossett told Kentuckians to be aware that outage numbers rise and fall based on the deactivation of large circuits to repair smaller areas in the outage.

Thirty-two counties and 22 cities in the state have declared states of emergency. Eleven warming centers are open in the commonwealth, with another 18 on standby. Five shelters are open with one on standby.

Director Dossett said a third winter storm in eight days is expected Wednesday evening to Friday morning. Single-digit temperatures are expected. Snow, sleet, freezing rain and cold rain will all be possible across the region.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray updated Kentuckians on current driving conditions after another winter storm impacted the commonwealth Monday and overnight.

“Hazardous driving conditions are the rule, not the exception. Interstate Highway 65 has been a significant trouble spot today,” said Secretary Gray. “We again ask the public to help protect themselves and our workers by staying off roads if possible. We all need to do our part, and we’ll get through this together.”

The KYTC Division of Equipment and Division of Incident Management are working to truck motor fuel into eastern counties. Salt supply, statewide, is adequate. Secretary Gray said clearing downed trees has been another major task today, especially in Eastern Kentucky.

Snow and ice information is available at snowky.ky.gov and information on road conditions is available on goky.ky.gov.

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 1,255
New deaths today: 27
Positivity rate: 6.58%
Total deaths: 4,318
Currently hospitalized: 935
Currently in ICU: 272
Currently on ventilator: 133

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Boone and Hardin. Each county reported at least 50 new cases.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

The Governor said Kroger regional vaccination sites – at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green and the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington would be open Thursday. The Kroger Franklin County regional vaccination site will be open tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 17.

$264 Million Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund Update
On Monday, in partnership with the Kentucky Housing Corporation, Gov. Beshear opened the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund with an additional $264 million to keep Kentuckians safe and housed throughout the pandemic.

Tenants who qualify can apply here for rent and utility assistance to cover their past-due and future bills. If approved, lump sum, direct payments will be made to landlords and utility providers. To learn more about this state program and parallel programs for Jefferson and Fayette counties, see the full release.

As of today, more than 6,400 people have created an account, more than 5,200 have started the application process and 1,780 tenants and more than 900 landlords completed their applications. The total amount requested for rental assistance is more than $3.2 million. The total amount requested for utility assistance is $1.2 million.

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.

A media Zoom meeting was held Feb. 10, 2021 for our media partners and community.

Our panel consisted of:

Shawn Crabtree, Executive Director

Dr. Weyman, Medical Director

Stuart Spillman, Environmental Health Director moderator

A list of questions was presented to our staff by the media. If you have questions for our next media zoom meeting, feel free to contact the health educator at your local health department or reach out to Melonie Williams at the District Office at Melonie.williams@lcdhd.org or 606-678-4761 x 1127.

Questions for media zoom meeting 2/10/21:

General Comments about how COVID-19 is trending.

Dr. Weyman

Q1: What medical conditions for getting the vaccine in group 1c will be covered?

Per CDC, adults of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19:

•     Cancer

•     Chronic kidney disease

•     COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

•     Down Syndrome

•    Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies

•     Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant

•     Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but less than

40 kg/m2)

https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine

Shawn

Q2: How are COVID-19 vaccinations being distributed in the Lake

Cumberland Health Department’s area?

500 doses are coming to Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital per week. Several pharmacies are supposed to start receiving a small supply soon. The state is aggressively trying to establish two more regional sites in Lake Cumberland.

How is the health department distributing vaccine? Up until the last push of

4,000 doses, the state was deciding how much each county received. The push of 4,000 came to our district and we divided it to each county based on what percent of the district’s total population each county represents.

For example, if a county has 10% of the district’s population, they received about 10% of the vaccine.

Q3: I wanted to specifically ask about Wayne County because I have heard so many people who want to receive the vaccine but do not know how?

The people in Wayne County are in the same situation as every county.

There isn’t enough supply to meet the demand.

Q4: Can you get on a list in Wayne County in case there are extra vaccines available?

The health department isn’t presently keeping a list.

1. We haven’t been promised additional vaccine
2. Places that are keeping lists, their lists have grown to 10s of thousands long.

Q5: What populations are currently included in the vaccination schedule?

1A      Long term care facilities, assisted living facilities, health care personnel

1B      First responders, anyone age 70 or older, K-12 school personnel

Q6: Do you anticipate receiving more vaccines in the near future? I hope so, but none has been promised at this point.

Q7: What is the best source

for vaccination information in this area? https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

https://www.lcdhd.org/info-tools/health-assessments-and- statistics/health_report_card/covid19-state-wide-outbreak-2/

Q8: If vaccine doses become available in a county other than where a

person lives, it is perfectly acceptable to get vaccinated there? In other words, there are no requirements to live in the county that the dose has been allocated for?

While you must be a Kentucky resident, all counties have an agreement not to turn out-of-county citizens away. This probably works to Lake Cumberland’s advantage.

Dr. Weyman

Q9: If I took the first dose of the vaccine and got COVID shortly after, am I able to get the second dose on time or do I need to wait three months? Yes, you are able to get the second dose after you have been released from isolation and recovered. However, many people who received their dose close to covid infection had severe immune side effects so waiting a few months may be a good strategy.

Governor visits LouVax International Community Day, Lexington Vaccine Public Awareness Campaign Friday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 12, 2021) – On Friday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the state’s positivity rate declined again to 6.95%, the lowest rate since Nov. 6.

“It looks like we’re going to have fewer cases than last week which would give us five straight weeks of declining cases. The positivity rate also continues to decline,” said Gov. Beshear. “This says you’re doing the right things and we’re headed in the right direction. But even if you’ve been vaccinated, we have to continue to wear masks and social distance until we can defeat this thing once and for all.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 1,440
New deaths today: 42
Positivity rate: 6.95%
Total deaths: 4,253
Currently hospitalized: 1,063
Currently in ICU: 277
Currently on ventilator: 154

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Kenton, Boone and Fayette. Each county reported at least 80 new cases.

To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

Also today, Gov. Beshear visited the Louisville Regional Vaccination Site at Broadbent Arena for LouVax International Community Day (photo here) and the Lexington Vaccine Public Awareness Campaign (photos here and here) at the Consolidated Baptist Church on Russell Cave Road. Both events sought to promote equitable access of the vaccine and encouraged all Kentucky communities to roll up their sleeves for the shot of hope.

In Louisville, the Governor said, “Being in this building, seeing what is behind us, is a moving experience. It’s hard to put it into words. You see compassion; you see hope; you even see victory. This is a special place, filled with special people who are coming together to get us to the other side of the greatest challenge that we have faced in our lifetimes. Just being here lifts you up, helps you breathe in, gets you ready to fight that next day, and lets us absolutely know that we are going to get through this, we’re going to make it to the other side, and we’re going to defeat COVID-19.”

In Lexington, the Governor thanked faith leaders saying, “From the start of this pandemic, our faith leaders have stepped up to protect their congregations and their communities. So often, you lead by example in so many parts of our lives, and your efforts to keep our people safe during this time are inspiring.”

The Governor added, “I am determined to do what I can – now – to make sure historical wrongs like an unequal access to health care do not carry forward. Health care is a basic human right and this principle is one of the basic guiding values of this administration.”

The administration continues to listen and work to address vaccine equity. Thursday, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced new community partnerships that aim to help remove vaccine barriers.

Week in Review
For more information on this week’s updates, including those on Wieland North America planning a headquarters in Louisville, the Team Kentucky fund donating $380,000 to mission-aligned local nonprofits, the state’s focus on equitable vaccine access, AppHarvest’s high-tech indoor farm in Morehead, Kentucky Fresh Harvest opening the first high-tech vegetable greenhouse in the Bluegrass, long-term care access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Kentucky’s broadband speed test initiative, the relaunch of the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund, more than 150 vaccination sites announced,  unemployment insurance and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), visit governor.ky.gov/news.

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.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 10, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear updated Kentuckians on a hazardous winter storm system that will impact communities across the state starting today.

The Governor was joined by Transportation Secretary and Vaccine Distribution Project Director Jim Gray and Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) Director Michael Dossett, who are leading efforts to keep Kentucky families safe and vaccine doses secure during the storm.

“Protecting our Kentucky families is the main mission of my administration. So earlier today, KYEM activated its State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 7 a.m. EST at Level 4 operations,” said Gov. Beshear. “We urge all Kentuckians to stay tuned to their local media for information on weather, visit snowky.ky.gov for snow and ice resources and goky.ky.gov to check road conditions.

“We know that road conditions are starting to worsen and rush hour is expected to be dangerous. So I am closing all state offices beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST today. State employees able to telecommute and essential employees designated for mandatory operations should continue to report to work as directed by agency management. Employees should direct questions regarding this closure to their management or human resources departments.

“Thank you to every worker out on the roads today keeping our people safe. We’ve gotten really good at taking care of each other – let’s make sure that’s not reserved for the pandemic, but during this storm and any other emergency.”

“The EOC will support our city and county emergency services partners in law enforcement, transportation, power and utilities. The center will be staffed continuously until this severe weather event ends,” said Director Dossett. “The heaviest precipitation will occur at 5 p.m. today through 3 a.m. Thursday morning. The greatest area of impact will be along the Blue Grass Parkway and Western Kentucky Parkway.

“Snow showers are expected on Saturday and another weather system is expected Monday into Tuesday. We’re asking that non-essential travel be postponed due to the extraordinarily dangerous driving conditions. Our Kentucky State Police and KYTC partners will be out in force to assist Kentuckians in need.

“This is the time to review your safety plan for an unexpected power outage and to check on your extended family and neighbors.”

Ahead of the statewide snow event, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) crews have been monitoring the weather conditions, preparing equipment, restocking supplies and treating roads. Currently, crews are out across most of the state treating routes with salt mixed with calcium chloride and paying particular attention to areas prone to freezing, like bridges and overpasses. But Secretary Gray reminded Kentuckians road treatments may not be sufficient.

“When you’re dealing with extremely low temperatures, more salt is not the answer. It’s not as effective,” Secretary Gray said. “That’s why we really need Kentuckians to be good neighbors and avoid driving if you don’t have to. It’s better to be stranded at home instead of on a roadway. If you have to be out, be sure to reduce your speed, give crews space, have an emergency kit in your vehicle and don’t drive on shoulders.”

Vaccination Appointments Postponed
The Governor also reminded Kentuckians that vaccination appointments for Thursday, Feb. 11, at Kroger regional vaccine sites will be rescheduled for the following Thursday, Feb. 18, for the same time to ensure the safety of all staff, volunteers and those being vaccinated.

“Like I said yesterday, for all of you who have waited a really long time to get this appointment and now have to wait an extra week, I am really sorry. But I also don’t want to put you out on the roads with thick ice. It’s just not safe,” said Gov. Beshear. “Wear your mask, be careful over this next week and we will get you vaccinated.”

The Kroger Health sites are the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington and the Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green.

“Other vaccination sites across the state may reschedule appointments if needed. If you have an appointment scheduled for this afternoon, Thursday, or even Friday, keep a close eye on your email and voicemail box so you get any important notifications from your provider,” said Gov. Beshear.

Safe Vaccine Storage
“Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have cold temperature requirements for storage. Every site should have a plan for ensuring safe storage of their vaccine supply so that no doses are lost or wasted,” added Gov. Beshear. “In some cases, that means transferring the supply to another location for temporary storage. In others, sites have reliable back-up generators. Every site also has been notified of resources available to them for assistance.”

Power Outage, Alternative Heat Source Safety
Icing is projected with this storm, which could cause downed power lines and power outages. If you experience a downed power line or power outage, please contact your local utility company.

If possible, prepare for the need to use an alternate source of heat. Be aware of the dangers of alternate heat sources and carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators, camp stoves or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows. Never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/co/guidelines.htm for more information.

Dr. Stack also details COVID-19 death determinations process

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 8, 2021) – On Monday, as new cases continue to decline, Gov. Beshear said the state is working to address equitable vaccine access.

The Governor updated Kentuckians on the demographics of those vaccinated.

“One thing to note when you look at the vaccine demographic data: we have more individuals in long-term care under 70 than I had ever imagined,” said Gov. Beshear. “With that said, we need to continue to prioritize those 70 and older.

“Right now, more women than men have been vaccinated, but we suspect that reflects the health care and education sectors that have been in earlier phases. I think this will even out more when we get to Phase 1C.

“Black and African American Kentuckians, to date, have received about 4.3% of vaccinations where we know the person’s race. That is unacceptable. It needs to be closer to 8%, at least. About 1.1% of vaccines where ethnicity is known have gone to our Hispanic population – also too low.

“We’re going to produce this data every week so we can track our progress and be held accountable.”

The Governor said addressing equity in vaccine distribution requires looking at three root causes: programmatic causes, as the state needs to take additional, intentional steps to make vaccination programs more equitable; societal causes, because minority Kentuckians are not equally represented in medicine and education, so they were underrepresented among the first to be vaccinated; and historic causes of vaccine hesitancy among minority Kentuckians.

“Our underserved and minority populations haven’t been treated right in the past when it comes to vaccines, or even experimentation,” said Gov. Beshear. “From the beginning, we knew Black and Latinx people were more hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccination. We’re committed to addressing these concerns.”

“We look forward to expanding our network of partners in this effort and working to reach people who need access to this vaccine and need a little extra assistance in getting it, so they can have the same benefit as everyone else,” said public health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack.

The Governor also announced the state’s positivity rate has decreased to the lowest it has been since Nov. 10 and Kentucky has now had four straight weeks of declining test positivity and weekly cases.

“The trends are all moving in the right direction, but that only happens from your hard work. We must keep this up because we do not want to lose this progress,” said Gov. Beshear.

The Governor said for the fifth straight week, the state has distributed more vaccines than it received in first doses from the federal government. Of all the first doses the state has received, 91% are already in a Kentuckians’ arms.

Kentucky has received 490,975 COVID-19 initial vaccine doses and 444,930 Kentuckians have received their first vaccine dose.

The state’s vaccination program has received 410,050 first doses and administered 375,728.

The federal long-term care vaccination program run through CVS and Walgreens has sent 80,925 first doses to Kentucky and the program has administered 69,202.

The federal government has vaccinated 17,186 Kentuckians as well, in the Bureau of Prisons, the Veterans Administration and in the Department of Defense.

The new federal pharmacy vaccination program will also start at the end of this week. It has two major partners in the state: a number of Walgreens locations and a large group of independent pharmacies.

“Walgreens is a great partner, but it didn’t have sufficient coverage in rural Kentucky, so we advocated for the program to include independent pharmacies, too,” said Gov. Beshear.

For more information on who is currently eligible for the vaccine in Kentucky, visit vaccine.ky.gov, or call 855-598-2246. Deaf or hard of hearing Kentuckians can call TTY 855-326-4654.

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 1,003
New deaths today: 40
Positivity rate: 7.78%
Total deaths: 4,091
Currently hospitalized: 1,163
Currently in ICU: 274
Currently on ventilator: 142

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Warren and Campbell. Each of these counties reported 30 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 205. To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

COVID-19 Death Determinations
Today, Dr. Stack updated Kentuckians on the state’s COVID-19 death determinations process.

“COVID-19 has become the third-leading cause of death in the United States. The process for determining which deaths were caused by COVID-19 is well-defined. It has been done this way for other diseases for a very long time,” said Dr. Stack. “The death must be reported to appropriate authorities. Then you have to have a death certificate signed – that can take days or even weeks, or in unusual cases, longer – that all has to get reported to the local health department.

“The local health department then has to review those materials and make sure things are in order. At that point, they may feel like they’ve reached a conclusion on cause of death, and then they report that up to the state. The state has to take that information and then independently verify certain additional data points, making sure there was a positive COVID-19 test and clinical evidence that COVID-19 was related. For less than 10% of cases, there’s something that requires verification. So then the state has to request records. When they get that information, sometimes that’s all that’s necessary. Some cases, however, are less clear cut. My deputy clinical commissioner and her highly-qualified team of professionals then make an informed determination based on all of the information obtained. This is all a very methodical process.

“The historical record is always accurate based on the person’s date of death, as opposed to the date we are able to report the death, which can be days or weeks later.”

Team Kentucky Fund Donates $380,000 to Mission-Aligned Local Nonprofits
On Monday, Gov. Beshear announced a $380,000 donation from the Team Kentucky Fund to 19 qualified nonprofit organizations in equal shares of $20,000. Each nonprofit serves Kentuckians by preventing homelessness and/or assisting families impacted by the opioid epidemic.

Each recipient had to be a qualified nonprofit organization under the emergency regulation governing the Team Kentucky Fund, 800 KAR 1:010E(10). To learn more and view the list of organizations, see the full release.

With New Louisville HQ, Wieland North America to Create 75 Positions
Wieland North America Inc., a producer of copper and copper alloy products, plans a new North American headquarters in Louisville, a project expected to bring 75 jobs with an $8.8 million investment as it advances Gov. Beshear’s goal to create quality careers for Kentuckians. To read more, see the full release.

Price-Gouging
Today, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order renewing the state’s prohibition on price-gouging. To report price-gouging, visit the attorney general’s website.

Memorial
“Today we are honoring Roy Holladay, known by many as Doc. He was 73 when he passed away Friday at Baptist Health in Paducah after battling COVID-19. Doc moved to Paducah from Tennessee in 1967, beginning a long career with Union Carbide,” said Gov. Beshear. “He was a master electrician and served in Germany with the Air Force as a maintenance trainer for aircraft during Vietnam.

“Doc loved the outdoors. Lake Barkley was his heaven on earth. He shared his passion for fishing, camping and hunting with anyone who would listen. He was an amateur crappie tournament winner several times over, but his real triumph was teaching his daughter, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends to fish.

“His grandkids were, by far, the light of his life. Ali is fourteen, and Colin is thirteen, and he relished his time supporting them or showing them love.

“Doc served his church, Twelve Oaks Baptist, as both a leader and humble servant. He was a Deacon, bus driver, maintenance man, greeter and self-proclaimed master popcorn maker for basketball games and events. You name it, Doc did it.

“Doc is survived by his wife of 52 years, Martha Holladay; his daughter, Heather and her husband Jim, and his two grandchildren. Please join me in praying for this family, and every family grieving because of this virus.”

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.

 The Kentucky 4-H Summit is a leadership conference for middle school youth. This year the conference will be virtual and will be completely free to the youth, but registration is required.

The conference, scheduled for March 18-20, will be packed with opportunities to connect and exercise leadership skills. If you are interested, you need to be present all three days.

Registration is due to the Adair County Extension Office Thursday, Feb. 25. If you have any question you can call Tony Rose at 270-384-2317 or email at trose@uky.edu. To find the registration form click: http://adair.ca.uky.edu/content/youth-leadership

Feb. 4, 2021

The actual meeting lasted all of about 10 minutes. However, the impact of the City of Columbia Planning and Zoning Board meeting last week will go on for years to come.
In a unanimous decision, board members voted to approve site development plans for KFC’s request to open a location at Dohoney Trace in front of Walmart near Burkesville Road.
JRS Restaurant Corporation in Middlesboro will operate the franchise.

“We have been a family business for over 50 years and Columbia has some of the same qualities and charm as Middlesboro does,” said Mallory Shoffner Quintero, people capability leader at JRS. “It has a hometown feel, so a town like Columbia is perfect for us.”
The board meeting was just another step closer to getting the project completed. The engineers have signed off on drainage issues, so the deal meets all the requirements set forth by city of Columbia ordinances. Marv Bloomquist, president of Bloomquist Design Group of Louisville, represented JRS at the meeting and said the architect on the project will now move forward in getting building permits and getting the work started.

“We’re pleased Kentucky Friday Chicken has chosen Columbia, Ky. to be a new location,” said Pam Hoots, mayor of Columbia. “We’re excited about what this means for our economy, additional jobs, and we will be glad to help them in any way we can.”
Bloomquist has been searching Columbia to find the best location for quite some time.

“I have looked with the real estate person at three or four different sites in the area and we finally settled on the Burkesville Road site in front of Walmart,” Bloomquist said. “I started looking at sites every bit of a year ago or longer. We’ve been trying to find something that made good sense for a lot of traffic to come by the store. The Burkesville Road store works out very nicely.”

“There is a lot of work that goes into the front end of determining a location for a store,” Quintero said. “The building is the easy part. There were other places we were looking at, but the numbers told us this would be the best location.”
The current plan is to put KFC next to Burger King with an open field between it and Lee’s Famous Recipe.
JRS, which owns 33 franchises, including 10 of which are Long John Silver’s, is planning to break ground in April and has hopes of opening for business in the middle of summer.

“In towns like this, KFC is not a drive-by store. You’re not going to drive by and say ‘Hey, let’s stop in and have some chicken,’” Bloomquist said. “When you leave your house you know you’re going to KFC to get chicken. That’s what we want.”

The Columbia location will be 2,250 square feet and seat 25 people. KFC may hire upwards of 20 people on staff.

By Scott Wilson
Assistant Editor

January 2021

Columbia, KY During the month of January 2021, there were 14 traffic accidents investigated by the State Police working in the Post 15 area in the 11 counties of Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Marion, Metcalfe, Monroe, Russell, Taylor and Washington.

There was one fatal collision during the month of January in the Post 15 area.
Debra Brown age 62 of Clinton Co KY was killed on 01/09/2021 in Clinton Co KY.

This brings our yearly fatality count to 1 compared with 0 through this same period in 2020.
Statewide fatality count stands at 39 compared with 45 through this same period in 2020.

During the month of January 2021, there were 1024 citations written, 184 courtesy notices written, 455 complaints answered, 123 motorists assisted, 70 criminal cases opened and 273 criminal arrests made.