Ky Emergency Director General John Heltzel

Heltzel was at Murray State University today to launch the program.

Aug. 5
2010 MSU Agri-Energy Field Day: Agri-Energy, A New Era in Agriculture
Murray State University, Pullen Farm, Murray (Noon – 4 p.m. CDT):  This event is a joint educational program for agriculture producers, agribusinesses and MSU agriculture students.  The event is focused on providing an update on cutting edge information for rapidly evolving Agri-Energy initiatives.  Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. and program to begin at 1:30 p.m.  Cost: Free.  Call (270) 809-3556 to reserve your spot.  For more information, contact Rhea Wright at rhea.wright@murraystate.edu or visit www.murraystate.edu/agr.

Gail Collins disses Paul and Conway in "My Old Kentucky Zombies"

Editor's Note: Oh. Dear. Gail Collins of the New York Times has an editorial about Kentucky's two senatorial candidates. To say it's unflattering would be damning with faint praise. And yes, I know I can't say the d word at the Fancy Farm Picnic! Though if the debate looks and sounds as Collins describes, everyone in the audience may be driven to obscenity before it is over. 

 Follow the link and read the whole opinion. According to Al Cross, Collins is from Ohio - so maybe she's just jealous of our politicians? Or not.

"Rand Paul, the most famous of the Tea Party-backed Republican Senate nominees, is a small, curly-haired man with cheeks like a chipmunk. He speaks in a tone of extreme reason that nevertheless suggests he is way smarter than anybody else in the room. In a teen horror movie, he would be the kid who invents the potion that turns the sophomore class into zombies.

Jack Conway, his Democratic opponent, would be the handsome football quarterback. The football quarterback who is not the hero of the film but rather the first person to have his brain eaten. The hero would be played by Zac Efron, who would never be caught dead in the Senate."

Former legislator Frank Rasche is out of a job.

Former Paducah representative Frank Rasche has been fired by the Department of Education in what was described as“reorganization” of the Department and cost saving measure. It has been two years and one day since he announced his resignation from the General Assembly to take the job. Rasche Resigning  July 22, 2008

 Almost a year ago, Lowell Reese wrote:

“Ex-legislator Frank Rasche, D-Paducah, served 15 years in the House before resigning in 2008 to accept an $80,000-a-year position in the Beshear administration in the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. That state job increases his legislative pension to $33,000 a year from $14, 841 – a gain of $18,159 a year for the rest of his life. The lifetime gain is estimated at $329,949. He voted for the bill.”

Super Rich Pensions Root of Political Change, KY Roll Call, September 22, 2009

All at once, from all directions, Paul is surrounded by the media. In their herd instincts, the media moves as one animal, in a pack.

The air was heavy. The weight of sweat, dryness of breath and feeling of clothing clinging to the body all lent themselves to help frame the event. This was the annual Cayce United Methodist barbecue picnic fund raising event. 

As Mary and I left Clinton for the ten mile drive to Cayce, I noticed that the temperature reading on First Community Bank read 97 degrees at 4:30 p.m. That meant that the heat index was more like 105 degrees.  No matter. We were on our way to a political happening. Rand Paul was going to appear at the First Methodist Church in Cayce for dinner on the grounds.   

Dr. Rand Paul at Cayce United Methodist Church

Candidate for US Senate Dr. Rand Paul showed up at the Cayce United Methodist Church BBQ Picnic not to make a speech or raise campaign money, but to meet regular people.  And meet regular people he did...

...Standing beside the dinner line, Paul kept one eye on the media, taking questions. The other eye watched folks moving slowly past. Paul kept reaching past reporters to stick his hand out and say over and over, “Hi, I’m Rand Paul. I’m running for Jim Bunning’s seat.”

Farm subsidies bring in millions of dollars to farmers in Hickman County.

The Lexington Herald has a great analysis of what farm subsidies means to West Kentucky farmers and how the two Senatorial candidates will be affected by them. Click the link to read their story. 

We went to www.farm.ewg.org and learned that corn subsidies in Hickman County, Kentucky totaled $35.3 million from 1995-2009. (*2009 is estimated )

To learn nifty facts about your home county and your farmer neighbors, go to http://farm.ewg.org/region.php?fips=21000 .

The battering rams of debt and military/homeland security

spending are on a collision course.

Can the Left and Right even talk about it?

Governor Beshear appointed a whole bunch of people to state boards and commissions.

Follow the link to see if your name is on this list.