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Today's News for June 23, 2006System NewsState News National News Legislative Update Photo of the Day Business People - ORGANIZATIONS 6/23/2006 Louisville Courier-Journal The Jewish Community Center's Association of North America, the central agency for the Jewish Community Center movement, recently nominated Ed Goldberg as treasurer. Goldberg is the past president of the Jewish Community Center of Louisville. The Kentucky Foundation for Women has named the following new board members: Carolyn Ballinger, of Florence; Sarah Gutwirth, of New Concord; and Adrien-Alice Hansel, of Louisville. Hansel is literary manager for Actors Theatre of Louisville; Gutwirth is an associate professor in the Fine Arts Department at Murray State University; and Ballinger is an associate professor of nursing for Gateway Community and Technical College. Coal industry emphasizes safety Writer: KATRINA HUDSON 6/21/2006 Hazard Herald In the wake of recent mining disasters, the coal mining industry has begun to reemphasize the need to adhere to strict safety regulations. In a series of seminars, cosponsored by Coal Operators and Associates and the Kentucky Coal Academy, safety seemed to be the issue on everyone's minds. The June 14 seminar held at the Rural Law Enforcement and Technology Center in Hazard, presented information and education about regulation changes and state law changes that mine operators should be aware of. According to Bill Higginbotham, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Coal Academy, seminars such as these are of great importance because they help clear up any confusion that may exist among operators in the industry. "The information is also valuable to the public," noted Higginbotham. The seminar highlighted important regulations that have changed or needed to be restated. One aspect that was discussed thoroughly noted that accidents should be immediately reported to MSHA within fifteen minutes of occurrence. Compliance would greatly help in the resolution of problems. Higginbotham stated that all must practice the safest and most effective methods known in order to operate and eliminate the possibility of frequent accidents. "Everyone's thinking safety," he said. The coal industry is trying to remove a very negative image and promote safety at all levels. Emphasis on safety and proper training was not only the focus of the seminar, but is also the purpose of the Kentucky Coal Academy. Bill Higginbotham informed that the training techniques used at in the academy teach correct methods for operating equipment, simulate various scenarios including accidents, and help make mines safer. The Kentucky Coal Academy is comprised of five of KCTCS' community and technical colleges. Campuses include Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, Henderson Community College, Madisonville Community College, and Southeast Community and Technical College. Training equipment such as continuous miner training simulators, long wall training simulators, roof bolter training simulators, haul truck training simulators, shovel, excavator and dragline simulators, wheel loader training simulators, dozer training simulators, as well as computer training helps to prevents accidents by promoting proper operation. Higginbotham said, "The coal mining industry is trying to overcome a negative image and promoting and reemphasizing safety is the best way to do so." The June 14 seminar was the second in a series of three. It allowed those in attendance to ask questions and it also provided vital information that will help mine operators in the industry prevent future accidents and save lives. Economic development strategy gaining popularity Writer: Fred Pace 6/15/2006 The Register-Herald, Beckley, WV SUMMERSVILLE -- "Asset-based economic development can be defined as a strategy that builds on existing resources -- natural, cultural and structural -- to create valued products and services that can be sustained for local benefit." The Appalachian Regional Commission used that definition in its publication "Appalachia -- Turning Assets Into Opportunities," which was passed out Thursday to attendees of the first Building Creative Communities conference at the Summersville Arena. "The economic impact on the state from the creative industries is many times overlooked by communities," said Cheryl Hartley, general manager of Tamarack. "This conference was held to bring awareness to communities of the opportunities that exist from these vital industries." Tamarack was one of the co-sponsors of the event, along with the West Virginia University Extension Service, Hartley said. "A number of communities in the state kept approaching Tamarack, saying, 'We want to be engaged in the creative economy and want to bring artisans and performers because we understand there is an economic engine behind all of this,'" Hartley said. "They are looking for sustainable ways to revitalize small towns." This economic development strategy has been gaining prominence nationally, Hartley claims, because of a desire to minimize impact, maximize return and compete globally. She said asset-based economic development focuses on the positive attributes of an area or business. About 45 community representatives from across the state attended the event. "The idea is to begin a statewide conversation, instead of a Tamarack conversation with Hinton or a Tamarack conversation with Sutton," Hartley said. "The idea is to bring everyone together to begin to think regionally and not just locally." Hartley said many state agencies also attended and she hoped for their support. The keynote speaker was Tim Glotzbach, dean of the Kentucky School of Craft. "He spoke about the creative economy and how it works into the world and how West Virginia can position itself in this economy to be creative," Hartley said. "This could mean a brighter future for many of our state's communities." Hartley said Paducah, Ky., was an example of a small town that committed itself whole-heartedly to an artist relocation program -- and with impressive results. "They have done some very interesting and innovative things in Kentucky," Hartley said. Conley Salyer, the state director for small business development in West Virginia, gave a presentation on the economic impact of the creative industries in the state. "The creative industries in West Virginia generate over $110 million in revenues, and that is significant economic impact," Hartley said. Hartley said the conference was held in Summersville to give an opportunity to those north of Tamarack to attend. "We really want this to be a statewide initiative," she said. "We consider this just the beginning. We hope there will be a lot of support for this strategy." Fleming officials: 'If we build it they will come' Writer: DANETTA BARKER 6/23/2006 Maysville Ledger Independent GODDARD -- The site at Goddard where the covered bridge stands has turned into a field of dreams as county and state officials work to complete the bridge and buy the piece of land which was the former home of the Covered Bridge Festival. Fleming County Judge-Executive Larry Foxworthy said the plans for the purchase of the field next to Goddard Covered Bridge have been in the works for a while. To tie everything up and sign contracts, Foxworthy said the county is waiting on appraisals to be finished. "We hope to get that project done by the end of the summer," Foxworthy said. "We had enough money left over from the land purchase to pay for the dry stone masonry on the east abutment." Foxworthy hopes to have the festival back at the site next year. This year the festival will be held Aug. 26 at Fleming Mason Energy. The bridge has been closed for more than year for renovations that strengthened and preserved the structure. Intech Contracting finished up work on the bridge earlier in the month. This week, work continues as a team of stone masons finish the east abutment. Neil Rippingale, with the Dry Stone Conservancy in Lexington, has a crew of masons laying stone at the bridge. Last summer the crew worked on the west abutment adjacent to Kentucky 32. Richard Tinsley, Cecil Aguilar, Rod Poynter, Howard Stone, Jeff Markland, David Kenley and Ashley Meadows worked under a canopy as the hot June sun blazed overhead Thursday. The masons chipped, hammered, and placed stone along the center portion of the retaining wall, which was all that was left of the job. Last week masons finished the other side of the retaining wall including the portion under the bridge. This work was a little easier, according to Rippingale. "The slope is not as steep on this end," he said. "It is also easier to get to than the other end." The stone for the project came from a quarry in Morehead where stone was purchased for the opposite abutment. "We will use about 60 tons of stone for this project," Rippingale said. "That's not a lot for a project. The two-year project on Paris Pike was a huge amount of stone." Work this summer is a little easier because masons don't have to work around cribbing used to support the bridge from last summer's renovations. While in town, Kenley taught a workshop on dry stone masonry. He teaches two or three a year and plans to have one at Shaker Village in Massachusetts this fall. "We advertise for about 12 in the class," Kenley said. "It is a good number." Most of the masons on the project have worked with the Dry Stone Conservancy for several years, including Aguilar, who came here from Mexico. "I live in Georgetown," he said. "I have worked on many projects with the Conservancy, but this is the first time I have worked at the bridge. This is something that will last 100 years or more. I will bring my children to see this when we are finished." After the work finishes up, the crew will head to New York to repair a barn. Rippingale said the crew works most of the year if weather permits. Florence woman to foundation board 6/22/2006 Kentucky Post (Covington) The Kentucky Foundation for Women has appointed Florence resident Carolyn Ballinger to its board of directors. Ballinger, past president of the Kentucky Nursing Association, is a Gateway Community and Technical College associate professor of nursing. She also serves as chairwoman of the college's Women's History Month committee and is a member of its cultural diversity committee. The Kentucky Foundation for Women is a private foundation formed in 1985 by Louisville writer Sallie Bingham. Its mission is to promote positive social change by supporting varied feminist expression in the arts. Greifenkamp a great influence on community Writer: MISTY MAYNARD 6/23/2006 Maysville Ledger Independent Sitting in his home on East Second Street is Ed Greifenkamp. At 88 years old, his eyes don't see as keenly as they once did, the result of a cataract surgery gone awry, and his age has caught up with him, rendering him unable to do all the things he once did. Although Greifenkamp isn't as active in the community as he once was, when he balanced his service with the Maysville Utility Commission with a host of other civic and community activities, Greifenkamp's presence is still felt. And the city of Maysville plans to ensure that his service is never forgotten, with the dedication of Greifenkamp Park on the Fourth of July. "I'm very proud," Greifenkamp said. "Anytime I'm connected with Maysville, I'm proud." Greifenkamp moved to Maysville in 1949 from Newport, taking a position managing Clover Leaf Dairy. Later, he became the owner-manager of the business. He became involved with the community in a variety of different ways over the years, becoming a member of the board of directors at State National Bank, the Tom Browning Boys and Girls Club and Licking Valley Development Cooperative which developed into Maysville Community College. Greifenkamp was also one of the initial members of the Limestone Family YMCA board, a member of the board of directors of Humphrey Playground, the Soil Conservation District, Clean-Up Campaign for Mason County, president of the Chamber of Commerce as well as president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. He also led efforts in the late 1950s which established Mason Manor, a home for disadvantaged children. Greifenkamp also served six years on the Mason County Public Library Board, and was responsible for the creation of the Greifenkamp room at the library, established in honor of his wife, Ursula "Pat" Greifenkamp. Add to all that Greifenkamp's role as devoted husband and father, and the title of World War II veteran, and one can see that Greifenkamp's life has been fully lived, and fully devoted to others. "I've served in just about every capacity in the community," he said. "It shows that I really do enjoy Maysville." Greifenkamp spoke of all his accomplishments -- including being named Man of the Year in the 1950s -- as he sat in his living room with his daughter, Sally Teegarden, and hospice worker, Marty Mastin. As the trio conversed, Greifenkamp and Mastin exchanged wisecracks, teasing each other with a humor that belies a solid friendship. At times, Mastin interposed questions, which Greifenkamp answered. As he spoke of his service overseas while in the Army, Teegarden mentioned Greifenkamp was a machine gunner. Greifenkamp promptly turned to Mastin and warned him that he still has one in his possession. Mastin said Greifenkamp has many friends in the community, and that when he sits outside his residence, his neighbors always stop by and speak with him. "His neighbors love him," Mastin said. In the dairy Greifenkamp owned and worked in, Teegarden said, was a saying that sums up the way Greifenkamp lived his life, and the legacy he wants to leave. Teegarden even cross-stitched it for him, a gesture Greifenkamp said he really appreciated. The saying reads, "I shall pass this way but once, therefore any good I can do, or any kindness I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again." "That's something I firmly believed in," Greifenkamp said. Teegarden said her father taught her to work hard and be responsible. Although both Greifenkamp and his wife were involved in the community, they were also loving and devoted parents. "You couldn't find two more loving and caring parents," Teegarden said. "They treated the community that way, too." The park, located at the end of Lexington Avenue, will be formally dedicated at 4:30 p.m. on the Fourth of July. The decision to name the park after Greifenkamp was made about nine months ago, according to Maysville Mayor David Cartmell. Cartmell said Greifenkamp was one of his early mentors. "Community involvement like Ed Greifenkamp's just doesn't exist anymore," Cartmell said. "Because he was involved in everything, plus he ran the Clover Leaf Dairy." Cartmell said Greifenkamp and his mother were the first president and chairman of Mason Manor, and he worked in the garden at the manor with Greifenkamp, picking vegetables and taking them to the cannery. "He is one of the most positive role models that you could have as a kid growing up, because he was a doer," Cartmell said, also noting that his legacy lies in his family, and all it's invested in the community as well. Greifenkamp joined the Maysville Utility Commission in 1969, and served 36 years. He was also chairman of the board for more than 20 years, according to Lisa Johnson, the office manager of the utility commission. "He is a wonderful person," she said. "I really looked up to him, admired him." Johnson said Greifenkamp was always helpful, and respected by all. "I have nothing but high praise for him," she said. Although not a Maysville native, Greifenkamp's life was fully invested in the community, and he said he'd have it no other way. "No one ... has lived a better life than the life I lived in Maysville," Greifenkamp said. HCTC announces new Student Leadership Institute class 6/21/2006 Hazard Herald Hazard Community & Technical College has announced its fourth class of the Student Leadership Institute (SLI). "This is a prestigious group which will be introduced to new ideas, cultural enrichment activities, and specialized training, in addition to their regular school work. I'm impressed with these individuals after having met with each one in their homes," noted HCTC President/CEO Jay Box, who will be leading the group this year along with Doug Fraley, Vice President of Student Services. Those chosen for the SLI are: Jerrica Adams of Breathitt County, Kathy Frost of Clay County, Felicia Gilbert of Clay County, Kristy Handshoe of Knott County, John Lyttle of Perry County, Lida McIntosh of Leslie County, Jessica McIntyre of Perry County, Brooke Osborne of Leslie County, Megan Scott of Breathitt County, Lynsay Thornsberry of Knott County. The mission of the SLI is to engage students and the larger community in the study of leadership and service and their practical applications. Through partnerships with state, local, and national resources, the College provides activities designed to offer students opportunities to increase awareness of leadership abilities and gain stills that will be useful throughout life. Immigration issues at forefront of volunteer's work with illegals Writer: Jenn Basham 6/23/2006 Hopkinsville New Era Elkton, Ky. -- "Bueno? C'mo est's? Buenas tardes." Salomon approaches the door carefully and then greets Witte with a smile. He works at a Todd County sawmill during the summer and sends money home to his family in Mexico. The pay is decent, Witte says, but it's crippling work. Witte has come to check on another young man who's developed an inflammation on his nose and is supposed to visit the doctor, but he's not home. It hasn't taken Witte long to learn the schedules of parishioners like Saloman. He tries to visit them regularly to invite them to church on Sunday, ask if they need anything and translate the mail they can't understand. "I know these people intimately. They're my friends. They're my neighbors," he said. Witte works with HOLA (Helping Out Latin Americans), an interfaith resource center that seeks to improve relationships between immigrants and the residents of Todd County. The center began when Rev. Lisa Balboa had the vision for a place that could welcome immigrants into the community. "I work almost completely with undocumented immigrants," Witte said. "The challenge is addressing the social ill that brings immigrants here. They're here because they're poor. They're working hard." Witte admitted he doesn't quite know how he got involved in all of this. He and his wife, Jen, started out as missionaries in Latin America in 1969, where they eventually learned Spanish. They spent time in Colombia and Venezuela before returning to the states in 1987. After living in Michigan for 11 years, they connected with the Glenmary Home Missioners, a Catholic organization that works mainly in rural America. In 1999, he got a job working at a church in East Tennessee, where there was a large Hispanic community. "We realized very quickly that no one was tending to the spiritual or physical needs of the Hispanic population," Witte said. After a few years in Tennessee, Witte received an invitation from Rev. Frank Ruff, pastor at St. Susan Catholic Church, to come to Elkton. "I ended up being his Spanish voice," Witte said. "If you'd asked me when I started working in South America 35 years ago if I was gonna be here today I would've said 'You're crazy,' but here I am." There is a thriving Hispanic community from southern Todd County to Springfield, Tenn., and Witte has come to know the local immigrants well. He worries about some of the misconceptions people have of undocumented immigrants. "There are those that are illegal that have come here just to take advantage of the system, but they're not the ones I work with," Witte said. Witte's parishioners come to rural Kentucky because they're poor peasants from Mexico, and farm work is what they know, but he admitted that a different class of people might exist in the cities. "I can't tell you I have great experience with all Hispanics," he said. As the debate over immigration stretches on, all Witte can do is write to politicians and hope the government creates a just law that respects the Hispanic population's dignity. If legislation was passed providing a way for undocumented immigrants to become legal, Witte has no doubt his parishioners would apply for citizenship. Several members of his parish started the application process before 2001, and it looked like they'd eventually become residents. After Sept. 11, their applications were discontinued, Witte said. "They would pay their way, gladly, to be a citizen in this country -- those that really want to live here," Witte said. "Others don't want to live here, they just want to work here so they can go back home and live in Mexico. That's where they should be. I don't want to see them coming up here becoming Americans if they want to stay there." Until legislation is passed, Witte has to help immigrants contend with everyday issues, such as frequent court dates for traffic infractions that result in jail time or banishment from Kentucky. He also takes families to the doctor, not only to translate, but because they have no other way of getting there. A lack of public transportation and laws against immigrants having driver's licenses leave most immigrants stranded. "There's so many problems that undocumented immigrants have -- housing, medical coverage," Witte said. "There are those that think they're getting medical care and all the great benefits of a medical system, but that's not true." As much as HOLA does for the community, Witte wishes it could be doing more. His wife used to teach Hispanics how to speak English at Hopkinsville Community College, but after some confusion in the budget her funding was cut, Witte said. HOLA needs volunteers, especially people who can help translate or teach English. There aren't very many translators available during the day when immigrants need to visit doctors or other appointments, Witte said. They could always use lots of help. For all of his efforts, Witte still finds it hard at times to keep hoping that things will change for undocumented immigrants. "Staying faithful to them through thick and thin (can be challenging)," Witte said. "Knowing that you're working with people who are the lowest of the low. They're illegal. They have no status. They have no rights. (I'm) trying to get our country to recognize that they're worthy." Kentucky Employability Certificates awarded by SCC and KCTCS benefit employers and employees 6/22/2006 Somerset Commonwealth-Journal More and more Somerset Community College graduates are entering the world of work with something new, a Kentucky Employability Certificate (KEC). An employability certificate signifies that an SCC graduate has the personal and job-related skills necessary to be a successful employee. "The workplace is becoming very competitive," said April Russell, the SCC assessment test coordinator. "When we award a student a Kentucky Employability Certificate, it means that person has abilities like making good observations, writing, listening and working with a team." "Many employers expect more out of their employees today, than just their daily, routine activities," she continued. "For example, they want to be able to send an employee to a training conference and then feel confident that employee can come back and relay that information to others." According to Russell, there are two aspects to the "employee readiness" program. KCTCS colleges like SCC are working with ACT, the renowned academic testing company, to make sure community college graduates are ready to go to work. But, SCC is also working with employers, by coming into a business and determining the exact personal and workplace skills needed to do a job successfully. The duel testing program is called Workkeys. As a result, employers, who use the Workkeys system, know what skills are required for each job at their business. When a person applies for that job, if they have a Kentucky Employability Certificate, the employer can compare the skills required for a specific job with the skills of the applicant. The employer knows immediately whether the applicant has the skills they need to do the job. "For someone looking for a job, having a Kentucky Employability Certificate provides them with an edge in getting the job they want," Russell explained. "For the employer, having Workkeys assessments of all the jobs at a facility, enables them to match the job with the best applicant. Matching job skills with job requirements has the potential to reduce turnover and, thus, lower the cost of training new employees." According to Kris Gibson at Somerset Oil Refinery, using the Workkeys and Kentucky Employability Certification programs has been so successful that they are expanding its use to their maintenance and operations department. For more information about the Kentucky Employability Certificate and Workkeys programs call April Russell toll free at (877) 629-9722, ext. 16850, or dial direct (606) 451-6850. Wayne, Clinton and McCreary Gear-Up students enjoy SCC visit 6/21/2006 McCreary County Record, Whitley City Seventh and Eighth Grade students from Wayne, Clinton and McCreary Counties visited the Somerset Community College Somerset Campus on Thursday and Friday, June 8 and 9, as part of a federally-funded college preparatory program known as Gear-Up. According to participants Tessa Burchett of Albany and Vince Staten of Stearns, Gear-Up student are required to "maintain good grades and prepare for college." During their visit to the SCC Somerset Campus, the students participated in classes in math, writing and dance. They also enjoyed the use of the student lounge and the SCC fitness center. "They called the dance class Kinetics. I don't think they wanted us to know it was a dance class," Burchett explained. "It was fun. We did the Hokey Pokey and the Electric Slide." This group of Gear-Up students has visited the University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky University, Berea and Tennessee Technological University so far. Over a pizza lunch in the cafeteria of the Harold Rogers Student Commons, the student expressed their opinions of Somerset Community College. "It's a nice college," Staten said. "It's big, very big." "I liked the fitness center, Burchett added. "They have about 20 different machines." Staten said some students have played pool and ping pong in the student lounge, while others worked out on the fitness equipment. According to an exuberant Whitney Brown of Clinton County, SCC was, "Awesome!" "This college is not as big (as some of the ones they have visited), but its nicer looking and more organized," said Kaela Irwin, another Clinton County student. "My brother goes here. He likes it," said Sarah Stinson of Clinton County. Somerset Community College is a comprehensive two-year institution of high education. SCC has campuses in Somerset and London, centers in Clinton, McCreary and Russell Counties. A new center located in Casey County is expected to open this fall. The website is www.somcc.kctcs.edu. Call for admission and registration information toll free at 1-877-629-9722. KCTCS serves the Commonwealth through 16 community and technical college districts that form a seamless system of 62 campuses open or under construction. KCTCS colleges change lives by providing accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information, visit www.kctcs.edu. West Kentucky Community and Technical College Dean's List 6/23/2006 Paducah Sun The following area residents, listed by home county, achieved the dean's list for the spring semester at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. BALLARD: Candace J. Curtis, John E. Fleming, Robert Keith Ford, Ginger Gail Hatley, Bradley S. Henderson, Curtis Holbrook, Ross T. Hunt, Jason M. Hurt, Latasha Maria Kendley, Samantha J. Knight, Lucas Maben Miles, Jerry L. Raines, Jace A. Tilford, Carol S. Wiggins, Matt A. Williams and Trae Thomas Williams. CALDWELL: Morgan B. Baker, Jimmy C. Davis, Nancy K. Freeman, Amber R. Gray, Hunter D. Hoskins, Sable N. Ray, Keith R. Riddle, Haley N. Stewart, John Washer and Lisa Kay Webster. CALLOWAY: Allison Renee Beard, Michelle Orleana Bennett, Richard W. Burres, Kelly Grace Carlisle, Tracey L. Cohoon, Paula Kay Craig, Adrienne B. Custer, Melanie Lee Duncan, Troy D. Geurin, Terry Wayne Landon, Jacob Hunter Lovett, Elizabeth Jayne Musser, Carolyn S. Pollock, Austin G. Raspberry, Christopher Dean Sanders, Jamie Nell Sholar, Chris Michael Smith and Shanna R. Spann. CARLISLE: Caleb S. Ballard, Casey Ray Carter, Kalia N. Crawford, Karon Beasley Curtis, Klint W. Dejarnett, Anthony Bruce Dowdy, Latisha Nichole Fernandez, William David Garrett, Sabrina P. Gilbert, Lauradell Hogancamp, Ashley Diane Kick, Vicki Lynn Kingery, Matthew N. Reddick, Chris L. Spraggs, Douglas Preston Thacker, Sheila R. Thomas, Kayla Deshea Unsell, Elizabeth B. Webb and Darrell Brandon Wilson. CRITTENDEN: Payton Earl Croft, Tashena E. Hill, Harmony Brooke LaRue, Heather N. LaRue, Bryan A. Qualls and Leslie M. Stinnett. FULTON: Sharon E. Garmon, Anna R. Gaskins, Brittany S. Gattis, Rickey L. Morrison, Philip R. Rose, Rhea Allison Somerfield, Kimberly A. Traylor and Jeffrey Dale Wheeler. GRAVES: Jody Franklin Acree, Jimmy Lynn Allen, Lottie Allison Allen, Philip Benjamin Anderson, Christopher James Baer, Courtney B. Bailey, Joshua Shane Barker, Chris L. Barnes, John Robert Bell, Willie Earl Bransford, Connie Marie Brewer, Sherry Lynn Bruce, Michele L. Burgess, Joseph Carr, James Franklin Chalker, Debra Ann Chester, Shanna Marie Cobb, Michael Lee Coles, Misty Michelle Coles, Catherine Lynn Coltharp, Richard D. Cope, James Lynn Courtney Jr., John Charles Crawford, Trina Gail Cruse, Larry Dale Cumbee, Steven Ray Curlin, Dylan Reed Davenport, Garrett C. DeBernardi, James Bradley Doublin, Carla Ann Dunn, James Mark Dunn, James Anthony Edging, Molly M. Edwards, Andrea Gail Elder, Joseph Craig Ellegood, Benjamin Joseph Elliott, Jason Scott Elliott, David James England, Amanda Jean Fazzari, Thomas Blake Forester, Denny K. Foy, Jared T. Fulcher, Shelley M. Futrell, Ashley Lauren Gardner, Cory W. Gilbert, Bethany Paige Gipson, Mark Kent Glover, Billy McKinley Goddard, Michael Allen Gough, Conal Joseph Green, Patricia G. Griffith, Timothy Leon Grissom, Jason Boyd Grizzard, Mickey Aaron Halstead, Shayla D. Hammonds, Brooke L. Harrison, Bryan Lynn Hart, Dorothy Jean Hayes, Wesley P. Hays, Kenneth O. Helton, Lee Edward Herndon, Robin Rene Hicks, Taren M. Higgins, Brannon Todd Hill, Trista Constance Hobbs, Crystal Autumn Hunt, Jimmy Brian Hunt, Brian Keith Hurt, David A. Inglish, Lee S. Jackson, Ray Anne Jeffries, Melissa Gail Johnson, John Shane Keeling, Randy P. Koebler, Ella Patricia Lancaster, Joe R. Lockard, Dawn Rena Magness, Dawn Rani Mason, Tina Marie Matheny, Jason Lee Matthews, Casey Allen McClure, Abby Elizabeth McKee, Anthony Dewayne Moffitt, Mitzi Ann Munsell, Bruce Albert Nedrow, Ted Alan Newsome, April Marie Pierce, Richard Robert Pigg, Travis A. Potts, Roger L. Rayburn, Jason M. Roberts, Joe Dell Rogers, Zachary A. Rogers, Clifford R. Rollins, Nathan Wayne Rollins, Michael Lee Rowland, Larry Williams Sanders II, Sally M. Shelton, Rickey Dale Simmons, Rodney Joseph Skinner, Dan Lee Speed, Amanda Nicole Spraggs, Kaci M. Stamper, Kristie L. Stamper, Melissa Ann Stroud, Brad Thomas Sullivan, Jay S. Sullivan, Brittany Tate, Corinne Helene Taylor, Tammy S. Thomason, Mary Jane Tucker, Tiffany T. Tucker, Joshua Lee Turner, Jimmie Dean Viniard, Veronica Marie Waggoner, Amy Louise Waid, Kristal M. Wall, Timothy Allen Weatherbee, Amy Marie Weatherford, Dylan M. Wiggins, Matt Keith Williams, Natalie Willie, Joseph Donald Wilson, Robert Gary Wilson, Veronica Irene Wilson, Michelle L. Wolff, Amanda Denise Yates and William D. Yates Jr. HICKMAN: Jeremy Lee Black, Timothy Jarrod Burgess, Joy D. Causer, Carl Creason, Brigid Susan Hallman, Thomas Wayne King, Mark Wayne McCowan, Randall K. McDaniel and Kristia L. Reynolds. LIVINGSTON: Tara Leigh Cunningham, Rebecca J. Davenport, Cassandra Lynn Davis, Jillian Mae Edwards, Amanda Carol Holt, Michael E. Ledbetter, Mary Ann McDonald, Adrian Ray Teems, Erin K. Timmons and Mary E. Wilkerson. LYON: Anthony Elliott, Charles David Fambrough, Jamie C. Ferguson, Charles David Goins, Nina Michelle Grant, Kenneth Wayne Luke, James Miller, Gregory Wayne Richardson, Jonathan Lynn Rickard, Demond Williams and John Ryan Williams. MARSHALL: Julie W. Bell, Jason Patrick Box, Larisa Ann Bryant, Craig Daniel Burgie, Katie Jo Canup, Jerry L. Castleberry, Jacob A. Champion, Janet Leigh Collins, Kisty Gale Croley, Raschel Dee Culp, Shawn Patrick Dabolt, Linda Pearl Darnall, Geelyn Marie Deering, Martha Frances Devine, Tim Edward Driver, Gabriel Lee Elkins, Brian John Flickinger, Charity N. Freeman, Tangela L. Freeman, Michael James Giurintano, Matthew Martin Gore, Ashley Nicole Guill, Laura R. Henson, Rachel Marie Henson, Gerald Wade Hill, Jeremy Daniel Holmes, Dee Ann Houghtby, Ashley Nicole Howell, Billy J. Inglish, Cheryl Lynn Johnson, Krystle D. Leonard, John Franklin Lewis, Mindy Ann Lewis, Melody Forest McKnight, Steven Louis Meno, Glenda Elaine Mitchuson, Lauren Elizabeth Munsell, Evan D. O'Neal, Amy L. Owens, Amanda Gayle Park, Carl T. Park III, Mark Devin Pfister, Rachel Leigh Piercy, Tim W. Prather, Anne Renee Rollins, Robin D. Ross, Dana L. Scott, Destiny DeAnne Sewell, Kimberly N. Sharp, Jamie Lynn Stom, Rachel Leigh Todd, Keisha Lynne Tucker, Justin David Turner, Christy Leigh Wagner, Malcom G. Waller, Elisha Marie Washam, Travis E. Watkins, Halee Taylor Wyatt, Jacob Aaron Yeager, Jesse Cole York and Tim Dean York. MCCRACKEN: Rachel Roberta Adkins, Justin Ray Aldrich, John L. Anderson, David Gene Andrews, Alecia J. Bachuss, Johnny Walker Bachuss, Chadrick D. Baker, Shawn Reedie Baker, Randall Lewis Barnes, Dennis A. Beals, Leslie Ann Bean, Craig Alan Belcher, Debra J. Bell, Lauren P. Blackburn, Angela R. Blagg, Casie Diane Blair, Catherine Ann Blair, Kyiah Nicole Bohm, Robert L. Bouley, Mary E. Bristoe, Mykala Brown, Jennifer D. Burnett, Michael Duane Burnham, Cedric Eldon Burns, Tony E. Cain, Kayla Michelle Champion, George Washington Clark, Jessica Lynn Clark, Jessie N. Clifford, Jessica Jean Coley, Shawn Allan Cooper, Wesley E. Crane, Shawn Preston Craven, Frank L. Crawford, Jerry Dale Crittendon, Heather Nicole Crocker, Kala Renee Cunningham, Shauna C. Dallas, Lisa Michelle Dickerson, Wilburn Weaver Dickerson, Brian R. Dickey, Shawn N. Dittman, Johnnie E. Draffen, Daniel Ores Durrett, Mindi Allison Edwards, Marionne Elinor Dabu Esguerra, Laura Lee Everett, Ashley J. Fletcher, Mistin A. Followell, Michael Jerry Franklin, Aaron Michael Frensley, Joshua A. Frey, Nathan Andrew Froedge, Susan Carol Gay, Jennifer A. Gholson, Holly Denise Gilbert, Remington C. Guy, Leah L. Hagel, Gregory Don Hall, Kim L. Haney, Nicholas L. Hantle, Katy N. Hard, Desiree Lynn Harned, Sara A. Harper, Charles Wayne Hayden, Jonathan Michael Hayden, Corina Hernandez, Ashley Marie Horn, Sarah E. Humphrey, Randy Dale Jackson, Christopher William Jensen, Dorothy Maria Johnson, Rhiannon Chae Johnson, William Drew Johnson, Ashley Dawn Jones, Richard Thomas Jones, Melinda S. Kennedy, Candice Lilly Klinghammer, Emily Ann Krimple, Emily Renee Krinard, Kelsey Curd Ladt, Joshua N. Lambert, Bethany D. Langston, Karla R. Lawrence, Salena M. Lech, Lauren B. Lewis, William B. Lewis, Heather K. Lindsey, Richard A. Liner, Marjorie Kaye Little, Sarah Michelle Lovett, Karen J. Lynne, Jessica A. Mansfield, Denise T. Marshall, Joshua Brandon Martin, Elaine Denise McBride, Nathan Allen Means, George Medlin, Bradley A. Metzger, Benjamin Lee Miller, Bobby Moon, Alissa Dianne Morehead, Sally Ann Moseley, Tracy Jo Myers, Angela M. Nelson, Thuy Thanh Nguyen, Sarah Kristen Packett, Josh Dean Payne, Sarah Elizabeth Pearson, Sharon Kay Peck, Travis G. Peeler, John Gene Pena, Jeremy Lee Pendley, Cynthia R. Peterson, Debra Anne Pfeiffer, Carlton C. Powers, Kinsey Lynn Powers, Shelley L. Prall, Kayla Pritchard, Samantha Rhodes Pritchard, Laura C. Pugh, Ted R. Reed, Jr., Debbie Kaye Rosenthal, Alicia D. Schipp, Jacquelyn Renee Scroggins, Kenneth L. Scruggs, Cassie N. Severns, Gaurab Shrestha, Halah Mee Sims, Ross Edward Smith, Bryan R. Snow, Matthew Charles Snow, Stefanie Ann Stanley, Rhonda Faye Sullivan, Valerie Michelle Summers, Steven Moroni Taylor, Benjiman C. Tharp, Kristopher Erik Tharp, William James Tidwell, Joy Allison Triplett, James Corbett Turley, Michelle Turnbow, Erin R. Vied, Christina Rene Walker, Elizabeth Rhea Walter, Deanna B. Webb, Taryn A. White, Ashley D. Willhelm, Lori Jane Windt, Misty D. Wintizer, Ashley P. Wooldridge, Laura Ecco Wright and Andrew James Zink. HARDIN, Ill.: Andrea Rachelle Corbit. JOHNSON., Ill.: Aaron Anthony Presser. MASSAC, Ill.: Michelle A. Berube, Donna Kim Carman, Zeporah M. Daye, Cyrus Allen Eckenberg, James L. Eftink, Erin D. Finke, Emily Jean Grimes, Jennifer S. Smith and Corey Williams. POPE, Ill.: Patricia E. Murphy. OBION, Tenn.: Randall Allen, Nikki Michele Collier, Lindsay N. Frazier, Michael David Rushton and Peggy E. Tate. WEAKLEY, Tenn.: Jennifer Hope Kemp. Argh! City still No. 26 - Census Bureau again clips Louisville's claim to No. 16 Writer: Marcus Green 6/23/2006 Louisville Courier-Journal We're No. 26. Again. Louisville's ego was bruised this week by the U.S. Census Bureau, which for the second straight year ranked the city as the nation's 26th largest -- not 16th as city leaders say it deserves. Although local officials say they were told that Louisville could count everyone within its borders, the federal government left out the roughly 144,000 residents in Jefferson County's 83 suburban cities. The Census Bureau says it can't count those people as part of Louisville because they live in incorporated cities. As a result, Louisville's official population is 556,429, not the nearly 700,000 touted by city officials, the chamber of commerce and even the head of the Kentucky State Data Center. Officials were surprised last summer when they learned that Louisville was ranked 26th instead of 16th, but they thought it would be fixed in time for the release of the 2005 population estimates. "We thought that had been resolved last year," said Ron Crouch, director of the state data center. Decision won't change But Greg Harper, a Census Bureau demographer, said local officials were told that Louisville's ranking would not include suburban city residents. And that won't change, Harper said, unless those small cities are dissolved. Metro officials seem resigned to the decision, even while they insist that Louisville deserves to be ranked 16th. And they say they won't take down the welcome signs proclaiming metro Louisville the 16th-largest city in America -- no matter what the Census Bureau says. "You can't fight Washington, D.C., very often and win," said Chad Carlton, a spokesman for Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson, who yesterday was in Atlanta -- the 35th-largest city, according to the Census Bureau. "So we've taken an approach that we've made our case. Some folks there acknowledge that, and some don't. And, you know, it's not that big an issue to us." 'We've got Derby' It's apparently not a big issue to many Louisvillians, either. "We've got Derby," said Courtney Gardner, a 16-year-old Western High School student who was waiting for a bus yesterday. "Does anyone else have Derby?" For small-business owner Dawud Grier, having road signs bragging about metro Louisville's size may be a self-fulfilling prophecy. "I think they put that out there so that people will come," said Grier, 43. "Eventually we will be the 16th largest." Does it really matter whether the city is 16th, 26th or 136th? It could affect Louisville's federal grants. For some federal programs based on poverty levels, for example, excluding the suburban cities could help the city, Carlton said. "I don't think it's something where there's an obvious program where we're going to lose $10 million in funding or $3 million in funding because we're 26th instead of 16th," he said. Reduced publicity Getting Louisville noticed could be a bigger problem. The lower ranking could harm Louisville when magazines publish surveys of the nation's 25 largest cities, said Carmen Hickerson, a spokeswoman for Greater Louisville Inc., the metro area chamber of commerce. "We end up not being in surveys that we really should be in," Hickerson said. But Bob Gunnell, a Louisville public-relations executive whose clients include the Museum Plaza skyscraper project and the 21C Museum Hotel, said he rarely hears people mention Louisville's population ranking. Instead, he said, they talk about downtown revitalization and announcements such as UPS planning to bring new jobs to Louisville. "Those things make a tangible difference," Gunnell said, "not the size of a city." Danville Guard unit heading to Iraq Writer: LIZ MAPLES 6/22/2006 Danville Advocate Messenger More than 100 soldiers with the 410th Quartermaster Company based in Danville are headed to Iraq today. Gov. Ernie Fletcher spoke Wednesday at Boyle County High School during a farewell ceremony for the soldiers. "You are our bravest," he said. "I talked with a few of you. A lot of you are excited, a little nervous. ... Let me say thanks for your courage." On the war, he said, " You can debate the war. You can debate anything about the issues and how it's handled, but one thing you cannot debate ... this day is about one single word and it is something we enjoy and often take for granted. Freedom." The stands over the Rebels basketball court were filled with mothers patting infants and grandmothers sporting yellow ribbons. There were uncles, aunts, dads, husbands, fiancees, cousins and friends, all listening to the speakers and watching the soldiers in desert fatigues standing tall in formation and staring straight ahead. Fletcher led a round of thankful applause to the families and noted that while he spoke to the relatives he heard over and over, "We know that our loved one ... is in God's hands." On stage, the Kentucky Army National Guard was joined by local judge-executives Tony Wilder, Buckwheat Gilbert and Ronald Wright and Danville Mayor John W.D. Bowling. Going to Camp Shelby first The soldiers are expected to be gone for 15 months. They are first going to Camp Shelby in Mississippi for several weeks of training and then to Iraq. The unit has supply control and warehouse management capabilities in addition to supporting fuel resupply and water purification duties for the U.S. Army. Somewhere in the audience, newlywed Michael Drury had his eye on his wife, Pfc. Cherish Drury. The pair were married Friday by Gilbert at the Lincoln County Courthouse. "She wanted to do it before anything happened. ... I wanted to make her happy," Michael Drury said. Cherish Drury's maiden name, Moore, was still sewn on her fatigues. When she returns, they plan to have a family ceremony. "It's an emotional time right now. I'm excited and very honored to go. I joined for this reason. ... I can't wait to come back home to my husband and start a family and just be a wife." Relay for Life tops goal Writer: Lori Harrison 6/23/2006 Madisonville Messenger Hopkins County Relay for Life topped its fundraising goal, with teams pouring in nearly $120,000 to fight cancer. "I'm so excited that Hopkins County supported the cause," said Chairwoman Crystal Carlton, who learned of the total Thursday. Thirty-two teams participated in the overnight Relay event, which started June 16 at Parkway Plaza Mall in Madisonville. The total raised was $119,383.90. "We knew at midnight we had $95,000, and they kept turning in more money throughout the night," Carlton said. "We felt sure we were going to meet our goal. We didn't know we would exceed it by this much." She thanked the sponsors and volunteers for their hard work. Organizers set a goal of $100,000, much higher than the $66,000 raised last year. "Our basic goal as a committee was to raise awareness by moving the location and to raise more money," Carlton said. "I've already had people approach me that they're going to have teams next year -- new teams." In previous years, Relay has been held at the tracks at Hopkins County Central and Madisonville-North Hopkins High schools. About 2,000 people attended the event at the mall. That's higher attendance than previous years, but Carlton wasn't sure by how much. "We've had some positive reactions," she said. "We knew there were some logistical concerns going into the event. We sent a survey home with all the team captains to give us the positive and negative feedback." The top money-making team was Mahr Cancer Center, with $11,600; Dickie Pendley Construction/Fugate Lumber Co. was second, with $6,665; Providence Rural United Methodist Church was third, at $6,232. Ethel's Bunch -- a new team from Dawson Springs -- came in fourth, raising $6,109. One reason for the increased donations is the nine new teams that raised more than $20,000 for this year's Relay, Carlton said. "We just had a lot of people all over the county, talking to the different clubs and making people aware of what Relay is all about," Carlton said. The first Survivor Dinner, held the preceding week, drew more than 400 attendees. Money raised goes directly to the American Cancer Society and comes back to Hopkins County through programs such as the Look Good, Feel Good makeup and hair program for women going through treatment, a transportation grant and scholarship. The location and leaders of next year's Relay for Life campaign have not yet been chosen. "We know that the mall has agreed, if we choose to have it there," Carlton said. The Relay committee will have a wrap-up meeting in July to discuss plans for next year. Anyone who would like to serve on the committee may call Carlton, Jann Thurby or Paula Trice at 824-3300. UK proposes revamping of Spindletop Farm - Retirement community could be built by 2010 Writer: Art Jester 6/23/2006 Lexington Herald-Leader The University of Kentucky wants to put a 400-person retirement community on UK's Spindletop Farm in rural northern Fayette County. As part of the project, the non-profit retirement community would issue tax-exempt bonds to finance a $9 million to $12 million renovation of the historic mansion, Spindletop Hall, and would be responsible for maintenance of it. The new plans surfaced in a June 16 letter from Donald Frazier, the president of Spindletop Club, to its 1,600 members and were confirmed by UK officials yesterday. UK officials repeatedly stressed that the plans were preliminary and could face zoning and financing issues. Nevertheless, the scenario has provoked strong reactions among Spindletop Club board members, some of whom will meet today to discuss the proposal. Several Spindletop Club board members fear the retirement community facilities will jeopardize the scenic beauty surrounding the mansion, which sits near Ironworks Pike and the Kentucky Horse Park. Spindletop Club now offers recreation and dining to its membership, drawn from UK faculty, staff and alumni. The proposed retirement community would include a spectrum of living facilities including patio homes, independent-living apartments and assisted-living facilities. A conceptual plan shows many of the structures being built where Spindletop's pools, fields and tennis courts are now. Those recreational facilities would be relocated, though it's not clear where. Charles Haywood, a retired UK economist, former Spindletop Club board member and a 41-year club member, sees Spindletop facing a gloomy fate. "It will be destroyed," Haywood said in an interview. In a memo prepared for a Spindletop Club board task force meeting today, Haywood wrote: "The existing swimming pools, tennis courts, picnic area, playground, the 'Barn' snack bar, and much of the lawn in back of the mansion will be destroyed to make way for construction of buildings to house an assisted-living facility, a nursing home, a facility for dementia-affected persons, a clinic and related parking areas. "The amenities and facilities for which Club members now annually pay more than $1,000,000 in dues and fees would disappear," he wrote. "The plain fact is that the ... plan sounds the death knell of the club." Ben Carr, president-elect of the Spindletop Club board and a retired high-ranking UK administrator, said: "We can see some very positive things. For the house to have a complete renovation is one. We also know we would have changes at Spindletop Hall and people might not want to be members." Carr, who was a chancellor of the former UK Community College System, said several Spindletop Club board members are worried about the plan to relocate the swimming pools and tennis courts, the elimination of "vistas and open spaces" by the new construction and the apparent subjugation of the Spindletop Club board under the retirement community board. "The house will be under the control of the retirement community board," he said. UK spokesman Jay Blanton said neither UK nor the Spindletop Club board has the money for a much-needed renovation of the facility, and that the project could attract more club members. "Our hope is that the Club could emerge stronger, said Blanton. The proposal marks a change of plans for UK, which had previously projected its Coldstream Research Campus as the site of a retirement community for UK alumni, faculty and staff. Jack Blanton, a retired UK senior administrator who is a consultant to UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. on the project, said the change of site emerged in the winter after retirement community board members and the developer visited Coldstream, which sits next to Interstate 75 and Newtown Pike. "The traffic up and down I-75 is a constant roar," Jack Blanton said. "The noise problem is something you can't abate." Minimizing the noise would have required building a berm and putting extra insulation in the housing units, "all of which ran the cost out of sight," he said. Another problem at Coldstream would have been a median on U.S. 25 as it is expanded into a four-lane highway. The retirement community's entrance and exit would be onto that road. The median would have blocked a left-hand turn for trips toward Lexington, requiring residents to make an inconvenient drive north some distance and turn around, Jack Blanton said. Frazier and UK officials stressed that the Spindletop project still faces potential hurdles. "This is a conceptual plan," Jay Blanton said. "It's a long way from reality." The retirement community would be built on a part of Spindletop Farm that was zoned P-1, or professional office, in the 1970s, he said. The P-1 zoning does not permit separate housing units and might not allow the planned patio homes, Jack Blanton said. But they might be permitted because they are part of a total project, he added. There would also be apartments. There is no estimate yet on the total number of units, he said. That would be known after advance sales, which would last two years. Another possible hang-up is that 75 percent of the units must be sold so that the project can obtain financing, Jack Blanton said. Construction of the retirement community and the Spindletop Hall renovation could begin in the fall of 2008. It would take two years to build the retirement units, and the renovation would take a minimum of 18 months, Jack Blanton said. UK estimates that the retirement community will cost more than $150 million, will have about 200 employees and generate an annual payroll of $9 million. The developer would be The PRAXEIS Group, a Florida company that has built retirement communities nationwide, including one for the University of Florida and another planned for Florida State University. UK bought the 1,000-acre Spindletop Farm in 1959 for $850,000. The university began to use Spindletop Hall as a faculty, staff and alumni club in 1962. Under the plan, the retirement community would use 94 acres of Spindletop Farm, and the club would use 52 acres. The remainder would still be used by the UK College of Agriculture. UK's ag school would continue to use Coldstream Farm's 192 acres as pasture for poultry and dairy animals, Jack Blanton said. The retirement community project would require the approval of the UK Research Foundation, which has oversight of Spindletop Farm, Jay Blanton said. Todd is chairman of the foundation board. UK's Board of Trustees would not have to approve the project, Jay Blanton said. Stephen Hawking warns about global warming Writer: Alexa Olesen, Associated Press 6/23/2006 USA TODAY BEIJING -- Stephen Hawking expressed concern about global warming Wednesday even as he charmed and provoked a group of Chinese students. Before an audience of 500 at a seminar in Beijing, the celebrity cosmologist said, "I like Chinese culture, Chinese food and above all Chinese women. They are beautiful." The audience of mostly university students and professors and a smattering of journalists laughed and applauded. Asked about the environment, Hawking, who suffers from a degenerative disease, uses a wheelchair and speaks through a computerized voice synthesizer, said he was "very worried about global warming." He said he was afraid that Earth "might end up like Venus, at 250 degrees centigrade and raining sulfuric acid." HOW'S THE WEATHER ON VENUS?: European mission pries Venus from her cloudy shell The comment is a pointed one for China -- which is the second largest emitter of the greenhouse gases that are blamed for global warming, after the United States. Experts warn that if emissions aren't reduced the world's glaciers could melt, threatening cities and triggering droughts and other environmental disasters. An occasional visitor to China, Hawking was in Beijing to attend a conference on string theory, an area of physics that attempts to explain and model the universe. Hawking's ability to explain abstruse scientific concepts to laymen has given him a worldwide following. In China, whose communist government regularly preaches that scientific prowess is crucial to the country's future power, Hawking has near-superstar status. When he was wheeled onstage 20 minutes into the event, the audience rushed forward, taking pictures with their mobile phones. Many stood and craned to see him better throughout the talk and one man in the fifth row watched Hawking through binoculars. Xu Fanrong, a 23-year-old student at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Physics in Beijing, praised Hawking's pithy and humorous remarks during the one and a half hour event. He said Hawking's appearance could help inspire more young Chinese to study physics. "Our country needs science," said Xu. "No basic science means no basic technology and no economic development." Other speakers at the seminar included Edward Witten, winner of the Fields Medal in mathematics in 1990; David J. Gross, winner of the 2004 Nobel prize for physics; and Harvard University physics professor Andy Strominger. Despite the stellar academic credentials of his fellow speakers, Hawking stole the show, fielding questions about his life as well as science. Asked by one Chinese student how he would describe himself, Hawking said: "Optimistic, romantic and stubborn." "In the world there's only one like him. I very much respect his personality and strong spirit," said Liu Fei, 24-year-old doctoral candidate at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Physics. Hawking told the students that although he was very limited physically by his disability, his mind was "free to explore back to the origins of the universe and into black holes." Then There Were 10 Writer: Doug Lederman 6/23/2006 Inside Higher Education Three months after two private equity firms announced plans to spend $3.4 billion to buy Education Management Corp., one of the largest publicly held higher education companies, another investor said it would take one of the smallest such companies private. Concorde Career Colleges, Inc., which operates 12 campuses in seven states and offers academic and vocational programs in an array of allied health fields, said it had agreed to be purchased by Liberty Partners, a private equity firm in New York that has invested in a range of education businesses, for $114.5 million. The higher education company will become part of Liberty Higher Education LLC, a subsidiary of Liberty Partners that owns all or part of York Technical Institute, a two-campus college in Pennsylvania; Edison Schools, which manages public schools; and Chartwell Education Group, a consulting group led by Rod Paige, the former U.S. education secretary. Concorde's chief executive officer, Jack L. Brozman, will stay on to run the company. Concorde is among the smallest of the major publicly traded companies, of which there will be 10 after it is absorbed by Liberty. The purchase follows March's announcement that Providence Equity Partners and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners would pay $43 a share to buy Pittsburgh-based Education Management, which operates 72 campuses in 24 states and Canada. That deal prompted significant speculation about whether it portended a new round of contraction in the for-profit higher education sphere, and whether more publicly traded companies would turn to the private markets. Thursday's announcement about Concorde will prime that pump even more, although Jerry Herman, a research analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said there were limits on how many more such transactions there might be. (BMO Capital Markets, formerly Harris Nesbitt, advised Concorde in the deal announced Thursday, although Herman said he did not know anything about the deal until he read about it in a news release this week.) "There is certainly more speculation than ever about companies being bought," Herman said, "and we may see more transactions from private equity firms. But we're seeing a premium being paid for middle-sized companies, and there just are not a lot of companies this size." The other 10 college companies that are traded on the three major stock exchanges are: Apollo Group, Career Education Corp., Corinthian Colleges, DeVry, EVCI Career Colleges, ITT Educational Services, Laureate Education, Lincoln Educational Services, Strayer Education, and Universal Technical Institute. Training the Next Generation Writer: Scott Jaschik 6/23/2006 Inside Higher Education The City Colleges of Chicago system -- like many two-year institutions nationally -- is in the midst of a massive period of turnover for faculty members. Of roughly 600 full-time faculty members, half have started in the last eight years. Another 150 full-time faculty members are expected to be hired in the next few years, largely to replace long-time professors who are retiring. Many of the arriving faculty members will be fresh Ph.D.'s, moving from research universities where they learned nothing about community colleges. Many others will previously have been adjuncts who shuttled among the many Chicago-area campuses. In what some experts say may be a breakthrough program, the Chicago colleges are teaming with Roosevelt University to provide training for faculty members that goes well beyond an orientation for new hires. Participants will go through 9-15 credit hours of courses -- team-taught by Roosevelt and City Colleges faculty members -- about teaching at two-year institutions and the range of issues facing them. The idea is not only to prepare people for the classroom, but to give some of the new arrivals the kind of training that might turn them into leaders at their institutions, and give them the background that might help prepare them for an administrative career. Participating faculty members will not pay any tuition -- Roosevelt is cutting its normal rates and the City Colleges system and its faculty union are splitting the other costs. "We don't just want to train faculty. We want to be able in the future to bring them up into the administration," said John H. Metoyer, associate dean of instruction at Harold Washington College. The program is an outgrowth of a smaller effort from a few years back in which training was provided by Loyola University Chicago. But Metoyer said that program was focused just on the classroom, and the new program -- which will start in the fall -- has a much broader agenda. Courses will include "New Issues in Community College Teaching," "Curriculum, Course Design and Assessment," "Leadership and Governance" and "Creativity in Teaching." Metoyer, who is in his first year as an administrator, after teaching English at the college, said that teaching doesn't get enough attention in graduate programs generally, and that teaching at a community college just isn't covered. Students in classes at Harold Washington range in age from 18 to 50, come from all over the world and every ethnic and racial group, and have a range of educational backgrounds -- and educational deficiencies. Most composition teaching is at least in part remedial, Metoyer said, and those who received Ph.D.'s at top research universities need to learn strategies for reaching students with backgrounds different from their own. Karen Gersten, associate provost of academic programming and faculty development at Roosevelt, is organizing the effort there. She is recruiting faculty members from education, adult education and various subject disciplines. Because Roosevelt also educates many nontraditional students, its faculty members are aware of the need to use different teaching strategies, she said. "A lot of this is working backwards -- What skills do we want students at the community colleges to learn? What's preventing them from learning? What can we do about that issue?" she said. Roosevelt has both philosophical and practical reasons for focusing on Chicago's community colleges. From a philosophical level, Roosevelt was founded in 1945 in part as a rebellion against models of higher education that limited the enrollment of black, Jewish and other groups of students. "Our mission is the education of all people, and many of those people are enrolling at community colleges," she said. From a practical level, the City Colleges are among Roosevelt's feeder institutions, and the largest one for transfers to Roosevelt's Chicago campus, so if the quality of teaching at the community colleges improves, Roosevelt will be enrolling better prepared students. Daniel Denecke, director of best practices at the Council of Graduate Schools, sees the Roosevelt-City Colleges partnership as significant. While community colleges want to offer more faculty development, they have limited resources to do so. "This is great because it builds on the leveraging of institutional resources," he said. "What seems unique is that you have faculty training faculty," he said, "with each institution recognizing that there are mutual benefits." Fletcher expands special session; proposes tax credits to lure FutureGen 6/22/2006 Business First Louisville Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher has expanded the current special session of the General Assembly to include legislation for tax exemptions for clean-coal facilities that would economically benefit the state. Kentucky and several other states have approved economic incentive packages to woo FutureGen, a $1 billion coal-fueled, low-emissions power plant that is sponsored by the federal government. "Providing exemptions for clean-coal facilities makes Kentucky an even more appealing place ... to build the FutureGen project," Fletcher said in a news release. Fletcher has said that the state will build the facility on a mine-mouth site in Henderson County if it is chosen to host the plant. The project is expected to create more than 1,300 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs and would be the leading global research facility for clean-coal technology. SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Power plant resurfaces - Legislators willing to talk about deal Writers: Ryan Alessi And Alex Fontana 6/23/2006 Lexington Herald-Leader FRANKFORT -- As lawmakers began a special session to tackle small business taxes yesterday, Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration quietly floated the idea of increasing incentives to attract a state-of-the-art power plant. To address that, however, Fletcher would have to formally change the agenda he set for the special session that is expected to last through next week. Fletcher called for the session solely to fix a problem with his 2005 tax change plan that increased taxes on many small businesses. So the prospect of adding incentives to attract the FutureGen power plant came as a surprise yesterday. The state submitted its proposal in May to try to land the FutureGen plant, which is being billed as the next generation of environmentally friendly electricity production. Kentucky is one of seven states to turn in bids to the U.S. Department of Energy, with some throwing tens of millions of dollars in tax incentives. It's too late to change Kentucky's proposal before the field is cut to five finalists in July. The final site will be chosen next year. Yesterday, staff members from the state's Commerce Cabinet contacted House Democratic leaders to test whether lawmakers would be willing to deal with FutureGen incentives, said Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond. "As I understand it, we have a very competitive proposal right now," he said. But he said that other state legislatures have been more aggressive recently. Kentucky has offered 215 acres of free land near the Green River in Henderson County and roughly $2.4 million in incentives to attract the plant, which could cost nearly $1 billion. Ohio, Texas and Illinois are each offering more than $20 million in incentives. Moberly said talks are still preliminary, so no details have been discussed. Jodi Whitaker, the governor's spokeswoman, would only confirm that "there had been conversations." However, Fletcher's executive cabinet secretary Robbie Rudolph provided Senate Republican leaders with a draft of a bill dealing with the FutureGen incentives, according to a letter Senate President David Williams wrote to Fletcher last night. In that letter, Williams said the Senate would be open to addressing the FutureGen issue along with other economic development incentives that were discussed but not passed in this winter's regular General Assembly session. Some legislators had pushed for economic development proposals for their areas that would, for example, attract outdoor mega-store Cabela's to Franklinand enhance Newport on the Levee in Northern Kentucky. "We will not insist on any one of these projects as a prerequisite to any amendment to" the small business tax-fix bill, Williams wrote. "However, we do wish to express our adamant support for each and all of these incentives." Earlier, Williams told reporters it could be "politically problematic" for the governor to push for one particular incentive. Rep. Rob Wilkey, a Scottsville Democrat who has pushed for incentives to draw Cabela's, said he considered FutureGen a different type of project because it's a potential industry-changing experiment. "I think as long as there is a good solid reason to differentiate this issue from the other ones, I think you go home and tell the people we included this one but here's why," Wilkey said. FutureGen, an alliance of coal and electric companies, will construct the plant by 2012 with some $700 million from the U.S. government. The new technology would turn coal into clean-burning hydrogen gas that is supposed to give off no harmful emissions while running a 275-megawatt power plant. Gear-Up students like SCC 6/23/2006 McCreary County Record, Whitley City Students participating in the federally-funded Gear-Up program, which prepares middle school students for college, paused after lunch in the Harold Rogers Student Commons cafeteria to talk about their impressions of Somerset Community College. Their comments were very positive.  Students participating in the federally-funded Gear-Up program, which prepares middle school students for college, paused after lunch in the Harold Rogers Student Commons cafeteria to talk about their impressions of Somerset Community College. Their comments were very positive. The Gear-Up group from McCreary, Wayne and Clinton Counties had already visited the campuses of the University of Kentucky, Berea, Western Kentucky University and Tennessee Technological University. Shown here from left to right are: Vince Staten of Stearns in McCreary County and Tessa Burchett of Albany in Clinton County. Photo of the Day Gallery |