Buford

Kentucky state Sen. Tom Buford faced no opposition and was elected Tuesday to another term in the 22nd-district seat, which represents Jessamine, Garrard and Boyle counties as well as the southern part of Fayette County. Buford, a Republican, has held the seat since winning it in the 1990 general election. He defeated challenger Chad Crouch by 700 votes in May’s primary despite losing in Jessamine County. Thirteen other races in the county Tuesday night involved only one candidate.

By JOSH THOMAS The Jessamine Journal Sixth District Congressman Ben Chandler, a Democrat, acknowledges that he got help in a February special election from state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, despite Buford's strong denials. Buford has repeatedly denied claims that he helped raise money for Chandler in his defeat of state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington, who Buford endorsed after dropping out of the contest himself. Buford is now a candidate in the May 18 primary to get his party's nomination for the seat Chandler now holds.

About two dozen people joined state Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, and state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, at a legislative breakfast Saturday as they discussed topics tackled by legislators during the short session of the general assembly. Pension reform, redistricting and health-care reform were the main topics discussed during the breakfast, held by the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce at J.D. Legends. A plan proposed by the senate for pension reform, one of the major issues yet to be resolved by the legislature, is “a losing proposition,” Buford said.

State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, announced additional water and sewer projects for Boyle County, thanks to an agreement between House and Senate leaders. Buford and state Rep. Mike Harmon, R-Junction City, worked together to ensure Boyle County would receive funds for: Spear's Creek pump sanitary lagoon construction, Danville Spear's Creek pump station, Danville Various water/sewer projects, Danville Buford added $1,050,000 to the water and sewer projects for a grand total of $1.5 million for Boyle County.

State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, has been appointed by his colleagues to serve as chair of the important Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. This key committee is charged with overseeing the banking and insurance industries across Kentucky, while also regulating other issues relating to credit, investment, and corporations. Buford has been chair since 1999. "I am humbled and thrilled to take on this responsibility," Buford said. "I look forward to applying my extensive experience in the private sector to make our Commonwealth a competitive place to do business.

With Gov. Steve Beshear proposing funding cuts around Kentucky, the state budget becomes the most prominent issue facing Kentucky legislators in the 2008 General Assembly in Frankfort. Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville said he believes that the more than $500 million deficit that Beshear said the state is facing next year is too high. "I don't feel like we are in a crisis," Buford said. "We have $270 to $275 million in a rainy day fund for this type of situation. There are some transfers we can make in departments - we are really looking at about a $20 million shortfall.

FRANKFORT - State Sen. Tom Buford (R-Nicholasville) has announced his intent to file for re-election in 2006. As state senator, he has championed issues such as affordable healthcare for autistic children, the Abandoned Baby Bill to protect newborns, and enhanced benefits for police and firefighters. "It's just been a pleasure to serve the people of Boyle, Garrard, Fayette and Jessamine counties," Buford said. "As a life-long resident, it would be an honor to represent you for another four years.

State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, was a sponsor on the Senate-House Joint Resolution that was designed to raise diabetes awareness. Gov. Steve Beshear recently added his signature to the resolution. "The situation that exists is the insurance companies are probably not being extremely fair to those individuals that have diabetes," Buford said. "Diabetes has become almost the number one issue in state government as it relates to Medicaid services and other health care services because we have an obesity problem in the state.

Jessamine County legislators and school officials are optimistic that a bill to raise the statewide dropout age to 18 will be successful this year after failing in the Senate last year. School attendance in Kentucky is currently required for those between ages 6 and 16; the legislation would raise the age limit for compulsory attendance to 17 in 2015 and 18 in 2016. “The time is far overdue for us to raise the dropout age in Kentucky,” said Lu Young, superintendent of Jessamine County Schools.

Sen. Tom Buford and Rep. Bob Damron, discussed some of the topics the General Assembly is looking at during the 2007 short session at the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce annual Legislative Breakfast. Both men said a short session isn't designed for "heavy legislation," and much of this year's session is devoted to items vetoed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher during the 2006 session including the "tweaking" of bills that were passed in the last session. Funding for the locks and dams along the Kentucky River remains at the top of Damron's list, he told the approximately 40 people who attended last Saturday's annual Legislative Breakfast sponsored by the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce.

About two dozen people joined state Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, and state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, at a legislative breakfast Saturday as they discussed topics tackled by legislators during the short session of the general assembly. Pension reform, redistricting and health-care reform were the main topics discussed during the breakfast, held by the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce at J.D. Legends. A plan proposed by the senate for pension reform, one of the major issues yet to be resolved by the legislature, is “a losing proposition,” Buford said.

Putting people before politics was the way the U.S. 27 expansion was completed, according to Gov. Steve Beshear during Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony in Lancaster. “We're Kentuckians first and we're Republicans and Democrats second,” he said. “By doing that, we get a lot of things done.” The $41 million project, which broke ground in 2008, faced several difficulties, from environmental issues to a negative economy, according to state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, who was present and spoke.

LANCASTER - Putting people before politics was the way the U.S. 27 expansion was completed, Gov. Steve Beshear said Monday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the project in northern Garrard County. “We're Kentuckians first, and we're Republicans and Democrats second,” he said. “By doing that, we get a lot of things done.” The $41 million project, which broke ground in 2008, faced several difficulties, from environmental issues to a negative economy, according to state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, who also spoke.

Senate President David L. Williams recently appointed state Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, to the Kentucky War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. The 18-member commission, which includes state agencies and at-large members, works on a broad range of educational programs that commemorates Kentucky's role in the War of 1812. “Raising awareness of the vital part Kentucky's soldiers played in what some call the Second American Revolution is an exciting honor for me,” Buford said.

Buford Lunsford, 88, died Wednesday, June 20, at his home. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Linda Malone Lunsford; daughters Ruby Higgins and Shirley Dixon; son Donald Lunsford; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister Marie Baker; and many other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by sons Lee and Danny Lunsford, daughter Linda Marie Lunsford, seven brothers and a sister. Buford was a U.S. Army veteran, retired employee of Bluegrass Army Depot, Jessamine County Board of Education as a security employee, and a member of Truth and Faith Church of God. A remembrance ceremony was at held 2 p.m. Saturday, June 23, at Hager & Cundiff Funeral Home.

Local lawmakers will return to Frankfort next week to officially wrap up a regular session dominated by the budget and a redistricting effort that was shot down in court. The Kentucky House and Senate will put the finishing touches on what was mostly a stagnant regular session Thursday when they must adjourn. "It got off to a slow start and it was sluggish from there," said Sen. Tom Buford, who represents Boyle and Jessamine counties.  While the session won't be known for a flourish of new legislation, the general assembly did succeed in reaching agreement on a budget during the session, a rare feat over the last decade.

Buford Corman, 89, of Wilmore Road died Sunday, March 11.  He was a retired firefighter, serving in the Fayette County Fire Department, a World War II marine veteran and member of the American Legion. Survivors include five children, Buford Corman Jr. of Lexington, Wilma and husband Jeff Bishop, Sue and husband Lonnie Hourigan, Barbara and husband Bobby Deering, and Connie Thacker; 14 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two sisters, Thelma Teater of Nicholasville and Carolyn Stinnett of Nicholasville; a brother, Knight Corman of Wilmore; and numerous other family members.

Under the state Senate's plan regarding congressional redistricting, Jessamine County will remain in its current district, Sen. Tom Buford said. “Damon Thayer (Republican senator from Georgetown) and I are producing the 6th District congressional lines,” Buford said. “He and I are pretty firm; the two leaders of our Senate (Senate President David Williams and Majority Floor Leader Robert Stivers) have told us that those senators that are part of the 6th District will have the greatest say about the 6th District lines.

Miriam Hill Buford, 90, of Nicholasville, World War II bride and widow of attorney William Brown Buford, died Thursday, Nov. 10. She was born July 9, 1921, in Manchester, England, to the late Thomas and Miriam Moore Hill. She was a homemaker, a former policewoman during World War II in Wigan, England, a retired residence-hall supervisor for the University of Kentucky, and a successful property-management-business owner. She was also an active member of the Nicholasville Christian Church.

FRANKFORT — Time is getting tight for a bill that would require Homeland Security to find out just how much 911 service in the state actually costs. Senate Bill 119 is designed as a stepping stone to major reforms of how 911 centers across the state are funded, sponsor Sen. Tom Buford said. Currently, the financial structure designed to support 911 centers still uses a monthly fee on landline telephones as its foundation. Cell phone companies pay some money for 911 coverage, but as landline use continues to dwindle, officials are increasingly worried about where the money to run call centers will come from.