Federal Grant

Congressman Ben Chandler announced this week that Junction City Fire Department will receive $24,681 in federal funding for turnout gear. Turnout gear includes protective coats, pants, gloves, boots and helmets for firefighters. “The work you do on a daily basis is tremendous,” Chandler told firefighters. “Thank you for protecting the people of Junction City — it is a big job, and you all absolutely need the best equipment to keep you safe.” The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

As president of the teacher's association in Jessamine County, I have been asked to “sign off” on an educational-reform grant proposal called Race to the Top Round Three (RTT3). More likely than not, teacher-association members will support a “sign-off,” as teachers long for new initiatives that provide meaningful learning opportunities to their students. And we long for reforms to provide exciting and effective change that will turn around our precious public schools fraught with systemic issues that hold us back.

A Jessamine County company will be adding jobs to the central Kentucky economy in the next few months thanks to a federal grant from the stimulus act. The Appalachian Regional Short Line Project, proposed by the RJ Corman Railroad Group, was approved for a $17.5 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear announced Friday. The project will improve 246 miles of railroad track in Kentucky as well as other tracks in Tennessee and West Virginia.

The Jessamine County Emergency Medical Services recently received a $138,388 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighter Grants. "It's notification that we've been approved," Wendel Hatfield, Jessamine County Emergency Service director said. "We probably won't receive the money for about three weeks. " The money will be used in three ways: upgrading the department's mobile radios, purchasing equipment like a new cardiac monitor and stretchers for obese patients and training, Hatfield said.

The Nicholasville City Commission gave Mayor Russ Meyer the go-ahead to sign a memorandum of agreement to apply for the Federal 319 Grant. If awarded, the grant will enable Nicholasville to move forward on its watershed plan and Lake Mingo best management practices implementation. Gary Goldey, public works superintendent for Nicholasville, said the grant will provide much needed funding for the project. "It will specifically be used for run-off water quality that comes into the drainage basin of Town Branch," he said.

STANFORD - Lincoln County High School Principal Ty Howard knows he has a freshmen problem, and it has nothing to do with acne or messy lockers. Freshmen are struggling with the transition between eighth and ninth grade. The high school has 1,142 students this year, and 307 of them are freshmen. "We found we were having a big problem here and we were going to have to address it," said Howard, who reviewed years of data and months of attendance rates. "Freshmen were having trouble coming from middle school to high school.

Boyle Fiscal Court approved hiring an architect Tuesday to renovate buildings at Constitution Square Park.  The Fiscal Court voted unanimously to hire CMW Inc. of Lexington. Fitzsimons Office of Architecture in collaboration with Carmen and Associates of Lexington, Campbell and Associates of Versailles, and Kleier Associates of Louisville also made presentations May 17. Jody Lassiter, president and chief executive officer of the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership, said all of the firms were on a preferred vendors list with the Kentucky Heritage Council, but CMW stood out because of its price and preparedness to move forward soon.  Talks about the county taking over Constitution Square began in early 2011, but the park commemorating the location where Kentucky's Constitution was signed in 1792 wasn't officially turned over to the county until March.

The sidewalks on Third Street, near the proposed parking garage, will be replaced and utilities relocated to North Second if the city receives a federal grant. Heart of Danville will hold a public meeting at 11 a.m. Wednesday to solicit comments about its Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century grant application. Written comments will also be accepted at the meeting. For more information, call (859) 236-1909.

Members of The Generations Center Advisory Council and other seniors were on hand to see the new 18-passenger bus when it was delivered to the center this week, left photo. The bus was funded by a $38,000 federal grant through Congressman Ben Chandler's office and $4,500 in state and local matching funds. The bus, which has a wheelchair lift and will hold two wheelchairs, will be used to transport seniors to and from the center, to doctor's appointments and other events.

A reception honoring Kathy Belcher on the eve of her retirement preceded Thursday's meeting of the Boyle Board of Education. Superintendent Pam Rogers presented Belcher with a plaque to recognize Belcher for 31 years of outstanding service as a teacher, grant writer, and director of federal programs, special education, preschool and community education. Also recognizing Belcher were Judge-Executive Tony Wilder, Danville City Commissioner Chester Kavanaugh, Danville Superintendent Bob Rowland and former Boyle Superintendent Emajo Carlton.

The Nicholasville City Commission approved parks and recreation director Duane McCuddy's request to partner with his department regarding a federal grant application that would complete the second and final phase of its trek to finish a multi-use recreation trail during Monday's meeting. According to McCuddy, parks and recreation is applying for a $100,000 matching federal grant, and was seeking a $25,000 commitment from the city in the form of cash and in-kind services. The Jessamine County Fiscal Court agreed to pick up the other $25,000 in cash and in-kind services, McCuddy said, while the Federal Highway Administration will pick up the other 50 percent of the grant.

The Wilmore City Council voted unanimously Monday to allow Mayor Harold Rainwater to negotiate with Asbury Theological Seminary for the almost $70,000 in estimated costs not paid for by a federal grant to finish the city's streetscape project. The seminary, which initiated the project, originally set aside approximately $781,000 for pay for costs not covered by the grant, which required a 20 percent local match. That amount has nearly been depleted through unforeseen costs and included projects not covered by the grant, David Carlstedt, Wilmore utilities director, said.

Jessamine Countians are invited to provide their input as the Parks and Recreation Department enters the next leg of the trek to finish a multi-use recreation trail at Riney B. Park, seeking a federal grant to help complete the project. As part of the grant approval process, the department will hold an open forum March 5 to give the public an opportunity to voice their opinions on the trail, which will be a little more than two miles long when completed and circle the Jessamine County Aquatic Center, said Duane McCuddy, director of Nicholasville-Jessamine County Parks and Recreation.

The completion of the Wilmore streetscape project might require use of public funds designated for road, water and sewer improvements after Asbury Theological Seminary has refused to pay any more toward the project than originally promised. Wilmore utilities director Dave Carlstedt said he likely will ask the Wilmore City Council  to approve the allocation of $50,000 to $75,000 from the city's municipal road aid and RRE (Renewal, Replacement and Extension) funds for the project's completion.

As president of the teacher's association in Jessamine County, I have been asked to “sign off” on an educational-reform grant proposal called Race to the Top Round Three (RTT3). More likely than not, teacher-association members will support a “sign-off,” as teachers long for new initiatives that provide meaningful learning opportunities to their students. And we long for reforms to provide exciting and effective change that will turn around our precious public schools fraught with systemic issues that hold us back.

Two local elementary schools are among a handful in Kentucky to receive a federal grant to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to students. Fannie Bush and Shearer elementary schools received more than $30,000 from the Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the upcoming school year. The grants are available to schools that have more than 80 percent of their student population receiving free or reduced price lunches. The goal of the program is to help combat childhood obesity by helping children learn more healthful eating habits and to introduce them to a variety of fresh produce they otherwise might not have the opportunity to try. Clark County Nutrition Director Becky Lowry said she was excited to get the grants.

Boyle Fiscal Court approved hiring an architect Tuesday to renovate buildings at Constitution Square Park.  The Fiscal Court voted unanimously to hire CMW Inc. of Lexington. Fitzsimons Office of Architecture in collaboration with Carmen and Associates of Lexington, Campbell and Associates of Versailles, and Kleier Associates of Louisville also made presentations May 17. Jody Lassiter, president and chief executive officer of the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership, said all of the firms were on a preferred vendors list with the Kentucky Heritage Council, but CMW stood out because of its price and preparedness to move forward soon.  Talks about the county taking over Constitution Square began in early 2011, but the park commemorating the location where Kentucky's Constitution was signed in 1792 wasn't officially turned over to the county until March.

A $420,000 federal grant will help improve health for low-income residents of Boyle, Garrard, Lincoln and Mercer counties. “Many people will benefit from this three-year funding,” said LaVerne Slone. Slone, a registered nurse, works for the Community Services Department at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and will be project director for the new program, to be known locally as Healthy People, Healthy Communities. McDowell announced the funding Wednesday. The money was awarded to the Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration as part of its Rural Health Outreach Grant Program.

Thanks to a federal grant awarded to Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation, Camp Dick Fire Department and other agencies in the area are better equipped to respond to emergencies. Two and one-half years ago, the Ephraim McDowell Health Care Foundation successfully applied for a Health Resources and Services Administration grant administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Foundation sought the grant funds in order to improve the availability of automatic external defibrillator (AED)

The Jessamine County school district was one of only three in Kentucky and 43 in the nation to receive grant money to expand its counseling program Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Education announced Jessamine would be given $371,091 for the work. The grant money will be used primarily to add six four-day-a-week guidance counselors at Jessamine County elementary schools, according to Michelle Gadberry, assistant director of special education. A large program component will involve the counselors working with students in classrooms to learn social skills.