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Airport runway extension on a wing and a prayer
Blue Grass Airport officials are in a race against time to secure federal matching dollars for runway relocation and Governor Fletcher says the urgency may become partial justification to call the General Assembly into special session.
The airport needs a total of $26 million to relocate runway 8/26, the airport's shorter runway from which Comair Flight 5191 made its fatal takeoff. The project budget calls for $9 million in FAA funds, $9 million from the state and $8 million provided by the airport. The state legislature's failure to appropriate at least a portion of the requested state funding threatened to delay the matter until the 2008 session, too late to obtain the FAA grant.
Following a speech to the Lexington Forum at Keeneland in early April, Fletcher said a special session is under consideration. "What I'm having to do is to check with the FAA, look at the $9 million, see what the strings are attached to that, and there's been some talk that it (the federal matching funds) will not be available after October, we just want to verify that."
Asked if the funds could be appropriated without an act of the legislature, the governor was uncertain. "We're looking at every avenue that we can to fund that. But if it's not possible it's certainly something I would consider for special session," he said.
Invitations in the mail to first Regional Summit
Blue Grass Tomorrow (BGT) has sent invitations to all mayors and judges in the 18 county Central Kentucky area to attend the first Regional Summit. Invitations were sent to state and federal representatives as well.
"Our vision is to have those folks sit down and come to a consensus on the top regional issues," said BGT president Steve Austin. "Then with our help, as well as Commerce Lexington, KLC, KACO, and the Bluegrass ADD, they'll come up with recommended solutions that can be acted on to move our region forward."
Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry was the first to accept. During a speech before a recent BGT Economic Conference, he spoke of Central Kentucky as a community of neighbors and said there is too much at stake in maintaining the area's "unique and irreplaceable living arrangement" for local governments to continue working at cross purposes. "In light of the financial issues, the traffic issues and the environmental issues which confront Lexington and, I suspect, many of our neighbors, how do we move forward?" he asked.
The Regional Summit will take place on Thursday, May 10th, 2007 at Keeneland Race Course, with breakfast beginning at 7:30 am, and the meeting beginning at 8:00 am.
KySat2 Mission Design Team announced
In a local coffee shop the other day, Kris Kimel motioned me over to his table, opened a toolbox and hauled out a small metal cube fitted with circuit boards and other such high-tech gizmology. "That's the satellite!" he exclaimed, like a proud papa.
Kimel, president of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, was sharing one of the small (Pico-class) satellites designed by KySat to promote science, technology and engineering, innovation and education in Kentucky.
KySat, begun by Kimel and staff in 2006, is an ambitious joint-enterprise involving public organizations, colleges and universities and private companies in a student led initiative involving the design, build, payload development, launch and on-orbit operation of these tiny machines.
The Design Team for the project's second orbital mission, KySat2, was recently announced and includes:
Christy Bogard, University of Louisville; Keith Bux, Murray State University; Andrew Crowe, Morehead State University; Thomas Dodson, University of Kentucky; Tyler Doering, University of Kentucky; Prabhakara Eluru, Morehead State University; Michael Gailey, University of Kentucky; Samuel Hishmeh, University of Kentucky; Bill Hutchison*, University of Louisville; Prasanna Padmanabhan, University of Kentucky; Michael Schulte, Jefferson Community and Technical College; VamshiReddy SingiReddy, Western Kentucky University; Amber-Rose White, Murray State University.
KySat2 will extend the complexity and payload capability of KySat1 (the inaugural mission) scheduled to be launched in 2008. A five-year mission strategy is now being completed and will be discussed at the upcoming KySat Conference scheduled for May 3, 2007 in Lexington.
The following students were also selected to participate on the Mission Support Team which provides support to the KySat Design Teams across multiple missions and activities (embedded systems, pre-flight testing, space physics etc.): Patrick Adams, Murray State University; Daniel Cottam, University of Kentucky; Jonathan Frederick, Murray State University; Robert Hornback, University of Kentucky; Karan Jhavar, University of Kentucky; Carl Mather, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College; Dhaya Mustafa, University of Kentucky; Zachary Weber, Lexington Catholic High School.
The ongoing KySat1 Design Team selected last year and working toward their 2008 launch is: Jennifer Carter, Morehead State University; Daniel Erb, Murray State University; Garrett Chandler and Dale McClure, University of Kentucky; Bill Hutchison, University of Louisville; Greg Strickler, Western Kentucky University.
KySat Enterprise Members are: University of Kentucky; University of Louisville; Morehead State University; Murray State University; Western Kentucky University; Kentucky Space Grant Consortium, Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education; Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation; Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (Managing Partner), Kentucky Community and Technical College System.
Lead Support Partners include: Kentucky Virtual Campus (Virtual Network Manager); Stanford University Space Systems Development Laboratory (SSDL); NASA Ames Research Center; California Polytechnic State University (Launch Integrator).
Visit www.kysat.com for more information.
(*Also a member of the KySat1 Mission Team.)
Nominees sought for top Dairy Producer
The Dairy Products Association of Kentucky (DPAK) is taking nominations for the sixth annual Kentucky Quality Dairy Producer Award.
The award recognizes the Kentucky dairy producer who best portrays the production of high-quality milk. The competition is open to all Kentucky dairy producers. The award will be presented at the Dairy Recognition Dinner during the Kentucky State Fair in August.
To determine finalists for the event, a committee will review four criteria, weighted 25 percent each: somatic cell, bacteria and preliminary incubation (PI) counts of the producer's milk, and a farm inspection. Criteria must be based on producer data derived from April 1, 2006, through March 31, 2007. All nominees must have valid permits from the Milk Safety Branch of the Cabinet for Health Services throughout this period.
Nomination forms must be postmarked or delivered to DPAK no later than June 8. The forms may be submitted by producers themselves or by professionals who serve the dairy industry such as dairy field representatives, veterinarians, extension personnel, milk haulers and others. These individuals should work with the dairy producers to complete the forms.
Nomination forms may be downloaded and printed from the University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services Web site at www.rs.uky.edu. Click on "Milk," then "Information on the 2007 Kentucky Quality Dairy Producer Award," then "Nomination form." Send or deliver completed forms to DPAK Executive Office, David Klee, 514 General John Payne Blvd., Georgetown, KY 40324.
World's top private equine library comes to Horse Park
An incomparable collection of more than 1,200 books and approximately 25 boxes of research notes, photos and correspondence on horses of ancient times is being contributed to the International Museum of the Horse — a Smithsonian Affiliate - at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The museum was chosen by the family of Mary Aiken Littauer, one of the world's leading authorities on ancient equine lore. Littauer died in 2005 at the age of 93.
"Mary Littauer was a woman of great intellect, fluent in ancient languages, interested in classical archaeology, prolific writer and passionate about horses." Noted Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson. "Consequently, she was uniquely positioned to become the 'go-to' person for equine scholars, archaeologists and journalists."
Museum director, Bill Cooke described the gift as one of the most significant received in the facility's 30-year history. "Mary Littauer was a giant in her field, and was internationally respected as the grande dame of equestrian history," he said. "Serious scholars from around the world used to converge on Mary Littauer's estate on Long Island to utilize her marvelous library and to discuss their research. Now these same scholars will be coming to Lexington."
An archivist has been hired by the museum to investigate and create an inventory of the material, and to prepare it for use by visiting scholars and the museum staff.