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Airport closing for weekend runway resurfacing
Asphalt will be in short supply all around Central Kentucky on the weekend of August 18-20 as the main runway at Blue Grass Airport undergoes a marathon 48-hour resurfacing.
The airport will be closed to all fixed wing aircraft from 6pm on Friday, August 18 until 6pm on Sunday, August 20th to accommodate the project, part of a four-phase Runway Safety Area improvement plan.
The resurfacing by a crew of 250 will consume 33,000 tons of asphalt, so much that it will most likely be the only resurfacing taking place in the area that weekend.
The runway was last resurfaced in 1994. The Federal Aviation Administration requires repaving of runways every 15 years.
Unemployment drops statewide
Unemployment rates fell in 116 Kentucky counties between June 2005 and June 2006, rose in three counties and stayed the same in one county, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training in the Education Cabinet.
Boone County's 4.3 percent jobless rate was the lowest in the commonwealth. Other low rates were recorded in Spencer County, 4.4 percent; Oldham, Shelby and Woodford counties, 4.6 percent each; Gallatin County, 4.8 percent; Fayette and Grant counties, 4.9 percent each; Jessamine, Kenton, and Scott and Trigg counties, 5 percent each.
McCreary County recorded the state's highest unemployment rate-11.1 percent.
UK in nation's top 20 for heart research funding
The University of Kentucky is keeping good company among
institutions across the country receiving heart research funding from the American Heart Association. UK ranks in the top 20.
The university is working with $5 million from the AHA for research into understanding how heart disease occurs, as well as how to treat and prevent this leading cause of deathamong Kentuckians. AHA funding was part of more than $20 million in total cardiovascular research at UK.
Other top 20 recipients of AHA funding are, in alphabetical order:
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.
Brigham & Women's Hospital, Massachusetts
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Columbia University, New York
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Francisco
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of Iowa, Iowa City
University of Michigan Medical Center
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Washington University, School of Medicine
Yale University
New funding for research commercialization
The Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation has announced a new Request for Proposals (COMM-06-RFP-006) under the Kentucky Commercialization Fund Program. A total of up to $750,000 in funding is available for individual awards of up to $75,000/year. Faculty from universities, private colleges, and other post-secondary institutions are eligible to apply.
To be eligible for an invitation to submit a proposal,
Pre-proposals must be submitted online by Friday, August 11, 2006, 5:00pm ET
Invitations for proposal submission will be sent by Friday, September 8, 2006, 5:00pm ET.
Invited proposals must be received in hard copy by Friday, September. 29, 2006, 5:00pm ET.
For information on how to apply, see the announcement for "New Funding Opportunity" online at ksef.kstc.com or call 859-255-3613.
Rep. Westrom moderates national forum on healthcare
Rep. Susan Westrom of Lexington served as moderator of the General Session forum at the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) summer meeting recently held in Boston.
NCOIL is an organization of state legislators whose primary focus is insurance legislation and regulation. Many legislators active in NCOIL either chair or are members of the committees responsible for insurance legislation in their respective state houses across the country.
Westrom moderated discussions between national and state leaders from across the country. The conference focused on finding long-term state solutions for struggling health insurance markets in the United States.
Make alternate plans
If your morning commuter route takes you past The Lexington Center, you may want to either leave early or plan on a detour on the morning of August15. Schools spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall warns that from 7:30am to 10:45am all 6,000 Fayette County Public Schools employees will be gathering at The Lexington Center downtown for a Back-to-School professional development event.
Not-for-profit sought for year of free services
Cost Containment of Kentucky, a regional franchisee of the Alliance Cost Containment network, is marking its second year in business by inviting applications from central Kentucky not-for-profit organizations to qualify for a free one-year cost reduction consulting engagement. Cost Containment will select one organization from among those responding for a complete cost reduction program.
Not-for-profit groups interested in being considered for the free service are invited to contact Rudy Moeller by e-mail (RMoeller@alliancecost.com) to request an application. All applications must be returned by Friday, September 8th to be included in the finalist pool.
Frost Brown Todd cited as "market mover"
The BTI Consulting Group, Inc. announced the 40 national law firms cited by clients as Market Movers. Frost Brown Todd was awarded the title of BTI Market Front-Runner, singled out
by corporate counsel as introducing innovative changes into the legal services marketplace.
Each year, BTI interviews more than 240 individual corporate counsel at Fortune 1000 companies, probing
clients on all aspects of law firm relationships and performance. Each client is asked to identify law firms who are driving innovative changes in the legal services marketplace.
UK HealthCare Chandler Hospital among America's Best Hospitals according to U.S. News and World Report
UK HealthCare's Chandler Hospital at the University of Kentucky is among the top 50 hospitals named in U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Hospitals 2006 in the specialty of ear, nose and throat care.
UK Prof's first novel hits #1 on NYT Best Seller List
University of Kentucky writing Professor Kim Edwards' first novel, "The Memory Keeper's Daughter," has reached first on the New York Times best seller list. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" has also risen to first on the Barnes and Noble best-selling paperback list, first on Publishers Weekly's trade paperback list, first on Book Sense and is up to second on the USA Today Top 150.
Bundy and Baja team on benefit holiday CD
Lexington native Laura Bell Bundy, a prominent actress on Broadway with starring roles in Hairspray, Wicked, and Ruthless!, has recorded a Christmas CD with the Bluegrass Area Jazz Ambassadors (BAJA.) Recording took place on Aug 7 and 9 at UK's rehearsal room. Bundy's grandfather, former radio deejay and sports announcer Wayne Bell, joined her on some tracks.
All proceeds will go towards the outreach programs of Laura's foundation "Kreative Kids" and BAJA. "Kreative Kids" aims to raise money for programs and scholarships for less fortunate children, to help them become involved in the performing arts. This program will start in Kentucky, and potentially will have a nation-wide impact. BAJA also has a mission of education and outreach, having sponsored concerts with area middle and high school jazz bands since its incorporation in 2004.