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City regs delay campus area night spot
Tom Behr, owner of Pazzo's and the now empty lot that had been the site of Kitty O'Shea's, said construction of a new bar to be built in the vacant spot has been postponed for an indeterminate time, because an issue with parking has delayed construction permits.
The plans for the new building call for construction in the same footprint and square footage as Kitty O'Shea's. The ceilings will be higher, however, and Behr said he has been forced to find parking because of a zoning ordinance that judges buildings based on volume.
"Bottom line - if we had kept it the way it was, which was a dilapidated, falling-down building, we could be in business right now without having any parking," Behr said. "But since we're making it nice and trying to improve the neighborhood, we have to find parking."
He believes he's found parking at Kennedy's Bookstore, owned by his wife. While not on-site, the close proximity should suffice as long as the bar opens after the bookstore closes each day, Behr said. He's not sure how long it will take to get back on track with construction that had been slated to begin in March with an opening date for sometime in October.
oyota gives $1 million for tech development institute
Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) has given $1 million to the University of Kentucky College of Engineering to support a new Institute of Research for Technology Development (IR4TD) in the college.
The new institute, to be headed by UK engineering professor Kozo Saito, will explore and develop new technology aimed at increasing productivity, performance and profitability in a variety of manufacturing industries. Saito, who has a longstanding relationship with Toyota, has performed research to improve painting efficiency in the manufacturing process.
The new institute will operate labs both on campus and in the former Lexel Building at Coldstream Research Campus. The labs will focus on laser diagnostics, paint inspection, wet spray paint, computational fluid dynamics simulation, conceptual design and nanomaterial synthesis. The facility also will include a prototype testing unit for automobile surface coating and other applications.
Plans also call for the development of products such as the trademarked Vorticone, a system that captures excess paint from the manufacturing process and prevents it from being shed into the environment.
The new institute also will pursue new technology useful in production of carbon nanotubes, steel and aluminum, in addition to environmental pollution prevention equipment from coal-fired power plants and fire safety equipment.
Book Wholesalers Inc. to vacate Lexington
An employer of 300 is packing up and moving to suburban Chicago. Book Wholesalers, Inc. which markets books, e-books and audio-visual materials to public libraries, has outgrown its site on Mercer Road, according to a spokesman for the company's parent, Follett Corporation. Employees have been offered the option of moving with the company or accepting severance packages and outplacement services.
Bendix to move Kentucky operations to Mexico
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, a global manufacturer of commercial vehicle safety and braking systems technology, will close its facility in Frankfort, Ky.
The Frankfort facility, the oldest Bendix manufacturing location, was built in 1968 and employs 124, including 101 hourly and 23 salaried employees.
The Frankfort facility produces compressors that are used in commercial vehicle braking systems. According to a company statement, compressor production will be moved to an existing Bendix facility in Acuna, Mexico. The company said the move is in direct response to its initiative to improve structural cost and align its manufacturing facilities for specific business unit focus.
BCTC loses Kerley, searches for new leadership
Bluegrass Community and Technical College president Jim Kerley has announced his departure. Kerley joined the college in 1998 and led its transition from Lexington Community College. He is credited for championing innovative initiatives at the school in fields ranging from nursing to filmmaking. Kerley will assume the leadership role at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla.
Report: Dropouts a drag on state economy
Reaffirming what may seem obvious, a report from the Alliance for Excellent Education notes that high school dropouts drain the Kentucky economy by reducing tax revenues and increasing the cost of social programs. On the other hand, high school graduates, the report notes, make higher wages and live longer. They are less likely to be teen parents, commit crimes or rely on government healthcare.
According to the report, the Kentucky economy would realize an additional $4.5 billion in wages over the lifetimes of students who dropped out last year, had they instead remained in school and graduated.
On a positive note, according to the Kentucky Department of Education, state and local dropout rates have been declining.
Learn-at-work scholarships available
The Kentucky Education Cabinet is accepting applications for its annual scholarship program for non-traditional students who have used employment and training programs and other cabinet services.
The $1,000 Education-at-Work scholarships are aimed at helping Kentuckians continue their education and preparation for work.
To be eligible, applicants must receive at least one of the services from one of the following agencies in the Education Cabinet: Kentucky Adult Education, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Office of Employment and Training, Office of Career and Technical Education and Office for the Blind. Examples of services in these agencies include but are not limited to: Workforce Investment Act services and training, unemployment insurance, vocational rehabilitation, dislocated workers program, area technology centers and adult learning centers. In addition, applicants must be Kentucky residents and enroll in a Kentucky postsecondary educational institution for the fall 2007 semester.
Scholarship applicants will be required to write an essay on Kentucky's brand, "Unbridled Spirit," and how the theme relates to their educational and career goals.
U.S. Chamber rates Kentucky education
Although Kentucky scored better than some neighboring states in several categories, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce assessment gives the state a grade of "D" in two categories key to business: academic achievement and postsecondary and workforce readiness.
The report, "Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness," gave Kentucky "Cs" for its teaching force, truth in advertising about student proficiency, rigor of standards and academic achievement of low-income and minority students, and "Bs" for return on investment, flexibility in management and policy and data quality.
Lexington area firms dominate Best Places to Work list
Fourteen of the 50 winners of the 2007 Best Places to Work in Kentucky competition are located in or near Lexington. The annual competition, presented by the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management State Council and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, is based on research documenting a strong correlation between profitability and creating a good place to work.
Making the cut among medium-sized companies (25-249 employees) were Beaver Homes; Benefit Insurance Marketing; Dean, Dorton & Ford; Gray Construction; Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance; Lexington Diagnostic Center & Open MRI and Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney-all of Lexington-as well as Employment Plus of Frankfort.
Area winners in the large category (250 or more employees) include Central Bank & Trust; Central Baptist Hospital; Saint Joseph HealthCare and Stoll Keenon Ogden of Lexington, along with Frankfort Regional Medical Center and Georgetown Community Hospital.
Rankings will be announced at an awards dinner on April 24 at the Lexington Convention Center.
Bean counting biz makes room for family
Finding the right work/life balance is an ongoing struggle among today's workforce and for companies striving to hire and retain qualified and loyal employees.
During the busy tax-filing season, the Lexington office of the accounting firm Crowe Chizek is making concessions to family life by offering free babysitting service for employees with children. It's a "day at the office" for the kids, while working parents welcome the opportunity to have their children nearby with a CPR-trained professional to organize fun activities.
Crowe's large meeting room is transformed into a playroom on Saturdays during the busy season. A daycare provider organizes games, snacks, story time and other fun activities for the children, ranging in age from two to seven.
Highbridge renews support of Troubadour Series
Highbridge Spring Water has renewed its role as presenting sponsor of the Troubadour Concert Series at the Kentucky Theater. The series brings noted Americana artists to the stage of the historic downtown showplace.
Insight Communications, WUKY, FOX 56, LM Communications and Business Lexington continue their support of the series as well.
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