Government

Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Brownsville (19th District) joined Sen. Carroll Gibson, R-Leitchfield (5th District) and Hart County Judge-Executive Terry Martin in Frankfort Thursday to testify on the need to expand Interstate 65 to six lanes in an area stretching from south of Elizabethtown to the Louie B. Nunn Parkway interchange near Glasgow.
The three testified before the Budget Subcommittee on Transportation.

LaRue County Detention Center is one of several detention facilities across the state that are bracing for the financial strains of House Bill 463.
HB 463, a bill aimed at reducing prison sentences for low-risk, non-violent drug offenders, went into effect last month.
The reductions in prison populations are estimated to save the state $40 million annually, but in return will strain the small budgets of local governments. County Judge-Executive Tommy Turner estimated in March that the potential reduction in funding would equal a $750,000 deficit to the jail.

"Where there's smoke there's fire."

That old adage could ring true regarding the recent resignation of Raywick Fire Chief Chuck Helm. He resigned last week, but the reason for his resignation isn't exactly clear.

According to Helm, his out-of-town job commitments cause him to be away from the community too much, which is why he decided to resign.

However, Kevin Corbett, who was appointed to be the acting chief for the time being, said a "disagreement" between Helm and the fire department led to Helm's resignation.

The Kentucky Department of Revenue has set the 2011 State Real Property Tax Rate at 12.2 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Kentucky Revised Statute 132.020 requires the Department of Revenue to set the real property rate no later than July 1 of each year.
This rate is based on the revenue generated from the increase in taxable real property assessments from 2010 to 2011.