Today's News

There’s just something about watching normally reserved, and often authoritative, teachers being humiliated in front of a whole classroom.

Such was the motivation for  Spencer County Middle School students who donated their loose change and a few of their parents dollar bills to help support Special Olympics.

“Our goal was $500,” said Amanda Bruce, SCMS  special education teacher. “But by Wednesday we had already collected over $400. At the end of the four days, we collected $832.10.”

1 John 4:7-21 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herin is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

by Rep. BRAD MONTELL

R-House Dist. 58

The legislature approved last week a rescue plan to plug the projected $456 million hole in the state budget this fiscal year with a combination of new revenue, spending cuts and fund transfers. The plan, which was passed by the House on Wednesday and cleared the Senate Friday, is contained in two bills that House and Senate leaders were able to reach consensus on in recent weeks. The bills will take effect immediately upon Governor Steve Beshear’s expected signature.

Gov. Steve Beshear signed a budget package Friday that he said protects funding for basic education, health care and public safety. The package approved Friday by the Kentucky Senate, and earlier this week by the House, includes some $150 million in additional spending cuts combined with a 30 cent increase in the cigarette tax and applies the state’s 6 percent sales tax to store sales of beer, wine and liquor. Under the package, the basic education funding formula would be preserved from any cuts, while higher education would only be cut 2 percent.