Somerset — Although two-thirds of Republican U.S. representatives voted against the proposed $700 billion bailout of the nation’s troubled financial markets, Somerset’s own Harold “Hal” Rogers was not among them, opting to support the plan promoted by President Bush in an address to the nation last Wednesday.
“Today, the citizens of Kentucky face an economic crisis,” said the Fifth District congressman, “a crisis created by Wall Street fat cats, who were enriching themselves while the rest of us suffered. Their greed has put a lot of Kentuckians at risk.”
Rogers said he didn’t like the plan, which would have used taxpayer money to buy bad mortgages and assets held by foundering banks and financial institutions, but didn’t prefer the alternative of doing nothing as an elected representative.
“This is not a gamble I was willing to take,” said Rogers. “I feared that doing nothing could put this country into its deepest financial recession in a generation.”
Rogers said that the bill he voted for “ensured that Wall Street would pay their fair share, protected taxpayers’ investments, eliminated fat cat golden parachutes, and protected struggling homeowners from foreclosure.”
With the bill’s failure, he said, Congress must return “to the drawing board” and remain in session until an agreement on a bill that can be passed is reached.
“As mad as I am at how we got here, we are here, and the sad reality is our country lies at an economic precipice,” said Rogers. “Our banks face a serious credit crunch, limiting our people’s ability to borrow money for everyday needs. Everything from buying groceries or supplies, to buying a car or home, from sending your kids to college, or saving up for your retirement — all could be put in serious jeopardy.”
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Somerset on verge of becoming natural gas hub
It sounds like a Buck Rogers fiction series, but it’s true. The city of Somerset is about to become the energy hub of Kentucky, maybe even regionally or nationally.
Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler, gas company manager Dan Henderson and city engineer Reggie Chaney discussed the grandiose energy network this week with a reporter for the Commonwealth Journal. It’s more than a vision. City officials say it’s about to become reality. -
Old districts are back ... for now
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Such is the legislative redistricting debacle in Frankfort.
Judge Phillip Shepherd in Franklin Circuit Court on Tuesday tossed out the General Assembly’s controversial redistricting plans and reverted everything back to where it was before. -
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Big Bang Theory
Pulaski County is not at war. The booming you may hear at dusk is mock cannon fire to scare away birds.
Stuart Spillman, environmental director for the Lake Cumberland Health Department, said at least three cannons are on loan from the department to residents who want to scare away swarms of starlings and blackbirds settling in to roost.
He said a cannon is being used by a resident on Laura Lane off Ky. 39; another is in the Oak Hill Road area and a third is on Ashurst Street in the eastern part of Somerset.
Spillman said a timer on each cannon allows it to “fire” at whatever frequency is desired. The cannons must be used as the birds circle before going to roost. “After they settle in, nothing will chase them out,” Spillman said.
The Health Department doesn’t operate the cannons unless there is a specific complaint in an area where there are lots of birds, Spillman noted. He said so far this year the birds are not as bad as in the past. -
Boil water advisory is lifted countywide
The water controversy that Pulaski County has been boiling over — so to speak — for the last week is finally over.
At 10 minutes after noon Wednesday, the “boil water” advisory for the Western Pulaski Water District was lifted — almost a full week after the problems began around 1 p.m. last Thursday.
Prior to that, the Somerset Water Service — along with the other water providers in its system, including Science Hill Water, Southeastern Water, and Eubank Water — lifted their advisories, with Somerset on Saturday afternoon and the last, Southeastern, by Monday morning. Western Pulaski was the last in the system to complete sample testing for potential contaminants, due to not being able to access its Pikeville-based testing lab until Monday.
Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler thanked the public for its patience and understanding during the duration of the boil water advisory — put in place to keep citizens from drinking water that could have been contaminated after an accident last Thursday at the water plant site — and also thanked all the city employees for their hard work during this time.
“The boil water advisory went about as well as would be expected,” said Girdler.
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SCS to host Medal of Honor recipient
The message is clear: There are heroes. Even here in our own hometowns.
That’s the idea organizers hope to get across Saturday night at Somerset Christian School, when Congressional Medal of Honor winner Sgt. Dakota Meter speaks to all who choose to attend.
For further questions, ticket purchases, and sponsorship opportunities please contact Susan Adams at (606) 875-0255. -
Newspaper veteran name Publisher of Commonwealth Journal
SOMERSET — A fourth generation newspaperman has been named publisher of the Commonwealth Journal.
Rob McCullough, 50, who started working in a newspaper mailroom when he was 15, officially assumes his duties today. He succeeds Jack McNeely who has accepted a position with the Daily Mountain Eagle in Jasper, Alabama.
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