Somerset — Pulaski County’s new public library, the Somerset community and the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce apparently made a good impression on Kentucky’s First Lady during a visit here Tuesday.
“What a fantastic library you have!” exclaimed Jane Beshear during a brief appearance at a noon meeting of the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. “You are very, very fortunate ... you raised the money for this fantastic building.”
Beshear appeared at the chamber session after spending the morning at the library reading to and observing first-graders ring the Literacy Bell. Students who read their first book to their teachers get to come in a group to the library and ring the Literacy Bell. Beshear read to the students while she was at the library.
“My day was made being with these young people,” she declared.
Beshear lauded the community for a petition-approved real property tax of 5.9 cents on each $100 of assessed value for the library. It paved the way for the library district to sell $10.7 million in revenue bonds to finance an almost incomprehensible rural-area library. The new complex on South Main Street opened last spring.
“You have the resources here ... the lake ... everything to grow and be vibrant,” she added. She praised Chuck Coldiron, president of the chamber, for his community development work, calling him “my hero.”
The first lady stressed the importance of individual responsibility. She said it takes both individual and community responsibility to effect change.
Beshear said her position as first lady “has been great ... we’ve learned so much about what we have in the commonwealth.”
A native of Bowling Green, Beshear is a businesswoman, educator and community leader. Presently she is an ex officio officer of the Kentucky Commission on Women, trustee of Frontier Nursing Service and an accomplished equestrian.
Beshear is currently trying to make the Governor’s Mansion more energy efficient and eco-friendly and encouraging businesses, schools and homes across the state to do the same.
The first lady and Gov. Steve Beshear have been married 39 years and have two sons and one grandson.
Local News
Related Photos
Kentucky First Lady impressed with Pulaski County
- Local News
-
-
Hal Rogers defends Somerset’s Streetscape project
-
Survey may attract commercial passenger service
-
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. -
Fast-moving blaze guts mobile home off Slate Branch Road
-
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.
-
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.
-
Blakley receives worldwide honor
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
