What? Chipotle still has immigration issues? You don’t say:
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–Federal investigations related to the immigration status of some Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.’s (CMG) employees may linger for a couple of years, the company’s co-chief executive said Wednesday, an indication the issue could remain an overhang for the burrito chain.
Kentucky State Fair Board members unanimously approved lease negotiations for a Chipotle Mexican Grill that would be Louisville’s first location, according to Amanda Storment, the fair board’s vice president for public relations and media.
If a lease is successfully negotiated, the Chipotle restaurant will open in the Hyatt Regency Louisville hotel downtown, next to Einstein Bros. Bagels restaurant, at the corner of Fourth and Jefferson Streets.
The fair board owns the land where the Hyatt is located.
New businesses and such downtown are cool. But maybe serious issues like that could be considered by the business press and the fair board?
We’ll have a nice, big I-Told-You-So moment around noon today. So be sure to check back. [Possibility City]
49 water treatment plants in Kentucky were recognized by the Energy and Environment Cabinet for their “demonstrated success in producing drinking water in 2011 that consistently met or exceeded state water quality standards.” Nope, the Louisville Water Company was not one of them. [Press Release]
Kerry Porter was thankful and optimistic. He was ready for Christmas with his family and planned to start looking for a bricklaying job. Now, 5 months later, some things have changed. [FOX41]
Can you imagine what life would be like if rail travel was part of Kentucky’s reality? [Politico]
A judge has finally granted plaintiffs in the Louisville Zoo train derailment mess a trial date. It’s only a matter of time before Zoo folks try spinning us on this, as well. [WAVE3]
Rand Paul is really mad at how evil he thinks the FDA is because of milk or something. And he is going crazy trying to defend Mittens Romney and the mess at Bain. [Page One Here, Here & Here]
People who witnessed the fatal fight at Barbara Lee’s Kitchen on May 30, 2010 near Memorial Day weekend, took the stand in court. [WHAS11]
Despite vigorously denying he gave one of his horses an illegal performance-enhancing mixture, trainer Doug O’Neill was suspended 45 days – a ban that won’t take effect until after his superstar colt, I’ll Have Another, tries to win the Triple Crown. [H-L]
Wanna have a heart attack or just pass out? Read this story about a boy being injured after his dad ran over him with a lawnmower. [WLKY]
Yep, those horsey shenanigans are now national news and “Kentucky” gets mentioned repeatedly. [HuffPo]
Greg Fischer released a new proposed budget yesterday and many in the press are in a complete circle jerk over it. Primarily because they haven’t really bothered to take a look at what hasn’t happened – like the continued shenanigans with Metro Animal Services. [The 'Ville Voice]
See? It’s a literal circle jerk. Like everything was written directly from the press release. [Business First]
The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to hold a community meeting after soil testing revealed contamination near 50 homes in Louisville’s Park Hill neighborhood. [WFPL]
Yep, Greg Fischer’s new budget is playing pat-a-cake – again – with Louisville Metro Animal Services.
For instance, last year the agency was budgeted to have receipts of $1,013,800. The 2012-2013 projection is just $909,300. A horribly missed opportunity.
He also only increased the budget for supplies a few bucks. From $266,600 last year to $267,200 this year. He’s also allocating $335,600 for “Restricted & Other Proj Exp.”
Fischer is also throwing way more money at the Director and a lot less at Animal Control. The Director’s Office will receive $249,000, up from $191,900 last year. Animal Control received $1,218,400 last year and will have just $1,177,600 this year.
A $75,000 capital project for an HVAC upgrade is also on the table. Fischer’s office says a new HVAC/ventilation unit will be installed in the quarantine building on Manslick.
$150,000 will apparently be used for “additional off-site veterinarian services.”
There’ll be 52 full-time employees and one part-timer.
Want to review the entire budget? Click here (Warning: Huuuuuge PDF Link) for that. It’s filled with buzzwords, compassion and lots of possibility.
UPDATE: What do your Metro Councilcritters have to say? Nothing about Metro Animal Services, of course.
It’s mostly you-know-what cupping by Democrats and actual concern from a couple Republicans. Though, at least one of them issued a silly statement admitting they haven’t bothered to look things over.
“The Mayor’s proposal is a very workable approach to providing the services of government such as public safety, sanitation, economic development and maintaining and improving infrastructure. It is encouraging to know that the improving economy is slowly helping us restore services that had to be cut in tougher times. Through cooperation and open discussion, we have managed to navigate through the toughest of our economic times.” — Jim King, District 10 President of the Louisville Metro Council
“I appreciate the Mayor’s approach to this budget by reviewing all areas of savings and revenues. It is innovative instead of reactionary. I especially thank our public safety employees who have shown they are willing to work with us as we continue to recover from this slow economy. I look forward to reviewing this budget.” — Madonna Flood, District 24 Majority Leader
“This budget is welcome news about our local economy. I applaud this proposal because no layoffs are proposed and no services are being cut. I especially like the focus on dealing with abandoned property which has been a priority for the Metro Council for the last three years.” — Barbara Shanklin, District 2 Vice chair, Majority Caucus
“While I commend the Mayor for his work to address runaway overtime costs within two contracts, I also must express my concern that this budget falls short in addressing the long term structural imbalance.” — Ken Fleming, District 7 Minority Caucus Chair
This week Governor Steve Beshear discusses Memorial Day:
This videurtape, which Papaw now only does every once in a while, came early because it’s too hard to do anything on Friday – a day reserved for sweeping appointments to boards and commissions under the rug.
Lexington really is trying to be just like Louisville. Complete with exploding manhole covers and everything! [FOX41]
Kentucky has the second highest rate in the nation of children living with relatives or close family friends instead of biological parents, according to a report from a national foundation released Wednesday. [H-L]
Yep, just what Louisville needs, another violent shooting death. Possibility City! Compassion! [WAVE3]
Tina Ward-Pugh has it right. There is no way for Marilyn Parker to escape the heinous things she’s said in the very recent past. We pray to the flying spaghetti monster that she wins so we will have daily moments of comedy gold when she just cold, you know, is insane. [WFPL]
Louisville is at the bottom of that fancy parks list. So how does the mainstream spin it? That “Louisville Metro Parks among list of best parks according to survey.” Yeah. [WHAS11]
Here’s a shocker: the CEO of Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s HealthCare has decided to retire. [C-J/AKN]
Family members are beginning to deal with the chilling allegations brought up in court Wednesday against William Clyde Gibson. [WLKY]
Consultants paid for by the University of Louisville are saying exactly what UofL money-drivers have been saying. Imagine that! What a coincidence. [Business First]
What? Another shooting in Louisville and this man is wanted for questioning? Even more compassionate. [84WHAS]
Hal Rogers continues to pretend that there’s some war on coal. Interesting that concern about a devastating practice (mountaintop removal) still equates to a war on every other form of mining in their feeble minds. [WKYT]
Opposition to gay marriage has hit a new low among Americans, weeks after President Barack Obama announced his support for it, according to a new poll Wednesday. [Politico]
Have you heard the latest genius (haha, okay, not genius) comments from the Kentucky Democratic Republican Chairman? [Page One]
We all appreciate that the Louisville Water Company finally figured out a way to reduce Chromium 6 in the water supply:
Louisville Water began its research in January 2011 after the EPA recommended water utilities to monitor quarterly for Cr6 at the source, in the finished water and in the distribution system. Louisville Water decided to take the research a step further and examine each step of the treatment process at its two treatment plants. The scientists learned that ground water at its B.E. Payne Plant, which is naturally filtered in its riverbank filtration tunnel, has no Cr6. However, as the water moved through the treatment process, the Cr6 level increased to 0.28 ppb in the finished water, four times the level found in the finished water of the Crescent Hill Plant.
Scientists discovered a link between the chemical softening process in water treatment and Cr6. Louisville Water Company uses lime as the softening agent. Scientists learned that by moving the lime feed to the beginning of the treatment process the formation of Cr6 was significantly reduced. The absence of dissolved oxygen, the presence of ferrous ion and other reducing agents in the riverbank filtered water, such as iron sulfate, a mineral found in many nutritional supplements, also lowered the formation of Cr6.
Louisville Water scientists identified a practical approach to reduce chromium 6 (Cr6) in drinking water. Chromium is naturally occurring and exists in two forms: chromium 3 is important for balanced health, while chromium 6 can be carcinogenic if inhaled. The EPA regulates Total Chromium levels and Louisville’s drinking water is 90% below that level. As the EPA conducts research to determine if it will create a drinking water standard for Cr6, our scientists discovered a modification to the treatment process that reduces Cr6 levels to below 0.1 parts per billion (ppb). Louisville pure tap® meets and surpasses all EPA drinking water regulations.
However…
Since their cleaning/filtration process was causing the problem in the first place… does that mean the LWC has been intentionally/unintentionally poisoning customers for years?
Let’s merge this joint with MSD as soon as possible, folks, so we can use the cover-up processes perfected by the sewer team. Shoo.
State Auditor of Public Accounts Adam Edelen has just wrapped up an examination of the Quality and Charity Care Trust. Let’s just take a look at the release:
Auditor Adam Edelen on Wednesday released an examination of the Quality and Charity Care Trust (QCCT), finding a lack of oversight of a fund responsible for annually disbursing more than $30 million in state and local indigent care money to University Hospital in Louisville.
The exam found that the board structure was not suited for proper oversight, the agreement between University Medical Center (UMC) and state and local government to administer the money is outdated, and administrative processes failed to provide sufficient details for determining compliance with the agreement. Specifically, UMC did not have sufficient recordkeeping to support its claim that indigent care costs are derived from patients who met pre-defined criteria for indigence or medically needy. Auditors found no evidence that taxpayer dollars were abused.
“I applaud University of Louisville President James Ramsey for asking us to take a look at QCCT and acknowledge the good work the University does in caring for the indigent population,” Edelen said.
Edelen ought not applaud Ramsey, as I seem to recall just a year ago when Ramsey was pressing Edelen to join the University of Louisville Foundation’s board. The hypocrisy is a bit ripe there.
But the release continues:
Questions had been raised in the media about the trust’s board, which had not been conducting regular meetings as required by its by-laws.
The trust collects about $25 million a year from the state and $7 million a year from Louisville Metro Government and uses it to help cover University Hospital’s cost of treating indigents.
“The responsibility for providing a safety-net for our most vulnerable is a critical one shared by the University, City and Commonwealth,” Edelen said. “While this audit underscores the need for modernization and reform of the governing structure, it does not provide justification for those who desire a retreat from that mission.”
The purpose of the examination was to ensure appropriate processes are in place to provide strong oversight of QCCT funds through a review of the QCCT board and UMC’s policies, QCCT board governance, University of Louisville and QCCT internal controls and financial transactions relating to QCCT.
Six of the report’s nine findings deal with weaknesses relating to the QCCT’s board structure.
Some findings highlights:
QCCT board structure is not conducive for providing proper oversight.
QCCT board failed to meet as required by the QCCT bylaws.
QCCT board meetings were not effective for proper oversight.
QCCT board lacks written policies and procedures.
QCCT board did not have sufficient communication with the audit firm.
QCCT board did not review or approve the annual funding calculation.
QCCT does not have an updated agreement in place.
QCCT funds are not accounted for at the patient level.
Indigent Care Log does not provide adequate information for proper accountability of QCCT funds.
Click here (Warning: PDF Link) to review the entire report.
You may read the rest of Edelen’s release after the jump…
With 12,356 votes cast in the 19th District Democratic Primary for State Senate, I think it’s safe to say Amy Shoemaker really had no business being in the race. In fact, it could be argued that she cost Sarah Lynn Cunningham the campaign and handed a victory to Morgan McGarvey:
Sarah CUNNINGHAM — 4261 — 34.49%
Amy E. SHOEMAKER — 1812 — 14.66%
Gary DEMLING — 1253 — 10.14%
Morgan McGARVEY — 5030 — 40.71%
All of her supporters who said she would win? Yeah. You handed the election to little Morgan, the guy you so strongly dislike.
6,716 Democrats voted against John Yarmuth and for Burrel Farnsley.
Reggie Meeks beat that teabagger girl, Wendy Caswell.
Chris Thieneman beat Dougie Hawkins.
9,237 Democrats in Louisville chose not to vote for President Barack Obama, instead choosing to remain “uncommitted.”
Republican-turned-Democrat-turned no more Wade Hurt lost his race by 478 votes or 63% to 36%.
Irv Maze narrowly beat Jim Shake and they’ll face off in the fall.
Maybe people wouldn’t be freaking out about two tiny parking spots if Louisville were more pedestrian-friendly and more people walked to alleviate their fat problem? [C-J/AKN]
A University of Louisville professor doesn’t believe rallies will end violence. Because guess what? They won’t. [FOX41]
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is not backing down on its promise to engage in the most aggressive campaign operation in its 100 year history, despite a recent court decision that would require disclosure of secret donors behind issue ads. [Politico]
Here’s a teevee story about the Ohio River Bridges Debacle allegedly creating thousands of jobs. No mention, of course, that those jobs will eventually land in Indiana and thousands of others will move there. [WAVE3]
Nope, no one turned out to vote. So few voted, in fact, that it is embarrassing to be a Kentuckian at the moment. [H-L]
WHAS11 spent an entire 11:00 P.M. segment last night on this lady sex book called “Fifty Shades of Grey” because it is apparently big, important news on election night. [WHAS11]
What’s that? You mean the Metro Sewer District wants to raise your rates another 6.5% and they waited until election day to hide that news? Surely not! [C-J/AKN]
Bullying is a real issue, sure, even on Facebook. But targeting online bullying isn’t going to stop the violence occurring in Louisville’s streets. [WLKY]
BRAVE PATRIOT Teabagger Birther Marilyn Parker is now essentially a Louisville Metro Council member. PEE ALERT. Let’s take this trip down the crazy lane. [The 'Ville Voice]
Despite Louisville’s attempts to build a healthy culture around biking through the addition of bicycle lanes across the city and promotion of events such as last week’s Bike to Work Day, Kentucky overall has been less bike friendly, according to a new study. [Business First]
What? Metro Parks needs work? You don’t say. Louisville has scored near the bottom on a new ranking of park systems in the nation’s 40 largest cities. The city came in 38th. [WFPL]
Why the hell did it take a judge to decide it was okay for a kid to wear a gay t-shirt? [WKYT]
Brave Patriot Marilyn Parker Spreads The Crazy [January 11, 2011]
Marilyn Parker: Lying Fool Or Just Embarrassing? [January 14, 2011]
Brave Patriot Marilyn Parker Teabags The Facts [March 16, 2011]
Brave Patriot Marilyn Parker Is Truly Batshiz [May 2, 2011]
We’ll leave it up to you, dear readers, to come up with the funniest of the crazy.
We can’t wait to get gay married to her by a Muslin just for fun! (Remember when she freaked out over that?) And can’t wait to hear more about why she thinks segregation is okay, the New World Order (seriously), why Muslims are responsible for Katrina, among other things.
Louisville Water began its research in January 2011 after the EPA recommended water utilities to monitor quarterly for Cr6 at the source, in the finished water and in the distribution system. Louisville Water decided to take the research a step further and examine each step of the treatment process at its two treatment plants. The scientists learned that ground water at its B.E. Payne Plant, which is naturally filtered in its riverbank filtration tunnel, has no Cr6. However, as the water moved through the treatment process, the Cr6 level increased to 0.28 ppb in the finished water, four times the level found in the finished water of the Crescent Hill Plant.