Business

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced yesterday TeleTech Holdings Inc.a global customer service company, is expanding its Kentucky presence with a customer experience center in Paducah, creating 450 new jobs. Last May, TeleTech announced a site opening in Hopkinsville, where the company plans to invest more than $12 million and create 500 to 700 jobs over the next few years.

The United States Enrichment Corporation and several other companies have sent proposals to the Department of Energy to continue enriching uranium at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. USEC is currently operating at the plant but is scheduled to end its work there May 31. USEC spokesperson Paul Jacobson says the corporation is discussing a several month extension at the plant, but that doesn’t change its statement that the high costs and old technology makes continuing commercial endeavors beyond 2013 difficult.

Last week, Murray Calloway County Hospital announced the elimination of 28 jobs. MCCH CEO Jerry Penner says the cuts are results of a turbulent healthcare environment including low patient volume and declining Medicaid reimbursements. Shelly Baskin speaks with Penner about the details surrounding the cuts, and the financial trouble related to Managed Care Organizations and the Affordable Care Act.

Paducah Power System residential customers may have another rate increase starting in April.

PPS spokeswoman Andrea Underwood says the proposed residential 7.5 percent jump would begin April 1. This proposed increase follows a 5 percent November increase. PPS is also proposing another rate increase in April 2014 for its residential customers.

Emergency officials say a CSX train derailed in Hopkins County Saturday afternoon blocking a road, but nothing was spilled and no one was injured.  When responders arrived at the scene near Morton’s Gap, they found 14 cars overturned, including one tanker.