Government

The Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Corporation discussed a healthy budget during the Executive Committee meeting Tuesday. The committee mulled over the center’s current cash flow and expenses in preparation for future budget workshops with city and county representatives. The corporation will submit budget requests to both governments for funds to help cover upcoming costs.

Kentucky House lawmakers have donated $5,500 from their own wallets to help communities in the eastern part of the Commonwealth recover from tornado damage.  House Speaker Greg Stumbo says that total still is growing as legislators continue to give.  Both the House and Senate have observed moments of silence in honor of storm victims.  Democratic state Representative John Will Stacy of West Liberty thanked rescue teams and other first responders from across the state who reported for duty in his hard-hit district.

President Barack Obama has declared a disaster area seven counties in eastern Kentucky, releasing federal funding for people affected by last week's tornadoes and severe storms.  The White House and Governor Steve Beshear says damage surveys are continuing, and more counties may be designated.  Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other forms of recovery assistance.  Governor Steve Beshear and Lieutenant Jerry Abramson will be traveling again today to visit the stricken locations.  Tornadoes last Friday k

From the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet:

Work has begun on signage for the new Interstate 69 corridor between Eddyville and the Pennyrile Parkway interchange in Madisonville. The new signs are part of a $9.9 million project to bring the section of the former Western Kentucky Parkway up to federal highway standards. Department of Highways District 2 Chief Engineer Kevin McClearn says traffic interruptions should be minimal during most of the work. He says some of the more significant upgrades to the road will be announced during the summer.

Budget plans for all three branches of Kentucky’s government are on their way to the House floor after easily passing out of the House budget committee today.

The committee passed bills that would cut the judicial and legislative budgets by eight point four percent, to match the cuts already made to the executive budget.  It also adopted the changes to Governor Steve Beshear’s budget proposed yesterday.