Governor and First Lady Host ‘Team Kentucky Saves Lives’ Blood Drive
Kentucky State Police Cadet Class 104 to host blood drive at Training Academy on Feb. 19
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 12, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear donated blood in the State Capitol Rotunda to help address the national emergency blood shortage. They encouraged all Kentuckians to sign up for a blood drive near them by visiting Governor.ky.gov/GiveBlood.
“Donating blood is one of the most important ways we can protect all our families,” the First Lady said. “That’s why I asked Team Kentucky to come together to donate today, and our people stepped up. This drive has already shown that we can truly make a difference when we work toward the same big goal and each do our part.”
The First Lady also thanked Kentucky State Police (KSP) Cadet Class 104 for answering the call to save lives by hosting a blood drive at the KSP Training Academy on Monday, Feb. 19. The drive is open to Kentuckians from 2 to 5 p.m. EST. Those interested in participating can sign up at Governor.ky.gov/GiveBlood, by visiting the Red Cross website and entering the sponsor code “KSPAcademy” or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
“Unfortunately, the number of U.S. blood donors has reached a 20-year low. We have to change that and make sure our hospitals are ready with the supplies they need to treat anyone who needs a blood donation,” Mrs. Beshear said. “That’s why Andy and I are so grateful to Cadet Class 104 for hosting this drive to help save lives.”
“We are proud to see this KSP cadet class exemplify the spirit of service and community that we cherish in our commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “I applaud their dedication to hosting this blood drive, which will undoubtedly save lives and make a difference in our communities.”
Every KSP cadet class organizes a community class project. Cadet Class 102 traveled to Eastern Kentucky to help communities clean up after the devastating floods in 2022. Class 103 raised funds for the family of a trooper who lost his battle with cancer.
KSP Academy Commander Joseph Vorbeck said that after hearing the Beshears’ call for assistance, Cadet Class 104 chose to host a blood drive as their project.
“At the KSP Academy, we instill in our training the importance of troopers serving others and positively impacting their local communities,” said Vorbeck. “I, along with the academy staff, am proud of this class for organizing the event and embodying the values of a Kentucky State Trooper.”
Gov. Beshear Provides Team Kentucky Update
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 15, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman provided an update on economic development; the Kentucky National Guard; grants to support veterans; free GED testing; and a record year for the Kentucky Lottery.
Economic Development
Gov. Beshear announced exciting momentum within the state’s agritech sector as Bosch Berries, an international grower and distributor of bell peppers, blackberries and strawberries, will be locating a new greenhouse operation in Somerset, investing nearly $50 million and creating 28 full-time Kentucky jobs.
The Governor highlighted Kentucky’s continued investment in workforce training initiatives as he announced that over $1.5 million in funds and credits have been approved through the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. (BSSC) to assist with the training of over 6,500 Kentucky workers and employees.
Kentucky National Guard Selected as Top Command
The Kentucky National Guard was named, for the first time, the 2023 Association of the United States Army’s best National Guard command. Gov. Beshear said this award represents the heroic actions of Guard members following natural disasters in the commonwealth, in which members helped save more than 1,400 Kentuckians, as well as their service overseas and at the southwest border.
The award is also based on readiness, physical fitness and training. Gov. Beshear highlighted that the 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry won the Gen. Walter T. Kerwin, Jr. Readiness Award in November 2023.
“I have always said that Kentucky has the best National Guard in the country. This award reinforces what we have always known: that our Guard members exhibit excellence, dedication and commitment to our people that you just don’t see anywhere else,” said Gov. Beshear. “Thank you to our Guard members. We are forever grateful for the work they have done for us.”
“Being in the Kentucky National Guard isn’t just a community focus or a national focus, but an international focus toward the security of our commonwealth, the communities we come from and the nation as a whole,” said Adjutant General of Kentucky, Maj. Gen. Haldane B. Lamberton. “My belief is that the majority of our Guard members joined because they want to be of service to their community, the commonwealth and the nation in both domestic and overseas operations and we are giving them the opportunity to do that.”
Veteran’s Program Trust Fund Grants
The Governor announced more than $118,400 in funding from the Veteran’s Program Trust Fund, which will go to six organizations supporting Kentucky veterans. The funding includes:
- More than $22,000 to build a monument honoring those who served aboard the USS Hornet CV-12, an aircraft carrier built for the United States Navy during World War II. The application was submitted by Bettina Rice, the daughter of one of the CV-12 members;
- More than $17,700 to the Veteran’s Walking Wounded Project to help provide financial assistance in the form of rent, food and legal aid to veterans in Fayette County’s Veterans Drug Treatment Court program;
- $45,000 to Veterans Rural Outreach Kentucky to help veterans across six counties, including Shelby County and the surrounding counties, access food, shelter and counseling;
- $10,000 to the Roll Call Foundation to support the expansion of its equine-assisted therapy program, which aims to help veterans suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression;
- $6,000 to Morehead State University to continue offering veteran-affiliated students afford books and other supplies; and
- More than $17,300 to Kentucky Veteran Business Alliance to support five new veteran-owned businesses and job growth.
“Our veterans represent the best of Team Kentucky and of America, and we will continue to make serving them one of our top priorities,” said Gov. Beshear.
The Governor also said the administration has worked to implement pay increases for nursing positions, as well as for all state employees, which has resulted in increased staffing levels at the state’s veterans’ homes. The state has also seen progress in admitting more veterans over the past year.
Free GED Program
Lt. Gov. Coleman announced that, as of January 2024, 10,169 Kentuckians have earned their GED since the waiver for first-time test takers was announced in January 2020. Because of the demand for these services, the Office of Adult Education has increased the number of GED testing sites by 67% across the commonwealth, bringing the number of active testing centers from 114 to 171. To learn more about the free GED or to find a local adult education center, visit kyae.ky.gov.
“As an education-first administration, we are working every day to provide all Kentuckians an opportunity to improve their lives and create new cycles of success,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman. “This work is how we build a better Kentucky for everyone.”
Lt. Gov. Coleman also highlighted that in Sept. 2023, the commonwealth surpassed the U.S. Department of Education goals for measurable skill gains to increase literacy, education and training levels among Kentucky’s adults for the first time since 2017.
Kentucky Lottery Record Year
Lt. Gov. Coleman also congratulated the team at Kentucky Lottery and its 3,400 partner retailers for a record year. In 2023, sales for the Kentucky Lottery were the highest they have ever been, including record sales of $1.8 billion, a 9.8% increase compared to 2022 and record cash transfers to the state, totaling $380 million, which is a 5.4% increase compared to the year before. iLottery also set a new record with $424 million in sales. Lt. Gov. Coleman said lottery proceeds all support education, funding college scholarship and grant programs.
Team Kentucky All-Stars
The Governor named Kentucky’s public school bus drivers and transportation personnel as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.
Gov. Beshear highlighted Tara Boston, a bus driver for Woodford County Public Schools, who discussed the impact that the Forward, Together budget proposal, specifically an 11% raise for all school staff, would have for her and her family. To see a video from the visit, click here. The Governor also recognized Larry Farrish, a bus driver for Jefferson County Public Schools. Farrish noticed that 6-year-old Levi Carrier was upset that he could not participate in Pajama Day at school. After Farrish dropped off all the kids on his bus, he bought pajamas for Levi so he could participate with his classmates.
“Our bus drivers like Tara and Larry go above and beyond for our children every day, providing safe transportation to and from schools and extra support when needed,” said Gov. Beshear. “For this, and for always being there for our kids, all of our public school drivers and transportation personnel are this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.”
Gov. Beshear: Over $1.5 Million Approved Statewide To Support Training for More Than 6,500 Kentucky Workers
Kentucky companies continue to invest in state’s current and future workforce
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 15, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted Kentucky’s continued investment in workforce training initiatives as he announced over $1.5 million in funds and credits have been approved through the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. (BSSC) to assist with the training of over 6,500 Kentucky workers and employees.
“Kentucky’s record-breaking economic success is directly related to the hard-working, skilled individuals that make up the commonwealth’s workforce,” said Gov. Beshear. “Programs like the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. provide the necessary funding to train and support workers across Kentucky. This training will help give employees the tools they need to be successful and keep the commonwealth’s historic economic momentum going.”
Through the BSSC’s Grant-in-Aid and Skills Training Investment Credit programs, over $1.5 million in state support was approved to train and develop 6,543 Kentucky employees across 25 companies.
Included among this month’s approvals was workforce training support for over 1,000 trainees at GE Appliances in Louisville and an additional 684 trainees for Montaplast of North America in Frankfort. Other approvals include 487 trainees at Bluegrass Business Consortium Inc. in Berea, 307 trainees at Bluegrass Training Consortium Inc. in Georgetown, 317 employees at Kentucky Alliance Training Consortium Inc. in Georgetown, 221 trainees at Faurecia Interior Louisville LLC and 200 workers at Lyons Magnus LLC in Walton.
Including this month’s meeting, Gov. Beshear has now announced nearly $15 million in funding through BSSC across 78 projects to train over 28,000 Kentucky workers for fiscal year 2024.
Gov. Beshear previously announced over $10 million in funding for 115 applicants throughout the state to train nearly 35,000 workers for fiscal year 2023. The state also provided over $8.4 million in funds and credits during fiscal year 2022. Those funds assisted with workforce training for more than 35,400 Kentucky employees – the most since 2016.
The Grant-in-Aid and Skills Training Investment Credit programs assist employers throughout the commonwealth. Grant-in-Aid provides cash reimbursements for occupational and skills upgrade training at Kentucky businesses, while the Skills Training Investment Credit offers state income tax credits for companies to offset the costs for approved training programs. Applications for both programs are accepted and considered for approval by the BSSC Board of Directors.
BSSC incentives are available to a range of operations, including manufacturing, agri-business, nonretail service or technology, headquarters operations, state-licensed hospital operations, coal severing and processing, alternative fuel, gasification, renewable energy production and carbon dioxide transmission pipelines.
For more information on BSSC or to apply for workforce training assistance, click here.
Kentucky’s investment in workforce training builds on the best four-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,000 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $30 billion in announced investments, creating more than 51,800 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history.
The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. The average incentivized hourly wage in 2022 and 2023 topped $26 in consecutive years for the first time.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; and INFAC North America’s $53 million investment in Taylor County, among others.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund, as well as the most jobs filled in state history. Last year, Kentucky set the record for the longest period with the lowest unemployment rates in state history.
Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings, and Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Kentucky’s credit outlook from stable to positive.
Site Selection magazine placed Kentucky first in the South Central region and top 5 nationally in its 2023 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.
Gov. Beshear announced a “Supply Kentucky” initiative with the goal of boosting job growth, reducing costs and providing more security in the supply chains of our Kentucky companies.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at CED.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.
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