First Lady Cuts Ribbon on $300,000 Erlanger Library Renovation
Mrs. Beshear also celebrates statewide coverage for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
ERLANGER, Ky. (June 17, 2024) – Today, First Lady Britainy Beshear visited the Erlanger branch of the Kenton County Public Library to read with kids and cut the ribbon on the library’s newly renovated children’s section.
“This is an amazing day for kids in Kenton County, as we open the newly renovated children’s area at the Erlanger library branch, which will foster a love of reading for the rest of their lives,” Mrs. Beshear said. “We’re also celebrating Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky expanding to Kenton County, which means now, every child in the state can receive a free book every month from birth through age five. As First Lady, and as a mom, I’m so excited for even more families to have the chance to read and learn together.”
The $300,000 renovation includes all new flooring, new furniture and new bathrooms, as well as repainting. Other improvements include additional shelving, an expanded book collection and new toys. The Erlanger branch is one of the busiest libraries in the commonwealth and offers a wide variety of children’s programs and learning activities, in addition to books. The new children’s area is the first major renovation of the space since 2002.
“We were honored to have the First Lady visit our library and read to children,” said Dave Schroeder, the Kenton County Public Library executive director. “Early childhood literacy is one of our top priorities, and Storytimes and the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library help us improve literacy in our region.”
At the ribbon cutting, the First Lady also celebrated the Kenton County Public Library becoming a program partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) of Kentucky. This was the final partner needed for DPIL’s Kentucky chapter to serve preschool children in all 120 counties. Now, all Kentucky families can sign their children up to receive a free, age-appropriate book each month from birth through age five. To learn more, see the full press release announcing DPIL reaching statewide coverage.
To sign up a child, click here, or visit imaginationlibrary.com/kentucky. For just $13, anyone can sponsor a child to receive books from DPIL for one year. To donate to the organization, click here. Kentuckians can also follow DPIL of Kentucky on Facebook and Instagram.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the support from the state and proud of the progress we’ve made over the past three years,” said JC Morgan, executive director of DPIL of Kentucky. “But we’re just getting started. We’ll keep working hard to spread the word until every Kentucky child gets to experience the joy of reading.”
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Gov. Beshear: Over $1 Billion in Federal Funds Coming
To Support High-Speed Internet Expansion in Kentucky
State’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program proposal receives federal approval
FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 17, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined federal officials to announce that Kentucky’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program proposal has been approved, which allows the state to request access to over $1 billion in federal “Internet for All” funding to expand high-speed internet.
In June 2023, Gov. Beshear announced the state secured nearly $1.1 billion in BEAD funding to bring affordable, reliable high-speed internet service to every Kentuckian. The award is the largest public investment in high-speed internet in the commonwealth’s history.
During a press call Monday, the Governor was joined by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian and BEAD Director Evan Feinman to make the announcement.
“High-speed internet isn’t just the infrastructure of the future, it’s the infrastructure of right now. It’s something that everybody wants, and it needs to be both accessible and affordable,” Gov. Beshear said. “That’s why the BEAD program is transformational. It’s a chance for everybody to chase their dreams – whether that’s applying for a new job or applying to college, getting the health care they need to feel their best, or starting a business in a rural area, but knowing they can sell their product across the country, all because they have high-speed internet.”
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved Volume 2 of Kentucky’s proposal, which outlines the commonwealth’s plans for funding deployment, stakeholder engagement, local coordination, workforce initiatives, affordability and more.
Volume 1 was approved in March 2024 and detailed existing high-speed internet funding, unserved and underserved locations, community anchor institutions and the challenge process, which allowed internet service providers, local governments and nonprofits to submit corrections to maps of which locations have high-speed internet access. With these approvals, the commonwealth can now select subgrantees and request access to the federal funding.
By June 2025, Kentucky must submit a final proposal to NTIA that reports which subgrantees were chosen and how the state will ensure service to all unserved and underserved locations. Once the state receives approval on the final proposal, it can access the remaining BEAD funding.
The approved subgrantees will build the infrastructure needed to connect unserved (no internet access or under 25/3 Mbps) and underserved (access under 100/20 Mbps) locations identified during the BEAD challenge process, prioritizing unserved locations first.
The BEAD program is part of an unprecedented $42.5 billion federal investment in high-speed internet connectivity across the U.S. from the federal, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Today’s announcement continues Gov. Beshear’s commitment to connect every home and business to high-speed internet.
In June 2022, the Governor announced a historic $203 million investment, including funds from the state’s Better Internet Program, as well as matching funds, to bring high-speed internet to more than 34,000 Kentucky households and businesses.
In August 2022, the Governor announced $20 million in grant funding to assist eligible internet providers with utility pole replacement costs.
In December 2022, Kentucky secured a $5.8 million planning grant from the BEAD program.
In February 2023, Gov. Beshear announced a 14-stop Better Internet Initiative Listening Tour so his administration could hear directly from Kentuckians about their needs for better internet.
In September 2023, the Governor announced a $386 million investment, including Better Internet Program funds and matching funds, which will bring high-internet to 42,600 Kentucky homes and businesses.
In March of this year, Gov. Beshear announced a $20.4 million investment in high-speed internet, which will connect 3,574 homes and businesses in Henderson and Daviess counties. The state awarded more than $10.2 million to electric cooperative Kenergy to complete the work, and the company is providing $10.2 million in matching funds.
Later in March of this year, the federal government announced that Kentucky can apply to receive more than $12.1 million to empower individuals and communities with the tools, skills and opportunities they need to benefit from meaningful access to high-speed internet.
Learn more about the state’s efforts to expand high-speed internet by clicking here.
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Gov. Beshear Announces $2.9 Million for 4 Projects
in Western Kentucky
Initiatives will support workforce training and public infrastructure
CLAY, Ky. (June 20, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined federal and local officials to celebrate $2,950,657 in funding from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). The funds will go to four projects to bolster economic development and improve public infrastructure.
In March, Gov. Beshear was named the States’ Co-Chair of the DRA. He was joined today by DRA Federal Co-Chair Dr. Corey Wiggins.
“The DRA does amazing work for our families across Western Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today, we celebrated projects to support workforce training, continue our economic momentum and ensure our public infrastructure is up to date. This is a great example of working together on the federal, state and local levels to make life better for Kentuckians.”
The funding will go to four projects:
- The city of Sturgis will use $2,024,000 to rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plant;
- Henderson Community College will use $450,000 to support its MAINTech program. This is an advanced industrial maintenance training program that is working to address the need for skilled industrial workers in Western Kentucky;
- The Webster County Fiscal Court will also use $326,657 for the Webster County Workforce Training Equipment project in Dixon. The funds will be used to purchase workforce training equipment for students in manufacturing, health care, industrial and computer-aided design career tracks; and
- The Webster County Fiscal Court will use another $150,000 to develop a comprehensive economic development plan, focusing on creating an economically and climate resilient community that has experienced a decline in coal-industry jobs.
“This is a big moment and a huge first step for the citizens of Sturgis,” said Sturgis Mayor Billy Adams. “Rehab of our wastewater treatment plant will allow the city to provide a quality service to its citizens now and into the future.”
“We are thrilled to receive funding from DRA and appreciate the cooperation and assistance we received from our Green River Area Development District partners,” said Dr. Jason Warren, president of Henderson Community College. “The MAINTech project represents the next logical progression in our efforts to increase the number of multiskilled technicians in our region. We recently doubled the capacity of our advanced manufacturing labs, which support our HCCFAME apprenticeship model program, our traditional Industrial Maintenance Technician (IMT) program and customized industry training. MAINTech is designed to increase the number of individuals in the industrial maintenance talent pipeline.”
Since Gov. Beshear took office, Kentucky has seen record funding from the DRA. In 2022, Kentucky received the most investment in the state’s history from the DRA’s States’ Economic Development Assistance Program at $1.6 million.
About the Delta Regional Authority
The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River region and Alabama Black Belt. The DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training and business development. The DRA’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region.
Gov. Beshear’s term as DRA States’ Co-Chair follows his term as States’ Co-Chair of the Appalachain Regional Commission, which serves Appalachian Kentucky.
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