TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalGov. Justice Clarifies Reopening Dates, State Officials Address Contact Tracing Needs
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice clarified some aspects of his plan to reopen the state and addressed concerns over what capabilities the state might have to trace a second wave of the coronavirus should it reappear. Justice said that the state will need to “find a way to live with the virus” as the economy reopens.
In a Tuesday virtual briefing, Justice said Week One of his reopening plan — which allows professional medical boards to reopen outpatient health care — is already underway. He also said Week Two would begin early next week.
“[Week Two] will commence next Monday, a week from yesterday, provided we have three days in this week — which are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday — that get us under three percent,” Justice said.
Under Justice’s plan, the state needs to maintain a cumulative COVID-19 positive test rate under three percent for three consecutive days. According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Tuesday morning update, the state has confirmed 37 deaths resulting from COVID-19. Health officials are reporting 1,079 positive cases out of 40,489 tests — resulting in a positive test rate of 2.66 percent.
Read more: https://www.wvpublic.org/post/gov-justice-clarifies-reopening-dates-state-officials-address-contact-tracing-needs
W. Virginia gov's coal companies to appeal lawsuit rulings
Source: AP
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- An appeal is planned in rulings against coal companies owned by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in a lawsuit that accused them of defaulting on a mining contract, an attorney said.
The appeal on behalf of James C. Justice Cos. Inc. and subsidiary Kentucky Fuel Corp. will be filed with a federal appeals court in Cincinnati, attorney Richard Getty of Lexington, said Wednesday.
In September, a federal judge in Kentucky ordered the companies to pay $35 million to New London Tobacco Market and Five Mile Energy. The 2012 lawsuit accused the Justice companies of failing to pay mining royalty payments and retainer fees.
Last week, Justice's companies also were ordered to pay more than $1 million in legal fees and expenses along with $10,000 in sanctions.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/virginia-govs-coal-companies-appeal-lawsuit-rulings-70420749
Former Braidy CEO fires back over critical report he deceived company's board, investors
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Former Braidy Industries CEO Craig Bouchard on Tuesday responded to a scathing report from the company alleging he deceived its board and investors for years about Braidy's finances for its proposed $1.7 billion aluminum mill near Ashland.
In a 900-word post on his Facebook page, Bouchard — who was fired by Braidy's board in January and subsequently sued the company — wrote: "I vigorously disagree with the findings and conclusions set forth in that report."
The contents of the 49-page report — compiled by the Frost Brown Todd law firm — were filed in a motion to the lawsuit in Delaware last week.
In addition to raising questions about his "ethics, judgment and willingness to expose Braidy to risk and potential liabilities," the report stated Bouchard told investors the proposed mill touted to revitalize the Eastern Kentucky region could be moved to Mexico and the company had only $11 million cash on hand in January.
Read more: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/money/2020/04/29/braidy-industries-former-ceo-fires-back-board-over-critical-report/3046540001/
Recall that In April 2019 Braidy announced a joint project with RUSAL, a Russian company partially owned by the oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Tyson Foods poultry plant in Robards closes temporarily to bolster safety protocols
Tyson Foods poultry plant in Robards will close for four days in an effort to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 among its workers.
Tyson has reported that 72 employees have tested positive for the virus.
In the Green River District Health Department counties 43 of those cases are in Daviess, zero in Hancock, 15 in Henderson, one in McLean, two in Ohio, three in Union, seven in Webster and one unconfirmed.
Owensboro-based Specialty Food Groups, located at 6 Dublin Lane, has reported 19, all in Daviess County, said Clay Horton, GRDHD director.
Read more: https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/local/tyson-closes-temporarily-to-bolster-safety-protocols/article_c6bbdf4d-66b3-5388-926f-b806b9f30f30.html
(Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer)
Clymer proposes putting 'symbol of racial unity' on water tower
A pair of hands — one black, one white — clasped over an American flag below the words “United We Stand.”
That’s what McCracken County Judge-Executive Craig Clymer wants to welcome people to the area with, he said during a presentation to the Paducah Water Works board via Zoom on Monday evening.
Citing division in the community, region and country, Clymer proposed putting this symbol on the water tower off the westbound portion of Interstate 24, immediately opposite Arant Confederate Park in Reidland — where a Confederate flag flies alongside the highway.
“The Sons of Confederate Veterans insist in public that the flag has no racial message. That it is not a symbol of racism; that there is no anti-black, anti-African-American intention,” Clymer said during his presentation. “Many others … see it as a symbol of the historical white oppression of their ancestors, forced into slavery, and of continuing attempts to promote white supremacy.”
Read more and see mock-up: https://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/clymer-proposes-putting-symbol-of-racial-unity-on-water-tower/article_1960ead2-46d0-55ae-b909-3972c3eae098.html
A Lexington coal company got millions in virus relief as many smaller businesses wait
It is extremely rare that Crossings, a bar in downtown Lexington, closes its doors to the public. It’s open seven days a week, including on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. When the bar closed for a staff party one Monday last year it was the first time it had been closed in years, said owner Rebecca Richter.
Everything’s different now. The point of a bar is to gather a crowd and, as crowds have been forbidden to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, Crossings has been shuttered since March 15.
It’s one of the countless small businesses across Kentucky trying to survive until the pandemic passes.
-snip-
One of those bigger businesses that received money was Ramaco Resources, a publicly traded coal company valued at more than $100 million that’s based in Lexington but has no mines operating in Kentucky. Ramaco received an $8.4 million loan — one of only 4,412 companies across the country that received a loan larger than $5 million through April 16, according to the U.S. Small Business Adminstration. The mining industry as a whole received 11,618 loans for a total of $3.8 billion, according to the same data.
Read more: https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article242318376.html
Kentucky childcare centers are 'mad as hell' as insurers reject their COVID-19 claims
ABC Children’s Academy in Bowling Green closed March 20 on the order of Gov. Andy Beshear, just like every other childcare center in Kentucky. Then, owner Melanie Barker and dozens of her colleagues around the state who were put out of business by COVID-19 all did the same thing: they filed an insurance claim.
Required to have insurance, many of their policies contained coverage for a “business interruption” caused by “an outbreak of a communicable disease at the insured premises.”
They’ve all been denied.
“I am totally frustrated and so are many other childcare operators in this state who are finding out insurance does not cover this pandemic,” said Barker.
Testing for COVID-19 was severely restricted at the time, making it virtually impossible to verify that the disease was present in any particular daycare.
Read more: https://www.kentucky.com/news/health-and-medicine/article242271646.html
C-130s to fly over Frankfort on Friday as part of Operation American Resolve
Frankfort is one of six cities across the state that two Kentucky Air National Guard C-130s will fly over on Friday as part of Operation American Resolve, a nationwide salute to COVID-19 response efforts.
The flyover will start at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville at 3 p.m. and the plane is expected to be over the Capitol in Frankfort around 3:14 p.m., before continuing on to Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington at 3:20 p.m.
“It is a privilege for the men and women of the Kentucky Air National Guard to provide a ‘thank you’ to the first responders, essential personnel and all military service members providing support and resources during this time,” said Col. David Mounkes, commander of the 123rd Airlift Wing.
The C-130s are due to flyover the Pikeville Medical Center at 3:50 p.m. and Owensboro Community and Technical College at 5:06 p.m. and Owensboro Health Regional Hospital at 5:08 p.m. before heading back to Louisville and over Shawnee Park at 5:27 p.m. and a downtown flyby for the University of Louisville Medical Center at 5:28 p.m.
Read more: https://www.state-journal.com/news/coronavirus_pandemic/c-130s-to-fly-over-frankfort-on-friday-as-part-of-operation-american-resolve/article_e5d941bc-8a3a-11ea-9b46-3f23e6b44fd3.html
(Frankfort State-Journal)
Beshear unveils plan to begin phased business reopenings
Gov. Andy Beshear rolled out a phased reopening plan Wednesday for several Kentucky industries.
Beginning in May, certain businesses will be able to reopen or expand their services if they are able to follow Beshear's guidelines.
Phase I begins May 11 and includes manufacturing, construction, vehicle or vessel dealerships, professional services, horse racing (without fans) and dog grooming/boarding.
On May 20, retail and houses of worship may reopen to limited in-person services, which he said will “likely” be a percent of the total occupancy that is allowed.
Read more: https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/beshear-unveils-plan-to-begin-phased-business-reopenings/article_897bd7cf-8d5b-5beb-83b2-2ed409df9167.html
(Bowling Green Daily News)
The Bledsoe County Prison COVID-19 Outbreak Is One of the Worst in the Country
The COVID-19 outbreak at Bledsoe County Correctional Complex is one of the largest clusters of infection in the United States, and has made the small East Tennessee county one of the worst hot spots in the country, according to an analysis by The New York Times.
Out of 10 large clusters highlighted by the Times, eight are in prisons or jails.
The Tennessee Department of Correction's most recent figures, updated on April 25, show 576 positive cases at the prison with 56 tests still pending. Nearly 25 percent of the 2,327 prisoners who have been tested there have received positive results. Attorneys with clients at the prison tell the Scene that lockdowns have limited prisoners' ability to make phone calls to family members and that even legal calls are being restricted in order to minimize movement inside.
Statewide, there are 669 prisoners who have tested positive so far, the vast majority of whom were asymptomatic according to the TDOC. But even as the state aggressively ramps up testing, almost 90 percent of Tennessee's prison population remains untested.
Smaller clusters have been found at other Tennessee prisons as well. Turney Center Industrial Complex in Middle Tennessee and the Northwest Correctional Complex each have recorded 38 prisoners with the illness.
https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/pith-in-the-wind/article/21130409/the-bledsoe-county-prison-covid19-outbreak-is-one-of-the-worst-in-the-country
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