(Publisher Note: As I scan the news, Twitter, and other sources, I gather tidbits that either would be a good story for ForwardKY, or are just worth being shared as they are. "News and Notes" is published whenever that collection of bits and pieces grows large enough to justify a post on the site. Do you find this valuable, or a waste of pixels? Let me know at Bruce@ForwardKY.com.)
︎▶︎ Kentucky hospitals sound the alarm as beds fill with younger COVID-19 patients – Some Kentucky hospitals have started to reach capacity in their COVID-19 units and many have begun canceling elective surgeries, health care system administrators said Thursday as they begged people to get vaccinated.
At King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Dr. Stacy Caudill, chief medical director, said the Eastern Kentucky hospital has 48 admitted coronavirus patients. The hospital’s current COVID-19 intensive care unit is full, she said.
“Our [COVID-19] ICU is currently full, and we’ve opened a fourth covid unit,” said Caudill. (H-L)
▶︎ Lexington Councilwoman Amanda Mays Bledsoe running for open state Senate seat – A longtime Lexington councilwoman and chair of the council budget committee has announced she will seek an open state Senate seat.
Republican councilwoman Amanda Mays Bledsoe, who has been on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council since 2014, announced Thursday she will run for the seat currently held by state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr (R-Lexington). Kerr announced in July she will not seek re-election. (H-L)
▶︎ Heath launches another bid for Kentucky ag commissioner – Kentucky state Rep. Richard Heath kicked off his 2023 campaign for agriculture commissioner on Saturday, pointing to his farming background and role as House Agriculture Committee chairman in making another bid for the statewide office.
Heath got an early start on what's expected to be considerable jockeying ahead of the 2023 elections for statewide constitutional offices in Kentucky. Current Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, a Republican in his second term, is seriously considering a run for governor in 2023. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear intends to run for reelection. (H-L)
▶︎ Democrats Appoint Floyd County’s First Ever Black Council Member – Tony Toran is filling the vacant Floyd County Council seat of Tom Pickett, who died last month after serving for 14 years. (WFPL)
▶︎ After ex-commissioner resigned amid controversy, Beshear names new juvenile justice leader – Kentucky has a new juvenile justice commissioner to replace the previous commissioner who resigned in May amid state efforts to fire her for alleged harassment and bullying.
Vicki Reed, a veteran state juvenile justice employee who most recently worked as director of the non-profit Kentucky Juvenile Justice Initiative, was appointed to the job Friday by Gov. Andy Beshear, according to a state news release.
Reed follows LaShana Harris, also a Beshear appointee, who settled a personnel dispute with the state by agreeing to resign. (C-J)
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