Lauren McCally reports on the cemetery pavilion dedication, held yesterday.
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Ribbon cutting for pavilion set for 2 p.m. Wednesday
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Contractors Tony and Natalie Bays of Midway neared completion of the pavilion in early October. |
By Lauren McCally
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and MediaA ribbon cutting for the newly completed pavilion at the Midway Cemetery is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30.
“The ceremony will be completely outdoors and last a total of about 30 minutes,” Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in an email. He said masks would be required, as would social distancing.
In April, due to the pandemic’s potential impact on the city budget, completion of the pavilion was on a list of proposed cuts. At the time, Vandegrift noted that the concrete base wasn’t “going anywhere” and that “it would not a detriment to that project to be delayed a fiscal year.”
But the revenue situation improved, and in May, the City Council voted to put $30,000 back into the budget from the city’s surplus to complete the pavilion, which already had a concrete bier to hold caskets.
Council Member John Holloway, who helped design the structure, said at the meeting that he had visited several cemeteries and pavilions are “something other cities are doing right now.” He also said completing the pavilion would save a little money, because less manpower will be used in setting up tents.
Holloway said Public Works Supervisor Terry Agee wanted to ensure that the services at the cemetery are low stress and that the pavilion would help with that, specifically in wet weather.
Vandegrift said Agee saw an elderly woman roaming the cemetery alone, with funeral crowds limited due to the covid-19 pandemic, and it was "heartbreaking to see."
The winning bid for completion of the pavilion was $34,000, which Vandegrift said brought the total cost to $46,000. He said the city will spend another $12,000 or so on the driveway to it, which has been graveled and will be paved in the spring.
Thursday, December 24, 2020
County OKs $150,000 relief for Woodford restaurants
PRESS RELEASE from Midway-area Magistrate Liles Taylor
The Woodford County Fiscal Court has unanimously approved $150,000 for local small business restaurant relief.Magistrate William Downey's proposal allocates $150,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding to establish the Woodford County Food and Beverage Relief Fund to support Woodford County’s restaurants.
“Our restaurants and small businesses are struggling and they need our support now more than ever,” Downey said. “Our community has counted on these small businesses for many years, and now it’s our time to be there for them.”
Judge-Executive James Kay said, “Woodford County’s small businesses and our restaurants are so important to our local economy. Through smart fiscal management and conservative budgeting, we are in a position to offer economic relief in hopes of getting our small businesses through the toughest of times. In many ways this is a timely tax rebate to help make sure that our local small businesses can survive and continue to contribute to our economy and quality of life.”
The Fiscal Court has posted the guidelines, criteria, and application for relief on the county website. Kay encourages restaurants to complete and submit the application as soon as possible. Relief awards are expected to paid Jan. 12, 2020. For more information, check the website or email the county treasurer at sgarmon@woodfordcountyky.gov
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Here are the winners of the 16th annual Holiday Decorating Contest held by the Midway Woman's Club

Above is the Best Decorated Yard, 337 N. Winter St. At left is the Best Outdoor Tree, 412 Mill Rd. At right is the Best Indoor Tree, 304 S. Winter St.
For a larger version of any photo, click on it.
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Best Overall Design: 225 East Higgins Street |
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Best Christmas Spirit: 238 West Stephens Street |
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Clark Griswold Power Outage Award: 219 Cottage Grove |
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Most Creative Lights: 106 Cottage Grove |
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Best Daytime Display: 222 East Cross Street |
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Most Animated Display: 211 Cottage Grove |
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Spirit of Woodford County: 318 North Winter Street |
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Special 2020 16th Anniversary MWC Holiday Décor Judging Award: 219 Gayland |
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Best Business Decorations: Midway Boutique |
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Most Colorful: 219 West Higgins Street |
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Best Decorated Gate: 116 Cottage Station |
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Best Decorated Fence – 116 Old Towne Walk |
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Welcome to Midway Award: 206 Gayland (A new award, "for someone that has moved here in the last year and got into the spirit," the club said.) |
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Best Decorated Shed: 119 South Gratz Street |
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Mayor says Midway residents are all Citizens of Year for how they've handled the pandemic, urges caution
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in his occasional Covid-19 update that his Citizen Of The Year Award would go to the “Midway citizen” for residents’ “phenomenal job” in dealing with the pandemic. “We have not been as hard hit by Covid as so many other places,” he said, while noting that there are active cases in Midway, but predicting that nexy year, “We will have a normal Christmas.”
The mayor said now is the time to not allow “pandemic fatigue” to set in, but to be encouraged because vaccines are arriving and are “almost as effective as the measles vaccine.”
Vandegrift urged everyone to just see their immediate family this holiday season. He started his update with the full disclosure that he is in Florida at the home of his wife’s mothers house, and they are being extremely careful and not going anywhere – and that they had already left before the travel advisory was issued by Gov. Andy Beshear.
Vandegrift said that in a conference call last week with other mayors. Beshear was “very enthusiastic about the vaccine” in the beginning stages of being distributed and that he “urged a lot of patience” for everyone.
Omnibus pandemic bill includes McConnell-Barr measure for national regulation of Thoroughbred racing
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky announced in a press release that his Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was included in the bill, which now goes to President Trump.
“With today’s passage of HISA in Congress we are in the final stretch of achieving the most transformational and consequential reform of the Thoroughbred horseracing industry since enactment of the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978,” Barr said. “For almost a decade, I have worked with industry stakeholders and my Congressional colleagues to build consensus around reforms that will protect equine athletes and strengthen confidence and international competitiveness in the sport.”
In August, Barr and McConnell announced an agreement among racing and breeding interests that was "years in the making to create national standards for the sport," McConnell's release said. "The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority will be an independent regulatory authority, similar to other professional sports, to set medication use and safety protocols."
Key to the agreement was Churchill Downs Inc., which had resisted additional regulation. Churchill CEO Bill Carstanjen said in McConnell's release, “Senator McConnell’s leadership has been critical in bringing the Thoroughbred industry together and prioritizing the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. This is a pivotal moment for the future of horseracing, a sport that will now be governed by world class, uniform standards across the United States.”
Keeneland Association President and CEO Bill Thomason and President-elect Shannon Arvin said jointly, “The passage of HISA is a landmark moment for the Thoroughbred racing community’s ongoing efforts to ensure our horses are running under the safest and most transparent conditions possible and to protect the integrity of the sport for our athletes, horsemen and fans. The independent Authority established by HISA will bring a level of consistency and accountability that will improve our sport for years to come as they work to develop and implement uniform anti-doping, medication control and operational measures.”
Monday, December 21, 2020
Businesses report varying levels of success during the pandemic; thankful for returning customers, aid from city
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Goose and Gander's patio is festively lit, but outdoor dining that helped it in the fall isn't feasible now. (Photos by Al Cross) |
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Recent UK grad Danielle Bobo and her father, Craig Bobo of Midland, Mich., looked through the prints and photos at Danselfly Gallery. |
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
“It’s been quieter than last year,” said Leslie Penn, co-owner of the Midway Museum Gift Store. “We didn’t have fall festivals, so it affected that, and all the restaurants are closed, so that’s affected people too.”
Penn was interviewed just as restaurants were reopening for a second time this year. Gov. Andy Beshear banned indoor food service on Nov. 18 and allowed restaurants to reopen to 50 percent indoor capacity plus outdoor seating Dec. 14.
Despite being limited to carry-out and delivery for much of the year, some restaurants say they are doing pretty well. “Sales have been good,” said Jeremy Day, a manager at Goose and Gander. “Our regulars support us more than ever.” He also said that despite setbacks the restaurant has “had a really good year.”
However, Mezzo manager Charles Mitchell and Heirloom manager Kay Thompson said business at their restaurants, owned by Mark Wombles, is down.
For other businesses, the closing of the restaurants has had a noticeable effect on their sales.
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A festive drummer stands outside Gigi & George. |
Some businesses have been able to recoup online. Jenny Vanwieren-Paige at Freedman’s equine outfitters and Megan McClure at Southern Sunday said online sales have been particularly helpful.
“I do a lot of business online, so I’m not quite as dependent on walk-in traffic,” said McClure. “ I can see a decrease in the traffic this year, particularly when the restaurants couldn’t seat inside.”
Heather Marchiafava at Commotion! Consignment Riding Apparel said her sales have increased and she has been a little bit busier this year than normal.
In spite of the pandemic, Ann Locke opened To You From Me in October. “It’s probably not the wisest thing, so people tell me, but it’s been fun and to be honest, its helped me get my feet wet and get going,” she said, adding that her “season has been wonderful” and that “everyone seems happy.”
Ken Glass, co-owner of Railroad Drug & Old Time Soda Fountain, said that while the fountain has taken a major hit, the drug store has been pretty steady.
Many businesses say it’s their returning customers who have really helped them out.
”It’s been challenging, but we’ve done well, we’ve had a lot of help from our returning customers and from the city,” said Pam Logan, at the Back Room, “So hopefully, we’re gonna be okay and still be here next year.”
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Restaurants were allowed to open at half capacity a week ago. |
Glass said that in the “10 or 11 months” since the pandemic started, he could only count on one hand the amount of time he had seen someone “with the legitimate intent to not wear a mask.”
“People have been really good,” said Logan. “Of course, you get a few that don’t; that’s just when they’re forgetting to pull it up over their nose.” Some shops have even started to supply masks for customers if they happen to forget.
For those that have had a few issues, it mostly was in the beginning, or just one or two customers. “I’ve only had one person, this entire time, put up any kind of fight or fuss about a mask,” said McClure. “They just left after I said they had to wear one.”
Businesses have received much help from the City Council, with two rounds of Midway Bucks from the city’s $750,000 surplus and direct grants from federal relief funds given to the city.
“The city has backed us all the way,” said Penn. “They’ve really helped us just get through this.”
Saturday, December 19, 2020
Midway area has 3 members on new Chamber board
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Clockwise from top left: Michael Moorman, Bret Jones, Tim Culver and Chair Austin Wingate |
"The 2021 board has an active full board at 16 members with ex-officio members in Mayor Brian Traugott, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift and Judge-Executive James Kay," the Chamber said in a news release. "Ex-officio members are non-voting members."
The Chamber sponsors many programs such as job fairs, Women in Business, the Woodford County Executive Leadership Roundtable, the Woodford County Emerging Leaders program, and a Business Bootcamp series presented by Midway University. It co-sponsors Leadership Woodford County with the county office of the Cooperative Extension Service.
Prewitts thank Fire Dept. and others for rescue, say it's example of 'top-notch' first-responder services in county
Friday, December 18, 2020
City's last leaf pickups will be next week, mayor says
The City of Midway will make its final leaf pickup of the year next week, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift announced today. "After that we will be servicing the machinery," he said in an email. "If you wish to discard of any more leaves, please leave piles in the right of way by Monday morning, Dec. 21. Brush pickup will still occur every Tuesday unless circumstances dictate otherwise on a given week."
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Bluegrass Distillers closes on Elkwood Farm, hopes to start making bourbon and open for visitors in summer
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
Midway will again be a town where bourbon is made.
Bluegrass Distillers of Lexington, closed Tuesday on its purchase of Elkwood Farm at the northwest quadrant of the Interstate 64 interchange for a new, larger distillery, warehouses event space and a visitor center.
“Midway has a rich distilling tradition and the town has been extremely gracious and welcoming,” owner Ben Franzini said in a press release.
After construction and renovations, distilling should begin next summer, the release said. Concurrently, the grounds will open for tours as well as community events and concerts. A total of $3 million will be invested.
Franzini said Mayor Grayson Vandegrift and the Woodford County Economic Development Authority “have been with us every step of the way and we could not have pulled it together without their help. We could not ask for a better location or town to build our future.”
After the plan for the property was negotiated with the county planning commission’s Agricultural Review Advisory Committee and approved by the commission as a tourism destination in an agricultural zone, two more obstacles remained.
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L-R: Brown, Franzini and Rock sign closing documents. |
Vandegrift said the project also needed clearance from the State Historic Preservation Office, which “had to sign off with the local Native American tribes before the land was sold.”
The company has applied for a low-interest loan, sponsored by the city through a Community Development Block Grant. “There is no liability on the city for this, but we have to be the arbiter,” Vandegrift said. He said the Bluegrass Area Development District “has been vital in helping that part across the finish lines as well.”
EDA Executive Director Lucas Witt of Fortune Realty said the loan is still pending because “There are a couple of additional items that need to be submitted by Bluegrass Distillers.” The funds will go to the EDA and be released to the company for purchase of distilling equipment.
“This has been a difficult project to get done,” Vandegrift said. ”It’s taken two years and had numerous setbacks, but thanks to the determination of the owners to open a distillery here we’re at the finish line.”
Bluegrass Distillers says it started from scratch, mashing each ounce of grain by hand, and opened on West Sixth Street in Lexington in 2013. It was recruited to Midway by a task force of two then-City Council members, John McDaniel and Dan Roller, and Julie and Steve Morgan.
The Midway location will highlight what the company calls the “grain to glass” production of bourbon, beginning with 40 to 45 acres of blue and yellow corn on the property.
“We are thrilled to be moving our operations to Elkwood Farm,” Rock said in the release. “We have been looking in Midway for over three years, and at this particular location for most of that time.”
The company says it will initially employ around 30 people and give residents a chance to reconnect with the town’s bourbon history. “They’ve even hinted at naming one of their first offerings something that will harken back to that history,” Vandegrift said.
Now that the deal is closed, the process of annexing the property will begin.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
City Council ratifies list of five properties that will have their tax bills raised if they aren't fixed up by Sept. 1
A long-abandoned but intriguing house at Turner and Higgins streets is on the list. |
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John Holloway |
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Bruce Southworth |
Monday, December 7, 2020
Outgoing state Rep. Graviss relays good budget news
By Joe Graviss
State representative (until Dec. 31)
The group’s 10 economists sifted through pages of state and federal data to come up with their total, which now must be used by the governor and the General Assembly when enacting the next state spending plan.
In normal times, the group would just be gauging whether their projections are still on track, but these are not normal times. Because of Covid-19, legislators understandably just approved a one-year budget back in April, so we could have more information in hand before tackling the upcoming fiscal year.
While the pandemic has created havoc with some state revenues, the steep decline initially feared never materialized, thanks in large part to targeted budget cuts, a better-than-expected economy and the federal CARES Act.
For more than four months now, state budget officials have reported generally positive news. State revenues overall are up 5 percent, and sales-tax receipts are up almost 7 percent, a sign that consumer spending remains strong.
Friday’s Consensus Forecasting Group report predicts that steady trend to continue, and it estimates the 2022 fiscal year will have 2.2 percent growth.
This assumes no more federal stimulus packages, even though there are encouraging signs that a bipartisan deal is being worked out in Congress. If that occurs, there’s reason to believe Kentucky’s budget numbers will improve even more.
So far, we seem to be doing better than many other states. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research and policy group, Georgia’s government has cut spending by 10 percent; Maryland’s has slashed spending by more than $400 million; and Florida’s governor vetoed $1 billion in spending and told agencies to prepare for 8.5 percent further reductions this fiscal year.
Nationally, charts used by the Consensus Forecasting Group indicate that the 15 million jobs the country has lost since March should be back at that level at some point in 2022. It will take a lot longer, though, for manufacturing to get back to pre-pandemic levels, and that holds true for Kentucky as well.
It is critical to note that the recovery is far from even. Many businesses, especially restaurants and others that have shuttered their doors, are still bearing a sizable burden because of public-health measures, and jobless numbers in many communities are still high. If Congress doesn’t act by the end of the year, hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians will exhaust unemployment insurance benefits and lose protections tied to housing and student loan repayment.
This, on top of record numbers of Covid infections and deaths, points to a tough winter ahead, even as the first doses of a viable vaccine arrive this month.
My hope is that we can find ways to hold on and keep ourselves safe until this pandemic is behind us. It won’t be easy, but it is a challenge we are equipped to handle.
I want to thank you for your part in this collective effort, and I hope you and your family are able to stay safe through the holidays and beyond. Don’t hesitate to let me know if there is any way I can help. My email is joe.graviss@lrc.ky.gov, or use the toll-free message line at 800-372-7181. The line is open during normal business hours each weekday.
Thanks for all you do, and holler anytime.
Friday, December 4, 2020
EDA and mayor looking at options other than highway commercial for remaining lots in Midway Station
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Zoning map shows I-64 interchange and most of Midway Station |
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
The idea of a large commercial development at Midway Station is fading.
Mayor Grayson Vandegrift threw cold water on the notion at Friday's meeting of the Woodford County Economic Development Authority, and two key members of the EDA board largely agreed with him.
For months, since it lined up sales of all the industrial lots in Midway Station, the board has been considering how to market and perhaps redevelop the approximately 17 40 or so acres near Georgetown Road that are zoned B-5, or highway commercial, and owned by the EDA.
Vandegrift told the board that "We need to think anew" about the property. "I do not believe that 40 acres of commercial is a good thing for Midway anymore."
The mayor said he wasn't suggesting that the land be rezoned for industry, though he said in an interview after the meeting that is an option, along with a hotel or some sort of institutional use. He told the board that there are other options, such as professional offices.
"I'm just saying that should be considered going forward," he told the board.
"We line up very closely with that thinking," board Chair Michael Michalisin of Midway said.
Paul Schreffler, chair of the committee dealing with the property, agreed, suggesting that the market for commercial property has changed.
"We have to follow the dictates of the marketplace," Schreffler said. "There is demand for other things than highway commercial, B-5 property."
Vandegrift said afterward that he had sensed the board was heading in that direction and he thought it was a good time to make the conversation public.
He said the roads in the commercial zone are "obviously a problem" because they are not designed for highway commercial, and Midway doesn't need a large number of such businesses.
"It would create a lot of lower-paying jobs, which is not what we're looking for. . . . You would have a lot more traffic along 341, which is gonna become more and more troublesome if the state continues to ignore it." He said highway-commercial businesses might bring more crime, as targets for robberies.
Vandegrift noted that seven acres on Georgetown Road (KY 341), "the most marketable" commercial property at Midway Station, is owned by Dennis Anderson, the Lexington developer who one had an option to buy all the unsold lots in the development.
The mayor said he doesn't expect Anderson to develop the seven acres "anytime soon." He added, "I think the covid recession has probably killed commercial land sales."
He added, A little bit of commercial out there is OK." Asked if seven acres is enough, he said, "I think seven acres is plenty." He said it would be understandable if the EDA board wanted to keep one lot zoned B-5 for for a hotel, for example.
Asked if he was also trying to protect downtown businesses from highway competition, Vandegrift replied, "Absolutely, 100 percent. I don’t see how it would benefit them."
Vandegrift said the obvious zoning option for most of the B-5 property would be I-1 industrial, "because we’re hot as a pistol with that. The one detractor is those roads were not laid out for I-1."
During its meeting, the EDA board approved paying HMB Engineers up to $8,500 to estimate costs of relocating roads and utilities in the B-5 area, as well as improvements to a adjoining industrial lot.
Several weeks ago, Vandegrift said the southwest corner of the B-5 area could be the home of a relocated headquarters for the Midway Fire Department, but he said Friday that is "more of a longshot at this point."
During the meeting, Michalisin reported that on Dec. 3, he signed closing documents to sell to Big Dog Holdings, also known as White Dog Trading, 15.6 acres of Roach family property on Georgetown Road on the north side of Midway Station, on which EDA has long held an option with a profit-sharing agreement. He said EDA's proceeds from the sale were $65,048.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Mayor calls council meeting at 4 Fri. to discuss use of last CARES Act money; proposes more business grants
UPDATE, Nov. 4: The council approved Mayor Grayson Vandegrift's proposal. He noted that only cities that had exhausted their previous allocations were eligible, so "The hero of all this is our City Clerk-Treasurer, Cindy Foster, because had she not been so diligent to get that stuff in early and get it all reimbursed, we would not be looking at this extra forty-two thousand dollars."
The Midway City Council will hold a special meeting at 4 p.m. Friday to discuss allocation of the city's final allocation of $42,260 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
In calling the meeting, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that the state is releasing the final $50 million dollars of CARES Act funding to cities and counties that had exhausted their first allotment, including Midway.
"I believe it appropriate and necessary to use these funds as a second round of small business grants to our struggling local shops and restaurants," Vandegrift said in an email to the council and news media.
The city must file its application with the state Department for Local Government by Dec. 11, so Vandegrift is proposing that "rather than open up another application process," as it did with the first round of business grants, "we automatically award a second round of grants to the 31 businesses we did last time (I’m including VS Salon & Spa as #31). If any additional businesses wish to apply, we will give them until Monday at 5 p.m. to do so, for approval by the council at our [regularly scheduled] meeting that evening. If no additional businesses apply by then, each of the 31 will receive roughly $1,374, in addition to what they will receive with our Midway Bucks stimulus."
This week, the city sent each water customer $60 worth of Midway Bucks, vouchers redeemable at local businesses, with half designated for food suppliers and half for shops and services.
Vandegrift said the grants to businesses would be fully reimbursable, as they were before. "This will be federal tax dollars with us as the arbiter, and will not come out of our general fund once it’s reimbursed later in December," he said. "With this second grant, and the two rounds of Midway Bucks, we can proudly say we have done as much or more than any city in Kentucky to shore up our local shops and restaurants and assure they remain Midway businesses."
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
University will lower tuition for RN-BSN degree, keep other tuition, room and board rates same in 2021-22
“The University has held its tuition rates without any increases for several years,” President John Marsden said in the release. “It is important to ensure our programs remain affordable and accessible for those seeking a private education.”
Marsden added, “Comparing our online undergraduate and graduate programs, we are the most affordable in this region when looking at tuition rates and credit hours needed to earn a degree. Our Master of Education and Master of Science in Nursing tuition rates are the lowest in the state and our MBA program is one of the most affordable in the region and can be completed in 12 months.”
Outside ranking organizations have also focused on the tuition rates of Midway University’s graduate programs over the last few years. Most recently, Midway University was recognized as one of the Top 20 Most Affordable Online Masters Programs.
Marsden said the university remains focused on the quality of its programs even as it tries to make them affordable. “This year Midway University completed several major renovation and construction projects without incurring any new debt,” he said. “As we grow, we continue to work to keep our class sizes small enabling our faculty to focus on each student. We believe Midway University is a great choice for traditional and non-traditional students as we keep our focus on students first.”