Graviss opposes bill that sparked teacher protest, and one that would let universities leave pension system

By Joe Graviss
State representative for Woodford County and parts of Franklin and Fayette counties
     We may be in the final third of the 2019 legislative session, but the arrival of hundreds of teachers at the Capitol last Thursday made it feel like 2018 all over again.
     They came to Frankfort to oppose yet another unfair and unnecessary bill directly affecting the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System. Last year’s rallies were focused on current and future benefits, while this year’s is about the very governance of KTRS itself.

State Rep. Joe Graviss

     In fact, some say the bill making its way through the legislature now could have a bigger impact than the public-pension bill that was unanimously struck down in December by the Kentucky Supreme Court.
     The main reason why this year’s House Bill 525 is wrong for Kentucky is because it is a solution in search of a problem that does not exist. KTRS has served the teaching profession well for nearly 80 years and has more than half of every pension dollar it currently owes for the next 30 years. Its investment returns routinely rank among the best retirement systems in the country. It is not broken, not even close.
     Teachers are opposed to this legislation because it significantly diminishes their role in determining the 11-member KTRS Board of Trustees. Teachers would see their current authority to nominate seven trustees reduced to two, with most of the remaining nominations coming from an array of educational organizations.
     Despite opposition from many, a House committee approved this bill on Thursday. Its final fate is still uncertain, given the relatively few remaining days left in this year’s legislative session, but as we saw with last year’s public-pension bill, proposals like this unfortunately have a way of clearing numerous hurdles quickly. [Editor's note: The bill is scheduled for a vote Monday, March 4.]
     While we wait to see what happens, the House and Senate did come together in a bipartisan way last week to approve what is destined to be one of the most significant new laws this year.
     Senate Bill 1 builds on months of work by a dedicated group of legislators and other stakeholders who were brought together in the wake of the tragic shooting at Marshall County High School in January 2018. Two students lost their lives, and many others were injured. I wish it didn’t take tragedies like this to bring people together.
     Senate Bill 1 takes a two-pronged approach to make schools safer. It standardizes and strengthens security measures at the local and state level and lays the groundwork to hire more school resource officers; and it also seeks to expand both the number of school counselors and the time they spend addressing mental-health needs of their students.
     I wish we lived in a world where laws like this aren’t necessary, but until that day arrives, we must be vigilant in making sure our schools are protected. This bill is an important, but not final, step in that effort. We must now find a way to both fund and build on these goals.
     Although these two bills dominated most of the news last week, they weren’t the only noteworthy ones to make it through the House.
     On Thursday, for example, my colleagues and I unanimously voted for stronger harassment policies governing the Legislative Branch. House Bill 60 sets clearer lines of authority and improves how these cases are both reported and then handled. Annual reports will give us a better idea of our progress moving ahead.
     House Bill 358, meanwhile, would make it possible for our regional public universities to voluntarily leave the Kentucky Employment Retirement System, as long as they pay for their portion of the current liabilities.
     Current employees at these universities could choose to remain in the state retirement system, but new ones would not have that option. This legislation does not affect university employees classified as hazardous duty or who contribute to the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System.
     Supporters say this approach is needed to give these schools a better handle on these fast-growing payments and to make them more like the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, both of which have their own retirement plans. Opponents say this would likely put a much heavier burden on those remaining in KERS, which is the most underfunded of the state-run retirement plans.

     [Editor's note: Graviss voted against the bill, which passed the House 76-21. He voted for a motion to suspend the rules to allow consideration of a floor amendment by Rep. Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, that would have converted the bill to a study of the issue. The motion failed, 37-58.]
     Two other bills to pass the House last week would go a long way toward increasing public safety. House Bill 238 would do that by expanding the number of facilities in which trespassing would be a more serious crime. Those new locations would include TV/radio tower sites, natural gas and petroleum pipelines and state and federal dams. Those who vandalize any of these facilities could be convicted of a Class D felony.
     House Bill 130 builds on that legislation by broadening the places where terroristic threatening would carry a more serious charge. Schools are currently the only ones in this category, but that would be expanded to include places of worship and any other public gathering. Those guilty of threatening these places would face a Class D felony, and if those charged are found to have gathered weapons, that could be raised to a Class C felony.
     So far, only a relatively small number of bills have been sent to the governor, but that is set to change this week and next. As we make our final decisions on what should become law and what should wait another year, I hope you will continue letting me know your views. We are scheduled to wrap up our work by the end of this month.
     If you would like to write, my email is joe.graviss@lrc.ky.gov, and you can also call to leave a message each weekday. That number is 1-800-372-7181, but if you have a hearing impairment, it’s 1-800-896-0305.
     The legislature’s website also has a lot of information and can be found at www.legislature.ky.gov.

Midway could have a Derby horse: Bourbon War, partly owned by McMahon & Hill, in major prep race Saturday

Bourbon War winning at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18, under Irad Ortiz Jr. (Photo by Lauren King, Gulfstream Park)

This story has been updated with Bourbon War's win. To read the revised version, click here.

By Abbey Huffman
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Once a horse that couldn’t get sold, Bourbon War could give his Midway-based owners their first Kentucky Derby starter.

The colt will try to earn official Kentucky Derby points in the Fountain of Youth Stakes Saturday, March 2, at Gulfstream Park.

Bourbon War has won two out of three starts and has impressed his connections with the talent he has shown. Steve Haskin of The Blood-Horse put him on his Feb. 13 “Derby Dozen” for the way he “weaved his way through the field, going in between, then inside horse and then sliced through an opening between the two leaders and drew off to a very professional victory.” He the Feb. 19 list as an honorable mention.

Bourbon War is partly owned by Bourbon Lane Stables, a public racing partnership managed by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, LLC, with offices in Midway.

Mike McMahon with another of his horses (Photo provided)

Mike McMahon, from Saratoga Springs, New York, has been involved with the thoroughbred business in almost every way possible. It was a trip to the Bluegrass for a sale that made him realize he wanted to make a career out of his interest in racing and breeding. He started his own business in 2001 when he founded McMahon Bloodstock, LLC.

Nine years later, McMahon started his racehorse ownership group, Bourbon Lane Stables.

In 2011, McMahon’s good friend and business associate, Jamie Hill, joined the business and the firm changed to what is now known as McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, LLC and is based in Midway, at 119 East Main St.

The team also manages Spruce Lane Pinhooks. A pinhooker buys a horse as a weanling or yearling to sell or “flip” it for profit as a yearling or two-year-old.

Spruce Lane’s pinhooks are kept and prepped at Spruce Lane Farm, owned since 2005 by McMahon and his wife. It’s in the big bend in Hedden Road, which runs between Old Frankfort Pike and Big Sink Road.

Bourbon War’s owners first met him as a yearling in the Spruce Lane Pinhook partnership, and still have him -- through misfortunes that turned out to be happy accidents.

Just like every other youngster that goes through Spruce Lane, the goal was to sell him as a yearling. With a top pedigree, by the sire Tapit out of the mare My Conquestadory, a prestigious race winner, on paper there shouldn’t have been any trouble selling him.

A $410,000 purchase at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Bourbon War was entered to sell in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. But X-rays revealed a bone chip, and the well-bred colt failed to sell.

Plan B was to send him to a two-year-old in training sale in Florida, where he would be timed “breezing” an eighth of a mile, or one furlong.

This time, there were a few interested buyers who had vetted him and seen clean medical results, but when he breezed slowly, nobody came back to scope him, and one interested trainer thought he saw a chip in the ankle on the X-ray. There was controversy between veterinarians on whether it was a chip or just a double exposure. It ended up being double exposure, but before they knew that, and shortly before the horse would have sold, McMahon and Hill scratched him from the sale.

After two sales failures, McMahon’s friends, Greg Burns and Mike Winters of Lake Star Stable, bought half the horse. Bourbon Lane Stable bought out some of the pinhook partners, and some still own part of him.

His name came from both owners. Bourbon Lane includes “Bourbon” in almost all its horses’ names. Lake Star contributed “War,” naming the horse after a Bruce Springsteen album, which is also fitting to Bourbon War’s pedigree, being out of My Conquestadory.

Bourbon War was sent to Winstar Farm’s training facility. In May, he went to trainer Mark Hennig’s barn at Belmont Park in New York to begin serious training.

Bourbon War won his first race and finished fourth in the Remsen Stakes, a Grade 2 -- the second highest of three grades for stakes races. Both outings were at Aqueduct in New York.

He started his three-year-old campaign by winning a $51,000 allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Jan. 18. The race was for non-winners of two races and had an optional claiming price of $75,000.

That win was Bourbon War’s second attempt going around two turns; the first was in the Remsen at 1⅛ mile, where he finished a well-beaten fourth; Hennig said he was much more prepared for two turns going into the allowance race.

Preparing to step back up into stakes company in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, Bourbon War breezed a half mile in 48.68 seconds Feb. 22 at Gulfstream Park, where he is stabled.

“We were pleased with it,” Hennig said. “We were just looking to sharpen him up a touch. The track wasn’t real quick that day, but I thought he got over it well -- finished strong and galloped out strong.”

Hennig said it’s comforting, heading into a highly competitive Grade 2 stakes, that his horse already has a win at two turns on the Gulfstream surface. “Any time you’re repeating something, I think, with a young horse like this and not throwing something new at him is more comforting.”

The time of transitioning from a two year old to a three year old is an important coming of age time for racehorses. Their connections hope to see growth in maturity, both mentally and physically. Hennig says he’s noticed more aggressive training from Bourbon War since they headed to Florida for the winter.

“I think he’s much more prepared for it at this point, physically and mentally, than he was when we ran him in the Remsen,” Hennig said.

After the Fountain of Youth, Churchill Downs will award 50 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points to the winner, 20 points to the place horse, 10 points to show and 5 points to the fourth placer.

Bourbon War drew post No. 4 out of 11 and has morning line odds of 10-1. Top rider Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount. Ortiz has been aboard Bourbon War in his last two starts.

Hennig said Thursday morning that he was “very happy with the post” and would “leave things in Irad’s hands.”

Other notable horses in the race are impressive maiden winner Hidden Stroll as the favorite; Grade 3 Nashua Stakes winner Vekoma; Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner Signalman; and undefeated Global Campaign.

The $400,000 Fountain of Youth is the 13th race Saturday at Gulfstream. Post time is approximately 5:32 p.m. The race will appear on “Fox Sports Saturday at the Races,” which airs from 3 to 6 p.m.

Parade with Lillie Cox as grand marshal will cap off 'Go Green' St. Patrick's events in Midway March 16

Lillie Cox may be Woodford County's greatest promoter.

By Kristi Fitzgerald

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway Business Association is inviting all to the Woodford County Saint Patrick’s Parade March 16 at 4 p.m. Lillie Cox, a long-time community activist in the county, has been chosen as the grand marshal and Blake and Melissa Jones will be the Irish court of honor.

The parade will feature floats with the day's “Go Green” theme, Woodford County officials, Reid’s Irish Bagpipers and Drummers, the Woodford County High School marching percussion band, Midway University horses and riders, fire trucks, costumed characters, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and many other entries.  

The MBA press release also announces that “the world’s tallest leprechaun” will appear in the parade. He will also stroll around downtown Midway tying balloons from 2 to 6 p.m. Kids should also expect plenty other entertainment and activities, including free face painting.

The “Go Green” day kicks off at 10 a.m. with opening of historic downtown shops and a variety of Woodford County non-profit booths, including Midway Renaissance, Midway Community Garden, Big Spring Park, and Walter Bradley Park. Visitors can experience “green” in more ways than one with information on Evolve electric cars, recycling, solar energy, and more.

Downtown restaurants will open at 11 a.m. and will offer beverage, appetizer and meal specials, as well as prize drawings.

Saint Patrick’s and/or Irish attire is encouraged. For more information on becoming a parade participant contact Julie Morgan at morganjjm@gamil.com. For more information on the non-profit and educational booths contact Amy Bowman at amybowman583@yahoo.com.

EDA and city start 'new era' at Midway Station, consider how to maximize value, pay off debt and still create jobs

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift spoke to the Woodford County Economic Development Authority board Friday.

By Collin Kruse and Kristi Fitzgerald

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

               Now that developer Dennis Anderson no longer has an option on the Midway Station industrial park, the City of Midway and the Woodford County Economic Development Authority are wrestling with the development's future.

               The board of the EDA, which owns the land, discussed the future of the property, and its debt, at its monthly meeting on Feb. 22 in Versailles. It was the board's first meeting since Anderson terminated his option Feb. 7.

               Anderson had paid the interest on the property's mortgage in return for the option, which he exercised on several lots, selling them. Beginning July 1, the city and county will each have to start paying interest of $3,000 per month on the $2.477 million debt remaining on the land. 

               It may be hard for the EDA to be particular about land sales when the need to get money to pay debts is tying them down.

               EDA Chair John Soper suggested that the agency might be faced with the prospect of selling lots to employers who would create few jobs, as happened in the first phase of development many years ago. He said that would conflict with the original, long-term goal of the project.
               “Our goal is to produce long-term, re-occurring revenue, not just land sales, but the debt gets in your way,” Soper said.

               The treasurer’s report at the meeting said the land is valued at $2.967 million, based on sales amounts subtracted from the approximately $5 million that Anderson would have paid EDA if he had exercised his option. If that figure is accurate, the land is worth half a million dollars more than is owed on it, but EDA also has to spend money on legal work, engineering and maintenance.  

The board saw a potential redesign of the property in Midway Station
Station under and adjacent to the two high-voltage electric lines.

             If the land available in Midway Station sells for its estimated value, then the EDA could be short of paying the city the $600,000 it owes it on natural-gas and water lines built to the property. Mayor Grayson Vandegrift asked if Midway could receive a share of funds from future land sales after an unspecified “grace period.”

               Soper said, “We’ve got some immediate maintenance issues we need to deal with over there,” and money for that could come from getting additional lots from land at the east end of the property that has not been platted for development. He said that would require approval of banks that hold the debt.

               Vandegrift also showed interest in this section of Midway Station, suggesting that if access can be granted to the South Elkhorn Creek, the more rugged portion of the land that was left undeveloped could be used for recreational purposes.

               The land along the creek is owned by Homer Michael Freeny Jr., owner of 138 acres next to Midway Station that the city is annexing. He has expressed a desire to make that area public property for access to the creek for canoeing and other activities, with access through Midway Station and/or the tract being annexed.

               The mayor thanked Soper and the EDA board members for their "hard work," said Midway Station had entered "a new era" and it would be better for them, the city and county to finish developing the property than for an outside developer to do it: “It is important that we as a community develop it rather than outside interests.”

               The board made two definitive moves with the intention of getting the most value out of the land. First, it passed a motion to request rezoning of about nine acres, the last residential zone in Midway Station, into industrial.
               Some areas will remain zoned for professional offices. Planning Director Pattie Wilson said that would create “a good transition” from the commercial section in the front of Midway Station to industrial section in the back. Soper said the change would make Midway Station’s land more marketable because buyers won’t have to worry about the rezoning process.

               The board also agreed to have lawyer Bill Moore take a closer look at the deeds for tracts that have been sold to identify any provisions for maintenance of the industrial park, such as a property owners' association. “Somebody’s got to have some kind of responsibility for maintaining the common area,” board member Gene Hornback said.

               A strip of high voltage electric lines that run through Midway Station was also a topic at the meeting. Original plans were to have two-story commercial buildings accompanied by parking under the lines, but Soper has been working on a redesign to maximize the property value. “What you end up with on both sides of those lines is not much buildable land,” he said. “We’ve got to deal with this in some form or fashion.”

New page has press releases; first is from drug store

The Midway Messenger blog has a new page for press releases about things we consider newsworthy but don't necessarily rise to the level of a news story, such as interesting new product lines or special offerings at local businesses. It may become a business-briefs column, depending on demand. The first release is about the arrival of cannabidiol (CBD) products at the local drug store. To read it, click here.

Toastmasters to welcome insurance professionals Mon.

The Midway Toastmasters Club will hold an open house for insurance professionals Monday, Feb. 25, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in Room 120 of the Anne Hart Raymond Building at Midway University.

The Toastmasters say attendees will receive free publicity for their businesses and a $10 coupon towards Toastmasters membership. RSVP by emailing toastmastersteve@gmail.com or calling Cynthia at 502-600-1851.

City Council Cemetery Committee to meet 9 a.m. Sat.

The Cemetery and City Property Committee of the Midway City Council will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at City Hall to discuss re-erecting headstones in the two African American cemeteries. The meeting notice says no action will be taken. All committee and council meetings are open to the public.