USEF Approved For Tax Incentives For Drug Testing Lab

Posted on November 29, 2017 by in Business

Drug Lab

State officials on Thursday approved $300,000 in tax incentives for the United States Equestrian Federation’s plan to relocate its equine drug testing research laboratory to Kentucky from Ithaca, N.Y.

The move will bring with it 12 jobs paying an average hourly wage of $26 including benefits, according to state records. The relocation is expected to cost $1.47 million, state officials said.

The lab had been one of two competing for a two-year state drug testing contract. That contract was given earlier this month to HFL Sport Sciences, but USEF’s move wasn’t contingent on receiving the contract, said USEF CEO John Long. Long said his group expects to have a 7,500-square-foot lab at the University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus. While the goal is to have it operational later this year, it won’t be completed in time for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The USEF’s testing for the World Equestrian Games will be done at the lab in Ithaca, and the intention is to move its operations during the winter, which is a slower time for drug testing for equine events. From Lexington, the lab will conduct testing for equine events just as it did in Ithaca.

“We are headquartered here, but it has a lot to do with the legacy of the World Equestrian Games,” Long said, noting that Lexington also offers a better labor market and close proximity to the major U.S. operations of UPS in Louisville.

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Accountability Measure For KACo, KLC Clears Key Hurdle

Posted on October 3, 2017 by in Business

Accountability Measuring

FRANKFORT After days of political wrangling, a measure that would require more accountability and transparency for two groups that represent Kentucky cities and counties was unanimously passed by the House Friday and will likely become law, according to a key supporter.

Senate Bill 88 a bill related to contracting for health departments was amended on the House floor Friday to include language from other House and Senate bills that would make the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties subject to open records and open meetings laws, give their boards a code of ethics and allow the state auditor to review their books.

The bill also would require the two embattled organizations, which were the subject of scathing state audits last year after articles in the Herald-Leader exposed hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable spending, to post their expenditures online.

House Local Government Chairman Steve Riggs, D-Louisville, proposed the amendment that included provisions of Senate Bill 87, sponsored by Sen. Damon Thayer, D-Georgetown, and House Bill 325, sponsored by Rep. Arnold Simpson, D-Covington. Thayer’s bill required the groups to report their expenditures online, but Simpson’s did not.

Although disappointed that the House didn’t approve his bill, Thayer said Friday that he would not block passage of SB 88 when the Senate considers changes made by the House.

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Shackleford’s Sunday News & Views

Posted on August 28, 2017 by in Sports

Shackleford won the Preakness

Shackleford won the Preakness, leading from start to finish. His trainer is Louisvillian Dale Romans. Shackleford’s morning line was 12-1. Animal Kingdom made a great run at the end to give folks hope for another Triple Crown, but it was too little, too late for this race. Harvey Milk would have been a much more respectable person for tonight’s slot as he would have turned 80 on May 22, and Harold Camping would have been a much more hilarious one. Make sure everyone stays tuned to what he says so that we can fill out our Rapture Excuse Bingo sheets!

– The Rapture didn’t happen, I don’t think. But a huge thunderstorm randomly hit right at 6pm. Tried to listen for a voice in the distance, but maybe I was wrong in assuming God/Jesus spoke English?

– The UK softball team got a huge victory over Michigan and advanced to the school’s 2nd regional final ever. Tomorrow, play for a trip to the Super Regional at 1pm on ESPN.

– The UK men’s tennis team took a loss against defending champion Southern California and finished their season with an Elite Eight finish. Congrats on a great season guys.

– The UK baseball team exchanged beat downs with Florida this weekend. They lost handily tonight (19-3) after winning handily (14-1) Friday evening, allowing UF to clinch a tie for the SEC title. Not the best season for the baseball boys, but that’s alright.

– Props to Waitin’ On 8 from Kentucky Sports Network for pointing this great thing out – A Smack Talk Generator. Gives out some great stuff for whenever you need to compare your team to another and the other party just isn’t ’seeing the light’.

– Eloy Vargas went for 2 pts and 8 boards (team leading) tonight against Lithuania. More interesting/unimpressive than that? The two teams TIED 77-77. Ties in basketball are just unacceptable. But I guess they are just out there having fun, so that’s cool.

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