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Churchill Downs announces plans for 150th Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Churchill Downs is planning a series of celebrations and fan experiences leading up to the milestone 150th Kentucky Derby in May 2024.

The track rolled out a new website on Wednesday that included the official Kentucky Derby 150 logo.

Horse racing’s marquee event for 3-yearold thoroughbreds is the first jewel of the Triple Crown, as well as the United States’ longest continually run sporting event since 1875. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed the 2020 Derby from its traditional spot on the first Saturday in May for the first time since 1945; instead, it was run on Sept. 5, 2020, without spectators.

In May 2021, attendance was limited to 52,000 but by last spring, 147,294 watched in person as 81-1 long shot Rich Strike pulled off a stunning upset.

The track expects another huge crowd for the 149th Derby on May 6.

Churchill Downs president Mike Anderson said in a statement he is excited about the track’s subsequent plans to mark the race’s landmark anniversary and rich history of “tradition, hospitality and the best horse racing in the world.”

The events will unfold with the track undergoing major improvements.

A $200 million renovation of the paddock behind the main grandstand began after last spring’s race, with completion expected by the 2024 Derby. The project will more than double the size of the horses’ walking ring and add 3,600 seats and 3,250 standing-room spaces.

Other changes to the track include premium club spaces, dining tables and rail boxes, plus new viewing areas.

Abortion, drug trafficking discussed at Kentucky GOP debate

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Republican gubernatorial hopeful Kelly Craft pressed for the death penalty for drug traffickers connected to fatal overdoses in Kentucky, while rival Ryan Quarles defended the state’s abortion ban during a free-wheeling GOP primary debate Wednesday on a popular sports radio program.

Craft, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Donald Trump’s presidency, continued her tough talk on combating illegal drugs flowing into the Bluegrass State, blaming it on the nation’s “wide open” Southern border. Quarles, the state agriculture commissioner, didn’t budge from Kentucky’s current abortion law, which includes prohibiting abortions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

They joined two other GOP gubernatorial candidates — state Auditor Mike Harmon and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck — for the debate on Kentucky Sports Radio, coming less than a month before the May 16 primary. State Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a leading candidate in the GOP contest, did not participate in the debate. Craft skipped two earlier debates that Cameron attended.

Twelve candidates in all are competing for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The Kentucky campaign is drawing national attention to see if Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear can win reelection to a second term despite his party’s struggles in the GOP-trending state.

At Wednesday’s debate, the participating candidates offered contrasting answers when asked for a policy that could immediately help Kentucky the most. Quarles pointed to public safety in a response focused on Louisville. The state’s largest city has been plagued by gun violence, including the deaths of five people at a downtown bank last week when a man opened fire with an assault-style rifle.

“We have a great city in Louisville,” Quarles said. “When Louisville is safe and secure, Kentucky is safe and secure.”

Harmon selected school choice as his preference while voicing support for public money going to private schools. Keck listed welfare reform, saying the state needs a system “where we take care of the working poor instead of those who are unwilling to work.” Craft pointed to removing a “woke” agenda from public schools, continuing another of her campaign themes.

Nonprofits scramble for help amid dearth of volunteers

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – CASA of Lexington has tried just about everything to find vol- unteers to serve as advocates for abused and neglected children with the Kentucky nonprofit.

Since 2020, it has hired someone to focus on recruiting volunteers, added in-person and virtual outreach events and options to complete the required 30-hour training, and printed information on fans to hand out in churches, Melynda Milburn Jamison, its executive director, said. She even visited a men’s-only barbecue to make a quick 10-minute pitch.

The result? In 2022, CASA of Lexington had 62 new volunteers complete training, short of its target of 80. Only two came from the group’s recruitment events, with the rest mostly via word of mouth, Jamison said.

“We’ve been able to retain keeping the number of children we serve fairly consistent,” she said, “but we should have been increasing because we’ve taken on new counties and we’ve added additional staff.”

Jamison is not alone in her frustration. Her experience reflects the latest twist in a decadeslong trend of declining volunteer participation. As pandemic-related government aid programs end and inflation rises, nonprofits of all kinds are looking everywhere and trying everything to get volunteers. According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps survey, formal volunteer participation was 23.2%, dropping 7 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 — the largest decrease the survey has recorded since a version of it started in 2002.

It’s reached the point where the lack of volunteers strains the safety net that nonprofits provide to many of society’s most vulnerable.

“This is a wake-up call for the social sector, which depends on volunteers, especially as needs for services remain high,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps, which has opened its yearly grant program to award $8 million to help nonprofits recruit and retain volunteers.

The largest drop between 2019 and 2021 in any state was Colorado at 16.1 percentage points. Hawaii, Wisconsin and Ohio also saw double-digit drops. Utah, with its highest-in-the-nation participation rate of 40.7% in 2021, the most recent figures available, saw an 8.8 percentage-point drop.

Spring clean-up time in Campbell County

A countywide clean-up for residents is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 28-29, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Furniture (including mattresses), trash, debris and yard waste will be collected at the Campbell County Police Department (8774 Constable Drive, Alexandria), Frederick’s Landing (KY 9-AA Highway, Wilder) and Pendery Park (4113 Williams Lane, Melbourne).

You can bring any of the items plus appliances (freon ok), batteries (vehicle and rechargeable), electronics (1 tv/vehicle), scrap metal (remove fluids) and tires (8 tires, rims ok). A photo ID or proof of residency is required. Items NOT accepted include paint, liquids, hazardous waste, fluorescent bulbs, rocks, concrete or dirt. Participants must unload their own vehicles.

For info: 859-547-1866 or solidwaste@ campbellcountyky.gov. Also, see campbellcountyky.gov.

Beechwood Band Director receives Excellence in Education award

Viva Voices concert at Carnegie features music from youth choirs

Beechwood Director of Bands Austin Bralley received an Excellence in Education award from The Cincinnatus Foundation for his leadership in the nationally recognized Beechwood music program for students grades 6 through 12. In his six years at Beechwood, Bralley has led the bands to multiple State Marching Bands Championships and to earn Exemplary Performance Awards for concert band performance for both middle and high school. He also established a popular and affordable private lesson program.

The Viva Voices Choral Organization will showcase its Viva Voices Children’s Choir and Viva Voices Youth Chorus at a special concert Sunday, April 30, at Covington’s historic Carnegie Theater, located at 1028 Scott Street. The performance starts at 6 p.m. The children’s choir offers a singing opportunity for students in grades four through seven. Older students, grades 8 through 12, perform in the youth chorus. For more info, go to vivavoices.net/performances.

Enzweiler Building Institute names Student of the Year

The Enzweiler Building Institute of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky (BIA) conferred certificates to 37 skilled tradespeople who graduated from the Institute this school year. At a ceremony held on April 13, Eddie Luckey was named Student of the Year by the institute. A second-year heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning student, Luckey was selected for his perfect attendance, enthusiasm for the industry, and his desire to introduce others to the skilled trades. For more about Enzweiler Building Institute go to buildinginstitute.com.

Joel Ford recognized as Outstanding High School Counselor

Conner High School Counselor Joel Ford was recently recognized by the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) with a 2023 Pathfinder Award. The award recognizes high school teachers and counselors for their outstanding efforts in assisting students with their future college-going plans. Ford received his honor from Gateway Community & Technical College, a KCTCS college. Nearly 250 nominations were submitted for the award, and only one teacher or counselor is selected from each of the 16 KCTCS colleges.