Gov. Beshear announces children’s hospital plans, storm recovery and more

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor Andy Beshear provided an update on economic development, steps taken to fight federal cuts to AmeriCorps and SNAP, severe weather recovery and more.

Officials note Gov. Beshear acknowledged Women Veterans Recognition Day and named women veterans as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.

Economic development

Gov. Beshear joined Norton Healthcare in Louisville to announce its plans to build a new pediatric care campus that will include a full-service hospital for children with complex medical needs, research facilities and expanded specialty services. The project marks a major expansion for the Louisville-based health care system and will feature its second free-standing, dedicated children’s hospital. The new hospital is expected to employ more than 1,000 people.

On June 13, Gov. Beshear says he plans to join local officials and company leadership from BE&E, which is a material handling equipment supplier, to break ground on the company’s new $16.2 million facility. The Muhlenberg County operation, which will be located in the Paradise Regional Industrial Park, will create 250 new Kentucky jobs.

Juneteenth

Gov. Beshear said there will be no Team Kentucky update on June 19, as the commonwealth will be recognizing Juneteenth as an executive branch holiday. Following the Governor’s executive order last year, Kentucky is officially marking Juneteenth as an executive branch holiday for the second time.

“This is an important day in our history as Americans. A day where we stand united in acknowledging our past, and our nation’s greatest injustice. A day where we honor the collective courage of African Americans who paved the way for real, meaningful change. And a day where we give thanks that the moral arc – at long last – bent toward justice,” said Gov. Beshear. “I hope everyone will join me in spending Juneteenth as a day of reflection, remembering how far we’ve come and acknowledging that the fight for progress marches on.”

Text message scam alert

Gov. Beshear warned Kentuckians of a popular scam consisting of fraudulent text messages impersonating state agencies. The scam messages warn customers of unpaid traffic tickets and say that a “DMV violation” will be reported and “driving privileges” will be suspended if payment is not sent immediately. 

Officials say if anyone receives one of these texts, they should not not click the link. Even if the web address looks like it belongs to a government agency, the text is a scam. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet does not collect traffic ticket fees or notify customers of violations, and Team Kentucky is taking steps to have the fraudulent websites taken down.

Driver Licensing

Gov. Beshear shared that currently, over 39% of Kentuckians have REAL IDs, compared to 33% at the end of last year. TSA reports that 93% of those going through checkpoints at Kentucky-based airports are REAL ID compliant. To learn more about getting a REAL ID, please go here. Remember, a passport, passport card, global entry card, military ID and Veteran Health Identification Card are among the several forms of REAL ID compliant identification.

Officials say since House Bill 15 went into effect, which lowered the age at which Kentuckians can obtain a drivers permit from 16 to 15 years old, 15,403 15-year-olds have successfully passed the written test and obtained their driving permit.

AmeriCorps and SNAP

Gov. Beshear updated Kentuckians on steps his administration is taking to fight cuts from the federal government. Last week, Gov. Beshear, along with several state attorneys general and another governor, secured a preliminary injunction in a legal challenge against President Trump’s attempt to dismantle AmeriCorps, the nation’s public service agency. This means the federal government must restore funding for AmeriCorps programs.

Officials say this week, Gov. Beshear sent a letter to Kentucky’s Congressional delegation outlining his concerns with proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). More than 600,000 Kentuckians rely on SNAP to supplement their food budgets every month. This represents 13% of the commonwealth’s population, or roughly 1 in every 8 Kentuckians. Gov. Beshear said cuts to the program would leave Kentuckians hungry. He urged Kentucky’s federal delegation to consider the impact cuts would have on Kentucky’s children, seniors, individuals with medical conditions, disabilities and those still recovering from disasters.

Severe Weather Recovery

Gov. Beshear provided an update on severe weather recovery in the commonwealth. Since the commonwealth received approval, FEMA has disbursed over $1.4 million in assistance. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is July 23.

Officials say for the May event, there currently are still five injured people at the University of Kentucky Hospital: one in critical condition, one in serious condition and three in good condition. At Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park, 93 households are being housed in travel trailers.

In terms of the Tri-State, Gov. Beshear says for residents in Union County who were affected by severe weather on May 16, June 12 is the last day they can apply for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits. If anyone from Union County has yet to apply, they should call 1-855-306-8959 before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. As of June 10, 186 households had been approved for benefits totaling over $131,000.

Officials say for the April floods, so far, more than $22 million in Individual and Households Assistance has been disbursed. The deadline to apply has been extended to July 25. For February severe weather, more than $47 million in federal assistance has been disbursed. The deadline to apply was May 25.

Gov. Beshear reminded Kentuckians and anyone else who would like to help that the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund is open for monetary donations. Funds will help to support recovery including paying for funeral expenses for those lost in disasters. To donate, go here. So far, the fund has raised more than $1.9 million in donations from 7,128 donors, including a generous $150,000 donation from Shop Local Kentucky.

Team Kentucky All-Stars

Gov. Beshear acknowledged Women Veterans Recognition Day and named women veterans as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.

“We recognize and celebrate the incredible women who sacrificed their time and their health, and often faced danger to protect us,” said Gov. Beshear. “Women have proudly served this country for generations. But it was not until after World War II that women were able to serve as permanent members of the armed forces and officially be recognized as veterans. We are committed to telling their stories and ensuring they are never forgotten.”