ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH GLASS
HOROSCOPE To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Take off from work early if you can. A temporary setback changes plans. Discipline is required. It just takes longer to get there. Don't touch your savings. Stay close to home and uncover a family secret. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Keep a steady course while cutting expenses. Friends share resources and connections. Grab a great deal, and make do with something you find. Adapt stuff you have to the purpose you need fulfilled. Relax together. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Unleash your artistic creativity. Practice your skills for an epic adventure. Consider a female's differing opinion, and incorporate what works. Do a good job and gain respect. Don't test physical limits. Your message clicks. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Challenge old assumptions. Be gracious to a troll. Indulge a creative fantasy without breaking the bank. Discussion clarifies the essential points. Discuss private matters in private. Reveal secrets in their own time. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Decrease the unknown factors. In a moment of scarcity, listen and learn. It's not a good time to travel. Invite friends to your house. Pile up provisions. Work out practical details. Make it a pot luck. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — Handle chores and responsibilities before dashing off. Glamorize the invitation. Don't travel or try a new trick... trusted methods and flavors satisfy. Treats at home spark into laughter and mysteries unveiled. Get into the spirit.
SUDOKU
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Family fun doesn't need to get expensive. Cut costs by improvising and making what you need at home. Prioritize fun, delicious tidbits and entertaining conversation. Invent a mysterious back story. Choose characters, and meet new friends. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Have the party at your place. Heartfelt communications come easily. You can wait for what you want. Save up, if it's expensive. Talk it over, and come up with homemade solutions. Compromise. Prepare and decorate. Invite contribution. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Your creative communications get supercharged. Invent a message and a punchline. Business could interfere with pleasure. Keep loved ones informed. Hold out for the important things. Balance conflicting interests with straight talk. Aim to have it all. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Ensure that the job gets done. Only delegate to trusted partners. There's profitable work requiring your attention. Reward a productive day by spending the evening with friends and a light heart. Unveil a mystery. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Handle professional obligations, and reschedule less urgent calls. Answer the door! Creative juices flow, and a collaboration invigorates. Share resources, and re-purpose stuff you have. Play a part that you've always wondered about. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Should you stay or go? Peace and quiet seem so enticing. Postpone travel, and settle into some domestic bliss. Get comfortable in private, and talk it over. Invite someone special to help decide.
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2 | Election Preview | 10.31.14
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Candidates weigh in on major issues CHEYENE MILLER news@kykernel.com
The 2014 Senate race between Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes has been one of the most observed races in the upcoming midterm elections. Republicans are expected to take control of the Senate, which would result in McConnell replacing Sen. Harry Reid (DNev.) as Senate Majority Leader. If Grimes is elected, she will be the first female to represent Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. McConnell has served in the U.S. Senate since 1984 and is running for his sixth term representing Kentucky. Grimes, the third daughter of former Kentucky Democratic chairman and state representative Jerry Lundergan, has served as Kentucky’s Secretary of State since 2012. The candidates have put most of their focus on several key issues, with coal being one of the main points of discussion. McConnell has focused primarily on President Barack Obama when talking about coal, criticizing his environmental policies such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions 30 percent by 2030 that was introduced earlier this year. McConnell has attempted to persuade Kentucky voters that Grimes would only support President Obama and Reid, who once famously said “coal makes us sick.” McConnell is an outspoken climate change skeptic, and has said other countries like China and India are building coal plants while we enact stricter environmental policies. “I’m not a scientist,” said McConnell in an interview with The Courier-Journal Editorial board. “I am interested in protecting Kentucky’s economy. I’m interested in having low-cost electricity.” Grimes has tried to distance herself from the president on this issue and others, a strategy that many Democrats are taking in the midterm elections due to his sinking approval ratings. Grimes has said that she “recognizes the reality of climate change,” but also is also concerned about protecting coal jobs in Kentucky. She has gained noticeable backing from coal miners, recently receiving support from the United Mine Workers of America. Another issue in this race has been the
PHOTO BY CHARLES BERTRAM | LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER
PHOTO BY MARK CORNELISON | LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER Senator Mitch McConnell, and his wife Elaine Chao at Donamire Farm in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014.
minimum wage, which was highlighted during the candidates’ only televised debate on KET’s “Kentucky Tonight.” Grimes supports a raise in the minimum wage, citing a Congressional Budget Office report that said a minimum wage increase would lift one million Americans out of poverty and increase income for 30 percent of Kentuckians. McConnell supports keeping the federal minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, citing the same CBO report which said that a minimum wage increase would possibly cost the country half a million jobs, and independent studies that say it would cost 17,000 jobs in Kentucky. Another focal issue in the race has been health care. The situation regarding the health care issue in Kentucky has been different from most states in that Kentucky is seen as an Affordable Care Act success story. Gov. Steve Beshear announced in August that 521,000 Kentuckians had signed up for health coverage through Kynect, Kentucky’s online health insurance marketplace created under the ACA. This helped
Alison Lundergan Grimes during a news conference in Frankfort, Kentucky, July 1, 2013.
Kentucky lower its percentage of uninsured citizens more than any other state besides Arkansas, bringing the percentage down from 20.4 percent to 11.9 percent according to a Gallup-Healthways poll published in August. McConnell has said that he wants to repeal the ACA “root and branch,” but has also said that Kynect is just a website, which Kentucky could keep. “I think its fine to have a website,” said McConnell in the KET debate. This of course is challenging, because private insurance under Kynect uses federal tax credits and provides free Medicaid coverage to citizens earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Commentary on health care from Grimes has been far more limited than McConnell, but when Grimes has spoken about health care she says that the ACA should be “streamlined and fixed” rather than repealed. “I will not be a Senator that rips that insurance from their hand,” said Grimes in the KET debate.
An issue in this Senate race that could directly affect UK is student debt. Grimes campaigned with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (DMass.) in Louisville on Tuesday and student debt was one of the main issues discussed. According to a report by The CourierJournal, Warren said that about 40 million Americans are dealing with student loan debt, and that this was hurting the economy because the debt keeps them from making expenses on things like houses or cars. Last month, Republicans blocked a bill proposed by Warren that would allow student to refinance their student loans to the interest rate of four percent by placing an income tax rate of 30 percent on people who earn between $1 million and $2 million. According to the Student Loan Debt Clock, the current student loan debt is over $1.2 trillion. The latest Bluegrass Poll, released Thursday, had the McConnell in a five percentage point lead, ahead 48-43 percent among likely voters. The midterm elections are this Tuesday. 10.31.14 | Election Preview | 3
Mayoral race focused on safety NICK GRAY ngray@kykernel.com
The Lexington mayoral race has been marked by two big differences in policy by incumbent Jim Gray and challenger Anthany Beatty: stances on public safety and UK’s relationship with the city. On the campaign trail, Beatty has pushed his experience as Lexington police chief and an uptick in homicides over the summer. According to a report from the Lexington HeraldLeader, Lexington typically experiences 14 to 20 homicides a year, with 19 homicides committed last year and 14 committed in 2012. Beatty, currently the assistant vice president for campus services and public safety at UK, has criticized Gray's administration for reducing the police force over the course of his four years in office. Beatty said that the city “should not bargain with citizens’ public safety” and that he would add to the police force “off the top of the city budget” if elected. Beatty said he has the experience to reduce violent crimes and the spread of drugs in Lexington during the candidates’ debate on Tuesday in Worsham Theater. Gray said increased funding for Lexington police’s drug task forces has helped confiscate millions of dollars of drugs and weapons and helped an otherwise low violent crime rate. “Any violent crimes are unacceptable,”
Gray said Tuesday, adding that Lexington has the lowest violent crime rate for a city of its size in the country. “We are pushing a lot of resources (toward reducing violent crime) and we are facing the fact that drugs are the leading cause of homicides in this city. Our task forces have helped this issue.” Beatty criticized Gray’s handling of the Rupp Arena renovation project. Beatty called the relationship between the city and UK “fractured,” referencing discussions in which the city used $75 million in public funding for the preparation of renovations that never happened. Gray said the university’s relationship with the city is not tarnished and that the university and the city have been working since the renovation plans fell through in the spring. The funds are not completely misused, Gray said, because “the plan is ready” when the time to revisit the renovations is appropriate. Beatty also said that many other focuses, like helping homelessness and aiding public safety, should hold the mayor’s focus besides renovating the 23,000-seat arena. “It is the government’s job to provide these services to the people that need them,” Beatty said. “Public safety and the Rupp Arena project are Jim’s big mistakes, and it’s time for proven and good leadership.” A victory by Gray would give the incumbent a second term, while Beatty would become Lexington’s first black mayor after becoming the city’s first black police chief.
PHOTO BY TESSA LIGHTY | STAFF
Former police chief Anthany Beatty, left, and Mayor Jim Gray at the 2014 Lexington Mayoral Debate at Worsham Theater in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday.
4 | Election Preview | 10.31.14
Election to decide district over campus NICK GRAY ngray@kykernel.com
A political newcomer who earned a comfortable win in the May primary is pushing the veteran in the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council. Challenger Jake Gibbs won the primary election with 55 percent of the vote, more than twice the percentage of votes that at-large councilmember Chuck Ellinger II got (27 percent) in the May primary. The 3rd District, which contains the majority of downtown Lexington, including Rupp Arena and UK, was held by Diane Lawless for three four-year terms before she announced her intention to not seek a fourth term earlier this year. Gibbs, a professor of history at Bluegrass Technical and Community College since 1988, earned his bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy at the State University of New York at Brockport before coming to UK to receive his master’s degree in history and library science, according to his campaign website. Gibbs has been the ombudsman for the Bluegrass Community and Technical College since 2009 and has served on the board of directors in the Kentucky Association of Teachers of History since 2012. He has lived inside the 3rd District territory since 1978. As a part of the Town and Gown Committee and UK’s Neighborhood Advisory Council, which works on communication between the university and surrounding neighborhoods, Gibbs will “work within existing lines of communication as well as broaden the dialogue with UK to ensure that UK understands the impact of their decisions on the wider community,” according to the website. Ellinger, an attorney who graduated from the UK College of Law, was elected as a part of the Urban County Council in 2002 as an at-large member. He is a part of the National League of Cities’ Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy Committee and the Kentucky and Fayette County Bar Associations. Ellinger, who lost a 2008 election in the 13th District of the Kentucky Senate, currently serves as the chairman on the Budget and Finance Committee. In his time as chairman, the city used more than $75 million in public funding for the failed Rupp Arena renovation plans, which were scrapped by Mayor Jim Gray in May due to lack of cooperation by the state legislature and from UK. Gray asked the Urban County Council to take on $40 million in debt for the renovations for which the council did not follow through.
Health care main focus in congressional race CHEYENE MILLER news@kykernel
Unlike the 2014 Kentucky Senate race that features a politician with 30 years of experience in the federal government, the race for Kentucky’s 6th district seat in the House of Representatives features two faces that are relatively new to national politics. Republican Rep. Andy Barr was elected to Congress in 2012, after his second attempt to beat out former Rep. Ben Chandler was successful. Barr, a Lexington native and graduate of the UK College of Law, currently serves on the House Committee on Financial Services. His Democratic opponent, Elisabeth Jensen, has the chance to win her first attempt at becoming an elected official. According to her campaign website, the Indiana native is a former executive with Disney Consumer Products, and currently serves as the president and executive director of Race For Education, a non-profit founded by Jensen that provides financial aid, academic development programs and financial literacy training. The two candidates squared off in a debate at Eastern Kentucky University Monday night, focusing on issues like the minimum wage. Jensen advocated a raise in the minimum wage, saying “it’s the quickest way to get money in the pockets of our hard working families,” according to a report from WKYT. Barr supports keeping the minimum wage at $7.25 an hour and $2.13 an hour for tipped workers, but said that he supports investments in finding ways for the government to support economic growth, which would cause the private sector to lift wages on its own, according to WKYT. A Bluegrass Poll published in August showed that 55 percent of respondents in Kentucky supported raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. On the issue of health care, Barr sides with his Republican allies in Congress. He has supported a full repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, publicly calling it a 2,700-page job destroyer during his 2012 campaign. Jensen
PHOTO BY ADAM CHAFFINS | STAFF Andy Barr giving his acceptance speech at the election watch party at the Marriott Griffin Gate in Lexington, Ky. on Nov. 6, 2012.
has taken a different strategy than most Democrats in this midterm election in that she publicly supports the ACA and Kynect, Kentucky’s online health insurance market place established under the law. The Huffington Post even named Jensen as one of the few Democrats who aren’t running away, but rather are embracing the ACA in their campaigns. A discussion on health care was one of the central points for the candidates during their televised debate on KET’s “Kentucky Tonight.” Barr was critical of the ACA, saying that it had caused 280,000 Kentuckians to lose their health insurance and led to a hike in premium costs. “It’s called the Affordable Care Act but it’s anything but affordable,” said Barr, who added that market-based legislation, like his Saving Lives, Saving Costs Act introduced earlier this year were the solution to America’s health care woes. Jensen criticized the proposed legislation, saying that it was “basically a medical malpractice protection lawsuit bill.” Jensen went on to praise Gov. Steve Beshear for his efforts in implementing Kynect. “Our governor stepped forward and
set up this exchange, and now we have more than half a million people enrolled,” said Jensen, who said that it was time for opponents of the ACA to stop fighting the law. “It’s not going to get repealed. We have too many people enrolled; it’s working in too many states across the country.” Barr responded by saying that over 80 percent of the Kynect enrollees are on Medicaid rather than private insurance, and many of these were previously eligible for Medicaid. “What we learned from the VA scandal is that access to a waiting line is not access to health care,” Barr said. One issue that has showed up in the debate and in the campaigns is one that the candidates actually agree on – term limits. According to his campaign website, Barr proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would that would limit Congressmen to six consecutive terms and Senators to two consecutive terms. Jensen has publicly stated that she was open to limiting Congressmen and Senators to three or four terms. If elected, Jensen will become the first female Democrat to ever represent Kentucky in the Congress, while Barr will be entering his second term as a Congressman. 10.31.14 | Election Preview | 5
BY THE NUMBERS
Mitch McConnell has served in the U.S. Senate for
30
years
The age difference between McConnell and Grimes
37
years
Mitch McConnell
Senate
Republican Senate Minority million votes, the highest number leader Mitch McConnell was first ever received in a Kentucky elected to the U.S. Senate in statewide race. 1984. He became the Republican Before beginning his career in leader in 2006. the Senate, McConnell He is the 15th Senserved as judge-execuate member to hold that tive in Jefferson County position. for about eight years McConnell has before beginning his served as the Republifirst Senate term. can Leader for the McConnell gradu110th-112th Congresses ated from the Universiand the Majority Whip ty of Louisville College in the 108th and 109th of Arts and Sciences McConnell Congress. and the UK College of He is currently a Law. member of the Appropriations, He is married to Elaine L. Agriculture and Rules Senate Chao, former Secretary of Labor, committees. United Way of America president In the 2008 general election, and director of the Peace Corps. McConnell received almost one They have three daughters.
Alison Lundergan Grimes
Democratic Secretary of State sociation also recognized her as Alison Lundergan Grimes is Ken- an Outstanding Young Lawyer in tucky's only female constitutional 2010. officer, according to her KenGrimes also volunteers at the tucky.gov biography. Salvation Army and Grimes left her law Cardinal Hill Rehabilipractice to serve the tation Hospital and is on Kentucky government the God's Pantry Food full-time in 2011. Bank board of directors. Grimes has previGrimes previously ously served as a worked for the National precinct officer for the Kidney Foundation's 75th Legislative District healthcare initiatives. and a member in the She graduated with Grimes 2008 Democratic Naa Bachelor of Arts from tional Convention Rules Rhodes College in TenCommittee. She was the president nessee and a law degree from the of the Fayette County Bar Associ- American College of Law in ation's Women Lawyers' Associa- Washington, D.C. tion for two years. Grimes is married to Andrew The Fayette County Bar As- Grimes.
Mayor
5%
3rd District Council
Chuck Ellinger
Chuck Ellinger Jr. served his ment Board. third four-year term as an atPreviously, Ellinger was a large council member and is member of the National League seeking the 3rd District Council of Cities’ Public Safety Crime Seat. Prevention Policy Ellinger is the chair Committee, as well as of the Budget and Fithe Housing and Supnance Committee and port Services, Town the General Governand Gown and Greenment Council Link, acspace Commissions. cording to his camHe belongs to the paign Facebook page. Salvation Army AdviHe serves on the Social sory Committee, LexServices and Commuington-Fayette Urban Ellinger nity and the Planning County Airport Board and Public Works Comand Fayette County mittees. Bar Associations. Ellinger is also part of the Ellinger graduated from Economic Development Com- Rollins College with a degree in mittee of the Whole and the Political Science and UK Law Economic Development Invest- School. He is a UK Fellow.
Jake Gibbs
Jake Gibbs, 3rd District on Haldeman-Julius Little Blue Council candidate, serves on the Books and has been working on board of directors for the Ken- a descriptive bibliography of the tucky Association of Teachers of series since 2007. He was a History, according to member of the Friends his campaign website of the Library Board of biography. Directors from 2007 to He was a member 2010. of the UK Faculty SenGibbs received hisate from 2004 to 2006 tory and philosophy deand the Kentucky Comgrees from the State munity College Senate University of New York from 1990 to 1994. at Brockport and graduGibbs has served as ated from UK with Gibbs the Bluegrass CommuMaster’s Degrees in nity and Technical Colhistory and library scilege ombudsman since 2009. ence. He has taught history and He previously bought and logic at BCTC. owned Lexington restaurant AlHe is married to Anita Courtfalfa with a group of partners. ney, a nutrition advocate. They Gibbs is the leading expert have two daughters.
6th Congressional District
point difference in the polls
Jim Gray
0 women have served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky
Amount contributed to the two candidates
$37 million
3.1 million
Approximate number of registered voters in Kentucky as of May 2014 6 | Election Preview | 10.31.14
Current Lexington Mayor funding campaign to build the Jim Gray was elected in 2010 af- Frankfort Kentucky History ter 36 years in the private sector Center. that culminated in a position as He has, with Gray ConstrucCEO of Gray Construction, supported organition. After his father zations like Fayette died in 1972, Gray County Public Schools moved home during his and LexArts. freshman year of colHe completed his lege and worked in the degree at Vanderbilt family business, acUniversity. Gray was cording to his official also appointed a Loeb campaign website bio. Fellow at Harvard In 2006, Gray was University in 1996, Gray elected vice-mayor. He according to his Kenchaired the Governor’s tucky.gov biography. Commission on Quality and Ef- He has served on the Berea Colficiency in 1993 and 1994. lege board and the KET Fund Gray has also chaired the for Excellence.
Anthany Beatty
Former Lexington police cer Human Resources Consultchief Anthany Beatty has spent ing. 35 years in local government poHe received the Lexington sitions, according to his official Division of Police Flight 5191 campaign website biExemplary Service ography. Recognition, according Beatty is the curto his campaign Facerent assistant vice presbook page. ident for Public Safety Beatty graduated at UK. from Eastern Kentucky Beatty’s time as University and Kenchief of police from tucky State University. 2001 to 2007 led to He is in the KSU Outawards and recognition standing Alumni Hall Beatty for the Lexington Diviof Fame. sion of Police, according Beatty is married to his bio, and the 2005 naming to Eunice A. Beatty, a retired of Lexington as one of the five college professor and adminissafest cities in the U.S. by Mer- trator. They have two sons.
Andy Barr
Republican 6th district rectors for the Isaac Murphy candidate Andy Barr was first Memorial Art Garden and Preelected to Congress in 2012. vent Child Abuse Kentucky. He helped introduce the Veter- Barr graduated from the Unians Access to Care versity of Virginia Act in 2014, accordwith a bachelor’s deing to his website bio. gree in government As co-chair of the and philosophy and Congressional Horse earned a law degree Caucus, Barr introfrom UK. duced the Aged DisBarr has impletilled Spirits Competmented an Accessibilitiveness Act. He is ity Initiative to comalso a member of the municate with conBarr Congressional Coal stituents in the counCaucus. ties he represents. Barr graduated from LeadHe is married to Carol ership Lexington in 2007 and Barr. They have two daughhas served on the Board of Di- ters.
Elizabeth Jensen
Elisabeth Jensen, the DemJensen is a former execuocratic 6th District Candidate, tive with Walt Disney Conis the president and executive sumer Products and Gitano director of The Race Group. She co-owns for Education, a nonreal estate company profit she co-founded Jensen Properties, acin 2002. cording to her camJensen started afpaign Facebook page. ter school program She represents speStarting Gate, offered cial-needs children in in Fayette and Bourthe Governor’s State bon Counties, in Advisory for Excep2009. tional Children. She Jensen The organizais also a member of tion’s financial literathe Kentucky Chilcy program was recognized by dren’s Hospital’s Circle of former president George W. Blue. Bush’s Office of Faith-Based Jensen currently lives in and Community Initiatives. Lexington with her son, Will.
10.31.14 | Election Preview | 7
A race for coal ANTHONY PENDLETON news@kykernel.com
Coal is one of the biggest issues in the race between Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes. Debates, campaign ads and even hidden-camera videos have contributed to the conversation. Why is coal such a dominant issue, and where does each candidate stand? Coal is a big topic in the race partly because of President Barack Obama’s perceived opposition to it. Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed regulations that call for carbon dioxide emissions from power plants to be cut 30 percent by 2030. The regulations would discourage the burning of coal and effectively prevent the construction of new coal-fired plants with existing technology. McConnell says that if he is reelected and becomes Senate Majority Leader, “right at the top of my list” will be language in appropriations bills prohibiting the administration from enacting or enforcing the regulations. President Obama threatened to veto such legislation this year, and McConnell has indicated that he is not willing to force another government shutdown on the issue. Grimes says she supports coal, as well as a “balanced approach” to energy and climate change, which is the target of the regulations, while protecting coal jobs. Her position is focused on those working for the coal industry, rather than the industry itself. In an interview with Hazard’s WYMT-TV, Grimes said miners “need to have somebody in Washington, D.C., that has their back instead of the big coal corporations.” She has criticized McConnell’s lack of support for new health and safety rules for underground mines, which produce most of Kentucky’s coal. Grimes is backed by the United Mine Workers of America labor union. UMWA Kentucky political director Steve Earle said they decided to support Grimes because “there’s a lot of people supporting coal, but not a lot of people supporting coal miners, and Alison’s going to be a strong voice for coal miners.” McConnell’s support for coal is focused on the industry as a whole. During the KET debate on Oct. 13, he said, “The job of a United States Senator from Kentucky is to fight for coal jobs.” McConnell, an outspoken climate change 8 | Election Preview | 10.31.14
skeptic, typically answers climate change questions by saying “I'm not a scientist.” Pressed on the subject, he said, “Whether or not this set of scientists or that set of scientists is correct is irrelevant.” According to a 2013 survey, 97 percent of scientific studies that took a stance on climate change agree that it is occurring and is caused primarily by humans. McConnell says that U.S. action alone would have no effect on the global climate change, and he rejects the idea that the U.S. should take the lead so that less developed economies will follow. Grimes does acknowledge climate change. During the KET debate, she said, “I don’t think you have to be a scientist to recognize the realities of what are happening around us.” She added, “I recognize, unlike Senator McConnell, the realities of global warming,” but added that “we have to rein in the EPA. I think the regulations as they exist now are over-burdensome.” More than 7,000 coal jobs have been lost in Kentucky since President Obama took office in 2009. McConnell criticizes President Obama, but coal jobs have been eliminated almost every year since the 1980s, according to
“
The job of a United States Senator from Kentucky is to fight for coal jobs.” MITCH MCCONNELL
Senate Minority Leader
the Kentucky Energy Database. Since 2009, three major factors have caused this drop-off: Natural gas has become more abundant and thus cheaper than coal for electricity generation; central Appalachian coal reserves are being depleted and are the nation’s most expensive to mine; and EPA regulations have targeted mountaintop mining and coal-fired power plants. Another reason both candidates support coal is because many Kentucky counties – especially those in the eastern coalfields, where coal has long been the dominant industry – have a strong connection to it. Although coal only makes up about 1 percent of Kentucky's economy, about 93 percent of the state's electricity comes from coal, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.
Student debt may play role in senate race TYLER SPANYER news@kykernel.com
As Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes look to win over young voters on Nov. 4, one critical issue is student loan debt. With the national student loan debt at $1.2 trillion, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Grimes campaign is focusing on the student loan issue and how both candidates approach it. Grimes supports Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s bill that would have enabled millions of Americans to refinance their student loans into lower rates by increasing taxes on wealthy households. McConnell opposed this bill, and as Senate Republican leader led the filibuster that killed it. Warren and company could not muster the 60 votes needed to advance the legislation, losing out 58-38 and getting just three Republicans on the procedural vote. Nationally, 71 percent of undergraduate students in 2012 graduated owing money on student loans, according to the Project on Student Debt. The average amount of debt each student left with was $29,400, and that number is just for undergraduates. Many of these students who leave with almost $30,000 in debt will amass more debt if they pursue a graduate degree. Kentucky students, 62 percent of whom graduate with student loan debt, leave with an average of $22,384 in student loan debt, which ranks 41st out of 49 measureable states in the study. “I think it’s outrageous that it costs as much as it does, but I don't think the federal government ought to be in the business of forgiving, in effect, obligations owed,” McConnell said at a town hall meeting in Oldham County in July. At the event, McConnell also said parents and students should be more selective about their college decisions. “I think the best shortterm solution is for parents to be very cost-
conscious in shopping around for higher education alternatives,” he said. McConnell attended the University of Louisville for his bachelor’s degree, and UK for law school. Matt Brignola, a first-year pharmacy student at UK, has been paying out-of-state tuition since his first year of school. “I graduated in May with $25,000 in debt,” Brignola said, “And I will be accumulating $65,000 per year in pharmacy for a grand total of $220,000 in debt by the time I enter the professional world.” “Student loans are a blessing and a curse,” said Jena Mason, a senior at UK. “Students should be careful getting into loans because before you know it you could be graduating with $30,000 in debt. Despite that they help pay for my education and for that I am thankful for.” “I think that student loans are unfair,” said Rebecca Place, a sophomore at UK. “Just because I didn’t qualify for need-based loans, (that) doesn’t mean I don’t need the help too.” Place, a Cincinnati native, said she will leave UK with around $85,000 in student loan debt, which will take her probably 20 years to pay off if she gets a job right out of school. Need-based loans are based on the financial needs of the student. Students must be approved for need via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Many students who do not qualify for need-based loans or top-tier scholarships are left out in the cold for college financing. They are forced to accept unsubsidized loans that have an average interest rate of 7.35 percent for federal loans and a much higher, undisclosed rate for private loans. Many students and parents think the system is flawed, and needs to be reevaluated, but Warren’s bill would have been a tough sell in the Republican-led House of Representatives, and if Republicans win control of the Senate, McConnell will in all likelihood be Majority Leader. So this issue may be placed on the back burner, but the candidates have made their stance on it very clear.
Cats send seniors off with win
UK run game to be tested SPORTS
KEVIN ERPENBECK kerpenbeck@kykernel
On a day that celebrated the illustrious playing careers of the UK women’s soccer seniors, the Cats capped off the 2014 regular season with a 2-1 win over Alabama and stretched its winning streak to six-straight games. Head coach Jon Lipsitz, with seniors Arin Gilliland, Stuart Pope, Emma Brown and Maddie Lockridge by his side, expressed how proud he was of this year’s squad. But he also reminded them how much work is still ahead. “It feels great (to get the win), but I’m not sending them off. We’ve got a lot more to do,” Lipsitz said. “One of the great things about our seniors is that they’re servant leaders. They give back and teach the team. Now that the game is over, it’s about them.” The win didn’t come easy for the Cats, as Alabama pushed UK to its limits in what was a very physical, yet “unaesthetic” game. “We weren’t very good. I think both teams gave away the ball way too much,” Lipsitz said. “But sometimes you’ve got to find a way to grind it out. These are the exact wins, earlier in the year, that were losses. We just didn’t grind out the difficult ones. I think that’s part of our big change.” Alabama held UK to just three shots in the first half, but yielded a goal to sophomore forward Jade Klump after a defensive mistake in the backfield allowed Klump to hit the ball off the crossbar and roll into the net. The Crimson Tide tied the game two minutes later after drilling the ball past freshman goalkeeper Taylor Braun. After many more turnover-filled positions and missed offensive opportunities, the game appeared to be headed for overtime with the score still tied with less than five minutes remaining. That’s when sophomore midfielder Kaitlin Miller knocked in a header off a UK corner kick to win Senior Day for the Cats. For Gilliland, the end result may be the same, but the emotion surrounding it is completely new. “A win anytime is great, and on Senior Day, it just means so much more,” Gilliland said. “This wasn’t an easy game to win. This was a fight, and we had to work to get the goals that we got. They played a completely different style than we’re used to playing. But my team found a way to win, and those are the types of games I live for.”
Breaching The Gates The fortified wall that is Missouri’s defense sits entrenched in front of UK’s highflying offensive attack when the two SEC teams break into their November schedule on Saturday for a clash of East and West opponents. UK will need a better balance on offense if the JOSHUA HUFF Cats stand any chance of knocking down the Tigers’ Kernel Columnist defensive wall. Led by a stud-filled defensive line manned by the likes of Shane Ray, Markus Golden, Harold Brantley, DaVonte Lambert and Matt Hoch. The foursome has a combined 21 sacks on the season. Hoch is coming off one of his best games of the season against the Commodores where he had 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The Tigers are fresh off a dominant defensive victory against Vanderbilt 24-14 last Saturday that saw the Tigers hold Vanderbilt to just 240 total yards. The total was the lowest output for any team against Missouri this season. Running into that defense will be a rotating group of UK running backs that have struggled throughout the season. UK’s backs rank near the bottom of the league in rushing totals and will now have to contend with a defense that in its last four games has allowed only seven plays of 20 yards or more. The task will be daunting for UK’s running game, during Saturday’s game against Mississippi State, the Cats rushed for just 27 yards (excluding Patrick Towles) and have been regulated to being secondary options for Towles. Lurking in the Tigers’ backfield will be
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES | STAFF
UK running back Braylon Heard runs for a touchdown during the first half against South Carolina at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 4, 2014.
the most experienced safety in the SEC, Braylon Webb. Webb has a total of four interceptions on the year and has an interception in two-straight games. Looking to avoid Webb will be UK’s rising star, Towels, who is third in the SEC in passing. His 390 yard, four-touchdown game against the Bulldogs, has propelled him into the national spotlight but he must continue to defy expectations if UK has a change of beating Missouri. The Edge: Missouri Defense Wins Championships Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk has the distinguished honor of being tied for second in the SEC with nine interceptions, while UK is tied for second in the conference with 13 takeaways. With a run game that is near the bottom of the SEC in total rushing yards, the game through the air may be the deciding factor. Mauk’s 16 touchdown passes places him fourth in the league and many UK fans will recall that he matched a school record last November when he threw five touchdowns in a 48-17 win over the Cats. However, those touchdowns came against a defense that accumulated only three interceptions all of last season. This season, UK has a secondary that can play with the best of them. The addition of
A.J. Stamps and the return and growth of Ashely Lowery, Blake McClain, J.D. Harmon, Cody Quinn and Fred Tiller has solidified a backfield that was UK’s crutch last year. UK’s crutch this season has been the inability to stop the run and this weekend’s matchup won’t offer any relief. Missouri has a trio of running backs led by Russell Hansbrough that have all rushed for over three hundred yards. The Tigers utilize a two-pronged attack with Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy receiving the bulk of the workload. The Cats have spent the week working on fundamentals such as tackling and assignment reads, but it’s up in the air as to whether or not the Cats’ run defense has the capability the rest of the season to stay competitive. The Edge: Missouri Prediction Despite losing a thriller to Mississippi State, the Cats proved that they have the talent to hang with anybody that isn’t LSU. This week will prove no different. UK will try to exploit the Missouri pass defense and Towles will look to continue his meteoric rise through the SEC stratosphere. It all will come down to whether UK can stop Missouri on the ground. UK 35, Missouri 31 10.31.14 | Election Preview | 9
Cats hope for first road win of season SPORTS
Tigers come into the game with 2 notable road wins under their belts
ANNIE DUNBAR sports@kykernel.com With UK quarterback Patrick Towles playing at his peak and the return of running back Stanley "Boom" Williams, the Cats look to get their first road win of the season on Saturday against Missouri in Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. UK will be coming off a loss to No. 1 ranked Mississippi State last Saturday which allowed head coach Mark Stoops an opportunity to truly challenge his players against some of the best competition in the country. Stoops wanted to see his players, especially his receivers, play with grit and enthusiasm. "That's a trademark of Missouri, especially on both sides of the ball," Stoops said. "I think they play passionately and play very tough and, again, that's what we need to see out of our team all the time and I felt like we responded that way and certainly at wide receiver." Missouri has already locked in the sixth win for which the Cats are hungry for. The Tigers have lost two games to Indiana and Georgia but have notable road wins against South Carolina and Florida. Missouri, who played in the SEC Championship game last season, lost a few solid wideouts but still have a veteran squad. The Tigers' quarterback Maty Mauk took over as the starter last season after original starting quarterback James Franklin was injured. Mauk helped lead the team to an 11-1 record and was 2013 SEC Freshman of the Year. This season Mauk has 1368 yards, and 16 touchdowns after eight games. Stoops thinks that Mauk has a "good feel for the game." "He can throw the football and he, I think, he does a very good job of buying 10 | Election Preview | 10.31.14
time, having that feel in the pocket and making plays when they need to," Stoops said. "He's just a very good player, obviously, as opposed to a year ago (when) they lost some big wide receivers so they're younger but I still think they're just very good and well coached. They really want to be balanced. They're almost dead even again, run and pass, so he's just a good football player." UK's latest struggle has been its ground raid which will be challenged against a disruptive Tiger defense line. "They have two "D" ends again this year, Shane (Ray) and Markus (Golden)... I thought they were really disruptive and that's what they do and that's what I remember about them from playing in person last year and, again, seeing that on film, I know Coach (Dave) Steckel, their defensive coordinator, does a great job and that whole defensive staff has been together for a while," Stoops said. "They're disruptive, they do a nice job of creating negative yardage plays and being disruptive up front and twisting and stunting and just playing hard." One of the crucial aspects of the game that Stoops wants to see improvement in is discipline. Stoops believes that lack of discipline has contributed to a multitude of fundamental mistakes made throughout the season, especially notable against Mississippi State. "It's rooted in our discipline and where we're going as a program," Stoops said. "There is no excuses for not doing our job and not being accountable to technique and fundamentals. I constantly harp on that with our players and our coaches. It shows up every week. So we need to continue to grow and get better and, you know, do some routine things better." The discipline factor could be the difference in the Cats not only getting their first road win of the season but also tallying a sixth victory to make them bowl eligible for the first time since 2010. Poor tackling and misques with simple fundamentals doomed any chance of UK limiting the potent running game of Mississippi State. With a Missouri team that is built around a tough run game, the Cats are going to have to dig deep and find the level of physicality that propelled them to a wins
PHOTO BY SHANE KEYSER | KANSAS CITY STAR (MCT) Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk (7) fires a pass in the third quarter against Indiana at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo., on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. Indiana won 31-27. (Shane Keyser/Kansas City Star/MCT)
against South Carolina and a narrow defeat to Florida. "A lot of things comes down to what I talked about with the toughness and the mentality and the discipline that we have because there are no excuses, there is no reason not to play our very best and have that attitude about us,� Stoops said. “No-
body is going to hand you over any victories. You got to go earn them and you got to win them and you got to get on the road and get on the plane with a tough mentality about you, and our players have to play at the highest level they can and that was the message to them yesterday when I met with them."
CLASSIFIEDS For Rent
1-9 Bedroom
3 & 4 BR/2 BA houses on campus. W/D, dishwasher. Call (859) 433-2692. 3-5 BR houses for rent. $875-$1,600 per month. Call Tyrell at (859) 585-0047 or email tyrell@lexingtonrentalhomes.net. Condo, great security and great location. 1 BR/$645. 2 BR/$795. All utilities included, and a pool! Close to UK, St. Joe and Central Baptist. Call Brad at (859) 983-0434. Wayne Michael is now pre-leasing 1-6BR houses for the Fall 2015 semester. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. (859) 5131206.
1 Bedroom
1 BR at South Hill Station. $925/month- Water/Ethernet included. Parking. Near UK campus. Call Kelley at (859) 225-3680. Chevy Chase/UK duplex: 1BR/1BA, living room, hardwood floors, central heat & air. Quiet neighborhood. $650. Available now. (859) 539-3306.
2 Bedroom
2 and 3 bedroom apt available now. Great quality. Negotiable rent. Call landlord Dennis 859-983-0726 www.sillsbrothers.com 2 BR/1 BA. $825/month, utilities Included. Near UK Campus. Call Kelley at (859) 2253680.
3 Bedroom
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4 Bedroom
4 BR/2.5 BA Townhouses leasing for August 2015. $1,600/month. Early signing discount! All electric, large bedrooms, hardwood, W/D, security sytems, garages units available. Close to campus on bus route. (859) 288-5601 or mprentals@netbusiness.com. WALK TO CAMPUS! 4 BR/3 BA. Brand new, never lived in. Available Jan. 1. 5- or 7month lease. 213 University & 214 State. (859) 539-5502.
5 Bedroom
608 E. HIGH ST. (859) 338-7005. 5 BR apt/ 2 BA. Central heat/air, W/D connections. Off-street parking. $1,500 + utilities.
Attention
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Help Wanted
AAA is looking for a few friendly voices to fill open full time/part time/seasonal positions in its inbound customer service call center in Hamburg. Excellent listening and verbal communication skills, computer and typing skills, the desire to help people, a flexible schedule and ability to work weekends required. The option to schedule FT in 4/10’s is also available. All schedules include a minimum of 1 weekend shift. Base hourly rate + incentive pay plans. A variety of benefits available for PT and FT staff. Please apply online at: http://ohiovalley.aaa.com/About/Careers today! Body Structure seeking front-desk receptionist with outgoing personality. PT evenings and Saturdays. Essential Functions: •Receive calls and greet guests •Data entry •Close facility Email resume and availability: crystal@bodystructure.com or (859) 268-8190. City BBQ on Harrodsburg Road near campus- Looking for hardworking, career- minded people for fast-growing, fast casual concept. Apply at www.citybbq.com/careers. O’Charley’s on Nicholasville Road now hiring enthusiastic FT/PT servers, guest assistants and cooks for a fun, fast-paced environment with flexible hours. Interested candidates may apply directly at www.ocharleys.jobs for the 212 Nicholasville Rd. location.
Raising Cane’s-Crew Members Needed: Raising Cane’s is looking for Crewmembers for our Lexington locations who love to have fun while working hard. Raising Cane’s offers free uniforms, holidays off, and flexible scheduling. Visit www.caniaccareers.com. We make fun of work!
Researchers at the University of Kentucky are looking for individuals 21–34 years of age who have received a DUI in the last 5 years to participate in a study looking at behavioral and mental performance. Participants are compensated for their time and participation is completely confidential. For more information, call (859) 257-5794. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are conducting studies concerning the effects of alcohol and are looking for male & female social drinkers 21-35 years of age. Volunteers paid to participate. Call (859) 257- 5794. WINTERNS WANTED For winter. Foul weather. Long hours. Inclement everything. Shifting expectations. Vague feedback. Uneven praise. High risk of snow blindness, pneumonia, frostbite, cabin fever, weight gain. Applicants must be willing to experience iceskating, ice fishing, ice swimming, ice sculpting, ice scraping, ice driving, ice dodging, cake icing. Hands-on creative experience, regional cuisine, world-class mitten shopping. Full-time employment to be assessed upon survival. Lodging, boots provided. Wages. FALLON OF THE NORTH Fallon.com/winterns
Roommates Wanted
Female student looking for female student. Non-partier. Call landlord (Dennis) 859983-0726 www.sillsbrothers.com Roommate needed. Students looking for male or female. 3 br / 2 bath. Non partier Call landlord (Dennis) 859-983-0726 www.sillsbrothers.com
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