Kentucky News Now – April 2nd 2014

HEALTH OVERHAUL-KENTUCKY

370,000 Kentuckians sign up for health insurance

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — More than 370,000 Kentuckians have signed up for health insurance through the state's health insurance marketplace.

The deadline to sign up for insurance was Monday. Kentucky officials said more than 21,000 people signed up in the final three days. More than half of those enrollments came on Monday.

Of the 370,829 who signed up for health insurance, 293,802 enrolled for the state's Medicaid program and 77,027 purchased discounted private insurance plans.

Those numbers are likely to grow. People who had problems signing up for coverage have until midnight April 11 to enroll. Final enrollment numbers will be available after April 15.

TEACHER RAISES

Teachers get automatic raises in state budget

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's roughly 100,000 teachers and administrative staff will get an automatic pay raise in each of the next two years.

The state's two-year spending plan requires school districts to give employees a 1 percent raise in the 2015 school year and a 2 percent raise in the 2016 school year.

The raises are a victory for House Democrats, who pushed to make the raises mandatory. Senate Republicans wanted the raises to be optional because they were concerned some school districts could not afford to pay them.

Senate President Robert Stivers said not every school district will have enough state money to cover the cost of the raise. But he said lawmakers allowed districts to tap other state funds to help cover the cost.

NEW PLANT

New Todd County plant to bring 75 jobs

ELKTON, Ky. (AP) — A western Kentucky location will become home to a new Custom Cooler Inc. factory that will create 75 jobs with a $5.8 million investment.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office says the company is establishing its second manufacturing facility in Todd County.

Kentucky was chosen over three other states. The company has received preliminary state approval for as much as $1.5 million in tax incentives.

Custom Cooler manufactures custom walk-in coolers, freezers and freezer doors. It was established in California in 2006.

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

State park offering nature photography lessons

CORBIN, Ky. (AP) — Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is hosting a weekend for nature photographers later this month.

This year the speaker will be North Carolina photographer Mollie Isaacs, co-founder of Awake The Light Photo Tours and Workshops. Isaacs runs educational photo trips and workshops around the country.

She specialized in nature and macro photography, as well as family portraits.

The weekend will include amateur and accomplished classes, and awards will be given in several categories.

Registration is required and is limited to 100 participants. The cost is $35 per person.

CHICKEN CHAINS

Chick-fil-A again tops KFC as top chicken chain

NEW YORK (AP) — Chick-fil-A widened its lead over rival KFC as the No. 1 chicken chain by sales in the U.S. last year.

Preliminary data from food industry researcher Technomic shows that Atlanta-based Chick-Fil-A held the lead because its locations are much busier, even though there are far fewer of them.

Chick-fil-A first surpassed KFC as the top U.S. chicken chain in 2012. KFC is still much bigger globally.

KFC, owned by Yum Brands Inc., has been struggling in recent years, despite a variety of new menu items like boneless chicken pieces and snack cups designed to fit in a car cup holder. It even began testing a more upscale restaurant concept called "KFC eleven."

REPRODUCTION FURNITURE

Family furniture company changes with the times

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com )

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A family furniture business in Campbellsville that was destroyed by fire in 2010 is rebuilding with reproduction Shaker and midcentury modern lines, as well as custom work.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Eugene McMahan & Son Furniture Co. has just four full-time workers today, including McMahan and son Patrick McMahan. But the company has kept afloat thanks to a reputation for quality and a willingness to change with the times.

Every piece is hand-crafted from solid Kentucky cherry and walnut using traditional joinery.

About half their work is custom, and they don't charge extra for it or require a deposit.

Eugene McMahan is now 73 but has no plans to retire. Patrick McMahan wants the company to be around in case his 5-year-old son wants to take over someday.