FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2023) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear was joined by First Lady Britainy Beshear to provide an update on economic development; inaugural events; the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System; Western and Eastern Kentucky housing efforts; Winter Weather Week; the Frankfort Christmas Parade and state Christmas tree lighting; opportunities to shop local; and the recent train derailment in Rockcastle County.
Economic Development
Gov. Beshear highlighted continued momentum of the commonwealth’s site development efforts with the announcement of a new Build-Ready location in Rowan County, putting the area in a position for future economic success.
The Governor congratulated Mitsubishi Electric US Inc. on the approval of a $50 million U.S. Department of Energy award to support plans to establish a factory in the commonwealth to make high-efficiency variable capacity compressors for all-climate heat pumps.
Gov. Beshear also joined leaders at DHL, a global leader in mail, delivery and logistics, to view the company’s new $192 million project, creating a maintenance facility and new gates at CVG airport. In the past decade, DHL has made six major announcements totaling more than $470 million, creating more than 3,800 full-time jobs for Kentuckians.
‘Forward, Together’ Inauguration
The Governor and First Lady Britainy Beshear announced Kentucky health care workers and public school educators will serve as Grand Marshals of the Inauguration Parade, which commences Dec. 12 in Frankfort. The Governor said Kentuckians can attend the parade in person or watch the livestream. The Beshears also named the inauguration’s chair and co-chairs.
The Governor and First Lady also announced details for the inaugural worship service, where leaders from different faith traditions across the commonwealth will pray for all of Kentucky’s elected leaders. For more information on inaugural events and the inauguration poster contest, visit the inauguration website.
Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System Rollout
The Governor announced that the final phase of the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System, or KAVIS, will be rolled out in January to replace an outdated system. On Jan. 1, 2024, county clerk offices will not be able to process vehicle and boat registrations, transfer titles or issue license plates and disabled placards. Online vehicle registration will also be unavailable. The change will not impact driver license issuance at Driver Licensing Regional Offices.
The following week, batches of county clerks will resume services each day. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet expects the entire state to be back up and running by the end of the week. Kentuckians will benefit from efficiency and improvements under the new system, including more than 20 new special license plate designs promoting nonprofits. More information is available at drive.ky.gov.
Western Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky Housing Update
Gov. Beshear provided an update on housing efforts as the two-year anniversary of the Western Kentucky tornadoes approaches. The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund has raised more than $52 million to support recovery. Nearly $22 million of the funds raised have been committed to constructing or repairing 300 homes. To date, 154 home-building projects are completed, under construction or approved to start construction in nine counties in Western Kentucky.
The Governor also updated Kentuckians on housing efforts in Eastern Kentucky following the July 2022 floods. Seven high-ground communities will be home to at least 500 families. The Eastern Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund raised over $13.2 million to support recovery. Over $3.2 million from the fund is committed to building homes in high-ground communities, and $3.6 million has been committed to building and repairing individual homes. The fund has provided over $1 million for 14 homes in Breathitt, Martin, Owsley, Knott, Perry and Letcher counties.
Gov. Beshear also thanked the various organizations involved in helping build houses for Eastern and Western Kentucky families, including Homes and Hope for Kentucky, Habitat for Humanity, the Mayfield-Graves Fuller Center for Housing, Fuller Center Disaster ReBuilders, the Hope Initiative, Mayfield Graves Long-Term Recovery Group, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, Housing Development Alliance and Homes Inc., as well as the coalition of nonprofit builders, Housing Can’t Wait.
“From first light after the tornadoes in Western Kentucky and the floods in Eastern Kentucky, I promised that we would be there until every home and every life is rebuilt,” said Gov. Beshear. “It’s a promise we are continuing to keep.”
Winter Weather Week
The Governor signed a proclamation declaring Dec. 2 through Dec. 9 as 2023 Winter Weather Awareness Week to emphasize the importance of education about the risks of winter weather, further proving his administration’s dedication to the safety of Kentuckians. For more information and tips to prepare for the winter, visit ready.gov/winter-weather.
“We have overcome unimaginable weather events together, and I want to ensure we are prepared for whatever comes our way, such as snowfall, ice storms, freezing rain, tornados and extreme cold,” said Gov. Beshear. “By taking action, we can work together to be more prepared and more informed to help all Kentuckians during the winter season.”
Frankfort Christmas Parade and State Christmas Tree Lighting
Gov. Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear invited Kentuckians to view the Frankfort Christmas Parade and to join them on the South Lawn of the Capitol for the lighting of the state’s Christmas tree on Saturday, Dec. 9. For more information, see the full release.
Shop Local
The Governor encouraged Kentuckians to shop local and support small businesses this Christmas season. The Kentucky Main Street program recently launched the Peppermint Trail, encouraging community support for small towns, local businesses and artisans. Learn more at heritage.ky.gov. The Kentucky Arts Council has also launched a one-stop-shop website featuring gift ideas based on Kentucky artists and businesses. For inspiration, visit kentuckytourism.com/holidays.
“Our commonwealth is full of local businesses that make our communities unique, providing gift options you can’t find anywhere else,” said Gov. Beshear. “By supporting small businesses, more dollars remain in our local economies, and when our communities thrive, we create more opportunities for everyone.”
Train Derailment Update
Last week, Gov. Beshear declared a state of emergency following a train derailment in Rockcastle County. The Kentucky Emergency Management and the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s Response Team was joined by local firefighters, emergency responders, a CSX hazmat team, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 Emergency Response, the R.J. Corman Railroad Group and environmental consultants to assess environmental damage and contain the fire caused by the derailment.
Rockcastle County Judge/Executive Howell Holbrook Jr. declared a state of emergency and encouraged Livingston residents to evacuate. However, by Thanksgiving evening, residents were able to return to their homes. Excavation of the derailment site has now been completed, and track repair is ongoing. Air monitoring will continue during this cleanup phase, and CSX environmental consultants are performing precautionary surface water quality monitoring.
The Governor named those who were part of the response effort as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars. He thanked:
- State and Local Kentucky Emergency Management teams;
- CSX;
- First responders;
- Rockcastle County Judge/Executive Howell Holbrook Jr.;
- Rockcastle Public Schools;
- Pine Hills Church;
- Local restaurants who helped donate food; and
- Residents who offered access to their land to allow CSX to work.
“I want to thank everyone who was a part of this effort, especially the men and women on the ground who gave up being with their families on Thanksgiving to make sure that local residents were safe and protected,” said Gov. Beshear. “That is why these heroes are our Team Kentucky All-Stars this week. This was truly a team effort and another example of how we come together to help one another in times of need.”