Gov. Beshear talks drug epidemic grants, bourbon and blood donors

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor Andy Beshear provided an update on economic development; grants to fight the drug epidemic; highway safety and National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Officials note First Lady Britainy Beshear also provided an update on the Team Kentucky Saves Lives blood drive and named everyone who has given blood during the emergency shortage as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars.

Economic Development
Gov. Beshear highlighted September as National Bourbon Heritage Month. Since the start of the Beshear-Coleman administration, the commonwealth has seen more than 100 bourbon- and spirits-related projects, representing over $4.3 billion in new investments and nearly 1,800 new full-time jobs. The Governor was joined by Wally Dant, president and distiller at Log Still Distilling, and Jacob Call, Western Kentucky Distilling’s COO and master distiller, to celebrate the bourbon industry’s success in Kentucky.

“We have about 55,000 visitors per year to our distillery and we expect that to double over the course of this next year,” said Dant. “The reason I think we’ve been as successful as we have been is due to the Governor and the way he operates as a leader. He works to collaborate with private businesses to allow us to flourish in a great environment.”

“Since our ground-breaking in November 2022, we’ve hired 26 full-time employees, we’ve made 60,000 barrels of bourbon, and we recently laid out our plans for our new bottling facility ,” said Call. “None of these things would have been possible without the support of the Governor’s office. When he say’s Team Kentucky, it really is Team Kentucky.”

Justice Assistance Grants
Gov. Beshear announced that his administration is awarding $1.7 million in grant funding to 12 local and state agencies to fight drug trafficking and create safer communities. The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants will allow Kentucky’s law enforcement, drug task forces and nonprofit organizations to purchase critical resources, provide drug prevention programming to community residents, offer counseling to crime victims, ensure officers receive specialized training and work with individuals leaving incarceration for successful reentry skills.

According to this website , some of these agencies with connections to the Tri-State are:

• The Kentucky State Police
• The Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force

Highway Safety
Gov. Beshear shared positive trends related to highway safety. So far, in 2024, Kentucky has seen a 15% decrease in fatal automobile crashes. Over the last two years, seat belt use has increased 3.4%, according to the Kentucky Transportation Center at UK, including recent gains in rural counties that can be attributed to the successful High Five Rural Seat Belt program sponsored by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“While I wish we didn’t lose anyone on our roads, these numbers are encouraging because they’re not just numbers. We’re talking about fewer people mourning lost loved ones, and fewer people recovering from or living with serious injuries sustained on Kentucky roadways,” said Gov. Beshear. “We need to keep moving forward until we reach zero – zero deaths, zero injuries. We don’t want any families to experience losing someone to a roadway crash, most of which are preventable. So, remember to buckle up, and put the phone down.”

Driving and road safety tips can be found here .

National Child Passenger Safety Week
Gov. Beshear reminded Kentucky parents and caregivers about the importance of correctly buckling kids in the right car seats for their age and size during National Child Passenger Safety Week, which is recognized from September 15 to 21. This annual awareness campaign aims to make Kentucky highways safer by encouraging safe practices. The National Highway Traffic Administration reports that 46% of car seats are misused across the United States.

“Our children are our most precious cargo, and as a dad, I know parents and caregivers want to do all they can to keep their kids safe,” said Gov. Beshear. “Simple practices like checking to make sure your kids are in the right seats and are buckled up every trip is a small step that can make a big difference.”

To find out more about checkup events, where professionals can check your child’s seat to make sure it’s installed correctly, and car seat resources, go here and click the “Safety Programs” tab.

Team Kentucky All-Stars
First Lady Britainy Beshear provided an update on the Team Kentucky Saves Lives blood drive and named everyone who has given blood during the emergency shortage as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Stars. Thursday morning, the Governor and First Lady donated blood in the Capitol Rotunda.

“I’m proud to say that Team Kentucky answered the call to donate blood once again,” said Mrs. Beshear. “This morning, Andy and I rolled up our sleeves to donate and people from across state government and the Frankfort community joined us. We are naming each of today’s donors as this week’s Team Kentucky All Stars. You all are living out our values – making sure we can take care of our neighbors in the moment they need us most.”

For information about these drives and opportunities to donate blood across the commonwealth, visit this website .

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