Category: Public Safety

Lexington traffic

STREET AND LANE CLOSURES FOR DECEMBER 5

 

Closures Scheduled from 9am to 3pm:

  • Tates Creek Road at Cooper Drive – One lane blocked at a time for traffic signal work.
  • Tates Creek Road at New Circle Road – Outbound right lane blocked for traffic signal work.
  • NEW: Tates Creek Road between Old Mt. Tabor Road and Lansdowne Drive – Possibly blocking the right outbound lane for gas line work.
  • NEW: W. Fourth Street between Henry Street and Newtown Pike – Left lane blocked for sewer line work.
  • NEW: W. High Street at S. Mill Street – Left lane blocked for construction.
  • Mellinocket Court between Cromwell Way and cul-de-sac – Northbound lane blocked for sewer line work.
  • Transylvania Park between Euclid Avenue and E. Maxwell Street – Southbound lane blocked for water line work.

Closures Scheduled from 9am to 4pm:

  • Mitchell Avenue between Southland Drive and Clays Mill Road – Road closed periodically for sewer line work.

NOTE:  Please see “Extended Traffic Impacts” for additional closures.

Last updated on 12/05/2011 at 08:40 AM

Lexington weather

Today
Rain Chance for Measurable Precipitation 100%
Rain

Hi 56 °F

Tonight
Rain Chance for Measurable Precipitation 100%

Rain

Lo 44 °F

 

Today: Rain. High near 56. South wind between 5 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tonight: Rain. Low around 44. North wind between 5 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Lexington traffic

Major Interstate Impact on I-75 Southbound at Northern Split: 

  • I-75 S is CLOSED at the 118 MM ramp due to a serious injury collision.  It is expected to remain closed until approximately 10:00am and possibly later.  Traffic being diverted onto exit 120 (Ironworks Pike) and I-64 W.  Motorists on I-64 W should expect significant delays in the area.

    •     STREET AND LANE CLOSURES FOR DECEMBER 1    

  • Appian Way between Reva Ridge Way and Millcreek Drive
  • Whitehall Place between Castleton Way and Greentree Road.

    • NEW: Closures Scheduled from 9:30am to 1:00pm on Newtown Pike:

  • Newtown Pike between Fourth Street and Glen Arvin Avenue – Inbound/outbound left lanes blocked for survey work.

    • NEW: Closures Scheduled on I-75 S from 9:00am to 3:00pm:

  • I-75 S between 118.5 and 117.5 MM’s – At least one lane blocked for bridge handrail repair.  One lane will remain open.

    • Closures Scheduled from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm:

  • NEW: E. Main Street between Woodland Avenue and Old Park Avenue – Outbound right lane blocked for cable work.
  • Parkers Mill Road at Versailles Road – Blocking one lane at a time for traffic signal work.
  • S. Limestone between Colfax Street and Montmullin Street – Outbound right lane blocked for sidewalk work.
  • Sir Barton Way between Grey Lag Way and Old Rosebud Road – Blocking the inside lanes for turn lane paving.
  • NEW: Tates Creek Road at Cooper Dr – One lane blocked at a time for traffic signal work.
  • Tates Creek Road at New Circle Road – Outbound right lane blocked for traffic signal work.
  • Tates Creek Road at Gainesway Drive – Blocking one lane at a time for traffic signal work.
  • Versailles Road at Mason Headley Road – Blocking one lane at a time for traffic signal work.
  • W. Fourth Street between N. Broadway and Jefferson Street – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
  • NEW: Corral Street between Eastern Avenue and Elm Tree Lane – Parking lane blocked for sewer line work.
  • Kenesaw Drive between Trent Boulevard and Abbeywood Place – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
  • Kenesaw Drive between Woodfield Circle and Brookshire Circle – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
  • Pimlico Parkway between Man O’ War Boulevard and Custer Drive – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
  • Scott Street between S. Upper Street and S. Broadway – Westbound lane blocked for water line work.
  • NEW: Transylvania Park between Euclid Avenue and E. Maxwell Street – Blocking one lane at a time for water line work.
  • NEW: Woodland Avenue between Central Avenue and E. Main Street – Northbound lane blocked for cable work.

    • Closures Scheduled from 9am to 4pm:

  • Mitchell Avenye between Southland Drive and Clays Mill Road – Road closed periodically for sewer line work.

    • Last updated on 12/01/2011 at 08:47 AM  

    Lexington traffic

    Regular traffic reports will resume Tuesday November 15 at 4:00 pm.  Please see below for street and lane closure information and note that all work is scheduled and subject to change.

    STREET AND LANE CLOSURES FOR NOVEMBER 15

     

    Closures Scheduled from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm:

    • E. Seventh Street between N. Limestone and Shropshire Avenue – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
    • E. Sixth St between Elm Tree Lane and N. Limestone – Closures as needed for milling/paving.

    Closures Scheduled from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm:

    • NEW: Jefferson Street at Tower Plaza – Blocking one lane at a time for sewer line work.
    • NEW: Newtown Pike between Citation Boulevard and New Circle Rodd – Inbound right lane blocked to replace utility poles.
    • Richmond Road between Fairlawn Avenue and Woodspoint Rodd – Outbound right lane blocked for construction.
    • S. Limestone between Gazette Avenue and Virginia Avenue – Inbound right lane blocked for sidewalk work.
    • Sir Barton Way between Grey Lag Way and Old Rosebud Road – Left lanes closed in each direction to install turn lanes.
    • Tates Creek Road at Gainesway Dr – Lane closures as needed for traffic signal work.
    • Versailles Roadat Mason Headley Road – Lane closures as needed on Versailles and Mason Headley for traffic signal work.
    • W. Fourth Street between N. Broadway and Jefferson Street – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
    • NEW: W. Short Street at N. Broadway – Eastbound lane blocked for water line repair.
    • W. Third Street between Jefferson Street and N. Broadway – Closures as needed for milling/paving.
    • Clays Mill Rodd at Lane Allen Road – Northbound lane of Clays Mill and westbound lane of Lane Allen blocked for pavement repair.
    • Desha Road between Slashes Road and Fincastle Road – Northbound lane blocked for tree removal.
    • Harrodsburg Road between Bob O’ Link Drive and Waller Avenue – Inbound right turn lane into hospital blocked for pavement repair.
    • Lane Allen Road between Pershing Road and Mitchell Avenue – Westbound lane blocked for pavement repair.
    • Mellinocket Court between Cromwell Way and cul-de-sac – Southbound lane blocked for sewer line repair.
    • Price Road at Georgetown Road – Approach lane blocked for sewer line repair.
    • NEW: Scott Street between S. Upper Street and S. Broadway – Westbound lane blocked to replace water main.

    NOTE:  Please see ”Extended Traffic Impacts” for additional closures.

    Last updated on 11/15/2011 at 08:59 AM

    Election 2011 Issues: Kentucky attorney gen. candidates on prescription drug abuse

    What Is the Difference Between Oxycodone & OxyContin? 

    Kentucky has a prescription drug abuse problem. In fact, according to a study released by Forbes in 2010, Kentucky ranks fourth in the “most medicated states”. West Virginia was first, followed by Tennessee and Alabama.

    Individuals from all walks of life; pre-teens to the elderly, rich and poor, those educated and those not are affected in some way by illegal use of prescriptions. The prescription drug problem in Kentucky is a hot-button topic for both the current attorney general,  Jack Conway and his 2011 opponent, Todd P’Pool.

    As attorney general, Conway has already instituted some changes to try to lighten the abuse of prescription drugs. According to his website, in 2009, Conway launched Kentucky’s first statewide prescription drug task force. His office also participated in the largest drug bust in Kentucky history and worked with Florida’s attorney general to ensure the state adopted an electronic monitoring program to stop the Florida drug pipeline.

    Most recently at a news conference at police headquarters in Lexington, as reported by the Herald Leader; Conway, along with Governor Steve Beshear and House Speaker Greg Stumbo announced three new initiatives to help get a handle on the epidemic of prescription abuse in KY.

    These initiatives include training sessions for the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure on using data gathered from the state’s prescription monitoring system to help pinpoint suspicious controlled substance prescription writing, a re-vamp of the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system and a series of educational clinics for pharmacists and health care providers to learn about prescription drug abuse and how to use KASPER more efficiently.

    P’Pool also has ideas on taming Kentucky’s rampant prescription drug problem. P’Pool believes in community and faith-based programs for addiction, as well as supporting the measures against abuse already in place, according to campaign manager David Ray.

    In a recent interview, Ray said that P’Pool was also for updating the KASPER system. P’Pool also supports “e-tracking”; monitoring the distribution of prescriptions in real time, possibly resulting in drug abusers being caught in the act of obtaining a prescription illegally, instead of days, months or weeks later.

    The last measure mentioned by Ray was P’Pool’s support of a lifetime ban from buying pseudoephedrine (a main ingredient found in crystal meth) if one is convicted on a methamphetamine manufacturing charge.

    Both candidates recognize the dire straits Kentucky is in with regard to prescription abuse. Regardless of who wins, Kentucky will have an attorney general who recognizes the problem and has given possible solutions to said problems. Being ranked fourth is usually a positive thing; unfortunately for Kentuckians, this isn’t about the best beach. It’s about a state with people dying by the hundreds due to abuse of prescription drugs.

    Campus police seek library “foot stabber”

    Campus police issued a public warning about a man stabbing the feet of patrons at the W.T. Young Library early Monday evening.

    According to the UKNOW web site by University of Kentucky Public Relations, the UK police are investigating a fourth degree assault after two such attacks took place Monday at the library, the popular and centrally located study destination for undergraduate students on Hilltop Drive.

    The  UKNOW report gave this account:

    “At approximately 6:15 p.m. Monday, April 18, UK Police were notified of an incident that occurred in the basement of W.T. Young Library.  Since that time UK Police have learned of a similar incident that took place on the same day and location.  In both incidents the victims reported that the suspect crawled under the study desk and used an unknown object to puncture their feet.”

    Police are looking for a suspect who is described as a white male, 5’8″-6’0″, short hair (possible buzz hair cut), wearing a hat and bright orange shorts or shoes.  The suspect was last seen walking toward the vending machines in the library’s basement.

    Anyone with information relating to this investigation is asked to contact the University of Kentucky Police at (859) 257-1616 or #UKPD (#8573) from any cell phone.

    1st annual Sigma Pi fish fry

    image

    Members of Sigma Pi stand outside of White handing flyers for this Friday

    This Friday, April 22, the University of Kentucky chapter of Sigma Pi, will be holding its first anual fish fry in association with the university’s Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA).

    Members were standing outside of White Hall on campus handing out flyers to the students rushing by in the cold and wet weather hours after the latest tornado warning had passed.  The flyers provided those whose stomaches were attracted to the calls for free fish on Friday statistics on child abuse in Kentucky, such as:

    -Kentucky is #1 in the Nation in child abuse and neglect death.

    -Averaging more than 4 deaths per 100,000 children.

    -2001-2007: 210 children died. (41 in 2007 alone)

    -Every year, there are more deaths from child abuse than from cancer.

    -This is something that can be prevented now.

    Those that are interested in learning more information, supporting CAPA, or just looking for a way to fulfill their hunger in an atmosphere permeated with concern, are encouraged to attend the fish fry, Friday from noon until 6:30 PM at the Sigma Pi House at 364 Aylesford Place.

    TSA Pats Down a Kentucky 6-Year-Old Girl (w/ Video)

    How should Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screen young children that don’t understand what’s going on? It’s one of the most sensitive issues the TSA faces. It has upset parents and all walks of people who don’t agree this an acceptable way to “screen” children.

    Here is a family from Kentucky who were traveling through Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans last week. This video is causing a stir, and since it’s posting on YouTube on April 9, it has had over 100,000 views.

    The mom, Selena Drexel, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that they were returning from vacation when their daughter, Anna, underwent the pat-down. Anna’s father, Todd Drexel, said his daughter started to cry afterward.

    TSA spokesman Nicholas Kimball told AOL Travel News that the agency “has reviewed the incident and determined that this officer followed proper current screening procedures.” However, he notes the TSA is in the midst of planning changes in line with TSA Administrator John Pistole’s call for risk-based security screening. The agency said in a statement,”as part of this effort TSA has been actively reviewing its screening policies and procedures to streamline and improve the screening experience for low-risk populations, such as younger passengers.”

    But a congressman is questioning whether the incident seen in the video did in fact violate rules that call for a “modified” pat-down for children 12 and under. “This conduct is in clear violation of TSA’s explicit policy not to conduct thorough pat-downs on children under the age of 13,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security.

    This is not the first time that the TSA has been criticized and ridiculed for the mistreatment of children under the age of  12 and have said they will make no exceptions for any class of passengers.

    QUOTES COURTESY OF:  AOL – TIME WARNER and The American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

    Lexington Mayor Jim Gray Announces New “Businessman’s Budget” Plan

    Photo from the Lexington-Fayette County website

    Lexington mayor Jim Gray announced his budget proposal for the 2012 fiscal year Tuesday, calling it a “businessman’s budget”.

    “Today’s the day to face the facts,” Mayor Gay said.  ”Our city has serious financial problems…problems that are hard to fix, and painful to fix.”  Gray is hoping that his $271 million budget, will be the blueprint for reestablishing  and transforming government and returning to fiscal responsibility.

    “I confess, I see the city’s budget through the eyes of a businessman,” Gray continued, “We need a budget that positions our city to come out better and stronger on the other side.”

    The mayor’s office said this will be the fourth year in a row where General Funds receipts will drop or remain flat, an unfortunate trend that has occurred only one year prior to 2009.  Calling former Lexington mayor Jim Newberry’s 2011 budget a failure, Gray said that “, he said, “A year ago we were presented with a budget plan that relied on one-time revenue…”

    The proposed 2012 budget includes:

    -No new taxes; one new fee – for reimbursing the city when 9-1-1 is called, a ambulance is sent, but no one is taken to the hospital.

    -The lay-off of 28 employees in Government Communications.

    -No lay-offs in the Police and Fire Departments, and no new hires.

    -Reducing the General Funds personell costs by $11.8 million, through the lay-off and abolishment of 218 unfilled or vacant positions.

    -Suspending the Mayor’s salary for six months.

    -Closing Berry Hill and Constitution pools, both underperforming.

    -Closing Meadowbrook Golf Course which has been loosing $80,000 a year.

    -$3 million for the resurfacing of roads through federal and state funds.

    -$30 million for underfunded Police/Fire pension funds.