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ASHLAND This past January, Gov. Andy Beshear arrived in Ashland to announce $4.1 million in funding for infrastructure improvements. On Monday, he returned to the region to present five more awards totaling more than $3.9 million to Boyd County.
The first award of $1.38 million went to Highlands Museum and Discovery Center on Winchester Avenue.
“Today we get to announce more than $1.3 million for the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center,” he said while standing inside that museum. “This project I got to see first-hand. They are gonna renovate a historic building downtown to create a state-of-the-art center for children; they are also adding history and art galleries.”
Kim Jenkins, Executive Director of Highlands, smiled from ear to ear while bragging about the project.
“What a tremendous occasion for all of us,” Jenkins said. “It’s going to be an amazing thing.”
The second award of $1.32 million went to Ashland Community and Technical College. Beshear said the funds will be used to create a Health Science Simulation Training Laboratory.
“It sounds very high-tech,” he said. It would benefit the health sciences program and serve as a training facility for current employees of King’s Daughters Medical Center, he said.
Larry Ferguson, President of ACTC, said he is grateful for this investment in the college, specifically in the community.
“It allows the opportunity to have a state-of-the-art world-class simulation lab for all of our allied health programs,” he said. “You may not know it, but we produce more nurses than any other entity in the Tri-State.”
The third award of $750,000 went to Kentucky Product Development Initiative.
Amanda Clark, External Affairs Manager of Kentucky Power, said she is thankful for multiple people helping to make the grant possible.
“Having this property back in the hands of EastPark is a true testament to what Ashland regionalism looks like,” she said. “If It wasn’t for the five county judges, EastPark board, KPDI, Kentucky state legislatures and the governor, we would not be here”.
The fourth award of $436,794 will be used to help fund road resurfacing of Daniels Fork road.
Beshear said, “These funds help make sure our roads are safe and smooth for our families as you drive to work — or your kids to school — or to church.”
Boyd County Judge-Executive Eric Chaney said, “It affects two counties — this will go from Boyd County to Greenup County. It is definitely a good thing”.
The fifth award $20,000 will be going to the city of Ashland for a single-day event to allow Ashland citizens to remove hazardous waste from their homes.
Matt Perkins, Mayor of Ashland, said every year the city tries to set up a cooperative day with Boyd County to get rid of hazardous household waste.
“It’s a small amount of money, but it’s a huge impact on our environment,” Perkins said. “We are excited to see this happening.”
Gov. Beshear expressed gratitude to the museum for hosting the event and said he believed Ashland will continue to grow and prosper.
“I got to start coming here when my dad was Governor,” he said. “Investing back then in a very special facility where my family and I marked many important occasions, so let’s thank them for hosting us today.
“I sense a community here and the willingness to get big things done,” Beshear said. “That’s why families keep choosing Boyd County and that’s why major companies are going to be choosing you all, too.”
Beshear told The Daily Independent he expects plenty of positive results from the grants issued.
(606) 326-2657 |
ajohnson@dailyindependent.com
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