Humana will share the wealth from tax cut with new incentive pay, boosted minimum wage

 by Grace Schneider, Louisville Courier Journal – The healthcare insurer will offer employees 55 and older who meet certain requirements an early retirement package. Mary Ann Gerth/Courier-Journal/USA TODAY Network Humana will extend the offer new incentive pay and increase its minimum wage for employees, a move that it credited to federal tax reform. A note sent…

Ethics commission has a copy of Hoover’s secret sexual harassment settlement

by DANIEL DESROCHERS, [email protected] –  FRANKFORT — A prosecutor for the Legislative Ethics Commission has a copy of a secret settlement that four Republican House members made with a legislative employee who accused them of sexual harassment. Garry Adams, an attorney representing the former legislative employee, said the prosecutor had already obtained the settlement when Adams met…

Kentucky ‘adoption czar’ leaves post midway through 1st year

by The Associated Press – FRANKFORT, KY — Kentucky’s “adoption czar” has left Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration seven months into his appointment, without explanation. The Courier-Journal reported Monday that a Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokesman said the state contract with Daniel Dumas had been terminated. He didn’t provide more details, and Dumas didn’t respond…

Anti-Hunger Efforts Underway In Kentucky

By ASSOCIATED PRESS –  The McConnell Center at the University of Louisville is starting its latest lecture series with a discussion about hunger in Kentucky. The center says state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles will give a free, public talk on the subject on Jan. 24 at the Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium on the UofL campus.…

Saving money or stacking the deck? Kentucky weighs getting rid of separate election for governor, top officials

by DANIEL DESROCHERS, [email protected] –  FRANKFORT — Since 1895, Kentucky has elected its constitutional officers in odd number years. The legislature is hoping voters will change that in 2018. Legislators have proposed two bills, SB 4 and HB 2, that would change the constitution so Kentuckians would vote on the constitutional offices, like governor and attorney…