All this NASCAR craziness can be a good thing, I think. It’s certainly the most important thing to happen in the state’s economic development world in a while, and it’s fun to see local newscasts taking it seriously. It looks like WHAS-TV’s Claudia Coffey is having a little too much fun up there in Sparta.
Other than that, the best story in today’s news is that Chip Woolley, the trainer of Derby-winner Mine That Bird, got himself in trouble for pissing next to a slot machine at an Iowa casino. Obviously, he wasn’t thinking, and was drinking, but he should have known there is no corner in a casino that doesn’t have a camera focused on it. Woolley, however, provides a lesson for anyone in P.R. — when you screw up, admit it publicly and move on. Here’s what he told the Paulick Report:
“I messed up. I know I did, and it’s something that will never happen again. It’s a regrettable situation. I went and met with the Prairie Meadows people, and we’ve gotten it taken care of.”
Not that’s a darn good apology.
State Moves Forward on Health: Big news out of Frankfort yesterday was that Gov. Beshear awarded Medicaid contracts to three companies, saying it would save taxpayers lots of dough ($97.5 million). Oveshadowed was the positive news that Mark Carter has been promoted from interim to permanent CEO of Passport Health.
Line Up: I hear the lines down at Sixth and Cedar for Ford applications rival the ones we saw at the Fairgrounds for American Idol tryouts.
New Name, Same Stuff: City government has a new name for its troubled “Housing and Family Services” department. It’s now “Community Services and Revitalization” and includes someone whose job it is to make sure everything being done is transparent, including the awarding of grants. That, of course, is what got Jerry Abramson into one of his biggest scandals.
Norton Commons Anew: I went out to Norton Commons yesterday to preview what they’re doing for Homearama, which starts July 16. Now I want to live there.
We ARE all that: Yes, there’s a PulseoftheCity Facebook page, where we give away stuff, like tickets to this weekend’s Blues and Barbecue Festival. You gotta Like us. I’ll see you at the Water Tower Saturday.
Bats Lose Cozart: Bittersweet? Zach Cozart has been the Bats’ shortstop for the last few years, and yesterday got the call to The Show. And he got a hit in his debut with the Reds last night. The Bats host Indy again tonight, and you get get a beer for buck if you get there early.
And on Monday: Don’t forget that our bi-monthly Breakfast of Champions event is Monday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Kevin Connelly, director of the Center for Non-Profit Excellence, will be our speaker. Bring $15 and be there bright and early at 7:30 a.m.
