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Madison County learns from guests, engages in great annual chapter meeting

Posted by: Beth Bissmeyer on July 1, 2013

Pie. Diversity. Relationships. Students. Growth. Beards. This might not seem like typical conversation fodder for a KFTC chapter meeting, but these topics served as just some of the highlights for the Madison County KFTC annual chapter meeting, held the evening of June 24.

Madison County 2013 Annual Chapter Meeting

Members spent the first half of the meeting conducting necessary business, including petitioning to remain a chapter, electing people to the Steering Committee and Executive Committee, and discussing KFTC’s platform, which they felt should be updated to better address concerns about the transportation of fossil fuels and fossil fuel by-products. The chapter also took time to celebrate work they’ve done so far this year, having already raised $1,600 in chapter fundraising, but held off on making new goals, saving that instead for the July chapter meeting when there is more time for discussion.

Wilderness Trace hosts successful Barn Bash

Posted by: Beth Bissmeyer on July 1, 2013

Wilderness Trace 2013 Barn Bash

Lots of good planning and plenty of hard work culminated into a highly successful and fun first-annual Barn Bash for the Wilderness Trace KFTC chapter. On Saturday, June 22, nearly 80 people, including members and new friends, gathered at Woodwind Farm in Junction City for an afternoon of good music, good food, and good company, all in an effort to raise money and raise awareness about KFTC’s work.

Lee Ann Paynter, one of the members who helped found the chapter, spoke to the crowd about why she joined KFTC and cares about our work. “When I was moving from California back to Kentucky, I decided I wanted to do something good for the state. After I got online and learned about KFTC, I joined and became a sustaining giver sight unseen because I felt what they were doing was that important.” She then encouraged everyone to be sure to join before they left. 

Shelby County KFTC holds great chapter annual meeting

Posted by: Lisa Aug on June 28, 2013

Platform additions opposing fracking and supporting animal rights highlighted Shelby KFTC's annual meeting Wednesday.

Pat Greer noted that KFTC's current platform covers underground mineral rights, but doesn't mention hydraulic fracturing, which poisons water supplies and affects more people than surface owners.

Appalachian residents heard in report to the United Nations

Sally Dunne, Loretto
Posted by: KFTC on June 25, 2013

The voices and stories of Appalachian residents, including KFTC members, were shared recently with the United Nations Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals.

Special Election TOMORROW

Posted by: Dave Newton on June 24, 2013

56th District map from the Lexington Herald-LeaderThere is a special legislative election tomorrow (Tuesday, June 25th) in the 56th House District, which covers Woodford County plus parts of Franklin and Fayette Counties. 

If you live in the district or think you might, please visit KFTC's election website at www.KentuckyElection.org to learn about candidate stances, find voting location information, and more.  And whether you live in the district or not, please share this link with people who do live in the district - through email, Facebook, and more. 

In the last few weeks, KFTC members have sent out a mailing to thousands of likely voters, collected candidate responses, promoted our website heavily, brought people out to the candidate forum, and have held phone banks to follow up with people we know in the district. 

Unfortunately, turnout is often low in special elections, but KFTC members vote and the election might be decided by just a few votes, so each one matters.  

For KFTC members and friends who live in or near the district can get involved in some final election events today and tomorrow:

- Final Phone Bank - Monday, June 24th from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.  We'll be calling from the Central Kentucky KFTC Office at 250 Plaza Dr. Lexington, KY 40503.

- Election Day Field Work - Tuesday, June 25th from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. with a base location in Versailles in order to encourage people to go to the polls, direct voters, hold signs, run a sound car, and maybe even offer folks a ride to the polls. Let us know if you'd like to volunteer with us.

And again, please visit and share the link to www.KentuckyElection.org

Energy for Change rally draws more than 2,000

Posted by: KFTC on June 22, 2013

KFTC members joined more than 2,000 others in Louisville on Thursday for the Energy for Change: Interfaith Action for Clean Energy and Healthy Communities rally.

"It matters little where we live … dirty energy is polluting our air and water," said Mark Steiner of Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light told the crowd, many of whom were in Louisville from across the country for the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly. "Dirty energy is making us and making our children sick."

Activist Tim DeChristopher said he grew up in West Virginia where people live with "fear under the oppression of the coal industry." But he was able to overcome his fear "when my actions aligned with my sentiments.

Secretary of State meets citizens in Madison County

Posted by: KFTC staff on June 21, 2013

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes held her final town meeting last night in Madison County, and KFTC members were there to talk about expanding voting rights and ways to increase voting.

Nelson County folks tell Williams, Keep your pipeline out of our Bluegrass

Posted by: Kentuckians For The Commonwealth on June 20, 2013

Stories, maps, reports of safety violations, photos of the destruction from gas line explosions. Nelson County residents were eager to share with each other at this week’s fiscal court meeting.They were building the case against the so-called “Bluegrass Pipeline.”

The representatives of Williams, the company trying to cut through Kentucky with the Bluegrass Pipeline, seemed unprepared for the research, preparation, and passion that Nelson County folks brought. Nearly 100 attended to learn more and let their fiscal court representatives know how they feel about the pipeline proposal.

Building power and having fun in Wilderness Trace

Posted by: Beth Bissmeyer on June 20, 2013

Since becoming an official chapter last September, the Wilderness Trace chapter (representing Boyle, Mercer, Garrard, and Lincoln counties) has been hard at work contributing to KFTC’s statewide issue campaigns and making their presence known in the community.

Vice Presidential Debate, Centre College 2012

Wilderness Trace made quite a splash last fall by registering 58 new voters at Bluegrass Community and Technical College in just two days and playing an active role in the Speaker's Park at the Vice Presidential Debate at Centre College. Several members spoke, including Daniel Morgan, Lee Ann Paynter, and Preston Miles, sharing their personal stories, while other members staffed a KFTC information table.

After the election, members kept momentum going with their first chapter fundraising event in December with the No Greater Task: Art and Activism poster show at V the Market in Danville, where they recruited several new members and raised more than $900 for the organization, making it one of the most successful poster show events across the state.

Water testing workshop planned for Floyd County

Posted by: Jessie Skaggs on June 19, 2013

Advanced Water Testing Workshop

On Saturday June 22, from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, KFTC will offer the second of four additional water testing workshops planned for this year as part of the ongoing Community Science and Public Health project. At this workshop, which will be held in Floyd County, we will learn how to do basic tests of local streams, learn how to get others in your community involved, and learn about other water quality issues we face in the mountains. We will spend a portion of the day out in streams, practicing what we’ve learned and testing local water sources.

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