From the Courier Journal Editorial Board
Beshear Gets it

The American system of justice assumes that, once a person has paid the penalty for crime, it's in everybody's interest to help that individual integrate productively into society. Prosecutors should understand that, but some don't get it.

It makes every kind of sense for Gov. Steve Beshear to have restored voting rights for 790 felons and to have streamlined the needlessly obstructive process that Gov. Ernie Fletcher used for qualifying. Only Dr. Fletcher had put up such barriers to voting and running for public office.

To call what Mr. Beshear has done "partial pardons" is to encourage misunderstanding, and to rouse an overreaction by those who prefer revenge to rehabilitation. The 790 who have had some rights restored have fulfilled all their sentencing requirements. And what the Governor has done will not erase their records or enable them to own weapons.

Mr. Beshear has shown extra concern for the views of prosecutors, by giving them an extra two weeks to object to any proposed restoration of rights. And 56 applicants have been turned down, based on what prosecutors have said.

It wasn't big news when Dr. Fletcher restored rights to at least 50 murderers during his term, and it's no cause to wring hands when Mr. Beshear's actions include at least eight murderers.

Tough-minded Jefferson County Commonwealth' s Attorney Dave Stengel got it right. "I was opposed to what Fletcher did to start with." So were we. And we agree with Mr. Stengel that Mr. Fletcher's actions looked like "a thinly-veiled attempt to disenfranchise people or keep them disenfranchised."

The justice system should not be exploited for partisan advantage.

Giving convicts a stake in decent society, and its democratic processes, is not only the just thing to do but the smart investment to make.

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth is hiring 9-14 Electoral Organizer positions across the state to help conduct groundwork and empower voters.  Each are eleven-week positions building long-term power leading up to Election Day. 

To learn more and apply, see the job description online.

Please pass this along to anyone you know who might be a good fit for the position.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal, by Stephenie Steitzer and  Tom Loftus

790 felons can vote again

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Steve Beshear has restored the voting rights of 790 felons after streamlining the process implemented by his predecessor, Ernie Fletcher. Beshear said in March that he was eliminating steps Fletcher imposed, including requiring felons to obtain three recommendations and to write a letter saying why they deserved to have their rights restored.

"As governor, I have re-instituted the process that previous governors — with the exception of Gov. Fletcher — had used to restore felons' rights," Beshear said.

Those rights include the right to vote and to run for public office, said Les Fugate, spokesman for Secretary of State Trey Grayson.

The restoration does not erase convicts' records or permit them to own weapons.

Fletcher restored the rights of 1,098 felons during his four years as governor, according to Grayson's office.

That compares to 7,254 convicts who had their rights restored under former Gov. Paul Patton — the first governor in modern times to serve two terms — and 1,536 under former Gov. Brereton Jones.

Beshear said his policy still requires confirmation that a felon has fulfilled all sentencing requirements. In addition, he is extending to 30 days, from 15, the time given prosecutors to object.

"So far 56 applicants have been turned down based on the input from prosecutors," he said. "At the same time, those whose rights have been restored have served their time and paid their debt to society."

Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland said he doesn't oppose restoring the rights of offenders who have "served their time and re-entered society and (are) working and leaving their old life behind."

that seems to try to play on people's fears of former felons. 

We encourage members to take this opportunity to  write letters to the editor in response to either stories!

After a two week delay, the KFTC Congressional Mountaintop Removal tour finally got off the ground and into the air to view mountaintop removal operations in Central Appalachia last Friday.  Congressman Ben Chandler (D- Kentucky) and Chariman Norm Dicks (D-Washington), the Chair of the  Interior and Environment Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee which oversees the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), came on the tour to gather facts about the practice of mountaintop removal and consider what budget implications the Appropriations Committee may need to consider for the OSM. Both are co-sponsors of the federal Clean Water Protection Act that KFTC members and ally groups have been actively lobbying for in D.C. this year.

Two weeks ago, KFTC members were let down at the Hazard airport when the Congressmen did not arrive, because the OSM plane they were scheduled to fly in on was reported to have a dead battery.  This time, the Congressmen arrived on time and were met by KFTC Chairperson Doug Doerrfeld and several KFTC members.

We think it speaks to how serious the problem has become that Congressman Chandler and Chairman Dicks have made the trip from Washington to see for themselves how pervasive the abuse of the mining industry has become on KY's mountains, forests and streams and the people.

-Doug Doerrfeld, KFTC Chairperson

This was the first Congressional fact finding tour on the issue of mountaintop removal and KFTC members involved felt that  they were successful in  educating the Congressmen about the affects mountaintop removal is having on the land and people of Eastern Kentucky.  The tour also earned a front page article in the Lexington Herald with several quotes by KFTC members. 

The Tour

On their flight to Hazard from D.C., the Congressmen were accompanied by the Director of the OSM, Brent Wahlquist and KFTC Director Burt Lauderdale. The group flew over several MTR sites in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky to view large operations and sludge impoundments as well as sites like golf courses and federal prisons that the OSM had requested to show as "reclamation."

Upon arriving at the Hazard Airport the Congressmen had a brief meet and greet with KFTC members and then took an hour-long flyover accompanied by KFTC member Sara Pennington from Knott County and representatives from the OSM.  Sara had a lively debate with OSM officials during the flight and reports that the Congressmen were moved by the scale of the devastation.  Upon landing, Chairman Dicks told reporters, "I do think the question of sustainability comes up and what the consequences of the impact of this is on the environment."

The Congressmen are committed to following up and continuing their investigation on the affects mountaintop removal  with KFTC members.

Take Action

KFTC is asking that you leave messages on the Capitol Message Line (202-225-3121) for Rep. Ben Chandler and Rep. Norm Dicks thanking them for taking an interest in this issue and for signing on as co-sponsors of the Clean Water Protection Act.  We also ask that you leave a message for your own Representative asking that they sign on if they haven't already. 

Read more about the tour in the upcoming issue of balancing the scales.

Pine Branch Coal Co. mountaintop removal mine ner the Hazard airport

Did you catch the news earlier this week? Gov. Steve Beshear wants a new state energy plan and he wants more mountaintop removal, more coal burning and possibly even nuclear energy to be part of that plan!

The same day this announcement was released the City of Louisville issued an air quality alert. And — if the day was like any other average day in Kentucky — two Kentuckians died prematurely because of complications caused by air pollution from coal-fired power plants, and another coalfield family lost their water well as a result of mining.

While much of the rest of the world works to wean ourselves from the dirtiest of all fossil fuels, our officials in Frankfort are embracing coal — including mining it in the most destructive way possible. It is hard to believe that this is what Kentuckians want. In fact, we know it’s not. We need your help in convincing Gov. Beshear that this is the wrong path for Kentucky.

Starting last night in Pike County, Gov. Beshear began a series of town hall meetings throughout Kentucky. Over the next five weeks the governor will hold a dozen more such meetings. We hope that at every stop KFTC members will be there to challenge the governor on his misguided policies, that not only include his active promotion of mountaintop removal but also:

-- the horrible budget he proposed earlier this year that included massive cuts for education, human services and environmental protection;

-- his failure to support the restoration of voting rights for former felons legislation until it was too late in the session to do any good;

-- his administration’s blocking of efforts to expand the goals of Kentucky’s economic development programs to include reducing poverty and inequality, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, and conserving the integrity of Kentucky's natural and cultural heritage.

ACTION:

Kentuckians want and expect better. We hope all KFTC members will make an effort to attend one of the town meetings below and speak out about these and other issues that concern you.

The “Beshear About Kentucky” tour includes:

• July 21 – Somerset: Somerset High School
• July 24 – Winchester: George Rogers Clark High School
• July 28 – Ashland
• July 31 – Madisonville
• August 5 – Shepherdsville
• August 6 – Bowling Green
• August 11 – Owensboro
• August 12 – Hazard
• August 13 – Northern Kentucky
• August 18 – Henderson
• August 19 – Murray
• August 20 – Paducah

All events will begin at 6:00 p.m. local time. However, the governor’s office is not releasing the location of each gathering until a few days prior. You can call the governor’s office at 502-564-2611, check his web site and we will put it on the KFTC calendar as soon as we know.

There are other actions you can take:

1) Call the governor’s office (502-564-2611) and leave a message that more mountaintop removal and more fossil fuel dependence is wrong for Kentucky. He should oppose these practices, not embrace them.

2) Write a letter to the editor about any of these issues that most concerns you — coal, energy, budget, voting rights, accountable economic development. Help create a public conversation that will move Kentucky forward by investing in a better future for all Kentuckians.

THANKS for taking action!

Fifty KFTC members gathered at the Hazard Airport on Saturday awaiting a visit from Congressman Chandler and the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment,  Norm Dicks, of Washington State.  They  were on their way to Eastern Kentucky on a fact finding tour to learn more about the impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining.  However, they were unable to make the tour because the plane they were flying in on from Washington DC, a plane operated by the Office of Surface Mining, had a dead battery the morning of their flight.  The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment has jurisdiction over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Office of Surface Mining (OSM).

"They'll set it up again and we'll be here again" - Dolvin Rattliff, Floyd County

After learning that the Congressional Tour was not going to happen, the fifty community members that had come out to greet them quickly organized a press conference and turned the disappointment into a great event.  Members shared stories.  Rep. Don Pasley came out and participated in the press conference and told the crowd, "We need to praise you, citizen activists, for raising these important issues."  Ann League of SOCM came from Tennessee on her birthday to be a part of the day and to speak on behalf of the Alliance For Appalachia.  Her message for the press that this is a regional issue affection all Appalachians and the grassroots groups in the region are working together on solutions.  Dr. Matt Wasson of Appalachian Voices gave a presentation to the group on the most recent scientific findings on mountaintop removal that was informative and compelling.  Members shared lunch and spoke with members of the press present.

Even though we are frustrated and disappointed that Chandler and Dicks were not able to be here, it was still a veery good experience because we were able to come together to share stories, learn about what's going on in different communities and gain information on the most current scientific research.  We're leaving today more knowledgeable and motivated

- Sara Pennington, Knott County Member

Chandler and Dicks say they are committed to coming to Kentucky and are working to rescheduling their visit.

From the Lexington Herald-Leader Sunday

Flight to examine effects of mining canceled

HAZARD — Two congressmen planned to tour mountaintop mining sites Saturday and speak with residents living deep in the central Appalachian coalfields, but canceled the trip after their plane wouldn't start.

U.S. representatives Ben Chandler and Norm Dicks intended to fly over dozens of mining sites in West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky in what Chandler's office described as “a fact-finding trip.”

Chandler's spokesman, Jim Creevy, said the trip was canceled because the plane's battery was dead. A main switch was left on overnight, and it would have taken three hours to recharge the battery, he said.

The congressmen were scheduled to fly from Virginia to the Wendell H. Ford Airport in Hazard.

Dozens of Appalachian residents and members of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, a social justice group that opposes mountaintop removal, gathered at the Hazard airport prepared to share their experiences and speak to the congressmen against mining.

The trip would have been especially significant because Chandler was bringing Dicks with him.

Dicks, D-Washington, chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee that has oversight of environmental matters, giving him a great deal of clout in such issues.

His visit would have been the first time a member of Congress in such a position has traveled to Kentucky to view large-scale surface mining and meet with opponents.

Creevy said Chandler has promised to reschedule the flyover, but he did not indicate when.

“Congressman Chandler has been trying to bring this issue to attention,” said Denis Fleming, chief of staff for Chandler, a Democrat from Versailles. “He's concerned about it.”

See the complete Herald Leader Story Here.

Other reports:

"Mountaintop removal trip sabotaged?"  - The News and Tribune

"Congressional tour of mountaintop mining canceled" - Associated Press

"Broken News: Reps Dick, Chandler mysteriously grounded" - Daily Kos

UK KFTC members and friends are organizing a "Wizard Rock" concert later this month, with national bands inspired by their love of Harry Potter.  We're using this fun occasion to register voters and encourage people to be involved in politics and to make their communities better.  Come join us!

It's not magic... but grassroots organizing sure can change our communities for the better.  

Today's Herald Leader had an op-ed by a former miner about the devastating impact of mountaintop removal on the rivers and streams of Appalachia.  Go read it if you have a moment.

When I visit relatives in Big Stone Gap, Va., I love to stop at Roaring Branch. There are steps that lead up to a wonderful spot overlooking the highway.

If it's 95 degrees and 95 percent humidity on the road, it is always 20 to 25 degrees cooler up there, just like walking into air conditioning. There is always a very good flow of water, even in times of drought; it is clean, clear and unpolluted. I would say it is even safe to drink — at least it was.

I was shocked and completely dismayed by what I found on a recent trip: Roaring Branch no longer roars.

You can read the full article here

A few articles of note

at JCTC due to budget cuts.  Here's an excerpt:

Jefferson Community and Technical College plans to shut down its high school equivalency testing center -- the largest in the state -- at the end of the year, saying state funding cuts make it impossible to continue.

Closing the center -- which operates testing sites in Jefferson and surrounding counties -- means thousands of Louisville-area residents, many of them with limited resources, would have to travel to take the exam for a General Educational Development diploma, or GED. The nearest center is in Shelby County.

And with one in four working age adults in Kentucky lacking a high school diploma or GED, that's more bad news for a state trying to strengthen its economy by improving the education level of its workers.

And it's very bad news for all of the people in Jefferson County who are working for an education.  The article highlights a single mother who's been studying for her GED, and who is worried about being able to access a testing site if the Louisville site closes. 

Another article about the growing lack of access to higher ed in Kentucky from the Herald-Leader, Cost of college on lawmakers' minds.  The article points out,  "Tuition at Kentucky's public universities and community colleges has shot up an average of 12 percent a year over the last five years, which is about four times the rate of inflation and the growth of the state's median family income.

Here's another interesting excerpt:

The legislative subcommittee hopes to determine precisely what's causing the diminishing affordability of a college education. 

Hmm.  Did they notice those budget cuts that they delivered? 

Our online registration form for our big Statewide Voter Empowerment training with Jobs with Justice is now up and running.

You can also learn more and see the agenda on our online calendar event listing.