Devin Katayama

Rep. John Yarmuth, a Democrat representing the Third District, will serve on next year’s House Budget Committee and the House Education and Workforce Committee.

In a statement, Yarmuth says the committee assignments will allow him to continue working on middle class issues that reflect fairness and shared responsibility.

The Education and Workforce Committee oversees federal programs at all levels of education and its expected to take up legislation to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law next year.

The "soft opening" of the Big Four Bridge, which is being converted to a pedestrian and bicycle pathway, will be delayed until late January or early February, according to a news release sent by the Louisville Waterfront Development  Corporation.

The issue, said the release, is "due to a holdup in the fabrication of the railings for the bridge. The balance of the railings for the bridge will not be received until mid-January, and installation could take several weeks. As safety is of utmost importance, the bridge cannot be opened until all railings are installed."

Mayor Greg Fischer's office has announced six new retailers for the South Fourth Street corridor in downtown Louisville -- citing a study that says downtown has thus far reached only 52 percent of its retail sales potential.

The announcement Thursday was touted as a successful public-private partnership between the city, business owners and the Louisville Downtown Development Corporation, which commissioned a market study that showed "you can double your retail potential downtown if its done right," said Alan DeLisle, executive director of LDDC. 

Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore has apologized for a personal incident that occurred at city Tuesday, which led to police being called. 

Moore told the media Wednesday he wants to put the matter behind him.

According to a statement Moore read to media, he and his wife, Vicki Moore, are getting a divorce. Moore also provided media with the police report that was filed, which tells the complete recounts from both Mike Moore and Vicki Moore's perspectives.

In the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings last week, a few reports have surfaced in Kentucky and now in southern Indiana regarding allegations of student threats.

On Tuesday, police arrested a Jeffersonville High School student after investigating a rumor circulating around the school system, said Greater Clark County Schools officials.

The following are excerpts from a statement released by GCCS.

Gov. Steve Beshear has signed an executive order to create the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics, which officials say solidifies his commitment to data gathering across various agencies.

The center will replace and build upon Kentucky’s P-20 Collaborative, which has kept similar information related to education and beyond. This includes linking high school and college data and the center may eventually help determine if schools are meeting the state’s workforce demands.

Gov. Steve Beshear joined local officials in announcing two companies that have chosen to relocate their headquarters in downtown Louisville from Indiana.

The companies are expected to add 100 “top-level” jobs, according to a press release sent out by the governor’s office.

Indatus and sister company Mocura—both owned under ownership of ICIM Corporation—will relocate headquarters in a historic building on East Main Street, which previously housed the headquarters of Four Roses Bourbon.

Turfway Park will begin piloting a substance abuse program for licensed racetrack workers next year, which officials hope can extend to other tracks around the state.

“That’s our intent is to have a program in place that will be effective at all the racetracks in Kentucky,” said Richard Riedel, executive director of the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund, which is paying the $5,000 cost to pilot the program.

The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommitee approved the Kentucky Department of Education’s new restraint and seclusion policy proposal Monday.

Kentucky is one of several states that don’t have a state law governing restraint and seclusion in schools so it's up to KDE to set that policy.

The changes would increase training and parent communication and allow restraint and seclusion of misbehaving students in cases of imminent threats.

Community leaders advocating for restorative practices in Jefferson County Public Schools are urging Superintendent Donna Hargens to support pilot programs in schools that have expressed an interest.

Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together, or CLOUT, hosted a seminar at Spalding University on Monday with over 30 community leaders including six JCPS principals. The group discussed how Louisville could implement restorative practices in schools and the community.