From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighKentucky Gov. Steve Beshear is moving some of his top aides around, as he prepares to enter the second half of his first term.Larry Hayes of Louisville has been Gov. Beshear’s right-hand man ever since Beshear’s election in November 2007. When he assumed office, Beshear made Hayes his Executive Cabinet Secretary, the same post Hayes held with former Gov. Martha Layne Collins.Since last September, Hayes has also been serving as interim Secretary of the state’s Economic Development Cabinet and Beshear is now making the appointment permanent.It’s a substantial increase in pay for Hayes, who will be making $250,000 a year. He currently makes around $136,000.Replacing Hayes as Cabinet Secretary is State Budget Director Mary Lassiter, who will also remain budget director. Lassiter will make around $150,000 a year.Lassiter has been a state employee for more than 25 years and has served four governors.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.