Published: November 06, 2008 09:12 pm      

Local Briefs

Valley View ferry closed at least through Nov. 16

The Valley View ferry, which was closed and taken out of the water Oct. 25 for maintenance and repairs, will remain closed at least through Nov. 16.

Madison County Magistrate Roger Barger, who chairs the three-county commission that operates the ferry, said repairs are taking longer than expected.

When repairs began, the commission expected them to be completed in two weeks.

“Now it looks like the ferry will be out three weeks or longer,” Barger said.

Metal parts that have been repainted have to dry before other steps can be started, and the cool weather has slowed the drying process, he said.

“We apologize for the delay and appreciate ferry users’ patience,” he said.



Medicare drug plan costs to increase 30 percent

Next year, average monthly premiums for Medicare prescription drug insurance plans will increase more than 30 percent, according to information provided by the Richmond Senior Center. Plans also may change co-payments, add restrictions or even drop coverage for some medications.

Participants in Medicare Part D, may select a new prescription drug plan for 2009 during the open enrollment period, Nov. 15 to Dec. 31.

For help in choosing one of the 48 available plans, free Part D comparison and enrollment sessions will be conducted at the senior center, 1215 W. Main St., from 1 to 4 p.m., on four Mondays, Nov. 17 and 24 and Dec. 1 and 8.

Participants should bring their Medicare card and a carefully printed list of all their medications, including dosage (mg) and quantity used per month.

Forms to enter the required information are available at the senior center.

Those with limited income and resources may qualify for “Extra Help” in paying for prescription drugs. If you think you may be eligible, visit the senior center on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m., access Social Security’s Web site: socialsecurity.com or call 624-5714.



Second Friday Reading features Kentucky writer Steve Flairty

BEREA — The Berea Arts Council and WaysMeet Healing Art Center will present a reading by Kentucky writer Steve Flairty at November’s “Second Friday” event at the Berea Arts Council, 116 N. Main S.

The program begins at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, and will feature reading and discussion by Steve Flairty.

Flairty describes himself as “a chronicler of Kentucky life and one who hopes to uplift others through inspirational writing.” He will be reading from his latest book, “Kentucky’s Everyday Heroes: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things.”

Flairty graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1975 with the first in three different degrees in education, then taught in Kentucky’s public schools in Clark and Fayette counties for 28 years. He retired in 2003 in order “to expand his classroom” by becoming a full-time writer. He is now a senior correspondent for Kentucky Monthly and also has published another book, “Tim Farmer: A Kentucky Woodsman Restored” (2005).

He currently is working on a follow-up to the Heroes book.

There is no admission charged, but a donation of $5 is encouraged to help support the work of the sponsors. For more information about the Second Friday program, contact the Berea Arts Council at 985-9317 or visit www.bereaartscouncil.org.



Author/psychology professor to present Chautauqua lecture

The next lecture in Eastern’s Chautauqua Lecture Series, “Freedom: A Force Against Ignorance and Tyranny,” will feature author and psychologist Carol Gilligan.

Gilligan will present “Freeing an Original Voice: A Challenge of Education” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in O’Donnell Hall in the University’s Student Services Building.

Her book, “In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development,” challenges psychology’s misperceptions of women’s motives, moral commitments, views and psychological growth. Gilligan has also written or co-written several other books and publications.

In 1997, Gilligan received the Heinz Award for her knowledge of the human condition and her challenges to change previously held assumptions about human development and what it means to be human. In 1992, she received the Grawemeyer Award of Education and was named one of Time Magazine’s 25 most influential people.

Gilligan earned her doctorate in social psychology from Harvard, where she taught for 35 years before joining New York University’s faculty.

For more information about the Chautauqua series, call program director Bruce MacLaren at 622-1503.



EKU Theatre presents ‘Cabaret’ Nov. 19-22

Tickets for the Eastern Kentucky University Theatre production of “Cabaret” will go on sale Monday.

The play, based on a book by Joe Masteroff with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, will be presented at 8 nightly Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 19-22, in the Gifford Theatre of the Campbell Building.

Tickets will be available at the Gifford Theatre Box Office through Nov. 21. Student and senior citizen tickets are $6 and other adults, $8. The box office will be open noon to 4 p.m. weekdays. To reserve tickets, call 622-1323.