• "State Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer hired his girlfriend as a 'special assistant' in his department during the waning days of the 2011 gubernatorial campaign, in which he was a candidate for lieutenant governor. According to the state Personnel Cabinet, Stephanie L. Sandmann was hired as a non-merit employee in the Department of Agriculture, to start work on Oct. 31, and is earning $5,000 a month, equal to $60,000 a year." [Courier-Journal]
   
• "Kentucky Tourism Commissioner Mike Cooper was suspended without pay for five days in July for failing to get authorized approval for a trip to London, England. Cooper, who held a key position in Gov. Steve Beshear’s 2007 inauguration and campaign, also was taken to task over travel expenses in a June 3, 2009, letter from Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Marcheta Sparrow." [Bluegrass Politics]
   
• "ear X-tacy will be open for 2 final days on Saturday November 26th and Sunday November 27th. Hours for both days will be 12 Noon - 5pm. We'd love to see all of you one last time at the store. Everything will be sold. Information regarding any discounts will be sent closer to time. We will be accepting cash, credit cards, and gift card." [Facebook via LEO Weekly]

Photo: Courtesy Kentucky Department of Agriculture