Kentucky gov touts economy, resilience after tragedies

By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Andy Beshear has told a statewide audience that Kentucky’s future is brighter than ever before. The governor touted the state’s record economic gains in his annual State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday evening. The speech came as the governor heads into a tough election year as he seeks a second term in Republican-leaning Kentucky. Beshear urged lawmakers to pump more money into education. He proposed awarding public school teachers a pay raise and achieving his goal of universal access to pre-kindergarten learning. And he called for additional funding to shore up the state’s troubled juvenile justice system.