In 1931, the town found new life when the state built a bridge at Gratz to connect Owen and Henry counties. Eight years ago, the 1,100 foot long bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Author: Tony McVeigh
Veteran broadcast journalist Tony McVeigh has been covering Kentucky politics since 1986, reporting for Clear Channel Communications before joining Kentucky Public Radio in 2004.
His stories are aired by seven KPR affiliates, whose signals blanket the Commonwealth and parts of surrounding states.
McVeigh began his broadcasting career at WRFC in Athens, Georgia, while earning a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Georgia.
He has extensive anchor/reporter experience, including stints with South Carolina Network and Georgia Radio News Service in Atlanta.
In 2007 and 2008, McVeigh was named Best Radio Reporter in the Kentucky Associated Press Awards. He also picked up consecutive AP Awards for Best Political Coverage. McVeigh won four Kentucky AP Awards in 2009, six in 2010 - including Best Political Coverage and Best Hard News Feature - and three in 2011.
His coverage of the 2007 Kentucky governor's race topped the Political Reporting category of the Society of Professional Journalists Green Eyeshade Awards of 2008. In 2009, McVeigh placed second in Courts and Law Reporting in the Atlanta-based competition for journalists in 11 Southern states.
McVeigh is also the proud recipient of an Individual Liberty Award from the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
The Brunswick, Georgia, native is a die-hard UGA football fan who enjoys photography, astronomy, live music, hiking Kentucky's Red River Gorge and exploring the state's beautiful back roads. McVeigh and his big, fat, black cat Simon, reside in Frankfort, KY.
Education Commissioner Receives Positive Review
A year ago, he was the 2009 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year. Now, after one year on the job as Kentucky’s Education Commissioner, Terry Holliday is getting rave reviews from the State School Board.
Medicaid Smoking Cessation Benefit Now Available
Lawmakers appropriated $1.5 million per year for the program, which will be matched by federal funds. Tonya Chang of the American Heart Association says the money will go a long way.
Paul Calls For Term Limits For Some Federal Agency Chiefs
Paul says federal agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency, have too much power. He says the EPA is an “out of control bureaucracy that needs to be restrained.”
Expiration Date Arrives For Lethal Injection Drug
The state’s last dose of sodium thiopental has expired, and until a new supply of the barbiturate can be obtained, there can be no executions in the commonwealth.
Instant Racing Debate Moves To Lexington
In July, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission unanimously approved regulations allowing Instant Racing at the state’s eight horse tracks. Instant Racing allows bettors to place electronic wagers on previously run horse races. Before the regulations go into effect, the public gets to weigh-in on them.
Lobbyists Continue To Spend Big In Frankfort
From the beginning of May to the end of August, 20 companies and organizations spent nearly $800,000 lobbying Kentucky lawmakers.