In Kentucky, we can thank God for Mississippi -- again.

A child born in Kentucky is significantly less likely to succeed in life than children in most other states. So states the findings of an analysis released yesterday by the magazine, Education Week as the C-J has reported. The analysis, "Quality Counts 2007: From Cradle to Career: Connecting American Education From Birth Through Childhood", based its findings on 13 factors that highlight whether young children get off to a good start, do well in school and achieve educational and economic success as adults. Hurt by high poverty rates and low parental education and employment, Kentucky ranked 41st among the states, above Alabama, Mississippi and New Mexico. Here we go again thanking God for Mississippi!

Meanwhile in a BOLD and ABITIOUS move, U of L President Jim Ramsey is establishing this fall at the university the Cardinal Covenant -- a program designed to put college within reach of students of low income families who otherwise might not afford to attend college. GREAT move, Dr. Ramsey. Maybe, Kentucky can thank God for something else other than Mississippi.

On the political front, Billy Harper has filed papers to challenge Gov. Fletcher in the May primary. Harper, a Leadership Kentucky Graduate like myself, touted his pro education credentials, while acknowledging that "I’ve been running this campaign like I run a drag race. We’ve been doing so since October of last year". His opponent, the Gov., meanwhile reported raising $.5 million in the last quarter of 2006 for a total of $1.5 million -- an amount that's less than what Billy Harper has spent so far in the campaign. Following Harper to file for office today is Tim Coleman, a Commonwealth Attorney, who filed to run for Attorney General.