When is sunrise?

Question: At what time is sunrise considered sunrise - I see the sunlight coming in my window yet the sunrise time (posted during the weather report) is still many minutes away?

Answer: According to Joe Ammerman, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Louisville: Sunrise is defined as “when the leading edge of the sun passes the horizon.” Which horizon is used to set the time is decided by the U.S. Naval Observatory. For Lexington, it is longitude W84.5, latitude N38.1. Go to The Naval Observatory website to check this information from locations across the United States and the world. The naval observatory website also states “the actual times depend on unpredictable atmospheric conditions that affect the amount of refraction at the horizon. Thus, even under ideal conditions (e.g., a clear sky at sea) the times computed for rise or set may be in error by a minute or more. Local topography (e.g., mountains on the horizon) and the height of the observer can affect the times of rise or set even more.”

Possible Disc Golf course at Masterson Station Park

Question: I would like to know how to go about getting a Disc Golf course or tennis courts at Masterson Station Park. If I need to send a letter to someone with this suggestion, who do I contact?

Answer: Either your councilperson or the city parks director can take requests before the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board, which makes decisions on park improvements.

I spoke with your Council District 2 Representative Tom Blues. He says to call him with your ideas at 258-3217 or 425-2276. He can present your plan to the advisory board.

He also said a member of the Masterson Station Neighborhood Association is on the advisory board and that you could contact them with your request.

I also spoke to Jerry Hancock, the city’s director of parks and recreation. He says that plans for tennis courts or a Disc Golf course at Masterson Station Park are not in the current master plan. But he says that disc golf courses are increasingly popular, relatively cheap to build and park plans can change if a need is justified.

Hancock said to put your request in writing to either him or your councilperson with as many facts as you can: demand for the course (how many people you know are clamoring for the course), the need for a park in closer proximity to where you live and any other fact that you think may sway the board. You can reach him at 425-2255.

Currently, both Shillito Park and Veterans Park have Disc Golf courses.

Linda Niemi

Dome shaped buildings at airport

Question: Flying into Bluegrass Field, I noticed two dome shaped buildings near the airport fire Station. What is their purpose?

Answer: Blue Grass Airport spokesman Brian Ellestad says that the dome shaped buildings are used to store sand for winter operations, specifically for use on runways and taxiways.

Linda Niemi

$2 handling fee for motor vehicle registration

Question: The Fayette County Clerk’s office charges $2 postage and handling fee to renew motor vehicle registrations by mail. Stamps are currently forty-one cents. What is involved in handling that adds to this excessive charge?

Answer: To answer this question, I spoke with Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins. He says that the $2.00 charge is both statutory and mandatory by section five of KRS 186.020. And, he says, a lot of work goes into the handling of mail transactions. Clerk office staffers spend a lot of time contacting people who don’t fill out the forms correctly or completely.

186.020 Registration requirement — Application for registration — Application and other documents to be sent to Transportation Cabinet — Renewal by mail — Extension of renewal period for military personnel stationed outside United States.
(5) At least forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of registration of any motor vehicle previously registered in the Commonwealth as provided by KRS 186A.035, the owner of the vehicle shall be notified by mail on the same notice required by KRS 134.805(5) of the date of expiration. In addition, the department shall provide appropriate forms and information to permit renewal of motor vehicle registration to be completed by mail. Any registration renewal by mail shall require payment of an additional two dollar ($2) fee which shall be received by the county clerk.Nonreceipt of the notice herein shall not constitute a defense to any registration related offense.
Effective: April 25, 2006

And, don’t forget – on May 12 the cost of a stamp goes to forty-two cents.

Linda Niemi

Ownership at Hamburg Place development

Question: Do the Maddens still own the land that Hamburg Place sits on? Who owns the buildings? Are the roads in the shopping center maintained by the city?

Answer: Hamburg Place has several arrangements for leasing and ownership, said Pat Madden, spokesman for the corporation. In some cases, retailers own their sites. In others, they own the land but lease the building. In still others, they lease both the land and the building. Roads are both private and public; the private roads are designated as such on the street signs and are serviced by the corporation. The city maintains the two major thoroughfares, Sir Barton Way and Pink Pigeon Parkway, according to the city Streets and Roads department.

Linda Niemi

Kentucky’s beer sweepstakes law

Question: Last month, Heineken Beer had a sweepstakes where you could win a TV. This month, Molson Beer has a free t-shirt giveaway. Both of these beer promotions excluded a few states, including Kentucky. Why can’t Kentucky residents participate in beer company giveaways?

Answer: Virginia Davis, staffer at the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Office (ABC), had the answer to your question. She says that according to state law KRS 244.500:

Kentuckians can enter national beer sweepstakes as long as the beer manufacturer is running the sweepstakes, unless rebates, price discount coupons, or brand-related novelty items are given to consumers based on certificates found in malt beverage (beer) packages or point of sale materials.

But beer distributors are not able to run sweepstakes in the state. Some of the beer distributors falling under this rule include River City Distributing Inc., Clark Distributing Co. and the Anheuser Busch Distributing Co., etc.

Here is the law covering beer sweepstakes:

KRS 244.500 Malt beverage premium prohibition — Exceptions.
(1) No person holding a license to sell malt beverages shall offer or give anything tangible of value as a premium for the return of caps, stoppers, corks, stamps,wrappers, coupons, or labels taken from any bottle, case, barrel, or package containing malt beverages or to offer or give anything of value as a premium, gift, or prize for any purpose in connection with the sale of malt beverages.
(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to the return of moneys specifically deposited for the return of the original containers to the owners; nor shall subsection (1) of this section prohibit brewers, wholesalers, or distributors from giving anything of value as a premium, gift, or prize to wholesalers, distributors, or their
employees in connection with sales incentive programs.
(3) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to brewer-sponsored national sweepstakes in which major prizes, not including rebates, price discount coupons, or brand-related novelty items are given to consumers based on certificates found in malt beverage packages or on point of sale materials. Malt beverage distributors, retail licensees, and their employees shall not be eligible to redeem the certificates
or participate in the national sweepstakes.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not prohibit brewers, out-of-state brewers, wholesalers, distributors, or retail licensees from selling malt beverages packaged in or securely bundled with brand-related novelty items if the price charged for the packaged or bundled malt beverages specifically includes the cost of the brandrelated
novelty item.
Effective: June 26, 2007
History: Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 99, sec. 7, effective June 26, 2007. — Amended
1990 Ky. Acts ch. 359, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1990. — Amended 1982 Ky. Acts
ch. 104, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982. — Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1,
effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 2554b-206.

Linda Niemi

Gas prices not rounded to nearest cent

Question: Why do gas prices end in .9? Why isn’t the cost rounded either up or down a penny? And, when did this pricing practice begin?

Answer: Your answer comes from Cathy Landry, media representative, American Petroleum Institute:

That question is one that comes up from time to time, and we’ve tried to research how retail pricing to the 10th of a cent began. API is not an expert in retail marketing strategy, and we’ve not been able to find any specific information to answer this question. But we can offer a bit of background. The competitive nature of marketing, particularly in retail gasoline marketing which is one of the most highly competitive markets of any kind, is likely a key factor.

According to a book published in 1966 by Harold M. Fleming, entitled “Gasoline Prices and Competition,” “on the large volumes of gasoline sold by wholesalers and retailers, even the smallest per gallon reduction in expenses is of major importance.” Fleming states, “in such a bulk business as gasoline, a few mills (a mill is one tenth of a cent) mean a lot to everybody–suppliers, jobbers, dealers and independent marketers.” Another factor in this type of retail pricing may have been the 1933 increase of the federal gasoline tax from one cent per gallon to one and a half cents per gallon. That half cent per gallon could have encouraged the retail price competition that included pricing down to the mills or tenths of a cent.

Demand today, of course, is much higher than it was in 1966, making Mr. Fleming’s statement an even stronger point today. There are nearly 170,000 retail gasoline outlets in the U.S., most of which are independent businesses. Because retail gasoline marketing is a highly competitive business, wherever a marketer can cut costs to offer a savings to customers, in order to compete for their business, it is only prudent to do that. Therefore, competition in this high volume business is one factor that likely led to this pricing structure for gasoline which has continued decades later.

We have also been asked why the price isn’t rounded off. That’s a retail marketing decision for each marketer. But competition at the retail level seems to keep that from happening. Economically, because this is a high volume market, rounding off the price in either direction could have a huge impact on wholesalers, retailers, and likely even tax revenues. I hope this offers at least a little perspective. The pricing strategy is not different than pricing of any other commodity that we buy at our local grocery stores.

Linda Niemi

When will yellow bikes hit the road again?

Question: Whatever happened to the yellow bikes of the summer of 2007? Are they ALL gone?

Answer: Your answer comes from Phil Holoubek, a member of the board of directors of Yellow Bikes LLC, which oversees the program:

The bikes are garaged for the winter.

2007 ended with 60 of the original 80 bikes being retained. That’s a 75% retention rate, much better than the 50% retention rate reported by other cities with a bike program.

May is National Bike Month and Holoubek says the yellow bike board is waiting until then to bring out the bikes.

Also, the yellow bike program will be much improved this year and details of the improvements will be released along with the bikes in May.

Holoubek says the first year of the bike program was a huge success and 2008 should be even better!

Linda Niemi

Gillispie answers his own e-mails

Question: Does Billy Gillispie answer his own e-mail or does someone do it for him?

Answer: The answer comes from Jay Blanton, UK spokesperson:

“I’m told he answers his e-mails”.

Linda Niemi

Radio program simulcast

Question: Why does WVLK-AM 590 keep referring to itself on-air as “WCYN-Cynthiana”?

Answer: A spokesperson for WVLK-AM 590 says that Cumulus Media owns both stations and broadcasters mention on air that programs are being simulcast on WCYN-Cynthiana.

Linda Niemi