Kentucky Newsmakers 3/20: Fayette Co. Health Commissioner Dr. Joel McCullough; VisitLex Pres. Mary Quinn Ramer

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - On the latest episode of Kentucky Newsmakers, WKYT’s Bill Bryant talks with Fayette County Health Commissioner Dr. Joel McCullough and VisitLex President Mary Quinn Ramer.

After a two-year pandemic, COVID rules are relaxing and numbers are dropping. Lexington has had around 92,000 cases of COVID and around 600 deaths. Dr. Joel McCullough, the Fayette County health commissioner, has recently said things are obviously improving, but we have to be ready to respond to another spike or other challenges out there.

The commissioner has been on the job a little over a month and comes to Lexington after stints at the CDC, the Chicago Board of Health and most recently he ran the Spokane, Washington Regional Health District.

Dr. McCullough replaces Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, who delayed his retirement to deal with the pandemic. He joins us on Newsmakers to discuss the pandemic and more.

We know the pandemic took its toll on tourism numbers in Kentucky and countless events have been canceled over the last two years. But some also took advantage of the time to finish projects, retool and plan for the future.

Mary Quinn Ramer is president of VisitLex. She talks with Bill Bryant about the state of tourism in Lexington as we’re seeing fewer COVID cases and other things going on in central Kentucky.

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