The city of Russell Springs was recently awarded $1,000 in "Let's Paint the Town" funds to go toward paint and awnings that will be used for the ongoing revitalization of downtown, according to Russell Springs Mayor Hollis DeHart.

"We're going to start at the stoplight on Main St. and go down the street," DeHart said of the upcoming painting job. "When we're finished with downtown I feel everyone will real pleased."

The mayor said it was the city's intention to completely redo downtown.

"It'll take some time," he said. "In the next few days we're going to pour some more concrete and do some more stamping. We'll be getting back to work."

Tour Southern and Eastern Kentucky (TOUR SEKY) celebrated National Tourism Week Tuesday, May 12, with "A Region Under Construction".

The luncheon event was held at the center for Rural Development in Somerset. More than 200 guests, including mayors, judges and tourism officials took part in the celebration. Mrs. Cynthia Rogers and Miss Redbud Madison McCowan were also in attendance.

During the event, TOUR SEKY awarded funds through its "C.I.T.Y" and "Let's Paint the Town" downtown revitalization programs. The C.I.T.Y. program is intended to assist southern and eastern Kentucky downtowns in attracting people to live, work, shop and play. The program has secured more than $600,000 for revitalization efforts in the region's downtowns. C.I.T.Y eligible projects include downtown/streetscape master plans, facade improvements and landscape projects, among others.

Let's Paint the Town" is a community based program to clean up, paint and revitalize communities in southern and eastern Kentucky. Annually, projects will be eligible for the program with funding of as much as $2,000 each. Some of the eligible projects under the program include new windows, signage, awnings planters and murals. These opportunities are available through the efforts of Congressman Hal Rogers.

For more information about National Tourism Week, or how you can get involved with TOUR SEKY, contact Michelle Spencer 606-6747-6142 or mspencer@tourseky.com.