Rupp Final Report Issued

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The Rupp Arena Arts and Entertainment District Task Force's final report was issued Tuesday morning. It proposes a $250 million to $300 million overhaul of the Lexington Center, including Rupp Arena, the 35 year old home of the Kentucky Wildcats, the Lexington Convention Center, the Civic Center Shoppes and the area around it. There's no specific plan for paying for the project although the report does offer general guidelines for financing it, involving a mix of local, state and private funding. University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart applauded the effort applied to Lexington's proposed entertainment district and renovation of Rupp Arena. But echoing UK's administration, he said UK's campus needs must be a higher priority.

Filing Deadline Extended

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday, postponing Kentucky's election filing deadline for a week while he decides the constitutionality of new legislative districts in the state. House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover applauded the judge's decision to delay the filing deadline and to schedule a hearing Monday to look at evidence in the case.

Gambling Debated In Kentucky

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Tuesday, Governor Steve Beshear accused Senate President David Williams of "intimidations and threats" against pro-gambling lawmakers seeking to get a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that could legalize casinos in Kentucky. Williams fired back that the governor "has been untruthful." Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, the likely sponsor of the amendment, is working with Beshear on the expanded gambling issue. Beshear said he believes Senator Thayer has been the subject of intimidation. Thayer told reporters that he isn't easily intimidated, but that someone had tried, though he wouldn't identify that person. Thayer, a former thoroughbred racing executive who now works as a consultant to the horse industry, has been taken to task by gambling opponents who claim that he has a conflict of interest in sponsoring a gambling bill. Thayer disagrees, as does the Legislative Branch Ethics Commission which issued an opinion Tuesday saying he has no conflict.

MSHA Unveils Surface Mine Safety Initiative

{Washington, D.C.}...The Mine Safety and Health Administration unveiled its latest "Rules to Live By" initiative Tuesday. MSHA chief Joe Main says 11 of the 14 regulations relate to surface mining. The need to refocus enforcement efforts became clear late last year, when surface mine accidents caused five deaths in 41 days. Though 2011 was the second-lowest year on record for fatalities, Main says surface mines accounted for two-thirds of the total. He says operators need training to identify and correct hazards, and miners need training to recognize them. Starting April 1st, MSHA will retrain inspectors to more carefully and consistently evaluate violations that caused or contributed to a fatality.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Janet Davis, the mother of a Fayette County jail inmate who died last summer, says in a wrongful death lawsuit filed Tuesday in Fayette County Circuit Court that officials failed to give 26 year old Anthony Dwayne Davis prescription medication for a congenital heart condition. Davis died June 25th at University of Kentucky Medical Center, where he was taken after being found with no pulse at the jail's medical unit. He was jailed June 19th on charges of first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of a controlled substance.

House Passes "Green Cleaning" Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...By a 92-4 vote, the Kentucky House has passed legislation to promote the use of "green cleaning" products in schools. Democratic Representative Jim Gooch of Providence spoke against the bill, saying it was part of "an agenda to scare people." Gooch says the bill would promote products that are probably more expensive and probably not any better than those being used now. Democratic Representative Carl Rollins II of Midway, the bill's sponsor, says the bill doesn't cost anything and is not a mandate for the schools.

Beshear Sees Support For Casinos

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Senator Damon Thayer is expected to file a casino gambling bill in coming days. Governor Steve Beshear said Monday he believes there are 23 senators who would vote for offering a constitutional amendment on casinos, but he stopped short of saying his plan will pass the Republican-majority Senate. A leading opposition group, the Family Foundation of Kentucky, has said the casino bill would be dead if not filed by last week. On Monday, it called on Beshear to identify people working on the plan with him. Friday, Senate President David Williams, who opposes expanding gambling in Kentucky,  said the votes could be there to approve a casino amendment in the Senate but it depended on the wording. Williams says, if there is an attempt to give monopolies to private companies (referring to racetracks) because they have certain licenses or any attempt to earmark casino revenues, it would probably face difficulties passing in the Senate.

Prescription-Drug Abuse Summit Set

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...Kentucky's top federal prosecutors will hold a daylong series of meetings Wednesday in Lexington to discuss dealing with widespread prescription-drug abuse in Kentucky. The summit, conducted by U.S. Attorneys Kerry B. Harvey and David J. Hale, is the first of its kind in Kentucky. The event, at the University of Kentucky, is being conducted with UK's schools of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. The state ranks near the top nationally in measures of prescription-drug abuse.

Paul Files Candidacy Papers In Kentucky

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Monday, Presidential hopeful Ron Paul became the third Republican to officially enter Kentucky's May 22nd primary election. The campaigns of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich had previously filed the necessary paperwork in the secretary of state's office. Because of the timing of Kentucky's primary, presidential nominees typically are decided before Kentucky voters have their say. But, the state could be important in an especially close race.

Judge To Rule On Filing Deadlines

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd says he will rule by the end of business Tuesday on the House Republicans' request for a temporary injunction to delay Tuesday's filing deadline for state legislative candidates. Monday, the House voted 95-0 for an extension allowing lawmakers more time to work out a congressional redistricting plan after the Senate approved the measure 25-0 Friday. House Republicans filed a lawsuit last week challenging the constitutionality of newly drawn legislative boundaries that they claim favor Democrats. Judge Shepherd said Monday that, if he does postpone the filing deadline for candidates wanting to run in this year's House and Senate elections, it would likely be done by issuing a temporary restraining order that would remain in place at least until a full evidentiary hearing is held. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says he's hopeful the matter can be resolved this week.

Current/Former State Employees Agree To Fines

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Executive Branch Ethics Commission has reached settlements with four current and former state employees. Former Kentucky Department of Agriculture Director Danita Fentress-Laird agreed Monday to pay a $1,500 fine after acknowledging she used her position to influence superiors to create an hourly position that she arranged to have herself assigned to. As a political appointee of former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, Fentress-Laird was fired by Commissioner James Comer, who took office at the first of the year. The ethics commission also fined former state park business manager Robert Habig $500 for using his position to rent for boats at lower rates on Lake Cumberland. Former conservation officer Bradley Lowe agreed to pay a $2,500 fine for using his position to order drinks at a bar for his teenage daughter. And Grayson County Property Valuation Administrator Roger Tomes agreed to a $1,000 fine for violating nepotism rules.

Drug Testing For Welfare Recipients Unlikely To Pass

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Legislation that would require welfare recipients to be tested for drug use is gaining popularity among Kentucky lawmakers, and more than 50 have signed on as co-sponsors. State Representative Lonnie Napier, a Lancaster Republican who has been pushing the measure for the past two years, says businesses typically require employees to pass a drug screening, so why would welfare recipients not be held to the same standard? So far this year, measures have been introduced in 24 states that would require testing of people receiving temporary assistance to needy families. In 14 states, the proposals would require testing of people receiving any type of welfare assistance, including food stamps. Representative Tom Burch, chairman of the House Health and Welfare Committee, says he didn't allow a vote on the proposal in his committee last year, and he has no intention of relenting this time around.

Election Filing Deadline May Be Extended

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky lawmakers are working to postpone Tuesday's congressional election filing deadline for a week after the House and Senate failed to agree on a redistricting plan. Friday, the Senate voted 25-0 to set a new deadline of February 7th. The House is expected to vote on the new deadline Monday. The House and Senate have differing plans for redrawing lines around the state's six congressional districts. Redistricting occurs every 10 years to account for population changes reported in the U.S. Census. The latest count showed a population decline in rural areas, forcing redistricting to ensure the state's congressmen represent an equal number of people.

Man Pleads Not Guilty To Attempted Murder

• {Catlettsburg, Kentucky}...Thomas Keith Biederman, 51, of Russell, Kentucky, in Greenup County, pleaded not guilty Friday in Boyd County Circuit Court on charges of attempted murder and use of a weapon of mass destruction...a pipe bomb. Biederman is charged with trying to kill his wife, Janie Biederman, by placing a pipe bomb in her car July 28, 2011. The bomb exploded in an Ashland parking garage. She was treated at King's Daughters Medical Center and released after sustaining cuts and burns. Judge George B. Davis III set bond in the case at $150,000 and scheduled a trial for June 25th.

Jensen Withdraws As Anti-Meth Bill Sponsor

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Friday, State Senator Tom Jensen, R-London, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, withdrew as sponsor of a bill that would require prescriptions to obtain some cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in making meth. During a floor speech in the Senate, Jensen said he heard that some media and blog reports were alleging that he, as an attorney, represents Operation UNITE, an anti-drug task force backed by U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, R-Somerset. Jensen said he does not represent Operation UNITE but did do some legal work for the agency eight or nine years ago, but that had nothing to do with his introducing Senate Bill 50. Jensen says the legislation is needed to save lives, and he will continue to push the legislation in his committee, but Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, will take over as its sponsor.

Big Blue Slam...Kentucky Wins!

(Lexington, KY)- It's a slam dunk! The Cats beat the Gators 1,854 to
1,826 in the 4th annual Big Blue Slam.

"It's great to know we can count on the Big Blue Nation to not only
beat Florida but save lives, too. The blood donated this week will touch
the lives of thousands of Kentuckians. Thanks to everyone who
participated," said Martha Osborne, Executive Director of Marketing &
Recruitment for Kentucky Blood Center (KBC).

Big Blue Slam is a friendly blood collection competition between
Kentucky and Florida fans and KBC and LifeSouth Community Blood Center
in Gainesville. The Wildcats take on Florida in Rupp on Feb. 7 and again
in Gainesville on March 4.

Kentucky now leads the rivalry 3 to 1.

Casino Collapse Injures Workers

{Cincinnati, Ohio}...Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors were in Cincinnati where about a dozen construction workers were injured in a collapse at the Horseshoe Casino Friday morning. Cincinnati's fire chief says a crew was pouring concrete when a support beam gave way, sending the workers tumbling 30 feet to the ground. Bethesda North Hospital officials say one injured male worker had been downgraded from fair condition. Others were left with broken bones, bumps and bruises. A check of federal records shows the general contractor overseeing the casino project has a clean safety record with OSHA since 2006 when it was penalized for four violations and paid a $3,100 fine. Developers of the Cincinnati casino say work won't resume until the construction team and authorities say the site is safe. The $400 million casino is being developed by Rock Gaming in partnership with Caesar's Entertainment.

Governor Acts On Bridge Accident

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced the immediate review of options for restoring the US 68/KY 80 bridge, formerly known as Eggner's Ferry Bridge, over the Tennessee River after a five-story high Delta Mariner carrying space rocket components from Decatur, Alabama to Cape Canaveral, Florida struck the span Thursday night, leaving a 300-foot wide gap. Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock visited the area and talk with local officials about the investigation, alternate routing and the impact on nearby communities. Sam Sacco, a spokesman for the ship's owner and operator, Foss Maritime of Seattle, said the Coast Guard inspected the vessel and interviewed crew members. Sacco said the boat was not severely damaged, and some of the crew remained on board Friday to ensure the cargo was safe. Beshear says the bridge carries 2,800 cars every day, and we were very fortunate that no one was on the span at that time.

Dispute Headed To Court Of Appeals

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Hours before they were supposed to release hundreds of pages of records on child abuse deaths and serious injuries in Kentucky, Governor Steve Beshear announced Thursday the Cabinet for Health and Family Services has decided to take their dispute to the state Court of Appeals. On November 30th, Beshear called a news conference to announce that the state would drop its lengthy legal battle with the state’s two largest newspapers, The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader, to keep records confidential and would comply with Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd’s orders to release them. Despite the appeal, the cabinet plans to release the first batch of records Friday, with redactions deemed necessary “to protect the best interests of the state's child welfare system.

Fort Campbell Soldier Seeks Lawsuit Dismissal

• {Elizabethtown, Kentucky}...Brent Burke, a Fort Campbell soldier sued for wrongful death, says he did not kill his estranged wife, Tracy Burke, or her former mother-in-law, Karen Comer at Comer's home in Rineyville in 2007. Burke, who has spent more than four years behind bars after being charged in the fatal shootings, is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed. The Hardin County prosecutor took the case to a jury twice, but both trials ended without a verdict. After the last mistrial, the Army filed charges against him. Burke's general court martial is scheduled to begin next month.

Pedestrian Killed

• {Pineville, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police say 62 year old Alma Jean Brown of Middlesboro was pronounced dead at a Pineville hospital Thursday morning shortly after being hit by a car and then by a sport-utility vehicle while walking in the middle of the southbound lanes of U.S. 25E about a mile south of Pineville around 7:00 A.M.

Lawmakers Warned Of Tuition Increases

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Council on Postsecondary Education warned lawmakers Thursday that students at Kentucky’s public colleges could face steep tuition increases over the next decade as state funding is slashed. Officials say tuition has more than doubled over the past 10 years, and, without changes, the cost of a college education would double again over the next decade, rising from $8,142 to $17,500 at research universities and from $6,373 to $13,600 at the regionals, while tuition at community colleges is on pace to climb from $3,750 to $8,400. House Education Subcommittee Chairman Arnold Simpson, D-Covington, said universities in other states are facing similar situations, and the state would intervene with efficiency measures before allowing tuition to climb so high.

Committee Approves Abortion Bills

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee approved two bills Thursday that would place more restrictions on women seeking abortions in Kentucky. One bill would require women to have ultrasounds prior to abortion. The other would clarify existing law by requiring women to have a face-to-face consultation with a physician, licensed nurse, physician's assistant or physician-delegated social worker prior to having an abortion. The ultrasound bill has been proposed for several years and has passed in the Republican-led Senate but has always failed in the Democrat-led House.

Senate Passes School Entrance Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a bill that has passed the Kentucky Senate Thursday by a 33-2 vote, children who are 5 years old by August 1st would be allowed to enter kindergarten. The legislation would change the date students must be 5 from October 1st to August 1st, but it would, however, allow parents or guardians of exceptional and gifted children who are younger than 5 to petition their school district's board to make exceptions. The bill also requires students to enter school if they will be 6 years old by August 1st rather than by October 1st. Senator Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, says that, under an amendment to the bill, it would not take effect until the 2017-2018 school year.

Beshear/Thayer Reach Gambling Agreement

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear said Wednesday he has reached an agreement with state Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, on the wording of a proposed constitutional amendment that would support casino-style gambling as a means to generate revenue for Kentucky's thoroughbred industry. Thayer, who supports casino-style gambling, says he will sponsor the measure in the Republican-controlled Senate. Beshear says he hopes senators will give the bill the full consideration it deserves. He says repeated polls show Kentuckians are demanding an opportunity to vote on the issue.

Lexington Mayor Unveils Rupp Arena Design

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...Tuesday, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray unveiled the design of a renovated Rupp Arena which includes a sleeker look, more seating and an eight-sided scoreboard over the middle of the basketball court. Gray said the design, by planner Gary Bates, replaces the outer industrial skin of Rupp Arena with glass, incorporates a new scoreboard, adds lower arena and premium seats and opens an entrance off Triangle Park. A task force charged with making recommendations about the future of the arena will give its final report to the public next week.

Committee Considers Execution Task Force

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Members of the House Judiciary Committee say a proposal to form a task force to study Kentucky executions will likely be dealt with during the current legislative session, but the details of who would be on the task force and how long executions would stop remain unresolved. The task force idea drew the backing of both death penalty supporters and opponents who heard testimony about how 64 percent of death sentences in Kentucky since 1976 have been overturned.

Romney/Gingrich Enter Kentucky Primary

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are the only two candidates, so far, to officially enter Kentucky's May 22nd primary election. Kentucky's filing deadline is next Tuesday. Republicans Ron Paul and Rick Santorum are expected to meet that deadline. Because of the timing of Kentucky's primary, presidential nominees typically are decided before Kentucky voters have their say. But the state could be important in an especially close race.

Redistricting Lawsuit To Be Filed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover said Wednesday a lawsuit will be filed within days challenging the constitutionality of a redistricting measure that hits GOP representatives especially hard. Hoover says Republican representatives will also ask for an injunction to delay implementation of the measure and ask that next Tuesday’s election filing deadline be postponed until the matter is resolved. The House approved the plan largely along party lines on January 12th after rejecting a GOP alternative that would have eliminated some of the oddly shaped districts drawn by House Democrats. Governor Steve Beshear signed the measure into law last week.

UPS Announces Layoffs

{Louisville, Kentucky}...UPS announced Wednesday it will lay off more than 400 workers at its logistics center near Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron, most being hourly warehouse workers. The layoffs come after a decision by online retailer Seattle-based Zulily Inc. to stop relying on the UPS facility to manage inventory and fill orders and to coordinate fulfillment and distribution in-house. UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg says cutbacks will begin in mid-March and will be completed in April. Operations will continue at the UPS Hebron facility, but with a scaled back work force of about 150 employees. Zulily Inc. provides apparel, gear and accessories for mothers, infants and children.

Clean Energy Opportunity Act Filed

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Representative Mary Lou Marzian, a Louisville Democrat, says she understands Kentucky "is a coal state," and that many state lawmakers may be reluctant to support policies that seek to move away from coal production. Marzian has sponsored a bill called the Clean Energy Opportunity Act that would require utilities to generate a portion of their power from renewable sources. A newly released Kentucky Environmental Foundation report, the "Health Impacts of Coal and Clean Energy Options in Kentucky," says mining, burning and disposing of coal is sickening Kentuckians and lawmakers aren't doing enough to reduce the state's dependency on its primary energy source. According to the Kentucky Coal Association, which promotes the industry, about 92 percent of Kentucky's electric power comes from coal-fired power plants, and the state enjoys some of the lowest electric rates in the nation. Representative Keith Hall, a Democrat from Pikeville, vice chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment, and who owns coal reserves in eastern Kentucky, says coal is burned cleaner than ever before, and Kentucky's low electric rates give it an advantage in attracting new business, but there is a great need to grasp every alternative source. Kentucky Coal Association President Bill Bissett says environmental activists are attempting to sway public opinion on coal with "biased reports" at a time when Americans are living longer than ever before.

Lawsuit Filed Against Kraft Foods

• {Pine Knott, Kentucky}...A southern Kentucky couple claims in a lawsuit against Kraft Foods that Leamon Perkins of Pine Knot suffered a perforated bowel and underwent surgery on September 29th after he ingested a metal fragment when he ate Velveeta Shells and Cheese. The suit, which was filed this month, asks for $6.5 million. Kraft spokeswoman Lynne Galia says the company hadn't confirmed any cases of wire bristles in the recalled product.

Hardin County Man Gets Life Sentence

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Erik Buggeland, a Hardin County man who pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the murders of his parents, Terje and Margaret Buggeland, was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday. Buggeland admitted to beating his parents to death with a dumbbell in September 2010 and then leaving town in his mother's car. Police found him days later in Tennessee. Buggeland is a diagnosed schizophrenic, but was found competent to stand trial before he admitted to the crimes. He will be eligible for parole in 20 years.

Kentucky Men Sue Comedian Andy Dick

Two Kentucky men who say they were sexually assaulted by comedian Andy Dick at Rum Runners nightclub in Huntington, West Virginia on January 23, 2010 have filed a civil lawsuit against the comedian. The 26 year old from Ashland and the 35 year old from Catlettsburg are also involved in a pending criminal case against Dick. Dick's trial on two counts of felony first-degree sexual abuse is set for May 1st in Cabell County Circuit Court in Huntington. Dick pleaded not guilty last summer to charges he grabbed a bouncer's crotch, and groped and kissed a patron at Rum Runners. Attorney Mike Woelfel says the men were victims of "battery and sexual abuse" and they are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for emotional distress, outrageous conduct, assault and invasion of privacy. Dick's attorney, Marc Williams, has dismissed the accusations, saying the lawsuit is just an attempt to get money from a celebrity.

KY Teachers Show Little Progress

{Louisville, Kentucky}...According to a report released Wednesday by National Council on Teacher Quality, Kentucky has made very little progress in improving the quality of its teachers in the past two years, and its elementary teachers are not ready to implement the new lessons required by the state's adoption of the Common Core State Standards. The report states that, although Kentucky has adopted the Common Core Standards, the state does not ensure that its elementary teachers candidates are adequately prepared to teach the rigorous content associated with the standards. Kentucky ranked 41st in teacher quality nationwide, with an overall grade of D+.

Senator Paul Refuses Nashville Airport Pat Down

• {Nashville, Tennessee}...Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a frequent critic of the Transportation Security Administration, was stopped by security at the Nashville International Airport Monday when a scanner set off an alarm, and Paul declined to allow a security officer to pat him down. Police escorted Paul away from the screening area but later allowed him to board a flight after it was determined the security scanner identified an issue with the senator's knee, and he was rescreened. Paul says he has no screws or medical hardware around the joint. In a November Senate hearing, Paul asked TSA Administrator John Pistole to change the policy so that adults could go through the machines a second time when an alarm is triggered on the first attempt. The White House said airport security acted appropriately.

Hickman Mayor Fatally Shot

• {Hickman, Kentucky}...Hickman Police Chief Tony Grogan says, around 1:00 A.M. Monday morning, 30 year old Thomas Joseph Lattus walked into the police station and told an officer he had just shot Mayor Charles Murphy. An officer went to Murphy's home and found the mayor's body in the bedroom. Lattus has been charged with murder. Gerald Harris, whose niece is married to the mayor's son says the mayor had dated the suspect's stepmother Carole Lattus on and off for years, but there were no arguments between Lattus and any of Murphy's family. Hickman is located about 265 miles southwest of Louisville.

Judge-Executive Files Candidacy For Congress

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore, who could draw tea party support with his platform of lower taxes and smaller government, filed candidacy papers in Frankfort Monday, becoming the first candidate to officially file for the congressional seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Representative Geoff Davis. Republicans Thomas Massie of Vanceburg, a judge-executive in Lewis County, and state Representative Alecia Webb-Edgington of Fort Wright have said they intend to run for the 4th District seat. Davis has represented the district stretching from Louisville's eastern suburbs to the West Virginia border since 2005.

Three To Be Inducted Into Teacher Hall Of Fame

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Retired Madison Central High School Latin teacher Estelle Bayer and history teacher Sharon Graves of Richmond's Clark-Moores Middle School, both from Madison County, and the late Helen Price Raby, who taught in Logan County schools for 31 years, will be inducted into the Governor Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the state Capitol on February 14th. They were chosen by a statwide selection committee. The Hall of Fame was created in 2000 through a gift by Nunn and is housed at Western Kentucky University.

Fayette County Sheriff Conducting Internal Inquiry

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The Office of the Fayette County Sheriff is conducting an internal inquiry into reports that deputies gave several sex offenders advance warning about a recent federal sweep. According to police documents, at least five Lexington police detectives assisting the U.S. Marshals Service in the compliance checks heard convicted sex offenders say they had been tipped off that the checks would occur in the early part of the week of December 5th. The two-day sweep, called "Operation Bluegrass Corral," occurred December 6th and December 7th.

Former DARE Officer Pleads Guilty

{Harrodsburg, Kentucky}...Last May a Mercer County Grand Jury indicted former DARE Officer 31 year old Jason Elder on more than 140 counts of rape, sodomy, and sexual abuse. Friday, Elder pleaded guilty to those charges, admitting he had a relationship with a 14 year old girl. Under a plea agreement, Elder will serve three years in prison. He must enroll and complete a sex-offender treatment program, and he must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. When he is released, he will have to register as a sex offender. Elder was an officer who conducted Drug Abuse Resistance Education classes in the Mercer County schools. Sentencing is scheduled for April 5th.

Corbin Man Fatally Shot

{Corbin, Kentucky}...A Corbin man died early Friday afternoon during a shooting near the Tennessee state line, leading to a Oak Ridge, Tennessee resident being charged with second-degree manslaughter. The Whitley County Sheriff says 41 year old Keith Mason fatally shot 60 year old Robert Vanover on Ayers Road, nearly 17 miles west of Williamsburg, in Whitley County Friday afternoon, but Mason told investigators it was self defense. Investigators say the pair had a long-standing feud. Mason says he was admiring a creek when Vanover drove up and stopped. Mason told police he pulled out a gun in self-defense and fired multiple shots. Vanover, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was shot three times, once in the face, once in the chest and once in the lower part of the body. Family members say Vanover was in the area taking some groceries to his son. Mason was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

Missing Whitley County Money Found

{Corbin, Kentucky}...Whitley County Fiscal Court members got some good news during their monthly meeting this past week. Whitley County Attorney Don Moses informed the fiscal court that, at Judge-Executive Pat White Jr.'s urging, he looking into accounts at local banks and discovered 13 accounts containing a total of about $114,000 from the prior administration of former Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge. Fiscal Court members authorized Moses to file "friendly" litigation in order to have the money turned over to the fiscal court. It will then be County Treasurer Jeff Gray's job to figure out where it should be distributed.

Kentucky-Florida Blood Battle Begins Monday

Lexington, KY - Wildcat fans who can't wait until February to take on
Florida will have a chance to beat the Gators off the court during the
4th annual Big Blue Slam, Jan. 23-27.

Next week, all blood donors will receive a Big Blue Slam T-shirt as well
as a chance to win an entertainment package, consisting of a 50" 3-D
Smart TV, Blu-Ray home theater system, X-Box 360 with Kinect and popcorn
machine.

Big Blue Slam is a friendly blood collection competition between
Kentucky and Florida fans and Kentucky Blood Center (KBC) and LifeSouth
Community Blood Center in Gainesville. The Wildcats take on Florida in
Rupp, Tuesday, Feb. 7 and again in Gainesville on March 4.

The four KBC donor centers (Beaumont and Andover in Lexington and
Somerset and Pikeville) will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during Slam week.
There will also be a number of blood drives throughout the area,
including daily blood drives on the University of Kentucky campus.

Kentucky leads the rivalry 3 to 1. Big Blue Slam helps beef up the blood
supply during the winter months, when blood donations can dip due to
inclement wintry weather.

To find a donation location or to schedule an appointment, visit
kybloodcenter.org <http://www.kybloodcenter.org/>  or call 800.775.2522.

Redistricting Compromise Not Reached

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Friday that negotiators remain far apart on competing proposals to redraw boundary lines around Kentucky's congressional districts. The House and Senate adjourned late Friday morning without a resolution, and negotiators opted to postpone any further talks until Monday. The Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-dominated Senate have been able to settle on new lines around state legislative districts after a prolonged partisan feud that left two lawmakers serving districts 100 to 200 miles from their homes. Democratic Governor Steve Beshear signed the legislative redistricting bill into law Friday.

Farmer Returns State Computer Equipment

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has returned some of the missing state computer equipment issued during his administration. Holly VonLuehrte, a lawyer for the Department of Agriculture, says Tuesday Farmer returned two laptop computers issued to him in 2010, along with a Dell monitor and an HP printer. Two of Farmer's laptops are still missing, as are two GPS units. A review of records by the Herald-Leader and The Courier-Journal found that about $500,000 in state property cannot be accounted for by the department. The records show that more than 100 state computers are missing. Department records released last week also showed that about $334,000 in computers and other equipment had been marked as "lost." Some of that equipment apparently has turned up in a trailer where state property was stored after an agriculture office flooded.

Cabinet For Health And Family Services Fined

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The state Cabinet for Health and Family Services has been fined more than $16,000 for improperly withholding records on children who died or were hurt because of abuse and neglect after Franklin Circuit Judge Philip Shepherd ruled Thursday the cabinet willfully withheld public information from three newspapers. Shepherd said in a strongly worded memorandum that the agency continued its efforts to wrap the child-welfare system under a "veil of secrecy" even after he'd ruled that files on child deaths and near-deaths should be public. Shepherd also ordered the cabinet to pay more than $57,000 in legal fees the Lexington Herald-Leader, The Louisville Courier-Journal and the Todd County Standard incurred in challenging the cabinet's refusal to release the records. Cabinet Secretary Janie Miller says the agency is "weighing its options" on the order to pay penalties and attorney fees, and other issues.

Man Charged With Attempted Murder

{Ashland, Kentucky}...Police arrested 51 year old Thomas K. Biederman of Russell at the federal courthouse in Ashland and charged him with attempted murder and using a weapon of mass destruction. The warrant charges Thomas Biederman with intentionally trying to kill his wife, Janie Biederman, by placing a pipe bomb in her Ford Mustang on July 28th. The bomb detonated in a parking garage in Ashland after Janie Biederman touched the vehicle's brake pedal. Janie Biederman suffered first- and second-degree burns to her arms and on the backs of her legs.

Statewide Indoor Smoking Ban Proposed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Pulmonary specialist Dr. Robert Powell says fifty thousand Americans die each year of illnesses related to secondhand smoke. Democrat Representative Susan Westrom is sponsoring a bill that would ban tobacco smoking in work places, businesses and government buildings statewide. A similar measure did not pass last year, but Westrom says she has about 20 cosponsors and will work to educate other legislators and the public about the issue. Westrom announced the measure Thursday at a rally in the Capitol Rotunda attended by health advocates and other legislators. John Harryman, CEO of Norton Hospital, said a recent poll of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce members showed that 70 percent favor a statewide smoking ban.

Kentucky Hemp Legislation Filed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...U.S. Representative Ron Paul, R-Texas, has filed legislation to lift current federal restrictions that keep farmers from sowing seeds to grow hemp. With the support of Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, Kentucky legislators filed a bill Thursday to put Comer at the head of the long-dormant Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission and renew a push to bring the crop back. Senator Joey Pendleton, D-Hopkinsville, who has long pushed for legalizing industrial hemp, joined Representatives Richard Henderson, D- Jeffersonville, Keith Hall, D-Phelps, and Ryan Quarles, R-Georgetown, in announcing the new legislation. Comer said that if House Bill 286 passes the General Assembly, he will petition federal authorities for a permit for Kentucky to grow hemp. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture would regulate state hemp permits, at least in the beginning.

Substance Abuse Conference Held

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Kentucky and Florida top prosecutors said Thursday that the pain-pill pipeline from Florida that has brought staggering amounts of prescription drugs to Kentucky is beginning to dry up. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway spoke at Marriott Griffin Gate Hotel in Lexington, appearing together at the Faces of Substance Abuse Conference to talk about their efforts to combat prescription drug abuse in their respective states and how they have worked together to stem the flow of illegal pills. Conway, who said more needs to be done to attack the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Kentucky, said he expects state lawmakers to introduce a measure next week aimed at cracking down on illegal use of prescription drugs. Authorities found files on 1,400 people, most of them from eastern Kentucky, when they raided one South Florida doctor in May 2010. Conway said that in 2010, police estimated 60 percent of the pills sold on the black market in Kentucky were prescribed in Florida. Since then, Florida officials have made a number of moves aimed at cracking down on the problem, including boosting enforcement, requiring pain clinics to register with the state, barring many clinics from dispensing pills and putting in place a prescription monitoring system.

Senate's Redistricting Proposal Approved

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Republican-controlled state Senate approved its plan to redraw the boundaries of Kentucky's six congressional districts late Wednesday. The full Senate approved the measure 21-15, with Republicans voting for the measure and Democrats voting against it. Republican Senator Damon Thayer of Georgetown, chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee, says the Senate's congressional map does not differ greatly from the current congressional map. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the House will not accept the Senate's plan, but he is hopeful the two sides can strike a deal on House Bill 2, which includes the congressional map, by the end of Friday. The filing deadline for candidates to seek state and federal offices is January 31st. If an agreement is not worked out by the end of this week, the legislature may have to push back the filing deadline.

Ads On School Buses Bill Passes House

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...By a 69-27 vote, the House approved a bill that would allow advertising on school buses. Democratic state Representative Terry Mills of Lebanon said the intent of his bill is to give school districts the option as a means of raising revenue. He emphasized that the measure "does not mandate a change." Representative Brad Montell, a Shelbyville Republican, said that schoolchildren are "bombarded with advertising" already and that having ads on the sides of school buses could be a distraction to other drivers.

Williamsburg Seeking Wet/Dry Vote

{Corbin, Kentucky}...Residents in another eastern Kentucky city have submitted petitions asking for a vote that could allow alcohol sales at restaurants in Williamsburg. If enough signatures are validated, the issue would go to voters to decide the matter. The nearby town of Barbourville has scheduled a local option vote for both restaurant and package alcohol sales on February 7th. The nearby cities of London and Corbin, which already allow restaurant sales, will hold votes on package sales next month. Wednesday, the Whitley County Clerk's office began verifying the more than 400 signed petitions turned in to them Tuesday afternoon.

Beshear Outlines Tough State Budget

Before a joint session of the House and Senate Tuesday evening, Governor Steve Beshear outlined one of the toughest state budgets in recent history, proposing 8.4 percent spending cuts for many agencies and limited money for new construction projects. Beshear called the two-year, $19.5 billion General Fund budget "inadequate for the needs of our people." Beshear, who has cut the budget 10 times since taking office in December 2007, warned that Kentucky has cut past the bone. To generate more revenue, Beshear said it is time to add casino gambling at the state's horse racetracks and consider tax reform. Beshear said, if Kentucky does not get new revenue soon, it can not invest in key areas such as education and infrastructure.

There is $3.5 million in Beshear's budget for an initial study of the renovation of Rupp Arena and $41.5 million to fund the completion of Newtown Pike extension and $16 million for the opening of the new Eastern State Hospital.

The budget does not call for any layoffs of state workers, but Beshear cautioned that some state agencies may have to trim staff to achieve the $286 million of cuts in the budget, which takes effect July 1st. The legislative and judicial branches of state government also will face an 8.4 percent cut in their operating budgets, but the judicial branch will get some increases in its funding for projects, including an overhaul of its computer system.

Several key programs would be exempt from the 8.4 percent cuts, while others will receive smaller cuts.

Exempted programs include: Medicaid, the main funding formula for K-12 schools, preschool, veteran's affairs, child and adult protection, mental health, prisons, probation and parole, public defenders, student financial aid, mine permitting and reclamation and the Kentucky Horse Park.

Programs that would receive smaller cuts include: universities and community colleges, 6.4 percent; aging and independent living, 6.4 percent; grants to local school districts, 4.5 percent; career and technical education, KET, libraries and archives and vocational rehabilitation programs, 4.2 percent; mine safety, 4.2 percent; Kentucky State Police, commonwealth and county attorneys, juvenile justice and local jail support, 2.2 percent; and property valuation administrators, 2.2 percent.

Beshear proposed $815 million in new spending, including:

■ $372 million for existing debt obligations and $19 million for new debt payments

■ $79 million for retirement contributions for state workers

■ $88 million for increased health insurance costs for state workers and retired teachers

■ $84 million for Medicaid;

■ $21 million to add more than 100 social workers and support staff in an effort to reduce case loads of front-line social workers;

■ $16 million to operate the new Eastern State Hospital;

■ $14 million for parole and pretrial officers

■ $15 million to expand preschool to an additional 4,430 Kentucky children.

■ $2 million to fund an adult abuse registry of workers who have had substantiated cases of abuse or neglect

■ $4 million to expand the KASPER program, the state's prescription drug-tracking program

Delayed Sentencing In Oil Scam

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...Sentencing hearings for Kentucky attorney Bryan Coffman and oil well promoter 57 year old Gary Milby have been delayed until May. Coffman and Milby were convicted by a federal jury in Lexington in May 2011 on multiple charges of mail, wire and securities fraud. Coffman was also convicted of money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell reset the hearing for Coffman for May 2nd in Lexington. Coffman had been set for sentencing Wednesday. Caldwell rescheduled Milby's sentencing for May 3rd. Milby had been set for sentencing Thursday. Prosecutors alleged Milby raised $33 million from more than 500 investors by selling shares in southern Kentucky wells. Prosecutors say Coffman and Milby spent their investors' money on cars, jewelry, yachts and parties. Milby surfaced in the public eye when he threw his daughter a lavish Sweet 16 birthday party featured on MTV.

Cincinnati Court Of Appeals Hears Fen-Phen Case

{Cincinnati, Ohio}...Judge Ronnie Lee Gilman of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said Tuesday that the way former attorneys 60 year old William Gallion and 57 year old Shirley Cunningham Jr. handled the 2001 fen-phen settlement, including distributing only $40 million to clients initially, doesn't help their cause. Judge Gilman said Gallion and Cunningham may have a valid point about the trial judge making an error, but it looks wrong that they took the bulk of the $200 million settlement for themselves. Gilman said the lawyers are getting 75 percent of the settlement and the clients are getting 25 percent. The former attorneys are serving prison time for scamming more than 400 clients of $94.6 million won against American Home Products. Fen-phen was pulled from the market after users had heart problems related to the drug. Prosecutors say they illegally kept the bulk of the settlement, but made more money available to their clients after the federal government began a criminal investigation. The panel took the case under advisement and did not issue an immediate ruling. Cunningham's attorney, Clifton Harviel, told the judges that U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves made multiple errors during the trial, depriving the men of a fair trial. Gallion's attorney, Louis Sirkin, told the panel that Reeves allowed jurors to see 22 findings made by the Kentucky Supreme Court against Gallion and Cunningham, even though the high court never held a hearing. Judge Eric Clay wasn't impressed with the argument.

Education Committee Approves Dropout Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Tuesday, the state House Education Committee approved a bill to raise the school dropout age from 16 to 18 after first lady Jane Beshear spoke in favor of the measure. The bill would require compulsory attendance for children ages 6 to 17 by July 1, 2016, and 6 to 18 a year later. Sponsors of the bill have said the current policy of allowing a student to drop out at age 16 has been in effect since 1920. Jane Beshear, a former schoolteacher, has pushed the measure since 2010.

Tornado Confirmed In Louisville

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado, category EF-1, touched down near the Watterson Expressway and Brownsboro Road, tracking northeast Tuesday, creating a storm that blew through the Louisville area, blowing over trees and vehicles and leaving thousands without power in eastern Jefferson County. Tornado warnings were issued during the morning for counties throughout southern Indiana and north-central Kentucky, though most had expired by noon.

McConnell Plans Re-Election

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has $4.25 million for a re-election campaign that's still nearly three years away. Chief of Staff Josh Holmes says McConnell will file reports with the Federal Election Commission later this month showing he raised another $1 million between October and December. In 2008  McConnell won re-election to a fifth term, becoming Kentucky's longest serving senator. McConnell spent some $20 million in that election, beating Democrat Bruce Lunsford, a wealthy Kentucky businessman, by six percentage points.

Beshear To Deliver Budget Proposal

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear is set to deliver a two-year budget proposal to a joint session of the House and Senate Tuesday. Spokeswoman Kerri Richardson says Beshear has repeatedly warned that the budget numbers are so miserable that Kentuckians should expect deep and painful cuts in most areas of state spending. Initial projections say cuts would be in the 7 to 9 percent range. Budget cuts have been common over the past four years because of the lingering economic recession that is blamed for $1 billion in revenue shortfalls since Beshear took office in late 2007. Some agencies already have had to cut their spending 25 percent to 30 percent. House Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Rick Rand, D-Bedford, says he expects even agencies and services that have been largely spared from past spending reductions will be hit this time around. State Representative David Floyd, R-Bardstown, says the budget shortfall could exceed $300 million, which will almost certainly force cuts in corrections, education and health care, which have been spared in the past. Beshear has appointed a commission to review the state's tax code and to recommend reforms, but it won't report in time for the legislature to take action this year.

Casinos Would Have $1.7 Billion Impact

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...According to a study released Monday by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, allowing casinos at Kentucky's eight racetracks would have an estimated $1.7 billion economic impact during the casinos' first full year of operation, including $464.7 million in gaming tax revenue. A Kentucky Gaming Market Analysis and Impacts Report shows the casinos would create nearly 11,000 full-time jobs with a payroll of $289.3 million. Eight casinos would generate $266 million in one-time license fees, as well as $164.6 million for horse-racing industry programs. The study, commissioned by groups with interests in the state's horse industry, was conducted by the New Jersey-based Spectrum Gaming Group, an independent research firm that specializes in the gaming industry.

Agriculture Commissioner Orders Audit

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A report by the Kentucky Personnel Board says the Agriculture Department didn't follow regulations when it hired Danita Fentress-Laird and Kathryn Willis into non-merit positions without a formal interview. The report called the department's hiring process "total arbitrary" and ordered employees of the agency to attend training on how to advertise for openings. Personnel Board Executive Director Mark Sipek says criminal charges won't be pursued because the appointments were rescinded and the department has had a change in leadership. Agriculture Commissioner James Comer has ordered an audit of the department after questions arose about spending, travel vouchers and time sheets.

Powerball Tickets...Price Goes Up

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The price of Powerball tickets went up Sunday from $1 to $2. Lottery officials say the jackpot will be bigger, beginning at $40 million instead of the current $20 million, and the chances of winning will also increase, with the odds of claiming the jackpot going from 1 in 195 million to 1 in 175 million. The first drawing under the new price is set for Wednesday.

Fair Board Focuses On Kentucky Kingdom

{Louisville,  Kentucky}...The owners of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in southern Indiana said Monday they may seek rights to operate Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville. Harold Workman, Kentucky State Fair Board president, said Friday that reopening the amusement park is the fair board’s top priority, and, even though state budget constraints currently appear extreme, getting the 2012 General Assembly to approve $20 million to upgrade Kentucky Kingdom remains the fair board’s No. 1 legislative priority. Kentucky Kingdom has remained closed since October 2009 after the former operator, Six Flags, announced it was abandoning the park amid a bankruptcy filing. The Kentucky State Fair Board granted businessman Ed Hart the rights to try to work out a deal to reopen Kentucky Kingdom after he owned it for about a deade prior to 2000, and, after more than a year of talks with the fair board, Hart said last fall he was on the verge of arranging $23 million in bank loans to cover the lion’s share of the cost to reopen the park, and the Al J. Schneider Cos. had agreed to guarantee up to $20 million of Hart’s debt. In late September, the fair board was ending talks with Hart, saying Hart wanted revenue guarantees from the state that it was unable to meet.

Summit Discusses Child Abuse Deaths

{Louisville, Kentucky}...A group of social workers, child advocates, judges and legislators met Saturday at the Summit to End Child Abuse Deaths, put on by Kentucky Youth Advocates, to discuss way to lessen the number of children killed in abuse and neglect cases. Kentucky Youth Advocates will send a letter to the General Assembly of their top four changes that legislators can make to improve child neglect, abuse and deaths. Those present agreed that improved transparency and accountability at the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services would be the best way to help. The other three are:
 Increase funds for proven and effective services such court appointed advocates, substance abuse programs, in-home services and parent advocate programs;
 Increase funds for additional Cabinet social workers and support.
 Improve the system of collaboration among agencies involved in the child welfare system.

Kentuckians Survive Cruise Ship Accident

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...Twenty-eight year old Lauren Moore of Bowling Green is among the survivors of a cruise ship accident off the coast of Italy late Friday. Another Kentuckian, Joe Ryan, 24, of Henry County, also survived. Moore had just started a 10-day Mediterranean cruise Friday night when the ship, the Costa Concordia, with its 4,000-plus passengers and crew members ran aground off the Italian coast and flipped on its side with a 160-foot gash in its hull. Costa Crociera SpA, which is owned by the U.S.-based cruise giant Carnival Corp., defended the actions of its crew and said it was cooperating with the investigation. A top Costa executive, Gianni Onorato, said Saturday that the Concordia’s captain had the liner on its regular, weekly route when it struck a reef. Italian coast guard officials said the circumstances were still unclear, but that the ship hit an unknown obstacle.

Well Known Former Louisville Disc Jockey Dies

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Former Louisville disc jockey Bill Bailey, known as the "Duke of Louisville" for his morning show in the 1960s and `70s, died at a hospital in Louisville Saturday at the age of 81. Bailey's popular show aired on both WAKY-AM and WKLO-AM. He also worked at WVLK-AM in Lexington until he retired in 1994. His real name was William Boahn.

State Property Unaccounted For

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...About $500,000 in state property cannot be accounted for by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Records show that more than 100 state computers are missing, including four new laptops issued to former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer in 2010. Some of the state property was last seen at Farmer's home, according to the department's records, including several laptops. At least $10,842 in computers issued to Farmer or directly to his office are unaccounted for. New Agriculture Commissioner James Comer announced Wednesday that he had asked the state auditor to thoroughly review the department.

Gatewood Galbraith Remembered

{Lexington, Kentucky}...A few hundred of Gatewood Galbraith's family members, friends and admirers gathered into Lexington's Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning on Thursday to honor his memory. The most dramatic moment came as two of Galbraith's three daughters, Abby Sears Galbraith and Molly Galbraith, fought back tears to give their personal recollections of a father who told them daily how much he loved them. Galbraith, who died January 4th at age 64, ran for governor five times, pushing platforms that favored legalization of marijuana, opposed mountain-top removal and backed the relaxation of gun laws.

Paul Focused On Dad's Campaign

{Louisville, Kentucky}...U.S. Senator Rand Paul said Thursday at the St. Matthews Community Center in Louisville that he hasn't thought much about a vice presidential bid this year as his father challenges Republican front-runner Mitt Romney in the presidential primaries. However, he did not rule out the possibility. Paul said he's focused on trying to help his dad.

Prosecutor Seeks To Dismiss Charges

{Elizabethtown, Kentucky}...Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Heather Paynter in Hardin County is seeking to have sex abuse charges against former Central Hardin High School teacher, 29 year old Steven Gray, dismissed without prejudice, meaning the charges could be reinstated if new evidence comes to light. Gray was charged with two counts of sex abuse in December 2010 after anonymous allegations were made. Gray denied the accusations. When the case went to trial last month, a jury failed to reach a unanimous decision and a mistrial was declared. Judge Kelly Mark Easton is considering the motion.

Experts Say Meth Problem Increased

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy faculty members Trish Freeman and Jeffery Talbert told a joint meeting of the state Senate and House judiciary committees Thursday that treatment for meth-related illnesses and reports of clandestine meth labs have increased since 2008, the year Kentucky began electronic tracking of the sale of a key ingredient in the drug meant to curb its use. Freeman and Talbert say indications are the state's methamphetamine problem is worsening despite existing regulations. Legislators are again considering a proposal to require that cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which is used in making meth, be available only with a doctor's prescription. Freeman and Talbert performed a recent review of state and federal pseudoephedrine regulations for the National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities that showed there was an initial reduction in meth treatments and the number of meth labs discovered, but that those results were temporary. The study showed meth-related hospitalizations increased from 198 in 2008 to 385 in 2010. Meth labs discovered in that period increased from 428 to more than 1,000 in the same period.

House Passes Legislative Redistricting Plan

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Democratic Kentucky House voted 63-34 Thursday, refusing to change a proposed legislative redistricting plan after rejecting a GOP-generated alternative that would have eliminated some of the oddly shaped districts in which Republicans would be pitted against each other in this year's legislative elections.  Reacting to heated criticism, House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said population changes, not politics, necessitated the redistricting plan that could receive a vote by the full Senate as early as next week. Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover said a legal challenge is a possibility on constitutional grounds if the measure isn't overhauled in the GOP-controlled Senate where it now goes for consideration.

Scrutiny Would Improve Child-Protection System

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Family court judges told the House Health and Welfare Committee Thursday that opening juvenile courts to more public scrutiny would improve Kentucky's child-protection system. The judges said they also support a measure to create an external review panel to examine deaths and near-deaths of abused and neglected children. Bullitt County Family Court Judge Elise Givhan Spainhour told lawmakers that Kentucky's child-protection system is stretched too thin, with not enough social workers or services to protect vulnerable children, while good child-protection workers are leaving, and those who remain are exhausted. Teresa James, acting commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, told legislators that the department, which oversees child protection, has had to cut key services during the past three years because of budget constraints, leaving the average caseload for a social worker 18.2, slightly more than the recommended level of 17 cases per social worker. James said workloads have increased as more reporting and other paperwork requirements have been added.

Attorney Expresses Frustration Toward Child Welfare Officials

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Jon Fleischaker, an attorney for the Kentucky Press Association, expressed frustration to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday, while accusing child welfare officials of ignoring both federal law and state rulings. Fleischaker said welfare records of children who died or were injured from abuse while in state care should be open to allow for greater transparency. He said the cabinet refused to provide The Todd County Standard documents about an investigation into the death of 9 year old Amy Dye because it claimed there were no such records, but the cabinet later showed up with three or four inches of documents after Attorney General Jack Conway's office said there had to be records and that they must be made public. Fleischaker said federal law requires that, in cases in which there is death or injury involving children in the custody or supervision of the cabinet, those records must be made public. Fleischaker also said the cabinet claims it needs confidentiality to protect children, but it hasn't protected the children.

Debt Ceiling Legislation Passes Senate Committee

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Senate Committee on State and Local Government voted 7-3 Wednesday to approve a proposal to allow voters to consider amending the Constitution to cap General Fund debt at no more than 6 percent. Committee Chairman Damon Thayer, a Georgetown Republican, says 6 percent is a figure acceptable to Wall Street bond rating agencies.

Committee Seeks Domestic Violence Task Force

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Domestic Violence Association says programs on spouse abuse receive about 35,000 calls each year, but the number of children exposed to domestic violence is unknown. The House Judiciary Committee moved Wednesday to create a new task force on children affected by domestic violence. House Concurrent Resolution 38, which won unanimous committee approval, calls on the task force to assess the responses of state and local services and study ways to reduce the effects of domestic violence on children. Representative Joni Jenkins, a Shively Democrat who is sponsoring the bill with Representative Johnny Bell, D-Glasgow, says children that have been traumatized by witnessing violence in their home are much more likely to become part of our court system and our juvenile system.

Attorney Expresses Frustration Toward Child Welfare

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Jon Fleischaker, an attorney for the Kentucky Press Association, expressed frustration to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday, while accusing the cabinet of ignoring both federal law and state rulings. Fleischaker said welfare records of children who died or were injured from abuse while in state care should be open to allow for greater transparency. He said the cabinet refused to provide The Todd County Standard documents about an investigation into the death of 9 year old Amy Dye because it claimed there were no such records, but the cabinet later showed up with three or four inches of documents after Attorney General Jack Conway's office said there had to be records and that they must be made public. Fleischaker said federal law requires that, in cases in which there is death or injury involving children in the custody or supervision of the cabinet, those records must be made public. Fleischaker also said the cabinet claims it needs confidentiality to protect children, but it hasn't protected the children.

London Man Dies From Enemy Fire

{London, Kentucky}...Dustin Napier of London died Sunday after sustaining injuries from enemy fire in Afghanistan. Napier, a 2010 graduate, was a four year member of the R-O-T-C at South Laurel High School, and, in his senior year, he was the highest ranked cadet. Principal David Cummins says Napier knew he wanted to wear the uniform after he graduated high school so he joined the army. The school is planning a memorial to honor Napier, as well as another former South Laurel killed in the line of duty in 2008.

Redistricting Plan Passes House

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a redistricting plan passed Tuesday by the Kentucky House, more than 400,000 Kentuckians would have a new Congressman. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the proposed plan brings geographic commonsense to the congressional districts, though it's vastly different in some ways than a plan offered by the state's six congressmen. Republicans objected to the plan, saying it includes new boundaries for the 5th District that would put Republican U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, the longest serving member of Kentucky's congressional delegation, on the southwestern edge of his jurisdiction while extending the northern edge into Democratic territory. House Republican Floor Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown said the redistricting plan is clearly intended to try to protect the state's two Democratic congressman, Ben Chandler and John Yarmuth. The proposal from House Democrats would give Ashland and Owensboro different congressmen.

House Committee Passes Education Proposal

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a proposal that cleared the House Education Committee Tuesday, student achievement could become an indicator of how well teachers are performing their jobs. Democratic state Representative Carl Rollins II of Midway, chairman of the Education Committee, is sponsoring the measure that calls for the Kentucky Department of Education to develop the proposed evaluations and have them ready to use in 2014.

Beshear Refuses To Reconsider Hospital Merger

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear refused Monday to reconsider his rejection of a proposal to merge University Hospital in Louisville with Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System. As governor, Beshear had final say on whether to allow University Hospital to be part of the deal. Beshear pointed to University Hospital's soaring profits in denying the request to reconsider, saying "University Hospital is clearly a facility with significant strengths." University Hospital's proposal to join with the religiously-affiliated hospital systems had raised eyebrows in Kentucky, and Beshear sided with critics in his position that the merger wasn't in the best interest of the state. Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System announced Friday they'd move ahead with a two-way merger.

Wazoo Sports Files Bankruptcy

• {London, Kentucky}...London-based Wazoo Sports, a company that broadcasts and Webcasts high school sports, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in London on December 29th, listing debts of more than $3.12 million to its top 20 creditors, and anticipates being sold. The move came about the same time NBC affiliate WLEX (Channel 18) in Lexington and ABC affiliate WHAS (Channel 11) in Louisville dropped Wazoo's programming. In recent years, the company had grown beyond its roots of Webcasting high school sports and was broadcasting and Webcasting some NCAA, NAIA and other youth sports. Since starting TV broadcasting in December 2008, it has aired programming in five markets.

Pretrial Rescheduled For Iraqi National

• {Bowling Green, Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Thomas Russell set a February 8th pretrial conference for 24 year old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, an Iraqi national arrested in Bowling Green in May along with Waad Ramadan Alwan. Both were charged with conspiring to send weapons and money to al-Qaida in Iraq. The two Iraqi refugees both pleaded not guilty to the charges, but on December 16th, Alwan pleaded guilty to all 23 counts in an indictment against him. Hammadi has been granted more time to review the charges against him.

Bill To Tax Online Wagering

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Under a bill filed Monday by House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, bets made by Kentucky residents through account wagering services like Churchill Downs Inc.’s TwinSpires.com would be taxed a half of a percent. Clark’s proposal calls for 15 percent of proceeds from the proposed tax on wagers made by Kentucky residents to be deposited in the state’s General Fund. The other 85 percent would be given to the state’s racetracks, with half of their share going toward purses. Horsemen have complained that purses get less from bets made online than at a racetrack. Under the proposed bill, if a bet is made by a Kentucky resident on a Kentucky race, the racing industry’s share of the tax proceeds would go to the Kentucky track where the race occurred. The racing industry portion for bets made on races elsewhere would either go to a track within 25 miles of the person placing the bet or to the Kentucky track racing at the time if the person lives more than 25 miles from a track.

Yarmuth Files Candidacy Papers

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...U.S. Representative John Yarmuth, a Louisville Democrat, filed candidacy papers Monday at the state Capitol in Frankfort, seeking a fourth term in Congress. Yarmuth, who has represented the Louisville area's 3rd District since 2007, was one of the few Democratic officeholders in Kentucky to endorse President Barack Obama for election in 2008.

Earned Income Tax Credit Reminder

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has issued his annual reminder about the earned income tax credit that’s available to low- and middle-income families. Beshear says he wants to make sure all eligible families know about it because it can provide money that can be spent back into the state’s economy. In 2010, nearly 400,000 Kentuckians received $876 million from the tax credit. The average value was $2,200. The IRS says up to 20 percent of eligible workers do not claim the earned income tax credit, but people who made up to $49,078 in 2011 could be eligible.

Plans To Pay Unemployment Interest

{Frankfort,  Kentucky}...Kentucky business and labor leaders are working to come up with a plan to make a possible $44 million interest payment on a nearly $950 million loan from the federal government that was used to pay unemployment claims. Leaders were able to develop a plan to repay the $948 million loan, which was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2010. That plan includes decreasing unemployment benefits and increasing costs to businesses, but federal rules say interest payments on the loan may not come from the unemployment insurance trust fund, funded entirely by business taxes. Last fall, the state used money from various pots in state government to make the first interest payment of $28 million. The second interest payment is due September 30th, and it could be $44 million.

Son Of Former U.S. Representative Considers Run

{Florence, Kentucky}...K. Lance Lucas, who practices law in Florence, Kentucky and is the son of former U.S. Representative Ken Lucas, says he will decide later this month whether to seek the Republican nomination for the seat his father held as a Democrat from 1998 to 2005. Current U.S. Representative Geoff Davis has said he won't run again. Lucas says his qualifications for the office include service in the military and a background in business. He served as an Air Force pilot in the 1990s during Operation Desert Storm and is a partner in the law firm Lucas & Dietz. Two other Republicans, Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore and State Representative Alecia Webb-Edgington of Fort Wright, have filed for the seat. The deadline for filing is January 31st.

Soldiers Return To Fort Knox

{Fort Knox, Kentucky}...Officials at the Fort Knox Army post say 290 soldiers were welcomed home Saturday afternoon by family, friends and other soldiers during a ceremony at the Natcher Physical Fitness Center as they returned after a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan. The soldiers were part of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, which worked to bring security and stability to provinces in Afghanistan. Hundreds of soldiers from the unit have returned in recent weeks.

Fayette County Deputy Constable Arrested

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Fayette County Deputy Constable Dannie R. Pendygraft, 58, was arrested Friday on charges of promoting prostitution of two or more prostitutes, permitting prostitution and first-degree official misconduct after being accused of trading rent for sexual favors from prostitutes who lived at his property. The prostitutes told police that when they got behind in their rent, Pendygraft gave them extra time to pay if they would perform oral sex on him and that he encouraged them to "turn tricks" to earn rent money. Joyce Clater, Fayette County's elected constable for the First District, says she appointed Pendygraft as a deputy constable about two years ago, and she has no plans to suspend him. Pendygraft is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

Redesign Planned For Mountain Parkway Interchange

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will host a public meeting with its consultant, E.A. Partners, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. January 17th at Conkwright Middle School, 360 Mount Sterling Road, Winchester. Design options for the reconstruction of the Interstate 64/Mountain Parkway interchange will be the topic. The informal meeting will include opportunities for the public to ask questions, and handouts with information about the project will be available.

EKU Professor Resigns

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Eastern Kentucky University professor Larry Belknap has resigned after Kentucky State Police arrested him on a marijuana charge. State police officers arrested Belknap at his Richmond home after finding 8 pounds of marijuana. Belknap was a member of the university’s Department of Recreation and Park Administration.

Public Celebration Set For Galbraith

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Molly Galbraith, the daughter of the late Gatewood Galbraith, says a public celebration of his life will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. EST Thursday at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in Lexington. She says the event is open to anyone who wants to pay their respects to her father. Gatewood Galbraith, who ran his fifth gubernatorial campaign last year, died Wednesday at his home in Lexington of complications from chronic emphysema. Galbraith was known for his positions on limited government and legalizing marijuana.

Stumbo Unveils Redistricting Proposal

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A redistricting proposal unveiled Thursday by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, calls for new political boundaries in Kentucky that would push U.S. Representative Hal Rogers to the outer edge of the state's 5th District that he has represented in Washington for 30 years. The proposal would also add several Democratic counties to the northeastern end of the district in a push that will likely be reversed in the GOP-controlled Kentucky Senate. Stumbo's proposal, approved along party lines by the House Committee on State Government, would give two of the state's largest cities, Ashland and Owensboro, different congressmen. If the plan survives in the Senate, Ashland and surrounding Democratic communities would move into Rogers' district and out of U.S. Representative Geoff Davis' 4th District, which runs the length of northern Kentucky from the Louisville suburbs to the West Virginia border. Owensboro would move from U.S. Representative Brett Guthrie's 2nd District that now encircles much of Louisville into U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield's 1st District in far western Kentucky.

Energy Assistance Gets Additional $9.5 Million

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced Thursday that Kentucky's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program has received an additional $9.5 million to help the state's poor stay warm through the winter. Kentucky's total funding for the fiscal year is $46.4 million. The money is disbursed by community action agencies across the state. Families can apply through March 31st unless funding runs out before that.

MSHA...21 U.S. Coal Miners Died In 2011

{Washington, D.C.}...The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said Thursday that 21 U.S. coal miners died on the job in 2011, the second lowest number in more than a century of record-keeping. The lowest number was 18 in 2009. Kentucky led the nation with eight coal-mining deaths, followed by West Virginia with six. Two coal miners died in Ohio, while Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia and Wyoming each recorded one coal-mining fatality. Several of the larger coal-producing states, including Alabama, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Utah, experienced zero mine fatalities last year. In addition to the 21 coal-mining deaths, 16 miners died at metal- and non-metal mining operations. The total of 37 deaths across all mining sectors compares to 48 in 2010, a year that included 29 deaths in the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster. Of the 37 deaths, 12 occurred at surface coal mines, 11 at surface metal/non-metal mines, nine at underground coal mines and five at underground metal/non-metal mines.

Inaugural Committee Banks Half Million

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Thanks to a few massive contributions from coal operators and other special-interest givers, Governor Steve Beshear’s inaugural committee has paid many of its bills and still has a half million dollars in the bank. The fundraising committee for the inauguration of Beshear and Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson reported Thursday that it raised $631,900 between November 9th and December 31st, while expenses during the same period were only $131,992, leaving $499,908 in the bank as of December 31st. Of the bills paid by the committee so far, the largest was $40,581 to the state party for “reimbursement of payroll expenses” it incurred for inauguration work. Sarah Jackson, executive director of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, says leftover funds, if any, may be given to a charity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, to the state or to the political party with which the committee is affiliated or it can be refunded on a pro-rata basis to contributors.

Pineville Circulating Wet/Dry Petition

{Pineville, Kentucky}...Petitions are circulating around Pineville which could add the city to the list of those who could have a wet/dry vote in 2012. Pineville is currently a moist city, but the petition would allow grocery stores and convenience stores to sell packaged liquor. Currently, the closest place to buy alcohol is in Tennessee or Virginia.

Lexington Woman Indicted

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Federal prosecutors said Thursday that 49 year old Susan Mary Collins of Lexington was indicted on one count of mailing a threatening communication and one count of making a threat against a former president. The Indictment alleges that, last September 2nd, Collins mailed one letter addressed to Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell and another to former President George W. Bush threatening to injure them. The U.S. Attorney's office says, if convicted, Collins faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

State Of The Commonwealth Address

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...In his fifth State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Steve Beshear pushed for a constitutional amendment to allow expanded gambling and for overhauling the state's tax structure. Speaking before a joint session of the House and Senate in Frankfort Wednesday evening, Beshear told legislators that 10 rounds of budget cuts over the past four years have resulted in about $1.3 billion in cuts, and federal stimulus money used to plug holes is now gone, and he will not be asking for tax increases to balance the next budget. Beshear said spending cuts proposed in the upcoming two-year budget, which the legislature must approve in April, will likely be deep and painful. Beshear used the backdrop of the state's anemic financial health to make a case for expanded gambling. He said legislation will likely be introduced soon that would allow voters to decide the issue in November. He also called for reforming the state's tax code, saying the state has spent more money than it has collected in taxes and fees for more than a decade. Beshear will detail his plans for reforming the tax code in coming days.

Galbraith Dies

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...Gatewood Galbraith, whose most recent independent run for governor was his fifth, has died at the age of 64. The Fayette County coroner’s office says Galbraith was pronounced dead Wednesday morning at his Lexington home of complications from chronic emphysema after suffering for several days with congestion in his lungs. Born in Nicholas County in 1947, Galbraith earned his law degree from the University of Kentucky in 1977. Galbraith ran for governor twice as a Democrat and twice as a Reform Party candidate. He also ran for congress and as an independent in the 2003 attorney general’s race. Galbraith argued passionately for limited government and was just as outspoken about his unpopular stances to legalize marijuana and ban mountaintop mining. In November, Galbraith came in third behind Democratic Governor Steve Beshear, who was re-elected, and Republican Senate President David Williams. His best-selling 2004 autobiography was titled, The Last Free Man in America Meets the Synthetic Subversion. The book's cover showed a smiling Galbraith holding a large machine gun, a bandoleer of bullets over each shoulder.

Stumbo Proposes KASPER Transfer

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, who hopes to crack down on doctors who overprescribe pain medications, said Wednesday that he will soon file a bill to transfer the state's Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to Attorney General Jack Conway's office. Stumbo, who has faulted the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure for not doing enough to go after doctors who overprescribe narcotics in a state where drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for some age groups, says the board should use data from KASPER to identify doctors who prescribe too many scheduled narcotics, and he thinks the system would be more effective if a law-enforcement agency administered it.

Commissioner Fires Nonmerit Employees

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Newly sworn in Agriculture Commissioner Jamie Comer has fired 16 nonmerit employees, including Stephanie Sandmann, the girlfriend of his predecessor, Richie Farmer. Sandmann was hired as a special assistant by Farmer a week before the November election in which he was running for lieutenant governor on the Republican ticket with Senate President David Williams. Sandmann was let go from her $60,000-a-year job on Tuesday, the day after Comer was sworn in.

Beshear Declines To Debate Gambling

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear contends that allowing Kentuckians to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow expanded gambling could generate more revenue for state government and the horse industry. Kerri Richardson, the spokeswoman for Beshear, says he is declining a challenge issued Wednesday by Family Foundation executive director Kent Ostrander to debate the merits of a proposal to legalize casino-style gambling in Kentucky. Ostrander, one of the state's most vocal gambling opponents, says Beshear needs to explain why allowing Kentuckians to try their luck on more than horse races, lotteries and charitable bingo games is good public policy. Richardson says the governor's focus is to allow Kentuckians to settle the issue at the polls.

Bill Calls For Panel To Review Child Deaths

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...House Bill 200, filed Wednesday, would create an 11-member external panel, including the attorney general, doctors, prosecutors and judges, that would review all deaths and near-deaths of children who were victims of abuse or neglect. After the review, the panel would develop recommendations to address systemic issues and child welfare practices. Any problems the panel identified in the actions of state and local agencies would be referred to authorities for review. However, the panel's review would be kept secret as would the records it analyzes.

Man Calls Threat Against Beshear Overheated Rhetoric

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Forty-four year old Thomas Edwin Hargreaves from East Liverpool, Ohio says the threat to kill Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear amounted to overheated rhetoric while complaining about losing a commercial driver's license, but to the FBI, the comment came across as a serious threat. To Hargreaves' Lexington attorney, Robin Cornette, it is a sign of the man's mental illness. Cornette wants Hargreaves to undergo competency tests and introduce evidence of insanity or mental defect should his case go to trial. A federal grand jury in Lexington charged Hargreaves in August with sending Beshear a message over the Internet saying, "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ... WATCH YOUR BACK PIG!" He has pleaded not guilty. Federal investigators raided Hargreaves' home and arrested him in September. Since then, he's been held in the Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, awaiting trial. Hargreaves has written five letters to the federal court clerk in Lexington asking that the case be dismissed. U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves had not ruled on Cornette's request for a competency hearing as of Monday. A pre-trial hearing is set for January 10th.

State Representative Bunch Sworn In

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Newly elected Republican state Representative Regina Bunch took the traditional oath of office Tuesday during the opening of the 2012 legislative session. She takes the place of her husband Dwayne Bunch who resigned in October after being injured in April trying to break up a fight at Whitley County High School, where he was a teacher. Regina Bunch, a seventh-grade teacher at Whitley County Middle School, says she never wanted to seek public office, but the Republican from Williamsburg will serve the remaining year of her husband's two-year term.

2012 General Assembly Convenes

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Gavels fell in the House and Senate shortly after noon Tuesday as lawmakers convened the 2012 session of the General Assembly. One of the first actions was the filing of a proposal that would redraw boundary lines around the state's legislative and congressional districts. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, says redrawing the political boundaries "is probably one of the most contentious issues the legislature deals with." House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, says redistricting is going to be the dominating topic, but lawmakers are hoping to have that completed and out of the way within the first two weeks. Governor Steve Beshear has warned that the upcoming budget cycle could be the "most challenging" yet. Senate President David Williams says Kentucky has serious and daunting problems financially, and budget negotiations could be tough at a time when cash infusions are needed for the state's education system, pension funds, Medicaid program and transportation projects including the proposed Ohio River bridges at Louisville. Stumbo says he believes the House could approve a proposal to allow voters a say in whether to expand gambling opportunities beyond horse races, lotteries and charitable bingo games. Lawmakers will also see pushes to allow charter schools to open in Kentucky and to accept the private University of Pikeville into Kentucky's system of public universities.

Prisoners Granted Early Release

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Tuesday, nearly 1,000 state prisoners are granted early release. House Bill 463, the comprehensive and controversial overhaul that became state law June 8th, was intended to save more than $40 million a year in Department of Corrections costs, with a large chunk of those savings being reinvested in community supervision and counseling programs to keep prisoners from ending up back behind bars. The average yearly cost to incarcerate a state prisoner in Kentucky is $21,906, according to data from the Department of Corrections. The average cost to supervise out-of-custody criminals is $987.

Snow Falls Throughout The Bluegrass

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Snow fell throughout the Bluegrass on Monday, leaving southbound lanes of Interstate 75 in northern Kentucky closed for about three hours Monday afternoon after two pileups involving more than 70 vehicles. Kentucky State Police say one pileup occurred on I-75 near Dry Ridge in Grant County. That pileup was three separate crashes involving 30 vehicles. Another pileup occurred just north of Crittenden in southern Kenton County, and involved 41 vehicles. Eight people were injured, and six were taken to local hospitals in that collision, but none of the injuries were life-threatening. Interstate 75 closed around noon, and early estimates indicated it could be closed for up to seven hours. However, the highway reopened about 3:00 P.M. Snow and wind contributed to a chain reaction of crashes on eastbound I-64 in Rowan County. Several people were taken to area hospitals, including two who were transported to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital and were in fair condition Monday night.

Lawmakers Scheduled To Convene

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Lawmakers are scheduled to convene Tuesday for a legislative session in which they will face issues, including proposals that would legalize casino-style gambling, redraw legislative and congressional district boundary lines, and craft a budget that will almost certainly require more cuts to government agencies and services. Governor Steve Beshear, who favors casino-style gambling in the state and has been pushing the issue for four years, says he expects a proposal to be filed in the Senate within days of the start of the legislative session. Beshear says Kentucky is losing hundreds of millions of dollars to neighboring states that allow casino-style gambling, and it could recapture some of that money for needs within its borders by offering the same kinds of gambling.

Protections Against Dating Violence Sought

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky law does not allow dating couples to get domestic violence orders. They're available only to couples who are married, living together or once did, or have a child together. Domestic violence advocates will push state lawmakers again this year to include protections against dating violence in the state's domestic violence laws, but opponents have successfully argued over the years that crimes such as stalking and assault among dating partners may be addressed through existing laws, and that expanding domestic violence protection to dating partners would bog down the courts. Although 43 other states give such protections to dating couples, calls to change Kentucky's law have been rejected repeatedly by lawmakers in recent years.

Coal Mine Accident Deaths Fall

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During the past year, the death toll from U.S. coal mine accidents fell to 21, the second lowest annual count since the federal government began keeping records more than a century ago. Kentucky led the nation in coal deaths in 2011 with eight miners killed on the job, followed by West Virginia with six. Joe Main, head of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, said stepped up federal safety enforcement has helped the coal industry to rebound from 2010 when 48 miners were killed nationwide, 29 of them in an underground explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia.