EF2 Tornado Confirmed In Kentucky

• {Hodgenville, Kentucky}...The National Weather Service has determined an EF2 tornado packing winds of 125 miles per hour touched down in Kentucky Wednesday morning. LaRue County Judge-Executive Tommy Turner says at least 20 houses were destroyed or severely damaged in the small city of Hodgenville 55 miles southwest of Louisville. State Police said several buildings in the nearby city of Elizabethtown were also destroyed. Officials in West Liberty reported several buildings damaged. Morgan County Judge Executive Tim Conley said county officials received reports of a funnel cloud a few miles west of West Liberty. Conley said the western part of the county suffered extensive damage from high winds. In Russell County, which encompasses most of Lake Cumberland, the emergency dispatch center confirmed that a tornado touched down in the Webb's Crossroads area in the northern part of the county at mid-afternoon. Dispatchers received reports of power lines down and several structures damaged. Tornado watches and warnings continued to march eastward across Kentucky from a storm system blamed for several deaths in Missouri and Illinois.

Auditor Recommends Medicaid Managed Care Changes

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services now has Medicaid contracts with four managed care organizations that serve nearly 750,000 poor, elderly and disabled Kentuckians. State Auditor Adam Edelen says he created a special unit in the state auditor's office to monitor the long-term effectiveness of Kentucky's new Medicaid managed care programs after receiving widespread complaints from doctors and patients that claims for reimbursement were not being paid in a timely manner and that treatment was being delayed or denied. Edelen recommended Wednesday that the state consider removing mental-health services from its new Medicaid managed-care system. The recommendation is among 10 Edelen proposed to address problems with the system the state launched November 1st in an effort to save money.

House Overwhelmingly Passes "Pill Mill" Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A proposal by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, a Prestonsburg Democrat, to battle the problem of addictive pain medicines prescribed by unscrupulous clinics known as "pill mills" overwhelmingly passed the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday. The bill would move the KASPER prescription drug-monitoring program from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the attorney general's office and require that the attorney general, state police and medical licensure board share KASPER information. It also would require that pain clinics be owned by physicians or nurse practitioners and that those who prescribe strong painkillers like OxyContin and Hydrocodone register with KASPER.

House Committee Approves Synthetic Drugs Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a proposal to crack down on dangerous synthetic drugs that are being sold over the counter as bath salts and incense. The proposal by the committee's chairman, Democratic Representative John Tilley of Hopkinsville, would use a broad approach in regulating synthetic substances that mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as marijuana and methamphetamine by making classes of chemical compounds illegal. First-time offenders could be sentenced to a year in jail, fined thousands of dollars, forfeit property and lose their alcohol sale licenses.

Bluegrass Consortium Of Higher Education Formed

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Presidents of 12 schools gathered in Lexington Wednesday to sign a charter agreement forming the Bluegrass Consortium of Higher Education. The partnership agreement could give students more flexibility to hop among campuses to get the courses needed for their degrees. Participating schools are the University of Kentucky, Asbury University, Berea College, Centre College, Eastern Kentucky University, Georgetown College, Kentucky State University, Midway College, Morehead State University, Sullivan University, Transylvania University and Bluegrass Community & Technical College.

Beshear Pushing Cancer Screenings

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear says Kentucky sees more than 24,000 new cases of cancer each year, and some 9,500 Kentuckians diagnosed with cancer die each year. Beshear was accompanied by several physicians in his Capitol briefing room Tuesday when he announced the formation of the Kentucky Cancer Foundation to generate money to cover the cost of screenings. Beshear has asked lawmakers to appropriate $1 million for the foundation, which would put up another $1 million to pay for cancer screenings.

Stivers Drafts Revised Pseudoephedrine Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Senator Robert Stivers, a Manchester Republican, said Tuesday he has drafted a revised version of a bill that would allow people to purchase up to 3.5 grams a month or 15 grams a year of cold and allergy medicines that contain pseudoephedrine or similar ingredients that are used in making methamphetamine. Purchases would be tracked by MethCheck, and those who try to buy more would have to get a prescription. The bill would also prevent those who committed meth-related crimes from purchasing the medicines for five years after their convictions. Stivers says the bill will be heard Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Delay Sought In Iraqi Case

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...Court papers filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green ask U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell to reset the sentencing date for Iraqi national Waad Ramadan Alwan. Alwan, who pleaded guilty to 23 terrorism-related charges in December, was to be sentenced April 3rd. Co-defendant, 24 year old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, faces trial July 30th on charges he tried to funnel weapons and cash to Al-Qaida operatives in Iraq and that he lied to get into the United States as a refugee. The FBI arrested the pair in May in Bowling Green.

Beshear Won't Cancel Prayer Breakfast

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Americans United for the Separation of Church and State has joined The Freedom from Religion Foundation in a call for Governor Steve Beshear to cancel a prayer breakfast set for March 6th. The Americans United group sent a letter to Beshear Monday, contending that the prayer breakfast constitutes an unconstitutional endorsement of religion, but Beshear said the prayer breakfast is a long-held tradition that he will not cancel. The Freedom from Religion Foundation had made a similar request last week on the same grounds.

UK Linebacker Dismissed

{Louisville, Kentucky}...University of Kentucky linebacker 21 year old Ridge Wilson has been dismissed from the football team after being arrested early Sunday morning on felony drug trafficking charges after police found him parked on the side of a downtown street in a known drug trafficking area in Louisville. Police say Wilson gave consent to search the car, and an officer found a bag of Xanax pills hidden in a pair of jeans. Wilson was carrying $1,947 in cash.

Transportation Cabinet Inspector General Dismissed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Spokesman Chuck Wolfe said Monday that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has dismissed inspector general David Ray. The job of inspector general is to address allegations of wrongdoing in the cabinet. It responds to about 150 complaints, requests and inquiries each year. In his nearly eight years in the job, Ray, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, has conducted several well-publicized investigations, including a land swap in Perry County between the Transportation Cabinet and a coal company that wanted to surface-mine coal on state land. He also investigated state highway officials for allegedly filing incorrect time sheets.

Legislative Candidates Withdraw From Races

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...More than 20 candidates dropped out of legislative races Monday, just days after the Kentucky Supreme Court issued a ruling Friday that legislative candidates had to run in decade-old districts instead of newly drawn ones that were deemed unconstitutional. That left some candidates in violation of residency requirements because they lived in the newly drawn districts. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan encouraged ineligible candidates to withdraw so their names won't appear on the ballots. By the close of business Monday afternoon, 25 candidates had withdrawn, and more are expected to do so in coming days.

Proposal For Financing Supreme Court Candidates

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Representative Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, is pushing a proposal that would create a public financing system for candidates in Supreme Court races. Wayne says the legislation is needed in the wake of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision, known as the Citizens United case, that paved the way for corporations, unions and wealthy individuals to contribute as much as they want to independent political groups to support candidates and causes. Wayne says, "We think that our system is vulnerable to this type of purchase of Supreme Court justices." Proponents of public finances for justices contend that unscrupulous donors could have a broader impact on the Supreme Court with seven seats than on the state Legislature with 138 seats. They insist justices should be shielded from that influence. Wayne said getting a floor vote in the House on his bill would be considered a victory, even if that vote fails.

Lawmakers Examine Budget Proposal

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky lawmakers spent Sunday at the Capitol examining the budget proposal, which could be presented to House for a vote within two weeks. House Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Rick Rand, a Democrat from Bedford, says House lawmakers will likely do some "fine tuning" but he foresees Governor Steve Beshear's $19.5 billion two-year budget proposal won't undergo any major overhaul. Rand says he expects the 8.4 percent cuts that Beshear proposed for most government agencies will largely stay in place, and he expects no pay raises, and no tax hikes.

Powell County Man Charged With Attempted Murder

{Stanton, Kentucky}...Sterling Esteppe, 54, was charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and attempted murder Friday after police say he shot his son, 32 year old Dean Esteppe, at a home on Snow Creek Road, south of Clay City, in Powell County just after 9:30 P.M. Thursday night. Police say, earlier Thursday, Sterling Esteppe had wrecked a moped and was being teased by his son Dean, his wife, Angie, and his cousin, Joe Hall, who were calling him Evel Knievel, just joking around. Police say Sterling Esteppe was joking around with them when he suddenly went after his son and threw his wife on the ground. The son took up for his mother and struck his father. Things settled down, and Sterling Esteppe, who had been drinking, announced he was going to bed. Dean, his mother and Hall went outside to look for a lens that had dropped out of Sterling Esteppe's eyeglasses. As they were walking back to the house, Sterling Esteppe came out with a .22 rifle at his side, saying, "Dean, I told you before, if you hit me again, I'm going to kill you." Sterling Esteppe then started shooting, and Dean Esteppe forced his mother to the ground and began running toward his father. Dean Esteppe was shot twice in the abdomen, twice in the face and once in the left arm. Dean Esteppe managed to get the gun from his father and hit him in the head with it, knocking him out. Dean Esteppe was listed in critical condition Friday at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Matt Conway To Be Arraigned

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Matt Conway, the brother of Attorney General Jack Conway and a former assistant commonwealth's attorney in Jefferson County, is to be arraigned Tuesday after being arrested Thursday night and released on his own recognizance Friday. Police say Conway refused to take an alcohol breath test, but he failed a field sobriety test. Conway was the subject of drug investigations in 2008 and 2009 but wasn't charged. He resigned from the commonwealth's attorney's office in May. In 2010, he was disciplined for telling police a detective hadn't tipped him off that he was under investigation, but he later admitted he was tipped off.

Federal Prosecutor Focuses On Hate Crimes

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police statistics show there were 69 hate crimes reported in Kentucky in 2010. U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey, the top federal prosecutor for central and eastern Kentucky, held civil rights training Thursday for about 100 state and local police and prosecutors to explain changes in the federal hate crime law. Harvey says he is making enforcement of federal civil rights laws a priority and will go after people accused of hate crimes. Congress broadened the law in 2009 to include crimes motivated by a victim's sexual orientation, disability and gender.

Health And Family Services Receives Grant

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Health Policy has received a $57.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will allow Kentucky to continue its planning for and implementation of programs and systems required by the Affordable Care Act. The HHS grant received by Kentucky is one of a total of $229 million in establishment grants awarded to 10 states this week to help build health insurance marketplaces.

Judge Orders Release Of Child Records

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd has ordered state officials to provide two years of records in child-abuse and neglect cases in 90 days to the state's two largest newspapers, the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader. Shepherd's order replaces a prior one that said the cabinet must release 1,000 pages of records a week, which started on January 27th. Jill Midkiff, a Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokeswoman, says officials are reviewing the order and continuing to release records. Shepherd has already ruled such records must be released, but legal wrangling has continued over the cabinet's insistence it has the right to delete some information from the files.  Last month, the cabinet appealed the dispute to the state Court of Appeals. Under a previous order from the judge, the cabinet has been releasing heavily redacted files at the rate of about 1,000 pages a week for the past four weeks.

Supreme Court Rules Legislative Districts Unconstitutional

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Legislative candidates will have to run in decade-old districts in this year's elections. Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton issued a unanimous ruling Friday afternoon stating that newly drawn legislative districts are "facially unconstitutional" and that lawmakers will have to operate under the old districts until more balanced boundaries are drawn. Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled earlier this month that newly drawn legislative districts are out of balance and must be redrawn to comply with the "one person, one vote" mandate in federal and state law. The Supreme Court upheld Shepherd's ruling.

Casino Gambling Amendment Rejected

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Senate voted 21-16 against the proposed constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling in Kentucky. Wednesday, the Senate State & Local Government Committee approved SB 151 by a vote of 7-4. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, and Democratic Floor Leader R.J. Palmer of Winchester, a supporter, had asked that the bill not be called for a floor vote Thursday because Senator Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, was out of town. Palmer said that, without Neal's pro-gambling vote, the bill could not garner the necessary 23 votes to pass a constitutional amendment. Republican Senate President David Williams of Burkesville said earlier in the day that, if supporters could get 22 votes for the bill, he would delay final action until Friday.

Committee Approves Bill Aimed At Miner Drug Abuse

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...More than 1,500 coal miners have tested positive for drug use since Kentucky began screenings six years ago. The Office of Mine Safety and Licensing convinced the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee to approve legislation Thursday to eliminate loopholes in current law that could allow miners who abuse drugs to return to work in Kentucky. The legislation would revoke the mine certifications for three years for first offenders, five years for second offenders and for life for third offenders. Current law allows miners to be retested after 10 days. Those who test negative can then return to work.

Pseudoephedrine Bill Sent Back To Committee

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...A controversial bill aimed at reducing the production of methamphetamine by requiring a prescription for over-the-counter medicines containing pseudoephedrine was withdrawn from the Senate floor Thursday afternoon. Senator Tom Jensen, R-London, the original sponsor of the bill, says either an amendment to the current bill or a new bill will be filed next week and will be discussed in the Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. Many law enforcement agencies, including the Kentucky Narcotics Officers Association, have supported a prescription requirement, saying it will drastically reduce the number of meth labs discovered in Kentucky. The bill has been opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, which argues that requiring a prescription unfairly burdens those who use the medications for cold and allergy relief.

Postal Service Announces Kentucky Closings

• {Washington, D.C.}...The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday it is closing eight mail processing centers around Kentucky. The Postal Service says centers in Bowling Green, Campton, Elizabethtown, Hazard, Lexington, London, Paducah and Somerset would close. Mail processed at those centers will now be processed at facilities in other cities. The announcement comes after five months of study as officials with the U.S. Postal Service look to cut spending across the nation. Postal officials say they need to cut $20 billion dollars by 2015 in order to stay profitable.

Michelle Obama and Jill Biden Visit Kentucky

{Louisville, Kentucky}...First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden were in Kentucky Thursday. The First Lady was headlining a fundraiser for her husband’s re-election Thursday evening at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage in Louisville. Vice President Joe Biden’s wife visited community colleges in Kentucky and Tennessee to promote President Obama’s proposal for an $8 billion program to train community college students for high-growth industries. Jill Biden visited Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington, Kentucky and Roane State Community College at Harriman, Tennessee, along with U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. Jill Biden was a community college instructor for 18 years, and Solis began her public service career as a community college trustee.

Kentucky Kingdom To Reopen Under New Name

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Fair Board agreed Thursday to lease the former Kentucky Kingdom amusement park to the Koch family, which operates Holiday World theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana. The park, which closed two years ago amid bankruptcy proceedings, will be renamed Bluegrass Boardwalk and is expected to reopen in May 2013, employing 25 people full-time and 800 seasonal workers. The Kochs say the park will feature free soft drinks, sunscreen and inner-tube use at its water park. Kentucky Kingdom was formerly operated by Six Flags.

Kentucky Lawyer Suspended

Louisville, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Supreme Court has suspended attorney James A. Earhart of Louisville for 30 days after Indiana Supreme Court Justices found Earhart took a $10,000 fee from a client who killed himself shortly after hiring him. Indiana officials found that Earhart's refusal to return the funds to the man's widow amounted to unethical behavior because the money had not been earned. Kentucky's Supreme Court imposed the suspension under a reciprocal agreement with Indiana. Earhart is representing Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, an Iraqi national charged with attempting to provide support to a terrorist organization. He also represented Karen Sypher, who is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted of trying to extort University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

Kentucky Supreme Court Suspendeds Attorney

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court suspended attorney Eric Deters of Independence for 61 days and ordered him to attend remedial ethics training and to pay $1,834 to cover the cost of the Kentucky Bar Association's proceedings against him. The suspension stems from Deters' actions in separate cases, with one involving attorney's fees and another that deals with comments made about a judge and opposing counsel. The high court also found problems with Deters in a January 2008 case in which he accused Grant County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Bates and opposing counsel, Ruth Baxter, of improperly discussing a civil case without him present, resulting in Baxter winning the case. Deters then went on his radio show and made similar allegations. Deters sued the Kentucky Bar Association in 2011. Deters, who once doubled as a radio talk-show host on WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio says the decision is "wrong" and that he didn't get a fair hearing. Deters, who is also licensed to practice in Ohio, says he will resume practicing law in Kentucky after the suspension ends.

Senate Passes Bill To Limit General Fund Debt

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Senate voted 34-2 Wednesday to approve a bill to limit General Fund debt to 6 percent of general revenue. Democratic Senators Perry Clark of Louisville and Walter Blevins of Morehead cast the only votes against it. The main sponsor, Republican Senator Joe Bowen of Owensboro, said the bill would not apply to the Road Fund, which has its own source of revenue, the gas tax, or to the state's universities and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority. Senator Julian Carroll, a Frankfort Democrat and former governor, says Kentucky's debt is currently $11 billion, and the state has outspent its revenue in 10 of the last 12 years.

Officer Fatally Shoots West Liberty Man

• {West Liberty, Kentucky}...Jimmy Hill of West Liberty, in Morgan County, died after being shot by a police officer around 2:00 P.M. Wednesday. West Liberty 911 Director John Conley says officers responding to a domestic disturbance call encountered Hill, who was carrying two knives. When Hill failed to put the weapons down, one shot was fired by Sgt. Scott Adkins, a 12-year veteran of the department. Adkins was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Gambling Bill Passes Senate Committee

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted 7-4 Wednesday, approving a measure to allow casinos to be built in Kentucky. Republican state Senator Damon Thayer of Georgetown, a horse industry consultant who is sponsoring the legislation, made some last minute changes so that the proposal no longer requires up to five of the proposed casinos to be built at race tracks. New language allows up to seven casinos in the state with no assurance that they would be built at horse tracks. Some lawmakers had objected to a constitutional guarantee that horse tracks would get casinos, arguing that no specific industry should be written into the state’s Constitution. If the constitutional amendment passes in the General Assembly, it would be placed on the November ballot for voters to ratify or reject.

Harlan County Mine Officials Indicted

• {London, Kentucky}...A federal grand jury in London has indicted Manalapan Mining Company and three officials at the P-1 Mine in Pathfork, in Harlan County, where underground miner 46 year old David Partin was killed when a roof collapsed on June 29, 2011. The 32-count indictment charges Manalapan Mining Company and three officials with violating federal mine safety laws related to underground mine roof structures. It says the mine operations manager, superintendent and a foreman failed to report and record hazardous conditions at the mine, and preshift records kept by the officials dating from June 13th to June 28th were falsified. The indictments against Manalapan Mining name the P-1 mine's superintendent, Joseph Miniard, operations manager Jefferson Davis, and second shift foreman Bryant Massingale.

Lawmakers Consider Constables' Power

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Representative Joni Jenkins has filed a bill that would abolish the constable's office in Kentucky. Jenkins says they serve civil warrants and do all sorts of things that are very helpful, but they have arrest power and the ability to carry a gun with none of the training. Jenkins knows her bill will receive resistance, but she says a more viable option was filed Wednesday that she co-sponsored in the House, which would give the authority to local fiscal courts as to the duties and the boundaries for constable. Representative Fred Nesler, who filed the new HB 437, says, at this point in time, it goes too far just to say we're going to do away with the office.

Kentucky Labor Leader Dies

{Georgetown, Kentucky}...Kentucky labor leader 52 year old Charles Wells died in a house fire at his home in Georgetown Tuesday evening. Kentucky State Police say the fire began in one room after an electric space heater was placed too close to combustible materials. KSP say the preliminary cause of death was smoke inhalation. Governor Steve Beshear appointed Wells in 2008 as special assistant in the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet as a liaison between the state and labor groups representing its employees.  

UK Approves Deal With Tennessee Firm

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...Tuesday, the University of Kentucky board of trustees approved letting university President Eli Capilouto sign a 50-year ground lease with Education Realty Trust of Memphis, Tennessee for a plan that will lead to a new 600-bed residence hall for honors students. The property is on Haggin Field near the W.T. Young Library. The hall, which is to be completed in August 2013, will have some high-tech classrooms and office space and will be owned by Education Realty. The university wants to have up to 9,000 beds built on campus in privately owned buildings during the next five to 10 years, replacing all but six of UK's 22 residence halls.

Religious Leaders Oppose Casino Gambling

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...During a rally in Frankfort Tuesday, Catholic bishops in Kentucky issued a stern warning about the potential consequences if lawmakers approve a proposal to legalize casinos. The Rev. Patrick Delahanty, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky, distributed a letter to state senators detailing the unanimous concerns of the state's four bishops who represent some 400,000 parishioners in the state. The letter was on behalf of Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Bishop Roger J. Foys of Covington, Bishop Ronald W. Gainer of Lexington and Bishop William F. Medley of Owensboro. Gambling opponents, including the Kentucky Council of Churches and the Kentucky Baptist Convention, have been working to try to defeat Governor Steve Beshear's proposal for a constitutional amendment that would allow up to seven casinos to open in the state. The proposal is tentatively scheduled for a vote Wednesday in the Senate Committee on State and Local Government.

Bill To Tax Wagering Passes House Committee

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Tuesday, a measure that would tax bets on horse races made online or on the phone passed the House Budget Committee. House Bill 229 would allow a tax of 0.05 percent on bets made through advanced-deposit wagering sites by Kentucky bettors. From that, 0.05 percent, about 15 percent would go back to the state's general fund, and about 85 percent would go to racetracks. The tracks would have to use 50 percent of their share to pump up purses for Kentucky horse races.

House Committee Passes Bill To Raise Dropout Age

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The House Education Committee passed a Senate bill Tuesday to raise the student dropout age to 18. The bill by Senator Jack Westwood, an Erlanger Republican, in its original form would have allowed local school districts to raise the dropout age from 16 to 18. But it wouldn't have been mandatory. That version passed the Senate. Last week, the House of Representatives passed a bill by Democratic Representative Jeff Greer of Brandenburg that would raise the dropout age in every district from 16 to 17 by 2016 and then to 18 by 2017. Local districts would not be able to opt out.

Catlettsburg Woman Faces Drug Charge

• {Catlettsburg, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police say 49 year old Donessa L. McCarty of Catlettsburg who worked for Dr. Touma in Ashland between May 2010 and February 2012  posed as another employee when she called in to refill prescriptions for Hydrocodone to two area Walmart stores. McCarty is charged with 86 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, false statement, or forgery.

Man Allegedly Orders Dog To Attack Officers

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Michael C. Miller, 44, of Louisville, faces multiple charges after allegedly fleeing, fighting and ordering his dog to attack Louisville Metro Police officers, who were treated for cuts at University Hospital. An officer tried to stop a Nissan pickup driven by Miller on Bruce Avenue about 11:30 P.M. Sunday after seeing Miller driving in both lanes, speeding and committing other traffic violations, but Miller continued to drive until he reached the driveway of his home, where he tried to get into the house. Miller is accused of struggling with the officer as he tried to arrest him. An attempt to use a Taser gun didn’t stop Miller. When a second officer arrived, Miller reportedly commanded what police described as a pit bull to “get him,” leading the dog to bite both officers. An officer fatally shot the dog before more officers responded to the scene. Before he was finally arrested, Miller reportedly pulled a gun from one of the officer’s hand.

Kentucky State Fair Board Seeks Luxury Hotel

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The Kentucky State Fair Board is seeking proposals for a luxury hotel they say would lure larger conventions and trade shows to the area. The $100 million project would be located near Gate One and serve as a headquarters for trade shows and conventions. It would have an elevated walkway connecting it to the fairgrounds' South Wing exhibit complex. Linda Edwards, the fair board's vice president of sales and marketing, says the fairgrounds lost the Pumper Cleaner Expo, a trade show for environmental service professionals, due to no hotel at Gate One, and a signed contract for Memorial Day weekend 2013 with NAFSA, a youth convention with 20,000 people, was canceled due to lack of a convention hotel at Gate One. The board sent requests to 30 hotel-development companies asking for a minimum of 600 rooms and full-service amenities. Fair board President Harold Workman says the fair board set a March 21st deadline for proposals and hopes to get at least five responses. He said the earliest that a new luxury hotel could open is mid-2014.

U.K./Education Realty Trust Plan Dorm Partnership

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees will discuss a proposal Tuesday that calls for UK to partner with Memphis, Tenn.-based Education Realty Trust, a company that builds and manages student housing. The proposal calls for Education Realty Trust to build and manage a 600-bed, $26 million dorm under a 50 year lease. The board is also expected to take a preliminary step in a broader agreement with the company that would lead to replacing nearly 6,000 dorm beds and add 3,000. UK officials say the deal is the only affordably way that new dorms with modern technology can be built in a short amount of time, which is essential for student recruitment and success. Education Realty Trust has dorms at more than 57 campuses in 23 states.

Jones Doesn't Support Beshear's Casino Amendment

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Former Democratic Governor Brereton Jones, a Thoroughbred breeder who has lobbied for expanded gambling for a decade, said Friday he cannot support Governor Steve Beshear's casino amendment. Jones has said he cannot support gambling legislation that does not designate where the money would go. Jones says Beshear's bill lets the legislature makes all the decisions, but the people shpuld be allowed to vote on where the casinos go and where the money goes. In 2004, Jones co-founded the Kentucky Equine Education Project to lobby for expanded gambling. KEEP has expressed support of Beshear's bill, filed by Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown.

Sherman Minton Bridge Reopens

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The Sherman Minton Bridge that connects southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky reopened late Friday, more than five months after a crack was found in load-bearing steel. The nearly 50 year old steel span connecting Kentucky and Indiana along Interstate 64 had been closed since September 9th. Hall Contracting, which won a $13.9 million contract to repair the bridge, had until March 1st to finish the work but was offered a $100,000-a-day incentive - up to $5 million - for completing the work before the deadline. There is still some work to be done on the bridge, including painting the new steel plates and removing the working platforms.

Supreme Court Set To Hear Redistricting Case

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a legislative redistricting case next Friday, February 24th, after Chief Justice John D. Minton filed an order Friday officially accepting transfer of the case from the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled the new districts are out of balance and needed to be redrawn to comply with the "one person, one vote" mandate in federal and state law. Challenges were quickly taken to the Kentucky Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme Court.

Woman Faces Life Without Parole

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...Friday, Kathy Coy pleaded guilty but mentally ill. Coy faces life in prison without parole when sentenced March 1st. Prosecutors say, in April 2011, 21 year old Jamie Stice was shocked with a stun gun before having her wrists and throat cut with a drywall knife, her unborn baby son cut from her womb and she was left dead beside a rural road near Bowling Green. Police arrested Coy at a local hospital after she arrived with the infant but showed no signs of having given birth. During a hearing in April, Kentucky State Police detective Chad Winn testified that Coy lured Stice out of her home by telling her they were going shopping for baby supplies. Isaiah Allen Stice Reynolds lives with his father and is said to be thriving despite being born about five weeks early.

Powell County Man Found Not Guilty

• {Stanton, Kentucky}... Woodie Sons, a Powell County fitness club manager charged with the murder of a man in 2010, has been found not guilty on all charges in the case. Sons was indicted on murder and other charges in February 2011. Police say the mother of Charles Maggard, 42, discovered her son's body in his Jerrica Leigh Lane home when she went to check on him after he failed to show up for work on December 13th. Police say Maggard had been beaten and stabbed with an Ale-8-One bottle.

Phone Companies Want Option To End Basic Service

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky's telephone industry wants the option to end basic phone service in less profitable parts of their territories if other communications options, such as cell phones or the Internet, are available in the area. The industry is pushing Senate Bill 135, referred to as "the AT&T bill" by its sponsor and others because it originated with that company's lobbyists. The bill would strip the Kentucky Public Service Commission of most of its remaining oversight of basic phone service provided by the three major carriers AT&T, Windstream and Cincinnati Bell, such as the power to initiate investigations into service problems. AT&T spokesman Brad Rateike says AT&T must follow where the market leads, and land line usage has dropped 50 percent over the last 10 years while wireless usage has jumped 300 percent. Cathy Allgood Murphy, AARP Kentucky's associate state director, says for a lot of people in eastern Kentucky, their land line is their life line, and they may not be able to afford an Internet connection, and they don't have cell phones because their communities, in the mountains, don't get cell phone reception.

Bill To Restore Felons' Voting Rights Passes House

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Thursday, the state House of Representatives approved a proposal that would let Kentuckians decide whether to amend the state Constitution to restore some felons' voting rights. Most felons would be eligible to vote after they have served their sentences or completed probation or parole. It would not apply to those convicted of treason, intentional killing, sex crimes or bribery. An amendment to the bill by Representative Brad Montell, a Shelbyville Republican, requires a person who is eligible to have his or her voting rights restored to sign a pledge to follow conscience in casting votes "without fear or favor of any person." The pledge would be submitted to the secretary of state.

Lexington Doctor Suspended

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure voted in Louisville to suspend the license of Dr. Najam Azmat, who was prescribing drugs at Lexington Algiatry, a pain clinic on Alexandria Drive that was raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration Wednesday. The board ordered an emergency suspension effective immediately. The board said  Azmat had little formal training in pain management medicine or primary care, yet he was paid $7,500 per week to write prescriptions for powerful narcotic painkillers.

Youth Rally In Capitol Rotunda

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered Thursday in the Capitol Rotunda to advocate for the needs of children. Kentucky Youth Advocates executive director Terry Brooks said the group's legislative priorities this year are to get the state to do more about child abuse deaths, prevent superintendents from assigning teachers who are being disciplined to alternative school programs, promote an earned income tax credit for low-income families and reduce the number of children jailed for status offenses through use of diversion programs. Keynote speaker Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson outlined some of Gov. Steve Beshear's priorities for children, including increasing state funding for early childhood education to cover those who are at or below 160 percent of the poverty level, increasing funding for state social workers, fighting the prescription drug abuse problem, sparing basic classroom SEEK funding from budget cuts and raising the school dropout age to 18.

House Passes Bill To Raise Dropout Age

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky House of Representatives voted 87-10 Thursday approving legislation that would raise the school dropout age to 18. The bill would raise the dropout age to 17 in 2016 and to 18 in 2017. Democratic Representative Jeff Greer of Brandenburg, the sponsor, says allowing children to drop out of school at the age of 16 or 17 is costly to them and the state because they earn less and are more likely to be on public assistance or be incarcerated for crimes. Greer says only 19 states, including Kentucky, allow students to leave high school at the age of 16 without graduating.

Senate Committee Passes Pseudoephedrine Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 Thursday to pass a measure that would allow medications sold over-the-counter to treat cold and allergy sufferers to be restricted to people with prescriptions in an effort to curb methamphetamine production. Lawmakers have been debating over the past year about whether to restrict sales of certain medications that contain pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in meth. A similar proposal cleared the Judiciary Committee last year but was never brought up for a vote by the full Senate. Senate Republican Floor Leader Robert Stivers II and Republican Senator Tom Jensen have pressed hard to get the legislation through the General Assembly.

KY Downs To Install "Instant Racing" Machines

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave its OK Wednesday for Kentucky Downs to install another 75 "instant racing" machines, which resemble casino-style slot machines. The track in Franklin near the Tennessee border debuted the game in September with 200 machines and total wagering on the old horse races surpassed $40 million through the end of January. The track kept nearly $2.9 million, part of which will go to boost purses for its short live-racing season in September. The state collected $603,730. A lawsuit by the Family Foundation to ban the games is pending in the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Gambling Bill Close To Clearing Senate Committee

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear’s casino gambling amendment has the support of at least five of the six senators needed to approve it in the State & Local Government Committee and send it to the Senate floor. Georgetown Republican Damon Thayer, the chairman of the committee and the sponsor of the bill, has said he will hold a hearing on it next Wednesday, assuming it is assigned there. Senate leaders have said it will be, and Majority Floor Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said he expects that could happen Thursday. The bill would allow up to five racetrack casinos and up to two at free-standing locations that are not within 60 miles of a Kentucky track.

House Committee Passes Child Porn Law

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The House Judiciary Committee passed a bill Wednesday that would punish people who skirt child pornography laws by accessing images or video through overseas computer systems. House Bill 126 would also make viewing the images a Class D felony with a possible sentence of up to five years in prison. Anyone convicted of the crime would have to register as a sex offender.

Lexington Pain Clinic Raided

{Lexington,  Kentucky}...Wednesday, Lexington police and federal officers raided the Lexington Algiatry pain clinic. About 20 plainclothes officers went inside Lexington Algiatry at 10:30 A.M., and, by noon, local police and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration had arrested six people on outstanding warrants. Lexington Algiatry moved to Alexandria Dr. after an investigation by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure that stemmed from numerous grievances about suspected inappropriate prescriptions of controlled substances that were written by Dr. Najam Azmat.

UK And Ticket Holder Settle Lawsuit

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Charles Mitchell of Lancaster, a deaf University of Kentucky football season ticket holder, and the school have settled a lawsuit over closed-captioning at Commonwealth Stadium. Mitchell sued in May, seeking to force the university to put captions for all game announcements on the scoreboards of the stadium under the Americans With Disabilities Act. University of Kentucky spokesman DeWayne Peevy said the school added the captioning when it spent $6.5 million to install new scoreboards and ribbon boards at the stadium late last year. The parties told U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood Tuesday they had reached an agreement. The final settlement paperwork hasn't been filed with the court, but is due to Hood by March 2nd.

Superseding Indictment In Iraqi Case

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...A superseding indictment was filed late Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green against 24 year old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, an Iraqi man facing trial on terrorism charges. The new indictment alleges he lied to gain refugee status and enter the United States. The two perjury charges were added to 10 previous charges in which prosecutors allege Hammadi tried to funnel weapons and cash to Al-Qaida operatives in Iraq. Hammadi and fellow Iraqi native Waad Ramadan Alwan were arrested in Bowling Green in May. Alwan pleaded guilty to 23 terrorism-related charges in December and is to be sentenced April 3rd. Hammadi faces a July trial.

Stumbo Filing Whistleblowers' Legislation

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo says he is filing legislation to give whistleblowers strong financial incentive to step forward if state tax dollars are being misused. Stumbo says the False Claims Act would root out fraud and potentially reduce the state's budget deficit by millions of dollars. The federal government created a false claims act in 1986, and several other states now have similar laws. Those found guilty would be liable for up to three times the amount they fraudulently billed the state, and whistleblowers will be eligible to receive anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the money recovered as a reward.

Beshear Unveils Gambling Proposal

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear unveiled a plan Tuesday to amend Kentucky's Constitution to allow casinos in the state. Beshear argues that Kentuckians are wagering hundreds of millions of dollars in casinos in neighboring states, and, if Kentucky legalized casinos, that money could increase General Fund revenue and bolster the struggling horse racing industry. To get through the General Assembly, the proposal has to be approved by 23 of the state's 38 senators and 60 of the 100 representatives. Republican Senator Damon Thayer of Georgetown filed a bill that would allow as many as seven casinos, five at horse tracks and two elsewhere. If approved by lawmakers, the proposal would be placed on the ballot in November to be ratified or rejected by voters.

Lawmakers Informed On Charter Schools

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Speaking before the House Education Committee at the Capitol in Frankfort Tuesday, leaders of charter schools told lawmakers why they favor a proposal by Republican Representative Brad Montell of Shelbyville that would allow charter schools in Kentucky. Lisa Grover, senior director of state advocacy for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and a founder of the first charter school in New Mexico, said charter schools work  because they allow for innovation and are tailored to the needs of the students they serve. Grover said Montell’s bill has strong safeguards to ensure accountability, including requiring the schools to meet or exceed standards, and allowing them to be closed if they do not. Wilson Sears, executive director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, said public education in the state has greatly improved in the 50 years he has been an educator, and Kentucky’s schools are now ranked 14th nationally. He said that suggests public educators are doing an exceptional job. Sharron Oxendine, president of the Kentucky Education Association, said Montell’s bill “is not the answer.” She said she would like to look at the good things charter schools are doing and apply those examples to all public schools, but not strip other schools of funding in lean times.

Senate Passes Ultrasound Abortion Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Senate voted 32-4 Tuesday passing a bill that would require an ultrasound be performed prior to an abortion and to provide a criminal penalty for violation of the law. The bill, sponsored by several senators including the committee chairman, Erlanger Republican Jack Westwood, is a proposal that has been introduced unsuccessfully before. Previously it passed the Republican-led Senate, but not the Democratic-led House. SB 103 is the second piece of legislation aimed at reducing abortions to pass the Senate this session. SB 102, which would require women seeking abortions to have face-to-face counseling 24 hours in advance from a health care professional, passed the Senate February 8th and has been sent to the House, which has taken no action.

Rally Calls For Ending Mountaintop Removal

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During the annual "I Love Mountains Day" rally, more than 1,000 activists, Appalachian residents and environmentalists lined the front steps of the Capitol building Tuesday and later marched to the nearby governor's mansion while calling on Kentucky lawmakers to put an end to mountaintop removal mining. A small group of people walked 140 miles from Prestonsburg to Frankfort to draw attention to their mining concerns. Speakers urged the passage of House Bill 167, which would expand renewable and clean energy alternatives in Kentucky, citing a report that such a mandated move could add 28,000 additional jobs in Kentucky by 2022. Bill Bissett, president of the Kentucky Coal Association, said support for any law that would require the use of renewable energy would be misguided and expensive. This was the seventh year that Kentuckians for the Commonwealth has organized an “I Love Mountains Day” event.

Scott Recuses From Redistricting Appeal

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Tuesday, the Kentucky Supreme Court fast tracked an appeal filed after Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled newly drawn legislative districts unconstitutional. Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott of Pikeville has recused himself from the case, saying he wanted to avoid any suggestion or appearance of partiality because he is running for re-election from a district that was redrawn in HB 1. Scott says the 7th Judicial District he represents would be significantly affected by changes approved by lawmakers in January. The state's highest court said all responses to all motions in the case must be filed with its clerk by noon Friday. The legislative map was challenged by House Republicans and Democratic state Senator Kathy Stein of Lexington. Stein's attorney, Scott White of Lexington, filed a response Tuesday afternoon to the appeal, arguing that HB 1 should be void and is unconstitutional.

Lawmakers Quiz Medicaid Managers

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Monday, lawmakers on the Program Review and Investigations Committee quizzed executives with Coventry Cares, Kentucky Spirit and WellCare of Kentucky, which manages most of the state's Medicaid program, about complaints lodged by Kentucky pharmacists who have told lawmakers that pharmacy-benefits companies sometimes pay less for generic drugs than it costs pharmacies to acquire them. Senator Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs, asked for a show of hands from pharmacists to learn which of the companies they believe underpay on generic drugs. Nearly everyone raised their hands for Medco Health Solutions, which is Coventry's partner, and Catalyst Rx, which is WellCare's. Nobody seemed to object to US Script, which is Kentucky Spirit's partner. Hospitals, doctors, dentists, mental health providers and Medicaid patients have complained to lawmakers in recent weeks that the state's switch to managed care has led to delayed payments and complicated pre-approval processes that makes treatment more difficult to obtain.

Hospital Being Recycled

{London, Kentucky}...The old Marymount Hospital in London was left vacant last year after a new facility was built. As crews work to tear the facility down they are recycling more than 80% of the buildings materials. Much of the hospitals equipment was sent to countries in need overseas. Officials say everything should be recycled and the demolition complete by early July. The demolition has created more than 70 jobs.

Redistricting Appeal Goes To Supreme Court

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Monday, the appeal over Kentucky's newly-drawn legislative districts went to the state Supreme Court at a potential cost of $220,000 in legal fees, most to be footed by taxpayers. The Legislative Research Commission, which represents House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President David Williams, has budgeted $95,000 for Louisville attorney Sheryl Snyder. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and the state Board of Elections, also defendants, have budgeted $50,000 for the law firms of Tachau Meek in Louisville and Britton Osborne Johnson in Lexington. Those legal fees will be paid with public funds. House Republicans, who brought the lawsuit, are privately raising funds to pay for their lawyers at Fultz Maddox Hovious & Dickens in Louisville who told them to look at a budget of $75,000. In the appeal, the Legislative Research Commission said Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd effectively drew a new map when he tossed the bill that set redrawn lines for the 2012 elections. The lawmakers say drawing districts is a power reserved solely for them. Shepherd ruled last week that the new districts are out of balance and needed to be redrawn to comply with the "one person, one vote" mandate in federal and state law.

Former 911 Director In Court

 {Louisa, Kentucky}...Testimony got underway Monday in Lawrence County Circuit Court in the trial of 49 year old Jeffrey Pack of Louisa, a former 911 Director charged with three counts of third-degree rape.
Investigators say Pack was engaging in illegal sexual activity with an underage female, who was an acquaintance. He was arrested by Kentucky State Police in March 2011. During Pack’s preliminary hearing, Prosecutor Michael Hogan told the court that Pack was a Deacon in his church and that the first alleged rape happened on a church trip in Georgia when the victim was 15, and then continued back in Lawrence County until after the victim turned 16. Pack resigned as 911 Director in November 2007.

American Airlines Makes Emergency Landing

• {Louisville, Kentucky}...An American Airlines flight from Miami to Detroit with 142 people on board made an emergency landing late Friday night in Louisville, Kentucky after the pilot noticed some hydraulic indicator. Passengers and crew stayed in Louisville on Friday night and completed their trip Saturday morning.

Lawsuit Challenges President Obama’s Health Care Overhaul

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...More than 300 lawmakers from 17 states, including nearly 60 from Kentucky, have signed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. An attorney for the libertarian Cato Institute will file the suit Monday with the U.S. Supreme Court. Lawmakers contend that Congress violated the Constitution’s commerce clause by compelling people to purchase insurance, and Congress has no right to force people to engage in commerce. The 2010 health care reform law aims to extend insurance coverage to more than 30 million Americans through measures that include expanding Medicaid and requiring individuals to buy health insurance.

Churchill Acquires Bluff Media

• {Louisville, Kentucky}...Louisville-based Churchill Downs Inc., the owner of the racetrack that's home to the Kentucky Derby, said Friday it has acquired the assets of Atlanta-based Bluff Media, whose assets include the poker periodical Bluff Magazine and its online version. Other Bluff Media assets acquired by Churchill include an online database that tracks and ranks the performance of poker players, as well as blogs and forums aimed at poker enthusiasts. Churchill owns and operates the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, as well as racetrack and casino operations in Florida and Louisiana, a racetrack in Illinois and a casino resort in Mississippi.

Inmate Sues U.S. Bureau of Prisons...Gets Trial

{Pikeville, Kentucky}...Fifty-seven year old Johnny Davis, who is serving life in federal prison, filed suit in 2008 in federal court in Pikeville against the U.S. Bureau of Prisons after he had cataract surgery in 2005 while at the U.S. Penitentiary-Big Sandy in Inez. Thursday, U.S. District Judge Amul R. Thapar granted him a May 7th trial in Lexington. The case is unusual, both because Davis pursued it for the first three years without the assistance of an attorney and because he'll get a trial, unless a settlement is reached. Davis' current attorney, MacKenzie Mayes Walter, who joined the lawsuit in September, said she looks forward to establishing that prison officials were responsible for Davis' "serious injuries." Davis, convicted of federal drug charges in South Carolina, is currently being held at a federal prison in Williamsburg, South Carolina. The Bureau of Prisons denies any wrongdoing or negligence in the case and says the prison medical staff followed the recommendations of the doctors in handling Davis.

Child's Death Investigated As Homicide

• {Lexington, Kentucky}...The Fayette County Coroner's Office confirmed Friday that the death of 5 year old Maoping Adams of Lexington who died December 3rd at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital was the result of ingesting vinegar. Adams was taken to the hospital by emergency medical services after he became unresponsive at home. The death is being investigated as a homicide. Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn said during a news conference Friday that the boy did not drink that much vinegar on his own accord. Joseph was the son of Rick and Deah Adams. He was born in 2006 in Hangzhou, China. Ginn said he thought the child was adopted. Vinegar is occasionally used as a home remedy for minor ailments or to induce vomiting, but poison-control experts say it does not work and is not recommended. Henry Spiller, board-certified toxicologist and director of the Kentucky Regional Poison Control Center, says there is no medical center or poison-control center anywhere that recommends vinegar.

Armed Robbery In Harlan County

• {Coldiron, Kentucky}...Nineteen year old Dustin Hensley, 21 year old Edward Farmer and a juvenile were taken into custody after police say they walked into the Coldiron BP gas station in Harlan County around 10:00 A.M. Friday morning and robbed it at gunpoint. The three suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of cash, but were located later. Hensley and Farmer were lodged in the Harlan County Detention Center.

Congressional Redistricting Plan Approved

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A congressional redistricting plan has been approved by the Kentucky General Assembly. The House voted 58 to 26 Friday afternoon to approve a plan that shifts geographic boundaries to balance population changes. The Senate passed it 29 to 7 earlier in the day. The plan bolsters the Democrats' hold on the 6th Congressional District represented by U.S. Representative Ben Chandler and allows U.S. Representative Hal Rogers to keep some key GOP counties in the 5th District.

KY To Benefit From Foreclosure Settlement

{Washington, D.C.}...Thursday, Attorney General Jack Conway announced Kentucky will receive $58.8 million as part of a $25 billion national mortgage foreclosure settlement with five of the country's largest banks. Conway said he had joined attorneys general from 48 other states in the agreement, which preserves the rights of states to pursue criminal and civil actions against the five banks: Citigroup, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Ally Financial. The Attorney General's Office has set up a Web page with information: http://www.ag.ky.gov/mortgagesettlement.

Coalition Presses For Casino Gambling

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has been pushing for expanded gambling opportunities in Kentucky for the past five years, saying Kentuckians are wagering hundreds of millions of dollars in casinos in neighboring states, and, if Kentucky legalized casinos, that money could be kept in the state. Thursday, a coalition of business, labor and education groups pressed state lawmakers to approve a constitutional amendment that, if ratified by voters, would legalize casinos in Kentucky. David Adkisson, president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said, "Year after year, our members overwhelmingly support expanded gaming and the citizens' right to vote. We believe it is time to finally put the issue on the ballot." Republican activist Larry Forgy, a former state budget director and two-time gubernatorial candidate and a staunch casino opponent, lambasted the Chamber of Commerce for taking sides on gambling, which he considers a moral issue. Forgy insists that opening Kentucky to casino gambling won't solve the state's financial problems.

Beshear Appoints Tax Reform Commission

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...In a speech at the Capitol Thursday, Governor Steve Beshear announced he has appointed a 23-member "blue ribbon commission" to study Kentucky's tax system and propose a plan to reform it. The commission, which will be led by Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, will review the state's current tax system and propose a list of recommendations by November 15th. Those appointed include former University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. and Stu Silberman, executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence. The state has slashed more than $1 billion in spending during the past four years, and Beshear's proposed budget for the next two fiscal years would cut an additional $286 million. Beshear says revenue has been growing at about 70 to 75 percent of the rate of the state economy's growth, and ideally, it should be 100 percent.

Members of the tax reform commission:
Jerry Abramson, chairman
Roszalyn Akins, Lexington
Jason Bailey, Berea
Jim Booth, Inez
Junior Bridgeman, Louisville
Rocky Comito, Shepherdsville
Luther Deaton, Nicholasville
Marion Forcht, Corbin
Rick Jordan, Walton
Pat Mulloy, Louisville
Dr. Sheila Schuster, Louisville
Stu Silberman, Lexington
Lee T. Todd Jr., Lexington
Leslie Weigel, Bowling Green
John Williams, Paducah
Joe Wright, Harned
Cathy Zion, Louisville

 Non-voting members:
House majority: Democrats Rick Rand and Jim Wayne
House minority: Republican Bill Farmer
Senate majority: Republicans Bob Leeper and Paul Hornback
Senate minority: Democrat Gerald Neal

KY Announces No Child Left Behind Waiver

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Department of Education announced Thursday the federal government has granted the state a waiver from some parts of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind Law.  Kentucky applied in November for the relief. Education Commissioner Terry Holliday says the relief means the state can use its newly developed accountability model to report progress to the federal government. Legislators in Washington have been attempting to rework the controversial law, but President Barack Obama bypassed Congress in allowing states to apply for waivers. Kentucky education officials have been overhauling the state's public education system from top to bottom since the 2009 passage of Senate Bill 1, which mandated that every Kentucky public school student graduate prepared for higher education or a career. A White House official says the ten states freed from the strict requirements are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Highway Fatalities On The Rise

(FRANKFORT)  The rate of fatalities on Kentucky's
roadways has increased in 2012, according to preliminary numbers from
the Kentucky State Police.   There were 64 fatalities as of Feb. 9, five
more than at the same time last year.

Of the 64 people killed so far this year, 31 were not wearing seat belts
and nine died in crashes involving alcohol.

"With the decent winter weather, more people have been traveling our
roadways, which might explain the fatality increase," said Kentucky
Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) Director Bill Bell. "However, it does
not explain why people are not making safe decisions when they get
behind the wheel."

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) indicate that seat belts, when worn correctly, reduce the risk
of fatalities by 45 percent for front-seat vehicle occupants, and by 60
percent for pickup truck, SUV and minivan occupants. Also according to
NHTSA, regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect
against and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.  

"KSP wants to remind motorists not to become complacent when it comes to
highway safety.  We plan to be vigilant in enforcing seat belt laws and
will continue targeting impaired drivers who endanger the lives of
others," said Jude.

The KOHS offers various highway safety educational programs to the
public and distributes federal highway safety grants to state and local
highway safety agencies.  It annually partners with state and local law
enforcement to promote the national "Click It or Ticket" seat belt
campaign and "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" impaired driving campaign.
"Our office will continue working with highway safety agencies across
the state to educate everyone on the benefits of safe driving habits,"
said Bell. 

A final total will not be available until April 2, but preliminary
numbers for 2011 indicate there were 720 fatalities on Kentucky
roadways. Of those, 49 percent were not buckled up and 16 percent
involved alcohol.

Debt Limit Clears Senate Committee

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A proposal that would set a debt limit on state spending cleared the Senate State and Local Government Committee Wednesday by a vote of 7-1. The sole "no" vote, Senator Walter Blevins, D-Morehead, said the measure could hamper creating jobs by limiting debt. If approved, the state could not spend more than 6 percent of the revenue to the General Fund each year to pay debt on bonds it has issued. If the state exceeds the 6 percent level, the General Assembly could not authorize new debt until the debt level falls below 6 percent. Exceptions would be allowed if the governor declared an emergency due to a major threat to public safety and four-fifths of the members in the Senate and in the House authorize higher debt. The measure would not take effect until 2014.

Senate Approves Alternative Dropout Bill

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Wednesday, the Senate voted 35-2 to approve the alternative dropout bill under which local school districts could raise the dropout age to 18. Republican Senator Jack Westwood of Erlanger said the legislation is an alternative to legislation being pushed by Democratic Governor Steve Beshear that would uniformly increase the dropout age for all school districts from 16 to 18 by 2017. The House Education Committee has already approved the Beshear proposal.

Whitley County Man Found Dead

{Corbin, Kentucky}...Richard "Dick" Martin, 62, a Whitley County man who had been missing since Monday, was found dead shortly after 5:00 P.M. Wednesday, in the Bee Creek area near Corbin, less than 30 minutes from his home. Volunteers from neighboring Knox and McCreary counties began a search late Monday night and continued Tuesday and Wednesday, combing the woods, before Martin was found away from an all-terrain vehicle he was reportedly operating when he was last seen. A Kentucky National Guard helicopter also searched from the air.

Gambling Bill Expected Soon

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear said Wednesday he is expecting a proposal to amend the state Constitution to allow casino-style gambling to be filed soon. Beshear said time remains in this year's legislative session for the House and Senate to vote to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall. Lawmakers are just more than one-third of the way through the session that's slated to end in April. So far, legislative and congressional redistricting has occupied most of their time, and both issues remain the hot topic in Frankfort.

Koch Family Considers Re-Opening Kentucky Kingdom

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Four members of the Koch family, which owns Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, have formed a company called Bluegrass Boardwalk in order to negotiate a lease agreement with the Kentucky State Fair Board and apply for economic incentives from the state as they take another step toward re-opening Kentucky Kingdom in 2013. Holiday World president Dan Koch, his sister Natalie Koch, their cousin Kathy Kamp and her husband Michael Kamp, who is a general manager at Holiday World, are the four members that make up the new company. Former developer Ed Hart, who made bold promises just a few months ago when he was pleading for funds from the city and state for nearly $20 million, said last fall that reopening Kentucky Kingdom would generate up to $11 million per year in new revenue. In their deal, the Koch family said they would need no public money.

Trial For Iraqi Set

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Twenty-four year-old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, an Iraqi man facing charges of trying to funnel weapons and cash to Al-Qaida operatives in his home country, is scheduled for trial July 30th in Bowling Green. Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell ruled that prosecutors acted properly in gathering physical evidence and conducting electronic surveillance of Hammadi under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Russell also ruled that Hammadi's attorneys may not have access to the warrants or supporting materials nor suppress those documents. After reviewing documents submitted by prosecutors, Russell concluded that there's probable cause to believe Hammadi was "an agent of a foreign power." Hammadi's co-defendant, 30 year old Waad Ramadan Alwan, pleaded guilty in December to the same charges that Hammadi faces, as well as conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals abroad, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction against U.S. nationals abroad, and distributing information on how to make and use improvised explosive devices. His sentencing is set for April 3rd.

Former UK Player Found Dead

• {Leitchfield, Kentucky}...Attorney and former University of Kentucky basketball player 63 year old Jim Dinwiddie was found dead Tuesday morning in an apparent suicide. Leitchfield Police found Dinwiddie dead inside his home of a single gunshot wound after being called to the scene at 10:07 A.M. after Dinwiddie's secretary found him in the bedroom above his law office, which was in a former hotel building he owned. Dinwiddie was a 6-4 guard who played for the Wildcats under Adolph Rupp for three seasons, from 1968 to 1971, scoring 277 points over his career. He was drafted in the 10th round of the NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1971.

Students Rally Against Proposed Cuts

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear's budget calls for a reduction of 6.4 percent in state funding for postsecondary education, which is less than the proposed cuts of 8.5 percent for most state agencies. Hundreds of students from Kentucky's eight public universities rallied in the Capitol Rotunda Tuesday to protest proposed 6.4 percent budget cuts in higher education. Student body presidents from the universities and state lawmakers spoke to a crowd that Michah Fielden, chairman of the UK Board of Student Body Presidents, described as the largest student rally in Frankfort "in modern times." Some were there to question, if not protest, the current move to possibly make the University of Pikeville a state university.

Shepherd Rules Redistricting Unconstitutional

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Secretary of State was ordered Tuesday not to implement newly redrawn legislative districts after Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled it unconstitutional. Shepherd wrote in a 16-page order that the current districts are out of balance and must be redrawn to comply with the "one person, one vote" mandate of federal and state law. Shepherd's ruling restores district boundaries that had been in place throughout the last decade, and extends the deadline to Friday for legislative candidates to file to run in this year's elections. Some candidates may have to withdraw in the newly redrawn districts and file for election in the old districts. Some attorneys are considering a quick appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says it's obviously an issue that needs to be addressed by the Supreme Court.

Health And Family Services Secretary Resigning

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller announced Tuesday that she is leaving her job on February 29th to pursue other opportunities. Miller had overseen the state's social service agency since Governor Steve Beshear's first term began in late 2007. Under Miller's direction, the agency enrolled more than 60,000 children in the Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. She also oversaw the transition of 560,000 Medicaid recipients to a managed care program in a move projected to save taxpayers $1.3 billion over three years, including $375 million in the General Fund. Deputy Secretary Eric Friedlander, who has been with the agency since 1985, will serve as interim secretary.

Charges Against Former Hardin County Teacher Dismissed

{Elizabethtown, Kentucky}...Hardin Circuit Judge Kelly Mark Easton has approved a prosecutor's request to dismiss sex abuse charges against former Central Hardin High School teacher Steven Gray. Gray was charged with two counts of sex abuse in December 2010 after anonymous allegations were made. When the case went to trial, the jury couldn't reach a unanimous decision and a mistrial was declared.

KSP Trooper Island Raffle

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky State Police is featuring a modern interpretation of a heritage-inspired American muscle car for its Trooper Island raffle this year: the 2012 Dodge Challenger R/T Classic. The Challenger has a 5.7-liter, 372-horsepower HEMI V8 engine and fuel saving technology of up to 25 mpg highway, five-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive suspension, pitch black exterior, long-nose form with functional hood scoops, hood-to-fender stripes, a rear spoiler and power sun roof. The upscale, dark slate gray cabin provides comfortable seating for five. It's topped off with a spacious 16.2 cubic inch cargo trunk and more than 45 safety and security features.  Tickets are $10 each. For tickets, contact any Kentucky State Trooper, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer or any of the 16 KSP posts located throughout the state. Only 20,000 tickets will be sold. The winning ticket will be drawn on August 26th at the Kentucky State Fair. Ticket holders do not have to be present at the drawing to win. Raffle winner is responsible for all tax and license fees. Trooper Island is a free summer camp for underprivileged boys and girls age 10-12 operated by the Kentucky State Police on Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. It is financed entirely by donations, no public funds are used. 

Beshear Joins Drug Abuse Legislation Effort

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has joined Attorney General Jack Conway, House Speaker Greg Stumbo, Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, Senator Jimmy Higdon and other legislators who are sponsoring legislation targeted at helping fight prescription drug abuse. Beshear said Monday he doesn't want "the scourge" of prescription abuse, blamed for more than 80 overdose deaths a month in the state, to be ignored as lawmakers finalize redistricting and begin drafting the state budget.

Medicaid Sought In Substance Abuse Treatment

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky is one of only seven states that does not offer substance abuse treatment in its Medicaid program. Stephen Hall, the commissioner of the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, says the average cost of intensive outpatient drug addiction services is about $2,500, and an adult who is not treated costs the taxpayers more than $23,000 in prison and other costs. Hall testified Monday before a House budget subcommittee on health and human services. The expansion of the state's drug addiction services in the Medicaid program is one of several new spending items Governor Steve Beshear has proposed in his two-year budget. Beshear is asking for $11.6 million in the first year of the budget to serve about 4,500 people. He is asking for $14.9 million in the second year of the budget to serve an additional 1,300 people. He says expanding drug treatment is the key to tackling the state's drug epidemic.

Shepherd Considers Legislative Redistricting

• {Frankfort, Kentucky}...Monday, Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd listened to more than four hours of arguments on the constitutionality of legislative redistricting. Shepherd said if he does not rule by late Tuesday, he will extend a restraining order he issued last week that moved the election filing deadline for legislative candidates from January 31 to 4:30 P.M. February 7th. House Republicans requested a temporary injunction to extend the filing deadline for state legislative candidates so the GOP can try to overturn the legislative election districts. House Republicans and Senator Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, say the legislative districts approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Steve Beshear are unconstitutional. A restraining order cannot be appealed to a higher court but an injunction can.

Trial Delayed For Fort Campbell Soldier

{Fort Campbell, Kentucky}...A court martial has been delayed for Sgt. Brent Burke, a Fort Campbell soldier charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice in the deaths of his estranged wife, Tracy Burke, and her former mother-in-law Karen Comer, at a home in Rineyville in September 2007. A military judge granted a request by prosecutors and Burke's lawyers to postpone the proceedings, which were scheduled to begin Monday at Fort Campbell. Burke is also a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Tracy Burke's family.

Task Force To Study Juvenile Offenders Sought

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Representative John Tilley, who helped lead the overhaul of the state's criminal code last year, says he would like to establish a task force to study Kentucky's juvenile code. Tilley has introduced a resolution that would open a study into establishing an age of criminal responsibility and whether to modify how certain offenders are treated. Under the juvenile code, some "status offenders" who aren't guilty of a crime but may be runaways, truants or out of the control of their parents or school officials can be locked up in juvenile detention. Top state juvenile justice and court officials have said that too many children younger than 11 are brought before judges. Some representatives have introduced bills that would deal with some of the problems in the juvenile system. Tilley says he introduced the resolution not to stall those efforts, but to ensure that something's done for the state's children if they fail. If the task force is created, it would file a report by November 1st, and the lawmakers could tackle changes next year.

Tea Party Focused On State Legislature

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The tea party, the movement behind U.S. Senator Rand Paul's election in 2010, has won victories and suffered defeats in Kentucky over the past couple of years. Nearly a dozen tea party candidates have set their sights on state legislative seats up for election this year. Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, who finished second in the GOP's three-way gubernatorial primary last year, delivered candidacy papers last week to run for a House seat. The tea party's goal is to press elected leaders to cut spending, reduce the size of government, chip away at the state debt, and slash taxes. Moffett said tea party lawmakers, if elected, could collectively push the General Assembly in that direction. Tea party activist David Adams, campaign manager for Moffett's gubernatorial bid and for Paul's Republican primary race, says the movement remains alive and well in Kentucky.

Man Accused Of Killing Mother

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Fayette County District Judge Joseph Bouvier scheduled a February 9th preliminary hearing for 27 year old Mark Adam Cave Friday after he pleaded not guilty to killing his mother, 54 year old Sharon Cave-Howard of Lexington. Cave was charged Thursday with murder and tampering with evidence after Cave-Howard's badly decomposed body was found inside a trash container in a wooded area of an industrial park in Lexington Wednesday. The coroner's office said Cave-Howard died of blunt-force trauma to the head. Police sat the woman could have been in the trash can for about seven months, and family members have not seen her since June.

Hunting Bears With Dogs?

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...More than a century ago, bears thrived in Kentucky's mountain region, but over-hunting and habitat loss led to their disappearance. Over the past 20 years, they have been venturing back into Kentucky from other states. Under a new proposal being heralded by hunters and assailed by animal rights activists, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission could vote as early as next month to establish a roughly six-week season beginning in August for hunters to chase bears but not kill them, and another limited season in December in which hunters could shoot bears their dogs bay. The Kentucky Houndsmen Association says the proposal will not only provide hunters with more opportunities but will also instill a fear of people in some of the more brazen bruins that have moved into the state's mountain region. The Humane Society of the United States criticizes chasing bears with hounds as inhumane, and a bad idea considering the population is estimated at less than 500 animals.

Former Sheriff’s Department Employee Indicted

• {Jackson, Kentucky}...Attorney General Jack Conway has announced the indictment of 36 year old Crystal Southwood, the daughter of Breathitt County Sheriff Ray Clemons, on 28 counts of forgery and one count of abuse of public trust. Southwood, a former employee of the Breathitt County Sheriff’s Department, was investigated after Conway's office received a referral from the state Auditor’s Office. Southwood is accused of forging the endorsement of the Sheriff on a total of 28 checks, 26 from law offices given in payment for serving subpoenas, one for payment of a gun license and one for a calendar advertisement, and obtaining the money from the checks as a public servant and diverting it to her own use. Southwood will be arraigned on February 24th. The charges against her carry a penalty of one to five years in prison each and a fine up to $10,000 for each count.

Alpha Natural Resources Announces Cutbacks

• {Bristol, Virginia}...Bristol, Va.-based Alpha Natural Resources announced Friday that production will be reduced at ten mining operations, four in eastern Kentucky and six in southern West Virginia. Alpha says, due to decreased demand, subsidiaries in Kentucky and West Virginia will idle four mines immediately and two others between now and early 2013. Several other mines will alter work schedules or reduce production crews. Approximately 320 employees will be affected. Alpha officials say, when completed, the adjustments are expected to reduce annual coal production by approximately 4 million tons. In eastern Kentucky, the Cave Spur and Perkins Branch underground mines are idled immediately. Both are in Harlan County. The Coalgood surface mine in Harlan County will be phased out by the middle of this year, and the Big Branch West surface mine in Knott County will close in early 2013.

Gambling Bill Delayed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear said Thursday that questions over legislative redistricting will delay his casino gambling bill. Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd is scheduled to hold a hearing Monday in a case challenging the legislative redistricting plans that passed the House and Senate and Beshear signed into law. In the suit filed by House Republicans and joined by a Senate Democrat, Shepherd issued an order earlier this week extending the filing deadline at least until Tuesday.

Senate Committee Approves Dropout Proposal

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Senate Education Committee voted unanimously Thursday to approve a proposal that would give local school districts the option to raise the minimum dropout age to 18. The measure sponsored by Republican Senator Jack Westwood of Erlanger is an alternative to legislation being pushed by Democratic Governor Steve Beshear that would uniformly increase the dropout age for all school districts from 16 to 18 by 2017.

Congressional Redistricting Plan Near

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...House and Senate lawmakers are nearing an agreement on a congressional redistricting plan. The once-a-decade chore of redrawing congressional districts has been slow work for the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-dominated House, which have been at an impasse for weeks, but House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate Floor Leader Robert Stivers II said Thursday they have a map that shows great promise, and they're hopeful the plan can be passed early next week. Stivers says House Democrats have offered a new proposal that could be the basis for "some serious discussions." Senate Republican leaders have been pushing a proposal that leaves the congressional districts in roughly the same geographic areas. House Democrats want to reshape the largely rural 1st District in western Kentucky and 5th District in eastern Kentucky, both of which lost population over the past decade.

Stumbo Files KASPER Legislation

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo filed legislation Thursday that would require the state’s KASPER program, Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting, to move from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Attorney General’s office. That office, the Kentucky State Police and the state’s medical license boards would work closely together and share any reports of abuse they discover. All doctors would be required to register with KASPER. According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, less than a third of the state's doctors and less than a fourth of its pharmacists had accounts as of 2010. Once registered, doctors would be required to run KASPER reports on all new patients and periodic checks on those they already see. Stumbo’s legislation would require these businesses to be owned by a licensed physician. Doctors charged with abusing their prescription privileges would be barred from providing medicine, and those found guilty, either in Kentucky or in another state, would lose their prescription priviliges.

UK/ U of L Presidents Testify

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has proposed budget cuts for most state agencies of about 8 percent and cuts of about 6.4 percent for post-secondary education. Under the proposal before lawmakers, UK could face $19.4 million in state funding reductions in the two fiscal years beginning in July, while U of L could face about $9 million in cuts. University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto and University of Louisville President James Ramsey testified Thursday before the House Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education about steps their institutions are taking to cut costs, boost savings and become more self-sufficient. Capilouto told lawmakers that UK has achieved $118 million in savings since 2001-2002 with measures such as instituting a wellness program for employees and avoiding duplication of expenses. He said the university was committed to ongoing work on achieving savings and was seeking to generate greater income through research. Ramsey told lawmakers that U of L is using its property assets to generate more income, having even leased space on its Shelby Campus to Churchill Downs, moving to purchase medicine in bulk with other schools to lower health costs and conducting energy audits on its buildings. Ramsey said U of L has cut about $111 million on a recurring basis out of its budget and is in the middle of a capital fundraising campaign that has a goal of $1 billion in private fundraising by 2014.