Governor Beshear Undergoes Surgery

{Frankfort, Kentucky}…Governor Steve Beshear is recovering after having undergone minor outpatient surgery Monday to repair a detached retina. Spokeswoman Kerri Richardson says Beshear will not be traveling for a few days.

Iraqi Nationals’ Sentencing Delayed

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...In federal court in Bowling Green, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell delayed the sentencing of Iraqi nationals 30 year old Waad Ramadan Alwan and co-defendant, 24 year old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi from December 5th to January 3^rd. The two men faced charges of attempting to send a variety of weapons, including rifles, rocket propelled grenades and Stinger missile systems, along with other explosives and cash to the al-Qaida terrorist organization in Iraq. Alwan pleaded guilty in December 2011, while Hammadi bypassed a trial and entered a guilty plea in August.

UK President Announces Fewer Budget Cuts

{Lexington, Kentucky}...During a campus-wide forum Monday, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said, in fiscal year 2013-14, budget cuts won't be as drastic as first planned because of increased enrollment and higher tuition revenue. Capilouto said an additional $11.9 million is expected in tuition revenues next year, partly as a result of out-of-state students' higher tuition rates. Capilouto announced a reduction in the cut for academic departments from 4.2 percent to 2.1 percent, a reduction in administration's budget cut from 6.4 percent to 5 percent and tuition increases of no more than 3 percent and a merit salary plan of 5 percent.

Harsh Sentence For KY Man

{Louisville, Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III sentenced 56 year old Ronald "Ronnie" Underwood of Louisville Friday to 262 months in federal prison to be followed by supervision for life for violating federal child exploitation laws. Underwood pleaded guilty in May to using the Internet in an attempt to entice or coerce minors to engage in illegal sexual activity, distributing and receiving child pornography and possessing child pornography. Louisville police began investigating Underwood in January 2008 after they received a complaint about a MySpace account. Underwood was charged after online communication with an undercover officer. 

KY City In Running For Bloomberg Grant

{New York City, New York}...Lexington Mayor Jim Gray announced Monday that Lexington is one of 20 finalists in a $9 million urban-innovation contest created by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The cities were to be announced Monday by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the billionaire politician's personal foundation. The finalists came up with novel ideas for tackling issues as disparate as recycling and infant mortality. Lexington's idea is to create CitizenLex.org, a Web site that offers a continuing way to tap into residents' ideas for innovative solutions to challenges facing the city and for improving city life. The finalists were picked from more than 300 applicants. They will now compete for a $5 million grand prize and four $1 million awards.

Election Focuses On Other Issues

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky voters have plenty of decisions other than their choice for president when they head to the polls Tuesday. They’ll also choose U.S. congressmen, state lawmakers, local judges and prosecutors and whether to make hunting a constitutional right. The effort to make hunting a constitutional right is backed by the National Rifle Association, which has pushed similar measures in 12 other states as a way to stop any possible effort in the future to ban hunting. However, some say there's no need for the amendment because there is no threat to do away with hunting or fishing rights. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says state legislative races, not the matchup between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, will be the key reason for what she predicts will be a record turnout. Early absentee voting is on par with the 2008 presidential election, when about 64 percent of Kentucky’s 3 million voters turned out. Last week, Grimes said, about 73,000 voters had cast absentee ballots or were in the process of doing so.

Man Convicted In Attempt To Kill Wife

{Ashland, Kentucky}...Thomas Beiderman, 51, of Russell, is scheduled for sentencing on December 7th after being convicted Friday of using a weapon of mass destruction and criminal intent to commit murder. Investigators say they found a PVC pipe, a detonation cap, wires and the smell of burning gun powder inside an Ashland parking garage, where Beiderman attempted to kill his then wife, Janie Biederman, now Janie Riggs, by blowing up her car on July 28, 2011. The jury recommended that Thomas Beiderman be sentenced to 20 years on the weapon of mass destruction charge and another 20 years on the criminal intent to commit murder charge, to be served consecutively, which means Beiderman could spend the next 40 years behind bars.