Kentucky News Now – November 3rd 2015

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR

Election Tuesday: Kentucky campaign for governor at a close, now voters decide

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The campaign for Kentucky governor concludes Tuesday as voters elect someone to replace a two-term Democrat in a race that has turned on health insurance for 500,000 people, marriage licenses for same-sex couples and public education for preschool children.

Republican Matt Bevin, Democrat Jack Conway and independent Drew Curtis have contrasted sharply in a race watched closely for its proximity to the 2016 presidential election and for its competitiveness in one of the nation's last two-party states.

The two major-party candidates and their allies have spent more than $14 million to air more than 41,000 TV ads in Kentucky, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity. That does not include direct mail or ads on radio or local cable systems.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR-TOP CANDIDATES

Bevin and Conway fight it out into final hours of race

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican gubernatorial nominee Matt Bevin is urging Kentuckians to "vote your values and not your party" entering Tuesday's election.

Bevin got a plug Monday from his one-time adversary, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, at a campaign stop in Louisville. Bevin is competing with Democrat Jack Conway as the two top candidates to succeed two-term Gov. Steve Beshear.

McConnell says Bevin represents the change needed to make Kentucky more competitive.

McConnell and Bevin waged a bitter primary campaign fight last year, and Democrats have repeated some of McConnell's attacks against Bevin in this year's campaign.

Conway, the state's attorney general, says he will peel away plenty of Republic support from Bevin.

Conway says the race is a contrast "between the mainstream and the extreme."

An independent is also in the race.

MANUFACTURING JOBS

Auto supply manufacturer to expand, add 450 jobs

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear has announced that an auto supply manufacturer in Bowling Green plans to expand and add 450 jobs.

According to the statement from Beshear's office, Bowling Green Metalforming LLC will invest more than $ 261 million over the next four years at its facility in the Kentucky Transpark. It will be the sixth expansion for the company, which makes vehicle body and chassis assemblies for companies including General Motors and Ford.

The project will include new equipment and a 260,000-square-foot addition so the company can keep up with contracts for heavy stamping, robotic assembly and the coating of chassis and other parts.

Since breaking ground 11 years ago, the company has expanded its facility to 950,000 square feet and it employs more than 1,000 workers.

INTERSTATE-SHOT FIRED

Police investigate report of shot fired on Interstate 65

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say they are investigating a report of a road rage shooting on Interstate 65 in southern Kentucky.

A statement from police said a driver called 911 Monday morning to report that he accidently cut off another vehicle traveling north at the 27 mile marker in Bowling Green. The caller reported a confrontation followed and then the other driver allegedly fired a shot at the caller's vehicle.

Police say a round struck the caller's vehicle in the rear passenger's side door. No one was injured.

Police say they are looking for a gray or silver newer model Ford sport utility vehicle.

Anyone with information on the shooting should call police at 270-782-2010.

WHISKEY FUNGUS

Whiskey fungus nuisance case against Diageo can move ahead

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A federal appeals court ruling will let a lawsuit against liquor giant Diageo move forward.

According to court papers, Diageo Americas Supply distills and ages whiskey at warehouses in Louisville. That process results in tons of ethanol emissions.

The suit filed by Louisville residents claims those emissions are a nuisance because they cause a black fungus to form on nearby properties. The fungus is known as whiskey fungus and thrives in ethanol-rich environments.

The plaintiffs want an injunction that would require Diageo to curb its ethanol emissions.

Diageo argued that the nuisance claims were pre-empted by the federal Clean Air Act. On Monday, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument.

The case now goes back to the district court for further proceedings.

DISTILLERY DISPUTE

Company sues university over use of 'Kentucky'

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Mist Moonshine is suing the University of Kentucky over use of the word "Kentucky" on clothing.

The company filed suit Monday in U.S. District Court. The Lexington Herald-Leader says the suit was filed in Pikeville but later reassigned to Lexington.

Kentucky Mist is a small Whitesburg company that opened its Main Street location less than two months ago.

The lawsuit says UK threatened legal action against Kentucky Mist Moonshine for its pursuit of a federal trademark registration.

The lawsuit contends that "Kentucky" is a geographical location and says the word has been in use since at least 1792.

UK spokesman Jay Blanton told the newspaper in an email last week that registering of the word "Kentucky" for clothing, educational services and collegiate athletic services was done in 1997.

MARRIAGE CELEBRATION

100+ Catholic couples celebrate decades of marriage at event

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — More than 100 Catholic couples celebrated going the distance in marriage at an event in Lexington.

The Courier-Journal reports the annual celebration of marriage led by Louisville Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz was held Sunday at the Cathedral of the Assumption.

The event honored 136 couples celebrating wedding anniversaries ranging from 30 to 73 years.

In his homily, Kurtz said the total number of years combined of couples present was 6,646.

Thirty-nine of the couples honored at the event have been married for over 60 years, including 5 couples who have been married for 65 years, one couple that has been married for 68 years and another couple married for 73 years.

PADUCAH FILM FESTIVAL

Film festival to get underway this week in Paducah

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — The 11th annual Rivers' Edge International Film Festival gets underway this week in Paducah.

Organizers say the film schedule includes entries from seven counties besides the U.S. They are Australia, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, China and Ecuador.

The festival is held at the historic Maiden Alley Cinema. It begins Thursday and runs through Sunday.

Organizers announced a juror for this year's festival is David Wilson, the director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film. Bradford is located in West Yorkshire, England, and is UNESCO's first city of film.

Paducah has been named a UNESCO Creative City for its thriving arts community.