Kentucky News Now

DEMOCRATS-BESHEAR INFLUENCE

Democrats embrace Beshear ahead of November elections

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear rallied with five Democratic candidates for statewide office on Monday ahead of the November general elections.

Most Kentucky Democrats spent the last election cycle fleeing from the party's standard bearer, President Barack Obama, because of his deep unpopularity in the state. But Beshear's approval ratings remain north of 50 percent after seven years in office.

Beshear's popularity comes despite his open embrace of the federal Affordable Care Act, disliked by many in this state for its association with Obama. Jack Conway, the likely Democratic nominee for governor, said he plans to campaign with Beshear often across the state.

The four Republican candidates for governor have offered subtle criticisms of Beshear on the campaign trail, promising to take the state in a new direction.

HEROIN

House, Senate bills differ on how to fight heroin problem

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — House and Senate lawmakers have pledged to pass a bill this year fighting the state's growing Heroin problem. But will they pass the same one?

Senate Republicans last month passed their bill, which featured more money for treatment and a provision not to prosecute overdose victims for possession charges. Similar ideas are in a bill House Democrats unveiled on Monday. But there are some key differences.

The House bill would create a statewide exchange where heroin users could swap out dirty needles for clean ones. And it would increase penalties for people convicted of trafficking in more than 1,000 grams of heroin. The Senate bill would treat all heroin dealers the same, regardless of how much heroin they were selling.

Similar efforts failed last year after House and Senate leaders could not agree on the needle exchange provision.

TVA-COAL LAWSUIT

Judge dismisses suit over Paradise plant's switch to gas

DRAKESBORO, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge says the Tennessee Valley Authority conducted a proper environmental impact study when it decided to install natural gas burning units at a western Kentucky coal-fired power plant.

The Kentucky Coal Association and a group of landowners near the Paradise Fossil Plant sued TVA in July. They argued that TVA did not follow proper procedures in making the decision to add the new gas-burning units as part of a $1 billion project.

U.S. District Judge Joseph McKinley dismissed the suit in a ruling from Owensboro last week.

Coal association President Bill Bissett said Monday the group is meeting with attorneys to decide the next step.

TVA made the decision in 2013 to switch to a natural gas facility at Paradise to meet stricter federal air emission guidelines.

APPALACHIAN CONFERENCE

Summit planned to discuss ways to boost E. Ky. economy

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A daylong summit is planned this month to discuss ways to boost eastern Kentucky's economy.

The event is set for Feb. 16 at the East Kentucky Exposition Center in Pikeville.

The summit is part of an initiative known as SOAR — or Shaping Our Appalachian Region. The effort was started by Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers.

Beshear and Rogers say the summit speakers will include U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and Michael Botticelli, acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Topics include sessions on working with federal partners and translating broadband into economic success.

Beshear and Rogers began the SOAR initiative in late 2013 to address economic issues in the region and find community-generated solutions to chronic challenges.

ARMY RECRUITING SCHOOL

Army Recruiting and Retention School opening at Fort Knox on Wednesday

FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP) — The move of the Army's Recruiting and Retention School from Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to Fort Knox, Kentucky, is complete, and the Army is celebrating.

A ribbon-cutting and grand opening is set for 4:30 p.m. EST Wednesday at Fort Knox.

The school had been at Fort Jackson since 1995. The transition began in June.

The Army says almost 100 personnel relocated.

About 3,500 students are expected to attend each year. The school trains noncommissioned officers to be recruiters as well as leaders within U.S. Army Recruiting Command, which is also located at Fort Knox. Ten different courses are taught at the school.

The relocation is part of integrated force structure changes that support recruiting for the Army of 2025. The move is estimated to save $14 million a year.

BLACK HISTORY

Legislative Black History Month Celebration is Tuesday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The 12th annual Legislative Black History Month Celebration is Tuesday morning in Frankfort.

Kentucky State University President Raymond Burse will be keynote speaker, and members of the Legislative Black Caucus will participate along with Gov. Steve Beshear and other state and local officials and dignitaries.

The theme of the program is "Making the Dream a Reality."

The 2015 Leadership Excellence Award will be presented, and the Gallery of Great Black Kentuckians will induct a new member.

The celebration is set for 11:30 a.m. EST in the Capitol Rotunda.

BRIDGE-LIGHT SHOW

Louisville bridge light show to become permanent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A decorative light show that's visible for a mile up and down the Ohio River is now a permanent nightly attraction on Louisville's Big Four Bridge this week.

Waterfront Development Corp. Deputy Director Mike Kimmel says testing of the $1.8 million special lighting for the past few weeks has gone perfectly. Kimmel told The Courier-Journal the lighting will initially be on from dusk until midnight or thereabouts and eventually may also be turned on during some winter mornings.

The system has about 1,500 LED lights to go on the cross-river pedestrian walkway. Kimmel says the computer that controls the system has been programmed to produce a nearly infinite combination of colorful configurations.

The Big Four opened to walkers and bikers two years ago.

SHAD REMOVAL

Gizzard shad removal project set next week in Daviess County

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Fisheries biologists with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources plan to spray a chemical at a lake in western Kentucky next week to eliminate gizzard shad.

The department says in a news release that the work will take place next Monday through Friday at Carpenter Lake in Daviess County.

The release says it's not known how the shad were introduced into the lake but they're affecting the growth of bluegill and redear sunfish. Shad are prohibited from being used as bait because of the potential to harm the panfish fishery.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says it's performed similar removal projects during the past 20 years at several small impoundments. The agency says the eradication will have minimal impact to bass, catfish and panfish.

LINCOLN LECTURE

Lecture to focus on Lincoln's multiple burials

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An upcoming lecture in Louisville will focus on the many burials and viewings of President Abraham Lincoln's body after his death.

The lecture by Clay W. Stuckey is called "The Trials and Tribulations of the Corpse of Abraham Lincoln."

A release from the Filson Historical Society says Lincoln's body has been moved 14 times since it first arrived at the state house in Springfield, Illinois, for his last funeral. Stuckey will also describe the necessity of twice rebuilding the Lincoln tomb. It will feature pictures from the Lincoln Presidential Library and behind-the-scenes photos at the tomb.

The lecture is March 10 at the library at Oxmoor Farm in Louisville.