Kentucky News Now

ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION

House passes electronic voter registration bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky residents could register to vote on the Internet under a bill that passed the state House of Representatives on Monday.

Currently only soldiers deployed overseas and other Kentucky residents living abroad can register to vote online. But the House bill directs county clerks to create an electronic voter registration system.

Most of Kentucky's voters register to vote through the DMV. But the Legislative Research Commission estimates about 40,000 people per year could potentially register electronically, based on statistics from the past five years.

The County Clerks Association says the new system would not save that much money because clerks would have to print out and validate any data voters submit through the Internet.

Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has endorsed the bill, which now heads to the state Senate.

WINTER WEATHER-KENTUCKY

Winter weather woes reported in eastern, southern Kentucky

MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (AP) — Several communities in eastern and southern Kentucky are focused on making repairs and rebuilding after the latest winter storm dropped up to 12 inches of snow in some areas along with ice.

According to media, roof collapses were reported in several communities including Harlan, Middlesboro, Somerset and Bowling Green. No injuries were reported. However, the weather also caused water shortages on Saturday in some eastern Kentucky communities. Officials in Pikeville, Harlan and Ashland said they had several customers without water due to line breaks.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for cold temperatures to continue this week, with highs in the 20s and low 30s.

GOVERNOR'S RACE-BEVIN

Bevin would eliminate Kentucky's Medicaid expansion

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican candidate for governor Matt Bevin said he would undo the expansion of the state's Medicaid system, a move that would take away health insurance from nearly 400,000 people.

Bevin is the first candidate to promise this, ensuring the Affordable Care Act will play a prominent role as four Republicans try to woo the state's conservative voters ahead of the May 19th primary.

Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear expanded the state's Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act. Since then, nearly 400,000 newly eligible people have enrolled in the government-funded health insurance program for the poor and disabled. Beshear touted a study earlier this month that showed the expansion would generate $30 billion of economic impact and create 40,000 jobs.

But Bevin lamented the fact that 25 percent of the state's population is now on Medicaid, calling it unsustainable.

TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS

Bill to create transgender school bathrooms passes committee

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Transgender students would have to use separate bathrooms in Kentucky's public schools under a bill that cleared the Senate Education Committee on Monday.

The bill failed to pass the committee last week when two Republicans were absent. But chairman Mike Wilson called a special meeting late Monday afternoon and the bill passed by a vote of 8-1.

The bill is in response to Louisville's Atherton High School, which began allowing transgender students last year to use the bathroom of their sexual identity. Sixteen-year-old Christina Kelty testified Monday that many female students have stopped using the school's bathroom because they are uncomfortable.

Democratic Sen. Reginald Thomas voted against the bill. He said it was dangerous to ban people from doing something because it makes others feel uncomfortable, comparing it to racially segregated schools decades ago.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION-CHURCHES

Bill would exempt some pastors from workers' comp insurance

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — House lawmakers have advanced a bill that would exempt some pastors from paying workers' compensation insurance.

Kentucky has hundreds of churches with tiny congregations whose pastors work for free. The state fined some of those churches last year because they did not carry workers' compensation insurance. Republican Rep. Michael Meredith of Brownsville filed a bill that would exempt pastors and church caretakers who are unpaid and work fewer than 10 hours per week.

Meredith said sometimes these pastors receive an offering from the congregation, but that does not count as a salary because it is not a fixed regular payment.

The House Labor and Industry Committee approved the bill and sent it to the full House of Representatives.

FRONTIER AIRLINES-CINCINNATI

Frontier Airlines adds flights from Cincinnati-area airport

CINCINNATI (AP) — Frontier Airlines will nearly double its service from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport by spring.

The low-fare carrier airline announced Monday that it will add 29 flights a week. That will bring the number of Frontier flights from the Cincinnati-area airport in Hebron, Kentucky, to 61 per week.

The additions will include new daily nonstop service to Atlanta and Fort Myers, Florida, to begin April 30. The new service will operate on a 138-seat A319 aircraft.

Frontier also will add more flights to the Las Vegas, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, destinations it already serves.

Airport CEO Candace McGraw says Frontier began service at the airport in 2013 with one daily flight to Denver.

Frontier's expansion comes after Delta Airlines recently said it was cutting more flights from the airport.

OBIT-EVERETT

Longtime western Kentucky broadcaster Everett dies at 67

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Longtime Kentucky radio broadcaster DJ Everett III has died after a lengthy illness. He was 67.

Everett passed away Sunday at Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville. He was owner of WKDZ-FM in Cadiz and WHVO-FM in Hopkinsville until recently when he transferred control of the stations to General Manager Beth Mann.

Kentucky Broadcasters Association Executive Director Gary White said Everett will be remembered for his work in local news. His stations were recognized numerous times for their news coverage and community service.

Everett was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2013, WKDZ won the Marconi Small Market Station of the Year Award and the National Association of Broadcasters' Crystal Award for Community Service.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. CST Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Hopkinsville.

PATTON STATUE

Pikeville program raising money for statue of former Gov. Paul Patton

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Pikeville Main Street Program is trying to raise funds to place a bronze statue of former Gov. Paul Patton in a park in his eastern Kentucky hometown.

Main Street Director Minta Trimble wrote to potential donors for the $75,000 fundraising effort, saying the group hopes to have the design for the statue completed by October.

Trimble told The Courier-Journal that 200 letters went out statewide earlier this month, many to Louisville and Frankfort.

Patton, who is 77, was governor from 1995 to 2003. He had been Pike County judge-executive before becoming governor, and he was president of the University of Pikeville from 2009 to 2013.

Trimble said the statue will depict Patton wearing his academic robes from his time as university president.