Kentucky News Now

DATING VIOLENCE

Ky. may be last state to expand dating violence protections

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky appears ready to become the last state in the country to offer victims of abusive dating relationships some sort of civil protections.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers said Tuesday they have reached an agreement to pass a bill this week that would allow victims of abusive dating relationships to receive an emergency protective order from the courts. Currently, Kentucky only offers these orders to couples who are married, have lived together or have a child together.

The bill is the culmination of nearly a decade of lobbying efforts by victim advocate groups and comes during an important election year where Republicans and Democrats are vying for open seats for governor and attorney general.

The bill passed a Senate committee on Tuesday. It has already passed the House.

ALCOHOL DISTRIBUTOR

Bill forcing Anheuser-Busch to sell 2 companies advances

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Advocates for a House-passed bill to ban breweries from distributing their own products in Kentucky have won a key victory from a Senate committee.

The heavily lobbied bill was advanced Tuesday by the Senate Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee without being amended.

If the bill passes the Senate unchanged, it goes to Gov. Steve Beshear.

The bill would force Anheuser-Busch to sell its two Kentucky beer distributorships in Louisville and Owensboro. Anheuser-Busch condemns the bill as government overreach into the private market.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo says his bill is needed to preserve a system separating producers, distributors and retailers.

Sen. Tom Buford predicted the issue is likely to end up in court. Anheuser-Busch executive Damon Williams said afterward his company will do anything it can to protect its rights.

CANCER BUILDING

Bill financing research building gets final legislative OK

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers have given final approval to reopening the state's two-year budget to use taxpayer money to help finance a new medical research building at the University of Kentucky.

The bill cleared the Republican-led Senate on a 36-1 vote Tuesday. The measure already passed the Democratic-run House and now goes to Gov. Steve Beshear.

The research would take aim at combating Kentucky's high cancer, heart disease and diabetes rates. UK President Eli Capilouto says the investment will pay off for generations.

The measure authorizes a $132.5 million bond to pay for half the research building. UK would pay for the other half through research contracts and private fundraising.

The bill also appropriates about $5.4 million for debt payments in the upcoming fiscal year.

HOME LODGING

Louisville tells homeowners to stop renting to travelers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Metro Louisville officials have sent letters to some homeowners that rent space to travelers through online home-sharing sites telling them to stop the practice immediately or they risk being fined.

The Courier-Journal reports the letters say the property owners are operating illegal hotel or motels and they could be fined up to $500 per day.

Several owners and their attorney say they would like to find a compromise with the city, and they don't have any opposition to regulations and a licensing fee.

Jim Mims, who heads the city's Develop Louisville office, said 20 violation notices were sent out based on complaints. He said no one is near a point of being fined and that officials are trying to determine the best course to move forward.

HIGHWAY WORK

$3 million project will improve Ky. 32

MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — The state Transportation Cabinet says a $3 million project will begin this month to improve about two miles of Ky. 32 near Morehead.

The project will include full pavement replacement, wider paved shoulders, culvert extensions, embankment and drainage fixes 4,000 to 9,000 vehicles ride on the stretch of road each day.

Preliminary work begins this month, with roadway reconstruction expected to begin in April, which will mean one-lane traffic and delays for several weeks.

The Transportation Cabinet awarded the project to Hinkle Contracting Company LLC. Contractors have until Aug. 1 to complete the project.

SEX-TRAFFICKING RING

5 St. Paul adults charged in multistate sex trafficking ring

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Prosecutors have charged five St. Paul residents in what authorities allege was a multistate sex-trafficking ring.

The two men and three women each face seven counts for allegedly trafficking multiple victims in 2013 and 2014. Authorities say the victims included a 16- and a 17-year-old.

According to the criminal complaints, the suspects posted ads for sex on Backpage.com in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and Georgia.

Charged are 19-year-old Suwan Cross, 25-year-old Thomas William Evans, 28-year-old Yolanda Foster, 38-year-old Doris Keller and 19-year-old Ishmael Williams.

The Star Tribune reports Cross was charged via warrant and is not in custody. The other suspects were booked into the Ramsey County Jail Tuesday.

The complaints list six victims in the ring. Online court records do not list defense attorneys.

SMELLY LOUISVILLE

Mystery solved: Source of bad smell in Louisville found

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officials with Louisville's Metro Air Pollution Control District say they've identified the source of the bad odor that residents have been complaining about for a week.

The agency told news outlets a naturally occurring chemical in the soil called geosmin is to blame for a musty, mildew-like smell that has led to dozens of complaints.

Air district spokesman Tom Nord said the chemical has a low odor threshold and has been "exacerbated by the wet, muddy conditions in the wake of the recent snowfall and rain."

Nord said the smell is not toxic and isn't coming from industrial sites. He said the Louisville Water Company has dealt with geosmin previously and told the pollution control district that it might be to blame.

THOMAS MERTON FILM

Bluegrass Museum to screen Thomas Merton film

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — The International Bluegrass Music Museum is hosting a screening of Kentucky filmmaker Morgan Atkinson's documentary on Thomas Merton.

The event on March 11 will feature the film, "The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton."

Merton was an American Catholic writer and Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani in Nelson County. His most famous work is the 1948 autobiography "The Seven Storey Mountain."

Atkinson's film focuses on Merton in the last year of his life when Merton traveled to Asia for meetings with the Dalai Lama and other spiritual seekers.

Atkinson is a documentary producer based in Louisville.