Kentucky News Now

WAGON DEATHS

Man, 2 children killed when wagons hit by car

(Information in the following story is from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com)

FLORENCE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a man and two children were killed after a car struck a group of pedestrians pulling two wagons along a road in Florence, Kentucky.

According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, police first responded to reports around 12:20 p.m. Sunday that a man was struck while pulling a wagon carrying children. Officers apparently learned the extent of the accident when they got to the scene.

Officials say the two children killed were both a year old. A third child and a second adult were also injured in the crash. Their conditions have not been released, and none of the victims' names have been revealed.

Authorities said four individuals were in the vehicle that hit the wagons. No charges are expected.

The incident remains under investigation.

FATAL TRAIN CRASH

2 killed, 2 injured in Louisville train crash

(Information in the following story is from: WHAS-TV, http://www.whas11.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say two people were killed and two others injured when a train struck a car in a Louisville neighborhood.

According to WHAS-TV, the crash occurred Saturday afternoon in the community of Buechel.

Authorities say a car containing four people was hit after it disregarded the train signals. The vehicle was dragged about half a mile.

Officials say the two people who were injured were taken to University Hospital and are listed in critical condition. None of the victims' names have been released.

Logan Bennett witnessed the crash.

"You hear screeching, glass breaking ... it was the most devastating thing I've ever seen in my life," he said.

ROLLER DERBY

Roller derby team offers a new sport for young skaters

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — For anyone who has competed in or watched a match, it is apparent that roller derby is not a sport for the faint of heart, and a recent junior league scrimmage at Kingsway Skateland proved no different.

Armed with knee and elbow pads, helmets and mouth guards and touting names like "Berry Bomb," ''Lady Macdeath" and "E=MC Scared," players whizzed around the arena egged on by the supportive cheers of parents and onlookers.

The Rockin' Rollers' junior league team got its start in 2012, when a handful of adult players decided they wanted to start up a youth club.

The junior club started with about five players and has grown consistently over the last three years. This year, there are about 25 players ranging in age from 5 to 17.

CAPITOL IMPROVEMENTS

Updates coming to House, Senate chambers

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A refurbishing project for the House and Senate chambers at the Kentucky Capitol is set to start soon.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports plans call for refinishing the desks of all 138 legislators, new carpet, plaster repair work, new paint and updated electrical equipment.

Work on the $800,000 project is set to begin after the current legislative session ends on March 24 and should be complete in November.

David Buchta, who is the state curator and director of the state historic properties division in the Finance and Administration Cabinet, says the chambers haven't been restored in more than a half-century.

The division maintains historic properties owned by the cabinet including the Capitol.

Buchta says refinishing the desks, which have been in place since 1909, accounts for more than half the project's cost.

SUNSHINE WEEK-KENTUCKY

Private email use by officials prompts action in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's use of personal email during her time in office is drawing attention to the issue of officials conducting public business on private email accounts and citizen access to those communications.

The city of Louisville recently had its own controversy over the use of private email accounts by officials. It came to light when a former city employee said sewer district officials were skirting open records laws by using private email and text messaging. Mayor Greg Fischer later declared that all persons serving on a board or commission to be given an email address for communicating about city business.

First Amendment lawyer John Fleischaker says as public business is increasingly conducted over email and mobile devices, the threat to transparency and public access grows.

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Kentucky leads the way with top spot in March Madness

UNDATED (AP) — Kentucky's chasing history, trying to become the first undefeated champion in March Madness since Indiana in 1976.

The Wildcats are seeded first overall in the tournament and tops in the Midwest Region, in search of six more wins for a perfect season.

Villanova is the No. 1 seed in the East. Kansas got the No. 2 seed in the Midwest and Virginia was seeded second in the East.

The Wildcats defeated Arkansas 78-63 on Sunday to improve to 34-0. They'll open Thursday against the winner of Tuesday's play-in game between No. 16 seeds Manhattan and Hampton.

The 68-team tournament begins Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio. Another play-in game will match No. 11 seeds Boise State against Dayton, both of which were at-large bubble teams.