Kentucky News Now

NOAH'S ARK PARK

Kentucky ministry asks judge to give back lost tax incentive

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Christian ministry suing Kentucky officials over a lost tax incentive is asking a federal judge to force the state to allow the group back in to the sales tax rebate program while its lawsuit proceeds.

The tax incentive was meant for the Ark Encounter, a theme park planned around a 500-foot-long wooden ark modeled after the Bible's story of Noah. State officials told Answers in Genesis in December that the project's mission has changed from tourist attraction to ministry and denied the application.

The group filed a motion seeking an injunction on Monday. Answers in Genesis has argued that its application for about $18 million in sales tax rebates should be treated the same as a non-religious applicant.

The lawsuit was filed in February. State officials have not commented on the legal action.

FLOODING-OHIO

Ohio River to stay above flood stage for most of the week

CINCINNATI (AP) — Forecasters expect the Ohio River to remain above flood stage for most of this week after reaching its highest level in two decades.

The National Weather Service says the river was at 57.1 feet Monday morning, after cresting Sunday morning at 57.7 feet. That was 7 feet below the 1997 level that caused severe, widespread flooding in the Cincinnati area and in Kentucky.

Melted snow and rainfalls have caused flooding that swamped roads, businesses and homes in scattered low-lying areas in the Cincinnati region that includes southeast Indiana and northern Kentucky.

Forecasters say the river will be above its 52-foot flood stage until late Thursday.

Officials in the village of New Richmond some 20 miles southeast of Cincinnati say at least five homes flooded.

FLOOWATERS-MISSING MAN

Louisville man missing after being swept away by floodwaters

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville police have been looking for a 67-year-old man who was swept away Saturday by fast-moving floodwaters.

Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell says officers are in recovery mode as they search for 67-year-old Stephan Miller. Mitchell says eyewitness reports indicated Miller was pulled under as he waded through knee-deep water north of Harrod's Creek on the Ohio River.

The Courier-Journal said a small crew using kayaks and inflatable boats looked along the shoreline near the East End bridge project. Mitchell said the current is too fast to use dive crews.

Harrod's Creek Deputy Fire Chief Kent Kruer said neighbors reported that Miller waded through water to his car Saturday but turned back toward his home to get his keys. Kruer says even ankle-deep water can sweep a person off his feet.

UK TUITION INCREASE

University of Kentucky board OKs 3 percent hike for in-state

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The University of Kentucky's board of trustees has approved a 3 percent increase for in-state students this fall.

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education is expected to vote on the proposal next month. The in-state undergraduate increase would bring first-year tuition to $10,780.

Tuition for non-resident students would increase 6 percent.

UK said in a news release that housing rates will increase by 3 percent. Dining rates will increase for most plans from 2.4 percent to 3.6 percent.

The council last year approved allowing Kentucky universities to increase tuition by up to 8 percent over two years. UK approved a 5 percent increase last year.

FARM TO CAMPUS

Western Kentucky University joins 'Farm to Campus' program

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Western Kentucky University has become the 10th member of a state program that connects Kentucky food producers with colleges and universities across the state.

WKU President Gary Ransdell says the participation in the Farm to Campus Program reflects the university's long agricultural heritage. He says the school will continue to have a big role in agriculture research and economic development.

Western's main campus is in Bowling Green in Warren County. State agriculture officials say Warren County produced more than $114 million worth of agricultural products in 2012, ranking ninth in the state.

As part of the Farm to Campus program, the state Department of Agriculture helps participating schools locate and purchase fresh Kentucky Proud products to serve in their food-service systems and shelf-stable products to sell in campus bookstores.

SCOTT-SKYDIVING CANDIDATE

A giant leap for Kentucky GOP candidate for governor

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — Will T. Scott has jumped out of an airplane to bring attention to his candidacy for governor of Kentucky.

The 67-year-old retired paratrooper made the leap at the Elizabethtown Airport from about 3,500 feet. He then walked over to a lectern and held a news conference for half an hour about his plan to help Kentucky veterans.

Scott is a former state Supreme Court justice from eastern Kentucky. But his message is getting lost in a crowded Republican primary field that includes a statewide elected official, a former councilman and mayoral candidate from the state's largest city and a former candidate in one of the country's most watched U.S. Senate races.

Scott, a Vietnam veteran with the 82nd Airborne Division, said if elected, he plans to help veterans find jobs.

FATAL TRAIN CRASH

2 killed, 2 injured in Louisville train crash were students

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

Jefferson County Public Schools spokesman Ben Jackey told media that all four were students. He said resources are being made available on Monday to students and staff at affected schools.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office said 19-year-old Suk Man Rai and 16-year-old Chita Chuwan died at the scene Saturday of blunt force injuries from the crash. The coroner's office said both were passengers in the car.

Police have said the car was hit after disregarding the train signal.

Officials say the two people who were injured were taken to University Hospital and are listed in critical condition. Their names weren't released.

POET LAUREATE

Beshear names Lyon as next poet laureate for Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — George Ella Lyon will be inducted as Kentucky's poet laureate for 2015-16 during a ceremony next month in Frankfort.

Lyon lives in Lexington and is a Harlan native. She succeeds Frank X Walker, who was appointed in 2013.

Gov. Steve Beshear, whose appointment of Lyon was announced Friday, said in a news release from the Kentucky Arts Council that her work is a "portrait of Kentucky heritage and tradition."

Lyon said she hopes people who don't understand poetry will come to hear it in their own voices.

Lyon has written more than 40 books, including the poetry collections "Mountain," which won the Lamont Hall Award in 1983, and "Catalpa," which was named Appalachian Book of the Year in 1993.

The induction ceremony will be April 24 in the Capitol Rotunda.

PARKS-CAMPING

Spring camping discount available at Kentucky state parks

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Campers who want to visit a Kentucky state park in April or May during the week can take advantage of a two-for-one offer.

The deal is available Sundays through Thursdays by making reservations online at http://www.parks.ky.gov . Choose the "reservations" tab at the top of the page and use the promotion code "SPRING15."

The offer is good through May 21 but doesn't include the Kentucky Horse Park.

Weekend campers can get two nights for the price of one during Camper Appreciation Weekend, which is April 24 to 26. The Kentucky Parks Department says many parks will be holding special events for campers that weekend.

All state park campgrounds have sites with water and electric hookups, and about a dozen offer Wi-Fi service for a fee.

T25-AP ALL-SEC

Portis is AP's SEC player of year; Calipari, Towns honored

ATLANTA (AP) — Bobby Portis of Arkansas was selected as Southeastern Conference player of the year by The Associated Press on Monday, while No. 1 Kentucky took the other awards: coach of the year John Calipari and freshman of the year Karl-Anthony Towns.

Portis was the only unanimous choice to the AP's All-SEC team. The 6-foot-11 sophomore forward ranks second in the league in scoring (17.5 points per game) and fourth in rebounding (8.6).

Calipari guided Kentucky (34-0) to a perfect regular season and an easy romp through the SEC tournament. Now, the Wildcats are headed to NCAAs as an overwhelming favorite to claim the school's ninth national championship and complete the first unbeaten men's season since Indiana in 1976.

Towns was picked for the first team along with Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein.