Kentucky News Now

GOP GOVERNOR DEBATE

Republican governor candidates to debate May 11 on KET

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's four Republican candidates for governor will meet on statewide television one week before the May 19 primary.

KET's "Kentucky Tonight" program will host the four Republican candidates for governor at 8 p.m. EDT May 11 for what could be the only statewide televised debate before the primary. Host Bill Goodman will quiz Louisville businessman Matt Bevin, Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, former Louisville Metro Councilman Hal Heiner and former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott.

The candidates' running mates will debate on a separate program one week earlier.

Democratic candidate Geoff Young will appear on the program next Monday along with running mate Jonathan Masters. Attorney General Jack Conway will not participate. Conway leads Young by a wide margin in fundraising and public polling.

ELECTION DIRECTOR

Steffen leaving ethics panel for Election Finance Registry

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The head of the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission is moving to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, where he will fill the top post.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports 48-year-old John R. Steffen of Georgetown will leave the ethics commission in mid-May to become executive director of the registry.

He is replacing Sarah M. Jackson, who retired last fall.

The ethics commission is scheduled to meet May 4. It will determine who will replace Steffen.

Steffen's annual salary at the ethics commission is $97,488. Jackson's salary when she left the registry was $121,182.

The ethics commission oversees ethical standards that govern the conduct of executive branch employees. The registry administers Kentucky's campaign finance laws and ensures public access to campaign financial data and reports.

DRUG TREATMENT

Kentucky officials hope drugs can help drug addicts

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky officials are considering using a drug to help drug addicts come clean.

The state legislature approved a law last month that includes an extra $10 million to expand medicated drug treatment programs. The programs include the use of an extended release form of naltrexone that blocks the opioid receptors in the brain. It means opioids like prescription painkillers and heroin would have no effect on addicts, which would help them stop using the drugs.

A handful of addicts in Somerset already use the medication under the brand name Vivitrol as part of a special probation program run by Judge David Tapp. Other states, including West Virginia and Ohio, have adopted similar programs.

FOREST RANGER

Fighting fires takes Casey forest ranger to other states

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A part-time job led to a full-time career for Casey County native John Wethington, fighting for the wildlands of Kentucky and the United States.

Wethington, who is rounding out 19 years as a forest ranger for the Kentucky Division of Forestry, started as a part-time employee assisting the then-forest ranger for Casey County.

At that time, he and wife Tina ran a country store on Ky. 78 in the county.

Wethington worked for a year and a half before the ranger decided to retire, opening a full-time position.

Over the years, the number of rangers has decreased while coverage areas have increased. Wethington now monitors Casey, Lincoln and Taylor counties, with his office in Campbellsville.

FORT CAMPBELL ADDITION

New battalion added at Fort Campbell

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — A new battalion has been added to Fort Campbell's 101st Airborne Division.

The Leaf-Chronicle reports the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment "Blue Spaders" unfurled its colors last week during a short ceremony at the sprawling Army post on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.

The unit adds about 500 soldiers at the post, which lost 2,400 soldiers last year when the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade was deactivated.

It is the first infantry unit without an airborne background to be added to the 101st since World War II.

It is also the oldest unit in the division. The Blue Spaders were formed in 1900 while the 101st Division was founded in the early days of World War II.

GIRLFRIEND KILLED

Man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend, hiding body

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — A Pulaski County man has pleaded guilty to killing his girlfriend and hiding her body in a sinkhole.

Police told The Commonwealth Journal that 35-year-old Johnny Ray Hendrix left the residence on an ATV following a fight between the couple. He was gone about two hours, and relatives of the victim, 34-year-old Monica Wells, had no contact with her after that.

A ground search of the area turned up Wells' body in a 12-foot-deep sinkhole. Hendrix was arrested in October.

Hendrix was convicted of murder and evidence tampering with the plea this week. Prosecutors recommended a 25-year prison sentence.

Commonwealth's Attorney Eddy Montgomery said Wells' family wanted to avoid a jury trial.

Police say there had been a substantial history of domestic abuse with the couple.

GEOCACHE WEEKEND

Geocache Weekend coming up at Lake Cumberland

JAMESTOWN, Ky. (AP) — An outdoor sport known as geocaching will provide a weekend full of activities at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park this week.

The 10th annual Earth Day Geocache Weekend starts with registration Friday evening and continues through Sunday.

Caching starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and ends at noon. The Parks Department says participants will meet briefly each morning to disseminate coordinates and cache packets. Coordinates may be downloaded to GPS for those participants who have a USB cable or manually downloaded otherwise.

Geocaching involves the use of GPS to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches."

Registration is $20, or $30 for two people. A registration form is available at http://1.usa.gov/1OoDBCJ .

PADUCAH QUILTERS

American Quilter's Society show returns to Paducah

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — QuiltWeek returns to Paducah this week, and organizers expect more than 30,000 to attend the four-day event.

The American Quilter's Society said more than 700 quilts will be on display, and prizes totaling $125,000 will be awarded. There will also be a series of workshops and displays by national and local vendors.

The event begins Wednesday and continues through Saturday. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. QuiltWeek is open to the public.

For tickets or other information, visit http://quiltweek.com/paducah or call (270) 898-7903.

FINANCIAL SCAMS-SENIORS

Workshop to advise seniors on financial scams

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — State officials are inviting seniors to attend a workshop on preventing financial fraud and scams.

The April 30 workshop on the campus at Western Kentucky University will show seniors how to avoid cybercrime, mail fraud, ID theft and other scams.

The state's Department of Financial Institutions is organizing the workshop and others like it around the state. A release says one in five people over the age of 65 has been a victim of a financial scam.

The 9 a.m. workshop at the university's Knicely Conference Center is free to seniors in and around the Bowling Green area.

This event is co-sponsored by the Barren River Area Development District, Barren River Elder Abuse Prevention Council and the WKU Center for Gerontology.