Kentucky News Now

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.

POWER BILLS

Some Kentucky customers to pay more for power, gas bills

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Utilities' customers will pay more for their monthly electric bill while Louisville Gas & Electric customers will pay more for their gas bills, according to a settlement reached Tuesday concerning the companies' rate requests.

Documents filed with the Kentucky Public Service Commission show the average LG&E customer will pay 10 cents less on the monthly electric bill but $1.25 more on the monthly gas bill. The average KU customer's electric bill will go up by about $9 a month.

The settlement means KU will get an extra $125 million in revenue while LG&E will see a $7 million increase. Both companies are owned by Pennsylvania-based PPL.

The PSC must still approve the settlement.

KENTUCKY POWER-PURCHASE

Judge affirms Kentucky Power purchase

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A judge has affirmed the right of Kentucky Power Company to purchase part of a West Virginia power plant.

The (Ashland, Kentucky) Independent reports the ruling in Franklin Circuit Court rejected an appeal filed by Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, which sought to overturn the approval of the state's Public Service Commission.

The order issued April 10 states the Public Service Commission acted within its authority in approving the 50 percent purchase of the coal-fired Mitchell Plant in Moundsville, West Virginia.

Kentucky Power chose to purchase the plant rather than the more expensive option of investing in an old generating unit to meet EPA regulations.

Kentucky Power President and COO Greg Pauley said the decision is good news for customers.

FOOD PRICES

Grocery costs in Kentucky show first decline since June 2013

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Prices of retail food items in Kentucky fell during the last quarter, the first time since June 2013, in a survey of grocery costs.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation's latest Marketbasket Survey was taken in March. The organization says the average total cost of 40 basic grocery items was $126.22, or 2.3 percent lower than the figure reported in the previous quarter.

The federation said in a news release that the figure is still 4.6 percent higher than the total reported at the same time last year.

The release said five of the six food groups included in the survey reported reductions in average prices. Dairy was the greatest with an average price drop of 7.8 percent. Beef was the only category with an increase.

HOUSE FIRE DEATHS

Reward climbs to $10,000 for information about Kentucky fire deaths

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — A reward to help find out how a southeastern Kentucky couple died has tripled.

Laurel County Sheriff John Root says an anonymous donor contributed $6,800 to go along with the $2,200 already offered by AMVETS Post 116 and the $1,000 put up by Crime Stoppers, bringing the total to $10,000.

The reward is for information leading to arrest and conviction in the deaths of Donnie and Sharon Jackson of the Lily community.

The Jacksons' bodies were found March 8 at the scene of a house fire about eight miles south of London. The sheriff's office says an autopsy showed the couple died of gunshot wounds consistent with homicide.

Information may be reported to Detective Charlie Loomis at (606) 864-6600 or (606) 878-7000.

KENTUCKY SHERIFF CHARGED

Appeals court confirms conviction of ex-sheriff

GLASGOW, Ky. (AP) — A federal appeals court has confirmed the conviction of former Barren County Sheriff Chris Eaton on two counts of witness tampering.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its ruling Monday in the case. Eaton maintains his innocence and told the Glasgow Daily Times hours later that the ruling was heartbreaking.

A federal jury in Bowling Green convicted Eaton in 2013 of directing two deputies to write false incident reports for the FBI. Federal investigators were probing accusations of civil rights violations during a 2010 arrest.

Eaton was sentenced to 18 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley allowed him to remain free on bond while the verdict was appealed.

Officials say the next step likely will be to set a date for Eaton to report to prison.

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.

SOLDIERS RETURNING

Some 160 Fort Campbell soldiers returning this week from Afghanistan

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Dozens of Fort Campbell soldiers are turning to the post along the Kentucky-Tennessee border this week from deployment to Afghanistan.

The military says about 160 soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division are expected to arrive Friday morning.

The soldiers have been in Afghanistan advising and assisting the Afghan National Army.

The 1st Brigade is known as "Bastogne" (bas-TOHN'), a name commemorating the brigade's defense of the town of Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.

DENTAL SCHOOL DEAN

Univ. of Lousiville dental school dean stepping down at end of year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The dean of the University of Louisville's School of Dentistry is stepping down at the end of the year.

John Sauk has held the post since 2007 and says he will remain through Dec. 31. The university said Sauk announced his decision in a letter sent to the school's faculty and staff on Tuesday.

U of L says Sauk plans to rejoin the faculty later as a professor in the Department of Surgical and Hospital Dentistry, section of oral pathology. He has served on the faculties of the University of Minnesota and the University of Maryland and with the Navy at the Naval Dental Research Institute.

The school said a committee would be appointed soon to conduct a national search for a new dean.