Kentucky News Now

ARMORY DEATH

Civilian killed, 1 injured at Boone National Guard Center

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A civilian contractor has died and another has been injured in an accident at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort.

Kentucky Department of Military Affairs spokesman David W. Altom said in an email that the accident happened around 11:45 a.m. EDT Monday when a boom lift collapsed and fell.

The injured worker was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington.

The names of the victims are being withheld pending notification of family.

No other details are available. The accident is under investigation.

COUNTRY MUSIC HIGHWAY

Country Music Highway to add another name to its roster

(Information in the following story is from: The Independent, http://www.dailyindependent.com)

LLOYD, Ky. (AP) — A Greenup County fiddler will soon have his name added to list of legendary musicians who once lived along the Country Music Highway.

The Independent reports a ceremony will held on Wednesday in Lloyd to celebrate Jason Carter getting his own road sign installed on U.S. 23. The road is known as the County Music Highway.

42-year-old Carter is known for sharing stages with bluegrass music legend Del McCoury and The Travelin' McCourys.

The public is invited to join Carter, state Sen. Robin Webb and other elected officials at the 11 a.m. ceremony.

DATING VIOLENCE

Officials unsure how to handle dating violence legislation

(Information in the following story is from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officials are trying to determine how best to handle a soon-to-be-instituted state law that will offer victims of abusive dating relationships some civil protections.

The Courier-Journal reports that officials have yet to decide which courts should process these cases, starting Jan. 1.

In Jefferson County, for example, judges are divided on whether the cases belong in District Court or Family Court.

Carol Jordan, who studies violence against women at the University of Kentucky, says officials don't know how many people will be entering courtrooms because of the new law.

In April, Gov. Steve Beshear signed a bill to allow victims of abusive dating relationships to receive an emergency protective order from the courts. Currently, Kentucky offers these orders only to couples who are married, have lived together or have a child together.

TEEN PARTY SHOOTING

Teen slain at party identified as Kentucky college student

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Authorities have identified a teenager shot to death at a weekend pool party south of Atlanta as a 19-year-old Kentucky State University student who had gone to high school in Georgia.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Wali Clanton was a 2014 graduate of Dutchtown High School in Hampton, Georgia.

Felicia Lewis, a spokeswoman for Kentucky State University in Frankfort, tells The Associated Press that Clanton was a walk-on football player there.

Sheriff's officials say four other teens were wounded and they are expected to survive.

Authorities said as many as 200 people were at the party Saturday night in Fayetteville, Georgia. Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb said a fight broke out after the homeowner arrived and tried to break up the party.

Authorities are investigating what led to the gunfire.

PRIVATE UTILITIES-RECORDS

Appeals court: private utility subject to open records law

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

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled that a private utility in eastern Kentucky is subject to the open records law because it receives all its revenue from local governments.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Judge Irv Maze wrote in the decision on Friday that "exceptions to the public's right to know are rightfully few and narrowly read."

Pikeville-based Utility Management Group, which operates Pike County's water and sewer services for the publicly owned Mountain Water District, has been fighting an open records request from Pike County officials for more than four years.

County officials filed the request after critical state audits to determine how UMG spends the money of local customers.

URBAN EXPO MUSIC FEST

Fans demand refunds after Midwest Urban Expo and Music Fest

(Information in the following story is from: WAVE-TV, http://www.wave3.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Thousands of people are demanding refunds after the Midwest Urban Expo and Music Fest at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville did not deliver acts as promised.

WAVE-TV reports organizers of the event Saturday night promised to feature several popular R&B performers, many of which fans say never appeared on stage. Performers listed included headliners The Isley Brothers, Johnny Gill, Kelly Price and Tom Browne.

The KFC Yum! Center has issued a statement saying the festival experienced performance delays and apologized to fans. The station could not reach the concert promoter for comment.

RARE SNAKE

Kentucky Reptile Zoo adds rare snake to collection

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

SLADE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Powell County has added a rare snake to its collection.

WKYT-TV reports the zoo has gotten a Mang Mountain Viper, which is native to only a few small areas of China.

Zoo curator Kristen Wiley says a reptile facility in Illinois had an extra viper and donated it to the zoo in Slade. She says seeing a Mang Mountain Viper in a zoo is very rare.

Only discovered in 1989, Wiley estimates there are only 500 Mang Mountain Vipers left in the wild. She says the nearest one in a zoo to the Kentucky Reptile Zoo is in St. Louis.

The Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Powell County is home to one of the largest venomous snake collections in the world.

STATE PARK DEATH

Swimmer's body pulled from lake at Carter Caves State Park

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

OLIVE HILL, Ky. (AP) — A northeastern Kentucky man has died at Carter Caves State Park, where he went under water while swimming with friends.

Carter County Coroner William Waddell told the Lexington Herald-Leader the body of 48-year-old Marty Richmond of the Emerson community in Lewis County was pulled out of the lake about 9 p.m. EDT Sunday.

The Parks Department said the incident happened at Smoky Lake.

Waddell said Richmond was dead when the dive team pulled him from the water, more than two hours after he went under.