Kentucky News Now

CONGRESSMEN-HOUSE ETHICS

Ethics panel extends probe of Rush, Whitfield

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee in Washington says it is extending separate ethics investigations into actions by two veteran congressmen, Republican Ed Whitfield of Kentucky and Democrat Bobby Rush of Illinois.

A congressional review panel said it has found "substantial reason to believe" that Whitfield and Rush violated House rules.

In its report Monday, the independent Office of Congressional Ethics said Whitfield likely violated House rules by allowing his wife to have contacts with his staff and use his congressional office as part of her lobbying activities on issues related to animal welfare. The ethics office said Rush likely violated House rules by accepting free office space in Chicago.

Rush was elected to a 12th term last week, Whitfield to an 11th term.

RAND PAUL-2016

Paul still has ballot quandary in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Republican tidal wave that swept Democrats out of office nationwide didn't solve U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's potential quandary in Kentucky.

The tea party favorite could become entangled in a state election law if he runs for president and another Senate term in 2016.

Legislation aimed at tweaking the once-obscure law to ensure Paul could appear on Kentucky's ballot for both offices simultaneously easily passed the GOP-led Kentucky Senate this year. But the measure died across the Capitol in the House, where Democrats are in charge.

Democrats hung on to their House majority despite a strong GOP challenge in this month's election.

That's left the first-term senator and his supporters looking for other potential options.

CONWAY SECURITY

Conway cleared to use state workers for security

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Attorney General Jack Conway can use state employees on state time for security purposes at private or political events during his campaign for governor, the Executive Branch Ethics Commission ruled Monday.

Conway asked for an advisory opinion after a review from his office recommended he have protection at public or publicized events. The review cited recent instances where people have approached Conway and threatened him and one instance of someone showing up at Conway's house and harassing his family.

The review did not say why Conway was threatened. In March, Conway received national attention when he declined to appeal a judge's ruling ordering Kentucky to recognize same sex marriages performed in other states. A spokeswoman in Conway's office did not immediately return requests for comment.

Conway is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.

HEALTH OVERHAUL-KENTUCKY

Store, app among 2014 kynect improvements

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentuckians can use their mobile phones to figure out what health insurance discounts they qualify for starting Saturday when the next round of open enrollment begins for the state health exchange.

A mobile phone app was one of the additions Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear announced Monday as the state prepares for the second year of kynect, its online health insurance marketplace. Kentuckians will have until Feb. 15 to use kynect.ky.gov to sign up for Medicaid or purchase subsidized insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act.

The app is a free download for both Apple and Android phones. The state will also open a kynect store at the Fayette Mall in Lexington on Thursday and has doubled the number of insurance agents authorized to sell kynect health plans.

CORVETTE MUSEUM-SINKHOLE

Work begins to fill in museum sinkhole in Kentucky

A Kentucky museum devoted to Corvettes is ready to put a car-swallowing sinkhole in its rear-view mirror.

Workers arrived Monday at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green to start work to plug the hole that consumed eight sports cars last February. The sight of cars toppled like toys in the pit turned into an Internet sensation.

It also became a popular attraction, revving up attendance and revenue at the museum, an hour north of Nashville, Tennessee. The museum cashed in by selling sinkhole-themed items, including jars with sinkhole dirt and pieces of car parts.

Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode says filling in the hole will cost about $3.2 million and take some eight months to complete.

The museum will remain open, but the Skydome where the sinkhole opened was closed.

REMAINS RECOVERED

Crews recover human remains in central Ky.

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (AP) — Deputies have recovered human remains from a rural area in central Kentucky.

The Anderson County coroner's office told WKYT-TV that deer hunters found a man's wallet in a heavily wooded area about 15 miles from Lawrenceburg. Deputies were called out and found human remains in the woods, as well as in nearby pasture land.

Coroner Mark Tussey told the station that investigators recovered 60 bags of evidence from the scene on Saturday, which were taken to the medical examiner's office in Frankfort.

Tussey says the remains will be examined to try to determine how the person died and when.

Investigators say they'll try to identify the person using dental records.

VIETNAM VETERANS

Name added to Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A new name on the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial is being dedicated during a ceremony Tuesday in Frankfort, but officials say little is known about the soldier.

The remains of Army Sgt. John R. Jones of Louisville were confirmed in 2012. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and his name was etched into the Kentucky memorial last week.

The 22-year-old soldier died in Vietnam in 1971, while defending a radio-relay base. His name is among more than a thousand on the state memorial.

Kentucky Department of Military Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Aug told the Lexington Herald-Leader that federal officials haven’t located any of Jones' relatives.

Kentucky Vietnam memorial board of directors member Jerry Cecil says he hopes Jones' story will someday be known.

The ceremony is at 10 a.m. EST.

ZOO-VETERANS

Veterans can visit Louisville Zoo free on Tuesday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Louisville Zoo is celebrating Veterans Day by offering active and retired service members and their dependents general admission at no charge on Tuesday.

Active members of the military receive free admission year-round at the zoo, and active military dependents and retired military receive 10 percent off admission every day.

The zoo is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Fall and winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time with exit by 5 p.m.

To receive free admission on Tuesday, bring a military identification card and present it at the zoo's admission windows.

For more information, visit http://louisvillezoo.org .