Kentucky News Now – April 14th 2015

BOURBON THEFT

Sheriff: Probe of stolen Kentucky bourbon expands

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky sheriff looking into the theft of barrels filled with Wild Turkey bourbon says the case involves significantly more stolen bourbon than previously thought and will eventually result in multiple indictments.

Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton says investigators uncovered a new "major development" Monday that will delay presenting the case to the grand jury in Frankfort. Melton canceled a press conference set for Tuesday after the new development and wouldn't talk about it.

So far, one person has been arrested in the case of at least five stolen Wild Turkey barrels.

Melton says the case could go before the grand jury as soon as next week.

The state attorney general's office has assisted in the investigation.

VOTER FRAUD

Vote buying at center of eastern Ky. judge-executive case

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The state Court of Appeals will weigh Tuesday whether it should uphold a lower court's rare decision to throw out the results of an election because of vote buying.

Democrat Charles "Doc" Hardin defeated Republican John Montgomery by 28 votes on Nov. 4. Special Judge John David Preston ruled earlier this year at least four people were paid for their votes and others benefited from property improvements from county workers prior to the election.

Hardin denies any wrongdoing. He says there is no evidence connecting him to vote buying and that the property improvements were done to correct prior roadwork or to maintain county-owned roads.

The case is one of several that have emerged from eastern Kentucky in the last few years regarding vote buying in local elections.

FORT KNOX-ENERGY PROGRAM

Kentucky utility settles overbilling case with prosecutors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky utility accused of overbilling Fort Knox for energy-saving initiatives has agreed to pay the government $7.6 million to settle the case.

Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn Jr. announced the agreement Monday with Elizabethtown-based Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative.

Prosecutors say Nolin received more than $8 million in payments for energy-saving projects that never should have been authorized. The projects were touted as cost savings but were actually projected to lose more than $15 million in 10 years.

Prosecutors say Nolin also billed Fort Knox for projects never approved.

Nolin President and CEO Mickey Miller says no one at the utility profited from work at Fort Knox.

Former military contractor Gary T. Meredith is accused of orchestrating the cooperative's overbilling. Meredith is set to stand trial late this year.

GOP GOVERNOR ELECTION-PIE

Amid heated race, 2 GOP candidates for governor throw pies

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Republican primary for governor is getting messy.

Two of the four candidates on Monday had pies thrown in their faces to raise awareness for Read On, a northern Kentucky based charity that helps children read at grade level.

Matt Bevin went first, challenging candidates James Comer, Hal Heiner and Will T. Scott to do the same. Scott agreed and soon posted a photo of his pie-smeared face on Twitter.

The race for governor turned negative last week as a political action committee aired ads targeting various candidates in the race. The ads prompted a heated exchange at a recent debate in Louisville. Scott, the former Kentucky Supreme Court justice, said Monday's pie in the face was an attempt to bring levity to the campaign.

The primary is May 19th.

FORT CAMPBELL-EBOLA

Fort Campbell soldiers returning from West Africa

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Nearly 200 soldiers are returning to Fort Campbell this week from West Africa, where they have been helping in the effort to fight Ebola.

The post said those returning include the 101st Airborne Division's deputy commanding general for support, Brig. Gen. Frank W. Tate.

Fort Campbell is expecting about 190 soldiers to return Tuesday to the post along the Kentucky-Tennessee state line.

The soldiers have completed a 21-day period of controlled monitoring of their health at Fort Bliss, Texas.

COACHES-GOLF AUCTION

Calipari, Izzo to be part of golf event for cancer awareness

DETROIT (AP) — John Calipari, Tom Izzo and John Beilein are part of an impressive roster of coaches who will be participating in a round of golf at Oakland Hills Country Club on June 1 to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Oakland University coach Greg Kampe is organizing the event, which also will include Roy Williams, Sean Miller, Steve Alford, Rick Barnes, Bob Huggins and Josh Pastner.

An online auction began Monday at coachesbeatcancer.org — winning bidders will participate in a two-day event in the Detroit area May 31-June 1. They'll have a chance to attend a private dinner May 31 with all 10 coaches. Then each winner will be able to play a round of golf the next day at Oakland Hills with the coach he or she bid on.