Kentucky News Now – August 5th 2015

ALCOHOL DISTRIBUTOR

Anheuser-Busch sheds Kentucky distributorships

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The world's largest brewer has shed its two distributorships in Kentucky after the state legislature passed a law banning them from owning one.

Anheuser-Busch says it purchased American Eagle Distributing in Loveland, Colorado, and has transferred its distributorships in Louisville and Owensboro to the Texas-based Standard Sales Company. In return, Standard Sales transferred three distributorships to American Eagle Distributing.

Anheuser-Busch Vice President Bob Tallett said the transfer was the best path forward for its 200 employees in Kentucky. Standard Sales President and CEO Lanny Layman said he is eager to meet the Kentucky employees and grow his business there.

Anheuser-Busch has owned its Louisville distributorship since 1978. Last year, it alarmed independent brewers when it purchased a second distributor in Owensboro. The state legislature responded by banning brewers from owning distributors.

US-CHILD-HANDCUFFED-LAWSUIT

Mothers: Officer restrained children, put handcuffs on arms

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Two mothers say in a federal lawsuit that a school resource officer placed their disabled children in handcuffs because they were acting out, causing physical and emotional pain.

The 8-year-old boy and the 9-year-old girl and their mothers are identified only by their initials. The lawsuit says both children have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and school officials are aware of their disabilities.

In a video released by the American Civil Liberties Union, the boy struggles and cries out as he sits in a chair, handcuffs around his biceps and his arms locked behind him. A sheriff's report stated that the girl was put in handcuffs after she acted out and tried to leave an isolation room where she'd been sent.

The lawsuit asks for a judge to ban the school from doing this again and for money to compensate for trauma and for attorneys' fees.

A spokesman said the Kenton County Sheriff hadn't been notified of the lawsuit and declined to comment. An attorney for Sumner said he acted appropriately.

COAL COUNTY REFUNDS

State announces $266k in refunds to Kentucky coal counties

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear says fiscal courts in 34 Kentucky counties will receive refunds totaling $266,141 from mining permit and acreage fees.

The state Department for Natural Resources collects the mining permit and acreage fees.

It returns a portion of the fees to coal-producing counties for projects that the local fiscal courts deem beneficial to their communities.

The refunds range from $62.50 to $42,562. Beshear's office says 12 counties each will receive more than $10,000.

Counties receiving the refunds are in the state's eastern and western Kentucky coalfields.

RIGHT TO WORK

Local right-to-work laws challenged in federal court

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The national battle over compulsory labor union dues landed in a Kentucky federal courthouse on Tuesday as a handful of unions tried to convince a judge to throw out a series of local laws designed to end closed shops.

States have had the ability to outlaw mandatory union dues as a condition of employment for decades. But the question of whether local governments can do the same has not been fully decided.

An attorney for the labor unions said while the federal government has allowed states to pass laws banning mandatory union dues, it has not allowed local governments to do the same. An attorney for Hardin County argued that county governments are empowered by the state and can act on their behalf.

U.S. District Judge David Hale did not give a timeframe for making a decision.

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER

Board of Education to review commissioner candidates

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Board of Education is meeting for its annual retreat and plans to review candidates for a new state education commissioner and discuss appointment of an interim commissioner.

The board meets Wednesday morning in Frankfort. The Education Department said in a news release the board plans to spend much of the morning in closed session with the firm hired to conduct the search for a new commissioner.

Commissioner Terry Holliday is retiring Aug. 31.

After returning to open session, action on an interim commissioner will be considered.

The board's regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday.

BLUEGRASS MUSEUM DIRECTOR

Bluegrass Museum names new executive director

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — The International Bluegrass Music Museum has a new executive director who takes office next month.

The museum's board of directors recently named Chris Joslin as executive director. Joslin comes from Nashville, where he worked as a recruiter with the Sanford Group.

Joslin replaces Gabrielle Gray, who stepped down in December but retained her position as producer of the museum's annual ROMP festival. Gray is also the museum's primary grant writer.

Joslin was a founding member of the bluegrass group Crucial Smith, playing banjo and resonator guitar. He says the new job will allow him to blend his corporate experience with his love of bluegrass music.

He is expected to begin working at the Museum on Sept. 1.

LOUISVILLE-PUERTO RICO TOUR

Cardinals will face Puerto Rican teams 9 times in 6 days

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville men's basketball team has scheduled nine exhibition games over six days against Puerto Rico national teams, including three doubleheaders.

The Cardinals' tour opens Tuesday in San Juan with consecutive evening doubleheaders featuring split squads against Puerto Rico's junior and national squads. Another doubleheader follows Saturday in Trujillo Alto with single games at other island sites on Thursday against the junior team and Friday and Sunday against the national squad.

Louisville coach Rick Pitino will guide the national team as part of his commitment to lead that program in two international competitions this summer. His assistants will coach the Cardinals during the program's first summer foreign trip since 2011 to the Bahamas.

The Cardinals beat Richard Pitino-coached Minnesota last November in the Armed Forces Classic in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.