Kentucky News Now – February 23rd 2016

FAYETTE JUDGE-EXECUTIVE

Fayette County judge-executive urges elimination of his job

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Fayette County Judge-Executive John Roberts has asked Kentucky lawmakers to put a measure on the statewide ballot to abolish his job. A House panel has taken the first step toward doing that. The House Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee approved a bill Monday that would put the Lexington issue on the statewide ballot. Roberts says he has no staff and no government phone in which to carry out his limited duties. His office has a yearly budget of about $21,000 and his salary is less than $9,000. In most counties, the judge-executive serves as CEO for county government.

PENSION CAMPAIGN

Kentucky chamber launches pension awareness campaign

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce says it will pay for billboards and newspaper ads to raise awareness about Kentucky's public pension debt. Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson said Kentucky's $36 billion public pension debt would require every Kentuckian to pay $8,268 just to pay it off. He said the campaign will call for an audit of all of Kentucky's public pension systems. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has proposed cutting state spending by $650 million over the next two years and putting the savings toward the pension debt. Adkisson said the campaign will not urge support of Bevin's budget proposal, which has caused controversy for its cuts to state colleges and universities among other programs.

MAJORITY LEADER-LAWSUIT

Sen. Thayer's ex-fiancee says he threatened her

(Information from: Georgetown News-Graphic, http://www.news-graphic.com)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Majority Leader Damon Thayer's ex-fiancee has alleged in a lawsuit that he threatened to use his political power against her. The Georgetown News-Graphic reported Saturday that the allegations are part of lawsuits Thayer and his former fiancee Tonya Branham have filed against each other. After an argument in which police were called to the home Dec. 14, Branham claims that Thayer said he would prevent a police report from being created. Georgetown police told the News-Graphic no report was generated because there was no allegation of physical violence and no crime was committed. Branham also says Thayer threatened to get the Administrative Office of the Courts to no longer allow her to serve as a Families in Transition counselor and to try to keep her from volunteering with the Court Appointed Special Advocates.

AUTO PRODUCTION

Kentucky's auto sector delivered more growth in 2015

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's automotive industry produced more vehicles and increased its employment in 2015. The Kentucky Automotive Industry Association says the state maintained its status as the nation's third-largest producer of cars and light trucks. The group says new statistics show production of passenger vehicles rose by 2.4 percent in Kentucky last year to more than 1.3 million cars and trucks. It says the auto industry employed nearly 90,000 people statewide last year, up from 85,552 in 2014. In another sign of growth, it says the industry announced 79 new projects last year totaling $2.8 billion in investments. The growth spread to the state's suppliers of automotive parts, services and technologies.

DAIRY CONFERENCE

Dairy conferences set in Bowling Green to help farmers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Two conferences in Bowling Green this week will attract dairy experts from around the country. They will give presentations on dairy production, management, economics, and stockmanship as part of the Kentucky Dairy Partners Conference and Young Dairy Producer Conference. Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles says the conferences will offer valuable information that dairy producers can use to get more production from their cows. About 350 to 400 people are expected to attend the conferences Tuesday and Wednesday at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green. Quarles is also speaking at The Dairy Awards Banquet on Tuesday.

TODDLER DEATH

Toddler's death in central Kentucky under investigation

(Information from: The (Danville, Ky.) Advocate-Messenger, http://www.centralkynews.com/amnews)

HARRODSBURG, Ky. (AP) — A toddler's death is under investigation in central Kentucky. Mercer County Coroner Sonny Ransdell says a 22-month-old girl was pronounced dead at Haggin B. Memorial Hospital on Thursday. Ransdell says the body was sent to the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort for an autopsy. The Advocate-Messenger reports the Mercer County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death. ___ Information from: The (Danville, Ky.) Advocate-Messenger, http://www.centralkynews.com/amnews