Kentucky News Now – February 6th 2014

Ky. Senate passes abortion bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill requiring doctors to perform ultrasounds before abortions and to describe what is seen to the pregnant women.

The measure also would impose fines on doctors failing to comply.

Senators voted 33-5 Wednesday to send the measure to the House, where similar proposals have died in past years. Asked later if he thinks the outcome might be different this time, Republican Sen. Whitney Westerfield said he's asking supporters of his bill to pray to "soften the hearts" of House leaders.

Democratic Sen. Reginald Thomas said women don't need ultrasounds to understand what it means to be pregnant. He said the bill is aimed at denying women their right to control their own health-care decisions.

INSULIN OVERDOSE-ARREST

Ky. man charged with murder in 2007 death

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A certified medical technician has been charged with murder in the death of a nursing home patient who died of an insulin overdose almost seven years ago.

A Jefferson County grand jury on Wednesday handed up an indictment of 34-year-old David Satterfield. Police say Satterfield called investigators on Monday saying he wanted to admit to giving the fatal injection to 86-year-old Marcelline Katherine Sommer Vale in July 2007.

A judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf during an initial appearance on Tuesday. He is being held in the Louisville jail on $50,000 cash bond. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Judith McDonald-Burkman.

Detectives are now combing through Satterfield's past in Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida to see if there are any other similar incidents.

THOMAS MORE-TOBACCO

Northern Ky. college will ban tobacco use in June

CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (AP) — Tobacco use will be prohibited at Thomas More College in northern Kentucky starting June 1.

The Kentucky Enquirer reports the policy will apply to all areas of campus, indoors and outdoors, including evening classes and sporting events.

The small Catholic college in Crestview Hills said it would offer classes to help smokers kick the habit.

College President Dave Armstrong said the school would take a "compassionate approach" with the new policy.

BESHEAR-TRADE TRIP

Beshear to lead trade mission to United Kingdom

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear will lead a trade mission to the United Kingdom, one of Kentucky's largest export partners.

Beshear's office said Wednesday the trade mission is set for May 11-16. The Kentucky delegation will make stops in London and Manchester.

Kentucky exported more than $1.6 billion in products and services to the United Kingdom last year, up more than 20 percent from 2012. Top exports include aerospace and pharmaceutical products.

Beshear says the trip will give Kentucky companies a chance to build business ties in the United Kingdom, which has the world's sixth-largest economy.

He says the mission will focus on increasing commerce and promoting tourism.

The trip follows another record export year for Kentucky. Exports of Kentucky products and services totaled $23 billion in the first 11 months of 2013.

KENTUCKY SENATE

Bevin criticizes McConnell for backing farm bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's support of the federal farm bill is drawing sharp criticism back home from his Republican challenger in Kentucky.

Louisville businessman Matt Bevin said Wednesday the nearly $100 billion-a-year measure amounts to a "massive overreach" into free markets.

Bevin says most of the spending goes to "welfare programs," and says McConnell failed taxpayers again.

McConnell campaign spokeswoman Allison Moore says Bevin's criticism shows he's out of touch with Kentucky farmers and the farm bill's importance.

Bevin is challenging McConnell in the May 20 primary.

Agriculture is a big business in Kentucky, where farm cash receipts were on a pace toward $6 billion last year. Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney praised Senate passage of the farm bill Tuesday. Haney said the measure provides farmers with the needed stability to continue production.

UPS PLANE CRASH

Tower audio from UPS crash that killed 2 released

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — An audio recording from the control tower at Birmingham's airport shows workers were trying to reopen the main runway when a UPS cargo jet crashed while trying to land on an alternate runway, killing two pilots.

The recording shows an air traffic controller asked a Birmingham Airport Authority worker about reopening the runway less than two minutes before the Airbus A300-600 jet went down on Aug. 14.

The main runway was closed for maintenance, and the UPS aircraft attempted to land on a shorter runway. The jet clipped trees and slammed into a hill near the runway.

The recording shows a cargo carrier from UPS competitor FedEx landed safely on the main runway just moments after the crash in Alabama.

The audio is posted on the Federal Aviation Administration's website.

FORT KNOX COMMANDER

Fort Knox to install female commanding general

(Information in the following story is from: The News-Enterprise, http://www.thenewsenterprise.com )

FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP) — Fort Knox plans to install its first female commanding general in March.

The News-Enterprise reports Brig. Gen. Peggy Combs will succeed Maj. Gen. Jeff Smith as commanding general in early March.

Combs is currently commandant of the U.S. Army's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Smith is being assigned as deputy chief of staff of operations at the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Fort Knox spokesman Ryan Brus said the installation of Combs will boost diversity at the central Kentucky Army post.