Kentucky News Now – July 23rd 2015

CHATTANOOGA SHOOTINGS-KENTUCKY

Beshear orders security enhancements at National Guard

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has issued an executive order authorizing Adjutant Gen. Edward Tonini to enhance security at state National Guard facilities and recruiting stations following the shooting death of five servicemen in Tennessee last week.

The order tells Tonini to immediately implement additional policies consistent with state law. Department of Military Affairs spokesman David Altom said these policies include things like rehearsing active shooter drills and ensuring doors are locked.

Beshear noted in the order that Kentucky already has policies in place allowing active duty servicemen to carry concealed weapons at state facilities as long as they have a valid concealed weapons permit. Republican state Rep. Kevin Bratcher has asked Beshear to issue an executive order allowing active duty soldiers to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

MINING DEATHS

US mine safety officials report mining deaths down in 2015

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Federal mine safety officials say mining deaths are down in the U.S., with 18 miners losing their lives in accidents during the first six months of the year.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration reported Wednesday that number represents a decrease of five deaths from the same time a year ago.

MSHA says the deaths included eight in underground and surface coal mines, with the rest of the deaths occurring at metal and nonmetal mines.

Of the coal-mining fatalities, miners died in accidents involving machinery and from falling material or roofs, among other ways.

Half of the deaths at metal and nonmetal mines were at operations with less than 10 people.

One mine death involved an operator. Six deaths were of contractors, and five were supervisors.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR-FORUM

Bevin, Conway to talk farm policy in Louisville

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's race for governor is taking off this week as the Democratic and Republican nominees are scheduled to debate farm policy in front of the state's agriculture leaders on Thursday.

Republican nominee Matt Bevin and Democratic nominee Jack Conway are scheduled to participate in a Measure the Candidates Forum sponsored by the Kentucky Farm Bureau. It will be the second time the two candidates have appeared together at a publicized event. The forum is not open to the public but will be streamed on the Farm Bureau's website at http://kyfb.com/livestream.

The candidates will likely answer questions about the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rules to regulate streams and ponds on farm land. Conway, who is also the state's attorney general, has joined attorneys general from other states in a lawsuit asking a judge to block those rules.

DRUG COMPANY-PLEA

Drug company agrees to pay for filling invalid prescriptions

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. attorney in Louisville says an internet drug company has agreed to forfeit $450,000 from the illegal sale of prescription drugs as part of a guilty plea.

The plea agreement says Aracoma Drug Co. electronically received invalid prescriptions from NationalRXRPartners for prescription drugs to be dispensed to people who filled out questionnaires over the Internet.

The U.S. attorney says the company operated out of West Virginia and accepted the prescriptions, knowing that they were invalid.

The company pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges of dispensing prescription drugs without a valid prescription.

COMPANY MOVE

Texas company moving to Cynthiana, creating 80 jobs

CYNTHIANA, Ky. (AP) — A Texas company is moving to Cynthiana, where it will create 80 jobs.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office says Commercial Specialty Truck Holdings is relocating subsidiary Continental Mixer Solutions and investing $2 million in the project.

Continental Mixer Solutions has moved to a facility shared by another subsidiary, E-Z Pack Refuse Hauling Solutions, which employs 100 people.

Continental Mixer Solutions, which is relocating from Houston, makes concrete mixers and has been in operation since 1982.

The state has preliminarily approved tax incentives of up to $2 million for the company.

LAKE BRIDGES

Ground broken for second new western Kentucky bridge

CADIZ, Ky. (AP) — Construction of a pair of bridges in western Kentucky is moving forward, with a groundbreaking ceremony held for the second span, on Lake Barkley.

Gov. Steve Beshear and state and local officials had a ceremonial groundbreaking Wednesday. The new $128 million bridge will carry four lanes of traffic and a pedestrian-bicycle path on U.S. 68/Kentucky 80 as the eastern entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

It will replace the Henry Lawrence Memorial Bridge, which was built in 1932. The new bridge is expected to be open by October 2017.

The project also includes replacement of the Eggners Ferry Bridge on Kentucky Lake. Construction of the new Kentucky Lake bridge is already underway and is expected to open in December, with completion next year.