Kentucky News Now – May 7th 2014

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR'S RACE

Attorney General Jack Conway to run for governor

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway says he is running for governor in 2015.

Conway made the announcement Tuesday morning in an online video. He is the first Democrat to announce his candidacy for the 2015 election to succeed the term-limited Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear. Republican Hal Heiner announced his candidacy in March.

Pegged as a Democratic rising star more than a decade ago, Conway has had mixed results as a candidate. He has been elected Attorney General twice. But he lost a grueling U.S. Senate election to Republican Rand Paul in 2010.

Conway has often walked the fine party line of Kentucky Democrats. He has sued the Obama administration to stop federal regulators from imposing cap-and-trade standards through regulation. And he declined to defend the state's gay marriage ban.

PRISON FIGHT-DEATH

Officials: Inmate dies after fight at federal pen

PINE KNOX, Ky. (AP) — An inmate at a federal prison in southern Kentucky has died after a fight at the facility.

Officials at the United States Penitentiary-McCreary in Pine Knot say the fight started Monday morning involving several inmates at a housing unit.

One inmate was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at 8:14 a.m.

The inmate's identity has not yet been released pending family notification.

Officials say several other inmates involved sustained minor injuries. No staff members were injured.

Visitation at the prison has been canceled, and the prison remains on lockdown until further notice.

The FBI has been notified, and the incident is under investigation.

FORT CAMPBELL-REASSIGNMENT

Deputy commander at Fort Campbell gets new post in DC

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — A high-ranking officer at Fort Campbell is headed for a new job in the nation's capital.

The deputy commanding general at the military post on the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, Brig. Gen. Andrew P. Poppas, has been reassigned to deputy director for regional operations and force management, J-35, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Poppas has been deputy commanding general at Fort Campbell since a promotion to one-star general in February 2013.

He's a 1988 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and was commissioned as an infantry officer that same year.

Poppas led the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Afghanistan from May 2010 to May 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

RUNNER SLAIN

Kentucky man sentenced in jogger's death

JAMESTOWN, Ky. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a south-central Kentucky man to life in prison without the possibility of parole for raping and strangling a pregnant jogger in 2012.

The prosecutor's office says Russell County Circuit Judge Vernon Miniard Jr. sentenced 30-year-old Christopher Allman of Jamestown on Tuesday. Allman pleaded guilty in April to murder, fetal homicide, kidnapping, first-degree robbery, rape, tampering with evidence and being a persistent felony offender.

The case involved the June 2012 death of 31-year-old Sarah Hart, who was about 10 weeks' pregnant with her fourth child. She was attacked after she decided to return to her car alone when she felt ill during an early-morning run along U.S. 127 with her sister.

COCKFIGHTING CHARGES

Hearings set, conducted in cockfighting case

ABINGDON, Va. (AP) — Preliminary hearings have been conducted or set for three Kentucky residents and two Virginians charged with conducting cockfights.

Court records show a U.S. magistrate judge in Abingdon, Virginia, on Tuesday set May 29 preliminary hearings for the Kentucky residents. They are 51-year-old Walter Dale Stumbo, 51-year-old Sonya Stumbo and 25-year-old Joshua Stumbo of Floyd County.

Preliminary hearings were conducted for 57-year-old Wesley Dean Robinson and 33-year-old Jonathan Robinson of Wise County, Virginia. The judge found probable cause to support the complaints.

Assistant federal public defender Nancy Dickenson said in an email that Wesley Robinson will plead not guilty if he is indicted by a grand jury. Jonathan Robinson's court-appointed attorney did not immediately return a telephone message Tuesday. Court records don't list attorneys for the Stumbos.

KENTUCKY-STOOPS

University of Kentucky extends Stoops' contract

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The University of Kentucky has extended the contract of head football coach Mark Stoops through the 2018 season.

The university said in a statement Tuesday that the new agreement extends the current term from Dec. 31, 2017, to June 30, 2019.

Athletics director Mitch Barnhart says Stoops has brought enthusiasm to the program along with recruiting successes. Kentucky had an average attendance increase of 9,700 per game at Commonwealth Stadium last season, Stoops' first year. Total attendance averaged 59,472 per game.

The team struggled in Stoops' first season, going 2-9 and 0-7 in the Southeastern Conference.

ETHICS-JOHN ARNOLD

Member of ethics panel resigns due to Arnold case

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A member of the legislative ethics commission says he is stepping down from his position due to the panel's handling of a case involving former state Rep. John Arnold.

Vernie McGaha told The Courier-Journal that he already sent his resignation letter, but was persuaded by Senate President Robert Stivers to remain on the commission until it decides whether to reconsider Arnold's case.

Three women testified during a hearing before the panel that Arnold sexually harassed them.

The commission voted 4-1 to find Arnold guilty. But state law requires at least five "yes" votes from the nine member commission to convict. Three commissioners did not attend the hearing and one seat is vacant.

The commission is expected to take up the case again at its next meeting on Wednesday.

TVA-JOB REDUCTIONS

TVA to cut more than 10 percent of jobs

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Valley Authority says 750 employees have retired or resigned through a voluntary incentive program, another 1,000 vacant positions are being eliminated and more cuts are on the way.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports it will be the largest staff reduction at the federal utility in more than 20 years.

Cuts also are planned in TVA's nuclear program and involuntary layoffs are expected later this year.

The cuts are being made so staffing levels and electric rates will be more in line with other utilities as power consumption growth slows.

TVA President Bill Johnson says he wants a $500 million reduction in annual expenses by next year.

TVA supplies power to about 9 million people in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

ADVENTURE RACE

3 Kentucky state parks to host adventure racing

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Three Kentucky state parks will play host to an adventure race series that tests the physical and mental skills of participants.

Each race will include mountain biking, trekking on and off-trail, paddling on flat or slow-moving water and navigation with a map and compass.

State parks officials say races are open to individuals or teams of two, three or four people.

All races are sanctioned by the United States Adventure Racing Association and qualify for points in the USARA national standings.

The first race is set for June 7 at Lake Barkley State Resort Park.

The other two are at Pine Mountain State Resort Park on Aug. 16 and at Natural Bridge State Resort Park on Nov. 1.

OBIT-ELLIS

Ex-boxing champion Jimmy Ellis dies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Former heavyweight boxing champion Jimmy Ellis, who trained with fellow Louisville fighter Muhammad Ali and squared off against some of his era's best fighters, has died in his hometown. He was 74.

Ellis' brother, Jerry, said the ex-champion died at a Louisville hospital Tuesday after suffering from Alzheimer's disease in recent years.

Ellis defeated Jerry Quarry to win the WBA crown in 1968. Ellis defended the title by defeating Floyd Patterson, but was stopped by Joe Frazier in a fight to unify the world heavyweight championship in 1970.

He was stopped by Ali in the 12th round of their bout in 1971.

Ellis, the son of a preacher, retired from boxing in 1975. He spent years training fighters and later worked for the Louisville parks department.