Kentucky’s Latest News

PROBATION OFFICER SHOT

2 arrested after probation officer wounded

HINDMAN, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police in eastern Kentucky have arrested a man whom probation officers were searching for when one of them was wounded.

Knott County sheriff's deputies located Rocky Wicker Jr. at a residence in the Mousie community Tuesday and chased him on foot to a creek, where police said he eventually surrendered.

Police said earlier that Wicker's father, 56-year-old Rocky Wicker Sr., was charged with attempted murder of a police officer and wanton endangerment after allegedly opening fire as probation officers tried to serve a warrant for the younger Wicker on Monday.

The younger Wicker was charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and two counts of handgun possession by a felon. He was also charged with pending warrants, including probation violation, and for pending charges in Indiana.

OHIO RIVER BRIDGES

Tolling board to meet again in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A two-state board that delayed setting tolls for new Ohio River bridges between Louisville and southern Indiana is meeting to consider the matter again on Wednesday in Louisville.

The Kentucky-Indiana Joint Board meets at 10 a.m. EDT in Louisville, with the Kentucky-Indiana Tolling Body meeting to follow at 11 a.m.

Public comments will be heard during both meetings.

Electronic tolls are planned for new bridges downtown and east of Louisville as well as the existing Kennedy Bridge.

A recent Kentucky highway report indicated tolls could range from as little as $1 for frequent commuters to as much as $12 for some truck drivers.

UK PRESIDENT

UK trustees vote to give president raise, bonus

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com )

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — University of Kentucky's board of trustees has voted to give President Eli Capilouto (kap-ih-LOO'-toh) a two-year contract extension, a 5 percent raise and a $50,000 performance bonus.

Capilouto said he wanted to talk to his family about a potential contract extension. The Lexington Herald-Leader also reported Capilouto said he would return the bonus to the university.

Capilouto received a largely positive evaluation last month. Board Chairman Britt Brockman said Tuesday the board believes Capilouto is the right person leading UK and should receive more incentive if economic circumstances were different.

Capilouto's previous base salary was $500,000, and it increases to $525,000 for the current fiscal year. He didn't receive a raise or bonus last year because of the uncertain fiscal climate.

POVERTY SPEAKER

USAID chief to speak at University of Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development is speaking at the University of Louisville later this month.

Rajiv Shah assumed the top job at USAID days just before the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He led the agency's efforts to clear away rubble, deliver vaccines and provide safe housing in the aftermath.

Shah is giving a talk as part of the McConnell Center's distinguished speaker series. His talk, "Ending Extreme Poverty through Innovation and Partnerships," will be at Bigelow Hall, Miller Information Technology Center, on UofL's Belknap Campus on Sept. 20.

USAID is the U.S. government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. It operates in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.

ROAD TO FAME-CLEANUP

Road to Fame winner will help clean up lake

PRESTONBURG, Ky. (AP) — Road to Fame winner Holly Vival Thompson wants to make an impression on young people to keep waterways clean.

The Kentucky Parks Department says Thompson and some other Road to Fame finalists will pick up plastic bottles, aluminum cans and trash from Dewey Lake near Prestonsburg Friday afternoon. Thompson also plans to tour eastern Kentucky schools to highlight the issue.

A news conference is scheduled Friday afternoon at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, and a live concert with Thompson and some other contestants is set for 6 p.m. at the park.

SCIENCE STANDARDS

Panel to review state's new science standards

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A legislative subcommittee is expected to weigh in on the state's new science education standards on Wednesday.

The Administrative Regulations Review Subcommittee meets at 1 p.m. in the Capitol Annex to either approve or reject the standards that have proven especially controversial in Kentucky.

Robert Bevins, president of Kentuckians for Science Education, said rejection of the new standards would be a horrible embarrassment for the state. Martin Cothran, spokesman for The Family Foundation, said the standards should not be approved because they neglect basic science knowledge in favor of some of the hottest new theories.

The standards, developed through a consortium of states with input from educators and scientists across the nation, were adopted by the Kentucky Board of Education in June.