Kentucky News Now – October 27th 2015

BOOKS-MITCH MCCONNELL

Memoir by Senate Majority Leader McConnell coming in May

NEW YORK (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has a book deal.

A conservative imprint of Penguin Random House told The Associated Press on Monday that the Kentucky Republican's memoir will be called "The Long Game." It will be released in May.

In a statement issued through Sentinel, McConnell described his book as a defense and "more optimistic view" of the Senate.

The publisher says McConnell's book will take on "many controversial issues," from his conflicts with the tea party to his relationships with such leading Democrats as President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

The 73-year-old McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984. He has long been regarded as one of Washington's shrewdest politicians.

CONGRESS-POWER PLANTS

GOP-led Congress moves to block Obama's Clean Power Plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans are moving to block President Barack Obama's plan to force steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Rep. Ed Whitfield say they will file resolutions this week opposing Obama's plan to impose new regulations on new and existing coal-fired plants.

The two Kentucky Republicans expect to be joined by lawmakers from both parties in challenges filed under the little-used Congressional Review Act. The law allows Congress to block executive actions with simply majority votes. The maneuver is subject to a presidential veto and has rarely been successful in overturning executive branch rules.

Still, it allows opponents to set up votes calculated to embarrass the Obama administration ahead of international climate talks in Paris this fall.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Kentucky AG's race pits son of governor vs lawmaker

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's race for attorney general has featured rhetorical attacks worthy of a courtroom drama, pitting a venerable political brand name against an up-and-coming state lawmaker. The candidates, both in their 30s, have been quick to bad-mouth each other's qualifications.

Looming as a wild card is two-term Gov. Steve Beshear, who has a personal stake in the outcome.

Beshear's son, Andy, a prominent trial attorney, is the Democratic nominee. His Republican opponent is freshman state Sen. Whitney Westerfield, who serves as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman.

The race to become Kentucky's chief law-enforcement officer has turned into a multi-million-dollar slugfest that has the candidates hurling conflict-of-interest accusations at each other. The winner replaces Attorney General Jack Conway, the Democratic nominee for governor in the Nov. 3 election.

FIGHTING HEROIN

Children to be trained in heroin overdose reversal drug

(Information in the following story is from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com)

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky mother is hoping to teach children how to reverse a heroin overdose with a life-saving drug.

The Kentucky Enquirer reports that Jennifer Stepp of the community-based Bullitt County Opioid Addiction Team plans to teach children on Nov. 21 how to use the non-narcotic naloxone to restore breathing in those overdosing. Stepp said she will provide details on her training early in November.

A company that makes a naloxone-administering device similar to the Epi-pen has donated kits for Stepp's training.

Northern Kentucky certified addiction expert Dr. Mina "Mike" Kalfas says children in the region are realizing the danger of drugs and may one day find someone dead from an overdose.

A Kentucky Health Issues Poll in 2014 revealed that 26 percent of those surveyed in Northern Kentucky knew someone with a heroin problem.

POLICE SHOOTINGS-MANHUNT

Manhunt prompts Kentucky school district to call off classes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky school district has canceled classes as police search for a 62-year-old man accused of shooting and wounding a Tennessee police officer and then firing at a state trooper in Kentucky.

Authorities believe the suspect, Floyd Ray Cook, is on foot. He was last seen in the hilly, wooded countryside in Cumberland County, Kentucky, which borders Tennessee. Kentucky State Police Trooper Billy Gregory says Cook is "as dangerous as they come."

Classes were called off Monday in Cumberland County as the manhunt continued.

Superintendent Kirk Biggerstaff says the search has people unsettled.

Cook is accused of wounding the Tennessee officer during a traffic stop Saturday in Putnam County. Authorities say a bulletproof vest saved the officer's life. Cook is accused of shooting at the Kentucky trooper later Saturday.

INFANTS-SAFE SLEEPING

Education campaign emphasizes safe sleep for infants

(Information in the following story is from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky officials have launched a campaign aimed at making sure babies are sleeping safely.

Officials are pushing the initiative because Sudden Unexpected Infant Death happens in about 85 infants each year in Kentucky. Public health officials say many of those deaths are preventable.

In an effort to decrease the number of deaths, officials began a campaign this month to remind the public of the "ABCs" of safe sleep.

Dr. Ruth Shepherd at the Kentucky Department of Public Health told The Courier-Journal that the safest way for babies to sleep is "alone, on the back, in a crib."

TEACHER TRIBUNALS

State seeks more people to serve on teacher tribunals

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Department of Education is trying to recruit additional educators and non-educators to serve on teacher tribunals.

Under state law, before a teacher is fired or suspended by a school district, the teacher has the right to appeal the decision and have the case heard by a tribunal. Each tribunal consists of a retired or current public school teacher, a retired or current public school certified administrator and a layperson.

None of them can live in the district from which the appeal was made.

The hearing is overseen by a hearing officer from the attorney general's office.

State officials say people currently in the pool for assignment to a teacher tribunal or those who have already served on a tribunal will need to reapply and undergo training to continue to serve.

BREEDERS' CUP-DRAW

American Pharoah is 6-5 favorite for Breeders' Cup Classic

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Triple Crown champion American Pharoah is the early 6-5 favorite in a field of 10 for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic, the last race of his career.

The colt will break from the No. 4 post on Saturday at Keeneland. He is coming off a loss in the Travers two months ago.

Beholder drew the far outside post and is the 3-1 second choice for the 1 1/4-mile race against male horses.

Tonalist, the 2014 Belmont Stakes winner, and Honor Code are the co-third choices at 6-1. Tonalist, who ended California Chrome's Triple Crown bid last year, drew the No. 1 post, while Honor Code is in the No. 9 position.