Day Starter – Kentucky, U.S. and World News for July 31, 2013

BRIDGE OPENING

Bridge opening a year ahead of schedule

LEDBETTER, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear and other officials are celebrating the grand opening of the new U.S. 60 Tennessee River Bridge in western Kentucky on Wednesday.

The four-lane bridge was originally scheduled to open next July, but state transportation officials and the contracting team came up with a plan to get the bridge partially opened with two lanes of traffic ahead of schedule.

The bridge is an important river crossing for commuters and commerce in Livingston and McCracken counties. The new span replaces the two-lane Ledbetter Bridge, which was built 82 years ago.

The grand opening is set for 10 a.m. CDT Wednesday on the Livingston County side of the bridge site, with a backup plan to have it at the Ledbetter Senior Center in case of bad weather.

ABANDONED MINE-BODY

2 charged in 2011 eastern Ky. slaying

HARLAN, Ky. (AP) — Two years after the body of an eastern Kentucky man was found at an abandoned strip mine site, charges have been brought in the case.

Kentucky State Police say two men were arrested Tuesday in the death of 23-year-old James Feltner of Lynch in Harlan County, who had been missing for 10 days when all-terrain-vehicle riders found the body July 25, 2011. Police said at the time that Feltner had been shot.

A county grand jury charged Thomas Polson and Carl Justin Simpson, both of Cumberland, with murder and tampering with physical evidence. Polson was also charged with first-degree robbery.

Police said Polson and Simpson were being held in the Harlan County Detention Center.

CHURCHILL DOWNS-EXPANSION

Board approves Churchill grandstand expansion

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs is planning to add nearly 2,400 seats and a VIP hospitality lounge as part of a $14.5 million project at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

The Grandstand Terrace project was approved this week by the board of the racetrack's parent company.

Churchill officials said Tuesday the new venue will be ready in time for the Derby and the Kentucky Oaks next May.

The Grandstand Terrace will add second- and third-floor seating and will expand and update betting windows, concessions and restrooms.

The hospitality lounge area for VIP guests will be called the Rooftop Garden.

The company has spent more than $150 million on renovations and improvements at the historic Louisville track since late 2001 but nothing major in the area being targeted during that time.

STRIP CLUB COLLAPSE-DEATH

Woman allegedly sexually abused at strip club dies

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A woman who was allegedly sexually abused after collapsing at a Lexington strip club has died.

The coroner's office said 37-year-old Melissa Smiley of Lexington died Monday night at University of Kentucky Medical Center.

The Lexington Herald-Leader says a male employee of Fillies Gentleman's Club allegedly performed various sexual acts on Smiley after she collapsed at the club Thursday night because of a medical condition. Lexington police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts said help wasn't called until 20 to 30 minutes after Smiley fell unconscious.

Autopsy results are pending.

Court records said 71-year-old Clyde Wesley Sexton pleaded not guilty Friday to first-degree sexual abuse. He was released on $5,000 cash bond Monday.

A message left at a phone number listed in Sexton's name wasn't immediately returned Tuesday, and the jail didn't know whether he was represented by a lawyer.

CHRISTIE-PAUL

Christie fires back at Paul for spending comment

LITTLE FERRY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't appear to want his war of words with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul to end anytime soon.

Christie fired back at Paul on Tuesday for Paul's remark that New Jersey has a "Gimme, gimme, gimme" attitude about federal aid for Superstorm Sandy.

The spat began when the two differed over warrantless surveillance programs. Paul is against them, while Christie says they are needed for national security.

At a news conference Tuesday to announce homeowner grants for northern New Jersey residents affected by Sandy, Christie suggested Paul look at cutting "pork barrel spending" in his home state if he's worried about defense cuts.

Christie says Kentucky gets back $1.51 for every dollar its sends to Washington, while New Jersey gets back 61 cents.

ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

Officials break ground on road improvement project

SANDY HOOK, Ky. (AP) — Sixteen years after the state began making improvements to Kentucky 7, a major corridor into Elliott County, officials including the governor gathered to break ground on the fourth phase of the project.

The Independent reports Gov. Steve Beshear and state Rep. Rocky Adkins attended a ceremony Monday marking the start of work on a section of the highway that runs from Kentucky 885 to the Carter County line.

Initially, work to widen and straighten a narrow, curvy section of the highway and replace an aging steel-beam bridge with a concrete one began in 1997.

Adkins said poor access has been difficult to overcome as the county seeks to bring in new jobs. He said he hopes the road improvements will help economic development.

ECONOMY-GDP

UPDATE: US economic growth likely weakened in Q2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Today's report on overall economic growth isn't expected to be anything to write home about, but there is hope for strengthening in the second half of the year.

Economists surveyed by FactSet say growth slowed in the April-June quarter to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of just 1 percent, thanks to big budget cuts and higher taxes.

But some economists see signs of improvement already.

FEDERAL RESERVE

Fed likely to offer few clues on rate policies

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve wraps up its two-day policy meeting today, and most economists expect the policymakers to make no changes in rate policies.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke rattled markets last month when he said the Federal Reserve might slow its bond purchases later this year if the economy strengthens.

MANNING-WIKILEAKS

Penalty phase for Manning to begin

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — Bradley Manning's possible prison sentence could hinge on the damage his leaks caused the U.S. government and his motives for releasing the sensitive material.

The sentencing phase of the soldier's court-martial begins Wednesday at Fort Meade, near Baltimore. He faces up to 136 years in prison for 20 offenses, including espionage, theft and computer fraud. He was acquitted of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy.

The judge prohibited both sides from presenting evidence at trial about any actual damage the leaks caused national security. However, lawyers will be allowed to bring that evidence up in his sentencing hearing.

The judge also restricted evidence about Manning's motives during the trial. Manning could testify during sentencing, though, about his belief that he wanted to expose wrongdoing by sending classified information to the website WikiLeaks.

NSA SURVEILLANCE-SNOWDEN

Edward Snowden's father thankful to Putin

MOSCOW (AP) — The father of former U.S. government contractor Edward Snowden says he's grateful to Russia for protecting his son.

Lon Snowden spoke on Russian TV today, and delivered a message to his son saying, "your family is well and we love you."

Edward Snowden has been stuck at Moscow's airport while Russia considers his request for temporary asylum.

The U.S. has charged Snowden with disclosing secret government surveillance programs.

NSA SURVEILLANCE

Senate panel looking at limits on surveillance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators today will question top Obama administration officials about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs for the first time since the House narrowly rejected a proposal last week to effectively shut down the NSA's secret collection of hundreds of millions of Americans' phone records.

The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will include testimony from the No. 2 officials at the Justice Department, FBI and NSA, plus the top lawyer for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It will also include testimony from a senior federal judge who previously served on the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

The government acknowledged last week that there has been an unspecified number of "compliance problems" in following the rules put in place governing the secret collection of Americans' phone records.

STUDENT LOANS

Student loan compromise heads toward final vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deal that gives college students and their parents lower interest rates for loans is heading toward its final vote.

The House is expected today to take up a bipartisan compromise that links student loan interest rates to the financial markets. Immediately, borrowers would see lower rates for classes this year than last, although the costs are expected to climb in coming years if the economy improves as expected.

Undergraduates this fall would borrow at a 3.9 percent interest rate. Graduate students would have access to loans at 5.4 percent, and parents would borrow at 6.4 percent. The rates would be locked in for that year's loan, but each year's loan could be more expensive than the last.

SAN DIEGO MAYOR

San Diego mayor has to pay his own legal bills

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego's mayor will have to pay his own bills as he fights a sexual harassment suit.

The San Diego City Council also voted unanimously Tuesday night to make Mayor Bob Filner responsible for any expenses incurred by the city, which also has been named in the suit. Filner's former communications director Irene McCormack Jackson is one of eight women who've recently come forward with allegations of unwanted sexual advances.

EUROPE-ECONOMY

NEW: Eurozone jobless down for first time in 2 years

BRUSSELS (AP) — Further evidence has emerged that the eurozone economy is on the mend.

Today's figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, show that the number of unemployed across the 17 European Union countries that use the euro fell in June to 19.27 million from the previous month's 19.29 million. That's the first fall since April 2011.

Though minimal, the decline is another sign that the recession in the eurozone may have ended. Many analysts think figures next month will show the region having eked out modest growth during the second quarter.

The unemployment rate in the eurozone is also lower than expected — though at a record high. At 12.1 percent in June, it's unchanged on the previous month following a downward revision to May's original 12.2 percent estimate.

SOLDIER COMPETITION

NEW: Army competition switches to video for interviews

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Federal budget cuts are forcing changes in an annual Army competition to name the soldier of the year.

The Army Training and Doctrine Command no longer hosts contestants at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia for several days of competition.

Instead, soldiers complete tasks like physical tests, land navigation and written exams either at their home posts or at a nearby one.

Army officials say they would prefer to have the soldiers come to Virginia for each of the tasks, but they can't afford to in a time of shrinking budgets.

Today, Army leaders will complete interviews via video teleconference to help them pick a winner. That person will advance to the Army's Best Warrior competition, pitting 12 global commands against each other.

A winner will be announced tomorrow.

INFLATABLE HOTEL ROOM

Denver hotel offers pop-up inflatable room

DENVER (AP) — A Denver hotel is offering a package that includes a one-night stay in a pop-up inflatable, room that can be lifted 22 feet in the air, thanks to a scissor lift on top of the van on which it sits.

The cost: $50,000. There is a weight limit. No smoking is allowed.

Architectural artist Alex Schweder created the 5-foot-by-7-foot room atop a van for the Biennial of the Americas arts, culture and idea festival in Denver. It has a chemical toilet, shower, sink, inflatable bed and living room. Schweder spent two nights in it, at two downtown Denver parking lots.

Now the Curtis hotel is giving the curious a chance to stay in the aluminum and inflated vinyl creation, called "the hotel rehearsal."