Kentucky News Now

WINTER WEATHER-KENTUCKY

Crews trying to clear roads before deep freeze hits

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Crews around Kentucky have been working to clear snow-covered roads as much as possible before a deep freeze.

The Kentucky Transportation Department said Wednesday that crews in most areas of the state were trying to treat and scape the roads before pavement temperatures drop too low for de-icing chemicals to be effective.

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said road crews have been working 12-hour shifts in an effort to make sure main routes remain clear.

Temperatures were expected to fall throughout the day into single digits, with wind chills of up to 15 below. Temperatures on Thursday are forecast to be even colder.

WINTER WEATHER-LEGISLATURE

Kentucky House postpones meeting until Monday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky House has canceled its meetings for the rest of the week after another winter storm dumped 3 more inches of snow in the state's capital city.

The Senate is scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon, but the House announced Wednesday afternoon it would not return until 4 p.m. Monday.

Legislative leaders canceled Tuesday's and Wednesday's sessions after more than 10 inches of snow fell in Frankfort in one of the worst winter storms in the past decade. The National Weather Service said more snow was possible Wednesday.

The forecast for Thursday doesn't include snow, but temperatures are expected to drop to as low as 16 below zero.

Lawmakers are in the middle of a 30-day session. They could make up the lost days in March.

WINTER WEATHER-LIVESTOCK

Ag specialists advise extra precautions in cold for animals

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — University of Kentucky agriculture specialists say the extreme low temperatures this week mean farmers must make efforts to ensure animals are protected.

UK agricultural meteorologist Matthew Dixon says below-normal temperatures expected through the next week and possibly into early March continue the risk of stress to livestock.

UK said in a news release that livestock producers should make sure animals have enough shelter, water, dry bedding and feed to get through the cold period and that pet owners should bring pets inside. Livestock specialists say animals need more energy in colder months and advise having high-quality forages and grains on hand.

UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment livestock specialist Jeff Lehmkuhler says if animals have to search for water, they may end up walking out onto ice-covered ponds, risking falling through the ice.

WINTER WEATHER-TVA

TVA asks customers to conserve during cold weather

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking customers to conserve energy as some of the coldest temperatures in more than a year are expected to hit Wednesday night and last through Friday.

TVA said in a statement on Wednesday that the request is one step in helping to ensure that safe and reliable electricity is available. It is expecting peak demand for power to occur Thursday morning.

The statement says turning down a thermostat by a single degree can help and save customers up to 3 percent on power bills.

TVA says it is taking its own advice and lowering thermostats in all facilities, as are many local power companies.

The nation's largest public utility serves 9 million people in parts of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.

HORSE FUNDS

Thoroughbred incentive fund makes awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's horse racing regulators say awards of more than $10 million are being distributed by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders' Incentive Fund.

The incentive fund requires owners to board mares in Kentucky from the time of breeding until the foal's birth. Incentive payments are based on the foal's eventual racetrack winnings.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission says KTBIF horses won races in 32 states and four countries, capturing 270 U.S. graded races — including Untapable's win in the Kentucky Oaks.

For the second straight year, Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, owners of Ramsey Farm in Jessamine County, Kentucky, top the award list with 82 wins at 34 racetracks. That included wins at all five Kentucky racetracks.

The KTBIF was implemented in 2005 to ensure the strength and growth of Kentucky's horse industry.

EMERGENCY BIRTH

Emergency call taker helps coach woman through childbirth

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An emergency dispatch call taker in Louisville helped coach a woman through childbirth when the expectant mother wasn't able to make it to the hospital in time.

The emergency agency spokeswoman says the woman delivered a boy Wednesday morning on the side of a highway. Jody Duncan, with the Louisville Emergency Management Agency, says both baby and mother are doing fine.

Duncan says the baby was warm and cooing when emergency workers arrived shortly after the birth.

She says the call taker stayed on the phone with the family for nearly a half-hour.

Duncan says the recent heavy snow that fell in the area did not contribute to the family being unable to reach the hospital in time.

Duncan says it's far from the first time emergency officials talked women through births.

MISSING TEEN

Missing teen in western Kentucky found dead

WICKLIFFE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a 17-year-old boy who was reported missing on Monday has been found dead in a field.

Media report the body of Christopher Pigg was found Tuesday morning in Ballard County by a friend who was helping in the search effort. His cause of death wasn't immediately known. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday in Louisville.

According to media, crews began searching the area where the teen went missing on Monday afternoon, but didn't immediately find him. The search was suspended that evening due to freezing temperatures.

The boy's body was found as searchers headed back out to look for him on Tuesday.

The death remains under investigation, though police say they do not suspect foul play.