Kentucky News Now

LANDLINES

Kentucky legislature votes to ease out landline phones

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky could join at least two dozen other states in deregulating its landline telephone services, the beginning of the end for the more than 100-year-old technology that is being pushed out by cellphones and high-speed Internet access.

The state Senate voted 30-3 on Monday to strip the Public Service Commission of its authority to make telecommunications companies install and maintain landline telephone service. The bill now heads to Gov. Steve Beshear for his signature, and the Democratic governor has indicated he will sign it.

The bill only affects areas that have at least 15,000 households, meaning the rural mountainous parts of the state famous for spotty cellphone coverage would be unaffected. But the bill allows the larger telecommunications companies to scale back their landline services in favor of other options, including Internet telephone service.

HARLAN SHERIFF-AUDIT

Audit: Harlan sheriff office spent on clothing, dating site

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A new state audit says the sheriff's office in Harlan County spent more than $27,000 over two years for unreasonable or improper purchases including personal clothing, food and alcohol, and a subscription to a dating website.

Auditors recommended that former Sheriff Marvin Lipfird repay the money to accounts in his old office. He lost a re-election bid last year.

Auditor Adam Edelen's office also says Lipfird's office could not account for more than $9,300 in drug-buy money in 2012. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that finding will be referred to Kentucky State Police for further investigation.

Lipfird did not respond to the audit findings, and he could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Auditors disallowed a total of $27,774 in spending by Lipfird's office in 2012 and 2013.

MOTHER CHARGED-POISONING

Mom convicted of killing son, 5, by poisoning him with salt

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — A woman who blogged for years about her son's constant health woes has been convicted in New York of poisoning him to death with salt.

A jury on Monday found Lacey Spears, of Scottsville, Kentucky, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 5-year-old Garnett-Paul Spears.

Prosecutors contended that Spears reveled in the attention Garnett's illness brought her and that she force-fed him heavy concentrations of sodium through a stomach tube.

Several doctors testified that there was no medical explanation for the spike in Garnett's sodium levels that led to his death.

Prosecutors say the 27-year-old Spears eventually killed the boy because she feared he would start telling people she was making him ill.

The defense portrayed Spears as a caring mother and Garnett as sickly.

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS

Statewide tornado drill in Kentucky postponed until March 10

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — What would you do in case of a tornado? Kentucky officials believe that's a good question to ask, and answer, on March 10.

A statewide tornado drill is being conducted that day. A tornado warning test message will be issued at about 10:07 a.m. EST. Outdoor warning sirens will sound, weather alert radios will activate, and television and radio stations and mobile devices will broadcast the alert. The drill, originally set for March 3, was rescheduled due to a forecast for inclement weather.

Kentucky Emergency Management says everyone is encouraged to participate, including individuals, businesses, hospitals, nursing homes, educators and government agencies. The idea is to practice a tornado safety plan and update an emergency plan that considers all types of hazards.

People who do participate are asked to complete a short survey online at http://kyem.ky.gov/preparedness/Pages/default.aspx .

ARMY DEPOT-STRIKE

Tentative settlement at Bluegrass Station Army Depot

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service says a tentative settlement has been reached in a labor dispute at the Bluegrass Station Army Depot south of Lexington.

The service said in a statement on Monday that federal mediators helped produce the proposed agreement between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 219 and AllSource Global Management. It ends a work stoppage that began on Oct. 1.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported at the time that workers were being asked to take at least a 30 percent pay cut.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service declined to comment on terms of the proposed agreement, but said it is subject to ratification.

The facility provides supplies for U.S. Army Special Forces.

SMELLY LOUISVILLE

That stinks: Source of bad smell evades Louisville officials

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — There's a bad smell in parts of the Louisville, Kentucky, area but nobody knows where it's coming from.

Media reports say city crews have been trying for nearly a week to pin down the odor that smells like mildew, but so far they've had no luck.

Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District spokesman Tom Nord says the agency is doing its best to track the odor. Engineering manager Matt King says crews are driving around the city and searching the old-fashion way: with their noses.

Nord says dozens of people have called from different areas of the city that aren't normally associated with bad smells.

He says the agency doesn't think the smell is toxic.

CLERK FOILS ROBBERY

Lexington store clerk grabs gun, foils robbery

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Lexington Police are investigating a robbery at a tobacco store that was foiled by a clerk who grabbed a suspect's gun.

Police say two men robbed Tobacco Zone on North Broadway on Friday.

Clerk Zara Adil told WKYT-TV in Lexington that she grabbed the man's handgun after he set it on the counter while attempting to take money from the register.

The 21-year-old clerk is seen on store video grabbing the gun, and one of the men ran away. She struggled with the other man and Adil says she pulled off his mask and recognized him. The man left the store without taking anything. Adil suffered some minor injuries.

Lexington Police have issued an arrest warrant for 30-year-old Darnell Thomas Jr. in connection with the robbery.

STOPPING KENTUCKY

Georgia looks to derail No. 1 Kentucky's quest for history

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — With a perfect regular season in sight, No. 1 Kentucky looks downright unstoppable.

The mighty Wildcats aren't just beating teams — they're beating them up, winning their last five Southeastern games by an average of more than 24 points.

The next team standing in the way of history is Georgia, which hosts Kentucky (29-0, 16-0 SEC) Tuesday night in a game that also carries a lot of importance for the Bulldogs.

Georgia's most recent NCAA appearance came four long years ago. This season, the Bulldogs (19-9, 10-6) have a strong RPI rating and most projections have them in the 68-team field.

While coach Mark Fox says his team doesn't need to beat Kentucky to clinch a spot in the NCAAs, an upset of the Wildcats would surely lock it up.