Kentucky News Now

GOP 2016-PAUL

AP source: Paul eyes April 7 to announce White House run

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Rand Paul's advisers are preparing to launch a White House bid on April 7.

A senior Paul adviser said Tuesday the Kentucky Republican is set to make his presidential ambitions official in Louisville, Kentucky. He then is expected to visit early nominating states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

The adviser demanded anonymity to speak ahead of Paul's public announcement. The adviser adds that Paul could still pull the plug on a campaign, although that is not expected to happen.

Paul's team has booked an event at Louisville's Galt House hotel. His supporters have also received invitations to that site.

Details of the kick-off event were first reported by The Lexington Herald-Leader.

GAS TAX

Beshear seeks deal to stabilize declining Kentucky gas tax

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear says he is asking lawmakers to pass a bill in the final two days of the legislative session that would stabilize the state's declining gas tax.

The state tax on gasoline is scheduled to drop 5.1 cents per gallon on April 1, a $150 million hit to the state's road fund. Kentucky's gas tax is tied to the average wholesale prices of gas and is adjusted every three months.

But proposals to stop the tax from decreasing or to limit how much it could fall have run into opposition in the Republican-controlled state Senate. The state's gas tax increased 9.3 cents per gallon from 2009 to 2014. Combined with a decrease in January, April's decline would result in a decrease of 9.4 cents in just three months.

BREEDERS' CUP

Kentucky governor signs tax break for Breeders' Cup

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has signed into law a tax break for the Breeders' Cup and Keeneland.

The law exempts the state's pari-mutuel tax on wagering on live races at Keeneland during the Breeders' Cup on Oct. 30-31. Breeders' Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel estimated the tax break would be worth at least $750,000, which is how much it was worth in 2011 the last time the horse racing championship was held in Kentucky.

Fravel said few tickets remain for the two day event that is making its first ever appearance at Keeneland. The Breeders' Cup had already committed to come to Kentucky regardless of the tax break. But state officials said the exemption will encourage the race to return to Kentucky in the future.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Kentucky college system president opens listening tour

HAZARD, Ky. (AP) — The president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System has started a listening tour that will take him to all 16 colleges in the statewide system.

The system's president, Jay Box, was at Hazard Community and Technical College on Tuesday.

Box is using the stops to gather input for the system's 2016-22 strategic plan.

Throughout March and April, Box will gather feedback from students, faculty, staff and others regarding the future of the entire community and technical college system and its colleges.

The system's faculty, staff and students have already submitted more than 3,200 responses in helping develop the strategic plan.

Officials say Box's next stop on his statewide tour will be at Henderson Community College on Monday.

OLD FORESTER

Descendant of company founder put in charge of Old Forester

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A member of the family that founded liquor producer Brown-Forman Corp. is taking charge of Old Forester bourbon, the company's oldest brand.

The company said Tuesday that Campbell Brown — a fifth-generation descendant of company founder George Garvin Brown — will become president of Old Forester, effective May 1. The long-struggling brand has shown signs of life, with sales up nearly 16 percent to 112,000 cases in 2014.

Campbell Brown's promotion is another sign the company best known for its powerhouse Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey brand wants to rejuvenate the Old Forester brand, which originated in 1870.

Old Forester sales peaked at 1 million cases in 1971 and 1972, but the brand went into a long tailspin. Sales slumped to 93,000 cases in 2012.

OPEN RECORDS-POLICE

Ruling is against state police in open records case

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Attorney General's Office has ruled against state police in an open records case.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Assistant Attorney General James M. Herrick wrote in an opinion released Monday that the state police post in Bowling Green should have released surveillance video footage from its lobby that was requested by Roger Lambert.

The post refused the request, calling it too burdensome and citing the homeland security exemption, saying the video could reveal "damaging security information" about the post.

Lambert appealed, and Herrick ruled that copying the video is not too much of a burden and video footage from a public lobby does not qualify for the homeland security exemption.

CRASH-OFFICER KILLED

Funeral is Tuesday for police officer killed in car crash

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officers from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies across the state have turned out to say goodbye to a central Kentucky police officer.

WKYT-TV said 35-year-old Nicholasville Officer Burke Rhoads was remembered at his funeral Tuesday by his chief, his pastor and the town's mayor. Rhoads' wife, Melissa, also spoke, thanking those who attended for supporting her family and the department.

Rhoads was an eight-year veteran of the Nicholasville department. He was killed last Wednesday in a crash on U.S. 27 near the Garrard-Jessamine county line as he headed to Richmond for training.

Hundreds of people, many of them in uniform, attended visitation Monday for Rhoads.

Burial was at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine County.

CLEANUP WEEK

Commonwealth Cleanup Week starts Saturday across Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Volunteers are being sought to fill trash bags and pick up old tires as part of this year's Commonwealth Cleanup Week across Kentucky.

The weeklong initiative starts Saturday and is promoted by the state Energy and Environment Cabinet. Its purpose is to provide Kentucky communities with a chance to do some spring cleaning.

EEC Secretary Len Peters says thousands of people give back to their communities by picking up litter from roadways, valleys and streams and recycling whenever possible.

During last year's cleanup week, more than 20,000 Kentuckians picked up nearly 109,000 bags of trash and more than 1,000 tires along thousands of miles of roadway. Volunteers also cleaned eight illegal dumps.