Kentucky News Now

EPA LAWSUIT

AGs urge quicker ruling on EPA emissions lawsuit

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) — Twelve state attorneys general are urging an appeals court to decide quickly on a lawsuit over the legality of proposed carbon emission standards.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced the motion Wednesday at a news conference in Ashland, Kentucky.

Wednesday's filing in U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia asks for a quicker timeline on a lawsuit saying the federal standards should be thrown out.

The proposal would limit carbon emissions from existing coal-fired power plants. Officials in energy states say the policy would hurt the coal industry.

The motion says states are already spending time and money preparing to comply, so the sooner the ruling, the better.

The motion asks for oral arguments as soon as possible after Dec. 1.

STATE OF JUDICIARY

Kentucky chief justice delivering address

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. presents the State of the Judiciary address this week in Frankfort.

Minton will deliver the address to the General Assembly's interim joint judiciary committee Friday morning at the Administrative Office of the Courts.

The event is open to the public and takes place at 10 a.m. EDT.

The AOC said in a statement Minton is expected to discuss recent accomplishments of the judicial branch in Kentucky, including developments in court technology. He's also expected to highlight challenges facing the state court system.

Minton is in his second term as chief justice.

DROPPING STUDENTS

Kentucky State University dropping nonpayers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State University is dropping a quarter of its students for nonpayment.

The Lexington Herald-Leader says some of the bills are as high as $40,000 and have lasted two years.

The university faces a $7 million shortfall due to losing 645 students who hadn't paid, but interim President Raymond Burse said Wednesday that future cost savings may fill the gap. He said he expects about 200 students to pay their bills and return.

He says KSU has tried to help students who most need it and has given warnings and financial counseling to students for more than 18 months.

Enrollment last fall was 2,533.

Kentucky State paid balances for 111 students whose balances were less than $1,000. Burse also ordered $65,000 in scholarships and book vouchers for 42 students about to graduate this year or first-time students.

MOUNTAIN PARKWAY PROJECT

Central Kentucky interchange to open soon

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — An interchange connecting the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway to Kentucky 974 in Clark County will soon be open to traffic.

Gov. Steve Beshear and local officials cut the ribbon for the $8.3 million project on Wednesday after about 18 months of work on the diamond interchange.

The interchange includes four new ramps, a new 297-foot bridge and reconstruction of Kentucky 974 for almost a mile.

Beshear’s office says the project will accommodate traffic growth expected from a nearby industrial park and the J.K. Smith Power Station, will improve access to eastern Clark County and will alleviate the burden of heavy commercial vehicles on some rural roads.

The new interchange is also expected to allow quicker emergency response in the area.

Some lighting is still to be installed, with the interchange expected to open by mid-September.

WESTERN KENTUCKY CRASH

2 killed in head-on crash in western Kentucky

BENTON, Ky. (AP) — Two people have died in western Kentucky after their vehicles crashed head-on.

The Marshall County sheriff's office said the wreck happened Wednesday morning about four miles north of Draffenville on U.S. 641.

The sheriff's office identified those killed as 47-year-old Phyllis T. Knight of Paducah and 78-year-old Constance L. Donley of Gilbertsville.

The office said based on witness statements and evidence, it appeared Knight's northbound vehicle crossed the center line and hit Donley's car. Both drivers died at the scene.

The wreck remained under investigation.

MASSAGE PARLOR SLAYINGS

Judge steps down in double slaying case

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The judge overseeing a 20-year-old double slaying case involving two former Oak Grove police officers has decided to step aside.

Christian Circuit Judge John Atkins made the decision Tuesday after a second request from defense attorneys, who noted Atkins' involvement with the prosecutor's office at the time of the killings and said it was possible he could be called as a witness.

Atkins wasn't involved in investigating the case and said he has no memory of how it was handled, but had no choice but to recuse himself given the circumstances.

Two former officers, Edward T. Carter and Leslie A. Duncan, and a third man, Frank J. Black Jr., are charged in the 1994 slayings of 22-year-old Candace Belt and 18-year-old Gloria Ross at the New Life Fitness and Massage Parlor.

BOURBON AWARD

Wild Turkey master distiller receives award

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (AP) — Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell has received a lifetime award from the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

Russell is celebrating his 60th year at the Wild Turkey Distillery at Lawrenceburg in central Kentucky.

The distillers' group says the 79-year-old Russell is only the sixth person to ever receive its "Lifetime Honorary Member" award.

The awards ceremony took place Tuesday at the new Wild Turkey visitors' center in Anderson County.

Russell was joined by fellow master distillers as well as KDA board members and Wild Turkey employees.

During his tenure, Russell has been responsible for the creation and launch of several renowned bourbons.

UK HALL OF FAME

6 former Wildcats to make UK Hall of Fame

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Six University of Kentucky athletes will be inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame later this month.

The 2014 class includes basketball player Keith Bogans, track and field coach Pat Etcheberry, football player Marty Moore, track and field athlete and coach Passion Richardson, baseball player Terry Shumpert and tennis player Sarah Witten.

The class will be formally inducted Sept. 26 in conjunction with the football game against Vanderbilt.

Bogans, who played 11 seasons in the NBA, is fourth on UK's all-time scoring list with 1,923 points. Richardson was a bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 4x100-meter relay. Witten finished as the NCAA tennis doubles runner-up in 2003.

The UK Athletics Hall of Fame was started in 2005.