Kentucky News Now

SMOKING BAN

Beshear extends smoking ban to all state property

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear has banned all tobacco products from most state buildings and grounds in an attempt to create momentum for a statewide smoking ban when lawmakers return in January.

Kentucky's state buildings are already smoke-free. But this new policy, effective Nov. 20, bans all tobacco products, including chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes, from state property both indoors and outdoors. The governor's office says it will impact visitors and 33,000 employees in 2,888 state buildings across Kentucky.

Beshear said he made the decision because Kentucky has one of the highest smoking rates in the country leading to nearly 8,000 tobacco-related deaths each year. But the ban exempts outdoor state parks and other tourist areas because Beshear said he did not want to put the state at a competitive disadvantage for tourism dollars.

INTERSTATE 65 CONTRACT

Contract awarded to widen more of Interstate 65

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky is taking another step toward widening Interstate 65 from the Ohio River to the Tennessee border.

The state's Transportation Cabinet has awarded a nearly $138.5 million contract to rebuild 17 miles of I-65 in Hart, LaRue and Hardin counties.

The project will widen the interstate to six lanes — three in each direction. That stretch is currently four lanes. State officials say the project is to be completed in 2017.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office says once the work is done, less than 10 miles of I-65 in Hardin County will remain to be widened to six lanes.

Since 2000, the Transportation Cabinet has awarded contracts totaling more than $600 million to widen I-65 from the Tennessee line to Elizabethtown.

A section that ends near Munfordville is currently under construction.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER

New operation in Louisville to employ up to 750

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A new operation opening in Louisville will offer customer services for financial products for current and former members of the military, employing up to 750 people.

Gov. Steve Beshear and Mayor Greg Fischer announced Thursday that TPUSA Inc. expects to invest $13.2 million into the project. The company is moving into a 50,000-square-foot facility in eastern Louisville and expects to be operational next month.

TPUSA has 20,000 employees in the U.S., while its parent company, Teleperformance USA, employs 149,000 in 230 centers in 62 countries.

The state has given preliminary approval for incentives up to $3.8 million for the project.

USA HARVEST FOUNDER

Louisville charity founder sentenced to prison

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The founder of a charity that delivered food to the needy has been sentenced to 24 months in a federal prison for pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations.

Chief U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. sentenced 66-year-old Hugh "Stan" Curtis on Thursday in Louisville. Curtis will also serve a three-year period of supervised release and must pay $183,354 in restitution.

Curtis pleaded guilty in June to tax evasion, mail fraud and money laundering for diverting donations he solicited on behalf of the nonprofit USA Harvest. Curtis acknowledged depositing $164,620 into his personal account and cashing and keeping donation checks totaling $18,734.

Curtis also admitted that from 2005 through 2008, he failed to report to the IRS roughly $341,646 in personal income from donations made to USA Harvest.

UK GIFT

UK announces $20 million gift for student center

The University of Kentucky has announced a $20 million gift from its most generous donor to build a new student center on its Lexington campus.

The donation from UK graduate Carol Martin "Bill" Gatton is the largest gift in the school's nearly 150-year history. It's the lead gift in the construction of the new student center — a $175 million, self-financed renovation and expansion scheduled to open in 2017.

UK President Eli Capilouto announced the donation Thursday.

The new student center will include student activity and study spaces, dining and retail operations and a bookstore.

Gatton's contributions to his alma mater exceed $45 million. UK's business school is named after Gatton.

The new student center is the latest in more than $1 billion in construction projects at the state's flagship university.

BOURBON FESTIVAL

6-day festival to celebrate Kentucky bourbon

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (AP) — All things bourbon will be celebrated at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival later this month.

The six-day event opens Sept. 16 in Bardstown, which bills itself as the world's bourbon capital.

The 23rd annual celebration of America's native spirit will feature more than 40 major events and attractions. Events will range from the Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting & Gala to the World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay. Festival-goers can also learn about bourbon mixology and cooking with bourbon.

The event will also feature live music, tours and various competitive events.

Last year, about 52,000 people from 46 states and 15 countries attended the festival in the central Kentucky town.

DULCIMER FESTIVAL

Dulcimer Fest honors Appalachian instrument

PINEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Dulcimer players and fans will gather at Pine Mountain State Resort Park later this month for a music festival dedicated to the instrument.

The 2014 Great American Dulcimer Convention will honor the Appalachian dulcimer, a string instrument played on the lap.

A concert on Sept. 26 will open the two-day festival.

The following day, performers will teach dulcimer classes at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, with a group jam and open stage in the afternoon. The event ends with an evening concert.

This year's returning performers include Kentuckians Anne MacFie and Randy Wilson, as well as mountain dulcimer champion Gary Gallier of Springfield, Missouri.

STATE PARK CORN MAZE

Parks logo featured in volunteers' corn maze

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — In honor of Kentucky State Parks' 90th anniversary, a corn maze opening next week in central Kentucky will feature the state park logo from the air.

Green River Lake State Park and a group of volunteers, Friends of Green River Lake, are responsible for the project. Most of the work was donated.

The maze will be open from 8 a.m. until dark from Sept. 13 through the end of October.

The volunteer group will accept donations from visitors, but there’s no charge for admission.

Green River Lake State Park is about five miles south of Campbellsville.