Kentucky News Now

SEVERE WEATHER-KENTUCKY

Storms, hail lash Kentucky again

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Hail clobbered Kentucky for a second consecutive day as supercell thunderstorms delivered strong winds, mostly across the northern part of the state.

The National Weather Service says it will survey damages mostly north of Interstate 64. As of Tuesday night, meteorologist Brian Schoettmer (SHUT'-mer) said no tornadoes had been confirmed.

Schoettmer says hail reports ranged from mostly golf ball-size to one report of baseball-size.

The storm was expected to diminish later overnight.

Supercell thunderstorms also passed through Kentucky Monday night, but Schoettmer says they kept mostly to the south.

An EF-1 tornado was confirmed Monday night in Clinton County in south-central Kentucky. Weather officials said the tornado had wind gusts of up to 100 mph.

The storm knocked down trees and power lines, but no injuries were reported.

KENTUCKY-RAPE CHARGE

Kentucky player charged with rape, suspended

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky freshman defensive end Lloyd Tubman was arrested and charged with first-degree rape Tuesday, and the school says he has been suspended indefinitely.

Coach Mark Stoops announced the suspension and said in a statement he was "very concerned" about the allegations and everyone involved.

The Lexington-Fayette County jail's website said Tubman was being held on a first-degree rape charge.

The university said in a release that the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Tubman was arrested by campus police following an incident last week at a residence hall on campus. The release also stated the 19-year-old, who played at Louisville Seneca High School, is also subject to discipline under the university's code of conduct.

The school said legal and student privacy regulations bar them from commenting on Tubman's participation in the student conduct process.

FATAL CRASH

3 killed in head-on crash in central Kentucky

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Scott County authorities say three people were killed and three others injured when two vehicles crashed head on in central Kentucky.

Scott County Sheriff's Deputy Jeb Barnes says the crash occurred Tuesday afternoon on U.S. 227 near Georgetown.

He says a southbound vehicle came around a curve, crossed the center line on the wet roadway and slammed into a northbound vehicle.

Barnes says three people — two men and one boy— were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names were not immediately released.

He says a woman and two girls were injured in the crash and were taken to a Lexington hospital.

NOAH'S ARK-TAX INCENTIVES

State balks at tax incentives for Noah's Ark park

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — State officials say they won't allow public money to help finance operations of a full-sized replica of Noah's Ark unless the group behind the project says in writing it won't base hiring on applicants' religion.

Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Bob Stewart said in a letter the state would not approve tax incentives for the Ark Encounter based on an online job posting that required applicants to provide a salvation testimony and a statement on marriage and sexuality.

Ark Encounter attorney James Parsons replied that the posting was for a job with the company that owns the park and said the Ark Encounter does not have hiring policies yet. He said the park would follow all state and federal laws.

A cabinet spokesman said the park's application is pending.

STATE HOUSE-HUCKABEE

Huckabee to campaign for Kentucky House candidates

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will campaign for Kentucky's GOP state House candidates 10 days before the Nov. 4 general election.

Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and current Fox News Channel host, will speak at the Turn Kentucky Red Rally on Oct. 25 at Bowman Field in Louisville. The free event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by the Kentucky Rise PAC, led by potential Republican gubernatorial candidate Cathy Bailey. She said this will be Huckabee's third campaign visit to Kentucky since 2011.

Democrats have an eight-seat majority in the state House of Representatives. Republicans need to pick up an additional five seats in order to have a majority. The last time Republicans controlled Kentucky's House of Representatives was 1920.

AT-RISK YOUTHS

Funding supports anti-abuse efforts in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Two Louisville coalitions will share $1.25 million in federal funding to assist efforts to reduce and prevent substance abuse among young people.

The grants are being awarded to the 7th Street Corridor PAL Coalition and the Louisville Alliance for Youth. Each organization will receive $625,000 over the next five years for prevention efforts. The grants are provided through the federal Drug-Free Communities Support Program.

U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth made the announcement on Tuesday.

According to the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, 90 percent of adults who have addiction problems began using the substances before age 18.

The Drug-Free Communities Program was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 and reauthorized by Congress in 2001 and 2006.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Advanced Placement test participation doubles

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The number of Kentucky public school students taking Advanced Placement tests has more than doubled since 2008.

The Kentucky Education Department says the number of tests achieving a score high enough to earn college credit at most colleges has also more than doubled in the same period.

Figures released Tuesday also show participation and performance of ethnic groups in AP tests in Kentucky public schools has increased significantly.

The department credited a statewide math-science initiative designed to expand Kentucky high school students' access, participation and success in rigorous coursework such as AP classes.

The department said average scores of students taking the SAT college entrance exam remained relatively flat, while mean scores of sophomores and juniors taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test showed slight increases.