Kentucky News Now

PLANE CRASH-KENTUCKY

7-year-old plane crash survivor may help probe

EDDYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Sailor Gutzler, the 7-year-old girl who survived a plane crash, walked a mile through the cold, dark woods to safety and then helped authorities locate the wreckage and remains of her family, may not be done helping investigators.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Heidi Moats said Sunday that Sailor is "one remarkable young lady," and she might be able to assist them in determining what brought the plane down. It is rare for someone to survive a small plane crash and Moats said they want to talk to Sailor about it.

It's not clear when investigators might talk to Sailor, who despite being bloodied and suffering a broken wrist, pulled herself from the wreckage and walked to the nearest home.

PLANE CRASH-KENTUCKY-DONATIONS

Fund set up to benefit 7-year-old crash survivor

NASHVILLE, Ill. (AP) — A fund has been established to benefit a 7-year-old southern Illinois girl who survived a Kentucky plane crash that killed her parents, a sister and a cousin.

Sailor Gutzler walked roughly a mile to a house for help after managing to escape the wreckage of the plane that crashed Friday.

Federal aviation officials are investigating what caused the crash that killed Marty Gutzler, wife Kim Gutzler, their 9-year-old daughter, Piper Gutzler, and a cousin of the girls, 14-year-old Sierra Wilder.

A spokesman for the family, Kent Plotner, says donations to Sailor Gutzler's behalf are being accepted on the website www.sailorgutzlerfund.com

CITY OFFICIAL ARRESTED

Louisville budget chief suspended after arrest

(Information in the following story is from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has placed the city's chief financial officer on unpaid leave after the official's arrest for public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

A police report says Steven J. Rowland, was "in a state of disrobe in public view" with a prominent female city official Friday night inside an SUV.

The Courier-Journal reports Rowland and City Council Majority Caucus Director Elizabeth Hoffman were arrested in the parking lot of the El Nopal restaurant.

Police say restaurant workers had asked the pair to leave.

Fischer issued a release Saturday that said Rowland's behavior "was very out of character for the man I know." Rowland said in the release he was sorry for the pain caused to his family, friends and colleagues.

Both were later released from jail Friday night.

REPUBLICANS-BOEHNER CHALLENGE

Tea partyer set to challenge House Speaker Boehner

WASHINGTON (AP) — A tea partyer who's been an outspoken critic of House Speaker John Boehner says he'll challenge Boehner for the job when the new Congress convenes Tuesday.

Republican Louie Gohmert of Texas says voters made clear in the November election that they want change. Republicans unseated Democrats as the majority party in the Senate and increased their advantage in the House.

Boehner still is expected to win despite opposition from some Republicans who refused to back the Ohio lawmaker in 2013.

Rep. Ted Yoho of Florida has said he is open to challenging Boehner.

Two other Republicans, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma, have said they will not vote for Boehner in the speaker's race.

OFFICER SHOOTS SELF

Off-duty cop mistakenly shoots himself in elevator

(Information in the following story is from: WCPO-TV, http://www.wcpo.com)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Authorities say an off-duty police officer out to dinner with his wife in Cincinnati accidentally shot himself in the stomach inside a parking garage elevator.

Cincinnati police say Officer Darryl Jouett (JOO'-et) of the Erlanger, Kentucky, Police Department was headed back to his car on Saturday night when he tried to adjust his department-issued weapon in his holster, and it discharged.

Police tell WCPO-TV that the bullet ricocheted off the elevator walls and struck him.

Jouett was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with injuries that weren't life-threatening.

The veteran officer has spent more than 25 years at the police department in Erlanger.

Capt. Mike John with the Cincinnati Police Department calls the situation "very unusual."

NOAH'S ARK PARK-LEGAL BATTLE

Noah's Ark park in Ky. could sue to get back tax incentives

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A legal battle of biblical proportions could be brewing in Kentucky over a tax incentive for a religious-themed Noah's Ark attraction. The state decided last month to withdraw a sales tax rebate program for the project.

The Christian ministry building the ark is challenging the move, and supporters say they should take it to court. The tax rebates could be worth up to $18 million.

Kentucky tourism officials said they could not provide state money to the Ark Encounter project because it would screen hires for religious preference.

But Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer says the state pulled the rug out from underneath the project.

The theme park construction is underway. The ministry, Answers in Genesis, says it will feature a 500-foot long wooden ark.

ARC PLANS

ARC developing new strategic plan

(Information in the following story is from: The Daily News, http://www.middlesborodailynews.com)

MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (AP) — The Appalachian Regional Commission is developing a new strategic plan for the agency beginning in 2016.

ARC spokesman Louis Segesvary told the Middlesboro Daily News that the agency plans to seek input from a variety of sources as the plan is drafted.

Every year, ARC provides funding for hundreds of projects in the Appalachian region that seek to make improvements in areas such as business development, education and job training.

ARC has indicated the agency wants to see more economic diversity in the region in the future. ARC lists 54 counties in Kentucky, with 37 of those being distressed.

Segesvary said the agency plans to get feedback from the public before the plan is finalized next year.

GOP 2016-PAUL

Challenges loom for Paul as he speeds toward 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — He may only yet be a candidate for re-election to his seat in Congress, but Rand Paul is sprinting toward the race for president.

The libertarian-minded Republican senator from Kentucky is set to visit several Western states this month before reintroducing himself to voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Aides insist the first-term senator and son of former Texas Rep. Ron Paul hasn't finalized his 2016 plans. Yet his aggressive steps leave little doubt about his ambitions.

Paul's road to the White House won't be easy.

There are questions about his father's legacy, Rand Paul's apparent contradictions on key positions and a Kentucky law that says he can't run for president and the Senate at the same time.