Kentucky News Now

ARMY REDUCTIONS-FORT CAMPBELL

Hundreds attend Fort Campbell 'listening session' on cuts

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — A "listening session" on an Army proposal to make deep cuts in personnel stationed at Fort Campbell attracted a capacity crowd.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Kentucky Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen were among the numerous politicians and community leaders who made plans to appear at the Tuesday evening event on the sprawling post.

The meeting was held at the post's 600-seat Family Resource Center, and officials set up two satellite locations for the overflow.

According to an Army report, the post could lose up to 16,000 soldiers and civilians, who in turn have more than 24,000 spouses and children living in the community.

MISSING TEENS-CRIME SPREE

Dad: Girl, 13, accused in crime spree was never abused

CLARKSON, Ky. (AP) — The father of a 13-year-old girl who police say went on a crime spree with her boyfriend says claims that she was abused at home are "completely bogus."

Shawn Phillips said Tuesday that anyone who knows his family knows that they did not abuse his daughter Cheyenne.

The abuse allegations were brought to light after a jailhouse interview with Cheyenne Phillips' boyfriend, 18-year-old Dalton Hayes. Hayes says the two ran away from their Kentucky home to escape her abusive family.

Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins told The Associated Press that he was unaware of any previous accusations of abuse.

The pair's travels took them to South Carolina and Georgia and included a night in a frigid barn. The pair were arrested late Saturday in Panama City Beach after authorities found them sleeping in a stolen vehicle.

SUPREME COURT CANDIDATES

2 vying for spot on Kentucky Supreme Court

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Two judges in eastern Kentucky have filed to run for an open seat on the Kentucky Supreme Court.

WYMT-TV reports Janet Stumbo, a Floyd County native who sits on the Court of Appeals, and Letcher County Circuit Court Judge Sam Wright are running for the position.

The winner will take the place of Justice Will T. Scott, who stepped down earlier this month to run for governor.

Stumbo touted her previous experience on the Supreme Court, where she served for 11 years.

Wright said his experience as a circuit judge and his success at developing a drug court set him apart.

The special election to fill the vacancy is set to take place during the primary election on May 19.

FOOD PRICES

Kentucky food survey shows increase in last quarter of 2014

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A survey of food prices in Kentucky shows prices rose again in the last quarter of 2014.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation's latest Marketbasket Survey reflected a 1.7 percent increase from the previous quarter in the price of 40 basic grocery items.

The Farm Bureau said in a news release it is the seventh consecutive quarter with an increase and a record high total basket cost at $129.14.

The survey has reported Kentucky's retail food prices increasing by an average of 3.2 percent each year since 2007.

The survey said the poultry category showed the largest total gain of the six food groups included in the survey, with an average increase of 11.2 percent, or $1.08. Dairy increased 7.1 percent, or $1.75, on average.

OVERPASS COLLAPSE

Police identify truck driver injured in overpass collapse

CINCINNATI (AP) — A tractor-trailer driver injured during the deadly collapse of an overpass onto Interstate 75 in Cincinnati has been identified by police as a Michigan man.

A preliminary police report of the accident identifies the injured driver as Eric J. Meyers, of Howell, Michigan. He was taken to a hospital with what were described as minor injuries.

Authorities say the driver's truck slammed into the overpass as the debris landed Monday night. A worker was killed.

Authorities on Tuesday also identified the worker killed as Brandon William Carl, of Augusta, Kentucky. The Hamilton County coroner's office will do an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

Cincinnati fire officials say Carl's body was recovered from rubble with the help of air bags and special equipment about four hours after the accident.

MOUNTAIN PARKWAY

Information office set up for Mountain Parkway expansion

SALYERSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A field office has opened in eastern Kentucky to provide information about the Mountain parkway expansion project.

The new office is open Monday through Saturday in Salyersville on U.S. 460 in the Magoffin Plaza.

The Transportation Cabinet says there's also a website and a phone number for those who can't make it to the office. Call (606) 349-8160 or visit http://www.MtnParkway.com , or follow the project on Twitter (@MtnParkway) or on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mtnparkway ).

The 46-mile project is designed to create a wider, safer connection between eastern Kentucky and the rest of the state. It's intended to close the only gap in a 400-mile, four-lane, high-speed road across Kentucky from Pikeville to Paducah. The project will widen 30 miles of parkway to four lanes and extend the road from Salyersville to Prestonsburg.

UTILITY REVIEW

PSC closes review of LG&E, KU consumer service operations

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Public Service Commission says it has concluded its heightened scrutiny of consumer service operations of Louisville Gas and Electric Co. and Kentucky Utilities Co.

The PSC says the companies have met all 20 recommended actions contained in the final report of a 2011 management review.

The PSC commended the utilities for implementing the recommendations.

The audit came after customer complaints to the PSC increased, especially from 2008 to 2010. An outside consultant conducted the review.

The final report found the companies were failing to meet internal performance standards in areas such as answering customer calls, meter reading and billing accuracy.

The utilities were required to submit regular reports on progress in implementing recommendations.

The full audit report is available at the PSC website, http://psc.ky.gov .

EMERGING ELK

Farmer: Wisconsin should rethink elk plan over disease worry

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (AP) — A farmer in central Wisconsin is voicing concern that a plan to move 150 elk to the state could also bring in disease.

Officials earlier this month announced a deal with Kentucky to capture its elk and send them to Wisconsin in the next five years, after making sure they're healthy.

News-Herald Media reports Pittsville elk farmer Ray Stauner says Wisconsin shouldn't go through with the plan without live-animal testing for chronic wasting disease. The fatal illness turned up in Wisconsin in 2002.

Chronic wasting disease has not been found in deer and elk in Kentucky, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A message left with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was not immediately returned.

Wisconsin has one elk herd of about 160 that live near Clam Lake in Ashland County.