BEVIN-OVERSEAS TRIP

Bevin traveling to Germany, France, Belgium this week

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Matt Bevin is traveling to Germany, France and Belgium this week as part of his first overseas trip as governor.

Bevin is scheduled to arrive in Hannover, Germany, on Tuesday to attend the Hannover Messe Fair, a trade show of industrial technology. A news release from the governor's office says Bevin will meet with prospective businesses and companies that already have Kentucky facilities.

He will spend the rest of the week meeting with executives in Germany, France and Belgium. Bevin says the trip is an "incredible opportunity" to sell the benefits of Kentucky to manufacturers.

Bevin spokeswoman Jessica Ditto said the governor's trip will not prevent him from issuing vetoes of the state's two-year operating budget. State lawmakers approved the budget on April 15. Bevin has until Wednesday to issue vetoes, if any.

LUMBER COMPANY

Lumber operation to locate in Nelson County

BOSTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky officials say a lumber company plans to create at least 30 full-time jobs in Nelson County to produce hardwood for export to Asia.

Gov. Matt Bevin's office said Monday that Legend Lumber Lee Corp. plans to open the operation in a shuttered hardwood lumber concentration yard in Boston, Kentucky.

The company intends to invest nearly $3.5 million in the operation.

The governor's office says the facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2017. The company will bring in green lumber for kiln and air drying, sorting, grading and shipping.

The company is taking over at a facility that closed in 2009.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR-INVESTIGATION

Beshear seeks investigation of Bevin as feud escalates

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Democratic attorney general has asked the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to investigate whether the Republican governor has used campaign contribution records as grounds for firing state workers.

The request is the latest escalation in the feud between Attorney General Andy Beshear and Gov. Matt Bevin.

Bevin took office in December and replaced Beshear's father, two-term Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.

Beshear's letter to the commission requesting an investigation came days after Bevin announced he would hire a private law firm to investigate whether the former governor violated procurement laws and coerced state workers to donate to campaigns. Andy Beshear's letter asked the ethics commission to take over that investigation.

Bevin spokeswoman Jessica Ditto said the administration would welcome a parallel investigation. She did not respond directly to Andy Beshear's allegations.

BREEDERS' CUP

Breeders' Cup to return to Churchill Downs in 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Breeders' Cup is returning to its old Kentucky home.

Churchill Downs and Breeders' Cup officials announced Monday the race famous for featuring the greatest horses and richest purses will return to the iconic twin spires in 2018.

The Louisville track has hosted the Breeders' Cup eight times, most recently in 2011.

Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery said Monday that he became determined to bring the race back to Louisville because "there's nothing like the Breeders' Cup under the spires."

Race officials announced Monday that the track's investment of more than $67 million in upgrades encouraged them to return to Churchill Downs.

The event is a two-day series of races in the fall that marks the end to thoroughbred racing season. It is scheduled for the first weekend in November.

JAILED PARENTS

Report: 135K Kentucky kids have had parent in jail

(Information from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A new report has concluded that Kentucky has the highest percentage of children in the nation who have had a parent in jail.

Citing a report released Monday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Courier-Journal reports that 13 percent of Kentucky children — 135,000 — reported in 2011-12 that they had a parent incarcerated at some point in their lives. That percentage is nearly double the national average of 7 percent.

Kentucky Youth Advocates Executive Director Terry Brooks says parental incarceration exacts a devastating toll on families and society at large by creating an "unstable environment" for children, with the effects being long-lasting.

The report uses data from the 2011-12 National Survey of Children's Health, the latest available.

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VET CLINIC THEFT

2 charged in connection with Kentucky vet clinic thefts

(Information from: WKYT-TV, http://www.wkyt.com)

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Richmond police have charged two men in connection with a string of vet clinic thefts.

WKYT-TV reports that 42-year-old Timothy Ross and 45-year-old Jason Leffew both face burglary charges related to last year's thefts. The two were arrested in Knox County, Tennessee and are currently awaiting extradition.

Police say Ross and Leffew broke into Skipworth Veterinary Clinic in Richmond last June, and attempted to do so again last October. Police believe the two also broke into a Lexington clinic in October.

Warrants for the men were issued last year.

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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

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