Kentucky News Now – February 14th 2014

WINTER WEATHER-KENTUCKY

More snow in forecast; Ky. man dies clearing snow

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — More snow was in Kentucky's forecast for Friday, this time in central Kentucky, as winter storm warnings ended in southeastern Kentucky, where one man died.

A 73-year-old eastern Kentucky pastor was killed Thursday when a four-wheeler he was using to clear snow slid off an icy, steep driveway into a creek. Knott County Coroner Jeff Blair said the Rev. Carlos Craft died at his home in the Emmalena community, where he was cleaning the driveway with a snow blade attached to the vehicle. Blair said about 7 to 8 inches of snow had fallen there overnight.

Craft was pronounced dead at the scene of head trauma. Blair said Craft was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church at Pinetop.

The weather service issued winter weather advisories for central Kentucky on Friday and forecast 2 to 4 inches of snow by evening.

CORVETTE MUSEUM-SINKHOLE

Chevrolet to oversee restoring sinkhole Corvettes

Chevrolet has taken on the job of restoring the classic Corvettes swallowed by a gaping sinkhole beneath the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky.

GM's head of global product development Mark Reuss said Thursday the damaged vehicles are some of the most significant in auto history.

He says the company wants to restore as many of them as possible so auto fans can enjoy them.

The sinkhole consumed eight prized cars like they were toys early Wednesday when the museum was closed. Six of the cars are owned by the museum in Bowling Green, Ky., and two are on loan from General Motors.

The cars include a 1992 white 1 millionth Corvette and a 2009 white 1.5 millionth Corvette.

Chevrolet says the restoration will be done in Michigan.

CHEERLEADER-WAGES LAWSUIT

Bengals cheerleader alleges wage law violations

(Information in the following story is from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com )

CINCINNATI (AP) — A Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader is accusing the team in a lawsuit of violating federal wage laws.

Alexa Brenneman says in the complaint that cheerleaders put in more than 300 hours attending mandatory practices and charity events and performing required volunteer work.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday says squad members are paid a flat rate of $90 a game for cheering at 10 games during the 2013 season. It also says the 24-year-old Brenneman was paid $2.85 an hour when the Ohio minimum wage in 2013 was $7.85.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Brenneman seeks an end to the alleged violations along with unpaid wages, attorney fees and court costs.

The Bengals said the team will address the lawsuit in due course.

STANDARDS DATA

Senate passes bill preventing sale of student data

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate has passed a bill aimed at preventing the sale of digital data by technology companies.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Jimmy Higdon of Lebanon, says the measure would strengthen privacy protections for students using third-party technology resources at school.

Higdon's bill also allows local school-based decision-making boards to supplement state-mandated curriculum with additional work that exceeds state standards.

Democratic Sen. Gerald Neal of Louisville expressed concern that the language of the bill should be tightened to prevent an undermining of Kentucky's Common Core education standards.

The bill passed the Senate Thursday on a 37-0 vote. It now moves to the House for consideration.

AFGHANISTAN-SOLDIER DEATH

Fort Bragg-based soldier killed in Afghanistan

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — Military officials say a soldier from Kentucky has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense said Thursday that 27-year-old Spc. Christopher A. Landis of Independence, Ky., died Feb. 10, on Bagram Airfield from wounds received when the enemy attacked his dismounted patrol with a rocket propelled grenade in Kapisa Province.

Landis was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg.

No further details of his death were available.

CONTRACTOR LIABILITY

Senate Panel OKs bill to insulate contractors

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Labor contractors would be protected from some litigation under a bill that has cleared a Senate panel.

If passed, the bill would insulate primary contractors from any liability for the illegal practices of their subcontractors.

Republican Sen. John Schickel of Union is the bill's sponsor. He says the measure treats a subcontractor as a separate legal entity, which would be verified through the Labor Cabinet.

Opponents of the bill included Kentucky State AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan, who cautioned the committee that removing legal responsibilities from primary contractors would open the door to substandard safety practices at worksites and could deprive subcontractors of legal protection.

The measure cleared the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Labor on a 6-2 vote Thursday.