Kentucky News Now – February 4th 2014

MADISON COUNTY FIRE

Madison Co. fire deaths result of smoke inhalation

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say autopsies have determined that the deaths of three people in a Madison County fire were the result of smoke inhalation.

But police say the autopsies performed Sunday at the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort could not positively identify the three adults who died. Police said they will continue to investigate to try to determine the identities.

Investigators say they have ruled the fire accidental and believe a wood stove inside the house may have been the cause.

Madison County firefighters responded to the fire on Oakley Wells Road just before midnight Friday, and the bodies were recovered Saturday.

FERRY CLOSED

Ferry between Kentucky, Missouri closed for ice

HICKMAN, Ky. (AP) — A ferry that operates as the only direct route between Kentucky and Missouri won't operate on Tuesday due to icy conditions on the ferry approaches.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the Dorena-Hickman Ferry closed Sunday afternoon and remained closed Monday because a winter mix of precipitation iced over the landings on both sides of the river. The ferry captain said conditions were such that it is difficult for vehicles to safely approach the ferry to board and hazardous for the crew.

Weather conditions are being evaluated on a day-to-day basis to determine when the ferry can reopen.

The ferry connects Kentucky 1354 at Hickman with Missouri Route A and Route 77 near Dorena, Mo. Missouri and Kentucky are the only border states that are not directly connected by a road.

TAX REFORM

Beshear to roll out tax reform plan Tuesday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear says Kentucky lawmakers will be well-acquainted with most of the proposals featured in his plan to overhaul the state's tax system.

Beshear plans to roll out his wide-ranging tax package on Tuesday. The Democratic governor is briefing a bipartisan group of legislative leaders on the details Monday.

The governor told reporters Monday that there's plenty of time for lawmakers to debate and pass a tax overhaul. The 60-day General Assembly session will be one-third complete Tuesday.

Beshear provided no details but said his plan seeks to boost the competitiveness of some of Kentucky's signature industries. He didn't identify those sectors.

He said his plan, for the most part, stems from recommendations in late 2012 by a tax reform study group led by Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Student fee part of plan for KCTCS projects

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Students would pay a fee as part of a plan to finance nearly $200 million of construction projects across the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

KCTCS President Michael McCall said Monday the fee would amount to $8 per credit hour for every student in the vast system. For students taking 15-hour class loads, the fee would be $120.

The fee is part of a plan to finance $194 million of construction projects for the 16 colleges in the KCTCS system. Its overall enrollment is more than 92,000 students.

In his state budget plan, Gov. Steve Beshear proposed issuing $145.5 million in agency bonds to back construction work. The rest of the money would come from local communities and other public or private sources.

Beshear pitched the plan Monday with KCTCS campus presidents.

WINTER WEATHER-KENTUCKY

Up to 7 inches of snow fell on Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officials in western Kentucky say one person died after his car skidded on a snow- and ice-covered road and slammed into a snowplow.

Ohio County Sheriff David Thompson says 24-year-old Jhovany Cordova Cortes of Beaver Dam was pronounced dead at a local hospital Sunday night.

A winter storm dumped up to 7 inches of snow in a line stretching from Brandenburg to Cynthiana overnight Sunday and into Monday. Other areas around the state were hit with 1 to 5 inches.

State officials are watching another winter storm forecast for late Tuesday and early Wednesday, bringing the prospect of freezing rain, sleet and snow stretching from Hartford to Louisville to Eminence.

FATAL FIRE-KENTUCKY

Funeral set for mother, 8 children killed in fire

GREENVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Funeral services have been set for a mother and eight of her children who died in a fire in western Kentucky last week.

Calvary Baptist Church pastor Tim Burden said the funeral is set for 2 p.m. CST Saturday at Felix E. Martin Jr. Hall at Muhlenberg County High School in Greenville.

He says country music trio The Band Perry has offered to pay for the funeral for Nikki Watson and the children and is also covering some lodging for family while the survivors, husband and father Chad Watson and 11-year-old daughter Kylie, are hospitalized.

Burden said an Owensboro homebuilder has offered to build a new home for the Watsons.

Burden said the father and daughter are making progress.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center spokeswoman Jennifer Wetzel said both remain in critical but stable condition.

WHITE LODGING-SECURITY BREACH

Ind.-based hotel manager: Data breach in 8 states

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A nationwide hotel operator says it's investigating a suspected data security breach that may have compromised credit and debit card information of customers who stayed at properties in eight states last year.

White Lodging Services Corp. says the suspected breach affected cards used at hotel restaurants and lounges between March 20 and Dec. 16 at 14 properties it manages. The front desk system also was affected at one property.

White Lodging did not say how many customers may have been affected.

The Merrillville, Ind.-based company owns and manages 168 hotels under various under various Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton brands in 21 states and is a separate entity from those specific brands. It says the breach may have affected properties in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida, Colorado and Virginia.

EARNS-YUM

Yum's 4Q net income down, adjusted net beats

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Yum Brand's fourth-quarter profit fell 5 percent due to one-time costs, but its adjusted results beat expectations as its KFC chain recovers from a series of setbacks in China.

Shares of the company, which also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, rose 4 percent in aftermarket trading.

Yum has been trying to get its China performance back on track since it was hit by a poultry supply controversy a year ago.

For the quarter, Yum's net income fell to $321 million, or 70 cents per share, from $337 million, or 72 cent per share last year. Excluding a one-time charge, net income was 86 cents per share. Analysts expected 79 cents per share.

Revenue edged up 1 percent to $4.18 billion, short of the $4.26 billion predicted by analysts.