Kentucky News Now – January 16th, 2014

CHEMICAL SPILL-KENTUCKY

Louisville, Henderson don't plan to shut intakes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Louisville Water Co. expects the plume from a chemical spill in the Elk River in West Virginia to reach Louisville on Friday morning but doesn't believe customers will find any change in drinking water quality.

Neither Louisville Water Co. nor Henderson Water Utility expects to need to shut off intake valves. The Gleaner in Henderson said the spill is likely to reach Henderson by Sunday morning.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported earlier that water systems in Ashland and Russell temporarily shut off their intakes early Monday as the plume passed in the Ohio River. The state said the level of the chemical was well below the amount federal officials say would be acceptable in drinking water.

Water officials in Henderson and Louisville say the chemical will dilute further and can be adequately treated by their facilities.

EVERLY MEMORIAL

Service for Phil Everly is Saturday in western Ky.

CENTRAL CITY, Ky. (AP) — A memorial service is this weekend for Phil Everly near Central City, where the Everly Brothers entertained for years at a homecoming benefit.

The Central City Tourist and Convention Commission said the service will be at 2 p.m. CST Saturday at the Merle Travis Center in Powderly with music from cousins of the Everly Brothers and a tribute band.

Phil Everly died Jan. 3 at 74. With his brother, Don Everly, the duo had 19 top 40 hits between 1957 and 1962. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The Everly Brothers began the homecoming concerts in 1988 and continued through 2001 to help raise scholarship money and funds for other projects.

STATE POLICE-PLANE

Ky. State Police add surplus jet to fleet

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police have expanded their aircraft fleet at no upfront costs to the state.

The former U.S. Air Force jet was acquired through a military surplus program.

State Justice and Public Safety Secretary J. Michael Brown said Wednesday that the state will incur some costs to convert the plane from military to commercial use.

But the plane, valued at $1 million, was acquired through a program that allows law enforcement agencies to obtain surplus military weapons, vehicles and aircraft at no cost.

The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet says the plane will be used by state police to respond to situations that require specialized teams to be moved into place quickly, such as a hostage negotiation team.

GAY MARRIAGE-KENTUCKY

Judge weighing challenge to Ky. gay marriage ban

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge in Louisville is weighing the fate of Kentucky's ban on same sex marriages as similar laws around the country have been overturned.

Two cases brought to force the state to recognize same sex marriages have been fully briefed and submitted to U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II. Among the filings were decisions by federal judges in Oklahoma and Utah striking down laws in those states.

Heyburn isn't bound by decisions in other federal districts. Attorneys for the two couples suing are hoping those rulings will come into play.

Judges in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Ohio and Utah have all ruled in favor of same-sex marriage. Gay marriages in Utah have been put on hold pending a decision from the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

MOUNTAIN PARKWAY

Beshear unveils plan to extend Mountain Parkway

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear has unveiled a $753.6 million plan to widen and extend the Mountain Parkway.

The project will eventually create a four-lane highway from the bluegrass region to Pikeville in eastern Kentucky. Beshear said Wednesday the proposal is part of the state highway plan he'll present to lawmakers.

He says it's expected that tolls will eventually be collected along the parkway to help finance the project.

The announcement comes as eastern Kentucky struggles from a downturn in its coal industry.

Beshear says it's time eastern Kentucky has the same four-lane access as other regions.

The proposal won praise from House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President Robert Stivers. Both are from eastern Kentucky. Stumbo says the project will create an economic lifeline to an area that needs it.