Kentucky News Now – June 27th 2014

KENTUCKY ECONOMY

Kentucky growing jobs, but wages can't keep up

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Most regions of Kentucky are adding jobs, but most of those jobs don't pay very much, according to a recent analysis of the state's economy by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

University of Louisville economist Paul Coomes said four of the state's nine regions are above the national average in terms of job growth. But the average pay per job in all nine regions was lower than the national average.

Northern Kentucky had the highest growth in average pay at 18 percent, while the mountain region in eastern Kentucky had no growth. The national average for wage growth since the last recession is about 23 percent.

Coomes will expand on his report during a July 22 speech during the chamber's annual meeting in Louisville.

COLLEGE REVIEW

Ky. joins effort to assess student learning

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky is among nine states participating in a new effort to better assess what students are learning in their college studies.

The 68 two-year and four-year institutions involved in the assessment include the University of Kentucky, Northern Kentucky University and Hazard Community and Technical College.

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education will work with the three campuses and coordinate the state's effort.

The initiative was announced this week by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will fund the initial year of the program.

Participating colleges and universities will document how well students are achieving key learning outcomes.

UOFL-GIFT

University of Louisville receives $10 million gift

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The University of Louisville has landed one of its largest gifts in school history — a $10 million donation from a businessman.

The gift from J.D. Nichols is undesignated, meaning it can be used at the discretion of UofL President James Ramsey.

The donation announced Thursday continues the school's fundraising momentum.

UofL recently surpassed its $1 billion goal for a fundraising campaign that began in 2007.

The school says Nichols' gift will be paid over three to five years. Nichols is chairman of NTS Corp., a real estate development firm.

The donation was announced at The Nucleus, the UofL Foundation's new office building. The Nucleus is the first new building in a developing complex for entrepreneurs and researchers. UofL says the downtown complex will be named for Nichols.

LETHAL INJECTION-DETAILS

Attorneys want to describe lethal injection

(Information in the following story is from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com )

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Attorneys in a potential death penalty case are arguing that if their client is convicted they should be able to describe in detail to jurors considering lethal injection how their client would die.

The Courier-Journal reports attorneys Jon Heck and Ryan Vantrease say they think a jury would spare their client, Ellen Crawley, if they understand the uncertainty around Kentucky executions, which they have described as an "unconstitutional and broken" system.

They want to tell jurors in Jefferson County that the drugs used for lethal injection could cause Crawley to writhe and gasp similar to reactions by two men executed in the U.S. this year. The newspaper reports the request is the first of its kind in Kentucky.

Crawley is charged with killing her grandmother.

STIVERS-PORTS

Senate president urges support for river ports

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Senate President Robert Stivers says he wants to review the infrastructure of Kentucky's seven river ports when lawmakers return to Frankfort in January.

Stivers' comments come after he visited several western Kentucky counties last week as part of what he said was a nonpolitical trip for the eastern Kentucky Republican finishing up his second year as Senate president.

Stivers visited the Elvis Stahr Harbor in Fulton County, where officials say they have only been able to dredge the harbor once every two or three years because of federal and state funding shortfalls. They said they need about $1 million to dredge the harbor every year to make sure it can stay open.

The port on the Mississippi river handles about 1 million tons of cargo each year.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR-CONWAY

Conway endorsed by Yarmuth, Ford, Luallen

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway has picked up endorsements from Kentucky's only Democratic congressman and two one-time statewide officeholders — former Sen. Wendell Ford and former state Auditor Crit Luallen.

The endorsements from three well-known Democrats are a prize catch as next year's governor's race remains in its formative stages.

U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth said Thursday that Conway has the experience to provide new opportunities for Kentuckians.

Ford served four terms in the Senate. He praised Conway's efforts as attorney general to combat the state's drug addiction woes.

Luallen says Conway has the experience to strengthen education and economic opportunity.

Next year's governor's race is seen as wide open. Other possible Democratic candidates include Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo, former U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, former Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and Lexington banker Luther Deaton.