Kentucky News Now – June 9th 2014

Name that bug contest planned at Louisville Zoo

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Louisville Zoo has asked its supporters to help name zebras, giraffes and gorillas in the past. Now it's asking for help in naming its giant bug display.

The zoo says it's planning a Facebook contest to provide names for the 13 giant animatronic bugs on display at the zoo.

Every Monday and Wednesday from June 9 through July 21, the zoo says it will ask its Facebook fans to submit family-friendly names for each of the 13 giant bugs. It says submissions can only be made from 6 to 8 p.m. on the designated days, with a limit of one post per person each day.

The zoo says winners will be announced each Friday and will receive two general admission tickets to the zoo.

Forum to address gay housing discrimination

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is hosting its second annual fair housing forum for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents.

The forum is part of the commission's work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to reach the LGBT community on housing discrimination.

The forum will include presentations by Ronni Sanlo, who focuses on LGBT history, and Maya Rupert, policy director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. It will be in Louisville on June 12, starting at 10 a.m.

The Kentucky cities of Covington, Frankfort, Lexington, Louisville, Morehead and Vicco have passed local ordinances expanding civil rights based on sexual orientation.

Bill Monroe documentary to air on KET

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — A documentary on the life of bluegrass musician Bill Monroe is debuting on Kentucky Education Television.

The film, "Powerful: Bill Monroe Remembered," tells the story of the Ohio County native through remembrances by his bandmates who played with him until his death in 1996.

The storytellers include Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, Bobby Hicks and Del McCoury.

The two-hour documentary will be shown on KET on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. The film was produced by the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. The film grew out of the museum's oral history project that sought to record the histories of the living members of bluegrass music's first and early second generations.

After its premiere on KET, the museum will show the film at its annual bluegrass ROMP festival beginning June 25.

Seats contested for western Ky. utility board

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Competition is fierce for a couple of seats on a western Kentucky utility board that recently saw rate increases.

The Messenger-Inquirer reports one seat on the Kenergy Corp. board that represents west Daviess County has an 18-year incumbent facing two challengers.

Larry Elder says it's the first time he's had competition for the seat. He says he thinks the competition stems from recent power rate increases by Big Rivers Electric Corp.

Big Rivers Electric Corp. is the wholesale power supplier for Kenergy and two other distributive co-ops in western Kentucky. Altogether, they serve about 112,000 customers in 22 counties.

Big Rivers raised rates after an aluminum smelter left its system to purchase power on the open market.

Board election results will be announced on June 10.

Lexington couple sentenced in starvation death

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A Lexington couple has been sentenced for abuse and neglect in the death of their disabled adult son from starvation and dehydration.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports (http://bit.ly/1xo3jla) Jerry Lakes was sentenced to 20 years and Peggy Joyce Whitlock was sentenced to 10 years in Fayette Circuit Court on Thursday.

The two recently pleaded guilty to various charges related to the death of 24-year-old Gerald Lee Lakes last year.

Among other things, investigators said Jerry Lakes gambled with thousands of dollars in Social Security payments that were meant to support Gerald Lakes and the couple's other children. Two other adult sons were unwashed, malnourished, and weighted less than 100 pounds, but a daughter appeared to be well cared for.

Schools, businesses partner for career coaching

FLORENCE, Ky. (AP) — An education panel in northern Kentucky is partnering with area businesses in an effort to provide career coaching to select high school students in the fall.

The Kentucky Enquirer (http://cin.ci/1tOD82w) reports Northern Kentucky Education Council is overseeing the program with support from Toyota, Duke Energy, Citi, the Bank of Kentucky and Heritage Bank.

The initiative will provide one-on-one career coaching to 33 students at 14 high schools across the region. Coaches will help students identify strengths and weakness in an effort to narrow career options and choose the right classes.

Students will also be mentored by professionals from top employers in the region.

The newspaper reports creators of the NaviGo Scholars program will help students advance and strengthen the region's workforce.

Truck driver convicted of reckless homicide

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A jury in western Kentucky has convicted a Minnesota truck driver of reckless homicide for a crash on Interstate 24 that resulted in the death of a man.

The Kentucky New Era (http://bit.ly/1hDC0Pq) reports jurors on Thursday also convicted Timothy Baldwin on counts of wanton endangerment, evading police and resisting arrest.

Baldwin was charged in the death last year of 69-year-old Harold Johnson. Police said Baldwin was driving his tractor-trailer when it rear-ended the other man's vehicle.

Police have said they believe Baldwin was under the influence of drugs when the crash occurred. Baldwin disputed that during the trial, saying he used methamphetamine after the crash and before his arrest.

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