Kentucky News Now – March 10th 2014

CONSERVATIVES

Rand Paul wins CPAC presidential straw poll

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has won the Conservative Political Action Conference's presidential preference poll.

The overwhelming win is purely symbolic, but reflects the Republican senator's popularity among conservatives who typically hold outsized influence in the GOP's presidential selection process.

Paul captured 31 percent of the vote. He won the poll last year as well.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz finished second place with 11 percent, followed by neurosurgeon Ben Carson, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

None of the Republicans in the poll have formally entered the 2016 race yet.

The victory was announced Saturday evening as the annual conservative conference wrapped up. Thousands of activists flocked to suburban Washington for the three-day gathering.

Nearly 2,500 hundred activists voted. They were younger and more male than the typical electorate.

GREEN RIVER DAM

Study recommends Green River dam removal

(Information in the following story is from: Daily News, http://www.bgdailynews.com)

BROWNSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed removing a dam on the Green River near Mammoth Cave National Park.

The Daily News reports a study includes the recommendation, saying the action would improve aquatic life and recreational activities. Alternative actions include modifying the lock and not disturbing the dam, installing a barricade and disposing of the property or doing nothing.

The river has been closed to navigational traffic for decades and the study says the dams on the river have continued to deteriorate. In addition to removing Green River Dam No. 6 near Mammoth Cave, the study recommends disposing of three other dams along the river as well as Barren River Lock and Dam No. 1.

The federal agency is accepting comments on the proposal through March 17.

DOMESTIC DISPUTE-SHOOTING

Woman charged with murder in domestic dispute

(Information in the following story is from: WHAS-TV, http://www.whas11.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a man who was shot during a domestic dispute at a Louisville home has died and his girlfriend has been charged with killing him.

According to WHAS-TV, the Jefferson County coroner said 29-year-old Ollie Davis died from a gunshot wound to the upper abdomen he sustained on Feb. 26.

Davis' girlfriend, 33-year-old Candra McWhorter, was arrested last week and charged with assault. Authorities say she is now charged with murder.

Officers said the two were arguing when McWhorter grabbed a gun and shot Davis. Davis was critically wounded and was taken to University Hospital where he later died.

McWhorter was to be arraigned on Monday.

ALLEGIANT AIR-NEW FLIGHTS

Airline to offer 2 new nonstop flights

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

HEBRON, Ky. (AP) — Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will start nonstop service from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport to two locations in South Carolina and Florida in May.

The Kentucky Enquirer reports the discount airline announced last week that it plans to offer two nonstop flights a week to both Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the Tampa, Fla., region. Allegiant also plans to double its nonstop flights to the Fort Myers, Fla., region to four a week.

The Myrtle Beach and Tampa Bay flights will be seasonal, starting in May and ending in August.

Allegiant is offering an introductory, one-way discount fare of $59 to Myrtle Beach and Tampa Bay. Seats must be booked on Allegiant.com, and the offer ends March 11.