Kentucky News Now – May 21st 2014

KENTUCKY-SENATE-GOP

McConnell defeats tea party challenger Bevin

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has defeated millionaire businessman Matt Bevin in an expensive and bruising primary election in Kentucky. McConnell will face Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes in the fall as he pursues his sixth term.

McConnell has been one of President Barack Obama's fiercest critics, but Bevin accused the longtime senator of not being conservative enough.

Bevin spent $3.3 million in his bid as a political newcomer backed by various tea party groups. McConnell drowned him out with more than $9 million in spending. Outside groups spent millions more defending his conservative credentials.

McConnell had already shifted into fall campaign mode. He's been attacking Obama's health care law and coal regulations and trying to link Grimes to the president, who is deeply unpopular in Kentucky.

KENTUCKY-SENATE-DEMS

Grimes wins Democratic Senate nomination in Ky.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Alison Lundergan Grimes has easily won Kentucky's Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, setting up a highly anticipated race with Senate leader Mitch McConnell in November.

Kentucky's secretary of state looks to be McConnell's toughest opponent since his first election in 1984, when he narrowly ousted Democrat Dee Huddleston. Recent polls show McConnell and Grimes locked in a virtual tie if the general election were held at this time.

The daughter of a former state party chairman and close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Grimes has raised $8 million since announcing her candidacy last year. She has about $5 million left.

To win Grimes will have to separate herself from Democratic President Barack Obama, whho is unpopular with more than 60 percent of Kentucky voters. In ads and campaign stops, Grimes has fashioned herself as an independent Kentucky woman.

LEXINGTON-MAYOR

Gray, Beatty advance in Lexington mayor's race

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Incumbent Jim Gray and former police chief Anthany Beatty have advanced to the general election in Lexington's mayoral race.

They were the top two vote-getters in Tuesday's nonpartisan primary election, ahead of Danny Mayer, a Bluegrass Community and Technical College professor.

The Lexington Herald-Leader called the results historic, setting up a contest between Gray, the city's first openly gay mayor, and Beatty, the city's first black police chief and the first black candidate to run for mayor in a general election since 1971.

Beatty is an administrator at the University of Kentucky.

Gray is former CEO of Gray Construction and was vice mayor before defeating then-Mayor Jim Newberry in 2010.

6TH DISTRICT-DEMS

Jensen to challenge Barr in 6th District

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Education advocate Elisabeth Jensen has won the Democratic nomination in Kentucky's 6th Congressional District and will challenge first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr in the general election.

Jensen, a political newcomer, defeated Geoff Young on Tuesday in the district that covers Lexington and a large swath of central and eastern Kentucky.

She has voiced her support for President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul and criticized Barr for voting for its repeal.

Jensen leads The Race for Education, a non-profit that provides scholarships and focuses on literacy and other education initiatives.

Barr was unopposed in Tuesday's primary, and he enters the general election campaign with a fundraising advantage.

Barr defeated Democratic incumbent Ben Chandler in 2012 to win the congressional seat.

The district has swung back and forth between Republican and Democratic representation.

3RD DISTRICT-DEMS

Yarmuth wins Democratic nomination in 3rd District

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth has won the Democratic nomination for Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District.

Yarmuth defeated E. Ray Pierce of Louisville in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Yarmuth is seeking a fifth term in Congress.

Yarmuth will be a heavy favorite against Republican Michael Macfarlane in November. Macfarlane, a surgeon, had no opposition in Tuesday's primary.

ARMY CUTS-FORT KNOX

Fort Knox-based combat team to be inactivated

FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP) — A war fighting unit at Fort Knox is being inactivated and will case its colors during a ceremony at the central Kentucky military post.

About 1,200 soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division will participate in Wednesday's ceremony.

The ceremony will feature a horse-mounted color guard and a flyover by Fort Knox<s 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment. A salute battery will also fire a round in honor of every division soldier who died in combat since the unit arrived at Fort Knox from Fort Hood, Texas, in October 2009.

The unit will then case its colors at the Brooks Parade Field, signifying its inactivation.

The brigade was originally activated in May 1917 and has been inactivated two other times in its history.

KENTUCKY-HEMP

Hemp regulations approved by Kentucky commission

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — An official in the Kentucky Agriculture Department says the federal Drug Enforcement Administration has approved an import permit for hemp seeds.

Holly Harris VonLuehrte (VON' LUHR'-dee), chief of staff to Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, says state officials have been told they will be given the hemp seed immediately after obtaining the permit.

Kentucky's pilot hemp projects were put on hold after a 250-pound shipment of imported seeds was seized by U.S. customs officials in Louisville earlier this month, prompting the state's Agriculture Department to sue the federal government.

The two sides are scheduled to meet with a federal judge on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Kentucky's industrial hemp commission approved regulations setting guidelines for hemp-growing research projects meant to reintroduce the crop.

FARMERS' MARKET

Farmers' market opening on University of Louisville's Belknap Campus

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A farmers' market is opening later this month on the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus.

About a dozen local vendors have signed up for the weekly market, which will operate from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. EDT Thursdays, starting May 29.

Vendors will set up their stands along Brandeis Avenue between Third and Fourth streets just north of The Ville Grille.

Shoppers can buy fruits, vegetables, cheese, meat, eggs, honey, popcorn, jams and jellies, tea, baked goods, crafts and more.

Three groups that advocate healthy eating plan to have representatives at the market, including UofL<s Get Healthy Now program.

The market will continue through October.

TITANS-MOVES

Titans' Mettenberger, Williamson agree to terms

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to terms with sixth-round draft pick Zach Mettenberger and fifth-round selection Avery Williamson.

Mettenberger threw for 3,082 yards and 22 touchdowns at LSU last season and ranked fourth nationally in passing efficiency. Mettenberger passed for 5,783 yards and 35 touchdowns during his LSU career.

Williamson, a linebacker, had 296 career tackles at Kentucky. He produced more than 100 tackles each of the last two seasons.

The Titans now have agreed to terms with four of their six draft picks.

The only unsigned Titans draft picks are first-round selection Taylor Lewan and second-round choice Bishop Sankey. Lewan's an offensive tackle from Michigan and Sankey's a running back from Washington.