Kentucky News Now – October 9th, 2013

MILITARY VOTING

Ky. receives $2.2M to help deployed soldiers vote

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky has received a $2.2 million federal grant to help pay for an electronic system for delivering election ballots to soldiers deployed overseas.

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced the grant Tuesday.

The money is coming from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Grimes said the money will help with the cost of an electronic system that could be used in place of U.S. mail to get ballots to military personnel.

Lawmakers approved legislation earlier this year to allow soldiers and civilians living overseas to receive ballots electronically to speed up the process.

The secretary of state's office is in the preliminary stages of developing the system, which is expected to be in place for next year's general election.

AIDS WALK

Louisville AIDS Walk 20th anniversary is Sunday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — More than 6,000 people are expected to participate in the Louisville AIDS Walk this weekend, the 20th anniversary of the event.

Event Director Brad Hampton says some similar-size cities no longer have an AIDS Walk but that the Louisville walk has strong support.

Organizers say the Louisville AIDS Walk and Pet Walk has raised more than $4 million and funded 14 local non-profit organizations since it was founded in 1993. It supports services such as food, housing, medical care, medication co-pay assistance, counseling, summer camp for kids and legal services.

The approximately two-mile walk is at 3 p.m. EDT Sunday beginning and ending at The Great Lawn in Waterfront Park. There is no cost to participate, but participants may collect donations from supporters.

POWER PLANT

Arrangements being made to close coal-fired plant

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Public Service Commission has conditionally approved a proposal by Kentucky Power Co. to purchase half interest in a power plant in West Virginia to supply electricity in parts of eastern Kentucky.

That agreement came after Kentucky Power withdrew an earlier proposal to retrofit the 800-megawatt Big Sandy plant north of Louisa with an emission-removing scrubber, opting to close the plant instead.

On Monday, the PSC authorized Kentucky Power to purchase a 50 percent interest in Ohio Power Co.'s 780-megawatt Mitchell plant south of Moundsville, W.Va. Both are subsidiaries of American Electric Power Co.

The Sierra Club heralded the overall agreement as "an important moment in Kentucky history."

Kentucky Power also agreed to double its energy efficiency investments incrementally over the next three years from $3 million to $6 million.

HUNTING COYOTES

Ky. issues rules on hunting coyotes at night

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

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has issued new rules that allow the hunting of coyotes at night year round.

The Courier-Journal reports the new regulations require that hunters use shotguns and limit using lights or night vision equipment to Feb. 1 through May 31.

State officials say coyotes have expanded their range and fill the ecological function of wolves, which are extinct in Kentucky.

The animals are in every county in the state and there's no limit on the number that can be killed.

KENTUCKY-HANDSHAKE BAN

Kentucky high schools told no postgame handshakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's athletic sanctioning body has ordered high schools not to conduct postgame handshakes in all sports following more than two dozen physical confrontations the past three years.

Tuesday's directive from Kentucky High School Athletic Association Commissioner Julian Tackett posted on its web site didn't mention specific fights or conflicts but said several fall sports have had postgame incidents. The organization says it's "disappointing" to take such action but that it became necessary because of occurrences statewide and nationally.

KHSAA has also instructed game officials to immediately leave facilities after contests or risk being penalized.

Teams can choose to ignore the order. Schools that can conduct handshakes must supervise the activity and report any incidents to KHSAA.

Member schools or coaches that engage in unsportsmanlike behavior will be fined and penalized.