Kentucky’s Latest News

HEALTH REFORMS

Judge rules against tea party on health reforms

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear's decision to expand the Medicaid program and to create the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange to help Kentuckians find insurance coverage has been upheld in a court decision.

Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled Tuesday that Beshear acted appropriately.

Tea party activists had filed lawsuits challenging Beshear's authority to implement the reforms in Kentucky. They pledged Tuesday to appeal Shepherd's ruling.

Tea party activist David Adams has been sharply critical of Beshear's decision to push ahead with implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Adams insisted that Beshear could do so only with the blessing of the Legislature.

Shepherd disagreed, saying the governor had the authority to take the action.

FATAL FIRE-FUGITIVE

Judge dismisses case against fugitive in Ky. Fire

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a warrant and indictment against a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal fire at a Bowling Green hotel 17 years ago.

At the request of prosecutors, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell officially ended the quest to bring Dave Sharma to Kentucky to face charges in connection with a fire that destroyed a Howard Johnson's and killed four people.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Ream requested the dismissal, saying a case can't be proven after nearly two decades.

Sharma was co-owner of the hotel along with his brother-in-law, Shuresh Kumar of Nashville, Tenn. Kumar and a maintenance worker, Joe A. Logan, were convicted of conspiracy and arson resulting in a death and sentenced to life in federal prison.

Sharma fled the country in 1996.

KENTUCKY SENATE-GRIMES

Grimes repeats call for higher minimum wage

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes is again pushing the idea of raising the minimum wage in order to grow the middle class.

Grimes, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, distributed a news release on Tuesday touting what she believes would be the positive effects of increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

Citing a Kentucky Center for Economic Policy report, Grimes said raising the minimum wage would affect nearly 30 percent of working Kentuckians.

The Democratic front-runner, Grimes wants to replace Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell after next year's election. McConnell also faces a GOP challenger in the May primary.

TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM

Kentucky safety initiative wins national award

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A grassroots program aimed at reducing highway injuries and fatalities in one eastern Kentucky county has won a national safety award.

The "Drive Down" program kicked off in April 2012 in Pike County, which consistently ranked among the state's top three counties for property damage, serious injuries and fatal crashes. The program's creators began a process of researching reasons for crashes and educating drivers on their responsibilities for safer roads.

The program's strategies focused on the importance of using proper restraints in vehicles.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office says the program was honored recently with a special achievement award at a Governors Highway Safety Association awards event in San Diego.

The education initiative is credited for a nearly 23 percent drop in traffic fatalities in Pike County since it started.

CAMP NELSON ANNIVERSARY

Camp Nelson marking anniversary, Civil War Days

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) — About 150 Civil War re-enactors from several states are expected this weekend in Jessamine County at Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park, which will mark its 150th anniversary.

President Abraham Lincoln established the camp in June 1863, and it became an important recruiting and training center for black soldiers, with as many as 10,000 black troops training there.

The Lexington Herald-Leader says the commemoration begins at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday and Sunday with cannon firing. The re-enactors will portray life in the 1860s and perform infantry, cavalry and artillery demonstrations.

The meaning of the Emancipation Proclamation will be discussed at 11 a.m. Sunday, and children may attend the "School of the Soldiers" each day.

For more information call (859) 492-3115 or (859) 881-5716 or visit http://www.campnelson.org.

KENTUCKY SENATE-FUNDRAISER

Grimes getting fundraising help from California

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes is getting fundraising help from a big name in the entertainment industry, Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive officer of DreamWorks Animation.

Katzenberg, former chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, is promoting a series of fundraising receptions for Grimes in Los Angeles on Sept. 26.

In an email, Katzenberg introduced Grimes as the challenger to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in the most important election in the country next year.

Grimes entered the race as the Democratic front-runner after actress Ashley Judd decided against running earlier this year.

Grimes faces Owensboro contractor Ed Marksberry, University of Louisville professor Greg Leichty and Louisville music promoter Bennie J. Smith in the Democratic primary. McConnell faces Louisville businessman Matt Bevin in the Republican primary.

SICK WIFE SHOOTING

Grand jury to hear case of man who killed his wife

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

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — A judge has denied a request to change the criminal charge against a Kentucky man who says he fatally shot his wife to end her suffering from terminal breast cancer.

Ernest Chris Chumbley is charged with murder in his wife's death last week in southeastern Kentucky.

WKYT-TV reports that Chumbley's attorney asked that his client's charge be changed to causing or assisting in a suicide.

The TV station reports the judge ruled against the request at a preliminary hearing in Laurel County on Tuesday.

The case will now be sent to a grand jury.

Chumbley called 911 and confessed to a dispatcher that he shot his wife, Virginia Chumbley. He cried throughout the call and said he shot his wife twice in the face. Police found her body in the bedroom.

HEART CARE-APPALACHIA

UK taking aim at heart disease in eastern Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The University of Kentucky is teaming with hospitals and doctors to combat high rates of heart disease in eastern Kentucky.

UK's Gill Heart Institute will work with the Appalachian Regional Healthcare network and Appalachian Heart Center.

UK health affairs executive Dr. Michael Karpf said Tuesday the goal is to allow more heart patients to stay close to home for cardiac care.

He says the result will be more heart surgeries at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center. UK has a surgeon assigned at Hazard.

Patients needing more complex surgeries including heart transplants will be transported to UK Medical Center in Lexington.

The agreement also includes ARH hospitals in Harlan, Whitesburg, McDowell, Hyden and South Williamson. Karpf says those hospitals will perform cardiac tests and make referrals for surgery in Hazard or Lexington.