Thursday’s Kentucky News – October 24th 2013

STATES-GLOBAL EDUCATION RANKINGS-KY

8th-graders outdo global peers in math, science

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Eighth-graders in Kentucky are doing better than their peers around the globe when it comes to math and science.

A study being released Thursday compared every state, the District of Columbia and Defense Department schools against 38 countries and nine additional subnational education systems.

Researchers took eighth-grade test results in math and science from the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress to predict performance on the international comparative study test known as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.

The scores were ranked on a scale of 1,000. The TIMSS average for math and science was 500.

Kentucky scored 534 in science and 505 in math, one of a majority of states that performed above the international average in both subjects.

PUMPING STATION

Louisville landmark to reopen to public next March

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — One of Louisville's historic landmarks is scheduled to reopen to the public next March after a $3.4 million renovation.

The interior work is meant to bring the city's Original Pumping Station No. 1 back to closely resembling its original condition.

Louisville Water Co. provided a sneak peak to visitors on Wednesday as the project that began in January nears completion.

The pumping station near the Ohio River was built between 1858 and 1860. Work has included updating electrical wiring and fire systems and restoring walls, trim and an early 1900s cast-iron spiral staircase. New bathrooms and a catering prep kitchen have been added to the space.

The centerpiece of the restoration is a central gallery, which overlooks an outside terrace and offers a view of the river.

BOURBON HEIST

Sheriff's office following lead in bourbon heist

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

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Franklin County sheriff's office has a new lead in the disappearance of about 65 cases of one of Kentucky's rarest and most sought-after bourbons.

Sheriff Pat Melton's office on Wednesday released surveillance video that was taken several counties away at a liquor store in Hardin County on Oct. 20. Melton told The State Journal in Frankfort that a man offered to sell the store a "large quantity" of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

Buffalo Trace Distillery reported about $25,350 worth of the 20-year-old limited stock and about $675 in nine cases of 13-year-old Van Winkle Family Reserve rye missing.

The sheriff's office is calling a man in the video a person of interest in the case, and the investigation is now focused on Hardin and Nelson counties.

BAND OF BROTHERS-RETURN

'Band of Brothers' unit returns from last mission

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — A brigade with roots tracing back to World War II's fabled "Band of Brothers" has returned to Fort Campbell after six months in Afghanistan.

The approximately 140 soldiers who stepped off the plane Wednesday evening were greeted by family members who screamed out and waved homemade signs to welcome them.

The soldiers are from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, one of 10 brigade combat teams the Army will shut down between now and 2015.

The Afghanistan stint was the brigade's last scheduled deployment. The Army plans to decommission the unit.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team became famous in a book by historian Stephen Ambrose and a subsequent HBO miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

UPS EMERGENCY LANDING

UPS jet makes emergency landing in Louisville

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officials say a UPS jet has made a safe emergency landing after returning to Louisville International Airport just a few minutes after takeoff.

UPS spokesman Mike Mangeot (MAN'-jee-oh) told The Courier-Journal that the crew reported a problem with the plane's hydraulic system. A pilot and copilot were on board the Airbus jet headed to Manchester, N.H.

Louisville Regional Airport Authority spokeswoman Trish Burke said the crew called the problem into the Federal Aviation Administration tower just a few minutes after takeoff and about 25 miles from Louisville. The tower alerted airport emergency personnel.

Burke said the plane landed around 4:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday.

Mangeot said the plane will remain under inspection in a hangar until it's determined to be safe for flight.

HEALTH OVERHAUL-KUDOS

Ky. governor gets Obama's kudos for smooth rollout

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear has gotten a personal thank you from President Barack Obama for a smooth rollout of the health care overhaul in Kentucky.

Beshear told reporters Wednesday that Obama called him on Tuesday.

Kentucky has not had the technical glitches that have plagued the federal health benefit exchange. More than 18,000 of Kentucky's 640,000 uninsured residents have signed up for coverage since Oct. 1. And nearly 34,000 have completed applications.

The federal exchange has been unable to accommodate large numbers of users. Frozen screens and delays are the norm on the website that's supposed to allow people to easily shop for insurance policies.

Meanwhile, more than 280,000 people have visited the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange website. Of those, 247,316 conducted pre-screenings to determine eligibility.