Wrapping Up The Week With Kentucky News

POLITICAL REDISTRICTING

Governor stands ready to sign redistricting bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A legislative redistricting bill that steamrolled through the House is scheduled for a Senate vote Friday morning.

Gov. Steve Beshear said he stands ready to sign the measure into law on Friday, after lawmakers finish up their work of redrawing boundary lines around House and Senate districts.

The Senate State and Local Government Committee unanimously approved the proposal Thursday.

Redistricting is undertaken every 10 years to account for population changes recorded by the Census Bureau. Kentucky had major population shifts between 2000 and 2010, requiring reconfiguration of legislative districts in both the House and Senate to comply with the federal and state "one person, one vote" mandate. The state's overall population rose from 4 million to 4.3 million while shifting largely from rural communities to urban areas.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Lawmakers to receive sexual harassment training

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — House lawmakers would have to undergo annual sexual harassment sensitivity training under a resolution approved Thursday, after three legislative staffers filed sexual harassment complaints with the Legislative Ethics Commission.

The allegations against Democratic state Rep. John Arnold of Sturgis triggered a public outcry, forcing House Speaker Greg Stumbo to address the matter on the floor Thursday evening. He assured angry colleagues the matter "will be dealt with responsibly" and that Arnold could be expelled from the House if the charges are proven.

Arnold refused to answer questions about the allegations on Wednesday and was absent on Thursday.

In the complaints, first reported by Louisville public radio station WFPL-FM, the staffers alleged that Arnold had touched them inappropriately and had made vulgar comments over a period of years.

KENTUCKY-SECURITY CHANGES

Wildcats ban backpacks, big bags at football games

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — University of Kentucky officials have announced a new security policy that bans backpacks and large bags from Commonwealth Stadium.

Fans are allowed one small bag no bigger than 13.5 by 10.7 inches that must fit within sizing bins at stadium gates.

The measure announced Thursday takes effect with Kentucky's Sept. 7 home opener against Miami (Ohio).

A release from the school states the new measures were taken in response to recent national events and security trends for large gatherings. Kentucky's backpacks ban adds to a list of prohibited items including alcohol, tobacco, aluminum and glass containers, ice chests and artificial noisemakers.

Fans are also urged to arrive early and bring few items inside Commonwealth.

COAL ASH SPILL

Workers say coal ash cleanup made them sick

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A group of workers who cleaned up the Kingston coal ash spill claim a contractor failed to protect them from the dangerous toxins in fly ash.

A group of 49 plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in federal court in Knoxville on Thursday against Pasadena, Calif.,-based Jacobs Engineering Group.

The suit claims Jacobs officials intentionally lied to workers, saying fly ash was safe enough to drink.

The suit claims workers were not given respirators or protective clothing and were not allowed to wear their own protective gear.

It claims workers have suffered eye problems, sinus problems, heart problems and lung problems.

The suit seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages.

A representative of Jacobs Engineering did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Thursday afternoon.

AK STEEL SETTLEMENT

AK Steel reaches $1.6M settlement with feds

(Information in the following story is from: The Independent, http://www.dailyindependent.com )

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) — AK Steel Corp. is paying a $1.6 million civil penalty to resolve air pollution violations that occurred at its now-closed coke plant in Ashland.

The settlement also calls for AK Steel to spend at least $2 million to improve emissions at its Ashland West Works facility.

The Independent in Ashland reports Kentucky will receive $25,000 of that penalty.

The West Chester, Ohio, company said in a statement Wednesday that the settlement was reached "without admission of the alleged violations by AK Steel."

Robert Dreher with the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division says the settlement holds AK accountable for years of violations at the plant. AK Steel closed the coke plant in June 2011.