Good Morning – August 6 Kentucky News

AUTOMOBILE PRODUCTION

Beshear says Ky. 3rd in  car production nationally

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear is bragging about Kentucky's standing as the nation's third-ranked automobile-producing state.

Beshear said Monday that only Ohio and Michigan produced more vehicles in the first half of 2013. And he said Kentucky is on pace to surpass last year's production total of more than 1 million vehicles.

The second-term Democrat said growth in the automobile industry means more jobs and a stronger economy in Kentucky.

Last year, the state's four assembly plants produced 1,025,730 vehicles. Beshear said he expects to top that this year by some 290,000 vehicles.

Kentucky has plants that produce Ford and Toyota as well as GM's sporty Corvette. The state also has more than 450 automobile-related plants.

COAL REFUNDS

Coal counties get state refunds

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Nearly three dozen Kentucky counties will receive refunds totaling $381,400 from coal mining permit and acreage fees.

The 35 counties will get refunds ranging from $25 to more than $67,000, with 10 counties receiving more than $15,000.

The state's Department for Natural Resources collects mining permit and acreage fees and returns a portion to coal-producing counties' fiscal courts for beneficial projects.

Pike County will receive the largest refund of more than $67,000, followed by Ohio County with more than $34,000, Perry County with about $33,000 and Leslie County with about $28,000.

TEEN DRIVERS

Teen driving academy starts this month in capital

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police are holding the teen driving academy known as "Drive to Stay Alive" again this summer, and the deadline to apply is approaching.

The program is specifically geared toward teenagers, and they must be 16 years old or older, be a licensed driver, have good communication skills and leadership traits and have school permission to participate.

State police say the course teaches skills that could save a participant's life, including actual motor vehicle situations and classroom studies.

There's no fee for the program, but space is limited. For more information or to apply by the Aug. 16 deadline, visit http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org.

The course will be Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.

HOMELESS VETERANS

Louisville organization to use funds to help vets

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Louisville organization that helps homeless people has been awarded a $300,000 grant to provide homeless female veterans and veterans with families with job training to help them succeed in civilian careers.

Volunteers of America in Louisville will receive the funding from the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service. The agency announced Monday it is awarding 22 grants totaling more than $5 million to help about 1,900 veterans.

The Labor Department said services provided will include job placement, on-the-job and classroom training, career counseling, life skills and money management mentoring and help in finding housing

DRIVER-WIFE DEATH

Woman, 76, dies after being backed over by husband

BURLINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Northern Kentucky officials say a 76-year-old woman has died after being hit by a vehicle driven by her husband.

The Boone County sheriff's office says 79-year-old Nathaniel Simpson was backing into his garage as his wife, Phyllis Simpson, was standing inside the garage and going into the rear of the house.

Investigators believe Nathaniel Simpson mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake, backing over Phyllis Simpson. She died at the scene Monday afternoon in Burlington.

The sheriff's office is investigating.

GEORGETOWN PRESIDENT

Georgetown College announces new president

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Georgetown College's new president has been announced. He is M. Dwaine Greene, who has been academic vice president and provost since 2001 at Campbell University in North Carolina.

The board of trustees chose Greene as the college's 24th president last week, and the announcement was made Monday. The school said Greene was not among the original 62 applicants for the post but that the school pursued him after two of three original finalists withdrew.

Greene is a North Carolina native who worked at Chowan College and Lees-McRae College, both in North Carolina, before returning to Campbell, his alma mater. He also studied at Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia.

He begins at Georgetown in late October, succeeding William H. Crouch Jr., who led the college for 22 years.