Kentucky News Now

RAND PAUL in NC

Kentucky's Rand Paul visiting NC to help candidates

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul scheduled a swing through North Carolina on Wednesday to help its Republican Senate candidate, Thom Tillis, in his challenge against Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan of that state.

The potential 2016 presidential candidate was set to campaign with Tillis in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Wednesday and attend a fundraiser before going to Greenville for an evening appearance with U.S. Rep. Walter Jones.

Paul spent Tuesday in South Carolina, where the first-in-the-South presidential primary is held.

Paul wants Tillis to defeat Hagan and secure a GOP majority in the U.S. Senate.

Tillis got help raising money the previous two weeks from other possible presidential contenders— New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

CANDIDATE INDICTED

Ky. House candidate faces charge, urged to end bid

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The chairman of Kentucky's Republican Party has called on a Democratic state House candidate to withdraw from the race after the candidate was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of failing to promptly report suspected sexual abuse of a child.

John Wayne Smith was one of six current or former officials at the Bluegrass Challenge Academy indicted on the charge of not reporting the matter as soon as possible, according to an indictment. It said the charge stems from the case of a 44-year-old man charged with sexually abusing three students at the academy at Fort Knox.

Smith is challenging Republican Rep. Michael Meredith in western Kentucky. Smith's campaign website says he was director of the Bluegrass Challenge Academy from 2003 to 2013.

Calls by The Associated Press to Smith weren't returned.

SCHOOL EVACUATED-KENTUCKY UPDATE

Police: 1 student hurt, high school evacuated in shooting on campus in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville police say they have arrested a juvenile in the shooting of a high school student that prompted a school-wide lockdown and evacuation.

Sgt. Phil Russell says the alleged shooter was picked up about three hours after a Fern Creek Traditional High School student was wounded Tuesday afternoon.

The shooting prompted a lockdown and later the evacuation of the 1,400-student school.

Russell did not immediately release any information about the person arrested or what motivated the incident.

Russell says the wounded student had non-life threatening injuries and was reunited with parents at University Hospital. He didn't say if the injured student and shooter knew each other or if the shooter was a student at Fern Creek.

SEVERE WEATHER-KENTUCKY

Federal disaster declared following August storms

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — President Barack Obama has issued a major disaster declaration to help with recovery from August storms, washed-out roads and flooding in eastern Kentucky.

Gov. Steve Beshear asked for the declaration, saying the severe storms and flooding Aug. 18 to 23 caused damage to the state and community infrastructure in Floyd, Knott, Johnson and Pike counties and to private homes. Beshear said more than $6 million in damages was found in a preliminary assessment.

U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers wrote to Obama supporting the request.

BANK FRAUD-CHARGES

California man charged with bank fraud

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The one-time owner of an Orange County, California mortgage lending company has been charged with defrauding two banks of $12 million by submitting fake funding requests for nonexistent loans.

A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky handed up the indictment of 49-year-old Brady Bunte on Tuesday on a charge of bank fraud. Grand jurors say Bunte submitted 53 fraudulent requests through his company, Trust One Mortgage, to National City Bank and PNC Bank.

Grand jurors said the scheme ran from March 2007 through November 2008.

National City Bank's warehouse lending operations were located Kentucky. PNC acquired National City Bank.

Bunte was charged in a sealed indictment on Sept. 18, 2014. He was arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, California, and was released on a $100,000 bond.

E COLI CASES

Health Department warns against unpasteurized milk

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky health officials are reminding residents not to consume unpasteurized milk or other products that could lead to E. coli infection.

The warning follows recent cases of the infection in north-central Kentucky and hospitalization of four children. Four of the five children associated with the cluster developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure.

Public Health Commissioner Stephanie Mayfield says all of the children consumed unpasteurized milk, which is not like milk and dairy products available at grocery stores. She says anyone who drinks unpasteurized milk can be susceptible but especially children.

The Public Health Department says lab testing hasn't positively identified the source of the recent illnesses. But the agency issued a warning about unpasteurized milk after finding out the affected children had consumed it.

BRIDGE COLLAPSE-FIREFIGHTERS

Firefighters recovering after bridge collapse

WARFIELD, Ky. (AP) — Two eastern Kentucky firefighters are recovering after their fire truck fell into a creek when a bridge collapsed as they were traveling over it.

Rhonda Estepp and Gregory Alley, who are members of the Warfield Volunteer Fire Department in Martin County, told WYMT-TV that they feel lucky to be alive.

The station reports the firefighters were crossing a bridge on the department's main engine when the structure collapsed and the truck fell into the water below. Both were able to make it out of the truck and out of the creek with help from other first responders.

Fire officials say the truck is a total loss, and they will have to rely on other nearby departments in Inez and Kermit until they can replace the engine and other equipment.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Lawmaker wants LRC report released to public

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A state lawmaker is calling for the results of a review on the operations of Kentucky legislative staff to be made public.

The National Conference of State Legislatures was brought in to do the review after sexual harassment allegations last year prompted the resignations of a state lawmaker and the director of the Legislative Research Commission.

The Courier-Journal reports the conference issued findings in April. But the newspaper was told after an open records request that the full report could not be released because it is an unfinished draft.

Rep. Tom Riner, a Louisville Democrat, says the report should be released now. Riner says he is concerned that the release is being stalled until after the November election.

WILDFIRE SEASON

Bloodhounds to help investigate fall wildfires

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Division of Forestry says it will use bloodhounds to help investigate arson cases as the fall wildfire season begins.

A statement from the agency says it is the first time trained dogs are being used to help with investigations. The initiative is possible through a partnership with the Bell County Forestry Camp. The statement says multiple dogs and handlers will be available to help Division of Forestry officers investigate suspicious blazes.

The fall wildfire season beings on Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 15.

COMBS-CUMBERLAND

Bust of former governor Combs unveiled in Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (AP) — A new bust of former Kentucky Gov. Bert T. Combs has been unveiled at University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, where Combs graduated in 1930 and where a scholarship in his name is established.

Combs' widow, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Sara Combs, unveiled the bust along with university President Jim Taylor in an event leading up to 125th homecoming activities over the weekend.

Combs said there's no other place where her husband is remembered and respected as he is in Williamsburg.

Bert T. Combs was governor from 1959 to 1963. He died in 1991.

The bust was unveiled in the foyer of the Cumberland Inn.