Kentucky News Now

SENATE KENTUCKY-ROMNEY

Romney to raise money for McConnell in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Mitt Romney is coming to Kentucky to raise money for U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the latest in a string of high-profile politicians getting in on one of the country's most competitive midterm races.

McConnell's campaign confirmed Tuesday that the 2012 Republican presidential nominee will visit Lexington on Oct. 2. Kentucky native and Alliance Resource Partners CEO Joe Craft will host the event along with his fiancee, Kelly Knight, a former Bush administration appointee.

The Lexington Herald-Leader first reported the news.

McConnell is in the middle of the toughest re-election campaign of his career against Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. Grimes has held Kentucky fundraisers with former President Bill Clinton and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The race is being closely watched nationally as Republicans try to take the Senate during the last two years of President Barack Obama's term.

KENTUCKY SENATE-ALBRIGHT

Madeline Albright endorses Grimes for Senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has endorsed Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Albright was the first woman to become Secretary of State when former President Bill Clinton appointed her in 1997. She also served on former President Jimmy Carter's National Security Council.

In a news release, Albright called Grimes one of the brightest young leaders in America.

Grimes is challenging Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell in one of the country's most-watched races as Republicans and Democrats battle for control of the Senate.

McConnell also has the support of a former secretary of state in Condoleezza Rice. The former Secretary of State under President George W. Bush headlined a fundraiser for McConnell at Rupp Arena in March in advance of the May 20 Republican primary.

CONGRESSMAN-THREATS

Kentucky man charged with threatening congressman

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Richmond man has been charged with threatening U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and officials say he also spoke of wanting to kill former Congressman Ben Chandler.

The FBI released an affidavit on Tuesday saying 40-year-old Russell Little repeatedly phoned Barr's Lexington office over a five-month span and made "both explicit and direct" threats.

Barr, a Republican, defeated Chandler, a Democrat, in 2013 for the central Kentucky seat.

FBI agent Michael Van Aelstyn wrote that Little also called Barr's office on Aug. 4 and "used a variety of curse words" to express his anger with Barr and Chandler.

Kentucky State Police arrested Little later that day and seized a loaded .38 caliber pistol from the front passenger seat of his car.

Little's attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

TORNADO TOWN-INDICTMENT

Morgan County leader pleads guilty to kickbacks

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The top elected official in an Appalachian county devastated by a 2012 tornado has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge stemming from a scheme to steer work to a construction contractor in exchange for hefty kickbacks.

Morgan County Judge-Executive Tim Conley pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of mail fraud. He broke down with emotion in court as he recalled the tornado and told the judge he takes full responsibility for his actions.

The charge stems from allegations that Conley raked in kickbacks of more than $100,000 on bridge building contracts.

Prosecutors said the scheme began about three years before Morgan County was ravaged by the tornado on March 2, 2012, but Conley continued cashing in while the area struggled to recover from the storm that leveled much of West Liberty's downtown.

STATE POLICE MEMORIAL

State police leaders return from Grand Canyon hike to raise money for trooper memorial

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The head of the Kentucky State Police and a lieutenant colonel in the agency are back after a two-day, 30-mile hike across the Grand Canyon, all to honor troopers who served and those who died.

State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer and Lt. Col. Jack Miniard used vacation time to make the trip last weekend and paid their own expenses. They want supporters to donate a dollar to a project to erect a 7-and-a-half foot bronze trooper statue on the grounds of the new state police Training Academy in Frankfort.

Brewer and Miniard carried photos of the 27 officers who lost their lives in the line of duty since the agency's founding in 1948.

To donate, visit http://www.thetrooperproject.com or mail to The Trooper Project, 919 Versailles Road, Frankfort, KY 40601.

LOUISVILLE-MINIMUM WAGE

Attorney: Louisville can set own minimum wage

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Jefferson County attorney has issued a legal opinion saying Louisville officials can set a minimum wage in the city.

Media report that Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell told Metro Council members in a letter that they could pass an ordinance setting a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state without conflicting with state law.

The opinion comes in response to a request from Councilwoman Attica Scott. She is part of a Democratic majority on the council who have voiced support for an increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour.

Scott and other council members said they plan to introduce an ordinance for a gradual increase.

State lawmakers did not pass a proposal earlier this year to raise the minimum wage statewide.

TOYOTA EXPANSION

Grant spurs Toyota expansion in Michigan, moving jobs from Kentucky

YORK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. says it's expanding its technical center in Michigan and moving 250 jobs from Kentucky.

The automaker's expansion in Washtenaw County's York Township near Ann Arbor comes as a result of a $4 million state grant approved Tuesday by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Toyota plans to build a new facility and relocate the positions from its North American manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, Kentucky.

Township officials also are considering tax incentives.

The center serves as the corporation's research and development arm in North America, and is responsible for the development of vehicles that are built and sold throughout the continent. The company also has R&D facilities in Ann Arbor, Plymouth and Livonia.

COLLEGE TRANSFERS

Regional colleges, EKU reach transfer agreement

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Community and Technical College System has reached an agreement with Eastern Kentucky University to allow seamless transfers for students.

The regional college system says the agreement signed Monday provides a structure for exchanging transfer information between it and Eastern and also identifies students who are likely to consider transferring. The system said in a news release the agreement will also enhance advising services and minimize lost transfer credit.

For more information, visit http://colonelconnection.eku.edu .

RETIREMENT SYSTEM-SEVEN COUNTIES

Court ruling won't impact Kentucky's credit rating

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Moody's said it will not downgrade Kentucky's credit rating despite a recent federal bankruptcy decision that could cost the state nearly $1 billion over 20 years.

The credit rating agency said Monday that Kentucky has enough resources to manage the added expenses caused by a judge's decision to let a private Louisville community mental health center leave the Kentucky Employees Retirement System without paying its share of the $17.1 billion unfunded liability.

Kentucky Retirement Systems is appealing the judge's ruling. Moody's noted it would cost the state an extra $2.4 billion over 20 years if all of the community mental health centers left the system.

But Moody's said its calculations show the departures of community mental health centers would not increase the state's overall $41.4 billion adjusted net pension liability.