Kentucky News Now – April 17th 2014

HEROIN BILL

Senate leaders ask for special session

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Senate President Robert Stivers said he will ask Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear to call a special session so lawmakers can strengthen penalties for heroin dealers.

The Kentucky General Assembly adjourned for the year at midnight Tuesday without passing a heroin bill that had the support of both parties and statewide elected officials.

A spokeswoman for Beshear said the governor was traveling on Wednesday and that it was too early to decide if a special session was needed. State officials estimate a special session would cost taxpayers about $60,000 per day.

The Senate passed a bill in January that would make high-volume heroin dealers serve longer sentences. It also would have required the state to pay substance abuse treatment and education programs. The House never voted on the bill.

EVOLUTION DEBATE-NYE

Bill Nye says he underestimated debate's impact

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — TV's "Science Guy" Bill Nye says he underestimated the impact of a February debate in Kentucky on evolution and creationism that drew a massive online audience.

Nye says when he agreed to the debate at The Creation Museum with its founder Ken Ham, he thought it "would get about the same amount of notice as a nice college gig."

Nye offered his thoughts on the Feb. 4 event and why he agreed to it in a letter published in the May/June issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine.

Ahead of the debate, Nye wrote that everyone he met was talking about it, and he "slowly realized that this was a high pressure situation." The event was streamed live on the web and it was widely discussed on Twitter and Facebook.

RACING COMMISSION-LEADER

Director chosen chairman of international industry group

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's executive director has assumed the chairmanship of an international industry group.

John T. Ward is taking over as chairman of the Association of Racing Commissioners International.

RCI is made up of regulators of horse and greyhound racing in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica and Trinidad-Tobago.

The organization's members help ensure the integrity of racing and pari-mutuel wagering.

Ward says his role as chairman will allow him to work even more closely with global leaders in the horse racing industry.

Gov. Steve Beshear named Ward as executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in February 2012.

Ward is a Kentucky Derby-winning trainer with Monarchos in 2001. He has also trained winners in the Kentucky Oaks and the Breeders’ Cup.

CHURCH ABUSE-SCHOOK

Jury convicts ex-priest in sodomy case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A jury in Louisville has convicted a former Catholic priest of three counts of sodomy in a case stemming from the 1970s.

The Jefferson County Circuit Court jury also convicted 66-year-old James Schook on Wednesday of one count of indecent or immoral practice with another.

The jury is to return Thursday for sentencing.

Schook did not testify in the trial that began on Monday.

Richard Whitfield, now in his 50s, testified that he and Schook carried on a years-long sexual relationship that began when he was 13. The other alleged victim, Michael Stansbury, said he had one sexual encounter with Schook.

Schook's attorney challenged the witness accounts, saying they may not be able to accurately recall their ages and the dates of the alleged abuses.

Schook has been diagnosed with skin cancer and sought several delays to the trial.

MILTON-MADISON BRIDGE

Milton-Madison Bridge to reopen by Thursday night

MADISON, Ind. (AP) — A bridge over the Ohio River is set to reopen to traffic by Thursday night and once again allow motorists to drive between Madison, Ind., and Milton, Ky.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that the Milton-Madison Bridge will reopen to all motorists by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting. The bridge temporarily closed March 11.

The reopening would come one week after construction crews finished sliding the nearly half-mile-long bridge 55 feet from temporary piers onto refurbished permanent piers. INDOT says it's the longest bridge in North America to be slid laterally into place.

INDOT says there's still work to do on the $100 million joint project with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, so the bridge will remain a work zone with a 20 mph speed limit for a while.

NEW PLANT

New automative parts industry plant opening in Russell Springs

RUSSELL SPRINGS, Ky. (AP) — An automotive industry plant opening in south-central Kentucky will create 155 full-time jobs.

Germany-based Dr. Schneider Automotive Systems Inc. cut the ribbon Wednesday in Russell Springs on the $29 million parts manufacturing facility.

The company began renovating the building last fall. Gov. Steve Beshear's office says the 64,000-square-foot plant will make parts for companies such as Ford, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and others.

The state has approved the company for tax incentives of up to $4 million.

INNOVATION OFFICE

New Pikeville office to help entrepreneurs

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A new office is opening in Pikeville to help startup companies in Appalachia.

The Kentucky Innovation Network office will be located on the University of Pikeville campus.

Economic Development Secretary Larry Hayes and Acting Business Development Commissioner Mandy Lambert were in Pikeville for the announcement Wednesday.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office says the network helps local companies assess ideas, develop business plans and find grants, loans and capital.

The Pikeville office will serve Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Perry and Pike counties.

Beshear, U.S. Rep. Harold Rogers and others recently announced plans for an initiative known as Shaping Our Appalachian Region, with goals of recruiting and fostering business in the area. Rogers said in the news release from Beshear's office that the network will help entrepreneurs with the challenges of operating a business.

KENTUCKY-NATIONWIDE

Ky. Highway Safety to sponsor Nationwide event

SPARTA, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's Office of Highway Safety will be the title sponsor for Kentucky Speedway's June 27 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

The John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 is the middle event of a tripleheader weekend at the 1.5-mile track including the 225-mile Camping World Truck Series race on June 26 and the Sprint Cup Series' 400-mile headliner on June 28.

Wednesday's announcement continues a partnership between the speedway and the department's HERO program intended to promote the use of designated drivers.

Speedway general manager Mark Simendinger says "it's good to know that peoples' lives are being saved with this program."

The race is named for Elliott, a Navy Ensign and U.S. Naval Academy graduate who was killed in a head-on collision with a drunken driver in July 2000 while traveling home to New Jersey from Annapolis, Md. Elliott's family established the national HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers.