Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
The interim news editor is Joe Danborn. Reach the Louisville bureau at (800) 292-3560 or (502) 583-7718 or aplouisville@ap.org.
Please send your story contributions by email (plain text only, no attachments) to aplouisville@ap.org.
Please send photo contributions, including caption information, by ftp or by email to statephotos@ap.org. Please send separate emails for each image you are sharing.
AP stories, photos, graphics and video can be found at http://www.apexchange.com. Help getting content you can't find at the website is available from the Service Desk at (877) 836-9477 or apcustomersupport@ap.org.
For more information about the AP in Kentucky, please check http://www.ap.org/states/kentucky.
TOP STORIES:
SESSION WRAPUP
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky lawmakers boosted state funding for schools, revamped the juvenile justice system to lock up fewer kids and legalized a medicinal oil derived from marijuana to ease the suffering of children stricken with seizures. The 2014 General Assembly session ended at the stroke of midnight after a final day of maneuvering Tuesday. The politically divided legislature accomplished its primary tasks — passing a $20.3 billion, two-year state budget, followed by a $4.1 billion transportation spending plan. By Bruce Schreiner. SENT: 690 words, lists of passing, failing legislation.
HEROIN BILL
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The support of the governor, attorney general and leaders of both parties in the state Legislature was not enough to pass a bill strengthening sentences for serious heroin dealers and expanding the state's substance abuse treatment programs. Now, Republican Senate President Robert Stivers says he will ask Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear to call state lawmakers back to Frankfort for a special session so they can try again. By Adam Beam. SENT: 360 words.
___
CHURCH ABUSE-SCHOOK
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — 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. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 300 words by 8:30 p.m. EDT.
EVOLUTION DEBATE-NYE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — TV's "Science Guy" Bill Nye said he underestimated the impact of a February debate in Kentucky on evolution and creationism that drew a massive online audience. When Nye agreed to the debate at The Creation Museum with its founder Ken Ham, he said he believed it would draw about as much attention as presentations he makes on college campuses. By Dylan Lovan. SENT: 450 words, photos.
ALSO:
MID-CONTINENT UNIVERSITY
MAYFIELD, Ky. — Officials at the financially struggling Mid-Continent University have decided to close the school on June 30. Media reported the board of trustees announced the decision Tuesday evening after meeting for three hours. SENT: 240 words.
MILTON-MADISON BRIDGE
MADISON, Ind. — A new Ohio River bridge is set to reopen to traffic by Thursday night after a more than month-long closure forced motorists to travel 25 miles to the nearest alternate bridge in southeast Indiana, the Indiana Department of Transportation said Wednesday. The Milton-Madison Bridge temporarily closed on March 11 to allow crews to finish a phase of construction along the half-mile-long span that connects Madison, Ind., and Milton, Ky. The bridge is twice as wide as the old bridge it replaced. SENT: 300 words.
IN BRIEF:
JOBLESS RATE — Kentucky officials say annual unemployment rates rose last year for 57 of the state's 120 counties but dropped for 51 counties. SENT: 130 words.
FARM TO CAMPUS — Campbellsville University has joined the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Farm to Campus program. By joining the initiative, the school will make more local food available to students. SENT: 100 words.
FORT KNOX-TRAINING — A live fire training exercise is scheduled to take place at Fort Knox. SENT: 100 words.
PARK GRANTS — Grants are now available to educators interested in taking students on field trips to Land Between The Lakes, a 170,000-acre recreation area on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. SENT: 130 words.
BOY SCOUTS MERGER — Two West Virginia-based Boy Scouts of America councils that also serve Kentucky are planning to merge. SENT: 120 words.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.