Thursday, April 30, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Federal judge who set Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage on path to Supreme Court dies

04/30/2015 05:30 AM
U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II, whose rulings striking down bans on same-sex marriage paved the way for what could be a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on the divisive issue, died at age 66 on Wednesday. Heyburn’s passing comes a day after the high court heard arguments in cases challenging laws against same-sex marriage in Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan and Ohio. He had battled liver cancer for several years. Heyburn, who battled cancer, was nominated to the federal bench... Read more 

GOP candidates keep the gloves on in Americans for Prosperity debate

04/29/2015 05:47 PM
BOWLING GREEN — Three Republican gubernatorial candidates stayed civil during a debate hosted by the small-government advocacy group Americans for Prosperity on Tuesday, honing messages and themes they’ve frequently reiterated on the campaign trail. Much of the debate at Western Kentucky University focused on health care, particularly the state’s health exchange kynect and Gov. Steve Beshear’s decision to expand Medicaid eligibility. Of the three participating in Tuesday evening’s candidate forum, Hal Heiner said the state should offer some form of health... Read more 

Sen. Ralph Alvarado selected as one of GOPAC's 2015 Emerging Leaders in Republican Party

04/29/2015 04:00 PM
FRANKFORT — First-term Sen. Ralph Alvarado has been named one of GOPAC’s Class of 2015 Emerging Leaders following his first session in the General Assembly. The Emerging Leaders program is a yearlong initiative to coach and develop state legislators around the country on how to be effective legislative and political leaders. GOPAC Chairman David Avella said that Alvarado will join 21 other members of this year’s class at a summit June 8-11 where they will take part in skill seminars that will... Read more 

President Obama co-stars in latest pro-Comer super PAC ad

04/29/2015 10:35 AM
Kentuckians for Growth, Opportunity and Prosperity has rolled out a new television ad boosting Republican gubernatorial candidate James Comer’s profile against a familiar Democratic foe less than three weeks before GOP voters hit the polls. President Barack Obama has a co-starring role in the 30-second KGOP spot, which is airing in the Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and Hazard broadcast markets per Federal Communications Commission filings. An official with KGOP — a super political action committee backing Comer’s gubernatorial bid that has... Read more 

Kenton County judge-executive sees continued steady growth, "far greater" airport board structure

04/29/2015 09:13 AM
COVINGTON — Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knochelmann, who won that position after a hard-fought primary against Republican incumbent Steve Arlinghaus last May, feels that his county will continue to grow and attract more businesses and jobs to the area while tightening the county government’s purse strings. Knochelmann ran for office on the platform of better fiscal responsibility, focusing on the discovery of lavish spending practices by members of the Kenton County Airport Board, a fact later confirmed by Auditor Adam Edelen... Read more 
The Louisville Metro Council, Mayor Greg Fischer and MSD officials announced a plan this week for possibly creating a home buyout program for houses in the area that have been consistently flooded-out during the past several years. Right now, there are a slew of homeowners in flood-prone areas with flood damage they can’t repair even though they have flood insurance. At issue is an almost decade-old local ordinance borne out of a federal initiative. In 2006, the Metro Council made MSD the flood plain manager of the area. This means the quasi-governmental agency is in charge of enforcing the so-called “50 percent [...]
Thu, Apr 30, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
The stage is now set for the 141st Kentucky Derby. American Pharoah is the favorite at 5-2 and Dortmund is the second choice at 3-1 to win the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Both horses are trained by renowned horse trainer Bob Baffert. Baffert recognizes that American Pharoah will start from a tough spot. On Wednesday evening, the thoroughbred drew the No. 18 post, near the far outside rail. “It’s not a bad spot for him. He’s big, he’s quick, he’s fast, he can maneuver,” he said. “It could have been worse.” Baffert said he expects the race to be “aggressively run” and is happy the [...]
Thu, Apr 30, 2015 12:31:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
John G. Heyburn II, a federal judge who in recent years made national headlines by striking down Kentucky’s same-sex marriage ban, died Wednesday, according to The Courier-Journal. He was 66. Heyburn was a U.S. district judge for the Western Kentucky District, a post he’d held since 1992. Last year, he wrote two orders striking down Kentucky’s same-sex marriage ban on the ground that the law violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The orders were overturned by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals; the Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on those cases and other same-sex marriage [...]
Wed, Apr 29, 2015 11:48:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
A Lexington blogger, who has repeatedly alleged but offered no proof that Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer once assaulted a woman, acknowledged this week that he communicated with people associated…Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Apr 29, 2015 6:22:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Two worker say former Democratic state Rep. John Arnold sexually harassed them multiple times over several years and that the Legislative Research Commission worked to cover it up. Arnold has…Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Apr 29, 2015 5:40:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Goshen daughter of two mothers rallies for marriage equality outside Supreme Court

04/28/2015 10:00 PM
Plaintiffs challenging Kentucky’s constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage weren’t the only representatives from the Bluegrass in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Goshen native Kinsey Morrison, an 18-year-old freshman at Stanford University, spoke at the Unite for Marriage rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices heard arguments in what could become a landmark decision on same-sex marriage. Six couples are challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, and the high court is hearing cases from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. Justices are... Read more 

Heiner focuses on faith while Bevin takes outsider approach in latest TV ads

04/28/2015 11:04 AM
Republican gubernatorial hopefuls Hal Heiner and Matt Bevin are taking different tacts in new television ads released on Tuesday. Heiner’s campaign highlighted his religious faith in a 30-second spot titled “Man of Faith,” the first ad featuring Heiner with his wife, daughter and grandchildren. Bevin, meanwhile, calls himself a “real deal conservative” in his ad, called “Conservative Change.” The Heiner ad is the campaign’s first to focus solely on religion, although faith has been a key part of Heiner’s candidacy. The Rev. Bob... Read more 

Boone County clerk sees technical innovations pay off, low turnout ahead for primary

04/28/2015 10:10 AM
BURLINGTON — Boone County Clerk Kenny Brown saw his office have a $1.6 million surplus of funds during his first four years in office — more than double what the previous clerk had during the same amount of time. Brown, who won re-election in November, said there were a number of key reasons that led to the large surplus amount. “We kept our budget significantly lower. It’s lower than when I took office in 2010,” he said. “Our management staff is streamlined.... Read more 
Fresh striping on two seven-block strips of downtown Louisville street will bring more room for bikes and parking in the coming weeks. The $23,000 project will add buffered bike lanes on Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Chestnut Street, both between Sixth Street to 13th Street, said Rolf Eisinger, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for Louisville Metro. Ali and Chestnut streets will keep two lanes dedicated to motor vehicle traffic, Eisinger said. The only major change, along with the addition of the bike lanes, will be two lanes of new 24-hour parking along the two outer lanes of each street, he added. Current street configurations disallow parking during peak [...]
Wed, Apr 29, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Kentucky's leading Republican candidates for governor jockeyed to position themselves on the right side of key conservative issues during a debate Tuesday night before one of the country's major conservative…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 10:37:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Kentuckians involved in the gay marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court  say they are relieved the legal battle is near its end. Laura Ellis Bojangles Blanchard The justices heard oral arguments on the gay marriage issue on Tuesday, and Kentuckians in the case traveled to Washington, D.C. to be present. They include Louisville residents Dominique James and Reverend Maurice “Bojangles” Blanchard, who are among the Kentucky couples suing the state over its gay marriage ban. Blanchard said the experience of watching his lawsuit argued before the nation’s highest court was emotional. The plaintiffs—including Blanchard and James—walked out of the court to a sea of supporters and [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 9:11:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said the heap of bricks, twisted metal and asbestos lining the sidewalk along Third Street near Muhammad Ali Boulevard is safer than the structures that had stood at the site for nearly a century. Fischer ordered the structures demolished two weeks ago after receiving a report that said the buildings posed “imminent safety concerns for the community” and “should be removed immediately,” according to a statement sent from city officials. The facades of the Morrissey Garage and Falls City Theater Company buildings were removed immediately, much to the disdain of local preservationists. “At this point, the old adage of you don’t know [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 7:20:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Three weeks before Kentucky's May primary election, court action Tuesday means Kentucky does not have a ban on electioneering near polling places.Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 6:57:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Justice Anthony Kennedy, who might hold the key to an historic civil-rights ruling, gave few clues to his thinking Tuesday as he tossed thorny questions at lawyers on both sides…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 3:47:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

James Comer proposes teaming earned-income tax credit and right-to-work law to grow middle class

04/27/2015 07:24 PM
Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer unveiled the final points of his campaign platform on Monday, adding an earned-income tax credit to his gubernatorial wish list about three weeks before Republican voters pick their nominee. Comer and his running mate, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, said the issue isn’t a strictly partisan one, even as Comer cited one of the most liberal supporters of the idea, Democratic Rep. Jim Wayne of Louisville, in his remarks at Bowman Field. The gubernatorial ticket flew to... Read more 

Comer says he will abolish legislative pensions if elected as group again questions his 2005 vote

04/27/2015 05:30 PM
As a group supporting GOP gubernatorial hopeful Hal Heiner launched a second ad attacking Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer for his 2005 vote to enhance legislative pension benefits, the former state lawmakers says he will end the retirement plan if elected governor. Citizens for a Sound Government, a pro-Heiner 501(c )(4) organization, began airing a 30-second spot titled “That Was Clearly A Bad Vote” in the Lexington and Bowling Green markets on Monday. The ad uses Comer’s response to a question... Read more 
People have been lining up outside the U.S. Supreme Court for days hoping that they will be among the lucky ones to get a seat for Tuesday’s historic arguments on gay marriage. Related StoryHow Lawsuits Against Kentucky's Gay Marriage Ban Reached The U.S. Supreme CourtAs of now, gay marriage is legal in 36 states. By the end of this Supreme Court term, either same-sex couples will be able to wed in all 50 states, or gay marriage bans may be reinstituted in many of the states where they’ve previously been struck down. Tuesday’s Supreme Court arguments focus on two questions: First, whether [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 11:08:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Louisville health officials are closing three of the city’s six clinics from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants And Children, or WIC. WIC is a federal program that helps provide healthy food, formula and nutrition education to families that are up to 185 percent of the poverty level. But fewer Jefferson County residents are using the program, which means the area is going to get considerably less federal money for it, city health officials said. As a result, Louisville Metro Health and Wellness officials said the program is facing a $300,000 shortfall this fiscal year ending in June and a shortfall of at [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 2:26:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer and his running mate, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, went on a flying tour across the state Monday to meet with supporters of their bid for office. In the campaign stops in Paducah, London, Louisville and Bowling Green, Comer unveiled the remaining three planks of his five-point platform, focusing on reducing the size of government, growing the middle class and investing in the state’s future. He said he’ll achieve those goals by reducing government spending by 10 percent, providing an earned 10 percent income tax credit for families that make $100,000 or less and decreasing Kentucky’s debt ratio to less [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 2:19:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Looking to woo New York's Orthodox Jewish community, Republican presidential contender Rand Paul faced tough questions Monday about his support for Israel and his approach to foreign policy in the…Click to Continue » [...]
Tue, Apr 28, 2015 12:38:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan defend their prohibitions on men or women being married to each other. Same-sex couples…Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Apr 27, 2015 4:50:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Monday, April 27, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

The Chatter: Former Gov. Fletcher’s aides become fodder in GOP primary

04/26/2015 03:50 PM
Pointed elbows in this year’s race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination stayed sharp on Saturday as Agriculture Commissioner James Comer conjured memories of a GOP hiring scandal that paved the way for two-term Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s first election in 2007. Comer, who helped former U.S. Rep. Anne Northup’s 2007 primary challenge against then-Gov. Ernie Fletcher, criticized former Louisville Metro Councilman Hal Heiner’s supporters who previously worked under Fletcher during a Jessamine County debate Saturday, according to reports by The Courier-Journal... Read more 

Comcast-Time Warner merger collapses under federal scrutiny

04/24/2015 04:22 PM
Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s proposed $45 billion merger is no more as the companies announced publicly Friday that the deal was aborted. The deal was first proposed 14-months ago, but regulators with the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission expressed concerns that the combined companies, the two largest national cable providers, would have too much control over the spectrum. “Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s decision to end Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable is in the best... Read more 

Scott proposes different prison path for low-level felons with drug addictions

04/24/2015 02:50 PM
LA GRANGE — Republican gubernatorial candidate Will T. Scott proposed a sizable shift in Kentucky’s corrections system on Friday, suggesting the state build more minimum-security prisons, enhance partnerships with drug courts and finance involuntary imprisonment for drug addicts. Roederer Correctional Complex in La Grange served as a backdrop for Scott, a former Kentucky Supreme Court justice, as he unveiled his criminal-justice plan. “This is where every felony inmate starts out in Kentucky, and this is where their prison paths are assigned,”... Read more 
Hundreds of residents have expressed support for the preservation of two historic buildings on a block in downtown Louisville slated for a major development. The buildings, the Odd Fellows Hall and the Water Company building, are two of four historic structures that once stood on what is known as the Old Water Company block near Third Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard. Earlier this month, Louisville Metro government began razing the Morrissey Garage and the Falls City Theater Company buildings because they deemed the them to be a public safety hazard. But a recent report from Insider Louisville raised questions about the validity of the engineering reports on [...]
Mon, Apr 27, 2015 11:01:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
It's 10 seconds James Comer probably wishes he could have back.Click to Continue » [...]
Mon, Apr 27, 2015 8:52:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
State law requires executive branch officials to submit a filing each year by April 15, detailing their families' income, debts and property. The figures do not include the officials' state…Click to Continue » [...]
Sun, Apr 26, 2015 11:21:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Kentucky’s case before the Supreme Court started with a conversation between attorneys Shannon Fauver and Dawn Elliott. As they chatted in Fauver’s Louisville office, the U.S. Supreme Court was considering a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, a piece of legislation that was an obstacle to same-sex marriage being made legal in the U.S. “We were waiting actually for the Supreme Court on the Windsor case and at that point we didn’t know what the ruling was going to be—and they kept postponing,” Fauver said. “And we were talking about what would happen next, like would be the next steps for [...]
Sun, Apr 26, 2015 10:48:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
A Kentucky proposal to study the background levels of certain chemicals in urban soil has gotten funding from the federal government. The study will look at the background levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, in urban areas. PAHs are a combination of chemicals that occur naturally, and are also man made. “If you’re in an urban area that has quite a bit of industry around, your typical levels out in the environment will be higher for PAHs and lead, that’s just something you know going into it,” said Kentucky Division of Waste Management Assistant Director Tim Hubbard. PAHs are products of the [...]
Sun, Apr 26, 2015 1:05:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
WASHINGTON — As he began his first re-election run in early 2013, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie of Vanceburg had no trouble raising money from business interests.Click to Continue » [...]
Sun, Apr 26, 2015 4:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU Elsie Crawford Case of Maysville, who appeared in TV campaign commercials for her granddaughter, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, died Thursday. She was 84. “Granny was my biggest fan and fiercest advocate, and knowing she was in my corner always gave me the strength and confidence to dream big and work to make it a reality,” Grimes said in a release. Case earned a fan base of her own during Grimes’ 2011 campaign for the office of secretary of state, filming commercials and encouraging citizens to vote in the election alongside Thelma Lundergan McHugh, Grimes’ late paternal grandmother. In [...]
Fri, Apr 24, 2015 6:07:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

Friday, April 24, 2015

Today's Political Headlines

Neville Blakemore running away from Democratic treasurer's field in fundraising with $340k raised in the race

04/23/2015 09:51 PM
Of the five Democrats vying for the open office of state treasurer, one candidate is far and away winning the fundraising battle. Neville Blakemore leads the Democratic field for treasurer in the quest for cash, bringing in more than $136,000 in the latest 32-day pre-primary report. The fundraising haul brings Blakemore just over $340,000 raised during the race, according to his campaign. The Louisville Democrat gave his own campaign more than $50,000 plus more than $1,000 in additional in-kind contributions during... Read more 

Caught in the middle: Heiner fielding attacks from Bevin, Comer in GOP primary

04/23/2015 07:04 PM
From polls testing potential hits against him to a website titled “What’s Hal Hiding?” to persistent insinuations that he’s illegally coordinating with an outside spending group, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Hal Heiner finds himself squarely in Matt Bevin’s and James Comer’s crosshairs less than four weeks before GOP voters pick their nominee. Heiner, who has led the four-way Republican primary in the most recent public polling, dismissed his opponents’, particularly Bevin’s, latest round of attacks as hypocritical given their insistence that he... Read more 

N. Ky. football coach looks to tackle school bullying starting with his team

04/23/2015 02:21 PM
DRY RIDGE — Grant County Head Football Coach Kevin Siple thinks that training his players how to treat other students in the school with kindness could be an effective way to combat bullying. Bullying is one of the less desirable aspects of students attending school. The act leaves targeted students feeling helpless, depressed, and out of touch, which leads to a number of things such as poor grades, low self-esteem and, in some extreme cases, suicide. Siple believes that,... Read more 

GOP gubernatorial candidates clash at NKU debate 

04/23/2015 01:33 PM
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS – With less than a month before the primary election, the GOP candidates for governor are beginning to mix it up more and more in public appearances. The latest example came late Wednesday when former Louisville metro councilman Hal Heiner, investment manager Matt Bevin, and state Sen. Chris McDaniel — who was pinch-hitting for running mate James Comer, took part in a one hour forum at Northern Kentucky University. The fourth GOP candidate, former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Will... Read more 
The Louisville Orchestra is taking it to the streets for the final performance of their 2014-15 season, with a block party on Saturday evening. Main Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, in front of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, will closed to traffic for this “bring your own chair” event. The festivities are free and open to the public, and will also include food trucks and games. At 8 p.m., the orchestra’s concert in Whitney Hall will be broadcast live on a giant screen to the crowd outside. The party kicks off at 5 p.m. with local entertainment including the River City [...]
Fri, Apr 24, 2015 11:00:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Without debate, the Louisville Metro Council unanimously approved a measure Thursday evening giving local health officials approval to start a needle exchange program. The ordinance was fast-tracked through the council in light of two public health crises in the area. Louisville—as well as much of the state—is experiencing a spike in heroin and intravenous drug use. Simultaneously, Scott County in Southern Indiana is battling an HIV outbreak. Earlier this year, the Kentucky General Assembly gave local governments the ability to start a needle exchange program as part of legislative effort aimed at dealing with rampant heroin use in the state. Councilman Rick Blackwell, D-12, [...]
Fri, Apr 24, 2015 12:50:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
An expansion of the Frazier History Museum to include a bourbon-centric visitors’ center would be a “game-changer” for the bourbon industry and the region, said the president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. But it may be some time before that happens. Plans for the expansion were announced Thursday. The visitors’ center would include bourbon exhibitions and programs. (More details can be found here.) The visitors’ center would be the official starting point for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Eric Gregory, president of the distillers’ association, said distillers have taken notice in recent years of Louisville’s potential to boost the industry, noting the opening of bourbon [...]
Fri, Apr 24, 2015 12:17:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
With less than a month to go before the gubernatorial primary, there is already more than $10 million at play, and that doesn't include spending by super PACs.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Apr 23, 2015 9:08:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Will T. Scott of Pikeville is lagging far behind the other three Republican candidates for governor in raising campaign funds.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Apr 23, 2015 7:17:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's campaign has started the process of building a foundation in Kentucky in hopes of competing here in next year's presidential primary and beyond.Click to Continue » [...]
Thu, Apr 23, 2015 6:05:00 PM, Continue reading at the source