News Around the State

Published 11:29 am Thursday, March 21, 2019

Public comment sought for Kentucky transportation plan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky transportation officials are seeking public comment on a long-term transportation plan that’s under consideration for Fayette and Jessamine counties.

A statement from the Lexington transportation officials says the plan will guide how federal dollars are spent on road projects over the next 26 years.

Email newsletter signup

Kenzie Gleason with the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization says everyone who lives or travels in Fayette and Jessamine counties is affected by transportation so getting their input is vital in the planning process.

An open house for the public to view the proposed plan will be held March 26 at the Lexington Public Library’s Tates Creek Branch. The draft plan also will be available online through April 13 for people to view and leave comments.

The plan is set for a vote on April 24.

9-month-old baby revived with opioid overdose-reversal drug

COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a 9-month-old baby overdosed on drugs and had to be revived with an opioid overdose-reversal drug.

News outlets cite a police report that says the baby was brought to a Covington fire department Sunday night. When police arrived, CPR was being administered and the baby was taken to a hospital and given Narcan, a brand name form of naloxone.

It’s unclear what was in the baby’s system. Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders says an investigation is underway, but no one has yet been charged. The baby’s current condition is unclear.

2 found dead after house fire extinguished

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky authorities say they have found two bodies in the remains of a home that caught fire.

News outlets report the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the bodies of two adults were found Wednesday after firefighters extinguished the blaze. Officials say the farm house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

The sheriff’s office says the bodies haven’t yet been identified. Autopsies were scheduled on Thursday.

Sheriff: Paralyzed deputy was wounded by law enforcement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A state police investigation has determined that “friendly fire” paralyzed a Kentucky deputy trying to arrest a suspect fleeing a Florida bank robbery.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that the Scott County, Kentucky, sheriff’s office announced Wednesday that 28-year-old Deputy Jaime Morales was shot in the back of the head with a law enforcement weapon. Morales was assisting several other departments who cornered 57-year-old Edward Reynolds at a rest area off Interstate 75 in September.

Reynolds had a gun and multiple officers opened fire, but the investigation found that the suspect never pulled the trigger.

Reynolds was killed, and Sheriff Tony Hampton has said doctors describe Morales as “90 percent paraplegic.”

Findings from the investigation were presented last week to a grand jury that declined to proceed with any charges.

Calipari tweet: Plan and desire is to retire at Kentucky

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — John Calipari has tweeted that his “plan and desire” is to retire at Kentucky, quashing the latest rumor in what has been an annual ritual linking him as a candidate for vacant coaching jobs.

The 10th-year Wildcats coach said on his verified Twitter account Wednesday night “there is no better job in the world” to coach basketball than at Kentucky. Calipari has periodically been mentioned as a candidate for NBA jobs, only to state his commitment to the Wildcats. His tweet did not refer to a specific opening, but the 247Sports UCLA website had reported the Hall of Fame coach was showing “serious interest” in coaching the Bruins, who fired coach Steve Alford early in the season.

Calipari is set to coach second-seeded Kentucky in Thursday’s NCAA Tournament game against No. 15 seed Abilene Christian. He followed with another tweet that said, “Now let’s focus on this game tomorrow.”