COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Kenton County Airport Board Chairman Jim Huff and his wife after an airport secretary that Huff called accidentally overheard their private conversation.
The Kentucky Enquirer reports (https://bit.ly/1fenvxk) Huff accidentally dialed secretary Carol Spaw on Oct. 24, while on a business trip. Spaw overheard Huff discussing ways to demote the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s chief executive officer or get her to resign.
Spaw took notes on the conversation and recorded a portion of it.
Huff and his wife filed a lawsuit accusing Spaw of wiretapping, but on Friday, U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning ruled that even though the cell phone call was accidental, Spaw was under no obligation to hang up.
The Huffs’ attorney said they are considering an appeal.
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - The Ohio River bridges project is ahead of schedule and under budget according to an updated financial report.
The Courier-Journal reports (https://cjky.it/1mCUDPT) the project will cost about $240 million less than previous projections, thanks to efficiencies in design and construction. The savings bring the total cost to about $2.34 billion.
Most of the joint Kentucky-Indiana project could be complete by the end of 2016, months ahead of schedule.
The project consists of two parts. Kentucky is in charge of the “Downtown Crossing,” which includes construction of a new bridge for northbound Interstate 65 traffic, a renovated and reconfigured John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge for southbound traffic, and improved downtown interchanges in Louisville and Jeffersonville, Ind.
Indiana is in charge of the “East End Crossing,” which includes construction of a new bridge and approaches to connect the Gene Snyder Freeway in Kentucky with the Lee Hamilton Highway in Indiana.
Bridge tolls will be as much as $4 per crossing for passenger vehicles and up to $12 per crossing for semi-trucks.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky’s “Turtleman” is facing federal scrutiny after a magazine report claimed animals were harmed while filming his reality TV show on Animal Planet.
“Call of the Wildman” features Ernie “Turtleman” Brown removing nuisance animals with his bare hands.
An article published Tuesday at Motherjones.com, claims the show stages fake rescue situations that sometimes harm animals. It also claims a baby raccoon and several bats died after being used on the show.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports (https://bit.ly/1fd32c7) the U.S. Agriculture Department, which enforces the Animal Welfare Act, is reviewing the situation.
Animal Planet spokeswoman Patricia Kollappallil told the paper that the safety of the animals is the channel’s top priority. She also said the show’s producers have hired a federally licensed wildlife handler to be on the set at all times since the allegations first came to light several months ago.
USDA spokeswoman Tanya Espinosa said the agency is looking into whether those involved in the show need a federal license to exhibit the animals. A license is required under the Animal Welfare Act to exhibit certain animals to the public whether on TV or in person, such as at a zoo or circus.
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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Officials from the state Department of Corrections plan to visit a Kentucky facility where more than 200 Vermont inmates have been under lockdown for more than a week because of violence.
A series of potentially gang-related assaults caused the lockdown beginning Jan. 15 at the Lee Adjustment Center in Beattyville, Vermont authorities said.
The Corrections Corporation of America, which runs the facility, said inmates were confined to their cells until Wednesday and allowed out only with staff escort. The prison is now on modified lockdown, with prisoners allowed to access day rooms for at least two but no more than four hours a day.
No one was seriously injured or hospitalized because of the violence, said Matthew Valerio, Vermont defender general. Officials hope to visit the facility as soon as next week to follow up on the lockdown, he said.
Steven Owens, a CCA spokesman, described the lockdown as “precautionary” in an email.
“CCA is firmly committed to providing safe, secure housing and high-quality rehabilitation and re-entry programs to the Vermont inmates housed at LAC, where we’ve been a proven, cost-effective solution for our government partner for the past 10 years,” Owens said.
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