Morning News – 01/26/15

WEATHER

The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a Travelers Advisory for slick roads, which is in effect until 10am.

Wet roadways coupled with a light amount of snowfall earlier this morning has led to icy roadways as temperatures have fallen into the 20s. Secondary and elevated roadways are most likely to be affected.

Motorists are urged to use caution this morning, as black ice is difficult to spot. Slow down and allow plenty of time to reach your destination. Conditions should improve by the mid morning hours.

Stay tuned to NOAA all hazards weather radio and your local media for the latest on this winter weather situation. More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at weather.gov/louisville.

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CYNTHIANA / HARRISON

Due to slick road conditions there will be no school today, Monday, January 26, 2015.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152529944781607&id=296254501606

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Cynthiana Mayor James Smith has announced that he will be introducing a resolution at tomorrow’s Commissioner’s meeting, which will ask for higher penalties for persons arrested for dealing and trafficking drugs, as well as increasing funds for programs that will aid addicts in recovery. Smith states that he will urge the Commission to vote in support of his resolution, which he plans to deliver to Frankfort.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152947555568820&id=762763819

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KENTUCKY

Kentucky State Police has reported that the agency is roughly 100 troopers short of its authorized staffing level, due in part to retirements and challenges in finding recruits. Trooper Paul Blanton says there are certain challenges in recruiting eligible applicants, and readying a new cadet class takes a long time. Among the challenges, Blanton notes that some applicants–such as those with visible tattoos–are immediately disqualified; another challenge comes from newly trained troopers leaving the KSP for other law enforcement agencies. The agency currently has 910 troopers, including 69 new trainees that graduated last week.

http://wuky.org/post/state-police-experiencing-trooper-shortage

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The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) has released preliminary figures in a Jan. 16 report, indicating that 667 people lost their lives on Kentucky roadways last year, up from 638 in 2013. Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said saving lives and reducing serious injuries is a top priority of the administration.

“We are saddened by the fatality increase, and we firmly believe that one fatality is too many,” Hancock said. “The Governor’s Executive Committee on Highway Safety is committed to providing direction on traffic safety issues as we move ‘Toward Zero Deaths’ on Kentucky’s roadways.”

KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer says the increase in fatalities during 2014 will not discourage his agency from striving ‘Toward Zero Deaths’ in 2015. “We are utilizing real-time, digital traffic data to identify high crash corridors and increasing patrols and enforcement efforts in those areas.”

The figures will remain classified as preliminary until all highway crash data is collected. A final report is expected by April.

For more information, visit http://highwaysafety.ky.gov and http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org.

http://kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-Stream.aspx?viewMode=ViewDetailInNewPage&eventID=%7b5EEFFE7B-8740-482B-8ECF-3A9FD60FAC07%7d&activityType=PressRelease

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Kentucky state Rep. Mike Harmon has filed for his run as state auditor on Friday morning. The Danville Republican has served in the state House since 2003 and represents Boyle and Casey counties. Harmon says he will use “conservative, practical principles” to guard state funds. Democratic incumbent Adam Edelen is the only other candidate to have filed for auditor so far. The deadline to file for statewide office is 4 p.m. Jan. 27.

http://wuky.org/post/republican-harmon-files-ky-auditor

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NATION

An unknown device has been discovered on the grounds of the White House, according to information released by White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Secret Service Agents recovered the object, and established a security perimeter around the building. The device does not pose “any kind of ongoing threat,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said during a press briefing. Neither President Barack Obama nor first lady Michelle Obama were on the premises when the device was located; both are currently in India. As of the time of this writing, no details about the device or the exact location where it was found have been released.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/26/device-found-white-house_n_6545156.html?utm_hp_ref=dc&ir=DC

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ENTERTAINMENT

The Rohs Opera House has announced their scheduled films for the next five weekends:

• Jan 30-Feb 1 – Annie
• Feb 6-8 – Unbroken
• Feb 13-14 – American Sniper
• Feb 20-21 – Selma
• Feb 27-29 – Paddington

https://www.facebook.com/groups/58664724413/permalink/10153046974319414/

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

• 1700 – The magnitude 9 Cascadia Earthquake takes place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.
• 1788 – The British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on the continent. Commemorated as Australia Day.
• 1837 – Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.
• 1838 – Tennessee enacts the first prohibition law in the United States
• 1855 – Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.
• 1856 – First Battle of Seattle. Marines from the USS Decatur drive off American Indian attackers after all day battle with settlers.
• 1861 – American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.
• 1863 – American Civil War: General Ambrose Burnside is relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac after the disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. He is replaced by Joseph Hooker.
• 1863 – American Civil War: Governor of Massachusetts John Albion Andrew receives permission from Secretary of War to raise a militia organization for men of African descent.
• 1870 – American Civil War: Virginia rejoins the Union.
• 1915 – The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress.
• 1920 – Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.
• 1942 – World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland.
• 1961 – John F. Kennedy appoints Janet G. Travell to be his physician. This is the first time a woman holds the appointment of Physician to the President.
• 1962 – Ranger program: Ranger 3 is launched to study the moon. The space probe later misses the moon by 22,000 miles (35,400 km).
• 1978 – The Great Blizzard of 1978, a rare severe blizzard with the lowest non-tropical atmospheric pressure ever recorded in the US until October 2010, strikes the Ohio – Great Lakes region with heavy snow and winds up to 100 mph (161 km/h).
• 1992 – Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.
• 1998 – Lewinsky scandal: On American television, U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had “sexual relations” with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.