the morning cram [the shaken, not stirred, edition]

Syrian regime has “License to Kill” after diplomatic impasse

NPR reports at least 15 dead following government bombings this weekend

OVC Scores…

Kentucky~ Thousands of Kentuckians visited the downed Eggners Ferry Bridge.  Emergency management officials say they are better prepared to handle disasters. Two have been arrested in connection to the slaying of a Fort Campbell soldier.  Activists invite lawmakers to a  tea party.

Tennessee~ Six state environmental panels are being reduced to three. A state-wide earthquake drill is set for Tuesday.

morning cram [turn and coffee edition]

For a long time scientists have wondered whether coffee might lower the risk of prostate cancer.

NPR reports a Harvard study finds that may be true.

KENTUCKY~ A section of US-62 in Carlisle County is shut down this morning as police reconstruct a fatal school bus wreck. Paducah’s City Manager recommends no new taxes and the city will fund a new Murray State extended campus there. A worker yesterday was electrocuted @ MSU. Police make McCracken County pump ‘n run arrest. GOP Gubernatorial candidate David Williams says ‘No more Mr. Nice Guy‘ and Gov Steve Beshear claims he’s ‘Tested, trusted and tough.’

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville is trying out a new way to dole out non-profit funding. TVA says next month’s electricity bills will see hikes up to 50 cents. Legislators want to change the state’s alcohol laws to woo Sierra Nevada to build a brewery there.

Kentucky Primary Elections

WKMS will bring election coverage just after 8 and 9 tonight. You can also check back later this evening for live updates on the blog. To see what’s going on right now around Kentucky, keep reading.

Kentuckians are out at the polls today to vote for candidates for state office, though turnout is low. Secretary of State Elaine Walker has predicted only 9 to 10 percent of registered voters will come out today. The Secretary of State’s office is providing updates throughout the day on their Facebook page, and election coverage is aggregated on Twitter.

At a busy local restaurant this morning, many Murray residents say they’re not sure they’ll make it to the ballot box. Arvie Crafton, a Democrat, says he’s disappointed with primaries for his party.  “There’s just nothing to choose from really,” he says. “There’s nothing on the ballot. I’ll probably go, but I don’t feel very motivated to go.”

Crafton says he’s interested to know who gets the Republican nomination for governor. Others say they’re too busy, or they’ll sit this election out, and head to the ballot box in November.

Restaurant owner Martha Lamb hasn’t made it to the polls yet, but she plans on voting today. She says, “I’m not really involved in politics that much. I maybe—I’m just strongly involved in the way America is being run. I just think it’s awful.” Lamb feels it’s important to effect change through voting.

State races on the Democratic side include Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Commissioner of Agriculture. Races on the GOP side include Auditor, Agriculture Commissioner, Governor, and Secretary of State.  See a sample ballot for DEM and REP. Polls are open until 6 pm.

morning cram [fuel cell edition]

The Honda FCX Clarity can go about 240 miles on a tank of hydrogen fuel (about 60 mpg compared to gas). The only emission is water so pure you could drink it.

Honda tells NPR: US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is wrong when he claimed it would take a miracle to make fuel cell cars viable in the marketplace.

WEATHER~ Possibly severe activity predicted tonight.

KENTUCKY~ State Police are matching a missing man’s dental records to found skeletal remains with hopes they match. You can see the Ohio River from where Paducah’s Executive Inn recently stood. 4 Fort Campbell soldiers die in an Afghan suicide blast. Transportation workers will setup an I-24 (west) workzone between Eddyville/Grand Rivers next week. Out of work? Have a mortgage? There’s help. Gov Beshear has almost $5mil banked for re-election. US Rep Ed Whitfield yesterday fielded telephone calls from constituents about gas prices, the economy and the federal budget. US Sen Rand Paul files for re-election (5 years early).

TENNESSEE~ Highway Patrol investigators say Henry’s Police Chief (allegedly) ran a red light that caused a wreck leaving him critically injured. A resolution to the state’s constitution that would  further restrict abortions gets one step closer to a statewide vote.

ILLINOIS~ SIU-Carbondale will likely hire its next Provost from within its ranks.

morning cram [somaliland edition]

Somali pirates last year seized a record number (+1k) of hostages. This year, they’ve already hijacked 15 vessels, including an American yacht whose four passengers were killed.

NPR declares Somali piracy has become an epidemic.

KENTUCKY~ MSU Basketball Head Coach Billy Kennedy is in the running to be the University of Miami’s next. Paducah may have a (better) community center in the works. Clinton’s embattled nursing home will close and its purported violations have been released. Dems call for gubernatorial candidates to disclose their finances but Republicans say no. David Williams’ GOP running mate Richie Farmer wants his wife’s divorce petition dismissed.

TENNESSEE~ Gov Haslam signs the teacher tenure difficulty bill into law.

OVC SPORTS~ (Baseball) APSU < WKU; (Softball) MSU < SIU-E, APSU > UTM.

morning cram [church 4 sale edition]

The Lord giveth and the bank taketh away — at least, that’s what several churches learned recently.

NPR reports lenders foreclosed on about 100 churches last year (an enormous increase over just a few years ago).

Looks like an advancing winter weather storm may spare us.

KENTUCKY~ A Paducah man is accused of a stabbing murder and cops there round up $40k worth of fake pot and smoking pipes from 3 area businesses. Completion of Owensboro’s extended airport runway is on the horizon. A tractor accident kills a Trenton mother but spares her young kids. GOP contenders for governor are all about ‘change’. Kentucky nabs almost $3mil in new federal heating assistance after already giving out some $17mil. The General Assembly revs its engines today ahead of Beshear’s State of the Commonwealth address (tomorrow night). Ex-Prez George (Dubya) Bush will sign books @ Fort Campbell on Wednesday.

TENNESSEE~ Clarksville may change its mind about fronting the money for a new airport terminal. Governor Haslam claims he was oblivious his ordered freeze on a new state regulation helps out his family’s gas station chain. TennCare may $ave by limiting hospital/doctor visits to 8 times a year.

OVC BASKETBALL~ (Men’s) MSU > UTM, APSU < MhSU; (Women’s) UTM > MSU, APSU < MhSU.

morning cram [milk-sharing edition]

Some new moms who can’t breastfeed have discovered they can still give their babies milk donated by other moms they find on Facebook.

NPR reports the milk-sharing continues despite warnings from the federal government.

KENTUCKY~ A couple of Paducah teens face multiple charges for (allegedly) throwing rocks at I-24 traffic. Paducah’s City Manager plans to proctor a pay study. A McCracken County official claims Paducah is cheating on its taxes. Students can apply for grant$ to save energy at their school. A woman gets into the  gubernatorial election mix ahead of tomorrow’s deadline. A top Fort Campbell official shares what would be an Afghanistan game-changer.

TENNESSEE~ Searchers find the body of a missing Puryear man. Governor Haslam claims an elected Attorney General would be a politicized distraction. A pair of lawmakers want to end ‘full and complete stops‘ at traffic lights.

OVC BASKETBALL~ (Men’s) MSU > SEMO, APSU > JSU, UTM > EIU; (Women’s) MSU < SEMO, APSU > JSU, UTM > EIU.

morning cram [bow out edition]

Fallout from NPR‘s decision to fire former news analyst Juan Williams reached the network’s highest levels yesterday as its top news executive, Ellen Weiss, resigned.

More.

KENTUCKY~ Paducah purchases land to build it’s Scholar House project. Roads are being pre-treated anticipating weekend snowfall. Beshear signs up for re-election. Senators nod at pension reforms and a lawmaker files a bill to make the Commonwealth smoke-free.

TENNESSEE~ Overnight bridge work is expected to slow traffic in Clarksville.

ILLINOIS~ A shooting victim is in stable condition after an incident in the parking lot of Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel and Casino. 3 people are wanted in connection to a recent rash of methlab discoveries.

OVC Basketball~ Men’s: MSU > TSU. Women’s: MSU < TSU; APSU < UTM.

morning cram [blame edition]

The National Commission on BP’s Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill is pulling no punches assigning blame for the explosion last April.

~An official tells NPR that BP, Transocean and Halliburton all made baffling decisions which played a role in the disaster.

KENTUCKY~ Hundreds of dead birds were found last week near MSU. Mayfield’s leaders plan an all day summit Saturday. McCracken County’s court systems get a liaison. Oak Grove bans public smoking. Gov. Beshear is far outpacing the GOP contenders in fundrai$ing. A Senate committee clears a bill aiming to reward math and science teachers for students’ AP high scores, another approves a tax code improvement initiative, and a Lexington lawmaker proposes toughening the state’s ethics law.

TENNESSEE~ A bunch of TVA industrial customers gripe about ‘worse than ridiculous‘ rates.

 

morning cram [yoda bat edition]

Topping a list of the strangest creatures discovered this year is a bat that looks a like a George Lucas creation.

~See a photo of the creature on NPR‘s The Two Way.

KENTUCKY~ Some SIU-Carbondale students have ‘strong’ ideas on how to better Paducah’s riverfront. A newly contracted firm will be working to get rid of thousands of nuclear containers stored in Paducah. I-24’s Welcome Center is back open. After 3 years in office, Governor Steve Beshear says he’s “energized” (in time for re-election). Gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett will fund-raise in Florida next week.

TENNESSEE~ UTM plans to erect a new radio tower. Someone drops a +$1.5k coin into a Salvation Army kettle (for a 3rd year in a row). Paris plans to build a safety shelter for severe weather. Henry County is declared an agricultural disaster zone. State sales tax revenue continues to defy predictors. In OVC Basketball.. (Men’s) UTM > Central Arkansas; (Women’s) APSU < Lipscomb.