News

The second meeting of the state’s Industrial Hemp Commission will soon begin sorting through the details of its efforts to bring legalized hemp to Kentucky.

The commission will work on the details of a new legislative bill proposal, such what the bill will include and which legisators will sponsor it during the 2013 session, said the chairman, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer.

Comer says another detail will be to pick a state university to commission a new economic study of legalizing industrial hemp in Kentucky.

The Transit Authority of River City will begin offering transportation to Indiana’s River Ridge Commerce Center next month.

TARC spokeswoman Kay Stewart says service was requested by One Southern Indiana and businesses in River Ridge, namely Amazon, which set up a distribution center earlier this year.

She says the three morning and four afternoon trips scheduled will accommodate Amazon’s various shifts.

Despite experiencing one of the worse droughts in U.S. history, agriculture economists in Kentucky are projecting record cash receipts for the state’s farmers.

During their annual outlook during the Kentucky Farm Bureau conference, economists from the University of Kentucky say they think Kentucky will break the $5-billion barrier in revenues this year.

Lead economist Will Snell says high prices for many crops -- along will increased exports and insurance payouts  -- helped offset the drought for many agricultural industries in Kentucky.

Reacting to the sudden resignation of Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., announced Thursday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is praising his sometime GOP rival, who is leaving in January to lead a conservative think tank.

From McConnell's office:

"I thank Senator DeMint for his uncompromising service to South Carolina and our country in the United States Senate. Jim helped provide a powerful voice for conservative ideals in a town where those principles are too often hidden beneath business as usual. 

There is no question in my mind that he raised the profile of important issues like spending and debt and helped galvanize the American people against a big government agenda. I am confident that he will continue to advocate for conservative principles in the next chapter of his service to the American people."

Kentucky’s Blue Ribbon Tax Commission will solidify its final list of recommendations Thursday afternoon, which could include imposing higher income taxes for those making more money.

Gov. Steve Beshear created the group to review the state’s tax code, which officials have determined needs significant changes to respond to slowing revenue.

Saudi Arabia remains one of the last absolute monarchies in world. The royal family maintains control over the religion — and the billions of dollars in oil reserves.

This, coupled with a culture weary of outsiders, made reporting on the country tough for Karen Elliot. But after years of on-the-ground-research she produced a landmark book entitled, “On Saudi Arabia: It’s people, past, religion, fault-lines — and future.”

The New York Times called it one of the best 100 books of the year.

Tom Jurich concedes: He was nervous that Louisville football coach Charlie Strong may leave for the Tennessee Volunteers.

"Are you nuts? Of course I was nervous," Jurich, UofL's athletics director, said during a news conference.

Camille Paglia is an intellectual firestarter. Her writing about art, sexuality and literature is sure to inspire eyebrow lifting and some highfalutin debate. 

Her most recent book's message, however, is pretty simple: we need to reeducate ourselves in the visual arts, and this is how. "Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art from Egypt to Star Wars," does exactly what the title suggests. Although perhaps the most entertaining part of the book is her rollicking introduction, dicing up the state of contemporary art.

Charlie Strong will remain the football coach for the University of Louisville, he said Thursday morning in a news conference.

The University of Tennessee offered him the Volunteers' head coaching position on Tuesday, he said.

In confirming that he'd return for a fourth season, Strong spoke highly of Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich -- noting that Jurich gave him his first head coaching position after 27 years as an assistant. 

This week on our audio diary series "The Big Break," Actors Theatre of Louisville apprentice Samantha Beach finishes her run of "A Christmas Story" with a fun souvenir—a recording of herself playing the teacher during a student matinee. Over at the Louisville Ballet, Claire Horrocks explains why the snowflake and the flower are the toughest roles she tackles in "The Nutcracker" and Brad Raymond spends his break from the Kentucky Opera learning music for the Kentucky Opera. (No rest for the talented.)