Ohio River bridge to remain closed another 5 months

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — An Ohio River bridge connecting Kentucky and Illinois will remain closed for about five more months.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says an ongoing maintenance and repair project will require more work at the Brookport Bridge in Paducah.

The agency says in a news release that inspectors determined additional repairs are needed to maintain the bridge. It says a contractor and inspectors found one pier requires wider concrete repairs and two other piers need concrete repairs.

The bridge was first closed May 8 when illegal truck traffic created safety issues. It was extended to up to 30 days when more repairs were found necessary.

Kentucky man convicted of leaking Singapore HIV patient data

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A federal jury in Kentucky has convicted a man of leaking a database of HIV patients from the Singapore government.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports jurors returned the verdict Tuesday for Mikhy Farrera-Brochez of Winchester after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court in Lexington.

Farrera-Brochez was convicted on two counts of sending threatening communications to the government of Singapore and its ministry of health and one count of possessing and transferring the identities of other people in interstate and foreign commerce with the intent to commit or in connection with a crime.

Singapore’s health ministry accused Farrera-Brochez of stealing and leaking a database of 14,200 people who were infected with HIV. The ministry says Farrera-Brochez worked in Singapore as a lecturer before he was deported last year.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 27.

Crossbow season for deer extended in Kentucky this year

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Deer hunters in Kentucky are getting a longer crossbow season, after a proposal to expand the season went into effect May 31.

The new crossbow season will open the third Saturday in September and close the third Monday in January. This year it’s Sept. 21 to Jan. 20.

A statement from the state Fish and Wildlife Division says the longer season is a way to tap into the popularity of crossbow hunting in recent years. The state agency says overharvesting is not a concern as bag limits are in place.

The new regulation also allows all youth hunters 15 and younger to hunt deer with a crossbow during the entire archery season. The archery season for deer starts the first Saturday in September and ends the third Monday in January.

Eastern Kentucky University president to serve on NCAA forum

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The president of Eastern Kentucky University has been selected to represent the Ohio Valley Conference on the NCAA’s Division 1 presidential forum.

Michael Benson was chosen at the May 31 meeting of the board of the conference’s presidents. His term begins Sept. 1.

The forum assists the NCAA board of directors in governance of Division 1 athletics. Presidents and chancellors are elected from each of the 32 Division 1 conferences and meet four times a year.

Benson recently fulfilled a four-year term as a member of the NCAA Honor Committee, a group charged with selecting individuals to receive the association’s highest recognitions.

Benson replaces Phil Oldham from Tennessee Tech University on the forum. Benson has led Eastern Kentucky University since 2013.

Colorado county euthanizes 33 roosters impounded by police

BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — Animal control officials in Colorado have euthanized 33 roosters taken from an impounded vehicle.

Summit Daily reported Tuesday that Summit County Animal Control euthanized the birds Tuesday as a result of a police investigation.

Police in Breckenridge say the animals were being transported from Kentucky to California in the vehicle impounded by the Colorado State Patrol May 15.

Authorities say three men transporting the roosters have not been charged, but the investigation remains open.

The birds were cared for by volunteers and animal control staff for three weeks.

Animal control director Lesley Hall called the procedure a “very unfortunate and sad task.”

Animal control officials say they considered giving the roosters to rescue organizations, but the state veterinarian’s office and avian experts from Colorado State University recommended against it.

Barrel maker starts construction on cooperage in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A barrel manufacturer has started construction on a $66.5 million cooperage in eastern Kentucky that’s expected to create 220 jobs in coming years.

The Commonwealth Cooperage being built at Morehead by Independent Stave Co. is another sign of growth in the state’s bourbon industry.

Gov. Matt Bevin’s office says groundbreaking for the new cooperage was Tuesday.

Commonwealth Cooperage will produce white oak barrels for the bourbon and whiskey industries using locally manufactured staves. Bourbon is aged in charred oak barrels.

The cooperage at Morehead will become the company’s third in the state, joining the 500-employee Kentucky Cooperage in Lebanon and a used-barrel cooperage in Louisville.

Independent Stave also owns two stave mills in Kentucky — the 120-employee Morehead Wood Products facility and Benton Wood Products in Marshall County.