By AP/Dan Modlin

Frankfort, KY – Kentucky's Homeland Security Director says he would like to
have more exemptions to the state's Open Records Act.
Erwin Roberts, who heads the Office of Homeland Security,
says documents such as vulnerability assessments
shouldn't be accessible to the public. Roberts made the
statements to an Interim Legislative Committee in Frankfort.

By Dan Modlin

Frankfort, KY – The Kentucky Department for Employment Services says jobless
rates dropped in 97 counties in the most recent study of the
state's job situation. For April of this year, six counties still had
jobless rates above ten percent. However, in April of 2003,
seventeen counties recorded double digit unemployment rates.

By Dan Modlin

Frankfort, KY – The Education Assessment and Accountability Review
Subcommittee has approved a study which will focus on
the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System. CATS
replaced the KIRIS system and was fully implemented in
Kentucky in 2002.

By AP/Dan Modlin

Frankfort, KY – Governor Fletcher wants a judge to suspend a lawsuit
that would test whether he can spend state money without
an enacted budget. The lawsuit was filed last week by
Attorney General Greg Stumbo. In papers filed in
Frankfort today, the Fletcher Administration says the suit
was premature.

The Administration argues that the state budget doesn't
expire until June 30th. A hearing on the request to suspend
Stumbo's suit is set for next week in Franklin County
Circuit Court.

By AP/Dan Modlin

Frankfort,KY – Officials with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency are visiting Kentucky, examining weekend
storm damage. Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence
says state officials asked FEMA to check both
tornado and flood damage in the state.

Pence has toured several storm-damaged areas
of the Commonwealth and says homes were
damaged in several parts of the state by high winds
and flooding. State officials say the Sulfur community
in Henry County was especially hard hit by high
waters.

By AP

Frankfort, KY – State officials say 13 people died in crashes on
Kentucky's roads over the Memorial Day holiday
weekend. The deaths were the result of ten
separate wrecks, and only three of the thirteen
people killed were wearing seat belts at the time
of their accidents. State police say alcohol played
a role in four of the accidents.

By Joe Corcoran

Bowling Green, KY – A Bowling Green woman wanted on check forgery
charges for more than four years has been caught
in North Carolina. Kentucky State Police say 43 year old
Donna Howard was picked up in Greensboro,
North Carolina yesterday.

She had been on Kentucky's most wanted list for
fifteen counts of forgery in the second degree, since
April of 2000. She was indicted in Barren County for
allegedly forging checks on an elderly woman's account
there.

By AP

By AP

Louisville, KY – Doctors have implanted an Abiocor artificial heart in a
critically ill patient this week at Louisville's Jewish Hospital.
The nine hour surgery was performed Monday by a medical
team led by Doctors Rob Dowling and Laman Gray.

Hospital spokeswoman Linda McGinity Jackson says the
male patient is in critical, but stable, condition. The device's
maker, Abiomed Incorporated, says the procedure went
"well and without complication."

By AP

Lexington.KY – A Federal Judge is giving State Medicaid officials
and advocates for the disabled until the end of the
week to resolve the remaining issues in a class action
lawsuit. The suit relates to stricter Medicaid eligibility
rules.