Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A former Lexington prosecutor is due in court over allegations of shoplifting.

DANVILLE, Ky. - Centre College has been ranked by a publication as one of the top 10 colleges in the country for alumni donors. 

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The dean of Kentucky's congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, has begun his 33rd year representing the 5th District.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A new study shows drug overdose deaths in Kentucky rose 282 percent between 2000 and 2010.
 
 The study announced this week by the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center analyzed information from emergency rooms, inpatient hospitalizations and mortality records.
 
The center is located at the University of Kentucky and is an agent for the Kentucky Department of Public Health.
 

LEXINGTON, Ky.-- New Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is finally able to stand still for a moment.  His thought process, however, remains at high speed.

Stoops says it's been a "whirlwind" since he was hired on Dec. 2. Things slowed down enough for him on Wednesday to provide an update on how he's putting the program together in his first few weeks and to announce the signings of junior college players Steven Borden and Za'Darius Smith, Stoops' first commitments.

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Funding for a school safety program in Kentucky has been cut by almost 60 percent over the last five years.

The Courier-Journal reports funding for the Safe Schools Program has decreased from $10.4 million in 2007-2008 to $4.5 million in the current school year. The funding cut has led to less safety audits being performed at schools around the state by the Kentucky Center for School Safety.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Neal Brown plans to bring the `Air Raid' offense to Kentucky. He said it won't take long to install the up-tempo, passing attack, that it can be done quickly.  The Wildcats new offensive coordinator said Tuesday he will employ the offense that helped Texas Tech's offense rank in the top 15 nationally during his three seasons there.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has stepped up the fight against synthetic drugs by signing emergency regulations banning newly identified forms of synthetic marijuana.

Beshear's action Tuesday is the first time an administrative regulation has been used to outlaw synthetic substances, which mimic the effects of cocaine, marijuana and other illegal stimulants.

In the past, Kentucky lawmakers have passed laws banning drugs known as "bath salts" and synthetic marijuana.

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Owensboro homebuilder Ed Marksberry has announced that he intends to seek the Democratic nomination to run for U.S. Senate in 2014.

It would be Marksberry's second run for a seat among Kentucky's federal delegation. Two years ago he was trounced in a lopsided race against U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie in the 2nd District.

If Marksberry wins, he would face long-serving Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, a tenacious campaigner and fundraiser who already has banked nearly $7 million.

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- An offer of tax amnesty in Kentucky was a factor in a significant rise in General Fund revenue in November, the state's budget chief said Monday.

Budget director Mary Lassiter said revenue rose 7.6 percent to $784.2 million, largely the result of 16.4 percent jump in property tax collections.

Individual income tax revenue increased by 10.7 percent and sales tax receipts rose by 4.6 percent for the month.