Seasonal restrictions on burning will take effect Oct. 1

LEXINGTON (AP) — Seasonal restrictions on outdoor burning will soon take effect in Kentucky.

WKYT-TV reports the fall forest fire hazard season begins on Oct. 1. That means it will be illegal to burn within 150 feet (46 meters) of a woodland or brushland between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The restrictions will be in place through Dec. 15.

The restrictions are due to typically dry weather conditions that make leaves and brush natural fire accelerants.

Lexington Fire Maj. C.J. Haunz says dry brush and grass burn quickly and if there’s any wind a small blaze can quickly grow into one that’s out of control.

Beshear will not comply with Bevin’s budget cut request

FRANKFORT (AP) — Kentucky’s Democratic attorney general says he will not comply with the Republican governor’s request for a plan to cut spending by more than 17 percent.

Gov. Matt Bevin has asked all state agencies to come up with a plan to cut their budgets by 17.4 percent this year. He said the plan would cover a projected $200 million shortfall and put $150 million into the state’s savings account.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Attorney General Andy Beshear will not comply with the request. Beshear told the newspaper Bevin’s request is illegal because state law does not allow midyear budget cuts to go beyond the projected shortfall.

Beshear said he would participate in a legal budget cut. A spokeswoman for Bevin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Police sergeant indicted on rape charge

LEXINGTON (AP) — A police sergeant in Kentucky has been indicted on a charge of first-degree rape.

Lexington police spokeswoman Brenna Angel says in a news release that Sgt. Christopher Morrow was arrested following his indictment Monday by a Fayette County grand jury.

Angel says a complaint was filed against Morrow in May and was forwarded to Kentucky State Police for investigation.

The 39-year-old Morrow is being held in the Fayette County Jail on $10,000 bond. Jail records didn’t indicate whether Morrow has an attorney.

Angel says Morrow has been suspended without pay.

Horse Park museum hosting cemetery tours

LEXINGTON (AP) — The Kentucky Horse Park’s International Museum of the Horse is bringing back an October event that includes a hay ride and cemetery tour.

It’s called the Cemetery Crawl: History and Mystery of the Kentucky Horse Park. The tour includes little-known and often overlooked areas of the park. The tour includes the Salyers House and Salyers family cemetery, the Graves family cemetery, and “the old dueling grounds.” The tours were first introduced last year.

Reservations are required for the Cemetery Crawl tours, and space is limited each night for the approximately two-hour tour. The tours will be Oct. 9-13; 16-20; and 28 and 29.

Suit targets Ind. billboards north of Ohio River bridge

UTICA, Ind. (AP) — An economic development group is suing a southern Indiana town over its plans to allow billboards near a new Ohio River bridge.

The lawsuit filed Sept. 20 by the River Ridge Development Authority asks a Clark County judge to halt work on those billboards to protect a scenic corridor along Interstate 265. The highway is just north of the Lewis & Clark Bridge that links Louisville, Kentucky and southern Indiana.

Defendants include the town of Utica, Outfront Media and the Indiana Department of Transportation.

The suit contends Utica’s plan to allow seven two-sided, lighted billboards just north of the bridge will hurt the marketability and value of several nearby premium economic development sites.

The Courier-Journal of Louisville reports Utica officials are counting on the billboards to boost the town’s revenues.

Sheriff: Inmates assault 2 guards at reopened jail

CATLETTSBURG (AP) — A sheriff in Kentucky says two inmates have assaulted two guards at a county jail that reopened earlier this month following a disturbance in August when inmates fought with guards and started a fire.

WSAZ-TV reports the Boyd County Sheriff says the guards are recovering after suffering minor injuries to their faces at the County Detention Center on Monday.

Sheriff Bobby Jack Woods says the incident happened shortly before 12 p.m. Catlettsburg police also responded.

Officials have not released the names of those involved.

The jail was closed for nearly a month after 10 maximum-security inmates fought with guards and set fire to items the night of Aug. 19. The county said injuries suffered then were minor and that several dozen inmates had been transferred to other detention centers.