WKDP – WCTT Local News

Kentucky’s unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest point in three years.

The Office of Employment and Training reported today that the state unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent in December, down from 9.4 percent in November.

It’s the state’s lowest jobless rate since it was 8.5 percent in 2008, and it’s more than a percentage point lower than last year.

The rate, which is adjusted to account for normal seasonal fluctuations in hiring, is still higher than the national rate of 8.5 percent.

The state added 8,400 nonfarm jobs, raising the number of Kentuckians with jobs to 1,808,700.

The largest gain in jobs in this sector was in the transportation, warehousing and utilities area with a net increase of 2.6 percent, most likely related to the recent holiday season.

The state House gave final approval today to a controversial legislative redistricting bill that will now go to Gov. Steve Beshear for approval.

House Bill 1 redraws the boundaries of all 100 House districts and the 38 senate districts.  It also contains redistricting for the state’s seven Supreme Court districts.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 58-49, largely along party lines. 

Beshear is not expected to veto it.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul will be in Corbin and London tomorrow performing charitable cataract eye surgeries and holding a roundtable meeting with the public.

Paul will first meet with the London Mayor and City Council to discuss an issue regarding the Army Corps of Engineers.

Then, at 12:15 p.m., Paul will hold a public community roundtable meeting at the Hampton Inn North in London.

Later that afternoon, the senator will perform five charitable cataract surgeries at the Cumberland Valley Surgical Center in Corbin beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The roundtable discussion is free and open to the public.

Online retailers Zappos.com and parent company Amazon.com are being sued in Kentucky by a Texas woman alleging that she was harmed by the release of personal account information.

The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Louisville, just hours after the company reported that customer names, phone numbers and email addresses may have been accessed in a hacker attack.

Attorney Mark Gray seeks class action status for plaintiff Theresa Stevens of Texas and 24 million other customers for what Gray alleges was a violation of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Gov. Steve Beshear has ordered all flags at state office buildings to half-staff in honor of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Flags were lowered Thursday to honor 20-year-old Pfc. Dustin Napier of London.  He died Jan. 8 from injuries suffered during small-arms fire with enemy forces.

Funeral services for Napier will be held today at 1 p.m. at the London Funeral Home Chapel.  Burial services will immediately follow at A.R. Dyche Memorial Park in London.

Lane closures will be in effect on I-75 in Whitley County today for bridge inspections.

I-75 southbound will be reduced to one lane at milepoint 14 from 9:30 a.m. through 11:30 a.m.

I-75 northbound will be reduced to one lane at milepoint 14 from 12:30 p.m. through 2:30 p.m.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet asks motorists to be aware of the work zone and to utilize safe driving habits when traveling through the area.

Hundreds of people came out to pay respects to a fallen eastern Kentucky soldier Wednesday night.

20-year-old Private First Class Dustin Napier was shot to death while playing volleyball with other soldiers in Afghanistan.

Wednesday night hundreds of fellow veterans, law enforcement, public officials, family and friends came to the London Funeral Home to pay their respects to the fallen soldier.

Funeral Services for Napier will be held at the funeral home on Thursday at 1 p.m.