News

Today we meet Larry Collmus who has announced horse races across the country at some of the most famous Thoroughbred tracks like Saratoga, Aqueduct and more. He's coming to Kentucky this year to call races at Churchill Downs. 

Collmus became the voice of the Triple Crown and Breeders Cup Broadcasts on NBC Sports in 2011. The 2014 racing season will be his debut calling for Churchill Downs. 

A budget proposal to be unveiled by the Kentucky House of Representatives will closely resemble the $20 billion biennial budget outlined by Governor Steve Beshear.

House Appropriations and Revenue chair Rick Rand says that chamber’s budget will be virtually the same as the governor’s, specifically in the area of education funding. It will largely preserve Beshear’s requests for the funding formula known as SEEK and implementing raises for teachers.

The US 60/US 62 Mississippi River Bridge between Missouri and Illinois south of Cairo will be closed to traffic for one week for scheduled inspections. 

Hopkinsville Community College holds the 3rd Annual Regional Entrepreneur Conference Wednesday from 8 to 4. The conference is free and includes lunch. Future and existing entrepreneurs and business owners of all stages are invited to attend. To register, call Hopkinsville Community College at (270) 707-3750.

Dog fighting operators could be arrested if police observe the tools of their practice under a bill before the state legislature.  Under current law, police must actually see dog fighting activities before arresting anyone.  

Republican U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell heard testimony on Friday from Northern Kentuckians on how to tackle Kentucky’s burgeoning heroin epidemic.

On Friday, amid a blistering second half rally that saw the Racers erase a double-digit deficit in their OVC tournament semifinal match-up against Eastern Kentucky, the fouling out of senior guard Dexter Fields with 1:18 left in the game seemed inconsequential. But after Cameron Payne’s last-second heave clanged off the rim, the gravity of that fifth foul became apparent: 23-year-old Fields’ career as a Racer was over. 

  Murray State hosts two finalists for the top job at the University on Monday and Tuesday. The finalists are Dr. Robert (Bob) O. Davies, current president of Eastern Oregon University, and Dr. James (Jim) M. Smith, current president of Northern State University in South Dakota.

A third candidate self-selected out of consideration due to health concerns.

Here is how the candidates have explained how their past experiences in university leadership and future goals qualify them best for MSU president.

Bob Davies 

The Murray State Racers saw their season end Friday in the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in an 86-83 defeat to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

The second presidential finalist for Murray State's Presidency will visit campus Monday and Tuesday.   James (Jim) Smith has been president at Northern State University since 2009. 

The following is information gleaned from Northern State University's bio of Smith.

James Smith