Business

The recent federal court ruling that Kentucky’s law against selling wine in grocery stores is unconstitutional may affect a similar law in Tennessee. Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association President Jarron Springer says their campaign “Red, White and Food” has long addressed this and that Kentucky’s court ruling will hurt Tennessee’s revenue if it doesn’t soon follow suit.

Coal mines in Kentucky and West Virginia will send millions of tons of coal to India, under the terms of a 25-year contract that was signed Wednesday. As Kentucky Public Radio’s Erica Peterson reports, the deal is being hailed as a sign of hope in the coal export market.

A New York-based horse racing park wants to invest in Henderson’s Ellis Park. Horse racing industry magazine Blood-Horse reports Saratoga Raceway and Casino, of Saratoga Springs, has filed an investment request with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Investment details haven’t been released.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission will hold public meetings this month looking for comment on a new environmental compliance plan by Big Rivers Electric Corporation. Big Rivers is seeking PSC authorization to spend over $283 million to comply with new federal environmental requirements. Spokesman Marty Littrel said these investment costs will trickle down to the customer in coming years. Big Rivers provides wholesale power to its owners, Jackson Purchase Energy, Kenergy, and Meade County Rural Electric corporations.

The Ark Encounter theme park or what many people are calling the Ark Park is a planned theme park in northern Kentucky that’s been plagued by fundraising difficulties and construction delays.  Kentucky Public Radio’s Gabe Bullard speaks with Louisville’s LEO Weekly reporter Joe Sonka, who’s been reporting on the situation surrounding the park.

What if you could get a haircut for twenty dollars – every penny of which goes to the Humane Society of Calloway County.  And what if that haircut was from master hairstylist, and animal lover, Patrick Lomantini of Wichita, Kansas.  Well, you can.  Lomantini’s in his second year of doing 50 haircuts in 50 states in 50 days and he’s made Murray his Kentucky stop.  Humane Society Executive Director Kathy Hodge tells Kate Lochte all about it.

The Panama Canal expansion project promises to increase river traffic in our region, but to service those ships, area ports will need to invest money to make the ports accommodate large ships.  The Alabama Port Authority has made some of those investments in Mobile.  Vice President of trade and development for the port authority Mark Sheppard spoke to Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce members as a follow-up to a Transportation Summit the Chamber held in May 2011.