News

Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, who has made illegal immigration an issue in most of his election campaigns, is opposed to both of the immigration reform packages proposed recently - one by President Obama and another by a bipartisan group of eight U.S. senators.

Both plans lay out a "pathway to citizenship" for many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants now living in the U.S.

On his blog, Chabot laid out his reasons for opposing both the Obama and Senate plans.

A new report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows a big gap between Kentucky’s income levels on who pays taxes.

The report says Kentucky’s top 1 percent income bracket pays roughly 5 percent of the state’s income tax, while the bottom 20 percent pays 9 percent.

Middle income levels are saddled with a higher percent, according to the report.

Jason Bailey, director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, says the numbers show tax reform needs to happen quickly in Kentucky to better balance the burdens.

State Rep. Dennis Keene (D-Wilder) filed a bill in the Kentucky General Assembly Tuesday which he says will close a loophole that grants parental and visitation rights to convicted rapists if they seek those rights.

Kentucky is one of 34 states that has no protection for rape victims who become mothers as a result of the rape, Keene said.

Keene said he found out that Kentucky had no such law last summer when he read about a Massachusetts case of a 14-year-old rape victim dealing with this issue in the courts.  

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is going to open his first Ohio restaurant inside Horseshoe Cincinnati when the casino opens March 4.  This will be the 14th Bobby's Burger Place.  The 3,500 square foot restaurant will be located adjacent to the gaming floor with seating for about 90 people.  

Bobby's Burger Place will join Jack Binion's Steak and Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville as premium dining outlets at the $400 million casino.

Flay opened his first BBP on Long Island in 2008.  He's also the owner and executive chef of Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay Steak and Bar Americain.  

The ongoing dispute between Cincinnati and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority about the use of the city’s transit fund is still dragging on. 

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls spoke during a special Budget and Finance Committee meeting Tuesday.

"Members of the committee may remember that we passed a one-month budget for SORTA a number weeks ago," Qualls said.  "This is another one month budget for the period of February."

The city argues the fund can be used for any transit purpose.