Funds available for Louisville-Ind. bridges

        LOUISVILLE - Federal funds and resources needed to build two bridges connecting Louisville and southern Indiana are available, the head of the Federal Highway Administration said Friday.

        The estimated $1.4 billion needed to build two bridges and update Spaghetti Junction would still need to be secured during the budget process, Administrator Mary Peters said.

        Building the two bridges and untangling the area where three interstates converge near downtown Louisville has local and national importance, since it would ease traffic flow, Ms. Peters said.

        Congress will work on passing a six-year federal road plan next year, which would include about $300 billion for national transportation projects, she said.

Four more gorillas at Louisville Zoo

        LOUISVILLE - Four more Western lowland gorillas have arrived at the Louisville Zoo, but the newcomers won't be seen by visitors for another month or so, zoo officials said.

        A 430-pound male Silverback named Jojo and three females were transferred last week from Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, but they won't be on view until a four-week quarantine ends, officials said.

        Their arrival brings to a dozen the number of apes at the zoo's Gorilla Forest exhibit.

        Zookeepers hope the new group - 22-year-old Jojo, 15-year-old Makari, 12-year-old Bahati and 10-year-old Tabibu - will breed.

Lexington Woolworth building wins reprieve

        LEXINGTON - Preservationists have gained more time in their effort to save the F.W. Woolworth building from being demolished.

        Joe Rosenberg, owner of the long-vacant building, received approval Wednesday to demolish the building from the Downtown Design Review Board, which oversees design guidelines for the downtown core.

        But the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation has appealed the review board's decision, halting the demolition - which had been set to start Tuesday - for at least a month.

        Mr. Rosenberg said he was unaware of the appeal Friday.

        He said he already has signed a contract with a demolition company and rented the parking lot next door.

        The Urban County Planning Commission has 90 days to consider the appeal, but late October would be the earliest the case would be heard, said Bill Sallee, the city's planning manager.

        In the meantime, a hold has been placed on the demolition permit, said Curt Farley, acting director of the city's Division of Building Inspection.

Car dealers must be permanent in Harlan

        HARLAN - A new ordinance prohibiting out-of-town car dealers from operating temporary sales lots in the city has prompted a Nicholasville auto dealership to set up a permanent presence.

        Representatives from the dealership reportedly signed a lease agreement with Village Center Mall last week, establishing Daewoo of Village Center Mall as a local business.

        Darby Bennett, who holds an ownership interest in the mall, said the agreement meets ordinance requirements by establishing a permanent business location for the Nicholasville-based dealership.

        Earlier this month, city police went to the mall's parking lot where the Nicholasville dealership was conducting a tent sale and cited the company for violating the ordinance.

        The ordinance requires car dealers to operate from a permanent business location with a hard-paved lot.

        Mr. Bennett said the lease agreement had been negotiated before the sales event occurred. The deal could not be finalized in time because the dealer's representative had to attend to out-of-town business, he said.

Henderson man held in bank robbery

        HENDERSON - A Henderson man wanted in connection with a bank robbery in Sebree was captured by police at an apartment complex.

        Darell I. Barker, 24, was charged with robbing the Integra Bank on Wednesday morning. No one was injured when a robber entered the bank, walked up to the teller and brandished a weapon.

        The robber left with an undisclosed amount of cash, authorities said.

        Mr. Barker was arrested without incident Friday and lodged in the Webster County Detention Center.

— Compiled from staff and wire reports

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