By Angela Hatton

Murray, KY – Kentucky Emergency Management officials say earthquake training helped prepare for emergency response to the ice storms. State Emergency Management Director Brigadier General John Heltzel says last year counties across the commonwealth practiced for the possibility of a major earthquake along Kentucky's New Madrid fault line.

"And we knew how to respond to that. And what's interesting is during that the first 72-hours of this we executed that plan flawlessly. That's how we were able to get down there so quick."

By Carrie Pond

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen will give his annual State of the State speech to lawmakers tonight, but it won't include its usual level of detail about his yearly state spending plan. The Democratic governor and the Republican leadership in the Legislature have agreed to postpone the budget element until after officials get a better idea of the final details of a federal stimulus package.

By Todd Hatton

Murray, KY – The 806 Newscast on February 9, 2009. From WKMS News.

By Tracy Ross

Murray, KY – The 404 Newscast on February 9, 2009. From WKMS News.

By Cash/Garner

Murray, KY – The Afternoon Stock Report on February 9, 2009. From WKMS.

By Carrie Pond

Paducah, KY – AT&T today said restoration efforts in the region are making significant progress. More than 750 workers have been deployed statewide to restore services impacted by the storm, including to Paducah and Madisonville. The vast majority of wireless cell sites are functioning normally, operating at pre-storm levels. AT&T technicians are still working to complete repairs to the company's wireline network and hope to restore affected sites to full capacity soon.

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – Kentucky Representative Mike Cherry of Princeton has now filed his bill granting ten disaster days to school districts impacted by this month's debilitating ice storm. A similar bill filed by Louisville Representative Ron Crimm puts no limits on the number of disaster days districts could claim, but Cherry's not sure he could go that far.

"I'm open to any kind of compromise. If the majority of the members want to make it open-ended, that's fine. I just think open-ended is going a little far."

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – In the ongoing effort to fill an almost half-billion dollar hole in the state budget, House and Senate leaders are considering raising alcohol and cigarette taxes. But the alcoholic beverage industry says, not so fast. Industry representatives, like Maker's Mark President Bill Samuels, descended on the State Capitol to argue against tax hikes.

By Carrie Pond

Benton, KY – Recent high winds have caused Marshall County officials to issue a burn ban until further notice. Officials say citizens of Marshall County and the cities of Benton, Calvert City and Hardin should refrain from open burning effective immediately. Calloway County Fire Marshal Dickie Walls says an official ban isn't in place in Calloway and Murray, but urges residents to refrain from burning until conditions improve.

By Angela Hatton

Murray, KY – The 104 Newscast on February 9, 2009. From WKMS News.