Shelly Baskin

Owensboro officials hope a recent study will put them in the path of a new highway running from Tennessee to Michigan. The report found the proposed Interstate 67 could attract 16 to 30 thousand vehicles a day along most of its length when it’s completed in 2035. The study projects higher volumes along the Kentucky section.

Illinois' home foreclosure rate rose 6 percent in October compared to the previous month, and was 19 percent higher than in October of last year. A RealtyTrac report released Thursday shows Illinois with almost 15 thousand foreclosure filings last month, the third-highest rate in the nation. Filings include default notices, auction-sale notices and bank repossessions. Nationally, October's foreclosure activity rose 3 percent from the previous month but fell 19 percent from October of 2011.

The Illinois firearm deer season begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday.  It will conclude November 29th through December 2nd. Hunters harvested more than 98,000 deer during 2011's seven-day hunt. So far this year, about 334,000 permits have been issued.

From NPR: Compromise is suddenly the watchword in Washington, as negotiations over taxes, spending and entitlements begin in advance of another self-imposed deadline, popularly known as the "fiscal cliff." Automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts are slated for the first of the year, unless the president and Congress take action. Leaders on both sides say they are willing to meet in the middle, but that makes their constituents worry about what any compromise will cost them.

Murray State Faculty Regent Dr. Jack Rose will chair the new Provost Search Committee which will meet for the first time this month. The committee is in charge of finding a new Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs to replace Dr. Bonnie Higginson.

Kentucky State Police are again hoping to fill up their cruisers with food for needy families. All 16 state police posts throughout Kentucky and state police headquarters in Frankfort will be collecting nonperishable food items through December 14th.

From NPR: Members of Congress are asking why the FBI and Justice Department didn't tell them earlier about an investigation into CIA Director David Petraeus. But the legal authority for reporting such sensitive information to lawmakers is murky.

Officials are evacuating more than two dozen homes near a train derailment that occurred two weeks ago in southwestern Jefferson County. Louisville-Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Jody Duncan says 31 homes within a half-mile of the derailment are being evacuated to allow workers to remove hazardous chemicals from some of the tanker cars.

Geologists say the 4.3 magnitude earthquake that shook eastern Kentucky over the weekend was not induced by the region's underground mining activity. The epicenter was about 10 miles west of Whitesburg, in the heart of Kentucky's coal country, where underground mining and surface blasting are common.

Tennessee smokers participating in the Great American Smokeout Thursday can quit with free help from the Tennessee Tobacco QuitLine. The QuitLine connects smokers with a personal coach who guides them through the quitting process.