In-person absentee voting begins in Ky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — In-person absentee voting has begun in Kentucky for the Nov. 6 elections.

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes says eligible voters can cast an absentee ballot in person at their local county clerk’s office. To be eligible, a voter must be either out of the county on Election Day, elderly, disabled, ill, in the military or a dependent of a military person, an overseas resident, a student or person who temporarily resides outside the county, a voter or the spouse of a voter who has surgery scheduled on Election Day, a pregnant woman in the third trimester or an election official.

Voters who don’t qualify to cast an absentee ballot in person might be eligible to cast one by mail. Applications for mail-in ballots are due by Oct. 30.

Kentucky Highlands Investment celebrates 50th anniversary

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — An organization that has helped create or maintain more than 25,000 jobs in Kentucky since being created during the War on Poverty has celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Kentucky Highlands Investment Corp. said in a news release it is now one of the largest small business development investors in rural America.

The organization celebrated its 50th on Monday at the Center for Rural Development in Somerset on Monday night.

In addition to the job growth in southeastern and southern Kentucky, Kentucky Highlands has also helped more than 800 businesses with more than $400 million in financing. It also obtained the first rural Promise Zone designations with 92 partner organizations, which have received more than $542 million in funding during the first five years of designation.

The organization serves 22 counties.

Teacher who dragged autistic child not yet charged

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky school district superintendent wants criminal charges filed against a teacher recorded dragging an autistic student through a middle school.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Fayette Superintendent Manny Caulk also wants an overhaul to the process by which teachers are disciplined. He told a special school board meeting that no one speaks for children who are victimized during this tribunal process, which was established by the General Assembly.

Security video recorded the teacher and a nurse trying to persuade the boy to leave a gymnasium at Tates Creek Middle School last month before ultimately dragging him through hallways. The child’s mother, Jo Grayson, said Monday that she too wants the Fayette County Attorney’s office to pursue a criminal case against the teacher, who no longer works for the district.

Fort Knox to test its energy independence program

FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP) — Fort Knox is planning a demonstration to show the Army post can run without external power, which was developed as part of its energy security program.

The demonstration Wednesday is being conducted in accordance with a military directive that wants all Army installations able to operate critical missions by providing their own water and energy for a minimum of 14 days.

A release from Fort Knox says the post is able to exceed the 14-day standard by extracting its own natural gas and using it to generate electricity.

The Army post saves about $10 million each year generating its own energy.

The test will be observed by Jack Surash, the deputy assistant to the Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability, and Kentucky congressman Brett Guthrie.