Beshear to Return to Western Kentucky

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear plans to return Tuesday to far western Kentucky, for further assessment of the flooding situation. Beshear, who toured the area last week, says the lower Ohio River is expected to crest at 58 feet Friday, five feet higher than earlier projections.“It’s very likely we’re going to have more flooding than we thought perhaps that we would have," he says. And we’re in the process of moving more folks as well as materials down to assist local officials in any evacuations that we may have to do. We’re just trying to stay on top of the situation every moment.”National Guard troops are already preparing to help evacuate the city of Ledbetter, in Livingston County. Upriver, partial evacuations in Smithland have also been ordered.  Beshear is already seeking a federal disaster declaration tied to recent storm and flood damage.“We haven’t heard anything on our request for a presidential disaster declaration directly from the White House, but FEMA has already had people here on the ground, working with us to do the joint assessments necessary for the White House and them to approve our request for the declaration," he says.