Saturday, March 06, 2010

 

Inmate Denied Retrial In Infant Death

WEST VIRGINIA...
There will be no new trial for a Putnam County man convicted in the death of a 2-year old child. This is the second time a retrial has been denied Michael Merrifield. The first denial occured in July, 2009 The child was the son of his ex-girlfriend. Defense attorneys argued Merrifield should have been part of telephone conference call that decided the questions on a jury questionaire form. Judge Phillip Stowers released an opinion that said juror orientation is not a critical part of the trial as the defense argued. Instead, he ruled that it is an administrative process to familiarize jurors with their duties. The denial of the retrial means Merrifield will continue to serve a life sentence without mercy in prison. Judge Stowers also denied a similar call for a retrial in July 2009.

 

Governor's Mother Hospitalized

WEST VIRGINIA....
Gov. Joe Manchin's mother is being treated at Ruby Memorial Hospital after suffering a stroke Friday morning. Mary Manchin, 87, was taken to the hospital around 11 a.m. Friday. Gov. Manchin issued the following statement later in the day. “I am with my mother and my family as we wait for further news about my mother’s condition. I am truly thankful for the excellent care that my mother is receiving from all the doctors, nurses and hospital staff at Ruby Memorial. Gayle and I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers.” Governor Manchin's mother will remain in the hospital until her condition has stabilized.

 

Kanawha County Music Teacher Pleads Guilty

WEST VIRGINIA....
After 20 years, Jack Pierce, a private music teacher from Kanawha County, pleaded no contest Friday to three counts of third-degree sexual abuse after being charged with five counts of sexual abuse by a parent or guardian and first-degree sexual abuse. Pierce is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. In a plea arrangement, Pierce has to agree to plead guilty to a misdemeanor. If the deal is completed he will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life...and, could face up to 270 days in jail.

 

Cabell County Smoking Ban To Be Enforced

WEST VIRGINIA....
The Cabell County smoking ban which went into effect Thursday will not be enforced until Monday because Cabell County Circuit Judge Jane Hustead has to void an injunction. Some business owners say it's already hurting their business while it's forced a lot of her patrons to go elsewhere. Stanley Mills with the Cabell-Huntington Health Department most bars have been notified and given proper signage to put up, and he would recommend bars just go ahead and get customers used to what will be in full force come Monday. He says, based on smoking bans in other parts of the country, most customers eventually return.

 

Bank Robber Arrested

WEST VIRGINIA....
The Huntington Police Department and West Virginia State Police have arrested 55 year old Lonnie Bradbury, Jr. and charged him with the robbery of a branch of the Huntington Federal Savings Bank in Westmoreland which occurred around 9:30 A.M. Friday morning. Police say Bradbury admitted to stealing $7,400 from the bank.

 

Former Ky. Businessman To Plead Guilty

KENTUCKY....
According to a motion in federal court in Dallas, 62 year old Bill D. Deaton, founder of Image Entry Inc. is set to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Image Entry provided data-processing services for government agencies and businesses. Deaton, who has property in London, is accused of taking part in a scheme to inflate Image Entry's earnings. Under the deal, Deaton was eligible to get an additional $11 million if Image Entry achieved certain earnings levels, and up to $25 million more if company exceeded earnings targets by large enough margins. He repaid the entire $25 million at issue and paid $5 million to cover the costs of its investigation, and he paid the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $240,000. His attorney says, "Mr. Deaton intends to approach these charges in the same way: by forthrightly accepting responsibility for what he did."

 

Attempt To Bring Fishing To More People

KENTUCKY...
In an effort to give more people the opportunity to enjoy the sport of fishing, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has expanded its urban fishing program this year. More small lakes across Kentucky have been included in the program. In 2006, when the program began, there were six lakes, and this year, there are 29. Participating lakes are regularly stocked with 13-to-16-inch catfish and rainbow trout in the 8-to-12-inch range. Daily limits at the lakes are five trout, four catfish, one largemouth bass larger than 15 inches and 15 bluegill or other sunfish. State license and permit requirements apply.

 

Jury Recommends Life In Beating Death

KENTUCKY...
Jurors have recommended a sentence of life in prison for a southcentral Kentucky man found guilty of kidnapping and murder in the death of his girlfriend four years ago. The Daily News of Bowling Green reports a Warren County jury made the recommendation that 50-year-old Lawrence Stinnett spend the rest of his life behind bars. Warren Circuit Judge John Grise will formally sentence Stinnett at a later date. Stinnett was convicted of both counts last week, and could have faced the death penalty. Christina Renshaw was found dead Feb. 3, 2006, by Bowling Green police, who went to her apartment to investigate a domestic violence call.

 

Daughter Of Dr. Sandlin Now Activist

KENTUCKY...
The daughter of a popular doctor shot to death last year in his rural Kentucky clinic becomes an activist by lobbying for a national prescription database to instantly identify potential drug-abusing patients. Danielle Sandlin said hospitals and doctor's offices should be able to look up patients in a database and know immediately when they last were prescribed pain pills. The database would also contain prescriptions from other states. Police have said drug abuse was the motive behind the killing.

 

September Sale Changes At Keeneland

KENTUCKY...
Officials at Keeneland are making changes to the September Yearling Sale in an effort to improve sales. The Sale is the largest of its kind and a barometer for the thoroughbred market. Keeneland officials also want to make the two-week auction less of a grind for buyers and sellers. Changes include moving the sale's first two days Sunday and Monday nights rather than from Monday and Tuesday days, and featuring fewer yearlings. The Sale's first two days are when the best horses are sold.

 

Inmates Seeking To Waive Appeals

KENTUCKY...
Two Kentucky death row inmates are seeking to end their appeals and potentially hasten their own executions as the state pushes toward enacting a new lethal injection protocol. The inmates, Shawn William Windsor and James Hunt, are both pursuing lawsuits against their public defenders in Franklin Circuit Court in an effort to fire the attorneys and waive their remaining appeals. The Kentucky Supreme Court is reviewing the criminal cases of both men, with rulings in their cases possible later this month.

 

Church Funds Used To Pay For Sex Calls

KENTUCKY...
A central Kentucky man is facing charges after police say he used church funds to pay for sex calls. 23-year-old Michael Graham is charged with theft and misuse of an automated banking device. Mercer County Deputy Sheriff Eric Barkman says Graham used funds from Abundant Life Church in Harrodsburg to pay for $784 worth of calls in January and February. Barkman says Graham got the church's checking account information when leaders offered to pay a water bill for him. Barkman says Graham accepted the offer, but said he would pick up the check and pay the bill himself.
Barkman says Graham used the account and routing number on the check to pay for the calls. Church officials contacted police after noticing the inappropriate drafts.

Friday, March 05, 2010

 

National Symphony Seeks WV Composer

WEST VIRGINIA...
The National Symphony Orchestra is seeking a West Virginia composer to write a new piece of music. The symphony is partnering with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History to commission the work. A resident West Virginia composer will be commissioned to write a work of about 10 to 15 minutes. A panel convened by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the Appalachian Education Initiative will narrow the applications to three finalists. A National Symphony Orchestra jury making the final selection will be overseen by principal conductor Ivan Fischer.

 

Three Charged In Insurance Scam

WEST VIRGINIA...
Three people accused of scamming insurance companies by staging accidents and faking injuries have been indicted on charges of conspiracy, and mail and wire fraud. West Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline says this week's federal indictments are the result of a two-year investigation. Charged are 36-year-old James Woodson of Clarksburg, 28-year-old Jennifer Mills of Weston and 32-year-old Christopher Bragg of Salem. Cline said Thursday the 11-count indictment charges them with defrauding insurance companies, health care providers and other businesses between July 2001 and April 2007. She says they staged at least 24 crashes, then tried to file false insurance claims.

 

WV Pension Premiums Scaled Back

WEST VIRGINIA...
The agency that manages pensions for West Virginia's public workers is relenting on plans to increase premium charges sharply. The Consolidated Public Retirement Board has decided to adopt a gradual approach toward offsetting large investment losses blamed on the recent financial crisis. The board agreed this week to a 1.5 percent increase to the annual amounts that government agencies contribute toward their workers' benefits. Public employers had been bracing for a 6 percent hike once the new budget year begins July 1.

 

Teen Alcohol/Pot Use Declines In Kentucky

KENTUCKY...
Kentucky is bucking a national trend when it comes to teen alcohol and marijuana use.
A recent study from The Partnership for a Drug-Free America shows alcohol and pot use among teens is on the rise throughout the country. But the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy says Kentucky has seen a decline in usage over the past six years. Authorities attribute the decline to better policy enforcement and education about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Kentucky isn't without its share of drug problems. Adult alcohol and marijuana use is as bad or worse than most other states.

 

Identity Theft Ring In Kentucky

KENTUCKY...
A scheme that provided funds to support individual drug addictions has been uncovered in Kentucky. The Secret Service has secured indictments and arrested over 100 people identified as a part of the crime. The ring leaders created fake bank accounts and fraudulent checks, and would get others to cash the checks. The group has stolen at least $500-thousand since 2005. Nearly every bank in Louisville was affected as well as individuals and businesses, including non-profits. Police say most of the criminals used the money to support their own drug habits.

 

Utilities Seek Rate Increase

WEST VIRGINIA....
Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power filed a request this week with the state Public Service Commission seeking an 8.2% rate increase in West Virginia. The request is the second of a four part annual increase included in a 12.1% hike approved last September. The request would increase revenue about $96 million, while monthly residential bills per 1,000 kilowatt hours would rise to $86.44, from $80.47. The utilities say the increase would cover passed-along costs for fuel, purchased power and equipment to remove flue gas from the John Amos power plant in Putnam County. If approved, rates would go up July 1st.

 

Tri-State Airport Funding

WEST VIRGINIA....
Through the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Improvement Program, Tri-State Airport in Huntington is getting more than $900,000 in federal funding which will be used to help convert an outdated and unused runway into a new connector taxiway that will provide access to other parts of the airport and future hangar development area.

 

Massey Lawsuit Set

WEST VIRGINIA....
A Logan County judge has tentatively scheduled an October 12th trial date for a lawsuit filed by nine miners who survived a deadly fire when a conveyer belt ignited while they were working inside Massey Energy's Aracoma Alma No. 1 Mine on January 19, 2006. The nine miners are suing Virginia-based Massey and two subsidiaries. Massey has already settled with the widows of two miners who died in the blaze.

 

W. Va. Doesn't Make Race To The Top

WEST VIRGINIA....
Although West Virginia failed in its attempts to secure federal funding in the first round of the "Race to the Top" competition, the state Department of Education says it's anxious to receive the evaluation of the state's plan. Governor Joe Manchin, state lawmakers and the education community will then work to improve the plan and resubmit for a second round of funding in early June. Manchin says he will call a special session this spring to propose education changes to make the state's plan more attractive.

 

Cities Seek New Kentucky League Of Cities Executives

KENTUCKY....
Legislation is moving through the General Assembly that requires the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties to be more transparent. Letters have been sent to the Kentucky League of Cities demanding a change in leadership. Some city councils say they're unhappy with a move within the executive board to keep Deputy Director Neil Hackworth and Insurance Services Chief William Hamilton in the two top spots. In December, an audit from State Auditor Crit Luallen strongly criticized Hackworth and Hamilton for excessive spending and perks. On Thursday, the executive board chose the Mercer Group of Santa Fe, N.M., as its official search firm to find an executive director over the next three to four months. The company will be paid $16,500 for the work, plus expenses not to exceed $8,000.

 

Man Granted Competency Hearing

KENTUCKY....
Twenty-six year old Michael Adam Carneal, who fatally shot three classmates and wounded five others on December 1, 1997, at Heath High School near Paducah, has been granted a competency hearing. U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell says there's enough evidence in the case to question whether mental illness prevented him from appealing his guilty plea. Carneal is serving a sentence of life without the chance of parole for at least 25 years, making him eligible for parole in 2023.

 

Clay County Vote-Fraud Trial Continues

KENTUCKY....
As the vote-fraud trial of eight Clay County residents continued in Frankfort Thursday, Raleigh Downey testified that former Manchester council member, Gary "Ouchie" Jackson, told him that D. Kennon White, whose father was running for mayor, supplied money for bribes to voters in November 2006. Jackson, among others, has not been indicted. Earlier witnesses have testified the first election covered in the alleged conspiracy, the May 2002 primary, was a volatile contest marred by shootings, threats and dozens of complaints.

 

Kentucky Named Among Race To The Top Finalists

KENTUCKY....
Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education announced 15 states, including Kentucky, and the District of Columbia have been named as finalists in the first round of competition for a slice of $4.35 billion in federal education money through the Obama administration's program dubbed "Race to the Top." The states named were recognized for their innovative reforms to improve student performance. The 15 states that are finalists in the first round are: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

 

House Approves Revenue Bill

KENTUCKY....
The Kentucky House voted 64-36 Thursday to approve House Bill 530, a revenue package aimed at raising more than $300 million over two years to help fill a gaping shortfall in the next state budget. The proposal would not raise tax rates, relying on such steps as suspending a business tax break, accelerating sales tax collections and capping some tax credits...but would generate an estimated $72 million in the first year of the next budget cycle and $90 million in the second year. Republicans called it a tax increase that's ill-timed during a period of high unemployment and lackluster corporate income tax collections in Kentucky, saying it will keep small businesses and big businesses out of Kentucky, Representative Harry Moberly (D-Richmond) says the proposal is a tax suspension, not a tax increase, and write-offs generally benefit large companies with multiple subsidiaries.

 

New Prison Release Plan

KENTUCKY...
Under a new plan, the Department of Corrections would be directed to save $30 million in the next two-year budget by releasing 2,000 non-violent felons from custody. Although the department is already implementing several programs to speed up the release of inmates, it is unclear whether the department would be able to achieve the $30 million in savings through existing programs or would have to resort to simply releasing inmates. During the current two-year budget period, the Corrections Department released more than 8,000 inmates from prison and parole, saving at least $31 million.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

 

Lexington Businessman Faces Additional Charges

KENTUCKY...
A former Lexington businessman accused of breaking into the homes of female UK students and videotaping and taking nude pictures of them is now facing an additional charge. Police say Terry Grossman has been charged with an additional charge of second-degree burglary for evidence found in the original case. Grossman was already indicted by a grand jury on 20 counts relating to a voyeurism case on UK's campus. Grossman, who had been out of jail on bond, is again in custody at the Fayette County Detention Center.

 

Highway Fatality Report

KENTUCKY...
Preliminary statistics* indicate that seven people died in five separate crashes on Kentucky roadways from Monday, February 22 through Sunday, February 28, 2010. Four of the crashes involved motor vehicles and four of those victims were not wearing seat belts. Single-fatality crashes occurred in Barren, Pike and Shelby counties. The crash in Pike county involved the suspected use of alcohol. Through February 28,preliminary statistics* indicate that 92 people have lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during 2010. This is 25 fewer fatalities than reported for the same time period in 2009. Citizens can contribute to highway safety by reporting erratic drivers to the Kentucky State Police toll-free at 1-800-222-5555. Callers will remain anonymous and should give a description of the vehicle, location, direction of travel and license number if possible.

 

Transparency Bill Clears House

KENTUCKY...
A bill aimed at shedding more light on personal service contracts in state government has cleared the Kentucky House. The bill that passed the House on Wednesday would direct all state agencies to report the number of full-time merit, non-merit and contract employees to the Personnel Cabinet. The report would be forwarded to state lawmakers on a quarterly basis. House Minority Floor Leader Jeff Hoover, the bill's lead sponsor, said the bill would help shed light on the "shadow government" that exists. The proposal passed the House on a 99-0 vote. It now goes to the Senate.

 

Former Clay County Official Testifies On Vote Buying

KENTUCKY...
A former Clay County clerk says he and two allies pooled $100,000 to buy votes in 2002. Jennings B. White testified Tuesday in Frankfort, where eight Clay County residents are on trial, charged with conspiring to buy and steal votes between 2002 and 2007 to keep them in office or help them attain it. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported White told the jury he, then-state Rep. Barbara White Colter and Edd Jordan, who was the county sheriff in 2002, put money into a pot to buy votes as a group.There has been previous testimony that a slate of candidates opposing White's group had pooled at least $150,000 to buy votes. Those charged have maintained they are innocent and their lawyers have said many witnesses against them are convicted felons trying to get shorter sentences by testifying.

 

Horror Convention In Pikeville

KENTUCKY...
The city of Pikeville will be getting a little scary this weekend as the Dark Woods Convention brings horror icons and other special guests to the Landmark Inn. According to information provided by the organizers of the convention, Dark Woods Convention was developed to bring horror and paranormal fans together to socialize and meet some of their favorite celebrities, an opportunity often overlooked in smaller areas like Eastern Kentucky. This event will include over 50 horror actors, paranormal investigators, wrestlers, television and radio personalities, artists, local independent filmmakers and actors.

 

Anti-Nuclear Demonstrators Pass Through Mountains

KENTUCKY...
You may think a country road in the mountains of eastern Kentucky is an unlikely place for a nuclear demonstration, but on Tuesday morning there they were. Protestors marching in the cold morning air, on their way from Tennessee to New York City, and the route took them through Ivel in Floyd County. With the sound of drums and banner waving in the breeze they made quite a sight on US23. The group, known as Footprints for Peace, started walking at the V-12 Nuclear Weapons Facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn. on Feb. 13. The group hopes to arrive in New York on May 1. According to information provided by Footprints for Peace, the group hopes to raise awareness about alternative energy and sustainable lifestyles while exposing the effects of the nuclear industry. The walk is open to all those who wish to join.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

 

Paintsville Police Pursuit Leads To Arrests

KENTUCKY....
Kyle Matthew Harless of Boone's Camp is facing several charges, including assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and DUI, while his wife, Leanna Harless, is charged with fleeing and public intoxication. Police say Capt. Mike Roe attempted to make a traffic stop Tuesday near Paintsville when Harless pulled out in front of his cruiser while driving erratically. When Harless pulled into a parking lot Roe got out of his cruiser and approached the vehicle, but Harless put his pickup truck into reverse and rammed Roe's cruiser before fleeing down Route 40 with Roe in pursuit. The 10-mile chase continued with Harless turning up a strip mine access road then spunning his truck around, crashing head-on into Roe's car. Roe and other officers continued the pursuit. Harless and his wife attempted to flee on foot after his truck became stuck while trying to climb a hill.

 

Lawmakers To Hear Execution Protocal

KENTUCKY....
Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said Wednesday he doesn't have the authority to stop lawmakers from holding a hearing scheduled for Monday on Kentucky's proposed execution method, and he would be inclined to allow several items from the state's now-defunct procedures to be unsealed at the hearing. The ruling came in response to a challenge brought by an attorney for three death row inmates who wanted parts of the state's old protocol made public and aired before lawmakers.

 

Wheelwright Slide Work Underway

KENTUCKY...
An unstable hillside in Wheelwright that began to slide in February is getting some attention. Eleven families were initially forced to leave their homes when the ground began sinking and foundations cracked. A contractor began work Monday to save one remaining unsafe house. The crew is driving 62 steel beams to halt earth movement. It is believed the slide was caused by an abandoned coal mine. The contract for the initial work is more than $80,000.

 

Missing Man Identified

KENTUCKY...
A western Kentucky coroner says one of three bodies found in a submerged van in 2008 has been identified as a man missing for 12 years. Daviess County Coroner Bob Howe says the body was identified as James Sandy Woodard, who was 25 when he was reported missing along with two other men Nov. 25, 1998. The Messenger-Inquirer of Owensboro reported Tuesday that Woodard's body was identified by DNA experts in Texas. Also missing were Bill Gross, who was 28, and Brian Raley, who was 24. In October 2008, a van containing the three bodies was pulled from an Owensboro pond. The coroner said Woodard's body had suffered trauma to the head and jaw and a gunshot wound to the arm, as well as possible wounds to the torso. The investigation is continuing.

 

Death Row Murderer Deals For Life Sentence

KENTUCKY...
The death sentences of a multiple killer on Kentucky's death row have been changed to life in prison in a deal with prosecutors. Beoria A. Simmons will serve life without parole for a series of kidnappings and killings in Louisville from 1981 through 1983. A judge approved the deal between Simmons and prosecutors in court on Tuesday. The 55-year-old Simmons has been on Kentucky's death row for 25 years.
The deal comes four months after a federal judge ruled that Simmons could probe whether prosecutors systematically removed minorities from his jury in 1985.

 

Pikeville College May Have Scholarship Funds

KENTUCKY...
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority says students have until July 1 to apply for the Osteopathic Medicine Scholarship. The amount of the scholarship would be equal to the difference between the average in-state tuition charged at the state medical schools and the tuition charged at the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine. One requirement of the scholarship is that the recipient practice 2,000 hours of osteopathic medicine in Kentucky for each year they receive the scholarship. The Pikeville school's Web site says osteopathic physicians have full practice rights in all 50 states and most go into primary care in medically underserved areas.

 

Stumbo On The Budget

KENTUCKY...
Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo says a proposed state spending plan drafted by House leaders includes sacrifices that are ``fairly minuscule.'' House Democratic leaders briefed rank-and-file members Tuesday on the outlines of a budget blueprint for the two-year budget cycle beginning July 1. House budget committee chairman Rick Rand told reporters that a final revenue number has been settled on that creates about $75 million in extra funds in the second year of the budget. The plan doesn't raise tax rates but includes such things as accelerated sales tax collections and a temporary suspension of tax write-offs for businesses reporting losses. The proposal also relies on spending cuts and other steps to help overcome a massive shortfall.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

 

Bunning Agrees To Unemployment Vote

KENTUCKY....
Following open rebellion among fellow Republicans, Tuesday evening, Senator Jim Bunning agreed to permit a vote that would extend unemployment and health insurance benefits which expired Sunday. Bunning’s repeated objections to passing emergency legislation tested the patience of his GOP colleagues. By midafternoon, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said efforts were underway to resolve the impasse. Earlier, Bunning had refused to lift his objection, saying the emergency bill should be paid for through spending reductions and not added to the budget deficit. Bunning said, “We want a country that don’t owe everybody in the world for our existence.” Later this week, there will be two additional votes on his proposals to offset the costs of a longer-term benefits bill.

 

Wal-Mart Reaches Deal

KENTUCKY....
Under a deal with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to settle a nine-year old sex-discrimination lawsuit, Wal-Mart Stores will pay nearly $12 million and change it's hiring practices. The lawsuit, filed in 2001, alleged Wal-Mart illegally based hiring decisions on gender, bypassing women for jobs at its London regional distribution center warehouse, while hiring 18 to 25-year-old men instead of women and routinely telling applicants that order-filling positions were not suitable for women. Wal-Mart denied the charges. The settlement approved covers all hires at the London warehouse between 1998 and 2005. The $12 million payment will be split among a yet-to-be determined number of claimants, who will receive $8.4 million in back pay, with another $3.2 million in compensatory damages. Anyone receiving $100,000 or more will not be eligible for hire under the settlement terms. Wal-Mart will also pay $250,000 in administration costs related to the settlement.

 

Kentucky Coal Announces General Counsel

KENTUCKY....
As part of a management makeover, Tuesday the Kentucky Coal Association announced a new general counsel. Lloyd Cress, former commissioner of the state Environmental Protection Agency under former Governor Ernie Fletcher, says he looks forward to assisting Kentucky's coal industry.

 

Former Nursing Assistant Charged

KENTUCKY....
As the result of an investigation conducted by the Attorney General's Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control, 27 year old Lynwood C. Bauer of Middlesboro, a former nursing assistant at Britthaven Nursing Home in Pineville,has been charged with one count of reckless abuse of an adult. Officials in the office of Attorney General Jack Conway say, in September 2009, Bauer recklessly inflicted physical pain and injury on a Britthaven resident

 

Dropout Bill Passes House Committee

KENTUCKY....
House Bill 301, sponsored by Representative Jeff Greer (D-Brandenburg) passed the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee 26-1 Tuesday. The bill would raise the high school dropout age from 16 to 17, starting with the graduating class of 2017, and to 18 for those in the class of 2018 and beyond. Greer says dropouts earn an average of $6,800 less per year than high school graduates, contribute $60,000 less in taxes over a lifetime, and 75% of prison inmates lack a high school diploma.

 

Cause Of Teenager's Death Deferred

KENTUCKY...
A medical examiner says a teenager found dead outside a northern Kentucky apartment building wasn't killed. Boone County Coroner Doug Stith told The Kentucky Enquirer there was no evidence of trauma or foul play in the death of 15-year-old Karen Kappelman, whose body was found in the snow Sunday in Walton. Stith said the cause of Kappelman's death is deferred for now. He said it doesn't appear to be weather related and officials are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which could take a few weeks. A neighbor saw Kappelman's partly clothed body lying on a hill near her building off Ky. 338 about 10 a.m. Sunday and called sheriff's deputies.

 

Mongiardo Attends Rally

KENTUCKY...
Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo, who was the only Democratic U.S. Senate candidate at the rally in front of Senator Jim Bunning's Lexington offices Tuesday, insisted that the event was not part of his campaign. “This is not about politics,” he proclaimed. “It’s about standing up for the unemployed of Kentucky right now.” David Adams, Rand Paul’s campaign manager, said the Bowling Green eye surgeon couldn’t attend the event because he was in surgery. Republican candidate Bill Johnson also appeared, saying “At some point, we have to stop deficit spending,” while adding he thought two years of unemployment benefits was too much. Two other candidates, Republican Trey Grayson and Democrat Jack Conway, did not appear at Bunning's office, but expressed their sentiments down party lines. Grayson has supported Bunning’s stance, while Conway called on Bunning to end the stalemate.

Monday, March 01, 2010

 

PRIDE Spring Cleanup

KENTUCKY....
Spring is just around the corner, and, with it, comes the PRIDE Spring Cleanup project dedicated to the beautification of Pike County. It's never too early, but sometimes almost too late to consider the environment around us. PRIDE, a nonprofit organization founded in 1997, needs your help this year in it's cleanup effort. At a meeting in Pikeville Monday, PRIDE officials and volunteers discussed plans for the April project aimed at making Pike County the beautiful place it was meant to be. So, come on and take PRIDE in your neighborhood and clean up Pike County.

A $101,450 grant was announced Monday by Bluegrass PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) which will be appropriated to six projects which will help foster positive environmental change in Central Kentucky. The grant was made possible by an appropriation from U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler through the Appalachian Regional Commission.

 

Lawmakers Working On State Budget

KENTUCKY...
House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Monday that lawmakers are crafting a state budget that would spare higher education from at least part of an earlier proposed budget cut of 2% for state funding of public universities and colleges in the next two budget years. The 2% cut would produce yearly savings of about $20 million. Stumbo said the spending plan by House leadership would restore about $5 million to $6 million of the proposed cuts for higher education in the first year and another $10 million or so in the second year. Lawmakers are also looking at some changes to the state's tax code, including suspending some tax exemptions, but he says the plan would not raise tax rates. House leaders are considering shifting some bonding money Beshear included in his budget plan. Other proposals include temporarily suspending tax write-offs for businesses reporting losses. Those businesses would still be able to eventually claim those losses for tax purposes. Another would lift the state income tax exemption on the first $80,000 in income for nonmilitary Kentucky residents working overseas.

 

Stumbo Questions Cabinet for Health and Family Services

KENTUCKY....
Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo is accusing a state agency of stonewalling lawmakers who are seeking details about the Medicaid managed Passport Health Plan as part of their budget deliberations. The plan currently serves about 157,000 members in Jefferson and 15 nearby counties, and lawmakers are considering whether to expand the program. Monday, Stumbo sent a letter to Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller requesting immediate information about whether Passport is cost effective for the state. Miller responded that the cabinet has provided all requested information in a "timely manner" during the legislative session and assured Stumbo he would receive responses to most of his questions as early as Tuesday, with the other replies coming "as soon as possible."

 

Teenager Found Dead In Snow

KENTUCKY...
The Boone County coroner announced Monday that an autopsy on a 15 year old girl found dead over the weekend revealed no evidence of trauma and was not suspicious after police first thought it might be a homicide. The final ruling will depend on the results of the toxicology studies, but that could take several weeks. The Boone County Sheriff's Department says the remains of Karen Kappelman, a student at Ryle High School, were found Sunday outside The Legends at Steeplechase apartment complex, where she lived. The girl was found at the bottom of the hill, near a sidewalk running alongside the parking lot with a coat on the ground nearby. The teen was partially clothed but authorities declined to elaborate. Investigators were told the girl was possibly with friends Saturday night.

 

Weather Station A Possibility In Boyd County

KENTUCKY...
A proposed weather and climate monitoring station for northeastern Kentucky is still under consideration despite local officials declining to pay for a security fence around it. The Daily Independent in Ashland reports that Kentucky Mesonet wants to put a tower in Boyd County, even though the Fiscal Court rejected a request last month to pay $2,500 for fencing. FIVCO Area Development District associate director Tom Saylor says it donated use of the site for the tower, which would collect weather and climate information in real-time. Kentucky Mesonet is trying to put 100 towers across Kentucky and has 46 up and functioning. Each tower costs approximately $10,000 to install and is paid for through a $2.9 million federal appropriation.

 

Somerset Loses Airport

KENTUCKY...
A south-central Kentucky regional airport is facing closure after losing its funding and its only airline. The Lake Cumberland Regional Airport in Somerset no longer has commuter flights from Locair, Inc., and lost funding from both the City of Somerset and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The airport's board told the Pulaski County Fiscal Court during a meeting last week that the airport has run on very little money in the past, but it can't run on nothing. The Commonwealth Journal in Somerset reports that local officials were invited to the airport board's next meeting Friday to discuss possible options.

 

Boy Killed In Mysterious Shooting

KENTUCKY...
Kentucky State Police and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office are investigating the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old boy. According to initial reports the incident happened on Monday morning. The location of the alleged shooting is McKee. In the early stages of the investigation, details were not available. The shooting remains a mystery as police launch their search for motive and suspect.

 

Guilty Plea In Amended Sodomy Case

KENTUCKY...
A Perry County man indicted on charges that he sodomized a teenager at gunpoint in 2009 has pleaded guilty to a lesser crime. Victor Looney, 39, of Hazard, was originally indicted in May of 2009 on one count each of kidnapping and first-degree sodomy. According to authorities at the time, Looney held the juvenile at gunpoint inside his apartment on Baker Avenue and forced him to perform sexual acts. Authorities noted that through information gathered during an investigation they were able to obtain a search warrant for Looney’s apartment where they discovered a shotgun hidden in the ceiling tile matching the description of the gun that was allegedly used against the victim. But during an appearance in Perry Circuit Court on February 11, Looney entered a guilty plea on an amended charge of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, a Class A misdemeanor.

 

Bunning Gets Bomb Threats

KENTUCKY...
Two of U.S. Senator Jim Bunning's Kentucky offices have been checked after bomb threats were received, but nothing was found. Bunning's office in Louisville was checked after the threat. In Hazard, a threat was made on he William D. Gorman Educational Center, which includes the offices of Bunning and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers. Nothing was found in either case but the matter is under investigation.

 

School District Could Hold Classes On Saturdays.

KENTUCKY...
A western Kentucky school district has opted to hold classes on three weekends if necessary to make up days lost to winter weather. Henderson County School Board members voted last week to add the three Saturdays if needed because more school days are lost to ice and snow. Assistant Superintendent Marganna Stanley told The Henderson Gleaner that the school system has one spare day left to cancel classes without extending the school year past a planned May 28 graduation at Henderson High School.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

 

Accident Kills Pike County Man

KENTUCKY....
Kentucky State Police say, about 12:30 A.M. Saturday morning, 60 year old Raymond Farley Sr. of Phyllis lost control of the car he was driving eastbound on Ky. 134 in Biggs (Pike County) and hit a bridge support. Farley was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Ky. Teachers Approve Health Care Plan

KENTUCKY....
To preserve benefits and save taxpayer money, Kentucky representatives of the teachers, retirees and school boards signed onto a deal Friday in Frankfort which would allow Kentucky public school districts, as well as teachers and retirees under age 65, to pay more for retiree health care. Under the proposal, beginning next fiscal year, current teachers would contribute an additional .25% of their payroll for retiree health care, while retired teachers under age 65 would begin contributing $37 per month next year. School systems would contribute .25% of payroll next fiscal year and gradually see that amount increase until fiscal year 2016, when they would contribute 3%.

 

East Ridge High School Entrance

KENTUCKY...
The entrance to East Ridge High School may soon get a lot safer, according to a letter from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Acting Secretary Mike Hancock. Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford and District 3 Magistrate Leo Murphy sent a letter to Hancock in November of last year requesting the state do something to alleviate the safety hazards at the entrance. “Speeding, along with the lay and the curvature of the road, has created dangerous elements at the entrance to East Ridge High School,” Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford said. “The amount of bus traffic alone creates even more cause for concern. Children are our most precious cargo.” Hancock wrote in his letter that the transportation cabinet has formed a project team to review the safety issues that have been raised about the entrance to the school.

 

College Fair Held In Louisville

KENTUCKY...
Picking the right college can be a time consuming and confusing ordeal for many families. But the Louisville national college fair tries to make it a little easier. About 115 schools from across the country had representatives at the Kentucky International Convention Center Saturday. Their goal...help middle and high school students and their families learn more about choosing a school. One student attending the event said, "I honestly think it's important to check out more colleges than staying interested in one, for financial aid reasons, and for where you live and what you're comfortable with. Some people like small colleges and some people may get along with big colleges." The college fair is in Louisville every year. This year's goal was to get 3,000 students to attend.

 

Contraband Violation At State Prison

KENTUCKY...
A correctional worker at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex has been arrested for conspiring to bring contraband into the minimum-security prison. State police say they arrested Larry V. Fredley Junior of West Liberty on one count of official misconduct.

 

Governor Beshear Urges Senator Bunning to Change Position On Jobless Benefits

KENTUCKY...
In a letter regarding an extension of unemployment benefits, Gov. Steve Beshear has urged Senator Jim Bunning to allow passage of H.R. 4691, a vital extension of unemployment benefits to 1.2 million Americans. Kentucky currently has an unemployment rate of 10.7 percent, and 119,230 Kentuckians are currently receiving benefits through the federal extension program. Without a further extension, 14,206 claimants will exhaust all extension benefits within two weeks. By the end of March, a total of 22,797 will exhaust their benefits; by mid-April, 31,521 will exhaust their benefits; and, by July 31, the remainder of those receiving extension benefits will exhaust them. Beyond the number of those receiving extension benefits, another 90,000 Kentuckians currently on unemployment insurance will not be eligible for the federal extension program at all. Governor Beshear went on to say, “I urge you to reverse your position on this bill and would welcome any opportunity to provide you with further information on its tremendous necessity.”

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