Tuesday, March 29, 2011
EKB Capsule News...Kentucky...3-30-'11
- Kentucky State Police are investigating after skeletal remains were found in a remote area near the Breaks Interstate Park in Pike County, a few miles from the Virginia state line, Saturday afternoon. Grondall Potter and a friend called the KSP after they spotted the remains while fishing on the Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River. Officers spent hours combing the woods near the river collecting the bones and looking for clues. The remains have been sent to the state Medical Examiner's Office in Frankfort. Investigators say it appears to be an adult, but it could take several days to get the answers they need.
- Testimony continued Tuesday in the Martin County murder trial for Ross Brandon Sluss of Inez, the man accused of driving under the influence of drugs when he crashed head on into a car driven by Blanche Robinson, the grandmother of 10 year old Destiny Brewer, in June 2010. Brewer died as a result of the crash, and Robinson spent days in intensive care. Emergency responders testified for the prosecution. The commonwealth's attorney rested the case, and the defense began calling witnesses. The jury is expected to start deliberating Wednesday. Sluss has a long criminal history, including a number of DUIs and drug-related offenses.
- Kentucky State Police Post 11 in London is investigating after receiving a report of a robbery at the “Ona Whim Antiques” on south Stewart Road in southern Laurel County. Police say a white male subject attacked the female owner and then fled the business with an undisclosed amount of cash. The subject is described as a white male, heavy set, approximately 6’ 2” tall, with short dark colored hair and wearing glasses. Anyone with information is requested to contact the Kentucky State Police at (606) 878-6622 or 1-800-222-5555.
- The deadline is approaching for candidates seeking public office as an independent or political group candidate in a partisan office to file their Statement-of-Candidacy form. In order to be placed on the ballot for the November 8th general election, the appropriate filing paperwork must be received by the Secretary of State’s office by Friday, April 1, 2011 at 4:00 P.M. The Statement-of-Candidacy form for independent candidates is required by KRS 118.365(5) which was enacted by the 2003 General Assembly. There is no filing fee for the filing of the Statement-of-Candidacy. Failure of candidates required to file the Statement of Candidacy shall result in the rejection of any nominating petition submitted to the appropriate filing official by the August 9, 2011 deadline for attaining ballot access in the November 8, 2011 general election.
- An April 14th murder trial has been set for Robin Maple a man accused of kidnapping and killing his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Patrick, and then fatally shooting her in November 2008 in Morgan County. Maple had escaped custody from the Montgomery County jail, where he was being held on charges he kidnapped the couple's two year old son, Wyatt. The Morgan County Commonwealth's Attorney said at the request of Patrick's family he will not seek the death penalty against Maple. The family says "that's too easy of a punishment" for Maple. The trial could be moved to Carter County.
- James Faller of U.S. Justice Watch, which is part of Karen Cunagin Sypher's legal team, said in an email Tuesday that Sypher is to report April 6th to the federal prison in Marianna, Florida. Sypher, the woman convicted of attempting to extort University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino has once again asked for a new trial, her third such request since being convicted in August and being sentenced to more than seven years in prison. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson has twice rejected new trial bids from Sypher. David Nolan, the attorney for Sypher, claims more than one person called Pitino and threatened to publicly accuse him of rape. At Sypher's trial, an acquaintance of Sypher's testified to making all three threatening calls to the coach.
- A Bowling Green tea party group has endorsed Louisville businessman Phil Moffett in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Paul Keith, chairman of the Bowling Green Southern Kentucky Tea Party, says Moffett best represents the values of fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets.
- Maker's Mark has unveiled its latest commemorative bottle, this one honoring Keeneland's 75th anniversary. The bottle, with gold wax in place of the trademark red covering the top, goes on sale April 8th and will benefit an arts endowment in honor of retiring University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. and his wife, Patsy. Keeneland officials say the bottle's design features Keeneland's anniversary logo and notes the 15th anniversary of the distillery's sponsorship of the Maker's Mark Mile. Maker's Mark President and CEO Bill Samuels Jr. expects about $200,000 from the sale of more than 18,000 bottles statewide. A bottle signing will be held at Keeneland on April 15th.
During a University of Kentucky board meeting Tuesday, Raymond Cotton of ML Strategies, a Washington-based consulting group, told trustees UK should be prepared to pay the school's next president at least $714,045 in salary and benefits, which is the median compensation for UK's benchmark schools. Cotton also told trustees they need to be prepared to increase that figure to keep the new president. President Lee T. Todd Jr., who will retire in June, made $659,457 in total compensation for 2010-2011, including retirement and insurance payments. His base pay was boosted by nearly 52 percent by the trustees in September 2010, to $461,046. The $157,046 annual raise was retroactive to 2009-2010. Todd also receives $50,000 for being chairman of the UK research foundation and the athletics association boards. The presidential search committee is expected to meet April 11th to narrow its field of candidates for the UK presidency to three to five finalists. Those names will then be forwarded to the UK trustees for final evaluation.
- Tuesday, Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen of Midway was elected chairman of the board of Kentucky Equine Education Project, which has lobbied for expanded gambling. Johnsen replaces former Governor Brereton Jones, who retired from the board. While president of Lone Star Park in Texas, Johnsen hosted the Breeders' Cup championships in 2004. KEEP vice chairman Bill Casner says Johnsen, who is passionate about the racing and breeding side of the business, has led tough industry fights in other states and has gotten results, including leading one of the most successful Breeders' Cup events at Lone Star Park.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:40 PM 
