EPA Rejects Kentucky Mine Permits

• {Kentucky}...The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected 19 mountaintop mine permits in Kentucky. The EPA notified the Beshear administration of its decision by letter on Friday, citing concerns about impacts on water quality. Beshear had recently met with Obama at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport and urged him to change federal policies that are costing jobs in Kentucky's mining industry. Governor Beshear followed that meeting with a letter this week in which he said the EPA has unduly delayed mining permits that could create high-paying jobs at a time when the nation is struggling to pull out of an economic recession.

Beshear Urges President To Change EPA Policies

Kentucky}...{A year ago, Governor Steve Beshear directed the state to join a lawsuit filed by the Kentucky Coal Association against the federal Environmental Protection Agency to prevent it from blocking coal projects by refusing to grant required permits. Governor Beshear is now appealing to President Barack Obama to change federal policies that he says are costing jobs in Kentucky's coal mining industry. As a follow-up to a meeting last week between Beshear and Obama, Beshear sent a letter to Obama earlier this week, saying the EPA is knocking Kentuckians out of high-paying jobs by obstructing the opening of new mines and the expansion of existing ones. Beshear said the EPA has unduly delayed 75 mining permits in eastern Kentucky that would have created crucial jobs at a time when the nation is struggling to pull out of a national recession. Beshear wrote, "Kentucky has experienced tremendous frustration over the uncertainty and overreaching policies of the Environmental Protection Agency." Beshear urged President Obama to help find a reasonable way to protect the environment while supporting the mining industry. Kentucky Coal Association President Bill Bissett said the letter, dated Tuesday, is timely because a decision is imminent on 55 permit applications that are awaiting federal action.

UK President Underlines University Needs

{Kentucky}...In a campus-wide email message sent Thursday, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto underlined the university's most urgent needs. Capilouto said that as he has traveled the state and gotten to know the UK campus, he has seen a deep appreciation for the education, research and service that UK provides. Capilouto said a review committee, chaired by university Senate Council chairwoman Hollie Swanson, noted gains and growth in the quality of students and faculty, the medical center and the amount of research, but it said there are crucial areas that need immediate attention. Those areas include improving undergraduate education, facilities, faculty and staff salaries and research and graduate education. The report says UK's faculty salaries now rank near the bottom in comparison with their peers, and the committee recommends that the president review those salaries and bring them more in line. The report also says UK has facility needs that top $1 billion, including antiquated residential dorms. The committee said the president needs to review the construction priority list, expand and improve housing, expand and innovate classroom space with new technologies, and expand research and laboratory space.

Medal Of Honor Recipients Attend Louisville Convention

{Kentucky}...Kentucky Marine Dakota Meyer and Army Sgt. Leroy Petry of New Mexico, two of only three living recipients who have been awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery in Iraq or Afghanistan, were in Louisville on Thursday to attend a convention honoring the recipients of the military's highest honor. Meyer, 23, was given the award for charging through heavy gunfire on five death-defying trips to rescue fellow soldiers and Marines ambushed by Taliban insurgents in Kunar Province in September 2009. The military says Meyer saved 36 lives - 13 Marines and Army soldiers along with 23 Afghan soldiers. Meyer personally killed at least eight insurgents despite being wounded himself. Petry received the honor for throwing back a live grenade that had been tossed at him and fellow soldiers in the Paktya province of Afghanistan in May 2008. The grenade detonated as he threw it, taking his right hand at the wrist and further injuring him with shrapnel. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society organized the Louisville convention which ends Saturday.

Wayne County Trial

{Kentucky}...During a hearing Thursday, attorney James Wren II said the drain cleaner that killed 20 month old Kayden Branham, a Wayne County toddler who died in 2009, was left in a cup when Alisha Dicken showed his 14 year old mother, Alisha Branham, how to use the chemical in making methamphetamine. On May 30, 2009, Kayden picked up the cup, which had been left on a table, while his parents weren't watching and drank the drain cleaner. The chemical burned the boy internally, and he died less than an hour later. Wren represents Larry Branham, the boy's grandfather, who rented the small mobile home outside Monticello where the boy drank the chemical. Larry Branham is charged with child endangerment, complicity to make meth and taking part in organized crime and has denied the charges. Alisha Branham pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree manslaughter, and Dicken pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of facilitation to make meth.

Judge Advocates Fewer Youth Incarcerations

{ Kentucky}...Nationally known juvenile justice advocate Judge Stephen Teske spoke Wednesday in Covington at a forum organized by the Children Law Center, saying only a small proportion of at-risk youth need to be incarcerated. Records show Kenton County, which has a "zero-tolerance" policy on truancy, jailed 213 children last year for status offense. Those are acts that adults cannot be charged with, such as truancy and running away. Statistics also show Kentucky is among the top three states in the jailing of status offenders. Family Court Judge Chris Mehling says he has become more aware of the need to address underlying problems in an effort to keep children out of lockup and that numbers in Kenton County are starting to decrease.

Food Stamp Recipients Show No Earned Income

{Kentucky}...Recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows most food stamp recipients in Kentucky had no earned income in 2010. According to the data, 347,000 Kentuckians were on food stamps last year, and 78.1 percent of them had no earned income. That’s the second highest rate in the nation, behind Massachusetts with 80.5 percent.

Restoring America Ads Rejected

• {Kentucky}...Jim Rutledge, an Ohio attorney from Columbus and chairman of the political committee Restoring America, filed paperwork last week with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance to enable the group to make independent political expenditures in Kentucky. In a series of ads, the group blames Governor Steve Beshear for more than 90,000 lost jobs since he took office and blames him for long rides on school buses for Louisville students. Restoring America claims Beshear has mastered the art of the payoff, pocketing hundreds of thousands in campaign contributions from energy and utility companies. Yet Beshear appoints public service commissioners who set our utility rates. Sarah Jackson, executive director of the state Registry of Election Finance, says the Kentucky Constitution prohibits any candidate for public office from accepting direct contributions from corporations, but it does allow individuals to give up to $1,000 per election to a campaign. Jackson says, while it's true that Beshear's campaign has accepted many donations from people who work for energy and utility companies, as has David Williams' campaign, there's no evidence that he has taken money from any of the companies that employ those workers. The Williams' campaign says it is not involved with Restoring America. At least two Kentucky TV stations have declined to run the attack ads.

Shaughnessy Says U of L Misused Medicaid Funds

• {Kentucky}...State Senator Tim Shaughnessy says doctors at the University of Louisville medical school used about $4.8 million in state Medicaid funds to pay themselves “financial bonuses” and another $5.2 million for an electronic records system that would make U of L doctors eligible for additional bonuses from the federal governernment. Shaughnessy says he recently obtained the information from Attorney General Jack Conway’s office, but a spokeswoman for Conway said Wednesday that the office determined only that the $4.8 million was compensation for U of L doctors. But, Shaughnessy insists that Conway’s staff described the money as “bonuses” at a recent meeting. Shaughnessy said he plans to file legislation for the 2012 session of the General Assembly that would require public university boards to exercise more oversight over affiliated entities.

Kentucky Electric Steel Workers Injured

• {Kentucky}...A safety investigation continues after four workers at the Kentucky Electric Steel plant in Coalton off I-64 in Boyd County were injured. Cannonsburg Fire Chief Richard Cyrus says the accident happened just before 10:30 P.M. Tuesday night. Cyrus says two men were life-flighted to Cabell Huntington Hospital. One had third degree burns, and one suffered smoke and heat inhalation. Cyrus says two were taken by ambulance to Cabell Huntington Hospital with burns and hearing loss. Cyrus says the plant safety manager told him the injuries came from contact with or heat from molten steel. State OSHA safety officials are conducting an investigation which could take up to six months.

UNITE Awarded $500,000 Grant

• {Kentucky}...Operation UNITE has been awarded a $500,000 grant to build capacity for prevention and healthy lifestyle programs across Kentucky. The grant, announced Tuesday, is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Transformation Grants to support public health efforts to reduce chronic diseases, promote healthier lifestyles, reduce health disparities and control health care spending. UNITE is one of 26 grantees to receive a capacity-building award to implement changes by laying a solid foundation for community prevention efforts to ensure long-term success. The grant is expected to run for five years, with projects expanding their scope and reach over time as resources permit.

Former Blaine Mayor Indicted

{Kentucky}...A grand jury in Lawrence County, Kentucky has indicted former Blaine Mayor Crystal Meade on two misdemeanor counts of misapplication of entrusted property and second-degree official misconduct. Meade is set be arraigned on October 11th in Lawrence County District Court. Current Mayor Geneva Wheeler filed the complaint against Meade earlier this year. In June, Wheeler said her predecessor would not turn over up to seven years worth of missing city minutes, bank statements, check stubs, wrenches for gas meters, tables from the community center and more. A Lawrence County prosecutor says he tried to get Meade to return all the missing city property and avoid criminal charges.

Thousands Apply For GE Jobs

{Kentucky}...General Electric began accepting applications at 6:30 A.M. Wednesday for 480 new factory jobs at its Appliance Park facility in Louisville. By 7:20 A.M., it had gotten its limit of 6,000 applicants. The company currently has about 4,000 workers at its facility in Louisville. The new positions were added because additional products, including a hybrid water heater and a new refrigerator model, will be produced there.
The positions pay $13 an hour and will begin in February.

Clay County Standoff Leads To Arrest

• {Kentucky}...A standoff in Clay County early Tuesday morning resulted in the arrest of 37 year old Kevin Lipps. Clay County Sheriff’s deputies were sent to the home of Lipps to serve a felony warrant for failure to appear on a child support warrant. When deputies arrived, Lipps ran into a back bedroom with a gun where he held a woman and small child hostage for nearly an hour as he threatened to kill himself. Deputies finally talk Lipps into opening the bedroom door, though he refused to obey any of their commands. After a short altercation, Lipps was tased and taken into custody and charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.  He was also served with the felony child support warrant and an additional parole violation warrant for violating terms of his parole.

Ashland Fugitive Arrested In New York

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police say 45 year old Brian “Trinity” Brewster was arrested by US Marshals Tuesday morning in Brooklyn, New York on a fugitive from justice warrant. KSP investigators say, on May 3rd, 19 year old Lakyn Jobe left her 16 month old daughter Cally at her home in Ashland with Brewster. When Lakyn returned, Cally was unresponsive, and Lakyn took her to Kings Daughter's Medical Center where she was  flown to Charleston Area Medical Center where she died of her injuries. Brewster fled the state immediately after the death. The coroner's report indicated Cally died from abusive closed head trauma. Brewster, who has served prison time in South Carolina for trafficking marijuana and manufacturing meth, has been charged with manslaughter and being a persistent felony offender. Lakyn Jobe was arrested in August on felony charges of 1st degree criminal abuse. She is in the Boyd County Jail on $10,000 bond.

MSHA Cites Mines

• {Kentucky}...The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday that federal inspectors issued 356 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 16 coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines last month. The coal mines were issued 272 citations, 37 orders and two safeguards, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 45 citations. The mine operator's cited in Kentucky include Superior Mining LLC., TRC Mining Corp., Leeco Inc. and two Bledsoe Coal Corp., locations.

KY Shows Slight Improvement In College Readiness

{Kentucky}...According to new Kentucky Department of Education data, more than 60 percent of Kentucky high school graduates left school this spring unprepared for college or the workforce. Just 38 percent of Kentucky’s 41,784 graduates in 2011 were deemed prepared for college or careers. In 2010, 34 percent of graduates were deemed college or career ready. Education Commissioner Terry Holliday says Kentucky’s rates are unacceptable, especially considering that the state is pushing for 67 percent of students to be college ready by 2015. Holliday says, although schools are not where we they need to be, they're heading in the right direction.

Civilian Court Can Try Iraqi National

{Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell ruled Tuesday that Iraqi national Waad Ramadan Alwan can be tried in civilian court. Alwan, charged in Kentucky with planting roadside bombs in Iraq, claims that under the Geneva Convention he could only be prosecuted in Iraq. Alwan was indicted in Bowling Green on charges that he engaged in conspiracy to commit the murder of U.S. nationals in Iraq during the insurgency there between 2003 and 2006. He and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi were arrested in Kentucky in May and also charged with conspiring to send weapons and cash to al-Qaeda in Iraq. Both have pleaded not guilty and are being detained pending trial, which has not been set. Chief federal public defender Scott Wendelsdorf sought to dismiss the murder charges on the grounds that the international treaty signed by the U.S. says that civilians in Iraq were subject to prosecution only under local law or through military tribunals. Judge Russell agreed with the prosecution that the law applies in areas under military control and covers the murder of any American abroad.

Fayette County Inmate Died Of Congenital Heart Disease

{Kentucky}...Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn has confirmed the death of jail inmate 26 year old Anthony Davis was due to complications of congenital heart disease. Davis died June 25th at University of Kentucky Medical Center, where he was taken after being found with no pulse at the jail's medical unit. Davis had asked to go to the medical unit but wasn't moved for nearly 17 hours. Two hours later, he was found without a pulse. Davis had been lodged in the jail June 19th after being arrested for first-degree wanton endangerment and possession of a controlled substance.

Big Blue Madness

• {Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky announced Monday that camping out for Big Blue Madness tickets will begin at 7:00 A.M. Wednesday. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 7:00 A.M. Saturday morning. Tickets are limited to two per person. Big Blue Madness will be Friday, October 14th, at Rupp Arena.

Governor Beshear Skips Televised Debate

• {Kentucky}...Monday, Governor Steve Beshear skipped a televised debate with gubernatorial challengers Republican David Williams, longtime president of the state Senate, and Independent Gatewood Galbraith, a Lexington attorney. Beshear's absence allowed Williams and Galbraith to voice unanswered criticism of the incumbent in the debate that was broadcast statewide on Kentucky Educational Television, while claiming Beshear has failed to improve education, which was the exclusive focus of the debate. Beshear spokesman Matt Erwin says Beshear has two debates with Williams and Galbraith scheduled for next month. One will be hosted by Kentucky Educational Television and the other by the Kentucky Broadcasters Association and the Kentucky League of Women Voters. Erwin says Beshear looks forward to discussing education, as well as all issues that are of importance to Kentucky families and businesses, at these debates. By avoiding such face-offs, Beshear is following a tactic not uncommon among political front-runners. Recent polls show Beshear more than 20 percentage points ahead.

Complaint Against Secretary Of State Dismissed

• {Kentucky}...Secretary of State Elaine Walker says she was notified Monday by letter that the Executive Branch Ethics Commission has dismissed a complaint filed against her for allowing homeless people to register to vote without listing a personal address. Republican Bill Johnson, a candidate for secretary of state, filed the complaint last month, contending that Walker and the State Board of Elections are violating the law by allowing people without addresses to vote. Walker says federal law requires that people not be denied the right to vote simply because they don't live in traditional dwellings. Johnson says the ethics commission decision was based on a lack of jurisdiction.

Pulaski County Man Released On Murder Charge

{Kentucky}...Matthew Patterson of Pulaski County was released from jail after he pleaded not guilty Friday morning to murder and posted a $250,000 cash bond. Police say Jeremiah Litton and Glenn Blevins were trying to help a friend who was arguing with Patterson outside a Somerset apartment Thursday when shots were fired. Litton died from his injuries.

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Home Of Former Pulaski County Coach Searched

• {Kentucky}...Dale Anderson, the head football coach and teacher for Southwestern High School in Pulaski County, resigned last Tuesday for what he called "personal reasons." Anderson says after he resigned his home was searched on Friday, but he says he has not talked to any police and has no charges to his knowledge. Anderson says he does not know what criminal activity they are looking for, but he resigned on his own, and he hopes this will all be cleared up soon. In 2000, Southwestern's football program had been put on two years probation and fined $500 by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association for the use of illegal coaches. An internal investigation found the team also let players use the dietary supplement Creatine. As a result, the Athletic Director was fired and Anderson was placed on paid suspension. Anderson had been with the school for close to 20 years.

Lexington Woman Sentenced On Manslaughter

• {Kentucky}...Robin Waddy, 24, of Lexington, was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter in July for the death of 2 year old Doni'Sha Lewis. Police say Waddy was baby-sitting Doni'Sha in April 2010 when the girl was found in a bathtub covered in bruises. She died the following day. An indictment, issued December 20th, said Waddy "inflicted blunt-force injury to the head and body" of the girl. The maximum sentence for manslaughter is 10 years. When told by Doni'Sha's mother, Alnisha Lewis, that 71/2 years was not enough, Fayette Circuit Court Judge James Ishmael apologized, telling Lewis the plea deal was arranged between prosecutors and defense attorneys, and his hands were tied, and it is not the prerogative of the court to second-guess the prosecutor.

KY Man Being Extradited To Face Florida Murder

{Kentucky}...Hopkins County District Judge William Whitledge on Friday ordered 59 year old William G. Hurst of Dawson Springs held in jail until Florida officials pick him up to face charges in the 1982 slaying of his wife, 29 year old Amy Rose Hurst. Assistant County Attorney Lee Riddle says Hurst waived extradition after it became evident the court would order his return to Florida. Amy Hurst, who disappeared August 15, 1982 while living in  Florida, was found in September 1982. Hurst was arrested Monday at his home.

KSP Warn Of Military Scam

{Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police say a man and woman have been approaching homes in Carter and Rowan Counties and asking for money on behalf of injured soldiers at Keller Army Hospital in West Point, New York. Trooper Elliott Gollihue says the pair, described as well dressed, in their early 20s and driving a white van, are not affiliated with the hospital, which is an emergency room-only facility. Anyone approached about the scam may call Kentucky State Police at 606-928-6421.

Louisville Schools To Split Settlement

{Kentucky}...Nine schools in western Louisville will split about $550,000 from a $1.5 million class-action lawsuit settlement with people who live within two miles of the Zeon chemical plant. The lawsuit followed a community air monitoring study published in 2003 that documented health risks from chemical emissions.

Sherman Minton Bridge Repaired

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear said Friday that a 2 1/2-inch crack that forced the September 9th closure of the Sherman Minton Bridge has been fixed, but officials will keep the span closed for inspections. Officials will need another seven to 10 days to finish inspecting the span. Testing and analysis in the past two weeks showed the crack dates from 1962, the year the bridge opened. The crack was on a load-bearing beam and officials were unsure whether the crack worsened over time. If more extensive repairs are needed, officials have said they could take 1 1/2 to 2 years. Officials with the Indiana Department of Transportation announced Friday that they had determined the damage was not extensive enough to warrant a full replacement of the bridge.

Louisville General Electric To Take Applications

{Kentucky}...Starting Wednesday, General Electric in Louisville will start taking applications for 480 new jobs. Applications are only being taken on the Internet and will only be accepted through 4:00 P.M. Friday. There are no paper applications, and phone and in-person inquiries won't be accepted. The company has promised to invest $1 billion and hire up to 1,400 new workers at Appliance Park to manufacture five new applicances by 2014. The first of the $13-per-hour jobs will begin in February, making the GeoSpring hybrid water heater.

Kentucky To Reapply For No Child Left Behind Waiver

{Kentucky}...Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday says the state plans to reapply for a waiver from some provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind law. Holliday said Friday the application that was sent this summer will be tweaked, but will not need much work. Holliday appeared on stage with President Barack Obama and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan in Washington, D.C., for the Friday unveiling of the plan that will let states apply for waivers from key provisions of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law. The waivers are aimed at benchmarks that have been used to determine whether a school was considered to be failing, largely based on test scores.

Lexington Attorney Disbarred Over Fen-Phen Case

• {Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court permanently revoked the law license of Lexington attorney David Helmers for his role in a scheme that cost clients more than $65 million from the settlement in a class-action lawsuit over the diet-drug fen-phen. Helmers is the fourth attorney involved in the case to be disbarred. Helmers worked as an associate in William Gallion's law firm during the 2001 settlement negotiations, which netted $200 million. The fen-phen case involved 440 clients who said they suffered heart and lung damage as a result of taking the drug. Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr. are serving federal sentences after being convicted of bilking their clients out of millions from the settlement. Both have been disbarred. Melbourne Mills of Lexington, was acquitted in a federal criminal trial but was disbarred for his role in the scheme. Gallion is not scheduled to be released from federal prison until 2029. Cunningham won't get out until 2025. A state court awarded former clients of Gallion and Cunningham $42 million in a civil case, but the Kentucky Court of Appeals overturned that award. That case is being appealed to the Kentucky Supreme Court. The fen-phen settlement has also jeopardized the Kentucky law license of Cincinnati attorney Stanley Chesley, known as the “Master of Disaster” for his work on large class-action cases around the country. The Kentucky Supreme Court is weighing a request from the Kentucky Bar Association to disbar Chesley for his role in the proceedings. Thursday, Chesley's wife, U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott, withdrew from the Kentucky bar. Dlott, a federal judge in southern Ohio since 1995, is not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.

Governor Beshear Meets With President Obama

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear made a rare appearance with President Barack Obama Thursday, greeting him publicly at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport. Obama was pitching his jobs bill in Cincinnati by visiting the Brent Spence Bridge, built in 1963, that connects Kentucky and Ohio. Governor Beshear asked President Obama for emergency funds to repair the Sherman Minton Bridge, a dilapidated Louisville bridge that was forced to close September 9th because a crack was found in a steel beam that supports it. Beshear says he also talked with Obama about changes in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory guidelines that are jeopardizing thousands of jobs in Kentucky's mining industry, as well as having ripple effects on other job sectors, including manufacturing. Beshear said these arbitrary changes in EPA guidelines cause unnecessary and costly delays in permitting, which compromise jobs and investments, and it's time for the EPA to end these unpredictable policy swings and work with us on a reasonable policy that protects our families.

Businessman Wants To Reopen Kentucky Kingdom

{Kentucky}...Louisville businessman Ed Hart, who wants to reopen Kentucky Kingdom amusement park, asked the Kentucky State Fair Board's finance and budget committee for a new interim agreement Thursday and offered to spend $1 million on maintenance, repairs and other upkeep in hopes that the General Assembly will provide $20 million in funding for the park. The interim agreement between Hart's group, the Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Co., and the fair board expires September 30th. Fair Board President Harold Workman says the Fair Board and Hart could work out a lease agreement before that date but are more likely to reach a new interim agreement while negotiating a lease. Hart says it can't be done by next year, but he will work to open it in 2013.

Watchdog Questioning Agriculture Department’s TV Purchase

{Kentucky}...Government watchdog groups are questioning the Agriculture Department’s purchase of two widescreen televisions for $4,068 last year after a burst water pipe drenched the agency’s executive offices. One of the Sony 60-inch TVs hangs over a conference table in Commissioner Richie Farmer’s office, the other is across the hall in a conference room. Bill Clary, spokesman for the department, says TVs were bought to do PowerPoint presentations at meetings and to replace a ceiling-mounted projector ruined by the water damage in the old offices.

Court Shuts Down Paducah Gas Stations

{Kentucky}...A Franklin County Circuit Court order has shut down six gas stations in Paducah because of underground storage tank violations. The Kentucky Division of Waste Management says the six stations owned by Superway Inc. had gas pumps locked by state officials on Thursday. Superway president Tim Masoud says the shutdown is a misunderstanding and he plans to have the problems remedied as soon as possible. The statement says the company did not comply with requirements on tank tightness testing and release monitoring. Superway has 60 days to fix the problems.

Some See Obama Visit As Political

• {Kentucky}...The Brent Spence Bridge connecting Ohio and Kentucky, the respective home states of Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, will serve as the backdrop Thursday as President Barack Obama visits the area to promote his American Jobs Act. McConnell said Wednesday in Washington that, "President Obama may think the best way to distract people from the challenges we face is to stand near a bridge in a swing state and pit one group of Americans against another and hope his critics look bad if they don't go along with him. But I don't think he's fooling anyone." McConnell's office released a statement earlier saying there were bridges in need of work in Virginia and other places nearer Washington that Obama could visit. Obama highlighted the bridge, which officials estimate carries 4 percent of the nation's gross domestic product annually, when he presented his jobs plan to Congress earlier this month. Keeping attention focused on the bridge also enables the White House to heat up the 2012 political campaign in the presidential election swing state of Ohio. Obama's visit will be his second to Ohio in two weeks, and Vice President Joe Biden has already been to the state twice this month. Kevin DeWine, Ohio GOP chairman, says, "They come to Ohio because it's a state they have to win to get re-elected." Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who had been lobbying the administration about the bridge, will face a Republican challenger in Ohio as he seeks a second term in 2012. DeWine said that while Brown has advocated Obama's spending programs, Ohio unemployment is still at 9.1 percent.

Family Foundation Urges Conway To Stop "Instant Racing"

• {Kentucky}...The Family Foundation is calling on Attorney General Jack Conway to shut down the slot-like machines being used at Kentucky Downs. Family Foundation director Kent Ostrander showed a video of the machines at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday, insisting that what has been billed as "Instant Racing" games actually are nothing more than slot machines, which are illegal in Kentucky. The Family Foundation has gone to court to try to stop the machines from being used, but a lower court judge ruled against the group, prompting a pending appeal. Conway spokeswoman Shelley Johnson acknowledged that her office had received Ostrander's request but said the attorney general doesn't intervene in such matters that are pending in court.

Kentucky Man Charged In Cold Case Murder

{Kentucky}...After almost thirty years of searching for answers of who killed a Florida mother of two, an arrest has been made in Kentucky. Fifty-nine year old William Gary Hurst lives in Hopkins County, Kentucky, where he was arrested. But 29 years ago, he was married to Amy Hurst who was 29 when she went missing. Not even a month later, Amy's body was found in the Gulf of Mexico, wrapped in an afghan and tied to a cement block, but no one thought the body was Amy's until 2009. Amy's son Jeff, who was nine when his mother disappeared, called investigators after he spent time on the Doe Network- a database that catalogs unidentified missing people. He noticed that the afghan his mother's body had been wrapped in looked a lot like one his grandmother had made. Subsequent forensic testing led to a positive ID in July of this year. It's taken until now to charge William Gary Hurst with Amy's murder. Back in 1982, her kids were living with their father in Michigan when Amy Hurst was reported missing. Authorities say when they asked William what happened to her, he told them she left him. Hurst is awaiting extradition to Florida.

UK President...State Of The University Address

{Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky is preparing for new President Eli Capilouto’s first State of the University address which will be delivered at 12:30 P.M. EDT Monday at Patterson Office Tower Plaza. As is tradition, a free lunch for the campus community will begin at noon, with a student involvement fair set up on the sidewalks around the plaza. President Capilouto took over at the state’s flagship school on July 1st. Capilouto’s address will also be streamed live on UK’s news website, http://www.uky.edu/uknow.

Deputy Jailers Charged With Trafficking Contraband

{Kentucky}...The U.S. Attorney's office in Louisville said Wednesday that 35 year old Shawn Perkins and 24 year old Michael Cook were charged after a four-month investigation at the Marion County Detention Center in Lebanon, which holds federal inmates. Prosecutors say a sweep of the jail Wednesday morning turned up cell phones, narcotics, tobacco and other contraband in and around cell blocks. Perkins also faces a drug trafficking charge. Marion County Jailer J. Barry Brady says Perkins, a 12-year veteran at the jail, and Cook, who worked there for about a year, were fired.

ABC Targets Tailgate Drinkers

{Kentucky}...The state department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is warning tailgaters they should expect to see a spike in enforcement. The ABC conducted a Targeted Enforcement Detail last weekend during the UK vs. U of L game at Commonwealth Stadium, and, as a result, 40 citations were given at the game, including one each for alcohol intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assisting a minor in purchase of alcohol, misrepresenting one’s age in purchase of alcohol, and possession of a forged instrument. While enforcement details focus on underage drinking, officials with the ABC warn they’re watching everyone.

Medicaid Managed-Care Plan Delayed

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky’s plan for a statewide managed-care plan for Medicaid is being delayed until November 1st to give dozens of participating hospitals more time to prepare. Advocates and health professionals praised the decision Tuesday but agreed the original October 1st start-up date was unrealistic. Neville Wise, acting Medicaid commissioner, says it will cost the state more than $9.2 million in savings it had projected for the first month under managed care. The initiative is aimed at saving the state hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on Medicaid, which serves 820,000 poor and disabled Kentuckians.

Louisville Mayor To Talk To President Obama

• {Kentucky}...Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer says he was invited Tuesday to meet and talk to President Barack Obama about the closed Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville on Thursday when the president visits the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati. The Louisville bridge, which carries Interstate 64 across the river between Louisville and New Albany, Indiana, was closed one day after Obama urged Congress in a nationally televised speech to pass his jobs bill, specifically citing the Brent Spence Bridge connecting northern Kentucky to Cincinnati as in dire need of repair. Fischer says he will "stress as strongly as possible" the need for federal support, and he also plans to discuss building additional bridges in Louisville.

Former Monroe County Judge-Executive Sentenced

• {Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Joseph H. McKinley sentenced former Monroe County Judge-Executive 54 year old Wilbur P. Graves to a year in prison on Tuesday and ordered him to pay a $5,000 fine. A federal jury found Graves guilty in March of conspiring to buy votes during the November 2006 general election, which Graves won. He was defeated in the 2010 primary. Three others have pleaded guilty in the case.

Former State Representative Dies

{Kentucky}...Former state Representative Bill McBee, a Boone County Democrat who was among 22 defendants charged or convicted in a corruption investigation of the Kentucky General Assembly in the 1990s dubbed Operation BOPTROT, died Tuesday at the age of 78. McBee pleaded guilty in 1994 to extortion and interstate travel in aid of racketeering after he took $30,000 from Dueling Grounds Racecourse and conspired to extort $30,000 from Riverside Downs in exchange for promises of assistance. He had served as chairman of the House Business Organizations and Professions Committee. McBee was sentenced to 15 months in prison but served five, winning a reduced sentence because he cooperated with federal prosecutors.

No Action On Homeless Voter Registration Complaint

{ Kentucky}...The Executive Branch Ethics Commission has decided to take no action on a complaint filed in August by Bill Johnson, Republican candidate for secretary of state, over voter registration of homeless people. Johnson says John Steffen, executive director of the ethics commission, told him the panel lacks jurisdiction to consider his complaint against Secretary of State Elaine Walker and the State Board of Elections. Johnson contended in his complaint that Walker and the elections board are violating the Kentucky Constitution by allowing people who don't have addresses to register to vote. He said the elections board was wrong when it notified county clerks on June 30th that they could register voters who have no addresses. The board said applications should be approved if they have "homeless" or "place to place" listed as addresses. Walker is chairman of the board.

Grants To Beef Up Oversight Of Health Insurers

{Kentucky}... The Obama administration Tuesday announced $109 million in grants to states to help them beef up oversight of health insurers. Some states, such as Oregon and Rhode Island, have the power to block rate increases they deem excessive, but 30 states still don't have this authority in both the individual and small group markets. The new grants come on top of $48 million the administration handed out last year to 42 states. The Kentucky Department of Insurance has used its share of the money to hire six fulltime employees and create a team dedicated solely to the review of health insurance rates.

Assault Charge Against Nunn Dismissed

• {Kentucky}...Monday, Fayette County District Judge Joe Bouvier dismissed the fourth-degree assault charge against former lawmaker Steve Nunn, who is serving life in prison without parole in the death of his former fiancee, Amanda Ross. Ross brought the assault complaint against Nunn in February 2009, seven months before she was shot to death on September 11, 2009, in Lexington. Fayette County Attorney Larry Roberts, who sought the dismissal, said, if Nunn had been found guilty, the penalty would not have added to Nunn's sentence because it would have been served concurrently. Roberts said Ross' mother, Diana Ross, did not want the case to go back to court because it would be "just too painful."

Kentucky Getting Multimillion-Dollar Grant

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky is getting a multimillion-dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to change the way math and literacy are taught in K-12. The grants will be used to help the states as they begin to implement the Common Core State Standards. The Kentucky Department of Education says Kentucky, Colorado and Louisiana have received the grants. Kentucky will use its three-year, $8.8 million grant in 12 school districts. They are: Daviess, Fleming, Gallatin, Jessamine, Lee, Owen, Washington, Jefferson, Kenton, Magoffin and Simpson counties, and Jackson Independent.

Pewee Valley Inmate Dies

{Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police in Frankfort are investigating after an inmate at Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women in Pewee Valley died. Police say 37 year old Yuxin Yang of Lexington was taken to Jewish Hospital Medical Center in Louisville where she was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in her cell Sunday. Yang was a Scott County inmate who was being held at the prison for medical reasons. She had been there since April 2nd.

Ethics Commission Denies League Of Cities Request

{Kentucky}...The Kentucky League of Cities, which underwent public scrutiny two years ago for extravagant spending, had asked special permission from the Executive Branch Ethics Commission to give Secretary of State Elaine Walker, who served as the group's president last year, an unspecified gift worth up to $500 in appreciation for her work with the organization while she was mayor of Bowling Green. Jon Steiner, who became the League's executive director November 1st, said the League officially asked the ethics commission "for a ruling on anything over $25, not necessarily a gift valued at $500." The Commission denied the request, saying $500 is excessive. Under Kentucky law, the state's elected leaders can only accept gifts valued at up to $25, unless the ethics panel grants an exception. Steiner said, as Bowling Green mayor, Elaine Walker gave hours of her personal time to help steer KLC through its darkest hours and to rebuild the league's credibility. We have the opinion of the commission and will abide by it.

Former KSU Student Gets Probation

{Kentucky}...Friday, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate sentenced 25 year old Christopher Sims, a former Kentucky State University student, to three years of probation. Sims was arrested March 2, 2010 after police say he pulled a handgun and threatened to kill everyone in KSU's student center cafeteria. Sims pleaded guilty but mentally ill in June to several charges including unlawful possession of a weapon on school property.

International Bluegrass Officials Say Commitments Down

{Kentucky}...The International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro has organized reunions of bluegrass pioneers and members of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys for years, but museum officials say it's getting harder to get commitments. The museum held an event called the Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration that ended on Wednesday. Every active member of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame performed during the three-day tribute to Monroe that surrounded the 100th anniversary of his birth in Rosine. Earl Scruggs, 87, is the only surviving member of what music historians consider the first bluegrass band - with members that included Monroe, Lester Flatt, Scruggs, Chubby Wise and Howard Watts - that started in 1945.

Big Sandy Inmate Sends Bomb Threats

{Kentucky}...Marshall Williams, an inmate in Big Sandy Regional Detention Center, who sent letters to the governor and a U.S. attorney that he said contained anthrax, is now accused of sending bomb threats to four Lexington businesses. Police say Williams sent letters containing bomb threats to Keeneland, Joseph Beth Bookstore, a restaurant, and an attorney's office, which they received Thursday and Friday. Williams was also caught on video holding former lawmaker Steve Nunn hostage in June. He was originally in prison for killing his stepfather with a pipe bomb in Texas.

GOP Drops Rule Opposed By Tea Party

• {Kentucky}...Saturday, the GOP dropped a new rule that automatically disqualified Republicans from serving in leadership positions if they had supported Democrats or third party candidates in recent elections. The measure had caused unwelcome dissention within the GOP because some in the tea party saw it as a move to keep them out of leadership posts. Tea party leader Mica Sims says scores of tea party groups across Kentucky, already credited with swaying elections for candidates they favor, have flexed their political muscle and won a major battle within the GOP. Some tea party activists had offered support in recent months to northern Kentucky businessman Ken Moellman, who is running for state treasurer. The deleted provision required automatic disqualification of Republicans who have given money, endorsed or signed petitions for non-Republican candidates within the previous year. Republican Party Chairman Steve Robertson credited discussions between tea party leaders and the Republican establishment with rectifying the issue.

Churchill Downs To Stop Off-Track Insurance

{Kentucky}...Churchill Downs Inc. plans to stop paying the trade association representing jockeys to fund riders' off-track needs, such as benefits or health insurance coverage that's not racing related. Churchill spokeswoman Julie Koenig Loignon says the company's four tracks will continue to pay for an insurance policy that covers jockeys for up to $1 million in medical expenses for on-track injuries. The Louisville-based company's current agreement with The Jockeys' Guild expires at the end of the year and provides per-starter and per-race-day fees to the guild.

Comer Seeks Dismissal Of Complaint

{Kentucky}...Republican agriculture commissioner candidate James Comer will ask the Legislative Branch Ethics Commission to dismiss a complaint filed by Lexington attorney Franklin Paisley alleging that Comer had used a state employee to work on his campaign at taxpayer expense. Paisley alleged Legislative Research Commission staffer Michael Goins had posted Comer campaign material online during working hours. House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover said he reviewed the matter and found no wrongdoing. Comer, who faces Democrat Robert Farmer in the November 8th election, said in a written response to be filed Monday that the complaint was political gamesmanship.

Shut Down Of Coal Plants Announced

{Kentucky}...Friday, Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas and Electric made a landmark announcement to retire three coal plants in Kentucky in favor of a natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant to be built in Louisville.
A retirement date of 2016 has been set for the Green River Plant in Central City, the Tyrone Plant in Versailles and the Cane Run Plant in Louisville. Officials say the new plant will be cleaner, but also more expensive. Kentucky Utilities  customers could see a roughly 4 percent increase in rates, while Louisville Gas and Electric customers would likely not be affected.

Author Turns Down Grawemeyer Award

{Kentucky}..."Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson has turned down a $100,000 award by the University of Louisville, saying the Grawemeyer Award in Education is a great honor, but he turned it down as a way to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifice of others who continue to promote peace through education. Mortenson's selection for the Grawemeyer was based on his second book, "Stones into Schools," which traces his efforts to build schools in Afghanistan. Mortenson was scheduled to receive the award on September 23rd. The university's board of trustees voted in April to give the award to Mortenson, days before a "60 Minutes" investigation raised questions about the veracity of his books and the work of the charitable organization he co-founded, the Central Asia Institute.

Beshear Hopes To Meet With President Obama

• {Kentucky}...Kerri Richardson, Governor Steve Beshear's director of communications, says Beshear's office is reaching out to the White House to see if Governor Beshear can meet with President Obama when the president travels to Cincinnati on September 22nd to urge Congress to approve his $447 billion jobs bill. Richardson says the governor wants to discuss several issues that are of importance to Kentucky families. The White House announced Thursday that Obama will deliver remarks at the I-75/71 Brent Spence Bridge that connects Cincinnati with Kentucky. Obama will be in the area of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Obama mentioned the bridge in his speech to Congress last week when introducing his American Jobs Act. The estimated cost of repairing the bridge is $2 billion. The White House says, if Congress passes the president's measure, "we can put more Americans back to work while getting repairs like this done."

Mental Facility Worker Arrested

• {Kentucky}...Laurel County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 19 year old Dustin Howard Brice and charged him with three counts of wanton endangerment, driving under the influence of drugs, marijuana possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Deputies say Brice, who works for a company that cares for mentally challenged persons, was high on drugs when he was pulled over on U.S. 25 near London Wednesday night after a deputy saw him driving in a careless manner. Deputies say three mentally challenged adults were inside the SUV Brice was driving and that they had been left in the vehicle unattended for at least 10 minutes while Brice visited a known drug dealer's home earlier in the day.

U.S. Postal Service Studies Closures/Consolidations

{Kentucky}...The U.S. Postal Service says annual mail volume has declined by more than 43 billion pieces in the past five years and is continuing to decline. Postal Service officials plan to conduct a study at the Hazard Customer Service Mail Processing Center to determine the feasibility of consolidating its operations into the Knoxville, Tennessee Processing and Distribution Center. The study is expected to be completed in early 2012. Friday is the last day of operations at the Dayhoit U.S. Post Office in Harlan County. Customers will have to go to Loyall to get their mail. The U.S. Post Office on Thursday released a list of processing facilities across the nation that could close or consolidate operations. Offices in Hazard, London, Somerset, Campton, and Lexington were on that list.

Wayne County Trial Delayed

{Kentucky}...Jury selection was scheduled to begin Wednesday in the trial for four people charged in connection with the death of 20 months old Kayden Branham, a Wayne County boy who died in May 2009. Police say he drank drain cleaner that had been left out after people allegedly used the chemical in making methamphetamine at the small mobile home outside Monticello where the boy and his parents had been staying. Circuit Judge Vernon Miniard Jr. granted a delay until April after defense attorneys raised concerns related to trying the four people together. Kayden's father, Bryan Daniels, Danny Ray Anderson II, Kayden's great-uncle, and James Hunt are charged with murder, child endangerment, making meth and engaging in organized crime. The boy's grandfather, Larry Branham, is charged with child endangerment, complicity to make meth and taking part in organized crime. Two other adults originally charged in the case, Wesley Bell and Alisha Dicken, pleaded guilty to meth charges. Kayden's mother, Alisha Branham, who was 14 when her son died, pleaded guilty in juvenile court.

UPS Unveiling "My Choice" Delivery-Notification Service

{Kentucky}...UPS is unveiling a delivery-notification service called My Choice. The basic free membership service allows package recipients to be notified of incoming shipments and provides an approximate arrival time the night before delivery. Delivery alerts will be offered through e-mail, text or phone calls. For packages that require signatures, members can electronically sign for packages on their computers or mobile phones. For $5 per package, members can also choose to re-route the package to another address or a UPS Store in real time rather than waiting to get a “delivery attempt” notice on your door. A premium version of the service costs $40 per year and provides delivery alerts, a delivery planner and the ability to leave driver special instructions. Premium members also are offered a two-hour delivery window, compared with the four-hour window offered for free. The service starts October 3rd, but customers can register before then at www.ups.com/mychoice/pr.

Kentucky Marine To Receive Medal Of Honor

{Kentucky}...Corporal Dakota Meyer, a Kentucky Marine, is in Washington where he will visit with President Obama at the White House Thursday to receive the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award, for saving the lives of dozens of soldiers during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan. Meyer is the first living Marine to receive the award for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Meyer made five trips into the September 8, 2009 ambush in the Ganjgal Province. Meyer, then 21, went into the kill zone on foot after helicopter pilots called on to respond said they could not help retrieve the four missing service members because the fighting on the ground was too fierce. Meyer found his buddies in a trench where pilots had spotted them. All four of the fallen soldiers were subsequently honored with Bronze Stars. Meyer says he's being recognized for the worst day of his life. His grandparents, Dwight and Jean Meyer, of Greensburg, Kentucky, plan to attend the ceremony.

Williams Proposes Eliminating State Income Taxes

{Kentucky}...Republican gubernatorial nominee David Williams released a plan Wednesday aimed at creating and retaining jobs in Kentucky. Williams wants to eliminate state personal and corporate income taxes and recommends several short-term tax suspensions designed to jump-start Kentucky's job market and several changes in the law, including allowing local voters to decide whether their county should have a right-to-work law, which would allow an employee to opt out of joining a union. The plan also allows local voters to decide whether local governments should have to pay the prevailing wage for public works projects. Matt McGrath, with the Kentucky Democratic Party, immediately dismissed Williams' plan saying, "David Williams' shiny plan with fancy photographs isn't worth the paper it's printed on, and it certainly can't hide a quarter-century as a career politician, abusing taxpayer dollars to enrich himself rather than improving the lives of Kentuckians." Galbraith's running mate, Dea Riley, called Williams' plan "a political statement, not an economic-tax plan."

Kentucky Tobacco Company To Continue Challenge

{Kentucky}...A federal judge is allowing Kentucky-based National Tobacco Company to continue to challenge a District of Columbia law aimed at making it tougher for kids to get materials that can be used to smoke marijuana. National Tobacco sued the city in February, arguing that a 2010 law banning the sale of wrapping papers used to roll cigars was vague and unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins on Wednesday agreed that the law lacks a clear penalty provision and allowed the lawsuit to proceed. When city lawmakers passed the ban, which apparently has never been enforced, they said the only purpose of cigar paper is for illegal drug use, and they were concerned teens were using the cigar wrappers to smoke large marijuana cigarettes.

Former Alternatives Staff Member Indicted

{Kentucky}...Tuesday, Burnside Police arrested 33 year old James S. Smith, a former staff member of Community Alternatives of Kentucky's Somerset facility, after he was indicted on a charge of abuse of an adult. Smith is accused of improperly restraining and kicking a 29 year old mentally disabled resident. The incident is alleged to have occurred in March. The attorney general's office says Smith resigned after a report of the alleged incident. The company reported the allegations to the state, which investigated. Knowing abuse of an adult is a Class C felony that carries a penalty of between five to ten years imprisonment.

 

Wisconsin Governor Supports Williams

• {Kentucky}...Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will travel to northern Kentucky Thursday to support David Williams in his campaign for governor. Walker will attend a rally in Lexington Thursday morning, a private fundraiser for Williams in Covington at noon and then, at 1:45 P.M., he will headline with Williams at a public rally in Edgewood at the Northern Kentucky Republican Victory Office on Dixie Highway. Walker attracted national attention and sparked weeks of protest earlier this year when he signed a law that eliminated most public employees' collective bargaining rights and required them to pay more for health care and pensions. Williams, the Republican candidate and current Senate president, has also received the endorsement of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

Proposed Optometrists Regulations Approved

• {Kentucky}...The Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee approved proposed regulations Tuesday that would allow optometrists in Kentucky to do some of the surgical procedures now reserved for ophthalmologists. That approval came despite the best efforts of the Kentucky Medical Association to derail the controversial move. The proposed regulations, which specify the amount of training required for optometrists, still need approval of a full legislative committee and the governor. Physicians complained Tuesday that the proposed regulations would allow optometrists to do surgeries after 32 hours of training, far less than the 17,000 hours required of ophthalmologists.

Efforts Made To Reopen Kentucky Kingdom

• {Kentucky}...Businessman Ed Hart says he is “close to an agreement” on securing a $23 million bank loan toward his effort to reopen the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park in Louisville. Hart has been given rights until September 30th by the Kentucky State Fair Board to negotiate a lease to operate the park, but Hart says he is waiting for the Fair Board to offer him lease terms that he can accept. He said he would be receptive to an extension of the lease commitment but emphasized that time is growing short to meet his and the board’s goal to reopen the park next spring. Hart said he would consider waiting to open the park until 2013, if the lease conditions are right. Hart previously put $3 million into the park project, some of which went to acquire land owned by Six Flags, the amusement park operator that abandoned Kentucky Kingdom in early 2010. He has now increased his equity investment to $5.6 million.

UK Trustees Approve Willoughby Hire

{Kentucky}...Tuesday, University of Kentucky trustees approved hiring Kirby Willoughby, the daughter of Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart, as a graduate assistant in the athletics department. At least two trustees, Barbara Young and Jo Hern Curris, opposed the appointment of Willoughby. UK has an anti-nepotism policy that doesn't allow relatives of its administrative leadership team to be employed in the area the person oversees, but the director of athletics isn't specifically listed in the policy. UK spokesman Jay Blanton says President Eli Capilouto thinks Barnhart's job is equivalent to the positions covered and decided to seek board approval for the sake of transparency. Capilouto recommended approval of the appointment.

Governor Beshear Orders Flags At Half-Staff

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Wednesday, September 14, 2011 in honor of a Fort Campbell soldier who died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. According to the Department of Defense, Spc. Christopher J. Scott, 21, of Tyrone, New York, died September 3rd at Kandahar province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.  He was assigned to the 716th Military Police Battalion, 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Funeral services for Spc. Scott will be held on September 14th at 4:00 P.M. Eastern time at Dundee Elementary School in Dundee, New York. Burial services will follow at Hill Side Cemetery in Dundee. Governor Beshear encourages individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute.

Louisville Extradition Hearing Set For Australian Fugitive

{Kentucky}...Fifty year old Paul Douglas Peters, an Australian fugitive wanted on charges of placing a fake bomb around a woman’s neck in an attempt to extort money from her millionaire father, has an extradition hearing set for Wednesday afternoon in federal court in Louisville. His attorney, Thomas Clay, says Peters plans to waive extradition and return to his home country to face charges, but he’s unsure how long Peters will remain in Kentucky. In August, the FBI arrested the investment banker who travels frequently between Australia and the U.S. at his ex-wife’s house in a well-heeled suburb near Louisville. Australian authorities have said 18 year old Madeleine Pulver was studying at home on August 3rd when Peters, masked and carrying a baseball bat, broke in and attached the device to her neck and left behind a note demanding money, along with an email address that appeared to refer to a novel about a ruthless businessman in 19th-century Asia. Bomb specialists spent 10 hours working to remove the device, which was later found to contain no explosives. Federal court documents say Peters once worked for a company with links to the Pulvers.

Men Sentenced In Kentucky Drug Deals

• {Kentucky}...Monday, 59 year old Ralph Justice was sentenced to 54 months in prison, 32 year old Adam Justice to 36 months in prison and Eric Justice, 30, to 20 months in prison. Christopher Newman, a friend of the Justices, was also sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. Police say Newman received shipments of mephedrone from India and drove the shipments from his residence in Garrison, Kentucky to Ralph Justice’s business in Ironton, Ohio. Justice and his sons packaged the drug as Ivory Bath Salts and sold it at the business, to retail shops in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky and to buyers over the Internet. Federal prosecutors say Ralph and Adam Justice admitted in their plea agreements that they conspired to distribute 17 kilograms of the substance known as 4-Methylmethcathine, referred to as mephedrone, from April of 2010 until January of this year. The Justices and Newman also manufactured and sold synthetic marijuana. Court documents indicate that the organization made approximately $200,000 from the sale of both drugs.

Williams Receives Right To Life Endorsement

• {Kentucky}...Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate David Williams received the endorsement of the Kentucky Right to Life, an anti-abortion group. The group's leader, Margie Montgomery, called Williams "the most significant leader the pro-life movement has ever had in Frankfort." Williams has a strong record of opposing abortion, including helping to pass Kentucky's fetal homicide law. He also has pressed for passage of legislation requiring women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound showing images of their fetuses before deciding to terminate pregnancies.

Barnhart's Daughter Seeking Graduate Assistant Job

{Kentucky}...Tuesday, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, will be asked to approve a graduate assistant job in the athletics department for Kirby Willoughby, the daughter of UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. UK has an anti-nepotism policy that says no relatives of its administrative leadership team can be employed in a position within the officer's administrative area. However, the director of athletics is not among the positions specifically listed in the policy. Willoughby, a former Eastern Kentucky University volleyball player, is a graduate student in exercise physiology at UK. She has previously been a graduate assistant in the Kinesiology and Health Promotion Department in the College of Education.

Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week Set

{Kentucky}...Volunteers will be out in force next week to "fall sweep" Kentucky highways. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has announced that September 18-24th is Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week. Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock says the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet appreciates the efforts of Adopt-a-Highway volunteers, who help keep our highways and communities beautiful and litter-free. More than 900 groups now participate in Kentucky's Adopt-a-Highway program, which the cabinet established in 1988. Volunteers clean approximately 6,800 miles of roadside annually, setting an example of responsible environmental stewardship. By reducing litter, the program promotes public environmental awareness and makes it easier to promote tourism. The program also creates a partnership between citizens, community and government, and establishes a sense of pride in our Bluegrass State.

Pulaski County Pays After Losing Ten Commandments Battle

{Kentucky}...Pulaski County has paid $231,662 to cover its share of legal fees after losing an eleven-year battle to display the Ten Commandments in the county’s courthouse after a federal judge ruled it violated the U.S. Constitution. Pulaski and McCreary Counties owed the ACLU more than $460,000 in legal fees and interest. McCreary County hasn’t yet paid its share of the judgment.

Lawsuit Against State Treasurer Candidate Dropped

{Kentucky}...Fayette County GOP Chairwoman Carol Rogers and activist DeAnna Brangers have dropped a lawsuit challenging Libertarian state treasurer candidate Ken Moellman's right to be on the November 8th ballot. Moellman had turned in far more than the required 5,000 signatures to enter the race as a third-party candidate. The lawsuit claimed that half of the signatures were invalid. Moellman is running against Democratic incumbent Todd Hollenbach and Republican challenger K.C. Crosbie. "The eligibility question will likely involve several weeks of litigation before a final decision is reached," said Crosbie, a Lexington councilwoman. She asserted that Moellman does not meet the eligibility requirements, but said she does "not want the remaining weeks of this campaign to be solely devoted and focused on whether a third-party candidate should be on the ballot."

Legislative Ethics Commission Seeking Changes

{Kentucky}...Changes the Legislative Ethics Commission will seek in the 2012 General Assembly that begins in January include prohibiting a lobbyist from buying food or drink, even a cup of coffee, for a state lawmaker. Also, companies that employ lobbyists would not be able to contribute to the campaign of a legislative candidate while the General Assembly is in regular session, and no legislator's spouse could be employed as a lobbyist. The Senate State and Local Government Committee, led by Senator Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, will hold a meeting at the end of this month to inform members of the proposed changes. State Senator Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, says she plans to file legislation for the ethics panel in the 2012 session, as she has done previously.

Police Search For Missing Louisville Boy

{Kentucky}...About 8:00 P.M. Saturday, Louisville Metro Police got a call that 11 year old Justin Phillips was missing from his home on Shingo Avenue, in the Iroquois Park area. Police are not issuing an Amber Alert for Justin, who does not appear to have been abducted but has not returned home. Police are concerned about his health because he is insulin-dependent and may be low on his medication.

Hunter Found Dead

• {Kentucky}...Police say Joseph Whitley left his home in Rush, Kentucky to go hunting in the Norton Branch area Friday about 2:00 P.M. but never returned. His body was found near Norton Branch about 9:30 A.M. after he was reported missing by his wife about 7:30 A.M. Saturday. It appears Whitley died from injuries he received in an ATV accident. An exact cause of death has not yet been released, but no foul play is suspected.

Injunction Sought In Topix Postings

• {Kentucky}...A community forum website known as Topix has been referred to as the bar bathroom stall of the Internet, with rants and raves that go unnoticed by many. Jeff Mills, a business owner in Grayson, Kentucky, who has been hit with some serious allegations, has turned to his attorney, Robert Miller, saying the ugly rumors began two years ago and have become downright rotten over time. Miller filed a lawsuit in September in Carter County Circuit Court against four unnamed individuals. Miller says the goal is to not only make someone pay, but to restore the reputation of a man whose livelihood relies on his good name in a small town. Mills is seeking an immediate injunction to stop the postings on Topix. He and his attorney hope to take the defendants to trial.

Former Fayette County Health Workers Facing Drug Charges

• {Kentucky}...Kyle Black, who resigned as chief operating officer of the Fayette County Health Department's Primary Care Center in June, is set to appear in court Monday for a preliminary hearing on two charges of attempting to obtain controlled substances by fraud. An August 9th arrest warrant alleges Black used a false name to obtain a prescription for Androgel, a daily testosterone replacement therapy.  Surinder Sabharwal, the pharmacist suspected of filling the prescription, is set for a preliminary hearing September 19th on two counts of prescription-drug trafficking and one count of uttering a false or forged prescription. Sabharwal is on unpaid leave from the health department.

"Lifeline Awareness Week"

(Frankfort)  In order to focus attention on programs that assist low-income Kentuckians with the cost of telephone service, Governor Steve Beshear has proclaimed Sept. 12-18, 2011 as “Lifeline Awareness Week” in Kentucky. “Telephone service is indeed a lifeline that no household should be without,” Gov. Beshear said. “It is a critical link to the outside world for the homebound, or for anyone dealing with an illness or other emergency. “Two programs offer assistance to Kentuckians who might otherwise be unable to afford basic telephone service,” Gov. Beshear said. “The Lifeline program helps pay for monthly service, while the related Link-Up program pays a portion of the installation costs.” More than 250,000 Kentucky households participate in the Lifeline program, a lower proportion of households than in many neighboring states, Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman David Armstrong said. That indicates that there are many eligible Kentuckians who do not participate in the program, he said. “The Lifeline and Link-Up programs offer eligible households an opportunity to reduce the monthly cost of essential utility services,” Armstrong said. “The PSC encourages anyone who thinks they may be eligible to apply through their local telephone provider.” The Lifeline program provides a reduction in the monthly basic phone service charge for either landline or wireless service and also waives deposits and activation charges. Link-Up offers a one-time credit of up to $30 for installation of telephone service. “These are tough economic times that have left many Kentuckians struggling to pay their bills every month,” Gov. Beshear said. “Lifeline and Link-Up can ease that struggle by reducing the cost of obtaining and maintaining a vital service.” Kentucky Lifeline Awareness Week is part of a national effort to build awareness of and participation in Lifeline and Link-Up. It is being coordinated by the National Association of Utility Regulatory Commissioners (NARUC), in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, The Kentucky PSC is a member of NARUC. “Many eligible Kentuckians probably do not know that these programs are available,” Chairman Armstrong said. “We hope that increasing awareness will increase participation.” Eligibility for Lifeline and Link-Up is established through participation in other programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps or the National School Free Lunch Program. Participants may not have an unpaid and overdue balance on their telephone bill or must have a current payment arrangement to pay any outstanding balance. Lifeline and Link-Up are funded through a small charge on all telephone bills.

More information is available on the PSC Web site at http://psc.ky.gov/agencies/psc/consumer/lifeline.pdf

Beshear Campaign Launches Attack Ad

• {Kentucky}...Democratic Governor Steve Beshear's campaign began airing a TV ad on Friday accusing Republican challenger David Williams of lavish spending as president of the state Senate. The Beshear team began running the ad days after Williams put up a spot accusing Beshear of failing to create jobs over the past four years. Williams said in a statement Friday that he has cut legislative spending substantially since becoming leader of the Senate a decade ago. He accused Beshear of using the attack ad "to cover up his abysmal record of job creation." Polls show Beshear with a big lead over challengers David Williams and Gatewood Galbraith.

Louisville Assembly Plant Renovation Nears Completion

• {Kentucky}...Friday, a crowd that included Governor Steve Beshear, Metro Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Representatives John Yarmuth and U.S. Senator Rand Paul toured the Louisville Assembly Plant which is in the final stages of a $600 million renovation to manufacture the redesigned Escape compact sport utility vehicle. Ford Motor Co. plant manager John Savona says, by the end of the year, the plant will employ 2,900 workers. The company has not announced an opening date for the plant but have said they’re on schedule to start producing vehicles in December. The redesigned Escape will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show in mid-November. That show vehicle will be assembled in Louisville.

Covington Grand Jury Indicts Alleged Bank Robber

• {Kentucky}...Matthew L. Grant, 28, of Williamstown, who was arrested in Cincinnati in May, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Covington, Kentucky. Grant has been charged with robbing three banks in two states within one month. Grant is awaiting trial in Hamilton County, Ohio after being charged with robbing the Warsaw Federal Savings and Loan in East Price Hill on May 6th. Grant is also accused of robbing the Guardian Savings Bank in Green Township in Hamilton County on April 26th. Grant is accused of robbing the Heritage Bank in Crescent Springs, Kentucky on May 9th.

Kentucky Medicaid Plan Gets Federal Approval

• {Kentucky}...The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services said Friday that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have granted approval for Kentucky's proposal to use a managed care model to provide Medicaid services to the poor, elderly and disabled. The state had awarded contracts to four managed care groups to handle Medicaid services statewide, but the state needed the federal approval to proceed. State Health Secretary Janie Miller says the move to managed care is expected to save $1.3 billion over the next three years.

Three Killed In Train Collisions

• {Kentucky}...Three people died in Kentucky Friday in separate train collisions. In Oldham County, police say 33 year old James Dewitt of Crestwood was pronounced dead at the scene after he walked into the path of a CSX train in Crestwood around 9:00 A.M. In Lexington, a train operator reported being unable to stop before hitting a man lying on the tracks near an overpass Friday afternoon. The Fayette County coroner's office identified the man as 63 year old Tony Burton Litten of Richmond. Kentucky State Police say 45 year old Beulah D. Pirtle of Henderson was killed Friday afternoon about a half-mile south of Sebree when she turned her car into the path of a CSX train.

General Fund Revenues Fall

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky general fund revenues fell 3 percent in August, ending a long streak of revenue gains. State Budget Director Mary Lassiter said the drop in August receipts broke a 15-month streak in which General Fund revenue had increased over the prior-year period. Total revenues fell to $623.3 million, compared to $642.6 million in the same month a year ago. Sales tax revenues rose for the month, but individual income and corporate income tax receipts fell. Despite the revenue decline, the General Fund has increased 1.9 percent through the first two months of the state's fiscal year.

Judge Says TracFone Owes Kentucky Millions

{Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn, a federal judge in Kentucky, ruled Thursday that Miami-based TracFone Wireless, the largest prepaid cell phone company in the country, owes Kentucky more than $4.7 million in unpaid 911 emergency fees dating to 2003. Heyburn ordered TracFone Wireless to pay the state because it didn't remit the service fee starting eight years ago, when the company argued that the fees did not apply to prepaid wireless providers. Heyburn also ruled that TracFone owes Kentucky $425,000 in attorney's fees. Heyburn said that, despite changes in the law, Kentucky was entitled to collect $2.5 million in unremitted fees from November 2003 through July 2006, $2 million in fees not paid to the state collected from direct sales from July 2006 through June 2011 and $139,000 in fees collected from indirect sales from July 2006 through September 2009.

Court of Appeals Rejects "Instant Racing" Injunction

{Kentucky}...Thursday, Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Glenn E. Acree denied a request for a preliminary injunction that would have idled "Instant Racing" at the Kentucky Downs racetrack in Franklin. Judge Acree said The Family Foundation had failed to show an immediate and irreparable injury. The Family Foundation had asked the Court of Appeals to shut down the machines as part of an appeal to a lower court ruling last December that held the games to be legal. The Court of Appeals will revisit the issue in October. Kent Ostrander, executive director of The Family Foundation , says installing the slot-like machines is a major departure from state law and policy and he still expects to prevail in the case. Kentucky Downs spokesman Bill Flesher applauded the ruling, saying he believes it confirms that the track is on solid footing legally by offering "Instant Racing."

Advocate Urges Emergency Action On Nursing Homes

{Kentucky}...Bernie Vonderheide, founder of Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, is calling on Governor Steve Beshear to take emergency action to address the lack of staffing requirements for long-term care facilities. Vonderheide says he is asking Beshear to call an emergency session of the General Assembly or to issue an emergency executive order to establish minimum staff-to-resident ratios for all long-term care homes, including personal care homes and nursing homes. In response, Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson said a "special session must last a minimum of five days, at a cost of at least $300,000, so any special session should be called only when consensus has been reached on a particular issue. Richardson says the subject is best suited for thorough review and debate during the upcoming regular session to begin in January.

Clean Air Advocates Criticize Obama Decision

{Kentucky}...Clean air advocates on Thursday criticized a decision by the Obama administration to scrap a proposed smog regulation, saying stronger federal environmental regulations would create jobs in Kentucky and Tennessee. Last week, the Obama administration declined to adopt a proposed EPA regulation aimed at reducing smog in an effort to lighten regulatory burdens on business in a weak economy. The regulation would have reduced concentrations of ground-level ozone, the main ingredient in smog. Mary Gade, former chief of the Environmental Protection Agency's regional office in Chicago, says the federal Clean Air Act has encouraged technological advancement and economic growth since it was enacted in the 1970s. Betsy Janes with the American Lung Association of Kentucky says the coal-burning plants have a powerful effect on air quality in Kentucky and Tennessee. The American Lung Association, which had sued the EPA over smog standards under former President Bush, said it would resume its legal fight in response to Obama's decision to pass on imposing stricter limits. The group had suspended its lawsuit after the Obama administration pledged to change it.

Kentucky Makes Interest Payment On Federal Loan

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced late Thursday that the state has made a $28 million interest payment on a loan from the federal government. The interest payment was due by September 30th on about $948 million Kentucky has borrowed over the last three years to pay unemployment benefits. Failure to make the interest payment on time would have resulted in federal penalties that include the loss of an unemployment tax credit worth $400 per employee to Kentucky businesses. The total tab for the loss of that credit to all Kentucky businesses was estimated to exceed $600 million. Beshear authorized the commonwealth to borrow $18 million from itself to help make the interest payment, a move Senate President David Williams said the govornor lacked the authority to make. State law mandates that interest payments on the federal loan must come from the state’s Unemployment Insurance Penalty and Interest Account. That account has had a balance of about $10 million. Beshear says he authorized a loan of $18 million from the state’s “overall cash flow” to the Unemployment Insurance Penalty and Interest Account.

Rupp Arena Options Still On Table

{Kentucky}...A 47-member task force met Wednesday to hear reports from committees that have worked since April to come up with a plan to redevelop a 46-acre area around Rupp Arena in Lexington. They were told that all options are still on the table. The group's goal is to develop a plan by early next year for the future of Rupp Arena, Lexington Center and the vast parking lots surrounding them. Gary Bates, master planner for the Arena, Arts and Entertainment District Task Force, says he has no early leanings about whether to renovate Rupp or build a new arena. Bates called Rupp Arena "a major part of the identity of Lexington."

“Instant Racing” Big Boost For Kentucky Downs

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky Downs President Corey Johnsen says a total of $594,431 was wagered on the Franklin, Kentucky track’s 197 “Instant Racing” gaming machines in the first five days of operation, an average of $603.48 per day per machine. The track began offering the game last Thursday. Johnsen told the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Wednesday in Lexington that $53,536 was taken out for the track and taxes, including $8,916 for the state. The game is under legal review in the state Court of Appeals after the Family Foundation of Kentucky asked for an injunction to halt operation of the games. If the court rules against the games, Kentucky Downs could have to remove the machines. The track is the only one in the state offering the game.

Bowling Green Grand Jury Indicts Wisconsin Man

• {Kentucky}...A federal grand jury in Bowling Green on Wednesday indicted 59 year old Daniel Evanoff of Plymouth, Wisconsin with conspiracy to defraud the United States and rendering inaccurate a required monitoring device. Investigators say, while Evanoff served as the North American Alloy Manager for J.L. French, he  tampered with environmental monitors then covered it up. The indictment states that, between 2007 and November 2009, Evanoff and other coconspirators agreed to create false records concealing that J.L. French in Glasgow, Kentucky exceeded production and air emissions limits. The indictment also states that Evanoff directed others to install a temperature resistor on air pollution control equipment to create a false temperature reading.

Kentucky Improves Educational Standards

• {Kentucky}...The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and many of the state's leaders, including Governor Steve Beshear and Senate President David Williams, appeared Wednesday at an event touting Kentucky's higher education progress during the past decade. The council released statistics saying that Kentucky was tops in the nation in the percentage of improvement in the number of adults ages 25 to 64 with college degrees, including associate and bachelor's degrees, from 2000 to 2009. The state also is first in improving the six-year graduation rates at four-year institutions. In the area of adults ages 25 to 64 with college degrees, the state ranks 45th in the nation, up from 47th in 2000. The state went from 44th to 35th in the category of six-year graduation rates at four-year institutions, which includes private and public schools. The three-year graduate rate at two-year institutions increased 42.7 percent, moving Kentucky to 16th from 38th nationwide.

Kentucky Receives Mine Training Grant

{Kentucky}...Kentucky has received the largest piece of $8.4 million in U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration grants for fiscal year 2011. The state is receiving $627,659 from the health and safety training grants. The U.S. Labor Department says the funds are being used to provide federally mandated training to miners. The grants are being divided among 47 states and the Navajo Nation. Some states also offer training for mine operators on compliance with health and safety standards, for miners on their rights under the law and for mine rescue teams on being prepared for emergencies.

Ethics Complaint Filed Against Richie Farmer

• {Kentucky}...Kentucky Democrats have filed an ethics complaint against Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer accusing him of using a state account to buy a refrigerator for his home and using his state vehicle for personal use "for almost eight years" without reporting the mileage. Donald Storm, campaign chair for the Williams-Farmer ticket, said Tuesday that the Democratic Party is using the levers of government to generate headlines in a pathetic attempt to cover up Governor Beshear's record when it comes to job creation. The complaint, filed Tuesday, arrives in the middle of a campaign season that has seen allegations of improprieties raised by both camps. Late last month, Republican Party Chairman Steve Robertson filed a complaint with the Executive Branch Ethics Commission alleging that a Beshear aide solicited contributions from state employees. Farmer spokesman Bill Clary said last month that two refrigerators were bought with a state credit card. Clary says Farmer used one when he worked from home, but it has been returned to the office, and the other had not been located.