Legislation To Consider Christian Health Care

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Senator Tom Buford, chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, has drafted legislation he intends to introduce in January that would eliminate a legal impediment that has left the future of the Medi-Share program in question in Kentucky. Medi-Share helps pay medical bills for churchgoers who pledge to live Christian lives that include no smoking, drinking, using drugs or engaging in sex outside of marriage. The Kentucky Department of Insurance has had the Florida-based ministry in court for the past 10 years.

Wildcat Sculpture Needs Name

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The 7-foot bronze wildcat sculpture that was dedicated on the University of Kentucky campus just as the men's basketball team was becoming national champion last spring needs a name. The sculpture is in Wildcat Alumni Plaza across Avenue of Champions from Memorial Coliseum. To suggest a name, visit http://www.ukalumni.net/dontcallmefluffy and complete the form by September 7th. Voting will be from September 17th to October 8th, with the winner announced on October 15th at the homecoming pep rally in the plaza.

Man Charged With Fleming County Murders

{Ewing, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police arrested 27 year old Mariano Arias Wednesday evening in the Ewing community of Fleming County and charged him with two counts of murder in the deaths of two people, one of whose remains were found by a man who was cleaning out a drainage ditch on Delaney Road in western Fleming County in late April. A second set of remains was discovered in the same area a few days later. Police say Arias is a migrant worker who had been in and out of Fleming County several times in recent years and had recently returned to the area.

Former UK Player Pleads Not Guilty

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Former University of Kentucky basketball player 25 year old Michael Porter pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of sodomy and sexual abuse with an underage girl. Porter and his attorney, Jim Lowry, appeared before Fayette Circuit Judge James Ishmael Jr. Lowry waived formal arraignment and entered a not-guilty plea on Porter's behalf. Porter was arrested May 15th after Lexington police say he'd had oral sex with a girl he met at functions at a church where he was a group leader. The warrant for Porter did not name the church where he met the girl, although Porter said in 2009 that he and his wife, Bryana, were members of Southland Christian Church. During Thursday's hearing, Judge Ishmael said he wanted to state for the record that he has not attended Southland Christian Church since May 2010. Porter is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on October 26th.

Ellis Park To Offer Instant Racing

{Henderson, Kentucky}...Ellis Park owner Ron Geary says the racetrack is ready to begin offering casino-style instant racing, making it the second track in Kentucky to offer instant racing after Kentucky Downs in Franklin began offering it last year. Geary says the parlor with 187 machines will open Friday morning, just in time for Labor Day. The plan is to run the machines from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 A.M. seven days a week. Instant Racing machines resemble slot machines and allow gamblers to place wagers on previously run but unidentified horse races.

Beshear Implements New Lasix Rules

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear will implement new regulations for the use of medications in standardbred and thoroughbred horses after the Interim Joint Committee on Licensing and Occupations voted 19-1 Monday against new regulations that ban secondary bleeding medications and regulates who can administer Lasix on race days. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission voted 7-5 in June to ban the use of Lasix, but legislators expressed reservations Monday about the ban, saying there were many in the horse industry against it.

Former Pitino House Purchased

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Matthew Mitchell, the coach of the University of Kentucky's women's basketball team, and his wife, Jenna, have purchased the $2 million home once owned by former UK men's basketball coach Rick Pitino. Pitino, now coach of the University of Louisville men's basketball team, built the house in 1989 near the University of Kentucky campus. Mitchell and his wife purchased the house earlier this month from a couple who had owned it since 2003.

Former UK Player Becomes Firefighter

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Former University of Kentucky women's basketball player Nastassia Alcius, a former Henry Clay High School standout and UK guard, will graduate from the Lexington fire department's training academy Friday. The Lexington native is among 23 recruits who have gone through about four months of intense training. After Friday's ceremony, they will begin working full time, responding to fires and treating sick and injured people. Alcius, who graduated in 2006 with a sociology degree, considered trying to go pro, but she decided she needed a break first. She worked at basketball camps and played for some charity teams. Alcius played at UK from 2004 to 2007, averaging 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Corbin Murder Case Sent To Grand Jury

{Corbin, Kentucky}...The case against Bill Cox, a man accused of killing his daughter's boyfriend, 21 year old Ryan Abner is being sent to the grand jury. Cox was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing in Whitley County Wednesday morning, but Cox's attorney waived the hearing and the case was sent directly to the grand jury. Corbin Police say Cox shot Abner several times outside the home Abner and Cox's 15 year old daughter, Velma, shared on Forest Circle Drive.

Croatian Woman Seeks Release

Fifty-two year old Azra Basic, a Croatian woman facing extradition for war crimes after living for years in Kentucky, is asking a judge to release her from federal custody. Basic has been battling her extradition in federal court since authorities arrested her last March. She is wanted in Bosnia on charges of committing war crimes against ethnic Serb civilians in 1992. Prosecutors say Basic was a Croatian Army soldier who killed a prisoner and tortured others by forcing them to drink human blood and gasoline. Her attorney says Basic is being held in violation of her rights as a U.S. citizen, but Magistrate Judge Robert Wier ruled last month that treaties are in place to allow her to be returned to Europe.

McConnell Plans GOP Convention Speech

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell plans to tell GOP convention delegates that the country knows what's on President Barack Obama's iPod, but it has no idea what Obama plans to do about a looming tax hike. McConnell says the President is focusing too much on music and golf instead of fixing the economy. He says the president hasn't been working to earn re-election, but instead has been working to earn a spot on the Professional Golf Association tour. McConnell says Obama wants to impose the kind of "government-imposed equality" that he blames for weakening the economies of Western Europe.

Beshear Announces Chief Of Staff

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced Wednesday he has promoted longtime aide Larry Bond of Louisville to be his chief of staff, replacing Mike Haydon, who died earlier this month. Bond, who had been serving since 2010 as a deputy chief of staff, previously was commissioner and deputy secretary of the Department of Public Protection. Before joining Beshear's administration, Bond served as chief administrative officer for Jefferson County government, chief deputy and chief operating officer for the Jefferson County circuit clerk's office and director of administration with the rank of colonel for the Jefferson County sheriff's office.

Court Of Appeals Considering Deportation Ruling

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Court of Appeals in Bowling Green is weighing whether truck driver Jose Padilla can benefit from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling over what advice attorneys must give non-citizens about possible deportations. Public defender Tim Arnold told a three-judge panel that Jose Padilla would have never pleaded guilty to transporting 1,000 pounds of marijuana through Hardin County if he knew it meant automatic deportation to his native Honduras. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that Padilla's attorney erroneously told him that deportation wasn't a concern when he pleaded guilty in 2001, but a judge in Hardin County upheld Padilla's guilty plea last year.

Human Remains Are Native American Woman

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police say human remains found in August 2011 were those of a Native American woman who appears to have been scalped. College students searching an area of Barren County near the Cumberland Parkway for a rare tree stumbled across the remains, and a search by investigators turned up bones scattered in a culvert over a 100-foot area. Forensic examiners determined the woman was between 20 and 50 years old and had been killed by a shotgun blast between one and 15 years ago. Detective Chad Winn says the case is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Overseas Soldiers' Absentee Ballots Extended

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd approved an agreed order Tuesday giving overseas soldiers an additional month to vote in a congressional race and two legislative races. Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes filed suit earlier this month requesting more time for soldiers to return absentee ballots so they can be counted in the special elections set for November 6th. The deadline for candidates to file in the special elections had been 28 days before the vote. That didn't allow sufficient time for absentee ballots to be mailed and returned. Shepherd's ruling sets Sept. 10 as the new filing deadline, allowing 57 days for soldiers receive and return ballots.

Lexmark Eliminating Inkjet Printer Business

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Lexmark announced Tuesday that it is cutting 1,700 jobs and closing a Philippines inkjet supply plant. Lexmark says the company's move to eliminate its inkjet printer business will affect 550 workers in Lexington, where the company is based. Spokesman Jerry Grasso says the cuts will leave about 2,300 full-time employees in Lexington by the end of the year.

Former Toyota Computer Programmer Not To Leave U.S.

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Monday, U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell in Lexington ordered Ibrahimshah Shahulhameed of Georgetown, a former computer programmer for Toyota, to forfeit any information and data he took from the computer system of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America and to not leave the United States while the company investigates the damage done by an alleged computer hacking incident. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Lexington, Toyota alleged that Shahulhameed illegally accessed the website www.toyotasupplier.com after being dismissed from his contract position on Thursday. Toyota claims that Shahulhameed spent more than six hours inside the computer system's firewall on Thursday and Friday and reprogrammed at least 13 applications in the computer system in an effort to cause it to crash.

Race-Day Drugs Proposal Rejected

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Interim Joint Committee on Licensing and Occupations voted 19-1 Monday, rejecting a proposed regulation that would limit who could administer Lasix on race days and ban adjunct bleeding medications in horse racing. Many horsemen oppose the ban, which is scheduled to take effect in upper-level stakes races beginning in 2014, because Kentucky would be the only state to outlaw a medication now given to more than 90 percent of horses in U.S. races. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved the Lasix ban by a 7-5 vote in June. Governor Steve Beshear can override the committee's vote and implement the regulation, but House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville, says Beshear should think twice before doing so because of the planned ban's effect on the industry. Lawmakers will soon consider an even more controversial regulation that would institute a race-day ban on the anti-bleeding drug furosemide in some of the state's biggest races, including the Kentucky Derby.

Childhood Home Of Muhammad Ali For Sale

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Steve Stephenson said Monday he's asking $50,000 for the small white house that is the childhood home of boxing great Muhammad Ali. The home, located in a western Louisville neighborhood, has a state historical marker recognizing the residence as Ali's boyhood home, when he was known as Cassius Clay. Ali grew up in Louisville. His museum and education center, the Muhammad Ali Center, is one of the city's prime tourist attractions. Donald Lassere, president and CEO of the Ali Center, says officials there have "every hope that Muhammad's former home is preserved in a way that makes both Muhammad Ali and the city proud."

 

Plans For Bluegrass Music Center

{Owensboro, Kentucky}...Terry Woodward, board chairman of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, says to raise $7 million by March to turn an old state office building in western Kentucky into a bluegrass music center. The vision for the International Bluegrass Music Museum includes a museum, an indoor theater, outdoor festival seating and a bluegrass-themed restaurant. Woodward says organizers want to offer fans a Bluegrass Opry on Saturday nights during the fall, winter and spring, something similar to the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. The vision for the facility also includes other musical productions, a national bluegrass disc jockey convention and a music film festival. If all plans succeed, up to 100,000 bluegrass fans could visit Owensboro each year by 2016, making an economic impact on the city of $25 million. Woodward hopes construction on the facility can begin in April, 2013, and he wants to see the center open by April 2014.

UK Offering Free Rides And Escorts

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky is urging students to use free rides and escorts to stay safe after the school issued three crime bulletins within the last month. Officials say four students have recently been robbed near Lexington campuses, one involving a sexual assault. Three happened around the University of Kentucky campus and a fourth near Transylvania University. University of Kentucky Police Chief Joe Monroe says students can get a ride from a campus police officer or have the officer escort them back and forth to on-campus locations. Monroe says students walking on campus at night should stay in groups and on well-lit paths. The school also offers the Cats Cruiser and SAFECATS, which are free transportation services for students.

Male UK Student Assaulted

{Lexington, Kentucky}...UK police say three people assaulted a University of Kentucky student behind the Kappa Sigma Fraternity house on campus at 3:20 A.M. Saturday morning. A male UK student was reportedly approached from behind by three people and was hit in the back of the head and the face before being chased toward the Kirwan-Blanding Complex. The suspects ran toward Hilltop Avenue. One of them was a thin black male with short hair, about 18 to 20 years old, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, wearing a black shirt, black shorts and black shoes. The second was a thin black male with short hair, also 18 to 20 years old, 6 feet, 2 inches tall and wearing yellow shirt, black pants and black shoes. The third was a thin white male, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, wearing a gray shirt with dark pants. One witness told the victim the three left in a blue vehicle.

Police Chase

{Corbin, Kentucky}...Police have arrested 61 year old B.J. Starlight, a Richmond man who led them on a 70-mile-long chase down Interstate 75 that ended at Corbin. Kentucky State Police say Starlight was stopped Thursday after police deployed spike strips to flatten tires of the van that was stolen in the Richmond area. A trooper bumped the vehicle, sending it off the road. The chase down Interstate 75 reached speeds of 100 miles per hour, while as many as a dozen police officers joined in. 

West Nile Virus Confirmed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State health department spokeswoman Gwenda Bond says Kentucky's second confirmed case this year of West Nile virus comes from Jefferson County. Bond says Kentucky's first case of West Nile was confirmed in May in Henry County. She says the patient recovered. Bond says Kentucky had a total of five West Nile cases in 2011, resulting in one death. Federal health officials say there are four times the usual number of cases in a West Nile outbreak nationwide. Early symptoms of West Nile can include fever, headache and body aches. One in 150 infected people will develop severe symptoms including neck stiffness, disorientation, coma and paralysis.

Groundbreaking For Ohio River Bridges Project

Groundbreaking for a key portion of the $2.6 billion Ohio River Bridges Project is scheduled for August 30th. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear are expected to take part in the ceremony for the East End crossing at the Port of Indiana in Jeffersonville. The bridge connecting Utica, Indiana and Prospect, Kentucky is scheduled to be completed by 2017. The project also will include building a new downtown span between Jeffersonville and Louisville. That's due to finish a year later. Federal highway officials have signed off on a plan that allows Kentucky and Indiana to charge drivers who use the Kennedy Bridge and two new spans.

Residents Complain Of Ash Samples

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Neighbors of Louisville Gas and Electric's Cane Run coal-burning power plant are upset that plant officials took ash samples from their properties without permission and gave a confusing explanation about the purpose of the samples. The  plant has been the subject of complaints over ash and dust. The plant paid a $22,500 fine last spring and the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control Board fined the company another $24,000 in July. The second violation is still under review. This week, utility officials issued apology letters for taking ash samples from some homes without permission. The company plans to close the plant by 2016 and replace it with a natural gas plant.

Country Ham Auctioned For $300,000

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Miss Kentucky 2012, Jessica Casebolt, showcased the Kentucky State Fair’s grand champion ham to bidders during the 49th annual Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast and Auction. A country ham weighing 17.62 pounds was auctioned off for $300,000. The winning bidder was Louisville businessman Mark Lynn. The money will go to the charity of his choice. The record bid from a single bidder was $600,000 last year from Republic Bank. Two bidders in 2010, Lynn and Republic Bank, offered the all-time high bid of $1.6 million. The winning ham came from Scott Farms in Muhlenberg County.

Supreme Court Reverses Conviction

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court reversed the conviction of 32 year old Quaynell Duron King,  a Lexington man convicted on drug possession charges. Justice Will T. Scott found that Fayette Circuit Court Judge Thomas Clark erred in denying King's request to represent himself. Scott wrote that King made the decision with "eyes open" and knew the pitfalls. King is serving 10 years in prison on a variety of charges. The high court let King's other convictions for trafficking and escape stand.

Murder Conviction Reversed

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Supreme Court has reversed the murder conviction of 70 year old Billy Reed Caudill of Jackson, sending the case back to Breathitt Circuit Court for a new trial. Caudill was sentenced in 2010 to 35 years in prison after being convicted in August 2009 in the shooting death of his neighbor, Randall Carpenter. Carpenter was killed during a 12-second shootout. The court found that a prosecutor improperly offered a personal opinion on whether Caudill had a duty to retreat from the confrontation and that the prosecutor's conduct was "unbecoming of his position of authority as a 'minister of justice'" who had a duty to ensure a fair trial.

Jobless Rates Reported

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training reported Thursday that jobless rates improved in 97 counties, while rates worsened in 18 others and were unchanged in five. Woodford County had the lowest jobless rate at 5.9 percent. Magoffin County's 16.7 percent jobless rate was the worst in the state. Harlan, Jackson and Leslie counties were above 14 percent.

Paul And Comer Seek To Legalize Industrial Hemp

{Louisville, Kentucky}...During a news conference before the 49th annual Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast at the State Fair, U.S. Senator Rand Paul joined state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer Thursday in calling for legalizing industrial hemp. Paul and Comer said allowing farmers to grow industrial hemp would be a financial boon for Kentucky. Comer said he is reviving the decade-old Industrial Hemp Commission in an effort to lift restrictions on the plant and that its chairman, former state Representative Joe Barrows, D-Versailles, has agreed to step aside and let Comer chair the group. Paul said industrial hemp is legal in most industrialized nations. The Kentucky Sheriff's Association has opposed legalizing industrial hemp in the past but has not taken a position on the issue for Kentucky's 2013 General Assembly. Joining Paul and Comer to show bipartisan support for industrial hemp were state Senators Joey Pendleton, D-Hopkinsville; Dan Seum, R-Louisville; and Robin Webb, D-Grayson. Governor Steve Beshear said he is open to the idea, but he understands law enforcement has some very serious concerns about the similarity to marijuana.

Big Blue Madness Tickets Available In September

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky is making tickets to this year's Big Blue Madness available on September 22nd. The event will be October 12th at Rupp Arena and is the first open practice for Kentucky's men's and women's basketball teams. The university is asking fans who want to line up in advance to get tickets at Memorial Coliseum not to do so earlier than 7:00 A.M. EDT September 19th. Control cards will be issued to those who are camped out beginning at 2:00 P.M. September 21st and going until 7:00 A.M. September 22nd. Anyone with a control card must be in line by 7:00 A.M. Tickets are free, and there is a limit of four tickets per person at Memorial Coliseum. Tickets will also be available at http://UKathletics.com and http://ticketmaster.com.

State Penitentiary Employee Charged With Rape

{Eddyville, Kentucky}...Forty-one year old Lori S. Holsapple, an employee of the Kentucky State Penitentiary, an all-male prison in Eddyville, has been charged with third-degree rape after police say she had a relationship with an inmate at the maximum security prison. Kentucky State Police Trooper Chris Anderson says the relationship was consensual. Holsapple is scheduled for arraignment September 17th in Lyon Circuit Court.

KSP Spokesman Has New Assignment

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police spokesman Capt. David Jude has a new assignment as commander of the agency's academy branch. Jude will oversee daily operations for incoming cadet classes at KSP headquarters. Another of his roles will be overseeing renovations at the academy, a multi-facility venue on 320 acres at Frankfort. Jude, an Ashland native, is a 13-year KSP veteran.

London Businesswoman To Run For Senate

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Democrats have nominated London businesswoman Amie Hacker to run for an open state Senate seat in southeastern Kentucky's 21st District. Hacker will face Republican nominee Albert Robinson, a former state senator, in the November 6th election. The winner will replace Senator Tom Jensen, who dropped his bid for re-election earlier this month so he could run for circuit judge in Laurel and Knox counties. Hacker operates a mobile home sales center in London.

Man Pleads Guilty In Rapist's Escape

{Lexington, Kentucky}...John Lee Williams, 42, of Lexington, pleaded guilty Wednesday to helping convicted rapist John Calvin Buckley IV flee the state. Williams, a former cellmate of Buckley's, was charged with one count of hindering prosecution or apprehension, a misdemeanor. Williams was seen on surveillance video in the parking lot of a Georgetown drug store riding in a stolen rental car with Buckley after Buckley escaped from the Fayette Circuit Courthouse on July 12th. The car was found abandoned in the parking lot of the drug store the following week, after Buckley had left the state. Williams was sentenced  Wednesday to 45 days in jail, with credit for time served. Fayette County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Williams on August 9th. Williams was on probation for an unrelated felony when he helped Buckley escape. In June 2011, Williams was accused of firing a handgun at two people in a vehicle on Loudon Avenue. He pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm and one count of tampering with physical evidence in December. As a condition of his probation, he was not to commit any more crimes or leave Fayette County without permission. A probation revocation hearing was scheduled for September 21st.

Iraqi Man Pleads Guilty

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 24, an Iraqi man, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 10 charges of conspiring to send weapons, cash and explosives to al-Qaida in Iraq and two counts of lying to federal immigration agents to get into the United States and stay in the country. Hammadi gave simple "yes" and "I plead guilty" answers to questions from U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell in federal court in Louisville. The surprise plea came a week before Hammadi was set to stand trial on August 28th in Bowling Green, where he and co-defendant, 30 year old Waad Ramadan Alwan, were arrested in May 2011 after a federal sting operation. Hammadi, who did not have a plea agreement with prosecutors, faces 25 years to life in federal prison plus millions of dollars in fines when sentenced December 5th. Alwan previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing October 3rd in Bowling Green.

Safety Advocates Seek Source Of Recalled Cantaloupes

Tuesday, food safety advocates called on federal officials to release the name of an Indiana farm that recalled its cantaloupes amid a salmonella outbreak that's killed at least two people in Kentucky and sickened at least 140 others in 20 states. Advocacy groups say people have a right to know the farm's name and the details of its cantaloupe distribution network so they can protect their families from the outbreak. Barbara Kowalcyk, chief executive officer of the Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention, says health officials usually are careful not to point fingers early in investigations of foodborne illnesses because they don't want to hurt farms, food manufacturers or others who may later turn out to have no role in an outbreak. FDA spokeswoman Shelly L. Burgess said Tuesday that until investigators have pinpointed the source or sources of the salmonella, the agency won't release the name of any farm suspected of being involved.

McConnell And Paul Attend Tea Party Rally

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. Senator Rand Paul made a joint appearance at a tea party rally that drew some 400 people to the state Capitol in Frankfort Tuesday. McConnell continued his assault on federal health care reforms, promising again to push to repeal them if he becomes majority leader next year. McConnell said, if he's setting the agenda next January instead of Harry Reid, the repeal of Obamacare will be Job 1. Paul stood before tea party groups from across Kentucky to herald McConnell as the GOP’s champion against the Affordable Care Act, describing him as the most vocal opponent of the reforms in the Senate. The law will require nearly all Americans to purchase insurance beginning in 2014.

Louisville Group To Compete For Kentucky Kingdom

{Louisville, Kentucky}...A group of Louisville business leaders, led by developer Ed Hart, who want to reopen the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park says it will present its offer to the state as part of a competitive process to determine the park's next operator. Hart said Tuesday his group is encouraged by a timetable set by state officials to name a park operator by this fall. Hart says that extending the search beyond that would jeopardize his group's ability to reopen Kentucky Kingdom as a full-fledged theme park by 2014. Hart's group has outlined a $40 million proposal to reopen the park which has been idled since the 2009 season.

Wynonna Judd's Husband Injured

{Rapid City, South Dakota}...Wynonna Judd's husband, Michael Scott "Cactus" Moser, was riding a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 16 in the Black Hills of South Dakota Saturday when he crossed the center line and hit a car. He was airlifted to a hospital. A representative for Judd said Monday that Moser's leg was "severed at the scene of the accident" and that doctors have amputated his leg above his knee. Moser has also had surgery on his hand. Judd is postponing scheduled concerts in Canada as a result. Moser is a resident of Nashville, Tennessee and the drummer in the country singer's band.

Drought Disaster In Kentucky

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear's office announced Monday that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had added 68 more counties to the list of those classified as primary disaster areas because of the drought that has persisted in many places since last spring. All but four Kentucky counties, Bell, Harlan, Leslie and Perry, have been designated as primary or contiguous drought disaster areas. The federal designation makes farm operators eligible for assistance.

Former Harlan Judge Seeks Reconsideration

{Harlan, Kentucky}...Former Harlan Circuit Court Judge Russell Alred filed a petition last week requesting the Kentucky Supreme Court to rehear his case. The Kentucky Supreme Court issued an opinion last month that denied Alred's bid to return to the bench after he was ousted for misconduct. In that opinion, the high court upheld eight counts of misconduct and reversed one, but agreed Alred should be removed from the bench for his "pattern of misconduct, displaying disregard for the law and the Kentucky Code of Judicial Conduct."

UK Remaking Residence Hall System

{Lexington, Kentucky}...UK President Eli Capilouto said Monday that building five residence halls will generate considerable spin-off for the economy, including nearly 2,900 jobs and nearly $4 million in state and local taxes. UK formed a partnership with Memphis, Tenn.-based EdR, a private development firm, to replace its aging dorms. The firm plans to pump about $500 million of private equity into the construction project. The company would own the residence halls on land leased by UK. The first new residence hall, a $25.8 million, 601-bed hall, is being built and is set to open in August 2013. UK trustees will consider another phase in October that would result in four additional residence complexes being built.

California Supplier Recalling Romaine Lettuce

Salinas-based Tanimura & Antle, a Northern California produce supplier, said Sunday it is voluntarily recalling romaine lettuce that was shipped to 19 states, Puerto Rico and Canada over fears about possible E. coli contamination. The recall is limited to a single lot of its Field Fresh Wrapped Single Head Romaine that was available at retail stores starting August 2nd. The lettuce is packed in a plastic bag with the UPC number 0-27918-20314-9, and it may have a "best by" date of August 19th. The company said some 2,095 cases were potentially affected. Of those, 1,969 cases were shipped to Puerto Rico and the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. There have been no reported illnesses associated with consumption of this product.

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Case

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge to a ruling that allows a reference to "Almighty God" in the state homeland security law. The suit was filed in 2008 by several residents who were represented by the group American Atheists, claiming that the law was a violation of constitutional bans on state-sponsored religion. Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled in the group's favor in 2009, saying that the phrase violates the U.S. and Kentucky constitutions, but a 2-1 opinion by the appellate court reversed his ruling. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the reference is made to a generic God and doesn't seek to prefer one belief over another. Edwin Kagin, the national legal director for American Atheists, says the order was a disappointment, and he will discuss with his clients whether to drop the case or appeal it.

Kentucky Bicyclist Injured

{Frederick, Maryland}...Authorities say 54 year old Alison Torpey, a high-wheel bicyclist from Louisville, Kentucky is in serious but stable condition at a hospital after she was hurt in a race in Maryland Saturday. Torpey was injured when she hit her head just below her helmet in a fall from her 52-inch, 1887 Penny Farthing bicycle while participating in a race through the downtown historic district in Frederick, Maryland. Torpey is an experienced rider and state captain of the Kentucky Wheelmen Club.

Medicaid Open Enrollment Period Announced

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services has announced that Medicaid recipients in 104 Kentucky counties will have the opportunity to select coverage by a new managed care organization during this year’s annual open enrollment period August 20th to October 19th. Members are being notified by letter of the open enrollment period and about the options provided by CoventryCares of Kentucky, Kentucky Spirit Health Plan and WellCare of Kentucky. Members who choose to keep their current coverage do not need to take any action. The MCO contact numbers for members wishing to contact MCOs directly for more information about coverage options and network providers are: CoventryCares of Kentucky, (855) 300-5528; Kentucky Spirit Health Plan, (866) 643-3153; and WellCare of Kentucky, (877) 389-9457. Members seeking assistance from Medicaid or who would like to change MCOs should call the Medicaid hotline at (855) 446-1245 during the open enrollment period to speak to a member representative.

Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Verdis Kyle Pennington III, 20, of Lexington, pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge of second-degree manslaughter in the 2010 shooting death of his father, 50 year old Verdis Kyle Pennington Jr. a former Mr. Kentucky Power Lifter and successful bodybuilder in the 1980s and early 1990s. Police say Pennington shot his father in the head with a .357-caliber handgun at their home on Nakomi Drive during a domestic dispute November 30, 2010. Pennington III was initially charged with murder by police, but a grand jury reduced the charge to first-degree manslaughter in a 2011 indictment. As part of a plea deal, Pennington would serve a 10-year prison sentence.

Unspent Earmarks Available For Road Projects

{Washington, D.C.}...Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday that $470 million in unspent earmark money would be made available to states for transportation projects. Kentucky could receive $17.5 million. States have until October 1st to identify how they intend to use the money and must obligate the funds by the end of the year or lose them. The new funds, announced some two months before the presidential election, are a fraction of the nearly $48 billion that the department has awarded for road and bridge projects since 2009 under the administration's economic stimulus program. Three years into the program, $36 billion in stimulus funds have been paid out.

Laurel County Woman Indicted

{London, Kentucky}...A grand jury in Laurel County has indicted Heather Kaminsky on charges of prohibited act or practice in the adoption of a child, as well as unlawful possession of meth precursors. She is to be arraigned in Laurel Circuit Court on September 21st. Investigators say Kaminsky traded her newborn son to Jeremy and Jaimee Brown for a 1999 Dodge pickup truck that she later sold. The grand jury chose not to indict the Browns.

Special Election To Replace Davis

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Beshear spokeswoman Kerri Richardson announced Friday that Governor Steve Beshear has scheduled a special election to replace former Republican U.S. Representative Geoff Davis for November 6th, the same day as the general election. Lynn Zellen, spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, says holding the special congressional election on a separate day could have cost as much as $500,000. Davis resigned in July, citing a family health issue. Republican Thomas Massie, a tea party favorite, is running against Democrat Bill Adkins, a lawyer from northern Kentucky.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Cantaloupes

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Health officials in Indiana and Kentucky are investigating farms, distributors and retailers after an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened 150 people nationwide was linked to cantaloupes grown in the southwestern part of Indiana. The Kentucky Department of Public Health warned people not to eat cantaloupes grown in southwestern Indiana after tests found the fruit carried the same strain of salmonella that has killed two and sickened more than 50 in Kentucky. Salmonella infections result in diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps and the illness usually lasts four to seven days.

Former Mine Foreman Pleads Guilty

{Harlan, Kentucky}...Bryant Massingale, the second-shift foreman at the Manalapan Mining Company's P-1 mine at Pathfork in Harlan County in June 2011, admitted Thursday in federal court that he failed to note hazardous conditions in inspection reports, as required, and failed to correct hazardous conditions. The charges include that the company and officials had miners work under sections of the mine roof that weren't properly supported in the weeks before David Partin, 49, of Pineville, was killed June 30, 2011, when a large section of the mine wall fell on him. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has proposed a fine of nearly $600,000 for the alleged violations. Those charged are the company; Massingale; operations manager Jefferson Davis; and Joseph Miniard, the mine superintendent. The company is contesting the citations. Manalapan, Davis and Miniard have maintained their innocence in the criminal case. Massingale is to be sentenced in January.

KentuckyOne Health Terminating Contract With Coventry Cares

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Thursday, KentuckyOne Health announced it is terminating contracts at all its facilities with Medicaid provider Coventry Cares. The announcement came after Coventry gave notice that it would not participate at two hospitals owned by the health system, Our Lady of Peace in Louisville and Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville. KentuckyOne Health officials say the terminations will be effective at former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's Healthcare facilities on November 1st and at former Saint Joseph Health System facilities beginning December 1st. KentuckyOne Health, the largest health system in Kentucky, will continue to work with the three other Medicaid providers that contract with the state.

Supreme Court Weighing Death Row Inmate Case

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Supreme Court is weighing claims by the attorneys of death row inmate 40 year old Kevin Wayne Dunlap that a missing right front lobe of his brain played a role in his attack on a mother and her children near Fort Campbell in 2008. Dunlap, 40, was sentenced to death March 19, 2010. He pleaded guilty to stabbing and killing 5 year old Ethan Frensley, 17 year old Kayla Williams and 14 year old Kortney Frensley when they returned home from school on October 15, 2008, in Roaring Springs. Earlier in the day, Dunlap had tied up their mother, Kristy Frensley, then raped and attempted to stab her to death. Dunlap set the house on fire, but Kristy Frensley escaped by rolling out the back door. Attorneys told the high court Thursday that attorneys were not given enough time to explore what role the abnormality played in the crime and Dunlap's decision to plead guilty in 2010. Justices Mary Noble and Wil Schroeder expressed doubts that more testing would have affected the outcome of the case.

New Plan For Kentucky Kingdom

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Three Louisville business leaders have joined developer Ed Hart in a $40 million bid that would reopen Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville in 2014. A previous proposal by Hart to reopen the amusement park failed after he was unable to raise nearly $20 million he said he needed from local and state officials. The new plan seeks no funding from the state except tourism tax credits. The park has been closed since 2009, when Six Flags pulled out after filing for bankruptcy.

Doctors Respond To Prescription Monitoring

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Doctors told lawmakers Wednesday that legislation passed earlier this year requiring physicians to tap into the state's prescription monitoring system to review their patients' drug histories is forcing legitimate patients to wait on pain medications under a the new law meant to shut down "pill mills." Lawmakers considered the new law a critical step in fighting prescription drug abuse in Kentucky where more people have been dying from overdoses than car wrecks, but doctors told lawmakers the bureaucratic red tape has become an issue in hospitals when patients clearly need medication quickly to ease their pain.

Former UK Basketball Player Indicted

{Lexington, Kentucky}...A Fayette County grand jury has indicted former University of Kentucky men's basketball player 25 year old Michael James Porter on six counts of third-degree sodomy and three counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Court documents indicate Porter was involved with a girl he met at church functions, where he was a group leader. The acts allegedly occurred from November 2009 to April 2010, when the girl was 14 and 15 years old. Porter was arrested May 15th. He has pleaded not guilty, and his arraignment is set for August 24th. Porter played at Kentucky for three seasons, from 2006 to 2009.

Committee Expresses Concerns About Evolution

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During a meeting of the Interim Committee on Education in Frankfort, some Kentucky lawmakers expressed concerns about how evolution is taught to high school biology students, saying questions on an end-of-course biology exam seem to require the teaching of evolution as a fact instead of a theory. ACT Educational Services vice president Ginger Hopkins said the test is designed to measure whether high school students are ready for college-level work. She said the questions are based on what college professors say students need to know. Committee chairman Senator Ken Winters said the concerns were prompted by complaints from teachers.

Laurel County Jail Changes Mail Policy

{London, Kentucky}...In an effort to keep drugs out of the mail, inmates at the Laurel County Correctional Center can now receive only post cards, with the exception of mail from their attorney or the court system. Laurel County Jailer Jamie Mosley says some inmates have received a drug called suboxone strips in the seams of envelopes, and it is difficult to go through mail for 400 inmates to see if they contain contraband.

Beshear To Announce Coal Contract

State Representative W. Keith Hall says Governor Steve Beshear is set to announce Wednesday that a coal group in Kentucky, including Booth Energy, has forged a 25 year partnership with India which could mean as much as 6 million tons of Kentucky coal being shipped to India each year.

Jockey Robby Albarado Fined

{Louisville, Kentucky}...During a hearing in Louisville Tuesday, Judge Ann Bailey Smith imposed a $500 fine on Jockey Robby Albarado for his misdemeanor conviction of assaulting his former girlfriend, Carolina Martinez. The fine was recommended by a jury that convicted Albarado of fourth-degree assault last month. A November 14th hearing was set to decide whether Albarado should be sent to jail for up to a year for violating conditions of his release in a previous assault case. Last year, Albarado was charged with wanton endangerment and domestic assault related to an altercation with his wife. Those charges were dismissed, and he pleaded guilty to attempting to interfere with a witness. His sentence was conditionally discharged for two years.

Kentucky Firefighters To Help With Idaho Wildfires

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Division of Forestry says a crew of 20 firefighters left Monday from the Southern Interagency Fire Cache in London headed to Idaho to help fight western wildfires. In Idaho, they will be assigned to the Trinity Ridge Fire. The agency had previously sent four firefighters to assist with blazes in Arkansas, California, Oklahoma and Oregon.

Anti-Abortion Activists File For KY Election

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Two out-of-state anti-abortion activists have filed as independents to run for Congress in Kentucky so they will have a platform to promote their cause. David Lewis of Batavia, Ohio, filed Tuesday to run in Kentucky's 4th congressional district, and Andrew Beacham of Elkhart, Indiana filed to run in the 2nd congressional district. Neither expects to win, but they want to use their candidacies to oppose abortion in debates, campaign events and TV ads. Lewis and Beacham are supporters of longtime anti-abortion leader Randall Terry, the Operation Rescue founder who used his unsuccessful run in the Democratic presidential primary this year as a platform to attack abortion.

Judge Strikes Down Wine And Liquor Ban

{Louisville, Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II has struck down Kentucky's seven-decade-old ban on grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers selling wine and liquor, saying not allowing some stores to get wine and liquor licenses but granting them to others is a violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Heyburn says the state legislature "wanted to limit liquor sales generally, and it did so by arbitrarily distinguishing grocers from all other retailers" when the law was adopted. A Louisville convenience store and the Food with Wine Coalition challenged the ban in a lawsuit filed in federal court in 2011.

Haydon Memorial Service Set

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...A memorial service will be held Wednesday at the state Capitol for Mike Haydon, Governor Steve Beshear's chiey of staff who died Sunday at his home in Springfield at the age of 62. Beshear said he felt it appropriate to hold a memorial in the Capitol, which he described as Haydon's home away from home during his years of government service. Visitation will begin at 2:30 P.M. EDT in the Capitol Rotunda. The memorial service will begin at 3:30 P.M. Another visitation will be held at Hale-Polin-Robinson Funeral Home in Springfield from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Thursday. The funeral will be held at 10:30 A.M. Friday at St. Dominic Church in Springfield.

Prescription Standards Hearing Set

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During a hearing in Frankfort Wednesday, doctors and other medical professionals will have a chance to express their concerns about new regulations that require them to meet tougher prescription standards in an effort to stop drug abuse. Dr. Gregory Hood, a Lexington internist with the Kentucky chapter of the American College of Physicians, says that the law passed earlier this year by legislators likely will mean some doctors will stop writing prescriptions for controlled substances that treat pain and anxiety. Lawmakers said licensing boards should "police their own industry" and gave them until September 1st to draft a final plan. Governor Steve Beshear has signed emergency regulations that put measures into place until then.

West Liberty ARH Hospital Reopens

{West Liberty, Kentucky}...ARH Hospital in West Liberty celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting Monday morning after $4 million in repairs were made following the March 2nd tornado. The hospital sustained extensive damage when the second floor windows of the hospital were blown out, the roof was damaged, exterior doors were torn off their hinges, and cars were demolished in the parking lot, but the hospital emergency room never closed and operated for a period of time on emergency power and heat through generators. Following the ceremony, Morgan County ARH hosted a Back to School Bash from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. where local school children received free school supplies, free food, entertainment and the opportunity to win giveaways. The school supplies were donated by employees of UK Chandler Hospital, Kentucky Children's Hospital, UK Good Samaritan Hospital and several other areas of UK HealthCare.

Farmer Seeks Reduced Child Support

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer is seeking to have the amount of his child support payment reduced. Farmer says he's scheduled for surgery this month and will be incapacitated for at least two months. Farmer's lawyer said in May that Farmer hasn't been employed since his term expired January 1st. Rebecca Farmer filed for divorce in April 2011, and the marriage was dissolved last month. On July 18th, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled in favor of National Bank of Manchester in its home foreclosure case against Richie and Rebecca Farmer for $317,929, plus interest, due on a loan made in October 2004. The order directs that their house in Frankfort be sold at a master commissioner's sale, but no date has been set yet.

U.S. District Judge Approves Skechers Settlement

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Monday, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell tentatively approved a $40 million settlement between Skechers USA Inc. and consumers who bought the toning shoes after ads made unfounded claims that the footwear would help people lose weight and strengthen muscles. The settlement covers more than 70 lawsuits from across the country. The suits were consolidated in federal court in Louisville. Skechers denied the allegations but said it settled to avoid long litigation. An undetermined number of people will be able to get a maximum repayment for their purchases - up to $80 per pair of Shape-Ups; $84 per pair of Resistance Runner shoes; up to $54 per pair of Podded Sole Shoes; and $40 per pair for Tone-Ups. Judge Russell set a fairness hearing to finalize the settlement for March 19th. That hearing will be held after the settlement is advertised and consumers who qualify for compensation have an opportunity to object to the terms and opt out of participating, if they choose. The attorneys involved in the case will split $5 million from a separate fund designated specifically to pay the lawyers. Russell ordered that the money cannot come from the $40 million settlement fund set aside for consumers.

Beshear Chief Of Staff Dies

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear's chief of staff Mike Haydon died Sunday at the age of 62 after apparently suffering a heart attack. Haydon became Beshear's chief of staff in 2010 after Adam Edelen resigned from the position. Before that, Haydon, who was also once the mayor of Springfield, served as Beshear's legislative director. Haydon was a veteran of more than 30 years of government service at the local and state levels, acting as deputy secretary of the Governor's Executive Cabinet under then-Governor Paul Patton and as his secretary of the Revenue Cabinet. Haydon also had been chief of staff for House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook.

Whitley County Inmates Escape

{Williamsburg, Kentucky}...Authorities are searching for 37 year old Jessie Terry and 44 year old Tracey Sisk, two men who escaped from the Whitley County Detention Center around 5:15 A.M. Sunday morning. Officials say the two men, who were working in the center's kitchen, forced open a security door when a guard that was watching them stepped away for a moment. Sisk was found around 5:00 P.M. Sunday evening at his girlfriend's home in Williamsburg.

Three Allegedly Traffic Marijuana Through Mail

{Salvisa, Kentucky}...Three Mercer County residents are facing charges after allegedly trying to traffic marijuana through the mail. Sheriff's deputies and postal investigators went to a home in Salvisa after a police dog detected the odor of marijuana on packages being sent to the address. Deputies arrested 46 year old Laura Wiley and 47 year old Gary Wiley after authorities seized more than five pounds of processed marijuana. Deputies later arrested 55 year old Ricky Merriman elsewhere and seized a large amount of processed marijuana. The Wileys are each charged with one count of trafficking more than five pounds of marijuana. Merriman is charged with trafficking more than eight ounces of marijuana and second-degree trafficking a controlled substance.

Round Table Conference Focuses On Horse Racing

{Saratoga Springs, New York}...Two social media games based on horse racing are to launch this week. During The Jockey Club's annual Round Table Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York Sunday, Travis T. Tygart, chief executive of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said horse racing could learn from the Olympics how to put together a clean image. This year, the talk centered on drug policy and the shifting perceptions of medication use in horse racing. Tygart told attendees that uniform rules, drug testing and research, as well as intensive investigative and educational initiatives, have helped clean up the Olympic movement and could benefit racing, which is suffering from declining interest, although the sport's biggest days, such as the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup, draw bigger ratings and more betting than ever. Tygart said a win-at-all-costs culture has taken over the system, and, "if you stay stagnant, the cheaters will get ahead."

Vote Delayed

The Kentucky Personnel Board delayed a vote Friday on whether a $40,709-a-year state prison merit job was improperly given to man endorsed by House Democratic Floor Leader Rocky Adkins who wrote a letter on his behalf. By law, politics cannot play a role in deciding who gets state merit jobs, and a hearing officer has recommended the hiring be overturned. The vote was delayed until September.

Secretary Of State Files Lawsuit

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is suing over the absentee ballot process for military and overseas voters. Grimes says Kentucky law currently doesn't provide enough time for those overseas to vote and is inconsistent with federal requirements. A statement from Grimes' office Friday said the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act requires states to send the ballot no later than 45 days before an election, or within three days of receiving the request, while Kentucky law allows candidates in special elections to file up to 28 days before the vote.

Board of Education Approves Disciplinary Actions

{Frankfort, Kentucky}... During a meeting in Frankfort Thursday, the Kentucky Board of Education approved a new regulation that would limit the use of certain disciplinary actions in schools that involve physically restraining or secluding children. The regulation calls for using restraint or seclusion only if a child's behavior poses a danger of serious physical harm. The board also continued progress toward creating a foundation in Kentucky that would fund innovative projects. Members approved articles of incorporation for the foundation, to be called the Fund for Transforming Education in Kentucky. The board also agreed to retain David Karem as chairman for the next 12 months.

Health Department Director On Paid Leave

{Manchester, Kentucky}...Cumberland Valley District Health Department, a health department that serves Clay, Jackson, Rockcastle and Harlan Counties in eastern Kentucky and has one of the largest budgets in Kentucky, is being investigated by the state auditor's office. Board members of the health department have place long-time director Kathy Fields on paid administrative leave. Fields is paid $91,494 annually. Fields has a staff of about 245 people and an annual budget of $20 million, one of the largest health department budgets in the state

KY Worst State For Toxic Pollution

A report released Thursday by the Natural Resources Defense Council shows Kentucky is the worst state in the nation when it comes to toxic air pollution from coal-fired power plants. The analysis looked at emissions from power plants in 2010, the most recent data available. Nationally, the report found a 19 percent drop in all air toxics emitted from power plants in 2010, compared with 2009 levels. The report said one reason for the drop, which included a 4 percent decrease in mercury emissions, is due to an increased use of natural gas by power companies. The group's "Toxic Twenty" states ranked Ohio 2nd, Indiana 4th, West Virginia 5th, Tennessee 11th, Virginia 12th, Missouri 15th and Illinois 16th. Delaware was No. 20.

Man Pleads Guilty In Northpoint Riot

{Danville, Kentucky}...Thursday, 43 year old Bobby Hoskins Jr. pleaded guilty to first-degree rioting and second-degree persistent felony offender in connection to an uprising at Northpoint Training Center in Boyle County in 2009. Six buildings were destroyed, and eight inmates and eight guards were injured. Commonwealth's Attorney Richie Bottoms says the recommended sentence is 10 years. Hoskins also pleaded guilty to promoting contraband with a recommended sentence of one year. Hoskins, who is serving time for assault and trafficking at Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville, will be sentenced October 2nd. Earlier this week, 25 year old Aaron Lee Fisk was sentenced to five years for third-degree arson and two years for rioting in the case.

Acquitted Man Indicted On Evidence Tampering

{Benton, Kentucky}...Jerry Walker Jr., a man acquitted in a fatal Murray State University dormitory fire, is due in court Monday after being indicted on evidence tampering charges. Prosecutors believe Walker anonymously wrote six  letters after the September 18, 1998, fire that killed Michael Minger of Niceville, Florida and injured several others. The letters were evidence in a trial last month in which a jury found Walker not guilty of arson, manslaughter, assault and wanton endangerment. Authorities began investigating Walker after he claimed he found a letter that blamed someone else for the fire. Commonwealth's Attorney Mark Blankenship says that while the tampering charge usually involves destroying or altering evidence, it also covers fabricating evidence.

Beshear Returns From Trade Mission

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has returned to Kentucky after a two week trade mission to Europe, where he met with business and political leaders in Germany and France in hopes of creating more jobs for Kentucky and strengthening ties with European companies already doing business in Kentucky. Kentucky opened an office last summer in Germany, one of the state's leading trade partners. Kentucky has more than 400 foreign-owned facilities employing nearly 76,000 workers. Direct foreign investment coming into Kentucky totaled more than $28.2 billion in 2007.

Kentucky Jailers File Lawsuit

{Ashland, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Jailers Association joined jailers in Boyd and Carter counties in filing a suit Tuesday in Frankfort aimed at stopping plans to implement a Regional Jail Authority that would oversee the operations of the lockups in both counties. Attorney James Deckard of Lexington argues the Northeastern Regional Jail Authority violates the “statutory framework” for a regional jail authority, which was created by the General Assembly in 1994, and the Carter County Fiscal Court’s approval of the enabling legislation for the authority is invalid because the May 29th meeting at which first readings of the two measures were approved was in violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act. Deckard maintains the NRJA does not meet the state’s statutory definition for a regional jail authority because state law “limits the operation and maintenance of a regional jail to one jail that may be owned and operated by one county to hold prisoners for another county or a single jail owned and operated by two counties.

Former Governor's Father Dies

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Harold Fletcher Sr., the father of former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, died Tuesday at the age of 87. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Friday at the funeral home.

Charges Upgraded In Death Of Former State Representative

{Williamsburg, Kentucky}...Two juveniles charged in the death of former state Representative Dewayne Bunch pleaded guilty Tuesday, and, while the charges against the two were upgraded from assault to reckless homicide,  they will not serve any additional time in jail. Regina Bunch, the widow of DeWayne Bunch, says she understood the two spent less than 90 days in a juvenile detention facility after they were initially accused of injuring her husband, and although she didn't want the boys responsible for her husband's death to spend life in prison, she believes they should serve more time. DeWayne Bunch died on July 11th after being injured in April 2011 while trying to break up a fight at Whitley County High School, where he was a teacher.

Trial Set For Former Pawn Shop Owner

{Pineville, Kentucky}...A new trial date of January 7th has been set for John Slusher, the former owner of the Pineville Pawn Shop, after he was indicted, along with seven others, for his alleged part of a money laundering scheme. Slusher is accused of helping alter or destroy the vehicle identification numbers from stolen motorcycles before selling them. His trial has been postponed twice.

UofL, UK Focusing On Binge Drinking

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The University of Louisville and University of Kentucky are teaming up with Beam Inc. and Brown-Forman Corp. in a stepped up campaign to curb alcohol abuse among students. Kentucky's two largest universities will share gifts from Beam Inc. and Brown-Forman totaling more than $600,000 over three years to boost ongoing efforts to prevent binge drinking. UofL Provost Shirley Willihnganz says nothing derails a college career faster than alcohol abuse, and, while partying is part of college life, binge drinking can lead to tragic consequences. UK Interim Provost Tim Tracy says students can play key roles in steering classmates away from alcohol abuse.

Yum Center Uses Reserve Funds For Debts

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The KFC Yum Center has used much of a reserve fund earmarked for renovations and repairs to make regular debt payments. The reserve account had dwindled to less than $4,000 from a balance in April of more than $3 million. Renovation funds can be used for debt payments as long as US Bank, the bond trustee, approves the action. Arena officials say they expected taxing district revenues of $14.9 million, but received only about $6.1 million.

Senator Jensen Plans Run For Circuit Judge

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Senator Tom Jensen, a London Republican, is planning to drop his bid for re-election and  run instead for circuit judge in Laurel and Knox counties. Jensen, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is unopposed for re-election. He served in the House from 1989 through 1996 and the Senate since 2005. Jensen says he had planned to run later for a term as circuit judge, but the seat came open this month with the unexpected resignation of Judge John Knox Mills. Jensen plans to file this week or early next week to run for the remaining two years of Mills' term.

Identity Thieves Get IRS Tax Refunds

A new report reveals the IRS has sent out billions of dollars in tax refunds to identity thieves. The report
finds the agency failed to prevent more than one million potentially phony tax returns from being processed last year. That resulted in refunds totaling more than five billion dollars. IRS officials say the thieves often steal the identities of dead people, children, or people who do not regularly file tax returns.

New Mine Safety Rules

New federal rules for examining conditions in underground coal mines became effective Monday. The Mine Safety and Health Administration proposed the rules in December 2010. The rules were published in the Federal Register in April. The rules require operators to identify and correct nine hazardous conditions and violations of health and safety standards that MSHA says pose the greatest risk to miners. Those standards include ventilation, methane, roof control and accumulation of combustible materials. MSHA director Joe Main says effective examinations "are the first line of defense to protect miners" in underground coal mines.

Write-In Candidates Enter Presidential Race

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Three candidates have filed paperwork in Kentucky making them eligible to receive write-in votes in this fall's presidential race. Richard Duncan of Ohio, Louis Todd House of Kentucky and Barbara Ann Prokopich of Washington are now eligible to have any votes cast for them counted in Kentucky although their names actually don't appear on the ballots. Kentucky ballots have spaces for write-in candidates, but only people who have filed with the secretary of state's office and paid a $50 fee are eligible to have the write-in votes counted. Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will be added to the Kentucky ballot after the national conventions. Some third-party candidates also are looking to be added to the ballot.

Franklin County Judge To Hear Medi-Share Case

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate has set a hearing for August 30th to consider whether Medi-Share, a Florida-based Christians-only health care plan, should be held in contempt of court more than a year after the Kentucky Supreme Court subjected it to stricter regulations that could have barred it from doing business in Kentucky. Justices found in 2010 that Medi-Share is insurance and should be subject to the same regulations as secular health care plans, a move that could have forced the organization to serve non-Christians and to provide costly coverage of pre-existing conditions. Medi-Share says its members aren't buying insurance, but taking part in a charitable endeavor to help cover medical bills of fellow Christians and potentially have their own costs covered should the need arise. The legal battle involves how tightly the state can regulate Medi-Share which serves nearly 40,000 people in 49 states, including more than 700 in Kentucky.

UK Football Coach To Appear In Country Music Video

Country singer and UK graduate J.D. Shelburn has recruited UK Football Coach Joker Phillips to play bass in his upcoming music video for the song "Farmboy." Shelburn says he became friends with Phillips at a derby party and told him he was a big Cats fan. The video should premiere in the next couple of weeks.

Former Education Executive Accused Of Excessive Spending

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Public records show that Edward Cunningham, former chief executive of the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority and the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corp. in Kentucky spent $55,010 on travel and entertainment in a two-year period. Cunningham's expenses in 2010 and 2011 included $42,000 for 30 trips to other states where he often treated guests to meals that cost more than $100 per person. Attorney Diana Barber, a lawyer for the organizations, says the expenses were vetted by an internal auditor, an external auditor and the finance committee of their governing board. Cunningham retired abruptly in April. Cunningham, who had led the closely related agencies since July 2006, gave no explanation for his departure.

Lyme Disease Rising Nationally

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Experts say Lyme disease is rising nationally, but just five cases were reported in Kentucky in each of the past two years. Lyme disease is spread by the black-legged deer tick, which is rarely seen in Kentucky. Mike Schardein, a health policy specialist for the state's Department for Public Health, says he believes there are several cases that haven't been confirmed because doctors don't test for it. Early symptoms of the disease include a fever, headache and fatigue, which can be accompanied by a rash. If not treated, the disease can cause arthritis or spread to the heart and nervous system. Paul Mead, a consulting physician for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the local frequency of a disease is essential to consider before making a diagnosis.

Amazon Expanding In Kentucky

{Hebron, Kentucky}...Amazon.com is planning to expand in northern Kentucky. Boone County Judge-Executive Gary Moore says Amazon has indicated it will hire up to 900 full-time, permanent employees and may need another 5,000 seasonal workers. Amazon spokesman Kelly Cheeseman confirmed hundreds of full-time employees are expected to be hired this year at the Hebron distribution center. Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President Steve Stevens says the announcement gives a needed boost to the area after Delta Air Lines announced last month that it would cease its Comair operations in the region by September 29th and lay off about 1,000 workers.

Cabinet For Health And Family Services Making Changes

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services is overhauling the way it reviews the deaths of children from abuse or neglect. The changes come after a December analysis that found inconsistency among the reviews, which are required in cases where state social workers were involved with the families. The Lexington Herald-Leader found that some workers issued detailed recommendations about what could have been done better to prevent the death. Other workers turned in single-page reviews that lacked basic information. In a few cases no reviews were completed. Teresa James, acting commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, said the agency now has a standard form for reviews, and recommendations will require action plans to ensure they are followed.

Escapee Captured In Knox County

Daniel Patterson, 36, who escaped from the Estill County Courthouse Wednesday, was arrested Friday in Knox County. Officers from the Harlan post made the arrest. Patterson was supposed to appear in court for a hearing on an emergency protective order involving his estranged wife when he allegedly stole a Dodge Dakota pickup truck and escaped. Patterson's escape prompted Eastern Kentucky University to send out a campus-wide alert Thursday warning students and staff to be on the lookout. Patterson's wife works for the university. Before he escaped, Patterson was held on charges stemming from the robbery of a Cash Express in June.

Chinese Teachers In Kentucky

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...Forty-one schools across 12 Kentucky districts will have teachers from China spending the school year in classrooms as part of a language and cultural exchange program. Western Kentucky University's Confucius Institute is sponsoring the instructors for the third consecutive year with the aim of promoting the Chinese language and culture to students and communities. The institute's assistant director, Betty Yu, says teachers with Confucius Institute go through training for 70 days in China and another five days once they arrive in Bowling Green. A total of 33 teachers will visit and rotate among schools and communities. Two of this year's teachers will be out in the community as well as providing tours of the Confucius Institute Museum and in Helm Library.

Labor Day Motorcycle Ride Planned

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Volunteers are raising money for the September 2nd Labor Day weekend ride, called Ride II Remember. More than 1,000 motorcycle riders will be departing from more than a dozen cities during the ride. The money raised will be used for the construction of a memorial at the entrance to Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort. The Guard says the memorial is intended to honor all Kentucky Guard members who have served in any duty status from 1912 to the present. A total of $1.2 million is needed for the construction of the memorial. Motorcycle riders hope to raise $100,000.

Louisiana Businessman Sentenced

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Thursday, U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove in Lexington sentenced 48 year old Michael Leman of Slidell, Louisiana, the owner of Urgent Care Services in Cincinnati and Philadelphia, to 15 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1 million in restitution to two Kentucky agencies. In March, a jury convicted Leman and the clinics of conspiring with several of his employees to prescribe Methadone and Oxycodone to bogus patients and ordered Leman to forfeit $825,000 as the profits of the scheme. From 2004 to 2008, authorities say, runners would travel five to 16 hours from Kentucky to clinics in Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio to pick up prescriptions for drugs, keep half the prescription for themselves and sell the rest in places such as Pike and Floyd counties. Evidence and testimony at the trial showed that about 90 percent of patients who visited the Pennsylvania and Cincinnati clinics were from eastern Kentucky. Van Tatenhove fined his two pain clinic businesses $50,000. The clinics made a combined $1.2 million in cash over a 26-month period.

Fancy Farm Picnic Set

{Fancy Farm, Kentucky}...For more than 130 years, the Fancy Farm picnic has been an annual event that serves as the unofficial kickoff of the general election season. It also is a fundraiser for St. Jerome Catholic Church, generating better than $200,000 a year. Top Democrats will skip the event this weekend. Governor Steve Beshear is out of the country on an economic development mission, and other Democratic leaders have cited an assortment of reasons, including birthday and anniversary parties, for their absences. U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, the ranking GOP speaker at the event, is expected to criticize President Barack Obama for his environmental and health care policies. Meanwhile, another Obama critic, Senator Rand Paul, opted not to attend. Other Democrats, including Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, Attorney General Jack Conway, say they have family matters that prevent them from attending the picnic. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, a Fancy Farm veteran, will stand in for all the Democratic no-shows.

Driver's Licenses Getting Security Overhaul

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky driver's licenses are getting some security upgrades, and circuit court clerks' offices will be installing new equipment to implement the improvements. The Transportation Cabinet says the new license has multiple layers of security features to make it harder for counterfeiters to produce fake IDs. Among the new features are a digital watermark that can't be seen by the human eye, improved lamination, a hologram with an ultraviolet "ghost" image and bank note-quality printing. Motorists aren't required to obtain the new license until their current one expires. The process won't change, and the cost will remain $20. Each circuit court clerk's office will suspend driver's license processing for one day sometime between August and October while the new equipment is installed.

McConnell Urges Drug Czar To Expand Initiative

{Washington, D.C.}...U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell met Thursday with White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske to discuss the drug problems facing Kentucky and to urge him to include Hardin County in the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. McConnell said more than 80 Kentuckians are dying in Kentucky each month from drug overdoses. That is more than are killed in car crashes in the state.

Supreme Court To Hear Death Row Inmate's Appeal

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Kathleen Schmidt, the attorney for Kentucky death row inmate Kevin Wayne Dunlap, has filed a brief with the Kentucky Supreme Court claiming Dunlap does not have a right frontal lobe, which controls impulses and decision making, leaving her client incompetent. Dunlap was sentenced to death in 2010 after he pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing 5 year old Ethan Frensley, 17 year old Kayla Williams and 14 year old Kortney Frensley when they returned home from school in October 2008 and then burning their house in Roaring Springs near Fort Campbell. Earlier in the day, Dunlap had tied up their mother, Kristy Frensley, then raped and attempted to stab her to death before setting their house on fire, but Frensley escaped by rolling out the back door. Dunlap initially asked to plead guilty, but mentally ill. Livingston County Circuit Judge C.A. Woodall rejected the request after reviewing evidence in the case and accepted a guilty plea with no conditions. He later followed a jury's recommendation and sentenced Dunlap to death. The high court will hear Dunlap's appeal August 16th in Frankfort. Prosecutors told the court that doctors determined Dunlap was competent to stand trial.

Winchester Murder Case Sent To Grand Jury

{Winchester, Kentucky}...Police accused Lillie Stanton, 48, of stabbing her daughter, Danel Korrey Stanton, 23, and her granddaughter, Kaydence Miers, 22 months, on May 19th at Stanton's home in Winchester. Stanton also stabbed herself and was treated at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital. Wednesday morning, the case was sent to a Clark County grand jury. Authorities have said Stanton committed the killings because she feared Kaydence Miers' father was about to gain custody or increased visitation rights in a pending custody hearing. Stanton recently underwent a lengthy evaluation at the Kentucky Psychiatric Center at LaGrange, but findings have not been released.

Funding Approved For Ohio River Bridges

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels are set to break ground later this month on the first part of the overall project for the Ohio River bridges connecting Louisville and southern Indiana. The Federal Highway Administration has approved financing, management and tolling plans for the bridges. The project will include construction of new bridges across the Ohio River between downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville, Indiana and between Prospect, Kentucky and Utica, Indiana. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Chuck Wolfe says both states now plan to seek final proposals from construction companies, which are expected to be selected by year's end.

Deputy Shoots Elliot County Man

{Sandy Hook, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police are investigating after an Elliott County sheriff's deputy shot a man. Just before 1:00 A.M. Tuesday, Deputies responded to the scene of a domestic dispute on Glen Carter Road in the Sandy Hook area of Elliot County, where they found Jamie Roseberry, 39, under the influence of drugs and making threats to kill his wife. Roseberry showed a knife and approached one of the deputies aggressively. The deputy then shot Roseberry twice in the chest. Roseberry was flown to St. Mary's Medical Center in Huntington where he is listed in serious condition.

Former Fayette County Deputies Indicted

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Former Fayette County Sheriff's Deputies Chester Merle McDaniel and William Rowland Beers have been indicted. The two sergeants resigned earlier this year after an investigation found that 14 guns confiscated by the deputies were unaccounted for. The guns were supposed to have been booked into a property and evidence locker similar to a large bank vault. McDaniel is accused of taking six guns from two men in 2010, pawning two of the guns and keeping four at his home. Beers allegedly took eight guns this year, but returned them months later when the investigation began.