New Trial For Honduras Native

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Friday, the Kentucky Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for Honduras native Jose Padilla, a convicted drug trafficker who won a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, overturning his conviction. Padilla, a U.S. military veteran who received an honorable discharge after serving in Vietnam, was driving 32,000 pounds of cargo from California to Illinois when he passed through Kentucky and was stopped near Elizabethtown in Hardin County. A police search of his truck turned up 23 boxes of marijuana consisting of 1,000 pounds. After being told by his attorney that deportation wasn't an issue, Padilla agreed to a guilty plea. After being paroled from state prison, Padilla learned he was going to be returned to Honduras. U.S. Judge Kelly Thompson concluded that because Padilla wasn't properly informed about possible deportation, his decision to accept a guilty plea and a five-year prison sentence wasn't rational. Judge Thompson said, if Padilla been properly informed, he would have insisted on going to trial. Hardin Circuit Judge Kelly Easton ruled that Padilla made a reasonable decision to take a plea, despite the errant advice from his attorney.

Greenup Murder Trial Set To Begin

{Greenup, Kentucky}...Jury selection is scheduled to begin at 9:00 A.M. Monday in Greenup Circuit Court for Charles Steven "Steve" Lee, who is accused of killing his wife, 40 year old Leslie "Crickett" Lanham Lee on March 4, 2011. Lanham-Lee was found dead in the couple’s home on East Main Street in Greenup. She died of stab wounds to the neck. Lee was indicted October 27, 2011 on a charge of capital murder. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. The commonwealth isn’t seeking the death penalty because the case does not qualify for it.

Toddler Dies

{Cumberland, Kentucky}...Police and Harlan County Deputy Coroner James W. Rich Jr. are investigating after a 9-month-old girl who was pronounced dead at a modular home on Ky. 160 outside Cumberland Friday night. Police responded to a 911 call of a child not breathing. While emergency officials were on the phone with the caller, the grandfather of the caller, a certified emergency medical technician, arrived and took over performing CPR.

Tailgaters Abandon Cooper Drive

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Saturday, two large, grassy fields on Cooper Drive near Commonwealth Stadium were nearly vacant after University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto ordered a temporary ban on alcohol, DJs and bands in the area for the home football game against South Carolina. Only a few groups gathered soberly under tents along the roadside for cookouts and games, while more than 150 Lexington and UK police officers stood watch in the vicinity and a Lexington police helicopter circled overhead. Capilouto said the move was prompted by a September 15th fight when Tyler L. Bearden of Paducah and Luke R. Stahl of Bowling Green, neither of them UK students, were charged with disorderly conduct and other offenses that day after a UK police officer was hit in the face.

New Lobbying Record Could Be Set

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Legislative Ethics Commission attorney John Schaaf said Friday that more than $13 million has been spent already this year lobbying Frankfort lawmakers, and he projects the total could top $17 million by year's end. That would be slightly more than the $16.9 million spent in 2008. Organizations that have lobbyists in Frankfort are required to file periodic spending reports with the Legislative Ethics Commission. Schaaf says spending on legislative lobbyists could soon reach three times the $6.5 million spent in 1994.

KY Tough On Pharmaceutical Fraud

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C., non-profit watchdog group that focuses on consumer and other issues, says Kentucky is one of the most aggressive states in the nation for rooting out pharmaceutical fraud. The group examined states' efforts to go after pharmaceutical companies for deceptive practices and looked at all legal actions and settlements by the federal government and by the states. Their report says, since 1991, Kentucky has pursued the most claims against pharmaceutical companies and reached more than 30 settlements. States can file individual claims against a pharmaceutical company or join other lawsuits brought by other states. Kentucky has pursued the most single-state settlements, with 17. Attorney General Jack Conway's office oversees Medicaid fraud, which prosecutes claims against pharmaceutical companies.

UK President Issues Alcohol Ban

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Thursday, UK President Eli Capilouto imposed a strict alcohol ban for non-reserved tailgating spots for the school's game against South Carolina Saturday night in Lexington. The ban also applies to DJs and bands in that area near Commonwealth Stadium. Capilouto said in a campus email Thursday that police will bolster their presence in the non-reserved tailgate area along Cooper Drive between Sports Center Drive and University Drive. His email encourages tailgating but in a "responsible fashion." It's not the first time UK has dealt with unruly fan behavior. The school's celebration of its national basketball championship this past spring was marred by numerous small fires and gunfire that wounded one man.

Urine Testing A Financial Burden

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky started in July requiring people with long-term prescriptions for controlled substances to submit to urine testing. Governor Steve Beshear said this week he understands the financial burden, and changes may come in January when the expiring emergency regulations are replaced with permanent rules. The Kentucky Medical Licensure Board is hearing complaints about costly urine tests and has extended a grace period for doctors until November 1st so that "an isolated and simple failure to comply" with the regulations will not lead to professional discipline. Beshear says he is working with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure to review options, including exploring whether other tests (blood, hair, etc.) could be as effective. Critics say they warned last spring that HB 1, intended to crack down on the illicit sale of prescription drugs, would treat everyone like a potential felon, including doctors and patients engaged in legitimate medical care.

Relay Race To Combat Human Trafficking

{Lexington, Kentucky}...University of Kentucky sophomore Austin Knight, a 19 year old psychology major, has started the Slavery is Real organization to combat human trafficking. When Knight was a freshman at Lexington Catholic High School, he stumbled upon a documentary about human trafficking. The PBS Frontline story detailed how the buying and selling of people for labor or sex was one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world, second only to drug trafficking. This weekend, the non-profit is teaming up with 12 runners from the Jessamine County school system in the fourth annual Bourbon Chase, a two-day, 200-mile relay race starting in Clermont and ending in Lexington. The goal is to raise $5,000 for Slavery is Real's outreach and educational efforts.

National Guardsman Charged In Robbery

{London, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police have charged National Guardsman 32 year old Christopher L. Bunch with receiving stolen property valued at less than $10,000 after a two-month investigation into missing items at an armory in London. Police think Bunch took several items from the armory over a two-year period and sold them. Bunch is a sergeant and one of five full-time employees at the armory, which serves 120 soldiers.

Man Accused Of Running Obama Roadblock

{Covington, Kentucky}...A federal criminal complaint unsealed in Covington Wednesday alleges Kerry T. Prater of West Liberty carried three firearms and a quantity of ammunition when he ran through an Erlanger Police roadblock during President Barack Obama's visit to the Cincinnati region on September 17th. Obama's motorcade passed through northern Kentucky that day on the way to Cincinnati. Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Agent Ronald Young, who filed the complaint, says Prater has a lengthy criminal history and has been previously declared mentally ill.

Death Row Inmate To Be Extradited

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kerri Richardson, a spokeswoman for Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, says a governor's warrant has been signed for Kentucky death row inmate 55 year old Michael Dale St. Clair to be extradited to New Mexico to face murder charges in the 1991 slaying of a paramedic prosecutors say he kidnapped and shot in a remote desert area. St. Clair is scheduled for trial on January 22nd on charges he killed 22 year old Timothy Keeling. St. Clair is on death row for killing a Bardstown man in October 1991.

Kentucky Miner Killed In Tennessee

Officials say 32 year old Jeremy Perkins of Wallins Creek, Kentucky was killed when part of the ceiling fell in on him inside a Kopper Glo Fuel mine in Claiborne County, Tennessee between 4:30 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. Wednesday morning. Tennessee Mining Association President Chuck Laine says the accident occurred in the company's deep mine in the Clairfield community, about 75 miles north of Knoxville. Laine says this is the first time the company has had a fatality.

USA Harvest Founder Facing Charges

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Sixty-three year old Hugh "Stan" Curtis of Louisville, the founder of USA Harvest, was charged, in a bill of information, Wednesday with failing to pay taxes on $553,891.67 from 2005 through 2008. Curtis, who founded the organization in 1989 as Kentucky Harvest in Louisville, faces charges of mail fraud, money laundering and filing false income tax returns. He is charged with taking $183,354 in donations from the charity and charging $370,537.67 in personal travel expenses. USA Harvest uses volunteers to pick up surplus food from restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and various other food suppliers and deliver it to missions, soup kitchens, shelters and people in need.

Child Fatality And Near Fatality External Review Panel Announced

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced Wednesday the 17-member panel that will review deaths and serious injuries resulting from cases of child abuse and neglect. The group that will include a variety of vocations, including lawmakers, doctors and even the state medical examiner. The Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel will look specifically at the practices of the government agencies charged with preventing deaths and injuries from child abuse and neglect. The panel will be part of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for staff and administrative purposes. Members will meet four times a year to review case files. They also will compile annual reports about the cases reviewed and recommendations made.

Legislation Proposes Barring Abortion

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Republican state Representative Stan Lee said Wednesday he intends to push for the legislation that would specifically preclude insurance plans made available to Kentuckians under federal health care reforms from paying for abortions. Responding to concerns earlier this year, the Kentucky Department of Insurance posted a notice on its website saying coverage for "elective abortions" won't be offered. That notice said doing so would be a violation of state law and has never been considered.

Louisville Woman Sentenced

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Mollie Shouse of Louisville was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years in prison in the death of her 2-year-old son, Kenton Brown, who was left inside a sweltering car for nearly 12 hours on May 21, 2011 while she was passed out on drugs. Shouse was convicted last month of wanton murder. She will be eligible for parole in 20 years.

Walmart Donates To God's Pantry Food Bank

{Manchester, Kentucky}...One in four Kentucky children are living below the poverty level. Tuesday, Walmart officials were in  Manchester, where they made a $100,000 contribution to God's Pantry Food Bank to support its Food for Underserved Counties program. Along with the check, Walmart employee volunteers helped distribute about 10,000 pounds of groceries at the Remnant Bread of Life pantry.

Beshear Could Consider Williams For Judicial Seat

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During a Capitol news conference on an unrelated topic Tuesday, Governor Steve Beshear left open the option of considering Senate President David Williams, a longtime political foe, for an open judicial seat as a circuit judge for Cumberland, Clinton and Monroe counties. A nominating commission would have to first recommend three people for the spot held by Circuit Judge Eddie Lovelace, who died last week after reportedly suffering a stroke. Williams, a Burkesville lawyer, has not said whether he would be interested in the open judicial seat. Beshear said no one from Williams' camp has approached him to ask him to appoint Williams.

Execution Method Questioned

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...During a public hearing Tuesday morning in Frankfort, public defenders, private attorneys and anti-death penalty activists asked officials to make multiple changes to how executions are carried out now that the state is switching to a one-or two-drug lethal injection. Critics of Kentucky's proposed new death penalty method say the rules Kentucky wants to put in place have multiple problems, including that condemned inmates aren't allowed access to their attorneys on the day of execution. Lexington attorney Tom Griffiths said a death row inmate could change his mind in the days or hours leading to an execution but still be put to death if not given the chance to speak to an attorney. The Kentucky Justice Cabinet must submit the proposed regulations to the Legislative Research Council by October 15th. The regulations then go to legislative committees for consideration. If there are no delays, state officials expect to appear before Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd in February or March to ask him to lift an order barring inmates from being put to death.

Beshear Considering Retirement Pension Shortfall

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear says he hasn't decided whether Kentucky should borrow enough money through the sale of government bonds to shore up the retirement pension systems for state and local employees. The plan faces a $19 billion shortfall. Add to that the financial woes in plans covering local government employees, state police, teachers, lawmakers, judges and other court workers, and the shortfall reaches $30 billion. The Task Force on Pension Reform has been holding public meetings to identify ways to resolve Kentucky's pension crisis. Beshear says he doesn't rule out the possibility of calling lawmakers into special session before the end of the year to deal with the pension issue.

Bank Buys Farmer's Home

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The foreclosed home of former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer has been sold at auction for $175,000. First National Bank of Manchester, which held the $317,929 mortgage, bought it and will put it back on the market. The sale price is less than the $250,000 appraisal. James Davidson, senior lender for First National Bank of Manchester, was the sole bidder. First National Bank of Manchester filed a foreclosure lawsuit in May against Farmer and his now ex-wife, Rebecca Farmer, for $317,929.22 plus interest. She filed for divorce in April 2011, and it was finalized in July. Richie Farmer agreed in the divorce settlement to be responsible for the mortgage payments. Court records indicate the mortgage has not been paid since January.

Inmate Sentenced For Escape

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Thirty-nine year old Derek Albert Capozzi, of Boston, an inmate with Mafia ties, was sentenced Monday in federal court in Lexington to 51 months in federal prison for escaping from federal custody. Authorities say Capozzi kicked out a van door in  Woodford County, Kentucky while U.S. Marshals were transporting him to the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington on April 15, 2010. He spent three days on the lam before being captured behind a Versailles stair factory. Capozzi had been in Kentucky to testify at a trial in London. The sentence will run consecutively with the 23 year sentence he is serving for possession and use of a firearm during a crime of violence and a 30 year sentence for his role in the 1996 slaying of a potential government witness. Capozzi pleaded guilty in July.

Wolfe County Dedicates New Judicial Center

{Campton, Kentucky}...Monday, Wolfe County officials dedicated a new Judicial Center in Campton. The new facility includes some 33,500 square feet and has space for circuit court, district court, the circuit court clerk's office and ancillary services. It is equipped with the latest computer, video and networking technology and provides the highest level of Kentucky court security through a single-point entry with magnetometers and security personnel. Also, prisoners will be segregated from the public by separate entrances and corridors.

Police Warn Of "Relative In Jail" Scam

{Danville, Kentucky}...Police in central Kentucky are warning residents about a "relative in jail" scam in which the scammer emails or calls a relative claiming to be a cousin, uncle, niece or grandchild in distress overseas. Several Danville residents wired hundreds or even thousands of dollars overseas because they believed a distant relative was incarcerated and needed bail money. Police say checking with other relatives can help someone determine if a relative is in genuine need of bail money.

Law Enforcement Lobbying For Constable Training

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Sheriff's Association and the Kentucky Constables Association are lobbying the legislature to require law enforcement training for the state's 454 constables. The Kentucky Constables Association offers monthly trainings for its 176 members, but other constables never receive any training, although they have the same authority as a sheriff's deputy. The problem was highlighted earlier this month when Graves County constable Jeffrey Burnett was charged with wanton endangerment for using his vehicle to force a traffic stop on a woman who was a mother and grandmother who had two children in the car.

KY Offers Hundreds Of Tax Breaks

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...According to Governor Steve Beshear's Office for Economic Analysis, under the state tax code, Kentuckians can take advantage of 253 tax breaks that add up to more than $12 billion in annual tax relief. That’s more than all the revenue that goes to the state’s general and road fund funds combined. Critics say all those tax breaks are slowly bleeding the state government and its agencies dry at a time when funding for education and programs that help the neediest Kentucky residents is being cut. Beshear’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform is examining the state’s tax breaks as part of its job of recommending ways to make the tax code more equitable, but it will face fierce opposition from lobbyists, who argue that those breaks do far more good than harm by keeping money in the private economy, where it is best spent. Comair, now owned by Delta Air Lines, recently announced it will cease operations this fall, yet the tax break remains in effect, costing the state $24.9 million.

Judge Declines Child Support Reduction

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin County Judge Squire Williams declined Friday to lower the $1,227-a-month payments Richie Farmer must pay for three sons but said the former University of Kentucky basketball star won't have to pay the money for two months while he recovers from surgery. Farmer had asked that the payments be reduced because of hip replacement surgery and because they were based on his $110,000 annual salary. Williams said he couldn't conclude that Farmer has been diligent about finding regular work since January.

Bond Lowered For Laurel County Woman

{London, Kentucky}...Heather Kaminsky appeared in Laurel County court Friday after being accused of trading her newborn baby to Jeremy and Jamiee Brown in exchange for a truck. Kaminsky was arrested in Putnam County, Florida after a joint effort between the Laurel Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshall’s Office. Kaminsky's bond was lowered to $10,000.

KY To Join Drug Initiative

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that one person dies every 19 minutes in the United States from an overdose, and in Kentucky, more than 1,000 people die each year from prescription drug overdoses. Kentucky will join Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia in an initiative to combat prescription drug abuse. Meanwhile, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has joined another national campaign aimed at preventing prescription abuse among teenagers. Conway says the goal is to prevent a half million teens from abusing prescription drugs within five years.

TB Confirmed At Boyd County Detention Center

{Ashland, Kentucky}...According to the Ashland-Boyd County Health Department, an inmate at the Boyd County Detention Center has a confirmed case of Tuberculosis. The inmate is now in isolation and is being provided care for TB. The agency also says that during the investigation, it was discovered that jail staff, law enforcement officials and inmates may have been exposed to the individual. These individuals are being provided TB skin tests to test for illness. If illness is discovered, the individuals will be treated.

Man Tries To Disarm Deputy

{Greenup, Kentucky}...Stephen Cooley, 37, of Garrison, and Lonnie Horsley, 53, are both facing charges after Greenup County Sheriff's Deputies say they tried to disarm a deputy during a traffic check point along Kentucky 784 about 7:30 P.M. Thursday. During the check, Trooper Nathan Carter approached a car driven by Cooley, and his passenger, Horsley, pulled a 25 caliber pistol from under his seat. Deputy Cody Fuller saw Horsley pull the gun and tried to take it away. During the struggle, Horsley also tried to steal Deputy Fuller's gun. After a short fight, Deputy Fuller and Trooper Carter were able to secure all of the guns and restrain Horsley. Horsley is charged with public intoxication, concealing a deadly weapon, attempting to disarm a peace officer, assault in the third degree and tampering with physical evidence. Cooley is charged with DUI, no insurance and other traffic offenses. He pleaded guilty Friday morning.

Agriculture Commissioner Says FBI Investigating Farmer

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer says he's been notified that the FBI is investigating the administration of former Commissioner Richie Farmer. An April 30th audit by state Auditor Adam Edelen criticized Farmer's administration, alleging a series of improprieties. The audit has been under review by the attorney general's office and the Executive Branch Ethics Commission. Comer says his office was notified late last week by Attorney General Jack Conway's staff but wasn't told what aspects of Farmer's 2004-2011 tenure are under investigation.

Former Wayne County Clerk Arrested

{Monticello, Kentucky}...Former Wayne County Clerk 39-year-old Jennifer "Melissa" Turpin of Monticello has been arrested and charged with one count of second-degree forgery, a Class D felony. Attorney General Jack Conway's office conducted an investigation after Turpin, the office manager and title clerk for Somerset Auto Auction in Somerset, was accused of forging the signature of Pulaski County Clerk Ralph Troxtell on a title for a 2006 Toyota Highlander sold on Craig's List to a Maryland resident. Turpin is also currently on probation in Franklin Circuit Court for filing false tax returns and failure to pay tax and in Wayne Circuit Court for abuse of public trust over $10,000.

Attorney Permanently Disbarred

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court revoked the law license of 55 year old Ronnie Wayne Reynolds of Whitley County. Reynolds was sentenced to 27 months in prison after he admitted to paying $57,500 to former Sheriff Lawrence Hodge to have charges against his clients reduced to misdemeanors. As part of the scheme, Hodge would refer people to Reynolds for representation after being arrested. Reynolds is scheduled for release from a halfway house in Nashville in February. Hodge pleaded guilty in 2011 to conspiracy to commit extortion, distribute drugs and launder money. Hodge is scheduled for release from a federal prison in Ohio in 2024.

New Prescription Law Misunderstood

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State health officials in Kentucky are disputing claims that a new prescription drug law is hindering access to good medical care after legislation passed earlier this year requires physicians to tap into the state's prescription monitoring system to review their patients' drug histories. Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Executive Director Mike Rodman testified Wednesday before a legislative committee and said most complaints are based on misunderstandings of the law and its intent.

Kentucky Offers Tax Amnesty

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Finance Secretary Lori Flanery said Thursday that, under an amnesty period that begins October 1st in Kentucky, people and businesses owing back taxes will be able to pay up. The threat of prosecution will be waived, and only half the interest owed will be due. Flanery says the amnesty offer is intended to generate much-needed revenue for state government by encouraging delinquent taxpayers to come forward. Delinquent taxpayers will be getting notifications in the mail telling them the amount they owe. Those who ignore the offer will face more severe penalties. A similar offer a decade ago resulted in more than 23,000 taxpayers paying more than $40 million in back taxes. The program will run through the end of November.

Youth Minister Accused Of Attempting Seduction

{Danville, Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police have charged 29 year old Jonathan David Hall of Danville, a youth minister, with unlawful use of electronics to induce a minor to engage in sexual activity after he allegedly sent sexual text messages and emails to a 15 year old girl. Police say Hall used the alias Zachary Blight Carter when communicating with the girl, whom he came into contact with through his employment at Southland Christian Church in Danville. Police are looking for other possible victims after finding what appears to be nude photos of more juvenile girls during a search of Hall's home.

Attorney Reprimanded For Using State Resources

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court publicly reprimanded Lexington attorney Matthew Scott Finley for using resources from his job for personal profit. Finley acknowledged using a state account with Westlaw to look up information to answer questions on JustAnswer.com, a site that routs questions to experts to answer. An Office of the Inspector General report concluded that Finley used Westlaw 36 times to search for answers. Finley disputed the number, but acknowledged using the account on his downtime while at work to conduct the research. Finley previously settled an Executive Branch Code of Ethics violation with the state by paying a $2,000 penalty for the same violation.

KY...Best Of America's Adoption-Friendly Workplaces

Kentucky state government has been named the best of America's adoption-friendly workplaces by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. For the third year in a row, Kentucky placed first in the government industry category, tying with the city of Carmel, Indiana. The 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List is compiled to honor employers who offer the best adoption benefits in America. Companies are ranked first on the maximum financial reimbursement provided for employees who adopt, then on the maximum number of weeks of paid leave for adoption.

Big Blue Madness Campout Begins

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Outside Memorial Coliseum at 7:00 A.M. Wednesday morning, UK officials allowed fans to begin setting up tents for a campout that accompanies the distribution of tickets to the University of Kentucky’s Big Blue Madness. Dozens of Cat fans set up camp across the street from Memorial Coliseum Tuesday. UK officials will distribute the free tickets Saturday beginning at 7:00 A.M. There will be a limit of four tickets per person. Fans can also get tickets Saturday online at ukathletics.com and ticketmaster.com, but a small transaction fee may apply.

KY Included In National Mortgage Settlement

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has announced that thousands of Kentuckians may receive payment as part of a national mortgage settlement. To be eligible, homeowners must have had loans serviced by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi Bank, JP Morgan Chase or Wells Fargo and lost their homes either through sheriff sale, short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011. Two million postcard notices were mailed on Monday, September 17th, to U.S. homeowners who lost their homes to foreclosure. Approximately 5,395 Kentucky homeowners who were foreclosed upon, are now eligible for payments totaling $10.7 million. Depending upon the number of eligible participants, the amount payable to these borrowers will be up to $2,000 per eligible household. A follow-up letter with paperwork to complete will be sent directly to consumers from the Attorney General in October. Homeowners should receive a letter and claim form by October 19, 2012.

Grimes Proposes Email Voting For Soldiers

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...At a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda Wednesday, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes proposed that Kentucky soldiers who are overseas be allowed to vote by email, a plan endorsed immediately by Senate President David Williams and House Speaker Greg Stumbo. Williams, R-Burkesville, said he would make Grimes' recommendation Senate Bill 1 in the 2013 General Assembly and urge the chamber to pass it quickly. Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the proposal "will receive a very good reception in the House."

Former Toyota Worker Facing Federal Charge

The FBI has filed a federal criminal complaint against Ibrahimshah Shahulhameed of Georgetown, a fired Toyota Motor Manufacturing computer programmer accused of accessing Toyota's computer system by illegally logging into the www.toyotasupplier.com site and reconfiguring the programs, issuing commands for them to run slowly or shut down completely. Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Toyota dismissed a civil action against Shahulhameed over alleged sabotage.

UK Alcohol Policy Considered

{Lexington, Kentucky}...University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto says he willing to look at the school's policy on alcohol usage as leaders plan for future growth. Under the current policy adopted in 1998, alcohol is banned on campus. A recent study commissioned by the city found that during the past two decades, neighborhoods such as Montclair have seen the percentage of rental housing spike from about 10 percent to 50 percent, while those even closer to UK, such as Aylesford and Columbia Heights, have rates closer to 80 percent and 90 percent. Capilouto says it's not just a matter of whether or not to allow alcohol on campus, it's advocating that all students use alcohol responsibly.

Options For Tax System

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Speaking Wednesday to the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform, longtime University of Kentucky economics professor William Hoyt offered a variety of options to improve Kentucky's tax system, including imposing a tax on food and a variety of services ranging from haircuts to automotive repairs to funerals. Hoyt emphasized that the ideas were only options, not recommendations. Commission members will make recommendations to Governor Steve Beshear and lawmakers by November 15th. Lawmakers in Kentucky have been unwilling to tax groceries, and, with few exceptions, they have spared most services. Hoyt and two other economists, Michael Childress of UK, and William Fox of the University of Tennessee, prepared the options for the commission.

Saratoga To Purchase Minority Interest In Ellis Park

{Henderson, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved a bid from Saratoga Harness Racing Inc. to purchase a minority interest in Ellis Park. Saratoga, which owns Saratoga Casino and Raceway in Saratoga Springs, New York, will pay $4 million in the deal that calls for a 30-percent ownership stake and oversight of all activities at the track, including the newly installed instant racing machines. Saratoga Harness consultant Joe Rudisill will be the new general manager at Ellis Park. Majority owner Ron Geary, who bought Ellis Park from Churchill Downs in 2006, says he looks forward to partnering with Saratoga.

Sculpture Honors Former UK Coach

{Lexington, Kentucky}...A bronze sculpture honoring former Kentucky men's basketball coach Joe B. Hall was dedicated Tuesday morning outside the new Wildcat Coal Lodge. The bronze sculpture was produced over a period of eight months. It was created by sculptor J. Brett Grill of Columbia, Mo., using photographs of Hall taken from 1972 to 1985, the period of time when he coached the Wildcats to an overall record of 297-100 and the 1978 NCAA championship.

Grimes Returns From Weeklong Mission

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has returned from a weeklong mission to the Middle East where she was part of a group of U.S. officials reviewing military voting procedures, while they visited Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. Last month, her staffers reached a court settlement that gave deployed troops from Kentucky more time to vote by absentee ballots ahead of the November 6th general election. Grimes has scheduled a press conference for 10:00 A.M. EDT Wednesday to recommend ways to improve the voting process for soldiers.

UK Football Players Charged With Marijuana Possession

{Lexington, Kentucky}...UK Police Chief Joe Monroe says football running back Raymond Sanders, cornerback Marcus Caffey and wide receiver Bookie Cobbins were charged Thursday night with marijuana possession. Sanders, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, and Cobbins, of New Orleans, were suspended for Saturday's game against Western Kentucky, which the Wildcats lost 32-31 in overtime. They are eligible to play Saturday at Florida. Caffey, of Atlanta, was ruled academically ineligible before the season began. All three are due in Fayette County District Court on October 9th. Coach Joker Phillips said Monday that the players will remain with the team.

UK Hires General Counsel

{Lexington, Kentucky}...William Thro, a Kentucky native who has spent most of his professional life in Virginia, has been named general counsel at the University of Kentucky, starting October 15th with an annual salary of $200,000. Thro, who replaces Barbara Jones, who retired in June, is currently general counsel at Christopher Newport University, a liberal arts institution of about 4,700 students in Newport News. He served as assistant attorney general and solicitor general for three attorneys general in the Commonwealth of Virginia between 1997 and 2008. He graduated from Hanover College and received a Master of Arts with Honors from the University of Melbourne in Australia. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review.

Paul Pushes Against Foreign Aid

In light of recent aggression toward American consulates and embassies, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, has moved a Congressional amendment to strip all foreign aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Lybia and use the money to help veterans and reduce the federal deficit. Total U.S. foreign aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya totals roughly $4 billion per year. Paul’s new amendment would strike all aid to these counties and send $2 billion toward the veterans jobs bill and the remaining $2 billion toward deficit reduction.

Sentencing For Iraqi National Delayed

{Bowling Green, Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell has delayed the sentencing of 30 year old Waad Ramadan Alwan from October 2nd to December 5th in federal court in Bowling Green. Alwan pleaded guilty in December 2011. The new date puts sentencing at the same time as Alwan's co-defendant, 24 year old Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, who bypassed a trial and entered a guilty plea in August. The two men faced charges of trying to send weapons, including rifles, rocket propelled grenades and Stinger missile systems, along with other explosives and cash to the al-Qaida terrorist organization in Iraq.

UMWA Defends Chandler

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The United Mine Workers of America union has rushed to the defense of U.S. Representative Ben Chandler after an attack ad portrayed him as an enemy of the coal industry. Chandler's Republican opponent, Lexington attorney Andy Barr, has begun airing a TV spot in Lexington that blames Chandler, President Barack Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for devastating the coal industry. UMWA Regional Vice President Steve Earle said Monday that Chandler, who is seeking re-election in Kentucky's 6th District, has always been a friend to miners and an advocate for more stringent laws to protect their safety. UMWA endorses Chandler in the race.

Wildlife Commissioner Spent Thousands On Travel

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky Wildlife Commissioner Jonathan Gassett spent more than $71,000 to attend meetings across the country, running up more expenses for out-of-state trips than the governor's chief industrial recruiter, whose job requires extensive travel. Gassett took more than 20 trips to Washington and excursions to more than 20 other states since 2008. Gassett's travels included stops in a handful of resort areas, including Saratoga Springs, New York and Monterey California. He's eaten meals at Hooters in Richmond and at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. State bureaucrats have spent more than $128 million on travel since 2008, while the recession led to a $1 billion state budget shortfall and forced deep spending cuts on government services and programs.

USA Cares Sees Rise In Requests

{Radcliff, Kentucky}...Officials at Radcliff, Kentucky-based USA Cares say the organization that provides financial aid to veterans is seeing a spike in the number of requests as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. Officials say the organization is now getting about 250 requests weekly, up from 150 calls it used to average each week. Since 2003, USA Cares has provided about $9 million to 9,000 service members and vets. Officials at USA Cares say they expect requests for the year to reach nearly 10,000, which is about 3,000 more than average. The organization is one of several donor-funded nonprofits that try to fill gaps for veterans stuck between government programs. Many have returned to find a backlog of Veterans Administration claims and high unemployment rates.

LaRue County Accident Kills KSP Officer

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Forty-three year old Hodgenville Kentucky State Police Officer Mark Taulbee died at the University Hospital in Louisville Sunday morning after he lost control of his cruiser during a police chase, rotated counterclockwise and left the roadway before hitting an embankment and going airborne, ejecting him from the vehicle. Officer Taulbee was taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital. From there he was flown to University Hospital in Louisville. The pursuit began around  3:40 A.M. when Officer Taulbee spotted the vehicle of 29 year old Jason L. Avis of Hodgenville, who was wanted in an alleged domestic dispute. Avis continued driving following the accident but later turned himself in at the LaRue County Jail. He has been charged with first-degree wanton endangerment and evading police. Additional charges are expected.

Whooping Cough On The Rise

More than 380 cases of whooping cough have been reported in Kentucky, and reported cases of the disease have also increased nationwide. Doctors are urging people to make sure they have had the proper vaccinations. The vaccine can be given to children at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, and are available for adults as well.

Kentucky Soldiers Killed In Accident

Kentucky National Guard member 23 year old Christopher Brandt is facing two counts of manslaughter and on count of reckless endangerment after the car he was driving crashed into a tree and rolled over late Wednesday or early Thursday in Devils Lake, North Dakota, killing Sgt. Ronald J. Forsyth, 31, a resident of Ryland Heights, and Spc. Jason S. Burnette, 23, of Manchester. The two were taking part in military training at Camp Grafton Training Center. Prosecutors say Brandt was driving recklessly at high speeds when his car crashed.

New Law Excludes Some For-Profit Colleges

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State Representatives Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, and Carl Rollins, D-Midway, say new legislation that created an oversight agency aimed at protecting students of for-profit colleges doesn't apply to many of the schools, although they thought the law would apply to at least some programs at all for-profit colleges. They say they want to bring the legislation up again at the next General Assembly.  Part of the bill required for-profit colleges to pay fees to fund the new agency called the Commission on Proprietary Education. Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Joe Meyer says if the situation isn't rectified, there won't be enough funding to pay for the staff of the new agency.

Board Finds Lawmaker Did Nothing Improper

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The State Personnel Board has concluded that House Floor Leader Rocky Adkins did nothing improper in writing a letter recommending Charles Pennington of Sandy Hook, a prison worker at the Little Sandy Correctional Complex, for a job promotion. Pennington will lose the promotion because the board found that the Department of Corrections didn't follow appropriate policies in appointing him to the position of operations manager. Pennington can reapply, as can others, including Hershel Adkins, who filed a complaint with the Personnel Board alleging Rocky Adkins, no relation, had unduly influenced the selection process by writing a letter of recommendation for Pennington.

Farmer Seeks Reduced Child Support

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Franklin County Family Court Judge Squire Williams is weighing whether to grant former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer's request to reduce his child support payments. Judge Williams heard testimony from Farmer and his ex-wife, Rebecca Farmer, Thursday. Farmer testified that he has not been able to find a job since his two terms as agriculture commissioner ended last year, and he is recovering from hip surgery. Brian Logan, the attorney for Rebecca Farmer, argued that Richie Farmer was voluntarily unemployed.

Big Bust In Williamsburg

{Williamsburg, Kentucky}...Williamsburg Police spent Thursday bagging twelve pounds of marijuana, hundreds of pills and more than $20,000 they found at a home in Gatliff late Wednesday night. Detectives say they were canvassing East Highway 904 on a case not related to the drugs when they drove up to a house and saw Michael Rose standing in the driveway talking to Johnny Johnson in a van, and they pulled into the driveway, where they smelled the aroma of marijuana. Police Chief Wayne Bird says Johnson had five pounds of marijuana in plain view setting between two seats. Bird says they got a search warrant and then found another seven pounds of pot in another vehicle. They also found hundreds of pills under bricks and more than $20,000 in cash on the property. Police seized two vehicles and a Polaris Ranger UTV.They arrested 50 year old Michael Rose and 57 year old Johnny W. Johnson and charged them with trafficking marijuana over five pounds.

Retired Horse Trainer Dies

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Sixty-two year old Steve Morguelan, a retired horse trainer, died Tuesday night at Norton Brownsboro Hospital. Police say neighbors pulled Morguelan from the water after they found him in the Ohio River at Louisville and began CPR. The coroner ruled drowning was the cause of his death.

McConnell Hires Campaign Manager

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced Thursday he has hired Jesse Benton as campaign manager to head his bid for re-election to a sixth term. Benton most recently led the Republican presidential race of Texas Congressman Ron Paul, whom many consider the father of the tea party movement. Benton also headed the 2010 race of Paul's son, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, a Bowling Green eye surgeon who rose from relative obscurity to win Kentucky's other Senate seat. McConnell is still lacking an opponent.

Grants For Airports

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear announced Thursday that two Kentucky airports will receive more than $3 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration to make needed improvements. The Blue Grass Airport in Lexington will receive $2.7 million to upgrade runways, and the Wayne County Airport in Monticello will receive $373,760 to relocate and replace fuel tanks and do a study of its runway. Beshear says airports are needed "for economic development, commerce and passenger travel" and keeping them updated and safe is of "vital" importance.

New Drug Of Choice

Operation UNITE officials say meth labs are down by 13 percent statewide in the past year, but Dan Smoot of Operation UNITE says there could be a new "trendy" drug in the region. That drug is heroin. Smoot says the origin of such drugs is outside of the U.S. border, such as Mexico, and once they make it inside, it goes in every conceivable direction, making it hard to track. Smoot says most of the black tar heroin they had seen had come out of Michigan or Ohio.

Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says next week is Adopt-a-Highway Fall Sweep Week, and volunteers from the more than 800 groups that participate in the program will be out cleaning up their stretches of roadway. The cabinet, which established the program in 1988, spends about $5 million and 200,000 workers hours annually to remove 96,000 bags of litter from the state's roadsides. The agency says volunteers clean some 5,100 miles of roadside every year.

Indiana Farm Pulls Watermelons From Market

{Owensville, Indiana}...Chamberlain Farm Produce of Owensville, Indiana has pulled its watermelons from the market after a foodborne illness was found on one of the melons. An Indiana health department spokeswoman says the watermelon salmonella strain is different from the one found in cantaloupes last month. Federal officials have said the cantaloupe contamination killed two Kentucky residents and sickened 204 people in 22 states. Chamberlain officials say they're cooperating with state and federal food safety officials and  they're unaware of anyone becoming ill from the watermelons.

Veitch Suspension Upheld

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Wednesday, Franklin County Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate upheld the suspension of Kentucky's former chief racing steward John Veitch who was given a one-year suspension over his handling of issues surrounding Life At Ten's performance in the 2010 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs. A hearing officer found that Veitch mishandled Life At Ten's appearance in the Ladies Classic after her rider commented on television before the race that the horse wasn't warming up as she normally did. Veitch has denied any wrongdoing in not reporting the comments to on-track veterinarians and not ordering the horse be sent to a detention barn for post-race blood and urine samples. Veitch's attorney, Tom Miller, says Veitch will appeal the ruling.

Beshear On Seven-Day Trip To India

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Economic Development Secretary Larry Hayes and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear arrived in India Tuesday for a seven-day trip to promote the state to business owners who would like to locate in the U.S. This is Beshear's third trip to the world's second most populous nation. Beshear's office said an India-based packaging company, Flex Films, is investing $180 million in Kentucky and creating 250 jobs in Elizabethtown as a result of his previous visit to the country. Beshear also made economic development trips to Taiwan and Japan in May and Germany and France in July.

No Performance Bonus For UK President

{Lexington, Kentucky}...University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto has received a mostly positive review after a year on the job, but Board of Trustees Chairman Britt Brockman says the board decided against a bonus because of the tight financial situation. Brockman said the board would have liked to give Capilouto a performance bonus for "extraordinary" work on facilities and undergraduate education. Brockman said there were some areas of constructive criticism from board members and the campus community about the need for better communication during such crises as layoffs. In June, Capilouto laid off about 1 percent of the work force, which seemed to be handled differently by different departments and units. Also noted was the need to fill key leadership positions, such as provost, executive vice president for finance and lead counsel. Former West Virginia University President David Hardesty prepared the evaluation report and was paid $9,000 for the work.

Man Could Face Death Sentence

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Jefferson County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Leland Hulbert said Monday that 55 year old Mahmoud Yousef Hindi could face the death sentence if he is charged and convicted in the shooting deaths of 73 year old David Merritt and 69 year old Marvin Fisher. Hindi, a doctor educated in Jordan, was arrested after a shooting Thursday night at the Springdale Church. He was charged with murder in the death of Merritt, who died at the scene. Hindi pleaded not guilty Saturday to that charge as well as assault and wanton endangerment. Bond was set at $1 million. Fisher died Sunday at the University of Louisville Hospital. A grand jury will hear the case.

Senate President And Wife Divorcing

Kentucky Senate President 59 year old David Williams and his wife, former district court judge 41 year old Robyn Edmonds Williams, are divorcing after nine years of marriage. David and Robyn Williams were married in Cumberland County on July 16, 2003, six months after he was divorced from his first wife, Elaine Webb. The divorce suit, filed Monday in Russell Circuit Court by Robyn Williams, says the couple has been separated since July 1st and that irreconcilable differences have arisen between them. Robyn Williams says the "rough-and-tumble pressures" of politics put "unique and incessant pressure" on their relationship. David Williams says his wife has "decided to take her life in a different direction." The Burkesville Republican says he greatly admires his wife and wishes her the best. Robyn Williams says she has great respect for her husband and says they decided to part amicably. Robyn Williams has been mentioned as a possible candidate for state attorney general in 2015, but she said Monday that she won't be running for attorney general or anything else in politics. Former Governor Ernie Fletcher appointed Robyn Williams in October 2004 to a state district court judgeship for Russell, Wayne and Clinton counties. She served until December 2010. David Williams, R-Burkesville, has been president of the Senate since 2000.

Farmer Home To Be Auctioned

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Frankfort home of former state Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer is scheduled to be sold at public auction September 24th. Farmer faces a foreclosure lawsuit on a mortgage loan of $317,929.22 plus interest. First National Bank of Manchester filed a foreclosure suit in May against Farmer and his then-wife, Rebecca Farmer. She filed for divorce in April 2011, and it was finalized in July. Richie Farmer agreed in the divorce settlement to be responsible for making the mortgage payments. The foreclosure suit says the Farmers borrowed $321,561 from the bank in October 2004. In April 2010, the Farmers signed a promissory note with the bank for $307,192 at 5.75 percent interest. The loan was to be repaid in monthly payments through April 2017, followed by a balloon payment, a large, lump-sum payment scheduled at the end of a series of smaller periodic payments. No mortgage payments have been made on the Farmer property since at least January. Since leaving office in 2011, Farmer has gotten divorced, been the subject of a scathing audit accusing him of misusing state workers and resources for personal gain and has yet to find employment.

KFC Yum! Center Needs Money

{Louisville, Kentucky}...When the Louisville Arena Authority met for their September board meeting at the KFC Yum! Center Monday, the board voted unanimously to request $6.5 million from Metro Government to help them pay their debts. There was some positive financial news announced at Monday's meeting but not as high as projections. TIF (tax increment financing) monies are on the increase. That's money the arena receives from taxes on businesses within a certain radius of the KFC Yum! Center. Revenue was up from $1.6 million last year to $3.5 million this year. The authority hasn't determined how much money will be available for payments due in December 2013. Arena officials are weighing selling a package of securities that could bring in as much as $7 million and avoid using more of the city's pledge. Money could also be generated either through guaranteed investment contracts. Those are just some of the options that could be brought up at the next meeting which is scheduled for October 15th.

Biofuels Facility Planned

{Corbin, Kentucky}...Patriot Bioenergy Corp., which has an office in Williamsburg, wants to locate the facility near Corbin in Whitley County if the infrastructure is built and the Kentucky Economic Development or Energy Incentives boards approve of the project. The facility would convert sugar beets into fuel over the next two years if it can get approval. Patriot's CEO Roger Ford says the company would use natural gas to spark the process in a similar fashion to a distillery getting alcohol from sugar. Patriot has had more than 20 acres of energy beets growing throughout Whitley County to test growing conditions with field trials on the energy beets going on since the spring 2011.

Courthouse Construction Projects Costing Millions

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The General Assembly authorized 70 courthouse construction projects costing $816 million between 1998 and 2008. The budget for 2007-08, passed in 2006, gave the judicial branch $279 million. The budget for 2013-14 appropriates $316 million. For the courts, the added costs for the new courthouses exceeded the appropriations, and state spending on courthouse buildings is going up. State budgets show a boom in courthouse building spending from 1998 to 2008 that has resulted in the doubling of costs for debt service and related costs for buildings. Kentucky is spending $122 million this fiscal year on debt service and related costs for buildings, which is double the $61 million spent in 2007. Chief Justice John Minton Jr. and his predecessor, Joseph Lambert, who presided over the branch during the building boom, say the exploding cost for paying off the new courthouses is not the reason for the furloughs and other cuts Minton has ordered to balance his operating budget. Senator Bob Leeper, the Paducah independent who heads the Senate budget committee, says, anytime you create a fixed cost in the spending base, which all of the courthouse construction has done, there's simply less money available for anything else. Minton says the new courthouses, built to last 100 years, will be a long-term value, and there was not a courthouse built in any community that wasn't needed.

Woman Fined In UK Celebrations

{Lexington, Kentucky}...Leitha Burton, 23, was fined $500 after a jury found her guilty Friday in the only Fayette District Court trial among 91 cases stemming from celebrations during the championship run by the University of Kentucky men's basketball team. Burton was on trial for charges of alcohol intoxication in a public place and second-degree disorderly conduct for throwing a beer bottle at Lexington police officers and refusing to leave the area of State Street near the UK campus on March 31st, the night UK beat the University of Louisville. Burton could have received up to 90 days in jail and a total of $500 in fines.

Conway Urging Bullying Prevention

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Attorney General Jack Conway says 160,000 students across the country miss school each day for fear of being bullied. Conway and officials with the Kentucky Center for School Safety and the Kentucky Suicide Prevention Group are urging students, parents and educators to help fight bullying and harassment. Conway says, with the growth of online social networking, cyberbullying has become one of the most prevalent types of bullying that occurs between teens, and by recognizing the signs of bullying and taking action, we can stop a problem that is fueling youth violence and suicides across the Commonwealth and the country. Kentucky Department of Education officials say there were 6,076 incidents of bullying, felony stalking, harassment or verbal abuse during the 2011-12 school year that resulted in an expulsion, out-of-school suspension or corporal punishment. Kentucky is among 49 states with anti-bullying laws.

Man Held On $1 Million Bond

{Louisville, Kentucky}...At an initial court hearing Saturday, a not guilty plea was entered on behalf of 55 year old Mahmoud Yousef Hindi of Louisville to charges of murder, assault and wanton endangerment in connection with a Thursday evening shooting at Springdale Community Church in Louisville. Hindi is accused of opening fire at a Spring Creek Homeowners Association meeting, killing 73 year old David Merritt, the association president, who was shot once in the head and died at the scene. Another man, 69 year old  Marvin Fisher, was in critical condition Saturday at University of Louisville Hospital. Police say Hindi, a doctor educated in Jordan, had a history of disputes with the homeowners group over a fence and driveway on his property in the upscale neighborhood of Spring Creek. Hindi was ordered held on a $1 million bond, and a pre-trial hearing was set for September 14th. Hindi is a Jordanian-American citizen who worked in nuclear medicine.

Secretary of State Reviewing Military Voting

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes left this weekend for a weeklong trip to the Middle East, where she will be part of a group of U.S. officials reviewing military voting procedures. Grimes will get a firsthand look at how ballots are delivered to troops so that they can be returned to the United States in time to be counted. Last month, the secretary of state's office reached a court settlement that gave troops more time to vote by absentee ballots ahead of the November 6th general election.

UK To Get National Championship Court

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The basketball court from the Superdome where Kentucky won its eighth national championship last spring is being delivered to Rupp Arena on Wednesday. Northwestern Mutual purchased the floor and donated it to UK and will deliver it in a special truck. The center court logo as well as a large section of the floor will be installed in the locker rooms, which are under renovation. Part of the floor will be used to raise funds for charity.

Rogers Understands Wolf Creek Dam Delays

Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says there is plenty of money to complete the Wolf Creek Dam repair project on Lake Cumberland which is scheduled to be finished by December 2013. The $594 million repair project has been ongoing since 2007. Rogers, who has complained in the past about delays, says he understands the delays because the project is unique and needed a foreign contractor to complete part of the work.

Coal Severance Revenue Plummeting

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...State lawmakers were told Thursday that some local governments in Kentucky's coalfields could be forced to postpone their planned construction projects because a slowdown in the mining industry. Revenue from the state's coal severance tax is plummeting with mines shutting down and miners being laid off. Deputy State Budget Director John Hicks told lawmakers Thursday that coal tax revenue is projected at $245 million this year. That's $88 million less than was expected when lawmakers passed the budget less than five months ago. It will hit county governments hard. Democratic state Senator Dorsey Ridley of Henderson says the shortfall will mean local governments will have to prioritize infrastructure projects that are on the drawing boards and will likely have no choice other than to delay some.

St. Joseph Hospital Sued

{London, Kentucky}...More than 300 former patients have filed suits in Laurel County Circuit Court against St. Joseph London and associated agencies, alleging that unnecessary heart procedures carrying high risks were performed. One plaintiff, 67 year old Edward Marshall, says he thought something was wrong after he underwent multiple heart procedures, including heart catheterizations, stents and even getting a pacemaker. Marshall says he saw a specialist outside of southern Kentucky and concluded his diagnosis didn't match the treatment he received at the hospital. Hospital spokeswoman Sharon Hershberger says the hospital is aware of the suits and they will be reviewed.

Former KSP Trooper Sentenced

{London, Kentucky}...Former Kentucky State Police Trooper Michael Fred Pennington was sentenced Thursday to 74 months in prison for drug trafficking and carrying a firearm while trafficking prescription narcotics. In May, a jury convicted Pennington of the firearm charge. Prior to his trial, Pennington pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking. He previously worked out of KSP's London post. In September 2011, while at a woman's residence on official duty, Pennington spotted a crushed Lortab pill and found a container with some additional pills in her residence. After confiscating the pills, he told her if she had sex with him he would not arrest or charge her. The woman informed KSP officials of Pennington's inappropriate actions. The next day Pennington, off duty at the time, offered the woman a Lortab pill in exchange for sex; once Pennington arrived at her London residence and gave her the pill, detectives with KSP immediately intervened. Pennington resigned hours later. KSP officials found the other pills in his cruiser the next morning. Pennington will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence. Following his release, he will be on probation for four years.

General Assembly Session Set

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Legislative leaders have approved the calendar for the 2013 session of the Kentucky General Assembly. The constitutionally set start date is January 8th, which always is the first Tuesday after the first Monday of the new year. In odd-numbered years, lawmakers meet for 30 days. Those days are broken up by a couple of lengthy breaks to last until late March. The first four days will be used for organizational purposes, including electing or re-electing lawmakers to leadership positions, and for filing legislation. Lawmakers will then break until February 5th when they reconvene for action on bills. The calendar has lawmakers breaking again on March 12th and returning to Frankfort on March 25th and 26th to wrap up.

Darden Restaurants Sued

{Miami, Florida}...A lawsuit was filed Thursday in Miami federal court alleging Darden Restaurants violated federal labor laws by underpaying thousands of servers across the country at Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster and other eateries. The lawsuit seeks to collectively represent current and past employees who worked for Darden from August 2009 to the present. It seeks potentially tens of millions of dollars in back pay and other compensation, plus interest and attorney fees, said lead lawyer David Lichter, who says Darden has a companywide pattern and practice of paying its employees below minimum wage and less than what the law requires.

UK Students Want Coal Ties Cut

{Lexington, Kentucky}...A group of University of Kentucky students, alumni and supporters held a rally Wednesday at the free speech area of the UK campus, calling on the UK Athletics program to cut financial ties to coal. UK student Sam Beavin says the administration has banned sponsorships from tobacco and alcohol companies and that coal should be blacklisted, too. After the rally, students marched to the Wildcat Coal Lodge to deliver hundreds of petitions and inhalers stuffed with personalized notes. The Lodge was paid for by $7 million in donations from coal operators. The protesters, part of the UK Beyond Coal Coalition, shouted "Ho, ho, hey, hey, Wildcat Coal Lodge needs a new name!" Last year, the Friends of Coal group paid $85,000 to sponsor several basketball and football games. The anti-coal rally ended with police asking a group of protesters to leave the Joe Craft Center. Lt. John Barefoot told them he would give them one warning to leave before arresting them for disorderly conduct. Joe Craft, the CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, donated $6 million for the basketball practice facility that bears his name. He also spearheaded the donation for the Wildcat Coal Lodge, stipulating the building hold a tribute to coal in the lobby.

State, Liquor Store Appealing Ruling

The Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and The Party Source package liquor store are asking U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II to stop enforcement of a ruling that would allow grocery stores and other outlets to sell booze. Heyburn ruled in August that Kentucky's law barring grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers from selling wine and liquor is unconstitutional because it violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. The state and liquor store say they plan to appeal the decision to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Measure To End Pensions For State Legislators Drafted

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The debate over legislative pensions has become more heated in Frankfort because of an ever-growing deficit that, by some estimates, could be as much as $30 billion in retirement plans covering lawmakers, teachers, judges and state and local government workers. Republican state Representative David Floyd, R-Bardstown, has drafted a bill that contains the opt-out provision for incumbent lawmakers while ending pensions for all future lawmakers. Floyd says Kentucky lawmakers work only part time and, therefore, shouldn't be eligible to participate in the state's financially troubled retirement system. A legislative task force that has been exploring potential ways to cover Kentucky's public pension shortfall will explore the idea of borrowing enough money through the sale of government bonds to resolve the crisis. The group is expected to review that option in a meeting later this month.

Underground Sex Club Found

{Louisville, Kentucky}...A construction crew restoring a row of historic buildings on Main Street in downtown Louisville found an underground room that was briefly a sex club in the 1990s. The room contains graphic murals painted by artist Judson Baker that are reproductions of famous paintings by Salvador Dali, Edvard Munch and other artists. Baker says the club was only open for one night. Preservationists are going to try to save the murals after demolition is finished on portions of the buildings. The underground space has deteriorated from rainwater that leaked into the abandoned building.

Disbarred Louisville Attorney Sentenced

{Louisville, Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Joseph McKinley has sentenced disbarred attorney 63 year old Louis M. Smith of Louisville to 63 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $1 million from his clients. Smith was convicted earlier this year in federal court in Louisville of two counts of unlawful transfer of stolen money and four counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors say he gained the trust of two women, gained legal power to manage their assets and then stole their money.

UK, Shriners Hospitals Negotiating New Facility

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky is in final negotiations with Shriners Hospitals for Children to build a facility for the charitable organization on South Limestone across the street from UK's new patient bed tower.  C.J. Parrish, spokeswoman for Masonic Homes of Kentucky, confirmed Tuesday that the organization has had informal discussions with Shriners officials about buying the 29-acre property for a seniors community. Michael Karpf, UK's executive vice president for health affairs, says the UK Board of Trustees would have to approve the development plan at its meeting next week. At that point, Shriners and UK could enter into an agreement for a long-term ground lease to make way for a roughly $50 million, 100,000-square-foot building on the block between Conn Terrace and State Street. Shriners would pay for the construction, and UK would lease back 50,000 square feet for an ophthalmology clinic. UK already owns 10 of the 14 buildings on the block. The university is in negotiations to acquire the other four. Shriners Hospitals for Children in Lexington, one of 22 Shriners hospitals around the country, was founded in 1926 at Good Samaritan as a hospital for children with polio. Today, the Richmond Road facility focuses on pediatric orthopedics, with two surgical suites and 50 hospital beds.

Lawmaker Pushing "Robotripping Bill"

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Representative Fitz Steele, D: Hazard, is pushing his "Robotripping Bill" which would limit the sale of medicine containing dextromethorphan as the lone active ingredient to adults only. Steele says robotripping is what teens call the act of guzzling down cough syrup and getting high on its main ingredient, dextromethorphan. Representative Steele hopes to pass his bill at the next legislative session in January.

Woman Sentenced For Embezzlement

{Louisville, Kentucky}...Fifty-four year old Mary "Kathy" Montfort, a former bookkeeper for the Little Sisters of the Poor, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay $364,000 in restitution for embezzling money from the charity and using it to buy herself a new car, among other items. Montfort pleaded guilty in April to pilfering the money by forging the names of nuns in writing 43 checks on the organization's account between April 2010 and November 2011. She had faced 16 charges, including forging checks and money laundering. The charges arose in November when a nun with Little Sisters of the Poor, who operate St. Joseph's Home for the Aged in Louisville, called police to report suspicions that Montfort was embezzling from the organization.

State Attempting To Condemn Land

{Louisville, Kentucky}...The owners of an eastern Louisville tract of land that's in the path of a planned Ohio River bridge say they are moving ahead with plans to develop a subdivision with two marinas, but the state is moving to condemn 11.28 acres of the site to make way for the bridge. Attorney Bill Bardenwerper says, even if the Riverside Village subdivision is never built, getting a plan approved could enhance the land's value. The land is owned by the Harrods Creek Land Management Association, headed by retired Glenmore Distillery chairman James "Buddy" Thompson. Kentucky Bridges Project Manager Gary Valentine says the state has purchased 93 of the 106 properties it intends to buy on the Kentucky side of the river. Of the remaining 13, the state is still in negotiations with one, and the Riverside Village site is among a dozen that have been turned over for condemnation action.

McConnell...President Obama Governing From Left

{Somerset, Kentucky}...While speaking to the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce in Somerset Tuesday, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell accused President Obama of governing from the left on a number of issues, including healthcare, even after the American people voted in a Republican majority in the House of Representatives in 2010. McConnell said the president's economic policies have prevented the country from bouncing back after the recession. McConnell said the only way for the nation to recover is through the private sector and through a change in leadership.

State Furlough Day

A second state imposed furlough day set for Tuesday, September 4th, extends the Labor Day weekend for hundreds of Kentucky court employees. The Judicial Branch says the closures will help it make up for $25 million in budget cuts.  Another furlough day is scheduled for October 15th. 

Elderly Man Kills Intruder

{Vernoa, Kentucky}...The Boone County Sheriff's Office says 92 year old Earl Jones of Vernoa told investigators he heard a noise in the basement of his home at 2:10 A.M. Monday and picked up a .22 caliber rifle. An intruder walked up the stairs to the first floor, where Jones shot him then called his neighbor, who called 911. When deputies arrived, they found the outside basement door opened with no one but Jones in the house. Later, Kenton County Police responded to a call on Courtney Road of a man who had been shot. At that scene, police found 24 year old  Lloyd Adam Maxwell of Richmond deceased, along two other men, in a 2001 Chevrolet Impala. Ryan Dalton, 22, and Donnie Inabnit, 20, both of Dry Ridge, are charged with second-degree burglary complicity and tampering with physical evidence. Police say Dalton and Inabnit admitted their involvement in the burglary at Jones’ Violet Road home.

UK Beyond Coal Movement Rally Set

{Lexington, Kentucky}...The University of Kentucky Beyond Coal movement, part of a larger national movement started by the Sierra Club, will hold a rally Wednesday to ask UK Athletics to cut its ties with the coal industry. Most of the local group's activities have been dedicated to asking UK to stop using its coal-fired power plant on campus, in favor of cleaner energies such as wind and solar, and to add coal to its list of harmful products. UK spokesman Jay Blanton says advertising and sponsorships have not been sold to tobacco or alcohol companies for several years under the university's media rights contract. However, the coal industry is a major contributor to UK Athletics, most of it led by Joe Craft, the billionaire CEO of Alliance Resource Partners, one of Kentucky's leading coal producers, who donated $6 million to build the Joe Craft Center and came up with an additional $7 million to build the Wildcat Coal Lodge for men's basketball players. Craft stipulated that the lodge's lobby contain a "tribute" to coal and its benefits to Kentucky. A university policy required the building to be constructed using energy-efficiency standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Last year, Friends of Coal, an offshoot of the Kentucky Coal Association, paid $85,000 to be the signature sponsor of the UK-University of Louisville football and men's basketball games, and also helped sponsor Big Blue Madness. Bill Bissett, executive director of the Kentucky Coal Association, says the national Beyond Coal movement is mostly funded by a $50 million donation from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and, when he thinks about powering Kentucky, he's not interested in what the mayor of New York City has to say.

Arraignment Set For Head Of Counterfeiting Ring

{Ashland, Kentucky}...U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward B. Atkins will conduct an arraignment hearing for 52 year old Harold James in federal court in Ashland on September 10th. James was serving 41 months in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States when he escaped from a drug treatment center on May 10th. U.S. Marshals caught him in Atlanta on August 13th. James admitted passing 108 phony checks to retailers and that he manufactured more than 500 of the checks. Eight other people were convicted in the scheme, which prosecutors say affected businesses in Boyd and Carter counties and in Lawrence County, Ohio, costing them roughly $65,000.

Newborns Hospitalized For Drug Addiction

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The number of newborns hospitalized for drug addiction has soared in Kentucky over the last decade.  Hospitalizations for addicted newborns climbed from 29 in 2000 to 730 last year. State officials and doctors say the hospitalization statistics include newborn withdrawals from all types of drugs, but they blame prescription pills for the dramatic increase.

Child Abuse Deaths Decrease

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...An annual report from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services released Friday says at least 22 Kentucky children died in the past year as a result of abuse and neglect, but the deaths have decreased in recent years. There were 31 child abuse deaths for fiscal year 2011, 36 the year before, 29 in 2009 and 30 in 2008. The report says 33 additional children were "nearly killed" or sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of abuse in the past year, and a total of 15,699 Kentucky children were abused or neglected over the last 12 months that ended June 30th.

Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange Executive Director Appointed

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Kentucky has taken another step toward a statewide health insurance exchange. Governor Steve Beshear has appointed Carrie Banahan as executive director of the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, an initiative that resulted from federal health care reforms. Banaham had been executive director of the Kentucky Office of Health Policy. Beshear issued an executive order in July creating the statewide health insurance exchange, which will allow people to comparison shop online for insurance by January 1, 2014. The federal government will create exchanges starting in 2014 for states that don't develop their own.