MSHA Cites Leslie County Mine

{Washington, D.C.}...The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration said Tuesday that a coal mine in Kentucky was effectively shut down for eight days while problems found during a June 21st inspection were corrected. Inspectors issued 19 citations and 12 withdrawal orders to Bledsoe Coal Corp.'s Abner Branch Rider Mine in Leslie County after finding accumulations of coal dust and hydraulic oil, an improperly working methane monitor and other violations.  Federal regulators issued 177 citations, 22 orders and one safeguard during the latest round of monthly impact inspections.

Volunteers Help West Liberty Tornado Victims

{West Liberty, Kentucky}...Nearly five months ago, a deadly tornado tore through West Liberty. Tuesday, volunteers from Feed the Children, Kentucky Housing Management and various churches joined together to help. Hundreds of volunteers distributed truck loads of donated food and essentials. Volunteers are planning to hold another distribution event around 11:00 A.M. on August 7th at the Hawk Creek Baptist Church in London.

Charges Change In Baby Trading Case

{London, Kentucky}...Heather Kaminsky was back in Laurel County Court Tuesday afternoon after being accused of trading her newborn baby for a truck. Authorities say Kaminsky traded the baby to Jeremy and Jaimee Brown for $800 and some methamphetamines shortly after his birth in January. The Browns were were arrested July 12th on human trafficking charges. Kaminsky was arrested July 18th after she fled to Florida. Kaminsky's preliminary hearing was delayed until late August because her attorney also represents Jeremy and Jaimee Brown. Charges against Kaminsky were changed to a Class D Felony, which deals with payments in adoptions. Deputies say Kaminsky previously lived in Florida and the Department of Children and Families had taken two other children from her.

Group Seeks Statewide Smoking Ban

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Representative Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, has sponsored a statewide smoking ban for several years. During the 2012 legislative session, the House Health and Welfare Committee passed the measure, but the full House did not vote on it. Smoke Free Kentucky, a coalition of non-profit, business and other groups, stopped Tuesday at the Frankfort headquarters of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, a longtime supporter of a statewide smoking ban, while  taking their message on the road this week in hopes of getting legislation passed in the 2013 legislation session. The group kicked off its tour Monday in Louisville and Lexington and plans to visit Somerset, Bowling Green and Paducah. The weeklong tour will end Saturday at the annual Fancy Farm political picnic in Graves County. Westrom, who attended Tuesday's event, said she did not aggressively pursue the matter during the 2012 legislative session because all 100 members of the House are up for re-election in November.

Man Sentenced For Illegal U.S. Entry

{Lexington, Kentucky}...According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Lexington, U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood sentenced 47 year old José Eligio Pineda-Parada Monday to 71/2 years in prison for illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported felon. Pineda-Parada, originally from El Salvador, was convicted after a one-day trial in May. Evidence showed that in 1991, Pineda-Parada was convicted in Texas of felony assault and subsequently was deported. Since then, Pineda-Parada has re-entered the United States illegally four times. Lexington authorities picked him up in December 2011 for a DUI and related traffic offenses. Court records show Pineda-Parada legally entered the country in 1987. He received a two-year prison sentence for his 1991 assault conviction. A federal judge in Texas sentenced him to three years and 10 months in 2002 for illegally entering the United States a third time. He was deported to El Salvador in 2004. Pineda-Parada will have to serve 85 percent of his sentence.

KY To Get Millions In Mortgage Fraud Settlement

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Attorney General Jack Conway announced Monday that  Kentucky will receive $19.2 million as part of a national settlement with the country's five largest banks over deceptive mortgage lending practices. According to data provided by Conway's office, banks foreclosed on 66,997 properties in Kentucky between 2008 and 2011. More than 16,000 were in Louisville. Conway joined 48 other attorneys general in the lawsuit against Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi and Ally/MAC. A settlement was reached in March 2012. The bulk of the settlement will go to programs that create more affordable housing, to legal assistance for those fighting to stay in their homes, and to programs that redevelop foreclosed properties. About $4 million will be used to update the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting program, commonly called KASPER.

Judicial Branch Taking Furlough Days

{Frankfort, Kentucky}...The Kentucky Judicial Branch is shutting down for one day next week for the first of three furlough days in 2012. All court services will be unavailable and courthouses will be closed on August 6th as the Judicial Branch takes a day off to balance its budget. Non-elected court personnel will be off work without pay. The other two furlough days this year are September 4th and October 15th. In addition to courts, other services unavailable on those days will be driver's licenses, pretrial services, bond processing and release orders. However, existing after-hours protocol will be followed for processing domestic violence orders and emergency protective orders. The judiciary's 2013 budget, which ends next June 30th, saw a reduction of $25.2 million.