02-28-10 Pike County Man Killed In Single Car Accident
02-28-10 Floyd County Man Arrested After For Assault On KSP Trooper
Eric Akers, 38, of Banner, was arrested last week and charged with third-degree assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and menacing, after he allegedly assaulted Trooper Cassandra Mullins, according to the Kentucky State Police. Mullins said that she went to Akers' home to interview him about a recent burglary in Allen when he became "belligerent" and shoved her. Mullins said she then ordered Akers to get on the ground, but he assaulted her again, allegedly attempting to hit her. After the second assault Mullins reportedly again ordered Akers to the ground, triggering an alleged third assault. Trooper Mullins was ultimately able to force Akers to the ground, hand cuff him and bring him to the Floyd County Jail. Assault on a police officer (Third Degree Assault) is a class D felony.
02-28-10 Employee of West Liberty Prison Charged With Conspiracy To Smuggle Contraband Into The Prison
Larry V. Fredley Jr., of West LIberty, an employee of the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex in West Liberty, was arrested Friday on one count of official misconduct arising out of an alleged conspiracy last December with an inmate to smuggle contraband into the prison, according to the Kentucky State Police. The charge is a misdemeanor.
02-28-10 Job Fair Tuesday In P-Burg For Census Jobs In E KY
The U.S. Census Bureau is holding a job fair on Tuesday, March 2nd from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Prestonsburg office of Employment and Training to fill positions in Johnson, Floyd, Martin, Magoffin and surrounding counties. Applicants will need to take a basic skills test. Those who take on jobs as census takers will receive $10.75 per hour, plus reimbursement for mileage. To sign up for a test or for information about working in the 2010 Census, call toll-free at (866) 861-2010 or go online to www.2010censusjobs.gov
02-26-10 CSE Corp Recalls Thousands of Breathing Devices Used By Underground Miners
CSE Corp. of Monroeville, Pa., announced Friday that it is recalling thousands of breathing devices used by underground coal miner in case of emergency while working in underground mines because of a problem with the oxygen starter, according to published reports. The recall involves the CSE Model SR-100, the most popular model. IT is used by most underground miners for protection in case of fires, explosions and cave ins. CSE said it is recalling the entire production lot of more than 4,000 units sold to mining companies operating in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and several other states.
02-26-10 Michigan Couple Nabbed At Mountain Arts Center, Charged W/ Drug Possession and Trafficing
Sonny Roundtree and Brittany Langford, both of Detroit MI, were arrested Thursday morning in the parking lot of the Mountain Arts Center and charged with several drug related charges, including possession and trafficking in Oxycontin, according to the Kentucky State Police. Police seized Oxycontin tablets and an undisclosed amount of cash. The arrests were the result of an ongoing investigation by detectives of the KSP. Both subjects were lodged in the Floyd County Detention Center.
02-26-10 Abortion Bill Fails In In House Committee
In a 7 to 7 vote in the House Health and Welfare Committee, Senate Bill 38 failed to get out of committee and was effectively killed Thursday, according to published reports.
The bill would have required women considering abortion to be presented with the results of an ultrasound in face-to-face meetings with their doctors Margie Montgomery, executive director of the Kentucky Right to Life Association, said she was "very disappointed but not surprised" with the vote. "Maybe there will be some other avenues to get it moving before we would have to come back next year for the fifth year in trying to get this passed", she said. The measure passed the Senate last month on a 32-4 vote.
02-26-10 Kentucky Students Near National Ave. On Test Scores
Kentucky's eighth and 10th graders slightly raised their test scores on the EXPLORE and PLAN tests, which eighth and 10th graders in public schools all across Kentucky took last September, according to the state department of education. 48,300 Kentucky eighth graders took the EXPLORE exam, while 49,589 10th graders took the PLAN assessment.
Kentucky eighth graders' score of 14.9 on the EXPLORE test equaled the 14.9 national norm. Their English score was 14.0 compared to a national norm of 14.2, while their scores of 14.2 in reading and 16.1 in science exceeded national norms of 13.8 and 15.9 in those subjects. The state's 10th graders didn't do quite as well. But their reading score of 16.2 was only slightly behind the national norm of 16.9. Their composite score of 16.7 trailed the national norm of 17.5.
02-26-10 Senate Approves Bible Teaching Bill
The Kentucky Senate approved a bill Thursday that would give public schools guidelines for teaching the Bible as an elective social studies course, according to published reports. Senate Bill 142 passed with only one opposing vote, that of Sen. Kathy Stein. The measure now goes to the House. The primary sponsor of the bill, Democratic Sen. David Boswell, said it would let the state Board of Education come up with regulations to guide public schools as they “teach students knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture.” Boswell said school-based decision-making councils would decide whether the course would be taught.
02-24-10 Williams Failed To Disclose Rent From State To His Wife
Senate President David Williams, was accused Wednesday by the Lexington Herald-Leader of failing to disclose on a mandatory ethics report that his wife, District Judge Robyn Williams, leases office space in Russell Springs to the Administrative Office of the Courts for $8,386 a year. In his annual financial-disclosure report, filed with the Legislative Branch Ethics Commission, Williams listed the office building among his family's assets, but failed to disclose the rent payments from the state as income for him or his wife, as required by law. Williams told the ethics commission that the omission was an oversight.
02-24-10 Rogers Backs KY House Resoultion Against EPA
The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a resolution 76-16 to urge Congress to postpone federal efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired plants. House Resolution 132 urges Congress to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon dioxide emissions until the federal government "adopts a balanced approach to address climate energy and supply issues without crippling the economy." Congressman Hal Rogers had this to say in support of the House action:
“I applaud the Kentucky House for passing a Resolution that calls on Congress to block the EPA from an unauthorized power grab to regulate carbon dioxide.
“This week I co-sponsored a similar bill that allows Congress to block unelected bureaucrats at the EPA from playing political games that take dead aim at coal.
“With more than 20,000 Kentucky coal jobs on the line, I will continue to stand up for our region and fight against these job killing EPA mandates that not only threaten our coal mines, but also hurt our farmers, hospitals and businesses.”
02-23-10 Ky. Senate Supports Toyota
The Kentucky Senate unanimously approved a resolution Friday in support of Toyota Motor Manufacturing “for their outstanding contributions as a model corporate citizen of Kentucky and expressing support for their resolve to overcome recent adverse events.”
The resolution of support came after Toyota was criticized by members of the U. S. Congress because of safety problems that have led to a massive recall of several models of its cars. Toyota produces the Camry, Avalon, Camry hybrid and Venza at its Georgetown plant.
02-23-10 Canada Man Found Dead On Banks of Tug Fork
The body of William Henry Blankenship, 29, of Canada in Pike County, who disappeared on Feb. 12th, was found on the banks the Tug Fork Monday by Pike County Emergency Management crews, according to published reports. Blankenship's body was found near the place where he was last seen with his fiancé at the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Williamson. Sunday, at his family's request, Pike County Emergency crews searched near the river behind the school and found his body. The West Virginia State Police do not suspect foul play, but Blankenship's body was sent to Charleston, WV for an autopsy.
02-23-10 Traffic Again Flowing On Ohio River At Greenup.... Lock Repaired and Reopened
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reopened the main lock chamber at the Greenup Locks and Dam on the Ohio River Monday night, thereby alleviating a massive traffic jam on the river, according to published reports. The main lock chamber at Greenup was closed on Jan. 27th when an anchorage bar broke, making it useless for river traffic and forcing the use of a much smaller auxiliary lock. The gate was repaired, inspected and made operational again on Feb. 22nd. Traffic on the river had slowed to a crawl for nearly a month, creating a traffic jam for barge traffic because it took up to four hours to pass through the smaller chamber, as compared to 45 minutes through the main chamber.
02-22-10 Todler In Powell County Victim of Homicide
Danika Leighton Charles, 22 month old infant, of Vaughns Mill in Powell County died Friday at the Clark County Regional Hospital as a result of homicide, according to the Kentucky State Police. The child was found unresponsive Friday afternoon by her mother, Jessica Charles, inside their home. Charles says the little girl, who had recently been released from the hospital, had bruises all over her and she wasn't breathing. The Clark County coroner ruled she died of blunt force trauma to her head, chest, abdomen, legs and arms. The case remains under investigation by the KSP.
02-19-10 Floyd County Chop Shop Operators Sentence To Federal Pen
Marty Keith Hamilton, 51, and Gary Dean Keathley, 53, both of Betsy Layne, were sentenced to prison Thursday for operating a chop shop. Hamilton received an 80 month sentence, while Keathley was sentenced to 50 months in United States District Court, according to published reports. Hamilton, while running a detail shop, stole approximately 60 vehicles by making duplicate keys from the cars he detailed for a local car dealer and used the keys to later steal the vehicles from those who purchased them from the car dealership. Keathley and Hamilton then purchased vehicles from local salvage yards, for the VIN plates and placed them on the stolen vehicles and then sold them to innocent buyers. Hamilton and Keathley must serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentences.
02-18-10 Carter County Deputy Jailer Indicted By Feds For Having Sex W/ Prisoners
Keith D. Hollingsworth, 43, a deputy jailer in Carter County, was indicted Thursday on allegations he engaged in sexual acts with several inmates at the Carter County jail, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney James Zerhusen.
The indictment alleges that between November 2004 and June 2007 Hollingsworth engaged in sexual acts with inmates who were under his supervision.
If convicted, he could face a maximum of 15 years in jail.
02-18-10 Stumbo Releases Some of House Budget Cuts
More information about the proposed House budget became public Thursday and it appears there will be cuts to both higher education and K through 12. Among the cuts disclosed by House Speaker Greg Stumbo were:
*School children will have to be in class two fewer days of instruction; *Teachers will lose on average about $500 of pay, saving the state save about $34 million a year over the next two years; *Higher education funding will be cut 2 percent, saving about $20 million dollars over two years; *State employees will pay a little more in co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses for their health insurance; *More than 150 politically appointed jobs will be cut. Stumbo said he and House Budget Chairman Rick Rand, D-Bedford, met earlier Thursday with Senate President David Williams and Senate Budget Chairman Bob Leeper and that they had no disagreements with the broad outline of the plan.
02-18-10 Some KY High School Juniors To Be Allowed To Start College
Kentucky and seven other states will participate in a pilot education program that will send certain high school Juniors to college instead of the third and forth years of high school. The National Center on Education and the Economy is providing the program under a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to. allow students who complete the 10th grade, with test results showing they can handle college-level studies, to enroll in colleges and universities. The program is still being worked out, but is expected to begin in fall 2011 with 10 to 20 high schools taking part in each of the states. Besides Kentucky, schools in Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont will participate.
02-18-10 Bill Passes House To Require Alcohol Breath Devices On DUI Convict's Vehicles
The Kentucky House has passed a bill Thursday which will require those convicted of DUI to have breath-alcohol monitoring devices being placed in their vehicles.
The device requires people to prove they're not drunk by blowing into it before starting their vehicles. If their breath reveals too much alcohol, the vehicle will not start.
The safeguard would be placed in the vehicles of people convicted of DUI after the first offence. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Somerset Loses Air Service.. Hopes Dim Form Pikeville
The end of the $960,000 subsidy for the passenger air service from the Somerset to Washington and Baltimore probably spells doom for the hoped for service from Pikeville Regional Airport which had been under consideration. The stop in Pikeville was being considered by the airline to boost sagging passenger demand in Somerset. The subsidy ends Friday and Locair Airlines has served notice that it will stop the service then. With the support of U.S. Rep. "Hal " Rogers the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the city a $950,000 grant in 2005 to underwrite the service.
02-17-10 Lawrence County Soldier Killed In Pakistan Funeral Held Wednesday
Services Sgt. First Class Matthew S. Sluss-Tiller, 35, a graduate of Lawrence County High School, was held in Louisa Wednesday at Burnaugh Baptist Church in Louisa, according to the office of Gov. Steve Beshear. Sluss-Tiller and two other soldiers died in Pakistan while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom on Feb. 3rd of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The governor ordered flags at state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Wednesday in Sluss-Tiller's honor.
02-17-10 Bill Introduced In Senate To Force 10% Pay Cut For Officials
Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, filed a measure Tuesday which would require state lawmakers and elected officials in the judicial branch to take a 10 percent pay cut to help the state's budget. Senate Resolution 141, mandating the cuts in the new fiscal year that begins July 1st. It would apply to each state legislator, Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, circuit court judges, district court judges, circuit court clerks and county clerks. Stein noted that Gov. Steve Beshear, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo and cabinet secretaries voluntarily have taken a 10 percent salary reduction in 2010. House Speaker Greg Stumbo said the measure is unconstitutional because lawmakers cannot vote for any pay cut or raise that would take place in their elected term.
02-17-10 Stumbo Outlines Possible House Budget
House Speaker Greg Stumbo outlined a House state budget proposal Tuesday that may cut 250 political appointees, delay some construction projects, reduce spending on private contractors and make some changes to the state health insurance program, according to published reports. Stumbo said the proposal would eliminate a projected $400 million shortfall in the first year of the two-year state budget, with help from $220 million in not-yet-approved federal support for the Medicaid program. The first year of the budget, which begins July 1, does not include any cuts to the main funding formula for schools or cuts to the state Medicaid program, but does call for reducing state employees to 2007 levels, Stumbo said. The proposal would take care of take care of the first year of the budget, but leave a $200 million shortfall in the second year.
02-16-10 Kentucky Public Safety and Justice Cabinet Revises Lethal Injection Protocol
The Kentucky Public Safety and Justice Cabinet has revised it's proposed lethal injection protocol for carrying out the death penalty, removing the possibility that condemned inmates will have lethal chemicals injected into the neck if attempts to find other veins should fail. The changes come after public hearings on the state's execution protocol. Other changes include the state agreeing to include details about the handling of the chemicals used, and how to stop the execution of an inmate who drops his appeals and volunteers to die, but changes his mind once the process starts. The Kentucky Supreme Court halted executions last November until the state adopted a new protocol. Gov. Steve Beshear has the final say on whether to put the new regulations in place and conduct executions again.
02-16-10 Stumbo, First Lady Support Bill To Raise Dropout Age
A bill which would gradually raise the dropout age from 16 to 18, was passed by the House Education Committee Tuesday after winning endorsements from House Speaker Greg Stumbo and First Lady Jane Beshear, according to published reports.
Under the legislation, Kentucky's minimum dropout age would go from 16 to 17 effective July 1st, 2013, ant then to 18 in 2014. Beshear, a former school teacher, called it a "graduation bill." She said it would help raise educational standards - a key to raising income levels and economic development opportunities in the state.
02-16-10 Kentucky's Toyota Plant Idled to idle 2 US assembly plants amid recalls
Toyota Motor Corp. announced Tuesday that it plans to stop production temporarily at assembly plants in Kentucky and Texas while it grapples with massive recalls in the United States of millions of vehicles, according to published reports.Toyota spokesman Mike The Georgetown, Ky. plant, which builds the Camry, Avalon and Venza will be idled for several days in Feb, March and April to reduce production in order to avoid having too much unsold inventory. Toyota temporarily suspended sales of vehicles like Camry and Corolla in late January after a recall of millions of vehicles over problems with potentially sticky gas pedals. The stop sale was meant to give the automaker time to come up with a fix. The lost sales has resulted in a higher numbers of unsold cars.
Toyota has been fixing the recalled vehicles and dealers have been extending hours in order to complete the work rapidly.
02-14-10 Another Death At Red River Gorge
Shaun Wilhoite, 28, of Owen County, was killed Saturday when he fell to his death at the Red River Gorge. Wilhoite fell to his death when he and his friends were rock climbing in the Indian Creek area of the gorge Saturday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Menifee County Corner, Melody Smallwood. She said there was snow and ice on the ground, but it was not known whether that might have contributed to the fall.
02-14-10 Morehead State University To Offer Its First PhD Degree Beginning This Fall
Morehead State University received approval last week to offer its first doctoral degree ever since gaining university status in 1966. The program is intended for eastern Kentucky education leaders already working in schools, according to Cathy Gunn, Dean of the MSU College of Education. The first doctoral candidates will enroll in the program this fall to seek doctorates in education leadership, which will have two tracks, administrative education leader and educational technology leader. The first candidates will enroll in the program this fall to seek the degree of doctorate in education leadership.
02-11-10 Kentucky Attorney General Complains About Topix.Com
Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal asked Topix.com Thursday for additional information about a $19.99 fee that consumers pay for "priority review" of inappropriate posts. The two attorneys general complained about "false and defamatory information about children, as well as adults" that has been posted on Topix, available at both Topix.com and Topix.net.
In a letter to the operators of the web site the attorneys general stated that the Web site's forums "appear to operate without moderators and contain obscene, vulgar and abusive posts, often concerning minors." Topix includes local news, message boards and polls. Chris Tolles, the CEO of Topix, accused Conway of grandstanding and intimidation He says the Topix site operates with appropriate oversight.
EDITOR'S NOTE: CLEARLY MR. TOLLES HAS NEVER BOTHERED TO VIEW SOME OF THE FORUMS IN EASTERN KY, AND WESTERN WV. HAD HE DONE SO, HE COULD NOT SAY THE OVERSIGHT IS APPROPRIATE AND MEAN IT. I THINK THEY ENCOURAGE THE TYPE OF POSTS BEING PUT ON THE SITE. THIS GETS PEOPLE TO VISIT THE SITE. WHEN SOMEONE SEES SOMETHING THEY DON'T LIKE THE COMPANY MAKES MONEY TO REMOVE IT. THE IDEA THEY WOULD CHARGE A FEE TO REMOVE SOME OF THE POSTS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THESE PEOPLE CLEARLY CARE ONLY FOR MONEY, AND NOT THE EFFECT IT HAS ON PEOPLE. I AM A MAJOR VOICE FOR FREE SPEECH. HOWEVER ONE SHOULD HAVE THE COURAGE TO OWN IT BY TELLING EVERYONE WHO THEY ARE.
02-11-10 Prestonsburg Man Found Dead Monday At Meally... Foul Play Suspected
Timothy L. Castle, 27, of Prestonsburg was found dead at a residence in
Meally Monday, but the exact cause of death has not been determined, though authorities have not ruled out foul play, according to the Kentucky State Police.
According to Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby, the wounds found during the initial examination of Castle’s body showed signs of strangulation. Frisby told the Floyd County Times Tuesday that he believed Castle was strangled. State police are waiting for word from the state medical examiner. The case remains under investigation by KSP Det. Ben Cramer and Det. Billy Hall.
02-11-10 Kentucky officials approve new education standards
Kentucky education officials, at a joint meeting of the Kentucky Board of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education and the Education Professional Standards Board, approved stricter and clearer standards Wednesday for elementary and secondary students in English, language arts and mathematics standards, according to published reports. Kentucky is the first state to formally enact the new national guidelines that most of the other states have endorsed in principle. Gov. Steve Beshear, who attended the meeting, said, "There will be more consistency, so that what represents success in Kentucky matches that in North Dakota and North Carolina,"
02-11-10 Bill Would Allow Eminent Domain For CO2 Pipelines
The House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment voted 12-0 on Thursday to approve legislation to allow private companies to use eminent domain to obtain easements across private property for construction of carbon dioxide pipelines.
Supporters of the measure say it will help put Kentucky out front in converting coal to liquid fuels and could also help the state if federal regulators impose additional restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions. The measure now goes to the full House for consideration. Kentucky presently allows the use of eminent domain for natural gas, oil and similar pipelines.
EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS BILL TAKES MORE OF YOUR RIGHTS AS PROPERTY OWNERS AWAY
02-11-10 Tax Revenue Picture Continues To Darken.. Dropped Another 3.3% Last Month
02-11-10 Breath-Alcohol Device Could Be Required For DUI Convicts
People convicted of drunk driving might have to pass a breathalyzer
test each time they start their vehicle under a bill approved by a House committee on Tuesday. The measure now goes to the full House. House Bill 58 would give courts the option of ordering a breath-alcohol monitoring device for a person's vehicle after their first conviction for DUI. The ignition lock requires a person to blow into it before starting the car. If the breath-alcohol is too high to drive, the car won't start. A person who is convicted of DUI would pay $2 to $3 a day for the device, which could be required for up to a year, according to Democratic Rep. Dennis Keene of Wilder, who sponsored the bill.
02-10-10 Former Big Sandy Guard Sentenced To Jail In Fed Court
02-10-10 Stumbo Points Out Possible Ways To Help Balance The Budget
Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo told reporters Tuesday that significant savings toward balancing the budget could be saved by savings in the Medicaid program and trimming government personal service contracts, according to published reports.
Stumbo said Kentucky's Medicaid prescription drug program costs about $1 billion more a year than the program in Oklahoma - a state similar to Kentucky in population.
He also said that personal service contracts he projected at more than $1 billion could be trimmed. Lawmakers are looking at shortfalls of about $400 million in the first year and about $750 million in the second year of the next two-year budget cycle.
02-09-10 Landslide In Wheelwright Threatens 12 Homes... Families Forced Out
A landslide in Wheelwright has forced 12 families out of their homes. City and Floyd County believe the slide is being caused by water in an abandoned mine, according to published reports. 12 homes are already heavily damaged and the affected area on Branham and Maple Streets is reportedly getting worse. The slide has moved four feet since last Saturday. County officials have declared the scene a disaster area. They are waiting for federal inspectors to evaluate it. The Wheelwright Baptist Center is opening a shelter and providing food for the families.
02-09-10 Insurance Committee Chairman Throws Log In The Path of Pay Day Loan Bill
A measure that would cap interest rates on pay day loans at 36 percent might never get a hearing in the Democratic-controlled House because Banking and Insurance Committee Chairman Jeff Greer said he has not decided whether he will hear House Bill 381, a measure that has 19 co-sponsors and the support of more than 50 social service groups. Greer said Monday that he wants to hear more about a database that was approved in 2009 to track all payday loans in Kentucky. The database would be used to determine whether people were receiving more loans than the law allows. Sponsors of the who back the bill say there is no reason to put the bill on hold until the database is operational. "That data will do nothing to lower these interest rates that can be more than 400 percent," said Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville, the bill's sponsor.
02-09-10 Former Manchester Councilman Testifies About Present Circuit Judge's Vote Buying
Vernon Hacker, a former Manchester city councilman, testified Monday in the vote buying trial of Clay County officials, including former circuit Judge R. Cletus Maricle; former school Superintendent Douglas Adams; county Clerk Freddy W. Thompson; Magistrate Stanley Bowling; former county Democratic election commissioner Charles Wayne Jones; William Stivers; and William "Bart" Morris and his wife, Debra.
Federal Court in Frankfort Hacker testified that current circuit judge Oscar Gayle House gave him money to buy votes for his wife, Sherry House, in Manchester city council races. Hacker, who was on the Manchester council from 1993 to 2006, said it was common practice for several council candidates to put in $1,000 to $2,000 apiece for a common vote-buying effort.
02-09-10 Bill Introduced To Teach Bible In Public Schools
A bill has been introduced in the Kentucky Senate which would give public schools the option of teaching the Bible as an elective social studies course. Senate Bill 142 would authorize schools to teach students knowledge of biblical content, characters, poetry and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, according to Democratic Sen. David Boswell of Owensboro, the primary sponsor of the bill. Boswell, said the bill is intended to teach Bible literacy as an academic course, “not as the only religion,” but opponents labeled the proposal an unconstitutional “back-door approach to teaching religion.” Edwin F. Kagin, national legal director of American Atheists, called the measure “a rampant violation of the separation of church and state.”
02-08-10 Court Assesses Louisa Nearly Half A Million In Atty. Fees.. Could Bankrupt City
U.S. District Judge Amul R. Thapar ruled last week The city of Louisa owes the American Canoe Association and the Sierra Club nearly $481,000 for legal fees and expenses from federal lawsuit filed by two organizations against the Louisa water and sewer commission, according to published reports. The assessment arises out of a successful suit against the city agency over violations of the federal Clean Water Act. Under federal rules the court can assess attorney fees against the losing party. The court awarded substantially less than what the $1.2 million in fees and $263,000 in expenses that plaintiffs requested. Louisa City Attorney Eldred E. "Bud" Adams Jr. filed a motion last week to stay the award pending the outcome of the city's appeal. Adams said that the ruling would bankrupt the city and disrupt its vital functions if the judgment were immediately enforced.
02-07-10 KCTCS President Lobbies General Assembly Not To Cut Funding
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System reported last week that Spring semester enrollment for the 16 colleges jumped 18 percent from last spring, according to the KCTCS estimates. KCTCS President Michael B. McCall warned, in testimony before the General Assembly last week, that budget cuts would almost certainly lead to layoffs at the colleges. The system has campuses in Paintsville and Prestonsburg,
McCall lobbied State legislators to not cut funding for the system in the two-year budget being considered by the General Assembly, which is trying to balance a budget with a $1.5 billion deficit. The KCTCS System had more than 100,000 students last fall after growing 11.6 percent from the 2008-09 academic year.
02-05-10 Lawrence County Soldier Killed In Pakistan
Matthew Sluss-Tiller, 35, a 1993 graduate of Lawrence County High School, was one of three American troops who died in a roadside bombing in Pakistan on Wednesday, according to published reports. The blast occurred outside a girls' school in northwestern Pakistan. Sluss-Tiller and his fellow soldiers were part of a small unit that trains Pakistani Frontier Troops responsible for security near the country's border with Afghanistan. Their deaths were the first known U.S. military fatalities in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions near the Afghan border.
02-05-10 Six Flags theme park Kentucky Kingdom is closing
Six Flags, the world's largest regional theme park company, announced Thursday it is closing its Kentucky Kingdom theme park in Louisville because of a lease dispute with the Kentucky Fair Board, which owns the property where the land on which the 59-acre park sits, according to published reports. The remaining 13 Six Flags parks will continue in operation. Six Flags said it had "proposed a new lease arrangement", but the board rejected the proposal. A spokesman for Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson said, however, that the city was still hopeful a new lease could be negotiated. The company plans to relocate the employees as well as several of the more than 40 rides and attractions to its other parks. Kentucky Kingdom employed about 1,000 summertime seasonal workers, mostly teenagers, in addition to the full-time staff.
02-05-10 Sen.Robin Webb Says She Was Secretly Taped When Her Opponent And Another Doctor Visited Her
Democrat State Sen. Robin Webb, of Grayson, alleged Thursday that she was secretly videotaped last week in her Capitol Annex office when she was visited by her Republican opponent, Dr. Jack Ditty, and Dr. Henry Goodman, an Ashland neurologist, according to published reports. The video taping has been confirmed by the Lexington Herald. Webb said Ditty requested the meeting. Ditty said he had "nothing at all to do with the taping". Goodman admitted Thursday that he taped Webb, but said the taping was without Ditty's knowledge. Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, said he does not believe Ditty and Goodman. Ditty is a Greenup County dermatologist who lost a special state Senate election to Webb last year by 282 votes and has filed to run against her this year.
02-04-10 Kentucky Senate: GOP Hopefuls Remain Out Front
Rand Paul, who picked up Sarah Palin’s endorsement on Monday, and fellow Republican Trey Grayson, continue to lead their two chief Democrat rivals in Kentucky’s contest for the U.S. Senate. A new Rasmussen Reports survey taken Tuesday night finds Paul leading Democratic Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo 48% to 37%. Paul, is ahead of Attorney General Jack Conway 47% to 39%. . Grayson currently posts a 49% to 35% lead over Mongiardo. A Grayson-Conway contest is the closest of the four potential match-ups with the Grayson ahead by just four points, 44% to 40%.
Paul’s numbers against the two Democrats are little changed from early last month, but Grayson is running better against Mongiarado and a bit worse against Conway.
In late September, Conway ran even with Grayson and beat Paul by four points.
02-04-10 House Passes Ban On Testing While Driving... Cell Phone Use For Those Under 18
The Kentucky House of Representatives passed Thursday House Bill 43, which would ban texting by drivers while a car is in motion and ban the used of cell phones by drivers under the age of 18, while in a moving car. Rep. Jody Richards, the sponsor of the bill, said 24 teens lost their lives on Kentucky roads in 2009 because they or another driver were distracted by a communication device. The measure was approved on an 80-16 vote, with three members not voting. It now goes to the Senate for its consideration.
02-04-10 New President of Kentucky Coal Association Named
Marshall University Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, Bill Bissett, has been named President of the Kentucky Coal Association, according to published reports. The association's board of directors announced Wednesday that Bissett will begin his new duties as president on Feb. 22nd. Bissett has been with Marshall for five years, the last three as chief of staff.
02-04-10 Oil Well Worker Nearly Killed By Service Rig IN Magoffin
Tyler LeMaster, 20, of Salyersville became trapped on an oil field service rig at Lacey Fork when the machine he was running became entangled with his clothing and caused serious injuries as he was trapped and the machine was twisting his body. Quick action by his co-workers saved his life as they were able to shut it down, according to published reports. "The operator saw he was tangled up and shut the machinery down, another few seconds probably would have ended up being a fatal," said Magoffin Co. Rescue Squad Captain, Carter Conley, Rescue workers cut off LeMaster's clothes to free him. He was flown to a Huntington Hospital with numerous broken bones and other injuries.
02-03-10 Obama Meets With Coal Governors.. Pledges Support For Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects
President Barack Obama, after meeting with Gov. Steve Beshear and governors of other coal-producing states Wednesday, announced that he would encourage the use of coal in the future, according to published reports. Obama pledged his support of funding five to 10 commercial carbon capture and storage demonstration projects by 2016. The facilities would capture carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which some scientists claim is linked to global warming, that is emitted from coal-fired power plants and store it underground, where it can’t trap heat in the atmosphere.
However, a consensus of scientists now agree that the earth has been cooling since 1998. The White House also announced a carbon capture and storage task force charged with figuring out how the nation can deploy affordable clean-coal technology on a widespread scale within 10 years. Beshear said that Kentucky will aggressively pursue some of the carbon capture demonstration projects. More than 90 percent of Kentucky’s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants.
02-03-10 Democrat Wins 24th District Special Election
Democrat Terry Mills, 59, of Lebanon won a special election Tuesday in Casey, Pulaski and Marion counties to fill a state House seat in the 24th District.
Mills, a retired Social Security employee, defeated Republican Leo Johnson, a building contractor, 3,001 votes to 2,518.. He will serve for the rest of this year to fill out the remainder of the term of Republican Jimmy Higdon, who was elected to the state Senate in a special election last December after Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear appointed Senate Majority Leader Dan Kelly to a circuit judgeship,.
Both Mills and Johnson are running in the May primary and may face each other in a rematch in Nov.
02-03-10 16 Year Old Boy Killed When He Runs Out In Front of Garbage Truck
Marlin J. Sandlin II, 16, of Isom in Letcher County, was killed Tuesday afternoon when he rode his moped into KY Route 15 into the path of an oncoming garbage truck operated by Boyd Spencer, according to Kentucky State Police. Sandlin was pronounced dead at the scene.
02-03-10 Senate Approves Open Primaries Law For Kentucky Independents
The Kentucky Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would allow registered Independents to vote in Republican and Democratic primaries. The measure passed 25-12, basically along party lines with Republicans overwhelmingly favoring it. It now goes to the Democratic-controlled House where it faces strong opposition and a slim chance of passage. If the bill became law it would allow 185,622 registered Independents to vote in the major party primaries in May.
02-03-10 News Auto Dealer Bill Passes House, Goes To Senate
The Kentucky House passed a bill Tuesday which would allow Kentucky auto dealers a chance to reclaim the auto dealerships taken away from them by General Motors and Chrysler, if the auto companies attempt to locate new dealerships in the communities.
The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would make illegal an attempt to set up a new dealership in the same community, unless the new dealership is offered to the previous dealer first. It would apply to any effort to start a new dealership within a 10-mile radius from the former dealership. The measure passed the House 98-0 and now goes to the Senate.
02-03-10 Charges To Be Dropped Against Lawson Aide
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Taylor announced Tuesday that, after a federal jury acquitted Leonard Lawson and Bill Nighbert, he will drop charges against Lawson employee Brian Billings, who was a co-defendant with Lawson and former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert Billings was charged with conspiracy to violate federal laws and obstruction of justice, but the judge severed his trial from Lawson and Nighbert.
02-02-10 House Leaders Inform Beshear That They Are Taking Control Of Budget Issue
Five top House Democrats and the budget committee chairman told Gov. Beshear in a meeting Monday that they have thrown out his budget proposal and will move forward with a budget of their own, according to published reports. Beshear's budget included about $780 million in new revenue from expanded gambling. He still was holding out hope Monday that a compromise could still make expanding gambling possible. House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Beshear was "gracious" when told that his gambling proposal was dead and that the General Assembly would come up with tough decisions about how to bridge a possible $1.5 billion dollar deficit over the next two years. Several options appear to be on the table, including enhanced revenue from tax reform, as well as spending cuts.
02-01-10 Men Impersonating Telephone Linemen Caught Cutting Down Phone Lines
Ernest Little, 44 and Jeremy Paul Kilburn, 28, were arrested last week when Floyd County Sheriff's deputies allegedly spotted them cutting down telephone lines to steal copper, according to Sheriff John K Blackburn. Blackburn said Little and Kilburn were apparently pretending to be telephone linemen repairing the lines, but deputies saw them with bolt cutters on top of a van cutting down lines in the middle of the night.
The sheriff said the theft endangered residents who might need help after the winter storm. Little and Kilburn were arrested for theft and drug charges and lodged in the Floyd County jail, where they are being held on a $10,000 bond.
02-01-10 Palin Backs Paul For Senate
Former Republican Vice Presidential candidate and Gov. of Alaska, Sarah Palin, announced her support for Rand Paul in the Kentucky Republican primary for the U.S. Senate Monday, according to published reports. Palin said, "I'm proud to support great grassroots candidates like Dr. Paul. While there are issues we disagree on, he and I are both in agreement that it's time to shake up the status quo in Washington and stand up for common sense ideas," Paul, in a telephone interview with the Lexington Herald said he was "quite excited" about having Palin's support. Palin also contributed $2,000 to Paul's campaign. Dr. Paul is scheduled to appear tonight around 6:00 PM on WKYH's Studio 600 tonight.
02-01-10 Beshear Hasn't Given Up On Expanded Gambling..But Stumbo Says "Unlikely"
Gov. Steve Beshear told a group of House Democrats Monday that he hasn't given up on legalizing video slot machines to deal with what he calls "an unprecedented revenue shortfall". The Governor met with House Democratic leaders Monday to discuss the budget. House Speaker, Rep. Greg Stumbo, said it is "unlikely lawmakers will go along with Beshear's proposal to legalize slot machines at race tracks". The governor's budget proposal assumed $780 million in gaming revenue, without which the budget shortfall will be approximately 1.5 billion dollars over the next two years. The governor has suggested that the state may need to cut employees, but Stumbo opposes laying off state workers.