Louisville Metro Police say four people were arrested after they were found in or around a car containing a baby and several syringes. According to arrest reports, 49 year-old Gus Daugherty, 29-year-old Amanda Daugherty, 31 year-old David Jaggers and 28 year-old Rebecca Medley were arrested early Friday morning. Police say they were called to South 3rd Street, near W. Kenwood Drive, after someone reported that people were injecting drugs in a car with a child inside. When officers arrived, they allegedly found the four suspects in or around the vehicle. Police say they found syringes, loaded with suspected heroin, in front of the car. Inside the car, officers found a small baby in a car seat, along with several more syringes, paraphernalia related to heroin injection and two glass pipes, "commonly used to smoke meth." Police say Medley was inside the car in the back seat next to the child and had multiple needles in a brown paper bag "because she was part of the needle exchange program." All four of the suspects were charged with first degree wanton endangerment and possession of a controlled substance. Source: WDRB … [Read more...]

Kentucky officials say Leslie County has been added to the list of those qualified for unemployment assistance as a result of severe weather in July. Leslie County residents who lost work or had damage to their businesses as a result of the weather July 11 to July 20 may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. The Education and Workforce Development Cabinet's Office of Employment and Training says farmers and self-employed workers, who normally aren't eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, may also qualify. The deadline to apply for benefits in Leslie County is October 22. Breathitt, Fleming and Perry counties are also eligible. The deadline there is October 4. Carter, Johnson, Rowan and Trimble counties are eligible as well, but the deadline there passed last week. Source: AP … [Read more...]

An Ashland cardiologist charged with performing unnecessary cardiac stent procedures on hundreds of patients has pleaded not guilty. Dr. Richard E. Paulus was indicted earlier this month on one count of health care fraud and 26 counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. On Thursday, 68 year-old Paulus pleaded not guilty on all charges in federal court. A pre-trial and trial is expected to be set for next year. Paulus' attorney, Robert S. Bennett, says he believes the case may take "substantially longer" to litigate. According to the indictment, Paulus schemed to defraud and obtain money from Medicare, Medicaid and other insurers between 2008 and 2013. During that time, the indictment says Paulus performed more stent procedures than any other cardiologist in Kentucky. Source: AP … [Read more...]

Officials in at least two western Kentucky counties have declared burn bans. Marshall County Judge-Executive Chryill Miller and McLean County Judge-Executive Kelly Thurman issued orders on Thursday banning burning until further notice. Both officials noted dry conditions in the area. The decision in Marshall County comes in the wake of a field fire that briefly burned out of control earlier in the week. National Weather Service meteorologist Brittany Peterson said the area has abnormally dry conditions typical with the onset of a drought. Weather service meteorologist Robin Smith says rain is forecast over the weekend, but it likely will be only a "minimal" amount. Source: AP … [Read more...]

Kentucky State Police said a horse standing in Lonoke Road caused one person to be ejected after a collision. Police said 18 year-old Abigail Rogers of Munfordville swerved in her SUV to avoid hitting a horse that was standing in the middle of the northbound lane around 10 PM Tuesday. Rogers' SUV hit the horse then ran off the right shoulder of the roadway. Police said a juvenile was ejected from the SUV and had to be flown to University of Louisville Hospital. Rogers and a juvenile passenger were taken to Caverna Memorial Hospital for minor injuries. Source: WBKO … [Read more...]

A lawmaker and two candidates for office have filed a lawsuit in an effort to overturn Kentucky laws limiting campaign donations. Republican Senator John Schickel and Libertarian candidates David Watson and Ken Moellman Jr. sued the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance in federal court in Covington. The suit challenges the $1,000 donation limit to individual candidates per election and the ban on gifts to lawmakers from lobbyists. The men argue that the laws violate their constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection by limiting their contact with people who want to help them. State regulators say the laws are needed to protect against bribery. Most were enacted after an FBI investigation in 1992 found that 15 current or former lawmakers had sold votes. Source: AP … [Read more...]

The Franklin County School Board has said it will seek public input before permitting posters saying "In God We Trust" in local schools. At the board's Tuesday meeting, the members discussed a request from a community member to allow the posters in classrooms. Most board members were hesitant to allow educators to hang the posters, fearing they could be polarizing or insensitive to some students and teachers. The board discussed how the issue relates to the separation of church and state. School spokesman Armando Arrastia says schools in the district sponsor religious clubs, like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but they are student-initiated. The board took no official position on the matter Tuesday. It's unclear when the board will reconsider the issue. Source: AP … [Read more...]

Pointing to a change in Kentucky's homicide statutes, the state Supreme Court has overturned a wanton murder conviction for a Louisville woman who was sentenced to 35 years in the death of her two year-old son, who was left inside a car for about twelve hours. The court said in its ruling Thursday that the General Assembly in 2000 created a new type of second-degree manslaughter to apply in such circumstances. As a result, the court said such conduct does not support a conviction for wanton murder. The justices sent the case of Mollie Shouse back to Jefferson Circuit Court for a new trial. They said a conviction would be capped at second-degree manslaughter. In May 2011, Shouse's son was found dead while strapped in his car seat. Source: AP … [Read more...]

Kentucky's Supreme Court has ruled that an advocacy group is not entitled to confidential information regarding the death of a ward of the state. The case pitted the Cabinet for Health and Family Services against the nonprofit Council on Developmental Disabilities.The cabinet denied the council's open-records request seeking documents related to the death of Gary Farris. The council also sought documents involving anyone who died after being transferred from state-run institutions to community residences. That request was also denied. Such records may be disclosed to groups including social service agencies with legitimate interests in the case. In her majority opinion, Justice Mary Noble said the council did not qualify to receive the documents. Noble said the confidentiality standards allow disclosure to agencies needing the information to do their jobs. Source: AP … [Read more...]