A coal miner died after a heavy piece of mining machinery fell on him in an underground mine in western Kentucky. Rickey Thorpe of Dawson Springs was working on a continuous mining machine early Wednesday morning in the Sebree Mine in Webster County when he was crushed. The mining machine is a broad, flat vehicle that uses cutting teeth to quickly dig into a coal seam. Officials with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet say the 29-year-old Thorpe was working on the equipment when the accident occurred at 2:20 a.m. CDT. No one else was hurt. The mine, owned by Alliance Resource Partners, has been closed while officials investigate the incident. It was the second mine-related death in Kentucky this year. … [Read more...]
Coal Miner Dies When Machinery Falls
Caretaker Charged With Fraud
Police in northern Kentucky have identified a man found dead in a vacant home and say they have charged the man's caretaker with collecting his Air Force veteran benefits. Media report the body discovered Saturday in a Dayton home was identified Wednesday by police as 55-year-old Steven Reis. Dayton Police Chief David Halfhill said it looked like Reis probably died in early January, but the cause of death hasn't been determined. Police charged 40-year-old Christy Russell of Dayton with tampering with evidence and fraud. She was being held in the Campbell County jail on $7,500 bond. Halfhill said Russell knew Reis was dead and used his credit card to steal between $24,000 and $30,000 in Reis' veteran benefits. … [Read more...]
Transparency Reveals Investment Fees
After promising more transparency in its expenses, Kentucky's pension plan for public employees has reported investment fees that are more than double what's been previously made public. The Kentucky Retirement Systems Board of Trustees made the disclosure last week in a meeting. A memo to board members said the agency revised the amount it paid to outside investment firms as part of a "proactive transparency change." KRS Chief Investment Officer David Peden said the system's net income was not affected. The numbers give the nearly 350,000 public employees and retirees that depend on the pension system a better idea of how much the board pays to firms to invest about $16 billion in assets. … [Read more...]
Farmers Expecting Good Yield
Kentucky farmers may be poised to produce the state's largest soybean crop on record as the fall harvest gets under way. The latest figures from the National Agricultural Statistics Service show that soybean production in Kentucky is forecast at 92 million bushels. That is unchanged from the August forecast but up 10 percent from 2014. Statewide corn production is forecast at 224 million bushels, up 1 percent from the August forecast but down 1 percent from the previous crop. Corn yield is estimated at 172 bushels per acre, up 14 bushels from last year's level. Soybean yield is projected at 50 bushels per acre, up 2 bushels from a year ago. Burley tobacco production is forecast at 118 million pounds, down 28 percent from 2014. Yield is projected at 1,900 pounds per acre. … [Read more...]
Former Football Coach Pleads Guilty
A former high school football coach has pleaded guilty in western Kentucky to sexual abuse. Attorney General Jack Conway's office says Former Marshall County High School coach Ronald E. Barnard pleaded guilty Tuesday to six different charges, including five felonies. Sentencing is November 5 in Marshall County. The attorney general's office said in a news release that the 47-year-old Barnard agreed to a total sentence of seven years. The release said Barnard was arrested last year in a case involving a 15-year-old student at the school. Investigators examined personal computer devices belonging to Barnard, and he was indicted in May in connection with another female student, who was 17. The release said the investigation led to discovery of a fake Twitter account set up by Barnard to communicate with students and allow inappropriate pictures to be exchanged. … [Read more...]
Weekend Accident Victims Identified
Several people involved in accidents this past weekend in Meade County have been identified.According to the Meade County Sheriff’s Department, an accident happened around 5:45 am Saturday morning at the intersection of US Highway 60 and Kentucky 1882. A 2011 military Humvee belonging to the United State Army, driven by 22 year-old Christopher Raine of Rhode Island was traveling west on US 60 and was making a left turn onto Highway 1882. The Hummer pulled into the path of a 2001 Yamaha motorcycle operated by 42 year-old Jesse Howard of Vine Grove. Due to the thick fog and low lighting conditions, neither driver could see the other causing Howard to strike the humvee in the side. Howard was pronounced dead at the scene by the Meade County Coroner. Kentucky State Police, Fort Knox Fire and EMS, Flaherty Fire Department and Meade County EMS also assisted at the scene. Later Saturday night, a two vehicle accident happened around 9:15 pm at the intersection of Flaherty Road and Kentucky 313 near the school. A 2003 Ford Escape driven by 38 year-old Charles Dunn of Rineyville, was attempting to make a left turn Kentucky 144 onto 313, when he struck a southbound 1995 Ford Ranger, driven by 40 year-old Lanny Batchelder of Brandenburg. The impact caused Batchelder’s truck to roll over and come to rest in the northbound lane of 313. Batchelder was airlifted to University of Louisville Hospital by Air Methods Air Ambulance. His passenger, 28 year-old Sarah Hazelwood was taken to University of Louisville Hospital by Meade County EMS. Dunn told the investigating deputy that he was not able to see the oncoming truck due to a vehicle in the right southbound turning lane. A Passenger in Dunn’s refused medical treatment at the scene. The Flaherty Fire Department also assisted at the scene. A third accident happened around 11:45 pm Saturday on Liberty Road, when a northbound 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, driven by 24 year-old Jordan Wright of Brandenburg, struck the back of a horse rode by 41 year-old Bradley Arnold of Battletown. Arnold was taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital by Meade County EMS for his injuries. The suv failed to stop and was found on the following day when Wright admitted to officers of causing the accident and left the scene. Wright was cited for reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid. The Payneville Fire Department also assisted at the scene. … [Read more...]