Kentucky News Now – July 20th 2015

NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING

Several people injured in Louisville nightclub shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Police say a pregnant woman was among several people injured during a shooting at a nightclub in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville Police Department spokesman Dwight Mitchell told The Associated Press the shooting occurred around 3 a.m. Sunday and that at least six people were injured when witnesses said a black man dressed in all white began firing inside the west Louisville club.

Mitchell said the woman was taken to a local hospital where she delivered the baby, which he said is doing fine. Mitchell said the woman and the others received non-life threatening injuries. Their names have not been released.

Police are still searching for the shooter. Anyone with information about the shooting or the gunman is asked to call: 502-574-LMPD.

SLEEPING BAG BODY

Trial set in death of grandfather found in sleeping bag

TROY, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man and woman accused in the death of the woman's grandfather whose body was found in a sleeping bag in a Kentucky creek are set for trial.

Miami County court officials say 35-year-old Richard Terrel and 24-year-old Hope Earnshaw-York are scheduled for trial Oct. 6.

Court officials say Terrel pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, felonious assault, gross abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property in 88-year-old William York Sr.'s death. Earnshaw-York pleaded not guilty to charges of gross abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property.

Messages were left for their attorneys.

Police say York, of Tipp City, died of a blunt force head injury. His remains were found June 3 in a creek in Union, Kentucky.

KENTUCKY FLOODING

Body of fourth flood victim found in Kentucky

Searchers have found the body of a Kentucky man swept away days earlier while trying to save his grandmother as flash flooding ravaged their Appalachian community. Scott Johnson's body was found near the hillside cemetery where his grandmother was buried.

Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby says the 34-year-old Johnson was found Friday in a debris pile beneath a mobile home swept from its foundation in the Flat Gap area during Monday's storm.

Johnson's father, Kevin, said Saturday that family members searching by boat and on foot had searched that same area as they spent desperate days trying to find him. National Guard soldiers and emergency workers also searched.

Johnson was the fourth victim of the flash flooding. Kentucky State Police say no other people are considered missing from the flooding.

TEACHER PENSIONS

Panel looks for fixes to Teachers' Retirement System

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A work group formed by Gov. Steve Beshear has started trying to craft recommendations to shore up the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System.

The group's chairman, former state Sen. David Karem, said Friday that Beshear gave him no instructions on how to deal with the problem.

Karem says he has no preconceived ideas on any recommendations.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the group met for nearly four hours Friday.

The panel has until Dec. 1 to provide recommendations to Beshear, who leaves office days later, on how to lessen the teachers' retirement system's massive unfunded liability. The system serves more than 75,000 active and more than 45,000 retired members.

UOFL PRESIDENT-PAY RAISE

Merit raise cut for University of Louisville president

(Information in the following story is from: The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (AP) — University of Louisville trustees have scaled back a merit raise for school President James Ramsey, whose million-dollar-plus compensation has drawn criticism from some trustees and faculty.

The Courier-Journal reports the school's Board of Trustees voted 12-4 Friday to raise Ramsey's base compensation of $624,000 by 3 percent — half the recommended amount. The newspaper says Ramsey's total compensation will be $1.67 million this year.

It says a revised report from a consultant said Ramsey made $2.5 million in 2014. Ramsey disputes the report.

The trustees' vote followed a heated debate at the board's retreat at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in eastern Kentucky.

Trustee Craig Greenberg says Ramsey is paid more like a Wall Street banker than a public university president.

Board Chairman Dr. Robert Hughes says Ramsey deserved the full increase.

TIRE THROUGH WINDSHIELD

Man acquitted of felony in crash that killed elderly man

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Kentucky man has been acquitted of the most serious charge against him in an accident last fall that killed an elderly man.

Authorities said 23-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Huerta of Louisville, Kentucky was hauling construction debris to a landfill in November when a wheel from his utility trailer came off on Route 28 in Shaler.

The wheel bounced over the median and crashed through the windshield of a car, killing 75-year-old Robert Lofink.

An Allegheny County judge on Friday acquitted Gonzalez-Huerta of a felony charge of accident involving death or injury while not properly licensed. He was convicted of 22 summary traffic offenses and fined $1,800.

Speaking through an interpreter, Gonzalez-Huerta apologized to the victim's family, saying "I feel horrible about what's happened."