Kentucky News Now – June 2nd 2015

TODDLER FOUND DEAD

South-central Kentucky man pleads not guilty to kidnapping

GLASGOW, Ky. (AP) — A south-central Kentucky man whose girlfriend's daughter was found dead in a well has pleaded not guilty to a kidnapping charge in another case.

Media report 25-year-old Anthony Dale Barbour of Summer Shade appeared Monday in Barren County Circuit Court, where his bond was set at $1 million.

Barbour is not charged in connection with the disappearance or death of 2-year-old Laynee Wallace, whose body was found inside a well in Barren County on May 25, a week after she disappeared.

He was indicted Friday on charges of kidnapping an adult, first-degree burglary and resisting arrest. The arrest citation said he is accused of breaking into a home on May 25 and waiting for the resident to return, then forcing her to drive him to an unknown location.

CALL CENTER

New call center in Somerset to bring 150 jobs

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — A new customer service call center is planned for Somerset, creating 150 jobs.

EOS USA plans to invest nearly $4 million into the project.

Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced the project last week and said the center is expected to be open by the end of the year.

EOS USA is a subsidiary of German-based EOS Group, which operates 50 companies in 26 countries and has more than 8,500 employees. Beshear's office said EOS USA employs more than 1,000 in North America.

The state has approved the company for tax incentives of up to $2 million.

SPAY-NEUTER PROGRAMS

Grants offered for Kentucky spay-neuter programs

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A state board is offering grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to help Kentucky residents spay and neuter their pets.

Emailed applications are due by midnight July 15. Mailed applications must be postmarked by July 15.

Applicants have to submit information about their operation and describe their programs. Requests may be up to $2,500.

The Kentucky Animal Control Advisory Board, which is administered by the Department of Agriculture, is offering the grants. Kentucky's spay and neuter license plate sales fund the program, and the board accepts donations for it.

For more information or to download an application, visit http://www.kyspayneuter.com.

AFGHANISTAN BRIBES

Army sergeant accused of taking bribes in Afghanistan

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — An Army sergeant from Fort Campbell has been accused of taking $100,000 and a Rolex watch in bribes from vendors seeking contracts in Afghanistan.

A document filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Paducah charges 43-year-old Ramiro Pena Jr. with conspiring to commit bribery in 2008 and 2009.

The U.S. attorney's office says Pena's supervisor in Afghanistan was Army Master Sgt. Jimmy W. Dennis of Clarksville, Tennessee, who pleaded guilty last year with another man for laundering about $250,000 in bribes. Dennis was sentenced to 41 months.

The prosecutor's office said in a news release that Dennis worked with Pena to procure supplies for the Humanitarian Aid Yard at Bagram airfield by issuing contracts to local Afghan vendors. The release said Dennis and Pena processed approximately 217 contracts worth about $30.7 million.

INMATE DEATH

Louisville inmate dies after apparently hanging himself

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Officials say a 35-year-old inmate in Louisville has died after apparently hanging himself.

The Metro Department of Corrections said in a news release that Mark Webb was found Friday afternoon at the Community Corrections Center. The release says CPR was administered until emergency medical workers arrived and took Webb to University of Louisville Hospital.

Webb died late Saturday at the hospital.

He had been in jail since April 25 on charges of theft and possession of drug paraphernalia and an outstanding warrant.

GRIMES-CHINA

Grimes travels to China for economic development trip

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is in China this week to tout Kentucky's business climate and economic development opportunities.

Grimes is one of five secretaries of state selected for the trip that is paid for by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The trip began on Saturday and is scheduled to last until the end of the week.

A news release from Grimes' office says she will travel to several Chinese cities to meet with government and business officials.

China is Kentucky's fifth largest export partner, responsible for more than $1.6 billion of Kentucky's exports last year. Many of Kentucky's largest companies have offices in China, including Lexmark, Yum Brands, Brown-Forman and Ashland.