Kentucky News Now – November 9th 2015

CHILD CARE VIOLATIONS

Report: Child care agency given top marks despite violations

(Information in the following story is from: The Tennessean, a href="http://www.tennessean.com"http://www.tennessean.com/a)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A newspaper reports a for-profit child care operator with centers in Kentucky and Indiana was allowed to open more facilities in Middle Tennessee despite safety violations in the other states stretching back more than a decade.

The Tennessean reports Never Grow Up Inc. operates 12 child care centers in Middle Tennessee under The Academy and Holly Tree brands, adding an investigation found the agency continued to violate health and safety rules.

The newspaper reported that despite violations, DHS gave all but one of the Never Grow Up facilities with violations in Davidson, Williamson and Sumner counties a two- or three-star rating. Three is the highest.

DHS spokeswoman Stephanie Jarnagin says violations are considered before issuing a license to another facility owned by the same individual or company.

Never Grow Up owner and operator Dwight Derringer said criminal background and registry checks are conducted before hiring caregivers, but he acknowledged "child care is not a perfect science."

SEVERE WEATHER THREAT

Severe weather possible in Arkansas, Missouri, other states

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, says severe weather — including possible tornadoes — is possible later this week in large parts of Arkansas and Missouri and in portions of four other states.

The SPC says a strong and fast moving upper level system and a powerful cold front on Wednesday will produce moisture, heat and instability in both states and in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, western Tennessee and northwestern Mississippi. The result could be super cells that could lead to wind damage and some tornadoes in the region.

Cities in the threatened area include Little Rock, Arkansas; St. Louis; Memphis, Tennessee; Jackson, Tennessee; and St. Charles, Missouri.

SHOOTING CONFESSION

Man charged with murder after shooting confession

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities say a man who called police after fatally shooting another man in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, has been charged with murder.

According to WSMV-TV in Nashville, police say officers were sent to a Hopkinsville residence late Friday night after receiving a phone call from 29-year-old David Markle, who told them he had just shot someone.

When the officers arrived on the scene, they found Markle and the body of 27-year-old Justin Fish. Police say Fish had been shot multiple times. A handgun was also found at the scene.

Markle was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. He was being held Sunday at the Christian County Jail on a million dollar bond.

Online court records do not show if Markle has a lawyer who can comment on the case on his behalf.

The case remains under investigation.

BUSINESS OWNER-SEX CHARGES

Car lot owner indicted on sex charges arrested in Tenn.

(Information in the following story is from: Daily News, http://www.bgdailynews.com)

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — A Bowling Green car lot owner indicted on charges he had sex with a juvenile has been arrested in Tennessee.

The Daily News in Bowling Green reports 49-year-old Randy Huff was arrested by Gallatin police on a fugitive warrant on Friday.

Huff, the owner of Southside Auto Sales, was indicted Oct. 28 in Warren County on two counts of unlawful transaction with a minor and two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor under 18.

The investigation that led to Huff's arrest began in June when police said they found a runaway teen girl in a Bowling Green apartment. Police say the girl was being driven around to have sex for money. One of the locations was Southside Auto Sales.

Huff's attorney Alan Simpson declined to comment.