Kentucky News Now – September 10th 2015

SEC-GENERAL EMPLOYMENT-PENCE

SEC files charges against ex-General Employment chairman

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators have filed civil fraud charges against a former federal prosecutor and Kentucky lieutenant governor, saying he misled auditors about missing funds as chairman of an employment staffing company.

The Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Stephen Pence, who was majority shareholder and chairman of General Employment Enterprises, acted as front man for a convicted felon who schemed to divert $2.3 million from the company.

Pence "had nothing to do with that, had no knowledge of" the missing funds, his attorney, Michael Valenti, said by telephone Wednesday. Valenti said Pence will contest the charges.

The SEC settled separate charges with big accounting firm BDO for missing red flags and issuing misleading audits of General Employment. BDO is paying a $1.5 million fine and returning about $600,000 in audit fees.

GAY MARRIAGE-KENTUCKY

Kim Davis can get paid for jail time, break

MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky clerk Kim Davis can collect a paycheck for the days she sat in jail and the week she's spending at home, resting and reading hundreds of letters from her fans.

Elected officials in Kentucky get paid whether they work or not. The state auditor's office confirmed that officials don't accumulate vacation, sick or comp time.

Rowan County Attorney Cecil Watkins said paid time off is left to the official's discretion and "voters will vote you out if you take too much."

Davis was sent to jail Thursday for defying a series of federal court orders and continuing to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. She was released Tuesday and announced she will not return to work until Monday.

Davis draws a salary of $80,000.

WORKFORCE TRAINING

Workforce training program expands to south-central Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A workforce training program that involves a partnership of manufacturers working to prepare technically skilled workers has expanded to south-central Kentucky.

Gov. Steve Beshear's office said in a news release the Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education program is creating a new chapter in Bowling Green. The chapter will serve the surrounding region.

The program offers apprentice-style education and training.

Beshear said it's the seventh chapter in Kentucky, and others are expected to be added before the end of the year.

Students attend classes two days a week and work 24 hours per week for a sponsoring employer. After completing the program, students receive an associate's degree in applied sciences. Beshear's office said most begin full-time employment with the sponsor, while others may further their education.

TOURISM PROJECTS

Panel approves incentives for projects in Paducah, Loretto

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Tourism projects in Paducah and Loretto have won approval for state financial incentives.

The Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet said in a news release that the Tourism Development Finance Authority approved the incentives on Wednesday.

The projects include a hotel development in downtown Paducah and a distillery tour center in Loretto.

The 124-room Paducah hotel project will be eligible for up to $4.5 million in incentives. The cabinet said the $19 million project is expected to be a Holiday Inn.

The Loretto project, a facility for Maker's Mark Distillery to showcase its Maker's 46 product, will be eligible for up to $1 million.

The incentives are in the form of a rebate based on sales tax generated by the attraction over a 10-year period.

TEACHER ACHIEVEMENT

Education Department, Ashland select 24 for teacher awards

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Two dozen Kentucky educators have been chosen to receive awards and compete for the 2016 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award, to be announced next month.

The Kentucky Department of Education and Ashland Inc. selected the 24 recipients of the 2016 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards. They will be honored at a ceremony in Frankfort on Oct. 20.

The Teacher of the Year will represent the state in the national Teacher of the Year competition.

Ashland will present the 24 recipients with cash awards and certificates, and they will be honored at a luncheon after the ceremony.

Ashland has recognized outstanding teachers with the awards since 1988, with approximately $776,000 awarded to 524 teachers of grades K through 12.

LOOSE MONKEY

Loose monkey makes life a little bananas in Kentucky town

OWINGSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky wildlife officials have captured a monkey on the loose in a small town.

State police and Bath County deputies had been helping Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officers with their monkey business in the town of Owingsville. Media reports say officials had to tranquilize the animal Wednesday to get it down from a tree.

Sam Mullins told WLEX-TV that he spotted the monkey running loose Monday near an intersection in Owingsville and then saw it again Tuesday in a tree on his property and called authorities.

Primate Rescue Center founder April Truitt told WKYT-TV that the animal appeared to be a long-tailed macaque and was probably someone's pet at one point. She says the center in Nicholasville will take the animal in.

THEME PARK FUTURE

Officials: Amusement park closed due to code violations

CAVE CITY, Ky. (AP) — Officials say a carnival-themed amusement park in Cave City has been closed due to code violations.

Multiple media outlets report city officials cordoned off the area around Funtown Mountain on Tuesday and put up signs stating that the park is closed to the public.

The roadside attraction is owned by Louisville businessmen Will Russell.

The city's public works director Robert Smith says Russell destroyed numerous pieces of the buildings and made it unsafe for the public. Smith says he has issued several code enforcement citations against Russell, all of which deal with maintaining the upkeep of the property and keeping it safe and sanitary.

Russell tells WHAS-TV that his theme park is still open despite the reported violations. Russell says damage to the park's buildings isn't vandalism but his artwork.