Kentucky News Now – December 19, 2013

ELECTRONIC COURT FILINGS

First electronic case filings made in Frankfort

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's courts are taking a step toward making electronic case filing a reality statewide.

The first electronic filings were accepted this week in Franklin County Circuit Clerk Sally Jump's office in Frankfort, the project's test site. Limited functions are being tested before the full eFiling program enters the pilot phase.

Administrative Office of the Courts Director Laurie K. Dudgeon said eFiling should be in place in every Kentucky county by the end of 2015.

The AOC expects to set up pilot sites in a dozen or more Kentucky counties next year.

Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. said in a news release from the AOC that the switch to electronic filing will create substantial savings and make the state's legal system more efficient.

KSP-FOOD DRIVE

State police complete successful food drive

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer says the agency collected more than 124,000 pounds of food during its recent food drive.

Brewer started the "Cram the Cruiser" food drive in 2010 to assist needy families across the state.

Since then, the state's lead police agency has contributed more than 300,000 pounds of food to shelters, food banks and churches in Kentucky.

Brewer says the campaign has turned into a friendly competition. He says state police posts and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement regions compete to see which location can collect the most food.

The Harlan post is the reigning champion with a total of 29,944 pounds of food collected this year. The Harlan post includes Bell, Harlan and Knox counties in southeastern Kentucky.

OFFICER WAGES

Ky. officers file suit over wages

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

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A group of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement employees has filed suit against the Kentucky State Police claiming wage discrimination.

The civil suit filed in Franklin Circuit Court Monday claims that vehicle enforcement officers are "compensated at a substantially lower rate of pay than Kentucky State Police troopers and cadets" despite performing similar duties. Commercial Vehicle Enforcement is a division of Kentucky State Police.

The State Journal reports that 107 plaintiffs are seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

The lawsuit comes after Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer denied a grievance filed by the plaintiffs asking for higher wages.

In his response to the grievance, Brewer said troopers have different qualifications, requirements and duties than commercial vehicle enforcement officers.

USA HARVEST FOUNDER

USA Harvest founder competent to stand trial

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge has concluded that the founder of USA Harvest is competent to stand trial on charges that he used money from the organization for personal expenses.

U.S. District Judge Joseph McKinley on Wednesday ruled that the case against 63-year-old Hugh "Stan" Curtis is primarily based on paper records that can be reconstructed without the need for Curtis' recollections.

Curtis is charged with taking $183,354 from the charity and charging another $370,000 in personal travel expenses. He has been in poor health since being charged in September 2012.

The case has been pending for nearly 15 months as Curtis has battled health issues and his attorney has sought to have him declared incompetent because of his illnesses.

No trial date has been set.

JACK DANIEL'S DUCKS

Peabody ducks retire to Jack Daniel's distillery

LYNCHBURG, Tenn. (AP) — A group of ducks retiring from service at Memphis' Peabody Hotel has moved to Lynchburg.

According to a news release from Jack Daniel's, Peabody ducks generally retire to the farm where they were raised. But in a Wednesday ceremony, one group walked down red and black carpets following Peabody Duckmaster Anthony Petrina and Jack Daniel's Master Distiller Jeff Arnett to a new home in a pond just below the distillery's cave spring. There, the ducks will eat the same grain and drink the same iron-free water used to make Jack Daniel's whiskey.

Legend has it that the 80-year-old tradition of letting ducks swim in the Peabody fountain is linked to Jack Daniel's, in a roundabout way. Supposedly, the Peabody general manager left his live duck decoys in the hotel fountain after enjoying a little of the whiskey on a hunting trip.

Jack Daniel's is owned by Louisville, Ky.-based Brown-Forman Corp.