Kentucky News Now – February 17th 2014

FATAL FIRE

Father and daughter who survived fire return home

(Information in the following story is from: WBKO-TV, http://www.wbko.com)

GREENVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky father and daughter who were injured in a house fire that killed nine family members returned home on Saturday to a parade.

WBKO reports Chad and Kylie Watson arrived in Greenville to signs, balloons and cheers from well-wishers. The parade ended at Calvary Baptist Church in Central City, where there was a celebration for their return.

Eleven-year-old Kylie and her father were injured on Jan. 30 when some type of combustible material fell against a baseboard heater in a bedroom. The blaze killed La Rae "Nikki" Watson and eight of her children, ages 4 to 15.

Family friend Georgia Mills was at the parade. She said she was excited the pair are finally well enough to come home and start a new chapter in their lives.

KROGER CRASH

Attempted murder charges for Kroger crash

(Information in the following story is from: The News-Enterprise, http://www.thenewsenterprise.com)

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — A woman who crashed her car into an Elizabethton Kroger store did the same thing 15 years ago. This time she is being charged with attempted murder.

The News-Enterprise reports 52-year-old June Blocker drove through the front doors of a Kroger on Feb. 5, injuring two people inside.

The indictment charges that Blocker attempted to cause someone's death "intentionally or under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life."

Blocker faces several other charges, including operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants.

Fifteen years ago, Blocker drover a car through a different Kroger store. At that time, she was charged with wanton endangerment and criminal mischief.

Blocker is jailed in Hardin County on a $50,000 bond. The jail had no record of an attorney for Blocker.

SNAKE HANDLING PASTOR

Snake-handling Ky. pastor dies from snake bite

MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (AP) — A snake-handling Kentucky pastor who appeared on the National Geographic television reality show "Snake Salvation" has died after being bitten by a snake.

According to a news release from the Middlesboro Police Department, someone called first responders at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday regarding a snake-bite victim at a church.

When the ambulance arrived, they were told that Jamie Coots had gone home. Contacted at his house, Coots refused medical treatment. Emergency workers left a little after 9:00 p.m. When they returned about an hour later, Coots was dead.

Coots was caught in January 2013 transporting three rattlesnakes and two copperheads through Knoxville, Tenn., for his church. Tennessee wildlife officials confiscated the snakes, and Coots pleaded guilty to illegally wildlife possession. He was given one year of unsupervised probation.

CORVETTE MUSEUM-SINKHOLE

Couple that donated Corvette visits sinkhole

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

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — A Tampa, Fla., couple that donated one of the cars swallowed by a sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum says the car was "part of the family."

Kevin and Linda Helmintoller told the Daily News they donated the red 2001 Mallett Hammer Conversion ZO6 Corvette just six weeks ago. They had not even travelled to see it at the museum yet before a sinkhole opened up Wednesday morning and swallowed their car and seven other classic gems.

The couple visited the museum on Saturday. Kevin Helmintoller said his car appeared to be underneath the others at the bottom of the hole.

The museum is working to retrieve the cars, but Helmintoller says he isn't sure there will be much left of his beloved Corvette.

CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS

Judge orders mediation in hospital dispute

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A judge has ordered mediation in a lawsuit filed in the wake of a partnership announced by Kentucky's two children's hospitals.

Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville and the University of Kentucky HealthCare's Kentucky Children's Hospital in Lexington announced last year that both institutions had signed a letter of intent to partner.

The announcement brought a quick reaction from the University of Louisville, which said the partnership could jeopardize U of L's relationship with Norton Healthcare, which owns Kosair. U of L then accused Norton of violating a land-lease agreement by entering into the partnership.

The Courier-Journal reports Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate told both sides last week that he would appoint a mediator. He did not set a deadline to resolve the dispute.