Kentucky News Now – March 31st 2014

FORT KNOX-THREAT CHARGES

Ga. man charged with making threats at Fort Knox

FORT KNOX, Ky. (AP) — A Georgia man has been charged with making threats and leaving threatening phone messages for a civilian employee at Fort Knox.

Federal investigators say Michael C. Densmore repeatedly called an employee of the U.S. Army Human Resource Command at the military post and threatened acts of violence as he complained about an insurance problem.

U.S. Army Det. Keith Williams says the calls were made on March 18 and 19. Williams says at least once, Densmore threatened to go to the employees home in Rineyville, Ky., and another time threatened to harm military police officers.

Densmore, who formerly lived in Clarksville, Tenn., is charged with communicating a threat and threatening a federal officer.

Federal court records did not list an attorney for Densmore. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.

EASTERN KENTUCKY TOURISM

Students help research ecotourism in E. Ky.

ELKHORN CITY, Ky. (AP) — College students are helping officials in Elkhorn City gather research to promote ecotourism.

Elkhorn City attorney Tim Belcher told the Lexington Herald-Leader that the area offers several natural elements to draw tourists, including white-water rafting and trails for hiking. What Belcher doesn't have is research to convince local officials and residents that ecotourism will work.

College students from the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University are helping out with that aspect. They spent a recent weekend asking local residents how they feel about ecotourism. Earlier in the semester, they surveyed tourists in area campgrounds about why they were visiting.

Belcher says the students' work will help the city get designated as a trail town, which is one step that's needed to refocus the area's economy on ecotourism.

OUTLET MALL-REVITALIZATION

New investors pushing plans for outlet mall

EDDYVILLE, Ky. (AP) — New investors in a western Kentucky outlet mall in Eddyville are hoping to have renovations and new shops in place by August.

Real estate broker Tim Beck of Mayfield told WPSD-TV in Paducah that the prospective new owners already have Paducah Shooters Supply locked in for the West Kentucky Outlet Mall.

The mall had been hopping with shopping in the 1990s, but in recent years the mall has been vacant.

The deal hasn't closed yet and Beck declined to say how much it being paid for the center or how much money will be put into it.

The deal is expected to close by May and then a few renovations will take place. Paducah Shooters Supply wants to be in their location and open for business by August 1.

HORSE SHOOTING-REWARD

Reward offered for information on horse shooting

MAYSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The owner of a horse found shot to death in a pasture is offering a $1,000 reward for information about who killed the animal.

The Ledger -Independent reported that Brandi Courtney-Mauricio of Mason County put the money up because she wants to find out who killed the 24-year-old walking horse named Gipsy Rose.

Gipsy Rose was found in her pasture on Feb. 22 near the Slipup community of Mason County.

Mauricio says animal cruelty charges could be filed against the shooter.

Donations to the reward fund can be taken to USBank in Maysville under the Gipsy Rose Reward Fund.

Anyone with information on the case should contact Mason County Sheriff's Office at 606-564-3309.

WORK COLLEGES

Students' jobs pay off tuition at 7 work colleges

CRAFTSBURY, Vt. (AP) — Many college graduates spend years working off tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt. But at seven work colleges around the country, students must work on campus as part of their studies — at jobs like landscaping, cooking and public relations — to pay off at least some of their tuition.

Officials say that not only makes college more affordable, it also gives students real-life experience and teaches responsibility and teamwork.

With rising college costs and a national student loan debt of more than $1 trillion, "earning while learning" is becoming more appealing for some students.

The institutions are Sterling College in Vermont, Alice Llyod College and Berea College, in Kentucky; Blackburn College in Illinois; Missouri's College of the Ozarks; Ecclesia College in Arizona and Warren Wilson College in North Carolina.

APPALACHIAN AIR

Appalachian Air ready to take off

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Pikeville officials say Appalachian Air is set to take off from eastern Kentucky in mid-April even though some work may remain unfinished.

Pikeville City Manager Donovan Blackburn told the News-Express delays in dealing with the federal government have put the project slightly behind and forced local officials to decide begin flights without some of the proposed features of the service being in place

Blackburn says the proposed seamless baggage transfer between Appalachian Air and national air carriers at the Nashville International Airport will likely not be in place when the service begins flights.

Commercial air service consultant Luke Schmidt says the implementation of seamless baggage transfer with Appalachian Air has fallen victim to disagreements within the Federal Aviation Administration about certifications needed for the Pikeville airport.

OBIT-FORESTER

Federal judge Forester dies at age 73

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge in the eastern half of Kentucky for almost a quarter-century has died.

Karl Forester was 73. He died Saturday at his Lexington home.

Forester became a federal judge in 1988, overseeing cases in Pikeville and Lexington during his career on the bench.

While Forester handled a variety of matters, his most-high profile case stemmed from the litigation surrounding the2006 crash of Comair Flight 5191 at Blue Grass Airport. Many of the suits brought by the families of the 49 people who were killed were settled without a trial.

Friends and colleagues told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Forester had been battling health problems recently, but still actively handled cases until recently.

Forester took senior status in 2005, allowing him to handle a reduced case load.

CAR-BUGGY COLLISION

Police: 1 injured when car strikes buggy in Ky

CERULEAN, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police say one person has been injured when a car struck a horse drawn buggy near Hopkinsville in western Kentucky.

Spokesman Chris King says an ambulance took 14-year-old Amos Stolzfus to Jennie Stuart Medical Center in Hopkinsville on Sunday morning for treatment of several injuries.

King says that 23-year-old Branden McGhee drove his 2000 Suzuki Esteem south on KY 91 at about 8:58 a.m. when a vehicle ahead of him suddenly passed the buggy driven by 60-year-old John Stolzfus near Cerulean.

King says McGhee could not stop before striking the rear of the buggy.

Two other passengers in the buggy, 46-year-old Anna Stolzfus, and 13-year-old David Stolzfus, were not injured.

McGhee was not wearing a seatbelt and was not injured in the collision.

WKU-TRANSIT

WKU to offer new transit, parking plan

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Western Kentucky University students will have new parking and transit options this fall.

Director of Parking and Transit Services Jennifer Tougas says the university has lost about 500 parking spaces over the last two years accounting for about 10 percent of the total spaces on campus.

The Daily News (bit.ly/1gQjIZC) reported that the Topper Transit System will increase the frequency of buses on routes. Half-hour bus service from the South Campus to main campus will be increased to every six minutes.

Commuter permits will be limited. The $90 permits will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Commuters also will have the option to purchase a $160 Alumni Square garage permit or a South Campus park and ride permit for $50.

HEALTH OVERHAUL-DEADLINE DAY

Monday the deadline to sign up for coverage under Obama health law

WASHINGTON (AP) — Monday is the deadline to sign up for private health insurance in the new online markets created by President Barack Obama's health care law. So far, about 4 out of every 5 people enrolling have qualified for tax credits to reduce the cost of their premiums.

The deadline is Mar. 31 at midnight EDT for thise states where the federal government is running the sign-up website; states running their own exchanges set their own deadlines.

No new law has been more polarizing during Obama's presidency. Health care reform passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote, and GOP lawmakers have been railing against it ever since.

The health care law is expected to provide coverage to an additional 25 million people by 2016, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office. At that point, 91 percent of American citizens and legal residents would have coverage.