Kentucky News Now – October 15th 2015

GAY MARRIAGE-KENTUCKY

Judge orders governor to address altered marriage licenses

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Kentucky's Democratic governor to weigh in on whether altered marriage licenses issued by Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis' office are valid.

Davis opposes same-sex marriage for religious reasons. She spent five days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of a federal court order. When she got out of jail, she changed the licenses to remove her name and to say they were issued under the authority of a federal judge.

The American Civil Liberties Union questioned the validity of the licenses and asked Bunning to order Davis to reissue them. Beshear has said publicly he thinks the licenses are valid and will be recognized by the state government. A spokesman for his office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

ANTI-ABORTION FLIERS

Group: Principal should allow anti-abortion fliers

(Information in the following story is from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com)

UNION, Ky. (AP) — A national anti-abortion group says a northern Kentucky high school student's right to free speech is being denied after a principal deemed the content of fliers he created "too controversial" to post around the campus.

The Kentucky Enquirer reports Students for Life of America said in a release that Ryle High School Principal Matthew Turner rejected six of seven fliers created by 18-year-old senior Patrick Edwards, who wanted to post them to advertise the school's Students for Life club.

A letter from attorneys for Students for Life says if Turner doesn't allow the fliers to be posted by Tuesday, they will sue.

Turner said the district's attorneys are reviewing the letter, but that "the policies we have in place are in full compliance with the law."

BAGGED SPINACH RECALL

Dole recalls some spinach after salmonella found in sample

MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — Dole Fresh Vegetables says it's recalling some of its bagged spinach distributed in 13 states as a precaution after a random sample tested positive for salmonella.

The Monterey, California-based company says in a statement Monday that people who bought 8-ounce bags of Dole Spinach salad with a Friday expiration date and the codes A27409A and A27409B should throw it away.

It says no illnesses have been reported, and the recall doesn't affect Baby Spinach or any of its other salads.

The recalled salads were distributed in Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. The illness typically lasts four to seven days, but it can be deadly in those who are young, old or have compromised immune systems.

PAUL AIDES-INDICTED-TRIAL

Ron Paul blames government for timing of ex-aides' charges

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ron Paul says he blames the government for announcing charges against his ex-aides shortly before his son, Rand Paul, was scheduled to appear in a national debate for the Republican presidential nomination.

The former Texas congressman told jurors Wednesday in a federal courtroom in Des Moines that he doesn't think it was a coincidence that an indictment against Jesse Benton and Dimitri Kesari was unsealed in August, one day before Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was set to appear onstage at the Republican Party's first debate of the 2016 campaign.

Prosecutors say Kesari and Benton concealed payments to a former state senator to endorse Ron Paul. The trial began Tuesday.

Kesari faces five charges, including conspiracy and obstruction. Benton faces one count of making false statements. They have pleaded not guilty.

BODY IN TRUNK

Man charged with killing woman in Ohio pleads to some counts

HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A Kentucky man charged in the slaying of an 87-year-old woman found in the trunk of her car in southwest Ohio has pleaded guilty to lesser charges — but a jury will still decide the murder charge and whether he should get the death penalty.

Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser (MOH'-sur) says Daniel French pleaded guilty Wednesday to aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse in the slaying of Barbara Howe of Monroe.

Gmoser says the Berea, Kentucky, man is still set for trial next week on the aggravated murder charge. French had offered to plead to all charges with the promise of life without parole instead of the death penalty, but Gmoser rejected that offer.

A message seeking comment was left with French's attorney.

UNIVERSITY CLOSES-THREAT

Eastern Kentucky University classes to resume after threat

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — Classes are scheduled to resume at Eastern Kentucky University after being cancelled for much of last week due to a threatening message found on campus.

Multiple media outlets report classes will be held at the university Wednesday. Last week, the university's president Michael Benson announced that classes would be cancelled for the remainder of the week due to a threat found written on the wall of a restroom on campus. The message was discovered on Oct. 4.

There were no classes Monday and Tuesday because of Fall Break.

The university has increased police patrols on campus. Police have interviewed "persons of interest," but no arrests have been made.

The university is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the threat.

DEVON STILL-AWARD

Former Bengals DL Devon Still wins award

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Bengals defensive lineman Devon Still has won the NFL Players Association Georgetown Lombardi Award.

Still, whose daughter, Leah, now 5, has battled cancer since 2013, will receive the honor Oct. 24 in Washington.

The award was established to honor a leader in the sports industry whose life and family have been touched by cancer, and who encourages cancer research, prevention and treatment through awareness and philanthropy.

Still was with the Bengals while Leah was going through treatment. He has been active since then in the fight to combat the disease.

"I have used my platform to raise awareness of cancer because I want to make sure that fighters like Leah know they are not fighting alone," says Devon. "It's been encouraging to see so many people take up my mission and support those fighting this disease."

LOUISVILLE-ESCORTS-CALIPARI

Calipari: Doesn't think Pitino knew about escort allegations

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky coach John Calipari says if any of an escort's allegations that a former Louisville men's basketball staff member hired strippers are true, "it's not good for college basketball."

Calipari added that he hopes the allegations "aren't true" and "can't believe" Rick Cardinals coach Rick Pitino "would know anything about it."

Calipari said during the Wildcats' annual media day Wednesday that he hasn't reached out to his in-state counterpart and fellow Hall of Famer about allegations in Katina Powell's book, "Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen."

Powell alleges former Louisville staff member Andre McGee paid her and other dancers to strip and have sex with recruits and players.

Pitino has denied knowledge of the activities in the book. Four separate investigations have been launched to review the allegations.