Kentucky News Now – October 28th, 2013

OBIT-SCHRODER

Former Supreme Court Justice Schroder dies

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

FORT MITCHELL, Ky. (AP) — The family of former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Wil Schroder says he has died.

Schroder's cousin, Kenton County Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus, told The Kentucky Enquirer that the 67-year-old passed away late Saturday night.

Schroder retired from the court in January after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Before being elected to an eight-year term on the Supreme Court in 2006, he served on the Court of Appeals for 15 years and as a trial judge in Kenton District Court for nearly eight years.

In May, the Northern Kentucky Bar Association honored Schroder with its Legacy of Justice Award.

MOBILE METH ARREST

Man arrested after meth lab found in car

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

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Lexington police arrested a man during a traffic stop after discovering he had a methamphetamine lab in his car.

Police told WKYT-TV that officers pulled over 35-year-old Raymond D. Estep about 2 a.m. Sunday for running a stop sign.

They said Estep seemed nervous. When they started asking questions, they say Estep told them he had a mobile meth lab in his car and that he didn't want them to get hurt by the chemicals.

A narcotics unit and meth lab clean-up team were sent to the scene to secure and process the vehicle.

Estep was charged with manufacturing and possessing meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

STREET MONITOR

Louisville agency plans to hire street monitor

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

LOUISIVLLE, Ky. (AP) — A downtown Louisville agency is looking to replicate an initiative in Cincinnati that has helped reduce the homeless population.

The Courier-Journal reports the Louisville Downtown Partnership has studied the program and plans to hire a street monitor to assist the homeless and track panhandling.

In Cincinnati, Chico Lockhart walks the downtown streets searching for and interacting with homeless people. He works with police, courts and case workers to get them the help they need.

Cincinnati officials say Lockhart's efforts have reduced panhandling and gotten hundreds of homeless people off the streets.

Ken Herndon, director of operations for the Louisville agency, says he hopes the new monitor is on the job by next year.

BODY FOUND

Body found in Bullitt County

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Authorities believe a body found in Bullitt County may have been the result of a homicide.

According to The Courier-Journal, the Bullitt County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a body found about 4:15 p.m. near Weavers Run Road.

The body was discovered at the bottom of a hill and officials determined the death may have been a possible homicide.

The sheriff's office said in a news release that based on information found at the scene and a subsequent investigation by the Bullitt County Criminal Investigation Division, it appears the victim was killed somewhere else and dumped at the location in Bullitt County.

The investigation has been taken over by Louisville police.

HERITAGE MUSEUM

Heritage museum opens in Dayton

DAYTON, Ky. (AP) — Browse a history museum in the small city of Dayton and you'd expect to find yellowed newspaper clippings of big events, black-and-white photographs of buildings and documents detailing major floods.

But what about a pair of white, ankle-high baby shoes from the old Rifkin Shoes in Dayton? Or a painted whiskey decanter shaped like a firefighter with the booze still inside?

From the anticipated historical items to the surprising, these are just a smattering of treasures tucked inside the Tharp Dayton Heritage Museum that recently opened.

The man behind the museum is Dayton town historian Charlie Tharp. Now 88 and a Fort Thomas resident, Tharp was 1 year old when his family moved to Dayton and has never abandoned the city where he grew up.

BATTLEFIELD PARK

Mills Springs Battlefield Park expanding

(Information in the following story is from: Commonwealth Journal, http://www.somerset-kentucky.com)

NANCY, Ky. (AP) — The Mills Springs Battlefield Park is expanding by nearly 100 acres.

According to The Commonwealth-Journal, Congressman Harold "Hal" Rogers and officials with the national Civil War Trust organization appeared at the Mill Springs Battlefield Museum in Nancy last week to announce the preservation of 95 acres of property that will become part of the park devoted to the seminal Civil War battle.

The acreage makes up two properties that are known locally as the Landmark Ventures tract and Gladstone-Muse tract. They will be added to the 450 acres currently protected in the park.

The protection of the two tracts of land was the result of a national fundraising effort initiated by the Civil War Trust, one which brought in approximately $832,000.