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Post by Kentucky News on Jul 28, 2012 8:44:37 GMT -5
Clay County Courthouse will be forced to close August 6
Commonwealth News Center press release
Courthouses will be closed statewide and all court services will be unavailable Monday, Aug. 6, as the Kentucky Judicial Branch shuts down for the first of three furlough days in 2012. This will be the first time since Kentucky’s modern court system was formed in 1976 that the Judicial Branch must close courthouse doors to balance its budget. The furloughs will affect only non-elected court personnel, who will be off work without pay as part of the Judicial Branch’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. The entire court system will be closed Monday, Aug. 6; Tuesday, Sept. 4; and Monday, Oct. 15. This includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, District Court, Offices of Circuit Court Clerk, the Administrative Office of the Courts and all court services, including Pretrial Services, Drug Court, the Court Designated Worker Program, Court Interpreting Services, the State Law Library and driver license branches. The Supreme Court of Kentucky has approved two orders that provide guidance on how the statewide court closures are to be implemented. While the two orders provide more detail, below is a summary of what the public and the law enforcement and legal communities should expect on furlough days: • Trials and other court proceedings will not be scheduled on furlough days as there will be no staff available. Items already on the docket for those days will be rescheduled. • Driver licenses will not be issued. • The Supreme Court will suspend its rule requiring pretrial officers to interview a defendant within 12 hours after incarceration. No Pretrial Services staff will be working on furlough days. • Deputy clerks will not be available to process bonds and no release orders will be issued. • Existing after-hours protocol will be followed for processing domestic violence orders (DVOs) and emergency protective orders (EPOs). • Local court designated workers will not be available. The Court Designated Worker Program will have a supervisor available to ensure that law enforcement adheres to its statutory requirements in cases involving the arrest and custody of juveniles. • Technology Services staff will not be available to recover the CourtNet database in the event the system experiences an interruption in service. • County offices that share space with the state court system in courthouses and judicial centers will not be affected. Furloughs are one of several measures included in the Judicial Branch’s FY 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. The 2012 Kentucky General Assembly reduced the total funds available to the Judicial Branch by $25.2 million for FY 2013. This included a permanent reduction to the annual base operating budget of $16.2 million and a one-time transfer of $9 million in payroll to the state’s general fund on June 30, 2012. Since the economic crisis began in 2008, the Judicial Branch has sustained repeated reductions to its budget and has cut 282 employees statewide, eliminated court programs and trimmed operating costs at all four levels of the court system to stay within its budget.
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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 20, 2012 20:22:36 GMT -5
Clay County eligible for drought assistance
Commonwealth News Center press release
Governor Steve Beshear today announced more Kentucky counties have been classified as drought disaster areas by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. As a result of this designation, 22 contiguous counties are eligible for assistance. Clay County is listed in this catagory. In a letter to the Governor, Sec. Vilsack declared an additional 68 Kentucky counties as primary disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred April 1, 2012 and continuing. After a similar declaration last month and earlier this month, Kentucky now has 116* counties as either primary or contiguous disaster areas due to drought. “We are pleased that Sec. Vilsack has issued this disaster designation for the benefit of additional farm families in Kentucky. While some areas have seen rain in recent weeks, it did not arrive in time to mitigate agricultural losses in these counties,” said Gov. Beshear. “The widespread impact this drought has had on the Commonwealth can be seen in that 97 percent of the state is covered by a disaster designation. I appreciate Sec. Vilsack’s continued support of our farm families.” To date, USDA has designated 1,792 counties as disaster areas—1,670 due to drought.
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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 23, 2012 17:45:09 GMT -5
Clay County escapes the top 10 in unemployment rates
Commonwealth News Center press release
Unemployment rates fell in 97 Kentucky counties between July 2011 and July 2012, while 18 county rates increased and five stayed the same, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 16.7 percent. It was followed by Futon County, 15.4 percent; Harlan County, 14.6 percent; Jackson County, 14.4 percent; Leslie County, 14.3 percent; Bell County, 13.9 percent; Wolfe County, 13.7 percent; McCreary County, 13.6 percent; Letcher County, 13.5 percent; and Knott County, 13.3 percent. Clay County saw its rate drop from 13.6 to 12.8. Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 5.9 percent. It was followed by Fayette and Franklin counties, 6.6 percent each; Oldham and Union counties, 6.7 percent each; Scott and Shelby counties, 6.8 percent each; Hancock County, 6.9 percent; and Daviess, Jessamine, Madison and Owen counties, 7.1 percent each. Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures. Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at: www.workforce.ky.gov
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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 24, 2012 18:06:00 GMT -5
Clay County courthouse forced to close on September 4
Commonwealth News Center press release
Judicial centers will be closed statewide and all court services will be unavailable Tuesday, Sept. 4, as the Kentucky Judicial Branch shuts down for the second of three furlough days in 2012. The court system also will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3, to observe the Labor Day holiday. This will be the first time since Kentucky’s modern court system was formed in 1976 that the Judicial Branch must close judicial centers to balance its budget. The furloughs will affect only non-elected court personnel, who will be off work without pay as part of the Judicial Branch’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. The entire court system shut down Aug. 6 and will be closed again on Tuesday, Sept. 4, and Monday, Oct. 15. This includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, District Court, Offices of Circuit Court Clerk, the Administrative Office of the Courts and all court services, including Pretrial Services, Drug Court, the Court Designated Worker Program, Court Interpreting Services, the State Law Library and driver license branches. The Supreme Court of Kentucky has approved two orders that provide guidance on how the statewide court closures are to be implemented. While the two orders provide more detail, below is a summary of what the public and the law enforcement and legal communities should expect on furlough days: • Trials and other court proceedings will not be scheduled on furlough days as there will be no staff available. Items already on the docket for those days will be rescheduled. • Driver licenses will not be issued. • The Supreme Court will suspend its rule requiring pretrial officers to interview a defendant within 12 hours after incarceration. No Pretrial Services staff will be working on furlough days. • Deputy clerks will not be available to process bonds and no release orders will be issued. • Existing after-hours protocol will be followed for processing domestic violence orders (DVOs) and emergency protective orders (EPOs). • Local court designated workers will not be available. The Court Designated Worker Program will have a supervisor available to ensure that law enforcement adheres to its statutory requirements in cases involving the arrest and custody of juveniles. • Technology Services staff will not be available to recover the CourtNet database in the event the system experiences an interruption in service. • County offices that share space with the state court system in judicial centers and courthouses will not be affected. Furloughs are one of several measures included in the Judicial Branch’s FY 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. The 2012 Kentucky General Assembly reduced the total funds available to the Judicial Branch by $25.2 million for FY 2013. This included a permanent reduction to the annual base operating budget of $16.2 million and a one-time transfer of $9 million in payroll to the state’s general fund on June 30, 2012. Since the economic crisis began in 2008, the Judicial Branch has sustained repeated reductions to its budget and has cut 282 employees statewide, eliminated court programs and trimmed operating costs at all four levels of the court system to stay within its budget. The Supreme Court and leadership from the Administrative Office of the Courts will meet in January 2013 to determine if additional furloughs and reductions are necessary for the remainder of FY 2013, which runs July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013. They will also begin drafting a budget reduction plan for FY 2014, which presents an even greater shortfall than in FY 2013. The chief justice of Kentucky is the administrative head of the state court system and is responsible for its operation. The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm of the court system. The AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks.
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Post by Kentucky News on Aug 31, 2012 5:21:58 GMT -5
Volunteers needed to assist children in foster care in Clay County
Commonwealth News Center press release
Citizen Foster Care Review Boards in Clay, Knox, Lincoln, Madison and Rockcastle counties are seeking volunteers to make a difference in the lives of local children in foster care. Volunteers are needed to review cases of children placed in foster care because of abuse, dependency and neglect to ensure these children are placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. Volunteers are not required to reside in the county where a board meets. The Kentucky General Assembly created the Citizen Foster Care Review Board, or CFCRB, in 1982 as a way to decrease the time children spend in foster care. CFCRB volunteers review Cabinet for Health and Family Services files on children placed in out-of-home care and work with the cabinet and courts on behalf of the state’s foster children. The volunteer reviewers help ensure that children receive the necessary services while in foster care and are ultimately placed in permanent homes. All volunteers must complete a six-hour initial training session and consent to a criminal record and central registry check. A recommendation is then made to the chief judge of the District Court or Family Court for appointment. The meeting schedules for the CFCRBs in need of volunteers in Clay County meets on the fourth Thursday of every month, 10 a.m. local time at the Clay County Department for Community Based Services in Manchester For more information about this or other CFCRBs in need of volunteers, contact:
Shan Sears
Family Services Field Coordinator
Administrative Office of the Courts
606-451-4303
shansears@kycourts.net
Approximately 800 volunteers across the state serve as members of the Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Board. The boards operate within the Division of Dependent Children’s Services of the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort. As the operations arm for the state court system, the AOC supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks, and executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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Post by Kentucky News on Sept 26, 2012 16:41:55 GMT -5
Barry Cochrane Promoted to Assistant Supervisor in Probation and Parole District which includes Clay County
Commonwealth News Center press release
Division of Probation and Parole Director Tim Carman today announced the promotion of Barry Cochrane to the position of assistant supervisor of District 10 in London. District 10 has field offices in Manchester, Harlan and Pineville and covers seven counties including Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel and Leslie. His promotion will be effective Oct. 1. “Barry has always gone above and beyond in his job. He has demonstrated by his hard work and dedication that this is more than a job to him,” said Carman. “I am glad to have this opportunity to promote a person with the skill sets that Barry possesses. He will continue to be a valuable asset to District 10 and to the Department of Corrections.” Cochrane began his career with the Department of Corrections in November 2000 as a correctional officer at Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in LaGrange. In August 2004 he transferred to the Division of Probation & Parole as an officer in the Williamsburg office. In May 2005, he transferred to the London office where he stayed until October 2006 when he left the department to take a position as a correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Manchester. While working for the Bureau of Prisons, he graduated with honors from the Correctional Officers Basic Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Cochrane returned to the Division of Probation and Parole as an officer in the London office in July 2007. Cochrane is a 2000 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in police administration. He is also the recipient of the 2006 District 10 Achievement Award. Cochrane currently resides in London with his wife, Kristie, and their two sons, Matthew and Logan.
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 6, 2012 8:10:02 GMT -5
Vickie Nicholson of Manchester reappointed to Panel for Exceptional Children
Commonwealth News Center press release
Governor Steve Beshear has reappointed the following members to the Kentucky State Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children to serve for terms expiring August 8, 2015: Vickie L. Nicholson, of Manchester, is a special education teacher and a preschool coordinator for the Clay County Board of Education. She represents teachers. Leisa C. Hutchinson, of Bowling Green, is a speech language pathologist and an instructor at Western Kentucky University. She represents parents. Stella W. Smith, of Danville, is a community enrichment coordinator at Homeplace Support Services. She represents parents. Michael A. Armstrong, of Louisa, is a retired educator. He represents local education officials. Constance L. Hardesty, of Winchester, is an associate professor of sociology at Morehead State University. She represents parents. Wendy Ann Everly, of Central City, is a homemaker. She represents parents. Elisabeth Jensen, of Lexington, is president and executive director at Race for Education. She represents parents. Govoner Beshear has appointed the following members to the Kentucky State Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children to serve for terms expiring Aug. 8, 2015: Jennifer K. Tucker, of Louisville, is a sales proposal writer at Humana Healthcare Services. She represents parents. The appointment replaces James J. Reed, whose term has expired. Justin T. Cooper, of Shelbyville, is a professor of special education at the University of Louisville. He represents faculty from higher education. The appointment replaces Nicole Fenty, whose term has expired.
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 6, 2012 8:18:22 GMT -5
Henria Bailey-Lewis
Judge Henria Bailey-Lewis participates in 2012 District Judges College
Commonwealth News Center press release
District Court Judge Henria Bailey-Lewis who serves Clay, Jackson and Leslie counties joined District Court judges from across Kentucky that participated in the 2012 Kentucky District Judges College September 16-19 at Lake Barkley State Park in Cadiz. The Administrative Office of the Courts provided the judicial education program for the state’s District Court judges. The program included 19 hours of continuing education credit for the judges. The judges received updates on case law and legislation and attended sessions on best practices, technology, probate, extradition and cyberstalking. They also heard from Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. about the work of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission, which was formed to identify the most pressing legal needs of those unable to afford lawyers and create a statewide plan to address those needs. “Civil legal aid is a critical resource for low-income families who can’t afford an attorney for evictions, child custody issues and other matters,” said Jefferson District Court Judge Donald E. Armstrong, acting president of the Kentucky District Judges Association. “Chief Justice Minton encouraged the district judges to support Kentucky’s civil legal aid efforts by letting citizens know how to find legal assistance and improving court processes for those with limited access to attorneys.” The college also included sessions on substance abuse issues, including courses about ignition interlock devices, drug testing and the Intoxilyzer equipment used statewide for breath-alcohol testing. District Court judges handle juvenile matters, city and county ordinances, misdemeanors, violations, traffic offenses, probate of wills, arraignments, felony probable cause hearings, small claims involving $2,500 or less, civil cases involving $5,000 or less, voluntary and involuntary mental commitments and cases relating to domestic violence and abuse. In Fiscal Year 2011, there were 707,459 District Court cases statewide.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC Division of Judicial Branch Education provides continuing education for the elected officials. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 8, 2012 19:40:44 GMT -5
Clay County Judicial Center to close, court services to shut down October 15
Commonwealth News Center press release
Judicial centers will be closed statewide and all court services will be unavailable Monday, Oct. 15, as the Kentucky Judicial Branch shuts down for the third of three furlough days in 2012. This is the first time since Kentucky’s modern court system was formed in 1976 that the Judicial Branch must close judicial center doors to balance its budget. The furloughs will affect only non-elected court personnel, who will be off work without pay as part of the Judicial Branch’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. This includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, District Court, Offices of Circuit Court Clerk, the Administrative Office of the Courts and all court services, including Pretrial Services, Drug Court, the Court Designated Worker Program, Court Interpreting Services, the State Law Library and driver license branches. The Supreme Court of Kentucky approved two orders that provide guidance on how the statewide court closures are to be implemented. Below is a summary of what the public and the law enforcement and legal communities should expect on furlough days: • Trials and other court proceedings will not be scheduled on furlough days as there will be no staff available. Items already on the docket for those days will be rescheduled. • Driver licenses will not be issued. • The Supreme Court will suspend its rule requiring pretrial officers to interview a defendant within 12 hours after incarceration. No Pretrial Services staff will be working on furlough days. • Deputy clerks will not be available to process bonds and no release orders will be issued. • Existing after-hours protocol will be followed for processing domestic violence orders (DVOs) and emergency protective orders (EPOs). • Local court designated workers will not be available. The Court Designated Worker Program will have a supervisor available to ensure that law enforcement adheres to its statutory requirements in cases involving the arrest and custody of juveniles. • Technology Services staff will not be available to recover the CourtNet database in the event the system experiences an interruption in service. • County offices that share space with the state court system in courthouses and judicial centers will not be affected. Furloughs are one of several measures included in the Judicial Branch’s FY 2013 Budget Reduction Plan. The 2012 Kentucky General Assembly reduced the total funds available to the Judicial Branch by $25.2 million for FY 2013. This included a permanent reduction to the annual base operating budget of $16.2 million and a one-time transfer of $9 million in payroll to the state’s general fund on June 30, 2012. Since the economic crisis began in 2008, the Judicial Branch has sustained repeated reductions to its budget and has cut 282 employees statewide, eliminated court programs and trimmed operating costs at all four levels of the court system to stay within its budget. The Supreme Court and leadership from the Administrative Office of the Courts will meet in January 2013 to determine if additional furloughs and reductions are necessary for the remainder of FY 2013, which runs July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013. They will also begin drafting a budget reduction plan for FY 2014, which presents an even greater shortfall than in FY 2013.
Kentucky Judicial Branch
The chief justice of Kentucky is the administrative head of the state court system and is responsible for its operation. The Administrative Office of the Courts is the operations arm of the court system. The AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks.
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Post by Kentucky News on Nov 1, 2012 16:18:51 GMT -5
Greg Stumbo, Robert Stivers, Steve Beshear
State presents funding to improve transportation in Morgan County
Commonwealth News Center press release
Senator Robert Stivers, of Manchester and Governor Steve Beshear today returned to Morgan County to announce highway aid that will resolve a long-standing traffic problem in West Liberty and at the same time speed the community’s reconstruction and recovery from a devastating tornado. “As the community continues its rebuilding effort after such devastating tornados, I’m very appreciative we have this funding to help West Liberty improve main roads for better traffic flow, making it safer and more accessible for folks who live here and the trucks traveling through the city,” said Sen. Robert Stivers, of Manchester. “An extraordinary disaster requires an extraordinary response,” Gov. Beshear said. “The citizens of West Liberty and Morgan County first had to deal with the monumental task of clearing away the debris left by the tornado. Now we can turn more of our attention to the rebuilding of the infrastructure of this community. That includes repairing and improving the main transportation artery through this community. We intend to get started quickly. We cannot wait until the legislature takes up a new Kentucky highway plan in 2014.” The state assistance announced by Gov. Beshear is in two forms: initial funding for a $7.2 million project to widen the main traffic artery through West Liberty – Main Street intersecting with Prestonsburg Street – and immediate funding for repair of storm-damaged streets and roads. Morgan County was approved for $416,000 from the Transportation Cabinet’s County Emergency Road Aid program. It is an unprecedented amount for the program. “But the tornado was an unprecedented disaster for Morgan County,” Gov. Beshear said. The widening project involves a T-shaped area of downtown West Liberty in which Main Street and Prestonsburg Street intersect. Most of the project area is part of U.S. 460, though Main Street north of the intersection is KY 7. Ten thousand vehicles per day travel the route, including large freight trucks, which for many years have negotiated the tight turn of the intersection only with great difficulty. “Widening Main Street and Prestonsburg Street will benefit travelers and residents of West Liberty in two ways,” Gov. Beshear said. “It will relieve a chronic traffic congestion point. At the same time, those who want to rebuild in the downtown will know the exact footprint.” To kick-start the work, Gov. Beshear presented a ceremonial check for $400,000 to Morgan County Judge-Executive Tim Conley and West Liberty Mayor Jim Rupe. The funding, which will pay for Phase I design work, is from the Transportation Cabinet’s state road fund contingency account, so it is readily available and does not need legislative action. With later phases of the project – final design, right of way acquisition, utility relocation and construction – the cabinet estimates the cost will total approximately $7.2 million and will be funded through the normal process of the Highway Plan. “With planned reconstruction in downtown West Liberty, now is the right time to address the widening of Main Street and Prestonsburg Street,” Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock said. “The road widening is a critical project for our community, and I’m committed to doing all I can to help provide funding through the budget. Today’s announcement is a great step forward and is definitely appreciated,” said Rep. John Will Stacy, of West Liberty. “I want to thank Gov. Beshear and his administration for all their work this year to help us get back on our feet. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.” “Gov. Beshear and his leadership, as well as his entire team, have shown true compassion and understanding to the needs of our devastated area and it certainly has not gone unnoticed. It takes an extraordinary governor to respond in devastating times,” said Judge-Executive Conley. “This governor has given 110 percent to the quality of life for our people.” “This announcement by Gov. Beshear just magnifies his commitment and concern for our city and county,” said Mayor Rupe. “The traffic flow through West Liberty has been a major concern and problem throughout the years. This project will simplify the rebuilding process for all parties concerned and allow traffic to flow smoothly through our city. Thanks again for stepping up to help our community.”
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Post by Press Release on Nov 5, 2012 14:36:54 GMT -5
House and Clark participate in 2012 Circuit Judges College
Commonwealth News Center press release
Circuit Court Judge Oscar Gayle House and Family Court Judge Gene Clark joined Circuit Court judges from across Kentucky in the 2012 Kentucky Circuit Judges College that took place Oct. 29-31 in Lexington. The Administrative Office of the Courts provided the judicial education program for the state’s Circuit Court judges. The event included 19.25 hours of continuing education credit for the judges. The judges received updates on case law and legislation and attended sessions on the Open Records Act, child support and domestic violence and met with legislators and other officials to discuss legislation on child fatalities and near fatalities. The judges also heard from Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. about the work of the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission, which was formed to identify the most pressing legal needs of those unable to afford lawyers and create a statewide plan to address those needs. “There is a great need for legal aid to help low-income citizens who have nowhere else to turn for assistance with evictions, child custody issues, consumer fraud, government benefits for the elderly and other important legal matters,” said Circuit Court Judge Paul F. Isaacs, who serves Bourbon, Scott and Woodford counties and is president of the Kentucky Association of Circuit Judges. “Chief Justice Minton encouraged the circuit judges to support Kentucky’s civil legal aid efforts by letting people know how to find legal assistance and improving court processes for those with limited access to attorneys.” Circuit judges also had the opportunity to attend courses about evidence, youthful offender procedures, the Kentucky State Police Forensic Laboratory System, writs and appeals from District Court, Westlaw, the State Law Library and House Bill 463. HB 463 took effect in June 2011 and is the most comprehensive overhaul of Kentucky’s penal code in more than 30 years. All three branches of government supported the legislation, which is designed to curb the cost of incarceration without compromising public safety. Circuit Court is the court of general jurisdiction that hears civil matters involving more than $5,000, capital offenses and felonies, divorces, adoptions, termination of parental rights, land dispute title cases and contested probate cases. The college also offered sessions specifically for Family Court judges that covered child abuse, parental rights, maintenance (spousal support) and electronic recordings of Family Court proceedings. There was also a session for the judges to discuss trends and issues in family law cases. Family Court is a division of Circuit Court and has primary jurisdiction in cases involving family issues, including divorces, adoption, child support, domestic violence and juvenile status offenses.
Administrative Office of the Courts
The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC Division of Judicial Branch Education provides continuing education for the elected officials. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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Post by Kentucky News on Mar 26, 2013 19:49:45 GMT -5
In-car Computers on Their Way to Clay County and Manchester Police Officers
Commonwealth News Center press release
Attorney General Jack Conway has announced that the Clay County Sheriff and Manchester Police Departments are amoung 78 rural law enforcement agencies in Kentucky will receive mobile data terminals (MDTs) to help process electronic warrants. The terminals are computers that will be available in officers' cruisers. Officers can enter information into the computer during a traffic stop or after responding to a scene and find out if a person has an outstanding warrant. General Conway presented two of the MDTs today to Carroll County Sheriff Jamie Kinman and Carrollton Police Chief Michael Willhoite. "This helps put technology in the hands of officers while they are out in the field," General Conway said. "It gives officers the tools they need to almost instantly determine whether or not a person has an outstanding warrant." The Office of the Attorney General purchased the MDTs utilizing funds from the Rural Law Enforcement Grant that was part of the American Resources and Recovery Act. The office received the $3.94 million grant in 2009 to implement the eWarrants program statewide. The eWarrants program is now up and running statewide and the distribution of MDTs is the final phase of implementation. "The eWarrants program is a tremendous success," General Conway said. "Since its implementation, we are seeing a dramatic decrease in the backlog of unserved warrants, and officers are able to determine whether there is a warrant for a suspect in another county." The service rate for warrants has gone from an estimated low of 10 percent in areas using solely a paper-based system to a statewide average service rate of more than 80 percent. This project was supported by award No. 2009-SD-B9-0067, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice.
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Post by Kentucky News on Mar 31, 2013 6:58:15 GMT -5
April 1-7 is National Public Health Week
Commonwealth News Center press release
The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is working to promote Public Health Week, an annual observance that focuses on critical public health issues to raise awareness and help people live longer, healthier lives. “In some way, public health touches everyone, every day in Kentucky. We are dedicated to making our infrastructure even stronger, including ongoing work to become nationally accredited in 2014, finding opportunities for improvement within our programs, and focusing on overall prevention for the health and well-being of Kentuckians,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Stephanie Mayfield. “We hope this week will serve as an opportunity for the public to learn more about the vital role of public health in Kentucky.” The focus of this year’s National Public Health Week is the return on investment of public health services. Research shows that investing just $10 per person each year in proven, community-based public health efforts can save the nation more than $16 billion within five years. That’s a $5.60 return for every $1 invested. “Our nation and community simply cannot sustain the current trajectory of health care spending and chronic disease rates,” said Dr. Mayfield. “Fortunately, we know that investing in prevention and public health can make an enormous difference and it’s the right direction for Kentucky to move in to address poor health outcomes.” Dr. Mayfield emphasized that supporting public health approaches to better health outcomes does reap life-saving returns. For example, research shows that each 10 percent increase in local public health spending contributes to a nearly 7 percent decrease in infant deaths, a 3.2 percent decrease in cardiovascular deaths and a 1.4 percent decrease in diabetes-related deaths. The American Public Health Association (APHA) serves as the organizer of National Public Health Week and develops a national campaign to educate the public, policymakers and practitioners about issues related to the chosen theme. Since 1995, communities nationwide have celebrated National Public Health Week each April to draw attention to the need to help protect and improve the nation’s health. APHA creates comprehensive planning, organizing and outreach materials that can be used during and after the week to raise awareness. “National Public Health Week helps educate and engage Americans in the movement to create a healthier America for ourselves and the generations to come,” said Georges C. Benjamin, M.D., executive director of the American Public Health Association. “The hundreds of events that take place this week help showcase the value of supporting prevention and the role that public health agencies, organizations and practitioners play in making prevention possible. We all have a role to play in making America the healthiest nation in one generation. And it starts with each of us taking the simple preventive steps that lead to better health.” For more information about National Public Health Week, visit www.nphw.org/about. More information about Kentucky public health can be found at: chfs.ky.gov/dphThe Cabinet for Health and Family Services is home to most of the state's human services and health care programs, including Medicaid, the Department for Community Based Services and the Department for Public Health. CHFS is one of the largest agencies in state government, with nearly 8,000 full and part-time employees throughout the Commonwealth focused on improving the lives and health of Kentuckians.
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Post by Kentucky News on Apr 26, 2013 13:38:19 GMT -5
State of Emergency declared in Clay County due to storms and flooding
Commonwealth News Center press release
Governor Steve Beshear has declared a state of emergency for a dozen counties after severe storms swept through Kentucky beginning April 15, causing widespread damage. The affected counties are Bell, Clay, Crittenden, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lee, Leslie, Owsley, Rockcastle and Whitley. “The declaration is a part of the process to identify what assistance is needed in these counties because of the storms,” Gov. Beshear said. “We will work with local and federal officials to measure damage and make sure each community has access to appropriate resources.” Gov. Beshear has requested Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Kentucky Emergency Management (KYEM) to conduct joint preliminary damage assessments (PDA) in the listed counties to determine if Kentucky may qualify to request federal assistance. Residents of these counties should contact their local emergency management officials to report any damage to their property.
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Post by Kentucky News on May 2, 2013 17:22:31 GMT -5
Four judges who serve Clay County attend joint judicial education program
Commonwealth News Center press release
Justices, judges representing all 120 Kentucky counties participate in joint judicial education program April 23-24 in Lexington. At the invitation of the chief justice, Kentucky judges recently came together for a joint two-day college to focus on a variety of topics of interest to trial court and appellate judges. Circuit Court Judge, Oscar Gayle House; Family Court Judge, Gene Clark; District Court Judges, Henria Bailey-Lewis and Renee H. Muncy all serve Clay, Jackson and Leslie counties and were in attendance. “While circuit and district judges typically hold separate colleges each fall, there’s much to be gained when judges from all four levels of the court system gather to learn about timely issues,” Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. said. “That kind of collaboration gives us a fresh perspective and prepares us to do a better job when we’re back on the bench.” Children and Families The college offered Family Court and District Court judges an in-depth session on Reclaiming Futures to give them a framework for a better juvenile justice system in the commonwealth. Reclaiming Futures is a national model that brings together courts, probation officers, substance abuse treatment providers, mental health agencies and communities to help youths who have committed offenses rather than jailing them. The college also offered a program for Family Court judges on best practices in Family Court and the standards used to determine how well a Family Court is performing in handling child abuse and neglect cases. Pretrial Release, House Bill 463 and Ethical Judicial Campaigns All justices and judges were invited to participate in sessions on pretrial release, evidence-based sentencing under House Bill 463 and judicial elections. Participants in the pretrial release course received an overview of pretrial justice and information about recent research on evidence-based practices in pretrial release. The HB 463 session focused on sentencing requirements that take effect July 1, 2013. The legislation mandates that judges take into account certain factors before sentencing a defendant, including his or her risk and needs assessment and the likelihood that a potential sentence would reduce the defendant’s future criminal behavior. The law requires judges to consider evidence-based factors – factors that have been proven to reduce recidivism – when making sentencing decisions. Participants heard from national speakers about evidence-based sentencing and from the state Department of Corrections about the risk and needs assessment Probation and Parole uses to measure a defendant’s risk of reoffending. HB 463 took effect in 2011 and is the most comprehensive overhaul of Kentucky’s penal code in more than 30 years. The legislation was designed to curb the cost of incarceration without compromising public safety and was supported by all three branches of government. The college also offered a refresher course on how to run proper judicial campaigns. Four of the seven justices, all 14 Court of Appeals judges, and all of the circuit and district judges are up for election in 2014. Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes discussed how to get on a judicial ballot and officials from the Registry of Election Finance covered campaign finance laws during the judicial elections session. Participants heard about the Judicial Campaign Conduct Commission from University of Kentucky Law Professor Bill Fortune and Al Cross, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues. Professor and judge Tom Hodson from the Scripps College of Communications in Ohio talked about the impact of social media on judicial elections. The session also offered information on political advertising and ethical and First Amendment issues.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jun 6, 2013 15:55:59 GMT -5
Sandesh Rajaram Patil
Dr. Patil Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Charges
Commonwealth News Center press release
A London cardiologist pleaded guilty to charges that he falsely recorded the severity of patients' illnesses in order to receive payment for numerous heart procedures. Sandesh Rajaram Patil, 51, a former cardiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, admitted Tuesday in Frankfort to making false statements regarding the placement of heart stents. Stents are metal tubes surgically inserted into a patient's arteries in order to improve blood flow. Patil reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office to serve a prison term between 30 and 37 months, pending a judge's approval. Patil is scheduled for sentencing on August 27, 2013. St Joseph's hospital has repaid the government $256,800 for cardiac stent procedures that Patil falsely submitted for reimbursement in 2009 and 2010. Patil is the third cardiologist in the nation, and the first in Kentucky, to be federally prosecuted for health care fraud related to the placement of heart stents. "Dr. Patil violated the public's trust in physicians," said Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. "Both patients and the entities that pay for medical services trust that our physicians will accurately and honestly assess a patient's medical condition. We will aggressively pursue any physician or provider that breaches this trust and places their own financial well-being ahead of the well-being of the patients." Under federal law, Medicare and Medicaid reimburse physicians for procedures that are deemed medically necessary. For a cardiac stent procedure to qualify as a medical necessity, it is generally accepted that a patient must have at least 70 percent blockage of an artery and symptoms of blockage. Patil admitted that he placed stents in arteries that had substantially less than 70 percent blockage. Patil nonetheless recorded blockage of 70 percent or more in patient documents to guarantee payment from Medicare and Medicaid. Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Perrye Turner, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Jack Conway, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly announced the plea. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kentucky Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Abuse and Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jul 13, 2013 7:53:42 GMT -5
Aaron Thompson
Aaron Thompson elected to national board
Commonwealth News Center press release
The Council on Postsecondary Education is pleased to announce that Dr. Aaron Thompson, senior vice president for academic affairs, has been elected to a three-year term to the board of directors of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP). NCCEP is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization that advances increased access to higher education for low-income, minority and first generation students. “I am honored to be a national voice and advocate for the many students in Kentucky and across the nation who aspire to college but face additional barriers to their academic success,” said Thompson. “Kentucky is at the national forefront in tackling the tough issues around college and career readiness,” he added. “Higher education’s strong partnership with K-12, which grew out of Senate Bill 1 in 2009, is definitely a model for the nation.” Thompson has been with the Council for four years and also serves as a professor of sociology in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. He is a nationally recognized presenter and author in key educational policy areas including academic success, leadership, equity and achievement gap closing, curriculum development, and diversity and cultural competence. Thompson is the author of numerous books, including Peer to Peer Leadership: Changing Student Culture from the Ground Up; Thriving in the Community College & Beyond: Strategies for Academic Success and Personal Development; and Diversity and the College Experience. He has more than 30 publications and numerous research and peer-reviewed presentations, and his research has been cited in popular publications such as Cosmopolitan, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, and the Tampa Tribune. Thompson holds a doctorate in sociology in areas of organizational behavior and race and gender relations.
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Post by Kentucky News on Jul 25, 2013 20:15:24 GMT -5
Clay County jobless rate was 13.8% for June 2012 to June 2013
Commonwealth News Center press release
Unemployment rates increased in 88 Kentucky counties between June 2012 and June 2013, while 26 county rates fell and six stayed the same, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Clay County had a rate of 13.8%. Magoffin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 18.5 percent. It was followed by Harlan County, 17.9 percent; Leslie County, 17.3 percent; Fulton County, 17 percent; Letcher County, 16.9 percent; Knott County, 15.9 percent; Bell County, 15.5 percent; Jackson County, 14.8 percent; Wolfe County, 14.6 percent; and McCreary County, 14.2 percent. Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 6.5 percent. It was followed by Boone and Oldham counties, 6.9 percent each; Fayette and Scott counties, 7.1 percent each; Anderson County, 7.3 percent; Kenton and Simpson counties, 7.4 percent each; and Campbell, Hancock, Larue, Shelby and Spencer counties, 7.5 percent each. Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted because of the small sample size for each county. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous years. Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at: www.kylmi.ky.gov
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