LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR-AIDE
Bevin’s chief of staff authorized firing of Hampton’s aide
(Information from: Courier Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s chief of staff says he authorized the firing of a key aide to Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton.
Blake Brickman said in a statement on Saturday to The Courier Journal that he authorized the firing of Adrienne Southworth, saying she repeatedly demonstrated poor judgment.
The firing last month prompted Hampton to send out a tweet praising Southworth’s work as “stellar” and asking for prayers in her fight against “dark forces.”
Brickman said the governor’s office doesn’t usually comment on personnel matters, but wanted “to set the record straight.” He said Southworth was let go for several reasons, but “the bottom line is, (Southworth) was an at-will employee, and I lost all confidence in her ability to faithfully serve the people of the Commonwealth.”
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IDENTICAL VALEDICTORIANS
Identical twins with identical GPAs are co-valedictorians
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Two southern Indiana brothers who are identical twins with identical GPAs are sharing their high school’s valedictorian honors.
Cole and Brady Paradowski have grown up doing everything together, and now they’re co-valedictorians of Jeffersonville High School’s class of 2019.
Cole Paradowski tells WAVE-TV he was nervous before his sibling spoke during last weekend’s commencement at the school in the Ohio River city just north of Louisville, Kentucky. But he says that once his brother delivered his valedictorian address he was more confident.
The brothers will both be attending Purdue University and studying computer science. But after 18 years together, they’re planning to pair up with different roommates.
Brady Paradowski says they decided it was time to go their different ways, at least for a little bit.
FORMER NBA PLAYER CHARGED
Ex-NBA player Anthony Grundy charged in fatal hit and run
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A former NBA player, Anthony Grundy, has pleaded not guilty in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash in Kentucky.
News outlets report the 40-year-old Grundy turned himself in Friday and appeared in court Saturday. He is charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid.
A police report says Grundy told police he knew he hit something on Dixie Highway in Louisville the night of June 7, but did not stop. Police say a woman trying to cross the road died after being struck.
News outlets report that Grundy attended high school in Kentucky and played basketball at North Carolina State University from 1998 to 2002. He then played professionally in several countries and played briefly with the Atlanta Hawks in the 2005-06 season.
TRAMPOLINE PARK-SUPREME COURT
Kentucky’s high court rules in trampoline park injury case
(Information from: Courier Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s Supreme Court has ruled that a damage waiver signed by a parent at a trampoline park does not protect the park from liability in the case of an injured child.
The Courier Journal reports that the court said Thursday it reached a unanimous decision in a lawsuit against House of Boom, a Louisville trampoline park where an 11-year-old girl broke her ankle in August 2015.
The girl’s mother had signed a waiver warning of the risk of serious injury, paralysis or death, when she bought tickets for her daughter.
The mother alleged House of Boom failed to adequately supervise customers or follow safety policies. House of Boom cited the waiver in seeking the lawsuit’s dismissal.
The court ruled that the public’s interest in protecting children renders liability waivers at for-profit operations unenforceable.
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MAIL FRAUD INDICTMENT
Former auto plant worker indicted in federal mail fraud case
GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a former Kentucky auto plant worker accused of stealing parts from the facility and selling them online, profiting more than $250,000.
News outlets report the 14 count indictment came down Thursday for Randall Perry.
Court documents state Perry took laser scanners and electronic components from his former job at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Georgetown. The indictment says Perry sold the parts on eBay between Nov. 2015 and Nov. 2017.
If convicted, Perry would have to forfeit the more than $250,000 he’s accused of obtaining in the scheme, and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
Perry is scheduled to appear in federal court in July. It is unclear if he had a lawyer who could comment.
POLICE CHASE-LAWSUIT
Kentucky high court rules police can be sued in deadly chase
(Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com)
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that police can be sued for damages when their car chases lead to the death or injury of third parties.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the court’s 6-1 ruling on Thursday overturned a 1952 decision that had granted police blanket immunity. The ruling will align Kentucky practice with that of most other states where juries are allowed to decide whether police are at fault.
In the case at hand, the children of Luis Gonzalez will be allowed to sue the Scott County sheriff and a deputy for damages related to their father’s death.
Gonzalez died in 2014 when a suspected drug dealer crashed head-on into his vehicle during a chase.
Attorney Barry Stilz, representing the sheriff’s office, said they are disappointed with the ruling.
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