Kentucky News Now

ILLEGAL MINING

Man cited for mining without permit

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky officials have cited an eastern Kentucky man for illegally mining coal in Letcher County.

The Kentucky Division of Mine Safety and the Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement say Bryan Lee Wagner mined about 700 tons of coal at a surface mine. He has been charged with mining without a permit and mining without a license.

In a violation notice, Wagner, who headed the small operation, was directed to immediately cease mining operations and begin reclaiming the land and install temporary sediment control.

The civil penalty for illegal mining under surface mining reclamation regulations is from $5,000 up to $25,000 per day. Officials say Wagner's penalty is being calculated.

CHEERLEADER DEATH

Overdose confirmed as cause of cheerleader death

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A coroner says a drug overdose caused the death of a University of Louisville cheerleader in July.

Jefferson County Coroner Barbara Weakley-Jones told The Courier-Journal that 22-year-old Danielle Cogswell died of an overdose of heroin, amphetamines and Xanax.

University sports information director Kenny Klein said cheerleaders will now be required to undergo the same drug testing as other athletes.

Cogswell was found July 28 in Cardinal Towne, an off-campus student housing complex with ties to U of L.

Police said previously they were treating the death as a suspected overdose.

An associate athletic director for student life at U of L, Christine Simatacolos, said the circumstances of Cogswell's death and the coroner's report were saddening.

Cogswell was from the Seattle suburb of Sammamish and transferred to U of L from Arizona State last year.

PIKE COUNTY-NATURAL GAS

Gas conversion project in Pike Co. gets tax breaks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A project to build a facility that would convert natural gas to synthetic diesel and other products in Pike County has received approval for $18 million in state tax incentives.

RCC Big Shoal seeks to build a plant that would use natural gas to create synthetic fuel, base oils and lubricants.

Several local officials including Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne Rutherford attended an announcement of the tax incentives Thursday in Louisville.

Rutherford says the planned project is good news for a county where coal production continues to decline. The plant would draw natural gas extracted from Pike County and other nearby sources.

The first phase of the project would cost nearly $200 million and employ about 30 people upon completion.

BABY SHOT

Louisville baby killed in shooting

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Metro Louisville police say they are looking for a suspect in the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old girl.

Police told media that the child was killed and her mother injured when they were shot Wednesday in front of a home in Louisville's west end.

Police spokesman Dwight Mitchell said the mother suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is "doing well" at University Hospital.

Police said the victims were with other family members outside their home when the shooting occurred.

HOMELESS HOUSING

Lexington looks at housing program for homeless

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Officials in Lexington are looking to start a housing program for homeless people living in the city.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the city hopes to have bids early next week from possible providers for its Housing First program. Officials are aiming to have the program up and running by the end of the year.

Charlie Lanter, who was named in May as the city's first director of the office of homeless prevention and intervention, said the pilot project would begin by serving about 20 people.

The program, which has been successful in other cities including Louisville, is among many changes the city is making to address the plight of the homeless. Attorney Mike Foster, a four-time recipient of the honor.

CIVIL WAR PROGRAM

Living history program planned at Davis birthplace

FAIRVIEW, Ky. (AP) — The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is observing the sesquicentennial of the Civil War with a free living history program next month featuring the 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery unit from Camp Nelson.

The Jefferson Davis State Historic Site is the birthplace of Davis, the only president of the Confederate States of America. The site is between Hopkinsville and Elkton in southwestern Kentucky just north of Fort Campbell.

The living history group represents African-American soldiers who fought during the Civil War.

The unit will demonstrate cannon firing from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT Sept. 20.

KEENELAND-DIRT SURFACE

Keeneland unveils dirt surface on main track

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Keeneland's new dirt track is open and ready for training.

Just over three months after beginning a switch from synthetic Polytrack to dirt on its 1 1/16-mile main track, Keeneland debuted the surface Thursday morning. The conversion included installing a new drainage system and the facility will use GPS to monitor surface consistency for horse and rider safety.

Construction workers began removing 16,000 tons of Polytrack in mid-May to replace it with a 26,000-ton base layer of sand and a 19,000-ton mix of sand, silt and clay.

Track president and CEO Bill Thomason said in a release that "we are proud of the renovation and excited to welcome owners and trainers back to Keeneland."

Keeneland's fall meet runs Oct. 3-25 and will host next year's Breeders' Cup stakes races.

MUHAMMAD ALI-AWARDS

Brown among Ali Humanitarian Award winners

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Muhammad Ali is honoring another iconic athlete who became a key figure in the civil-rights movement — Jim Brown.

The NFL Hall of Fame running back will receive a lifetime humanitarian achievement award bearing the boxing great's name.

Brown headlines a lineup of Ali Humanitarian Award winners announced Thursday that includes actress Susan Sarandon. The Academy Award winner will receive the award for global citizenship for charitable work that includes serving as an ambassador for UNICEF.

The awards ceremony is set for Sept. 27 in Louisville, Kentucky, Ali's hometown. Ali is expected to attend.

Like Ali, Brown has been an outspoken civil-rights advocate who was at the top of his sport in the 1960s.

Last year, former President Jimmy Carter was the inaugural winner of the lifetime humanitarian achievement award.