Kentucky News Now

AGING SERVICES OVERHAUL

Kentucky aiming to revamp services for elderly

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

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky is overhauling its elderly services with the aim of stretching resources and helping aging baby boomers remain independent. Officials are hoping more elderly residents will have the choice to live out their final years at home, rather than in an institution.

The state has struggled to keep up with demand, forcing many elderly residents to remain on waiting lists for critical programs or enter nursing homes earlier than necessary.

More than 13,000 people remain on waiting lists at the Department for Aging for meals, transportation, home-based services and caregiver services, with some applicants waiting as long as five years.

Deborah Anderson, head of the state Department for Aging and Independent Living, tells The Courier-Journal that those challenges are only expected to grow as baby boomers advance in age.

PAWN SHOP SHOOTINGS

Vigil honors 3 killed in Ky. pawn shop shootings

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

SOMERSET, Ky. (AP) — Family and friends held a prayer vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of three people killed inside a central Kentucky pawn shop.

WKYT-TV reports the vigil was held Saturday night in Somerset, Kentucky, to honor 35-year-old Michael Hockensmith; his wife, 38-year-old Angela Hockensmith; and 60-year-old gold broker Daniel Smith of Richmond. They were shot in a Danville pawn shop co-owned by the Hockensmiths on Sept. 20, 2013.

Kenneth A. Keith has been charged with murder in the fatal shootings. No trial date has been set.

Michael Hockensmith's mother, Barbara Lewis, has filed a lawsuit against Keith.

The lawsuit seeks $665,000 for Michael Hockensmith's lost wages and $7,341 for funeral expenses as well as unspecified punitive damages and damages for his two children.

PROJECT LIFESAVER

Elderly program also helps special needs children

(Information in the following story is from: The Paducah Sun, http://www.paducahsun.com)

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) — An underutilized program provided by the McCracken County Sheriff's Department is seeing increased participation because of interest from parents and families of children with special needs.

Project Lifesaver uses rescue technology, such as tracking bracelets, to keep track of people who have a tendency to wander because of cognitive conditions, such as individuals who have Alzheimer's.

The Paducah Sun reports a recent community event allowed families' of children with special needs to interact with law enforcement and emergency service personnel and familiarize themselves with their equipment.

That event brought Project Lifesaver to the attention of many, and ultimately increased enrollment.

According to the Sheriff's Department, enrollment in the program is up to eight, where it at one time had only one participant. Most of the new enrollees are children with special needs.

ANTIQUE TOURISM

E. Ky. antique stores drawing tourists

ISOM, Ky. (AP) — Five different antique stores scattered on a four-mile stretch of Route 7 are beginning to attract out-of-town collectors to the Isom area.

Gwen's Country Attic, Addie's Treasures, All In One Basket, Foolish Pleasures and Delana's Little Shoppe make up Route 7 Antique Alley.

Gwen Rollins, owner of Gwen's Country Attic, says potential customers are more apt to drive two or three hours to browse through old treasures if a cluster of stores is located in one area.

Rollins says at least 75 percent of her customer base is made up of residents outside of Letcher County. Of the surrounding areas, Knott, Perry and Pike counties and Wise County in Virginia produce her biggest customers.

She says out-of-town customers also help the local economy by spending money at other area establishments.

EAST TENNESSEE QUAKE

Magnitude 2.5 quake hits Monroe County

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

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 2.5 earthquake occurred in Monroe County Saturday night.

WATE-TV reports that the quake happened about three miles northeast of Sweetwater around 8 p.m.

The USGS says earthquakes that are felt but too small to cause damage happen about once a year.

In June, Tennessee National Guard members and emergency response officials held an exercise to simulate the response to a large earthquake along the New Madrid (MAD'-rihd) fault.

The New Madrid zone stretches 150 miles, crossing parts of Tennessee and six other states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Mississippi.

In 1811 and 1812, it unleashed a trio of powerful jolts that rattled the central Mississippi River valley.

CALIFORNIA GOP-RAND PAUL

Rand Paul urges California GOP to try new tactics

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is urging California Republicans to find new voters by embracing voting rights, reforming criminal drug sentences and talking to minorities.

He told the state party convention in Los Angeles on Saturday that those issues shouldn't be the purview of Democrats. He says when the Republican Party "looks like the rest of America" they'll win again.

Paul has been pushing a libertarian approach to expand the GOP's base this year ahead of a possible 2016 presidential bid.

Most of his address to about 400 people covered familiar turf for Paul, such as connecting with millennial voters on civil liberties issues.

He did not touch on his vote this week against President Barack Obama's legislation to authorize military involvement in Syria.