MADISON MURDERS

Madison County man sentenced in murders

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — A central Kentucky man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years for three murders.

Media report 30-year-old Matthew Denholm of Madison County was sentenced in the 2011 death of 25-year-old Zackary Flower of Berea and the 2010 deaths of 30-year-old Sonsaray Warford and 30-year-old Charles DeMarcus Walker.

Denholm pleaded guilty last month in Madison County Circuit Court.

On Wednesday, he said in court he was sorry for his actions.

Warford and Walker had been missing for 21 months when their remains were found buried in a field near Richmond in March 2012.

KENTUCKY SENATE-CLINTON AD

Bill Clinton stars in new Grimes ad

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — In a new TV ad, former Democratic President Bill Clinton tells Kentucky voters to send Alison Lundergan Grimes to the U.S. Senate.

The Grimes campaign on Wednesday released the ad featuring portions of Clinton's speech during a campaign event in Hazard. Clinton says Grimes will give the middle class a chance to give their kids a decent life.

A spokeswoman for Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell said the ad is evidence Grimes hopes celebrity endorsements will hide her support for President Barack Obama's agenda. Thursday, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will appear at a fundraiser for McConnell in Lexington. Romney won Kentucky in 2012 with 60 percent of the vote.

Grimes has run TV ads saying she is not Barack Obama. She describes herself as a Clinton Democrat.

SENATE-KENTUCKY-PAID TO CAMPAIGN

McConnell, Grimes both get public pay to campaign

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Mitch McConnell is criticizing his Democratic opponent for taking her taxpayer salary while campaigning for the U.S. Senate. But McConnell is getting even more government pay while he serves in the Senate and campaigns for a sixth term.

A new TV ad cites Alison Lundergan Grimes' $117,000 salary as Kentucky's secretary of state while showing photos of her empty parking space at the state Capitol. Grimes won't say how many days she has missed while campaigning. McConnell makes $193,400 as the Senate minority leader. He has a 99 percent voting record in the Senate for his career.

Senators are paid to continue Senate work even when the chamber is in recess, as it is now, mostly so they can campaign. McConnell is blending official Senate events with his campaign schedule.

COMER ENDORSEMENT

Whitfield endorses Comer for governor

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield has endorsed James Comer for governor.

Comer, the Republican state agriculture commissioner, is seeking the party's nomination for governor in 2015. Former Louisville Metro Councilman Hal Heiner is also seeking the Republican nomination.

In a news release from the Comer campaign, Whitfield said he believes Comer's achievements as agriculture commissioner makes him the candidate with the best chance to take back the governor's office. Democrats have won nine of the last 10 governor's elections.

Whitfield has represented Kentucky's 1st Congressional District since 1994. The district includes the city of Tompkinsville, Comer's home.

Former Republican U.S. Rep. Anne Northup and several state lawmakers also have endorsed Comer.

Attorney General Jack Conway is the only announced Democrat in the race. He has endorsements from former U.S. Sen. Wendell Ford, former state Auditor Crit Luallen and Democratic U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.

ARMY DEPOT-STRIKE

Workers picketing at Bluegrass Station Army Depot

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A union spokesman says workers at Bluegrass Station Army Depot in Lexington are picketing over unfair labor practices.

Bob Wood of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers told the Lexington Herald-Leader (http://bit.ly/1sNvivj ) that workers are being asked to take a 30 percent to 50 percent pay cut. About 170 workers went on strike at midnight Tuesday.

The facility provides supplies for U.S. Army Special Forces.

Wood says the union hasn't seen the contract between subcontractor AllSources Global Management and Lockheed Martin that mandates reclassification of employees to a lower pay grade.

Lockheed confirmed that negotiations had broken down but had no other comment.

AllSource Global Management CEO Randy Groth confirmed the new contract would mean at least a 30 percent pay cut for workers.

Groth said negotiations are expected to begin again after a cooling-off period.

PARK-CHILD DEATH

Police: Child found in park frequented area

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville police say a child found dead in Cherokee Park has been identified and frequented the area with his family.

Lt. Todd Kessinger said on Wednesday the child was 12 years old and well-known along with his mother and stepfather at the Mid-City Mall east of downtown Louisville. Kessinger said the boy went to school in southern Indiana.

The Jefferson County coroner's office identified the boy as Ray Allen Etheridge and said the family is homeless.

A passer-by at the popular park found the boy on a foot path in woods off the park's Scenic Loop late Tuesday afternoon. Kessinger said the boy's parents reported him missing about five hours later.

Kessinger said investigators have no reason to believe a family member was involved in the death.

CANDIDATE INDICTED

Democrats ask indicted candidate to withdraw

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Democratic Party has asked one of its candidates for the state House of Representatives to withdraw from the race after being indicted for failing to immediately report the sexual abuse of a child at an education program where he once worked.

John Wayne Smith is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Michael Meredith in House District 19, which includes portions of Edmonson and Warren counties. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Monday along with five other current or former officials with the Bluegrass Challenge Academy at Fort Knox.

Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon said in a news release the party has asked Smith to withdraw from the race. Logsdon said the party would not be investing in the race in the future.

A call to Smith was not immediately returned.

 

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.

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