Amsterdam Road hearing Thursday

        PARK HILLS — The public can learn about the proposed Amsterdam Road reconstruction at an open house Thursday.

        The project includes road and storm water improvements starting at Trolley Park on Amsterdam Road, and continuing past the city building onto Hillcrest Lane. Construction is expected to start this summer, said Councilman Steve Ryan, chairman of the city's infrastructure committee.

        Questions will be taken, after a project overview that starts at 6:30 p.m.

POLICE GET NEW CRIME-FIGHTING TOOL: Florence police are the first in Boone County to have a mobile data terminal in one of their cruisers. Joe Fussinger (center), system administrator for the county communication center, calls up information Tuesday with Florence Lt. John Davis (left) and Officer Tim Lowe. An officer will be able to access state and federal databases and run license checks from the vehicle. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The meeting will be at the Park Hills city building, 1106 Amsterdam Road.

Stroll weekends at MainStrasse

        COVINGTON — MainStrasse Village merchants will showcase new items and offer savings during Spring Stroll weekends, Saturday and Sunday and April 7 and 8.

        During the special weekends, the Easter Bunny will visit from noon until 5 p.m. at the Goose Girl Fountain.

        Balloon Magic, featuring balloon sculptures, also will visit both weekends.

        From noon until 5 p.m. April 7 children can take a free spin on the Dizzy Dragon provided by Kissel Brothers Shows.

        From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. April 8, explore the Second Sunday Antiques Market Place. Located along the Sixth Street Promenade, antiques and collectible dealers will display items available for purchase.
       

Sara Jurewicz paintings on display

        COVINGTON — Georgia artist and design student Sara Jurewicz is showing her oil paintings titled “Extracted” in the Nordheim Gallery on the Holmes High School campus.

        The exhibit will run through the month of April. Hours are by appointment by calling Dr. Crickette Todd at 292-5980 ext. 1323.
       

Man arrested in 12-year-old slaying

        OWENTON, Ky. — A Corinth man was arrested Tuesday in the slaying of Lawanda Sue Raines, whose remains were found Saturday. She disappeared 12 years ago, Kentucky State Police said.

        Keith A. Bramblett, 34, was arrested Tuesday at the Owen County Courthouse. He is also charged with tampering with physical evidence and is being held at the Grant County Detention Center, state police said.

        Ms. Raines, 32, was reported missing by her family on May 22, 1989. Her remains were found Saturday and a forensic investigation determined she had been shot, state police said.

        The body was found after state police questioned Mr. Bramblett, said a state police spokesman.
       

Agency overcharged for copies, ruling says

        COVINGTON — The Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky overcharged for copies of its records, the attorney general has ruled.

        It may also have charged too much for a videotape record of a public meeting, according to the opinion made public Tuesday.

        The case pitted the Covington-based board against John Ellenbogen of Fort Mitchell. Mr. Ellenbogen asked to inspect records of disciplinary actions taken by the board's community program center. He also asked for a video of a Dec. 6 board meeting.

        The board's executive director, Tim Broering, told Mr. Ellenbogen he would be charged 25 cents a page, “per our open-records policy,” and $22 for a videotape.

        Assistant Attorney General Amye L. Bensenhaver said the reasonable copying charge for public records has been set at 10 cents a page since 1985. Agencies are not permitted to include the cost of staff time. Unless an agency can prove a higher, actual cost, anything above 10 cents “is presumptively excessive,” Ms. Bensenhaver wrote.

        Mr. Ellenbogen claimed the $22 videotape at most should have cost $9.50. Ms. Bensenhaver said the agency must recalculate its charge unless it can prove actual costs of $22.
       

Churchill Downs to join off-track bid

        LOUISVILLE — Churchill Downs will join the Television Games Network and the New York Racing Association in an effort to buy off-track betting facilities in New York City.

        Churchill Downs reached an agreement with the two organizations late Monday to bid jointly on the New York City Off-Track Betting Corp (NYCOTB), a Churchill Downs official said Tuesday. No specifics of the bid were released.

        NYCOTB, which posted a handle of more than $1 billion in fiscal 2000, was first put up for bid in July by the New York City Economic Development Corp.
       

Call leads to ID of man's body parts

        SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. — A call to the medical examiner's officer on Tuesday has led police to the identity of the man whose body parts were found in Bullitt County, authorities said.

        The man is in his early 20s from out-of-state, but police are not releasing his name, said Bullitt County Sheriff Paul Parsley.

        A human arm, brought to the yard of a Bullitt County residence by a neighborhood dog, prompted a search that turned up another arm and two legs, authorities said.

        The discovery was made about 5 p.m. Monday and police dogs found the additional body parts a short distance away along Roe Hill Road, about 11 miles northwest of Shepherdsville and two miles from the Bullitt-Jefferson County line.
       

Man charged in fatal car accident

        PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A man was charged with murder after allegedly causing a two-car collision that resulted in the deaths of a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, authorities said.

        Charles Christopher Morris, 28, of Zebulon, was arrested Wednesday and lodged in the Pike County Detention Center.

        Veronica Thornsbury, 22, of Kimper, Ky., and her unborn child died Sunday afternoon in the wreck on U.S. 119 near Buckley Creek, state police said.

        Ms. Thornsbury was the front passenger in a car driven by her husband, Troy Thornsbury, 28.

        Mr. Thornsbury was trying to make a left turn from the southbound lane when a northbound vehicle driven by Mr. Morris ran a red light and struck his car, police said.

        Ms. Thornsbury's baby was delivered by emergency caesarean section on the way to Pikeville Methodist Hospital. The mother and the baby were pronounced dead on arrival, state police said.

        Mr. Thornsbury and Mr. Morris were treated for minor injuries at Pikeville Methodist.

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