Teen killed; domestic dispute suspected

        EDMONTON, Ky. — An 18-year-old woman was shot to death Friday in an incident that police think was related to domestic violence.

        Jamesann Stinson of Edmonton was pronounced dead at T.J. Samson Hospital in Glasgow. Kentucky State Police said she was shot about 11 a.m. four miles south of Edmonton on Kentucky 861.

        Ricky B. Neal, 19, of Edmonton, was arrested at the hospital and charged with murder. He was being held in the Barren County Correctional Center.
       

Builder convicted in contract scheme

        LEXINGTON — A federal jury on Friday convicted Lexington home builder Gary Taulbee on charges he defrauded banks out of more than $1.4 million by using fake purchase contracts.

        Mr. Taulbee, 44, was convicted on nine counts in an 11-count indictment. He was acquitted of two bribery charges but convicted on eight counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

A SAINT PRESERVED: Steve Weldert removes a statue of St. Rose of Lima from the baldachin on the altar at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. (Patrick Reddy photos) | ZOOM |

HEAVENLY EFFORTS: Workers erect scaffolding in the sanctuary so the stained-glass windows and stone ceiling can be cleaned. Work on the cathedral, which is undergoing a $4.7 million renovation, is slated to be done in December. | ZOOM |

        The indictment charged that Mr. Taulbee, real estate agent Cary True and horseman Daniel R. Lunsford worked together to create fake purchase contracts in which Mr. Taulbee supposedly was to build houses, which Mr. Lunsford would buy, with Mr. True acting as agent. Mr. Taulbee then allegedly used the fake contracts to persuade banks to lend him money for the land and construction.

        Messrs. True and Lunsford pleaded guilty to conspiracy last month. Both testified against Mr. Taulbee this week. They will be sentenced July 16.

        Mr. Taulbee could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. He will be sentenced on Aug. 20.
       

KKK members to go hood-less at rally

        ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — Ku Klux Klan members will not wear their hoods at a courthouse rally here today following an anti-mask ordinance hastily passed by the City Council, a KKK member said.

        About 20 members of the Aryan Knights of the Confederacy, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan are expected to attend the noon rally, said Scott Smith, who identified himself as the grand dragon for the Rim of Kentucky.

        A number of members canceled plans to attend after the Elizabethtown City Council passed an emergency ordinance April 16 prohibiting groups from concealing their identity, Mr. Smith said.

        He said the rally is intended to recruit new members.

        Elizabethtown Police Chief Ruben Gardner said officers will be on hand to ensure no violence breaks out.
       

More time asked for Commandments debate

        The American Civil Liberties Union and government officials in a dispute over posting the Ten Commandments in some eastern Kentucky government buildings need more time to reach agreement, they said.

        Mathew Staver, an attorney with the Liberty Counsel in Orlando, Fla., which is representing the governments, said they will ask a federal judge extend talks past the April 30 deadline.

        “We just have a lot of different people to run things by,” Mr. Staver said, adding that talks with the ACLU have been “amicable.”

        The ACLU filed suit against the Harlan County schools and the McCreary and Pulaski fiscal courts last year challenging the constitutionality of displaying the Ten Commandments in public buildings.

        U.S. District Judge Jennifer Coffman asked the ACLU and attorneys for the local governmental bodies to try to reach an agreement that would settle the lawsuit.

        David Friedman, an attorney for the ACLU, confirmed he would ask the judge on Monday for an extension in talks until May 16.

        Judge Coffman, in a hearing on March 30, said if no agreement is reached, she will rule on an ACLU motion for an injunction to remove the displays from each of the locations. After that, she said she would make a summary decision on the lawsuit.

        Mr. Staver said he is confident an agreement can be reached between the two sides.

        “Both sides have certain bottom lines that they won't compromise beyond. But there's different areas for movement,” Mr. Staver said.
       

Ex-Ashland executive on education panel

        FRANKFORT — John R. Hall, the retired chairman of the board and chief executive of Ashland Inc., has been appointed to Kentucky's higher education coordinating council.

        Mr. Hall replaces Lee Todd, who will take over as president of the University of Kentucky this summer.

        Mr. Hall, who now lives in Lexington, has long been active in higher education and has served on the board at Vanderbilt University. While Mr. Hall was chairman at Ashland, the company continued its longstanding support of education and especially higher education in Kentucky.

        Charles Whitehead, an Ashland executive, is chairman of the Council on Postsecondary Education.

        The appointment was made Friday by Gov. Paul Patton.
       

New UK head: Paducah presence to grow

        PADUCAH — Incoming University of Kentucky president Lee Todd told local leaders that UK's presence in Paducah is likely to expand over the next few years with graduate-level programs and research projects at the U.S. Enrichment Corp. plant.

        Mr. Todd met Thursday with some members of the Paducah Community College board of directors. Mr. Todd, who will become president of UK on July 1, concluded a three-day visit to Paducah Friday.

        Among his goals are to use resources at UK and other state universities to foster economic development in rural areas. He said that approach matches the goals of PCC leaders.

        “What I heard from them today is that they want to tie education and economic development together,” Mr. Todd said.

        He cited the 3-year-old engineering program as an example of universities working together on economic development efforts, and called it an important cooperative program among UK, Murray State University and PCC to attract and retain industries.
       

Three charged with stealing lottery tickets

        MAYFIELD, Ky. — Three women have been charged with stealing $300,000 in Kentucky Lottery tickets from their former employer, Smith's Grocery in Mayfield, Kentucky State Police said.

        A Graves County grand jury returned indictments last week against Brenda J. Dowdy, 50, of Benton, and Mayfield residents Diane Owens, 24, and Jan E. Myers, 49. All were charged with four counts of unlawful access to a computer, a Class C felony with a penalty of five to 10 years in prison.

        The indictments stemmed from a six-month investigation by Detective Steve Perry, said Trooper Chuck Robertson, Mayfield post public affairs officer. The women are accused of taking $300,000 worth of tickets without paying for them, Trooper Robertson said.

        The women were released Tuesday from the Graves County Jail on $5,000 bond each.

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