Kenton Co. cities seek input on merger

        VILLA HILLS — Two neighboring Kenton County cities want residents to give their opinions on a possible merger at upcoming meetings.

        A yearlong merger study presented in January evaluated the pros and cons of merging Crescent Springs and Villa Hills, but offered no recommendation. A majority of Crescent Springs (population 3,931) and Villa Hills (population 7,948) would have to approve a merger at the polls.

        Villa Hills City Council has set a special meeting for March 22 to discuss the merger study and receive input on it from residents. The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at River Ridge Elementary School.

        Residents also can e-mail a council member or send a postcard to the city of Villa Hills, 719 Rogers Road., Villa Hills, KY 41017 saying whether or not they want to pursue the merger issue, said Council Member Bob Krems.

        Crescent Springs City Council also wants to hear what its residents think of the merger study. Residents can give their input at the March 25 council meeting. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Crescent Springs city building, 739 Buttermilk Pike.
       

Erlanger group plans free family outing

        ERLANGER — A free family outing tonight will feature a DJ, door prizes, singing, dancing and refreshments.

        The fun night will be -10 p.m. at the Dietz Auditorium. It's sponsored by the Erlanger Elsmere Family Resource Center and the Tichenor Youth Service Center.
       

Restaurant patrons may get to BYOB

        FRANKFORT — BYOB, indeed.

        Restaurants with wine licenses could allow patrons to bring their own bottles — a special vintage, perhaps, or the product of one's personal winery — under a bill the Kentucky Senate passed Friday.

        Bring your own does not mean pour your own, however. The restaurant would charge a “corkage” fee for serving the wine, according to the bill sponsor, Sen. Larry Saunders.

        Saunders, D-Louisville, said the legislation would allow restaurants to do what private clubs already can do. The bill would not apply to bars. It passed 24-5 and was sent to the House. The legislation is Senate Bill 123.
       

Vatican denounces Louisville conference

        LOUISVILLE — A weekend conference promoting the acceptance of gays and lesbians in the Catholic Church is being denounced by the Vatican.

        An archbishop, Tarcisio Bertone, who promotes Catholic doctrine and morals for the Vatican, is forbidding the conference from conducting Masses.

        But organizers say they plan to hold a Mass on Saturday, arguing that it is permissible under church law.

        New Ways Ministry, the sponsor of the conference, “does not promote the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church,” which teaches that sex outside of marriage is sinful, Archbishop Bertone wrote to Archbishop Thomas Kelly, head of the Louisville archdiocese.

        “Because of the confusion and scandal which will inevitably arise from this event,” Bishop Bertone asked Bishop Kelly to tell participants they “do not have permission to celebrate the Eucharist as part of their conference.”

        Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways, said the organization checked with canon lawyers and determined that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith cannot forbid such a Mass, and that Archbishop Kelly himself did not ban it.

        Mr. DeBernardo said the Mass would not be a protest but would emphasize prayer for the unity of the church.

        “There's a sense of energy that people are able to claim their rights as Catholics, and to do so peacefully without anger and without malice,” he said.

        Organizers expect about 500 to attend the conference, which is being held at the Galt House Hotel.
       

Police officer off the job after DUI

        LEXINGTON — A police officer has been relieved of duty following a misdemeanor drunken driving charge this week.

        Patrolman Bobby Joe Hall, 32, was arrested Wednesday and charged with a DUI first offense after his Toyota 4Runner collided with a Jeep Cherokee at a Lexington intersection, according to police and court records.

        No one was injured.

        A blood-alcohol test indicated Officer Hall's level to be .228. The state's legal limit is 0.08.

        Officer Hall entered a not-guilty plea Thursday.

3 teens charged in robbery, killing

        NICHOLASVILLE — A Jessamine County grand jury indicted three teen-agers on robbery and murder charges in the January shooting death of a boarding-school student.

        Ryan Christopher Harris, 18, was robbed of $6 and called 911 on his cell phone after he was attacked on Jan. 5, court documents show. The indictment said someone fired at his car, hitting him in the back.

        The grand jury on Wednesday indicted Daniel Gordin, 16, of Lexington, on charges of murder, first-degree robbery and first-degree wanton endangerment. Joey Reynolds, 17,of Lexington, and Summer Turner, 18, of Nicholasville, were indicted on charges of murder and complicity to first-degree robbery.

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