Archdiocese teacher accused of '70s abuse

        LOUISVILLE — A lay teacher employed by the Archdiocese of Louisville was indicted Thursday on charges that he sexually abused two young brothers in the 1970s.

        Joseph B. Greene III was indicted on 14 counts of sodomy and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse by a Jefferson County grand jury.

        An arrest warrant was issued for Mr. Greene, a fifth-grade teacher who has worked at Our Lady of Lourdes School since 1986. He was freed from jail Monday on a $100,000 full-cash bond after his initial arrest last week.

        The indictment reflected an expanded case against Mr. Greene, 55.

        He initially was charged last week with 12 counts of sodomy and four counts of sexual abuse for alleged sexual contact with a former student over four years. Mr. Greene pleaded not guilty.

        The indictment included two additional charges of third-degree sodomy stemming from Mr. Greene's alleged sexual contact with a second boy.
       

Judge rules against nightclub ordinance

        LEXINGTON — A federal judge has struck down an adult-nightclub ordinance challenged by two clubs.

        The city ordinance required dancers and clubs to be licensed by the city and dictated dress — G-strings and pasties — and set out other rules.

        The ruling Wednesday by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Karl Forester should not have any immediate effect on Lexington's exotic dancers or the clubs where they perform. The city had already agreed to back off enforcing the 1997 ordinance while the matter was being appealed in courts.

        Judge Forester said the ordinance fails “blatantly” because it doesn't guarantee speedy judicial review of city decisions to deny licenses.

        City spokeswoman Susan Straub said the city is considering a possible appeal.
       

Ex-con accused of escape from center

        LOUISVILLE — A federal grand jury has indicted a man on a charge of escaping from a work-release center.

        David Allen Russell, 34, escaped April 1, according to the indictment returned Wednesday. He was captured soon after his escape. Mr. Russell had been at the center for two days before his escape.

        Mr. Russell was sent to the center after having served nearly 11 years in prison for trying to kill a U.S. probation officer.

        If convicted on the escape charge, Mr. Russell could receive up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and supervised release for three years.
       

Coal mine sealed to smother fire

       SLEMP, Ky. — A coal mine in Perry County was sealed Thursday so that a fire deep underground would burn itself out. State officials said it likely would take several months.

        The fire broke out Wednesday morning inside Blue Diamond Coal Co.'s No. 77 mine near Slemp in southern Perry County. No one was injured.

        Officials of the Department of Mines and Minerals said miners had found a conveyor belt on fire, and it would be extinguished with little trouble.

        Hours later, a firefighting crew was driven out of the mine by smoke, heat and lack of water pressure, the agency said in a statement Thursday.

        The mine shaft and all ventilation openings were sealed Thursday morning so the fire would eventually be smothered.
       

Landowners agree to limit development

        LEXINGTON — Mayor Pam Miller announced that 12 landowners in Fayette County have agreed to limit development on 1,572 acres, calling it a victory for farm preservation.

        The owners of Waterwild Farm were among the first farmers to sign on with the Purchase of Development Rights program.

        Landowners, in exchange for a lump-sum payment, sign a conservation easement giving up the right to use their land for anything but agriculture. The first 12 landowners to enter the program will receive a total of $4.5 million.
       

New cleanup plan at Paducah criticized

        PADUCAH — State officials are skeptical of a move to revamp the U.S. Energy Department's cleanup plan for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

        The plant for years processed uranium for nuclear weapons. The Energy Department has described its plan to overhaul the cleanup in positive terms, saying the work would accelerate “through streamlining and risk reduction.”

        The plan proposed to start with a “clean slate” at Paducah, but appears to point to less spending and fewer opportunities to hold U.S. officials accountable for failing to meet deadlines.

        “One of the concerns I have is starting with a "clean slate,'” said James Bickford, state natural resources secretary. “That bothers me a lot. ... The clean slate and acceleration don't match.”
       

Aquarium shows off Ohio River fish life

        EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Paddlefish, shovelnose sturgeon and skipjack herring are all part of the seemingly mundane Ohio River's marine life.

        Teaching the public about those species and many others that live in the 981-mileriver is the goal of a new 2,000-gallon traveling aquarium making its debut this weekend.

        “We wouldn't have the diversity of life that we have in the river if it were as polluted as people believe,” said Jeanne Ison, a spokeswoman for the Cincinnati-based Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission. “We need to change people's minds about that.”

        The $70,000 “Life Below the Waterline” exhibit will be on display Saturday through Monday at the Pagoda in downtown Evansville.

Consumers reminded of faulty dishwashers

        LOUISVILLE — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a reminder about some faulty GE and Hotpoint dishwashers made at GE's Appliance Park.

        The dishwashers can cause fires if they aren't fixed or replaced, the commission said.

        The 3.1 million dishwashers, made between 1983 and 1989, have an energy-saver switch that overheats. GE originally recalled the machines in 1999.

        The model numbers are GSD500D, GSD500G, GSD540, HDA467, HDA477 and HDA487. The serial numbers have the letter A, M, R, S, T, V or Z as their second character. A tag with the model and serial numbers is on the left or right inside edge of the tub.

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