DANVILLE — A woman upset by a police check for alcohol at a fund-raising party is leading a petition drive aimed at allowing certain restaurants in town to serve liquor by the drink.

        Wilma Brown hopes to put the issue to a vote in the Nov. 5 general election. To do so, supporters must collect 1,313 valid signatures and file the petition with the county clerk by Sept. 5.

        Ms. Brown said the petition drive was spurred in part by a decision by Danville police to check for alcohol at the Heart of Danville Antique Preview Party, which raises funds for downtown preservation.

        Three officers showed up at the June 13 party, peaking under tables and rummaging through trash cans for any signs of alcohol.

        Ms. Brown started gathering information about local option elections after that search. “We are wet, we just don't get any revenue,” she said. “I'm sick of the little games we play.”

        Ms. Brown's petition seeks to allow restaurants that seat at least 100 people and derive at least 70 percent of their gross receipts from the sale of food to sell alcohol by the drink.

        “I saw more support for citywide liquor by the drink,” said Ms. Brown, who based the decision on phone calls she received.

        Ms. Brown said about 20 people have volunteered to help circulate the petition.

Forestry camp has highest escape rate

        DAVISBURG — A southeastern Kentucky prison that is one of the state's smallest has Kentucky's highest escape rate.

        Since 1998, 34 prisoners have escaped from the minimum-security Bell County Forestry Camp, which holds up to 230 inmates, The Courier-Journal of Louisville reported Sunday.

        The next highest rate is at the Blackburn Correctional Complex in Lexington. During the same period, 47 inmates escaped from the minimum-security prison, which originally had a capacity of 392 but expanded last year and now has more than 500 inmates.

        The most recent escape from the Bell County camp occurred June 17 when Thomas McClendon, 37, of Wayne County, walked off the 7 1/2-acre compound early in the afternoon. Mr. McClendon, who had served 20 months of a seven-year sentence for burglary and other charges, is still on the loose.

        Lisa Carnahan, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Corrections, declined to criticize Bell County.

        “We view all escapes, regardless of the situation or institution, seriously,” Ms. Carnahan said.

        Still, last year's 13 escapes from the camp, which has no perimeter fence, constituted nearly 40 percent of all escapes in the state.

        By comparison, there were eight escapes from Indiana's 10 minimum-security facilities combined, according to the Indiana Department of Corrections.

        Kentucky's 14 state-owned prisons include four to house minimum-security inmates. One other combines minimum- and medium-security prisoners. The rest are for medium- or maximum-security convicts, but escapes are few at those prisons.

        The Bell County camp houses primarily nonviolent prisoners convicted of crimes such as forgery and burglary who are within four years of release or parole hearings.

Probation officer begins suspension

        LOUISVILLE — A Kentucky probation and parole officer who was found to be drunk at work has been disciplined for the third time for alcohol-related misconduct in the past four years.

        Jimmie Welch, 52, won't be fired for his latest offense. Instead, he will serve 30 days' suspension starting today.

        Mr. Welch's district supervisor smelled alcohol on Mr. Welch at work June 4 and administered a sobriety test, according to department spokeswoman Lisa Carnahan and a state Department of Corrections letter addressed to Mr. Welch and signed by Department of Corrections Commissioner Vertner Taylor.

        The test “indicated a blood-alcohol level of .089 percent,” the letter said, exceeding the limit at which drivers are considered drunk under state law.

        A pre-termination hearing for Mr. Welch June 18 found sufficient evidence was presented to establish he committed the offense, Taylor said in the letter dated Thursday.

        Taylor stated in the letter to Welch that instead of dismissing him, Mr. Taylor decided to give him a 30-day unpaid suspension “after careful consideration of statements made by you and on your behalf, and the letter of request that you submitted at your pre-termination hearing.”

        Mr. Welch said in an interview that he and his lawyer suggested a 30-day suspension. During that time he will seek alcohol treatment at an in-patient facility and then will enter an outpatient program, he said.

        “I know I have a problem, and I'm going to do something about the problem,” Mr. Welch said.

        Kentucky Corrections policies and procedures prohibit state employees from showing up for work under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Disciplinary action for breaking that rule is not outlined in the state's policy.

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