Two men face charges in cross-burning case

The FBI announced Friday afternoon that investigators had charged two men with civil rights violations, alleging the two burned a cross in the yard of a black family in Burlington.

Suspect Matthew Scudder, 18, of Hebron, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wehrman in Covington Monday. Jimmy Foster, 19, of Independence is ordered to appear before Wehrman Thursday. The two each face 10 years in a federal prison.

Frederick Mahone said last week he moved his family out of Boone County after he found the 3-foot charred cross in his yard July 2 and discovered his car windows smashed the following day.

"Cross-burning has such a strong, visceral, insidious symbolism to it, we take it very seriously," U.S. Attorney Gregory Van Tatenhove said last week.

The family had rented a home on Rosetta Drive. The hate crime was the only one the local FBI office was investigating.

Displaced resident gets anonymous $5,000 gift

ELSMERE - A 62-year-old woman received a cashier's check for $5,000 from an anonymous person a week after she was forced to move from her mobile home in Crescent Springs.

A story on the displacement of Joyce Haggard from her home and her mounting bills was published in the Enquirer on July 7. She has since moved to Elsmere with her son, who has epilepsy.

The only message received with the check was a handwritten note that said, "I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."

The Haggards are among about 130 families who plan to move by the end of the month.

Newport passes plan to re-hire six officers

NEWPORT - City Commissioners approved a plan last week for six veteran police officers, including the police chief, to be re-hired to five-year contracts after they retire in coming months.

The practice of employees retiring from a job and returning to collect a salary and pension is known as double-dipping. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet moved to stop double-dips a week before Newport commissioners approved the re-hiring of the officers.

Cold Spring planners rule on retail projects

COLD SPRING - City planners approved one retail development, while rejecting another last week.

Members of the Cold Spring Planning Commission unanimously recommended a 16,000-square-foot Staples office supply store to city council. The proposed site of the store is Cold Spring Crossing, a shopping center being developed at the intersection of the AA Highway and U.S. 27.

Commission members also unanimously recommended city council turn down plans for a $4 million outlet mall proposed near Cold Spring Crossing shopping center along the AA Highway.