NEWS ROUND-UP -- TUESDAY AFTERNOON 3 JAN

by Michael Monks 
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NO COVINGTON COMMISSION CAUCUS MEETING TONIGHT AFTERALL

Instead, the Gang of Five will meet in closed Executive Session at 4:00PM, according to Commissioner Shawn Masters with whom I just spoke. That means there will in fact be no resolution passed opposing the proposed redistricting of Covington's 65th House District that will cede portions of the City to the 67th, which is represented by Campbell County Democrat Dennis Keene. The next scheduled meeting is January 10, next Tuesday.

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SUSPECTS FROM COVINGTON IN TOYS FOR TOTS THEFT APPEAR IN COURT

Two suspects picked up on Russell Street following the stealing of presents from a Toys for Tots warehouse in St. Bernard were arraigned in Kenton County Circuit Court today:

Nathan Rose and Jessie Simpson are both charged with receiving stolen property and tampering with evidence. Both were arraigned in Kenton County court today. Rose appeared via video from jail, Simpson made the $2500 bond and showed up in person. When Rose said he couldn't make bond...the judge added that it was probably safer for him in jail, since he's accused of stealing from the Marines Toys for Tots fundraiser.

Local 12 (Video)
MORE: FOX 19 
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KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECONVENES TODAY
The House of Representatives welcomed themselves back and went through a few procedural items before adjourning for the day. They will meet again tomorrow at 2:00PM. In the Senate, Sen. Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown), whose district includes South Covington, filed two redistricting bills. 

"Redistricting is going to be the dominating topic we're going to be concentrating on initially," said House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook. "We're hoping to have that completed and out of the way within the first two weeks."Gavels fell in the House and Senate shortly after noon, signaling the start of the legislative session. One of the first actions was the filing of a proposal that would redraw boundary lines around the state's legislative and congressional districts.Always contentious, redistricting occurs every 10 years to account for population changes in the Census. In Kentucky, lawmakers have sole discretion in changing boundary lines."We need to move on it as quickly as possible, get it behind us, and just go on," said House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg. "You're going to have a lot of people upset about it. Population shifts mean that people move out of districts they're comfortable with and into districts that they may not be comfortable with. That's just what the federal courts say we have to do, so we have to do it."

Herald-Leader/Roger Alford  
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Webb-Edgington returns to Frankfort and the campaign trail:

AleciaEdgington Alecia Edgington 

Back in Frankfort today. As the General Assembly begins, I will continue fighting for conservative values--a fight I plan on taking to DC!

1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply

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WHOA -- SOMEONE THREATENED TO KILL GOVERNOR BESHEAR?
Of course it was someone from Ohio:

A federal grand jury in Lexington charged Hargreaves in August with sending Beshear a message over the Internet saying, "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ... WATCH YOUR BACK PIG!" He has pleaded not guilty.(snip)
According to federal prosecutors, Hargreaves sent an Internet message to Beshear containing the threat. Federal investigators raided Hargreaves' home and arrested him in September. Since then, he's been held in the Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, awaiting trial.Hargreaves has written five letters to the federal court clerk in Lexington asking that the case be dismissed. In one of the letters, all of which were included in court filings, Hargreaves notes that three weeks passed between the message to Beshear and his arrest. That's proof, Hargreaves wrote, that "neither party beleaved that myself was a threat to the governor, nor did either party beleave that the statement in question was a credible threat."

The suspect is trying to plead insanity now. Read the whole hot mess at the link.
Associated Press via Herald-Leader/Brett Barrouquere  

Who would want to kill this man?

NOTE: Governor Beshear will deliver his "State of the Commonwealth" address before the legislature tomorrow.
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SEN. RAND PAUL TARGETS HIS FATHER'S OPPONENTS
Kentucky's junior Senator took aim at Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum on CBS's The Early Show:

On CBS’s “The Early Show,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said of Santorum, “On economic issues, like foreign aid — he’s voted for foreign aid repeatedly, he’s voted to double the size of the Department of Education. Old-school Reagan Republicans don’t believe in the Department of Education — Rick Santorum voted to double the size of the Department of Education.” Moving on to Mitt Romney, the Kentucky senator said the former Massachusetts governor, too, would not be strong enough to beat the president. “He supported the linchpin of ‘Obamacare’ — the individual mandate — and he supported the bank bailout,” he said. “All of these things wrapped together don’t make Romney a good opponent for Obama, either.”

Politico 
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33 PEOPLE RELEASED FROM JAIL WILL RESIDE IN KENTON COUNTY
The move to save money that has ticked off prosecutors is in effect today and a thousand inmates are being released from prisons and jails:

Amber Goerler received a five-year sentence in December 2009 for serving as a lookout while Travis White’s mutilated body was rolled up in a red carpet, stuffed in a trash can and dumped near railroad tracks in Covington. The fact the 22-year-old is among 990 convicted felons set be paroled Tuesday as part of a sweeping penal code reform designed to reduce prison populations and costs angers White’s mother. Others to be paroled include armed robbers, burglars, arsonists and child molesters. January’s release will be followed by an additional 300 early releases each month until the state achieves an annual cost saving of about $42 million. “It is just scary,” White’s mother, Carolyn Buxton, said of the release. “Who in their right mind would think this is a good idea? I sure don’t.”

Cincinnati Enquirer/Jim Hannah  
CHECK OUT THE ENQUIRER'S SEARCHABLE DATABASE TO SEE WHO WILL RESIDE IN KENTON COUNTY: Click Here 
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FREE TRAVEL LINKED TO CONTRACTS AWARDED BY KY DEPT OF EDUCATION
This reeks like all those feral pigs runnin' hogwild across the Bluegrass:

Ten school superintendents went on the trip, which cost Pearson $60,000. While the foundation described the visit as a way “to exchange ideas on creating schools for the 21st century,” there was ample time for play. “Everybody’s highlight of Canberra was to get to see the kangaroos,” Ms. Young said on a video produced by the foundation. Six months later, in Frankfort, Ky., Ms. Young sat on a committee interviewing executives from three companies bidding to run the state’s testing program. While CTB/McGraw-Hill submitted the lowest bid, by $2.5 million, Ms. Young and the other committee members recommended Pearson.

Nice. Read the whole thing at The New York Times.  Yes, The New York Times published this potentially embarrassing report for the whole world to read about us. 
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AND SINCE KENTUCKY IS BEING EMBARRASSED IN NATIONAL MEDIA...
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JACK ABRAMOFF TO SPEAK TO KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE TOMORROW ON ETHICS
Yes, on ethics. Jack Abramoff.

Seasoned by a December appearance at Harvard Law School and about 200 interviews on radio and television including “60 Minutes” and “The Colbert Report,” Abramoff will be paid $5,000 plus travel expenses for an hour of his thoughts tomorrow in Frankfort, Kentucky. His fees largely go toward $44 million in restitution to the Indian tribes and others he pleaded guilty to defrauding, he says.

At least we're doing our part to reimburse all the people he screwed.
Bloomberg  
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FREE ART CLASSES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY AT BAKER-HUNT
It's this Saturday (January 7) from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. 

Experience the magic of Baker Hunt through a sampler of our classes for youth and adults. Meet our teachers. Choose from short sessions of Painting, Clay, Drawing, Drumming, Yoga, Tai Chi, and more! Or just come enjoy our beautiful campus!

For more information, call 859.431.0020 or visit them online by clicking here. 
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NO MORE JOURNEY 94.1 -- IT'S NOW A COUNTRY STATION!
Think about how many different formats that station has gone through in the last twenty years? Anyone remember WINK 94.1? MIX 94.1? Now it's "Great Country, the 90s to Now". I'll stick with WNKR 106.7 which plays the best country music from the 80s, 90s and now and UK basketball games in addition to Kentucky headline news. 
Cincinnati Enquirer/John Kiesewetter 
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LATONIA BURGER JOINT OFFERS PEANUT BUTTER BACON DONUT BURGER
And it's only $7.99! With fries and a drink! If you're prepared to break your New Year diet resolution in a big way, head on down to Bard's Burgers at 3620 Decoursey Avenue. Peanut butter, bacon and a burger patty on a glazed donut. They didn't offer any pictures on their Facebook page but this should give you an idea:

Image via

Why does it look so good? Why?!