http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/ Allen County, KY News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/4d4b2ea44f50cdce7e8a329589c3c88e.html The state association for Indiana's 1008 township trustees is asking them to pass along more of their tax dollars to battle efforts in the General Assembly next year to trim township government http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/52ffaaf1cecbeb38f698773bde264ddd.html More than 036;663000 was given to candidates for November state and local races in southcentral Kentucky about half of which has been spent according to campaign finance reports filed this week with the Kentucky Registry of Election and Finance The candidate with the largest war chest remaining for the waning days until the Nov 4 election is Republican David Givens The Green County farmer still had 036;100000 left to spend for the 9th District Senate seat and could be raising more money going into the stretchHis Democratic opponent Barren County broadcaster Steve Newberry actually took in more money than Givens 045; 036;177270 to 036;15937621 045; but has spent more than 036;11858738 thus far A big portion of Newberry8217;s spending has included a television advertising campaign that began weeks ago as well as a great deal of money at area radio stations and newspapersAlso on Newberry8217;s expense list is 036;17250 to a professional campaign fundraiserMeanwhile postage signage and newspaper and radio advertisements were the bulk of Givens8217; expensesThe independent candidate in that race Gary Elliott of Allen County has taken in just 036;1724 all but 036;100 of which came from his personal finances and spent 036;191599The state Republican Caucus Campaign Committee poured money into Givens8217; coffers to the tune of 036;65200 He also received 036;2500 total from three political action committeesNewberry received 036;35000 from the Democratic Party caucus campaign committee and 036;8300 from PACs three of which were based out of stateBoth candidates received considerable support from residents in Warren County and elsewhere out of their district which encompasses Allen Simpson Barren Edmonson Green and Metcalfe counties8220;It is really interesting if you compare Kentucky to other states because there really is a lot of money that comes in for targeted races8221; said Scott Lasley a Western Kentucky University associate professor of political science8220;Here you also have Democrats who want desperately to get control of the Senate back in part because of the way they lost the majority in the first place8221; said Lasley who also is vice chairman of the Warren County Republican Party8220;Every race they see as a possible pickup both parties will put a lot of money into them8221;The 9th District is up for grabs since Republican Richie Sanders decided not to seek reelectionBecause there are so few contested races in the House both state parties have more money to target specific races Lasley saidAnother highly backed race is that for the 3rd District Senate seat for Logan Todd and Christian counties in which incumbent Democrat Joey Pendleton is running against Republican Tom Jones both from HopkinsvillePendleton8217;s campaign took in 036;12863693 including 036;13000 from PAC and executive committee receipts Jones took in 036;17055 from the Republican Party caucus campaign committee and PACs; his receipts totaled 036;38631 and he has spent 036;3520977Pendleton has about half of his remaining receipts left to spendReceipts were relatively high for the 21st District representative race for Warren County featuring incumbent Republican Jim DeCesare against retired educator and Democrat Charlene RaboldRabold took in nearly double what DeCesare did with a total of 036;5811665 More than 036;22000 of her funding came from PACs and the Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee She has spent a little more than 036;7500 with the largest check being written to Research for Change in Denver at a cost of 036;4500According to that organization8217;s Web site it is a political consulting firm specializing in public opinion polling for state legislative candidates and state and local issue groupsDeCesare had PAC receipts of 036;4650 among his total of 036;2608729 That is coupled with a carryover balance of 036;2375130 from a previous reporting period DeCesare has spent 036;888001 and has 036;4095858 remaining in his war chest His expenses were for printing posters and various campaign memorabiliaBetween the races for state representative for the 16th and 22nd districts 036;50562 was raised about half of which was spentBoth races feature newcomers In the 16th District which covers Logan and Todd counties Republican Sheldon Baugh decided to not seek reelectionIn the 22nd district which includes Allen Simpson and five precincts in Warren County Democrat Rob Wilkey decided to not seek reelectionIn the 16th both candidates Democrat Martha Jane King and Republican Tim Thompson both received a small amount of PAC and executive committee contributionsKing who has been active in the Logan County Democratic Party received a total of 036;6795 and has spent 036;371525 of it Thompson who is in the forest products business and is a Todd County resident received 036;16771 and spent a little more than 036;6000The 22nd District features Democrat Shawn McPherson and Republican Wilson Stone Both are Allen County businessmenMcPherson received numerous individual contributions totaling 036;14296 some of which were as small as 036;10 to the maximum 036;1000 He received no PAC or executive committee contributions His expenses totaled a little more than 036;10000 for signage advertising building rental and 036;930 to 1st Vote Strategies in Frankfort among other thingsStone has taken in 036;12700 mostly in contributions of 036;200 and more His expenses totaled about 036;4000 mostly for newspaper and radio advertisementsIn the nonpartisan Bowling Green mayoral race 036;2333995 has been received by candidates incumbent Elaine Walker and her challenger city commissioner Brian StrowStrow8217;s largest local contributor was former Democratic judgeexecutive candidate Harold Brantley who also is an appraiser Brantley contributed 036;500 In all Strow took in 036;6591Walker8217;s largest contribution came from her own checkbook: 036;183595 Her largest individual contributions were two 036;1000 checks one from John Fellonneau who is listed as the president of Southern Recycling and another from Bowling Green physician James PhillipsThe two combined have spent just a little more than 28 percent of what they took in mostly for advertising postage Web design and campaign materials http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/7f98c7b1f8e88c791c47437c6adbfff3.html The rate of people without health insurance in Warren and several surrounding counties exceeds that of the uninsured statewide according to data released Thursday by the US Census Bureau The bureau released its Small Area Health Insurance Estimates on Thursday documenting the percentage of the population under 65 years of age who are without health insuranceCompiled from various sources including population estimates federal tax returns and Medicaid participation records the data shows that as of 2005 a total of 565192 Kentuckians under 65 045; 156 percent of the total population of that group in the state 045; were without health insuranceThat percentage outperforms the national rate of 172 percent but many Barren River area counties have greater rates of uninsured than the statewide totalIn Warren County the portion of people under 65 without insurance is 198 percent translating to a total of 16947 uninsuredAllen Butler and Edmonson counties also reported higher rates of uninsured than the statewide rateWith 234 percent of its under65 population without insurance Edmonson County has the fourthhighest rate of uninsured in the stateCarlisle County has the largest proportion of uninsured at 257 percent while Bell County has the lowest rate at 97 percentRon Crouch director of the Kentucky State Data Center said that Kentucky may be outperforming the national rate of uninsured by virtue of having a population that is less transitory and with a smaller proportion of migrants without insuranceTexas and New Mexico are the two states with the largest percentage of uninsured8220;The health care crisis has been very problematic for the uninsured8221; Crouch said 8220;If you don8217;t have a job and don8217;t qualify for a government health care program such as Medicaid you8217;re part of a population that finds itself at risk8221;The lowest rates of uninsured are found mainly in eastern Kentucky counties traditionally thought of as economically distressedCrouch said that is not necessarily surprising because of the number of people who may qualify for Medicaid due to economic constraintsWhen told that Edmonson County had the fourthhighest rate of uninsured Crouch said it may be connected with the struggle many companies face providing employees with health coverage8220;People who are uninsured there and in other counties with higher rates of uninsured may be unemployed or may be working for companies that just can8217;t offer insurance8221; Crouch said 8220;Some people may not be poor enough to qualify for a government health program like Medicaid but can8217;t get coverage through their employer so they8217;re really caught between a rock and a hard place8221;Locally the thousands of people without insurance have limited options for health care often resulting in costly emergency room visits to address medical issuesIncreasingly though more uninsured patients have visited Fairview Community Health CenterOpened in 2001 the center offers primary medical prenatal preventive and some dental care along with lab services serving patients in Warren Butler and Edmonson countiesUninsured patients who visit the clinic must pay a minimum 036;10 copayment and can apply for participation in a sliding fee scale program allowing them to pay based on their ability to do soCenter Executive Director Chris Keyser said that the clinic has taken on a greater number of uninsured patients to the point that it is now outnumbering the patients on Medicaid8220;In 2001 we saw 35 percent of patients who selfpaid and 52 percent on Medicaid and last year 55 percent of our patients were uninsured and 34 percent were on Medicaid so there8217;s been a complete flop8221; Keyser saidIn addition to the facility on Seventh Avenue FCHC operates a clinic four days a week in Butler CountyKeyser said she believes the growing number of uninsured patients visiting Fairview reflects a growth in the overall population of uninsured in the area8220;People are calling us every day and telling us 8216;I8217;m uninsured and I just can8217;t get in anywhere8217; 8221; Keyser saidThe clinic sees about 10000 different patients annually which amounts to roughly 40000 visits a year and Keyser said that this year and last year saw the clinic nearly stretch itself beyond its ability to care for the patients who visit thereIt is funded through revenue from Medicaid patients and patients without insurance a federal grant and allocations from the city and county which Keyser said has been decreasing8220;If I can8217;t find a way to figure out how to address that chronic number of uninsured I may have to set a cap on how many more patients we8217;ll be able to see8221; Keyser said 8220;There are not enough medical providers in this community who will see everyone who is uninsured8221;Health Insurance Coverage StatusPercentage of people under 65 in US without insurance: 172Percentage of people under 65 in Kentucky without insurance: 156Allen CountyNumber of residents under 65 years of age 045; 16267Number of uninsured residents 045; 2587Percentage uninsured 8212; 159Barren County34543 under 65Number uninsured 045; 5386Percentage uninsured 8212; 156Butler County11537 under 65Number uninsured 045; 2107Percentage uninsured 8212; 183Edmonson County10292 under 65Number uninsured 045; 2404Percentage uninsured 045; 234Logan County23399 under 65Number uninsured 045; 3962Percentage uninsured 8212; 169Simpson County14913 under 65Number uninsured 8212; 2039Percentage uninsured 8212; 137Warren County85690 under 65Number uninsured 8212; 16947Percentage uninsured 8212; 198Total196641 under 65Number uninsured 045; 35432Percentage uninsured 045; 180 http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/e8659297ebc1de19050056f6791275f1.html When the Logan County High School football team hosts Allen CountyScottsville tonight the Cougars will honor one of their most decorated players http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/6f5ae031490e82d99a5bf461fd026ee1.html With its 12th station ready for operation and installation planned at 13 more sites the Kentucky Mesonet is continuing to grow toward its goal of a statewide automated environmental monitoring network of approximately 100 stations http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/23e906eb7edcb3584ca126b79b171900.html A man accused of murder in Allen County pleaded guilty Friday in US District Court to weapons charges potentially clearing the way for a double murder trial to begin early next year Lonnie Freeman 40 of Etoile pleaded guilty Friday to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession an unregistered shortbarrel rifleThe plea agreement calls for Freeman to receive a sevenyear sentence for the crimes said Larry Fentress assistant US attorney for the Louisville officeAlthough the weapon belonged to someone else Freeman was in possession of a shotgun with a barrel of less than 18 inches in March 2006 in Barren County Fentress saidThe plea agreement states that if the sevenyear sentence is not approved by the court Freeman can withdraw the pleaUS District Judge Joseph McKinley said he would not make any decision about the sentence until a presentence report on Freeman was completedAn issue in this case is that Freeman under federal standards qualifies as a career offender for which guidelines could have placed his recommended sentence higher said federal public defender Jamie Haworth during Friday8217;s hearingFreeman and Dustin L Asher 32 of Glasgow are each facing two counts of murder and two counts of tampering with physical evidenceThe men are accused of killing Daniel Froedge 38 of Park City and Kelly O Johnson 32 of Smiths Grove then setting fire to a vehicle with the bodies inside Their bodies were found July 28 2005 on a gravel road near ScottsvilleThe case was tried initially in October 2006 and ended in a hung juryThe new trial was scheduled during a hearing Friday in Warren Circuit Court to start March 17 The case was moved to Warren County due to publicity surrounding the initial trial in Scottsville; it will be tried in front of Warren Circuit Judge Steve WilsonFreeman8217;s sentencing is scheduled for Dec 19 in US District Court in Bowling Green The retrial of the murder in state court was delayed twice while waiting for the federal case to be resolved; federal authorities would not release Freeman to state custody to appear in courtWith sentencing completed Freeman should be able to appear at the next murder hearing which is scheduled for Jan 9 http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/803e653b3aad2c1143e3308a0c4f77de.html The Glasgow golf teams each picked up wins on Wednesday http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/kentucky/allen-county/content/62215444119519f13ba6a40b97201118.html A Scottsville Police Department officer has filed a lawsuit against a former Allen County Sheriff8217;s deputy Sheriff Sam Carter and the county after he was shot near the groin with a Taser Officer Todd Bransford of Scottsville was shot in both upper thighs June 22 by a Taser fired by Deputy Robert W Gaston under a table at a Scottsville restaurant according to the lawsuit filed by Bowling Green attorney B Alan SimpsonThe shooting was intentional and Bransford 8220;was placed in imminent fear and reasonable apprehension of his own physical safety8221; according to the suit 045; which claims Gaston8217;s conduct was reckless wanton and maliciousScottsville Police Chief Don Rutherford stated shortly after the incident that he thought the shooting was an accident and that the men had been joking with each other leading up to the incidentSimpson bristles at that 045; Tasers do not arm themselves aim themselves or shoot by themselves he saidThe situation started because Gaston would come by Bransford8217;s office and pull the trigger of an unloaded Taser making a popping sound Simpson said8220;The reason for it was because my client had said he didn8217;t want to be 8216;Tased8217; and didn8217;t want a Taser because he didn8217;t want to go through the Taser training8221; Simpson saidGaston had been taunting Bransford and Bransford would respond by placing his weapon on the table Simpson saidDuring the incident at the restaurant Bransford fell after being shot and injured his elbow He could not work for about a month Simpson saidThe shooting led to Gaston8217;s suspension of one day or half a day Simpson saidAll questions regarding the lawsuit were directed to Allen County Attorney William Hagenbuch who did not respond to calls from the Daily NewsThe suit claims the Allen County Sheriff8217;s Office and the county were negligent in the hiring training and continued employment of Gaston Both the sheriff8217;s office and county failed to enforce policies and procedures relating to the use of departmentissued weapons the suit claims and the sheriff8217;s office and county continued to employ Gaston despite numerous complaints regarding his employmentGaston was later fired from the sheriff8217;s office Simpson said after an unrelated incident in which he was involved in a dispute during a traffic stopBransford is seeking undisclosed punitive damages medical expenses attorney fees and court costs in the suitGaston is also the subject of another lawsuit filed in 2007 for injuries suffered by three people in a March 2006 crash which the plaintiffs claim was caused by the deputy8217;s reckless drivingThe incident involved Gaston going through a red light while his lights and sirens were on while responding to a burglary call The lawsuit alleges Gaston was traveling at a high rate of speed and did not use proper caution