Featured Articles from the Central Kentucky News

LIBERTY - The odd, pungent combination of soothing aromas and smoldering debris filled the air as firefighters soaked what remained of Goose Creek Candle Co. with water Saturday morning. The first call of an intense fire at the candle factory on Campbellsville Street came in at 7 a.m. from a passing motorist and more than 200 firefighters from eight departments battled the blaze for more than four hours before finally getting it under control. The facility was declared a total loss.

A Lexington man is looking at a quarter of a century in prison after agreeing to a plea bargain on kidnapping and assault charges. Trevor Young, 22, appeared in court last Friday and learned his fate. His formal sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m., May 24. According to court records, on Nov. 19, 2011, Young restrained a woman “with the intent to inflict bodily injury upon her and with the intent to terrorize her.”  Court records also state that Young cut the woman with a knife on three separate occasions on that day. Young was sentenced for 20 years for the kidnapping and 5 years for the assault, which are to be served consecutively.

FRANKFORT - The Kentucky Court of Appeals on Friday upheld the manslaughter conviction of Jason Napier in the 2009 beating death of a 4-year-old Lincoln County boy. Napier was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in 2011 by a Lincoln Circuit Court jury in the death of Nathaniel Knox and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nathaniel died of blunt force trauma to his head. Nathaniel's mother, Jessica Noble, plead guilty in her son's death and also received a 15-year prison sentence.

For the second time in less than two months, police charged a Winchester woman with prostitution after she allegedly propositioned an undercover detective. Sherry L. Harris, also known as Sherry Schoon, 41, of West Lexington Avenue, pleaded not guilty to her latest charge Wednesday morning. According to court documents, she was free on bond from a previous prostitution charge when she was arrested Monday. Officers observed Harris at the corner of Winn and Mutual avenues Monday night when she flagged down the undercover detective and asked for a ride, the documents report.

OCALA, Fla. - Two Lincoln County men have been indicted along with eight others in connection with an alleged drug operation Florida. Bryan Russell Muse, 34, of 680 Hwy. 3249, and Noah Donald Shackleford, 43, of 207 Powell St., Stanford, were arrested in July during a routine traffic stop in Florida. Police found three kilograms of cocaine in their vehicle. The two were charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. All 10 were indicted in Orlando in August.

LIBERTY - An intense fire swept through Goose Creek Candle Co. in Liberty this morning, rendering the facility a total loss. More than 200 firefighters from seven departments battled the blaze - which was reported about 7 a.m. - for more than four hours before finally getting it under control. Hot spots and flames inside the facility on Campbellsville Street were still being reported at 12:30 p.m. Goose Creek candles are distributed nationally and the factory employed about 75 people.

Arresting suspected prostitutes hasn't curbed the problem in downtown Winchester, so police are trying a new angle. They're arresting the customers. Friday, Winchester Police conducted an undercover operation around Main Street and several side streets. In less than four hours, detectives arrested five men for prostitution and could have arrested more. “We're not looking to lock people up for months and months,” Winchester Police Capt. James Hall said. “We want the potential customers to know we're going to be out there.

LIBERTY - A judge denied bond reduction requests for two of the men charged in the murder of Gleason Pyles, in part because of concern that their connections to an outlaw motorcycle gang would allow them to be spirited away and avoid prosecution if they were released from custody. David Salyers and William Bobby Rigdon were sent back to jail under $1 million bonds after Casey Circuit Judge Judy Vance rejected their requests to have their bonds reduced, saying she believed they are a flight risk.

BOYLE DISTRICT COURT Judge Jeff Dotson presiding David J. Blevins, 23, 506 Holladay Drive, fourth-degree domestic assault, $100, 30 days, credit for two days served, remaining time probated one year. Jeanna Godbey, 24, Yosemite, careless driving and controlled substance prescription not in original container, dismissed; driving under the influence of intoxicants, second offense, $350, seven days, credit for eight hours served, license suspended 18 months; possession of a controlled substance, 90 days, consecutively, probated one year; possession of drug paraphernalia, $100.

A state law that took effect in January prompted Jessamine County Fiscal court on Tuesday to remove a provision in its employee handbook that prohibits employees from carrying firearms. House Bill 500, approved by the House and Senate in March of last year and signed into law by Gov. Beshear April 11, added to a state law that bans local governments from regulating guns, adding to the types of government agencies included. The law prohibits local governments from regulating “the manufacture, sale, purchase, taxation, transfer, ownership, possession, carrying, storage, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms, components of ammunition, firearms accessories, or combination thereof.” “This legislation makes it mandatory that fiscal courts can't have a law regulating the open carrying of firearms,”¿county attorney Brian Goettl told the court.

CRAB ORCHARD - A Lincoln County man who was arrested last week after state police found tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen items on his property was arrested again Tuesday after more stolen property was confiscated from his land. David Brummett, 45, of Simpson Road in the Crab Orchard area, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. He has been lodged in the Lincoln County Regional Jail without the option of bonding out. Brummett's adjacent home and business properties became the scene of an investigation by state police last week after Brummett's father shot himself in the head on the land.

For the Martin family, life really is a circus. Four kids, professional music careers and a family group with a growing number of performances can be a bit chaotic. Parents Paul and Jamie had that chaos in mind when they named their fledgling band The Martin Family Circus in 2010. “Jamie had decided to come, she was working a corporate job, and I was on the road with Marty Stuart. Our lives were nuts,” Paul Martin said. Winchester native Paul Martin has been performing with country musician Marty Stuart for years, and plays bass for “The Marty Stuart Show.” Previously, he has performed with the Oak Ridge Boys and Exile.

A Nicholasville man was arrested by Kentucky State Police last week and charged with four counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. Jeffrey M. Wooley, 52, appeared this past Monday for his initial arraignment and was appointed a public defender. Judge Bill Oliver entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf at that time. A joint task force of the Kentucky State Police electronic-crime branch and the FBI is investigating the case, Sgt. Bill Collins with the KSP said last Thursday.

Even if you've never been into quilts, odds are you'll be crazy about Pat Isaman, who will quilt her way into your heart during a special presentation Wednesday.  Isaman is a petite woman, but don't let that fool you. She has a huge appetite for color and design - and her hangings show it. With clear green eyes that always seem to be sparkling with new pattern ideas, we have deemed this artist The Crazy Quilter, and you have to hear about her...