Florida

He's a three-star player who had nine catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns, including two-one handed grabs, in Florida's Class 8-A state championship game. Yet new Kentucky coach Mark Stoops managed to go into Weston, Fla., and convince 6-1, 180-pound receiver Alex Montgomery of Cypress Bay High School to verbally commit to the Wildcats. Montgomery, who had been committed to Wake Forest, was a target of former UK coach Joker Phillips and his staff after attending Kentucky's camp last summer.

Mark Stoops' Florida ties continue to pay off as the Wildcats have received a verbal commitment from 6-1, 200-pound receiver Alex Montgomery of Weston, Fla. He had made a visit to Louisville over the weekend but picked UK over the Cardinals and South Florida. The three-star prospect also had offers from Mississippi, Wake Forest, Duke, East Carolina and North Carolina State. He visited Central Florida one week ago and Kentucky in mid-January. He made his announcement via his Twitter account @IjustWannadoME: "I made my decision and I'm going to Kentucky #BBN WELCOME" He finished the season with a bang as he had nine catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns - and also made an interception - in the Class 8A state title game.

Chris Hays is the recruiting coverage coordinator for the Orlando Sentinel and has seen the impact new Kentucky coach Mark Stoops and defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot, who came to UK¿from Florida State, have made on recruiting in Florida. “Before those guys came in, Blake McClain was the only one in Central Florida (Orlando area) getting recruited heavily by Kentucky, but now there's Jeff Badet, Asiantii Woulard, JoJo Kemp, Stafon McCray  ... and on and on. Every kid I talk to is suddenly listing Kentucky among his list of schools he wants to visit and, honestly that has not been the case around here,” Hays said.

Kathie Larie Barnett Chumbley, 56, of Winchester, wife of Manford Chumbley, passed away on Wed., Jan. 16, 2013, at the Clark Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Chumbley was born  in Winchester on June 16, 1956, to the late Hobert Linville and Stella Mae Sorrell Barnett. She was a Cubmaster of Pack 87, a member of the Girl Scouts of America and a member of the First United Methodist Church. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Tiffany Routien Bentley of Winchester; stepdaughter, Tonya Chumbley of Florida; two grandchildren, Jacob Mullins of Winchester and Corey Bentley of Versailles; brother, Billy Barnett (Sue)

Ronnie Hampton, formerly of Winchester, died in Florida. Arrangements are incomplete with Adams-Hill Funeral Home.

A man accused of having a long-standing sexual relationship with a boy will serve 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree sodomy Thursday. Robert Craker, 44, of Deland, Fla., admitted to having a sexual relationship with the boy, but questioned whether the boy was less than 12-years-old, as listed in court documents. Several times during the proceeding, he shrugged his shoulders when Clark Circuit Judge William Clouse went through the procedure and listed details of the case.

LEXINGTON - Knowing Florida is not throwing the football as much this season would have seemed to benefit Kentucky considering the Wildcats went into the season believing the defensive front would be the team's biggest strength. However, going into Saturday afternoon's game at Florida, UK¿has allowed 188 yards per game rushing - 13th in the Southeastern Conference - and now must face the league's top rusher in Mike Gillislee. He has run for 346 yards and four touchdowns in three games, including victories at Texas A&M and Tennessee.

HARRODSBURG - Deborah Butler is a Florida girl, but she keeps getting drawn back to Kentucky. And winning in Kentucky. Her latest victory came Wednesday night when she rode Bi Mi's Southern Rose to a win in the adult five-gaited pleasure class at the Mercer County Fair & Horse Show. Bi Mi's Southern Rose is trained by Danville residents Raymond and Lillian Shively, who operate DeLovely Farm in Rockport, Ind. Butler, who is also the horse's owner, bought her in Lexington last year and has fallen in love with her. “She's wonderful.

He grew up a Florida and Florida State fan, but 175-pound running back Khalid Thomas had a bigger tie to Kentucky - his brother, Kadeem, is a freshman linebacker for the Wildcats - and now the Tallahassee standout has decided he also wants to be a Wildcat. Thomas rushed for 958 yards and 16 touchdowns on 133 carries last season for Godby High School and also had 421 yards receiving. On defense, he made 17 tackles and had two interceptions. He will be a four-year starter at running back and three-year starter at defensive back, but he's projected as an offensive player in college.

A Nicholasville man was arrested June 28 on an E-warrant stating he was in probation violation from Florida stemming from a conviction of 149 count of possession of computer child pornography.  Ronald Keith Neal, 60, of 109 North Glencove, was arrested and charged by Nicholasville police at his home.  The citation states officers confirmed he was a fugitive from Florida by using the National Crime Information Center database.  ...