Michigan

Andrew Bentz of Nicholasville received a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry from Spring Arbor University during commencement exercises Saturday, May 15. Spring Arbor University is a private, four-year, Christian liberal-arts university located 8 miles west of Jackson, Mich. With a total enrollment around 4,000, the university is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church of North America and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Danville's Bani Diaz took third place in the Collegiate Freestyle Tournament and lost both matches in the High School Folkstyle Tournament on Saturday at the United States Girls Wrestling Association National Championship in Livonia, Mich. In the collegiate freestyle tournament, Diaz, wrestling at 105 pounds, opened with a 9-2 win over Vanessa Nordstrom of Missouri. She lost 10-6 to Stephanie Waters of Illinois and then lost by technical fall to Rachel Bernardez. She bounced back to beat Missouri's Christa Camarillo 13-1.

HONOR University of Michigan: Chiara Maria Levin was selected for membership into Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honor Society. She is a graduate of Danville High School and the daughter of William R. and Maria Grazia N. Levin of Danville. A senior French major, she wants to work in international business, perhaps in public relations.

Michael James Smith, 52, of Ashland, Ky., died Sunday at the VA Hospital on Cooper Drive. He was a native of Michigan, he was born Dec. 2, 1956, to the late Earl and Teresea Smith. He was a welder for Ford Motor Company for many years and a U.S. Marine veteran. Survivors include his wife of 18 years Linda Medley Smith, two children Stanley and Jillian Smith, two brothers Dennis and Patrick Smith, a granddaughter Kaylnn, and a godson Jason S. Moore. There will be a private service held in Tranquility, Ohio.

LEIGHTON KATHERINE DAVIS Christopher Davis and Heather Davis announce the birth of their daughter, Leighton Katherine Davis. She was born June 12 at St. Joseph East Hospital in Lexington. Her grandparents are Meriane and Richard Thornton of Rowlette, Texas and Don and Judy Davis, of Winchester. She has one older sister, Lauren Ashleigh Vara, and two older brothers, Christian Timothy Vara and Holden Christopher Davis. BILLY JOE HOOD AND JADA LORRAINE HOOD B.J. and Ashley Hood of Clay City announce the birth of their twins, Billy Joe and Jada Lorraine Hood.

Kenneth Kretzer, 72, of New Haven Road, Lancaster, died Friday, March 14 at his home. A native of Johnson County, he was born Feb. 16, 1936 to the late Burdette Kretzer and Bertha McKnight Kretzer. He was a retired carpenter and a member of Bryantsville United Methodist Church. He was also preceded in death by two daughters, Sharon Marlene Kretzer and Erin Kretzer; and three brothers, Ollie Kretzer, Burdette Clifton Kretzer, II, and Henry Kretzer. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Kretzer of Lancaster; four sons, Kenneth Morris Kretzer of Ohio, Jeffery Burdette (Melissa)

The college football season won?t start for almost three months, but this week begins an important time for college football recruiting. Most schools are now having camps that bring players to campus. While most of the youngsters are there to improve their individual skills or as part of a team camp, the elite players are at Division I camps for unofficial visits and other talented players are there for what amounts to tryouts. Then there is Murray offensive lineman Corey Zirbel.

A list of the performers scheduled for the 2011 Great American Brass Band Festival. June 9th-12th 2011 Advocate Brass Band Danville, Kentucky Soul Rebels Brass Band New Orleans, Louisiana Natalie Dungey Issaquah, Washington Central Ohio Brass Band – 2010 NABBA Runner Up Galloway, Ohio Circle City Sidewalk Stompers Indianapolis, Indiana London Citadel Band of The Salvation...

Mary Lorene Stonebraker, 84, of Culleoka, Tenn., died Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Maury Regional Hospital in Columbia, Tenn. A native of Lincoln County, she was born Sunday, Sept. 7, 1924 to the late Obie Lou and Minnie McCowan Martin. She was a retired baker for the food service department at the University of Michigan and the widow of Howard S. Stonebraker. She was also preceded in death by five brothers, Thurman, Monsdie, Elburon, Lloyd, and John Martin. Survivors include children, Kenneth (Janet)

Charles Isaiah Gauntt, 27, of Moreland, died Wednesday, Sept. 19 in Danville. A native of Mt. Holly, N.J., he was born Jan. 13, 1980 to Robert Guy Gauntt of Michigan and Shirley Guarnieri Hickey of Harrodsburg. He was a former construction worker. Other survivors include his wife, Shawna Nicole Bodner Gauntt; daughter, Elizabeth Saryn Gauntt; brothers, Andrew Ray Gauntt, Cody Guy Gauntt, and Mason Douglas Hickey, all of Harrodsburg; sisters, Hilary Amelia Gauntt of Hustonville and Danielle Alicia Stratton of Harrodsburg; father and mother-in-law, David and Connie Bodner of Moreland; maternal grandmother, Teddy Jean Guarnieri of Burlington, N.J.; maternal grandparents, Charles and Evelyn Major of Conover, N.C.; and paternal grandmother, Nancy Gauntt of Crab Orchard.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - Alex Bentley was Penn State's offensive star Sunday with 24 points. Still, the senior guard had no qualms about giving credit for the team's 20th victory to the defense. "We needed more energy on the defensive end and we just needed to get after it; that's when the game started to turn around," Bentley said of eighth-ranked Penn State overcoming a slow start to overwhelm No. 23 Michigan State, 71-56. Maggie Lucas added 19 points as the Lady Lions (20-3, 10-1)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Point guard Ryan Harrow finished with 15 points and a season-high eight assists, and Kentucky rolled Eastern Michigan for a 90-38 win Wednesday night in the Wildcats' final nonconference game of the season. Harrow scored in double figures for his fourth straight game after tallying a total of 14 points in his first five of the season. Kentucky (9-4) never struggled against the Eagles (7-6), using nine unanswered points to create separation early and a 17-2 run midway through the first half to pull away.

LEXINGTON - It was a blowout win against an obviously overmatched opponent, but this 90-38 victory over Eastern Michigan Wednesday could be just what Kentucky needed going into Southeastern Conference play next week. The Wildcats were coming off a three-point loss at Louisville where they rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half and had a chance to win. But could they sustain that effort? As far as Eastern Michigan coach Rob Murphy was concerned, they did. “We ran into a really good team and there was not much we could do,” said Murphy.

Big Blue Madness started a day early for Kentucky. James Young, a versatile 6-6 wing player from Michigan, verbally committed to coach John Calipari's Wildcats during a show on ESPNU's “ESPN Recruiting Nation” Thursday. The Michigan product is a consensus top-10 player in the 2013 recruiting class and his commitment came one week after twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison of Texas, both top five players, announced they would sign with Kentucky. Young, the top-ranked player in Michigan, had narrowed his college list to Michigan State, Syracuse and Kansas along with Kentucky but had been considered a strong lean to UK by recruiting analysts even before the Harrisons committed because often he had noted that UK¿was No. 1 on his list.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)- Josh Clemons didn't want to brag on himself. He said his 87-yard touchdown run that eventually proved to be Kentucky's game-winning score over Central Michigan on Saturday wasn't because he was faster than the defense he outran. The 5-foot-10, 201-pound running back also said it also wasn't because he was tougher than the would-be tacklers that bounced off him behind the line of scrimmage. "I don't know about all that," Clemons said. "I was just trying to get out of there.

LEXINGTON - If there is a turning point in Joker Phillips' coaching career, he may well look back and remember one fourth-down stop Saturday. Kentucky was on the verge of the unthinkable - losing to Central Michigan at home. The Wildcats were trailing 13-6, had just 114 yards of total offense and had missed scoring opportunities again when the Chippewas went for fourth down at their own 35-yard line midway through the third period. Granted, Central Michigan needed only inches, but the safe and smart play would have been to punt the ball away to a Kentucky¿offense that had done nothing in the second half on two possessions.

LEXINGTON- Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton didn't notice much of a difference between the season opener and the home opener. “Last week we played the worse game we could play offensively,” he said. “This week we probably played the second worse game we could have played offensively.” The difference was Kentucky's ability to make plays, especially in the second half of a 27-13 triumph over Central Michigan Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium. “We made things happen,” Newton said afterward.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky's offense ought to know what to expect from Central Michigan on Saturday. “Their defense gave up 130 (actually 137) yards (against South Carolina State in a 21-6 win) and swarmed the ball,” UK¿coach Joker Phillips said. “They will be foaming at the mouth to play our offense.” That's because the Wildcats managed just 190 total yards in a 14-3 win over Western Kentucky and have plenty of questions going into Saturday's home open with Central Michigan. Kentucky junior guard Larry Warford knows the line, which was supposed to be UK's offensive strength, did not play well last week and would not use an injury to starting center Matt Smith that kept him out of the game or a knee sprain by tackle Billy Joe Murphy that might sideline him Saturday as excuses.

A list of the performers scheduled for the 2011 Great American Brass Band Festival. June 9th-12th 2011 Advocate Brass Band Danville, Kentucky Soul Rebels Brass Band New Orleans, Louisiana Natalie Dungey Issaquah, Washington Central Ohio Brass Band – 2010 NABBA Runner Up Galloway, Ohio Circle City Sidewalk Stompers Indianapolis, Indiana London Citadel Band of The Salvation...

The Kentucky School for the Deaf boys turned up the heat on defense in a 49-25 victory Thursday over Michigan School for the Deaf on the opening night of the Kentucky Classic at Thomas Hall. The Colonels pulled away to a 24-10 halftime lead, then outscored the Tartars 14-5 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. KSD had 20 steals, led by Joseph Banks with five and Michael Miller with four. KSD coach Mike Yance said he was pleased with their performance on defense, though he said they could have done more on offense.