Minors

LEXINGTON - Ramon Harris wasn't sure until after Saturday's morning practice if he was going to be able to play in that night's Blue-White game. The Kentucky forward came down on a teammate's foot and felt his right knee buckle in a practice eight days earlier, and he feared the worst. "I did because I was in a whole lot of pain, and I didn't know what was going on," Harris said. "When you just grab for your knee, a whole lot of things go through your head. So we went and took an MRI and got the results and was told it was just a sprain, and I felt a lot more relieved.

Dear Editor, I had to write and address the issue of young people partying in Mercer County. I was wondering when the police in this town are going to step up and crack down on the adults who allow minors to party at their houses with them and then allow them to leave. Don't get me wrong, I have been to my share of parties, but when are people going to grow up and step up and say enough is enough? There are more and more people who die at parties or leaving them, and still no one does anything to change this.

Clark County residents are going to be experiencing sticker shock on Tuesday, Aug. 26 when they try to buy alcohol. But this sticker shock won't be because of high prices. Instead, the shock is being delivered by a group of local youths who are participating in the Sticker Shock campaign, a concept developed by M.A.D.D. to help curb underage drinking. On Tuesday, local Boy Scouts and the youth groups will be escorted by the Winchester Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff's Department to liquor stores and convenience stores in Winchester to warn adults about the consequences of buying alcohol for minors.

A Nicholasville man received minor injuries Wednesday after the brakes on the truck he was driving failed, sending the truck crashing through a fence, ending up on its side in a small creek against a storage building owned by J & J Development Co. It took Nicholasville firefighters and Jessamine EMS personnel several minutes to free Roger Williamson from the wreckage. Williamson received injuries to his head and ear in the accident, which occurred around 4 p.m. at the Nicholasville Industrial Park located on U.S. 27, north of Nicholasville.

BURGIN - There's a certain story from Donald Smith's youth he loves to tell. Fresh out of Western Kentucky University with a teaching degree, Smith was faced with five job offers at different schools. He whittled down his list to two finalists in the Fayette County School district: Beaumont and Winburn middle schools. Unsure of which to pick, he sought guidance from his grandfather. At the beginning of the consultation, Smith informed his elder he'd all but decided where he wanted to go. "I told him I wanted to go to Winburn, which was a predominately black school, because I really thought I could make a difference," he said.

Winchester Police Charged - Desiree M. Jones, of 30 Elizabeth St., was charged Friday with curfew violation for minors. - Billy J. Hays, of 112 E. Hickman St., was charged Friday with curfew violation for minors. - Chester S. Beets, of 1435 Westwood Drive, was charged Friday with curfew violation for minors. - Jessica E. Wilson, of 500 B. Shaftburg Road, was charged Friday with curfew violation for minors. - Joey W. Johnson, of 10A Euclid Ave., was charged Friday with non-payment of fines, theft by unlawful taking, contempt of court, alcohol intoxication, fourth-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment.

It was a close call in the Minor League championship game Friday at Veterans Park, with the Rangers holding off a late charge by the Diamondbacks to win 9-7. The Diamondbacks trailed 9-4 going into their final at-bat and strung together three straight in-the-park home runs to challenge the Rangers, but it was too little, too late as the Ranger defense did its job. "Defense really came through for us," said Ranger Coach Doug Daniel. "We knew if we pitched well and played defense we'd win. Aaron (Estes)

The Minor League Sidewinders were the 2008 Season Champions as well as the City Tournament Champions. Players on the front row from left to right are: Logan Manns, Ashley Melton, Thomas Bankes, Evan McCoy, and Gerald Bankes; middle row, Jack Shirley, Jayson Smith, Hayden Crim, Kyle McCoy, Jacob Roach, Byron Larrison, and Brianna Taulbee; back row, Assistant Coach Joe McCoy, Assistant Coach Eddie Platt, Manager Daniel Johnson, H ead Coach Mark Shirley,...

This spring, as the Kentucky General Assembly wrangled over the state budget and speculation of large cuts in state funding circulated, government agencies scrambled to prepare for possible cuts. Jessamine County Attorney Brian Goettl said his office, which receives part of its funding from the state, was one of those that kept getting conflicting reports about how big the cuts to its funding would be. "They told us in March that (Gov. Steve) Beshear's budget was going to be bad, then after the final budget was signed into law, the Attorney General's office sent out an e-mail saying we were going to have these 10 percent layoffs and so forth," he said.

Adults who host parties where alcohol is served to minors could face charges in Clark County if an ordinance advocated by board members of the Clark County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy is adopted locally. "It's not that we need more laws, but we're talking about our children," said Winchester Police Capt. Kevin Palmer, who is on the Clark County ASAP Board. "The ordinance is designed and intended to be a deterrent. " "Social host" ordinances allow police to issue misdemeanor citations and fines to adults - including those between the ages of 18 and 20 - who allow underage drinking on their property.