Public Access

I don't believe the state's offer of tax breaks for landowners who open their properties to hunting and fishing will have much of an impact. The proposal by Gov. Ernie Fletcher would allow for reduced taxation on a property for the next 20 years to landowners who voluntarily provide public access to private property for hunting, fishing and wildlife recreation. Because 95 percent of the property in Kentucky is privately owned, the people in Frankfort want to find a way to open up and preserve some green space for the benefit of hunters and fishermen.

The gates have closed at Hillcrest Cemetery, restricting public access to the privately owned African-American graveyard on Venable Road. In response to the site being trashed by party-goers, Gentile Pine Grove Baptist Church, which owns about half the land the cemetery is on, built a fence in March to close it off. The Clark County Cemetery Board is calling a public meeting at 7 tonight in the fiscal courtroom to discuss how the public can...

LEXINGTON - A Garrard County property owner has filed a federal lawsuit against Fiscal Court and two county officers individually, alleging they wrongfully tore down her gate and allowed public access to her land. Donna Scott owns land adjoining Poor Ridge Road that contains "a private pathway" known as Lanham Lane, according to the lawsuit filed recently in U.S. District Court in Lexington. Scott's children play regularly along Lanham Lane, but they became "endangered" last year when people on ATVs began using the lane to gain access to adjoining properties.

A resounding thumbs up goes to the city of Danville for honoring a dedicated public servant. Few people carved as deep an impression into Danville's history as Alex Stevens, and in naming the new downtown parking facility the Alex W. Stevens Intermodal Transit Facility, Danville paid quality tribute to a man who served the town in a cornucopia of capacities. Known as a former mayor, educator in both the Boyle County and Danville school districts, and a Marine to some but as a friend to many, Stevens is truly missed.

There's no valid reason the votes of Kentucky state legislators should not be posted online. Certainly the legislators would rather not have their votes displayed on the Internet where every constituent with a computer or access to one could see what they are doing in Frankfort. But the fact that it might complicate legislators' existence is not reason enough for limiting public access to important information. The current system of requiring the public to telephone the offices of the clerks of the state House or Senate to find out how legislators voted is completely unacceptable in this Internet age where so much information is readily available to the public.

HB 473 would exclude from public inspection any record that "contains information that identifies the prize winner" of a Kentucky Lottery game if the prize winner does not "expressly authorize the disclosure of the information. " The law of Kentucky as expressed in KRS 61.871 establishes a strong public policy favoring the free and open examination of public records. It also states that such openness is in the public interest "even though such examination may cause inconvenience or embarrassment to public officials or others.

A Danville man is pleased with a bill that would keep names of people with concealed-weapon permits from public access. Carroll Pixley, a training instructor for people who want to carry a concealed weapon, supports House Bill 290 that passed the House by an 87-7 vote. He thinks the Senate will do the same. "We've had 10 years of exemplary performance of the people who have weapon permits," Pixley said. The permit holders are people who have taken a class and qualified on the firing range.

Jefferson County has been touched recently by several tragic and near-tragic crimes committed by juveniles. Unfortunately, many more potentially tragic juvenile cases lurk hidden in the court system. Under current Kentucky law, you cannot learn about them from officers of the court most familiar with these cases, and you cannot observe how the judges, prosecutors and other officials attempt to preserve public safety while attempting to rehabilitate juveniles found guilty of these crimes.

Our community has been touched recently by several tragic and near-tragic crimes committed by juveniles. Unfortunately, many more potentially tragic juvenile cases lurk hidden in the court system. Under current Kentucky law, you cannot learn about them from officers of the court most familiar with these cases, and you cannot observe how the judges, prosecutors and other officials attempt to preserve public safety while attempting to rehabilitate juveniles found guilty of these crimes.

Editor's Note: The following column was first published in this newspaper on Aug. 21. We reprint it today for reference as it pertains to the opposing also published today. Jefferson County has been touched recently by several tragic and near-tragic crimes committed by juveniles. Unfortunately, many more potentially tragic juvenile cases lurk hidden in the court system. Under current Kentucky law, you cannot learn about them from officers of the court most familiar with these cases, and you cannot observe how the judges, prosecutors and other officials attempt to preserve public safety while attempting to rehabilitate juveniles found guilty of these crimes.

A resounding thumbs up goes to the city of Danville for honoring a dedicated public servant. Few people carved as deep an impression into Danville's history as Alex Stevens, and in naming the new downtown parking facility the Alex W. Stevens Intermodal Transit Facility, Danville paid quality tribute to a man who served the town in a cornucopia of capacities. Known as a former mayor, educator in both the Boyle County and Danville school districts, and a Marine to some but as a friend to many, Stevens is truly missed.

LEXINGTON - A Garrard County property owner has filed a federal lawsuit against Fiscal Court and two county officers individually, alleging they wrongfully tore down her gate and allowed public access to her land. Donna Scott owns land adjoining Poor Ridge Road that contains "a private pathway" known as Lanham Lane, according to the lawsuit filed recently in U.S. District Court in Lexington. Scott's children play regularly along Lanham Lane, but they became "endangered" last year when people on ATVs began using the lane to gain access to adjoining properties.

HB 473 would exclude from public inspection any record that "contains information that identifies the prize winner" of a Kentucky Lottery game if the prize winner does not "expressly authorize the disclosure of the information. " The law of Kentucky as expressed in KRS 61.871 establishes a strong public policy favoring the free and open examination of public records. It also states that such openness is in the public interest "even though such examination may cause inconvenience or embarrassment to public officials or others.

As 2007 draws to a close, the meaning and application of a 216-year-old amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting our basic liberties are issues as contentious as ever. From presidential politics to local classrooms to our television screens, as a nation we are arguing ever more over the fine points of the simple 45 words of the First Amendment, adopted Dec. 15, 1791, protecting freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Cases in point: â?¢ In Tennessee, a federal court case raises questions on how far schools can go in providing religious groups - in this case, a group of Christian parents - access to school resources and students.

A Louisiana judge's decision to open to the public the upcoming re-trial of one of the juvenile Jena 6 defendants has prompted renewed interest in the transparency of juvenile court proceedings. Mychal Bell, 17, faces a second trial for his participation in the alleged assault of a white high school student last December by six black teenagers. The charges and Bell's conviction prompted civil unrest and months of acrimonious, and sometimes violent, racial tension. Bell, first tried and convicted as an adult, obtained a new trial after an appellate court ruled that Bell should have been tried as a juvenile.

BUCKEYE - Donna Scott moved to Poor Ridge Road 20 years ago, is now a single mother and loves the freedom and peace of country living. But after she took a precautionary measure to ensure her kids' safety, some area farmers are up in arms and have approached the Fiscal Court to rule on the matter. "All I did was put a locked gate on my own land," Scott said. Scott owns 32 acres on Lanham Lane - a road marked with a red sign post that distinguishes private drives from county roads.

The gates have closed at Hillcrest Cemetery, restricting public access to the privately owned African-American graveyard on Venable Road. In response to the site being trashed by party-goers, Gentile Pine Grove Baptist Church, which owns about half the land the cemetery is on, built a fence in March to close it off. The Clark County Cemetery Board is calling a public meeting at 7 tonight in the fiscal courtroom to discuss how the public can...

I don't believe the state's offer of tax breaks for landowners who open their properties to hunting and fishing will have much of an impact. The proposal by Gov. Ernie Fletcher would allow for reduced taxation on a property for the next 20 years to landowners who voluntarily provide public access to private property for hunting, fishing and wildlife recreation. Because 95 percent of the property in Kentucky is privately owned, the people in Frankfort want to find a way to open up and preserve some green space for the benefit of hunters and fishermen.

A Danville man is pleased with a bill that would keep names of people with concealed-weapon permits from public access. Carroll Pixley, a training instructor for people who want to carry a concealed weapon, supports House Bill 290 that passed the House by an 87-7 vote. He thinks the Senate will do the same. "We've had 10 years of exemplary performance of the people who have weapon permits," Pixley said. The permit holders are people who have taken a class and qualified on the firing range.

Editor's Note: The following column was first published in this newspaper on Aug. 21. We reprint it today for reference as it pertains to the opposing also published today. Jefferson County has been touched recently by several tragic and near-tragic crimes committed by juveniles. Unfortunately, many more potentially tragic juvenile cases lurk hidden in the court system. Under current Kentucky law, you cannot learn about them from officers of the court most familiar with these cases, and you cannot observe how the judges, prosecutors and other officials attempt to preserve public safety while attempting to rehabilitate juveniles found guilty of these crimes.