Girl Scouts to honor Kentucky's first lady
        FLORENCE — Kentucky's first lady Judi Patton will be honored by the Girl Scout Council of Licking Valley on Oct. 26.

        Mrs. Patton will receive the 2001 Distinguished Citizenship Medal for contributions to the youth of Northern Kentucky.

        She will be honored at a noon ceremony at Turfway Park racetrack.

        Mrs. Patton is being honored for her advocacy for children and victims' rights.

        In the past, the award has gone to Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Kim Brooks of the Children's Law Center, former Campbell Judge-executive Ken Paul and Ruth and Jeff Eger.

Directors sought for new technical college

        FRANKFORT — Gov. Paul Patton's office is taking applications for the board of directors that will oversee the planned Northern Kentucky Community Technical College.

        The college is being built in Boone County with campuses planned for Covington, Grant County and Pendleton County.

        Existing technical schools in Park Hills and Highland Heights will also be used.

        The system is expected to be fully operational in about two years.

        There are seven positions available on the board of directors.

        The deadline for submitting an application is noon on Tuesday.

        For more information or to receive an application contact Bill Beam, director of boards and commissions for Mr. Patton, at (502) 564-2611.

Halloween parade for kids, pets planned

        LUDLOW — Halloween Fest will kick off at 2 p.m. Oct. 28 with a costume parade for children and pets starting at Davies and Elm streets.

SNEAK PEEK AT KY. 17: A gap through a hill is the backdrop for the rebuilding of Ky. 17 bridges over Fowler Creek Road. One lane in each direction is set to be finished by the end of the year. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The parade will proceed down Elm to Deverill Street, turn left onto Oak Street and continue to the firehouse at 234 Oak St.

        There will be games and treats at the firehouse immediately after the parade.

Kenton Co. sheriff attends training

        COVINGTON — Kenton County Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn attended a Sept. 16-18 training session sponsored by the National Sheriffs' Institute in Longmont, Colo.

        Mr. Korzenborn, a Fort Mitchell Republican elected in 1998, was one of 26 sheriffs from across the country to attend the session.

        The institute is the only national executive development program designed for sheriffs.

Energy firm drops plan to drill in park
       

        LEXINGTON — A plan to drill for gas in Breaks Interstate Park is dead.

        J.W. Kinzer Drilling Co. of Allen in Floyd County apparently has traded leases with Blue Flame Energy, the company that planned to bore at least three wells inside the park that straddles the Kentucky-Virginia border.

        Neither side was offering any details, but the two companies released a two-sentence statement Tuesday saying they had reached an agreement in which Blue Flame withdrew its application to drill in the park.

        Willard Kinzer, the owner of Kinzer drilling, “has no plans to seek drilling permits in the park,” the release said.

        Attorney General Ben Chandler had threatened to sue to stop the drilling, and Gov. Paul Patton placed a moratorium on gas drilling in state and federal parks in eastern Kentucky to give the legislature time to consider the issue.

Hazard bank sold for $20 million

        LEXINGTON — Citizens National Bank & Trust of Hazard is being sold for $20 million to Pikeville-based Community Trust Bancorp.

        Community Trust officials said Tuesday that it has agreed to buy the remaining 24.7 percent of Citizens National's stock for $4.94 million, or about $2,273 a share.

        Community Trust acquired about 75.3 percent of the Hazard bank in August when it accepted bank stock in lieu of repayment of a $15 million loan to Hazard businessman L.D. Gorman.

        The exchange was not announced, but it had been signaled in Community Trust's second-quarter report to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

        “The bank currently has a $15 million loan secured by the stock of a bank which has an agreement for sale pending regulatory approval,” the bank reported, without naming Mr. Gorman or the bank.

        “The borrower has indicated the possible inability to pay interest on the loan at its maturity on Aug. 31, 2001,” it said.

        Mr. Gorman owned about three-fourths of Citizens National's stock, and the rest was owned by some 50 other investors, including members of his family.

        Mr. Gorman had lent money to former Gov. Wallace G. Wilkinson, who went into bankruptcy reorganization in February.

        His debts totaled $418.4 million.

        Mr. Gorman lent Mr. Wilkinson $41.5 million and co-signed a $25 million loan to Mr. Wilkinson.

AK Steel ordered to cut back pollution

       MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — State regulators said Wednesday they have ordered AK Steel Corp. to submit a plan to reduce dust emissions from its Middletown Works.

        The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said it gave AK Steel until Nov. 15 to submit a plan to bring emissions from the steel mill into compliance with air pollution control regulations.

        The company can choose to appeal by Nov. 15 to the state's Environmental Review Appeals Commission, an independent agency that reviews EPA directives.

        The EPA said its order revokes AK Steel's exemption from certain air emissions restrictions.

        Uncontrolled emissions from the mill are a nuisance to people who live near it, said EPA Director Christopher Jones.

        “My hope is that AK Steel will be a responsible neighbor and address these serious violations instead of delaying action through litigation,” Mr. Jones said.

        AK Steel spokesman Alan McCoy said the company had no comment because it had not seen the EPA order.

        The company has been fighting a lawsuit the federal government filed last year that accuses AK Steel of air, water and hazardous waste pollution violations over seven years at the Middletown Works.

        The EPA is supporting the lawsuit, which is pending in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati.

        The company denies wrongdoing.

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