From staff and wire reports

Democrats in two counties plan parties

Democrats in Kenton and Boone counties will hold separate Christmas parties at 6 p.m. Monday (12/9).

The Boone County Democrat party will be held at the Courtyard By Marriott in Hebron.

For information, contact June Rose at (859) 371-8592.

The Kenton County Democrat party will be held at Walt's Hitching Post in Fort Wright. The cost of the dinner is $15.

For information, contact Steve Hoffman at (859) 292-8883.

Teachers certified by national board

Twelve teachers in Northern Kentucky, including eleven in Boone County, earned their National Board Certification.

The designation is awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and requires teachers to complete a rigorous set of projects and tests during a nine-month period, according to a Newport Independent Schools press release.

Newport Independent Schools elementary teacher Janet Graves is the first Newport educator to be selected for the award.

"It's intensive and it's rare," Kentucky Department of Education spokeswoman Lisa Gross said in the release.

Ms. Gross estimates less than one teacher in each school district in the state receives the award.

In Boone County, teachers receiving the award are: Wallie Buckland, Indrani Chatterjee, Nancy Leisl, Shirley Mann, Julie Lambert, Chris Peterson, Debbie Prichard, Jan Ransdell, Connie Salyers, Judy Sceifres and Kate Tallarigo.

See Independence today in walking tour

INDEPENDENCE - The Downtown Christmas Walk & Tour begins at 6 p.m. today at the city administration building on 5247 Madison Pike, with the Community Christmas Tree lighting.

The outdoor walk continues through 8:30 p.m., with many businesses near the city building and Kenton County Courthouse offering refreshments and door prizes.

Starting at 6:15 p.m., a hand-bell choir concert at Independence Christian Church will be the first of several different performances by choral groups and bands which will take place almost every 15 minutes at various points across the city.

Christmas stories will be told throughout the evening at the Independence branch of the Kenton County Library.

Pictures with Santa will be available for $1 at Associated Spine & Headache Centre all evening, and horse-drawn carriage rides will be available for $1.

Charlie Brown on stage at St. Cecilia

The eighth-grade students at St. Cecilia will present A Charlie Brown Christmas Play at St. Cecilia Church undercroft every half hour at 7:15 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m.

Parents call for firing Jessamine bus driver

LEXINGTON - Some Jessamine County parents are calling for the removal of a school bus driver who refused to travel on slick roads and left their children stranded miles from home.

School administrators say they are investigating Wednesday's incident and refused to give the substitute driver's name.

The students were told by the driver that she would not drive on the winding roads near Highbridge, parent Candace Gaines said.

The driver then left about 20 middle and high school students on a road and told them to walk home, Ms. Gaines said.

Conditions that day included snow and freezing rain.

"If the bus driver did not feel safe, she should have turned around, taken the kids back to school. We would have been more than happy to go get our kids," Ms. Gaines said.

Ms. Gaines said her children were stranded about three miles from their home. They were able to find a ride but say many other students had to walk.

State investigates contractor after death

LEXINGTON - State labor officials began an investigation Wednesday of the Lexington contractor who employed a man who died and another who was injured after they were trapped in a trench.

State Labor Cabinet spokesman Eddie Jacobs identified the contractor as Gary Wise, of Lexington, and said officials opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tuesday's cave-in at a home in Fayette County.

The man who died, Carmel Angel Isiodoro-Mayo, 30, and the injured man, Gregorio Reyes, 35, were part of a construction crew waterproofing a basement and installing drain lines.

Mr. Reyes, who was trapped for two hours, was released Wednesday from the University of Kentucky Medical Center, where he was treated for leg injuries.

State auditor files for attorney general

FRANKFORT - State Auditor Ed Hatchett on Thursday filed as a Democratic candidate for attorney general.

Mr. Hatchett said he would run on the record of his two terms as auditor. He is constitutionally barred from running for a third term.

If elected, he would put more resources into criminal investigation and prosecution, including creation of a section devoted to computer crimes, Mr. Hatchett said.

Mr. Hatchett is a graduate of Centre College and has a law degree from the University of Louisville. He practiced tax and finance law in Glasgow before coming to Frankfort as banking commissioner under then-Gov. Wallace Wilkinson. He was reappointed by Mr. Wilkinson's successor, Brereton Jones.

Mr. Hatchett's entry sets up a Democratic primary in May against state Rep. Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg, who filed last month. Mr. Stumbo has been House majority leader for nearly 18 years.

Chris Gorman, who was attorney general from 1992 to 1996, is another prospective Democratic candidate.