WKDP – WCTT Local News

Kentucky State Police, Post 10, is now accepting applications for the 2012 Kentucky State Police Citizens Police Academy.

The 10-week academy is slated to begin on March 13 and conclude May 22.  Students will meet Tuesdays from 6p.m. – 9 p.m., where they will learn about the many aspects of the Kentucky State Police, including patrol, criminal investigations and drug investigations.  Students will also get to take part in simulated law enforcement training during the course .

The academy will be held at Barbourville High School.  There is no cost to attend, and class size will be limited to the first 20 approved applications.

For an application, contact Kentucky State Police, Post 10, in Harlan at 606-573-3131.

Applications for the first six hunting days of the turkey season at Land Between the Lakes become available this week.

The quota hunts will begin March 31 with a two-day youth hunt, and continue with two more regular two-day hunts in April.

The quota hunt fee is $5 and hunters can apply throughout the month of February at www.lbl.org.

Non-quota hunts that don’t require prior application are also being held.  Visit the Land Between the Lakes website for more details.

The Executive Branch Ethics Commission has fined four current and former state employees for violations.

Former Department of Agriculture director Danita Fentress-Laird agreed Monday to pay a $1,500 fine after acknowledging that she influenced superiors to create a position for her.

Former state park business manager Robert Habig was fined $500 for using his position to rent boats at lower rates on Lake Cumberland.

Former conservation officer Bradley Lowe agreed to pay a $2,500 fine for using his position to order drinks at a bar for his teenage daughter.

And Grayson County Property Valuation Administrator Roger Tomes agreed to a $1,000 fine for violating nepotism rules.

A power outage left thousands of people in the dark last night in Whitley County.

KU officials say around 3,000 customers in the Williamsburg area lost electricity because of an outage in a transmission line.

The power was out for about two hours and has since been restored.  KU officials are still trying to figure out what caused the outage.

A woman was sent to the hospital after a train accident in Pulaski County.

It happened Monday afternoon on Freedom Church Road in Somerset.

Police say 53-year-old Mary Rutherford stopped her car at a railroad crossing and was hit by a Norfolk Southern train.

Police aren’t sure why Rutherford stopped at the crossing, which they say is marked by stop signs and railroad crossing markers.

Rutherford was flown to UK Hospital.  Her condition is not known.

A Whitley County deputy caught two men trying to steal copper wire Monday afternoon from a residence in Fairview.

The Sheriff’s Department was called around 3 p.m. after two men broke into the residence, apparently to steal copper wire.

A deputy arrived at the scene to find the burglars running out the back door. 

He arrested 39-year-old Aaron Burnett.  He was charged with second-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.  His juvenile accomplice was cited and released.

Two suspects in a Michigan double-murder have been found in Kentucky.

Police in Ohio County arrested 21-year-old Patrick Bentley and 18-year-old Lashawn Whipple when they were found walking down a road after running out of gas.

Investigators say the suspects killed two people in Mason County, Michigan last week, including Bentley’s younger sister.

Police do not yet have a motive for the crime.

While no one should ever text and drive, one man in northern Kentucky learned you especially shouldn’t do it if you have a meth lab in the car.

State Police in Gallatin County pulled over a man Saturday night for texting behind the wheel.  During the traffic stop, the trooper discovered a meth lab inside the vehicle along with several ingredients used in manufacturing meth.

32-year-old Travis Moore from Warsaw was arrested on multiple charges, including Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, DUI, and Commnication Device Violation.

Kentucky is seeking teams of contractors to design and build a new bridge in downtown Louisville as part of a $2.6 billion project with Indiana to improve traffic flow across the Ohio River.

Kentucky is responsible for the downtown portion of the project, which includes a new Interstate 65 bridge, a modernized Kennedy Interchange and the expansion of I-65 to Indiana.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, a pre-bid meeting will be held in March and the two states hope to begin construction by year’s end.  The project is expected to be complete by June 2018.

For more information on the project, visit http://transportation.ky.gov/Construction-Procurement/Pages/default.aspx