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Felon pardoned by Bevin now a constable

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Felon pardoned by Bevin now a constable


A convicted felon in Northern Kentucky might quickly have police powers. 

J.R. Roth gained election as a constable in Campbell County on Tuesday night time, beating veteran police officer Barrett “B.J.” Champagne in Tuesday’s major, 56% to 44%. 

Each are Republicans. No Democrats have filed for the seat, and there’s no opposition within the basic election. 

Roth, of Chilly Spring, was convicted in 2017 of trafficking narcotics however obtained a pardon from Gov. Matt Bevin in 2019. He had served two years of a 15-year sentence.

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It was one among greater than 254 pardons Bevin made throughout his remaining weeks in workplace. 

Campbell County officers urged voters to forged their votes for Champagne. 

“In Campbell County this yr we’re witnessing a whole travesty,” the county’s prime elected official, Choose-executive Steve Pendery mentioned in a written assertion in March. “A man just lately convicted of a severe felony is operating for constable, not as a result of that makes any sense, however as a result of he can.” 

Regardless of the pleas, Roth obtained 1,791 votes, nearly 400 greater than Champagne.

Barrett "B.J." Champagne, a former police officer, is running against John "J.R." Roth, Jr. for constable in Campbell County.

The place of constable has brought on controversy in Kentucky. 

Constables have had arrest powers however no coaching necessities and typically few necessities for publicly reporting what they do. For many years, Kentucky lawmakers had tried to reform the place or abolish it. 

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The Kentucky Normal Meeting this yr handed a invoice that may require constables obtain coaching earlier than they’ll arrest anybody. So if Roth or every other new constables need to arrest anybody, they must turn out to be licensed peace officers now. 

In any other case, new constables can be restricted to serving papers. 

Constables 101::What’s a Kentucky constable? In case you want a sick horse killed for $3, name a constable.

What The Enquirer discovered

The reforms come after quite a few incidents throughout the state with constables overstepping their authority.

Corresponding to in 2016, when a constable in Laurel County simply south of Lexington shot and killed an unarmed man in an try to serve a warrant. 

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Or final yr, when a Kenton County constable tried to repossess furnishings. He pulled a gun on the furnishings’s proprietor, threatened to kill him and saved him confined to his bed room whereas the furnishings was repossessed, in line with police stories and court docket paperwork. 

Enquirer analysis discovered at the very least 9 constables throughout Kentucky have been convicted since 2010. Their crimes embrace drug possession, planting proof and sexual abuse.

Many of the constables in Northern Kentucky simply serve authorized papers. 

No constables within the city and suburban counties of Boone, Kenton and Campbell have written any citations or responded to any legislation enforcement calls since at the very least 2015, in line with information obtained by The Enquirer from the Kentucky State Police.

In additional rural counties, they’re extra energetic in a legislation enforcement capability. 

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It is a legislation enforcement place that stretches again greater than 200 years. Kentucky legislation nonetheless units out archaic duties for constables.

A constable could make $3 for killing and burying a sick horse, donkey or mule.

Killing and burying cattle is simply price $2 per head to a constable. 

Dispatching a “mad canine” could make a constable actually a fast buck, $1 per “mad canine.”

“Taking over a vagrant” will get a constable 50 cents. 

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For the twenty first Century constable, the actual bread-and-butter is in charges collected serving court docket papers, similar to writs, warrants, summons, subpoenas and evictions. 

They’ll cost as much as $70 per service, the identical because the county sheriff.



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Kentucky

3 Transfer Portal Moves: Former Kentucky QB Gavin Wimsatt Finds New Home

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3 Transfer Portal Moves: Former Kentucky QB Gavin Wimsatt Finds New Home


The snow has slowed the Commonwealth to a crawl, but the transfer portal is still moving and grooving. The dead period ended, allowing players to hit the road for another round of visits. Kentucky got a big recruiting win over the weekend when Washington State DL David Gusta signed with the Wildcats. Now a few other chips are falling in different places.

Gavin Wimsatt started his career at Rutgers. After three seasons in Piscataway, the Owensboro native moved back to his Old Kentucky Home. Now he’ll finish his college career in Conference-USA.

Wimsatt revealed on Instagram that he will spend his final year in college at Jacksonville State. He’ll be suiting up for Charles Kelly, the former Auburn defensive coordinator who was hired this offseason to replace Rich Rodriguez. I must say, the quarterback can pull off the cowboy hat.

Join KSR Plus! With a KSR Plus membership, you get access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.

EDGE Target Commits to Auburn

Kentucky lost its top three EDGE players to the transfer portal this offseason. They’ve added a pair of players, Kameron Olds and Sam Greene, but they could use one more who could provide some pass-rush pop. Chris Murray was the first big fish on the list. He visited Kentucky and three other schools prior to the dead period. After the break, he made a few more visits before the All-C-USA performer from Sam Houston State selected Auburn.

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The Cats missed on Murray, but it won’t be considered a miss if they can reel in Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace. The FCS All-American was the Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 17.0 TFLs and 9.5 sacks. He visited Kentucky on Friday. USC, Mississippi State, and Wisconsin are also in the hunt for the immediate impact EDGE. If Kentucky can seal the deal, this might be their biggest win of the entire transfer portal cycle.

Former Kentucky WR to the Big Ten

Chauncey Magwood flashed during his brief stint at Kentucky. The class of 2021 signee appeared in all but one game over his two seasons in Lexington. The mid-three-star prospect from Georgia was a physical wide receiver who could play inside or outside, catching 8 passes for 121 yards, and a touchdown.

Without much playing time on the horizon, Magwood hit the transfer portal and landed at UCF. The Gus Malzahn era was regrettable for all parties involved, including Magwood. He caught just 9 passes for 142 yards in two seasons.

Rather than lingering in Orlando limbo, Magoowd hit the transfer portal again. West Lafayette is going to look a lot different than Central Florida. He’s transferring to Purdue to help Barry Odom rebuild the dilapidated Boilermakers program.





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Kentucky State Police trooper injured in crash during winter storm

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Kentucky State Police trooper injured in crash during winter storm


HART COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky State Police say one of their troopers was injured Sunday morning in a crash during the ongoing winter storm.

Police say the crash happened along Interstate 65 in Hart County, north of Bowling Green. Snow was falling at the time of the crash.

A Kentucky State Police vehicle is involved in a crash on I-65, Sunday, January 5, 2025.(Kentucky State Police)

State Police say the trooper is receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. No other details about the crash have been released.

Law enforcement agencies across Kentucky have been asking people to stay home Sunday, as snow and ice have made many roads around the state dangerous for travel.

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5 bills Kentucky lawmakers plan to introduce in the 2025 legislative session

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5 bills Kentucky lawmakers plan to introduce in the 2025 legislative session


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Kentucky lawmakers won’t be able to file proposed bills until the next legislative session starts Jan. 7. But that hasn’t stopped them from saying what they plan to submit.

During the 2024 interim, several legislators shared draft bills they plan to file during in the 2025 legislative session. While some are bills that have been filed in previous years, others are new ideas.

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The only way to view pre-filed bills publicly is if lawmakers share their drafts on their own social media accounts, websites or as part of meeting materials for interim committees. That’s because legislation passed in 2022 removed the process of posting pre-filed bills on the Legislative Research Commission’s website.

Here’s a look at some of the bills lawmakers have shared or said are expected to appear during session.

Requiring bathrooms by ‘biological sex’

In August, Republican Rep. Matt Lockett shared draft language of a bill that would require more than a majority of restrooms in public schools be designated for a specific biological sex.

At an Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting, Lockett said the bill is a response to Fayette County Public Schools building gender-neutral restrooms with individual private floor-to-ceiling stalls at Britton Middle School.

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His draft bill would require at least 90% of restroom facilities in school buildings that serve more than 100 students be designated for “a specific sex.”

Lockett said the bill’s goal is to protect children and provide “a facility for learning where they won’t feel threatened, embarrassed or be afraid to use the restroom.”

Prohibiting some sex offenders from Halloween activities

Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, announced in October he plans to file a bill that would prohibit many people on Kentucky’s sex offender registry from participating in Halloween activities involving minors.

In the draft copy of the bill, registrants who have committed criminal offenses against minors would be prohibited from engaging in Halloween-related activities. That would include trick-or-treating, costume parties where children are present or events involving the distribution of candy to kids.

The bill would apply to 14 days before and after Oct. 31 of each year. Violating the restrictions would result in a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for subsequent offenses.

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Making fluoridation in water optional

Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, is renewing the push to make fluoridation in water optional for local districts.

The bill Hart said he plans to file again next session would eliminate the state’s water fluoridation mandate. Last year’s legislative session was the first time Hart’s bill received a committee hearing, but it didn’t make it across the finish line.

Hart said the bill wouldn’t ban the use of fluoride but would protect the state from liability related to “risks” stemming from fluoride exposure, citing data from a report released by the National Toxicology Program.

Meanwhile, prominent health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and American Academy of Pediatrics, say adding small amounts of fluoride to public drinking water helps strengthen teeth, with research showing fluoridated water reduces tooth decay by 25% in children and adults.

Holding parents accountable for gun violence involving minors

Republican Rep. Kim Banta, with Democratic Rep. Tina Bojanowski as co-sponsor, plans to file a bill that would hold parents and guardians accountable for gun violence carried out by a minor in their care.

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The Kentucky Lantern reported that Banta’s bill would let individuals who are hurt or threatened by a minor using a gun sue the minor’s parents or guardians. Besides killing a person, that could also include threatening someone with a gun and shooting a neighbor’s dog.

Requiring licenses for tobacco retailers

Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, is working on a bill he believes would help keep tobacco products away from minors.

At an interim committee meeting, Higdon said his bill would require licensing for all sellers of vape or tobacco products, allowing for enforcement by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The bill also would implement stricter fines and penalties for retailers who violate the law and allow ABC officers to inspect businesses without a warrant.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski. 

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