Kentucky

Murder case against former Kentucky sheriff accused of killing judge to be presented in court today | CNN

Published

1 year ago

October 1, 2024

Murder case against former Kentucky sheriff accused of killing judge to be presented in court today | CNN

CNN
—

The last time he was in a courthouse, he fatally shot a judge, investigators say. On Tuesday, a former Kentucky sheriff will be in a different courthouse to hear the evidence against him.

Former Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, is scheduled to attend his preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon in person, according to court officials. He appeared remotely from the Leslie County Detention Center at an arraignment last week.

Prosecutors will make their case for why they believe Stines shot Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, to death in his own chambers last month, just across the street from the sheriff’s office.

The hearing is expected to provide the public’s first look into a possible motive for the killing. After the hearing, a judge will decide whether there is enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury.

Stines entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder at his arraignment. Neither he nor investigators spoke about any specifics of the allegations against him during the hearing.

Since then, people in Whitesburg – a community of 1,773 people – have been waiting for details as to why investigators believe Stines and Mullins – who have been described as friends who lunched together on the day of the killing – ended up in an argument that left the judge dead.

Tuesday’s hearing takes place in West Liberty, Kentucky, nearly 100 miles from the Letcher County Courthouse where Mullins was killed.

The state appointed a special judge to preside over the case since Mullins normally would preside over preliminary hearings for crimes allegedly committed in Letcher County.

The hearing comes one day after Stines formally resigned his position as sheriff, according to a letter from his attorneys obtained by CNN affiliate WKYT.

Last week, Gov. Andy Beshear said he would begin the process of forcing Stines from office if he didn’t resign.

“The decision is made, not as a result of any ultimatum or in any way as a concession to any allegations made by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” attorneys Jeremy Bartley and Kerri Bartley said in the letter to the governor’s general counsel.

“Rather, Sheriff Stines has made this decision to allow for a successor to continue to protect his beloved constituents while he addresses the legal process ahead of him.”

Judge Rupert Wilhoit informed Stines at his preliminary hearing that he could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.

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Kentucky

Is Kentucky basketball looking for a mid-year addition at backup point guard?

Published

7 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Is Kentucky basketball looking for a mid-year addition at backup point guard?

It’s clear that this Kentucky team relies very heavily on its starting point guard, Jaland Lowe. It has been evident that when he’s out, Kentucky struggles to create any offense, but when he’s in, it couldn’t flow any smoother. A big part of that is the fact that the Wildcats don’t really have a backup point guard. Denzel Aberdeen isn’t really a true point guard, and Jasper Johnson has flashy moments through a bunch of struggles as a young freshmen. But, it all comes down to Lowe’s health, who could go out any second with his shoulder injury.

We’ve already seen it multiple times this season, in the last two games specifically. Lowe went out against Indiana during the first half, playing just 9 minutes before following it up with a 16-minute second half, when the Wildcats rallied down the stretch. Then, Saturday against Rick Pitino and St. John’s, Lowe hurt his shoulder again just seven seconds after checking into the game. He then returned early in the second half before his team rallied yet again. He’s a difference-maker, clearly, but is Mark Pope interested in adding a mid-year player through the transfer portal to back him up in case things go south? He addressed those swirling rumors on his radio show Monday night.

First of all, Pope fully expects Lowe to remain healthy, or at least continue playing through the pain. “I have every expectation Jaland is going to be with us the whole season,” Pope said. As far as a mid-year addition goes as a backup for Lowe, Pope has the utmost confidence in his guys to get it done, in particular Denzel Aberdeen and Jasper Johnson, who he says are getting more and more comfortable at that position. “We have a great roster. I’m not sure we’re shopping a lot right now,” Pope said when asked about a possible addition to the roster. “We have an unbelievable amount of faith in our guys, first of all, with Jaland. Jasper is going to grow into a starring role. He’s been so good. D.A. is becoming more and more and more comfortable becoming a full-time point, but also being on the move at the two. …I think we have an incredible, incredible run ahead of us. That’s what we’re thinking about with this roster right now.”

Well, there you have it. Mark Pope is comfortable with guys he has. He likely doesn’t want to also take the chance of interrupting the team chemistry either, especially right now as Kentucky is coming off back-to-back wins over quality opponents and as soon as they’ve gotten healthy.

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Kentucky

Midwest Equipment Manufacturing invests $15M in Northern Kentucky, creating 66 jobs

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Midwest Equipment Manufacturing invests M in Northern Kentucky, creating 66 jobs

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKRC) – Governor Andy Beshear announced a major expansion of Kentucky’s manufacturing sector as Midwest Equipment Manufacturing Inc. plans to invest $15 million to expand operations in Maysville, creating 66 skilled jobs.

“Kentucky’s thriving manufacturing sector has been an important component in our state’s recent economic momentum,” Beshear said. “We continue to see leaders in the manufacturing sector invest in the commonwealth and our communities, providing good-paying, quality job opportunities for Kentuckians, and this includes 66 new jobs being created by Midwest Equipment Manufacturing. I want to thank the company’s leaders for relocating and investing in Mason County, and I look forward to seeing their success in our New Kentucky Home.”

The project will transform the company’s Maysville facility into a new manufacturing hub, helping address labor shortages and production backlogs. Several key product lines, including the Tru-Cut Mower and the 500 Series Brown Bear Composter, will be relocated from Thorntown, Indiana, to Maysville.

Dan Kallevig, president of Tru-Cut Mowers, said the company is enthusiastic about the move. “I have been to Maysville a few times in the past few months, and I am very impressed with the kindness of the people I have met.”

“As part of the ongoing renaissance of residential and commercial activity in the city’s east end neighborhood, the city of Maysville is pleased to express its full support for the relocation of Midwest Equipment Manufacturing to Maysville. We remain committed to sustaining the positive momentum within our community and are excited to not only retain 16 valuable manufacturing jobs in our city but also welcome the creation of an additional 66 positions through Midwest Equipment Manufacturing’s expansion,” said Maysville Mayor Debra L. Cotterill.

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Kentucky

‘My hero.’ George Clooney’s sister dies at 65 in Northern Kentucky

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

‘My hero.’ George Clooney’s sister dies at 65 in Northern Kentucky

George Clooney’s sister, Adelia “Ada” Zeidler, died on Friday in Northern Kentucky.

Zeidler died at St. Elizabeth Hospital on Dec. 19, according to her obituary. Clooney confirmed to People magazine his sister died after a battle with cancer. She was 65.

“My sister, Ada, was my hero,” Clooney told the magazine. “She faced down cancer with courage and humor. I’ve never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.”

Zeidler was born in May 1960 to her parents, Nick and Nina Clooney in Los Angeles, her obituary says. She was an artist and worked as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years. She was a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta’s Annual White Christmas Parade.

Augusta, Kentucky, is a small town about an hour east of Cincinnati along the Ohio River. It was the childhood home of Clooney while his father, Nick Clooney, was a reporter for WKRC Local 12.

In a 2015 interview with “CBS This Morning,” Clooney noted he is really close with his family. “My sister, I’m very close to,” he said.

Zeidler was not a public figure like Clooney. But in 2012, she gave an interview to the New York Daily News, where she shared that she had dreams of becoming an actor herself.

“Yes, there is a part of me that would very much like to have become a famous actress or something like that,” she said at the time. “I enjoy acting and I was fairly OK at it, but I did not have a thick enough skin for it.”

She added that she instead prioritized raising her children, saying, “I really enjoyed being a wife and a mother and that kind of wound up taking precedence with me.”

Zeidler was preceded in death by her husband Norman Zeidler, who died in 2004.

She leaves behind her two children, Nick Zeidler and Allison Zeidler Herolaga and her husband, Kenny; her brother, Clooney and his wife, Amal; and several uncles, aunts, and cousins.

A funeral Mass will be offered at noon on Monday, Dec. 22, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Maysville, Kentucky. Private interment will be in the St. Patrick Cemetery in Washington, Kentucky.

USA TODAY reporter Brendan Morrow contributed.

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