Speaker 1: Now we turn to the Kentucky Standard for news in
Speaker 1: Bartstown in Nelson County. Your reader today is Brian Hunt.
Speaker 1: As a reminder, Radio Eye is a reading service intended
Speaker 1: for people who are blind or has other disabilities that
Speaker 1: make it difficult to read printed material. We will begin
Speaker 1: with the addition dated June twenty first. Halk appears in
Speaker 1: court without attorney present. Halk said he doesn't know why
Speaker 1: he's charged. Nick Hawk appeared in court on Thursday morning
Speaker 1: for his arraignment without an attorney. Halk claims he doesn't
Speaker 1: know why he is being charged. Hawk was arrested on
Speaker 1: June fourth for a first degree perjury, being released hours
Speaker 1: later on a twenty five thousand dollars bog. He is
Speaker 1: the brother of Brooks, who was convicted last year of
Speaker 1: the murder in the Crystal Rogers trial. The charge against
Speaker 1: Hawk alleges between the dates of July fifteenth, twenty fifteen
Speaker 1: and August sixteenth, twenty twenty three, he committed perjury when
Speaker 1: he made a material false statement which he did not
Speaker 1: believe in an official proceeding while under oath required or
Speaker 1: authorized by law. He appeared in court without an attorney
Speaker 1: on Thursday when Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms, the third
Speaker 1: who is presiding over the case called Hawke's case of
Speaker 1: Hawke said his attorney was not present and stepped out
Speaker 1: into the hallway to speak with them. Upon returning, Hauke's
Speaker 1: attorney had not arrived. Hawke said his attorney wanted to
Speaker 1: figure out what you guys are getting at before he
Speaker 1: kind of makes a decision. Sims asked to clarify if
Speaker 1: he had an attorney, to which Halk responded that he
Speaker 1: spoke with an attorney, but that they wanted more information
Speaker 1: on the case before he would make a decision. Halk
Speaker 1: also expressed confusion at why he was being charged. He said,
Speaker 1: I've been charged with perjury and I have no idea
Speaker 1: why you guys are charging me with that. Simms continued
Speaker 1: with the proceeding on Thursday, asking a public defender to
Speaker 1: stand in for hal since he did not have an attorney.
Speaker 1: Halk entered a plea of not guilty. He is scheduled
Speaker 1: to be back in court on July second, at nine
Speaker 1: a m. Next lawsuit against bb CO whistleblower dismissed. Nation
Speaker 1: lawsuit filed by a former Bardstown bourbon company executive against
Speaker 1: a whistleblower has been dismissed. Jefferson Circuit Judge Julie Klin
Speaker 1: dismissed the lawsuit filed by Bourbon Bardstown Bourbon Company Chief
Speaker 1: commercial Officer Herb Henneman last week. The judge also awarded
Speaker 1: court costs to former human resources vice president Sylvia Sanders.
Speaker 1: Henneman was mentioned in sanders discrimination lawsuit against the company,
Speaker 1: but he was not party to the suit. On February thirteen,
Speaker 1: Sanders filed a lawsuit in Nelson County accusing Bardstown Bourbon
Speaker 1: Company parent Lofted Spirits, Lofted CEO Mark Irwin, bb CO
Speaker 1: president Peter Marino, Pritzker Private Capital Investment Partners, and PPC
Speaker 1: operating partner Christian Brickman of gender discrimination and retaliation. Bartstown
Speaker 1: Bourbon Company and parent Lofted Spirits are part of Pritzker
Speaker 1: Private Capital, which is owned by Illinois Governor J. B.
Speaker 1: Pritzker and Anthony M. Pritzker. Governor Pritzker is not involved
Speaker 1: in the company. Hennemann alleged that Sanders suit made utterly false, derogatory,
Speaker 1: and disparaging statements against him. In the discrimination suit, Sander
Speaker 1: alleges She was fired after sending a lengthy memo to
Speaker 1: Erwin lining widespread concerns, including what she called a pattern
Speaker 1: of bias involving multiple female executives who had been fired
Speaker 1: or forced out under Erwin's tenure. Among the fired executives,
Speaker 1: Sanders said in a memo to Erwin was a former
Speaker 1: marketing director who had raised concerns about Henneman, the marketing
Speaker 1: director's boss at the time. The marketing director thought Henneman
Speaker 1: was a quote sexual predator and that his inappropriate sexist
Speaker 1: actions and comments, which had already been the subject of
Speaker 1: a prior disciplinary action, made her feel extremely uncomfortable. The
Speaker 1: lawsuit alleged two other female Barstown Bourbon Company employees also
Speaker 1: had made complaints about Henneman, at least one of which
Speaker 1: went to the board of directors. Sanders memo to Erwin
Speaker 1: also referenced another instant. Sanders said in the original complaint
Speaker 1: that Erwin told her Hennemann took another employee's jeep and
Speaker 1: drove it through Boston Bourbon Company's Cornfield drunk during country
Speaker 1: singer Brad Paisley's visit to the distillery. According to the
Speaker 1: original complaint, Erwin said he probably should have said something
Speaker 1: to him about that. Instead, Erwin promoted Henneman to chief
Speaker 1: marketing officer, gave him a hundred barrels of whiskey and
Speaker 1: shares in the company Sanders alleged in the original lawsuit.
Speaker 1: Henneman declined to comment. He previously denied all allegations, as
Speaker 1: did Bardstown Bourbon Company. In Calon's order last week, she
Speaker 1: found that sanders allegations in her original lawsuit are absolutely
Speaker 1: critical to sanders claims of both discrimination as well as retaliation. Indeed,
Speaker 1: they are part of the chronology through which Sanders contends
Speaker 1: BBC Hove, with the full knowledge and consent of Pritzker,
Speaker 1: retaliated against women who reported misconduct and the retaliation against
Speaker 1: Sanders when she escalated those concerns. Further, the judge noted
Speaker 1: that the Nelson Circuit Court had overruled in its entirety
Speaker 1: Bbcoe's motion to strike the complaint, where BBC alleged that
Speaker 1: these allegations were collateral, impertinent, irrelevant, unnecessary, or scandalous, including
Speaker 1: those against Hennemann. Meanwhile, in the original Nelson Circuit Court case,
Speaker 1: Sanders is appealing a May twenty eighth order that denies
Speaker 1: her expedited motion to dismiss a counterclaim by bb CO.
Speaker 1: Next National Bourbon Week, these tourists flocked to Nelton County
Speaker 1: distilleries across the county and the regions celebrate National Bourbonweek
Speaker 1: kicked off June fourteenth, bringing in dozens to celebrate as
Speaker 1: distilleries in and around Nelson County and beyond held special events.
Speaker 1: The third annual National Bourbon Week began on Sunday to
Speaker 1: kick off eight days of celebration of the Amber Liquid.
Speaker 1: The Bourbon Capital Alliance and their ten partner distilleries have
Speaker 1: hosted events throughout the week for tourists and locals alike.
Speaker 1: Businesses throughout downtown Bardstown also got in on the fund,
Speaker 1: hosting tastings and offerings offering other bourbon centric events. One
Speaker 1: of the many events this week was Old Steelhouse Distilleries
Speaker 1: Finish your Own Blueprint zero zero two series bad Experience.
Speaker 1: Attendees got a tour of the historic distillery site and
Speaker 1: all of the artifacts steal from previous ventures. Guests also
Speaker 1: got to complete a finishing class learning the impact of
Speaker 1: different types of wood on the taste of a bourbon.
Speaker 1: Lead distiller, Lorenzo Alvarado walked guests through a small scale
Speaker 1: version of this process to explain how Old Steelhouse makes
Speaker 1: their bourbon as well. It's a great opportunity to honor
Speaker 1: the property and showcase what we're doing here and showcase
Speaker 1: our product, Alvarado said of the event on Tuesday. Other
Speaker 1: distilleries held their own event throughout the week, with heaven
Speaker 1: Hill kicking off on National Bourbon Days June fourteenth with
Speaker 1: their Elijah Craig Celebration. Preservation Distillery also got in on
Speaker 1: the fund by hosting the Boone Family Reunion Festival, inviting
Speaker 1: attendees to come together in celebration. Todd Magner was one
Speaker 1: of the many people in attendance on Wednesday at lux
Speaker 1: Rose front Yard Barbecue with Master distiller John Rempy. Magner
Speaker 1: traveled from southern Indiana to experience National Bourbon Week, with
Speaker 1: lux Row being his third event of the week. Magner
Speaker 1: said they've already hit Heaven Hill, Chicken Cock, Liam Ash,
Speaker 1: and Springfield's Potter Jane Distillery. He said they loved the
Speaker 1: community in being around good people. Magner said they also
Speaker 1: are big fans of lux Rose products and loved being
Speaker 1: able to see their campus once again. Rempy said National
Speaker 1: Bourbon Week is a celebration of bourbon. He said. While
Speaker 1: the Falls, Kentucky Bourbon Festival is a great showcase, bourbon
Speaker 1: deserves more time to be celebrated. Rimpy said they began
Speaker 1: celebrating bourbon in June and continue the festivities into September.
Speaker 1: Any opportunity we get to draw more people into Bardstown
Speaker 1: to lux Row Distillers, we are going to jump at
Speaker 1: that chance to give people a look at this ninety
Speaker 1: acre campus, he said. Other distillery events throughout the week
Speaker 1: included the James B. Beam Distilling Companies Backyard bluew Log
Speaker 1: Stills proved by the spring Makers, Mark Distilleries, Bourbons Wilrat
Speaker 1: with master distiller Doctor Blake Layfield. Potter Jane also hosted
Speaker 1: multiple big vat blending classes. These events continue through the
Speaker 1: weekend with the Bardstown Main Streets Bourbon City Street Concert
Speaker 1: on Saturday evening and Bardstown seventeen ninety two's Father Day
Speaker 1: Bourbon brench and tour. Next. County officials plead with Bloomfield
Speaker 1: to change course on garbage contract. Bloomfield City Council briefs.
Speaker 1: County officials visited the Bloomfield City Council meeting Monday with
Speaker 1: some stern words in the wake of the city deciding
Speaker 1: to switch garbage carriers from waste management to Rumki and
Speaker 1: rejecting Nelson County's solid waste bid as well. I was
Speaker 1: highly disappointed in the garbage decision, Nelson Judge Executive Ten
Speaker 1: Hutchins said, while asking the city to reconsider awarding the
Speaker 1: bid to Rumkey. Hutchins was joined at the meeting by
Speaker 1: county engineers Brad Spaulding and John Greenwell to plead their case.
Speaker 1: At last month's city council meeting, members found themselves deadlocked
Speaker 1: with a three to three tally, with Mayor Chris Dudgeon
Speaker 1: casting the tie breaking vote to go with Rumkey for
Speaker 1: the city's garbage pickup. Council members Laura Bennett, Ken Lamone,
Speaker 1: and Scott Stevenson each cast no votes at that meeting,
Speaker 1: with each voicing their preference to contract with Nelson County
Speaker 1: for that service. John Hammond, Tina Long, and Todd Swasey
Speaker 1: voted in favor of Rumkey. In his comments, Hutchins spelled
Speaker 1: out recent contributions that the county had provided to Bloomfield,
Speaker 1: including Cities Beautiful Buy and funds for projects in the city,
Speaker 1: including the recent renovations of Bloomfield Memorial Park and the
Speaker 1: positioning of County recycling trailers in the city. He also
Speaker 1: noted that the county bid was lower than Rumkies. It's
Speaker 1: a slap in our faith, Hutchins said, We've done a
Speaker 1: lot of work over at this end of the county.
Speaker 1: One of the hangars from last month's meeting were concerns
Speaker 1: raised by Hammond that if the city went with the
Speaker 1: county for its trash contract, city Hall would still be
Speaker 1: receiving complaints from local residents rather than those complaints going
Speaker 1: to Nelson County Solid Ways. County officials countered that, noting
Speaker 1: that they have received very few complaints calls since NC
Speaker 1: solid Waste took over trash pickup for an New Haven
Speaker 1: last year when that city didn't renew its contract with
Speaker 1: waste management. At Monday's meeting, Barnett questioned whether Bloomfield could
Speaker 1: rescind its vote, noting that she still felt Bloomfield should
Speaker 1: contract through the county. City Attorney Aufrey Hayden Blackman was
Speaker 1: not in attendance at Monday's meeting, so the city would
Speaker 1: need to consult her before they could pursue rescinding the
Speaker 1: contract with Rumky. Greenwell noted that unlike Rumky or Waste Management,
Speaker 1: Nelson County Solid Waste always answered the phone for customer
Speaker 1: complaints or issues, and that Bloomfield residents couldn't expect the
Speaker 1: same level of service from the corporate contractors. We think
Speaker 1: we can do a good job for Bloomfield's, Faulding said.
Speaker 1: We care, we want to serve you guys. In other news,
Speaker 1: Bloomfield Public Work Supervisor Derrick Hagan said he was awarding
Speaker 1: a price awaiting a price quote on chemicals for sewer treatment.
Speaker 1: He also said he's hoping that the long awaited equipment
Speaker 1: for one of the city's water pump stations would possibly
Speaker 1: be in by the second week of July. The city
Speaker 1: passed second readings of its amended fiscal year twenty six
Speaker 1: budgets and its fiscal year twenty twenty seven budget. Dudgeon
Speaker 1: opened discussion on the city's past property tax rates, noting
Speaker 1: that the overall rate for city residents in twenty eighteen
Speaker 1: was thirty three cents per one hundred dollars of valuation
Speaker 1: and that now it is twenty seven point four cents
Speaker 1: per one hundred dollars. In most of those years, the
Speaker 1: city took the compensating ru rate of a four percent
Speaker 1: increase in revenue, as required by state law. Dudgeon said
Speaker 1: this city has been able to lower the individual tax
Speaker 1: rate in the past eight years while also raising more
Speaker 1: revenue because of the new home construction in the city limits.
Speaker 1: He said only residents who had their homes reappraised by
Speaker 1: the Property Valuation Office will have seen their overall tax
Speaker 1: bill go up, but that was not because their individual
Speaker 1: tax rate rose. Hammond said his overall city tax rate
Speaker 1: has dropped in recent years. Hammond said he is looking
Speaker 1: into price quotes to add a water fountain and a
Speaker 1: hand washing station at Memorial Park. He also inquired as
Speaker 1: to whether there have been any incidents at the park
Speaker 1: since the renovated bathrooms have reopened to the public during
Speaker 1: park hours and was told there had been none. Stevenson
Speaker 1: made a statement during the meeting regarding the city's fireworks
Speaker 1: ordinance and noted that residents could be cited for setting
Speaker 1: off fireworks that go higher than six feet. Lemone questioned
Speaker 1: the city's continued use of flock camera license plate readers
Speaker 1: positioned throughout Bloomfield and its pricey yearly contract that he
Speaker 1: felt the money could be better spent elsewhere. Police agencies
Speaker 1: used the Flock camera system to identify stolen vehicles or
Speaker 1: drivers who have outstanding warrants against them. Lemone said he
Speaker 1: thinks that the use of the cameras is unconstitutional and
Speaker 1: that it is unnecessary given Bloomfield's relatively low crates. Next,
Speaker 1: Blandford named Miss Kentucky's Team. Bardstown native finds confidence on stage.
Speaker 1: Lake and Blandford, a Bardstown native, was crowned Miss Kentucky's
Speaker 1: Teen this past weekend, bringing her Passion project to the
Speaker 1: state wide stage. Blandford, fifteen, said when she heard her
Speaker 1: name announced, declaring her the next Miss Kentucky's Team, she
Speaker 1: was in a daze. The atmosphere was chaotic with all
Speaker 1: the sounds and sights of celebration. But several days after
Speaker 1: the event, she said she's feeling very grateful. You're just
Speaker 1: overwhelmed with all these different emotions. You're grateful, you're excited,
Speaker 1: you're nervous. There's so many different emotions, she said, it
Speaker 1: narrows down to the last two. So it's just when
Speaker 1: is my name's going to be called? It's when's the
Speaker 1: next move? What's going to be called next. It's bunch
Speaker 1: of overwhelming the incredibly special emotions. Blandford said being named
Speaker 1: Miss Kentucky's Teen has provided her an opportunity to expand
Speaker 1: her community initiatives. The Resilience Project, The Rising Sophomor's program
Speaker 1: provides scholarships, opportunities, and encouragement to young people facing adversities.
Speaker 1: The scholarships give them access to local extracurriculars and find
Speaker 1: their community. Last year, Blandford said she sponsored twenty five
Speaker 1: kids through the Resilience Project. She hopes to use her
Speaker 1: new platform as Kentucky's Miss as Miss Kentucky's Team to
Speaker 1: expand the initiative's reach and impact. During the weekend's competition,
Speaker 1: Blanford combined for performance a dance routine to the song
Speaker 1: Halo by Biance. She also played the viola during the performance.
Speaker 1: She said dance and orchestra were her own safe spaces
Speaker 1: after a traumatic experience at a young age. Blanford was
Speaker 1: a victim of a dog attack and home invasion victim
Speaker 1: as a child. The song Halo is about someone finding
Speaker 1: their safe haven in someone else. I am providing an
Speaker 1: opportunity and a chance for them to turn their stories around.
Speaker 1: She said dance and orchestra were huge for me. Being
Speaker 1: involved in those activities and having the connection to those
Speaker 1: were such a big part of helping me overcome what
Speaker 1: I had faced. I wanted to make sure that I
Speaker 1: could incorporate both of those and show the audience what
Speaker 1: truly helped mean. Blamford said her first exposure to Miss
Speaker 1: Kentucky's Team was being traveled. When she traveled to see
Speaker 1: Mallory Jones be crowned in twenty twenty four. She said
Speaker 1: she saw intelligent and confident young women on the stage
Speaker 1: and she knew it was something she wanted to be
Speaker 1: a part of. She said. The first time she competed
Speaker 1: in a Miss Kentucky's Teen's preliminary competition, she lost. However,
Speaker 1: with some encouragement, she entered into another event and was
Speaker 1: named Miss Fountain Square's team. In the statewide competition, she
Speaker 1: placed in the top twelve. Last September, Blandford was named
Speaker 1: Miss Mammoth Caves Area's Teen. She said she spent the
Speaker 1: last several months preparing for the statewide event. Now, Blamford
Speaker 1: said she is preparing for the Miss America's Teen event
Speaker 1: later this year. I found in my years of having
Speaker 1: a title with the Miss America Organization that serving people
Speaker 1: is the best way to grow myself, she said, when
Speaker 1: I'm able to share my stories with the younger kids
Speaker 1: across Kentucky or across Nelson County. Thus far, I found
Speaker 1: that when I connect with them, they fill this bond
Speaker 1: with me, so they're able to feel that connection too.
Speaker 1: Understanding that there are many backgrounds in many different perspectives
Speaker 1: from many kids across Kentucky. It's help shape my mindset
Speaker 1: and help shape who I want to be and where
Speaker 1: I want the Resilience Project to continue to grow. Next
Speaker 1: in community news, the Feeding America's food distribution will be
Speaker 1: at eight point thirty am Wednesday, June twenty fourth, Nelson
Speaker 1: County Fairgrounds for any wok income and someone in need.
Speaker 1: Bring proof of residents, number in your household and identification.
Speaker 1: Cooking skills at the library. Rush up on your cooking
Speaker 1: skills at the New Haven branch every month join Melina
Speaker 1: Alexander from the Nelson County Extension for cooks the calendar,
Speaker 1: at which she'll demonstrate how to prepare passa with steak
Speaker 1: and spinach, as well as banana blueberry treats. Please Register
Speaker 1: at NCPLK dot org or by calling five O two
Speaker 1: five four nine six seven three five for this session.
Speaker 1: Schedule for Monday, June twenty second, at five pm at
Speaker 1: the New Haven Branch. Open to ages eighteen and up.
Speaker 1: Register here at httpf colon forward Slash, forward Slash, www dot,
Speaker 1: n cp l ky dot, RG Forward Slash, Event forward Slash,
Speaker 1: cook Dash, Calendar Dash New hay Haven Dash Branch Dash
Speaker 1: four five four nine eight. Turtlewalk in Elizabethtown, First Presbyterian
Speaker 1: Church and Green Space present Doctor Paul Gerard. Seventeenth Annual
Speaker 1: Turtle Walk and Talk Sunday, June twenty eighth at two
Speaker 1: pm in Elizabethtown. The hike begins at the Haycraft Trailhead
Speaker 1: parking lot across from the Hardin County Justice Center. Info
Speaker 1: at www dot etown p r e s dot org.
Speaker 1: June Bourbon City Street Jamboree and Concert Bardstown Main Street
Speaker 1: twenty third annual Bourbon City Street Concert and January Jamboree
Speaker 1: will be Saturday, June twentieth in downtown Bardstown. Bring your
Speaker 1: chairs and enjoy life, music, food and fun. Events include
Speaker 1: Kidstone from noon to four pm. Bourbon Samples for a
Speaker 1: small fee, Molbille golf simulator, Putt Putt Sun and downtown
Speaker 1: shopping specials and restaurant deals all afternoon beginning at six pm.
Speaker 1: Celebrate America's two hundred and fiftieth birthday with United Wee
Speaker 1: Jam Theme Concert with Chasing Judah, The Wilson Brothers and
Speaker 1: headliner Unleashed Comet the Toby Keith Tribute. Come dressed in
Speaker 1: your best red, white and blue attire and be ready
Speaker 1: for a night full of music and community. This is
Speaker 1: all the time we've had a reading of the recent
Speaker 1: editions of the Kentucky Standers. If you enjoy hearing this,
Speaker 1: please call us at eight five nine four two two
Speaker 1: six three nine zero and let us know On behalf
Speaker 1: of everyone here at Radio Eye. This is Brian Hunt.
Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me, and now please stay tuned
Speaker 1: for continued programming here on Radio E