Speaker 1: Now we turn to the Kentucky Standard for news in
Speaker 1: Bartstown and Nelson County. Your reader today is Brian Hunt.
Speaker 1: As a reminder, radialized or reading service intended for people
Speaker 1: who are blind or have other disabilities that make it
Speaker 1: difficult to read printed material. We will begin with the
Speaker 1: edition dated June seventh. Halk arrested on Thursday. Nick Howe,
Speaker 1: brother of convicted murderer Brooks Howe, was arrested Thursday by
Speaker 1: Kentucky State Police on charges of perjury Nelson County. Nelson's
Speaker 1: Circuit Judge Charles Simms, the third issued in indictment Wednesday,
Speaker 1: and how forty six, was picked up by KSP and
Speaker 1: taken to the Nelson County Correction Center before then being
Speaker 1: transferred to the Hardin County Detention Center, where he was
Speaker 1: held on a twin eighty five thousand dollars bond as
Speaker 1: of Thursday afternoon. He bonded out later that afternoon. Just
Speaker 1: after one thirty pm, Kentucky State Police arrested Nicholas Nick Howe,
Speaker 1: forty six, of Bardstown, Kentucky, on a Nelson County indictment
Speaker 1: warrant following an investigation Kentucky conducted by Kentucky State Police
Speaker 1: posts four detectives. A press release from the KSP said
Speaker 1: Nick nick Holt has been mentioned in past court proceedings
Speaker 1: involving his brother in connection with the twenty fifteen disappearance
Speaker 1: and presumed murder of Crystal Rogers, who was brooks House
Speaker 1: girlfriend at the time she went missing. Brooks House was
Speaker 1: convicted of murder in connection with her death at the
Speaker 1: trial last summer. Also convicted were a pomplices Joseph Lawson
Speaker 1: and Stephen Lawson. While the indictment and press release does
Speaker 1: not indicate this is in connection with Roger's death, the
Speaker 1: timing of the first degree perjury charge against out suggests otherwise.
Speaker 1: Quote that between the dates of July fifteenth, twenty fifteen,
Speaker 1: and April sixteenth, twenty twenty three, in Nelson County, Kentucky,
Speaker 1: the above name defendant committed the offense of perjury in
Speaker 1: the first degree when he made a material false statement
Speaker 1: which he did not believe in an official proceeding while
Speaker 1: under oath, required or authorized by law. The indictment reads
Speaker 1: Nick Howe to schedule for arraignment in Nelson's Circuit Court
Speaker 1: at ninety m June eighteenth, First degree perjury is a
Speaker 1: class steve felony. Hawk is facing one to five years
Speaker 1: in prison if convicted, as well as a fine of
Speaker 1: one thousand dollars up to ten thousand dollars. How was
Speaker 1: taken into custody and lodge without incident. KSB Post four
Speaker 1: detectives are continuing the investigation. No further details will be
Speaker 1: provided at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.
Speaker 1: The press release from KSP said, as with all criminal cases,
Speaker 1: the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a
Speaker 1: court of law. Next, Stephen Foster's Story opens June thirteenth.
Speaker 1: The drama celebrates sixty seventh season. This summer marks the
Speaker 1: sixty seventh season for The Stephen Foster Story, which is
Speaker 1: set to open on June thirteenth with four new actors
Speaker 1: in the principal roles. The longtime theater production The Stephen
Speaker 1: Foster Story has just two weeks of rehearsal before opening night.
Speaker 1: This year, the drama will celebrate its sixty seventh season
Speaker 1: at the Jay Van Talbot Amphitheater, and twenty twenty six
Speaker 1: marks the two hundredth birthday of Stephen Foster. Stephen Foster
Speaker 1: Drama Association Artistic director Johnny Warren said this year's show
Speaker 1: is special, not only with the four main roles being
Speaker 1: occupied by new editions, but also a celebration of the
Speaker 1: production as a whole. Warren said, in his twenty seven
Speaker 1: years with the company, he has never seen the roles
Speaker 1: of Stephen Foster, Jane McDowell, Livy Pye, and Joe Aikins
Speaker 1: taken on by four new actors at the same time. However,
Speaker 1: Warren said this opportunity gives the actors the ability to
Speaker 1: bring something new to the roles. What happens when new
Speaker 1: cast members bring their own interpretation and their own skill
Speaker 1: is set in their own talents to the performance is
Speaker 1: just so fascinating to watch and to witness how different
Speaker 1: the the exact same material can be. He said, that's
Speaker 1: one of the joys of the fact that we do
Speaker 1: produce Stephen Foster's story every single year. This year, the
Speaker 1: titular role of Stephen Foster will be played by Zachary
Speaker 1: Petrie from Florence and is making his Bartstown debut this summer.
Speaker 1: Petrie is a musical theater alumnus of the Kentucky Governor's
Speaker 1: School for the Arts and is a rising senior at
Speaker 1: Northern Kentucky University. Jane McDowell will be played by Annie
Speaker 1: Dawk from Louisville. This is not dwk's first time being
Speaker 1: on the stage at j Dan Talbot Amphitheater. Dalk previously
Speaker 1: was a part of the Dramas Association's production of Mary
Speaker 1: Poppins as Jane Banks in twenty eighteen. Gracie Wright from
Speaker 1: dulph In, Georgia is Livvy Pye's in her first year
Speaker 1: with the drama. Wright is studying musical theater at Brunau
Speaker 1: University and was a twenty twenty four Jimmy Awards finalist.
Speaker 1: John Allway from Troy, Alabama will play Joe Aikins. The
Speaker 1: recent Troy University graduate will be making his Stephen Foster
Speaker 1: story debut this summer. Director Bronson Norris Murphy said he
Speaker 1: is thrilled to be returning direct to direct this season's production.
Speaker 1: He said, besides the musical and social history presented in
Speaker 1: the show, he is most excited to work with the
Speaker 1: cast they've assembled for their sixty seventh season. Murphy said
Speaker 1: after only a few short days of working with them,
Speaker 1: he can tell their energy, passion, and talents are going
Speaker 1: to bring the story to life in a beautiful way
Speaker 1: for their audience. It is a thrill to use the
Speaker 1: same script in the same music to tell Stephen Foster's
Speaker 1: story in new and vital ways each season. He said.
Speaker 1: A lot of that is depended on or inspired the
Speaker 1: actor's impression of the story, the music, and ideas for
Speaker 1: the text. It's really exciting to watch an actor grab
Speaker 1: onto these words and make them their own. Murphy is
Speaker 1: currently also on the national tour of Phantom of the
Speaker 1: Opera and said that the theatergoers will find some trinket
Speaker 1: of the Phantom's influence in this year's production. Stephen Foster
Speaker 1: Story will begin its season June thirteenth and will run
Speaker 1: every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through July fourth. Beginning
Speaker 1: July seventh, the show will run every Tuesday, Thursday, and
Speaker 1: Saturday until Augus eight. For more information about opening night
Speaker 1: or to purchase tickets, visit Stephen Foster dot com. Next,
Speaker 1: Ethan Almighty crew wraps up filming in Bardstown. Cast and
Speaker 1: crew have set up shop at Gocenter. The cast and
Speaker 1: crew for the upcoming Ethan Almighty film have been in
Speaker 1: and around the Bardstown area for a few weeks shooting
Speaker 1: scenes for the story documenting the heartwarming true tale of
Speaker 1: the rescue dog who battle the odds and survived abuse
Speaker 1: and neglect in near starvation at the hand of its
Speaker 1: previous owner. Each day before getting going, that same cast
Speaker 1: and crew have gone to work with full bellies thanks
Speaker 1: to the efforts of the folks at the Augustrie Opportunity
Speaker 1: Center who have been catering breakfast for the crew for
Speaker 1: a few weeks. Now. It gives us more opportunity to
Speaker 1: serve our mission, said Lee Look, director of the GEO Center.
Speaker 1: Each day, the geocenter workers prep food for about two
Speaker 1: to three hours under the guidance of Julian Gillian Peebler,
Speaker 1: director of On the Go Foods, to feed the hungry
Speaker 1: crew and get them started on their workday. She plans
Speaker 1: all this and we all work with her when we're catering.
Speaker 1: Luke said, she's in charge of all that you see here.
Speaker 1: She coordinates it, she makes it all happen. Luke calls
Speaker 1: it an amplification of the mission of the Geocenter. Peebler
Speaker 1: said she couldn't do it without lots of help. The
Speaker 1: wonderful thing about this organization is not only do people
Speaker 1: like being here, but people like to volunteer, Peebler said,
Speaker 1: and we cannot do it without our volunteers, so we're
Speaker 1: thankful for every one that walked through the doors. Also
Speaker 1: on hand Friday morning for breakfast was the star who
Speaker 1: inspired the show, Ethan himself, who was busy being lazy
Speaker 1: for a while before a crew member showed up with
Speaker 1: a doggy toy for him and his adopted parents, E. F. Callaway,
Speaker 1: which picked the canine's interest. Ethan will be played by
Speaker 1: a dog actor in the film. Ethan was abandoned in
Speaker 1: the Kentucky Humane Society during January twenty twenty one and
Speaker 1: eventually recovered from his abuse with the help and care
Speaker 1: of Shelter's staff and Callaway, who fostered Ethan before eventually
Speaker 1: adopting him. Ethan is a large, mixed buried dog primary
Speaker 1: barely a Presa Canario and other breeds. Normally weighing about
Speaker 1: ninety pounds, Ethan had withered to just thirty eight pounds
Speaker 1: when Shelter's staff took him in. The Ethan's Harrowing Journey
Speaker 1: inspired Ethan's Law legislation passed by the Kentucky General Assembly
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four that stiffened the state's animal crupuelty laws.
Speaker 1: Ethan and Callaway served as grand marshals for the twenty
Speaker 1: twenty four Bartstown Chris Cowana's Christmas Parade. A recent stretch
Speaker 1: of filming in downtown Bardstown was designed to recreate that parade.
Speaker 1: The film, by writer and director Tane McClure, stars Sean Patrick, Flannery,
Speaker 1: Selma Blair, and Brandon Route, among others. Next gold Rush
Speaker 1: Rally coming to Bardstown Exotic Car Showcase stopping in downtown.
Speaker 1: Gold Rush Rally, an exotic and luxury vehicle rally, is
Speaker 1: making a stop in Bardstown on June thirteenth after it
Speaker 1: begins the Drive West event. North Third Street in Bardstown
Speaker 1: will be packed with supercars next weekend as the gold
Speaker 1: Rush Rally will make a small stop. The organization's Drive
Speaker 1: West event is kicking off in Nashville before stopping in
Speaker 1: Bardstown on its way to Indianapolis. The event's final stop
Speaker 1: is in Las Vegas on June twentieth. Barstown, Nelson County
Speaker 1: Tourism President Stacy Phelps said she's thrilled to welcome them
Speaker 1: to Barstown. Phelps said it provides an exciting opportunity to
Speaker 1: showcase the community to a new audience. Additionally, she said,
Speaker 1: it gives locals and visitors a unique chance to see
Speaker 1: the incredible vehicles in the heart of a historic downtown.
Speaker 1: Phelps says they will shut down the first the first
Speaker 1: and second block of Third Street at nine am on
Speaker 1: the day of the event. She said they'll set up
Speaker 1: barricades and bike racks to protect the vehicles. Vehicles will
Speaker 1: arrive around two PM and head out of three point
Speaker 1: thirty pm. The street will remain closed through five PM
Speaker 1: to allow for cleanup. It's going to be a first come,
Speaker 1: first serve event to where you get on the street,
Speaker 1: Phelps said, I can't say that the streets aren't going
Speaker 1: to be crowded because I don't know, but they will
Speaker 1: be able to walk along Main Street on the sidewalks
Speaker 1: to view all the cars. There will also be food
Speaker 1: trucks on the site. Is a free event. The only
Speaker 1: thing they would need to purchase is if they want
Speaker 1: some food or snack or anything like that. But it's
Speaker 1: open to the public and everybody's welcome. Phelps said. Four
Speaker 1: years ago, the Gumball three thousand rally, a similar style
Speaker 1: event brought in thousands to downtown Bardstown. She recalled the
Speaker 1: streets being packed, claiming some attendees even got on top
Speaker 1: of buildings to see the cars. However, she said she
Speaker 1: doesn't know what kind of crowd to expect for the
Speaker 1: gold Rush Rally, but they are prepared for the huge
Speaker 1: crowd if it happens. Phelps said, the great thing about
Speaker 1: the event it brings me out all new people, something
Speaker 1: different than Bardstown's usual fair. She said she expects it
Speaker 1: to be a very busy day in the county, just
Speaker 1: one day before the start of National Bourbon Week. Phelps
Speaker 1: said the gold Rush Rally is opening the city and
Speaker 1: the county up to more events like it in the future.
Speaker 1: I think it's a huge opportunity for us in the
Speaker 1: future to be able to get some other things like that,
Speaker 1: she said. I think once they see it here, I
Speaker 1: think it will bring them back. It's really a super
Speaker 1: busy weekend, so it's a great weekend for our local community.
Speaker 1: They seem super excited right now. We're getting really great
Speaker 1: feedback off of it. And it's also the day before
Speaker 1: the National Bourbon Week starts, so we're already going to
Speaker 1: have visitors in town. It's just a little extra for
Speaker 1: people that are already in town, and then of course
Speaker 1: for all our locals to come out and see it.
Speaker 1: So it's going to be a great weekend. Next races
Speaker 1: set for November election after filing day passes. June second
Speaker 1: was the deadline to file for all non partisan races
Speaker 1: for November general election, with many races seeing several newcomers
Speaker 1: throw their hats in the ring. Two Sea brought in
Speaker 1: many last minute filings. Non Partisan races in Nelson County
Speaker 1: include mayors for Bloomfield, Fairfield, new Haven, and Bartstown and
Speaker 1: their respective city councils and commissions. The Bardstown and Nelson
Speaker 1: County Boards of Education are also nonpartisan races. In the
Speaker 1: mayoral races, Bartstown Mayor Dick Heaton is running for re election. However,
Speaker 1: Heaton will be opposed this year, with Mona Jacumer Patel
Speaker 1: filing on the deadline. Current New Haven Mayor Linda Mattingley
Speaker 1: will not be running for re election. William Metcalf and
Speaker 1: Fred de Witt have filed for the position. DeWitt currently
Speaker 1: serves on the city's Board of commiss Bloomfield Mayor Chris
Speaker 1: Dudgeon is also running for re election after serving in
Speaker 1: the role for the last eight years. Longtime city councilwoman
Speaker 1: Laura Barnett is running against Dugeon this election cycle. The
Speaker 1: only unopposed mayor's race in Nelson County this year is Fairfield,
Speaker 1: where Herbie Harden is the sole candidate. Bloomfield City Council
Speaker 1: has nine people this year seeking six seats, with current
Speaker 1: council members John Hammond, Scott Stephenson, Tina Long and Ken
Speaker 1: Lemone running for re election. Joining the incumbents on November's
Speaker 1: ticket are Lonnie Knowle, Alpacino Jones, Jennica Greenwell, Michelle Loxton
Speaker 1: and Quentin burg In. Barstown David Dones, Joe Bupman, Betty
Speaker 1: Kelly Hart, Bill Seckels, Rowland coach Rowe Williams and Franklin
Speaker 1: Heads the fourth are running for re election on the
Speaker 1: City Council. Matthew Cooper and former Bartstown mayor John Royalty
Speaker 1: have also thrown their hats into the ring. New Haven
Speaker 1: City Commission has new faces who want to join the board.
Speaker 1: Hannah Metcalfe and Joseph Larry Maddingly will face off against
Speaker 1: current incumbents Lois Bowley, Ruth Faulkner and Mike Morris for
Speaker 1: the four commissioners seats. Barstown City School's Board of Education
Speaker 1: has one seat available for this election cycle. Kevin Rodgers
Speaker 1: is running for re election but has three competitors in
Speaker 1: Jenny Roby, Holland, Ellen Baker Finn and Ellen Baker Finn
Speaker 1: and Paul Bowling. The Nelson County school Boards will have
Speaker 1: two changes after the November election. District one and District
Speaker 1: four are currently up for grabs this year, as David
Speaker 1: Norman and Amantada Deaton did not file for re election.
Speaker 1: Jamie Miracle is running unopposed for the District four seat,
Speaker 1: while Adam Gossum is the sole candidate for District one.
Speaker 1: John Philliatroe Junior and Danny Caldwell are running for the
Speaker 1: Soil and Water Conservation district. These races will be on
Speaker 1: the general election ballot in November, alongside the partisan races.
Speaker 1: Nelson County has a number of contested races in the
Speaker 1: fall to vote on locally, statewide and federally. Incumbent Nelson
Speaker 1: County Judge Executive Tim Hutchins, a Republican, will face off
Speaker 1: against j. T. Roby, a Democrat, for the role in
Speaker 1: November after both advanced with primary wins. The rest of
Speaker 1: the Fiscal Court will also have stiff competition, as three
Speaker 1: of the five magisterial districts are opposed races. Two unopposed
Speaker 1: races are District two, which Soligariot Culter defeated incumbent Adam
Speaker 1: Wheatley in the May GOP primary for a spot on
Speaker 1: the ballot. In District five, Ted Shiels is unopposed after
Speaker 1: earning his place on the ballot against two competitors in
Speaker 1: that Republican primary. The opposed races for fiscal Court will
Speaker 1: see Republican incumbent M. T. Harnett taking on Democrat Cameron
Speaker 1: Richards or the third District magistrate seat. The first district
Speaker 1: magistrate seat has Democrat incumbent Keith Metcalffe going head to
Speaker 1: head with Republican Brandon Bryant. With current District four magistrate
Speaker 1: Jeff Lear not running for reelection, November's race will see
Speaker 1: Republican An Bray and Democrat Prankie Cameron by for the role.
Speaker 1: The race for Nelson County Sheriff will see Democrat A. J. Lewis,
Speaker 1: who overcame current sheriff Ramon pina AROA in May face
Speaker 1: off against Republican Jarren Culver for the position this Hall, Culver,
Speaker 1: and Lewis are current Bargstown police officers unopposed. Races in
Speaker 1: noever include jailor Justin Hall, County Clerk Jeannette Hall Sidebottom,
Speaker 1: and County Attorney art Chip McKay. P Property Valuation Administrator
Speaker 1: is unopposed after Stephen Hibbs be current PVA J Williams
Speaker 1: in May's GOP primary. Similarly, Kerrie Monin is unopposed after
Speaker 1: defeating incumbent Danielle Claudec during the Republican primary. On a
Speaker 1: state level, Nelson Countyons will vote for the next Senator
Speaker 1: for District fourteen. Senator Jimmy Higdon is retiring, so Republican
Speaker 1: Ben Mudd and Democrat Carry truett Or on the ballot.
Speaker 1: The Kentucky House of Representative seat for the fiftieth district
Speaker 1: has incumbent Republican Candy Masseroni running for re election against
Speaker 1: Democrat J. D. Netherton. Nationally, Republican Andy Barr and Democrat
Speaker 1: Charles Booker are on the ballot for the US Senate
Speaker 1: race to replace Mitch mcconnum. In the US House of Representatives,
Speaker 1: second district, Incumbent Congressman Brett Guthrie will face Democrat Megan Wingfield.
Speaker 1: In the fourth district. Newcomer Republican Ed Golrain, who defeated
Speaker 1: incumbent Thomas Massey in May, will be on the ballot
Speaker 1: with Democrat Melissa Strange in November next Whiskey House lays
Speaker 1: off thirty percent of workforce in e tem Another Kentucky
Speaker 1: distillery has announced layoffs as the ongoing slump in demand
Speaker 1: for bourbon and whiskey continues to take a toll on jobs.
Speaker 1: Whiskey House of Kentucky and Elizabethtown laid off about thirty
Speaker 1: percent of its workforce on Tuesday. CEO David Mandel said,
Speaker 1: and twenty two workers were laid off with a right
Speaker 1: to recall. We are among the last contract manufacturers to
Speaker 1: make workforce adjustments, and we fully expect to be among
Speaker 1: the first to bring employees back as demand returns, Mandel
Speaker 1: said in a statement. He said laid off employees will
Speaker 1: receive severance packages, continuation of benefits, and assistance with job placement.
Speaker 1: As an industry, we are navigating a sickly slow down,
Speaker 1: and our responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions that protects
Speaker 1: the long term health of our company, our customers, and
Speaker 1: our employees. Mandela said, these decisions are difficult because they
Speaker 1: affect people we deeply care about. That's why we worked
Speaker 1: hard to support those impacted with meaningful severance, continued benefits,
Speaker 1: and career transition existence. Whiskey House opened in July twenty
Speaker 1: twenty four in Elizabethtown as a state of the art
Speaker 1: custom distillery that produces bourbon and whiskey for various clients.
Speaker 1: It was founded in twenty twenty one by Mandell, John Hargrove,
Speaker 1: and Daniel Lynde, who previously built Bardstown Bourbon Company before
Speaker 1: leaving that company. While current market conditions remain challenging, we
Speaker 1: are encouraged by the momentum we are seeing in customer demand,
Speaker 1: the progress of our international expansion, and the long term
Speaker 1: process effects for the whiskey industry. Mandel said. By taking
Speaker 1: these actions now, we are ensuring that Whiskey House remains
Speaker 1: financially strong, operationally ready, in positioned to leave when growth returns.
Speaker 1: Whiskey House remains open and is currently operating at about
Speaker 1: sixty percent of its capacity. Mandel said. Several other Kentucky distilleries,
Speaker 1: including Barstown Bourbon company have laid off workers in the
Speaker 1: last year and a half as the spirit's industry has
Speaker 1: suffered from declining domestic demand. Bourbon also has been impacted
Speaker 1: by President Trump's trade war. Canada largely has been boycotting
Speaker 1: American spirits, including bourbon, since March twenty twenty five, and
Speaker 1: many overseas markets have been spooked by fluctuating tariff. Last year,
Speaker 1: American whiskey making hid its lowest since twenty nineteen, as
Speaker 1: Kentucky distillers are sitting on a glut of more than
Speaker 1: sixteen point one million barrels aging in warehouses. Brown Foreman
Speaker 1: laid off twelve percent of its global workforce in January
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, about six hundred and fifty jobs, including
Speaker 1: the permanent closures of its historic Louisville coopridge. In February
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, Compari Group, parent of Wild Turkey Distillery
Speaker 1: in Lawrenceburg and Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville, announced plans
Speaker 1: to cut ten percent of its global workforce, about five
Speaker 1: hundred jobs. In August twenty twenty five, the Augio parent
Speaker 1: of Bullet Bourbon, said it plan to cut an unspecified
Speaker 1: number of jobs to save six hundred twenty five million
Speaker 1: over the next three years. This is all the time
Speaker 1: we have for reading of recent editions of the Kentucky Standards.
Speaker 1: If you've enjoyed hearing this, please call us at eight
Speaker 1: five nine four two two six three nine zero and
Speaker 1: let us know. On behalf of everyone here at Radio Eye,
Speaker 1: this is Brian Hunt. Thank you for joining me, and
Speaker 1: now please stay tuned for continued programming here on Radio Eye.