Beshear: Facebook breach impacted 1.3M Kentuckians

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s Democratic Attorney General says more than 1.3 million Kentuckians were impacted by a privacy breach at Facebook.

Andy Beshear said he sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asking how many Kentucky residents had their personal information shared with a third party without their permission. Beshear said company officials told him it was 1,310,682. That’s more than 25 percent of the state’s population.

In a news release, Beshear said the number was alarming.

Beshear sent the letter to Facebook on March 26 along with attorneys general in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. Beshear said the breach impacted 1.6 million users in neighboring Indiana and 557,000 in West Virginia.

Hepatitis A case confirmed at Lexington school

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Health officials in Kentucky say a case of Hepatitis A has been found at an elementary school.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department said Wednesday the case was confirmed at Millcreek Elementary in Lexington.

The announcement comes as the state deals with an outbreak of the disease in six other counties. There have been more than 350 cases reported statewide including three deaths.

The contagious viral infection can damage the liver. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, fever and jaundice.

Media report Millcreek Principal Greg Ross sent a letter to families saying crews had performed a deep cleaning of the school. He said health officials are sending information home with students.

A new state law requires students to have the Hepatitis A vaccine beginning this fall.

Governor trims properties in annual disclosure

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s Republican governor has trimmed the number of properties he owns according to his annual financial disclosure report.

Last year Matt Bevin reported that he owned at least a $10,000 interest in 12 properties, including two homes, five rental properties and three commercial properties. But in a report filed last month , Bevin disclosed he owned just three properties: two single-family homes in Louisville and a home in Maine. None were rental properties.

Bevin also did not list Anchorage Place LLC, the company he created that owns his family’s home in Louisville.

Representatives from Bevin’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Bevin also listed interest in five companies. He reported gifts of Keeneland tickets and season tickets to University of Kentucky football and basketball games.

Miniature horse dies after career as museum ‘ambassador’

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Winston, a miniature horse that was a mainstay at the Kentucky Derby Museum, has died at the age of 24.

The horse’s retirement from the museum was announced in February, and he was moved to Old Friends, a retirement farm for horses near Georgetown in central Kentucky.

Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen says Winston’s death Wednesday was caused by an infection in his abdominal cavity.

Winston would have turned 25 on Friday.

The horse took up residence at the Derby Museum as a 2-year-old in 1995. He spent his tenure at the Louisville museum as a companion to more than 30 visiting thoroughbreds.

Museum President and CEO Patrick Armstrong says Winston was a “wonderful ambassador” for the museum. Blowen says the horse was “a joy to be around.”

US Attorney appoints law enforcement coordinator

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman has appointed a law enforcement coordinator.

Coleman said in a statement on Wednesday that former Kentucky State Police Maj. Jeremy V. Thompson will take on the role. He will act as an adviser to the U.S. attorney and serve as a liaison with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the western half of Kentucky.

Coleman said the move is part of a strategy to build better relationships with law enforcement agencies in the district, which includes 53 counties.

Thompson served with the Kentucky State Police for more than 20 years and supervised eight posts in Kentucky’s western region.

Milk processing plant to close, eliminating 52 jobs

FULTON, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky milk processing plant is slated to close next month, resulting in the loss of 52 jobs.

The Paducah Sun reports the general manager of the Prairie Farms Dairy plant, David Atchley, notified the Kentucky Division of Workforce and Employment Services on Tuesday. His letter indicated employees will receive severance pay and benefits after the plant closes June 30.

Fulton County Judge-Executive Jim Martin says the closure was not unexpected, as the company had raised the possibility several years ago.

Martin says milk production in the area has decreased, and the county has seen more job loss than creation over the last decade. He says he hopes the skilled workforce will attract potential investors.

Prairie Farms will continue to operate a distribution operation employing about 12 in Fulton.

Statue of heroic war horse to be unveiled

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Horse Park plans to unveil a statue of a horse that became a hero during the Korean War.

A statement from the park says the 1,000-pound (450-kilogram) statue of Sgt. Reckless will be unveiled Saturday, May 12.

The small mare had a racing background and was purchased by the U.S. Marines to carry ammunition. In a 1953 battle, she carried more than 9,000 pounds (4,000 kilograms) of ammunition on her back and made 51 trips to gun sites. She was wounded twice, but carried on. She also helped evacuate dead and wounded soldiers.

The statue in Lexington will be unveiled by four Korean War veterans who served with the horse.

The dedication comes more than two years after Marine Corps veterans and private citizens began raising money for the statue.

Police veteran to head criminal justice training agency

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The deputy commissioner for Kentucky State Police has been appointed to a new role as commissioner for the Department of Criminal Justice Training.

William Alexander Payne’s appointment was announced Tuesday by Kentucky Justice Secretary John Tilley.

The criminal justice training department is located at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. It provides entry-level and professional-development training for law enforcement officers across the state.

Payne joins the department with more than 30 years of experience in policing, training and operations, including 20 years at KSP. For the past two years, he has served as second-in-command for state police, overseeing administrative policy and operational services.

Before joining KSP, Payne served as patrol commander and special operations group commander for Jeffersontown police. Payne served with KSP from 1985 to 2004, starting as a trooper.