Daviess County

New Owensboro Schools Chief: State Should Fully Fund Pre-K Education

Kevin Willis — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:54:54 +0000

The incoming chief of the Owensboro Public School system says fully-funding pre-Kindergarten programs would be the best education investment state lawmakers could make.

Nick Brake will take over as leader of Owensboro's school system July 1, following seven years with the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation.

He told WKU Public Radio increased pre-K funding is money well spent.

"If you fully fund those programs, not only do you contribute three-to-one to their earnings later, but every dollar you spend there ends up saving the state money on the back end with benefit programs, criminal justice, and other savings," Brake said. "It's a long-term investment and sometimes those are difficult for public policy makers to swallow, but I think it's an investment that needs to be made."

Brake signed a four-year contract Monday to take over as leader of the Owensboro Public School system.

Daviess County Business Leader Named Head of Owensboro Public Schools

WKU Public Radio News — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:20:31 +0000

Owensboro Public Schools didn’t have to go far to find the new chief of its city school system. Nick Brake, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation, has signed a four-year contract to lead Owensboro Public Schools.

The Messenger-Inquirer reports Brake will earn an initial annual salary of $144,000.

Current Owensboro schools superintendent Larry Vick will serve his last day on the job June 30.

Mattingly Unveils Daviess County Budget Plan with Increase in General Fund Spending

WKU Public Radio News — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:58:08 +0000

A proposed budget for Daviess County includes a $1 million increase in spending on general fund operations, and a two-percent cost of living increase for county employees.

Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly presented an 87 page document outlining a $23.5 million dollar plan for general fund spending next fiscal year, a nearly 5 percent increase over the current year.

The Messenger-Inquirer reports the new budget keeps property and payroll tax rates at the same levels, and contains one-million-dollars less for the Daviess County Detention Center. The facility has generated more revenue on its one, and that $1 million will instead be freed up for capitol projects.

Mattingly says he’s happy the proposed county budget contains $2.5 million less in overall debt than the current fiscal year, with no new debt taken on next year.

Owensboro Native Sentenced to 16 Years in Military Spy Case

Associated Press — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:40:54 +0000

A Daviess County native who is an Alaska-based military policeman will serve 16 years in prison and will be dishonorably discharged for selling secrets to an FBI undercover agent who he believed was a Russian spy, a panel of eight military members decided Monday.

Spec. William Colton Millay of Owensboro, pleaded guilty last month to attempted espionage and other counts.

Military prosecutors painted him as a white supremacist who was fed up with the Army and the United States, and was willing to sell secrets to an enemy agent, even if that would cost fellow soldiers their lives.

Defense attorneys said Millay was emotionally stunted, was only seeking attention and was a candidate for rehabilitation.

Beshear Orders Flags Lowered to Half-Staff in Honor of Daviess County Soldier

WKU Public Radio News — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:51:06 +0000

Gov. Steve Beshear has ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff Saturday in honor of a Daviess County soldier killed in Afghanistan. Twenty-six-year-old Sergeant Michael Cable of Philpot died March 27from injuries he sustained when he was attacked by a knife-wielding Afghan teenager.

Sgt. Cable was a member of the 101^st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell.

Funeral services for Cable are being held Saturay at 1 p.m. at Haley-McGuiness Funeral Home in Owensboro, with burial services immediately following at Rose Hill Cemetery.