Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News

eBay Removes Synthetic Marijuana Listings

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:06:53 +0000

Two Bowling Green women are taking on nationally known Internet sales sites to stop the spread of synthetic marijuana marketed as herbal incense or potpourri. "We want it banned as many places as we can get it banned so it's not accessible to anyone," said Amy Stillwell, who has become a local anti-drug activist after her 18-year-old daughter smoked the herbal potpourri known as 7H last year and landed in the emergency room from the reaction caused by the drug.

Bowling Green Discusses Ban of Synthetic Pot

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:18:42 +0000

Ashley Stillwell and Josh Walkup hope that no one else has to endure the pain brought on by their experiences with herbal potpourri. Walkup, 26, of Richardsville, and Stillwell, 18, will address the Bowling Green City Commission at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 during a work session to discuss banning the sale of products marketed as herbal incense or potpourri that are in fact being used as cheap, legal alternatives to marijuana.

Illegal Drug Market Uncovered in Western KY

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:34:01 +0000

More than 26,000 prescription pain pills were diverted from a Butler County pharmacy onto the black market in and around Bowling Green. That’s what Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force officers found as the result of an investigation that started with one undercover drug purchase in May. Hundreds of man-hours later, task force officers traced the source to a Butler County pharmacy where an employee, without the knowledge of her employer, stole the pills and provided them to another person for resale, police said.

Kids Discover Meth Lab in Western Kentucky

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:28:15 +0000

The carelessness of a methamphetamine cook led to a group of children finding a meth lab Wednesday just a few feet from a rock where they had sat down to rest inside Brookwood Mobile Home Park off Morgantown Road. Twins Sean and Stephen Claborn, 10, of Lot 248, had been walking with several other children when Stephen saw a plastic bottle with liquid inside and a piece of tubing coming out of the top. The children talked among themselves about the bottle just before Stephen picked it up. Something on the outside of the bottle felt like sand, he said.

Legislation Pre-filed to Curb Metal Theft

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:19:13 +0000

A metal thief recently kicked a dent in Bowling Green business owner Terry Simon’s bottom line when the thief made off with thousands of dollars worth of tools and building materials that he later sold for scrap. Simon is one many Kentuckians who have fallen victim to illegal scrappers, people who steal anything made of nonprecious metal that they later sell to metal recyclers. For the scrapper’s effort, he got nearly $400, according to Bowling Green Police Department records. Police recovered some of Simon’s property, but some of what was recovered was damaged beyond any usefulness to Simon. To address the problem, state Rep. Richard Henderson, D-Jeffersonville, recently pre-filed legislation targeting metal theft.

Wreath-Laying Ceremony to Honor Slain Officer

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:20:52 +0000

Life changed for Bowling Green Police Department officers at 10:40 a.m. Oct. 31, 2006. That’s the exact time city police dispatchers received a call about shots being fired the day Officer David “Slim” Whitson was shot and killed in the line of duty. He is the only officer in the BGPD’s 100-plus years who has given his life in service to the city. In observance of the fifth anniversary of his death, the BGPD is conducting an honor guard wreath-laying ceremony Monday at his gravesite in Gallatin, Tenn.

Bowling Green Officer has Eye for Seat Belts

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Just minutes into his shift Friday afternoon, Bowling Green Police Department Officer Ben Carroll has stopped a car because the driver isn’t wearing a seat belt. From July 1, 2010, to June 15, Carroll wrote 229 citations to drivers who were not wearing seat belts. The second highest number of seat belt citations issued by a BGPD officer was 27 for the same time period.

Iraqi Refugee Receives Civilian Court Trial

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:19:10 +0000

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Russell ruled Tuesday that an Iraqi refugee accused of terrorism activities can be tried in a civilian court. Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, who had been living as a refugee in Bowling Green, is accused of terrorism activities in a 23-count indictment. Alwan’s attorneys argued in a July 19 motion that the rules of the Geneva Convention apply to him and had attempted to get the first two counts of the criminal indictment against him dismissed. Russell denied that motion Tuesday.

Air Medical Services Save Precious Minutes

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:15:17 +0000

Amanda Havens credits Air Evac Lifeteam with saving her daughter’s life after a car crash in Butler County on June 8 that killed two people and injured Havens’ daughter, Caysi, 4, and two other children. Air Evac is the largest independently owned air medical service in the country with 104 bases in 15 states, including a base in front of The Medical Center in Bowling Green. Unlike larger cities, where some hospitals provide their own air ambulance transportation system, the membership-supported Air Evac Lifeteam provides helicopter transport to smaller communities in the states it serves.

Herbal Potpourri Can Deliver Disastrous Results

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:32:43 +0000

If Joshua Walkup wants to say the Pledge of Allegiance, he will have to put his hand under his armpit. That’s where his heart sits, barely beneath the surface. When Walkup, 26, lifts his shirt, his heartbeat is visible through his skin. The patchwork of scars all over Walkup’s torso looks like a railroad map to nowhere. But the scars tell the story of a man who journeyed to hell and is making his way back to redemption. Walkup is another casualty of 7H, a product that is marketed and sold as herbal potpourri in hookah lounges and convenience markets. However, many people such as Walkup are smoking the product as a cheap, legal alternative to marijuana, but with disastrous results.

Defense Team wants Hearing in Terror Case

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:14:26 +0000

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder declared in federal court records filed Tuesday that certain evidence in a terrorism case against two Iraqi refugees who had been living in Bowling Green would harm national security if disclosed publicly.

Investigation on KSP Trooper Crash May Take Time

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:33:44 +0000

The investigation into a traffic fatality last week in Park City involving a Kentucky State Police trooper could take a few months to complete, state police spokesman Lt. David Jude said Tuesday. Trooper Jonathan Biven, public affairs officer for the state police post in Bowling Green, was driving south Thursday afternoon on U.S. 31-W north of Park City in a caravan with other troopers when his cruiser crossed the center line and struck a car driven by Nurcan Ceylan, 33, of Riverside, N.J. She died from her injuries.

11 Injured in School Bus Wreck

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:42:14 +0000

An adult and 10 children were injured Monday morning when a Bowling Green Independent Schools bus collided with a car at Russellville Road and Campbell Lane. City schools Bus 4, loaded with about 50 children and bound for Bowling Green Junior High School, was traveling west on Russellville Road when it attempted to make a left turn onto Campbell Lane and collided with a car driven by Paula Borden, 42, of Bowling Green, Bowling Green Police Department spokesman Officer Ronnie Ward said. Borden and seven children were taken by ambulance to The Medical Center. The parents of three other children also took their children to the emergency room for treatment, officials said. No one was seriously injured, Bowling Green schools spokeswoman Leslie Peek said.

Access Limited to Terror Case Evidence

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:08:47 +0000

U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell signed an order prohibiting the public disclosure of evidence in a terrorism case against two Iraqi refugees arrested in Bowling Green on charges of trying to send weapons and money to al-Qaida in Iraq. Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, have pleaded not guilty to the charges in a 23-count federal indictment that accuses the men of attempting to support terrorism in Iraq. Federal authorities arrested them May 25 in Bowling Green. A federal grand jury indicted Alwan and Hammadi on May 26. Both entered the country legally as refugees.

Meth Lab Threatens Environment

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:24:42 +0000

Allen Key watched Thursday morning as drug investigators emerged from a wooded area along Warren County's Gasper River with trash bags full of toxic waste - the remnants of methamphetamine labs. “It’s disturbing,” he said as law enforcement officers from the Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force and the Kentucky State Police double-bagged the waste for disposal. Investigators found three garbage bags full of meth waste in the river and discovered another bag on dry land near the road. In all, drug investigators found 30 to 40 pounds of toxic waste, most of it in the river.

House Speaker Wants Drugs Monitored More

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:32:40 +0000

With prescription drug overdoses the leading cause of accidental deaths in Kentucky, state House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, is calling on the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure to better monitor doctors who over-prescribe pain medication. If the board does not take action, Stumbo is prepared to look for an agency that will, he said in a news release. Kentucky loses 82 people a month to drug overdose deaths, said Van Ingram, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy.

Drug Task Force Investigations Suffer

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:07:53 +0000

As methamphetamine labs continue to flourish in southcentral Kentucky, federal funding cuts to area drug task forces threaten to undermine meth eradication efforts. South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force investigators have had to cut back on the number of miles they drive and the amount of surveillance they conduct because the combination of high gas prices and decreased funding has dealt the agency a crushing blow.

Prosecuters Want Terrorism Case in Civilian Courts

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:58:54 +0000

Federal prosecutors contend that a terrorism-related case against Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, should be tried in a civilian court because the Geneva Conventions don’t protect him from prosecution here. Alwan is charged in a 23-count indictment that accuses him and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, of attempting to support terrorism in Iraq. Federal authorities arrested the men May 25 in Bowling Green. A federal grand jury indicted Alwan and Hammadi on May 26.

Attorney Noted for Response to DUIs

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:40:31 +0000

When Bowling Green Police Department Officer Ronnie Ward walks into Warren District Court to testify against someone he has arrested for driving under the influence, he is confident that Assistant County Attorney Jill Justice is well-prepared for the prosecution. Justice oversees the DUI division in the Warren County Attorney’s Office, prosecuting the majority of people charged here with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Last year in Warren County, 1,075 people were convicted of DUI, according to a recently released Kentucky State Police study. The high number of convictions places Warren County among the highest per capita in DUI convictions in the state.

Drug Dealers Capitalize on Funding Cuts

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:08:12 +0000

Drug dealers and methamphetamine cooks in Logan County are taking advantage of funding cuts and manpower shortages at the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force and the Russellville Police Department. The task force that investigates drug crime in Logan and Simpson counties is down from six investigators to four, and funding has been cut for the second straight year, hindering efforts to track and prosecute drug dealers.

Jailers Work to Control Street Gangs

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:59:15 +0000

Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, MS-13, Gangster Disciples, Asian Pride - jailers work to quickly identify inmates who claim allegiance to these street gangs and others for the safety of the keepers, as well as the kept. Decades-old gang rivalries that span from the East Coast to West Coast have created housing and safety concerns for southcentral Kentucky jailers. Jailers are constantly on the alert to prevent gang-related violence. “You have to make every effort to do everything you can to keep the facility safe,” Warren County Jailer Jackie Strode said.

"Potpourri" Sold as Pot Substitute

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:00:29 +0000

Two hits into an herbal incense packaged as 7H, and Amy, a University of Kentucky sophomore home for the summer in Bowling Green, loses complete awareness that she has a body. Amy is having what some drug users call a “bad trip,” the kind of trip that in Amy’s case ended with an ambulance ride to the emergency room at The Medical Center. Amy, whose name was changed for this story, agreed to speak anonymously to the Daily News to warn other young people about the dangers of smoking incense.

Officials Support Proposed ‘Caylee’s Law’

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:34:29 +0000

A proposed state law that would make it a felony to wait more than 12 hours to report a child missing appears to have bipartisan support from Warren County’s legislative delegation. State Rep. Richard Henderson, D-Jeffersonville, is prefiling legislation that would make it a felony to fail to report children ages 12 and under who have been missing more than 12 hours. The announcement came at the conclusion last week of the Casey Anthony trial in Florida. In that case, Casey Anthony failed to report her daughter, Caylee Anthony, missing for a month in the summer of 2008

Switch in 911 Duties Will Save Taxpayers

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:41:08 +0000

Tears streamed down Wendy Henson’s face Wednesday when Franklin and Simpson County leaders voted to outsource her job to Bowling Green. Henson is the interim supervisor for the Simpson County 911 Dispatch Services center. County leaders in a joint special called meeting Wednesday with the Franklin City Commission voted to terminate their agreement with the city of Franklin for dispatch services. Then, within minutes, both the city commission and county fiscal court voted unanimously to examine an agreement with the state to provide emergency dispatch services through Kentucky State Police Post 3 in Bowling Green. The switch is expected to save thousands in taxpayer dollars.

Terrorism Case Deemed ‘Complex’

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:42:56 +0000

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Russell granted a federal prosecutor’s motion Tuesday to declare a terrorism case against two Iraqi refugees as “complex,” which means that the trial against the two men will not have to be heard within the time frame of the Speedy Trial Act. Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, are in custody facing terrorism charges after a federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned a 23-count indictment against the men May 26. They were arrested May 25. Both entered the country legally as refugees.

Forensic Scientists Process Thousands of Pieces of Evidence

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:48:09 +0000

Growing up with two parents working as police officers, Kentucky State Police forensic scientist Vanessa Beall knew she wanted to work in law enforcement. Beall is one of 60 forensic scientists at the Kentucky State Police Central Laboratory branch in Frankfort. Every police agency in the state relies on the forensic scientists in KSP’s six crime labs to process evidence gathered at crime scenes. The central lab is the only full-service lab in the state.

Doctor Looks to Limit Abuse

Deborah Highland, Bowling Green Daily News — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:11:27 +0000

Surrounded by urine specimens, chemicals and lab equipment, Martha Martinez works out of a small room in a Cave City doctor’s office to help health care providers sort through the people who truly need narcotic pain and other medications and the people who are simply looking for the next high. Martinez, who works for Russell Springs-based Nexus Labs, rents space from Dr. Todd Williams, a Nexus devotee since September.