PIT BULLS FOUND DEAD
Eleven dead pit bulls were found Thursday morning in a creek on Bryant Ford Road in McCracken County with gunshot wounds to the head and bite marks typical of those seen on fighting dogs. Fresh blood smears were found on the bridge and bridge railing indicating that the dogs were thrown off the bridge. Most of the dogs had thrown off the bridge within the past 24 to 48 hours, possibly even Wednesday night.

CALLOWAY MAN KILLED THIS MORNING
A Calloway County man is dead following a one-vehicle accident at 9:18 this morning on Radio Road near Almo. 80-year old Lee Roy Barnett of Murray was traveling north on Radio Road when his vehicle traveled off of the right side of the roadway, entering the yard of a residence, and collided with a tree. State Police Trooper Mark Sallin said Barnett was found to be unresponsive in the vehicle. He was pronounced deceased by the Calloway County Coroner. The investigation is continuing by Trooper Sallin with the Kentucky State Police.

MURRAY MAN FACING CAR THEFT CHARGES
Mark R. Melloy II was arrested by Murray police on Main Street Wednesday after a car was reported stolen from a Coldwater Road Used Car dealership. Melloy was charged with theft of motor vehicle over $300 and driving without a license. The car was recovered and returned to the owner.

438TH COMING HOME
A welcome home ceremony for 110 Soldiers of the 438TH Military Police company will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday at Calloway County High School. The Soldiers left home one year ago in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq they performed area security missions in the city of Ramadi. This is the second overseas deployment for the 438TH MP Company in support of the Global War on Terror. The unit also supported the detainee mission in Guantanamo Bay Cuba, in 2002-2003. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 10,000 members of the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard have deployed worldwide in the Global War on Terror.

MSU MAKES KIPLINGER LIST AGAIN
Kiplinger has recognized Murray State University for the fourth consecutive year as one of the top 100 best values among public universities across the nation on Kiplinger’s 100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2008-09. Murray State is the only public university in Kentucky included in the rankings, which feature schools that excel at combining first-class academics with an affordable price tag. The study places Murray second based on total cost for out-of-state students to attend and third for costs to out-of-state students after financial aid is applied, making it a solid choice for students outside of Kentucky who chose MSU as their place to enroll. Additionally, the university was ranked in the top 15 publics throughout the nation for in-state total costs for students.

JUDGE TO SPEAK AT MSU
Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham will give a presentation, "Standing for Justice: The Supreme Court in Kentucky," addressing issues concerning citizens that recently have come before the court. This event will take place on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the new Performing Arts Hall at Graves County High School at Mayfield. The event is sponsored by Murray State University’s department of history as part of the University’s Regional Stewardship Initiative. Teachers, students and the general public are encouraged to attend this entertaining and informative free presentation on a topic important to all Kentuckians.

LBL PLANS BAT PROGRAM
Batty about Bats will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Golden Pond Planetarium located inside the Golden Pond Visitor Center at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Participants will learn amazing facts about bats and clear up myths surrounding bats. The speaker, Vicky Beckham Smith, is known as "The Bat Lady".  She began volunteering at The Birmingham Zoo in 1997, presenting bat programs and later leading workshops for teachers.  Pre-registration is not required for this program.  The program fee is $3.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 12 years old and under.

ACROSS KENTUCKY
Clark County joins a growing list of Kentucky counties and communities passing strict smoking rules. According to the "Herald Leader" The Clark County Health Department has passed a smoking ordinance. The ordinance will ban smoking inside public places. Smoking is permitted outside , far enough from the building so the smoke doesn't drift inside through an open door. Fines can be levied against those who violate the law.

Lexington Fayette Urban County Council has voted to tighten Lexington's smoking ban. The council now banning smoking anywhere at Blue Grass Airport, where there were several specially vented smoking lounges, and smoking is banned at bingo halls and work places. Lexington first enacted a smoking ordinance several years ago.

A firefighter facing arson charges. State Police have charged 20-year-old James Adam Yeager with setting fires in the Coldstone community of Knox County. Yeager is an emergency firefighter with the Kentucky Division of Forestry.

The federal government is granting Kentucky more money this year to use in a program to help people pay their heating bills. Governor Steve Beshear says with the additional money, more Kentucky families will be able to stay warm this winter. The money is part of the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It's administered in local communities in Kentucky by Community Action Kentucky . Hundreds of families have already applied for assistance from the program.

Johnson County Sheriff's deputies say 42-year-old Harrison Butcher's death was not a hunting accident. They've charged 32-year-old Steven Crum of Williamsport with murder. Butcher was fatally wounded while squirrel hunting on Sunday. At first it appeared to be an accident, but investigators went back to the scene and discovered evidence that changed their mind.

Former Governor Paul Patton worked to improve the educational opportunities in Kentucky and his efforts are being recognized. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is honoring him with the first President's Medallion for Distinguished Service. The KCTCS credits Patton with the creation of the two -year college system.