FIRE TUESDAY EVENING DESTROYS A TRIGG COUNTY RESIDENCE.  THE KENTUCKY NEW ERA REPORTS THE FIRE TOOK PLACE ON SOUTH ROAD.  THE HOME--PART OF WHICH WAS A LOG STRUCTURE--CAUGHT FIRE WHILE NO ONE WAS HOME.  THE RESIDENCE IS OWNED BY CEIL CARTER--A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH ROAD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO ALONG WITH LINTON AND ROARING SPRING VOLUNTEER FIREMEN FOUGHT THE BLAZE.  THE FIRE'S CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

DAWSON SPRINGS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SYSTEM EMPLOYEES WILL NOT RECEIVE A RAISE THIS FISCAL YEAR.  THE MADISONVILLE MESSENGER REPORTS SUPERINTENDANT ALEXIS SEYMORE ANNOUNCED DURING THE SCHOOL BOARD'S MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK THE ONLY RAISES ARE STEP OR RANK INCREASES.  THE BOARD APPROVED THE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR CLASSIFIED AND CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES FOR THE 2011-12 FISCAL YEAR.

WHILE AWAITING A JUDGE'S RULING ON WHETHER CHARGES WILL BE DISMISSED AGAINST HIM, FORMER FORT CAMPBELL SOLDIER BRENT BURKE IS SPEAKING OUT.  BURKE TOLD WLKY-TV LOUISVILLE DURING AN INTERVIEW IN JAIL HE IS AN INNOCENT MAN AND WAS HEARTBROKEN BY THE 2007 DEATHS OF EX WIFE TRACY BURKE AND HER FORMER MOTHER IN LAW KAREN COMER IN RINEYVILLE.  THE PROSECUTOR IS SEEKING TO DROP CHARGES AGAINST BURKE FOLLOWING TWO MISTRIALS AND TWO HUNG JURIES.  THE JUDGE PLANS TO ENTER AN ORDER ON THE REQUEST TODAY.

A CLARKSVILLE ATTORNEY HAS BEEN SENTENCED IN CONNECTION WITH A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT SCAM.  THE LEAF CHRONICLE REPORTS 67-YEAR-OLD KENNETH KENNEDY WILL SERVE EIGHT YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY OF THREE COUNTS OF WIRE FRAUD AND FIVE COUNTS OF MAIL FRAUD.  THE SCAM TOOK PLACE FROM APRIL 2005 UNTIL MID 2008.  THREE OTHERS WERE CHARGED IN THE CASE.