The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page B1

User: mmatherly PubDate: 09-25-2007 Zone: KY Edition: 1 Page Name: B1 Color: Bftapbnta Metro NEWS 247 Read news from Paducah to Pikeville updated all day at www.courier-journal.comlocalnews NEIGHBORHOODS B3 DEATHS B4, B5 WEATHER B6 CRIME SCENE For crime reports listed by ZIP code, go to DATA CENTER The Data Center is a wealth of information. Go to www.courier-journal.comdatacenter Mike Trautmann, Metro editor 582-4691 Fax: 582-4200 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2007 Time: 09-24-2007 22:18 ABC chief quits after arrest Bob Hill Beverage Control's Lilly accused of DUI By Stephenie Steitzer The Courier-Journal Unreality, reality, who can tell? early Sunday at the Jessamine County jail and is scheduled to appear in district court Oct. 18. York said the cabinet does not have a replacement for Lilly yet. Lilly's driving record shows an unidentified citation in 2003.

The description of the May 2003 citation says "internal office use only." Transportation Cabinet spokesman Doug Hogan said he did not know what that meant. Lilly was appointed to the executive director position in December 2006. Before that, he was commissioner of the Department of Public Protection, executive director of the Office tion, said Mark York, spokesman for the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet. York said Lilly apoligized to Cabinet Secretary Teresa Hill on Sunday night. Lilly was pulled over Saturday night on U.S.

27 in Jessamine County because his Ford Explorer was missing a headlight and he was weaving and driving slowly, a Nicholasville police citation said. Lilly smelled of alcohol, lost his balance during a sobriety test and recorded a Breathalyzer reading of 0J.81, the citation said. The legal limit in Kentucky is a reading of .08. Lilly posted a $1,000 surety bond of Charitable Gaming and general counsel for the minority and majority leadership in the Kentucky Senate, according to his personnel file. Lilly, who has worked in state government since 1983, is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and University of Kentucky's College of Law.

He has been a member of the Kentucky Bar Association since 1982. He could not be reached for comment. Reporter Stephenie Steitzer can be reached at (502) 875-5136. The Associated Press contributed to this story. FRANKFORT, Ky.

The executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control has resigned after a weekend arrest on a charge of driving under the influence. Christopher Lilly, 51, of Nicholas-ville, submitted a one-sentence letter of resignation, effective last Sunday, from his posi TOMORROW'S FORECAST HIGH YESTERDAY'S HIGH 95 TODAY'S FORECAST HIGH 92 81 It's fall, right? At least my calendar says something about the autumnal equinox being here, although I've always preferred the spring-welcoming vernal equinox because it sounds more like the name of an Eastern Kentucky horse trainer. So, this autumnal equinox we're getting record-breaking, mid-90s temperatures and drought. We're living in a parallel universe. It's all part of some grand unreality check on display all around us: Kentucky Gov.

Ernie Fletcher is seeking re-election by opposing casino gambling at race tracks. Maybe I missed something, but hasn't there been gambling of some sort at Churchill Downs, et for about 130 years? Does Churchill give all the money back to the losing bettors at the end of the day and maybe I never got the message? And who gives out the winner's trophy at the Kentucky Derby? What's the Kentucky Lottery, a random math quiz for the low-income, educationally impaired? Where's Fletcher's equal-opportunity, faith-based aversion to all gambling? Most important, would his election mean Catholics would have to give up bingo? Meanwhile, Steve Beshear is promising better schools, better medical care, better roads better government, better babies, better bacon and maybe even better butter with no new taxes. Look at his lips and ask yourselves: Where have we heard that before? Unreality checks? President Bush who never seriously considered vetoing a spending bill when his fiscally responsible Republicans were ratcheting up our monumental national debt is now promising to veto spending bills? Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning always a beacon of human kindness to all people of every political, sexual, cultural and ethnic persuasion has come out in defense of Utah Sen. Larry Craig? The Louisville Water Co.

wants to build an $88 million pipeline along Interstate 64 to Lexington to ship Kentucky's "Second City" enough Ohio River water to keep it Green Blue. Would anyone in Lexington dare drink Louisville water even augmented with bourbon knowing so many University of Louisville fans had their hands in its distribution? The other point to ponder is selling water to Fayette County might keep Jefferson County residents from larger water bills because those darn federal water conservation rules in Louisville have cut usage and water company sales. Waste not, want not but you might pay for it anyway. Today's Geographic Unreality Check: Size apparently does matter. Louisville and Jefferson County have the same boundaries.

There are 700,000 people living in the county, yet only 554,496 are living in Louisville, according to official Census Bureau stats. That's because the detailed compromise that produced the city-county merger allowed about 150,000 residents to remain in the county's 83 suburban cities and the feds don't consider them to be living in Louisville. The truth is many of them don't either. Judging by recent mail, some Louisville residents are unhappy with the latest marketing campaign to broaden the city's image. The reality is this isn't your father's Louisville.

It's different and better. Go with it. Things are possible here. It just seems to take longer. Speaking of unreal, there's the of football team, obvious victims of media over-hype, mass confusion, poor discipline, stupid penalties, uninspired play and young defensive backs with very short attention spans.

You know what? I still believe in Tom Jurich (How quickly already spoiled fans forget what he's done) and, by extension, his football coach, Steve Kragthorpe. But there's no excuse for uninspired play, stupid penalties and poor discipline none and I reserve the right for another unreality check come November. Bob Hill's column appears on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach him at (502) 582-4646 or Comment on this column, and read his blog and previous columns, at www.courier-journal.combobhill. Coroner fires chief deputy Dismissal comes amid 2 pending lawsuits By Jessie Halladay The Courier-Journal Jefferson County Coroner Ronald Holmes fired his chief deputy yesterday.

Mark Handy, who had worked for the coroner's office for five years after finishing a 20-year career with the former city police department, was told by Holmes yesterday that he was fired. The firing came after Handy spoke to WHAS-11 last week for a story about allegations lodged against Holmes in two lawsuits one by a former deputy coroner and the other by a current deputy coroner. Comments made by Handy were referenced in a news story that aired Friday. He said yesterday that he believes his firing was in retaliation for speaking with the media. "I don't think any reasonable person could look at the situation and come to any other conclusion," Handy said.

"I didn't see this coming, but I'm not too terribly surprised." Holmes said he fired Handy for several other things, but not about his comments to the press. "That really didn't have anything to do See FIRED, B2, col. 2 Bayh backs Clinton for president Endorsement sparks talk of his joining ticket By James R. Carroll The Courier-Journal WASHINGTON U.S. Sen.

Evan Bayh, who abandoned his hopes for the White House last December, hitched his political fortunes to the Democratic frontrunner yesterday, endorsing Sen. Hillary Clinton for president. The Hoosier's nod to the New Yorker sparked speculation among some observers that Bayh is positioning himself as a vice presidential candidate with Clinton. Neither Clinton nor Bayh would address their pairing specifically, but they also did not protest the notion. "I believe the next president of the United States must be experienced and be seasoned, must be smart and must be tough," Bayh said at a news conference.

With Clinton looking on, Bayh continued: "I believe that Hillary Clinton is all of these things and more." "I believe she will run a campaign and See BAYH, B2, col. 1 "fcv By Michael Clevenger, The Courier-Journal Ron Mayberry took some time out to sunbathe on the Great Lawn yesterday afternoon. Heat relief in sight Cold front may bring needed rain, cooler temps its record high when it topped out at 93 yesterday. Today is expected to remain warm, but there is a chance for a few showers and thunderstorms tonight as a cold front approaches. The real relief from the heat is expected tomorrow, as a cold front brings measurable precip- See HEAT, B2, col.

2 warmer than this year, said Tom Reaugh, a weather service meteorologist. And the first two days of fall this year have not felt much different than summer, with record highs being set each day. Yesterday topped out at 95 degrees at Louisville International Airport, eclipsing the old record for the date of 93 degrees set in 1941. Lexington also broke By Charlie White The Courier-Journal This summer was the second-hottest in Louisville's history, according to National Weather Service data obtained yesterday. Only the summer of 1936 was hotter.

The average that year was 81 degrees, or one degree.