Sheriff Merritt Backs Psychologist Prescription Bill

The American Idol performance in support of legislation to allow psychologists to prescribe certain medications is HERE.

Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt also spoke at the rally in support of the legislation. Merritt said it would help with suicide prevention in the county jail.

"What I see as a very important impact of this legislation, there's not anyway that I could ever afford to hire a psychologist, a full-time psychologist to be in my jail," Merritt said.

Merritt said that you'd be surprised how many inmates admit to contemplating suicide when entering the jail. "We can immediately, by having a psychologist on staff, have attention to that to those individuals," Merritt said.

His comments are included in the YouTube video as well.

It's The Prosecutor vs. The Sheriff as Moore Backs Webb

Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore tells the KY3 Political Notebook he's endorsing Mark Webb for County Sheriff in 2008. The announcement today pits prosecutor Moore against the current Sheriff in the race to replace Jack Merritt next year.

Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt is the treasurer for the campaign of Chief Deputy Jim Arnott. But Moore says many will be surprised at the competitive campaign former police officer Mark Webb will wage against Arnott in the Republican primary.

I featured the Arnott vs. Webb match-up in the context of a larger story about crime statistics on Tuesday's KY3 News @ 10.

"I told Jim it was nothing personal," Moore said in an interview today. "I just think Mark would do the better job. I know him from back in high school, he interned for me and I think he offers a new perspective on it all," he added.