More on Federal Worker death in Clay County Kentucky.

"Feds probe US Census worker hanging in Kentucky
Sep 24, 6:57 AM (ET)
By DEVLIN BARRETT and JEFFREY McMURRAY
MANCHESTER, Ky. (AP) - When Bill Sparkman told retired trooper Gilbert Acciardo that he was going door-to-door collecting census data in rural Kentucky, the former cop drawing on years of experience warned: "Be careful."
The 51-year-old Sparkman was found hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery and had the word "fed" scrawled on his chest, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, and the FBI is investigating whether he was a victim of anti-government sentiment.
"Even though he was with the Census Bureau, sometimes people can view someone with any government agency as 'the government.' I just was afraid that he might meet the wrong character along the way up there," said Acciardo, who directs an after-school program at an elementary school where Sparkman was a frequent substitute teacher.
The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, until the investigation is complete, an official said.
The law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity, did not say what type of instrument was used to write the word on the chest of Sparkman, who was supplementing his income doing Census field work. He was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of Daniel Boone National Forest and an autopsy report is pending.
Manchester, the main hub of the southeastern Kentucky county, is an exit off the highway, with a Walmart, a few hotels, chain restaurants and a couple gas stations. The drive away from town and toward the area Sparkman's body was found is decidedly different, through the forest with no streetlights on winding roads, up and down steep hills and sparsely populated.
FBI spokesman David Beyer said the bureau is assisting state police and declined to discuss any details about the crime scene. Agents are trying to determine if foul play was involved and whether it had anything to do with Sparkman's job as Census worker, Beyer said. Attacking a federal worker during or because of his federal job is a federal crime.
Sparkman's mother, Henrie Sparkman of Inverness, Fla., told The Associated Press her son was an Eagle scout who moved to Kentucky to direct the local Boy Scouts of America. He later became a substitute teacher in Laurel County, adjacent to the county where his body was found.
She said investigators have given her few details about her son's death. They did tell her his body was decomposed and haven't yet released it for burial.
"I was told it would be better for him to be cremated," she said.
Acciardo said he became suspicious when Sparkman didn't show up for work at the after-school program in Laurel County for two days and went to police. Authorities immediately investigated, he said.
"He was such an innocent person," Acciardo said. "I hate to say that he was naive, but he saw the world as all good, and there's a lot of bad in the world."
Lucindia Scurry-Johnson, assistant director of the Census Bureau's southern office in Charlotte, N.C., said law enforcement officers have told the agency the matter is "an apparent homicide" but nothing else.
Census employees were told Sparkman's truck was found nearby, and a computer he was using for work was inside, she said.
Sparkman had worked for the Census since 2003, spanning five counties in the surrounding area, conducting interviews once or twice a month. Much of his recent work had been in Clay County, officials said.
The Census Bureau has yet to begin door-to-door canvassing for the 2010 head count, but thousands of field workers are doing smaller surveys on various demographic topics on behalf of federal agencies. Next year, the Census Bureau will dispatch up to 1.2 million temporary employees to locate hard-to-find residents.
The Census Bureau is overseen by the Commerce Department.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our co-worker," Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said in a statement.
Locke called him "a shining example of the hardworking men and women employed by the Census Bureau."
* * * "

More News from Clay County, Kentucky.

And in Clay Co., KY, we may just have the first example of this fringe, lunatic movement turning towards the tactic that I've been fearing.


WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI is investigating the hanging death of a U.S. Census worker near a Kentucky cemetery, and a law enforcement official told The Associated Press the word 'fed" was scrawled on the dead man's chest.

The body of Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and occasional teacher, was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural southeast Kentucky. The Census has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation.
And what day was he found? 9/12.

And what kind of person was this "tyrannical" "communist" "fascist" "Fed"?

When Bill Sparkman earned his teaching degree in February, it wasn’t the usual walk down the aisle to pick up the onion skin. Instead, Sparkman stood in front of his fellow classmates and told his story. What with going back to school at the age of 47, surviving cancer mid-degree and driving through a blizzard to get to the commencement ceremony, Sparkman’s story had the makings of a movie.
Sad. Tragic. And inevitable, when such idiocy, lies, fear and hate are spewed forth.

I've been telling people for the past 2 months that I'm really afraid that the first "McVeigh" to spring forth from this movement would be from Kentucky, as we appear to be in a demographic and political vortex of irrational fear and hate at the moment. I'm hoping this is the most bizarre suicide ever.... but that doesn't seem likely." Media Czech.

Latest Kos Poll on Kentucky U.S. Senate Races.

KY-Sen: Senate horserace, birthers, and the public option
by kos
Share this on Twitter - KY-Sen: Senate horserace, birthers, and the public option Fri Sep 04, 2009 at 12:46:03 PM PDT
Research 2000. 8/31-9/2. Likely Kentucky voters. MoE 4% (No trend lines)

Democratic Primary
Mongiardo 37
Conway 30
Other 15

Republican Primary

Grayson 40
Paul 25
Other 18


Tight race in the Democratic primary, perhaps surprisingly so. Expectations were that Conway, the Kentucky Attorney General, would score better than Lt. Gov. Mongiardo, but that's clearly not happening.

In the Republican side, Rand Paul's recent entry shows some promise against Grayson -- the immediate beneficiary of successful GOP efforts to unceremoniously push Sen. Jim Bunning into retirement. Rand is Ron's son, so could very well benefit from Ron Paul's online brigades. Those guys can raise serious money.

Grayson (R) 45
Mongiardo (D) 41

Grayson (R) 46
Conway (D) 40

Paul (R) 37
Mongiardo (D) 42

Paul (R) 37
Conway (D) 41



It's competitive all around, confirming this race's status as a marquee contest in 2010.

Now check this out:

Do you favor or oppose creating a government-administered health insurance option that anyone can purchase to compete with private insurance plans?
Favor Oppose Not Sure
All 46 45 9
Dem 68 26 6
Rep 24 69 7
Ind 32 44 24

Do you believe that Barack Obama was born in the United States of America or not?

Yes No Not Sure
All 51 20 29
Dem 72 9 19
Rep 30 36 34
Ind 37 17 46



So the good news is that Kentucky voters are split on the public option, despite the massive smear-filled campaign to discredit it in the eyes of the public. Even a quarter of Republicans support it, which is more bipartisanship than you'll ever see in D.C.

Afghan War is on the table.

According to the Wall Street Journal 31% of the American Public strongly oppose increasing U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan; and 20% somewhat oppose increasing U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan with 5% "not sure". It seems our "anti-war" President will have to go to the Republicans hat-in-hand to get Republican support to continue the War in Afghanistan. It seems that with the Council on Foreign Relations domination of American foreign policy, the War in Afghanistan continues regardless of who is President. I hope President Obama will remember that he was elected by the common people of America, not by a bunch of elitists and imperialists. You would think that the son of a Kenyan student would be the last to be sending U.S. troops into third world countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. We will get the U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq with or without President Obama's help. Electmore Democrats. Kenneth Stepp.

•196, Rockefeller, "Increase Medicaid eligibility to 150% of poverty"

•196, Rockefeller, "Increase Medicaid eligibility to 150% of poverty"
That is an amendment proposed for the health care bill being fashioned in the Baucus Committee in the U.S. Senate. I support it. Medicaid should be increased in coverage. Maybe we won't get universal health care passed this time, but we can extend health care Medicaid coverage to millions more Americans with the Rockefella Amendment. Let's extene Medicaid and other existing programs to give Americans better health care. Kenneth Stepp.

Stepp Stimulus Package.

At the end of World War II, many thought that The Great Depression would resume. A special stimulus package was enacted to begin at the end of World War II. That was the GI BILL. Already, almost 80% of new mortgages are now Federally backed, so we are on the same track in housing that we followed after World War II to get more people in their own houses, and that is a good policy. After World War II, the veterans descended on the nation's trade schools, colleges and universities like a horde. That turned around the economy. As a result of the major shift of public policy in favor of education, the nation enjoyed unprecedented prosperity in the fifteen years after World War II. That is what we need to do now to restore prosperity. We need to bring the GI's home from overseas (this time home from Iraq and Afghanistan rather than from Germany and Japan) and get them in classrooms to prepare them for the management, professional, and high tech jobs of the twenty first century. Kenneth Stepp.

"Mitch" closes gap with Obama to 52% to 19%.

"Daily Kos Weekly State of the Nation Poll
Research 2000, Adults MoE 2%, Aug 31, 2009 - Sep 03, 2009 (last week's results in parentheses)
Full Crosstabs FAVORABLE UNFAVORABLE DON'T KNOW NET CHANGE
PRESIDENT OBAMA 52 (55) 43 (40) 5 (5) -6

PELOSI: 32 (33) 59 (58) 9 (9) -2
REID: 31 (32) 58 (57) 11 (11) -2
McCONNELL: 19 (18) 63 (64) 18 (18) 2
BOEHNER: 15 (14) 63 (64) 22 (22) 2

CONGRESSIONAL DEMS: 39 (40) 56 (54) 5 (6) -3
CONGRESSIONAL GOPS: 18 (14) 69 (73) 13 (13) 8"

So, Kentucky's own "Mitch" McConnell has a national job approval rating of 19% compared to President Obama's national job approval rating of 52%. I suppose the Republicans could break out the champaign and be celebrating because their national leaders national job approval ratings are now hovering just below twenty per cent. Do you approve of the job Mitch McConnell is doing? Do you approve of the job that President Obama is doing? Maybe we should take our own poll. Kenneth Stepp.

Rural Democrat suspends new blogging.

The Rural Democrat blog spot has suspended new blogging. I had cross-published my blogs there, and here, and on another blog spot. I expect to resume publishing my blogs on The Rural Democrat if and when invited. Kenneth Stepp.

How would you like a $3,800 fine?

Today Max Baucus, the original made man of the medical mafia,
suggested a $3,800 FINE against anyone who refuses to buy whatever
"for the corporations only" medical plan they finally come up.

If you are not outraged yet, if you don't feel totally betrayed by
our so-called representatives, one has to wonder what it would take.
So we ask you again, speak out now, before they ram through the most
hideous caricature of medical care reform bill imaginable. Here is
the new email action page.

Stop Baucus Action Page: http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1002.php

New Poll Results on KY U.S. Senate Races.

KY-Sen: Senate horserace, birthers, and the public option
by kos
Fri Sep 04, 2009 at 12:46:03 PM PDT
Research 2000. 8/31-9/2. Likely Kentucky voters. MoE 4% (No trend lines)

Democratic Primary
Mongiardo 37
Conway 30
Other 15

Republican Primary

Grayson 40
Paul 25
Other 18


Tight race in the Democratic primary, perhaps surprisingly so. Expectations were that Conway, the Kentucky Attorney General, would score better than Lt. Gov. Mongiardo, but that's clearly not happening.

In the Republican side, Rand Paul's recent entry shows some promise against Grayson -- the immediate beneficiary of successful GOP efforts to unceremoniously push Sen. Jim Bunning into retirement. Rand is Ron's son, so could very well benefit from Ron Paul's online brigades. Those guys can raise serious money.

Grayson (R) 45
Mongiardo (D) 41

Grayson (R) 46
Conway (D) 40

Paul (R) 37
Mongiardo (D) 42

Paul (R) 37
Conway (D) 41



It's competitive all around, confirming this race's status as a marquee contest in 2010.
May the best Democrat win!

An award-winning picture by Wilma Stepp.

An award-winning picture by Wilma Stepp.

Cherokees, Chickasaws, and Shawnees of Kentucky!

I was just trying to help my kid understand the differences between the Chickasaws, the Shawnees, and the Cherokees for his Sixth Grade lesson. They used to have the Cherokee tribal dancers at the Barbourville Daniel Boone Festival. I know Shack is partial to the Shawnees. I remember, when I was a kid, my Dad was giving some Indonesian students at Clemson, where he taught, some tours of interesting places near Clemson, and he took them up to the Cherokee Reservation in Western North Carolina. Native Americans were similar to Democrats, they were not very big on unity, or even working together. Anyway, I'm sure we all are glad to know that Kentucky youngsters are being taught about their Shawnee, Cherokee, and Chickasaw predecessors in Kentucky. Kenneth Stepp.

Cash for Clunkers!

The Cash for Clunkers program was, itself, a clunker. The government should operate much like a household. Your household would not buy a running car, and then crush it up for scrap. My household would not buy a running vehicle, and then crush it up for scrap metal. For that reason, and because it is just throwing away money, the government should not do that either. Cash for Clunkers should not be revived. If we need more cash in circulation to prevent deflation, we should use another method, rather than such a wasteful giveaway program like "Cash for Clunkers". Kenneth Stepp.