|
|
Post by Local News on Apr 18, 2007 5:31:42 GMT -5
Ceremony Honors Former GovernorRead the article and watch the video at wymtnews.com (L-R) Statue of Bert Combs, Judge Sara Combs, widow of Bert CombsAn Eastern Kentucky native and former governor was honored Friday with two statues. Bert T. Combs' widow was at both ceremonies and she says the placement of the statues is very appropriate. Combs, a native of Manchester and a Democratic governor from 1959 to 1963, died at 80 in 1991. Authorities determine EKU Manchester bomb threat was bogusRead the article at kentucky.comAfter a bomb scare was determined to be bogus, students returned to classes at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Eastern Kentucky University’s branch campus at Manchester, in Clay County. The bomb scare had been transmitted by e-mail. This episode remains under investigation by Manchester police, said EKU spokesman Marc Whitt. Clay County man fights colorectal cancerRead the article and watch the video at wymtnewsColorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the nation. The centers for disease control also shows about 75-percent of it happens in people with absolutely *no* known risk factors. A Clay County man had *several* risk factors before getting his first colonoscopy. Lynn Sears is 46 and suddenly reminded of his father's death more than 30 years ago. Clay County native responsible for design of Kentucky's State FlagRead the Byron Crawford article at courier-journal.com Taylor Davidson supervised the design of the Kentucky state flag in 1962. Davidson, a Clay County native and University of Kentucky graduate, served as both deputy adjutant general and state director of Selective Service before retirement. He and his wife, Bobbie, remained in Frankfort. Apples, peaches 'devastated'Read the article at cnn.comKentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has asked Gov. Ernie Fletcher to seek federal disaster relief, saying in a statement that apples and peaches there were "completely devastated." Kentucky officials said as much as 90 percent of the state's peach and apple crops may have been destroyed, but they cautioned the figures were preliminary. Kentucky sold $2.38 million worth of apples commercially last year and $1.26 million worth of peaches. Despite success in Clay County, FBI has fewer agents in stateRead the entire article at kentucky.comBefore the FBI led two high-profile investigations into public corruption in Clay County, voters were so disgusted with the county's crooked politics that few went to the polls. Two years later, investigations have led to charges against a former county election commissioner turned drug dealer, a county clerk, the Manchester mayor, an assistant police chief and a 911 director. Residents say the federal investigations have restored some faith in the system. "It gave people courage," said Doug Abner, a local minister. Many former and current law enforcement agents are worried that a drop in the number of federal agents -- particularly FBI agents -- will mean fewer public corruption investigations such as the ones in Clay County. Clay County Fire crew helps fight blaze in CorbinRead the article at thetimestribune.comAfter a Tuesday blaze rekindled Wednesday in Corbin at least three truckloads of state forestry workers were called in. The thick native brush also kept firefighters from advancing and they called for a bulldozer from Clay County to build a fire break to let the blaze extinguish itself. Bronze grave markers disappearingRead the entire article at sentinel-echo.comBronze grave makers of fallen soilders are disappearing in Clay and Laurel County. Roger Jewell is in the Laurel jail in connection with the thefts and more arrests are expected. Four of the plaques have been located at a metal recycling center in Clay County and are in the process of being returned. Webb escapes sinking cruise shipRead the entire article at kentucky.com A Clay County woman spent more than two weeks touring Greece accumulating souvenirs and memories. But on Thursday the souvenirs were lost and the memories replaced by terror when her cruise ship sank in the Aegean Sea. "All I could think of was the Titanic. I was just petrified," said Lucille Webb of Manchester, who watched the movie of the same name a few weeks before the trip. "It was much like went on in the Titanic. It was a horrible experience." Manchester Elementary finalist for Pride AwardRead the article at thetimestribune.com Richard Thomas, executive director of Eastern Kentucky PRIDE, announced that Saint Camillus Academy is one of three finalists for the 2007 PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) Elementary Campus of the Year Award. The other finalists are Manchester Elementary and Lee County’s Southside Elementary School. Greer sentenced to year in child abuse caseRead the article at thetimestribune.comA London man who was facing as long as 20 years in prison was formally sentenced Thursday to 12 months in the county jail and a $500 fine. Elmo Lee Greer Jr., 28, of Little Falls Road in London, was originally charged with felony first-degree criminal abuse of a 4-year-old child and felony second-degree assault – each carrying sentences of between 5 to 10 years for his alleged conduct against the now 5-year-old son of his girlfriend and current fiance Krystil D. Vaughn, 20, who is expecting to give birth to the couple’s child in early May. Kelsee Brown named May QueenRead the article at thetimestribune.com Kelsee BrownKelsee Brown was named the May Queen and Elle Hays was named the Tiny Queen for the Corbin Ossoli Club’s 64th annual May Day Festival this Friday. Brown is the 16-year-old daughter of Rod and Tammye Weisert of Corbin and Jimmy and Lisa Brown of Manchester. The May Queen will receive a $500 scholarship to a school of her choice. The queen will be crowned at the May Day Festival at 7 p.m. May 4 at Corbin High School. Left wing group still harassing Forestry ServiceRead the story at kentucky.com The Forest Service is preparing to fire up many more chain saws in the Daniel Boone National Forests, say two environmental groups that have gone to court trying to block the logging. The suit by Heartwood and an unaffiliated group, Kentucky Heartwood, also seeks to stop planned fires in the 700,000-acre forest scattered across 21 Kentucky counties. Visit from "Country Earl" sparks memories of days in the ringRead the Dennis House article at sentinel-echo.comFor a brief time back in 1998, I got in the ring had a blast. That was back in the old Diehard Championship Wrestling days, and seeing Country Earl Owens at the matches Saturday night brought back a lot of memories. Those were some good times, as I got into the sport totally by accident. Having been a life-long professional wrestling fan, I kept a close eye on DCW, and back then, Owens and his broadcast partner, Ramblin’ Ray Henson, had a weekly talk show on Rock 105.7 dedicated to wrestling. Owens and Henson were also associated with DCW. New License Plates Honor Coal MinersRead the article at wymtnews.comSoon you could start seeing more coal miner's on Kentucky roads, at least on license plates. Officials unveiled a new license plate Thursday, one honoring coal miners. It's supposed to be coal mining's past, present, and future rolled into one. Bear Spottings Could Be IncreasingRead the story at wymtnews.com The recent string of nice weather is a big change from earlier this month when we saw a long cold snap throughout southeastern Kentucky. Experts say that cold snap damaged many of the things that black bears eat. That means bears could be making their presence known throughout eastern Kentucky as they look for other things to eat. Wolfe arrested after failed drug testRead the article and view the video at WYMT-TVMarty Wolfe who volunteered with Bridge 41 training future boxers in Manchester is now behind bars. With only days left of probation, Wolfe says he failed a drug test. Wolfe now faces three years in prison. Bridge 41 officials say the project will not shutdown. Could Manchester FCI be used as a FEMA Concentration Camp?Read the article at uspolitics.tribe.netThere over 800 prison camps in the United States including the Manchester FCI, all fully operational and ready to receive prisoners. They are all staffed and even surrounded by full-time guards. These camps are to be operated by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) should Martial Law need to be implemented in the United States and all it would take is a presidential signature on a proclamation and the attorney general's signature on a warrant to which a list of names is attached. Clay County Man Released From PrisonRead the article at WYMT-TVA Clay County man sentenced to 20 years in prison two years ago for murdering a man in 2003 is now free. The Kentucky Vine Notification Service says Tim Finley was released from prison Thursday. This comes after the Supreme Court threw out his murder conviction last month. Makers Of OxyContin Admit To Misleading PublicRead the article and view the video at WYMT-TVMajor developments in the court case against the makers of OxyContin. Three executives of that company made guilty pleas acknowledging they misled the public about the addictive nature of the drug. Many say it comes as no shock to them that OxyContin officials misled the public. In fact, alleging that the pharmaceutical company used aggressive marketing tactics to target rural areas. They say it's those families in Eastern Kentucky and others across the country that lost family members to addiction that had to pay the ultimate price. Finley Brothers murder conviction overturnedRead the article and view the video at WYMT-TVTwo years ago, three men were convicted of murdering Jimmy Mills in Clay County in 2003. Now the Supreme Court says two brothers should have never been convicted and the third man's case is sent back to the Clay County Circuit Court. The Supreme Court says there was more wrong with the case and unanimously have thrown out the murder conviction of brothers Tim and Shannon Finley and the conviction of Brock Bowling is sent back to the Clay County Circuit Court where he could get a new trial. Frontier Nursing Service fills a gap in a doctor-poor regionRead the article at courier-journal.com The Frontier Nursing Service fills a gap in a doctor-poor region, bringing full-time care to Eastern Kentucky with four clinics, a hospital, a home health agency and a school that houses the nation's longest continually running nurse-midwife program. Founded by nurse-midwife Mary Breckenridge in 1925, its first midwives traveled the state's Appalachian region on horseback, assisting with births. The service's history inspired 29-year-old Angela Mitchell to take a job as a nurse practitioner at its family practice clinic in Manchester. "We provide as good care as a physician, and are cost-effective," Mitchell said. Feltner discovers diet and exercise best medicine for chronic painRead the article at courier-journal.comEddie Feltner, 53, injured a disc in his back before he retired from the state Transportation Department, where he worked on a road crew. He discovered that diet and exercise were the best medicine for his chronic pain. Feltner stopped frequenting all-you-can-eat buffets and started walking four miles in Manchester's Stinson Park almost every day. His weight dropped from 288 to 260 before creeping back to 275. "I still feel good, and this is the way," Feltner said, gesturing toward the park's walking trail. "We're figuring this thing out, I think. Fifteen years ago, you couldn't get a bunch of men to walk out here with a gun to their heads. But people are changing. They don't want to die. They want to be able to enjoy their senior citizenship." Reading Celebration Held In Clay CountyRead the article at WYMT-TV It's an annual event that has made reading fun for many students in one eastern Kentucky county. Officials say only 97 students met their reading goals the first year of the Clay County Reading Celebration, but now, more than fifteen hundred students are reaching that level. Awards and prizes are handed out at the reading celebration. It’s an event that teachers and students say they both look forward to. The reading celebration was held at Hacker Elementary school this year, where students and staff decorated the halls to celebrate Kentucky. Rogers renews push to limit OxyContin prescriptionsRead the article at kentucky.comTwo congressmen have asked federal regulators to limit prescriptions of a powerful painkiller that has been widely abused in Appalachia. The government should allow OxyContin to be prescribed only for severe pain, not moderate-to-severe pain as it is now, Republican U.S. Reps. Hal Rogers, who represents Southern and Eastern Kentucky, and Frank Wolf of Virginia said in a letter to the Food and Drug Administration. Making that change would reduce the potential for abuse of the drug by cutting the amount available for illegal diversion onto the black market, Rogers said in an interview with the Herald-Leader. E-mail gasoline boycotts could backfireRead the article at kentucky.com Gas boycott e-mails show up every year about this time, saying things like, "Don't buy gas on May 15, and big oil will take a $2.2 billion hit" or "Don't buy one brand for the rest of the year and the company will drop its prices, forcing others to do the same." With gas prices breaking records, it might appear to be an ideal time to participate in a revolt to bring gas prices crashing down. Just one problem: Gas boycotts don't work, say experts representing everyone from drivers to oil companies. The only control drivers do have over prices is by reducing overall consumption significantly, including by carpooling or using mass transportation. Search crews find missing man in Clay CountyRead the article and see pictures at WYMT-TV69-year old Emory Fowler was last seen leaving the Red Bird Mission Campus on a four wheeler around ten Wednesday morning. Search crews spent Wednesday night looking for him once he was reported as missing. According to reports on WYMT-TV Thursday morning search crews found him about 3 A.M. alive and well. Bishop, Caperton to face off in NovemberRead the article at thetimestribune.comKnox and Laurel District Judge Michael Caperton finished Tuesday night at the head of the six-person race for the district seat on the Court of Appeals, receiving 26 percent of the votes. The plan is to carry that victory, and the 9 percent margin over second place Clay Bishop, into the November election for the third district seat. While Caperton captured the majority of voters, the remaining five candidates were within 2,000 votes of each other in a close contest. Clay Bishop, Jr. of Clay County was second with 17.1 percent of the votes throughout the 27-county district. Laurel County money problems impacts Clay County recyclingRead the article at thetimestribune.comIt’s too early to tell if the London recycling plant must be closed, according to solid waste coordinator Jim Ed McDaniel. McDaniel said he hopes his nine-member staff will not be cut by more than half and said there are more repercussions to “that knee-jerk reaction than county bean counters might realize.” The recycling center has been in operation since 1992 at 164 Substation Street near the Emergency Operations Center. The center takes newspapers, plastic bottles, plastic milk jugs, aluminum and steel cans, mixed plastic, magazines, books and cardboard from across the entire region. McDaniel said the plant also receives materials from Rockcastle, Clay, Knox and Whitley counties – all of which might otherwise end up washing down area streams and rivers. Hensley arrested for possession of methamphetamine precursorsRead the article at thetimestribuneThe Laurel County Sheriff’s Department reports arresting four people in two major busts. Thursday, Irvin Johnson, 21, of New Salem Church Road in London and Johnny Hensley, 26, of Kentucky 687 in Manchester, were arrested by Deputy Albert Hale and charged with first degree unlawful possession of methamphetamine precursors, according to the sheriff’s department. GOP Ticket Has Strong Rural Base to Build OnRead the article at cyberhillbilly.blogspot.comOne of the more striking features of this year’s GOP ticket is its rural strength. From a Governor with a record of supporting rural GOP communities that don’t normally receive even a nod from old line Democrats; to a Farmer from Clay County who just happens to be an icon of University of Kentucky basketball; to a suburban Secretary of State with an almost Kennedy-esque appeal to rural Kentuckians; to a fiery Christian conservative Attorney named Stan Lee who can be expected to pick apart the differences in social policy between the left and right-- this ticket will resonate with Kentucky’s rural voters. Cost of gas hits Clay Countians hardestRead the article at kentucky.com Record high gasoline prices are burning drivers in Clay County worse than any other place in the United States, according to an index released this week by a petroleum pricing agency. The Oil Price Information Service compared local gasoline prices and local monthly income to determine the biggest losers. Clay Countians shell out 14.78 percent of their monthly income to buy gasoline costing $3.156 a gallon, according to the index. The county's average monthly income of $1,423.67 is the lowest in the nation, the agency said. Clay County Seniors remember classmates at graduationRead the article at kentucky.comClay County High School's graduation ceremony include remembrances of seniors who died, but students still grapple with the loss. "They are happy and excited, but they're also sad," said Joanne Gregory, a guidance counselor at Clay County High School, where four students, including two seniors, died this school year. "They are conflicted in how they're supposed to feel. They want to be happy and celebrate, and they have a lot to be happy about, but in their mind something's missing; someone's missing." During Clay County's annual awards ceremony, the school observed a moment of silence and lit two candles for seniors Francheska Smith, 17, and Tasha Howard, 17, who were killed in car crashes. Senior Ruth Hall, 18, had known Frankie for six years and still can't believe she won't be in the graduation ceremony. "It's hard knowing that you started off with them and become friends with them, but then they're not going to be here with you in graduation, to share the excitement and joy that you feel," Hall said.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 4, 2007 15:58:19 GMT -5
Howard appointed to fill judgeship Bishop seeksRead the article at kentucky.comGov. Ernie Fletcher appointed James I. Howard to the first division seat for the third appellate district. Whose vacancy did Howard fill? His own. In September, Howard was appointed by Fletcher after R.W. Dyche III's June retirement. Howard will serve until the November election. He is not eligible to be on the ballot. District Judge Michael Caperton, who received the most votes in the May primary, said he applauds Fletcher's decision to appoint Howard. Caperton, a judge for Knox and Laurel counties, faces Clay Bishop Jr., the Clay County attorney, in November. Bishop could not be reached for comment. TRIPLE MURDER DEFENDANT ACQUITTEDRead the article at kentucky.comA man charged in a May triple murder case was acquitted of all charges in Owsley Circuit Court, said David Hogan of Booneville City Police, who was in the courtroom when the verdict was returned about 6 p.m. Charles Napier, who has ties in Kentucky and Indiana, was arrested in December 2005 and charged with the murder of Gary "Boogerman" Peters, Fannie Mae McIntosh and Billy Tirey. All three victims were found shot to death at a mobile home in Booneville on May 24, 2005. MAN WHO DIED IN FALL IS IDENTIFIEDRead the article at kentucky.comThe man who died Friday in a McKee accident involving a tree-trimming truck has been identified as John Aliffi, 20, Mckee, the Jackson County deputy coroner Lonnie Hacker said. Aliffi fell 30 to 40 feet after he was thrown from the bucket of a tree-trimming truck on U.S. 421 about one mile north of McKee. According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the truck had been stopped but began moving and hit a ditch and overturned. Hacker said Ronnie Spurlock of Mckee was also thrown from the tree-trimming bucket. Spurlock was taken to University of Kentucky Medical Center and listed in serious but stable condition yesterday. Aliffi was pronounced dead at the scene, Hacker said. Lakes Funeral Home in McKee is handling funeral arrangements for Aliffi. Police Investigating Clay County Home InvasionRead the article at WYMT-TVIt was a scary afternoon for two siblings in Clay County. Police say the two were victims of a home invasion on Johnson Road. Police say Charles Dixon and his sister Martha came home to find a man armed with a machete. After a struggle between Martha Dixon and the suspect, police say he left on foot with her purse and her brother's wallet. The suspect is described as a white man about six feet tall with a tattoo on his left arm. He was wearing a gray mask on his face and socks on his hands. If you have any information, call state police. Trial date set for Manchester man in murder casethetimestribune.comEdward Brian Whitaker, 32, of Manchester could be facing a fall trial for allegedly entering the residence of his cousin Benjamin B. Gilbert, 28, of Sallys Branch Road in London, on Nov. 14, 2006 and shooting him in the torso with a 20-gauge shotgun. Gilbert died from his injuries about three hours later at a Lexington hospital, according to court records. Whitaker has a pretrial conference scheduled for Sept. 28 and a tentative trial date set for Oct. 1. McQueen recieives Kentucky CPA awardkentucky.comFangmin McQueen of Manchester; a student at Eastern Kentucky University was awarded one of the scholarships given by the Educational Foundation of the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants. The scholarships were awarded during an April 27 banquet at the Brown Hotel in Louisville to students who met academic as well as financial need criteria set forth by the society's Educational Foundation, which awards the non-profit organization's scholarships. Money raised by the society's membership contributions will be used to pay for educational programming, such as the annual Business and Accounting Summer Education Camp, a CPA firm storefront at Junior Achievement's Exchange City, educator classroom grants and scholarships. Pennington attends leadership institutekentucky.comJames Pennington of Manchester; was one of thirty Eastern Kentucky University students that participated in the 2007 LeaderShape Institute, an intensive, six-day educational experience designed to expand and enhance the leadership capacities of young adults at the Grailville Conference Center in Loveland, Ohio. Each student's $1,000 fee for the program was sponsored by the EKU Alumni Association. Manchester Water Company Issues Water Shortage AdvisoryRead the article at WYMT-TVOfficials in Clay County have declared a local water shortage advisory because of abnormally dry weather conditions. They are asking residents to begin voluntarily using less water. If you have any questions on the advisory, you can call the water company at 606-598-6043. Here are some tips for water conservation: * Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. This can save 2,000 gallons of water per year and 200 gallons of water per day. * Keep outside water usage to a minimum. Only water gardens and plants during early morning or late evening. Don't water lawns or wash vehicles. Use a broom rather than a hose to clean the driveway. * If you have a swimming pool, get a cover. You'll cut the loss of water by evaporation by 90 percent. Harlan all-female drug recovery center will serve Clay CountiansRead the article at harlandaily.comLocal and state leaders supporting the $4.9 million Cumberland Community Hope Center all-female drug recovery center will converge in Lexington for a construction loan closing with the Kentucky Housing Corporation that will begin the yearlong process. The 100-bed, 28,400-square-foot facility will be constructed next to the Harlan County Detention Center on 6 acres of land provided by the Harlan County Fiscal Court, which will serve women across the 5th District. Danny Jones, executive director of Cumberland River Comprehensive Care, a nonprofit regional organization that offers services in mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse through facilities in Harlan, Bell, Clay, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Rockcastle and Whitley counties, said much of the administrative process for the project is still under way. Clay County #4 on List For ATV DeathsRead the article at WYMT-TV Clay Couny is tied for fourth as the Kentucky county with the most ATV deaths. The top six counties for ATV deaths in the state are all in Southeastern Kentucky with Pike County at the top of the list. Those numbers come from state police records from 2000 to 2007 and for three years in a row, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has ranked Kentucky number one in the nation. 131 people have died on four-wheelers across the state since 2000, 47 of which have been from right here in the region and the six deadliest counties are in the mountains of East Kentucky. Pike County tops the list with nine, seven people died in Letcher, six in Harlan and five people died in each of Bell, Clay and Knox Counties. Counterfeit Money Has Surfaced AgainRead the article at WYMT-TV "Funny Money" has been found again in Leslie County and state police say the fake bills have been surfacing across the region. State Police Detective Joe Griffith says the funny money isn't too funny if you're caught. State police say if you believe you have come across counterfeit money to contact your local police department immediately with any information you can provide so they can try to stop the "funny money" in eastern Kentucky. Bark thieves taking bite out of slippery elmsRead the article at courier-journal.com Thieves are stealing bark from slippery elm trees in the Daniel Boone National Forest and elsewhere in Kentucky. At least 500 trees are estimated to have been stripped so far this year in the forest, which covers parts of 21 Eastern Kentucky counties, and there are scattered reports of thefts on private lands. It's assumed the bark is being sold for the manufacture of certain herbal health remedies whose makers claim slippery elm extracts are useful in treating digestive problems, sore throats, skin irritations and other ailments. Diana Olszowy of the Kentucky Division of Forestry said that thieves even recently stripped the bark of a mature slippery elm located in a Catholic church yard in Manchester in Clay County and that the tree likely will die. Anyone caught poaching slippery elm bark on national forest land may face federal charges, while state laws would apply to those stealing bark on private property.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 7, 2007 9:02:51 GMT -5
Clay County Radio Station gives away free gasRead the article at WYMT-TV The Lexington Herald Leader reports an index by the Oil Price Information Service shows high gas prices affect Clay County residents the most. That's based on the county's average monthly income of less than $1,500 dollars. Now a locally owned radio station is trying to help listeners out by giving them the opportunity to win free gas. If you are in the coverage area of the 5,000 watt AM Radio Station 1290 and you want to win free gas, you may want to tune in. The last week of every month, the station gives away six gas gift cards. "At the end of the month, everybody is broke and down and stuff and we just want to be nice and show our appreciation," said WKLB Morning DJ "The Mayor". McKee woman crushed by 500-gallon tank of paintRead the article at kentucky.comA 33-year-old McKee woman was killed after she lost control of a truck carrying a 500-gallon tank of paint that crushed the passenger compartment, police said. Rebecca Hays was traveling north on U.S. 421 about 6 p.m. Wednesday when she ran into a ditch, according to information released Thursday by Kentucky State Police. She tried to regain control of the 1978 Chevrolet pickup truck but struck a culvert. The paint tank collapsed, crushing the passenger area from the rear. Hays was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jackson County coroner. Man With More Than 100 Years Parole Is ArrestedRead the article at wymt-tv.comIn the state court system, officials say he's known as "Bill" Slone. A man with a long wrap sheet with criminal convictions in at least five different states, including five convictions for escaping prison in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kansas and Kentucky. But Slone is back behind bars, this time in the minimal security Clay County detention center. After checking into Slone's background that included prison escapes, assaulting an officer and car thefts, Sheriff Kevin Johnson says he was surprised that the parole was unsupervised. Bowling to get new trialRead the article at WYMT-TVBrock Bowling and two other men were convicted of killing Jimmy Mills and dumping his body over a hill in the Daniel Boone National Forest in 2005. The supreme court threw out their murder convictions last month. The court said the commonwealth did not provide needed evidence for the convictions and said the trial court did not provide the jury with correct instructions for brothers Tim and Shannon Finley. A trial date will be set for bowling in August. Hacker big winner in Ken-Ducky DerbyRead the article at thetimestribune.com The 10th annual Ken-Ducky Derby raised several thousand dollars for the Kentucky Communities Economic Opportunity Council (KCEOC) and four duck sponsors walked away with more than $10,000 in prizes. Duck “adoptions” were sold for $5 each, with money going to support KCEOC. Each duck wore a number and prizes were claimed with the “adoption papers.” The first place duck belonged to Joe Pickard of Barbourville, who won a $3,000 cash prize and a $2,000 gift package. In second place, Donnie Hacker of Manchester won a $2,000 cash prize and a $1,000 gift package.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 12, 2007 9:15:38 GMT -5
Hooker Honored With College ScholarshipRead the article at wymtnews.comCamille Brooke Hooker, daughter of Jennie Hooker of Goose Rock, a student at Clay County Middle School, was one of 20 eighth graders who were honored Saturday with college scholarships. The Robinson Scholars Program is a scholarship and development program that serves first generation college and college bound students from 29 Eastern Kentucky counties. The upcoming high school freshmen will attend a week long summer enrichment program. Program officials say the students demonstrate the potential to succeed and through the program they will positively impact their current and future communities. Local Government Economic Development Fundkentucky.comThe Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority held its monthly meeting May 31. KEDFA members approved the use of $847,000 in multi-county funds for the construction of a 50,000-square foot building in the Southeast Kentucky Regional Industrial Park. The park is run by an industrial authority with members from Bell, Clay, Knox, Laurel, McCreary and Whitley counties. Total costs of the project are $1.35 million with additional funding coming from a loan from the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corp. BAD MEAT: Tyson beef bought at Wal-Mart recalledRead the article at wymtnews.comTyson Meats recalled more than 40,000 pounds of ground beef Friday after samples tested at a Texas plant showed signs of E. coli contamination in meat shipped to Wal-Mart stores in 12 states. No illnesses had been reported. The recalled products were sent to Wal-Mart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas, Tyson said. Wal-Mart has removed the products from its meat cases and is destroying the recalled ground beef still in its possession, officials said. Hacker charged with theftRead the article at sentinel-echo.comSuspected thieves returning to the scene of their crime led London Police officers to arrest two suspects and recover stolen property hidden at three different homes. Michael Paul Smith, 24, of London, and Christena Hacker, 26, of Manchester, were arrested and charged with theft by unlawful taking over $300 after they were stopped by police in the Wal-Mart parking lot. London Police Sgt. Matthew Moore and Officer Shannon Morgan were called to Wal-Mart Monday in response to a complaint of a television that had been stolen when the perpetrators cut a hole in the fence surrounding the gardening area. Video showed a man and a woman loading the item into what officers described as a 1988 Ford Bronco. Report Shows Methadone Leading Cause Of Overdose DeathsRead the article at wymtnews.comOut of nearly 500 overdose deaths in Kentucky last year, the state medical examiner's annual report says more than 40 percent of the autopsies showed the pain killer, Methadone was the leading cause. Other officials say that number may be misleading and Methadone shouldn't be the lone target. A Louisville man was arrested Tuesday for trying to deal Methadone in Clay County where the sheriff and law enforcement officials with Operation UNITE say abuse of the drug is on the rise there and across the region. "It's not necessarily quote, they've took too many, as it is the dangerous combination of the drugs," said Clay County Sheriff Kevin Johnson.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 14, 2007 21:58:14 GMT -5
Did Economic Incentive program help Manchester?kentucky.comKentucky needs jobs -- and will do almost anything to get them. That much is obvious after decades near the bottom of virtually every national economic measure. But 25 years of expensive state efforts to recruit industries have barely moved the needle on the commonwealth's dismal rankings -- neither have they improved the lives of many people teetering on the edge of poverty. Instead, at a cost of $1.8 billion, Kentucky's main economic-incentive programs have overburdened taxpayers and left citizens on the losing side of a high-stakes game with hard-bargaining corporate interests. For TexStyle, Inc., a home decor company in Manchester, a $750,000 grant was supposed to help raise employment from 100 to 180, but records indicate the company had only 141 workers four years later. Officials asked for a $121,875 repayment, but the company filed for bankruptcy protection months later. Democrats' candidate for ag chief is jailedWill face Richie Farmer in Novemberkentucky.comThe Democratic nominee for state agriculture commissioner was arrested last week and charged with menacing after an incident with his niece. David Lynn Williams, 68, was arrested Friday after threatening his niece, Glasgow City Clerk Sheila Oliver, after Oliver told him documents Williams requested through the Kentucky Open Records Law were not available. Williams, who will face Republican nominee Richie Farmer in the fall election, said he didn't do anything to threaten anyone, but he admitted he did tell Oliver he would hit her if she was a man. Williams spent an hour in jail before being released on a $500 unsecured bond, under the conditions he not have any contact with Oliver or her family and that he avoid the city administration building. Thomas And Friends Recall: Toy's paint contains leadwymtnews.com The makers of the popular children's toys Thomas and Friends are recalling nearly 1.5 million of them because paint on the toys contains lead and could be toxic if ingested by young children. There have been no injuries reported. The recall covers wooden vehicles, buildings and other parts sole from January 2005 through June 2007. The toys are manufactured in China. Consumers are instructed to immediately take the toys away from children and contact RC2 for a replacement toy, according to a statement by CPSC. Toys marked with manufacturing codes “WJ” or “AZ” are not included in this recall. The code may be located on the bottom of the product or inside the battery cover. Consumers can contact RC2 Corp. at (866) 725-4407 or visit the firm’s Web site. Southern Baptists Approve Plan for Sex-Offender Databasewymtnews.comThe Southern Baptist Convention has voted to ask its executive committee to study the feasibility of creating a database of pastors who have committed sexual misconduct. The overwhelming vote came without debate during their annual convention in San Antonio. The committee is required to report back to next year's convention. The database would include names of those accused of, personally confessed to, or legally convicted of sexual harassment or abuse. Boys die in trunk of car, deaths called accidentalkentucky.comTwo young brothers in London were found dead in the trunk of their mother's car early yesterday, and police are describing it as a tragic accident. Chase Baker, 8, and Coty Baker, 11, had been reported missing about 8 p.m. Saturday by their grandparents, who had not seen the boys for about three hours, said Doug Bowling, the Laurel County coroner. Laurel emergency workers and residents searched through the evening for the boys, whose bodies were found about 12:35 a.m. yesterday. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Larry Rush, the boys' grandfather, described them as loving and caring. Rush lives across the road from the boys and their mother, Hannah Miller, who is his daughter.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 19, 2007 9:07:27 GMT -5
Teenager drowns in Laurel Lakewymtnews.comA deadly day on the lake in southern Kentucky. A teenager drowned while swimming in Laurel County. Search crews pulled the body of 17-year-old Booker T. Henson from Laurel Lake at around 4:30 Monday afternoon. Henson would have been a senior next year at North Laurel High School. Hensley indicted by Laurel County grand jurythetimestribune.com• Irvin Johnson, 21, of New Salem Church Road in London and Johnny Hensley, 26, of Kentucky 687 in Manchester, were indicted by the Laurel County grand jury for unlawful possession of methamphetamine precursors. Hepatitis Alert: Have you been to O'Charley's in Lexington?wymtnews.comHealth officials have linked a hepatitis A outbreak back to a former worker at O'Charley's restaurant. Officials say the worker most likely contracted the virus out of state. At this time, only three people have been linked to the outbreak, but not from eating at the restaurant. Never the less, for the next week anyone who ate at the O'Charley's on Richmond Road in Lexington is being asked to monitor their health. Officials say, that symptoms of the disease could occur at anytime. Symptoms of the disease include diarrhea, flu symptoms, and even in the most serious cases jaundice. Clay County on state list of counties in need or waterwymtnews.comThe Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet has issued a water shortage watch for 61 counties in Kentucky including Clay County. A water shortage watch is issued when drought conditions have the potential to threaten the normal availability of drinking water supply sources. State Climatologist Stuart Foster says precipitation deficits for the past four months place Kentucky's four climatic divisions in the driest periods on record since 1895. Drought conditions across Kentucky range from moderate to severe. Foster says the six- to 10-day outlook indicates little promise of significant rainfall. The Division of Water Web site is www.water.ky.gov/wateruse/drought. Strong nominated to the Elk Hill Regional Industrial Authoritythetimestribune.comThe Knox Fiscal Court nominated Jerry Strong to the Elk Hill Regional Industrial Authority in Clay County as a Knox representative, replacing Glenna Hampton.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 22, 2007 8:58:08 GMT -5
July Second Is Deadline For Kentucky State Fair Entrieswymtnew.com If you're one of those people who has been thinking about entering something in the Kentucky State Fair, it`s time to get moving. The deadline for fair entries is July second. Entry fees are eight dollars per department for adults, four dollars for teens who turn 18 after August first and free for anyone who is 55 by August first. Applicants may apply online for entry forms for some categories. For more information, check www.kystatefair.org or call the fair's entry department at (502) 367-5190. Stivers: Peabody may be one of three coal-to-liquid plantskentucky.comPeabody Energy Corp. is considering building a coal conversion plant in Kentucky that could cost up to $3 billion and bring up to 800 full-time jobs, said a letter released late yesterday. Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration released the letter in an effort to underscore the need for calling the General Assembly into a special session to deal with possible tax incentives for energy companies, a spokeswoman for the governor said. State Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, has said developers have been considering at least three coal-to-liquid plants in Kentucky. General Assembley to have special session July 5kentucky.comIgnoring the criticism of leading Democrats, Gov. Ernie Fletcher sent lawmakers a letter yesterday saying he will call the General Assembly into special session on July 5 to consider legislation promoting alternative fuels. House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, said he is disappointed that the governor is calling a special session with no prior agreement between the two legislative chambers and the governor on energy legislation. Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, has said developers are considering at least three coal-to-liquid plants, possibly in Western Kentucky, Pikeville and near Ashland. Low-income families pay higher priceskentucky.comFrom groceries to mortgages, car loans to insurance, low-income families in Clay County pay more for just about everything they buy, a new study has found. Among the report’s more interesting findings: * Drivers who live in lower-income Kentucky counties and neighborhoods on average pay $384 more a year for car insurance. This inequity hits Eastern Kentucky very hard – drivers there pay among the highest rates in the state. * In 2005, 41 percent of mortgages in low-income households in Kentucky were considered high-cost mortgages; that’s more than double the percentage found in the highest-income households. * Nearly 60 percent of rent-to-own customers make less than $25,000 a year. Buying furniture, electronics or appliances in rent-to-own situations can double the price of the item. Farmer is K-Love scholarship winnerkentucky.comJoe Farmer of Manchester was among the grand prize winners from the Colorado Christian University annual K-LOVE Scholarship Contest. Farmer and Nicole McCarty of Danville each won a $10,000 academic scholarship for use toward degree programs from the university's College of Adult and Graduate Studies. The K-LOVE contest funds are available to all entrants who qualify under CCU's admissions and promotional requirements and who formally enroll at the university.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 28, 2007 9:26:42 GMT -5
Clay County Magistrate Facing Federal Chargeswymtnews.comA Clay County magistrate is facing federal charges. Court documents show Magistrate Terry Davidson is accused of tampering with vehicle identification numbers on two vehicles. Davidson will be back in court July 24th. Boone National Forest bans fireworkskentucky.com Fireworks celebrations could go bust instead of boom because of severe drought in Kentucky. Starting today, fireworks are banned in the Daniel Boone National Forest for 120 days. Forest Supervisor Jerry Perez said he is issuing the order because of the danger of fires. Possession or lighting of fireworks is banned, and citations for violating the ban are $75. The closure order is the first of its kind since 1999. The forest service already has a standing permanent ban on possession or use of fireworks in developed national forest property such as recreation areas. Police looking to ID two who ended up in barrelkentucky.comA man and his daughter discovered incinerated human remains and bullets in a burned and rusted metal barrel in Laurel County. The bones are those of an adult and have been in the barrel at least 11/2 to 2 years. Police are recovering other evidence and going through missing-persons reports in search of the identity. Kentucky forensic anthropologist Dr. Emily Craig determined based on digital photographs that the bones were human. She traveled to Laurel County Monday night to recover more remains with police. Craig said a body was incinerated in the barrel, which also was full of bullet holes. Officers found a burned pickup within about 40 feet of the barrel, and it was being processed by authorities. Clay County may be part of Multi-county ATV Parkwymtnews.com Some private land owners say they want to organize the largest ATV park in the nation...right here in southeastern Kentucky. The trails would run through four counties...but officials say they want to hear more from residents before moving ahead with the project. Officials say the trails would run through Perry, Breathitt, Owsley and possibly Clay and Leslie counties. Project leaders say they are planning community meetings so residents in each county can voice their opinions and ideas. One Man Dead After Overnight Shootingwymtnews.comAn Eastern Kentucky woman is in jail accused of killing her husband in their home late Saturday night. A little after midnight, the Laurel County Sheriff's Department received a call about a shooting. The caller was a Laurel County woman who said she had just shot her husband. Laurel County Sheriff's Department officials say they received a call after midnight on Saturday from Rosalee Karr saying she had shot her husband David Karr. Officials say Rosalee Karr is being held at the Laurel County Detention Center on murder charges.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jun 30, 2007 10:22:55 GMT -5
Cumberland Gap National Park Expandingwymtnews.com A national park is expanding to include land around an Eastern Kentucky lake which officials hope will mean better water quality and increased tourism for the area. The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park stretches for 20 miles along Cumberland Mountain and contains 20 thousand acres of natural resources. Now one more resource is being added to the park, Fern Lake in Middlesboro. Senator Mitch McConnell and Representative Hal Rogers joined the National Park Service, The Trust for Public Land, and other local officials Saturday to announce the newest park addition. McConnell and Rogers say they have been working for nearly three years to secure more than 1,500 acres of land surrounding Fern Lake. Former Clay County man spending $5 million on Crooked Creek golf coursesentinel-echo.comMike Nami wants to make Crooked Creek in London the best golfing community in the southeast, not just Kentucky, and is committing $5 million of his personal fortune to make it happen. Nami said he decided to invest in Crooked Creek because “southeastern Kentucky has been very, very good to me. As I get older, I see that people like myself with the means aren’t doing enough for the community. I want to give something back.” Nami, 55, was born in Iran and moved to America in 1969 after his father died. He sold a trucking company and moved from Columbus, Ohio to Clay County to take part ownership of Ramco, which held oil and gas leases throughout southeastern Kentucky. Later, he became sole owner of Ramco and bought out the assets of Southern Gas and similar companies in the region. He formed Nami Resources, which does business in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas and Louisiana. Possible Loan Scamwymtnews.com The Kentucky Office of Financial Institutions (OFI) is warning consumers about an online loan company that appears to be offering a variation of a common loan scam. OFI has recently received numerous complaints and inquiries from consumers and the Better Business Bureau about an entity using the name of Kentucky Title Loans and the Web site www.ktlinc.net. The company does not appear to be a legitimate Kentucky business. Full-time Faculty And Staff At Eastern Get A Raisewymtnews.com Eastern Kentucky University's Board of Regents has approved a 209 (m) million dollar budget that will provide raises for full-time faculty and staff members. The three-point-five percent raise approved at the regents' meeting yesterday is for the 2007-2008 academic year. Some of the new money will increase graduate student stipends from 67-hundred to ten-thousand dollars and provide an additional 204-thousand for work-study jobs. Ex-Presbyterian Treasurer Avoiding Prison With Paymentswymtnews.comA former treasurer of the Presbyterian Church U-S-A in Louisville is repaying what she stole from the denomination to avoid prison time. Judith Golliher must complete the repayments and stay out of further trouble. The 54-year-old Golliher faces sentencing August 16th after pleading guilty earlier this month to eight felony counts of theft by unlawful taking. She was accused of taking 102-thousand dollars from the church between October 2005 and June 2006 and of causing additional financial losses.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 6, 2007 1:15:24 GMT -5
Stivers defends call for special sessioncourier-journal.comEven before Gov. Ernie Fletcher asked the General Assembly to approve tax incentives to attract coal-conversion plants to Kentucky, his administration had quietly committed at least $2.4 million to two such projects. Without a public announcement, the state awarded a $400,000 grant in May to Peabody Energy to conduct a feasibility study on a $3 billion coal-to-liquid fuel plant near Sturgis, in Union County, according to records. And it committed $2 million in February to help a company called EnviRes LLC develop technology in the Ashland area to gasify coal, biomass and other carbon-bearing materials. Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said he believes the contracts do demonstrate a financial commitment on Kentucky's part to attract alternative-energy projects. Stivers said he thinks the grants are proof that a special session is necessary. "If there is this type of interest, we don't want it to wane because we don't have incentive packages that are comparable to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia," he said. Fletcher's office said in a statement that "the special session is focused on generating economic development, creating high-paying jobs and attracting a $3 billion alternative-fuels facility to Kentucky. This latest objection is nothing more than a red herring so opponents can chase the fool's gold of casino gambling." Clay County To Elect New Circuit Judge This Novemberwymtnews.comVoters in three Eastern Kentucky counties will choose a new circuit judge in November. A special election will be held for the 41st Judicial Circuit First Division which covers Clay, Jackson and Leslie Counties. Long-time Circuit Judge Cletus Maricle retired this month but remains on the bench right now as a senior judge. Court officials say two candidates want the position so far, Attorney Alan Roberts and District Judge Oscar Gayle House. Candidates have until August 14th to file. The judge elected will serve until the next election which won't be until 2014. Black Bear Sighting Increasing Across Kentuckywymtnews.com Black bears are wandering into areas they've never been seen before across the state. Fish and Wildlife officials say they're mating and hunting for food right now and you could run into one just about anywhere. There have only been five documented fatalities involving bears since 2000, none have been in Kentucky. Feeding a bear directly or indirectly is illegal and you could wind up in jail if you're caught. Killing a bear is also against the law unless it's a defense type situation. However, a hunting season for bears in Kentucky could be in the future. If you have a problem with a bear, you should call the Department of Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549. Patton appointee claims Manchester job hires were politically motivatedkentucky.comSam Beverage, who was appointed to the Transportation Cabinet by Democratic Gov. Paul Patton in October 2001, was sentenced yesterday to two years of unsupervised probation for official misconduct, alleged widespread political corruption in the Fletcher administration. Beverage outlined several specific hirings he claimed were politically motivated and also said that nearly all entry-level positions in the Jackson and Manchester highway districts were filled "with the recommendation and concurrence of the designated representative of the governor's office." Cumberland Gap Tunnel closes southbound bore for two monthsmiddlesborodailynews.com If your summer driving plans takes you through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, you’d better give yourself some extra time for the next few weeks. The southbound bore will be closed for a pavement repair project that is expected to last until mid-August. In addition, the speed limit for all traffic in the northbound tunnel will be lowered to 25 MPH. No wide loads will be allowed to pass through the tunnel during the construction period, a wide load being defined as anything over 10 feet wide.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 7, 2007 10:31:34 GMT -5
WOMAN DIES IN 2-VEHICLE WRECKkentucky.comA Tennessee woman is dead after a two-vehicle accident on Ky. 30 near Annville in Jackson County. Dana Asher, 62, was traveling west in a Toyota Camry about 1:30 p.m. Thursday when the accident involving a tractor-trailer occurred, Jackson County Deputy Coroner Conley Tyra said yesterday. Richard's power play could cost Kentucky 800 jobswymtnews.com  House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, explains his plan to ask the House of Representatives to adjourn the 1st Extraordinary Session of the 2007 Kentucky General Assembly on its opening day during a floor speech in the House chamber. Photo by Bud Kraft, LRC Public Information.House lawmakers adjourned without taking any action during a special legislative session on Thursday, saying Gov. Ernie Fletcher's decision to call them back to Frankfort was ill conceived. House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, who gained very little support in his recent race for govonor, urged lawmakers to adjourn without taking action on any of the issues, including a proposal to offer tax incentives to lure a $3 billion coal gasification plant to Kentucky that could have created some 800 jobs. The Senate continued in session, assigning five initiatives included on the agenda to legislative committees for hearings. And, Fletcher said, he hopes House lawmakers return and do likewise. The governor contends that House lawmakers are required under the state constitution to return in three days if the Senate remains in session. He declined to say what action he might take if they do not. The issue could spill into the courts, but Richards said he believes the House was on sound constitutional grounds by adjourning without taking action. "Anyone that wants to go to court over it, have at it," Richards said. Father kills daughter's husbandkentucky.comA father trying to protect his daughter shot and killed her abusive, estranged husband after the man barged into the daughter's mobile home with a machete. When Jesse R. Justice Jr. waved the big knife in the small living room and vowed to kill everyone, the father, Paul Whitworth, had nowhere to run and no choice but to defend himself, Whitworth said. Justice had a bad temper and a history of abusing Edna Whitworth, 35, according to court records. In June 2003, she reported that Justice had beaten her with his fists and threatened kill her and her mother, Mellie, with a baseball bat. In March, Edna Whitworth told police she had an argument with Justice after she refused to take him to Clay County to buy cocaine. She said Justice choked, slapped and hit her, and stomped on her stomach and face. Equipment Is Stolen From Gospel Radio & TV Stationwymtnews.comPolice want to know who stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment in Laurel County. The owner of gospel radio station WVCT and gospel tv station WVTN has been broadcasting from West City Dam road for more than 20 years. Sometime after he went off the air Monday night someone stole almost 20-thousand dollars worth of equipment from the transmission room. The stations are non-profit; they don't sell advertising, so they say they really have no resources to replace what has been stolen. However, the stations are back on the air. New London road could boost economythetimestribune.comThe way is paved to design a $2.5 million road south of London, intended to improve safety and give a socioeconomic boost to the area with access to a tourism project known as Heritage Hills. “The environmental document was signed last Friday and submitted to the Federal Highway Administration,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Dean Croft of Manchester. “We should be able to move to Phase II.” Manchester-based Kentucky Transportation Cabinet executive director Michael Calebs said the road was needed for several reasons. “It’s for both tourism and socioeconomic,” said Calebs, who added that $2.5 million has been authorized on the six-year transportation plan for the entire project that could include funding for the design phase as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 9, 2007 23:20:39 GMT -5
Separate ATV Accidentswymtnews.comAn ATV accident has sent one boy to the hospital with serious injuries in Clay County. Information is limited at this time, but emergency officials tell us a 14 year old boy had to be air-lifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center after an accident involving an ATV in the Hector area of Clay County. Another ATV accident, this one in Owsley County, has left one man dead. Police say 27 year old Tony Gross of Ricetown was killed Sunday morning on the Upper Right Hand Fork of Buffalo Road when he lost control of his ATV in a curve and hit a tree. Couple arrested for drug traffickingthetimestribune.comA Manchester couple stopped for overly dark windows was arrested Thursday and arraigned Friday on multiple felony drug trafficking charges. Michael Roberts, 46, and his wife Cynthia C. Singleton, 31, of 222 Charlie Sizemore Road in Manchester, were arrested by Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Chuck Johnson shortly after midnight Thursday morning and charged with three counts of trafficking in controlled substances. Roberts was also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and a window tinting violation. Roberts failed a field sobriety test and was placed under arrest. Roberts was allegedly staying at the Hampton Inn and signed a consent form for officers to search the room where he and his wife Singleton were staying. Officers allegedly found two different versions of OxyContin and some methadone hidden in the microwave. The couple was taken to the Laurel County Detention Facility and arraigned Friday, during which preliminary hearings were scheduled for July 10 and bond was set for $5,000. Wilson speaks out about coal industrykentucky.comGov. Ernie Fletcher is holding a special legislative session to pass additional subsidies for the coal industry brings concerns voiced by mountain residents during last year's Kentucky Authors Mountaintop Removal Tour remain relevant: Randy Wilson of Big Creek in Clay County: "Some way, somewhere there's a better way, a better way to light this world. For a hundred years we've been sitting on coal, oil, gas, and we're still one of the most impoverished states. It doesn't make sense." Laurel County fair kicks off Mondaythetimestribune.comThe fairground is on Kentucky 229 near the intersection with Kentucky 192 just east of London and south of the London bypass. The fair is scheduled to begin Monday and continue through Saturday, July 14 and will include favorites like a demolition derby and a truck or tractor pull. The event is sponsored by the Laurel Ruritan Club. Admission price is $8 per person at the gate. Children under the age of two may be admitted free, but cannot enter the rides without a paid admission. The gate opens each day at 5:30 p.m. with carnival rides beginning at 6 p.m., and shows and performances by bands, a big cat show or motor sports that typically begin at 7 or 8 p.m. For a more detailed schedule visit www.laurelcountyfair.com. Peabody ready to pull plug on Kentuckykentucky.comGov. Ernie Fletcher is scheduled to talk with House leaders on Monday in hopes of getting a special legislation session back on track. House Speaker Jody Richards said he and other House leaders agreed to talk with Fletcher on a conference call. Richards was skeptical that the impasse could be resolved. Peabody executive Rick Bowen told lawmakers Friday that the company is considering building the plant to transform coal into synthetic natural gas. Bowen said Kentucky needs to offer incentives to stay in the running. He said the company plans to decide on a location for the plant within about three months. Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said the proposed incentive package would total $295 million over 20 years.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 15, 2007 14:32:51 GMT -5
Kids need Christmas spirit nowkentucky.comJuly is not usually the time you hear sleigh bells ringing, but Benson Gregory wants you to try to hear them. Gregory, operations manager at Central Kentucky's Christian Radio group, has initiated a "Christmas in July" project as a means of collecting new clothing, toys and gifts for Appalachian children in kindergarten through eighth grade. The donations will be given to Mission of Hope, a non-profit Appalachian relief organization based in Knoxville, said Gregory. It serves people living in southeast Kentucky and northeast Tennessee. We started working with Mission of Hope last Christmas," Gregory said. With no campaigns going on in July, Gregory decided to start the push for Christmas giving. And that was just fine by Emmette Thompson, executive director of Mission of Hope. Thompson, one of only two paid staff members for the organization that has hundreds of volunteers, said the ministry serves the children of 25 schools, 15 in Kentucky and 10 in Tennessee. The Kentucky schools or relief centers are in Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Harlan, Floyd, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Madison, Owsley, Perry, Pike and Whitley counties. Deadly Accident In Knox Countywymtnews.comA Knox County woman is dead after a three vehicle accident. It happened Thursday on U.S. 25 E, about two miles north of Barbourville. State police say 22 year old Sudie Lewis of Manchester pulled into the path of a pickup driven by 40 year old Billy Dunn of Girdler. Dunn's vehicle overturned and Lewis' car was then hit by a tractor trailer. A passenger in Dunn's vehicle, 36 year old Jacqueline Burchett of Girdler, was killed. Dunn and Lewis were injured and taken to the Knox County Hospital. Five people injured in Parkway wrecksentinel-echo.comTwo people were airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center and a third person is in stable condition following a wreck Tuesday at the intersection of KY 192 and the Hal Rogers Parkway that left five people injured. London Police Officer John Whitehead said witnesses told police the GMC pick-up truck, which was traveling east on the parkway and a Mercury Tracer collided when the driver of the Tracer failed to stop at the intersection. The victims, four of whom were in the Tracer, along with the driver of the pickup, were initially transported to Marymount Medical Center for treatment because weather had grounded the LifeNet helicopter. Sharon Hershberger, public relations director at Marymount Medical Center, said Mary Patterson, the driver of the Tracer and Zora Mae Young were later airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Charles Young was admitted to Marymount, where he is listed in stable condition. Barbara Asher and Elven Hart were treated and released. Rogers Secures Additional Funding for Operation UNITEwymtnews.comRep. Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) announced today he has secured an additional $3.1 million in federal funding to continue the efforts of Operation UNITE, the comprehensive counter-drug initiative that is working with local, state and federal officials to combat drug abuse in southern and eastern Kentucky. Funding for Operation UNITE is included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, which was approved by the House Appropriations Committee today. FIREFIGHTERS TO HELP OUT IN IDAHOkentucky.comA group of firefighters left Kentucky yesterday to help battle wildfires in Idaho. Fourteen full-time and five seasonal Kentucky Division of Forestry employees left yesterday afternoon from London. An additional employee left Wednesday to help with information and communications on a large fire in Oregon. The U.S. Forest Service had requested assistance from the Kentucky Division of Forestry. The Kentucky firefighters are expected to be on the fire lines in Idaho for as long 14 days, but they might return sooner.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 17, 2007 10:01:10 GMT -5
Armed Robbery Shocks Lyttleton Communitywymtnews.comPeople in a small Eastern Kentucky community say they're having trouble even believing what happened after residents were robbed at gunpoint at their front door step. People in the small town of Lyttleton, just east of Manchester, are finding it hard to believe an armed robbery could happen in their neighborhood. According to a police, two strangers asked for assistance then demanded the money from the homeowners. Then a neighbor came to the victims home only to be held at gunpoint too. For many, the armed robbery incident is hitting home. The perpetrators left the scene with an undisclosed amount of money, leaving the victims and the neighbors in Lyttleton concerned. After the suspects fled from the scene, the victims bound at the time of the robbery, were left there, but they were not injured. Both victims’ identities are being withheld per their request. Kentucky State Police urge anyone who might have any information to call them at their office in London. Police Arrest 3 People Who Allegedly Were Posing As Police Officerswymtnews.com Police say they've caught three people, who were allegedly posing as law enforcement officials and robbing homes! 28-year old Ronald Turner of Newport, 27-year old Jeremiah Birch, and 23-year old Tanya Birch, both of Booneville, were arrested and face numerous charges. James Stewart and his girlfriend woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of someone banging on their back door. He says the person outside yelled that he was with Operation UNITE. He says the gunman told him he was there to search for illegal drugs, and if Stewart moved he would kill him. If you have any information that could help investigators in this case, you should call state police. Rogers Secures $580,000 to Go After Meth Labswymtnews.comRep. Harold "Hal" Rogers announced today that $580,000 is slated to fund technology that tracks ingredients used to produce methamphetamines. The funding measure passed a key House Committee and the money will go to the Commonwealth's Office of Drug Control Policy to be used across Kentucky, once the measure is signed into law. A major component of any meth operation is a steady flow of pseudoephedrine, often found in over the counter cold medicines. Using a device called "Meth Check," transaction data is captured electronically on point of sale systems at pharmacies and other retailers, eliminating the need for paper records which are error-prone and often of limited use to law enforcement. Laurel County was the first community in Kentucky to launch Meth Check. Within six months, nine meth labs were shut down as a direct result of monitoring purchase logs with this system. Meth Check enables the compilation of a single electronic database and allows pharmacies to submit purchase transactions directly to law enforcement agencies and eliminates time consuming site visits. The technology also gives investigators the tools to identify shoppers who use various techniques to attempt to disguise excessive purchases. Operation UNITE, which works to eliminate drug abuse in eastern Kentucky, has dismantled 55 meth labs and removed 5,145 grams of methamphetamine since 2004. With the funding, more Meth Check data from strategic locations across southern and eastern Kentucky will be submitted to UNITE detectives. TESTING SCORES TO COME OUT IN SEPTEMBERkentucky.com The Kentucky Department of Education will be releasing both No Child Left Behind and Commonwealth Accountability Testing System data in September. NCLB data is usually released in August, right before school begins, but this year it will be released on Sept. 12 as a result of new standards that will have to be applied to test scores, the department has said. The delay could affect parents who opt to transfer their children out of schools that failed to meet goals. But most Kentucky parents do not opt to transfer, KDE representative Lisa Gross has stated. Also, many schools already know whether they are going to meet NCLB goals because last year's CATS scores are one of the indicators. Elk population booming in eastern Kentuckykentucky.com After disappearing for more than a century, the elk population in the eastern portion of the state is booming thanks to an aggressive restoration plan that was worked better than state wildlife officials could have hoped. There are about 6,500 elk in the state, the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River. The plan is to increase the herd to 10,000 elk in the next five years. The state has loosened its regulations on elk hunting. Only 12 permits were issued a year between 2001 and 2003. The number will rise to 300 this year. Interested hunters must pay $10 to fill out an application by July 31. The permits will be awarded through a lottery. The season begins in October.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Jul 19, 2007 17:25:21 GMT -5
London White Castle opensthetimestribune.com The London White Castle Grand held their grand opening ceremony Thursday, July 19. Crash leads to drug arrestsentinel-echo.comA glass pipe found in a baby’s diaper bag and more than $2,000 cash were confiscated after a couple crashed into a guardrail on Hal Rogers Parkway on July 12. According to Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement Officer Greg Reams, Kenny Wagers was driving westbound on the parkway when he lost control of his 2002 Chevrolet pick-up truck, crossed into the eastbound lane and hit a guardrail. Reams and Curry conducted field sobriety tests on both Wagers and his wife, Brandy Wagers, who was sitting in the passenger seat. They both failed all tests. The Wagers were unharmed, as was their 5-month-old baby girl, who was also in the truck, unrestrained, at the time of the accident. A search of the truck turned up a small amount of methamphetamine hidden inside a bank deposit bag, the pipe and the cash. When asked where they lived, Brandy Wagers gave an East Bernstadt address and Kenny Wagers gave one in Manchester. Reams believes, however, the two are from the area. Kenny Wagers was charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs; one count of failure to use child restraint device; one count of possession of radio that sends/receives police transmissions; one count of first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance, first offense; one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance (meth-amphetamine), first offense; one count of endangering the welfare of a minor; and one count of serving bench warrant for court. Brandy Wagers was charged with one count of public intoxication of a controlled substance; one count of possession/use of radio that sends/ receives police transmissions; one count of first-degree trafficking of a controlled substance, first offense; one count of endangering the welfare of a minor; two counts of serving bench warrant for court; one count of tampering with physical evidence; and one count of possession of a controlled substance (meth-amphetamine), first offense. The infant was put into the custody of social services. Edwards tours Kentucky, retraces Kennedy's 1968 visitcourier-journal.com Robert KennedyTracing the steps of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards issued a call yesterday for economic and social change in America. Edwards' speech was the culmination of a three-day, eight-state tour of some of the nation's most poverty-stricken areas, in which he talked about the need to improve health care, wages and education. The tour ended in Eastern Kentucky, which has remained one of the poorest regions of the country despite more than four decades of efforts -- starting with President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty -- to shore up its economy. According to the 2000 Census, 20 Eastern Kentucky counties had more than 27 percent of their residents living below the poverty line. The highest figure was 45 percent in Owsley County followed by nearly 40 percent in Clay County. Representative Looking for Funds for Bridge To Nowherewymtnews.comIt's supposed to be a site for industrial development which could mean jobs for Eastern Kentucky but right now, many people call a bridge to that site a bridge to nowhere. Millions of your tax dollars have already been spent on the site near the Bell and Harlan County line but Representative Rick Nelson says lately, nothing more is being done and that's why he's hand delivered a letter to the governor in hopes that will change. This is what many people call the "Bridge to Nowhere." Work began nearly ten years ago at a nearby reclaimed strip mine site with the hopes it could become a regional industrial park. Local industry leaders say with plenty of water, rail, and abundant nearby coal, the site is prime for a possible coal to liquid fuel plant. Smith involved in fiery I-40 truck crashcitizen-times.com A truck driver lost control of his tractor trailer while driving eastbound on Interstate 40 down Old Fort Mountain causing a fiery crash that backed up traffic into early morning, the State Highway Patrol said. Driver Richard S. Smith, 32, of Manchester, Ky. was transported by ambulance to Mission Hospitals with non life-threatening injuries and released, Gilliland said. No other vehicles were involved. The overturned wreckage that spilled yogurt, frozen brownies and frozen biscuits over the roadway was ignited by leaking diesel fuel and burned for 10 to 15 minutes before crews from the Old Fort Fire Department got it under control, he said. The 8 p.m. crash shut down all three lanes of traffic for hours. Crews were directing traffic past the crash site on one shoulder of the road. All lanes were expected to open by 3 a.m., Gilliland said. The tractor trailer was estimated to be going 55 to 60 mph on the stretch of road where the speed limit is 35 mph for trucks, Gilliland said. Investigators were checking for any mechanical failure that might have sent the truck out of control.
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Jul 25, 2012 21:42:28 GMT -5
FoxNews.com
Voter fraud has a shocking new meaning in eastern Kentucky
That is where in some cases, major cocaine and marijuana dealers admitted to buying votes to steal elections, and the result is the corruption of American democracy. The government continues to mete out justice in the scandal, as two people convicted in April in a vote-buying case face sentencing this week, and another public official pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy. Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky has led a recent string of federal prosecutions exposing the widespread and accepted practice of vote buying in eastern Kentucky. The soft-spoken federal prosecutor, along with his team and state authorities, are waging a battle against what he characterizes as a vote-buying culture embedded in many of the communities for generations. He says the problem is rooted in economic woes, which is why votes are routinely for sale. In that part of the state, jobs are scarce and poverty is high. Controlling local government means controlling jobs. In Clay County, according to court testimony, some of the funds to purchase votes came from massive cocaine and marijuana drug trafficking operations. Prosecutors say more than $400,000, part of it drug proceeds, was pooled by Democratic and Republican politicians over several elections, and spent to buy the votes of more than 8,000 voters, usually at $50 apiece. One voter was even able to bid up the cost of his vote to $800. In the Eastern District of Kentucky alone, more than 20 public elected officials and others have either been convicted or plead guilty in various vote-buying cases just in the last two years. On Tuesday, former Breathitt County School Superintendent Arch Turner pleaded guilty to conspiracy during the 2010 primary election, admitting he handed out money to buy votes. On Thursday, two others will be sentenced after they were convicted of vote-buying-related charges in the same contest. In the Clay County case, former Circuit Court Judge Cletus Maricle, 67, and seven others were convicted in 2010 in a massive vote-buying scheme that ran through several elections. Maricle, who was sentenced to more than 26 years behind bars, is appealing his conviction. Several convicted major drug dealers testified during the trial about just how easy it was to spread many thousands of dollars around to buy votes. Read more: www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/25/drug-money-funds-voter-fraud-in-kentucky
|
|
|
|
Post by Kentucky News on Jul 26, 2012 21:37:29 GMT -5
Clay County remains in top ten in unemployment
Commonwealth News Center press release
Clay County remains in the top ten of counties with the higest unemployment rates, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Fulton County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate — 17 percent. It was followed by Magoffin County, 16.9 percent; Jackson County, 14.8 percent; Leslie County, 14.4 percent; Bell County, 13.7 percent; Wolfe County, 13.5 percent; Harlan County, 13.3 percent; Clay County, 13 percent; and Breathitt, Lee and McCreary counties, 12.9 percent each. Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 5.8 percent. It was followed by Fayette County, 6.5 percent; Union County, 6.6 percent; Oldham and Shelby counties, 6.7 percent each; Hancock County, 6.8 percent; and Daviess, Franklin, Owen and Scott counties, 7 percent each. Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and county figures. Learn more about the Office of Employment and Training at www.workforce.ky.gov.
|
|
|
|
Post by Local News on Aug 1, 2012 23:06:49 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net
Hoskins-Valentine announce forthcoming marriage
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde and Alma Hoskins and Mr. and Mrs. Dan and Gina Valentine wish to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their children, Tasha Rachelle Hoskins of London and Dominic L. Valentine of Corbin. Tasha is the granddaughter of the late Axie and Bill Hubbard of Manchester, Ky. and Dorothy Hoskins and the late Estill (Pete) Hoskins of London, Ky. Dominic is the grandson of the late Armando (Archie) and Marie Cima of Gray, Ky. and Lorene Valentine and the late Carlo Valentine of Corbin. The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Corbin, Saturday, August 25, 2012. www.thenewsjournal.net/details/6428/Hoskins-Valentine-announce-forthcoming-marriage
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 3, 2012 19:07:38 GMT -5
sentinel-echo.com
Manchester man involved in accident on West KY 80
By Nita Johnson, Staff Writer
Traffic was slowed and re-routed off the shoulder of west Ky. 80 Sunday afternoon as emergency workers responded to a motorcycle v. vehicle accident in which the motorcyclists were flown to a Lexington hospital. According to a press release, the driver of the motorcycle, Larry Armfield of Willie Green Road in London, who celebrated his 51st birthday the day prior, was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for possible shoulder and rib injuries. His passenger, Tena Armfield, 44, also of Willie Green Road in London, was flown from the accident scene for a possible head injury. Larry Armfield told police he was traveling east toward London when a vehicle pulled out from LaAzteca Mexican Restaurant into his lane. Armfield said he swerved to avoid hitting the white Dodge Nitro and lost control of the motorcycle. The driver of the Nitro, Blake Rojas, 18, of Manchester, said he did see the motorcycle when he pulled from the parking lot onto the roadway and only realized the motorcycle was behind him when he heard the motorcycle crash. Several witnesses said Rojas pulled out in front of the motorcycle although the investigation into the accident revealed the motorcycle did not hit the Nitro. Larry Armfield was taken to Saint Joseph London and then flown to UK Medical Center. Assisting at the scene were London Police officers Jordan Hopkins, Jacob Bormann, Justin Roby, and Justin Hopkins and Sgt. Travis Hurley. www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x44823293/Motorcyclists-flown-to-UK-after-crash
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 3, 2012 19:11:42 GMT -5
sentinel-echo.com
Lucille Carloftis, Manchester native, pens third book
By Magen McCrarey, Staff Writer
From a lonesome whippoorwill call echoing through the Daniel Boone National Forest to the calming babble of a flowing Rockcastle River, Lucille Carloftis takes readers of her new book on “A Beautiful Journey” at the inspiring Carloftis family homestead. Carloftis is a pioneer of entrepreneurship and a mother of six. At 84-years-old, she has written three books and is already working on her fourth, all while she’s spearheading the Rockcastle River Trading Company in Livingston. She attributes her children’s spirit to their environment growing up beside U.S. 25 on 50 acres that borders the Rockcastle River. What the Rockcastle River Trading Company is today was the Fort Sequoya of the late 1950s. Fort Sequoya was built like an ancient Indian village with basket weaving and an authentic Indian camp. There was no running water, electricity and the first gift shop was a small cottage built with a Ford Model T engine propped up on concrete blocks. The Carloftis family had a knack for tourism. It’s in the way Lucille Carloftis greets visitors from all over the world who come to see her handsome haven. Lucille Carloftis is a Manchester native and a true southern belle. She does not leave home without one of her Derby-style hats. Her Native American turquoise jewelry suggests she has never forgotten the Fort Sequoya dream she and her late husband, Carlo, gave life to. After Interstate 75 was completed, business began to decrease. In those years, she admits she didn’t think the Carloftis home would ever open again, and her son, Jon, began paving the way for his success as a New York City rooftop garden designer. At the peak of his newfound success, he re-invented his parent’s dream and built awe-inspiring gardens at his childhood home. The gardens that carry a touch of Eden have been published in both Southern Living and Kentucky Monthly. The Carloftis family homestead was once a place where the Carloftis children ran wild, swinging from ropes into the Rockcastle River and it is now a destination for garden clubs, festivals and dinner parties. The Rockcastle River Trading Company is located off U.S. 25 in Livingston, and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carloftis’ new book can be purchased at the store or online at Amazon.com. Already, she is currently burning the midnight oil to finish her next literary work about the most influential people in her life. www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x1402338655/Carloftis-matriarch-pens-third-book
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 12, 2012 8:30:11 GMT -5
herald-leader.com
Clay County couple charged with abuse after toddler inhales fumes
By Bill Estep
Police charged a Clay County couple with abuse after their 11-month-old son inhaled fumes from what officers think was a toxic substance that can be used in making methamphetamine. The boy sustained a burn on his abdomen and chemical irritation in his lungs, Kentucky State Police said in a news release Saturday. State police charged the boy's parents, Sonny Gray, 44, and Christina Collett, 36, of Big Creek, with second-degree criminal abuse. State police arrested the two Friday night. They are being held in the Clay County Detention Center. The toddler, whose name police did not release, was on a ventilator for a time. He was in stable condition Saturday at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital, according to the release. Police began investigating after the boy's parents brought him to the emergency room at Manchester Memorial Hospital on Aug. 5 because he was having trouble breathing. Raleigh Benge, a Manchester police officer who was at the hospital on a call, said the parents said the toddler had choked on a piece of meat. However, Benge, who is certified to clean up meth labs, said he leaned over the boy and smelled a strong chemical odor he associates with the manufacture of meth in small homemade labs. Benge notified state police and assisted in a search of the boy's home. Police did not find a meth lab. However, they did find liquid in a clear jar on a shelf in the kitchen that was low enough for the toddler to reach, according to Oliver and Benge. Gray was indicted in May and again in July on meth charges. A woman named Christina Fee was charged with him in one case; that is the same person as Christina Collett, Oliver said. One indictment alleges that the two manufactured meth in September 2010. The indictment also accuses them of endangering two children who were in the home when the adults had components used in making meth. When he was indicted in May, Gray said in a court document he was unemployed, had no car and received $600 a month in food stamps. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/08/11/2295702/clay-county-couple-charged-with.html
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 14, 2012 5:09:58 GMT -5
courier-journal.com
Farmer askes to have child-support payment reduced
Former Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner Richie Farmer has asked that his child-support payment be reduced because of a “material change in circumstances” that includes the loss of his state job. In a motion filed Aug. 2 in Franklin Circuit Court, Farmer also says he is scheduled to undergo surgery this month and will be incapacitated for at least two months. Farmer’s marriage to Rebecca Farmer was dissolved last month. She filed for divorce in April 2011. On July 18, , Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate summarily ruled in favor of National Bank of Manchester in its home foreclosure case against Richie and Rebecca Farmer for $317,929, plus interest, due on a loan made in October 2004. The order directs that their house in Frankfort be sold at a master commissioner's sale. Clint J. Harris, the bank’s lawyer, said Monday that no date has been set yet. Farmer's attorney said in May that his client has not been employed since his agriculture commissioner's term expired Jan. 1. www.courier-journal.com/article/20120813/NEWS01/308130063/Richie-Farmer-wants-child-support-reduced-because-loss-state-job
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 14, 2012 5:10:42 GMT -5
WYMT-TV
Clay County couple has criminal past
BIG CREEK – Many of those who live close to Sonny Ray Gray and Christina M. Collett in Clay County didn’t want to talk about the troubling story. Some on Rocky Fork Road saw our crew pull up, but quickly went back inside and didn’t answer their doors. Police close to the situation say they’re not exactly sure what the toddler ingested. Yet they say they are certain it was some kind of chemical used to make meth that burned his stomach and lungs. In tracking down information about the parents, we found out in court records, that the boy’s father, Sonny Gray, has been in trouble many times on drug offenses, most recently in March of this year and once before on meth charges in September of 2010. Police say that Gray and Collett brought him to the Manchester hospital after he started choking on at their home. The warrant for their arrest states that the boy had “chemical burns to his lower abdomen” and that something had “caused (a) chemical irritation to..inside of minor child’s lungs.” www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/Clay-parents-charged-with-criminal-abuse-have-criminal-histories--166035426.html
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 15, 2012 20:45:26 GMT -5
herald-leader.com
EKU president that oversaw building of new Manchester campus to retire
By Linda B. Blackford
Eastern Kentucky University President Doug Whitlock announced Wednesday morning that he will retire July 31. In his term as president, he said, EKU has produced its first Truman, Goldwater and Fulbright scholars. He also oversaw the building of a new arts center, a new facility for the Manchester campus and Phase I of a new science center. Whitlock, who turned 69 on Sunday, made the announcement at the annual convocation for faculty and staff after five years in the job. He said his initial one-year appointment as president will have turned into a six-year term. In a statement Wednesday, EKU Board of Regents chairman Gary Abney said the board will be issuing a request for proposal for a search firm to help in finding the 12th president. EKU's 11th president has spent nearly his entire career at the Richmond school. He was named interim president in 2007 to replace former Joanne Glasser while a national search started. Trustees then voted unanimously to put the administrator in the top job. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/08/15/2299740/eku-president-doug-whitlock-announces.html
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 18, 2012 13:30:07 GMT -5
Steve Mobley, Friend of Kentucky 4-H Award recipient. The 2012 Kentucky 4-H Volunteer Forum was held at the Hyatt Regency/Lexington Civic Center in Lexington, Kentucky on February 9-11, 2012
courier-journal.com
Comer fires 2012 Friend of Kentucky 4-H Award recipient, Steve Mobley
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer this month fired one holdover official from his predecessor Richie Farmer’s tenure at the Department of Agriculture and demoted a second. In letters dated Aug. 1, Comer fired Steve Mobley, division director of Agriculture Education, and demoted John Roberts, who had been a special assistant in the Office of State Veterinarian. The firing and demotion are the latest of more than a score of personnel actions taken by Comer since he replaced Farmer at the beginning of the year. Both Roberts and Mobley had been appointed by Farmer to non-merit jobs in the department. Such politically appointed persons can be removed from their jobs without cause. And the letters give no reasons for the actions. Department General Counsel Holly Harris VonLuerhte, who signed the letters, declined Friday to elaborate on them. The letter to Roberts noted that, as a former state merit system employee, he had the right to revert to a job within the merit system. And the letter did that, placing him in an assistant director’s job. The move reduced Roberts’ pay from $70,000 to $57,673 per year. Mobley, who had no rights to revert to any merit job, made $70,000 per year at the time he was fired. www.courier-journal.com/article/20120817/NEWS01/308170096/Kentucky-agriculture-commissioner-fires-official-from-Richie-Farmer-s-tenure-demotes-another
|
|
|
|
Post by In The News on Aug 19, 2012 8:08:53 GMT -5
sentinel-echo.com
Clay County woman arrested for purse snatching at London WalMart
By Magen McCrarey, Staff Writer
Two purse snatchers were caught by the London Police Department Friday after allegedly stealing an elderly woman's handbag as she was unloading her groceries in the Walmart parking lot. The victim had her back turned as she placed her groceries into the trunk of her car, when two women — Crystal D. Niece, 27, of Clay County and Jessica D. Hubbard, 31, of Knox County — drove by and snatched her purse from the shopping cart. Three witnesses reported to police the women were driving a gray Dodge vehicle. As they drove by the victim, they opened the passenger door and grabbed her purse. The vehicle then sped out of the parking lot, throwing a gray, hooded sweatshirt out of a window, which was used to conceal the snatcher's identity. Sgt. Doug Thomas of the London Police later identified and located the suspects' vehicle on Old Union Church Road. The women had rented the car from Enterprise and removed its license tags. Officers charged the two with theft by unlawful taking/purse snatching. www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x257407757/Purse-snatchers-arrested
|
|
