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Post by Local Sports on Apr 27, 2012 4:50:07 GMT -5
North Laurel softball coach Becky Osborne and her 6-year- old daughter Ashlyn are doing fine after being involved in this two-car accident Wednesday morning. Osborne was taking her daughter to Colony Elementary when the accident took place.
The Times-Tribune Rogers Strong will take over at North until Osborne recovers from car accident By Les Dixon, Sports Editor
North Laurel softball coach and 2002 Miss Softball Becky Osborne and her 6-year- old daughter Ashlyn are doing fine after being involved in a two-car accident Wednesday morning, according to Osborne’s father, Bill Abner. Osborne, who has guided the Lady Jaguars to a 13th Region-best 16-5 record during her first year as North Laurel’s coach, was taking her daughter to Colony Elementary when the accident took place. Athletic director Jimmy Durham appointed assistant coach Rogers Strong as the interim head coach. “I have informed Rogers that he will be the head coach effective immediately until Becky’s return,” Durham said. “I expect Becky might be back next week, and if I need to help them I will.” Strong has been an assistant softball coach at North Laurel for the past five years. Read the entire story at: thetimestribune.com/sports/x130096806/North-Laurel-s-Osborne-OK-after-two-car-accident
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Post by In The News on May 12, 2012 9:26:42 GMT -5
middlesborodailynews I-75 lane closures at the Laurel-Whitley County
I-75 is subject to periodic reductions to one lane of service in both directions at the Laurel-Whitley County line (milepoint 27.9) and will remain so through May 24. The periodic lane closures are necessary to allow for scheduled bridge maintenance work. Closures are possible between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All work is scheduled on a tentative basis and is subject to change depending on weather conditions, emergencies and other factors beyond the control of the Department of Highways. www.middlesborodailynews.com/archives
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Post by In The News on Jun 4, 2012 8:32:10 GMT -5
kentucky.com State veteran cemetery is being planned in Leslie County
Kentucky officials are moving toward meeting the increasing demand for veteran cemeteries. The Courier-Journal reports that four state veteran cemeteries have been built across Kentucky and a fifth one is being planned in Leslie County to meet the need arising mostly from the deaths of World War II veterans. The cemeteries frequently also serve veterans from Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. The quiet expansion of veteran cemeteries in recent years has allowed many soldiers to be buried next to others who served in the military, but also close to family and loved ones. The first state veterans cemetery opened in 2004 in Hopkinsville and when the cemetery in Leslie County opens, Kentucky will be close to meeting a national goal to have a such cemeteries within 75 miles of 90 percent of veterans. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/06/03/2210613/ky-expanding-veteran-cemeteries.html
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Post by In The News on Jun 15, 2012 11:43:32 GMT -5
Jim Taylor
kentucky.com Op-Ed Kentucky Voices: Coal-severance scholarship program unfair
By Jim Taylor, President University of the Cumberlands [/i] Is it possible Gov. Steve Beshear was not informed about inequitable treatment of students and parents from the 16 other Eastern Kentucky coal-producing counties in former governor Gov. Paul Patton's scholarship project? Did Beshear know that Patton's $4.3 million coal-severance pilot program advances the University of Pikeville almost exclusively to the disadvantage of students and their families in the following coal producing counties: Boyd, Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pulaski and Whitley? Why is Lincoln Memorial University, a Tennessee school, receiving Kentucky coal-severance scholarship money and 16 coal-producing counties aren't? Why is Lindsey Wilson College receiving coal severance scholarship money when it isn't even located in a coal-producing county? The answer is simple. Both have satellite programs in the designated nine-county coal-severance scholarship area. Once you scrape away the subterfuge, you see clearly that Patton, president of the University of Pikeville, has used their names for political coverage and to help mask the fact that his university received the lion's share of the scholarship money while small satellite operations will receive the scraps. Doesn't the pilot project cause parents who live in the other 16 Eastern Kentucky coal-producing counties to ask where the $4,000 or so scholarship is for my son or daughter to attend college? Why did Patton use Alice Lloyd College's name when the president of that college said he didn't want the project, didn't agree with it and never saw the proposal until after the fact? Now students entering Alice Lloyd from Perry County, right next door, are discriminated against. Why would Alice Lloyd want to be a part of the proposal anyway? It requires its students to work to receive free tuition. Not a bad idea at all. Why was University of the Cumberlands promised to be a part of Patton's project and excluded? Why was Eastern Kentucky University at Corbin and Manchester excluded? Why was Union College promised and then excluded? There are two easy answers. Too many schools included would decrease the amount Pikeville would otherwise receive. What's more, I assume neither legislative representatives where the schools are located — Senate President David Williams nor Sen. Robert Stivers — are favorites of the Democrats. I hate these politics. They are hurting and discriminating against the students and their families in coal-producing counties. Done in the darkness of night, there was no transparency to Patton's project. It was like pulling teeth to get a copy of it, and once we got a copy we found we had been excluded. As one peels the layers of subterfuge away, one sees it is clearly designed to aid Pikeville at almost the exclusion of every other institution. Pikeville essentially becomes a de facto state university. Now the satellite community colleges and satellite campuses can tell students to take their first 60 hours there and stay on for the next 60 hours at the University of Pikeville. They are essentially now four-year colleges for the next two years. In Patton's words, "the scholarship would in effect bring tuition cost down to what they would expend at comprehensive universities." Patton knows Pikeville will likely continue to receive the funds and become part of his legacy as he fluffs his feathers and prances like a peacock. Congratulations, Patton and the counties whose citizens will benefit from the newest scholarship fund coming from the daily grind of coal miners rather than from the hard work of the college's president pounding the pavement to raise assistance from the private sector. In reality, all of the students in the 25 Eastern Kentucky coal-producing counties are being discriminated against because the pilot project essentially dictates which college they can attend. Their freedom to choose is severely limited to Pikeville or a Pikeville satellite. I simply feel terrible for the students. So I say congratulations to those students who will receive the scholarships and my condolences to those who will not. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/06/15/2225257/ky-voices-coal-severance-scholarship.html
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Post by In The News on Jul 21, 2012 16:42:20 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Liquor World CEO not happy with Corbin Liquor License process
Ernie's Spirits behind Applebee's, Tri County Liquor in the former Dairy Queen store at the Trademart shopping center and Liquor King on Cumberland Falls Hwy have been selected to each receive one of Corbin's three allotted package liquor licenses. The businesses owned by Ernie and Kevin Durham, Bill Smith and Wanda Simons and Jack Taylor, respectively, were chosen from among the 12 applications submitted. Kevin Durham is a partner in four Liquor Mart stores in Danville, Manchester and Richmond.
Corbin Alcoholic Beverage Control Officer Bruce Rains said he had little if any input into the decision, noting that Dan Reed, Distilled Spirits Administrator with the state ABC has made multiple visits to Corbin over the last several weeks to examine the proposed sites. Despite Rains assertions, at least one of the applicants who did not receive a liquor license did not appear convinced. On the Facebook page for Liquor World, CEO Wesley Morgan stated that he believed corruption and bribery played a part in the selections. He noted his proposal called for a $2.3 million construction project that involved building an 11,000 square foot building. Morgan concluded by stating attorneys representing Liquor World have filed open records requests with the state and Corbin ABC officials. thenewsjournal.net/details/6385/Liquor-store-owners-reveal-plans-following-licensing-decision
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Post by Press Release on Jul 27, 2012 6:48:09 GMT -5
Pictured is the accused being lodged in the Laurel County Detention Facility: Left to right: Heather Kaminsky on the left, Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore on the right: (photo is courtesy of WKYT-TV)
Heather Kaminsky back in Kentucky to answer charges of trading baby for pickup Laurel County Sheriff Department Press Release
Laurel County Sheriff John Root is reporting that Felony Fugitive Heather Kaminsky is being returned to Laurel County , Kentucky and is expected to be lodged in the Laurel County Detention Facility late Thursday night(7-26-2012). Kaminsky had been sought since her now 6 month old infant child had been reported as being traded for a Dodge Dakota pickup last week. She was located , and apprehended in Florida after a joint effort between the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County Florida Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshal’s Office. The recipients of the child were arrested and lodged on Felony Human Trafficking. Kaminsky will face the same charge along with other pending Methamphetamine related charges upon her extradition back to Kentucky. Detective Jason Back and Detective Brad Mitchell are continuing their investigation. Laurel County Sheriff’s Detective Charlie Loomis , who made the 700 mile trip to Putnam County, Florida to return Kaminsky, arrived at 10 P.M. tonite (7-26-2012) , and he and Laurel Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore lodged Heather Kaminsky in the Laurel County Detention Facility.
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Post by In The News on Jul 30, 2012 12:26:55 GMT -5
Union’s program is out Obama Adminstration shifting Upward Bound money to Urban Areas By Jeff Noble, Staff writer, The Times-Tribune
For many years, students from Clay County in Union College’s Upward Bound program would finish their summer session with a week-long trip. This year’s visit to Maine was especially sad for both students and their chaperones, because it’s one of the final chapters at the closing of the Barbourville school’s 32-year-old program. The last day for Upward Bound at Union is this Wednesday, August 1. A letter sent to the college earlier this summer by Upward Bound in Washington told officials that Union was ineligible for grant money to fund their program. For the upcoming school year, 13 colleges in Kentucky made the list. Union, along with other colleges, such as Berea College and Southeast Community College in Cumberland, did not. A year earlier, Union did made the list, getting $336,789 in federal grants, which provided base funding for 75 persons participating in the program. Union was one of 24 Kentucky schools on the list for Fiscal Year 2011. The total funding allocation last year was $305, 387,247, with 951 grants awarded. Competition for Upward Bound grants are held every four years, with all grants funded for five-year grant award cycles. The program does not require matching funds or cost sharing. Union’s Upward Bound director, Dr. Sarah Hendrix, feels the current administration in Washington is taking some of the TRIO program money, which Upward Bound is a a part of, and shifting it away from rural areas to what she called “untested programs.” According to Congressman Hal Rogers’ office in Somerset, Smoot said Rogers discovered the people who have the Upward Bound money — the U. S. Department of Education — gave priority to persistently low-achieving schools, primarily in urban areas. He also joined several colleagues in Congress by signing a letter to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, expressing his dismay on the decision to deny funding for Upward Bound programs in southern and eastern Kentucky. Founded in 1963, Upward Bound helps students from low-income families, or those students where neither parent has a college degree, get through their high school years and into college. The four-year program is one of eight federal TRIO outreach and student service programs which identify and provide services for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program provides students with access to educational opportunities, increases the number of students who go on to college and helps those participating students develop skills to improve their lives. Union’s Upward Bound program began in 1980. This year, it had 75 students in the program, coming from five schools in four counties. Lynn Camp, Barbourville and Knox Central High Schools are represented in Knox County, while Clay County, Leslie County, Owsley County and Red Bird High School in Clay County also participate. Hendrix said the success of the program has been far-reaching, serving thousands of students over four decades. Earlier this month, the Upward Bound program and Union College paid tribute to those who were a part of that desire, by hosting a reunion for former UB students, as well as their parents and teachers. Several of them told how the program changed their lives. Two of them — Joyce Achenjang and Juleda Hyde — were recognized at the reunion. Achenjang, a graduate of the University of Kentucky, will start medical school at UK this fall. Hyde, a Union graduate, plans to obtain her Master’s Degree this fall at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Hyde was also a Upward Bound counselor at Union this summer. The school plans to appeal the decision not to fund Upward Bound. They’ve also written to Congressman Rogers’ office, asking for their help in keeping the program alive. thetimestribune.com/x44818917/Union-s-Upward-Bound-is-out
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Post by In The News on Aug 24, 2012 21:38:23 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net 'Heavy infestation' of roaches reason for closure of Shoney's in Corbin Dean Manning
While the sign at the Shoney's of Corbin claims the restaurant is "closed for repairs," it was actually shut down Wednesday by the Laurel County Health Department for a heavy infestation of roaches. The sign in front of Shoney's in Corbin says the restaurant has been, "closed for repairs." Laurel County Health Department officials, who ordered the restaurant closed at noon Wednesday say it was closed because of roaches. Mark Hensley, director of the Laurel County Health Department said the inspection and closure occurred as the result of an anonymous complaint Wednesday morning concerning, "unsanitary conditions." Signs were posted on the front doors of the restaurant explaining that it was closed by order of the health department. Hensley said health department officials have spoken with the owners and been advised that they are working to correct the problem and reopen the restaurant. Before the restaurant may reopen Evans will make a follow-up inspection to ensure the infestation has been eliminated. thenewsjournal.net/details/6515/%27Heavy-infestation%27-of-roaches-reason-for-closure-of-Shoney%27s-in-Corbin
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Post by In The News on Aug 24, 2012 21:39:31 GMT -5
sentinel-echo.com St. Joseph London in danger of losing Medicare certification By Magen McCrarey, Staff Writer
Saint Joseph London is currently submitting a plan of correction to Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled Program (Medicare) which has been terminated for use at the hospital. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) notified the facility that they will not make payment to the hospital for services to patients on or after Monday, September, 9, 2012. Saint Joseph London released a statement that they are a place of caring and healing for patients, in addition, their policies and procedures align with the industry standards with regard to patient care, safety and patient rights. “We work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) as partners. Reviews like this are an important part of the process of ensuring excellence and making certain that not just Saint Joseph London — but all — healthcare facilities continually improve and employ best practices. As part of our continuing effort to provide the safest care possible for our patients, we are submitting a plan of correction to CMS,” said Sharon Hershberger, public affairs director for Saint Joseph London. Associate Regional Administrator Sandra M. Pace of the Division of Survey and Certification stated that for patients of Saint Joseph London who were serviced prior to Sept. 9, payment will continue for a maximum of 30 days for services. Payment is specifically limited to covered services through the close of business. www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x1971506857/St-Joseph-London-in-danger-of-losing-Medicare-certification
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Post by Press Release on Sept 1, 2012 21:46:59 GMT -5
Jackson County man dies in crash north of London Laurel County Sheriff Press Release
Sheriff John Root is reporting that Laurel Sheriff’s Deputy Kirk Mays is investigating a one vehicle fatal traffic crash which occurred on Ky 30, 4 miles north of London early Saturday morning 9-1-2012 at approx. 2:03 A.M. Apparently, an eastbound Ford Explorer traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control, overturning several times, traveled off the roadway, ejecting the driver, and came back to rest on the roadway. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He is identified as: Christopher L. Keifer, age 29 of R. Jones Road, Tyner. Investigation is continuing. Alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor. Assisting at the scene was: Laurel Sheriff’s Deputy Brett Reeves, London City Police, Ambulance Inc. Of Laurel County, London-Laurel County Rescue Squad, East Bernstadt Volunteer Fire Dept., and the Laurel County Coroner’s Office.
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Post by In The News on Sept 30, 2012 14:11:58 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Corbin liquor store ready to open
The first of Corbin's three planned liquor stores could open more than a month earlier than the deadline set by the state Alcohol Beverage Control Office. Jack Taylor, owner of Liquor Mart, said Monday that work is proceeding at a efficient pace on his Corbin store which will be located in the old Dairy Queen building near Trademart Shopping Center. Taylor and his brother, Paul, own a total of six Liquor Mart stores in Kentucky: two in Richmond, and one each in Danville, Lancaster, Manchester and Corbin. The two are natives of Corbin and graduates of Corbin High School. Taylor said when news broke that Corbin voters had decided to allow packaged liquor sales in the city, he began work immediately on securing a location in his hometown. Two other liquor store licensees plan to be open in the near future as well. Liquor King, owned by local businessman Bill Smith, will be located on Cumberland Falls Hwy. in the old Marine-Myers building. Smith said Tuesday the store is on track to open the first week of November. It will be, by far, the largest of Corbin's three liquor stores at roughly 10,000 feet. Ernie's Fine Wine and Spirits is a 5,000 square-foot store planned for south Corbin near Applebee's. Ernie's owner Kevin Durham told the News Journal last week he plans to break ground on the store in the next few weeks and has received an extension from state alcohol regulators to open in early 2013. thenewsjournal.net/details/6617/Corbin%27s-first-liquor-store-may-open-this-weekend
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Post by In The News on Sept 30, 2012 14:12:46 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Williamsburg restaurant shut down after bringing road-kill to kitchen
A Williamsburg Chinese restaurant has been at least temporarily shut down after Whitley County Health Department officials and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources discovered a dead deer inside Thursday afternoon. Paul Lawson, an environmentalist with the Whitley County Health Department, whose job it is to inspect restaurants, said as he was leaving the Red Flower Restaurant shortly before 5 p.m. that the health department would have a statement about the incident Friday, but he did confirm that the restaurant is closed until further notice. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Sgt. Tom Land cited Hong Yang, 28, of Williamsburg, for illegal possession of whitetail deer. According to the arrest citation, the deer "was possessed inside a public restaurant." Land said that even a road-kill deer has to be tagged or you are illegally in possession of it. Land said the deer was a small buck, which already had the antlers cut off when he arrived at the restaurant about 4 p.m. thenewsjournal.net/details/6633/Williamsburg-Chinese-restaurant-closed-after-dead-deer-found-inside
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Post by In The News on Oct 3, 2012 20:22:02 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Validity of liquor license applications questioned by Manchester liquor store operator
A Manchester liquor store operator is asking the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to hold a hearing into whether applications for Corbin's three package liquor stores contained irregularities that could imperil the town's local package store licenses. C. Wesley Morgan, owner of Liquor World stores in Richmond and Manchester, filed the request for a hearing through the Kentucky Department for Alcoholic Beverage Control last Friday. The move comes nearly three months after Morgan was formally notified he wouldn't be receiving one of three retail package liquor licenses allotted to Corbin. City voters approved a ballot initiative in February that allowed for the expanded sale of alcohol. The number of package store licenses issued is based on population. In the letter submitted to the ABC requesting the hearing, Morgan's attorney Daniel W. Redding claims that licenses should not be issued to owners of either Liquor Mart, Liquor King or Ernie's Spirits because of procedural deficiencies in their initial applications seeking retail package store licenses. The letter is accompanied by a lengthy affidavit by Morgan. In an interview Monday, Morgan said he believes he was squeezed out of the Corbin market through political maneuvering and competitive jostling with his main rival, Liquor Mart, that led to blatant disregard of the rules regarding the application process. Morgan was one of 12 applicants for a package store license in Corbin. He planned to build an 11,200 square foot Liquor World store in south Corbin on property currently occupied by S&H Towing and Repair. In addition, Morgan claims he has evidence of other impropriety that took place with the application process in Corbin and said he provided an affidavit and other evidence in July to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Read the entire article at: thenewsjournal.net/details/6649/EXTRA-CONTENT:-Validity-of-liquor-license-applications-questioned
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Post by Kentucky News on Oct 15, 2012 16:25:56 GMT -5
Perry County Sheriff's Department Audit Finds $590,000 Missing Commonwealth News Center press release
Attorney General Jack Conway and his Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced the indictment and arrest of a former Perry County Sheriff’s Department Clerk after an audit found nearly $600,000 in missing funds from the Sheriff’s Department. Sixty-six-year-old Lana Dean of Hazard turned herself over to the Perry County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday, October 12, 2012 following her indictment on one count of Abuse of Public Trust over $100,000. General Conway’s DCI unit began investigating the case in December 2011 after an audit by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts uncovered $590,000 in missing franchise taxes between 2002 and 2006. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also assisted in this investigation. The charge against Dean is a Class B felony and carries a penalty of between 10 and 20 years in prison. Prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office of Teresa Reed, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 33rd Judicial Circuit representing Perry County. A charge is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Post by In The News on Oct 20, 2012 21:24:43 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Police say texting cause of serious accident in Corbin Tuesday Dean Manning
LOL turned into OMG in the blink of an eye Tuesday when Marshellia French, 41, of Corbin glanced up from her cell phone to see the Pontiac sedan in which Roseanna Warren was riding, looming large in her windshield. The ensuing rear end collision when French failed to stop, resulted in Warren, 44, of Gray, being airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Corbin Police say French said she was texting on her phone as she approached the intersection of U.S. 25E and Master Street about 11:45 a.m. The driver of the Pontiac, Norm McCreary, 55, of Gray, who had the green light, had turned left from Master Street onto U.S. 25E. The light changed and French continued through the intersection but failed to stop before she collided with McCreary. Corbin firefighters were called to the scene and used the Jaws-of-Life to remove both doors on the passenger's side in order to extricate Warren. Traffic was rerouted through the Kmart parking lot and onto North Commonwealth Ave. while a helicopter landed on the roadway to transport Warren. According to officals at UK, Warran is listed in serious condition. A law enacted in Jan. 2011 prohibits texting while driving. Offenders face a $25 fine for a first offense, plus court costs. While neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be factors in the crash, Meadors said French will be cited for texting while driving. According to Kentucky State Police drivers who are texting are 23 percent more likely to be involved in a crash and often display the driving characteristics of a person who is driving under the influence of alcohol. thenewsjournal.net/details/6688/Police-say-texting-cause-of-serious-accident-in-Corbin-Tuesday
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Post by In The News on Oct 20, 2012 21:34:31 GMT -5
sentinel-echo.com Crooked Creek Golf Course Closed By Nita Johnson, Staff Writer
Ropes blocked the parking lot of a popular golf course Thursday and community members are pondering its fate. But the closing of Crooked Creek Golf Course is, hopefully, a temporary measure that manager Ron Roberts believes is short-lived. Roberts said he was not privy to other details involving the circumstances that prompted Mike Nami to close the course, and also could not disclose any specifics of a potential buyer. Roberts said he is hopeful the course will reopen soon under a new owner. Roberts said the public golf course had brought in many more people to Crooked Creek, located off Ky. 229. Despite its closing, Roberts said groups who have booked the banquet hall can rest assured that their reservation will be honored. Crooked Creek came under Nami’s ownership in 2006 and he immediately invested about $6 million of his own money to improve the course and construct a restaurant, fitness center and training facility. In 2008, the facility was closed for a weekend in July when a lease agreement fell apart. The facility reopened the following Tuesday, with Nami stating at that time that he was seeking to sell the facility or have a golf management company to run it. While the economic crisis did affect in some part the operation of the facility during the early days of Nami’s ownership, opening the course to the public was a step forward for the facility. Although some rumors abounded that Nami himself was in financial trouble and had filed for bankruptcy, Roberts vehemently denied such a claim. Calls to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Lexington verified that statement, as the clerk said there had been no such filing by Nami. Roberts said negotiations with the potential buyer had been going on for several days and that he hoped to have news on the sale next week. Attempts to reach Nami on Friday were unsuccessful. www.sentinel-echo.com/local/x253540902/Crooked-Creek-Closed
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Post by In The News on Oct 26, 2012 5:32:02 GMT -5
WYMT-TV Jackson County increases tax to balance budget
An eastern Kentucky county has increased its occupational tax in an effort to shore up its deficit and balance its budget. Despite pleas from citizens to not pass the tax, Jackson County Judge-Executive William O. Smith said something had to be done - and cuts in spending weren't enough. WYMT-TV reports that Smith says the sheriff's department owes the Fiscal Court nearly $300,000; in addition, the county is now paying for a new police department and coal severance funds have decreased by more than 50 percent in the past year. County officials voted 2-1 to pass the 0.85 percent tax, which will be added to the 1 percent tax that citizens already pay. The new tax goes into effect on November 1. www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/E-Ky-county-increases-tax-to-balance-budget-175847401.html
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Post by Press Release on Oct 29, 2012 12:03:49 GMT -5
Police looking for London Taco Bell robber Laurel County Sheriff Press Release
Sheriff John Root is reporting that Laurel Sheriff’s Detective Tommy Johnston is investigating an armed robbery which occurred on U.S. 25 E, 10 miles south of London on Sunday night (10-28-2012) at approx. 7:24 P.M. at Taco Bell restaurant. A customer came into the store, and noticed all the cash drawers emptied and standing open with no employees around, and called 911. Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the scene. A KVE Officer, Rob Mitchell, responded, too. They located four employees (3 males and 1 female) locked in the freezer of Taco Bell. Laurel Sheriff’s Deputy Greg Turner, and Deputy Billy Madden arrived at the scene and began an investigation. They learned that a lone gunman had entered the Taco Bell restaurant when no customers were present. The assailant, armed with a pistol, robbed the business of an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency, locked the employees in the freezer and apparently fled the scene on foot. He is described as white male, 5 foot 8 inches to 6 foot, 200-225 pounds wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and bandana around his face, unknown age. Other sheriff’s office personnel assisting on the investigation included: Sheriff John Root, Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore, Detective Charlie Loomis and Detective Daryl Zanet. Anyone with any information on this armed robbery is asked to contact the Laurel County sheriff’s Office at 606-864-6600. They can remain anonymous.
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Post by In The News on Nov 8, 2012 20:31:53 GMT -5
WYMT-TV Teco Coal officials announce layoffs
Around 90 employees are being laid off from the Teco Coal Corporation. Director of Personnel, Paul Matney, says no mines are shutting down but they are reducing their manpower and staffing, which will reduce some production. Matney said that the layoffs are at several locations and are the result of the economic conditions of the coal market. www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Teco-Coal-announces-layoffs-177980801.html Coal stock drops
Coal stock is plummeting in the wake of President Obama's re-election. James River Coal Company saw the biggest decrease as shares plunged 22.6%. Along with James River, Arch Coal's stock dropped more than 11%. Peabody Coal Corporation saw a decline of more than 9% and Alpha Natural Resources shares sank by nearly 13%. www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Coal-stocks-drop-177985351.html
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Post by In The News on Nov 12, 2012 18:33:19 GMT -5
herald-leader.com Three Knox Men charged after death of Iraq War Vet By Bill Estep
Three Knox County men have been charged with killing a man whose body was found late Sunday, according to Barbourville police. John C. Mills, 42; George Marcum, 52; and James Wyatt, 33, are charged with murder in the death of Jonathan Foley, who would have turned 27 on Friday, two days after he was killed. Owens said Foley had been in the Kentucky National Guard and had been deployed to Iraq, but he didn't think Foley was still in the service. The investigation is continuing, and more people could be charged, Owens said. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/11/12/2405180/police-find-missing-knox-man-charge.html
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Post by In The News on Nov 12, 2012 18:36:59 GMT -5
herald-leader.com Photos of pot smoking kids land Mom and Granny in Leslie County jail By Bill Estep
Photos of children with marijuana cigarettes in their mouths have led to charges against two Leslie County residents, and more charges are likely, the investigating officer said Monday. One of the children photographed with a joint was a 1-year-old boy, and the other was a boy 3 to 5 years old, Leslie County sheriff's Deputy Adrian Cornett said. The photos came to light after relatives of the children took the images to a business in Hyden to be developed. On Friday afternoon, the children's grandmother and other relatives went to the business and asked to cancel the order, but the photos had already been developed, Cornett said. Store employees then looked at the photos and saw the images of children with marijuana cigarettes in their mouths, photos of children handling marijuana buds, and other photos showing marijuana, Cornett said. Cornett said police found 24 marijuana plants around the home of the children's grandmother, Beth Ann Hensley, 51, who lives on Lower Bad Creek Road. Police also found processed marijuana in a baggie, Cornett said. The children's mother, Tracy Hensley, was charged with unlawful transaction with a minor and child endangerment, Cornett said. Cornett said some of the photos were taken at the grandmother's house. Others were taken at the nearby mobile home of an uncle of the children. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/11/12/2405117/photos-of-children-with-marijuana.html
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Post by In The News on Nov 12, 2012 18:42:54 GMT -5
richmondregister.com Jackson County man killed in Saturday wreck had just fled scene of copper theft By Sarah Hogsed, Senior News Writer
Police believe a man that was killed Saturday in a single-vehicle accident had just stolen copper from a vacant Richmond factory and fled the scene after a witness called police. James M. Ward, 40, of McKee, died at 11:17 a.m. after his car ran left the southbound lane of Interstate 75 near mile marker 84 and traveled about 200 feet down an embankment before crashing into a rocky ravine, according to the Kentucky State Police and the Madison County coroner. Witness statements and the distance the car traveled after leaving the road indicated that speed was a factor in causing the wreck, Coroner Jimmy Cornelison said. Shortly before the accident, Richmond police responded to a call about a copper theft that had just happened at a vacant factory on South Keeneland Drive, RPD Chief Larry Brock said in a news release. Shortly after taking the theft report, the officers learned the fatal accident on I-75 involved a vehicle that matched the description of the one seen at the factory. The copper was still in the vehicle. The wreck is under investigation by the KSP. richmondregister.com/localnews/x1501155992/RPD-Man-killed-in-Saturday-wreck-had-just-fled-scene-of-copper-theft
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Post by In The News on Nov 24, 2012 18:06:42 GMT -5
sfgate.com The Corbin Arena gets a name change
Corbin leaders have taken former Senate President David Williams' name off an exposition center, complaining that he didn't do enough to protect the city in a dispute with Knox County officials over revenue from an occupational tax. City Commissioner Ed Tye said Friday that the decision to delete the Republican's name from the David L. Williams Southeastern Kentucky Ag & Expo Complex was made before he resigned from the state Senate earlier this month to accept a judicial appointment. Williams said he's OK with Corbin's decision to remove his name. Publicly, the building is now known as The Corbin Arena. "I never asked that it be put on there, so that's fine with me," Williams said Friday. "As a matter of fact, at the time, I asked them not to put it on there." Tye said Corbin leaders believed that Williams, who for more than a decade was the most powerful Republican in Frankfort, could have helped the city in a longstanding battle with Knox County officials over the occupational tax revenue. Senate Floor Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, was able to get legislation passed earlier this year that prevented Corbin from collecting 25 percent of Knox County's occupational tax. Tye said that move cost Corbin about $600,000 a year. Williams' name was only taken off signage. On legal documents, the building will keep the name. Williams ran against Beshear last year in a vitriolic gubernatorial election that showed an intense dislike between the two. However, Beshear has a record of appointing Republicans to more lucrative government positions to get them out of the Senate. Previously, Beshear had made Senate Floor Leader Dan Kelly a circuit judge and appointed Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Charlie Borders to the Public Service Commission. Read more: www.sfgate.com/news/article/Former-lawmaker-has-name-removed-from-building-4062067.php#ixzz2D5ZHdxXs
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Post by In The News on Dec 24, 2012 12:47:39 GMT -5
kentucky.com London truck driver will spend Christmas in New York jail
Authorities say New York state troopers had to use a Taser to subdue a Kentucky truck driver after police say the man was driving drunk on a rural upstate road. State police say a trooper had pulled over a tractor-trailer Saturday on Route 20 in the Allegany County town of Amity. Police say the trooper determined the driver, 44-year-old Ricky Counts of London, Ky., was intoxicated. Police say while being taken into custody by two troopers, Counts resisted arrest. Officials say one of the troopers used his Taser to subdue Counts, who was charged with driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest. He's being held in Allegany County Jail on $10,000 pending a Jan. 2 court date. It couldn't be determined if he had a lawyer. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/12/24/2454740/ky-trucker-charged-with-dwi-resisting.html
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Post by In The News on Dec 26, 2012 9:44:30 GMT -5
herald-leader.com Police investigating whether alcohol or drugs played role in Christmas Eve wreck in Knox County By Bill Estep and Josh Kegley
Police are investigating whether alcohol or drugs played a role in a Christmas Eve wreck in Knox County in which five people died, including four members of one family. David Vanderpool, 31, of Williamsburg was driving north on U.S. 25E when his 2004 Ford Taurus crossed the median of the divided four-lane road and collided head-on with a 2010 Camry headed south, according to a news release from Kentucky State Police. The people in the Camry were Gary Caldwell, 61, and his wife Patricia Caldwell, 58, of Harlan County; and the Caldwells' daughter Julia Robinson, 29, and son-in-law Brent Robinson, 30, of Bradenton, Fla. Terry Caldwell, Gary's brother, said Gary and Patty Caldwell were returning home from Lexington, where they had picked up their daughter and son-in-law, who had flown in for Christmas. The Caldwells were going to get the whole family together for Christmas dinner at 3 p.m., he said. Terry Caldwell said police told his cousin that Vanderpool's car was "running from 80 to 90 miles per hour." Knox County Coroner Mike Blevins said state police troopers said it was one of the worst wrecks they had ever seen. At the time of the wreck, Knox County deputies had been looking for Vanderpool's car because of a report of an impaired driver, said state police detective Michael H. Cornett, an accident reconstruction expert who is investigating the fatal collision. Toxicology tests will be performed on both drivers, which is standard procedure, Blevins said. That test will answer whether Vanderpool was impaired. Gary Caldwell was the finance director for the Letcher County school system, and Patty Caldwell was an assistant principal at James A. Cawood Elementary School in Harlan County, according to Mike Howard, superintendent of Harlan County Public Schools. Howard said Gary Caldwell had worked for the state Department of Education as a field representative for many years, assisting local districts, and that Patty Caldwell had been a teacher before becoming a principal. Terry Caldwell said he and his brother grew up in Bledsoe. He said they were close and visited each other often. Gary Caldwell loved to hunt, he said, and the two went buck hunting in Clay County last weekend. Gary Caldwell planned to deep-fry a turkey for Tuesday's dinner. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/12/25/2455571/five-people-killed-in-christmas.html
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Post by In The News on Dec 29, 2012 20:51:26 GMT -5
herald-leader.com Billion dollar construction project at Blue Grass Army Depot 60% done By Greg Kocher
2012 was the year that construction passed the halfway mark for the pilot plant in Madison County that will destroy tons of chemical weapons. The $1.8 billion construction project at Blue Grass Army Depot south of Richmond is 60 percent finished. Construction should be completed in mid-2015, but it will take four more years to test the plant's systems. Destruction of the weapons is scheduled to start in 2020, to be finished in 2023, if not earlier. According to the latest baseline announced in April, the project is on schedule and on budget, Tom McKinney, project manager for general contractor Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass, said during a Dec. 19 tour. The first mustard or blister agent arrived at the depot in 1944, and the nerve-agent weapons came between 1962 and 1966. The blister agent is a powerful skin irritant. Exposure to the nerve agents could cause convulsions and respiratory failure. The agents are often referred to as nerve "gas" or mustard "gas," but they're really liquids that become aerosols when exploded. The nerve agents and blister agents are stored on 250 acres of the 15,000-acre depot, which stores and distributes conventional munitions. Blue Grass has only 2 percent of the nation's original stockpile, and the chemical weapons there will be the last to be destroyed. The plant under construction will chemically neutralize these agents. Work began on the 25-acre pilot-plant site in 2006, and construction of the actual disposal facilities started in 2009. From design through construction, operations and its closing in 2026 or 2027, the total "life cycle" cost of the project is $5.5 billion. A public hearing will be held early in 2013 to receive public comment on a proposal to remove the propellant sections from 44 nerve-agent rockets. A state permit is necessary before that operation would be done in early 2014. The Army wants to test and verify the stability of the propellants in those rockets so it can determine whether the destruction of those sections should be done somewhere other than the pilot plant. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2012/12/28/2458180/billion-dollar-construction-project.html
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Post by In The News on Dec 29, 2012 20:52:30 GMT -5
thenewsjournal.net Lawsuit questioning Corbin liquor licenses dismissed; Morgan vows to appeal By: Trent Knuckles
A lawsuit by a Manchester liquor store operator seeking to invalidate the issuance of package liquor licenses in Corbin was dismissed by a circuit court judge earlier this month. C. Wesley Morgan, owner of Liquor World stores in Richmond and Manchester, vowed this week that he would appeal the decision and press on. Morgan had planned to open an 11,200-square-foot store in south Corbin on Cumberland Falls Hwy. if granted a license. He was one of 12 applicants in the process and was unsuccessful. There were only three licenses up for grabs in Corbin. Morgan had originally asked that the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) grant him an evidentiary hearing before its three-member board to determine if the three successful applicants - Liquor Mart, Liquor King and Ernie's Wine and Spirits - had deficiencies in their applications. He claimed in an affidavit provided to the ABC that all three had issues that could or should prevent them from being granted licenses. The owners of each of the three stores denied any irregularities in their applications. Officials with the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control said they found no irregularities as well. Morgan's lawsuit took direct aim at the ABC and at Daniel Reed: Distilled Spirits Administrator for Kentucky and one of three members on the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, naming them as defendants. Reed had the sole authority to determine which applicants received licenses to operate package alcohol stores in Corbin. Liquor Mart and Liquor King are already both doing business in Corbin and were granted licenses by the ABC before Morgan was able to file legal action. Ernie's Wine and Spirits is currently under construction behind Applebee's restaurant on Cumberland Falls Hwy. Morgan said he still plans to purchase the property in Corbin where he planned to build Liquor World. S&H Towing and Repair is currently operating there. He said closing on sale of the property should be completed some time in February. When asked what he planned to do with it, Morgan said he hoped to sell to a national chain restaurant.
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Post by In The News on Jan 13, 2013 15:17:08 GMT -5
Commonwealth Journal 2013 is year Wolf Creek Dam will finally be repaired by Bill Mardis The calendar has finally turned. This is 2013, the year rehabilitation of leaky Wolf Creek Dam is projected for completion. For seven long years, seven summers, seven vacation seasons, local businesses so dependent on tourist trade have persevered. Lake Cumberland, for what seems an eternity, has been kept as close as possible to 680 feet above sea level, about 40 feet below normal. Only one more summer to go means normalcy or near normalcy is just around the corner. December 2013 is the target date for completion of the $594 million repair project. Engineers have said the barrier wall being inserted in the earthen section of the dam will permanently fix the mile-long structure, plagued with leaks since the gates were shut 62 years ago. Seepage has been a problem since the dam was built. A panel of experts in 2005 labeled Wolf Creek Dam in high risk of failure. Treviicos-Soletanche JV, a joint French-Italian company was given a contract to fix the dam, a project of size and complexity never before done. somerset-kentucky.com/newslive/x1633443433/2013-is-year-dam-will-finally-be-repaired
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Post by In The News on Jan 17, 2013 21:14:13 GMT -5
Werner Grentz
herald-leader.com Grentz pleads guilty to tax evasion; owes nearly $1 million By Taylor Pettit
A London physician pleaded guilty Thursday to evading nearly $1 million in taxes since 1999. Werner Grentz, 64, agreed to pay the IRS about $900,000 in unpaid taxes as part of his plea, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey. While working in London and Jellico, Tenn., Grentz admitted to making $356,073 in 2009. Grentz hid his income by depositing his earnings into bank accounts of companies he owned. He did not file tax returns for or pay federal income taxes, according to the news release. Grentz is scheduled for sentencing May 16, and he faces a maximum sentence of five years. Read more here: www.kentucky.com/2013/01/17/2480437/london-doctor-pleads-guilty-to.html
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Post by Kentucky News on Jan 21, 2013 7:23:30 GMT -5
Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands Announces Leslie County Waterline Project Commonwealth News Center press release
The Department for Natural Resources’ (DNR) Division of Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) announced today the award of contract and the start of construction for a Leslie County Multi-Site AML water supply project in Leslie County. “Getting a clean, safe and reliable drinking water supply to eligible Kentucky residents has been, and will continue to be a high priority with our department through the AML program,” said DNR Commissioner Steve Hohmann. AML has found that agency-eligible pre-1982 mining has impacted much of the groundwater in Lower Cutshin Road including Meeting House Branch and Maggard Branch; Lower McIntosh Road, Aces Branch Road, and Owls Nest Road; Wildcat Road to the Hal Rogers Parkway, Bellwood Lane Road to its head, portions of Stone Coal Branch, and portions of Persimmon Fork, making these areas eligible for AML waterline assistance. The entire project will involve the installation of approximately 21.8 miles of water main in various sizes from 6 inches to ¾ inch, three hydropneumatic booster pump stations, valves and the installation of water meters at 80 residences. The project, with a memorandum of agreement between the Hyden and Leslie County Water District and AML, totals $1.75 million. The project will be operated by the Hyden and Leslie County Water District. G & W Construction of Morehead, Kentucky was awarded the contract with a low bid amount of $1,573,800. Sisler and Maggard Engineering of Lexington, Ky. will provide engineering services. AML is authorized under Kentucky law (KRS.350) to abate hazards to public health, safety and the environment from abandoned mine lands. To date, AML has expended more than $105 million for waterline improvements and has provided more than 14,426 households with potable water supply in 24 coalfield counties in eastern, southern and western Kentucky.
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