EKB News

Operation Clean Sweep Set At Jenny Wiley Park

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:13:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
The public is invited to participate in the 2010 “Operation Clean Sweep” to be held Saturday, March 20th, at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. Registration begins at 9:00 A.M. at the Jenny Wiley Executive Golf Course. A complimentary cookout will be at the office at 2:00 P.M. for all volunteers. “Operation Clean Sweep” T-shirts will be given to all volunteers who pick-up two bags of trash (limit one shirt per person while supplies last). For additional information, contact Trinity Shepherd at (606) 889-1790 or Stonney Burke at (606) 886-6709.

Committee Passes Bill For ATV Trails

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:55:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
House Bill 173, sponsored by Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, was unanimously approved Thursday by the House Committee on Tourism Development and Energy. A system of ATV trails in eastern Kentucky would connect to similar trail systems in West Virginia and south-western Virginia. The bill the committee approved was very different from the original bill which would have elevated the Kentucky Recreational Trails Authority to the level of a state agency and given it power to require that people buy a permit before hiking or riding on state lands. Hall said he changed the bill because the original would have cost several million dollars.

Pike County Road Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:15:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
House Bill 292 outlines nearly $300 million in road projects. Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford says, while the money will pay dividends for the state and county road programs, officials are working with Senator Ray Jones, as the budget bill moves through the Senate. Officials are working in an effort to get more money. Rutherford expressed disappointment because of a lack of money for the Mountain Parkway. Officials say $193 million will go toward projects in fiscal year 2010, which includes 30 bridge replacements, many in Pike County. Renewed funding for U.S. 460 and U.S. 119 are parts of the plan

Two Sentenced For Killing Endangered Bats

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:17:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Thirty-one year old Lonnie Skaggs of Sandy Hook, Ky. was sentenced Thursday to eight months in federal prison and one year supervised release while 20 year old Kaleb Dee Morgan Carpenter of Olive Hill, Ky. received three years probation. Each pleaded guilty to a charge of killing an endangered species, admitting that, in December 2009, they used flashlights, rocks and their feet to kill endangered Indiana bats in Laurel Cave at Carter Cave State Park. Prosecutors say combined they killed 23, but Skaggs admitted he killed an additional 82.

Cocaine Found At Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:39:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
A cleaning crew has found more than 14 pounds of cocaine in a bathroom at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Brian Bell says the drugs were discovered Monday, hidden in a pair of sweat pants in a carry-on bag and stashed in a locked bathroom stall. The bathroom is inside the Federal Inspection Services area. There was no identification on the bag. In a news release, customs officials say the presence of customs agents likely scared the person carrying the drugs. The total weight of the seized cocaine is 14.7 pounds. There were no immediate arrests.

Man Shot After Intending To Shoot A Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:36:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
A Pulaski County man has been fatally shot after apparently going to shoot at a stray dog that was chasing his livestock. The Commonwealth Journal in Somerset reported that 62-year-old Steven W. Quaid's wife went to look for him Tuesday afternoon when he didn't return to their house and found him dead. Pulaski County Sheriff's officials said Quaid had been shot once in the head, apparently with a bullet from his own rifle. An autopsy is being conducted in Frankfort and investigators hope it yields clues about how Quaid died.

Prison Bathroom Described As A "Slaughterhouse"

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:27:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
Twenty-year-old Ashley Cox, the Corbin woman accused of murdering her newborn baby, appeared in Oldham County court Wednesday afternoon for a probable cause hearing. During the hour-long hearing, the judge heard gruesome testimony from the detective that investigated the case. Kentucky State Police Detective Todd Harwood explained what he learned from his investigation and what may have happened on Sunday, March 7, when Cox drove from Corbin, KY to LaGrange to visit her boyfriend, an inmate at the Roederer Correctional Complex. Detective Harwood said Cox was accompanied by her boyfriend's family. Witnesses told him Cox went to the restroom, complaining she did not feel well, and that after 20 minutes, the boyfriend's family checked on her. During a search of the facility, Harwood said a nurse found the 6-pound-5 ounce newborn's body in a trash can. Harwood said the infant's body was wrapped in towels soaked in blood, and her mouth was stuffed with toilet paper. Harwood said when he questioned Cox she denied being pregnant. The judge ruled there was enough evidence to send Cox's case to a grand jury. She is charged with murder and concealing the birth of an infant, and remains in the Oldham on a $2.5 million bond.

Seniors Could Opt Out Of Jury Duty

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:24:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
A House committee has approved a bill that would allow senior citizens to opt out of jury service if they so choose. The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure on Wednesday. It now goes to the full House for consideration. Democratic state Rep. Tom Riner of Louisville is sponsoring the measure that would allow people at least 70 years old to have their names removed from potential juror lists. The measure cleared the committee despite concerns voiced by some members about its constitutionality.

Ky. Man Indicted For Alleged Presidential Threat

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:33:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Twenty-seven year old Johnny Logan Spencer Jr.of Louisville is scheduled for arraignment on Friday after being indicted on a charge of making a threat to kill President Barack Obama. Officials say he posted a poem containing the language "DIE negro DIE" on a white supremacist Web site in August 2007. However, it failed to come to the attention of federal authorities until after Obama's election in 2008, and officials didn't learn Spencer's identity until last month. Spencer argues the poem is protected by the First Amendment, but a federal magistrate judge ruled last month that he could be prosecuted.

Senate Passes Amanda's Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:32:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
The Senate voted 38-0 Wednesday to pass House Bill 1, a bill dubbed Amanda's Bill, which is aimed at protecting domestic violence victims. The legislation now goes back to the House for consideration of changes made in the Senate. The Senate version would allow judges to order electronic tracking devices for people who have violated domestic violence orders while the House-passed version would allow judges to order people named in domestic violence orders to wear the ankle monitors. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, the bill's lead sponsor, says he plans to review the Senate changes before deciding whether to agree or seek a comopromise. Stumbo says he will meet withlegislators and advocacy groups to see what they have to say. If the House does not accept the changes, a conference committee will be formed to attempt a compromise.

Suit Filed Against Otter Creek Prison

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:30:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
In a suit filed Monday, a Hawaii inmate claims she was sexually assaulted and raped in June 2008 by two guards at the Otter Creek Correctional Center, a private prison owned by Corrections Corporation of America and located in Wheelwright, Kentucky. In September, the state moved all 128 of its female inmates out of privately-run Otter Creek into a state-run prison after 23 female inmates, including seven from Hawaii, alleged they were sexually assaulted. At least six prison workers have been indicted in that case.

Committee Passes Prison Legislation

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:27:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
The House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to pass a bill that would make sexual contact between prison staff and an inmate a felony. Senator Julie Denton, R-Louisville, the sponsor of Senate Bill 17, told the House Judiciary Committee that the Department of Corrections has been pushing for some time to make sexual contact between staff and prisoners a felony. Kentucky is one of three states that presently considers the act a misdemeanor.

The House Judiciary Committee approved legislation barring inmates from filing frivolous suits against the Kentucky Department of Corrections until all administrative means have been exhausted to resolve complaints. The legislation would also apply to inmates filing lawsuits against county jails and private prisons. The bill has already been approved by the Senate.

Doctor's License Revoked After Harlan County Conviction

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:25:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Dr. Visu Vilvarajah (vil-va-rah'-zhah), a Tennessee doctor who was convicted of illegally writing prescription painkillers for about 350 people in Harlan County has had his medical license revoked by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Vilvarajah, an anesthesiologist who ran a pain clinic in Nashville, was arrested last year along with his ex-wife, Dr. Mireille Lalanne. A criminal defense attorney testifying before the state board Wedneday suggested Dr. Vilvarajah pleaded guilty because he felt he couldn't get a fair trial in Harlan County. Lalanne was placed on five years probation.

Coroner Rules Cliff Death Non-Conclusive

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:17:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
A central Kentucky coroner says a man found dead over the weekend likely fell from a cliff. The body of 26-year-old Jeffrey Shivel was discovered Saturday near the Dix River in Rockcastle County. County Coroner Billy Dowell found Shivel's body had sustained trauma consistent with a fall from a considerable height. Dowell said an investigation continues and foul play had not been ruled out. Shivel's body was found Saturday by a photographer who was recording the search for Shivel, who had not been seen since Superbowl weekend.

Bill Allowing Concealed Weapon In Vehicle Being Considered.

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:12:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
Kentuckians would be able to stow guns in any enclosed compartment built into vehicles under a measure that's headed to the Senate for consideration. The House approved the bill Tuesday on a vote of 94-4. The legislation would loosen current restrictions that require concealed weapons to be carried only in glove compartments.
Lawmakers amended the bill to prohibit people with a history of drunken driving from carrying loaded guns in their cars. The legislation is House Bill 453.

Kentucky Blood Center NCAA Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:57:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
The Kentucky Blood Center will make it possible to attend the Final Four and Championship games of the NCAA Tournament. From now through March 31, every volunteer who donates blood will have a chance to win free hotel accomodations and tickets to the Final Four on April 3...and Championship Games on April 5, in Indianapolis. The blood donor and his/her guest will become a part of the biggest moment in college sports. The drawing will be held April 1.

KSP Announces Highway Fatality Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:49:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
Statistics indicate nine people died in eight separate crashes on Kentucky roadways for the week beginning March 8. Seven of those victims were not wearing seat belts. One double-fatality crash occured in Clay county and alcohol involvement is suspected as a contributing factor. 114 people have died on Kentucky roadways thus far this year...31 less than for the same period last year.

Pikeville Begins Water Line Project

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:41:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
The City of Pikeville announced the Sandy Valley Water Line Replacement Project has begun. The Project will replace two miles of aging asbestos cement water main along US23 between Stonecoal and Cowpen. The Project represents the first in a planned series of city projects to eliminate faulty, aging pipes. A ground-breaking ceremony will be held at the office of Senator Ray S. Jones on Monday, March 22. The public is invited to attend.

Pikeville Coca-Cola Supports Shriners

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
Pikeville Coca-Cola has announced their continued financial support for the Shriner's Childrens' Hospitals. They have donated $6000 to the hospital as well as $3000 to the Hillbilly Clan #1, Outhouse #2 for the purchase of Hillbilly Days T-shirts. The shirts will be sold by the Shrine Club as a fundraiser...which will help support the hospital. Joe Adams, Coca-Cola Sales Center Manager, said, "Pikeville Coca_Cola looks forward to another year of aupporting the Hillbilly Days Festival and the Shriner's Hospitals for Children.

Senate Committee Passes Meth Related Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:12:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Tuesday, the Kentucky Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 211, a bill that would limit a person's monthly purchase of medicine containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to no more than 7½ grams, less than the current limit of 9 grams per month. Under the bill, offenders convicted of crimes related to the production of methamphetamine would be blocked from purchasing medicines with pseudoephedrine, commonly used in making meth, for a period of five years.

Fatal Shooting In Floyd County

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:41:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Kentucky State Police report 29 year old Michael Whitaker was fatally shot Tuesday morning in Hueysville, and his uncle, Russell Neeley, is charged with tampering with evidence and being a felon in possession of a handgun. Police say Whitaker was found dead on Coolwater Creek in Floyd County, and they believe the two had an altercation prior to the shooting. Whitaker's body was sent to the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort for autopsy, which is hoped to determine whether the shooting happened in self-defense. Meanwhile, Neeley is being held in the Floyd County Detention Center on $1 million cash bond.

House Committee Passes School Waiver Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:23:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
Due to heavy snows and the flu, many eastern Kentucky school districts missed more than 20 days this year. Tuesday, the House Education Committee approved House Bill 487 which would require Education Commissioner Terry Holliday to grant a school district’s request to waive up to 10 make up days, if the district has missed more than 20 days. Representative Jody Richards (D-Bowling Green) says, while the bill applies only to this school year, a more permanent solution is needed. Richards says, “Other states are going longer, and we’re cutting days.” House Bill 597, which has been sent to the committee, would allow much more flexibility for school districts to plan their calendars, including how to make up days with longer hours or more days. It is opposed by the Kentucky Education Association.

State Aid For Schools Passes

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:59:00 +0000

KENTUCKY....
The Kentucky Senate voted 34-0 Monday to inoculate school districts from a potential cut in state aid due to high absenteeism caused by the swine flu outbreak. The measure would allow school districts to choose their highest student attendance averages from the past three years to help determine how much state aid flows to each district. The measure is supported by the Kentucky School Boards Association which says, without it, some districts could be penalized with a reduction in state aid for keeping schools open during unusually high student absences.

Trial Underway For Deputy Sheriff Accused Of Murder

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:55:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
Testimony in the trial for a former eastern Kentucky volunteer deputy accused of wanton murder began Monday in Rockcastle County. Scott Moore, who is accused of fatally shooting 22-year-old Leslie Cox in 2007 while trying to break up a fight in Harlan County, has pleaded not guilty. Kentucky State Police and the Harlan County sheriff were called to the stand. Mike Cornett with the KSP testified that Moore had beer in his car the night of the shooting, but Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird told jurors Moore didn't appear to be under the influence.

"Portrait of America" Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Homer Owens) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:41:00 +0000

KENTUCKY...
The "Portrait of America" road tour stopped in Pikeville Tuesday at the East Kentucky Expo Center. Its purpose was to raise awareness of the 2010 Census. The keynote speaker for the event was Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford. The colorful vehicle used to transport the people and equipment involved in the ten city tour will make a stop in Prestonsburg and Paintsville today, as the "Portrait of America" tour continues.