Mountain Top Media
Martin County man arrested for insurance fraud
TOMAHAWK, Ky. — A Martin County man is facing a felony insurance fraud charge, after he allegedly lied to police about his side-by-side being stolen.
A Kentucky State Police trooper was called to the home of Larry Delong, 62, of Tomahawk, on Sunday over the alleged theft. Delong told police he had been gone fishing all weekend and that the vehicle was gone when he came back home. He said he also asked his neighbors if they had seen anything suspicious, but they had told him they were gone all weekend for their child’s wrestling tournament.
Delong also provide photos of the vehicle, showing a black and blue 2021 Kawasaki, which he said was worth about $10,000.
The officer then went to ask neighbors if they had seen anything, only to learn that they had seen Delong at home all weekend, that they had also been home that weekend because wrestling season was over, and that Delong had been riding the black and blue side-by-side for several weeks, but had instead been riding a red-and-orange one.
When police went back to confront Delong about the discrepancies, he allegedly admitted that he lied and said that he had left the side-by-side at an old strip mine, hoping someone would steal it or burn it. He also said he knew he wouldn’t be able to sell it for what it was worth, so he was hoping to turn it in to insurance instead.
Delong has now been charged with insurance fraud over $10,000, a felony punishable by 5-to-10 years in prison, as well as a misdemeanor charge of falsely reporting an incident to police.
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Nonprofit pushes to renew child care workforce in Eastern Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky childcare advocacy organization is using an $8 million grant to support rural childcare and early education in Appalachian Kentucky.
Nearly all households in the region’s counties face childcare barriers and in 79 of the state’s 120 counties, there are not enough childcare providers to meet demand.
Chelsi Harville, Kentucky state director for the nonprofit Save the Children, said her organization is working to build up the local workforce with funding from the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies.
“On average, most children in these rural communities, children under the age of 5, do not have access to a childcare center within 10 miles of their home,” Harville reported. “We also see that the providers of these childcare centers face persistent obstacles.”
The effort, which began in 2024, is expected to help nearly 400 people over a five-year period.
Harville explained the goal is to help people obtain certifications to start their own childcare business or pursue higher education.
“We are offering access to obtaining the Child Development Associates credential in infant, toddler, preschool, or family childcare, leading to qualifications for immediate employment,” Harville outlined.
Credentials, degrees and training are earned through Eastern Kentucky University, the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, and other regional institutions.
Karen Harrison, lead adviser of workforce development for Save the Children, added the program also offers total or partial paid tuition along with stipends.
“We want to be able to provide some cash so that individuals can use that towards childcare, they can use it towards transportation, they can use it towards technology needs, whatever they might need individually,” Harrison explained.
Kentucky lawmakers passed significant childcare reforms through House Bill 6 this year, which creates a statewide childcare microcenter pilot program. It is also expected to strengthen the state’s Child Care Assistance Program and streamline regulations for providers.
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