EKB News

Education advocates recommended the state aim for an 80 percent graduation rate among high school students and focus more on the academic achievement of middle school students. Those were some of the ideas mentioned during a Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence meeting Thursday, at which members discussed five major education issues - attracting better teachers; increasing graduation rates; strengthening preschool programs; eliminating the achievement gap: learning disparities between low-income, special-needs and minority students and their peers; and improving student math and science skills. The group has two big meetings a year - typically one in the fall and one in the spring.

Yesterday the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville opened its' doors to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Fall Conference, a gathering of State and Federal officials focused on improving the 13 states which encompass Appalachia. This morning state co-chair Governor Ernie Fletcher and federal co-chair Anne Pope held a news conference announcing the release of a report on energy use within the mountains. Detailed within that report are ways to promote energy efficiency, increasing the use of alternative energy and ways to support the development of energy resources.

Governor Fletcher, signed executive orders asking for the state's fleet of vehicles to be converted to more energy efficient vehicles, thereby saving money, and an order that all newly constructed schools and universities be built to energy star standards. The Governor heralded the report as a blue print for improving energy policies nationwide.
“I think this blue print not only affects Appalachia but it certainly has a national importance and that’s why we believe this is so significant.”
Federal co-chair Anne Pope also covered what needs to be done to enact many of these new policies.
“We wanted to not only announce this blue print we wanted to bring this blue print to life and nothing does that better than money.”

Preliminary funding for these initiatives was announced as Governor Fletcher and Pope presented a $500,000 check to the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation last night and also announced a $400,000 dollar challenge grant this morning. Pope said the ARC would seek additional resources to double what is avialable to “worthwhile energy projects” inside the private sector.

The Pike County Conservation district along with Pike County Solid Waste is once again this year holding a used appliance buy back next week. The program which has been held for the past two years has been successful in helping to rid the area of junk appliances and restore Pike County to a more pristine state according to Lisa Birchfield, administrative secretary for the conservation district.
“We do this program in hopes that people will get out and help clean up the hill and creek sides to help make our communities better looking.” Birchfield continued “If they have used appliances they want to get rid of they can bring those appliances in to us and we will actually pay them $5 for each one.”

The Buy back will be held on the county road lots from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm at-

* Belfry on Monday October 16th
*Phelps on Tuesday October 17th
* Robinson Creek on Wednesday October 18th

For more information call (606) 437-7879

A western Kentucky businessman is entering next year's governor's race to offer voters an alternative in the GOP primary to Gov. Ernie Fletcher, he said in an interview Thursday. Fletcher, during his first three years in office, has squandered his ability to win a second term, Billy Harper, the governor's former political ally, said in an interview with The Associated Press. Harper, a construction company owner, worked as the governor's statewide campaign finance chairman during the 2003 governor's race, which led to Fletcher becoming the state's first Republican governor in more than 30 years. Now, he's seeking to unseat Fletcher who has already announced his plans for re-election and raised more than $1 million toward that goal.

A one-car accident near the Kentucky/West Virginia state line killed a Matewan, W.Va., woman early Thursday, the Kentucky State Police said. 56 year Susie Justice died after her vehicle careened off the right side of the road and over an embankment at 12:30 a.m. She was ejected from the vehicle. The accident happened on westbound Ky. 292 at Aflex in Pike County. Pike County Deputy Coroner Mike Hall pronounced Justice Dead at the scene.

Representatives from 13 states and several agencies began meeting today at the Eastern Kentucky Expo center in Pikeville, as the Appalachian Regional Commission kicked off their fall conference. The ARC, a federal agency created in 1965 to help solve the region's problems, will meet for three days to discuss the creation of new-generation jobs from Appalachia's natural assets.
We spoke with Colleen Chaney Deputy Commissioner for the Governors office for local development gave us an overview of some of the things the commission does.” Increasing Job Opportunities, looking to help the Appalachian region and the people of this area to be able to compete in the global market, to look to keep infrastructure, water, waste water infrastructure. Then they also have a focus on the highway system to reduce the isolation that many feel the Appalachian region has”
Kentucky is the host site because Gov. Ernie Fletcher was chosen as 2006 co-chairman of ARC's 13 member states. EKB news will be bringing you in depth coverage of the commission meeting through out the rest of the week.

A federal appeals court has dismissed the conviction and indictment of former state Sen. John Doug Hays, D-Pikeville, on mail-fraud charges in a 2002 judicial race. The 62 year old Hays and his wife and campaign treasurer, 50 year old Brenda Hays, were both convicted of mail fraud in 2004 and sentenced to six months and three months in prison, respectively. They were acquitted on vote-fraud charges. While they were free on appeal, however, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Aug. 31 decided in a separate but related case that the government cannot use the federal mail-fraud statute to prosecute vote-fraud cases. That decision wiped out a 2004 mail-fraud conviction and indictment of Loren Glenn Turner, a Pikeville resident accused of being the "bag man" in elections for Ross Harris, a prominent Eastern Kentucky political fund-raiser who died June 24. Harris was convicted of mail fraud and vote fraud in 2004, but his convictions also were dismissed, by law, upon his death.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced yesterday that seven men have been arrested in a sting operation that targeted adults who use Internet chat rooms to try to have sex with minors. The men -- one a Fleming County elementary school teacher -- each traveled to Louisville to engage in sexual relations with what they thought was a 12- to 13-year-old girl. Some of the men even brought condoms, alcohol and the impotence drug Viagra with them according to the Attorney General who made the announcement yesterday during a press conference held in the state capital rotunda. Stumbo's office teamed with the sexual predator watchdog group Perverted Justice, famous for their work on a series of Dateline NBC programs on child predators as well as law enforcement officials from across the state to complete the three-day sting last weekend. In the Kentucky sting, each man approached an adult posing as a young girl in an online chat room, describing the sexual acts they planned to do and then setting up a face-to-face meeting. Some of the men sent explicit photos or videos, Stumbo said. The men were charged with using an electronic device to entice a minor into a sexual act, a felony. All but one was charged with attempted unlawful transaction with a minor, also a felony. They were all lodged in the Jefferson County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond.

An Ivel man is behind bars in Pike County after an arrest warrant was issued, alleging that he raped a young woman. 30 year old John Hamp of Conn Street in Ivel was apprehended Monday by Kentucky State Police Trooper Ryan Hamilton after the warrant was filed on October ninth alleging that he raped a female through forcible compulsion and causing serious physical injury. According to the arrest warrant, the victim was held against her will at knife point. Hamp is being held at the Pike County detention center on a 100,000 dollar full cash bond and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on October 19th.

A Greasy Creek man was apprehended yesterday evening on multiple charges including fleeing from police. According to the arrest citation an officer with the Pike County Sheriffs Department was talking with 29 year old Billy Daugherty on the beside the road at Shelbianna when he put the car in drive and sped off leading to a high speed pursuit. According to the deputy, Daugherty allegedly almost ran over him as he pulled away and fled out of Dry Fork of Shelby. After the chase ended Deputy Anderson was able to apprehend Daugherty, leading to charges of Fleeing or evading 1st degree, Wanton Endangerment 1st degree, three counts of Wanton Endangerment 2nd degree due to passengers in the vehicle including a 9 year old and 7 year old as well as several traffic violations. Daugherty was lodged in the Pike County detention center on $30,000 full cash bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 19th.

An investigation has been launched by the Kentucky State Police after a body was discovered lying beside a creek in Floyd county. Both Troopers and Detectives were dispatched to Branhams Creek Road in the Galveston Community of Floyd County yesterday afternoon after a resident had called in a report of a dead body beside the creek off of KY 3379. Officers were able to locate the body of Homer Hall of Branhams creek, who was subsequently pronounced dead by the Floyd County Coroner. According to State Police, Foul play has not been ruled out as a cause of death and officers are looking for information as the investigation continues. Anyone who may be able to shed some light on the investigation is urged to contact the KSP at 1-800-222-5555.

On Saturday October 7, Pikeville recieved an early Halloween treat as the original shock rocker Alice Cooper came to town, blowing the roof off of the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center.

Coming up this Sunday October 15th, a renowned Doctor and a knowledgeable educator in the field of disease control will get the opportunity to dispel myths and give out valuable information about the spread of the HIV virus on this week’s edition of Issues for the New Millennium.
Issues for the New Millennium serves as East Kentucky Broadcasting public affairs show, which helps to promote worthy causes and deal with topics facing the listening audience on a daily basis.
This week’s in studio guest is retired Doctor Mary Fox, who served as Director of the Pike County Health Department for several years and has done extensive research on a disease which was at one time an epidemic in this country.
But while Aids and the HIV virus aren’t in the forefront of the media nowadays, Dr. Fox says it doesn’t get near the press it deserves and defiantly has not gone away.
“In the state of Kentucky in 2005 we have had 142 cases diagnosed and 246 reported so it’s not anything that has gone away, it’s out there and we want to warn (people).” Dr. Fox stated helping to point out the fact that while the death rate of the disease has fallen, the number of cases diagnosed has risen.
Dr. Fox also furthers her quest to dispel myths about the spread of the HIV virus and to further educate the public about this disease which a cure for has yet to be obtained.
“I want to get across to everybody that it is not a homosexual disease; I’m tired of listening to that because it is not!” Dr. Fox stated with a passion.
A statistic which also hits very close to home is the number of cases of HIV in Pike County which Dr. Fox stated was seventeen…only eight of which are still living.
Issues for the New Millennium air each Sunday at 10:30 on 93.1 WDHR and 103.1 the Mix.
Dr Fox uses the platform to promote an upcoming class she teaches in partnership with Pikeville Medical Center. An Aids Update class will be taking place on the second floor of the medical center on Friday October 27, in the second floor classroom of the Atrium at 6:00 PM.
However, Dr. Fox warns that the class is not for the weak at heart as she pulls no punches and doesn’t “sugar coat” the discussion but still invites anyone of any age to come and participate.

A local talent saw his dream come true on Monday October 2nd, as he became the first signing for a new upstart record label in Pikeville called TubeFi records.
William King, who has been infatuated by music since early childhood was announced as the labels first signing, and will see his first album released in mid-November.
“I’ve been singing as long as I can remember and I started to play guitar about three years ago.” King said while giving background on his start in the musical profession.
Headed up by sound technician Tony Mullins, TubeFi has expressed interest in working with local talent to help them further their careers. According to a press release sent out by BT media, TubeFi is the Pikeville’s first independent label, with a goal of finding local talent and helping them get their careers to the next logical step.
17 year old King paid a visit to the East Kentucky Broadcasting Studios last week, to give listeners a sneak peek of his album, playing his original song Man on a Mission.
“Man it’s a dream come true!” King stated during an interview giving some insight into his feelings on seeing the beginnings of a budding musical career. “I’ve always wanted this and dreamed that this would happen.”
King’s album is made up of all original recordings, including the first song he wrote around two and a half years ago, shortly after teaching himself to play guitar.

Tomorrow, Tuesday October 10th has a special designation as Governor Fletcher has proclaimed that day to be put the Brakes on Fatalities day. The Governor along with the States Transportation cabinet will be out delivering the message in hopes of raising awareness about safe driving. EKB News spoke with Sara George, Information Officer for Highway district 12 who told us what drivers can do, to help ensure their safety while traveling the roadways.
“We hope during the entire week people will stop and think about their driving habits whether or not they were a seat belt, whether or not they observe speed limits, whether their attentive at intersections and traffic signals.”
George then told us of a statistic, which is a positive look at fatalities on Kentucky roadways thus far this year.
“We have had thus far this year 80 fewer fatalities on Kentucky Roadways than at the same time last year and we want to keep that number at least 80 or even more!”

Two inmates on Kentucky's death row are asking the state's high court to do something it's never done before - spare them based on claims of ineffective trial attorneys. The inmates, Hugh Marlowe and Charles Bussell, are both asking the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold rulings by circuit judges that their lawyers inadequately defended them. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, the state's high court has never overturned a death sentence or capital murder conviction based on ineffective counsel. The U.S. Supreme Court's standard for such matters factors in not only whether the defense attorney put on a poor defense, but also considers if - minus the attorney's performance - there is a "reasonable probability" the result would have been different.

A stopover man is behind bars after being charged with sexual abuse involving a nine year old. 62 year old Rudy K. Owens was taken into custody on Saturday Morning after officers responded to his woodman creek residence. According to the arrest citation, Owens sexually abused his nine year old step grandchild allegedly putting his hands down the young child’s pants. Owens was lodged at the Pike County detention center awaiting arraignment which should take place tomorrow morning in front of Pike County District Judge Darrell Mullins. Owens remains lodged on a 30,000 dollar full cash bond.