EKB News

A company employing the son of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers received some of the $2.9 million in funding the congressman steered to a nonprofit tourism group in his district that employs one of his staff members, according to a state audit.
The 2004 contract awarded through the state Transportation Cabinet didn't appear to violate any Kentucky laws, but state Auditor Crit Luallen said the transaction was unique among the 57 sample contracts her office reviewed for the 100-page report.

An indictment has been handed down from the Pike County Grand Jury alleging that an Ohio man committed a sex crime against a young child. 45 year old Randy Dean Dennison of Columbus, Ohio was listed in indictments handed down yesterday afternoon on charges of sodomy first degree and sex abuse first degree involving two chidren under the age of 12. Dennison is scheduled to be arraigned in front of Pike County circuit Judge Eddy Coleman on November 17.

A Delbarton man is behind bars after allegedly causing a disturbance at South Williamson ARH. Pike County Sheriffs Deputy Robert Marble responded to a complaint of a disruptive man at the Hospital at which time nurses told Deputy Marble that the man, 66 year old Roland Thorpe was causing a scene and allegedly exposed himself to nurses and patients. After the deputy asked him to leave, he refused leading to him being arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct. He was lodged at the Pike County Detention Center and was arraigned this morning in front of Pike District Judge Darrell Mullins.

After the tremendous success of the ARC fall conference, Governor Ernie Fletcher followed up with an exclusive interview with East Kentucky Broadcasting on Issues for the New Millennium Program this coming Sunday.
Governor Fletcher speaks about some of the major announcements made during the ARC conference and elaborates on future endeavors for the region as a result of strategies implemented at the conference.
Also the Governor will be speaking on ATV/riding trails throughout the area and gives some insight into how much easier it has been for his administration to operate since charges of political misconduct were dropped by the Attorney General’s Office back in the summer.
The interview can be heard this Sunday on 93.1 WDHR and 103.1 The Mix at 10:30 am.

A one vehicle accident yesterday evening resulted in the death of a Virgie Woman. 40 year old Carol Reynolds was traveling Westbound on KY 122 at Robinson Creek when she apparently lost control in a curve, causing her to strike a guardrail. Reynolds then ran off the road causing the vehicle to overturn several times. She was flown to Cabell Huntington Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 1:16 am. The wreck remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

A former state environmental inspector has been indicted in Lawrence County on charges of theft by extortion and official misconduct for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a surface-mine operator. Randall D. Smith, of Greenup, was placed on special leave with pay on Sept. 11, the date of the alleged extortion, and filed for retirement Sept. 30, said Mark York, a spokesman for the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet. The Cabinet had begun termination proceedings on Sept. 28, but Smith’s retirement ended that process. After the alleged bribe, the cabinet began the process of terminating Smith from his position as an environmental inspector in the mine reclamation and enforcement division. Smith was served on Sept. 28 with a notice of intent to dismiss, effective Oct. 20. His special leave ended Sept. 29. The cabinet’s office of inspector general and Kentucky State Police have been investigating.

Police are still searching for a missing 10-month-old boy this afternoon after the social worker he was with was found dead in a western Kentucky home. The child's mother and the mother's boyfriend also were missing according to Sgt. Dwight Duncan of the Henderson Police Department. An Amber Alert was issued Monday night for the baby, Saige Terrell. Police said he was believed to be with his mother, 33 year old Renee Terrell, of Henderson, and her boyfriend, 23 year old Christopher Wayne Luttrell. Henderson police were called when the social worker didn't return to work Monday after taking the baby, who was in state custody, for a visit with the mother, Duncan said. Police went to Terrell's home and found 67 year old Boni Frederick of Morganfield at about 4:30 p.m. Frederick worked for the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Governor Fletcher has ordered that flags at all state buildings be lowered to half staff in memory of Frederick. Duncan said police believe Frederick was murdered, but he would not comment on her cause of death pending an autopsy that was ongoing late this morning. Terrell and the young child are believed to be traveling in a white 2000 Daewoo Nubia station wagon with Kentucky license plate 675-DRV and could possibly be traveling in any direction as she has family in Louisville; Evansville, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and in New York, according to police. If en route to New York or the Eastern Coast, Terrell could be traveling through the area. If you see any suspicious behavior or a car fitting the description you are urged to call 911 immediately.

A special grand jury has completed a report about the hiring practices of Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration and presented it to a judge on Tuesday. Franklin County Circuit Judge Reed Rhorer said the report would be held under seal. He said that he would allow the Fletcher administration to review it before it is released to the public. The special grand jury began investigating state hiring decisions in June 2005 and charged Fletcher in May with alleged conspiracy, official misconduct and political discrimination. The charges were dropped in August. Several current and former state employees who appeared before the grand jury alleged they had been discriminated against by the Republican administration because of their political leanings. They claimed to have been passed over for promotions, transferred, demoted or fired. Rhorer said Fletcher's attorneys would have an opportunity to object to any findings in the report before it is released. Prosecutor Scott Crawford-Sutherland said "there's no valid reason for this report not to be presented to the public and soon."

What do a former WWE World Champion, a man that eats light bulbs; Disney and bad boy Kid Rock have in common?
Besides being huge draws across the nation, they were also among the many acts that visited Pikeville and the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center during their first year in business.
Not to mention the many other acts that have appeared at the Expo Center such as Country mega star Martina McBride, The Legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd, Shock Rocker Alice Cooper, The Harlem Globe Trotters and many more.
Looking back on the calendar of events the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center has had over the last year, if you didn’t know better, you’d think it was a list of events for a much larger market such as Rupp arena in Lexington or Freedom Hall in Louisville.
However, with the expo center opening its doors just over a year ago, the City of Pikeville has turned into the entertainment and cultural hub of Eastern Kentucky. And in celebration of such an endeavor, officials at the expo center held a huge anniversary party this past Friday October 13, which featured a night of catered food, music, dancing and even a live performance by David Church, all free of charge as a show of appreciation for the many fans that have made the Expo Center a success.
“It’s been a great year!” said Jessica Runyon, Marketing Manager for the Expo Center who continued talking about the variety of shows, “We’ve had a lot of different events; from sports to concerts".
But officials haven’t taken any down time since reaching the one year mark, as they were already hard at work preparing for the next big concert. Just moments before opening the doors for the One Year Celebration, officials announced the next big act – Godsmack; one of the hardest rocking bands going today.
Warming up the Crowd for Godsmack on December 3rd will be up and coming rockers Breaking Benjamin.
Tickets to Godsmack, go on sale this Saturday at 11:00 am and you can take part in this big event by purchasing tickets online at tickmaster.com, charge by phone 433-1793 or just stop by the Expo Center box office.

With the heavy rainfall statewide the state, which has not suffered any major wildfires in the last five years seems to be out of the woods again this year but forest officials are casting a weary eye toward years of accumulated leaves, twigs and brush. Gwen Holt spokeswoman for the Kentucky Division of Forestry told the Associated press today that "There is a heavy fuel build up," and that "Basically, all we can do at this point is keep our fingers crossed that we'll continue to have this rain pattern." So far this year, firefighters have battled 1,419 fires that burned nearly 43,000 acres. But the riskiest part of the forest fire season - from October through December - has just started. Many of the fires occur in early November with Holt saying it only takes two or three days without rainfall "before we see forest fire activity." Eastern Kentucky, with its rugged terrain and the majority of the state's woodlands, is by far the most vulnerable region to wildfires, Holt said. The area also has the highest rate of arson, which is the cause of more than half of Kentucky forest fires. In September of this year, Pikeville alone has experienced more than four times the amount of rainfall than in September 2005.

Johns Creek - Friday afternoon a very special event was held by the Kentucky transportation Cabinet Department of Highways, highway district 12 as the held the official ceremony dedicating the New US 119 bridge at KY RT 194 at Johns Creek to the memory of a prominent figure in Pike County F.M. Burke.

EKB news had the opportunity to speak with Kathryn Burke, granddaughter of FM Burke who told us how she thinks her grandfather would feel he was able to witness this honor

“I think my grandfather would be very pleased because Johns Creek is where he spent the last few years of his life.”

FM Burke Practiced law in Pike County for many years, served as assistant state attorney general and was elected to the state senate. Burke was also a successful businessman founding and owning several coal companies including Johns Creek Elkhorn Coal, McCoy Elkhorn Coal and Bell County Coal. He passed away at the
He passed away in 1994 at the age of 95.

Hindman - Governor Ernie Fletcher presented more than $5.2 million in ceremonial checks to officials from Knott County today including funding for several water line projects as well as funds for a recreational trail and for the Knott County Arts Center. The Governor made the announcement following a horseback ride on the Knott County Trail. Governor Fletcher and other state officials visited the future site of the Knott County Adventure Trails and Training Center, the recipient of a $50,000 Recreational Trails grant. In addition to the trails grant, Knott County will receive grant dollars for infrastructure projects, including the Carr Creek Water Treatment Plant project, the Jamestown Village and Highway 80 Water Line project and the Hall Branch and Perkins Madden Roads Water Line Extension project

Rescue teams responsible for finding coal miners trapped underground get some tough assignments, including one pinned on them by Congress earlier this year.
That's what Kentucky officials are saying about a new federal law that requires rescue teams to conduct two drills per year at every coal mine.
Although it may sound like a cakewalk, Susan Bush, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources, warned that the requirement may force her to disband state rescue teams made up of mine inspectors, safety analysts and trainers.
With 260 underground mines in Kentucky, the state rescue teams would have to spend so much time drilling that their members would have little time left to perform their daily duties.
"There's no way our agency can do two drills in every mine we cover," Bush told a state legislative committee last week. "If indeed it looks like the state mine rescue teams have to do a drill in every mine they cover twice a year, the state of Kentucky is not going to be in the mine rescue business very long."
The Kentucky Office of Mine Safety and Licensing has 11 rescue teams spread through the coalfields so that they're within an hour's drive of any mine in the state.