EKB News

Kentucky State Police detectives are investigating the discovery of a vault and casket containing human remains in the Kimper area. According to the KSP, the remains appear to be that of an unidentified female. Trooper Scott Hopkins of the Kentucky State Police told EKB news, that police believe the remains are several years old. Police are asking for residents in the area to check the graves of their loved ones to help locate the grave that the body is missing from. If you have any information regarding the identity of the female you need to call the KSP at (606) 433-7711

Two Mingo county residents, listed as missing since October 17th, were found Wednesday night. The bodies of 46 year old Donald Ray Carey and 51 year old Patricia Rae Carey were discovered Wednesday around 11:30 p.m. by a pedestrian. Authorities believe the wreck happened the afternoon of October 17th. According to the Kentucky State Police, the pickup truck, driven by Donald Carey went down an embankment, struck several trees and landed on its top in the river. Officers said the wreck occurred in a rural area of McCarr on a lightly traveled side road. The incident remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

Pike County 911 received a Thursday morning alert stating that the Pike County School System had received a threatening phone call. The threat pertained to student safety at Pike County Central High School and Pikeville High School. Both schools implemented their school safety plan, with Pikeville High School conducting a lock down and Pike County Central evacuating and eventually dismissing school for the day. Authorities with the Kentucky State Police and the Pikeville Police Department conducted a full sweep of both schools concluding that there was nothing for parents to be concerned about. Officers said the threats were called in from pay phones, making the search for the suspect a monumental task. Both schools are in session today and the investigation continues by the Kentucky State Police.

A two vehicle accident has resulted in the death of an elderly Pikeville resident. According to the Kentucky State Police, 91 year old Thomas Haynes was turning onto US 23 from the main street of Coal Run when he pulled into the path of another vehicle. Haynes was transported first to Pikeville Medical center and then taken to Cabell Huntington Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The accident remains under investigation by the KSP.

Detectives with the Kentucky State Police are investigating after finding a vault, a casket and human remains in the Kimper area. According to a statement from the KSP, the remains appear to be that of an unidentified female. Police are asking for anyone that may have information regarding the identity of the female to call them at (606) 433-7711

A Mingo county couple that had been listed as missing since October 17th were found last night after a wreck in the McCarr area. The Bodies of 46 year old Donald Ray Carey and 51 year old Patricia Rae Carey were found last night around 11:30 after their vehicle apparently ran off the road. According to the Kentucky State Police, the pickup truck driven by Donald Carey went down and embankment struck several trees and landed on its top in the river. The incident remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

Several complaints from the public have resulted in two drug dealers being taken off the streets. Acting on several tips, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement officers conducted a stake out at the Lackey Mi-Dee Mart where they observed two men selling various prescription pills from their car. Charles S. Goodman and Rodney Bentley both of Garrett were charged with trafficking in a controlled substance 1st and 3rd degree, trafficking in a legend drug, PI and possession of paraphernalia. According to KVE over one hundred pills that were seized with an estimated street value of over 1,000 dollars. Both men were lodged at the Floyd County Detention center on a $100,000 full cash bond.

A late evening accident has resulted in the death of an Ohio man. Christopher R. Hurley, 25, of Cincinnati was traveling east bound on US 194 in the Stopover area when he lost control of the pickup he was driving. Hurley’s truck struck a guardrail and overturned rolling down an embankment and ejecting a passenger from the vehicle according to the Kentucky State Police. Raymond B. Johnson, 20, of Stopover was transported to South Williamson ARH where he is currently receiving treatment for his injuries. Hurley, who was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash, was trapped underneath the vehicle near the foot of the embankment. Hurley was pronounced dead by the Pike County Coroners office and the incident remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

Live theatre, for centuries, has provided audiences with a range of works dealing with subject matters that run the gamut of topics. But a really good play has a way of making you laugh, cry and most importantly think.
"The Way Home" was written to allow the audience to be immersed in the lives of three women and and to share their experiences with cancer. The story follows a reporter who interviews two women, both undergoing cancer treatment. While there are funny moments as well as powerful moments, ultimately it makes you think.
“I think the more we talk about it and make that dialogue available to the public it will cause more people to get screened while it can be cured” said Vanessa Hall, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, and plays the role of the reporter writing a series on the other two women’s battles.
The Artists Collaborative Theatre donated their talents, putting on a play that ran Thursday Night through Sunday Afternoon, dealing with the difficult topic.
"The Way Home" starring Vanessa hall, Mary B. Anderson and Shirley Bee, offered a fresh perspective on end of life issues with a humorous approach, but made a serious point with an emotional performance.
“Having to face this everyday is a tough thing but ultimately it makes you stronger.” Hall said speaking on the real life emotion she brought to stage, due to her own struggle with cancer. “Yes I would say that (the battle with ovarian cancer) has colored my performance."
Friday night’s production was held as a benefit for Breast Cancer Awareness, with all the proceeds benefiting breast cancer initiatives.

Separate audits released yesterday questioned the handling of payrolls and public funds in an Eastern Kentucky county clerks' office. State Auditor Crit Luallen found "significant non-compliances" in Magoffin County Clerk H.B. Arnett's office regarding payroll and time sheets in 2005. Arnett, a Democrat who has been county clerk for 25 years, is not seeking re-election, although a daughter who works part-time in his office is the Democratic nominee for circuit court clerk. Arnett said yesterday he had received a copy of the audit but had not read it. Auditors were unable to verify the accuracy of Arnett's payroll, according to a news release, which noted that the clerk did not ensure all of his deputy’s maintained time sheets.

A Brisk Jog is always an invigorating activity. You slide out of bed early in the morning… say, around 7:00 am. Put on your favorite pair of running pants or shorts. Then glide down your path breathing in the fresh morning air.
It’s an excellent source of daily exercise and revitalization. And for well over one hundred participants this past weekend, it wasn’t just beneficial to their health, it also went to further a great cause.
Organizers of the annual event, say they’re happy the amount of people who turned out to take part in PMC Fall Fit Classic.

“It started three years ago as a way to get our employees more fit and to reach out to the community and help them” according to Andrea Lehr residency coordinator for Pikeville Medical Center.
Runners had the option of participating on one of two courses; the 10k Run or the Fun Run. But whether you walked, jogged or ran through the city of Pikeville with fall colors at their peak, the true beauty of Saturday morning was the chance to stamp out breast cancer.
“Every year we pick a different organization to give the proceeds to” Lehr said; “and we thought that since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month that we would give all the proceeds from this years race to breast cancer awareness.”

On the Afternoon of Thursday October 19, The Big Sandy Area Development district office in Prestonsburg played host to a press conference featuring Congressman Hal Rogers as he joined with the President of Big Sandy Community and Technical College to announce the implementation of the Rogers Scholars Program at BSCTCS.
“We are pleased announce that we will be a part of the Rogers scholars program and we will be offering students full tuition scholarships for completing the program” said President George Edwards as he made the official announcement in front of the room full local officials and ADD district participants.
“They’ll come through the college’s honors program at the college so there will be additional criteria they will have to meet.”
Congressmen Rogers then spoke on the purpose of the Rogers Scholars program, which began nine years ago as a way to offer outstanding students a free higher education at a designated College.
“The idea is to motivate them to get their education and then come home and help us develop our communities even further” said Rogers.
The Rogers Scholars program will begin at BSCTCS starting with this upcoming fall semester and is open for High school sophomores to apply. For more information about the Rogers Scholars Program you can visit rogersscholars.com

Last Week, President George W. Bush used what is known as a recess appointment, to name Richard Stickler as head of the Mine Safety and health administration, which over sees federal mine regulations. The Senate had scheduled confirmation votes for Sticklers nomination on two different occasions, but both times Republican Leadership decided to cancel the vote after realizing they did not have the 60 votes needed to override filibuster which democrats would’ve used to stop the nomination from going through.

Through the recess appointment, Stickler will remain in the post until the end of the next congressional session. Democrats from the coal fields are speaking out against the nomination, with several upset with Stickler, who the United mine workers of America have stated had a deplorable record on mine safety, during his time as a mine manager in Pennsylvania.

EKB news contacted Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Jim Bunning, Republicans from Kentucky and Senator Robert Byrd and Senator Jay Rockefeller Democrats from West Virginia, to get Law Makers from the coal field’s reaction on this appointment. Stewart Chapman, press secretary for Senator Rockefeller told us that the Senator had fought throughout this session to block Stickler’s confirmation. Senator Rockefeller feels that during the same year that such tragic accidents as the Sago Mine tragedy and the Melville mine incident as well as the many fatalities across the nation and sweeping changes to mine safety laws, that Senator Rockefeller does not believe that Stickler is the best man for the job.

Senator Byrd, who was on the campaign trail, even making a stop in Kermit submitted this written statement to us. The sad reality of the Bush Administration’s actions is that the person who will now lead MSHA lacks the trust of the miners he’s charged to protect and has a skewed view of what the safety priorities should be. The Senate has twice returned this nomination to the President with the hope that he would reconsider his choice. We need a bulldog agency that will place miner safety over all other priorities, and not an agency that will continue to place a higher priority on mine production than on miner protection.

As of air time on Monday afternoon, we had still yet to receive a response from the two Kentucky Senators. Senator McConnell’s office has committed to providing us a statement and Senator Bunning’s office has yet to return our call.

According to a press release from the White House, Mr. Stickler served as Director of Pennsylvania's Bureau of Deep Mine Safety. Earlier in his career, he worked for Beth Energy Mines, Inc. for thirty years. During that time, Mr. Stickler held a number of positions including Manager, Superintendent and Shift Foreman. He received his bachelor's degree from Fairmont State College.

Pike Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman handed down a life sentence Friday to a Sidney woman who pleaded guilty to a charge of Murder last month. 22 year old Amber Nicole Robinson admitted that she murdered her two year old daughter, Holly Lockard, in November 2005. As she stood before Judge Coleman Friday morning, Robinson contended that she accidentally killed the young girl after grabbing her while she was misbehaving. Robinson’s Attorney Robbie Wright argued for the minimum sentence, however Judge Coleman adopted the Commonwealth’s recommendation of a life sentence. James Robinson, the child's stepfather, is scheduled to appear in court this week with his murder trial taking place next month.

A fire at local garage Friday has resulted in the death of an Inez Man. Mont Hammons was working in a garage on Turkey Creek road in the Inez community aboout 6:30 p.m. when a fire, that investigators believe to be accidental, broke out claiming the life of the 36 year old. The Kentucky State police say the fire is still under investigation.

A two vehicle accident Friday afternoon has resulted in the death of a Martin woman and left another woman hospitalized. Shortly after one o'clock Friday the Kentucky State Police were notified of an accident on Route 1428 in the Allen community. According to reports, Melissa Conn was traveling west bound on route 1428 when she crossed the center line striking an oncoming vehicle driven by 61 year old Lorenne Griffith head on. Conn remains in stable condition at Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington suffering from head trauma. Lorenne Griffith was pronounced dead on the scene by the Floyd County Coroner’s Office. The crash remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.