EKB News

Coal mines would get increased scrutiny from state inspectors under legislation signed into law by Governor Fletcher today. The new law will require inspectors from the Office of Mine Safety and Licensing to double their visits to underground coal mines from three to a minimum of six per year. Two of the annual inspections must focus on electrical work inside mines. The law also requires at least one member of every underground crew to have a detector to monitor for the explosive gas methane. Miners working alone also would have a detector.

Detectives with Operation UNITE apprehended a Floyd County man after a search of his home yesterday uncovered a stash of Methadone and a small quantity of suspected marijuana. Following a five-month drug trafficking investigation by UNITE; detectives obtained a search warrant for the home of 29-year-old Corey D. Fraley of Prestonsburg.
Around noon yesterday six UNITE detectives, three members of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, and a Kentucky State Police Trooper executed the warrant and found 29 Methadone tablets, approximately 4 grams of suspected marijuana, and $753 in cash. Fraley was lodged at the Floyd County Detention Center on four outstanding bench warrants. Evidence seized during the search will now be presented to the Grand Jury who will then decide whether Fraley will be indicted on the alleged trafficking charges.

A Pikeville man is in custody after allegedly leading police on car and foot chase early this morning. Around 2:00 am a Deputy with the Pike County Sheriffs Department was stopped by a citizen who reported that a male subject had attempted to break into a car. The citizen pointed out the alleged suspect and Deputy Chris Robinson then initiated a pursuit. According to the arrest citation 30 year old Denver Stewart of Chloe Rd allegedly fled the scene; driving into a near by yard and then fleeing on foot. Deputy Robinson was then able to apprehend Stewart charging him with leaving the scene of an accident, criminal mischief 3rd degree, Wanton Endangerment and other traffic related violations. Stewart was lodged at the Pike County Detention Center on a 5,000 dollar full cash bond and a not guilty plea was entered to the charges this morning in front of Pike County District Judge Kelsey Friend. A preliminary hearing was set for March 29th.

Senate President David Williams says lawmakers have made little progress in resolving issues that separated them when they were in session. The Burkesville Republican says it's because House members don't want to talk. House Speaker Jody Richards said yesterday that the House and Senate have made little progress in working out problems concerning the state pension system and a gubernatorial primary runoff.The Bowling Green Democrat says he doesn't believe House members want to return to the capital before the session resumes for its final two days next Monday. He says the pension issue isn't ripe.

Another former top-ranking official in Governor Fletcher's administration is expected to back his G-O-P primary opponent Anne Northup. Northup, a former US Representative, has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow to make the announcement. Spokesman Barry Peel would not identify the former official.Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence and US Senator Jim Bunning have also publicly endorsed Northup.Fletcher campaign spokesman Marty Ryall says both sides are going to have their share of supporters and endorsements.

Kentucky State Police say the body of a 19-year-old eastern Kentucky man has been found inside a cabin that caught fire early Saturday morning.
Police received a call of a cabin on fire in Perry County shortly before 4 am Saturday. The caller told police that someone may be inside.Firefighters extinguished the fire around 5:35 am and found the remains of Jonah Pratt, of Viper. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The body was sent to the state medical examiners office for an autopsy. Police say no foul play is suspected.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Two major donors to Gov. Ernie Fletcher's re-election campaign benefited from a decision by the state Highway Department to use more expensive asphalt to rebuild a portion of Interstate 75 in Lexington.
A staff engineer had recommended using concrete, a material that would have saved the project more than $1 million, according to records obtained by The Courier-Journal of Louisville.
Transportation engineer Paul Looney wrote in a memo that the "concrete alternate was shown to be 23.82 percent cheaper on initial cost and 25.53 percent less on life-cycle cost."
Looney estimated that the concrete would have been about $1.1 million cheaper than the estimated $6 million cost of asphalt. The total amount of the contract awarded to L-M Asphalt Partners of Lexington was $25 million.
State Highway Commissioner Marc Williams said there are higher maintenance costs for concrete and there have been problems with concrete projects in recent years.
L-M Asphalt is a partnership of two Lexington companies; L-M Holdings, which is headed by Lexington asphalt contractor Leonard Lawson, and CR Holding, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lexington road-building company Central Rock Mineral Co., whose chairman is William Sturgill of Lexington.