EKB News

Kentucky State Senate President David Williams (R) - Burkesville says that he would like for Lieutenant / Elect Dan Mongiardo to resign immediately from his state senate seat. Mongiardo will be sworn in as lieutenant on Dec. 11th.

Mongiardo says that he will wait until the inaugaration to officially resign. The democrat's seat covers Bell, Harlan, Leslie and Perry counties.

Williams says that with the General Assembly scheduled to begin on Jan. 8th, he would like to have that vacancy filled.

By state law if Mongiardo resigned now then Governor Ernie Fletcher would be in control of the election date. If he waits then Governor elect Steve Beshear would set the date.

A Pike County man that is accused of trying to break into a Pikeville Dollar General Store pleaded not guilty in district court.

Jeremy Thacker remains a prisoner inside of the Pike County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond. Thacker will be back in court next Thursday.

Authorities arrested a co-defendent Michael Kimmel.

Authorities are still looking for a third suspect.

Thacker is charged with attempted burglary.

The annual Great White Way Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, November 24th in downtown Williamson. The event is sponsored by the Action In Mingo Committee.

The Brass Tree Restaurant will host a children's gingerbread house workshop from 11:00 am until noon. For more info contact Linda VanMeter at 235-0811.

Beginning at noon, Doyle Vanmeter with the Williamson Railroad Museum will begin offering rides on the Pocahontas Express around town. Fees are $ 2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children under the age of 12.

Williamson city employees will begin accepting entrys for the bake-off at 2 p.m. inside the dining room of the Moose Lodge. Categories being judged include pies, cakes, cookies and candy. The following prizes will be awarded. First place $100, second place $50.00 and third place $25.00. For more info contact Frances Frye at 235-1510.

Goodwill Industries will be serving punch and goodies inside their facilityfrom 2 - 4 pm free of charge.

Children may begin registering on the steps of the Williamson Public Library at 3:30 p.m. for the reindeer run scheduled to begin at 4pm beside of the world famous Coal House. T- shirts and prizes will be awarded.

The Great White Way parade participants will begin lining up at 4:30pm near the Brass Tree. The parade will begin at 5pm. Immediately following the parade a reception will be held at the Moose Lodge as children can meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus. For more info contact Mae Stallard at 235-5560.

Everyone in attendance at the reception will receive a free bowl of chili and a cup of hot wassail.

New event this year, their will be a Snowflake Dance fom 7:30pm until midnight. The dance will be held in the Rainbow Room inside the Moose Lodge. The event is free . Refreshments will be served. No alcohol is permitted.

Children will claim the first two hours of the dance.

Sources out of Logan tells us that Logan Mayor Claude Ellis passed away early Thursday morning. Ellis had been recovering from recent gallbladder surgery.

Ellis served as mayor for the last seven years.

Pike County native Jimmy Cauley has achieved alot since growing up on Ratliff's Creek, attending Pikeville Elementary, graduating in 1984 Pikeville High School and then earning a degree at the University of Louisville.

Last week Cauley was named by Governor/Elect Steve Beshear to be his chief of staff and leader of his transition team.

Cauley says so far the transition has been a smooth one. Cauley added that Governor Ernie Fletcher has been very cooperative. Cauley added that he wants to give Beshear the toools that he needs so he can go on with his agenda without a hitch.

The Santa train turns 65 this weekend as Santa Claus and country music superstar Patty Loveless will toss out gifts to several thousand children from Kingsport , TN to Elkhorn City, KY.

The train will make three stops in Pike County. Shelbiana at 7:20 am, Marrowbone at 7:45 am, Elkhorn City at 8:20 am.

The Santa train is sponsored by the Kingsport, TN Chamber of Commerce and CSX. Bob Fragins with the Kingsport Chamber told us that Santa will give out 15 tons of gifts to little boys and girls.

The event got started when the Kingsport Merchants Association ,wanted to put Santa on back of a train, so he could hand out gum and candy to kids, to show appreciation for residents in eastern Kentucky and western Virginia for traveling to their town to shop.

This will make the third time that Loveless a Pike County native has rode on the train.

Today is the Great American Smokeout sponsored by the American Cancer Society’s . The goal is to get people that smoke to quit the habit for one day in hope of getting that person to quit for life.

The Great American Smokeout originated when the California Division of the American Cancer Society was successful in getting nearly one million smokers to quit for one day.

Statistics show that by quitting the habit a person reduces there risk of heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease.

35,000 to 40,000 deaths are contributed each year due to second hand smoke.

South Floyd High School was placed under a lockdown early Wednesday after someone at the school found shell casings beside the building . No weapons were found.
The administration of the school couldn’t be reached for comment.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Department continues to search for a person that allegedly walked into the United Bank Branch located on Route 10 in Aracoma, at around 9am this morning . The suspect got away with an undetermined amount of cash.

Police have confiscated the surveillance tape.

A Logan County man that admitted that he entered a Stollings Pharmacy with a gun and held several hostages at gunpoint in an attempt to steal prescription drugs was sentenced to 30 years in US Federal Court.

Judge Joseph Goodwin said that 32 year – old Geoffrey Harvey was a danger to himself and others, and showed almost no remorse for the crime.

Harvey pleaded guilty in June to taking with the use of a firearm, a controlled substance worth more than $500 from a licensed pharmacy and to discharging a firearm while committing a pharmacy robbery.

Harvey’s defense lawyer maintained that his client didn’t intend to frighten or hurt anyone. He said the hostage situation was the result of a botched suicide attempt.

A Gilbert man called the West Virginia State Police and said that he had a knife and that he was wanting a police officer to shoot him.

When troopers arrived on scene they disarmed Jimmy Dale Poe II without incident. When authorities ran a background check on him police discovered that he had two outstanding warrants on him.

Poe was arrested on past charges of leaving the scene of an accident causing bodily injuring . Magistrate Eugene Crum set bond at $ 2,000.

A Turkey Creek woman accused of gunning down her husband at their residence, entered a not guilty plea Wednesday morning in Pike County District Court.

District Court Judge Kelsey Friend Jr remanded Mary Peterson to the Pike County Detention Center without bond.

According to the Kentucky State Police, Mary Peterson allegedly grabbed a handgun and shot her husband Richard Peterson in the chest after a verbal argument.

Mary Peterson is charged with murder, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Scott Hurley of Pikeville admitted in Pike County Circuit Court to burglary and drug smuggling. Hurley admitted to burglarizing the home of a Pikeville woman, he was sentenced to six years behind bars for that offense. Hurley also was sentenced for one year for smuggling drugs inside the Pike County Detention Center.

A Pike County man that went on a spree of crime earlier this year was sentenced in Pike County Circuit Court.

Steven Steffey of Lick Creek will spend the next ten years for his involvement of robbing the Three – Way Autobahn located on the South Mayo Trail and attempted robbery of a grocery store located at Stopover.

Steffey was sentenced to a 10 year prison term.

Steffey is also accused of robbing a grocery store in Virginia.

A Pikeville man pleaded guilty in Pike County Circuit Court. 54 year – old Raymond Briggs admitted to drug trafficking in a controlled substance.

Briggs took a blind plea which means no plea deal was involved with the commonwealth.

Briggs faces up to 20 years in prison.

A two vehicle accident that occurred Tuesday morning in Magoffin County claimed the life of a Saylersville woman and injured three others.

According to the Kentucky State Police the accident happened early Tuesday morning on US 460.

A truck driven by Vickie Williamson of Saylersville was traveling westbound when it crossed the center line, hitting another vehicle head on. Hazel. M. Beals 78 of Saylersville , a passenger of Williamson was pronounced dead. Williamson along with Sandra and Samuel Conley both of Saylersville were transported to a hospital. The Conley’s are listed in critical condition

A Pike County woman remains lodged in the Pike County Detention Center. The Kentucky State Police apprehended Mary Peterson. Peterson is accused of allegedly shooting and killing her husband 51 year – old Richard Peterson. The alleged incident occurred Tuesday morning at 10:05 am at their Turkey Creek residence.

According to the press release provided by the KSP, Mary allegedly grabbed a gun shot her husband in the chest during a verbal argument.

Mary Peterson was arrested at her residence, she was charged with murder, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

This past weekend the Kentucky State Police assisted several other police agencies as they conducted safety checkpoints.

Checkpoints were held at three different locations. Town Mountain Road intersection of US 119, and at the Pike / Floyd, Pike / Fletcher County line on US Route 23.

Trooper Scott Hopkins with KSP Post # 9 in Pikeville told us that they wrote over 50 citations and made four DUI arrests. Hopkins added that the purpose of the checkpoints is to save lives.

Another round of safety checkpoints will be conducted this Friday.

Operation Unite coalition volunteers and students from the Fifth Congressional District were recently honored for their outstanding efforts during the past year.

More than 800 people attended the second Education Conference and Excellence Awards program, recently held at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center.

Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice Joseph Lambert was honored with the Hal Rogers Special Recognition Award for his vision to understand the value of Drug Court as an alternative for non-violent drug offenders.

Pike County Schools Substance Abuse Task Force under the direction of Supt. Roger Wagner - Community Impact Project Manager of the Year.

Mt. Vernon Elementary School in Rockcastle County – Elementary UNITE Club of the Year.

Roy. G. Eversole Middle School in Hazard – Middle School UNITE Club of the Year.

Jackson County High School a repeat winner as High School UNITE Club of the Year.

Martha Breeding of Laurel County – UNITE Substance Counselor of the Year.

Charley Dixon of Knox County – recruiter of the year.

The Paintsville Aquatic Drug- Free Swim Team in Johnson County – Innovative Project of the Year.

Braxton King, founding director of the Lord’s Gym Sports Outreach Center in McCreary County – Mentor of the Year.

Cecil and Shirley Garth from Wayne County’s Defensive Action Against Drugs --- Cornerstone Award.

John Hale of Rockcastle --- Abner / Bolin Community Leader of the Year

SouthEast Telephone Company – UNITE Appreciation Award.

The two Tug Valley High School students that admitted to writing a note stating a bomb was inside there school as a prank was expelled from school for the rest of the 2007-08 school year by the Mingo County Board of Education.

There has been no decision if criminal charges will be charged .

The Williamson City Council last week passed an ordinance, dog owners will now be restricted to just two animals within their possession without a permit.

Humane or police officers can now remove any animal they consider to be dangerous.

Also city officials say that the law protects animals from being tied outside in a manner considered to be cruel.

Pet owners will now face penalties and fines if they violate the ordinance,.

To obtain a copy of the new ordinance visit city hall.

Several indictments were handed down in circuit court by a Logan County Grand Jury.

An indictment is only an accusation.

Rush Adkins Jr. : grand larceny and conspiracy

David L. Conley : delivery of a controlled substance

Jamie Brunty : receiving’ transferring stolen property, conspiracy to commit grand larceny and conspiracy to receive stolen property.

Carlos Dean : delivery of a controlled substance

Bill Vance Jr : breaking and entering, grand larceny and conspiracy.

Adrian Patton : possession with intent to deliver of a controlled substance

Sarah Likens : obtaining possession of a controlled substance by fraud.

James Chambers: grand larceny and conspiracy

David L. Conley : delivery of a controlled substance

Phillip Grimmett : burglary and grand larceny

Brian Knox : delivery of a controlled substance

Roger Spaulding : grand larceny and conspiracy

Darren Boyd : possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Jason Finley : attempted burglary and destruction of property

Michael Fortuna : seven counts of obtaining possession of a controlled substance.

Jonathan Kennedy : possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance

Homer Lacy III : indicted for DUI, controlled substance of drugs, fleeing from officer in vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Bradley Riffe : indicted for grand larceny and conspiracy

Della Runyon : delivery of a controlled substance

Delbert Spry : cultivation for marijuana, possession with intent to deliver

Mark Vinson : two counts of wanton endangerment and two counts of destruction of property.

A Mingo County man pleaded guilty in Mingo County Circuit Court to manufacturing a controlled substance.

According to Michael Sparks, Mingo County Prosecuting Attorney, Joseph Allen Marcum is facing up to five years on incarceration.

Mingo County Circuit Court Judge Mike Thornsbury will conduct the sentencing hearing on December 10th.

Since Sparks took office in 2005, the prosecutor’s office has achieved 102 felony drug convictions and has seized more than $100,000 in drug money.