EKB News

The Pikeville City Commission will meet in regular session Monday evening at 6pm.

The governing body will vote whether to exempt personal aircraft from city property tax.

To pass an ordinance declaring the intent to annex property at the Pike/Floyd County line.

Whether to accept a bid for the Ransom Drive Bridge replacement project

Vote to pass an ordinance to amend the city’s 2007-08 operating budget

Consider a request to hire a new city clerk.

Consider request to adopt a resolution authorizing approved city employees to sign checks on the city’s behalf.

An 18 year – old Pike County Central High School male student is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Pike County District Court. The teen is charged with third degree sexual abuse. The teen is accused of inappropriate sexual misconduct toward a 16 year – old female student while riding on a bus. The accused was released after posting a $ 10,000 bond. The Kentucky State Police is the investigating agency. The boy’s family says that their son is innocent of any wrongdoing

Lawrence County’s 911 Director and a dispatcher has resigned after being accused of inappropriate behavior.

911 Director Jeff Pack and dispatcher Bert Sammons resigned last week.

Lawrence County Officials didn’t elaborate what the two men allegedly did.

Pack served as Lawrence County’s 911 Director since 2001.

Assistant Eddie Michael will serve as interim 911 director until a special meeting is held next week.

The trial of a Johnson County man that is accused of killing a constable has been put on hold for now until the defendant Christopher Fairchild can undergo a mental evaluation.

Fairchild is accused of shooting Constable James Mollette in September of 2006.

A new trial date has been set for January 4th.

The West Virginia Supreme Court by a vote of 3-2 overturned an August 2002 Boone County jury verdict worth $50 million dollars in damages against Massey Energy and CEO Don Blankenship.

A Boone County jury originally found Massey guilty of damaging the economic interest of Harman Mining, a Virginia mining operation owned by Hugh Caperton causing it to go bankrupt.

Justice Robin Davis, who wrote the majority opinion, concluded that a six million dollar verdict that Harman Mining received in Virginia was sufficient and that the suit filed in WV should have never been filed.

Deer season is less than a week old and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources reports that four hunters have died during the gun only buck season.

A 57 year –old Kanawha County resident is the latest to perish in the woods. Officials say that Roger Whiting died of an apparent heart attack while hunting in Roane County.

Three hunters died on Monday. Two of them had a heart attack the third fell out of a tree.

About 320,000 hunters are expected to participate in the state’s biggest season of the year, which continues through Dec 1st.

Representatives from the WV/KY Nurses Association and Appalachian Regional Healthcare held a round of talks Wednesday in Charleston with Governor Joe Manchin.
The governor proposed to both sides a 90 day cooling off period. Manchin suggested that ARH allow the 600 striking nurses go back to work under there old contract for 90 days so that talks could go forward.

A representative of Kentucky Governor-elect Steve Beshear was also at the meeting.

The strike effects 65 nurses in Pike County

West Virginia’s unemployment rate for the month of October was 4.3 percent according to Workforce West Virginia.

Mingo County’s jobless figure rose five – tenths of a percent to 5.8 %. Logan County’s rate rose six – tenths of a percent to 5.6 %, Wyoming up six tenths of a percent to 6.0%, Boone County saw an increase of four – tenths of a percentage point to 4.9 %, and Wayne County saw a slight increase of two – tenths of a percent to 4.3 %.

McDowell County has the highest unemployment of 7.7 %. The lowest Monongalia at 3.1 %.

Congressman Hal Rogers announced that the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office will make a low- interest loan of $ 650,000 to Pike County’s water treatment plant enabling it to increase capacity for nearly 16,000 customers in the area.

“ Investing in water system improvements is essential to preparing for future residential and commercial growth,” said Rogers. “ By investing these funds now, we’re laying the foundation to attract more jobs and more people to eastern Kentucky.”

The USDA investment will increase capacity from two million gallons per day to three. Additional improvements are also planned to improve the water supply.

A few months ago we reported that the Pike County Fiscal Court and the Pike County Jail was going to lease 15 acres of land located just north of Coal Run so the county work release inmates can grow a farm. The vegetables that are harvested will be used at the jail.

County officials are hoping that this project will save the county hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in food cost.

The county entered into a lease agreement with Joe Friend. The county will pay $1 per year to use the land.

Jailor Rodney Scott says that if any vegetables are left over , the county will give the additional food to the senior citizens centers and the schools.

Pike County Humane Society Board Member Dave Stratton approached the Pike Fiscal Court and requested that the governing make room in the 2008 budget to employ five additional full-time employees at the shelter.

Stratton says that the shelter is understaffed with only four employees. The shelter recently lost a temporary employee when the county made there seasonal layoffs.

Stratton says that the shelter answers 700 calls per month, 400 people bring in pets and only 40 come in and adopt pets.

The board member informed the fiscal court that Boone County takes in the same amount of animals per month as Pike and that they have 12 employees.

Deputy Judge – Executive John Doug Hays told Stratton that the county is a where of the staffing problem and that they are working with Jailor Rodney Scott to have work release inmates volunteer and help out at the shelter

Workforce Kentucky announced today that the unemployment rate for the month of October dropped from 6.1 % to 5.6 %. The national average is 4.7 %.


County by county data hasn’t been released yet.

According to Workforce Kentucky 1,900 jobs were added for the month.

The government sector which includes public education added over 1,000 jobs. The mining industry saw an increase of 300 jobs.

Pike County native and third baseman of the Arizona Diamond backs, Mark Reynolds was honored by the Pike County Fiscal Court , State Senator Ray S. Jones and State Representative W. Keith Hall.

The Grapevine native was presented with a Kentucky Colonel and a resolution congratulating him on a solid rookie year.

The 24 year-old batted .267, 17 home runs and had 62 runs batted in.

Reynolds lived in Pike County until the age of five that is when his family moved to Virginia .

Reynolds told us,” that it is a great thing when he gets to come back and visit family and friends “.

Reynolds added that 2007 was a big surprise because he didn’t expect to get a call up this year to the big show.

Reynolds added that his goals for 2008 are simple,” hit 20 homeruns, make better contact at the plate and get back into the playoffs.”

The Pike County native wanted to tell kids that dream someday of playing professional baseball, “ Work hard everyday and believe in yourself.”

A former Perry County circuit judge was sentenced Monday to six months of prison time three years probation and fined $ 3,000.


Doug Combs pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.

Combs was accused of submitting fraudulent bills to a state agency to get money for himself and others.

Combs resigned in 2004.

PRIDE awarded an environmental education grant to St. Francis of Pikeville. The grant in the amount of $ 4,437. The money will be used so the school can build a greenhouse.

PRIDE has awarded 837 environmental education grants totaling $ 3,561,305 since 1998.

PRIDE is a non profit group that serves 38 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky. PRIDE promotes environmental education, encourages and assists communities to improve water quality and clean up solid waste problems.

PRIDE awarded a environmental education grant to St. Francis of Pikeville. The grant in the amount of $ 4,437. The money will be used so the school can build a greenhouse.

PRIDE has awarded 837 environmental education grants totaling $ 3,561,305 since 1998.

The grants have been used to start 35 school wide recycling projects and build 351 outdoor classrooms, 105 greenhouses, and 45 wetlands.

PRIDE is a non profit group that serves 38 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky. PRIDE promotes environmental education, encourages and assists communities to improve water quality and clean up solid waste problems.

The Pike County Fiscal Court will be in regular session Tuesday morning at 10:00 am. The governing body will honor Pike County native Mark Reynolds. The Grapevine native is the third baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The rookie batted .269, 17 hr’s and 62 rbi’s.

Here is the rest of the agenda.

Approval of unmined coal tax settlement for Pike County Sheriff.

Approval of the Pike County Clerk’s Office end of the year adjustment

Approval of Pictometry contract

Approval to execute an Statement of Work with Connect Kentucky

Approval of recommendations from Cost Control Associates of cost control audit

Adoption of resolution authorizing the issuance of revenue and revenue refunding bonds for Mountain Comprehensive Care

Approval to submit for a Get Healthy Kentucky Grant for McCarr Park

Approval to submit for a Get Healthy Kentucky Grant for Millard East Shelbiana Volunteer Fire Department.

Authorization for Mt. Water to move $ 74,905 from the Smith Fork water project into the Harless Creek bonded project.
Approval for a lease for County Jail Farm.

Authorize transfers and interfund transfers as presented for Nov 20, 2007

Authorize payment of expenditure approval list dated Nov, 19, 2007

Acknowledge receipt of treasurer’s financial statement for Oct 2007

Authorize a check for the sheriff to the United States Postmaster for the mailing of the 2007 tax tickets.

Authorize that Open Fork/Bent Branch Community Center be allowed as documentation is presented to be reimbursed for expenses up to $ 50,000

Authorize the following LGEDF Grant Funds be passed on when received to : Phelps VFW $ 10,000 and Domestic Violence Center $ 75,000

Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship has signed a two year contract extension with the company.

Blankenship will be paid a base salary of one million dollars per year and up to $ 900,000 in performance bonuses for both years.

The deal also includes stock options, and other perks.

About Two Dozen people were recently indicted by the November Pike County Circuit Court Grand Jury. An indictment is merely an accusation. The following are the list of names and the crimes that they are accused of committing.

Melissa Ratliff, 38, of Pikeville : Theft of a controlled substance.

Anetha Ratliff, 25, Elkhorn City: Second Degree Burglary, Theft by Unlawful Taking, Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle.

Miranda Whited , 23, of Pikeville : Second Degree Burglary, Theft by Unlaw Taking, Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle.

Tosha L. Sanders, 35, of Pikeville : Illegal Possession of Legend Drug, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Resisting Arrest.

Paul. D. Smith, 50, of Feds Creek : Theft By Unlawful Taking.

Mary E. Peterson, 52, Turkey Creek : Murder. Accused of shooting to death her husband Richard P. Peterson.
Rebecca Slone, 26, of Pikeville : Theft By Unlawful Taking, Two Counts of Criminal Possession of Forged Instrument, Second Degree.

Timothy Ball, 41, of Pinsonfork : Arson, Second Degree.

Luther Abbott, 19, of Raccoon : Two counts of First Degree Arson. Abbott is accused of setting a fire at the Zebulon Double –Kwik back on August 31st and Sept 1st of this year. Abbott was an employee at the store. The store suffered minor damage to the restrooms area.

Chad D. Justice, 19, of Huddy : Two Counts of Criminal Possession of Forged Instrument, Second degree and Two Counts of Theft by Deception.

Jerry Little Jr, 25, of Pikeville : Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, Receiving Stolen Property.

Kimberly D. Young , 30, of Hatfield : Trafficking In Controlled Substance First Degree, Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, Second Degree and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

John T. Rowe, 32, of Virgie : Operating Motor Vehicle Without an Operators’ License.

Shawna Elswick, 34, of Pikeville : Assault Second Degree.

Charles A. White, 25, of Delbarton, WV : Attempt to Obtain A Controlled Substance by Fraud.

Jeremy Thacker, 30, of Pikeville : Third Degree Burglary, Theft By Unlawful Taking, Criminal Mischief First Degree, Persistent Felony Offender First Degree, Persistent Felony Offender Second Degree.

Michael D. Kimmel, 33, Of Betsy Layne : Third Degree Burglary, Theft By Unlawful Taking, Criminal Mischief First Degree, Persistent Felony Offender First Degree and Persistent Felony Offender Second Degree.

Both Kimmel and Thacker are accused of taking items and causing damage at the Pikeville Dollar General Store.

Steve Ratliff, of Sugar Camp : First Degree Burglary and Theft By Unlawful Taking

Dewey Ratliff, 31, of Regina : Third Degree Burglary, Theft by Unlawful Taking and Resisting Arrest.

Christina Muse, 22, of Grayson : First Degree Possession of a Controlled Substance

Johnny McDowell, Grayson : Possession of Controlled Substance First Degree
Jeremy Ratliff, 30, of Shelbiana : Attempt to Obtain a Controlled Substance By Fraud

The Kentucky State police reported that seven people lost their lives in seven separate crashes on Kentucky’s roadways last week. Three of the victims were not wearing safety belts. Two involved alcohol.

Two accidents occurred in our listening area one in Pike and Magoffin counties.

753 people have lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during 2007. That is 59 fewer than last year.

The Kentucky Department of Transportation has announced that 10 miles of US 460 in Magoffin County will be resurfaced.

The project will call for resurfacing from the Morgan County line extending east to the Kentucky 30 intersection.

The cost of the project is $ 780,504.50. The project is scheduled to be completed in June 2008.

Former Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown Jr, says that he won’t attend the inauguration of governor/elect Steve Beshear.

Brown says that he doesn’t respect Beshear. Brown says that Beshear used dirty tactics against him in the 1987 governor’s race in which they both lost to Wallace Wilkinson.

Brown was governor from 1979 to 1983.

The inauguration ceremony will be held Dec. 11th.

A Magoffin County child is home recovering from injuries after the seven year-old was attacked by two stray dogs. The incident happened Sunday in the community of Royalton.

A man that is accused of stealing mine property out of a Logan County mine was arrested in a rehab facility in Lexington,Kentucky . Authorities apprehended Lucas Gravely. Authorities were notified of his whereabouts by a tip.

Gravely is accused of robbing the Alma Number #1 Mine located at Melville. That is the same mine where two miners died in an accident nearly two years ago.

According to the West Virginia State Police three people died last week in three separate car crashes.

One of the victims was a seven year – old girl that was killed in an accident that happened in the Logan County community of Lake.

The Mountain Art Center along with CEDAR has partnered to put in a coal exhibit in the Floyd County facility. The 120,000 annual visitors can catch a glimpse of yester year, by seeing a glimpse of old coal towns and old mining artifacts.

You can visit the coal exhibit during business hours

Pikeville College will be conducting a Christmas concert on Thursday, Nov, 29, at 7:30pm inside of the Booth Auditorium.

The concert is free to the public.

A Martin County Sheriff Deputy will appear in court on December 17th after he wrote himself a ticket.

Dpty. Arthur Bowen passed a school bus while it had its red lights flashing on his way to a domestic call. Bowen came upon the bus while he rounded a sharp curve. The deputy said that he stopped beside of the bus then he made a decision to proceed.

Sheriff Garmon Preece placed Bowen on 30 days probation.

A Floyd County man was killed in single vehicle accident early Saturday morning. According to the Kentucky State Police Timothy Hall, 45, of Wheelwright lost control of his vehicle crossed the median and overturned. The mishap happened on US 23 at Dorton.