EKB News

David and Christopher Parsons appeared in court and pleaded guilty to five counts of criminal mischief, receiving stolen property and one count of possession of burglary tools.

Pikeville City Police say when they arrested the two men, they found a cordless reciprocating saw, several used blades, a crow bar, a car jack and five catalytic converters in their vehicle.

A Pike County Grand Jury indicterd 31-year old Marlena Bishop. She is accused of assaulting her 89-year old grandmother, Alice Bishop.

She was arrested on December 22, 2007, and, according to the criminal complaint, became outraged when her grandmother refused to give her money to buy drugs. The elderly woman was beaten with a broomstick.

A former Kentucky State Police Trooper from Post 9 in Pikeville, accused of beating a West Virginia National Guard member while responding to a domistic violence call, had charges against him dropped.

Jared Alfrey, 29, resigned after the KSP began an investigation into the alleged July 3, 2007 incident. Alfrey arrested Randall McCoy and charged him with resisting arrest and two counts of assault.

McCoy and his girlfriend, Benita Damron, at the time of the incident, said Alfrey beat her boyfriend.

Donald Little, 31, former Police Chief of Elkhorn City, was recently indicted by a Pike County Grand Jury. He is accused of stealing a computer that belonged to Elkhorn City.

The alleged crime took place in April, 2005.

Members of the Omar Area Crime Watch are currently seeking funds in order to purchase a commemorative bronze plaque to honor longtime Island Creek resident Rev. Preston Vance.

A member of the group says that Preston has gone above and beyond the call to help out the community over the last several decades.

The cost of the project is $3,000

An inmate that escaped from the Mount Olive Correctional Facility on November 29th is now in custody.

U.S. Marshals apprehended Robert Brady of Lewisburg late Thursday night in the small Boone County community of Low Gap, which is located 51 miles northeast of Williamson.

Authorities received information that Brady was driving a stolen vehicle throughout Kanawha and Boone counties.

Brady was serving a one to 10 year prison sentence for fraudulently accessing a computer, forgery and daytime burglary.

House passes bill to eliminate runoff primary

The Kentucky House voted 92-3 today to repeal a state law that requires the top vote getter in a gubernatorial primary who receives less than 40 percent of the vote to face off in a runoff primary with the second highest vote getter.

Under House Bill 18, sponsored by Rep. Darryl T. Owens, the candidate with the most votes in the primary--whether their percentage of the vote is above 40 percent or not--would win the primary and move on to the general election. The bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

"This bill permits the candidate with the highest number of votes on each slate to be the nominee of their respective parties," said Owens.

Since being instituted for the 1995 governor's race, the runoff provision has never been triggered.


Courtesy : General Assembly Website

Bill to set new dropout rate goals passes House

Legislation that would set more aggressive goals to reduce the number of school dropouts in Kentucky over the next two years passed the House today by a vote of 93-1.

House Bill 294, sponsored by Rep. Frank Rasche, would require both the statewide dropout rate and dropout rates of individual schools be lowered by 2010. The statewide annual average dropout rate would have to be reduced by 70 percent of what it was in the year 2000, while the dropout rates of each school would be limited to an annual rate of no more than 4 percent.

School districts with the highest annual dropout rates and the greatest number of dropouts would be given priority for receiving dropout prevention grants from the state under the proposal, which would require that the grant money be used to discourage students at all grade levels from dropping out.

The state's current dropout reduction goal, which HB 294 amends, would have reduced the statewide rate by 50 percent of the 2000 rate and limited each school's annual rate to no more than five percent by 2006.

HB 294 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.


Courtesy General Assembly Website

A Ben Creek residence was completely leveled by flames . The Wharncliffe Volunteer Fire Department says that they didn’t have a chance to save the home of Kenny Cyrus. The home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived on scene.. No was injured. Arson has been ruled out.

The Letcher County Grand Jury has indicted Ashley Renee Halcomb of Linefork.

She is accused of forging checks, which came from the account of Jason Hill at Hill's Machine shop near Eolia. The checks total more than $35-thousand dollars, and Halc0mb is facing more than 100 charges.

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 will go down in history for the country music station Tri-State Coal Country 96.5 WXCC. The Williamson, WV station expanded its coverage area by increasing to 100,000 watts. The announcement was made by owner Walter E. May. WXCC is now heard in markets such as Huntington, Ashland, Beckley, Bluefield, Logan, Norton, Hazard, Stanton and portions of Tennessee.

96.5 has been in operation since October of 1978

A Magoffin County man convicted for the murder of 26 year-old Brandy Rowe in 2006 was sentenced to life in prison.

63 year-old Don Reed of Saylersville was convicted of murder, tampering with physical evidence and abusing a corpse.

Rowe was reported missing in December, 2006. Her body was found a month later in a creek near the Breathitt-Magoffin county line.

Fire completely destroyed one Betsy Layne residence and firefighters saved two others late Wednesday night .

No one was home at the time . The fire is being investigated. The cold weather hampered fireman from the Betsy Layne Fire Department. The temperatures caused some of there equipment to freeze

The Mingo County Sheriff’s Department has released the identity of a woman that was found dead early Tuesday morning at the Horsepen residence of her boyfriend .

The death of 28 year – old Melissa Caudill Holbrook remains unknown at this time. Holbrook’s body has been sent to the medical examiner’s office in Charleston for an autopsy.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission decided yesterday to divide the state in half for purposes of providing additional telephone numbers.

28 northern and eastern counties will get a new area code sometime next year...residents in Charleston and southern counties will keep the 304 Area Code...now 61-years old.

The state has nearly 7-million possible telephone numbers, but cell phones, fax machines and other communiction equipment has created a crisis. The new area code number has yet to be selected.

U. S. District Judge Karl Forester decided Tuesday to move the Comair Flight 5191 proceedings from December 1, to August 4.

The crash occurred in August, 2006 at the Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. Forester says he is trying to encourage Comair to settle with family members of the passengers who lost their live in the crash.

Comair claims to have settled 15 cases, but stopped settlements because of an uncertainty over whether the Federal Aviation Administration will be added to the case as a defendant.

The City of Wheelwright did not appoint anyone to replace Commissioner Tim Hall after he died in a car accident in November.

Yesterday, it was announced, in a news release from Governor Beshear, 40-year old Lonzie Dean Tackett, Jr. will serve until the gereral election, November 4, 2008.

Tackett spent the past seven years as a corrections officer at the Otter Creek Correctional Center.

Governor Steve Beshear offered the General Assembly a two year $18.6-billion budget proposal Tuesday. He proposed to lawmakers a two year budget he says makes unprecedented cuts across state government.

While he rejected potential cuts for the funding of elementary and secondary schools, he proposed cuts to higher education budgets totaling 11.5% for next year and does not include teacher raises. He offered most other state workers a 2% pay hike, and says his proposed budget will leave Kentucky on solid financial footing by 2010.

Medicaid funding would increase by $147.8-million in 2009...assuring 722,000 recipients will continue to receive its services.

Logan County had 30 candidates file for public office. All candidates filed on the Democrat ticket.


Non- Partisan Board of Education

Phyllis Adkins
Scott Johnson

Lynne McDonough

Harley Tweed

Moss Burgess

April Trosper

Johnny Sloan
………………………………………………………………………………………

Sheriff

Incumbent, Eddie Hunter

Don Steele

Ray Bryant

William Steve Simpkins

Richard A. Watts
……………………………………………………………………………………….

Assessor

Incumbent, Rick Grimmett
………………………………………………………………………………………

County Commission

Incumbent, Willie Akers

Chris Stratton
………………………………………………………………………………………..

Magistrate Judge ( three)

Incumbent, Dwight Williamson

Incumbent, Jeff Lane

Incumbent, Leonard Codispoti

George Howes
…………………………………………………………………………………….

Circuit Court Judge

Division I

Judge Roger Perry

Division II

Eric H. O ‘ Brient
……………………………………………………………………………

Family Court Judge

Division I

Incumbent, Kelly Gilmore Codispoti

Division II

Jason Harwood

Steven Thorne

Mark Hobbs
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Prosecuting Attorney

Joseph Spadling

John Bennett
………………………………………………………………………………………………


Surveyor

Johnny Plumley

Jamie Evans

According to the office of the Mingo County Clerk, a total of 19 candidates filed for the six county offices and the non-partisan Board of Education race.

All candidates filed on the Democrat ticket.

No-Partisan board of Education ( two selections)

Incumbent , Bill Duty

William Kirk

Larry Todd Hamrick
……………………………………………………………………………..

Circuit Court Judge


Incumbent , Mike Thornsbury

Robert Carleton
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Magistrate Court Judge ( Three Selections)


Incumbent , Dee Sidebottom

Incumbent , Eugene Crum

Incumbent , Pam Newsome

Jason Varney
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Assessor

Incumbent, Ramona Mahon

Former county commissioner, Halcy Hatfield
…………………………………………………………………………………..

Family Court Judge

Della Cline Gentile

Miki Thompson
………………………………………………………………………………………

County Commissioner

Incumbent , Greg “ Hootie” Smith

Jim Harvey
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Prosecuting Attorney

Michael Sparks
……………………………………………………………………………………………

Sheriff

Incumbent, Lonnie Hannah

Fmr two term sheriff, Tennis H. Hatfield

John H. Maynard

Freddie Hall.


The Primary Election will be held May 13th.

A woman was found dead at around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning . According to the Mingo County Sheriff’s Office , the 28 year-old woman was found dead inside of a house in the Horsepen area. No further details are available at the current time . The incident remains under investigation. We will update this story when new details are available

The Kentucky lottery system is on track to set new records. Scratch-off tickets are fueling the surge.

The instant games are outselling more traditional games like Powerball, Pick 3 and Pick 4. The sales represent a 4.4% bump over the same period last year.

Officials estimate lottery sales are on pace to reach $770-million, which would break the record of $744.2-million set last year.

The Kentucky House Health and Welfare Committee passed legislation yesterday that would allow 16-year olds in Kentucky to donate blood if they have consent from a legal guardian.

Currently, you must be at least 17-years old to give blood. A stipulation says you must weigh at least 110 pounds.

A single vehicle accident on Big Card Road has claimed the life of 47-year old Kenneth R. Justice of Mouthcard. It ocurred Monday evening around 6:30pm.

Justice was traveling out of Big Card Road when his vehicle ran off the roadway, went into the ditch, struck the hillside, flipped, then came to a final rest upright.

Justice was pronounced dead at the scene by Pike County Deputy Coroner Denver Bailey. Two passengers in the vehicle were uninjured. The accident is under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.

This is the fourth motor vehicle fatailty in Pike County this year.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half staff. SGT Tracy Renee Birkman, 41, of New Castle, Virginia, died last Friday in Owesat, Iraq from non-combat related injuries.

Birkman is the second Fort Campbell soldier to die in Iraq this month.

Operation UNITE detectives arrested seven Perry County residents on drug –related charges as a result of separate investigations.

Teresa Lyn Carr, 41, Hazard, first - degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Percocet).

Karis Jean Causey, 55, Hazard, first – degree trafficking in a controlled substance, second offense ( Oxycontin).

Samuel T. Eddington, 31, Hazard, five counts attempt/obtaining controlled substances by fraud or false statement.

Troy J. Fugate, 43, Bonnyman, first – degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Methadone ) and second – degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Methamphetamine, Hydrocodone, Percocet).

Sandra Lee Shepherd, 39, Hooterville, two counts second – degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Hydrocodone).

Ale R. Keith, 33, Hazard, one count each first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Methadone) and one count second-degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Lorcet).

Bobby Shepherd, 34, Hooterville, two counts second - degree trafficking in a controlled substance ( Methamphetamine, Hydrocodone, Percocet.

The Kentucky State Police says that in the first month of 2008, 55 people have died on Kentucky’s roadways. That is five less than during the same period one year ago.

But here is one alarming statistic, 81 % of people that have been killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing a safety belt.

So far in 2008, there have been 43 motor vehicle fatalities, 35 victims were not buckled up.

This past week 11 died on Kentucky roads. Out of the eight fatalities, five victims were not buckled up.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The Elizabeth Akers Elliott Division of Nursing at Pikeville College is accepting applications for the fall 2008 semester from new nursing students and LPN to RN students. The application deadline is March 1, 2008.

Criteria for admission are: (1) application to the college and the nursing program; (2) official high school and college transcripts; (3) ACT of 19 or above, within the last five years; and (4) completion of the Nurse Entrance Test (NET). Applicants to the LPN to RN program are eligible for placement to the second year of the nursing program.

The NET will be administered at Pikeville College at 9 a.m. on February 9 and February 16. To schedule a NET test date or for an application packet, call the Division of Nursing at (606) 218-5750 or visit http://www.pc.edu/.

Without heolp, some West Virginia teachers say they can't retire, even though they're eligible. 19,000 teachers in the state get retirement benefits from 401-K plans instead of pensions.

A majority of teachers voted to merge with the regular pension fund in 2005, while others sued to stop the merger and won.

now, some want to join individually, and are pushing Governor Manchin and the Legislature to allow them to join. Sharon Spencer, House Pensions and Retirement Chairwoman, expects Manchin to propose merger legislation soon.

A hearing has been set for February 11, in which a judge will make the decision on whether 17-year old David Poppiti and 16-year old Eric J. Gerren should be tried as adults. The case involves the murder of Bell County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Pursifull.

Bell County Prosecuting Attorney Neil Ward says the two juveniles should be treated as adults because of their ages and the nature of their crimes.

31-year old Pursifull, and his K-9 dog King, died on January 10, when the two juveniles rammed his parked cruiser during a high speed chase after the two committed a "drive off" from the Exxon Friendly Mart in Baxter.

Franklin Anthony Powers, 18, of Johnson County was released from jail on bond Thursday night. but, was arrested again on Saturday.

He was accused of shooting a BB-Gun at seveal cars and homes in the Johnson County area. Deputies say, while they were serving another warrant, Powers made threats and attempted to escape. He was charged with terroristic threatening and resisting arrest.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administrtion (MSHA), in a review into the penalty for a Kentucky coal operator, in which a miner bled to deeath from lack of medical aid on December 30, 2005, says they found hundreds of citations for the mining industry since 2000 that didn't seem to carry any financial penalty.

MSHA spokesman Matthew Faraci said this problem could extend farther back than 1995, which was when electronic filing was implemented.

Mental health advocates are urging Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear to find a solution for the funding needed for the construction of a new hospital to replace the current 180 year – old Eastern State Hospital.

Gov. Beshear will outline his budget plan for the next two years this coming Tuesday.

An architect revealed a plan about a proposed hospital. It would be a 308-bed facility with four connected housing units.

A spokesperson for the governor says the Governor is trying to come up with an idea to fund a new hospital.

There will be several contested federal and statewide races in West Virginia’s Primary Election which will be held May 13th and also the General to be held in November.

Second Congressional District

Republican - Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito

Democrat - Anne Barth, longtime aide to Senator Robert C. Byrd

Democrat - Ritchie Robb, former South Charleston Mayor

Democrat – Thorton Cooper
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Third Congressional District

Democrat – Congressman Nick Jo Rahall

Republican - Marty Gearheart

……………………………………………………………………………………………

U.S. Senate

Democrat - Senator Jay Rockefeller

Democrat – Billy Hendricks

Republican – Jay Wolfe
………………………………………………………………………………………….

Governor

Democrat – Governor Joe Manchin

Democrat - Mel Kessler, former Raleigh County Delegate

Democrat – Russ Weeks, former Raleigh County State Senator

Republican – Joe Olivereo

……………………………………………………………………………….

House of Delegates 20th District

Democrat – Delegate Steve Kominar
………………………………………………………………………………..

House of Delegates 21st District

Democrat- Delegate Harry Keith White.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

WV State Supreme Court ( 2 Seats)

Chief Justice Elliott “ Spike “ Maynard, Williamson native

Former Justice Margaret Workman

Robert Bastress, law professor

Menis Ketchum, Huntington lawyer

Beth Walker, Charleston attorney
…………………………………………………………………………………….

Attorney General

Democrat – Incumbent Darrell McGraw

Republican – Dan Greear, Charleston attorney

Republican – Hiram Lewis, Morgantown attorney

………………………………………………………………………………………

Secretary of State
Democrat – Natalie Tennant, former news anchorwoman

Democrat – Joe Delong, House of Delegate Member

Democrat- Billy Wayne Bailey, State Senate Majority Whip

Republican – Charles Minimah


Current incumbent Betty Ireland decided not to run for re-election.
………………………………………………………………………………

Agriculture Commissioner


Democrat – Gus R. Douglas, current office holder

Democrat – Oscar Wayne Casto

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Treasurer

Democrat – Incumbent John Perdue
………………………………………………………………………………………….

Auditor

Democrat- Incumbent Glen Gainer III
……………………………………………………………………………..

There could be other candidates announced later this week as the Secretary of State could received postmarked entries.


Tuesday we will have a run down on local races.

West Virginia is first in the country in another category, but this time it is on a positive note. The Mountain State is the first in the country to use federal dollars to provide in-depth health screenings for kindergartners without health insurance.

Next year the program is expected to help 1,100 children. The screenings will check everything including vision and hearing.

West Virginia will spend $160,000 on the program.

Governor Joe Manchin says that if students are focused on healthy behavior, they’ll bring those lessons home with them.

West Virginia has one of the highest obesity rates in the United States.