EKB News

A Wyoming County man has been indicted on wire fraud charges and retaliating against a state trooper in Logan by the federal grand jury, according to the US Attorneys' office in Charleston.Larry Robert Jackson, 25, of North Spring in Wyoming County, allegedly swindled victims on a trade involving heavy equipment from Mexico.The indictment alleges that on Nov. 10, 2006, through Dec. 3, 2006, in North Springs, Isban and Gilbert in Mingo County, defendant Larry Robert Jackson "did knowingly devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses" in what is referred to as a "scheme" which "involved fraudulently obtaining an excavator from a company in Mexico and trading that excavator to a company in Pennsylvania in exchange for another excavator and money."
"It was the purpose of the scheme to enrich defendant Larry Robert Jackson and others known to the grand jury by fraudulently obtaining and trading heavy equipment," the documentation also states, explaining that Jackson agreed to trade four bulldozers in exchange for the excavator owned by a company located south of the border.Jackson allegedly "did fail to deliver the bulldozers as he had promised as he never had the bulldozers to trade."After the victim delivered the excavator Jackson "did transfer the excavator he had fraudulently obtained from the company located in Mexico to the company in Pennsylvania for another excavator and $17,500.""On or about Nov. 20, 2006, at or near Gilbert in Mingo County... defentant Larry Robert Jackson did knowingly cause to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce certain writings... a bank wire transfer in the amount of $10,000 from or at near Cambridge Springs, Pa., to at or near Gilbert," the indictment states, furthermore stating that on May 20, 2008, at or near Logan County... Larry Robert Jackson did knowingly threaten to engage in, conduct and thereby cause bodily injury to another person, that is, a sergeant of the West Virginia State Police, with the intent to retaliate against the sergeant for giving information relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense to a federal law enforcement officer.Jackson faces a possible penalty of 40 years in prison and a $500,000 fine if found guilty of those charges. An indictment is a formal, written accusation by a grand jury and is not proof of guilt. Proof or innocence in a court of law is decided by a trial or the entering of a plea.

Coutesy : Logan Banner

On Monday, May 12, the justices of the Supreme Court of Kentucky elected the first new leader of the Judicial Branch in a decade. The justices chose John D. Minton Jr. as the fifth chief justice of Kentucky. Justice Minton will succeed Chief Justice Joseph E. Lambert, who announced April 24 that he would retire June 27.
Chief Justice Lambert will administer the oath of office for Chief Justice-Elect Minton at a formal investiture service at the Capitol on Friday, June 27. The public and the media will be invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
"I am honored by the vote of my colleagues," said Justice Minton in response to being elected chief justice. "I look forward to working with the members of the Court and the Court of Justice family in service to the citizens of the Commonwealth."
"Justice Minton is an outstanding scholar and a person of unquestioned integrity," said Chief Justice Lambert. "His experience serving as a judge for three levels of Kentucky courts equips him well to be an outstanding chief justice. I am delighted with his election."
Other justices on the Supreme Court are Deputy Chief Justice Will T. Scott and Justices Lisabeth Hughes Abramson, Bill Cunningham, Mary C. Noble and Wil Schroder.
Profile of Justice MintonJustice Minton, 56, was elected to the Supreme Court of Kentucky in November 2006 to represent the 2nd Supreme Court District. He had been appointed to the high court on July 24, 2006, to fill a vacancy created by Supreme Court Justice William S. Cooper, who retired June 30, 2006. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, Justice Minton served as a judge for the Kentucky Court of Appeals, representing the 2nd Appellate District. He was elected to the Court of Appeals in November 2003 and served there until his appointment to the Supreme Court in July 2006.
He was a circuit judge from 1992 to 2003 for the 8th Judicial Circuit, which consists of Warren County, before being elected to the Court of Appeals. From 1996 to 2003, he also served by special appointment of the late Chief Justice Robert F. Stephens and Chief Justice Lambert as chief regional judge for the Green River Region, a 21-county area.
While on the circuit bench, Justice Minton was recognized by the Kentucky Court of Justice for his leadership in forming the Warren County Drug Court and for his commitment to law-related education programs. In 2003, the Kentucky Bar Association honored him with its Outstanding Judge Award. He is also a graduate of the National Judicial College.
Before his election to the Circuit Court bench, Justice Minton practiced law in Bowling Green for nearly 15 years. He earned a bachelor's degree with honors in history and English from Western Kentucky University in 1974 and a law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1977. Justice Minton is a member of Broadway United Methodist Church in Bowling Green. He serves on the board of the Student Life Foundation at Western Kentucky University. He is also a member and past president of the Bowling Green Rotary Club and a former member of the board of directors of Shakertown at South Union.
Originally from Cadiz, Ky., Justice Minton grew up in Bowling Green where he continues to reside. He is married to the former Susan Lenell Page, a Bowling Green native. They have a daughter, Page Sullivan Minton, and a son, John D. Minton III.
Justice Minton is the son of Dr. and Mrs. John D. Minton of Bowling Green. Dr. Minton previously served at Western Kentucky University as a history professor and as the fifth president of that institution.

Beginning Friday residents that have voted in West Virginia’s general election for 50 or more years can apply to be inducted into the state’s voter hall of fame.

For more information contact your local county clerk’s office or the West Virginia Secretary of State office.

Beginning July first Kentucky’s state tax on gasoline will go up 1.5 cents.

The tax which goes toward the state road fund will increase to 21.1 cents and the diesel tax will increase to 18.1 cents.

The tax is based on the commonwealth’s yearly average wholesale price on gasoline.

Mingo County was created in 1895 . Now West Virginia’s youngest county has its own seal. The Mingo County Commission approved the work of local artist Roy Messer.

The seal includes the old county courthouse, steam engine, coal miner, saw blade, mountains and thirty-five stars representing West Virginia, the thirty fifth state in the union.

A Pike County woman pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking hydrocodone.
Debra Ratliff will serve ninety days in jail and three years probation

A key player in the drug trafficking problem in Pike County has been taken off the streets for a second time.

Forty-eight year-old Sheila Casey Hopkins pleaded guilty to distributing the popular , but deadly drug Oxycontin.

Hopkins will serve five years in prison.

Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ron Burchett said Hopkins was sentenced to serve time in federal prison in the early 90’s on similar drug charges.

Burchett says that Hopkins is responsible in selling drugs to other dealers.

Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers issued a strongly-worded letter to the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, calling for immediate action on gas price reduction legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives. To date, the 110th Congress, under Speaker Pelosi’s leadership, has failed to consider meaningful legislation to reverse the climbing cost of gasoline, which now stands at a nationwide average of $4.08 a gallon.

“While rural areas like ours bear the blunt of rising fuel costs, Speaker Pelosi and company do nothing,” stated Congressman Rogers. “This is no longer an inconvenience for our region, but an issue of survival for our rural way of life. It is high time we get about the business of fighting for hard-working Americans, commuting students, farm families, and our nation’s rural veterans and work together to bring down fuel prices and expand domestic production, rather than bow to the liberal, big city elite.”

A June 9, 2008, New York Times article indicated that southern and eastern Kentuckians are spending between 10-16 percent of take-home pay on skyrocketing gasoline prices as compared to the 2-3 percent burden on constituents of Speaker Pelosi’s northern California congressional district. Rogers wrote to Speaker Pelosi urging her to immediately bring energy legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives that expands American oil and natural gas production, encourages coal-to-liquids development, and removes burdensome restrictions on refinery construction.

Constituents interested in pressing Speaker Pelosi to bring fuel price reduction legislation to the Floor may contact her directly by calling 202-225-0100 or send correspondence to H-232 U.S. Capitol, Washington DC 20515.

Rogers supports a number of legislative initiatives aimed at immediate and long-term energy solutions and will continue to press Speaker Pelosi to immediately consider legislation to bring real relief for the hard-working citizens of the fifth congressional district.

The Kentucky State Police said 83-year old Reed Potter of Ashcamp was killed yesterday afternoon on KY197 (Elkhorn Creek Road).

Potter's vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree...he was not wearing a seat belt.

Potter was transported to the Pikeville Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) announced today that Kentucky is eligible for just over $1 million in U.S. Department of Homeland Security funds to help ensure the integrity of driver’s licenses.
This national initiative, known as REAL ID, standardizes driver’s licenses and protects against fraud and identity theft.
“Ensuring the right person has access to driver’s licenses is important to our national security, while guarding against the growing problem of identity theft,” said Rogers. “This investment will help ensure that Kentucky has the resources to develop more secure forms of identification.”
As a senior member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, Rogers works to secure funding for important public safety initiatives throughout Kentucky.

According to figures from the Kentucky Housing Corporation 7,227 people are homeless.

Pike County reported twenty-six and Floyd County reported seven.

Perry County 236 people being homeless that is the largest in eastern Kentucky.

The data is used by HUD to determine how much funding will be available for homeless assistance in the state.

Figures sow that Kentucky will qualify for $ 15 million in funding.

CHIEF LOGAN STATE PARK - Museum in the Park began the new year of 2008 with a new site manager, Elizabeth Williams. Williams' duties at the museum include the responsibility of daily operations, management and supervision. She helps to plan exhibits and events for the museum and manages all in-house and Outreach educational projects.Williams grew up in an area that is well known for historic preservation of buildings and artifacts."I grew up along the Coast of South Carolina, what other people call the other Charleston," Williams said. "When I was growing up, this Charleston was the 'other' Charleston for me."When she began high school, Williams said her family moved to Atlanta where she finished school. She has also spent time in London, England, Florida and Savannah, Ga., where she finished graduate school, majoring in Historic Preservation. Williams said she kind of backed into historic preservation as a career choice instead of planning on it.
= 1207371600) && (nAdsysTime = 1208322000) && (nAdsysTime = 1209445200) && (nAdsysTime = 1209445200) && (nAdsysTime
"I had a family member who left me enough money to do something with," Williams said. "I always wanted to go back to school to study something a little bit different � I started out to be a teacher. �with this little nest egg, I decided it was something to do something I enjoyed doing. When I got into graduate school, I took a part-time job as a tour guide in Savannah."Williams said, when growing up, she attended school in the old city in Charleston, S.C., and felt comfortable around older buildings."It was kind of a natural decision for me to learn how to take care of them," Williams said.Following the end of marriage, Williams said she took her property settlement and took her "one" trip of a lifetime."I went to London, England, and kind of played the long-term tourist," Williams said. "I did everything I wanted to do. It was my one trip there and I wanted to see everything. I rented myself a little flat in the Bayswater area of London and traveled all over the country. I didn't get to Ireland, but I did go to Wales and Scotland."Williams also spent a year working for the St. Augustine Historical Society in Florida."I spent a year or about 13 months as a program manager for the St. Augustine Historical Society. The historical society there is the oldest continuously operating historical society in Florida," Williams said. "On their property they have what is known as the oldest residence in Florida. Spanish Catholic church records actually show this building being used as a residence sometime around 1720. It is only 400 square feet, but it very popular for tours."Williams said she quit her job in Florida and returned to her mother to help take care of family issues. Once she was ready to return back to work, she specifically looked for jobs in historic preservation, especially with state run programs."A lot of state governments are paying more and more attention to historic preservation," Williams said. "I filled out online applications for probably about a dozen different state governments. The one that felt like best fit was West Virginia because it was an opportunity to work in an historic building, or will be a historic building although it is not quite old enough yet, and to work cultural programming."Williams said she is working on developing an outreach program in the area, and has already visited several schools."One of the things we are working on here is developing an Outreach program where we can take some of the museum exhibits and some of the programs we do here and take them into the schools," Williams said. "Or take the exhibits to places that people otherwise can't get to the museum, like nursing homes, for example. And to get the museum more involved in the civic organizations. Ed Belcher, the governor's representative, took me around one day and I visited seven different schools in Lincoln County. That was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. To get outside of the museum as manager and get into the community."Williams said that the West Virginia Division of Cultural and History considers Museum in the Park a regional museum, not just a Logan County museum."They are looking to expand the programming we do, as well as the geographical territory that we are involved in," Williams said. "We draw a lot of people from Boone, Mingo and Lincoln, and some from McDowell and Wyoming Counties. And a lot of people coming up from Pikeville, Ky. Some of our most popular exhibits and photographic exhibits have been from artists outside of Logan County."Williams welcomes anyone to call or visit the museum for information on any of the programs offered at the museum. Museum in the Park is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 1-6 p.m. and the telephone number is 792-7229.

Courtesy: Martha Sparks of The Logan Banner

Jim Cauley , the chief of staff to Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced that he will resign effective July 15th.

The Pike County native says that he is going to pursue political consulting.

The Pikeville High graduate served as Beshear’s campaign manager. Cauley also served in that similatr role to Senator Barack Obama four years ago.

Beshear says that Adam Edelen will replace Cauley.

Edelen has served as the commonwealth's homeland security director.

A Logan County woman that is accused of causing the death of a pedestrian while she operated a vehicle while impaired waived her right to a preliminary hearing meaning the case will now go to a grand jury.

Chawndela Vincent is charged with DUI causing death, driving with a suspended license, no registration and no insurance.

The victim was sixty – eight year-old Norman Sprouse. The accident happened earlier this month on Route 10 at Godby Heights.

Former West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood has been released from a Charleston hospital. The 85 year-old was hospitalized for two weeks what family members called weakness.

Underwood has the distinction of being elected both the state’s youngest and oldest governor.

Pike County’s Relay for Life 2008 committee members are encouraging all eligible blood donors to visit the Kentucky Blood Center between now and Monday, June 30th for the center’s Charity Challenge. The Kentucky Blood Center has set forth a challenge to all Kentucky based charities, challenging them to see which one is able to donate the most blood and save the most lives.

The charity with the most members to participate at the end of June will win $6,500.00. 2nd place wins $2,500.00 and 3rd place wins $1,000.00

A total of 63 charities across Kentucky are participating in the challenge. Currently the top three positions are being held by: (1.) American Cancer Society Fayette Chapter,
(2.) Hospice of the Bluegrass and (3.) International Book Project. Running close behind, Pike County’s Relay for Life is # 20 on the list. With 9 donor days left in the month of June, the challenge is anybody’s game and Pike County’s Relay for Life chapter is asking for your help!

There are numerous ways in which you can participate in the challenge. Pike County’s Relay for Life earns points every time their name is mentioned when someone makes an appointment, gives blood or donates platelets. The key is that each person MUST mention Pike County Relay for Life.

Cindy May Johnson, Relay for Life Event Chair and Vice President of East Kentucky Broadcasting said, “The Pike County Relay team has a really good chance of winning one of these cash awards! If everyone who reads or hears this message will help, we can pull ahead of the pack and win in two big ways: by giving life saving blood and by winning more dollars for Relay. I have scheduled my appointment to give blood for Pike County Relay, and I challenge everyone else to do their part, as well.”

The Kentucky Blood Center will be hosting several different blood drives between now and June 30 located throughout the region. See the KBC Blood Drive schedule below for more information:



-more-



Thursday, June 19 Monday, June 23 Wednesday, June 25
9:00am – 11:00am 12:00pm – 7:00pm 9:00am – 2:00pm
Community Trust Bank Whitesburg Wal-Mart National College of Business
Pikeville Main Office 350 Whitesburg Plz 288 S. Mayo Trail
346 N. Mayo Trail Whitesburg, KY Pikeville, KY
Pikeville, KY

Thursday, June 19 cont… Thursday, June 26
1:00pm – 5:00pm 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Community Trust Bank Good Shepard Community Nursing Center Inc.
50 Weddington Branch Road 60 Phillips Branch Rd.
Pikeville, KY Phelps, KY

If you are unable to fit these drives into your schedule, local donor centers are located in both Pikeville and Prestonsburg. The Prestonsburg KBC is open Monday through Wednesday 10:00am – 6:00pm. In order to schedule an appointment, please call (606) 886-1557. The Pikeville KBC is open Monday through Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm. In order to schedule an appointment, please call (606) 432-4979.

You may also schedule an appointment on-line by visiting the Kentucky Blood Center’s website at https://www.membersforlife.org/ckbc/os_location_all.php.
If scheduling an appointment on-line, don’t forget to mention Pike County’s Relay for Life in the comment box.

A reporter with the Appalachian News Express will become the new media relations director for Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.

Carrie Moore will begin her new job on July first.

Moore replaces Sheldon Compton who resigned to pursue other career interests.

The hiring was approved by the fiscal by a vote of five to two.

Magistrates Jeff Anderson and Chris Harris opposed the hiring.

Both men sais it was nothing personal about Moore.

Harris added that the county could have eliminated the position in a way to save money.

The Pike County Fiscal Court at the request of Pike County District Judge Kelsey Friend Junior voted 7 to 0 to name the new Westcare Drug Treatment Center after former first lady Judi Patton.

The new center is scheduled to open in 2010 inside of the former Lookout Elementary School.

Friend said that Patton has championed for women's problems for many years.

The center will be available for single and pregnant women and for women that have children.

Residents in the Kermit and surrounding area have had their phone service interrupted on a frequent basis over the last six weeks because of someone cutting down phone phones for the copper.

The last incident happened this past Saturday as someone cut down about 500 feet of line.

James Smith a spokesperson for the Mingo County Sheriff Department told us that they need help from the public information that can lead to an arrest. Smith says that some homes have gone up to four days without service. That can be life or death for someone that needs to call emergency personnel.

If anyone has information that can lead to an arrest contact the MCSD at 304-235-0300.

The 59th Annual Magnolia Fair will take place this year June 23- 28 in downtown Matewan.

The festival is put on each year by the Matewan Rotary Club. Proceeds raised is used for projects that enhance the community.

Advanced tickets are eight dollars and can be purchased RC’s Country Store, Bank of Mingo, A-A Auto Parts,and the Payment Center.

Admission the night of the event is ten dollars.

The flowing is a list of the entertainment schedule.

Monday : Broadband

Tuesday : Atlanta Rhythm Section

Wednesday : Exile

Thursday : Georgia Satellites

Friday : Goose Creek Symphony

Saturday : Karoake

…………………………………………………………………………

Several different pageants will also take place throughout the week under the direction of Amy Martin.

Monday: WV Ultimate Queen- Teen 13-17, MS 18-24, Woman 25 plus, MRS 35 and over, Classic Ms 16-29, size 14 and up and Classic woman 30 and over size 14 and up.

Tuesday : Ultimate Mother/ Daughter Pageant Junior and Pre-Teen. Jr Miss 7-9. Pre teen miss 10-12.

Wednesday : Baby Miss: 0-6 months, 7-12 months, 13 -18 months and 19-23 months.

Thursday : Mister Magnolia: 0-12 months, 13-23 months, 2-3 years.

For more information contact Amy Martin at 304-235-5607 or 304-393-1159.

Entry forms are available at : A-A Auto Parts, The Payment Store and RC’s Country Store.

A boil water advisory remains in effect for 1,000 homes located from Elk Creek to Hannah Lumber, following a water outage that occurred Sunday night into early Monday morning.

The outage was blamed on a main water line break.

A new playground will be dedicated in Williamson on July 4th.

The play area is located beside the city swimming pool.

The playground was paid for by donations and a grant

Jeff Lusk, executive director of the Hatfield – McCoy Trail System announced that a Visitor Center opened Monday in Boone County.

Lusk added that the facility is aimed at becoming the first stop for trail riders coming to the area from the north.

The facility is located along Corridor G near the Little Coal River Trailhead..

Dale Lee officially took over Sunday as the new president of the West Virginia Education Association. It is the largest teacher’s group in the state with over 14,000 members.

Lee says that he would like the legislature to give teachers another pay raise.

Legislators gave teachers a $ 1600 raise this past year.

However according to the National Education Association the average teacher in the state makes $ 40,531 annually. That’s more than $ 10,000 below the national average.

The Prestonsburg City Council approved a first reading of a ordinance that would increase the city’s sanitation pickup rates.

Prestonsburg officials say that the increase is needed to offset higher fuel costs, replace dumpsters and pay for a new garbage truck.

Residential rates will rise from $ 10.00 to $ 13.50 per month.

Seniors over the age of 62 will still pay the $ 10.00 rate.

The next reading of the ordinance will take place June 23rd.

If passed the new rate will take effect July 1.

The West Virginia state tax office says that they are still processing over 15,000 state tax returns.

770,112 were filed this year.

Spokeswoman Kimberly Osbourne says that of the 63,000 returns awaiting review, just over 15,000 involved potential refunds.

Osbourne says refunds should be in the mail by the end of the month.

So far, the state has issued around 461,000 refunds, worth an average of $ 239.43

Preliminary statistics* indicate that eighteen people died in sixteen separate crashes on Kentucky roadways from Monday, June 9 through Sunday, June 15, 2008. Twelve of the fatalities involved motor vehicles and seven of those victims were not wearing seat belts. Motor vehicle crashes occurred in Clark (2), Greenup, Harlan, Hopkins (4), Jefferson (2), Madison, Pulaski, and Shelby counties. Three of the crashes involved pedestrians and four involved the suspected use of alcohol.
A triple-fatality crash occurred June 9 in Hopkins County on KY 109. Meagan Gibbs was traveling south on KY 109 in a 2002 Ford F250 pickup truck. Penny Garrison was traveling north on KY 109 in a 1986 Ford Ranger. Ms. Gibbs' vehicle drifted into the northbound lane and struck the Ms. Garrison's vehicle head on. Penny Garrison, Jordan Duke, and Beverly Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene by the Hopkins County Coroner. Ethan Garrison was flown by Air Evac to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. Meagan Gibbs and her child were transported by ambulance to Madisonville Regional Medical Center.
Three crashes involved motorcycles and occurred in Davies, Taylor and Woodford counties. One of the victims was not wearing a helmet.
Through June 15, preliminary statistics* indicate that 330 people have lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during 2008. This is 55 fewer than reported for this time period in 2007. Of the 260 motor vehicle fatalities, 166 victims were not wearing seat belts. Of the 32 motorcycle fatalities, 18 were not wearing helmets. Seven people have been killed in ATV crashes and 6 of those were not wearing helmets. Thirty pedestrians have been killed. A total of 61 fatalities have resulted from crashes involving the suspected use of alcohol.

Citizens can contribute to highway safety by reporting erratic drivers to the Kentucky State Police toll-free at 1-800-222-5555. Callers will remain anonymous and should give a description of the vehicle, location, direction of travel and license number if possible.

*These statistics are still preliminary as KSP waits for all local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to report any crashes and fatalities that may have occurred in their areas.

To help offset the cost of providing aid to others, officials with the Prestonsburg Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services say they plan to start billing insurance companies.

At their last meeting, the City Council approved the motion. The departments will bill for everything from structure fires to accidents.

The hope to start the program by July 1.

A Mingo County couple was arraigned late last week in Mingo County Magistrate Court .

Terry and Tiffany Newsome were charged with animal cruelty. Bond was set at $ 500.

Authorities say that the couple abandoned their dog after they moved to Williamson. Police say the dog was chained without food or water.

If convicted the Newsomes face up to a $ 1,000 fine and /or six months in jail.

Chuck Engle of Dublin, Ohio captured his second consecutive Hatfield - McCoy Reunion Festival Marathon Saturday posting a time of 2 hours and 55 minutes that is 14 minutes short of the course record.

Engle has now won the race three times.

Just under 500 participants from around the world showed up for the race .

Kentucky Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo married his fiancee of three years this past weekend at an undisclosed location in the commonwealth.

The 47 year -old wed Allison Patrick.

Mongiardo announced their engagement last year.

The Magoffin County Sheriff Department told us Sunday that they are still searching for three individuals that threatened to rob and kill Saylersville Councilman Ray Nichols.

The incident happened late Friday night outside a home at Royalton. The three individuals were on an ATV and were wearing masks.

Nichols fired up to nine rounds at the suspects before they fled.

It is unknown if Nichols hit any of the suspects.

The MCSD says that no one has checked into a local hospital for a gun shot wound.

Police saty they have very little to go on at this time.

The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority has accepted a one million dollar loan from the state. The money will be used to launch the biomass phase of the county's hybrid energy plan,

The loan is for ten years at three percent interest.

CSX was forced to stop rail traffic in the community of Man for several hours Friday.

A resident attempted to drive his truck over an emergency walkway, and fell through the bridge.

Man Police Chief says that the driver was using the walkway as a shortcut while on his way fishing.

The World Games 2010 Foundation today announced that Ms. Maggie Daniels has been selected as Equine Relations and Special Projects Coordinator for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

As coordinator, Ms. Daniels will work closely with the many equine industry organizations interested in participating in the 2010 Games on various levels. She will assist with special events and projects related to equestrian events and equine organizations, and will work to build relationships with equestrian teams and equestrian clubs and colleges and universities.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of such an incredible event,” said Daniels. “I’ve been fortunate enough to be a to be a part of the Games from the beginning as an intern, and it is so exciting to help this event grow and take shape as we get closer to 2010. I am honored to have this opportunity to promote not only the United States, but Kentucky as the horse capital of the world.”

A native of Charleston, West Virginia, Ms. Daniels is a 2008 graduate of Georgetown College, with a B.A. in Communications and media studies. While at Georgetown, Ms. Daniels was a President’s Ambassador and completed the college’s Equine Scholars Program, and interned at the World Games 2010 Foundation from 2006 until May 2008. Ms. Daniels is also an active equestrian, competing in hunt-seat equitation.

“Maggie’s knowledge of the Games from her experience as an intern for two years, as well as her personal knowledge of the equestrian community, makes her an excellent contributor to our staff,” said Holley Groshek, Director of Administration for the World Games 2010 Foundation.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park September 25-October 10, 2010, are the world championships of the eight equestrian disciplines recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), and are held every four years. The Games have never before been held outside of Europe; nor have all eight disciplines ever previously been held together at a single site— both firsts that will be achieved at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has made the largest commitment to network coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. The 2010 Games are expected to have a statewide economic impact of $150 million, and current sponsors include the Rolex Company and an unprecedented $10 million title sponsor, Alltech. It is anticipated that more than 600,000 tickets will be sold for the 16-day competition.

The Mingo County Commission is currently accepting applications for its Dingess Water Project. The current tap fee is being offered at a discounted rate of $ 100.00 until Aug 1. For more information, please call the commission office at 235-0378.