EKB News

Pikeville, Ky.—The Pike County Census Committee and the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau would like to inform the public of upcoming employment testing times for 2010 Census.

Those interested in becoming a U.S. Census Taker for the 2010 Census must take a test in order to be considered for employment. The testing will take place at 12 p.m. and at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 6, at the Pikeville Office of Employment and Training.

Other requirements to become a Census Taker include:

-The ability to read, write, and speak English.

-Must be a U.S. citizen.

-If not a U.S. citizen, must be a legal permanent resident, or non-citizen with an appropriate work visa, and possess a bilingual skill for which there are no available qualified citizens.

-Must be at least 18 years old.

-Must have a valid Social Security number.

-Must take a written test of basic skills.

-Must have a valid driver's license (for field jobs only).

-Must pass a background check.

FRANKFORT - Senator Ray S. Jones' bill that strengthens Kentucky's DUI (Driving Under the Influence) laws was approved today by the State Senate .
With this bill, Senator Jones continues his fight to curb the rising drug problem in Eastern Kentucky into a third legislative session.
Senate Bill 5 would establish a per se DUI offense for driving with a detectable level of an illegal substance or a controlled substance for which the person does not have a valid prescription. However, if the person has a valid prescription and has complied with the dosage and any drug-related restrictions, the proposed amendment would not apply.
"The number of arrests for driving under the influence of a controlled substance are rapidly increasing, and may soon surpass alcohol-related DUIs," said Senator Jones, who filed the same bill during the 2007 and 2008 legislative sessions. Both bills passed the Senate, but failed to pass the House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 5 would also reduce the alcohol concentration from 0.18 to 0.15 for establishing an aggravating circumstance which allows for imposition of increased penalties for driving under the influence. This provision is needed to prevent Kentucky from losing federal highway funds.
According to the National Transportation Safety Administration, drugs other than alcohol are involved in nearly one out of every five motor vehicle driver deaths. Alcohol is involved in more than one out of every three.
"These statistics cannot be ignored because this is not just a Kentucky problem. This is a national problem," said Senator Jones, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "To aid in getting drugged drivers off the highways, we need to make sure our law enforcement officers have at their disposal every available tool to use for the protection of the citizens of Kentucky."
This legislation, which has been long sought after by the Kentucky County Attorney’s Association, is aimed at getting drugged drivers off the highways and into the court system where they will be ordered to receive the treatment they need for their addiction.
"Currently, our DUI laws make it illegal to drive with any drug, including prescription medications, in your system that impairs the ability to operate a motor vehicle," said Senator Jones. "Unfortunately, this law, as it is currently written, is very difficult to enforce, and as a result, many drugged drivers are able to avoid prosecution. If we can get drugged drivers off our highways, and into treatment programs, we can take a big step in the right direction."
Senator Jones said this proposed legislation would close the loophole, which allows drugged drivers to avoid conviction. Under current law, there is a per se DUI offense for driving with a blood alcohol level greater than .08, but there is no per se or quantitative standards for impairment levels for a controlled substance.
The Kentucky County Attorneys Association, Inc. (KCAA) has endorsed Senator Jones' drugged driving bill for the past two years and is expected to take similar action this year. For his dedication to such legislation as the drugged driving bill, KCAA awarded Senator Jones the first-ever Legislative Excellence Award in 2007.
Senate Bill 5 now moves to the State Senate Floor for a vote. If Senate Bill 5 gains approval in the State Senate, it will move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Several people were recently indicted by a Pike County grand jury. The following is a list of people indicted and the crime that they are accused of committing.

Robert Rowe, 21, of Elkhorn City : receiving stolen property.
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John H. New, 23, of Chattaroy, WV

James R. Maynard, 19,of Turkey Creek


Fraudulent use of a credit card.
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Billy Rose , 34, of Lookout : criminal possession of a forged instrument.
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Jody Dotson, 26 , of Elkhorn City : first – degree robbery. Accused of robbing Judy’s Variety & Tanning.
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Brian Bartley of Pikeville : theft by deception
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Don Michael Holt of Virgie : theft by unlawful taking : accused of taking 29 cartons of cigarettes in value of more than $ 300 from Quality Foods.
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Brad Kanes, 30, of Jenkins : first – degree bail jumping.
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Craig A. Brewton, 20 ,of Moore, South Carolina : second – degree assault
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Anthony Copley , 42, of Man , West Virginia : theft by unlawful taking.
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Kathy Thacker of Pikeville : theft by unlawful taking
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Christopher Bryant , 25, of Pikeville : theft by unlawful taking.
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Clayton M. Sexton , 27, of Logan , West Virginia : theft by deception.
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Deana Bowling of Shelbiana : 13 counts of criminal possession of forged instrument and 3 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
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Elizabeth Mae Motel , 35, of Ashcamp

Shawn Patrick Rowe , 36, of Elkhorn City

Theft by unlawful taking, second – degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
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Emerson C. Frazier , 39 , of Phelps

Katrina Blankenship , 39 , of Phelps

Possession of controlled substance first – degree, possession of controlled substance second – degree, possession of marijuana.
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Matthew Colegrove , 25, of Hatfield

Homer Gibson , 36, of Logan, West Virginia

Second – degree criminal possession of a controlled instrument.
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James A. Hunter , 36, of Pikeville : first – degree wanton endangerment and fourth – degree assault.
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Tammy Charles , 48 , of Pikeville : first – degree possession of controlled substance, second – degree possession of controlled substance and illegal possession of legend drug.
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Nathan West , 34 , of Pikeville : second – degree criminal mischief.
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Cewanda Combs , 38, of Pikeville : receiving stolen property and second – degree unlawful transaction with a minor.
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Harold Brewster , 29 , of Pikeville : first – degree wanton endangerment , first – degree fleeing or evading police, second offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants , leaving the scene of an accident , operating a motor vehicle without an operators’ license, resisting arrest.

Greg Callas, 42, of Prestonsburg surrendered without incident on the parking lot of the Pikeville Wal-Mart Wednesday afternoon . Authorities followed Callas after he allegedly attempted to rob Castle's Jewelry. Callas held a gun to his head while seating in his car for approximately 20 minutes before giving up. Callas is charged with robbery and three counts of wanton endangerment. Callas is being held in the Pike County Detention Center on a $ 50,000 full cash bond.

LOUISA -- Lawrence County citizens concerned about substance abuse issues and the need for more youth activities within their community are invited to a free luncheon on Monday, February 23.
The public meeting will be held starting at noon at the Lawrence County Community Center, 205 Bulldog Lane in Louisa. Reservations are not required.
³Operation UNITE has declared Lawrence a priority county for 2009,² noted Karen Engle, UNITE president/CEO. ³We want to make citizens aware of what programs UNITE has available and to offer our assistance to anyone interested in seeing these programs implemented.²
A variety of opportunities will be discussed during the luncheon. These include school-based anti-drug clubs, identifying ways to protect yourself and your neighbors, how to obtain substance abuse treatment, after-care support for addicts and their families, community education programs, and youth sports programs.
³We know there is a desire and hunger to take action against the drug problem,² Engle said. ³What we¹re looking for are committed individuals especially representatives from the faith-based community -- to join with UNITE to expand upon the positive progress that is already taking place in Lawrence County.²
For more information on the forum contact UNITE at 1-866-OP-UNITE (1-866-678-6483). To learn more about UNITE programs visit their website at www.operationunite.org <http://www.operationunite.org> .
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In 2003, Fifth District Congressman Harold ³Hal² Rogers (R-Somerset) worked to create Operation UNITE, a regional anti-drug initiative empowering citizens groups and community leaders in 29 southern and eastern Kentucky counties. UNITE, which stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment & Education, seeks to fight the drug epidemic by expanding drug awareness and education programs to keep people from using drugs; coordinating drug treatment and outreach programs for those who are already addicted; and operating regional undercover law enforcement task forces for interdiction and prosecution of those dealing drugs. Rogers has directed
$36.6 million in federal funds to the counter-drug initiative over the past five years. For more information contact Karen Engle toll-free at 1-866-678-6483.

Attorney General Jack Conway joined 50 attorneys general in sending a letter today urging Congress to restore federal funding for crime and drug enforcement efforts. A 67 percent funding cut from last year to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne/JAG) program has already forced law enforcement agencies to shut down multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces.
“With the economic downturn and a possible increase in crime due to a weakened economy, these federal cuts could not have come at a worse time,” General Conway said. “Significant state budget problems will further disrupt our state and local enforcement efforts, while drug-related problems and crimes are on the rise.”
The attorneys general want fiscal year 2008 Byrne/JAG funds restored through supplemental appropriations, and adequate funding levels in fiscal years 2009 and 2010. If Byrne/JAG funding is not restored, police and prosecutors will be laid off and programs proven to assist drug-addicted citizens in becoming productive members of society will be shut down.
“For four decades Byrne-JAG has helped keep our streets safer by supporting local drug task forces, community crime prevention programs, and substance abuse treatment,” said Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3). “I am working with Congressional Leadership to increase Byrne-JAG funding to ensure that Attorney General Conway and the Commonwealth have all the federal support necessary to effectively combat crime and drug trafficking.”
Byrne/JAG is currently the only source of funding available for multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement, including methamphetamine initiatives, and is critical for drug courts, law enforcement information sharing, gang prevention, and prisoner reentry programs.

A national assessment of adult literacy released recently shows that literacy levels of Kentucky adults have improved while nationwide levels have held steady. The study, from the National Center for Education Statistics, is the most comprehensive measure of adult literacy since 1992. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy: Indirect County and State Estimates of the Percentage of Adults at the Lowest Literacy Level for 1992 and 2003 provides estimates on the percentage of adults - for all states and counties in the U.S. - who lack basic prose literacy skills. The study is based on a survey of 19,000 Americans age 16 and older, given in 1992 and 2003. Census data also was used to calculate estimates at the state and county level. According to the study, the percent of Kentucky population lacking basic prose literacy skills decreased seven percentage points from 19 percent in 1992 to 12 percent in 2003. Robert L. King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, said the study provides encouraging news. “This is a very favorable finding that confirms the progress of Kentucky’s efforts. However, much work remains to be done.” In 2003, 21 other states had a higher percent of population lacking basic prose literacy skills than Kentucky; compared to five states in 1992. Prose literacy is defined by reading materials arranged in sentences and paragraphs. Examples of prose literacy include newspaper articles, editorials and brochures. Reecie Stagnolia, interim vice-president for Kentucky Adult Education, noted that Kentucky is also excelling in increasing the annual number of GED graduates. In the last eight years, nearly 90,000 Kentuckians earned a GED diploma, ranking Kentucky 12th highest nationally in the percentage of non-high school completers earning a GED diploma. From fiscal year 2006-07 to fiscal year 2007-08, Kentucky had an 11 percent increase in GED graduates, representing the most significant growth in seven years. For a full copy of the study, visit the NCES Web site at http://nces.ed.gov.

At the peak of last week’s massive ice storm, more than one-third of Kentucky electric customers were without power, according to new figures compiled by the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC). Information gathered from all electric providers in the state show that 769,353 customers were without power at the worst of the storm, late on January 29. Kentucky has about 2.2 million electric customers. The outage affected 35.7 percent of them. “These numbers simply bring into sharper focus what we already knew,” Governor Steve Beshear said. “This is the worst disruption of essential services on record in Kentucky.” As of early today, 208,335 Kentucky customers remain without power. About 561,000 customers – 73 percent of those who lost power – are back in service. Since the onset of the storm, the PSC has been providing regular updates on outages affecting utilities under its jurisdiction. The regular updates do not include rural electric cooperatives within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system or any municipal utilities. Information obtained by the PSC from TVA and the Municipal Electric Power Association of Kentucky provides a complete picture of the outages. The numbers are as follow: Peak outage 1/29 As of 2/4Jurisdictional utilities 607,152 142,785TVA-served utilities 108,619 52,600 Cooperatives and municipalNon-TVA municipal utilities 53,582 12,950
TOTAL 769,353 208,335
PSC Chairman David Armstrong cautioned that full restoration of power may be a week or more away for customers in the hardest-hit areas, most of which are in western Kentucky. “The extent of damage is unprecedented, particularly to the electric transmission lines that are the backbone of the system,” he said. “Completing repairs in the working conditions following the storm is going to be a difficult and time-consuming process.” Armstrong said the PSC will continue to monitor the progress of restoration efforts by utilities under its jurisdiction. Lessons learned from this storm will be used to improve response to future emergencies, he said. “We certainly hope we never again experience anything like this storm,” Armstrong said. “But if we do, we need to know what should be done differently.” The PSC is an independent agency attached for administrative purposes to the Energy and Environment Cabinet. It regulates more than 1,500 gas, water, sewer, electric and telecommunication utilities operating in Kentucky and has approximately 100 employees.

FRANKFORT – Senator Johnny Ray Turner, D-Drift, filed legislation Tuesday to declare September 26 of each year as Mesothelioma Awareness Day.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body’s internal organs.
“The establishment of a Mesothelioma Awareness Day in Kentucky would raise public awareness about the prevalence of mesothelioma and the serious problems associated with the disease,” Senator Turner said.
The main cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. EPA identifies asbestos as “one of the most hazardous substances to which humans are exposed in both occupational and non-occupational settings.”
Each year approximately 3,000 Americans die from mesothelioma. Between 2,500 and 3,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed annually and 30 percent of all mesothelioma victims were exposed to asbestos on Naval ships and in shipyards.
Senator Turner said that it is important to raise the awareness of this rare cancer because exposure to asbestos for as little as one month can result in mesothelioma 30 years later.
Asbestos was used in the construction of virtually all office buildings, public schools, and homes built before 1975.
There is no specific treatment for mesothelioma and the expected survival rate of those diagnosed with the disease is between 8 and 12 months.
Many of the firefighters, police officers, and rescue workers from Ground Zero September 11, 2001 could be at great risk of contracting mesothelioma in the future.
Senate Bill 58 will be considered during the 2009 legislative session

Pikeville, Ky.—Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford is heading an initiative to bring a commercial bus service to Pike County and other parts of Eastern Kentucky.

“In most areas of the country, people take public transportation services for granted, but Pike County and other parts of Eastern Kentucky have long remained isolated from the rest of the state and the nation. No commercial transit service exists in our part of Kentucky—not a commercial airline, not a passenger rail service, not even a commercial bus service,” said Judge Rutherford.

Recently, Judge Rutherford met with John Owen, a community intercity operations director for Kentucky-based Miller Transportation, Inc., which operates the Miller Trailways bus service. The two men discussed the need to bring commercial buses back into rural areas such as Pike County, and also the possibility of Miller Transportation creating a Trailways bus line to take Pike Countians to and from Lexington.

In the past, Pike County was serviced by Greyhound buses, but the company discontinued the line several years ago, opting to limit services to urban areas only. Now, through federal subsidies being offered by the Federal Transit Administration, Owen said Trailways is looking to bring bus services back to rural areas such Eastern Kentucky.

“If Trailways commences services in Pike County, they will be filling a large gap in the lack of public transportation presently offered in this area. Several different areas of our population would benefit from the services, including college students, the elderly, and low-income residents. Many Pike Countians need to travel to Lexington for various reasons, one of the most important reasons being medical care, but they cannot do so because they either do not own their own transportation, do not own transportation reliable enough to travel the more than 300 miles round trip, or cannot afford to pay the cost of gas,” Judge Rutherford said.

Judge Rutherford has formed a local committee to encourage the initiative, and the committee is scheduled to meet with Miller Transportation President John Miller next Wednesday in Pikeville, to discuss the endeavor. Judge Rutherford has also written a letter to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Joe Prather in support of a Pike County/Lexington transit line.




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A Radiothon for the Big Sandy Chapter of the American Red Cross, held by East Kentucky Broadcasting, exceeded expectations. The event was held at the studios of EKB on Wednesday evening.

Through the generosity of area listeners, the local Red Cross received pledges in the amount of $27, 030. Walter E. May, owner of EKB and Chairman of the Pikeville Medical Center, thanked the listeners and noted the positive way they responded to the needs of the local chapter.

Two Knott County teens, missing since January 20, have been found unharmed in Phoenix, Arizona. Kentucky State Police say they don't know why or how 14-year old Bradley James Pennington of Mallie, and 15-year old Kaita Nicole Addington of Pine Top arrived in Phoenix.

The Kentucky State Police say 42-year old Gregg Callas of Prestonsburg surrendered to police in the Pikeville Wal-Mart parking lot Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities say he struggled with an employee at Castle's Jewelry in Coal Run, while attenotubg to rob the store.

Police followed his car to Wal-Mart where he held a gun to his head before surrendering. Callas was taken to the Pike County Detention Center and charged with robbery and wanton endangerment.

Kentucky State Police arrested 32 year old Dorse Bentley of Phelps in connection with an armed robbery which occurred just before 8:00 A.M. Tuesday morning at the Jo Mart in Phelps of Pike County. A female clerk told police a male suspect, wearing a full-faced toboggan and armed with a handgun, entered the store and threatened to assault her if she didn't give him money. The man then fled on foot, taking an undetermined amount of cash. An additional arrest is expected.

As Kentucky continued to clean up from last week's devastating ice storm, road crews became exhausted, patience wore thin as crews worked hard to restore power and weather related deaths rose, the state was blanketed with snow. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported, on Wednesday (today), crews were snowplowing routes from Louisville across the eastern half of the state.

So far, there are 27 reported storm related deaths in Kentucky. The latest deaths have been reported in Johnson County. 50 year old Kruger Daniels of Thealka died Sunday after suffering a heart attack while cutting tree limbs. 57 year old Steven Castle of River, who was dependent on oxygen, died Tuesday while his home was without power.

Pikeville, Ky.—Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford is heading an initiative to bring a commercial bus service to Pike County and other parts of Eastern Kentucky.

“In most areas of the country, people take public transportation services for granted, but Pike County and other parts of Eastern Kentucky have long remained isolated from the rest of the state and the nation. No commercial transit service exists in our part of Kentucky—not a commercial airline, not a passenger rail service, not even a commercial bus service,” said Judge Rutherford.

Recently, Judge Rutherford met with John Owen, a community intercity operations director for Kentucky-based Miller Transportation, Inc., which operates the Miller Trailways bus service. The two men discussed the need to bring commercial buses back into rural areas such as Pike County, and also the possibility of Miller Transportation creating a Trailways bus line to take Pike Countians to and from Lexington.

In the past, Pike County was serviced by Greyhound buses, but the company discontinued the line several years ago, opting to limit services to urban areas only. Now, through federal subsidies being offered by the Federal Transit Administration, Owen said Trailways is looking to bring bus services back to rural areas such Eastern Kentucky.

“If Trailways commences services in Pike County, they will be filling a large gap in the lack of public transportation presently offered in this area. Several different areas of our population would benefit from the services, including college students, the elderly, and low-income residents. Many Pike Countians need to travel to Lexington for various reasons, one of the most important reasons being medical care, but they cannot do so because they either do not own their own transportation, do not own transportation reliable enough to travel the more than 300 miles round trip, or cannot afford to pay the cost of gas,” Judge Rutherford said.

Judge Rutherford has formed a local committee to encourage the initiative, and the committee is scheduled to meet with Miller Transportation President John Miller next Wednesday in Pikeville, to discuss the endeavor. Judge Rutherford has also written a letter to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Joe Prather in support of a Pike County/Lexington transit line.




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A Logan County woman is free on a $ 11,000 bond after she was charged with seven counts of contributing to a minor. Melissa Dawn McCoy of Chapmanville is accused of serving alcohol to juveniles during a party at her home.

A spokesperson with the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s office says that they have not determined the origin of a house fire that killed five people last week in Logan County.

Melinda Dailey, her three children Ryan, Kaitlyn and Trey along with her boyfriend Dwayne Ellis died . TheIr bodies were found on the first floor. Officials did say no smoke detectors were found inside of the home. The tragedy occurred in the small community of Monaville.

Feb 2-9 Sports Schedule

Monday Feb 2
WDHR-----Big Blue Line----6p*
WDHR/TALK—The Sports Guys---7-9p

Tuesday Feb 3
Talk---Prestonsburg HS at Allen Central HS-545p-2 games
103FM —East Ridge HS at Pikeville HS-715p
WDHR—Mississippi St at Kentucky-530p-7p tip*

Wednesday Feb 4
WXCC—Tulsa at Marshall------630p---7p tip*

THURSDAY Feb 5
WXCC---Donnie Jones Show---705p*
TALK/Oldies—Pikeville College at Cumberlands-745p

Friday Feb 6
103FM-Williamson HS at Pikeville HS----715p
WDHR— Shelby Valley at Belfry—715p

Saturday Feb 7
WXCC—Tulane at Marshal-430p-5p tip*
WDHR---South Carolina at Kentucky-130p—3p tip*
TALK/Oldies-Lindsey Wilson at Pikeville College-345p air
103.1FM---Johnson Central HS at Pikeville HS-715p

Monday Feb 9
WDHR/TALK----The Sports Guys------7-9p
WDHR---Big Blue Line-----------6p*