Thursday, March 05, 2009
Proposed Trail System Around Dewey Lake
Developers with the Big Sandy Area Development District say a newly proposed trail system around Dewey Lake would include campgrounds, fifty horse stables and a boat dock. It would connect to other tourist spots like Jenny Wiley State Park and Theatre, Stonecrest Golf Course and the Equine Center. The 56 mile system would take two days to ride or three days to hike. Officials say construction will cost more than $1 million, but they believe it would be a hot spot for tourists and bring in money to local businesses. They're awaiting grant money and permits from fish and wildlife and the corps of engineers.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:59 PM
Kentucky Senate Rejects Mining Bill
A bill that would sharply reduce state inspections of Kentucky coal mines hit a snag Thursday (today) when Senate leaders sent the measure back to the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, which cleared it one day earlier. Committee chairman, Senator Tom Jensen, says there's been a backlash against the bill, and his committee will look for other options. The bill, Senate Bill 170, would change a provision in the state's mine safety law which requires at least six state inspections per year of every Kentucky coal mine. Those opposed say, under the proposal, mines could go an entire year without an inspection.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:44 PM
Senate Committee Approves School Waiver Bill
Thursday (today) the Senate Education Committee approved a bill that would allow school districts with disaster days to get 10 makeup days waived by the state Department of Education. But, the committee changed House Bill 322 to require local school boards requesting waivers to submit an amended school calendar to the state education department no later than May 1st. The amended school calendar would have to show that all makeup days in the district's approved calendar have been used. The education commissioner would have to approve or deny a request for disaster days within 10 calendar days of the request. Some districts could make up days during spring break, while others would add them at the end of the school year. The measure now goes to the Senate.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:27 PM
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Phony Check Casher Poses As U.S. Marshall
Kentucky State Police are searching for a middle-aged white male, around 5feet 8inches tall, weighing approximately 250 pounds. Authorities say, while posing as a U.S. Marshall and showing an ID badge which appears legitimate, he has cashed fake checks at five businesses, so far, from Perry to Floyd counties. Police say he used the name Jason Hayes while signing the phony checks.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:08 PM
Foul Play Not Suspected In Floyd County Death
Kentucky State Police are investigating to determine how the body of 26 year old Jason Tackett of Teaberry in Floyd County wound up in a creek behind the Teaberry Post Office. Family members say Monday night they celebrated Tackett's birthday and had not seen him alive since then. On Tuesday, they reported him missing, and KSP began a search. Wednesday (today) his uncle found his body in a creek behind a post office across the road from his home. Police are awaiting autopsy results. They say, although they do not suspect foul play, they have not ruled it out.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:55 PM
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
State Files Lawsuit Against Childers Oil Inc.
The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet filed a lawsuit Tuesday (today) against Childers Oil Inc. of Whitesburg. Childers is accused of contaminating the Letcher County water supply after a diesel fuel spill fouled the North Fork of the Kentucky River, upstream from the intakes for the local water treatment plant. Letcher County officials are seeking a temporary injunction to prevent additional discharges into the Kentucky River.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:52 PM
Bid Rigging Trial Date Delayed
To allow defense lawyers additional time to prepare, the trial date for former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, road contractor Leonard Lawson and aide Brian Billings has been changed from April 28th to June 23rd.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:47 PM
Former Pike County Firefighter Accepts Plea Deal
Former Kentucky Division of Forestry firefighter, 30 year old Christopher Little, accepted a plea deal Tuesday (today) for two and one-half years in prison after pleading guilty last year to arson. Kentucky State Police say witnesses caught Little, in November, deliberately setting a fire in the Hellier community of Pike County. Little will get credit for three months already served, and the rest of his sentence will be probated.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:36 PM
Amber Alert Ends When Child Is Found In Mexico
The search for 2 year old Breanna Woodside ended late Tuesday (today) when authorities found her, unharmed, with her 30 year old father, Miles Woodside. A ticket agent in Chatanooga identified them as having boarded a bus to El Paso, Texas, and from there they were traced to Monterrey, Mexico. An amber alert was issued when Miles Woodside failed to return Breanna to her mother following a custodial visit Friday in Frankfort.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:25 PM
Floyd County Attempted Robber Charged
Jeffery Thompson was arrested and charged with robbery, terroristic threatening, wanton endangerment and intoxication after, police say, he attempted to rob the Prestonsburg KFC Monday night. Investigators say he went to the back door of KFC, posing as a delivery man, and, when employees let him inside, he pulled out a knife and demanded money. An employee forced him out the door, and he ran.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:15 PM
Pike County Coal Company Lays Off Employees
Directors at the Pikeville Office for Employment say at least 50 workers laid off from Central Applachian Mining's Calloway Mine in Phelps have come in, so far, to file for unemployment and look for new jobs. Lexington-based Rhino Energy says current market conditions and permit approval delays prompted them to re-align Central Appalachian Mining. Officials say layoffs affect both hourly and salaried employees.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:02 PM
Monday, March 02, 2009
Bond Lowered For State Employee Charged With Rape
Bond has been lowered for state employee, Commonwealth of Technology manager, 38 year old Eric Morrison, who has been indicted on 10 counts of sodomy,rape and sexual abuse involving two young girls. He's accused of abusing his alleged victims , one under 16 and the other under 12years of age, beginning in 2006 and continuing until 2009. His bond has been lowered from $100,000 full cash to $25,000.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:22 PM
Pike County Convenience Store Alleged Robber Arrested
Twenty two year old Cory Whitehead has been arrested and taken to the Pike County Detention Center after, police say, he robbed the Double-Kwik in the Meta community of Pike County at gun point on February 22nd. Investigators say other arrests are pending.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:04 PM
Pikeville Construction Business Added To Mingo County Industrial Park
The Mingo County Redevelopment Authority has announced the addition of Wright Concrete and Construction of Pikeville to businesses at its industrial park. The deal was closed February 13th. They will soon begin hiring employees, starting with about 20, and hope to grow from 80 to 100 in three to five years.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:53 PM
Eastern Kentucky Company Expanding
As part of a $7 million expansion, the Smithfield Packing Company is increasing production at its Cumberland Gap Provision in Middlesboro. Two hundred fifty new jobs will be added, and the local unemployment office began taking applications Monday (today).
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:35 PM
Bid Rigging Case Moved To Covington
U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves filed an order Monday (today) moving the trial for former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, road contractor Leonard Lawson and Lawson aide Brian Billings to Covington. Pretrial publicity was cited as the reason to move the April 28th trial out of Frankfort. The three have entered not guilty pleas after being accused of steering state highway construction contracts to Lawson's companies. Federal prosecutor Ken Taylor says he doesn't object to the trial being moved. Lawyers for Nighbert have requested the trial be pushed back an additional 60 to 120 days.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:17 PM
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Electric Damage In Kentucky Reaches Neighborhood Of $200 Million
The utilities bill from two of the worst power outages in Kentucky history is still being calculated. Power companies were forced to spend millions to repair lines following the September remnants of Hurricane Ike and the January ice storm. The Public Service Commission says the electric infrastructure damage is likely to be in the neighborhood of $200 million. Companies say customers will experience higher electric bills with no promise that it can't happen again.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 6:58 PM
Lexington Lending Founder Falls To His Death
The body of 56 year old Donnie Miller, the founder of DCM Lending in Lexington, was recovered early Saturday afternoon after apparently falling 80 to 100 feet off a cliff in the Red River Gorge area. Miller, his brother and brother-in-law were spending Friday night in a cabin at Cliffview, near the Wolfe and Lee County line, when his brother and brother-in-law woke up Saturday morning to find him missing. Authorities say Miller apparently placed a collapsible chair near the edge of a cliff, and, when the chair failed, he lost his balance and fell to his death.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 6:31 PM
KSP Investigate Martin County Death
Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of 41 year old Ricky Hammonds, who was found lying in Buck Creek at Beauty in Martin County. Just after 7:00 A.M. Saturday morning, a passerby discovered the body and alerted officials. A preliminary investigation has led police to believe Hammonds fell into the creek sometime between Friday afternoon and the time his body was discovered. No foul play is suspected.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:47 AM
Frankfort Police Issue Amber Alert
The Frankfort Police Department issued an Amber Alert after 30 year old Miles Woodside failed to return his daughter, 2 year old Breanna Woodside, Friday, following a custody visit. Woodside, who is a white male, 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 190 pounds,red hair, blue eyes and has a tattoo with symbols between his upper shoulders, picked the child up at the police station at 6:30 A.M. Friday morning and was ordered to return her to her mother at 4:00 P.M. Friday afternoon. Breanna is a white female, 3 feet tall, weighs 35 pounds, straight blonde hair that falls past her shoulders and has hazel eyes. Woodside was driving a 1997 Lincoln Town Car , Ky. license plate number 064BAA.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:54 AM
