Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Alleged Johnson County Kidnappers Extradited
Pamela Castle and Bonnie Blair, both of Johnson County, have been extradited from Georgia to Paintsville to face kidnapping charges. Investigators say on January 28th. they took Castle's daughter, 9 year old Alissa Castle, of whom she does not have custody, from the home of the girl's aunt and legal guardian, Terecia Meade, and fled to Georgia where they were arrested. Castle has been indicted for kidnapping, and Blair has been indicted for complicity to kidnapping. They're being held in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.
Floyd County Schools To Extend Days
According to the Floyd County Board of Education, beginning April 13th., students will be staying an extra thirty minutes per day to make up three days missed due to extremely bad winter weather. The board has requested six days from the Kentucky Department of Education, and, if granted, the school closing will move back from June 16th. to June 3rd.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Police Investigate Death Of Mingo County Man
West Virginia State Police say a drug overdose, not a train, may be to blame for the death of 36 year old Roger Darrell Smith whose body was found Sunday afternoon on the railroad tracks in Wharncliffe of Mingo County. Police requested the tracks be shut down as they surveyed the area and found drug paraphernalia near the body.
KSP Search For Armed Robber
Kentucky State Police are continuing to search for a male suspect described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, who, while wearing a blue and white jersey, a black mask and latex gloves and being armed with a gun, entered Boyd's Grocery Store in Banner of Floyd County Saturday and demanded cash before escaping with approximately $1,000.
KSP Searching For Suspects Who Robbed Perry County Home
Kentucky State Police are searching for two male suspects who allegedly entered a home around 1:50 A.M. Monday on Upper Second Creek Road in the Darfork community of Perry County and stole prescription drugs and cash at gunpoint. One suspect is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. No description of the second suspect has been given.
KSP Investigate Double Shooting
Kentucky State Police are investigating a double shooting after two bodies, a male and a female, and a handgun were found in a home on Fullers Ridge Road just outside of Louisa Monday (today).
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Federal Funding To Update Flood Maps
The federal Emergency Management Agency is providing $5 million in federal funds to help update flood maps in counties, including Pike, Boyd, Greenup and Magoffin along with others. The updated Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps will track actual risk more closely and assist new development and rebuilding efforts.
Former Ky. First Lady Undergoes Triple-Bypass
Former Kentucky first lady, 68 year old Judi Patton, is recovering after undergoing triple-bypass heart surgery Saturday at Pikeville Medical Center after awakening Saturday morning with chest pains. Her family says Patton, who was first lady from 1995 to 2003, has never had heart problems before.
Another Delay For Man Accused Of Abusing Corpse
For the second time within a month, a status hearing was rescheduled Friday morning for 30 year old Timothy Allen Brown of Georgetown, when his attorneys once again asked for additional time while awaiting medical records. Brown was arrested in October after police found the mummified body of his sister, Penny Michelle Brown, in the trunk of his car which was found in St. Louis. He faces several charges including interstate flight to avoid prosecution and abuse of a corpse. The hearing is set for May 1st.
Body Found Submerged In Pond Near West Liberty
Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of 35 year old Guy Nantell of West Liberty whose body was found Saturday morning around 10:30 A.M. submerged in a pond near Justice Lane, ten miles north of West Liberty. Nantell was reported missing around 4:00 P.M. Friday afternoon.
kentucky Doctor Who Resides In West Virginia Under Federal Investigation
Federal authorities are investigating Dr. Augusto T. Abad, a Charleston resident who allegedly commutes to his practice in South Williamson, Ky. and rubber stamps prescriptions written by mid-level medical workers at a Mingo County facility. He's accused of routinely spending only a few hours at the facility during a week and rarely seeing patients. Authorities have searched the facility, two pharmicies near the Ky. border and his home in Charleston.
Trial Delayed For Kentucky Man Accused Of Abusing West Virginia Girl
The kidnapping and sexual assault trial for 29 year old Joshua Michael Ridings of Owensboro, Ky. has been postponed. Ridings is accused of kidnapping an eleven year old Wheeling, West Virginia girl and taking her into Belmont County, Ohio, and sexually assaulting her. In October, he pleaded guilty to crossing a state line with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a person under the age of 12. A new trial date will be set May 21st.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Mingo County Explosion Causes Damage
Firefighters in Chattaroy of Mingo County say, when they responded to an explosion around 2:00 A.M. Thursday (today) at View Avenue in Howard Hollow, they found one house leveled and flames shooting 20 to 30 feet in the air and a mobile home next door destroyed by fire. Crews say what appeared as some kind of gas explosion destroyed the two homes and damaged ten others, including a church, while several doors were blasted off their hinges and windows were blown out of homes and cars. No injuries were reported.
Morehead Toddler Had Abdominal Infection
An autopsy report has shown 2 year old Nathaniel Jones, whose unresponsive body was found by his mother, Tiea Jones, Monday had an abdominal infection. Additional tests results are being awaited to determine the actual cause of death. The toddler's body was found in their home on Barber Road, just outside Morehead.
Big Sandy Regional Detention Center Records Subpoenaed
Thursday (today) officials with the Kentucky State Police and the Department of Corrections recovered all records, including inmate information and financial documents, at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville of Johnson County. Police confirmed that, although the documents could provide information on a criminal investigation involving the March 27th. death of inmate, Sherry McFadden, it also involves financial questions. A grand jury subpoena was served Thursday (today) after authorities received several complaints regarding potential criminal conduct. Anyone with information or complaints is asked to call KSP at (606) 433-7711.
Food Stamp Increase Boosts Communities
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Kentucky food stamp recipients are, beginning this month (April), to receive an increase in their monthly benefits. Governor Steve Beshear says the extra funding, through the federal stimulus package, will boost the communities, and, although recipients get the primary benefit, the money goes to local businesses who employ local workers, making it an everyone wins situation.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Clay County Man Accused Of Alleged Threats
FBI Special Agent, Timothy S. Briggs, has revealed in a sworn statement that 20 year old Richard Brian Hubbard, an acquaintance of Clay County officials charged with corruption, has, using the popular social networking site MySpace, sent two witnesses a threatening photo of himself holding a pistol. The complaint, filed pubicly Tuesday, accuses Hubbard of sending the photo at 2:39 A.M. March 24th., about 12 hours after a hearing on prosecutors' request to keep a key defendant, former Circuit Judge R. Cletus Maricle, in jail until the trial on May 19th.
PSC Approves East Kentucky Power Rate Increase
Tuesday the state Public Service Commission approved a 7% rate increase for East Kentucky Power Cooperative, whose 16 co-ops provide electricity to a half-million homes, farms and businesses in central and eastern Kentucky. According to figures, typical residential customers will see a monthly increase between $5.60 and $6.75 on average. Primarily the increase is tied to a new $528 million coal-fired power generating unit at the Spurlock power station in Maysville. The rate increase totals $59.5 million overall.
Nearly A Five Hour Standoff In Pike County
Kentucky State Police report a nearly five hour standoff Tuesday on Biggs Branch Road in the Millard area of Pike County resulted in the arrest of Richard Gooslin. Police say Gooslin barricaded himself inside his home after, as the result of a family argument, he opened fire on family members who had allegedly stopped by the home to pick up something. Police say, after four and one half hours, Gooslin surrendered peacefully, but,once inside the cruiser, they tazed and pepper sprayed him when he began to kick the windows and screen of the vehicle. He's charged with five counts of wanton endangerment while other charges are pending.
Pike County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
The East Kentucky Expo Center was the site of the annual Membership Luncheon Tuesday. The keynote speaker was Pike County native Jimmy Cauley. Cauley is a political consultant who has worked in the campaigns of several prominent officeseekers.
He was the campaign manager of now President Barack Obama, when Obama was seeking the senatorial seat in Illinois. Cauley was named Campaign Manager of the Year in 2008, a national award given to the top consultant in the nation.
Cauley gave the assembled Chamber members and guests insights into how a political campaign is conducted. He hinted that he may soon be involved in the upcoming senatorial race in Kentucky.
He was the campaign manager of now President Barack Obama, when Obama was seeking the senatorial seat in Illinois. Cauley was named Campaign Manager of the Year in 2008, a national award given to the top consultant in the nation.
Cauley gave the assembled Chamber members and guests insights into how a political campaign is conducted. He hinted that he may soon be involved in the upcoming senatorial race in Kentucky.
