Saturday, April 25, 2009
Federal Complaint Filed Against Karen Sypher
According to a federal complaint filed Friday, Karen Sypher, estranged wife of University of Louisville team equipment manager, Tim Sypher, has been charged with attempting to extort $10 million from University of Louisville's men's basketball coach Rick Pitino. An alleged written list of demands from Karen Sypher, which included tuition, two cars of her choice, payoff of her home and $3,000 per month, allegedly delivered to Pitino by Tim Sypher, was later rescinded and replaced with a demand for $10 million. Pitino recorded phone messages from an unidentified man who attempted to extort him, but Karen Sypher claimed to have had no knowledge of the calls, but, following a polygraph test, she supplied the FBI with the name of the alleged caller. The alleged extortion stems from an accused encounter between Pitino and Sypher in 2003. If convicted, she faces up to two years in prison for extortion, five years for false statement and a $25,000 fine on each charge.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:04 PM
Big Sandy Natural Gas Pipeline Expected To Make Kentucky More Energy Independent
Eastern Kentucky is expected to benefit from the Big Sandy Natural Gas Pipeline which opened Thursday in Floyd County. Officials say the pipeline, which goes through four counties from Floyd to Carter, will add millions of dollars into the economy and create hundreds of new jobs while transporting eastern Kentucky's natural gas to markets all over the northeast. The pipeline can carry enough energy to provide electricity for one million homes and enough gas to heat 400,000 homes. Officials say it's a huge step in making Kentucky more energy independent.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:53 PM
Friday, April 24, 2009
Mingo County Gets Drug Recovery Center
Just outside Gilbert is the site for Mingo County's first drug recovery center which will open May 1st. The Crossroads Recovery Home for Women, which will house up to eleven women at a time, will be located in the old James Harless office building, donated by Gilbert Development Company and renovated through a $75,000 grant awarded by the West Virginia Office of Attorney General from Purdue Pharma funds. The facility will employ nine individuals, a director, three counselors and five employees who will work on substance abuse prevention. It is not a detoxification unit or treatment center but will take women from these centers, if they are willing to make a 90 day committment at which they can stay up to a year.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:53 AM
Kentucky Supreme Court Upholds Death Row Murder Convictions
Thursday the Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the murder convictions of three death row inmates. Virginia Caudill and Jonathan Wayne Goforth were convicted of the 1998 killing of 73 year old Lonetta White, who was bludgeoned to death with a hammer and placed in the trunk of her own vehicle, which was set on fire. Robert Foley, a former FBI informant, was convicted of six killings in eastern Kentucky and was sentenced to death in 1993 for the murders of Rodney and Lynn Vaughn. Virginia Caudill is the state's only woman sentenced to death.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:41 AM
Pikeville Medical Center Offers New Diagnostic Service
Not an organization to stand still, the Pikeville Medical Center is now offering total medical screening at their new location in Coal Run Village. This crucial medical service is located in the former Rax Restaurant location, and it's free. Hoping medical conditions can be spotted as early as possible, PMC's screening center is now open.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:32 AM
Longtime Pineville Mayor Enters Plea
In a plea agreement, longtime Pineville Mayor Bob Madon entered a guilty plea to one count of a six count federal indictment around 3:00 P.M. Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in London to federal charges of vote buying in the 2006 election. He admitted to conspiring with his son, Brent Madon, saying he gave his son money to give voters in exchange for their absentee ballot votes. If the deal is approved, sentencing will take place August 13th., and Madon will become a convicted felon, meaning he will lose rights to vote and run for public office ever again.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:56 AM
Drug Roundup In Pike County
An early morning raid in Pike County Thursday morning ended in the arrest of 13 suspected drug dealers. The Pike County Sheriff's Department, KSP, Operation UNITE and the Pikeville Police Department took part in the roundup, which included the arrest of Curtis Bryant and his grandson, John Rowe, at the apartment complex near Shelby Valley High School. Other arrests include: Everett Nelson Thacker, Kenneth Charles, Jerry Iricks, Mesha Iricks, Melissa Bentley, Dewey Anderson, Donnie Jason Smith, Marshal McCoy, Justin Tyler Trimble, Cas Kilgore and Katrina Young.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:25 AM
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Governor Beshear Comes To Pikeville With A Check
It's always good to see Governor Steve Beshear in Pike County, but it's especially good when he comes bearing money. Thursday the Governor presented the Pike County Fiscal Court with a check for $92,000. The funds come from a Homeland Security grant to be used for mobile data computers for use by fourteen fire districts in Pike County. This high-tech equipment will significantly reduce response time for first responders, sometimes making the difference between life and death. The Governor pointed out the importance of this state-of-the-art technology. Beshear also indicated he was contacting the Kentucky Congressional Delegation to offer his support for the proposed ethanol plant in Kentucky.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:27 PM
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Prayer Vigil For Elkhorn Boy With Leukemia
A prayer vigil will be held Thursday afternoon at 7:00 P.M. at the Elkhorn City Park for 10 year old Kyle Dean Smith, who's been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Monocytic Leukemia. The staff at the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital reports several complete matches have been found so Smith could have a transplant that could save his life. The transplant is expected to be done at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital in May.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:54 PM
Rutherford Appointed To Juvenile Advisory Board
Pike County Judge-executive Wayne Rutherford was recently appointed to the Kentucky Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.
The Board was created in 1997, and, plays a role in reforming Kentucky's Juvenile Justice System, with a focus on preventing juvenile crime and delinquency. Rutherford has been active in juvenile matters for many years.
The Board was created in 1997, and, plays a role in reforming Kentucky's Juvenile Justice System, with a focus on preventing juvenile crime and delinquency. Rutherford has been active in juvenile matters for many years.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:29 PM
Highway Deaths Continue To Decline
The Kentucky State Police report 204 people have lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during this year. The Commonwealth continues to see a decline in highway fatalities...the 204 deaths are seven fewer than the same time period in 2008.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:27 PM
Floyd County Housing Authority Gets Grant
Congressman "Hal" Rogers announced a grant in the amount of $59,000 to the Floyd County Housing Authority. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money will assist the Housing Authority in connecting residents with necessary community support services for independent living in Floyd County.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:22 PM
No Charges Expected In Fiery Fatal Accident
Investigators have ruled the Feburary deaths of 21 year old Dustin Rodriguez,21 year old Anthony Patrick and 19 year old Daniel Pennington as accidental. The young men were killed in a fiery accident which occured on Route 460 in Johnson County, between Paintsville and Staffordsville, when their pickup collided with a Pepsi truck driven by Ricky Brown of River, Ky. causing the pickup to catch fire. No charges are expected.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:22 PM
Pike County Mining Company Faces Federal Complaint
On behalf of the U.S. Secretary of Labor, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, a federal complaint has been filed in Pikeville against Rock Fork's No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 mines in Pike County. The complaint seeks payment of civil penalties stemming from 235 citations issued against the mines in just under two years. Rock Fork Energy is facing $201,247 in total penalties that, when administrative costs are factored in, bring the total to $201,567.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 7:40 PM
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Williamson Man Found Guilty Of Murder
After nearly three hours of deliberations Tuesday (today) the jury found Charles Blevins of Williamson guilty of first-degree murder and recommended a sentence of life with mercy, making him eligible for parole in 15 years. Closing arguments wrapped up late Monday in the murder trial of 22 year old Charles Blevins who was charged in the February 2007 shooting death of 26 year old Travis Huff. Monday afternoon the defense had called a West Virginia State Trooper back to the stand, claiming there were differences between his pretrial interview and his testimony on the stand that were crucial to the case. Blevins will be sentenced in May.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 4:19 PM
Mingo County School Building Funds Approved
Monday the West Virginia School Building Authority approved approximately $150 million in funding to start or continue construction of ten new schools. Seven new schools will come out of Monday's funding, while authority members agreed to additional second-year or multi-funding for three other new schools. Putnam County is in line to get $21.7 million, contingent on voters agreeing to help out with another $55 million in tax money. A tentative date of August 29th. is being considered for a bond vote. Mingo County was approved for $12.6 million.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 4:06 PM
Pikeville Police Arrest Six
42-year old Gary Wrick of Prestonsburg was arrested Saturday night by the Pikeville Police Department when they pulled over a jeep that was driving from side to side on US23.
Police found in Warick's possession numerous drugs, along with nearly $1800 in cash. He was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and other drug related charges. Five unidentified people in the vehicle were arrested on various drug and alcohol charges.
Police found in Warick's possession numerous drugs, along with nearly $1800 in cash. He was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and other drug related charges. Five unidentified people in the vehicle were arrested on various drug and alcohol charges.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:26 AM
Monday, April 20, 2009
West Virginia Girl Dies FromTwo Vehicle Accident
Eighteen year old Brittany Dentro of Lenore, West Virginia died Monday (today) after being airlifted to Williamson Memorial Hospital following a two vehicle accident which occurred around 12:00 P.M. Terry Yates, a driver for Hanover Wrecker Service, had pulled his wrecker to the side of the four lane to use his cell phone when Dentro, who was traveling southbound on U.S. 119, ran into the rear of his vehicle. Jaws-of-life had to be used to rescue Dentro, who appeared to have suffered from severe head trauma. Yates, who complained of back pain, was taken to South Williamson Appalachian Regional Hospital.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:13 PM
