EKB News

According to figures released from Frankfort, as of Saturday, 2,621 individuals in Kentucky had applied for FEMA assistance, while $6.2 million had been approved, and $5.9 million had been given to residents whose homes were destroyed by the May flooding. Close to $700,000 had been approved to help cover personal losses, medical costs and other expenses not covered by insurance. Buddy Rogers, spokesman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, says there's no way to tell how long the recovery process will take. Federal and state officials visited Magoffin County last week, adding up damages while trying to meet the FEMA threshold for grants and loans.

Don Jacks, FEMA public information officer, says officials are attempting to debunk myths and rumors. "Only uninsured or underinsured property is eligible to be repaired or replaced by FEMA," he said, "and it doesn't necessarily matter if you live in a flood plain...you still might qualify for aid."

Pike County Judge Executive Wayne Rutherford announced at a meeting Friday that delays in disbursement of previous disaster funds have pinched some county budgets. He guessed the county was waiting on a large chunk of money from a 2003 flood repair project. Nancy Price, government liaison for the Kentucky Emergency Management Department, says that's a sign counties need to keep track of paperwork and follow-up as projects are finished. She says there's a lot of money from FEMA that never gets claimed or applied for, or it waits in state accounts much longer than it needs to when counties don't follow-up with proper procedure.

A triple murder, rape and arson trial which has been moved from Carter County to Johnson County appears to be moving forward again. At a status conference Friday, attorneys told Carter County Circuit Judge Rebecca Phillips that experts examining DNA, cell phone and arson evidence in the case of Robert Drown had nearly completed their work, and arson experts are scheduled to complete a review of physical evidence Monday and should have a final report to the defense team within a couple of weeks. Drown, a convicted sex offender from Kenova, is charged with the May 2007 murders of 31 year old Jennifer Ison and her daughters, 10 year old Shannah and 3 year old Marissa. Another status conference is set for June 25th.

Fifty-eight year old Robert "Mike" Duncan of Inez, Ky., who is chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, says he expects coal will continue to be a critical component of the nation's energy policy. He says, despite proposals in Washington that would abolish wet coal ash storage and mandate renewable energy as a substitute, he sees no immediate end to a reliance on coal. He says he agrees with shifting the focus to conservation, along with developments in natural gas, nuclear, solar and wind power, but mines in eastern Kentucky and elsewhere will continue to play a vital role. He says the challenge facing the TVA is building public trust.

A superceding indictment returned Friday for former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, road contractor Leonard Lawson and aide Brian Billings could delay a June 23rd. trial date. Prosecutors asked for another arraignment date following the indictment which combines two conspiracy counts and alleged actions, including cash payments for bids involving $130 million in road contracts, along with a coverup scheme.

At a news conference Thursday (today), Governor Steve Beshear announced he has added expanded gaming to the agenda of a special legislative session set for June 15th. If approved, the legislation would allow video lottery terminals or slots at approved horse racing tracks, while hopefully leveling the playing field for the state's horse industry. The slots, if approved, would be run by the Kentucky Lottery Corporation, who would tax and generate revenue for the state and the industry.

Twenty eight year old Manuel Cardosa, an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Inez (Martin County), has been convicted in U.S. District Court in Ashland of assaulting a fellow inmate, Marvin Fontenette. The jury found that, in December, Cardosa assulted Fontenette, while attacking him from behind, knocking him to the ground and continuing to stomp and kick him until being restrained by prison staff. The victim suffered bleeding of the brain which led to paralysis of the left side of his body, loss of vision in his left eye and impaired cognitive functioning. Cardosa faces a maximum of ten years. No sentencing date was set.

On Wednesday, five FEMA assistance centers opened in four eastern Kentucky counties:

Breathitt County: Lifeskills Center,
1127 Main Street, Jackson
Floyd County: Martin Community Center
7199 KY 80
Pike County: Belfry Library
24371 U.S. 119 North
Johns Creek Elementary School
8302 Meta Highway, Pikeville
Owsley County: Molly of Action Place Center
Old Highway 11, Booneville

Centers are open from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday through Saturday.

Those needing help should register first by phone or online.
To register, call:
1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
For hearing or speech impaired:
1-800-462-7585
Register online at:
www.disasterassistance.gov

Computers and phone lines are also available at the centers for people to register. After registering, residents can visit the centers to ask questions, file paperwork and check on claims. Small Business Administration officials are also stationed at the centers.
On Wednesday, when the centers opened, officials said they would stay as long as needed.

Four days following a federal disaster declaration for Kentucky, 1,800 people in Breathitt, Floyd, Owsley and Pike counties had registered for loans and grants to repair homes and businesses and replace belongings not covered by insurance, and more than $3 million had already been approved.

Mark Dennard Hoyle, also known as Slim, an inmate at USP Big Sandy prison in Martin County, has been indicted and will face new federal charges in Ashland on counts of possession and distribution of heroin inside the prison. Hoyle was serving a life sentence following a conviction as being one of the leaders of the Newton Street Crew, an organization found to be distributing crack cocaine in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Hoyle, along with others, were convicted of murder, robbery and the use of firearms. He was arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court in Ashland.

The National Mining Association released a letter Monday asking Congress to change how Clean Water Act permits for surface mining are issued. The letter, signed by coal associations in West Virginia, Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Ohio and Virginia, is pushing Congress to ease rules which slowed the flow of permits in 2007, and have since been reversed. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to give permits greater scrutiny. The association also released a letter asking the Corps of Engineers about backing them.

Special county disaster registration centers are expected to open this week to assist flood victims in applying for aid, but, in the meantime, you can complete an online application for individual assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, or apply by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362), or, for hearing or speech impaired, at TTY 800-462-7585. No one is required to wait for an insurance inspection to begin the registration process.

Pike County School Superintendent Roger Wagner says rumors of selling the Bevins Elementary School to a local coal company are false. However, he says the sixty year old building is in terrible shape, and it may end up closing. On June 11th., he hopes to meet with parents to discuss budget cut options, which include possibly closing the school and busing students to Runyon Elementary, an idea opposed by several parents who say the ride is too long. Parents say they want the school renovated and reopened, but Wagner says that is not an option, since the state won't allow it. His long range ideas are to consolidate Bevins, Runyon and Blackberry Elementary schools, along with Belfry Middle School, but Wagner is also met with opposition on that idea. Parents say the consolidation would combine about a thousand students and a one lane bridge. Other plans include moving the third grade from Millard Primary to Millard Middle School and new buildings for Phelps and Virgie.

Crews found the wreckage of a small plane Sunday afternoon in a remote area south of Elkhorn City, just across the border in Virginia. The pilot found dead on board has been identified as 57 year old Victor Owens Jr. of Telford, Tennessee. The plane crashed Friday while bound for Ashland, Kentucky.

In an effort to reduce fatal accidents, the Kentucky State Police is planning to step up traffic enforcement this summer, while especially being on the lookout for drivers who are impaired, speeding or breaking seat belt laws. As of May 29th., police say 309 people had died on Kentucky roadways, a 4% increase from the same period last year. The campaign will include over 1,000 road checks from now through Labor Day weekend.