Tuesday, February 08, 2011
EKB Capsule News...Kentucky...2-9-'11
- Pikeville city officials have declared the Chris Ratliff Law Office Building on Main Street unsafe. The building, located next to the construction site for the new hall of justice, is leaning, and no one is being allowed inside. A structural engineer ruled the building should be evacuated.
- Former Prestonsburg High School basketball player, 18 year old Warren Blackburn, has been indicted on charges he sold marijuana to students in a parking lot near Prestonsburg High School, some as young as 13 years of age. Blackburn has bonded out of jail and has been ordered not to be within 500 feet of any school. An arraignment is scheduled for February 25th.
- Coal miners Chad Alex Green and William Donnie Smith, both of Cawood, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Harlan Circuit Court against D&C Mining Corp., of Fries, Virginia, seeking unspecified damages. Both men were reinstated to their jobs in January by an administrative law judge after winning a discrimination case. Attorney Tony Oppegard of Lexington, who represents the miners, says the suit is the second using a Kentucky law prohibiting mining companies from laying off employees who notify inspectors of potential safety violations.
- Michael Amburgey of Vicco and Jason Amburgey of Mallie have been indicted on charges of theft by unlawful taking after allegedly stealing a cash register from the Handy Dan’s Store in Vicco.
- Tommy Justice, Jr. has been charged with assault and lodged in the Whitley County Jail after allegedly beating his wife. Officers located the victim at the Super 8 Motel in Williamsburg after being called by her. Police say she had numerous facial injuries and bruising to her abdomen.
- Confusion. That is the main reason the Pike County Government approved the name of the Pike County Social Services Department be changed to the Pike County Community Services Department. The name change will restrict and limit confusion with
Kentucky
- The bridge at the mouth of Church House Hollow in Belfry has served residents for nearly 40 years. The
Pike County Fiscal Court was recently awarded $70,000 in emergency funds to construct a new, bigger, stronger and safer bridge. The bid to build the bridge came in at $89,000, leaving the county $19,000 short of getting all the money needed. Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford recently secured a commitment from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Mike Hancock for the extra $19,000. The construction is expected to last between 45 and 60 days and begin sometime this week, and an access road has already been created so residents can safely enter and exit the road. Early on, Belfry Fire Department Chief Nee Jackson was worried the temporary access road would not accommodate emergency vehicles, but after driving it in its entirety, those worries have disappeared. The new bridge will be built to state specifications and, more importantly, is a single-span bridge. By eliminating the middle pillar water can flow more freely under the bridge in the event of a flood.
- A federal agency that monitors substance abuse and prevention will conduct a survey in Kentucky and other states over the course of 2011 to gather information on the prevalence of drug use in American society. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has contracted with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to conduct the national survey and will be contacting an estimated 200,000 households in 50 states. Participants will receive a $30 cash incentive to participate. The survey contains questions on physical and mental health and other topics associated with substance use and treatment. The results of the survey will help us to be more effective in formulating policy and allocating resources to better the lives of everyone in Kentucky.”
- Don’t let out-of-state investment corporations that purchase counties’ delinquent tax bills sell your property. Take advantage of the Pike County Government’s 60-day amnesty period for delinquent solid waste bills. Those who owe money to Pike County Solid Waste will be given 60 days from the date of publication to pay delinquent bills. Assistant county attorney Roland Case sees a great advantage for people who participate. “If the court must pursue payment of these delinquent bills, a lawsuit will be filed for the total amount of the bill,” Case said. “The benefit to amnesty is late fees and penalties are waived if the bill is paid, but once the lawsuit is filed, the court must pursue the total bill. People need to take advantage of this amnesty program because lawsuits must follow if a bill is not paid or a payment plan put in place.” People or businesses with delinquent bills will be notified by mail. The letter will outline the terms of the amnesty program and will give instructions on how to proceed.
- The House voted 90-6 on Tuesday to approve an immigration bill that would require all government contractors to verify the citizenship of workers. The Senate is considering a separate immigration bill that would allow local and state police agencies to check the citizenship status of people they stop and detain them if warranted. Hundreds of demonstrators who believe the Senate bill is unfair and unnecessary gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday.
- The Senate voted 31-5 late Tuesday afternoon to approve a measure in which a long-standing moratorium on nuclear power plants in Kentucky would be lifted. State law prohibits nuclear power plants from being built in Kentucky until the U.S. has a permanent storage facility to contain radioactive waste.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:26 PM 
