Tuesday, April 05, 2011

 

EKB Capsule News...Kentucky...4-5-'11

A split second of driver distraction can turn a highway work zone into a death zone. Nationally, someone is killed every 13 hours – and injured every 13 minutes – as a result of an accident in a highway work zone. Last year in Kentucky, the toll was one person killed and 116 people injured. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is hosting several events statewide to promote the work zone safety campaign April 4-8 which is also in conjunction with National Work Zone Safety Week.  Work zones can involve highway construction and maintenance workers, utility crews, mowing contractors, brush cutters and tree trimmers.  Four out of five work zone accident victims are motorists rather than highway workers.


Motorists are advised to slow down when approaching the construction work zone on US 23 south of Pikeville near Sookey's Creek.  Work is well under way on a two-year project to build an interchange that will connect the highway with new US 460, which is under construction to the Virginia state line. Apparently there has been some confusion about the reduced speed limit,  said Sara George, Information Officer for Highway District 12. The posted speed limit throughout the work zone is 45 miles per hour. Double fines are in effect for speeding and any other traffic violation at all times that work is going on. Confusion about the speed limit will not prevent a
driver from getting a ticket.


The increase of the elk population is now a concern to law enforcement and traffic safety officials in the Pikeville area.
It appears the elk, now congregating in a herd in the Pikeville area, are creating traffic control concerns in the Buckley's Creek area, north toward the Stone Coal Creek turnoff.   According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources the animals occasionally cross US23 in search for new grazing opportunities. Fish and Wildlife officials have begun considerations for a solution, including the possibility of putting up warning signs for motorists or fencing to keep the animals off the highway.



12 people are arrested and officials are searching for 12 others after a Floyd County drug round-up. Sheriff's deputies say the suspects are accused of bringing pills from Florida and Georgia to Floyd County to sell.
Floyd County Sheriff Deputies say they have wanted accused drug dealer Estill Newsome Junior in custody for months.
“Working hard to catch him and we finally caught him,” Sheriff John K. Blackburn said. Newsome was arrested Monday morning. Police say he was selling prescription pills in the McDowell community, near the elementary school. Deputies also arrested an uncle and nephew in McDowell, Gregory Moore and John Sherman Moore.. The round-up ends a three-month undercover investigation.






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