Friday, May 27, 2011
EKB Capsule News...Kentucky...5-28-'11
- National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said Friday that Matthew Shuey, 27, of Nicholasville, the pilot of the twin-engine plane that crashed in the North Carolina mountains while on its way from Georgia to Hazard Wednesday, had communicated with air traffic controllers in Tennessee at about 4:12 P.M. EDT Wednesday, about a half-hour into the flight while cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet. About 30 seconds later, the pilot contacted them again to declare an emergency, indicating there was a fire without specifying its location. That was his last radio transmission. Shuey was a flight instructor at Aero-Tech for about a year and a half before becoming a charter pilot in Hazard. The passengers from Knott County were Tiffany Maggard, 23; Kassie Robinson, 22; and Miranda Morgan, 20. Morgan's cousin, Amy Campbell, says the women had traveled to Alabama for a weeklong trip that included visiting a friend. Robinson was a biology major who recently graduated from Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky. Morgan had just finished her sophomore year at Alice Lloyd, where she was an elementary education major. She had planned to tutor children this summer at a learning center in the Appalachian county. Morgan was a high school homecoming queen, a standout student and a cheerleader in high school and college. Maggard had married last year and was living in Leslie County, where she was studying physical therapy. Officials at Alice Lloyd College said Maggard had also attended school there but transferred to pursue a degree in physical therapy.
- In an effort to take some suspected drug dealers off the streets before the holiday weekend, deputies with the Pike County Sheriff's Department and Kentucky State Police officers arrested at least a dozen people in Pike County Friday. The arrests are part of an Operation UNITE six month investigation. Officers say they have warrants for 30 people accused of selling prescription pills.
- Jimmy Levering, 28, of Louisa, was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder, assault and robbery. Police say, in March 2010, Levering fatally shot 48 year old Sherry Smith and also shot Smith's boyfriend, 44 year old Ronald Young, at Smith's home on Fuller's Ridge in Fallsburg, Kentucky. Levering and his wife, Wilma Levering, were staying with Smith and Young at the time of the shootings. After shooting Smith and Young, Levering and his wife took off in their vehicle and just a few miles away, Levering also shot his wife who was able to escape and call 911. Levering originally faced the death penalty.
- President Barack Obama has amended disaster declarations resulting from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding since April 22 in Kentucky, making 70 counties eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency emergency loans. Loan applications for physical and production losses will be taken into January. To apply, contact the local FSA county office. The newly added counties are Allen, Anderson, Ballard, Barren, Bell, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Carter, Christian, Clay, Crittenden, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Franklin, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, Webster, Wolfe and Woodford.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:59 PM 
