EKB News: 07/10/2011

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Conway Orders KSP Turn Over Photos

{Kentucky}...Attorney General Jack Conway says Kentucky State Police must turn over photos from the deadly 1977 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire even if they are in possession of a former employee. David Brock, 52, of Florence, who was an 18 year old busboy at the supper club the night of the fire, made the request. Brock wants to see the photos because he says he believes they will show the fire was caused by arson. The photos in the possession of a former KSP trooper are still subject to open records requests. In a ruling Friday, Assistant Attorney General Amye Bensenhaver rejected KSP’s claim that some photos from the fire were not subject to an open records request. KSP spokesman Lt. David Jude says KSP is reviewing the ruling and could consider an appeal.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:19 PM

Fourth Man Charged In Tennessee Murder

{Kentucky}...Twenty-eight year old Ronnie R. McClure, a fourth suspect in a gun battle that killed two Sevierville, Tennessee men, was arrested Thursday night on an indictment charging him with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping. Twenty year old Brandon Lindsey and 23 year old Brandon Breitweiser, the men killed on February 3rd, were acquaintances of McClure's. Authorities earlier charged three Somerset, Kentucky men with reckless homicide. They are Jacob Sharp, Matthew W. Oakes and Marcus Chaney.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:12 PM

KSP Accepting Cadet Class Applications

{Kentucky}...The Kentucky State Police is accepting applications for its next cadet class. Interested applicants should visit the KSP website at http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org. Click on the link that says "Career Opportunities," then "Recruitment Home" then "How To Become A Kentucky State Trooper." The site includes an outline of the application process and a list of minimum requirements and disqualifications. Those interested in applying can download an application form and a study guide for the written test. The site also includes a list of testing dates, times and locations.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:12 PM

FEMA Approves $12-Million For Kentucky

Since being designated for Individual Assistance May 19, the Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the

Commonwealth of Kentucky have approved more than $12 million in assistance to

Kentuckians affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 12 to May 20.

FEMA has approved $8,230,864 in Individual Assistance as part of the ongoing recovery efforts for residents of 22 Commonwealth counties. The funds help residents repair their damaged homes, replace uninsured personal property and find temporary housing following the disaster. The SBA has

approved loans totaling $3,809, 800 for individuals and businesses.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:10 PM

NASCAR Working With Kentucky Speedway Officials

{Kentucky}...NASCAR president Mike Helton is working with Kentucky Speedway officials to fix the traffic problems at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. NASCAR and Speedway officials ate attempting to find out why fans were stuck in traffic for hours as they tried to get into the inaugural Sprint Cup race. Many fans were turned away at the gate because the track ran out of parking spaces. Helton says NASCAR “won’t rest” until it figures out what went wrong and how to correct the problems.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:07 PM

Ford Accepts Applications

{Kentucky}...Nearly 17,000 people have submitted applications for jobs at Ford's Louisville Assembly Plant, which is in need of about 1,800 workers when the plant reopens in November. Applicants for the jobs, which pay $15.51 an hour, will undergo further screenings, tests, background checks and interviews to be considered for the job.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:05 PM

Mingo County Man Charged With Murder

{West Virginia}...Police say 38 year old James Alvin Harrison fatally shot his brother, 34 year old Matthew Harrison, late Friday night at a house in Rutherford Hollow in the North Matewan area of Mingo County. Matthew, who was shot once in the face and once in the neck with a .38-caliber pistol, died at the scene. James Harrison is charged with first-degree murder.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:02 PM

Daniels Man Convicted

{West Virginia}...Friday, a Raleigh County jury found Christopher Bowling of Daniels guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Tresa Bowling. Bowling had argued the gun accidentally went off when his wife was shot in the head on the night of January 31, 2010. On Saturday, the jury recommended Bowling be sentenced to life in prison without mercy.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:00 PM

Jefferson County Man Arrested

{West Virginia}...Ray Cook, 37, from Harpers Ferry, in Jefferson County, was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with murder. Ranson Police say Cook shot his ex-girlfriend to death in the parking lot of the Ranson Southern States, where the two met to exchange some personal items. Investigators say the victim, Jenny Perrine, 36, from Martinsburg was shot several times while sitting in her vehicle. The shooting was the first murder in Ranson since 1998.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:58 PM

Police Find Dangerous Materials

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police are investigating after dangerous materials were found hidden in a weeded ditch line on the side of Little Coal River Road in Alum Creek in Lincoln County Saturday. Trooper G.H. Ellis of the Hamlin detachment says he found a cooler, a milk crate and a cloth sack with materials inside such as battery acid, fuel and a propane tank. Members of the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection were called to dispose of the hazardous materials.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:56 PM

Charges Dismissed...Prosecutors To Appeal

{West Virginia}...The case against Amanda Pritt has been dismissed. Pritt was arrested last May after police say she crashed into James Dixon while he was riding his motorcycle in Charleston and left him in the street. Dixon was saved by a witness and a man who wrapped his leg in a tourniquet until help arrived, but he had to have his right leg amputated just below the knee. Police say Pritt admitted to hitting Dixon with her van. Charges were dismissed because there had not been a hearing in the last year. Prosecutors say the law isn't being applied correctly in this case, and they plan to appeal the judge's decision.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:56 PM

Domestic Violence Conference Set

{West Virginia}...About 100 professionals from throughout West Virginia are expected to attend a conference on domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes set for Monday at the Charleston Town Center Marriott. The conference is co-sponsored by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services, West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the West Virginia Regional Community Policing Institute. It is intended to strengthen the efforts of police, prosecutors, victim advocates and other criminal justice and mental health professionals involved in the investigation and prosecution of crimes involving violence against women.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:55 PM

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tiger Mart Robbed

{Kentucky}...Police in Prestonsburg are investigating after a man in his early to mid-20s robbed the Tiger Mart on U.S. 23 just before 11:00 P.M. Wednesday night. Detective Steve Little says the clerk told police the man walked into the store, went to the restroom for 10-15 seconds, returned to the parking lot, put a bandanna over his face and came back in and demanded all the money in the register and fled on foot toward the highway, where a vehicle was waiting for him, and went North on US 23.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:53 PM

Jenkins City Council Reads Alcohol Ordinance

{Kentucky}...Jenkins City Council members in Letcher County have heard a first reading for the city's drafted alcohol ordinance after voters approved sales by the drink two months ago. Under the proposed ordinance, seating requirement for a restaurant is 50, and catering sales will count for the business's food percentage. Mayor GC Kincer says people have already asked him about future sites for restaurants, but he says they probably will not go downtown. He says there is room along Highway 23, and he believes the area will attract hotels, restaurants, and maybe even a shopping center.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:51 PM

Prosecutors Focus On Fen-Phen Judgment

{Kentucky}...Lexington lawyer Angela Ford played a large role in the convictions of Kentucky lawyers Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion who received long prison terms for fraud, and a court order requiring them to pay restitution of $127 million to their former clients for the theft of tens of millions of dollars from Kentuckians injured by the diet drug fen-phen. Ford now represents most of those clients. But federal prosecutors have now turned their attention to Ford, in what they say is an effort to protect the fen-phen victims after a $42 million civil judgment that she won for her clients was reversed. The U.S. attorney's office in Lexington has won a court order requiring Ford to account for the money she's collected and hasn't passed on to clients, including $13.5 million she's been paid in legal fees. Ford says in court papers that the government intends to try to garnishee her fees, presumably to hold for safekeeping. Prosecutors say they fear Cunningham and Gallion will try to get their hands on the money after a Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling in February reversed the $42 million judgment.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:46 PM

Former UK Player Signs With Cincinnati Reds

{Kentucky}...Former UK football player 22 year old Matt Lentz is moving from being a retired football player and current Kentucky video assistant to a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Lentz signed a rookie-league contract with the Reds on Friday in Goodyear, Arizona, home of Cincinnati's spring training facility. Before concussions ended his career at UK, Lentz was on his way to a promising collegiate football career. He made 24 tackles and recorded an interception in 13 games and five starts in his redshirt freshman year, prior to a sophomore campaign that featured 22 tackles and one interception in 12 games.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:46 PM

Lexington Police Won't Release Nunn File

{Kentucky}...Lexington police say they will not publicly release the investigative file in the murder case against Steve Nunn until after Nunn has completed his life sentence in prison. Nunn pleaded guilty on June 28th to fatally shooting his ex-fiancée, 29 year old Amanda Ross. Police records custodian officer Aaron Kidd cited the 1992 Kentucky Supreme Court case Skaggs vs. Redford as reason for withholding the file. Jon Fleischaker, a noted First Amendment lawyer in Louisville who works on cases for the Kentucky Press Association, said waiting until a life sentence is served means "effectively they're never going to be open, that you have an indeterminate life to wait." He called the police department's refusal to release the records "ridiculous."

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:43 PM

Former Boy Scout Leader Sentenced

{Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Karl Forester has sentenced former Kentucky Boy Scout leader and volunteer teacher, 57 year old Robert G. Dundon of Lexington, to 19 1/2 years in prison and lifetime supervised release. A federal grand jury indicted Dundon in February, and he pleaded guilty in April to producing and possessing child pornography. Kentucky State Police were notified last year by a man who noticed nude minors being photographed on a beach at Fort Boonesborough State Park in Madison County.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:39 PM

Prosecutors Seek Deposition In Mingo County Raid

{West Virginia}...Federal prosecutors filed a petition this week asking a judge to require Dr. Katherine Hoover to appear August 23rd to answer questions under oath for an out-of-court deposition. The civil case is one of several in which prosecutors seek control of $2.2 million in assets seized as part of the March 2010 raid of the Mountain Medical Care Center in Williamson, a Mingo County pain clinic. Investigators allege the clinic handed out pain-drug prescriptions to people who did not need them, but no criminal charges have been filed. Hoover has been in the Bahamas, where she and her husband own an island, since the raid.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:39 PM

Possible Hit And Run Vehicle Found

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police in Wayne County say they have a suspect in the hit and run death of 38 year old Candy Mallory, a Kenova woman found 30 feet over a guardrail near Camden Park. Thursday night, troopers found a car they believe was involved in the accident. The vehicle is now in a State Police lab for testing, and police will have to wait for results before charging anyone.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:39 PM

Trial Delayed For UBB Security Head

{West Virginia}...The trial for Hughie Elbert Stover, the head of security at the Upper Big Branch mine, had been set to begin Monday in Beckley, but it has been pushed back to October 24th. U.S. District Judge Irene C. Berger says defense lawyers wanted more time to look over 2,500 pages of materials submitted by prosecutors. Berger also must address several pretrial motions. Stover is accused of lying to the FBI and the Mine Safety Health Administration and obstructing justice by ordering thousands of pages of documents destroyed.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:38 PM

Ethics Commission Fines Former Dunbar Mayor

{West Virginia}...Officials with the West Virginia Ethics Commission have ordered former Dunbar mayor Roger Wolfe, who was mayor from 2005 until 2008, to pay more than $25,000 in fines and restitution for using his office for personal gain. A three-judge panel ordered him removed from office for reimbursing himself for personal expenses without the knowledge of the Dunbar City Council. Several City Council members filed a complaint with the Ethics Commission in December 2008, alleging Wolfe violated the state's ethics laws. Ethics officials also ordered a public reprimand for Wolfe and a cease-and-desist order in case he should ever return to public office.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:35 PM

Rahall Announces HUD Funding For Veterans

{West Virginia}...Congressman Nick Rahall announced Thursday that programs in Huntington and Raleigh County will receive federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide additional housing assistance to homeless veterans. The Housing Authority of Huntington will use a $56,000 grant to provide rental assistance to 15 veterans, while the Housing Authority of Raleigh County will use a grant of nearly $36,000 to assist 10 veterans.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:34 PM

DNA Samples Requested In Murder Case

{West Virginia}...Kanawha County Judge Paul Zakaib ruled Thursday that 24 year old Emanuel Armond McCarty will have to provide DNA samples to prosecutors after being charged with fatally shooting 48 year old Jerome Grady on Charleston's West Side in March. McCarty was indicted in June on first-degree murder charges. Grady died after being shot while driving in the 900 block of Madison Street. McCarty denies pulling the trigger. Thursday, prosecutors argued they needed McCarty's DNA to compare it with DNA found on the alleged murder weapon. McCarty's trial is scheduled to start August 1st.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:28 PM

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Accident Kills Paintsville Man

{Kentucky}...State Police say John Hibbens, 50, of Paintsville was driving a pickup on KY 172 in Morgan County late Wednesday night when his vehicle crossed the center line. Hibbens applied the brakes and attempted to steer the vehicle back into the westbound lane, but the vehicle dropped off the left shoulder of the roadway, traveled down an embankment and struck a utility pole, overturned and ejected him. Hibbens was pronounced dead at the scene.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:53 PM

Floyd County Man Sentenced

{Kentucky}...Tony Ray Tackett, a Floyd County man who pleaded guilty to the March 2006 murder of Margaret Hall, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder charges. Tackett received credit for time already served. Police say Hall's body was found on an abandoned strip mine in Floyd County after she was raped and strangled.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:52 PM

Instant Racing Approved At Kentucky Downs

{Kentucky}...The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission unanimously approved the first expanded gambling at a state horse track Thursday when it agreed to allow a game known as Instant Racing at Kentucky Downs. Kentucky Downs in south-central Kentucky, which had requested permission to implement the game in which gamblers bet on past horse races using slot-like devices, plans to invest $3 million and hire 85 workers to implement the new betting option. The commission approved the request by a voice vote with no opposition. Corey Johnsen, president of Kentucky Downs, says plans are to have 200 devices offering the new wager prior to September 10th, when the track at Franklin, near the Tennessee border, opens its four-day meet. In Instant Racing, tracks accept pari-mutuel bets on rebroadcasts of old races, stripped of the names of the horses, jockeys and trainers. The Franklin County Circuit Court, in Frankfort, ruled in December that the Instant Racing machines are pari-mutuel in nature and therefore legal under current Kentucky law.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:51 PM

KSP Accepting Applications For New Cadet Class

(FRANKFORT, KY) - The Kentucky State Police will begin accepting applications for its next cadet class on July 15. Interested applicants should visit the KSP website at www.kentuckystate police.org and click

on the Career Opportunities, Recruitment Home and How To Become A Kentucky State Trooper links.

Information at the site includes an outline of the application process, a list of minimum requirements and disqualifications, a downloadable application form with a list of supporting documents required, a

downloadable study guide for the written test and a list of the testing dates, times and locations:

Sept. 9, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Indiana Wesleyan University, Florence, Ky.

Application deadline: Sept. 2)
Sept. 17, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.
(Application deadline: Sept. 9)
Sept. 21, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Eastern Kentucky University, Funderburk
Building, Richmond, Ky. (Application deadline: Sept. 14)
Sept. 22, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Eastern Kentucky University, Funderburk
Building, Richmond, Ky. (Application deadline: Sept. 14)
Sept. 23, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Eastern Kentucky University, Funderburk
Building, Richmond, Ky. (Application deadline: Sept. 14)
Sept. 27, 2011: 9:00 a.m. CST, Western Kentucky University, Bowling
Green, Ky. (Application deadline: Sept. 20)
Oct. 15, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.
(Application deadline: Oct. 7)
Oct. 22, 2011: 9:00 a.m. CST, Murray State University, Murray, Ky.
(Application deadline: Oct. 14)
Oct. 29, 2011: 9:00 a.m. EST, Eastern Kentucky University, Funderburk
Building, Richmond, Ky. (Application deadline: Oct. 21)

If more information is needed after visiting the website, applicants can
call toll-free
1-866-360-3165 during office hours from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (ET) Monday
through Friday or leave a message any other time.

All application materials must be completed and returned to the KSP
Recruitment Branch at 919 Versailles Road, Frankfort, KY 40601 by the
application deadline. The next cadet class is scheduled to begin in May
of 2012.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:50 PM

BSCTC Industrial Maintenance Program

(Paintsville, KY ) - It's not too late to kick-start your future. If you have been contemplating a new profession or vocation, then Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) is the place for you! Check out the Industrial Maintenance Technology Program (IMTP) at BSCTC. Big Sandy offers the IMT Program on its Pikeville and Mayo Campuses. The BSCTC IMT Program trains students to maintain equipment, buildings and industry structures. Graduates are proficient in a variety of areas that require maintenance of equipment and structures that meet industry standards. The Industrial Maintenance Technology Program is not new at Big Sandy CTC. It has been offered on the BSCTC Pikeville Campus for eleven years. However, with increasing enrollment numbers, Big Sandy CTC has expanded the Program to its Mayo Campus. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that industrial machinery mechanics,
machinery maintenance workers and millwrights held about 408,300 jobs in 2008. Of these, 45,200 jobs were held by millwrights with the largest concentration of workers in manufacturing and construction industries.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:46 PM

Financial Aid Tip

Many sources of financial aid are available to help college-bound students pay higher education expenses, including federal and state grants, scholarships and Federal Stafford and PLUS Loans. In addition, merit-based scholarships and need-based grants are often available at the local level.

All of these programs may help ease the burden of paying for college. However, sometimes these sources are not enough to cover all the costs. When that happens, parents and students may take advantage of private student loans, also called alternative loans.

The interest rate on private loans will largely depend on the borrower’s credit rating, so students and parents may have to pay higher interest rates than they would on federal student loans. In addition, many lenders require students to have a cosigner, and some require the college to certify that the student needs the loan.

Students and parents are encouraged to do research before committing to any loan.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:45 PM

Huntington Man Remains Jailed

{West Virginia}...Michael Fannin, 41, of Huntington, was in court Thursday charged with child abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian leading to the death of 4 month-old Emma Beaty. The girl died from severe head trauma after being taken to a local hospital in May. Police say the girl was injured at Fannin's home at Marcum Terrace in Huntington. Fannin was arrested for allegedly shaking Beaty to death. Bond remains set at $1 million.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:44 PM

Public Defender Under Investigation

{West Virginia}...Kanawha County Public Defender Steven James Conifer is under investigation for prostitution. The Charleston Police Department executed a search warrant on Conifer after April Bird, an Asbury Park, New Jersey detective, contacted them on June 7th saying Confier had been reportedly exchanging instant messages with Windsor Leveille of New Jersey about providing young boys for sexual services. Bird says Conifer sent Leveille a non-explicit photo. The Asbury Police Department subpoenaed records from AOL and Suddenlink Communications which led officers to Conifer and his apartment at 1424 Kanawha Boulevard. Detective Cpl. D.S. Paxton with the Charleston Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division led the search of Conifer’s apartment Tuesday and seized CDs, DVDs, disks, hard drives, a cell phone, lap top and routers.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:41 PM

Police Chase Results In 15 Year Sentence

{West Virginia}...Larry Quickle was sentenced Thursday to up to 15 years in prison on two felony fleeing charges and for the theft of a woman's purse from a shopping cart in Kanawha Mall. In February, Quickle led police on a 110 mile per hour chase on MacCorkle Avenue in Charleston which ended with a wreck at the Patrick Street Bridge. Quickle's attorney said the suspect was trying to shake pursuers so he could hang himself.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:41 PM

Harley Rally Invades Charleston

{West Virginia}...About 3,000 Harley enthusiasts are expected to attend all kinds of events along Kanawha Boulevard during this weekend's rally of the West Virginia Harley Owners Group. Organizers expect the event to have an economic effect of about $1 million in the capital city. West Virginia is one of 48 states that has a rally. Harley Owners Group Regional Manager Bruce Motta says the Mountain State has been recognized for its unique routes and as a great place to ride. The four-day event will allow Harley lovers to enjoy each other's company, listen to music and look at a variety of exhibits before it ends early Sunday morning. People who register at the event on Kanawha Boulevard will have to pay $30, but, if attendees register online, the cost is $25. Closing ceremonies will be held at Haddad Riverfront Park.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:40 PM

Convicted Sex Offender Avoids Trial

{West Virginia}...Convicted sex offender Brett Myers avoided facing trial for allegedly molesting a nine year old girl because prosecutors say her mother refused to cooperate. Prosecutors dropped the charge in a plea deal in which Myers admitted he had failed to register as a sex offender. Myers, who was convicted of third degree sexual abuse in 2007, was immediately sentenced to one to five years in prison. Myers has already been behind bars 16 months awaiting trial. Failure to register carries the same penalty as the improper touching charge linked to the child that was dismissed.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:38 PM

Man Charged After Police Find Guns

{West Virginia}...Tuesday, South Charleston Police Officers were moving a seized Cadillac, registered to Elbert L. Hall, from their garage when they opened the hood to jump-start the battery and found a gray plastic bag wrapped inside a white cloth containing a loaded Glock .22 caliber pistol. The same day, officers spotted Hall driving a different Cadillac west on MacCorkle Avenue and pulled him over when he allegedly made an illegal lane change. Police say Hall threw two plastic baggies with marijuana outside the passenger window. Police searched the car and found another Glock .27 caliber pistol wrapped in a white cloth under the car's hood and $3,000 in separate bundles inside the glove compartment. Hall was charged with felony counts of possession with intent to deliver marijuana and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, along with misdemeanor counts.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:38 PM

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Beshear Requests Major Disaster Declaration

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear has requested a major disaster declaration from President Barack Obama for parts of eastern Kentucky damaged by flooding, high winds and tornadoes that began June 19th. Bell, Breathitt, Knott, Knox, Lee, Magoffin and Perry counties have requested public assistance, while Bell, Breathitt, Knox, Lee and Perry have also requested individual and household assistance. Evaluation teams estimate public sector damages are more than $5.7 million and more than 350 homes and 65 businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed in the storms. One death was attributed to the storms.

A major disaster declaration allows individuals, businesses and governments to seek financial assistance from the federal government for cleanup, repair and replacement of property.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:56 PM

Knox County Fight Leads To Gunfire

{Kentucky}...Larry Harkins is recovering after undergoing surgery at the University of Tennessee Hospital after police say he was shot Tuesday night during a fight with his son in Knox County. The shooting happened at an apartment complex in Barbourville. Barbourville Police say 33 year old Nolan Dewayne Harkins got into a fight with his father, 55 year old Larry Harkins, and, as Larry Harkins attempted to leave, Nolan Harkins shot him in the lower part of his back. Police arrested Nolan Harkins and charged him with criminal attempt to commit murder. He was lodged in the Knox County Jail.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:54 PM

Former Williamsburg Attorney Sentenced

{Kentucky}...U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove has sentenced former Williamsburg attorney 54 year old Ronnie Wayne Reynolds to 27 months for extortion under color of official right. Reynolds will also have to forfeit $199,500 after he admitted conspiring with then-Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge to extort money from people charged with drug crimes. Reynolds' plea agreement indicates he charged the three people a total of $257,000. The U.S. attorney's office says Reynolds admitted making cash payments of more than $57,000 to Hodge so Hodge would refer three individuals charged with crimes to Reynolds. Hodge pleaded guilty in May to his role in the extortion conspiracy and to a drug and money laundering conspiracy and agreed to a 15 1/2-year sentence. He is to be sentenced later.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:52 PM

Former Kentucky Court Of Appeals Judge Dies

{Kentucky}...Former Kentucky Court of Appeals Judge Joseph R. Huddleston died Monday in Hilton Head, South Carolina after a battle with cancer. He was 74. Huddleston was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1991. After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1962, he practiced in Bowling Green for 25 years with his father and brothers before becoming Warren County Circuit Court Judge. He took senior status with the Court of Appeals in 2003 and continued until 2007. A memorial service is scheduled for 1:00 P.M. CDT July 23rd at Christ Episcopal Church in Bowling Green.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:50 PM

Paul Presses Homeland Security Officials

{Kentucky}...During a hearing Wednesday on how suspected terrorists Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, were arrested in Bowling Green in May, were able to slip through the nation's security net and live in the United States. U.S. Senator Rand Paul pressed Homeland Security officials on his concerns about how, despite fingerprints linking one of them to a roadside bomb, the two Iraqi nationals were able to live for several years in his hometown of Bowling Green. Department of Homeland Security officials acknowledged the Bowling Green case highlighted gaps in the screening process that have since been corrected. The Senate hearing also explored how fingerprint database gaffes and visa fraud have further complicated tracking terrorists who travel and live in the United States.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:50 PM

Pulaski County To Bury Unclaimed Body

{Kentucky}...Robert George, whose body has been in the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital morgue for more than three months, will be laid to rest, possibly on Thursday, in the Burnside Cemetery in Pulaski County. George, 72, of Burnside, died of complications from a cerebral vascular accident on March 27th at UK Hospital, but his body remained unclaimed until Fayette Circuit Court Judge Thomas Clark ordered last week the Pulaski County coroner take possession of the body. UK spokesman Jay Blanton said Wednesday that UK does not have a program for handling indigent death cases and is not authorized legally to bury or dispose of a body.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:48 PM

Clay County Man Indicted

{West Virginia}...Bobby Hanshaw of Clay County is scheduled to be arraigned in Clay County Circuit Court Friday morning after being indicted this week on first-degree murder. Hanshaw was arrested in May following the shooting death of Guy Dwier near the community of Procious. State Troopers say Hanshaw was mad at Dwier for allegedly stealing his ATV in 2010 when he shot him at close range with a .30-.30 rifle, killing him instantly. Police says the two men had previous disputes.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:48 PM

Murder Charges Dropped

{West Virginia}...Murder charges have been dropped against a former Logan County School Board member. Sixty-four year old Jerry Godby of Chapmanville was accused of murdering his wife, Delores A. Godby, in mid-May. A complaint alleged the Godbys had been in a heated argument when, at some point, Mr. Godby went into his bedroom closet, retrieved a loaded .38 special revolver, walked past his wife in the kitchen, pointed the gun at her and fired one shot directly into her chest. During a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning, Senior Status Magistrate Judge Marva Crouch found no probable cause against Jerry Godby for the charge he was arrested on.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:43 PM

Huntington Grand Jury Indicts Ohio Man

{West Virginia}...A federal grand jury in Huntington has indicted Derrick George, 29, of Vinton, Ohio, on charges that he embezzled about $19,000 from the Maintenance of Way Employees lodge in Putnam County, a railroad union facility. George was the secretary-treasurer responsible for signing union checks when the embezzlement occurred during the first 11 months of 2009. If convicted, George faces a maximum of five years in prison.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:42 PM

Frasure Creek Mining Permit Hearing Set

{West Virginia}...The Surface Mine Board has held a hearing on the appeal of a permit for Frasure Creek Mining and has scheduled a meeting to discuss the permit again on August 17th. Opponents of the 221-acre Open Fork No. 2 mine near Fayetteville rallied against Frasure's plan Tuesday in Charleston, saying it could disturb some 3,662 acres in an area that has spent two decades turning itself into a popular tourism destination. The site is near the New River Gorge National River and Gauley River National Recreation Area, but the DEP believes neither would be harmed.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:41 PM

Nitro Gaming Parlor Robbed

{West Virginia}...Nitro Police say two black men and a black woman walked into Joli’s, a gaming parlor on Main Avenue, at about 1:15 A.M. Wednesday morning, the men armed with what looked like semi-automatic pistols, and robbed it at gunpoint, taking about $7,000, then fled in a gold-colored sedan. The first suspect is described as about 5’9” tall and 160 lbs., and the second man is described as bigger and heavier, about 6-feet, 2-inches tall and 250-300 pounds. The woman is described as 5-feet, 6-inches tall and 145 pounds.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:36 PM

Affinity Coal Reopens Raleigh County Mine

{West Virginia}...Affinity Coal cut the ribbon on a new operation near Sophia in Raleigh County Wednesday, reopening an old mine which closed in the mid 1980's when the domestic steel market fell on hard times. Improved market conditions are fueling worldwide demand for metallurgical coal, a resources that's in short supply. Affinity is a subsidiary of United Coal which is owned by Ukrainian-based Metvest, the nation's 10th largest integrated steel producer. The company plans to hire 250 miners to run the operation in Raleigh County, which at full production, will mine 1.5 million tons of coal annually. Affinity, which expects to be fully operational in the second quarter of next year, has invested $111 million to restart the old mine which includes construction of a new prep plant. The first trainload of residual coal leftover from the construction work left the mine Wednesday.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:34 PM

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Pike County Mountaintop Development Funding Approved

{Kentucky}...Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne Rutherford received a call Monday afternoon that will bring a mountaintop development plan that has been in the works for years. With approved funding for mountain top development along U.S. 460, officials can proceed with a plan to create hundreds of acres of land for development. Rutherford says, after years of not having any place for the development, it looks like they're going to have over 2,000 acres. Former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton says it's a great development for all of eastern Kentucky and Appalachia. Officials say this project will attract businesses, create jobs and provide housing giving folks an opportunity to move out of the flood plain. The Beshear administration set aside 300,000 dollars for the project. The locations involved include Wolfpit, Jessie Branch, John Moore Branch, Stone Coal, and Wolfpen.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:55 PM

Martin County Mine Accident

{Kentucky}...The man killed in an accident at the Alpha Natural Resources’ Voyager Mine - No. 7 mine near Inez along the Martin/Floyd County line Monday night has been identified as Ryan K. Thatcher, 26, of Magoffin County. Thatcher died of internal head injuries. State investigators say it appears Thatcher was operating a track locomotive pulling two car loads of supplies when the accident happened. The mine is owned by Martin County Coal. This is the third mining fatality in Kentucky this year.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:55 PM

McConnell Criticizes Obama Plan

{Kentucky}...The United States must raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by August 2nd or risk default, an event that the Obama administration and many financial analysts warn could trigger a deeper recession and worldwide financial chaos. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell sharply criticized President Barack Obama Tuesday, saying there is no chance of a bipartisan deal on spending and debt with “this president … in the Oval Office.” McConnell’s plan would allow raising the debt ceiling three times between now and the end of next year. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, says raising the nation’s debt ceiling was the president’s problem, but he did not know if McConnell’s proposal could get through the House. A conservative group, For America, immediately accused McConnell of going too far.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:54 PM

Perry County Murder Case Goes To Grand Jury

{Kentucky}...Sarah Melton appeared in court Tuesday, charged with the attempted murder of her brother, Bill Couch and murder of his girlfriend, Cindy Caudill, which occurred in the Brownsfork Community of Perry County. Melton was charged with murder and criminal attempt to commit murder. Kentucky State Police Detective Chris Collins took the stand, testifying about the interviews and information gathered the night of the June murder. Collins said it appeared a physical altercation between Couch and Melton led to Melton shooting at him and his girlfriend, with a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. The case will go before a grand jury on July 22nd.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:52 PM

Kentucky Man Presumed Drowned

{Kentucky}...Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency spokesman Allen Ricks said Tuesday that 43 year old Robert T. Ward of Hinkle, in southeastern Kentucky, was working on an engine at the rear of a pontoon boat when he went overboard in Norris Lake near the Claiborne County-Union County line Sunday evening and did not resurface. Ricks said Ward wasn't wearing a life preserver when he went in. The body was located early Tuesday afternoon. Ward is presumed to have drowned.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:51 PM

Beshear Seeks "Race to the Top" Funding

{Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear signed an executive order in Frankfort Tuesday that created the Early Childhood Advisory Council. The 26-member bipartisan panel of education experts will be part of a team given the task of securing new federal "Race to the Top" grants for early childhood education. Kentucky could win up to $60 million in the nationwide grant competition called "Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge," aimed at boosting education for children from birth to age 5. Kentucky lost the first "Race to the Top" competition in 2010 but was among the finalists. The deadline to apply is October 15th.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:50 PM

Charleston Man Pleads Guilty To Cocaine Charge

{West Virginia}...Antonio Jeffries of Charleston pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges he intended to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine. Officers with the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team stopped a vehicle near Sissonville, in which Jeffries was a passenger, on May 3rd and found 469 grams of crack cocaine. Jeffries attempted to flee on foot and threw crack cocaine from his pockets while officers pursued him. Police caught up with him and also recovered the crack cocaine he had thrown from his pockets. Jeffries faces up to life in prison and a $10 million fine when sentenced October 6th.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:49 PM

Police Searching For Hit And Run Driver

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police are searching for a hit and run driver who struck 38 year old Candy Mallory from Kenova while she walked along Route 60 near Camden Park sometime after 2:00 A.M. Saturday morning. Senior Trooper D.J. Chapman says the medical examiner confirms Mallory was hit by a vehicle. Police are looking for a 1995 to 1999 model Chevy Cavalier with front end damage.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:48 PM

Three Missing In Mason County

{West Virginia}...The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is searching for Ashley Baird, Jeffrey Crawford, and Tonda Nelson, who are reported missing from from Southside. Jeffrey Crawford and Ashley Baird were last seen on June 18th, the day a fire destroyed their trailer on Jeffers Ridge. Tonda Nelson was reported missing at the beginning of July. Mason County Sheriff's Deputies say all three are believed to be in extreme danger, and they believe their disappearances are very suspicious.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:47 PM

Man Who Sues Over Bath Salts Arrested

{West Virginia}...Jason Vance, 22, a man who is suing four convenience stores for selling him bath salts, was arrested Monday night for allegedly shooting a firearm out of a van window along Little Harts Creek Road in Lincoln County while drunk. When officers stopped the van, Vance told them he drank eight or nine beers. Vances' wife, Kassandra, was also arrested after yelling at officers to release her husband. Vance alleges in his lawsuits that the bath salts caused "mental and social harm."

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:47 PM

Group Protests Frasure Creek Mountaintop Removal

{West Virginia}...Several concerned Fayette County business owners and residents appeared in front of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Kanawha City office Tuesday seeking to stop mountaintop removal at Frasure Creek Open Fork No. 2 in Fayette County. Frasure Creek Mining LLC plans to mine several properties near Page, Kincaid and Beards Fork. Four permits have been approved, and five surface mining permits are pending. The DEP originally granted a permit to Frasure Creek Mining’s Open Fork No. 2 mine in January, but that permit was appealed to the Surface Mine Board, which hosted a hearing July 12th. Authorities with the DEP said a decision could be made within the next few days or weeks.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:45 PM

Huntington Man Accused Of Keying Vehicles

{West Virginia}...Huntington Police arrested 20 year old Brendon Legg and charged him with carrying a concealed weapon and a felony charge of destruction of property after 18 vehicles and one traffic box were keyed early Tuesday morning in the area of Ninth Avenue and 10th Street in Huntington. Sgt. Shawn Bowles of the Huntington Police says Legg’s explanation varied several times as to why he scratched the vehicles, but he initially claimed he has anger issues and acts out when he has them. Legg's bond was set at $25,000.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:42 PM

Monday, July 11, 2011

Paintsville Doctor To Be Arraigned In Pikeville

{Kentucky}...A Paintsville doctor is set to be arraigned next week in Pikeville. An indictment filed Friday against Richard W. Albert, a doctor at a Paintsville pain clinic, alleges he conspired to illegally distribute drugs by writing prescriptions without a real medical need to do so. Investigators say Albert saw dozens of patients a day, issuing them prescriptions for pain pills and other narcotics, with little or no examination at times, while his "pill mill" operation generated a weekly pay of $17,000 to $21,000 in January 2011. The indictment includes a forfeiture count under which the government seeks to take more than $530,000 Albert had in various bank and investment accounts. That money resulted directly or indirectly from his illegal activities, the indictment charges. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:56 PM

Historic Elkhorn City Walking Bridge Closed

{Kentucky}...Elkhorn City Mayor Mike Taylor says the city's historic walking bridge built in 1912 has had little maintenance, rendering it unsafe, so it has been closed until further notice. Summit Engineering is working to get someone to evaluate the structure and see what can be done to save it, but, in the meantime, police will issue fines to anyone caught walking across the bridge while it is closed.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:55 PM

Famed Letcher County Bluegrass Musician Dies

{Kentucky}...Kenny Baker, 85, a Letcher County native who spent many years performing with legendary bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, penned 92 instrumentals and tutored many others, died Friday of complications from a stroke. Baker first picked up a fiddle when he was 5, according to his son, Kenneth Baker Jr. After joining the Navy during World War II, Baker was soon transferred off a destroyer escort ship to entertain troops in the South Pacific. After military service, he returned home to Letcher County, got married, worked in coal mines and played at barn dances on weekends. He started playing the fiddle professionally with country musician Don Gibson in 1953 then went from playing Western swing and dance-band tunes to bluegrass music, performing with Monroe, the father of bluegrass music, beginning in 1957, before returning to Letcher County. He returned to Monroe's Blue Grass Boys band in 1968 and left again in 1984, but he was reunited with the band in 1994 at Monroe's Bean Blossom bluegrass festival.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:55 PM

Williams Calls For NASCAR Investigation

{Kentucky}...Kentucky Senate President David Williams has called for hearings to investigate what he called a“horrendous traffic situation” that left thousands of fans unable to attend the inaugural Quaker State 400 race at the Kentucky Speedway Saturday. Williams says he is going to focus on finding a solution to the problem so Kentucky isn’t embarrassed nationally again. Kentucky Speedway offered a ticket exchange on Monday to fans who were trapped in traffic and missed the track's inaugural Sprint Cup race. State transportation officials quickly blamed the track's parking plan for the traffic tie-up. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Chuck Wolfe says Interstate 71 and its two exit ramps near Sparta were up to the job, but it appears the backups originated because vehicles could not get into the Speedway's parking lots quickly enough after exiting the Interstate.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:54 PM

Bill Calls For Background Checks

{Kentucky}...In Kentucky, nursing homes and assisted-living homes have to conduct criminal background checks only on employees such as nurses, who provide direct care to residents. Last week, Senator Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville, prefiled legislation for the 2012 General Assembly that would require criminal background checks for all long-term care employees. The legislation would prohibit employment by a long-term care center, a nursing facility, or an assisted-living community of anyone convicted of a felony offense related to theft, abuse or sale of illegal drugs, abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult or a sexual crime. Buford says he filed the legislation due to a number of cases in Kentucky in which nursing home employees have taken not only financial advantage of residents but also physical, sexual and emotional advantage of them.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:52 PM

Whitley County Deputies Find Growing Marijuana

{Kentucky}...Twenty-three year old Judith Douglas and 28 year old Timothy Randolph were charged with facilitation to cultivate marijuana over 5 plants Friday after officers with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department discovered 17 marijuana plants growing on their front porch. Randolph was taken to the Whitley County Detention Center, but Douglas was not jailed because a child was present in the home.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:51 PM

Murder Trial Continues For Daniels Man

{West Virginia}...Monday morning, the prosecution resumed its case against 39 year old Christopher Bowling of Daniels after the case was postponed for the July 4th holiday. Bowling is on trial for the January 2010 murder of his wife, Tresa, who was shot in the head after an argument in their home. Bowling claims the shooting was accidental. Bowling's first trial ended in a mistrial due to issues with jurors. During that proceeding, there was testimony that indicated a history of domestic abuse.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:49 PM

Charleston Trial Delayed

{West Virginia}...Garland Murray appeared in court Monday following an arrest last August for his role in the shooting death of Gregory Poole who was found in the front yard of a home on 2nd Avenue in North Charleston in April 2010. His trial date was delayed until October 28th. Deshawne Taylor, who was also arrested and charged shortly after Poole's death, is expected to go on trial August 1st.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:47 PM

Mason County Man Found Dead

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police Corporal B. L. Keefer says 43 year old Renee Gonzales of Gallipolis Ferry was found dead on the porch of his mobile home on Huntington Road, also known as Route 2, by a passerby about 3:30 A.M. Monday morning. Keefer says it appears Gonzales died from several gunshot wounds. The West Virginia State Police and Mason County Sheriff's Office are working the investigation.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:46 PM

Former Red Cross Director Pleads Guilty

{West Virginia}...Samuel Bunner, the former director of emergency services for the Eastern Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross, pleaded guilty Monday to felony embezzlement. admitting he stole more than $30,000 from the organization. Bunner was authorized to put cash on Red Cross debit cards, but instead of giving the cards to disaster victims prosecutors say he would cash out the money himself. Bunner was sentenced to 1-10 years in prison, but that was suspended and he was given five years probation and ordered to back all of the money he took. Bunner will go to jail if he misses any monthly restitution payments to the Red Cross.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:45 PM

Marshall University Football Player Dismissed

{West Virginia}...Marshall University football coach Doc Holliday announced Monday that safety Donald Brown was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. Brown was arrested Monday on a domestic battery charge over an incident Sunday involving his wife and 11-month-old daughter. An official with the Cabell County Magistrate Clerk's office says that Huntington police allege Brown repeatedly struck his wife during an altercation while she was holding the baby, and the baby was inadvertently struck.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:43 PM

Hydraulic Fracturing Opponents Rally At State Capitol

{West Virginia}...More than 100 opponents of hydraulic fracturing rallied outside the state Capitol Monday calling on West Virginia officials to halt its use in the state’s Marcellus shale natural gas field. They want a moratorium in the absence of regulations specifically written for Marcellus shale drilling. The West Virginia Legislature failed to pass a Marcellus rules bill during this year’s regular session. A House-Senate committee is now attempting a compromise measure that could be considered in special session.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:41 PM

Sunday, July 10, 2011

KSP Investigating Pike County School Break-in

{Kentucky}...Kentucky State Police are seeking help in finding the suspects who broke into the Blackberry Elementary School in Pike County late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning of last week. Police say the suspects entered into the school through a library window and stole a safe and two laptops.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:20 PM

Busch Wins Quaker State 400 At Kentucky Speedway

{Kentucky}...Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Quaker State 400 at the Kentucky Speedway Saturday while mileslong rows of vehicles crept along Ky. 35 and Interstate 71 to see the first Sprint Cup race in Kentucky, which drew traffic beyond what was expected. Many sat in traffic for several hours, and some were turned away at the gate because no more parking was available. Bruton Smith, chairman of the track's ownership group, says as many as 20,000 fans didn't get in because traffic was horrendous. Governor Steve Beshear said Sunday he will work with officials at Kentucky Speedway to address the traffic flow and parking problems that left thousands of fans unable to see the race.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:20 PM

Helicopter Crash Kills Kentucky Man

{Kentucky}...Indiana State Police have confirmed the pilot killed in a helicopter crash in far southeastern Indiana Saturday was Joseph Ohnheiser of Sadieville, Kentucky. Police say Ohnheiser was dead when police reached the crash site at about 4:30 P.M. in a wooded area near the town of Rising Sun, Indiana. Ohnheiser took off early Saturday from Georgetown and disappeared from radar at about 9:30 A.M. The crash site was located from the air with the help of the Air Force at about 3:20 P.M.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:17 PM

Amanda's Law Gains Little Traction

{Kentucky}...One year after Amanda's Law took effect, the global positioning system tracking of domestic violence offenders that would alert victims when offenders get too close has gained little traction. Advocates say lack of funding, lack of access to technology and lack of willpower by elected officials is the problem, along with the final version changing the bill's original intent, limiting its effect. Marcia Roth, director of the Mary Byron Project in Louisville, which works to end domestic violence, says a year without much progress should be a wake-up call. Pike Family Court Judge Larry Thompson says, in Pike County, the cell phone coverage needed to operate a GPS tracking system varies wildly, and the county hasn't been able to find a provider for that uniform coverage, so they haven't been able to set up a system.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:16 PM

Kentucky Education Ranks 33rd Nationwide

{Kentucky}...According to a new study by the University of Kentucky, Kentucky has made substantial strides in education during the past two decades and now ranks 33rd nationwide in an index of education performance indicators. The report says Kentucky's ranking on the Index of Educational Progress has risen by more than almost any other state during the past 20 years. In 1990, Kentucky ranked 48th. State Education Commissioner Terry Holliday says the state hasn't tooted its horn enough about the progress that's been made since the 1990s in Kentucky, and, while the state still has a long way to go to catch up with other states, it has made substantial progress.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:14 PM

Alliance Coal Contributions Big In Primary

{Kentucky}...A published report says Alliance Coal employees were among the biggest donors in Kentucky's primary election campaign. Campaign contributions candidates filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance show 10 employees of Alliance, along with their spouses, donated a total of $60,000 to three candidates... Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes for secretary of state, Republican Todd P'Pool for attorney general and Republican David Williams for governor.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:13 PM

Kenova Woman's Body Found Near Camden Park

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police are investigating after the body of Candy Mallory of Kenova, the mother of three children, was found over an embankment near Camden Park just after 10:00 A.M. Sunday morning. Mallory, who had been missing since Friday, was a graduate of Buffalo High School and was studying to be a registered nurse at ITT Tech in Huntington. An area along U.S. 60 East of Camden Park to the floodwall in Ceredo was closed for about six hours while West Virginia State Police investigated the crime scene. State police say her body has injuries similar to those that would have been sustained by someone hit by a motor vehicle.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:05 PM

Huntington Driver Collides With Ambulance

{West Virginia}...Forty-eight year old Travis Martin Fondren was arrested by Huntington Police and charged with DUI, over 0.150, around 10:30 P.M. Saturday night after his vehicle hit an ambulance. Police say Fondren was driving on Hal Greer Boulevard when he tried to turn into the BP gas station and collided with an ambulance.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:04 PM

Boone County Man Slits Dog's Throat

{West Virginia}...James Harold Plogger, 59, of Bandytown, in Boone County, was arrested Saturday night on felony animal cruelty charges. Police say Plogger made a noose and lassoed it around the neck of his neighbor's walker dog while the owner's 13 year old son was taking it for a walk, then pulled the dog over a nearby fence and slit its neck. The dog's owner, Wesley Boggs, says the dog is in stable condition at a Kanawha County animal hospital, but it will need surgery.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:03 PM

Body Found At Fayette County Nightclub

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police were called to Dorthy's Night Moves, a nightclub in Alloy of Fayette County, after an individual was found unresponsive, with a rag stuffed in his mouth, outside the establishment about 9:30 A.M. Sunday morning. Fayette County Sheriffs Deputies were originally investigating the incident as a possible homicide, but, after talking to his family, they learned he had a history of seizures and would put wet rags in his mouth to help him breathe. Until an autopsy is performed, it's unclear if he suffocated or died from natural causes.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:02 PM

Police Investigating Boone County Fight

{West Virginia}...West Virginia State Police Sgt. A.S. Perdue says a total of five victims were injured when attacked with tire irons and metal poles in the Boone County community of Cazy, between Bob White and Bim, Friday night. Police described the fight as a "bloodbath." Perdue says a man drove up to find "his old lady" with a group of men, threatened her and then went and got "backup." One man is still hospitalized.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:59 PM

Appalachian Power Worker Injured

{West Virginia}...An Appalachian Power worker received minor injuries while falling nearly 20 feet Saturday morning. Crews were working to lift a tree on Spring Street in South Charleston, rigging lines from a larger tree to bring down a smaller one. Officials say the weight from the first tree brought down the second, striking one of the booms on a power truck, throwing the APCO worker from the bucket, and ripping an electric meter, junction box and pole away from one home.

# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:58 PM