Kentucky News

Fire Consumes Knott County Apartment Building

2013-05-21T04:23:00.001-04:00

HINDMAN, Ky. - Fire officials are calling it a total loss. A fire consumed an apartment building Monday afternoon off Highway 160 in Knott County. Despite the damage, no one was seriously hurt.

The building continued to smolder late Monday afternoon, but authorities say the building is under control. They say county police and the sheriff's office will be on the scene making sure the perimeter stays secure throughout the night.

County officials say they have called in the Red Cross to help those displaced by the fire find food, clothing and shelter.

Authorities still do not know what set off the blaze. Investigators have not ruled out arson, although they doubt that was the cause. What they do know is this was a big one.

Anyone left homeless by the fire can contact either the Knott County Human Services Center at (606) 785-4095, or the county judge's office at (606) 785-5592 to get connected to the Red Cross and other relief groups.

Police beginning a week of Memorial Day holiday patrols, focusing on seat belt use

2013-05-21T04:19:00.002-04:00

Kentucky law enforcement officers are beginning a week of traffic patrols for the Memorial Day holiday focusing on making sure motorists are wearing seat belts.

The 2013 "Click It or Ticket" campaign began Monday and runs through June 2.

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety says Kentucky has an 83 percent seat belt usage rate. The national rate is 86 percent.

The office says fatalities on Kentucky roadways last year totaled 746, up from 721 in 2011. It says more than half of those killed were not wearing a seat belt.

The office awarded more than $96,800 in federal funds to 18 state and local police agencies across Kentucky for the seat belt campaign.

Motion to dismiss questions whether taxpayers have standing in Health Benefits Exchange case

2013-05-21T04:17:00.003-04:00

A judge will rule "as soon as possible" on a motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the legality of the Kentucky Health Benefits Exchange that Gov. Steve Beshear created last year by executive order.

Beshear said the Health Benefits Exchange would help uninsured Kentuckians arrange insurance coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Tea party activist David Adams filed a lawsuit claiming that Beshear created the exchange without necessary legislative approval. Adams is asking Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip J. Shepherd to order work on the exchange to cease.

Shepherd held a hearing on the issue Monday morning in Frankfort.

Attorneys for Beshear asked Shepherd to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming that Adams and others who filed the lawsuit lack legal standing to do so.

Prosecutors plan to introduce evidence of Farmer's alleged wrongdoing prior to 2008

2013-05-21T04:16:00.003-04:00

Federal prosecutors say former Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer's "unwarranted sense of entitlement" goes beyond what he's been charged with.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Taylor said in a notice filed in court late Friday that the government intends to introduce testimony and other evidence that Farmer misappropriated and misused public resources before 2008, the last year listed in an indictment.

Because of a five-year statute of limitations, Taylor said Farmer could not be charged with anything that may have happened before 2008.

Farmer was elected agriculture commissioner in 2003 and 2007. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of misappropriating government funds for the benefit of himself, his family and friends.

His trial has been set for Oct. 22.

Pikeville Police Searching for Escaped Inmate

2013-05-21T04:11:00.002-04:00

On May 19, 2013 at approx. 9:09 am, the Pikeville 911 Center received a complaint of an escaped inmate from the Pike County Detention Center. Detention Center personnel advised that Brandon K. Damron 21 y.o. of Meathouse of Kimper had walked away from work detail at the center. If anyone has any information on his whereabouts, please contact The Pikeville Police Department at 606-437-5111.

Fatality In Pike County

2013-05-21T04:04:00.006-04:00

Kentucky State Police at the Pikeville Post received a call Sunday of a single vehicle accident on Big Creek Road in the Big Creek community of Pike County.

Tpr. Michael Hindman, Tpr. Jason McClellan and Appalachian First Response responded to the scene.

Information obtained at the scene indicates that Henry May 44 years old of Sidney was traveling South on Big Creek Road when his vehicle dropped off the right shoulder of the roadway and overturned.

May was pronounced deceased at the scene by Pike County Coroner Russell Roberts.

Two passengers in the vehicle were transported to Pikeville Medical Center with minor injuries.

The accident remains under investigation by KSP Tpr. Michael Hindman.

Boyd County Deputies Bust Nine Meth Labs, Eight In One Home

2013-05-20T04:31:00.003-04:00

One person is in jail, and charges pending for another, after Boyd County deputies bust nine meth labs in Ashland.

Deputies said they got a tip Dwayne Hatten was making meth inside his Ohio Street home. When they got there, they allegedly found eight total meth labs, including one that was active.

Hatten is charged with manufacturing meth and possession of meth precursors. He is currently in the Boyd County Detention Center.

Deputies also busted a meth lab on Dixon Street Friday night.

Investigators said they got a tip Richard Smith was making meth inside the home. They said they found one active lab inside of the house.

Deputies said Smith has not yet been arrested, but charges are pending.

Officers Make Meth Bust At Traffic Checkpoint In Johnson County

2013-05-20T04:30:00.000-04:00

Johnson County, Kentucky, law enforcement officers made a methamphetamine bust while operating a traffic safety checkpoint.

Jerry L. Morman, 45, of Thealka was stopped for not having proper car insurance on Friday in Paintsville, according to a news release from the Johnson Sheriff's Department. Officers believed the suspect was under the influence and failed a sobriety test. After a consented search of the vehicle, officers said they found meth and drug paraphernalia.

Morman was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence and failure to maintain insurance. He was being held at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.

The checkpoint was conducted by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Paintsville Police Department and the Kentucky State Police.

Kentucky Tourism Secretary Marcheta Sparrow retiring at end of May

2013-05-20T04:27:00.002-04:00

A member of Gov. Steve Beshear's cabinet, Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Marcheta Sparrow, is retiring at the end of May.

A statement from Beshear's office on Friday said Sparrow plans to spend more time with her family, pursue new interests and become more involved in her hometown of Harrodsburg.

Beshear's statement said Sparrow began her career as a tour guide at the Kentucky Capitol. She went on to hold management positions at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kentucky Derby Festival and Frankfort Tourism Commission. Before being named secretary in December 2007, Sparrow spent nine years as president and CEO of the Kentucky Tourism Council, now the Kentucky Travel Industry Association.

Beshear credited Sparrow's leadership for recent growth in the economic impact of tourism.

Feds arrest 6 in Ky, charge them with hauling 4,800 pounds of marijuana for sale

2013-05-20T04:26:00.003-04:00

Federal officials have arrested six people and charged them with hauling 4,890 pounds of marijuana to Kentucky for packaging and sale.

In an affidavit unsealed Friday, Drug Enforcement Administration Brian Bester said agents followed the six men using wiretaps and tracking GPS data through Kentucky and Indiana.

Bester said the men, working as part of a drug trafficking organization, had packaged the marijuana in produce containers for cabbage and onions to help mask the odor given off by the illegal drug.

Arrested were Osvaldo Saldivar Avila, Ricardo Saldivar Avila, Jose Alfredo Zavala, Jose Antonio Mora Pizarro, Rafael Garcia Garcia and Raimundo Ramirez.

All six face charges of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana.

Court records did not list attorneys for the men.

Cicadas about to emerge in the Northeast, none in Ky. until 2021

2013-05-20T04:24:00.002-04:00

Kentuckians don't have to worry about an onslaught of noisy cicadas this year, though experts say they're about to emerge in the Northeast.

The cicadas, which take 17 years to come out of the ground, are expected to number in the billions along the East Coast from North Carolina to Connecticut.

But a chart from the website magicicada.org indicates the next cicadas to emerge in Kentucky shouldn't be until 2021, with others to follow in 2025 and 2028.

According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, different broods of cicadas appear every year in the eastern United States.

The museum says there are 20 broods and in the South, some of them take only 13 years to mature.

The cicadas don't bite or sting and provide food for many animals.

Officials Prepare for Memorial Day Weekend on the water

2013-05-20T04:22:00.003-04:00

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. - As Memorial Day weekend approaches, law enforcement officials want to remind folks headed out on the water of some tips to have a fun but safe holiday.

As boaters get ready to hit the water, law enforcement officials are preparing to make sure everyone has a safe holiday weekend.

Officials say one of the main things they will be looking for out on the water is that all children under the age of 12 in a boat traveling above idle speed are wearing life jackets.

They will also be concentrating enforcement on boating under the influence, because officials say about 50% of Kentucky's fatal boating accidents involve alcohol.

This entire week is recognized as National Safe Boating Week.

13 Kentucky families recognized for serving as foster parents

2013-05-17T04:25:00.003-04:00

Thirteen Kentucky families have been recognized for their roles as foster parents to some of the state's most vulnerable children.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services presented awards to the families at a Frankfort reception on Thursday. The cabinet is the agency that oversees the public foster care system.

Nine families received an Excellence in Service Award for outstanding support of Kentucky's families and children. Four families received a Longevity Award for 25 or more years of service.

The families were honored for their dedication and commitment to caring for children in custody of the Department of Community Based Services due to abuse and neglect issues.

Health and Family Services Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes says being a foster parent requires hard work, dedication and limitless love.

About 7,200 children are in out-of-home care in Kentucky.

Kentucky's unemployment rate drops slightly to 7.9 percent in April

2013-05-17T04:23:00.003-04:00

Kentucky's unemployment rate dropped slightly to 7.9 percent in April, down from 8 percent in March.

The state Office of Employment and Training said Thursday that the preliminary April rate was an improvement from the 8.2 percent statewide rate in April 2012.

Kentucky's jobless rate remains above the national rate, which was at 7.5 percent in April.

Manoj Shanker, an economist with the Office of Employment and Training, says Kentucky's employment picture has improved with a steady increase in jobs. That has caused more people to enter the labor force, which he says is keeping the jobless rate fairly flat.

The report says Kentucky's leisure and hospitality sector expanded by 2,800 jobs in April. The state's manufacturing sector gained 2,300 jobs, as did the professional and business services sector.

Man Arrested in W.Va. in Kentucky Death Case

2013-05-17T04:19:00.003-04:00

ASHLAND, Ky. - An Ashland man has been charged in connection with a murder case involving a man whose remains were found after he had been missing last month.

Kentucky State Police said Thursday that 54-year-old James E. McWain was arrested Monday in Charleston, W.Va., and is awaiting extradition. He is charged in Kentucky with third-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence.

Police believe McWain was involved in trying to dispose of evidence related to the death of 29-year-old Christopher M. Frazier of Westwood, Ky.

Frazier was reported missing April 8. His remains were found 11 days later.

Police said earlier that 36-year-old Carlton Gallman of Ashland was charged with murder and that Gallman and 35-year-old Aaron W. Gallion of Ashland were charged with tampering with evidence.

Medical License Suspended for Doctor Arrested on Child Porn Charge

2013-05-17T04:16:00.004-04:00

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. -- The State of Kentucky has suspended the medical license of a Floyd County doctor facing child porn charges.

Dr. Bret Dunning, 50, Dana, Ky., was arrested April 30 and charged with one count of possession of matter portraying a sex performance by a minor.

Troopers arrested Dunning following an online investigation by detectives at the Pikeville State Police post.

The Board of Medical Licensure suspended Dunning’s license to practice medicine on May 8.

According to the incident report, troopers found three images of child porn on a home computer during a search of his residence. The children in the images were reported to be between four and seven-years-old.

Following his preliminary hearing, the case was sent to the grand jury.

Dunning remains on strict home confinement.

Three Accused of Stealing Fire Department’s Credit Card

2013-05-16T04:28:00.003-04:00

NEON, Ky. -- Three people are accused of using a stolen credit card from the Fleming-Neon Volunteer Fire Department.

According to reports, more than five hundred dollars was put on the Fleet One card between December and March.

29-year old Lindsey H. Whitt and 21-year old Joshua W. Bentley are facing various theft and fraud-related charges.

A third person is charged in the case but their name has not been released.

Farmer’s Trial Delayed Until October

2013-05-16T04:25:00.002-04:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Former State Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer's trial will start a later than expected.

The trial was originally scheduled for July, but today a federal judge delayed it until October 22, 2013.

Farmer had requested the trial be delayed until February claiming the case was complex.

However, the judge said delaying it that long would be excessive.

Farmer faces 'federal' charges of misappropriating government resources.

His trial will be held in Frankfort.

Gov. Beshear Launches kynect: Kentucky’s Healthcare Connection

2013-05-16T04:11:00.001-04:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear today announced the launch of public education and awareness efforts for the state’s health benefit exchange, called kynect: Kentucky’s Healthcare Connection.

Kentuckians can visit the website at kynect.ky.gov to learn more about the program, which is expected to help more than 600,000 uninsured Kentuckians get coverage through private insurance plans or Medicaid and the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP).

“When I issued an executive order last year creating a state-based health benefit exchange, I did so to ensure that our health benefit exchange would be designed to best meet the unique needs of Kentuckians,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today I am pleased to introduce kynect: Kentucky’s Healthcare Connection to the state. Individuals, families and small businesses will be able to use kynect for one-stop shopping to find health coverage and determine if they are eligible for payment assistance or tax credits to help cover costs.”

Open enrollment for individuals seeking to purchase insurance through kynect begins Oct. 1 and runs through March 31, 2014, with coverage beginning as soon as Jan. 1, 2014. Open enrollment for small businesses also begins Oct. 1, but businesses with fewer than 50 employees will be able to choose to enroll employees in plans offered through kynect at any point after that date.

During open enrollment, Kentuckians will be able to compare and select health insurance plans and discover if they qualify for programs like Medicaid and KCHIP by using the kynect website, a toll-free contact center, a mail-in application or in person.

With kynect, individuals will find out if they qualify for payment assistance and special discounts on deductibles, copays and co-insurance. Small businesses will be able to use kynect to enroll their employees in health plans, and businesses with fewer than 25 employees may qualify for tax credits by using kynect.

The Kentucky Office of the Health Benefit Exchange (KHBE) within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) will oversee the operations of kynect. The KHBE was created by an executive order Gov. Beshear issued in July 2012, as part of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) requirement for a health benefits exchange to be active in each state by the end of this year. KHBE currently is funded through federal grants, and is required to be self-sustaining by 2015.

“Starting today, we are undertaking a major education and awareness campaign to ensure that all uninsured Kentuckians understand how kynect can help them and their families find affordable health coverage,” said CHFS Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes. “In the coming months, kynect staff will be attending community events, adding more information to our website, and opening up a toll-free hotline. We want everyone to know a healthier future for Kentucky is on the way and where to go to apply when open enrollment arrives.”

Through kynect, all Kentuckians will have access to available elements of the ACA, including:

· No one can be denied coverage due to a pre-existing health condition or lose coverage because a family member gets sick;

· Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging women more than men for the same coverage; and

· Children will be allowed to stay on their parents’ health insurance plan until they reach the age of 26.

“We are very excited about the launch of kynect and open enrollment this fall,” said Carrie Banahan, executive director of the KHBE. “In addition to the peace of mind and better health that comes with quality health coverage, individuals and businesses with fewer than 25 employees may be eligible for premium assistance and tax credits by using kynect to purchase health insurance.”

For more information visit: kynect.ky.gov.

Mining Permits Issued

2013-05-16T04:09:00.002-04:00

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A federal appeals court is refusing to block a federal permit

for a West Virginia coal mine that was challenged by environmentalists.

A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that a federal

judge was right to rule that the Army Corps of Engineers did its job when it granted

the permit under the Clean Water Act. The permit was for Virginia-based Alpha

Natural Resources' Highland Reylas surface mine in Logan County.

The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and others had challenged the permit, saying

it would cause irreparable harm to 2 ½ miles of streams.

The corps said it anticipated no such effects when it issued a water pollution

permit. The court agreed that the agency thoroughly evaluated all evidence before

making its decision.

Free GED Testing

2013-05-16T04:07:00.002-04:00

The GED test can be taken for free in Kentucky for the next few weeks.

Kentuckians who take the high school equivalency test between Wednesday and July 31

will have their fee of $60 to $120 paid by Kentucky Adult Education.

Reece Stagnolia, vice president of Kentucky Adult Education, urged students to get

started on the GED as soon as possible to avoid possibly having to start over again

next year.

To earn a GED, students must pass five test segments. Kentucky Adult Education says

there are 16,000 people in Kentucky who have taken parts of GED test but have not

completed it.

In January, all scores will expire because a new GED test is being implemented.

Gov. Beshear signs bill to ramp up Career, Technical Education in Kentucky

2013-05-16T04:05:00.002-04:00

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear today ceremonially signed House Bill 207 that unites the state’s two Career and Technical Education (CTE) systems under the guidance of Kentucky’s Department of Education. The goal is to create a unified, more relevant and efficient system to educate and prepare students for the world of work in a real-life setting.

“Our students need an education system that provides job-training and learning opportunities that will prepare them with the skills today’s businesses require,” said Gov. Beshear. “Recognizing the valuable role that CTE plays is an essential part of building a viable, competitive workforce.”

The legislation, which codifies an executive order signed by Gov. Beshear in August 2012, is part of a larger effort to prepare students for a wider range of career options through high-quality CTE programs. There is a statewide movement to make these programs more accessible earlier, more academically rigorous and better aligned with postsecondary requirements and employer needs.

For example, the Kentucky Board of Education has adopted a college and career readiness measure that includes an academic component and a technical skill component. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) offers dual credit opportunities so that high school students can earn college credit. Kentucky provides funds from the Carl D. Perkins CTE Basic Grant to encourage secondary and postsecondary institutions to develop innovative career pathways.

“Career and technical education directly connects learning and jobs for our students and provides them with engaging real-world opportunities so that they can transition to higher education or employment with ease,” said Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. “This move is a key strategy in our efforts to ensure college and career readiness for all students.”

The legislation also establishes a CTE Advisory Committee that will provide guidance in the design and implementation of programs that give all students the best possible opportunity for career preparation in a unified system.

“House Bill 207 places career and technical education in the Kentucky Department of Education where it will receive the emphasis it should,” said Rep. Wilson Stone, of Scottsville, who sponsored the bill. “No function of our public schools is more important than seeing that our young people are being prepared for successful careers as they grow into productive adults.”

“Providing our students with quality access to career and technical school education effectively combines our state’s teaching efforts with job creation,” said Sen. Mike Wilson, of Bowling Green. “I am hopeful that the overhaul of our career and technical education system, initiated through the Governor’s Executive Order last year and implemented through HB207’s passage, will provide enhanced opportunity for our students to continue their higher education at in-state colleges and universities, and will further our mission to improve Kentucky’s economic growth.”

“Higher education has been and continues to be a cornerstone in developing our economy and improving our workforce,” said Rep. Jim DeCesare, of Bowling Green. “Bowling Green has reaped the benefits of having outstanding colleges and universities like Western Kentucky University, and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. It is my hope the reorganization of our community and technical community college system will spur continuing efforts to increase the number of Kentuckians with college degrees, and lead to more growth in our business community.”

“This legislation is a logical step forward for career and technical education, and it will better ensure that our students have what they need to succeed,” said Rep. Jody Richards, of Bowling Green. “It’s easily one of the most important education laws we passed this legislative session.”

The signing ceremony was held at Western Kentucky University’s Small Business Accelerator in the Center for Research and Development. The Small Business Accelerator provides clients with business support services and community resources to help them survive and grow during the start-up period. It is currently home to 17 technology-based businesses.

Seven Coal Mines to Open In Pike County

2013-05-15T11:56:00.003-04:00

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- New High Ridge Mining announced plans Wednesday to open seven deep mines in Pike County.

The company is owned by long time coal operator Bill Smith, who is a former vice president of Sidney Coal.

Smith says in a news release that the mines will be located across Pike County in Big Creek, Johns Creek and Pond Creek. He says each of the mines is set open with 36 employees.

The hiring process is expected to begin soon and will conducted by the Office of Employment and Training in Pikeville.

According to a news release, Smith began making preparations for his new operation some time ago by leasing 100 million tons of Pike County coal in the Alma, Pond Creek and Cedar Grove seams and by securing the necessary permits that are required to begin production.

Smith also says most the coal that will be mined will be exported to China.

According to Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, “The short term economic outlook for coal seems dismal, but due to the growth taking place in Asia, coal is needed to sustain it, making the long term outlook for Eastern Kentucky coal rather bright. Local coal operators such as Bill Smith possess the experience and knowledge to begin healing our ailing coal industry and the local economy. Due to Mr. Smith’s foresight, over 250 jobs are expected to be added in Pike County, which is the first step in the healing process and bringing back our signature industry.”

The Office of Employment and Training is at 138 College St. in Pikeville and can be reached at 606-433-7721 or by e-mail at trina.allen@ky.gov.

Farmer's attorney has special requests

2013-05-15T04:30:00.004-04:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The attorney for former State Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has some requests for prosecutors.

Defense Attorney Guthrie True wants prosecutors to turn over all documents that might be used against Farmer in his upcoming federal trial.

He wants all criminal records of any potential government witnesses.

True filed those requests with the judge.

Farmer is charged with misappropriating government resources.

Abuse Panel To Issue First Report This Year

2013-05-15T04:28:00.003-04:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A panel appointed by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to review cases of severe child abuse and neglect says it expects to issue its first report later this year.

The Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel began meeting last November after Beshear created it through an executive order.

As part of its responsibilities, the Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel is required to issue an annual report that includes suggestions for changes that could improve child welfare.

Panel Chairman Judge Roger Crittenden said he expects to have a draft report done in September and a final report that would be issued in December.