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Arrest / Clay County 5-3-08
(LONDON, KY.) - On Thursday April 10, 2008 the Kentucky State Police received a report of a copper theft from the Fall Rock Power Substation, belonging to East Kentucky Power Co-op, on US 421 north of Manchester in Clay County.
Trooper Nick Metcalf responded and began an investigation into the incident.
On Wednesday April 16, 2008 Trooper Metcalf arrested Samuel Abner, 31 and Jimmy Abner, 22, both of Manchester and charged them with one (1) count of Receiving Stolen Property over $300 in reference in the incident.
Trooper Metcalf is searching for a third suspect, Sidney Jason Venable, 30, of the Sand Gap Community in Jackson County in reference to the incident.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Venable is urged to contact the Kentucky State Police at (606) 878-6622 or 1-800-222-5555.   
Trooper Metcalf is in charge of the investigation and was assisted by Trooper Donald Wilson.

PRIDE honors Owsley County’s Girl Scout Troop 688
BOONEVILLE, KY — Eastern Kentucky PRIDE announced today that Girl Scout Troop 688 was named the PRIDE Volunteer of the Month for December 2007. The scouts are fourth through sixth graders at Owsley County Elementary School . The troop leaders are Angie Marshall and Tammy Combs.
The Girl Scouts were honored for volunteering 420 hours to clean up their community over the last five years. The girls were Brownies when they first volunteered for the PRIDE Spring Cleanup in 2003. Since then, they have participated in five consecutive Spring Cleanups and Roadside PRIDE events, which are held every October.
Owsley County Fiscal Court awards prizes to Spring Cleanup volunteers who pick up the most litter. Each year, the Girl Scouts place second among the groups that compete.
“They may have been smaller and younger than the groups they were competing against, but that did not stop them from participating, striving to do their best, and taking pride in what they were accomplishing,” said Lucy Burroughs, the Owsley County Solid Waste Coordinator. She nominated the troop for the PRIDE award. “If it was raining, they simply broke out the rubber boots and raincoats and showed up any way.”
“I am extremely proud of this group of young ladies, and their sense of pride in their community,” Burroughs added.
“These Girl Scouts are treasures to their community and our entire region,” said PRIDE President/Chief Executive Officer Karen Engle. “We all can learn a lesson from their selflessness. I thank them and their troop leaders for choosing to care for the environment as one of their many community service projects.”
The troop serves the community in several ways. For example, they collect winter coats for the Owsley County Family Resource Center , adopt a needy family each Christmas, and donate Girl Scout Cookies to the Owsley County Healthcare Center and to local military serving in Iraq .
The PRIDE Volunteer of the Month program recognizes hard work and dedication to the PRIDE initiative. With corporate sponsorship from TECO Coal, WYMT-TV airs commercials about each PRIDE Volunteer of the Month. The 12 Volunteers of the Month are considered for PRIDE’s annual Tony Turner Volunteer of the Year Award.
“Volunteers are the backbone of PRIDE,” said Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, PRIDE co-founder. “We wouldn’t be where we are without our volunteers. More than 230,000 volunteers have helped with PRIDE cleanup and education projects. We want to thank TECO Coal for helping PRIDE give these generous people the recognition they deserve.”
PRIDE links citizens with the resources of local, state and federal agencies to clean up the region’s waterways, end illegal trash dumps and promote environmental education and awareness. PRIDE is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
For more information on becoming a PRIDE volunteer call the PRIDE office at 888-577-4339, visit www.kypride.org or call the Owsley County PRIDE Coordinator Ronnie Callahan at 593-6800.
n 1980 she started doing her hobby for the Central Kentucky Kidney Foundation producing cards and prints.

NEW LAW EASES PAPERWORK FOR CHARITIES WITH LIMITED GAMING
Legislation benefits nearly half of all charitable groups
FRANKFORT , Ky. (July 5, 2007) – Charities that operate only limited gaming for fundraising now have less paperwork, thanks to legislation supported by Governor Ernie Fletcher and passed by the 2007 Kentucky General Assembly. The legislation, House Bill 156, took effect June 26.
"This administration recognized that the reporting requirements for charitable gaming imposed an undue hardship on organizations that conduct limited gaming,” said Tim LeDonne, commissioner of the Department of Public Protection in the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet. “We want to ease the regulatory burden on these volunteer groups while maintaining appropriate fiscal oversight.”
Under the new law, a charity that grosses less than $200,000 a year and that does not have weekly bingo games is required to submit financial reports to the state Office of Charitable Gaming once a year rather than quarterly, as previously required of all charities. This change affects about 350 out of 800 (44 percent) licensed charities.
The new law also expands the Charitable Gaming Advisory Council from nine to 11 members, specifies that the board must have at least one representative from a veteran’s group, a Catholic charity and a volunteer fire department. It authorizes the council to review and be given a chance to comment on proposed changes in regulations governing charitable gaming.
The Office of Charitable Gaming is part of the Department of Public Protection in the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.

OFFICE ON THE MOVE
No more stairs!!  For those of you who have had to climb the stairs at the First National Bank Building during the last six years, to get to the Child Support Office, those days are no more.  As of Monday, May 7th, the Child Support Office is now located at 1149 Main Street, in the former Frank Allen Fletcher building.  During the next month, the remainder of the operations of the County Attorney’s Office that are currently located in the Courthouse, will also move to that location, along with my private law practice.
For the last couple of years, I have been looking for a way to combine all aspects of the office, but a satisfactory location had not materialized until January, when Judge Fletcher took the bench as Circuit Court Judge and decided to sell his building.  I purchased the building in April and have been working on converting it for our use since.  I do feel that the move of all operations of the County Attorney’s Office to this location will make us more efficient in all the phases of the office and definitely provide better service and more accessible service to you, the Citizens of Breathitt County.  It is my goal to continue to find ways to improve our operation and service to you.   
I first took over the Child Support Office as Assistant County Attorney in July 2000, and moved it from the one room in the Courthouse to the First National Bank Building where my private law practice was located.  At that time, the Child Support had one employee and the upstairs location was adequate for us.  However, the Office now has four employees and with much more attention given to enforcement, there is much more traffic than in the past.  This coupled with the office not being handicap accessible, and the difficulty I have been facing since 2003 in having to manage both offices in two different buildings while attending court in a third building, it was quite clear that a change of location was needed.  Also, with the move of the court system from the old courthouse to the new Judicial Center, has made it far less necessary for me to have an office in the old courthouse.  
The phone lines are now operational at the building and the move has facilitated the addition of more phone lines.  Busy signals had become a problem at the former location.  You may now call any of four numbers to reach Child Support and the County Attorney office after it is moved.  They are 666-4400, 666-5927, 666-9816, and 666-3809.  We plan to have an open house sometime around June when the entire move is completed.  However, this will be slowed as Beth and I are expecting our second child to be born during the next week or two.  I will update you on the progress.

NOTICE of RELOCATION
The Breathitt County Division of Child Support office in the First National Bank Building will be closed on Friday, May 4th, and will re-open on Monday, May 7th at the office’s new location at 1149 Main Street, the former Fletcher Law Office.
The Office phone number of 666-5927 will remain the same.

CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT CLAIMS LIFE
On March 5th 2007 at approximately 16:05 hours the Kentucky State Police Post 13 received a 911 call of a construction accident in the Confluence Community of Leslie County.
Joseph Colwell, age 33 of Greenfield, Ohio and others were working on a log cabin, in an attempt to raise the structure. The structure began to collapse and everyone was able to escape with the exception of Mr. Colwell, who was trapped beneath a support beam. Once Mr. Colwell was removed from under the beam he was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Leslie County Coroner. No foul play is suspected and the death investigation continues by Tpr. Loren Holiday.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo Announces Indictment & Arrest of Western Kentucky Respiratory Therapist for Medicaid Fraud
FRANKFORT, KY (December 18, 2006) -   Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced today the unsealing of an indictment following the arrest on Friday of a western Kentucky respiratory therapist on 29 felony counts of defrauding the Kentucky Medicaid Program.  Mark Pierce, age 45, is the owner and sole employee of PSG Consultants, based in Greenville , Kentucky , a provider of durable medical equipment to Kentucky Medicaid patients.  Mr. Pierce allegedly defrauded the Kentucky Medicaid Program by billing for sleep apnea machines that were not provided to eight patients and by billing for more expensive sleep apnea equipment that he provided to 21 other patients.
Because the Medicaid Program requires medical documents signed by physicians before it will pay for sleep apnea machines, Mr. Pierce allegedly forged physician signatures on prescriptions, sleep study reports, and other documents he submitted to the Program.
Each count of the indictment carries a maximum term of five years in prison.
“The fraud committed by this defendant is brazen and unconscionable,” said Attorney General Stumbo. “My office is committed to prosecuting and punishing individuals who steal Medicaid funds by submitting false claims.  These prosecutions are critical if we are to continue to be able to provide desperately needed medical and dental care to Kentucky patients.”
This case will be prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Mary Cartwright and was investigated by Kentucky Bureau of Investigation Agent Kathy Parrish.
Suspected Medicaid fraud or patient abuse can be reported by calling the Attorney General’s tip line at 1-877-ABUSE TIP (1-877-228-7384).


Scenes From Mountain Herb Festival
pic 1- mtn herb festival
pic 2 - linda heller - festival organizer
pic 3 - sweat lodge
pic 4 - authentic teepee
pic 5 - mtn herbal home

"Scout's Honor!"
Something you don't hear much anymore,is "scout's honor...", but it used to be a testimony to the truth. Boy Scout troops are still alive and well all over America, and as proof of that, there has been an award ceremony in honor of three local boys. A "Court of Honor" was held at Upper Beechfork United Methodist Church for Tyler Ratliff, Gage Fultz, and Cody Fultz all of BSA Troop 8. Tyler received his tenderfoot badge, Gage is the recipient of the Star badge and 8 merit badges and membership in the "Order of the Arrow" honor society for scouts, while Cody received his Scout badge,Tenderfoot badge and 2 merit badges. Merit badges are earned in different areas of scouting, some for family life and community services others for outdoor skills such as archery, pioneering, etc. These boys have what it takes to be good scouts, I promise,... "scouts honor!"
In the photo from L-R back row, Asst. Scoutmaster Ronald Strunk,Scoutmaster Richard Mosley and Scoutmaster of the Redbird Troop, Joel Medendorp. Front Row, Gage, Tyler,and Cody.

"Evangelist" Otto Kroning, driving the "message" home!
Few people ride in a hearse more than once...but Otto does it every chance he gets!  The veteran missionary is slowing down a little, after 31 years in the mission fields,in New Guinea,but only to make the curves and obey the speed limits! Dutch born Kroning became a Canadian at 12 years old, then came to the U.S. and attended Bob Jones University at the age of 20. Last week the 70 year old was invited as guest speaker at Pastor Sam Baer's, Grace Brethren Church in Leslie County and Otto and his wife showed up in the "eye catching" 1986 Lincoln. The message on top is simple..."Prepare To Meet Thy God"...and "After Death, The Judgement"... and on the back door..."The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ." One might only have to view the vehicle, for Otto to "drive his message home!"

Photo #1              Photo#2

KENTUCKY’S ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS SCORES HIGH MARKS IN SITE SELECTION MAGAZINE 5-20-06
FRANKFORT, KY – Site Selection (www.siteselection.com), a leading international economic development publication, has ranked Kentucky 4th in the United States for the second year in a row in its 2006 Annual Competitiveness Award.  The benchmark that measures state economic development agencies' competitiveness -- the most important factor in an agency's ability to attract capital investment and expand economic activity in the state -- is regarded by corporate real estate analysts as “the industry scoreboard”.
“States must perform well in 10 criteria related to actual business expansion activity as tracked by our New Plant database,” says Mark Arend, Editor of Site Selection.  “The fact that Kentucky appears near the top of the list each year is evidence that its economic development team is delivering what location decision makers are looking for.”
Open only to state-level economic development agencies, the states were ranked according to an indexing system based on 10 criteria for measuring business-expansion activity that took place in the previous calendar year.  Kentucky has consistently ranked in the Top 10 since the inception of the award in 2003.  
"Kentucky’s economic development achievements are outstanding,” said Governor Ernie Fletcher.  “Our success in attracting new industry to Kentucky as well as helping existing businesses expand is nothing short of remarkable.  The recognition by Site Selection magazine is an honor and tribute to the business climate we’ve cultivated in Kentucky.  Economic Development Secretary Gene Strong and staff are to be commended.”
Categories used to calculate the ranking include per capita jobs and investment numbers for 2005, the number of top metros and micropolitans in Site Selection’s 2005 rankings, rates of growth in new and expanded facilities and ranking in the annual business climate survey.  The indexing system for determining the state rankings is set up to ensure that all states have the same opportunity at competing for the award.
“The recognition of Kentucky’s economic development efforts as a national leader year after year by Site Selection magazine speaks volumes about the hard work and experience of our Cabinet employees,” said Secretary Gene Strong, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.  “Because of the support of Governor Fletcher and the Kentucky General Assembly, our ability to compete for new location and expansion projects continues to be strong.  By strengthening the partnerships we’ve established with the private sector and aggressively pursuing high-quality economic opportunities everyday, we continue to create new jobs and investment in the commonwealth.”
During 2005, 365 manufacturing and or supportive/service companies located or expanded in Kentucky resulting in nearly 16,700 net new jobs created.  Investment was estimated at more than $1.6 billion.  To view the Site Selection article in its entirety, visit www.siteselection.com.

Morgan County ARH Holds Reception
On Friday, April 20, 2006, Morgan Co. ARH held a welcome reception for Tim Hatfield, CCEO and Tariq
Arin, M.D.  Leota Sherman, president of the ARH Auxillary and Local Advisory member served as the welcome speaker. In addition to welcoming these two newest members to the ARH team, State Representative John Will Stacy
grasciously presented Morgan Co. ARH with a check in the amount of $40,000.00 to go towards their diabetes
program.  Also adding that Morgan County ranks 2nd in Kentucky for diabetes related diseases.
Staff members are very excited and look forward to working with Dr. Tariq Arin as well as Mr. Tim
Hatfield.  Dr. Arin joined the ARH team in February 2006 and specializes in family medicine.  Tim
Hatfield, CEO game on board with Morgan ARH last week. Dr. Arin served as Chief Resident of the Family
Practice Residency Program in Toledo, served as house officer at the University of Illinois Hospital and is
a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Mr. Hatfield, formerly of Pikeville is the former CEO of South Williamson ARH, member of the American
College of Healthcare Executives, holds a bachelors degree in Accountine from Pikeville College and a
Masters degree in business from Morehead State. The Morgan Co. ARH staff as well as residents all over
east Kentucky extend a warm and grascious welcome to these outstanding individuals and look forward to
working with them in the future.  Morgan Co. ARH is extremely proud of the ongoing efforts in improvements and progress at their facility and invites the public to their facility to see the ongoing changes taking place.
The Breathitt Shrine Club, located 6 miles south of Jackson on HWY 15 is holding a Soupbean supper
followed by a cake walk and pie auction on April 29, 2006 beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Admission is $5.00 per
person.  All politicials are welcome to come.  Any politician that wants to state his political agenda is
more than welcome to do so.  We look forward to having a good turn out with lots of food and fun for
everyone. 

Kentucky Chapter of IASIU Donates to Trooper Island Camp
On Wednesday, March 29, 2006 the Kentucky chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) presented Trooper Island Camp Director Trooper Craig Sutton with a check for $500.00 to be used in purchasing child identification materials. Trooper Island is planning to start a new project by making identification cards for each camper attending camp beginning this year.
The donation was presented by Bill Botner from State Farm Insurance in London and Pat Claggett of Liberty Mutual Insurance in Louisville. Both are board of directors members with the IASIU Kentucky chapter. The chapter investigates questionable claims filed with insurance companies across Kentucky.
Trooper Island was developed by the Kentucky State Police as part of a long-range program of public service to the youth of Kentucky. The camp hosts more than 700 hundred boys and girls, ages 10-12, during the summer months with no expense to the camper. Trooper Island operates solely from donations and all donations are tax deductible. Trooper Island is located in a secluded corner of Dale Hollow Lake near the Cumberland and Clinton County line.
Photo caption: (L-R) Bill Botner (State Farm Insurance), Trooper Craig Sutton and Pat Claggett (Liberty Mutual Insurance)


COMMONWEALTH CLEANUP WEEK IS MARCH 19-25
Theme is ‘Unbridled Spirit…Beauty Unbound’
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 9, 2006) - The 8th annual Commonwealth Cleanup Week will be March 19-25.  The 1998 Kentucky General Assembly designated the fourth week in March as an opportunity for Kentuckians to participate in “activities that highlight the natural beauty of their communities.”
The theme for this year’s activities is “Unbridled Spirit…Beauty Unbound.”
Nonprofit organizations that conduct cleanup activities in local communities are eligible to win cash prizes. Organizations must register through their local solid waste coordinator and complete a cleanup project to be eligible for the $1,500, $1,000 and $500 prizes, which will be awarded by random drawing.
Winners of a poster contest for Grades K-12 will receive $500 for the classroom or library of their choice. The contest deadline was Feb. 3.
Commonwealth Cleanup Week activities are coordinated by the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet’s Division of Waste Management.  In 2005, more than 31,000 Kentuckians collected more than 89,600 bags of trash from 3,652 miles of road and cleaned 88 dumps.  The division’s goal is to increase the number of participants joining in this year’s efforts by 25 percent.
Additional information including the nonprofit group participation form and a list of solid waste coordinators is available by going online to the division’s Web site -- <http://www.waste.ky.gov> --  or by calling (502) 564-6716 or e-mailing waste.ky.gov  <mailto:waste.ky.gov>


Search uncovers large quantity of pills, guns Fugitive arrested in unrelated case 1-20-06
A large quantity of pills, two guns, and several hundred dollars in cash was seized by law enforcement officials following the search at a Magoffin County home on Wednesday, January 11.
Based upon information obtained by Sheriff Bob Jordan, detectives with Operation UNITE served a search warrant at the Helton Branch Road home of 52-year-old Donald Helton Sr. around 6 p.m. They were assisted by deputies from the Magoffin County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from Kentucky State Police Post 9.
Recovered during the search were 93 Lortabs, 7.5 Methadose tablets, 12.5 Xanax pills, 189.5 Percocets, 80 Dolophine tablets (generic Methadose) and 4.7 ounces of processed marijuana, said Lee Weddington, manager of UNITE’s Big Sandy Task Force. Also found was a Tech-9 9mm handgun, a .22-caliber handgun, $779 in cash, and 2 police scanners.
Weddington said an investigation is continuing with arrests pending presentation of evidence to the Magoffin County Grand Jury.

Fugitive arrested
In an unrelated case, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man sought by Operation UNITE for nearly 10 months.
Richard Short, age 35, was charged with first-degree possession of a controlled substance on Monday, January 9.
Short, whose last address was on Chaffin’s Branch off KY 80 in Garrett, was a suspect in a roundup conducted in Knott County on March 28, 2005, said Mike Luttrell, manager of UNITE’s Kentucky River Task Force.
Luttrell said Short had apparently been staying with his brother, Gregory J. Short, on Rockford Road in Mousie. Gregory Short also faces drug charges stemming from the March 28 roundup.
Richard Short was lodged in the Floyd County Detention Center.

Breathitt Man Missing Since Oct. 24th Found   11-4-05
Mike L. White was found just a couple hundred feet from his home over a small embankment. Mr. White was in a highly vegetated area and was found by a family member. Mr. White, 81, of Lakeside, has been missing since October 24th, 2005. After several searches turned up no clues, everyone was puzzled as to his whereabouts. Cause of death is not known at this time and is pending and autopsy.  The incident is under investigation by the Kentucky State Police and the Breathitt County Coroners Office. Photo Here

Work begins on access road to new school in Wolfe County and related safety improvements on KY 15
Wolfe County- (Sept. 7, 2005) -- Work has begun on a school access and safety improvement project in Wolfe County. A new access road to the new elementary school in Campton is being built, and improvements are being made to KY 15 to ensure safe access to the new school.
"We are pleased to make this safety improvement for drivers in Campton and Wolfe County," Governor Fletcher said. "Whether it's creating access to schools and industry, or initiating safety improvements to save lives, projects on our rural roads are vital to Kentucky's transportation network and the residents of our Commonwealth. Our vision is to provide a safe and reliable transportation system for all Kentucky motorists."
The work involves bridging Swift Camp Creek to provide access to the new school. Improvements to KY 15 will include new lane alignments to better facilitate turns to the new school.
Drivers may encounter delays as the work progresses. Construction on KY 15 will involve trenching and reinforcing the shoulders of the road and resurfacing to accommodate the turn lane, along with necessary striping.
Motorists are urged to use caution in the work areas and to be alert for flaggers; workers; equipment that may block a portion of the roadway; traffic control devices such as barrels, cones or barricades; and other items of concern in work zones. They should pay attention to warning signs alerting them of the roadwork and obey work zone speed limits where applicable.
Jones & Bourland was awarded the low-bid contract for the project at a cost of $526,913.18. Work is expected to be substantially complete by Oct. 3, in time for the new school's opening, although some surfacing work may take place after that date.