| Breathitt Online News Archived Page #4 |
| Local Woman escapes serious injury 7-26-02 Breathitt County, Ky. A local Breathitt County Woman, Mrs. Sandy Hamblin, escaped serious injusry when he car began to skid in the middle of a curve. The car hit the embankment, flipping up on it's top before coming to a rest. The roof of the vehicle was smashed down dangerously close to the drivers head. A National Company has Moved to a Southeastern Ky. Town Corbin, Ky. 7-31-02 A national company has moved into one Southeastern Kentucky town, bringing several hundred jobs with it. NCS Pearson, along with Hal Rogers and Corbin City Mayor Scott Williams, held a ribbon cutting ceremony at it's new location in Corbin. NCS Pearson will assist customers inquiring about immigration services and benefits. City officials say NCS could employ as many as one thousand people in the next couple of years. Patton invites public to join 'Tribute to Freedom' on Sept. 11 FRANKFORT, Ky. 8-1-02 - On the anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, Gov. Paul Patton will hold an hour-long, public remembrance in Frankfort at the Farnham Dudgeon Civic Center called the "Governor's Tribute to Freedom." The event will be held at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and will feature music, remarks and special remembrances. "This day will allow the citizens of the Commonwealth to join our fellow Americans as we express our deepest sympathy in mourning the losses of Sept. 11," Gov. Patton said. "We must pay tribute to the innocent victims and the everyday heroes: our military, police, firefighters and public servants people from all walks of life." Kentuckians are encouraged to participate in this state observance or in their local city or county event, Patton said. The Frankfort event will include the Army National Guard Band, the First Christian Church Bell Choir, the Kentucky State University Concert Choir, the Kentucky State Police Honor Guard, Gov. Patton and other speakers and entertainers. The event is free and open to the public. Parking will be available in downtown parking garages, nearby parking lots and along the street. For those citizens who might get to the event early, the Army National Guard Band will start playing at 11:30 a.m Ca. Girls found, and Kidnapper Killed LANCASTER, Calif., Aug. 1 — Two teenage girls snatched at gunpoint from a remote lovers’ lane Thursday were raped but were rescued alive 12 hours later when sheriff’s deputies closed in on the suspect’s car 100 miles away and shot him to death. THE GIRLS — Tamara Brooks, 16, and Jacqueline Dyer, 17, also known as Jacqueline Marris — were found on the White Blanket Indian Reservation near Lake Isabella in Kern County, sheriff’s officers said. California Attorney Gen. Bill Lockyer said on CNN’s “Larry King Live” that the girls had been raped. News organizations generally do not identify rape victims, but the girls were publicly identified before it became known that they had been raped. They sobbed after their rescue and were bandaged for what appeared to be minor injuries before they were taken to Kern County Medical Center in Bakersfield for a checkup. Hospital administrator Peter Bryan said the girls were “coherent, awake, alert,” but he would not discuss their condition. Sheriff’s Cmdr. Chris Davis told MSNBC TV that the suspect, identified as Roy Dean Ratliff, 37, of Rosamond, was killed. Ratliff, who Davis said was known to Kern County deputies, was wanted on five counts of sexual assault dating to October, when he was charged with raping his 19-year-old stepdaughter. Under California’s “three-strikes” law, he faced life in prison if convicted. Authorities in California and Nevada said Ratliff was also wanted in Las Vegas in connection with a carjacking. VEHICLE CRASHES MILES AWAY The girls were rescued after a short pursuit that ended when the sport utility vehicle in which they were taken veered off the road and crashed, Davis told MSNBC’s Dan Abrams. Two deputies “approached the vehicle, and one of the deputies spotted something that caused him to use deadly force,” Davis said. “We were able to rescue the two females from the vehicle.” Davis would not say what the deputy spotted. In any event, “he wasn’t somebody we were going to take any chances with,” said Davis, who said he did not know whether Ratliff returned fire. Kern County Sheriff Carl Sparks said he was certain that Ratliff was minutes away from killing the girls and had chosen a remote location in the high desert. “He was hunting for a place to kill ‘em and bury ‘em,” Sparks said on the CNN program. “He already raped them, and there wasn’t anything left to do. “When he saw the three helicopters in the air, he said. ‘I gotta get rid of these girls,’ and he certainly wasn’t going to drop them at the post office.” Public Assistance Needed to Identify Suspect in Assault (FRANKFORT, Ky.) 8-2-02 -The Kentucky State Police Frankfort Post request the public's help in identifying an individual involved in events that occurred on westbound Interstate 64 near the 48 mile marker. Around midnight, Friday, August 02, 2002, an unidentified male displayed a blue light on his dash and caused a female driver to pull over. The suspect approached the female's vehicle and requested her operator's license and registration. The male was not in a uniform and did not identify himself as a member of any specific law enforcement agency. The suspect requested that the female exit the vehicle, which she did. Upon exiting the vehicle, the suspect attempted to assault the female. The victim was able to defend herself and escape on foot. The suspect is described as a white male, late 30's or early 40's, with short dark hair. The male subject is believed to be about 5' 5" tall weighing approximately 160-170 pounds. The suspect had a thick mustache and long fingernails and spoke with what appeared to be a high pitched voice. The suspect was last seen wearing blue jean shorts with fringe and a white t-shirt that appeared to be too small for the suspect. The suspect is believed to be operating a light brown late 80's model hatchback with square headlights, no grill and no passenger side mirror. Anyone who may have information regarding the incident, or the possible identification of the suspect are encouraged to contact the Kentucky State Police at 1-800-222-5555. A sketch of the suspect is available online at www.kentuckystatepolice.org. The investigation into the incident is continuing by Det. Greg Wolfe, Frankfort Post. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 8-5-02 Frankfort, Ky. "You Drink & Drive. You Lose" in Kentucky is a comprehensive impaired driving prevention effort focused on highly visible traffic enforcement efforts to deter impaired driving. Impaired Driving is a Crime that Kills more than 16,000 people and injures nearly 305,000 people every year in the United States. Last year there were 5,853 alcohol-related traffic collisions in Kentucky. The Kentucky State Police Governor's Highway Safety Program will coordinate enforcement efforts with local law enforcement agencies statewide to conduct traffic safety checkpoints and saturation patrols in high crash locations. An intense public information and education campaign will run concurrently with the enforcement blitz to inform the motoring public of the consequences of impaired driving. The enforcement blitz period runs from August 22 through September 3, 2002. The goal of the You Drink & Drive. You Lose Impaired Driving Campaign is to reduce impaired driving and save lives. Kentucky Observes Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Aug. FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 29, 2002) - Governor Patton will proclaim August Breastfeeding Awareness Month in Kentucky. The month's theme will be "Breastfeeding: Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies." "Breast feeding helps both mothers and babies. Not only is it the world's best and most natural food for babies but it also protects mother and child against diseases," said Department for Public Health Commissioner Rice Leach. Kentucky Breastfeeding Awareness Month and World Breastfeeding Week (observed worldwide Aug. 1-7) are aimed at increasing public awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is well-recognized as one means of protecting, promoting and supporting the health of infants and young children. The composition of human milk is unique and provides significant benefit to mothers and infants. Studies show that women who breastfeed enjoy decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, anemia and osteoporosis. Human milk provides the optimal mix of nutrients and antibodies necessary for each baby to thrive. Research shows that breastfed infants have fewer and less serious illnesses and allergies, including reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, some childhood cancers, diabetes and obesity later in life. Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. To achieve this goal, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Thereafter, infants should receive adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to the first year of life or beyond. The mothers benefit directly from breastfeeding through its reduction of overall potential fertility, reduced risk of postpartum hemorrhage, breast and ovarian cancer, and anemia. Research has shown that breastfeeding can boost the mother's immune system, provide a faster recovery from childbirth and protection from brittle bones. In an effort to increase breastfeeding rates the Kentucky Department for Public Health's Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program applied for and was awarded one of eight grants from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services. The grant funds will be used to develop and implement a comprehensive community-based breastfeeding promotion and support plan in the area of the state with the lowest breastfeeding rates. The funds from the grant will provide training for health professionals, establish coalitions, develop mother-to-mother support groups and develop a media campaign to promote breastfeeding. Governor's Minority Contractor Training Program Receives Funding FRANKFORT, KY 8-1-02--Governor Patton announced, today, the “Governor's Statewide Minority Contractor Training Program.” A 16-week program designed to help women and minorities compete and become successful in the public, private and state's procurement process and contracting arena. Knowledgeable instructors and established contractors teach business and contracting-skill development. The contractors serve as mentors to the participants and provide entry into trade associations they represent The contractor participants are assisted with the business planning process, securing financing and marketing opportunities. Demonstrations of successful methods of partnering with majority companies and networking with contractor organizations are part of the training program. Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Gene Strong has given $10,000 for the first training. Program funding sponsorship requires participation by state government, banking and other sources. Lexington is the first of three sites that will offer the training. Applications for admission to the program will be accepted until September 12, 2002 and can be obtained by calling 859-257-7666. Orientation for the Lexington training is set for September 26 with classes to begin on October 3. More detailed information about the Governor's Statewide Contractor Training Program is available by calling 1-800-928-3079. State levies fines of $17,500 in second round of “prompt pay” violations FRANKFORT, Ky 8-1-02– Five insurance companies have been fined a total of $17,500 for violations of the state’s “prompt pay” law, the Kentucky Department of Insurance announced today. Companies fined for noncompliance with the law were Aetna Life Insurance Company, American National Insurance Company, Great-West Life and Annuity Insurance Company, National Foundation Life Insurance Company and Trustmark Insurance Company. Aetna Life and Trustmark were among the companies fined earlier this year for noncompliance. According to data available to the DOI, 43 companies were found to be in compliance with the standards for this reporting period. The law requires that “clean claims,” those properly submitted by providers, be paid within 30 days of receipt. The only exception is the payment of claims associated with organ transplants which must be paid within 60 days. In addition, the law establishes interest penalties for late payments. Claims paid between 31-60 days are subject to an annual interest rate of 12 percent; claims paid between 61-90 days, 18 percent, and those over 91 days, 21 percent. To be in compliance, an insurer must demonstrate in every quarter that at least 95 percent of clean claims and 90 percent of the total dollar amount paid for clean claims are paid within the 30-day time period. Insurers failing to meet these standards are subject to a fine at the discretion of the insurance commissioner. The fines announced today are based on fourth quarter 2001 reports filed by insurers with the Department of Insurance. In May 2002, the Department fined seven companies a total of $27,000 based on third quarter 2001 reporting. Father kills daughter, then turns gun on self after police stop By KRYSAL ROARK Sun Staff Writer 8-5-02 A Winchester woman and her father died Tuesday night after the man apparently shot his daughter outside Wal-Mart, Bypass Road, then turned the gun on himself on a county road. Winchester police said Susan Combs, 22, Oxford Drive, was leaving work at the Wal-Mart pharmacy about 9 p.m. Tuesday when she was gunned down by her father, William Combs, 60, Main Street, in the parking lot on the west side of the building. Capt. Ken Donta said several shots were fired. One bullet, according to Clark County Coroner David Jacobs, hit Ms. Combs in the upper chest. Jacobs said Ms. Combs was taken to Clark Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room a little after 10 p.m. After talking to witnesses, Donta said both city and county law enforcement officers were looking for a green minivan believed to be driven by Combs. Donta said a Clark County Sheriff’s deputy spotted the van at 10:47 p.m. traveling north on the Muddy Creek Road just outside the city limits near French Avenue. “The vehicle was brought to a halt (by law enforcement officers) before it entered the city of Winchester,” Donta said, explaining Combs had refused to pull over. He said as the vehicle was coming to a stop or just as it stopped Combs shot himself in the head with the 9 millimeter handgun investigators believe he used to kill his daughter. According to Jacobs, Combs was pronounced dead at the scene at 11 p.m. Donta said Combs’ whereabouts are unaccounted for from the time he left Wal-Mart until the time he was spotted on the Muddy Creek Road. “We don’t know where he went,” he said. Donta said the initial report received by police at 9:12 p.m. claimed there might have been a second subject involved in the shooting at Wal-Mart. “That’s still under investigation,” he said, noting Combs was found alone in the van on the Muddy Creek Road. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the deaths, but Donta said he is awaiting autopsy results. He said an exact motive for the shootings has not been determined yet. “Not a for-sure one,” Donta said. Wal-Mart spokesman Tom Williams, Bentonville, Ark., said this morning counselors will be brought in today to speak to store associates. “It’s been very hard on the associates in the store,” he said. Williams said Ms. Combs left her shift as a pharmacy technician after saying goodbye to friends and walked to her car with a friend. He said at that time he understood that someone drove up to her vehicle, got out and began shooting. “She ran a bit back towards the building and collapsed,” he said. Williams said a “Code Brown” for shooting was announced through the store’s loudspeaker after the shots were heard. “We notified police immediately,” he said. Williams said Ms. Combs was close to the people she worked with, noting she had been employed at the pharmacy for the last two years. “This is very unfortunate and very sad.” Man Shot During Primary Season Shot Again 8-5-02 MANCHESTER, Ky. (AP) - An eastern Kentucky man who was injured in a shooting during Clay County's primary election season survived another shooting over the weekend. Billy Roland Phillips, 62, of Manchester, was treated at the Manchester Memorial Hospital and later released, said Craig Sutton, spokesman for the Kentucky State Police in London. The alleged shooter, Harold Wayne Collins, 49, of Manchester, was charged with assault and lodged in the Clay County Jail. Phillips was shot several times on May 19, the same day that Clay County Clerk Jennings White and his Republican primary opponent, Fred Thompson, reported being shot at. Phillips, a private investigator, had been investigating White's background for the Thompson campaign. Thompson went on to win the primary. Sutton said investigators will look for any connection to the previous shootings. "I'm not saying this is related, but any similarities will be looked at," Sutton said. Sutton said Phillips was shot about 3:20 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Horse Creek Baptist Church. Sutton said Phillips and Collins were arguing just before the shooting. Sutton said he doesn't know what the argument was about. In the May shooting, Phillips was shot six times while turning his vehicle around on Kentucky 80. A passing motorist rushed him to Manchester Memorial Hospital. He was then transferred to the University of Kentucky Medical Center where he discharged the next day. Sutton said investigators still have no leads in that shooting KSP Graduates 51 new Troopers 8-3-02 FRANKFORT, Ky.The Kentucky State Police Academy commissioned 51 new troopers during graduation ceremonies held today at the Farnham Dudgeon Civic Center in Frankfort. With their addition to the force, the agency boosts its strength to a total of 958 sworn officers serving the citizens of the Commonwealth. In awarding the diplomas, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Patrick N. Simpson praised the dedication and perseverance of the cadets during their 22-week training period. "By completing this program, these men and women have achieved an admirable goal. They've made a conscious choice to serve the people of Kentucky. I welcome them to the department and look forward to their contributions to our mission of promoting public safety through service, integrity and professionalism." The honorable James Keller, associate justice, Kentucky Supreme Court, District 5, administered the oath of office to the cadets. Judge Sara W. Combs, Kentucky Court of Appeals, 7th District, 1st Division, delivered the commencement address. The graduates include two females, one African-American male and one Hispanic male. About a third of the class are former police officers. Several members of the class earned special recognition including valedictorian Timothy Sales of Murray, Ky., salutatorian James Leathers of Greenville, S.C. and overall fitness award winner Chad Winn of Bowling Green, Ky. Shawn Darby of Nicholasville, Ky. received the Ernie Bevins Award, an honor presented to the cadet who, in the opinion of the Kentucky State Police Academy staff supported by input from the cadets themselves, distinguishes themself as a class leader, strives for academic excellence and has excelled in all phases of the academy's physical and vocational training. Mo. Man Charged in Girl's Death Sun Jul 28, 4:41 AM ET By JIM SUHR, Associated Press Writer VALLEY PARK, Mo. (AP) - A transient was accused Saturday of abducting, trying to rape and ultimately slaying a 6-year-old girl who he allegedly snatched from her father's home. St. Louis County warrants charge Johnny A. Johnson, 24, with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, kidnapping and attempted forcible rape in Friday's killing of Cassandra "Casey" Williamson, who vanished from the home where Johnson had spent the night as a guest. Cassandra's body was found blocks away at an abandoned glass factory where police say Johnson sometimes slept. Johnson told police the girl's location, investigators said. Johnson was held without bond Saturday in the St. Louis County Jail in Clayton. It was not immediately clear when he would make his first court appearance. An autopsy Saturday showed Cassandra died after being hit by a blunt object, St. Louis County Police Maj. Jerry Lee said, but he refused to give details. He said tests to determine whether the girl was sexual assaulted were pending. Police Chief Ron Battelle told NBC's "Today" show Saturday that Johnson confessed to the slaying. He declined to comment on a motive. Battelle said Johnson was the last person seen with Cassandra, and he was seen carrying her piggyback down the street Friday. "We took him to our station and began interviewing him at that point in time, and as they went on he admitted to his involvement in the murder," Battelle said. A police news release on the charges against Johnson did not specify how Cassandra died, saying only "detectives from our agency were able to build a strong case against (Johnson)." "We're basically not releasing anything beyond the news release," said Mason Keller, a St. Louis County police spokesman. Johnson spent the night at a home shared by Cassandra's father, Ernie Williamson, and a roommate. Johnson had stayed up drinking with the roommate, the father said. Ernie Williamson and Cassandra's mother, Angela Williamson, had separated but still spent some nights together. Ernie Williamson said he had only known Johnson a few days, and that Johnson was sleeping on the couch Friday morning. Authorities said Cassandra was in the kitchen about 7:30 a.m. with her father. Williamson said he was about to pour his daughter a bowl of cereal and left the room briefly to go the bathroom. When he returned, the girl, barefoot and dressed in a white nightgown, had disappeared. The father said Johnson was also gone. About a half-hour later, Williamson said, Johnson returned to the house, wet and muddy, and said he had been swimming in the nearby river. Police began questioning him after he returned. A parent's worst nightmare: Are child abductions on the rise? National News Wed Jul 24, By Steve Irsay, Court TV First, it was the faces. Smiling in school photos and candid family snapshots, they were splashed across breaking reports and front pages around the country. Then, the names: Danielle, Elizabeth, Samantha, Erica. Their stories were painfully familiar. The recent highly publicized cases of abducted little girls, from California to Philadelphia, seem to suggest that the insidious crime of child abduction and murder is on the rise. But while the stories have recently dominated cable news coverage and have been splashed across the front pages, the cases of Danielle, Elizabeth and the others remain the exceptions in child abductions, according to researchers and advocates. It's every parent's worst fear: a dangerous stranger snatches their child. However, the vast majority of missing children are not kidnapped at all. They are runaways and throwaways, kids who leave and don't come back or are told not to come back, according to a 1990 study by the U.S. Justice Department ( news - web sites). Of the remaining cases that are considered abductions, some 350,000 each year, are committed by family members as part of a custody dispute. In a country with some 59 million children, abductions by a stranger are perhaps the most terrifying of crimes. But they are also the rarest. There are about 114,600 such stranger abductions attempted each year, and about 3,200 to 4,600 or around 4 percent, are successful, according to the study. Of those, an even smaller fraction, about 200 to 300, are what the FBI ( news - web sites) calls "stereotypical" kidnappings, where a child is gone overnight, transported over some distance, intended to be kept by the perpetrator or even killed. These incidents make up far less than 1 percent of the total stranger abductions. The numbers of these cases are small and getting smaller despite the recent publicized incidents, according to FBI statistics. In 2001, agents investigated 93 cases of abduction by someone outside the family. That is a decline from the 115 cases reported in 1998, when such statistics were first kept. The recent media attention on the cases of Danielle van Dam, Elizabeth Smart, Samantha Runnion, and most recently, Erica Pratt, who made a daring escape from her captors Tuesday, has heightened the public awareness of child abductions even though most experts agree there is no current epidemic. Some suggest that while the number of cases may not have changed, their nature has and this shift has drawn the extra attention. Miners rescued in Pennsylvania 7-28-02 Somerset, Pennsylvania "If you were to see any of these guys on the street right now, you would not know they were trapped in a cavern full of water for three days," said Dr. Russell Dumire of Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, where six of the nine miners were taken. Dumire said he saw no evidence of post-traumatic stress among the men. "They're all quite calm, cool and collected, and they all want to get on with things," he said. Two are in fair condition and four in good condition, Dumire said. The latter group may be released Sunday, he said. Three other miners are in satisfactory condition at Somerset Hospital in Somerset and also might be released Sunday, said Greg Chiappelli, the hospital's communications director. One by one, the nine soggy and exhausted miners, their faces blackened with coal dust, were pulled from the mine early Sunday after being trapped underground for more than three days. The last one pulled from the 240-foot deep shaft was 41-year-old Mark Popernack, who emerged at 2:45 a.m. and gave his rescuers a thumbs-up. All nine men were taken to hospitals where they will remain under observation for at least 24 hours, officials said. They were to be reunited with their families at the medical facilities. The first miner, Randy Fogle, 43, who had complained of chest pains, was taken by helicopter to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Richard Saluzzo said Fogle was hypothermic, meaning his temperature was low, but he was lucid and was undergoing an electrocardiogram to evaluate his heart. "We're warming him up," Saluzzo said. "Then we'll do the blood work and usual work-up for any heart problems." A second miner, Harry "Blaine" Mayhugh, was brought out about 15 minutes later, followed after a similar interval by Tom Foy, 51. John Unger, 52, was the fourth man pulled to the surface, and he was followed by John Phillippi. Ron Hilemand, 49, was raised at 2:10 a.m. Dennis J. Hall, 49, followed at 2:20. a.m. Then Robert Pugh Jr., 50, became the eighth miner to be rescued about 10 minutes later. They were met by applause and cheers from crews who had been working around the clock to save the men. The rescued miners were helped from the metal cage they rode up from the mine, placed on stretchers and then taken to be examined by medical personnel at the site. The men were discovered alive late Saturday after workers drilled a rescue shaft down to an air pocket where the men had found refuge 240 feet below the surface. They had been there since Wednesday night when millions of gallons of water from an adjacent, long-abandoned mine crashed through into the Quecreek mine. Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker : "All nine are alive, and we believe that all nine are in pretty good shape." A drilling crew punched a hole into the air pocket at 10:16 p.m. Saturday, according to reports from the scene. Rescuers lowered a telephone down an air shaft 6 inches in diameter and made contact with the miners a short time later, officials said. "This is a miracle," said John Weir, a spokesman for Black Wolf Coal Co., the mine's owner. "We're going to get them out. We're going to get them with their families." "All nine are alive, and we believe that all nine are in pretty good shape," Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker said. Before Saturday night, rescue workers last heard from the miners at noon Thursday, when they tapped on the air pipe. After then, noise and vibration caused by the rescue efforts made further communication impossible. The men began banging on the air pipe less than a minute after the drill broke through Saturday night, said Dave Lauriski, assistant secretary of mine safety and health for the U.S. Department of Labor. "We had a lot of people get very excited, but we kept everybody calm until we knew what the conditions were, that we knew we had all nine miners," Lauriski said. Rescuers kept warm, compressed air pumping through airways to preserve the air pocket. The mine is about 55 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Miners had broken through into an adjacent mine that had filled with an estimated 50 million-plus gallons of water since it was abandoned in the 1950s. "All of a sudden, a call came in on the walkie-talkie," said Doug Custer, a co-worker of the trapped men, who escaped the flooded mine. "They said, 'We hit water -- get out.' In a mine, we joke around a lot, but we know a call like this is serious so we dropped our tools, shut off the machinery and got out of there as fast as we could." -- CNN Correspondent Jeff Flock and journalist Jeff Goodell contributed to this report. More Job Losses in East KY 7-26-02 Hazard, Ky. At least 20 people will lose their jobs this Saturday when a Hazard Grocery Store shuts down. Last week management at the Hazard Kroger told employees it would close for good on Saturday. A spokesman for the company said the store has lost money for the past three years and cannot continue to operate. Many of the employees had been with the store since it opened in 1984. Kroger is located in the same shopping area as the struggling K-Mart. Mom fatally stabs 7-year-old girl July 27, 2002 NEW YORK (AP) -- A 7-year-old girl died after being stabbed 30 times by her mother, who critically injured another woman before she repeatedly stabbed herself, police said. Tashima Billingslea was declared dead about an hour after being rushed to a hospital Friday. Her mother, Yolanda Billingslea, 27, was in critical but stable condition Saturday at Woodhull Hospital. Charges were pending, police said. The other woman, Aishia Byrd, 24, was in critical condition Saturday at Kings County Hospital. Capt. Jim Klein said the two women were in Billingslea's apartment when they began to fight. Police said they did not know what led to the dispute. By the time two men intervened, Byrd had been stabbed more than a dozen times. Billingslea also had stabbed herself numerous times, Klein said. Two knives and a pair of scissors were recovered. Local Man Dies in Logging Accident 7-29-02 WarCreek,Ky. A breathitt County man, Kenneth Rourke, died Friday after apparently being severly injured during a logging accident. Mr. Rourke was moving logs near Hwy 541 at War Creek when the accident occurred, according to Breathitt County Sheriff, John L. Turner. The accident is still under investigation by the Kentucky State Police. Wet vs. Dry Poll heavily in favor of Wet County 7-29-02 Breathitt Ky. Although not scientific and used as a general poll, It appears that a heavy majority of people that voted in the poll, want the county to go wet. Of the 201 people that voted, 168, or 83.6%, voted for a wet county. Why is it then that Breathitt remains a dry county. The debate will go on forever, but it is apparent that there may be a groundswell for the couty to go wet. Over the last 10 years, an estimate of nearly a million dollars, has been spent on alcohol or at resturaunts that serve alcohol, by Breathitt Countians, outside this county. That is money and revenue, and taxes that could be used here in the county for roads and water, among other things. First Lady Judi Patton Expresses Concern Over New Data on Rape 8-1-02 Frankfort, KY - First Lady Judi Patton expressed concern today in response to preliminary 2001 Uniform Crime Report released recently by the FBI. According to the FBI, forcible rapes reported to police increased 0.2% last year. While the FBI will not release actual numbers until the fall, this increase means that approximately 180 additional forcible rapes occurred nationally in 2001 over the 90,186 total for 2000. The most recent data available from the Kentucky State Police “Crime in Kentucky” report indicates that forcible rapes in Kentucky increase by 3.7% from 1998 to 1999. First Lady Judi Patton spoke out with concern about the increasing numbers of victims of sexual violence. “Our first priority must be to keep citizens safe in their homes and on the streets of this Commonwealth. These numbers indicate that our women are not as safe as we want them to be. An increase of even one victim of a sex crime is too many.” The First Lady said, “Because so many victims choose never to report the crime to police because they are ashamed or scared, we know that these numbers only represent the tip of the iceberg. It is my hope that victims of all types of sex crimes realize that they are not alone and that there are resources in their communities that can help them.” A study on the costs of sexual violence reported in the June volume of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence further highlights the cause for the First Lady’s concern. In an article entitled “The Rape Tax: Tangible and Intangible Costs of Sexual Violence”, researchers reported that rape, sexual assault, and sex-offense homicide cost a state more than $6.5 billion per year, or approximately $2,750 per family of four. In describing the study, Carol Jordan, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services said its findings, “Emphasize the far reaching impact of this crime on victims, on their psychological, physical and financial well-being.” As a means to strengthen Kentucky’s response to the crime of rape, the Governor and First Lady have undertaken numerous initiatives since the beginning of the administration. The Pattons have successfully implemented a 129% increase in the state funding for local Rape Crisis Centers, and proposed 15 pieces of legislation resulting in significant reforms for victims of sexual offenses. Mrs. Patton described her dedication to this issue by saying, “We have used our time in the Capitol to bring attention to the issue of rape because we know our state cannot be completely healthy or productive if sexual violence is not addressed.” She also pledged that, “As we see the number of victims of sexual violence increasing, we’ll make sure our level of dedication to them is rising as well.” Kentucky’s Rape Crisis Centers can be contacted at: Pathways, Inc. 201 22nd Street Ashland, KY 41101 Business Phone: 606-324-1141 Hope Harbor, Inc. 913 Broadway Avenue Bowling Green, KY 42101 Business Phone: 270-782-5014 Women's Crisis Center, Inc. 835 Madison Avenue Covington, KY 41011 Business Phone: 859-655-2654 Cumberland River Comprehensive Care, Inc. PO Box 568 Corbin, KY 40702 Business Phone: 606-528-7010 Advocacy & Support Center PO Box 1537 Elizabethtown, KY 42702 Business Phone: 270-234-0577 Kentucky River Community Care, Inc. 465 Cedar Street Hazard, KY 41701 Business Phone: 606-435-0849 Sanctuary, Inc PO Box 1165 Hopkinsville, KY 42241 Business Phone: 270-885-4572 Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center Inc. PO Box 1603 Lexington, KY 40588 Business Phone: 859-253-2615 Center for Women and Families Rape Crisis Program PO Box 2048 Louisville, KY 40201-2048 Business Phone: 502-581-7200 New Beginnings PO Box 903 Owensboro, KY 42303-0903 Business Phone: 270-926-7278 Rape Crisis Center PO Box 8506 Paducah, KY 42002-8506 Business Phone: 270-534-4422 Mountain Comprehensive Care, Inc. Victim Services Program Prestonsburg, KY 41653 Business Phone: 606-886-4319 Adanta Regional Victim Services Program 259 Parkers Mill Road Somerset, KY 42501 Business Phone: 606-679- Giant squid could represent a new species Scientists analyze creature found on Tasmanian beach (AP) HOBART, Australia, July 22 — A giant squid that washed up on an Australian beach could be a previously unknown species, scientists said Monday. THE 550-POUND (250-kilogram) creature was found dead Saturday on a beach in Hobart in Tasmania state and was transported Monday to the Tasmanian Museum. Experts were studying its unusual characteristics, which include long, thin flaps of muscle attached to each of its eight arms. “What we’ve seen on this animal we haven’t seen on other squid, and it’s a significant feature,” said zoologist David Pemberton. “It’s basically like having a pile of Advertisement muscles on your own body that nobody else has ... and I think it will rewrite the taxonomy.” The squid had lost its two tentacles, which Pemberton said would have been about 50 feet (15 meters) long. Giant squid usually live on the edge of continental shelves, about 1,600 feet (490 meters) below the ocean’s surface, he said. Even if the scientists had wanted to, they couldn’t have made a feast of the mysterious squid — Pemberton said it has a high ammonia content which would make it inedible. Snakehead Fish Found in 7 states 7-23-02 Maryland; The land-walking snakehead fish that is native to Asia has been found in seven U.S. states and the Bush administration will announce on July 23, 2002 a ban on U.S. imports of the predatory fish. The snakehead, which can grow up to 3 feet long, eats other fish and can walk across land to find new sources of food in other lakes and streams. The fish, which can stay out of water for up to three days, is seen in this undated file photo. (Maryland DNR/Reuters) Car Rams Thru Store 7-22-02 Missy's Video, located at Old Buck was hit by a car early Friday morning and caused severe damage to it. Apparently there was some disturbance just before it happened. The case is still under investigation and details are pending. Patton announces federal funds for local fire departments 7-21-02 FRANKFORT, KY - Governor Paul Patton, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), today announced that four Kentucky fire departments will receive "Assistance to Firefighters" grants for projects that total more than $700,000. "I am very pleased that FEMA approved the departments' grant applications for assistance under this program, which will allow each department to expand its equipment, training and services," Patton said. "Firefighters play an invaluable role in the safety of our communities, and this grant money will allow them to continue their projects and enforcement." The counties include: City Project amount; Federal share ; Local share ; Frankfort: $256,400; $230,760 ; $25,640 Island (McLean): $74,230 $66,807 $7,423 Hazard: $200,000 $180,000 $20,000 Salyersville: $186,000 $167,400 $18,600 TOTAL: $716,630 The fire departments are required to work with FEMA to ensure that they are able to meet the terms of the grant agreement. The departments must share in the cost of the funded project. Departments that serve jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents are required to provide a non-Federal cost-share of 10 percent. Departments that service jurisdictions of over 50,000 provide a 30-percent cost-share. The match must be in cash without the use of in-kind contributions. The grant program allows fire departments to apply for eligible activities in one of four different programs: * Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety (eligible activities include: Training, Wellness and Fitness, Firefighting Equipment, and Personal Protective Equipment). * Fire Prevention (eligible activities include: Public Education, Public Awareness, Code Enforcement, and Arson Prevention). * Emergency Medical Services (eligible activities include: Training and Equipment). * Firefighting Vehicles. The maximum amount an applicant can be awarded is $750,000 during any fiscal year. As part of the application, applicants have to demonstrate financial need and articulate the benefits to be derived from the grant funds. Second Kentucky Air National Guardsman Identified Kentucky, 8-10-02 Dozens of searchers crisscrossed a mountainside Saturday in hopes of finding two remaining bodies of American servicemen killed when their plane crashed three days earlier. The day's efforts were unsuccessful and the workers descended at nightfall, saying they planned to saw open a piece of fuselage on Sunday in search of the last victims among the 10 aboard the U.S. Air Force plane. "There isn't much chance of finding the last two bodies because they're probably very dismembered," said Adolfo Menendez, commander of a National Guard unit at the crash site. Searchers have recovered the bodies of eight killed when the MC-130H special operations plane crashed in the U.S. territory during a training mission near Caguas, 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of San Juan. The crash's force left wreckage scattered over the mountainside, which was muddy on Saturday amid fog and drizzle. Searchers on Friday found the cockpit voice recorder, which would take one to three days to analyze, Menendez said. Workers also recovered a separate metal box on Saturday containing "classified equipment," Menendez said. He did not elaborate, saying only that the box was "one of the search's objectives." The bulky plane was flying in rain and fog when it struck Monte Perucho, broke in two and erupted in flames, witnesses said. Social workers later met with children from the area, saying the children were terrified at the sound of regular military flights overhead. "They don't sleep well. They're very quiet, very worried," social worker Carmen Rivera said. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld expressed condolences to the families of those killed. Officials identified seven of the 10 people aboard the plane. One was a Kentucky national guardsman on temporary duty in Puerto Rico, five were from Air Force Special Operations in Florida, and one was from the Air Intelligence Agency, also based in Florida. Four victims from the 16th Special Operations Wing were identified as navigator Maj. Gregory W. Fritz, aircraft commander Maj. Michael J. Akos, co-pilot Capt. Christel A. Chavez, and loadmaster Staff Sgt. Robert J. McGuire Jr. Also identified were Staff Sgt. Shane H. Kimmet, a support operator from the Air Intelligence Agency, Capt. Panuk P. Soomsawasdi, a special tactics liaison officer with Special Operations Command, and Staff Sgt. Martin Tracy, a special tactics operator with the Kentucky Air National Guard. Chavez, the 27-year-old co-pilot, was the daughter of National Hispanic Cultural Center director Tom Chavez. The accident was the second in two months involving the four-engine Combat Talon II, a special operations variant of the C-130 Hercules cargo plane that costs dlrs 78 million. The other crashed in June in Afghanistan, killing three. The plane in Wednesday's crash belonged to the Air Force Special Operations Command and was flying from Roosevelt Roads Naval Station to the Borinquen Air Station on the island's west coast. |
| Blacks Rally for Slave Reparations Sat Aug 17, 8:06 PM ET by JANELLE CARTER, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Hundreds of blacks rallied in front of the Capitol on Saturday to demand slavery reparations, saying that compensation is long overdue for the ills of that institution. "It seems that America owes black people a lot for what we have endured," Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan told the crowd. "We cannot settle for some little jive token. We need millions of acres of land that black people can build." "We're not begging white people," said Farrakhan, one of several speakers at a rally organizers billed as "Millions for Reparations." ""We are just demanding what is justly ours." While Farrakhan and Rep. John Conyers ( news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., did attend, many major names in the black civil rights movement were absent, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson ( news - web sites) and the Rev. Al Sharpton. "The people on the ground are the ones we want to give exposure to," said one speaker, Hannibal Afrik, 68, of Port Gibson, Miss. "If it's grounded in the people, it will be victorious." Conyers, who has proposed a commission to study the institution of slavery for the past 13 years, urged the crowd to pressure Congress. "Only the Congress can do what we want done," Conyers said. Lawmakers are now on their summer break until September. The reparations movement has gained momentum in the past year. Earlier this year, a group of slave descendants sued three companies, claiming the companies — or their corporate predecessors — unjustly profited from slavery. The Reparations Coordinating Committee, which includes many prominent attorneys and scholars, is working on a separate lawsuit against the federal government. Those at the rally said it was time for action. "They owe us. I want justice," said Antoinette Harrell-Miller, who drove 19 hours from New Orleans with her husband Dennis to attend. "They built this country off the free labor of our ancestors." Jaki Mungai of Philadelphia called the rally "a dream that's starting to come true." "Every other group has been compensated for the wrongs done against them. Africans in America — we are the only ones who haven't," said Mungai, who heard about the rally on the radio and decided to join in. Ken McDouall of Durham, N.C., one of a handful of whites at the rally, said the reparations issue "cuts to the core of the history of injustice of America." "America likes to pretend there are equal rights for everyone but look at the history of black people," McDouall said. Louisiana prison officer faces felony custody charge in Kentucky DERIDDER, La. - 8-17-02 A Louisiana prison officer was arrested for allegedly transporting a teenage girl from Kentucky to his home in DeRidder. David H. Blume, 48, of DeRidder, had met the 17-year-old girl on the Internet, told her he was 24 and sent her nude photographs of himself, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office said. He was arrested Thursday night at his home and charged with custodial interference, a felony charge from Kentucky. Blume, an officer at Phelps Correctional Center in DeQuincy, remained in the Beauregard Parish jail Saturday, awaiting extradition to Barron County, Ky. Bond will be set in Kentucky. Sheriff's spokesman Robert L. McCullough Jr. said the girl, a ward of the state, was taken into the Beauregard sheriff's custody. Barron County sheriff's officials called the Beauregard Sheriff's Office Wednesday to report that Blume had picked up the teen that afternoon at a high school. Beauregard deputies found Blume's home empty Wednesday night, then found him with the girl in the home Thursday morning. Blume, a sergeant at Phelps for nearly five years, resigned Friday. The resignation becomes official Sunday, Warden Jim Rogers said. Kentucky awarded additional $3.1 million in energy assistance FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 15, 2002) - Families who need help paying home cooling bills this summer may benefit from the federal government's release of an additional $3,196,722 to the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson announced last Thursday that HHS will release $100 million in LIHEAP emergency funds for 33 states and the District of Columbia, which have been much hotter than normal this summer. The $100 million is allocated to the states most affected by the extreme heat, based on the severity of the heat wave and the number of low-income households in the state. "We are pleased that the federal government recognized the health and safety dangers extreme heat poses for Kentucky's most vulnerable citizens," said Viola P. Miller, Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children. "This money will help thousands more families who need additional resources during the remaining weeks of summer." Kentucky families with incomes at or below 110% of the federal poverty level are eligible for assistance. The maximum monthly income for an eligible family of four is $1,660. The funds released last week come from the fiscal year 2002 LIHEAP contingency fund, which allows HHS and states to respond to energy emergencies such as extreme weather conditions, supply disruptions or price spikes. States earlier this year received $1.7 billion in regular HEAP funds to provide ongoing assistance where it is most needed. Many of the families who benefit from the program include small children, senior citizens and people with disabilities. Kentucky's 23 Community Action Agency (CAA) offices will accept applications for assistance beginning Monday, Aug. 19, and will continue accepting applicants until the funds run out. CAA administers LIHEAP through a contract between the Cabinet and the Kentucky Association for Community Action. Every county has at least one staffed CAA office. Families wanting information on LIHEAP assistance can call their local community action agencies or the statewide community action organization toll free at (800) 456-3452. Operators there cannot take applications over the phone; they can only direct callers to their local community action agencies. Audit Shows More PCs At the IRS Are Missing Albert B Crenshaw, Washington Post Staff Writer 08.16.2002 Washington DC. The Internal Revenue Service has lost to thieves or has misplaced another batch of computers, adding to the thousands already missing there and from other government agencies. In the latest case, there are fears that some of the missing machines might carry private taxpayer information and Social Security numbers. An audit released yesterday by the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that the IRS cannot account for an unknown number of the 6,600 laptop and desktop computers it lends to volunteers who assist low-income, disabled and senior citizen taxpayers in preparing their returns. Earlier audits found that the Customs Service couldn't account for about 2,000 computers and the Justice Department for about 400. Earlier this summer, the inspector general reported that some 2,300 computers were unaccounted for in other areas of the IRS. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking minority member of the Senate Finance Committee, said senior government officials have to work out better ways for keeping track of computers. "I'm worried that just as clothes dryers have the knack of making socks disappear, the federal government has discovered a core competency of losing computers," Grassley said in a letter to Mitchell E. Daniels Jr., director of the Office of Management and Budget. The latest report found computers missing from the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, which offer taxpayers who receive assistance the option of filing their returns electronically, the Treasury audit said. During the 2001 filing season, volunteers prepared approximately 1.1 million tax returns and e-filed more than 700,000, or 64 percent, it said. The report concluded that "the IRS does not have adequate internal controls" over the computers it provides to the VITA and TCE programs. The agency cannot physically account for computers provided to volunteers, nor can it ensure that taxpayers' electronic data were removed from volunteer computers at the end of the filing season. The IRS said it agreed with most of the recommendations and was implementing new procedures to deal with the problems. It noted that any information contained on the missing computers would have been supplied by taxpayers for preparation of their returns; it would not have come from central IRS files or computers. Yellowstone buffalo gores photographer 8-16-02 Associated Press YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A man angling for a better photograph of a bull bison was gored by the animal in Yellowstone National Park. Paul Jocelyn, 37, of Albertville, Minn., sustained scrapes, bruises and a puncture wound to his thigh after the bison threw him several feet into the air. Witnesses say the animal was grazing near a boardwalk that connects Old Faithful Lodge to the geyser when a group of people approached within 15 feet to take pictures. Jocelyn reportedly walked around the front of the animal to see if it would raise its head for a better picture. The bison chased him into the trees, then threw him more than 3 feet. The animal stared briefly at Jocelyn and the others before walking away to resume grazing, witnesses told park officials. No one else was injured. Park rangers provided emergency medical care and transported Jocelyn to Old Faithful Clinic, where he was treated and released. Criminal charges are pending against him for harassing wildlife. No action will be taken against the bison. This is the second bison-goring incident this year. On June 28, 47-year-old David Havlik, of Lake Jackson, Texas, was injured by a bison grazing next to a footpath. Park officials remind visitors that bison are more dangerous than they first appear, weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can sprint up to 30 mph. It is against the law to approach within 100 yards of bears or within 25 yards of other wildlife in Yellowstone. Train Hits Car; Woman Dies Pulaski County, 8-15-02 A woman is dead after being hit by a train in Pulaski County. It happened in Science Hill, north of Somerset. Witnesses say the train broadsided the car and dragged it three-quarters of a mile. Norfolk-Southern investigators are there, checking to see if the signals worked properly. Fiscal Court Meeting 8-15-02 Jackson, Ky. Fiscal Court Magistrate Jimbo Combs voiced his displeasure over the County buying an Ambulance. He felt Breathitt Ambulance should be able to get their own.The fiscal court approved health Insurance bid to Anthem. There was some discussion on the boat ramp at the Martha Lane Collins bridge, which is almost completed. Stacy Noble resigned her position to continue her education full time. Everyone is encouraged to attend these meetings as often as they can. Governor Patton to visit Pine Mountain State Resort FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 16, 2002) -- Gov. Paul will visit Pine Mountain State Resort Park on Monday, Aug. 19, to lead a celebration of a national program that teaches golf -- and important life lessons -- to young people. The event, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the pro shop of the park's new golf course, Wasioto Winds, marks the official beginning of The First Tee program for Pine Mountain. The First Tee was established by the World Golf Foundation to serve children who would not otherwise have access to the popular pastime. The program will provide $100,000 to the local Pine Mountain chapter to finance high-tech training equipment and other supplies and facilities. Local civic leaders and businesses have banded together to build a four-hole youth golf course, and the local First Tee chapter will raise funds to continue the program. The course is located at the main entrance to Pine Mountain, just south of Pineville on US 25E. Kentucky Receives CDC Tobacco Free Sports Grant FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 16, 2002) -- The Kentucky Department for Public Health has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide funding for the Tobacco Free Sports Program. Kentucky is one of 10 states to receive the competitive funds. Tobacco Free Sports is a youth-oriented program to combat the growing number of Kentucky teenagers who start using tobacco each year. Local tobacco coordinators, working with coaches and civic organizations, will inform youth groups about tobacco use and healthy lifestyle choices during team meetings. Participants agree to sign a pledge card to remain tobacco free. Last year's program in Kentucky involved 4,500 participants; projections for this year are 8,000 participants. "This program is a valuable asset to Kentucky's goal of decreasing tobacco use among our youth. Surveys of our youth indicate that cigarette smoking is well established by the 8th grade," said Dr. Steve Davis, Director of Adult and Child Health. "This makes it all the more important to educate young people about healthy lifestyle habits." The department will distribute the money to 15 local health departments to help implement their Tobacco Free Sports programs. In addition to providing information about the health hazards of tobacco use, the program will emphasize the importance of daily physical activity and good nutrition. The specific goals on this year's agenda are: * A 4 percent reduction in the number of middle and high school students who use tobacco products * An 85 percent increase in the number of youth who practice better nutritional habits * A 10 percent increase in the number of youth who continue to participate in physical activities after the program ends The program will also provide a Spit Tobacco Prevention curriculum to high school and community athletic programs. Smokeless tobacco use in Kentucky middle and high schools exceeds the national average of 3 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Tobacco Free Sports is a youth oriented tobacco-free initiative to change social norms about tobacco use. The 2000 Kentucky Youth Tobacco Survey reported middle school tobacco use at 22 percent and high school usage at 37 percent. Both rates are will in excess of the national averages of 9 percent and 28 percent, respectively. To meet the Healthy Kentuckians 2010 goals, current youth cigarette smoking must be reduced by 24 percent for middle and high school students. Tobacco Free Sports, now in its third year in Kentucky, is available in most of the state's 55 local health districts. Some of the local partners who assist in the program include Parks and Recreation Departments, Little league, YMCA Soccer, and Kentucky Youth Soccer Association as well as school athletic programs. CDC research indicates that students who participate in interscholastic sports are less likely to be regular and heavy smokers. The lower rates of smoking for student athletes may be related to: * Greater self-confidence gained from sports participation * Additional counseling from coaching staff about smoking * Reduced peer influence about smoking * Perceptions about reduced sports performance because of smoking * Greater awareness about the health consequences of smoking Agencies and organizations that support the tobacco-free sports movement include the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), National Cancer Institute, National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, National SAFE KIDS Campaign, International Olympic Committee, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and many other sports leagues and youth organizations. Mother's boyfriend suspect in baby death August 7, 2002 Chicago Ill,The initial story was that 8-month-old Tawanda Johnson fell down the stairs. But now the baby's death has been ruled a homicide, and police Tuesday were questioning the boyfriend of the girl's mother, who was alone with the child at the time. It was the third alleged murder of an infant in the last 10 days and the second case where a mother's boyfriend was a suspect. In Johnson's case, the mother's boyfriend was baby-sitting the child Monday evening when paramedics were called to the 2500 block of West 82nd to check on an unresponsive infant, police said. They were told the baby had fallen down the stairs. But an autopsy conducted Tuesday by the Cook County medical examiner found "that the injuries the child suffered were not consistent with that explanation," said John Goad, a spokesman for the Department of Children and Family Services. The cause of death was "multiple blunt head trauma, child abuse, and homicide" according to a representative of the medical examiner's office. Johnson had seven siblings, but they were away from the apartment at the time of her death, Goad said. He added that the boyfriend did not appear to be a blood relative. "He was baby-sitting. We're not entirely sure of his role in the family but it appears that he did have a relationship with the mother," Goad said. A police spokesman said the boyfriend was being questioned Tuesday but had not been charged. In earlier cases, Lawrence McGee has been charged with shaking to death 1-year-old Symphony Heyward on July 27 in the home he shared with his girlfriend, the girl's mother. The next day, Erik Harris, 21, was charged with killing his 2-month-old son, Aidan Harris, by bouncing him so violently in a baby seat that his head struck an overhead bar. Douthitt Park Vandal Caught 7-6-02 Jackson, Ky., Nearly one month after the Douthitt Park basketball courts were vandalized, the Jackson Police Department made an arrest. Considering the crime, and the time it was committed, the JPD did a great job coming up with a suspect in this short amount of time. Mr. Jason Gross, 19, of Breathitt County, was identified as the person responsible for this crime. According to Jackson police chief Caudill, John Hollan and Jeff Noble are to be commended for their efforts in solving this crime. Douthitt park is used by hundreds of people a day throughout the community and is one of the nicest parks in the region. It is nice to see that this type of vandalism will not be tolerated in the City of Jackson. In other City Police news; Richard Robinson was arrested Monday August 5th by officers Ken Spicer and John Marshall. According to Chief Caudill, Mr. Robinson was arrested for 1st degree Possesion of a Controlled Substance and 1st degree Trafficking in a Controlled substance. Jackson City Police Report for July 2002: 23 Accidents; 28 Arrests; 6 Warrants served; 22 Criminal Cases Made; 604 Complaints 25 Citiations issued Jackson Fire Report: 3 Fire Runs 24 total personnel responding 3 Emergeny Runs 23 total personnel responding STATE IMPOSES PENALTIES AND DAMAGE COSTS ON SLURRY SPILL FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 31, 2002) - The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet has levied penalties and damage claims totaling $3.25 million against the Martin County Coal Corp. as a result of a slurry spill in October 2000. Martin County Coal has signed an agreed order with the cabinet accepting civil penalties of $1,750,000, damages to Kentucky's environment of $1 million and response costs incurred by the cabinet of $500,000. More than 250 million gallons of slurry was released from a company impoundment, through underground mine works before flowing into Coldwater Fork and Wolf Creek, making its way into Tug Fork, a tributary of the Big Sandy River. Material was washed into the Big Sandy and then into the Ohio River. As a result of the spill the state ordered the company to close the impoundment and both the Department for Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement and the Division of Water issued citations against the company. The company appealed the enforcement actions and a hearing had been scheduled to begin Sept. 23, 2002. In addition to the monetary terms, the agreed order directs the company to close and reclaim the Big Branch Slurry Impoundment and remediate and restore as necessary the streams damaged by the slurry so they can meet water quality standards. The company is also required to obtain permits and post bonds for the areas where slurry from the cleanup operation is stored. The citations against the company included polluting waters of the Commonwealth, releasing hazardous substances, creating an environmental emergency and engaging in an unsafe practice. Following the spill, Gov. Paul Patton declared a state of emergency in 10 northeastern Kentucky counties after the spill affected drinking water supplies West Nile virus hits Illinois August 7, 2002 SPRINGFIELD--Perhaps it came during an evening walk from her car to her house or in the parking lot of a grocery or on her back patio. No one knows for sure when a mosquito unleashed its sting on an unwitting 22-year-old student. What is known is that nearly two weeks ago, the young woman came down with fever, achy muscles and a slight rash and learned through tests completed Tuesday that she had become the first known person in Illinois to contract the sometimes-fatal West Nile virus. Citing privacy concerns, public health officials in Springfield, the Chicago area and her home state of Maryland, where she returned for treatment, refused to divulge her identity or where exactly she lived, worked and played during the eight weeks she was in Illinois, interning for a western DuPage County company. The woman, who remains in Maryland, did not require hospitalization and has fully recovered. "This case points out that what we were concerned about has occurred. We now have evidence of transmission of this virus from birds to mosquitoes and from those mosquitoes to people,'' said Dr. John R. Lumpkin, the state's public health director. "West Nile virus has an incubation period--a time from when you were bitten by a mosquito to when you have an onset of symptoms--of anywhere from three to 15 days,'' he said. "So in trying to go back and think about all the things she did within that time frame, we don't have any indication of where precisely she may have been bitten by the mosquito." Illinois first detected the virus in dead birds last year and now has identified its presence in hundreds of birds and mosquitoes in 46 of the state's 102 counties. Three horses also have contracted the virus. The case disclosed Tuesday puts Illinois among four states that have identified the virus in humans. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, as of Tuesday, state health departments across the country have documented 89 cases of West Nile virus in humans this year, including five deaths. The most recent fatality was confirmed Tuesday by public health authorities in Louisiana, where all five deaths this year have occurred. From 1999 through 2001, there were 149 cases of West Nile virus found in humans in the United States, and 18 people died during the period, the CDC reported on its Web site, www.cdc.gov. "We don't need to be frightened by this, but we need to take precautions,'' Lumpkin said, stressing medical treatment isn't necessary unless unusual symptoms emerge such as serious respiratory problems, severe headaches, high fevers, dementia or convulsions. In most cases, West Nile offers few if any symptoms, and the human immune system fends off the virus on its own. But in other cases, it can go from mimicking a cold or flu to a fatal brain swelling known as encephalitis. Those 50 or older or those with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to the virus, Lumpkin said. State officials said people should be cautious when venturing out in short sleeves or shorts during peak mosquito-biting times at dawn and dusk. Insect repellent containing 25 percent to 35 percent DEET should be applied during those periods, and exposed skin should be minimized. People also should eliminate mosquito-breeding grounds on their properties, such as bird baths, flower pots and ponds with stagnant water, the public health agency suggested. Forest preserve officials throughout the Chicago area stood by their policy of not spraying for adult mosquitoes, citing concerns over the cost and possible harm to the environment. "Unless we were to be notified by official health organizations that we should go ahead and start spraying, I don't believe there is any consideration of doing so at the present time,'' said Bruce Hodgdon, a spokesman for the Forest Preserve District of Will County. "I kind of doubt that one case will tip the scale. The mosquito does serve an important part in the ecosystem." UK considers ending its medical helicopter service CUTS, CONTRACTING FOR SERVICE ARE OPTIONS By Barbara Isaacs 7-17-02 HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER The University of Kentucky is considering changing or ending its medical helicopter service. The blue and white copters emblazoned with UK's logo are well known as a quick but costly link from accident scenes and rural hospitals to UK's Level I trauma center. The center treats the most critically injured people in the eastern half of the state. The service has operated since 1987. It now has two medical helicopters -- based in Lexington and Jackson -- and a medical staff of about 20. UK hospital officials are weighing a number of ways to reduce costs, including cuts to the Air Medical Service. The air service has never been profitable and currently loses about $1 million a year, said Joe Claypool, UK Hospital's director. "Nothing has been decided," Claypool said. Hospital officials are considering scaling back or discontinuing service, or contracting with a service, such as LifeNet, the medical helicopter network that recently took control of St. Joseph Hospital's three helicopters. "We look at a duplication of service," Claypool said about Central and Eastern Kentucky. "Two aeromedical services competing probably isn't necessary." Medical helicopter flights are expensive. In this region, they cost an average of $3,873 a run, according to a 1999 survey by the Association of Air Medical Services. Other medical helicopter outfits have begun to contact UK about their services, but Claypool said it's important to evaluate them carefully to make sure the coverage is similar to what UK has now. He said LifeNet was interested in hiring some of UK's air medical staff, as it did with St. Joseph Hospital. Claypool said it's been painful to even consider dismantling the service. He said the fatal crash of a UK medical helicopter in 1999 has played no role in the talks, although that loss makes such a decision more difficult. Two pilots, a flight nurse and a paramedic died in that Breathitt County accident. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Scholarship Recipients Breathitt Student Honored FRANKFORT, KY. -(July 18, 2002)- The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has recently given scholarships to 21 students. The recipients include: * Travis Bowling from Breathitt County * Jonathan Canler from Warren County * Travis Carrico from Washington County * Evan Dick from Wayne County * Cody Ditto from Hardin County * Erin Dykes from Lincoln County * Nicholas Hendrix from Fleming County * Gerry Lauer from Campbell County * Michael Lorenz from Kenton County * Dustin Luttrell from Edmonson County * Terri Neace from Perry County * Shawn Ray from Pike County * Angela Rivera from Henry County * Jonathan Ross from Ohio County * Brandon Seiter from Henry County * Darren Stewart from Edmonson County * Matthew Stone from Warren County * Travis Thompson from Jefferson County * Charles Trumbo from Perry County * Carl Van Zee from Logan Co. *Brandon Akers from Lee Co. Students recently attended an orientation session at the Cabinet where they were introduced to managers and co-workers, and received information regarding scholarship benefits and responsibilities. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Scholarship Program was implemented in 1948 and now offers 70 scholarships per year to all classifications, including graduate students. It is a five-year maximum scholarship given to students who qualify and maintain the required standards. The scholarship program reaches the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, and Western Kentucky University; and the Cabinet is considering expanding to five other regional universities throughout the state to give students more geographical choices. Information about the scholarship program is distributed throughout the state in two methods. The first is the Kentucky Engineer Exposure Network (KEEN), composed of Cabinet volunteers who go to the elementary and high schools to talk about the engineering field. In addition, guidance counselors statewide are given information and application forms. The Scholarship Program affords students jobs in the summer to gain valuable experience in various programs of highway engineering and is supported by the Engineer-In-Training (EIT) Program. Engineers, after graduating from the scholarship program, gain insightful experience in all aspects of highway planning, design and construction through the EIT program. This gives the graduate engineers a broad understanding of all functions carried out by the Cabinet, and makes the employee a valuable asset to the Cabinet. Since 1948, the Transportation Cabinet has given approximately 1,400 scholarships to qualified recipients. It has become the largest scholarship program in civil engineering at the University of Kentucky by supporting approximately 1,300 of the graduates of the College of Civil Engineering. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet boasts the most extensive state scholarship program in the U.S. Local Station Raises Gas Prices Jackson, Ky. Area gas stations continue to keep their price for regular unleaded gasoline at $1.35 per gallon with one exception, FillZone. As of 12:00 noon today, Tuesday July 16th, 2002, FillZone had their price for regular unleaded at an unbelievable $1.44 a gallon. Currently there is no known reason for the raise in gas prices at this time. Other local stations stated they had no plans to raise thier prices at this time. The National average is staying at or near $1.34 a gallon. Since this story first came out FillZone lowered it's price to $1.39 a gallon, soon after BP, Jiffy Mart, & Happy Mart all followed suit in raising their price to $1.39 a gallon. ShellMart & Citgo have kept their prices at $1.35 a gallon. Although the fuel market varies from day to day, there is no justifiable reason for larger increases in prices at the pump. 7-18-02 **UPDATE** Call it the yo yo effect, but gas stations in Jackson are as confused about where to set gas prices as anyone could be. Shell Mart & Citgo raised prices today, Friday July 19th, to $1.39 a gallon, while at the same time FillZone finally brought theirs back to $1.35. After talking to several dealers and gas stations, noone seems to have a reason as to why gas prices in Jackson are being raised. 7-18-02 Relay for Life Huge Success 7-12-02 Jackson, Ky. This years Relay for life was a bit soggy weather wise, but was still a huge success. This years event brought in more than $73,000 for the fight against cancer. The top fund raiser for this years event was KRCC, with the Breathitt County Health Department raising the 2nd most money. The best decorated tent went to Wal-Mart. The top fund raising individual was Mary Bowling, with Cheryl Bowling raises the 2nd highest amount. Everyone who participated in this great event is to be congratulated for all their efforts. And a big THANK YOU, goes out to all of those who donated and worked to raise money for this cause. RELAY FOR LIFE PICS Click Here Power Outage hits Jackson Jackson, Ky. Saturday, July 13th, 2002 Around 4:30 pm the power went out in Jackson for nearly 700 customers. AEP crews worked for 3 1/2 hours to restore power. Finally around 8:00pm they got the power fixed. Although noone likes the discomfort of having the electric off for an extended period of time, it did provide alot of people time to get together and discuss the heavy rain over the last couple days. 25th Annual Honey Festival A Silver Celebration!!!! Jackson, Ky. Queen Bee, Clara Gabbard declared, "there will be a 25th annual Honey Festival". With the recent work being done in downtown Jackson, there was some concerns about the status for this years festival. Not to worry says Clara Gabbard, we will be there for our 25th year. Mrs. Gabbard stated that this years theme will be the "Silver Celebration", due to this being the 25th straight year for the Labor Day festival. They only concern right now appears to be the exact location of the food booths, but Mrs. Gabbard says that everything is going as planned and this will be a great festival as usual. To help kick off the Festival, the Breathitt County Bobcats will open against football power North Hardin. We will update you about the Festival as information becomes available. 7-1-02 WWII Veterans to Be Awarded Diplomas During 2002 JCS Commencement By J. Griffith Jackson, Ky.For the first time at Jackson High School, and in Kentucky, diplomas will be presented to former students (or the families of former students) who were unable to graduate due to World War II. These special presentations have been made possible as a result of House Bill 45 which allows local boards of education to award diplomas to honorably discharged veterans who were enrolled in, but did not complete, school prior to their service in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. The process of locating these veterans has been difficult, and since all may not have been identified, the school board hopes to award additional diplomas to World War II Veterans in the future. The list of names the school now has includes: Robert King, Eual King, Charles “Chalk” Little, Roy Hall, Ford Dunn, Ernest Maloney, Troy Maloney, Edward Campbell, Shade Campbell, and Ben Hensley. In the event the veteran is deceased, or unable to attend graduation, a family member is invited to attend and accept the diploma in his place. Superintendent Collins said, “We wish to thank Mr. Ervine Allen and Mr. James Burnette for their assistance in identifying and locating these veterans.” Mr. John Gambill, school board chairman, said, “It is a great honor for this school board to present high school diplomas to our local veterans who left school and served the nation so valiantly during the war. We invite all our citizens to join us on May 24 to celebrate the graduation of this very special Class of 2002.” We invite anyone who has knowledge of a veteran who was enrolled in school in Breathitt County during this time and left to serve the country in World War II to contact us. Please call principal Tim Spencer at 666-5164 or superintendent Dr. Taylor Collins at 666-4979. |
| Back to Archive Main CLICK HERE |
| Previous Archive Page CLICK HERE |
| Next Archive Page CLICK HERE |
| Back to Online News CLICK HERE |