2020: The Year in Review — The Big Sandy News

JANUARY

• A Bevinsville man was shot while visiting his girlfriend in Louisa Dec. 22 after he and another man got into an argument, police said.

• Ryan Young, 41, of Louisa, was arrested Dec. 23 and charged with first-degree assault and first-degree wanton endangerment.

• A Williamson, W.Va., man pleaded guilty to a triple murder in Martin County that happened in 2018. Lance Ward appeared in Martin Circuit Court, where he entered a plea agreement to serve 25 years without the possibility of parole. The 24th Judicial Circuit Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office had filed paperwork earlier seeking the death penalty in the case. Ward, 28, of Mingo County in West Virginia, was charged with the shooting deaths of Micah Sammons, 20, of Kimper; and Derek L. James, 26, and Amber Lockard, 31, both from Huddy.

• An inmate, Timothy J. Hall, 26, of Paintsville, attacked two court security officers and a parole officer as he was leaving his arraignment for two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of persistent felony offender. As Hall was leaving the courtroom, he attacked a courtroom security officer and knocked him to the floor, and then turned to another security officer and attacked him, officials said. A brief scuffle ensued, with Commonwealth’s Attorney Anthony Skeans and others assisting in suppressing Hall until additional law enforcement arrived, officials said.

• Fiscal courts in Lawrence and Johnson counties made their counties Second Amendment sanctuaries. Resolutions approved by the courts, which do not carry the force of law, designate Lawrence and Johnson counties as Second Amendment sanctuaries and show the counties’ support for citizens’ gun rights.

• A Louisa man, Danny Joe Chapman, 31, died from injuries suffered in a collision involving a passenger car and a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Rt. 645 and U.S. 23 in Lawrence County.

• The courtroom was filled to capacity as the Martin County Fiscal Court approved a resolution during its regular monthly meeting in January, declaring Martin County a Second Amendment sanctuary. The issue was also addressed by the Floyd County Fiscal Court.

• A pedestrian, Eric Terry, 34, of Conley Fork, died after being struck by a vehicle on Rt. 80 in Floyd County after he “apparently entered the roadway for some unknown reason” and was struck by the vehicle Jan. 21, according to a release issued by the Kentucky State Police at Post 9 in Pikeville.

• The Prestonsburg police and fire departments responded to a shooting at Big Lots. David Payton, 35, of Lexington, accidentally shot himself in the abdomen and was airlifted from Prestonsburg to a West Virginia trauma center, where he remained in stable condition, according to a press release from Prestonsburg Police Chief Larry Woods.

• The Kentucky Senate passed Senate Bill 8, requiring school resource officers to carry firearms.

• Lawrence County Clerk Chris Jobe said Savage Farms owner Keith Moore turned in a petition asking the court to approve putting a question on the ballot in Fallsburg to make Savage Farms moist so that it can sell the wine it makes.

FEBRUARY

• Johnson County Middle School was the overall winner of the Region 22 academic competition, racking up an impressive 72 points over second-place finisher Duff-Allen Central Elementary in Floyd County, which received 17 points. Third place went to Paintsville High School’s middle grades with 11 points, and Allen Elementary in Floyd County placed fourth with seven points. It was the 25th consecutive year JCMS walked away with first-place regional Governor’s Cup honors.

• Renovation work at the Lawrence County Public Library entered its second phase. A $3.5 million construction contract was awarded in 2019 to Elliott Construction of Pikeville, with the project expected to take 12 to 15 months to complete.

• Blaine native Larry Cordle, won the Songwriter of the Year award from the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) during its Bluegrass Festival in Nashville, Tenn.

• Lawrence County declared a state of emergency due to flooding. Judge-Executive Phillip Carter’s declaration said that “major flooding has caused embankment failure, road failure and damages including but not limited to breaks in roads, culvert damages, loss of gravel, school bus routes blocked, slides, wind damage, etc. related to the high waters.” Carter said the situation “creates a considerable hardship for the citizens of Lawrence County” and “local government has the responsibility to protect the public health, safety and welfare, and to mitigate the effects of such events.”

• Paintsville/Johnson County Emergency Management director Gary McClure said Monday in a Facebook that he and local officials were monitoring conditions on the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River, noting that the level at Paintsville at the time was 23.59 feet. Flood level is 35 feet.

• The fifth annual “Night to Shine” was held in downtown Louisa. The prom for people with special needs was held at The Junction, the historic Garden Theatre and all adjoining buildings on Main/Cross Street.

• Country music star Tyler Childers’ name would be added to Lawrence County’s U.S. 23 Country Music Highway signs under a resolution introduced in the Kentucky General Assembly. House Joint Resolution 71, filed by state Rep. Kathy Hinkle, D-Louisa, would also erect honorary signs on U.S. 23 declaring Lawrence County the “Home of Country Music Artist Tyler Childers.”

• Gov. Andy Beshear brought some good news and a giant check to Louisa as part of a four-community tour in Eastern Kentucky to announce grant funding for various projects. With a large crowd in attendance in the Lawrence County Fiscal Court meeting room, Beshear announced that the county has been awarded a $50,000 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant to add an accessible playground and splash park at Lawrence County Park.

• A Hager Hill man from injuries suffered in a crash along Rt. 40 between Teays Branch and Northgate in Paintsville. Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby identified the victim as Robert Lee Meade, 52, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

• Gov. Andy Beshear and Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) Secretary Rebecca Goodman announced that a total of $500,000 in grant funding was available to qualifying counties for flood debris cleanup. Counties were eligible for up to $50,000 each to cover the cost of collecting, transporting and disposing of municipal solid waste resulting from the flood event.

David Blankenship of Paintsville was named Kentucky’s Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney of the Year. Blankenship, who is an assistant in the 24th Judicial Circuit Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, received the award at the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Association winter conference in Lexington.

• The Lawrence County Road Department reported that Yellow Creek Road was open on a “must-to” basis to emergency vehicles, small trucks and cars. No heavy trucks or buses were not allowed on the road at that time.

• Lance Ward was formally sentenced in Martin Circuit Court to 25 years without the possibility of parole for the shooting deaths of Micah Sammons, Derek L. James and Amber Lockard in March 2018.

• A state inmate, Daniel E. Bell Jr., 35, from Paintsville who escaped from work detail in Paducah, was captured a few days later following a high-speed chase that ended in Johnson County. Bell, a state inmate incarcerated in the McCracken County Jail, had left a work release program at Brooks Stadium in Paducah.

• Jailer Roger Lee Jordan and transport officer Bill Hall were named as Lawrence County’s new representatives on the Big Sandy Regional Jail Authority.

• Kenneth Stephen Castle, 50, of West Van Lear, died at Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W.Va., where he was flown following a house fire.

MARCH

Martin County High School claimed the 15th Region boys' basketball championship at Appalachian Wireless Arena and were scheduled to play 3rd Region champion in the opening round of the Boys' Sweet 16 before the state tournament was cancelled due to … — Martin County High School claimed the 15th Region boys' basketball championship at Appalachian Wireless Arena and were scheduled to play 3rd Region champion in the opening round of the Boys' Sweet 16 before the state tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19.

• Johnson County officials addressed coronavirus concerns as local officials met with representatives from the Johnson County Health Department to address concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19). A press release issued at the time said, “The group met to provide clarity about the virus, share expertise among the attendees and discussed guidelines for limiting the risk of COVID-19 exposure to the community regarding clinical procedures, preparedness plans, school/business strategies and monitoring the public’s health during virus outbreaks.” Johnson County had no active cases of ooronavirus at the time but recommended that citizens consider certain actions to prevent the spread of any respiratory diseases.

• Ashley Caudill was chosen as a new member of the Louisa City Council at a special meeting to replace John Nolan, who moved out of the Louisa city limits.

• An elderly man was injured and was transported to Three Rivers Medical Center by NetCare Ambulance Service after he lost control of his Mistsubishi and became involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident on U.S. 23 South, in front of Super 8 Motel in Louisa.

• A Lawrence County man, Brandon L. Fasnacht, 22, was arrested and charged with first-degree indecent exposure following an incident in which he was improperly dressed while outside.

• A preliminary hearing was held for Gary Eugene Richmond, 35, of Flat Gap, who was charged with 20 counts of possessing or viewing matter portraying sexual performance by a minor. Kentucky State Police said Richmond was arrested following an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation by the KSP’s Electronic Crime Branch after discovering Richmond uploading images of child sexual exploitation online.

• Records showed that Tommy Lee Baldridge, who pleaded guilty to his role in the 2006 murder of a former Johnson County Constable James Mollette was scheduled to appear before the Kentucky Parole Board in April. Baldridge and Christopher Christopher Darrell Fairchild were charged with murdering and then robbing Mollette. Baldridge entered a plea deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to facilitation to commit murder, complicity to burglary, theft by unlawful taking and tampering with physical evidence/complicity. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

• Lawrence County Sheriff Chuck Jackson turned over $102,918.01 in excess fees to the Lawrence County Fiscal Court during its regular meeting.

• The World Health Organization, (W.H.O.), declared VOVID-19 a pandemic, President Donald Trump proclaimed it a national emergency, and Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in Kentucky. Nationwide and statewide precautions against COVID-19 trickled down to the Big Sandy region, with a massive number of closings and other preventive measures. Local governments joined the fray, declaring states of emergency in their communities due to COVID-19.

• A woman was arrested, a man fled the scene and two juveniles were placed by social services after law enforcement attempted to serve a warrant on Gregory Shepherd. Jolena Pack Music, 39, of Prestonsburg, was arrested at the scene and lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville. She was originally a passenger in the vehicle being driven by Shepherd but became the driver after he fled from the vehicle.

• Martin County reported the first COVID-19 case in the region. The 25-year-old woman and her family were quarantined.

• A Martin County man, Mardy Mollett, 50, who had been listed as one of the county’s most wanted, was arrested in Logan, W.Va. where he was charged as a fugitive and also had two additional felonies in West Virginia.

• One person was transported to the hospital with minor injuries following a two-vehicle crash in Fort Gay, W.Va., involving a truck owned by Hannah Lumber of Varney, W.Va. Responding to the scene were the Louisa and Fort Gay volunteer fire departments and Prichard Ambulance.

APRIL

• Lawrence County reported its first case of COVID-19, while officials in Floyd County corrected an erroneous report of a confirmed case in their community.

• State highway officials closed Ky. 581 at Thealka, between mile points 0.527 and 0.706, a little more than a half-mile from Ky. 40 between the double railroad tracks and Boyd Branch, after Kentucky Power representatives notified them of a slide.

APRIL: Eleven-year-old Marley Toews displayed one of the hundreds of crosses he has made to spread hope during the coronavirus pandemic. The Winchester boy visited his grandparents, William “Bill” and Jodie Short of Louisa, whose home was used as a … — APRIL: Eleven-year-old Marley Toews displayed one of the hundreds of crosses he has made to spread hope during the coronavirus pandemic. The Winchester boy visited his grandparents, William “Bill” and Jodie Short of Louisa, whose home was used as a manufacturing and distribution center for local customers.

• Johnson County reported its first confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) — a 29-year-old woman.

• Gregory Shepherd, who was being sought after fleeing from officers in Johnson and Floyd counties earlier in the month, was apprehended in Floyd County.

• Marley Toews, an 11-year-old Winchester boy with ties to Louisa, became a hero of hope during the coronavirus pandemic, making free wooden crosses for people to display in their yards during this time of uncertainty.

• With schools across Kentucky closed until at least May 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson Central High School Principal Noel Crum assured seniors that they would at some point have a graduation ceremony.

• Downed trees and power lines were the norm across the Big Sandy region following a severe thunderstorm. At one point, more than 59,000 customers were without power as Highway District 12 worked diligently to remove trees and debris from the roadways and power lines.

• A Lawrence County woman died as a result of injuries suffered, and her husband Christopher Bailey, was charged with first-degree assault and domestic violence.

• Michael Barnett, 32, of Boons Camp; Jessie Creekmore, 29, of Thealka; and Elizabeth Rivers, 28, of River, were arrested following a 30-mile chase that began in Floyd County involving a stolen car.

• The Lawrence County Board of Education held its regular meeting via teleconferencing, with Superintendent Dr. Robbie Fletcher informing members about Gov. Andy Beshear’s recommendation to utilize non-traditional instruction for the rest of the school year.

• The Lawrence County Board of Education approved “Hero Pay” for cooks, instructional assistants, bus drivers, family resource and you services center personnel, bus monitors, janitors and other classified employees who prepared and delivered food to children during the pandemic. Those employees received an $8 per hour pay raise throughout the pandemic school closure period, which began March 16.

• Search and rescue crews continued looking for Arnold “Birdie” Mills, 28, of Inez, who disappeared in the Tug River near the Kermit Bridge during a pursuit that started in Kentucky.

• A bear was euthanized by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists after being critically injured following an accident with an automobile in Martin County.

• Officers with the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Casey Booth, 23 of Inez, on charges of child pornography. Booth was charged with 10 counts of possessing or viewing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and one count of prohibited use of an electronic communication system to procure a minor.

• A man and a woman from Prestonsburg were arrested in connection with an armed robbery that had occurred in March. Eric D. Roberts II is charged with first-degree robbery; third-degree assault of a police officer; resisting arrest; menacing and disorderly conduct. Amanda Adkins was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at her home that “yielded evidence to the robbery” and was charged with one count of complicity to commit first-degree robbery. The arrests were in connection with an armed robbery that occurred March 27 at Exxon Tiger Mart in Prestonsburg.

• Four hospitals in the Big Sandy Region —Three Rivers Medical Center in Louisa, Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center in Paintsville, and ARH Our Lady of the Way Hospital in Martin and McDowell — along with 42 other hospitals in Kentucky benefited from nearly $4 million awarded to the Kentucky Office of Rural Health by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to help hospitals battle the coronavirus pandemic.

MAY

MAY: Paintsville High School held a drive-in graduation ceremony at its football field as schools had to find a new way to say goodbye to seniors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Doris Thornsberry, 81 of Louisa, and her daughter, Marsha Slone, began making masks for people during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Some non-essential businesses that were ordered closed by Gov. Andy Beshear in March due to the coronavirus outbreak were allowed to reopen with restrictions as part of Beshear’s plan to gradually reopen the state economy.

• An Ohio man, Timothy Gilbert, 43, died in an officer-involved shooting in the Spring Knob area of Tomahawk near the Martin/Johnson County line.

• The body of a Martin County man, Arnold “Birdie” Mills, 28, who disappeared into the Tug River area in April, was recovered from the Tug River at the Lawrence/Martin County line.

• James Lewis Dean, 49, of Louisa, who was involved in an armed robbery at Clark’s Pump-N-Shop on Madison Street in Louisa, was arrested by West Virginia State Police.

• Martin County High School’s virtual graduation was set for June 5.

• Johnson County held two graduation events, with the first being a virtual graduation in the gym and

a drive-through graduation.

• Paintsville High School held a drive-in graduation ceremony at its football field.

• The 2020 Lawrence County Septemberfest was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Septemberfest board made the decision during a meeting held via Zoom.

• Larry Bartley, 26, and Diana Gatewood, 29, both of Paintsville, were arrested after a two-county chase and a stolen vehicle being recovered on a strip job in Floyd County.

• Lawrence County High School graduates celebrated their graduation and participated in a parade through Louisa, Fallsburg and Blaine.

• State auditors found that that over a two-year period, Lawrence County Attorney Mike Hogan awarded $134,500 in bonuses for delinquent tax fees to employees in his office, with 94 percent of them, $126,500, going to his wife.

JUNE

• Dozens of people took part in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Paintsville.

• Johnson Central’s Noel Crum was named Kentucky’s 2020 High School Principal of the Year.

Crum received the award from the Kentucky Association of Secondary School Principals and was eligible to compete for the National Principal of the Year honor.

• Country music star Tyler Childers’ name was added to Lawrence County’s US 23 Country Music Highway signs alongside the names of two of his musical inspirations, Ricky Skaggs and Larry Cordle, as well as Don Rigsby and Keith Whitley.

• Kassandra D. Hamilton, 27, of Inez, was arrested after Martin County Sheriff John Kirk and Deputy William Lafferty responded to a complaint of heavy traffic at the residence on Hill View.

• The Kentucky Apple Festival was canned due to the coronavirus.

• A skull was found at a residence in the Whitehouse area of Johnson County and sent to Frankfort for testing.

• A prayer vigil was held at Johnson Central High School for JCHS graduate Austin Wilder, who was recovering in a hospital after being seriously injured when he fell from the back of a truck May 30.

• A police chase came to an end at Hueysville in Floyd County with one suspect apprehended immediately and another fleeing on foot. K-9 Drago tracked the fleeing suspect to a house, where he was found,hiding inside a clothes dryer. Methamphetamine, pills, digital scale and other paraphernalia were also found.

• A bridge on Ky. 321 that crosses over Ky.1428 at Hager Hill in Johnson County was designated CMDR Ballard Shepherd Memorial bridge by the 2020 General Assembly.

• The Fallsburg Fire Department, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and the Louisa Police Department escorted 7-year-old Preslee Damron home from the hospital with a stop at Fallsburg Elementary School to see some friends and family who were waiting to welcome her home.

• Jack Music, 42, of Paintsville, was sentenced to 10 years for a first-degree assault conviction returned in February.

• Lawrence County native Henry Franklin Black was among the victims remembered during a memorial service commemorating the 75th anniversary of a commercial plane crash in Australia that killed 10 people.

• Lawrence County Deputy Judge Vince Doty said renovations to the Lawrence County Courthouse were nearing completion. The exterior of the building was painted royal garnet, new sod was laid in the front lawn, the windows were tinted, the gravel panels on the courthouse have been replaced with a stacked stone façade, and landscaping was done.

JULY

• Guidelines released by state officials recommended numerous “safety expectations” to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus if students return to the classroom in the fall. The guidelines included safety expectations that must be implemented at all schools in addition to “best practices” that schools can choose to follow “in order the optimize the safety of students and staff.” As determined by the Kentucky Department for Public Health, the expectations included social distancing; screening, school exclusion and contact tracing; personal protective equipment (PPE), including cloth face masks; and sanitation, environmental and industrial factors.

• The Lawrence County Judge-Executive’s Office offered a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for vandalized and stolen equipment.

• Kentucky Lottery officials announced that a $30,000 Mega Millions with Megaplier winning ticket and a $10,000 Gold Rush winning scratch-off ticket were sold at Ashland Mart #16 in Louisa.

• State highway officials announced that a 1.5-mile section of Ky. 1428 in Johnson County would be closed to through traffic for two weeks for maintenance and construction activities. The work zone was from mile point 1.214 to mile point 2.897, from just before the intersection with Ky. 302 at Hager Hill to just before 10th Street in Paintsville.

• A former inmate at the federal prison in Martin County was indicted for allegedly assaulting a correctional officer and threatening a federal judge in 2018. John Anthony Morales-Lopez, also known as Talib Al-Yahya, was charged with assaulting correction officers/employees and mailing threatening communications to a U.S. judge.

• A father and son in Martin County were indicted on federal charges related to their ginseng business. Sherman and Jonathan Jude were charged in an indictment with conspiracy, false record aiding and abetting and Lacey Act aiding and abetting.

• The Big Sandy Area Community Action Program (BSACAP) Head Start received $978,113 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds will support Head Start services to low-income children under the age of 5 in Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties, the agency said.

• School districts in the Big Sandy region set their start dates for the upcoming school year, with parents deciding whether their children would attend in-person classes or continue learning virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Start dates included Aug. 26 in Lawrence County, Sept. 1 in Johnson County and Paintsville Independent, and Sept. 8 in Floyd County.

• The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office apprehended a man who was involved in a shooting in the Puncheon Creek area of the Sitka community June 29. Joshua Caudill, 28, of Stambaugh, is charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery, and was reportedly apprehended during a traffic stop. According to the complaint by Deputy Jeff Castle of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Caudill, armed with a .38-caliber handgun, shot James Jason McKenzie in the arm, with the bullet traveling through his arm and lodging in his side.

• Gov. Andy Beshear announced changes to a previously issued official order that temporarily granted a 90-day extension for select driver and motor vehicle documentation that expired while local and state government issuance offices were closed due to COVID-19. Provisions under official orders authorizing circuit court clerks to accept driver’s license renewal applications remotely were also extended for an additional three months.

• The Open Arms Animal Shelter, owned and operated by the Lawrence County Humane Society in Louisa, once again participated in the Bissell Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event to find homes for cats and kittens.

• Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order requiring Kentuckians to wear a mask under certain circumstances, including when visiting stores and restaurants.

• The Johnson County Fiscal Court purchased property at Hager Hill to serve as an industrial site to lure jobs to the region. The 5.5-acre site is located behind the former American Standard building.

• Heather Ladawn Ratliff, 31, of Cowpen Road in Pike County, was arrested by West Virginia officers and lodged in the Southwestern Regional Jail on several felony charges after leading law enforcement from Kentucky and West Virginia on a high-speed chase that began in Prestonsburg and ended across state lines.

• Haley Madison Roop, 18, of Louisa, was arrested after allegedly stabbing her mother with a knife.

• An Indiana man was arrested during a traffic stop when Prestonsburg officers observed the vehicle in which he was a passenger driving erratically in the vicinity of Shoppers’ Path at Super 8. Nathan L. Caudill, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was in possession of a Hi Point .45 ACP semi-automatic handgun and approximately 15 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin as well as other drugs and paraphernalia, the Prestonsburg Police Department said.

• Timothy Florian, 58 and Timothy Hall, 51, both of Frankfort, were arrested and charged with trafficking in heroin after their vehicle was stopped on Rt. 114 near the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg. Deputies discovered nearly two and a half ounces of heroin with fentanyl during the traffic stop, according to the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.

• The latest state report showed that the unemployment rate in the FIVCO Area Development District dropped from 18.5 percent in April to 13.1 percent in May, while the rate in the Big Sandy ADD fell from 17.9 percent to 12.9 percent.

• Louisa and Fort Gay, W.Va., were the setting of a new novel, “Ghosts of the Big Sandy River,” by Eddie Hartshorn of Columbus, Ohio, who has ties to the area.

• Louisa resident Christopher L. Bailey, 41, was indicted on a murder charge in the April death of his wife, JoBeth Butcher.

• Scott Osborn of Lawrence County High School and Mary Slone of Floyd Central High School were recipients of the 2021 Valvoline Teacher Award.

• Samantha Jo Kirk-Goble, 29, of Martin County, was killed in an ATV crash in the Pigeon Roost area.

• Michael Farley, 42, of Inez, was arrested after he refused to leave his rented room at the Brookshire Inn at Blacklog in Martin County, police said.

• The city of Prestonsburg was reimbursed $118,368 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for COVID-19-related expenses.

• Gov. Andy Beshear announced that restaurants in Kentucky would be limited to 25 percent of their capacity indoors due to COVID-19 concerns.

• Christopher Francisco, Barbara Jean Norman and Rodney Yount pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court at Pikeville to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense in February in Floyd County.

AUGUST

• Former Johnson County postal worker Donald Eugene Reffett pleaded guilty in federal court to misappropriation of postal service funds for taking $1,267.90 from the cash register at the Wittensville Post Office from April 2016 to August 2019, according to court records.

• Johnson County residents Hanna Gabbard, representing Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), and Jennifer Wilson of the Kentucky Cancer Program, along with Kayla Jude of Martin County, representing the Kentucky Career Center, were chosen as members of the BRIGHT Kentucky Class of 2020.

• The Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Martin County, cancelled the 2020 event due to COVID-19.

• The Big Sandy Area Community Action Program began taking applications for water, sewer and garbage bill payment assistance.

• Ky. 2565 at Dead Man’s Curve in Louisa officially reopened after being closed for several months for construction.

• Gov. Andy Beshear recommended that Kentucky schools delay the start of in-person instruction until Sept. 28 due to COVID-19 concerns.

• Joshua Scott, 33, of Inez, was recaptured 31 minutes after he escaped while being transported from Martin County to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.

• Paintsville Tourism closed the Sipp Theater, the Stafford House, the Mountain HomePlace and the U.S. 23 Country Music Museum until further notice because of the coronavirus. The action came after Johnson County saw a surge of COVID-19 cases.

• The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet opened a regional driver’s licensing office in Prestonsburg.

• Kenneth Mullins, 68, of Lakeland, Fla., was arrested in the Ivel community of Floyd County after being wanted on charges of failure to comply with sex offender registry laws. He was additionally charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

• The Lawrence County “Nightmare in the Square” event, held annually at the end of October, was cancelled for 2020 due to COVID-19.

• The Northeast Kentucky Community Action Agency was awarded $25,000 in CARES Act funds to operate its transit service during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Johnson County continued to report the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the Big Sandy region, with 23 reported between Aug. 11 and Aug. 17. During the same period, Floyd County reported 15 new cases, Martin County had four and Lawrence County had one.

• A plan approved by Gov. Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams allowed all Kentucky voters to cast mail-in ballots or participate in early voting in the November general election. In-person voting on election day was also approved.

• Tyler J. McKinney, 27, who was indicted in July on child sexual abuse charges in Lawrence County, was located and arrested in Ironton, Ohio, according to Kentucky State Police.

• Patrick Adkins of Kimper was arrested after he stole a parked vehicle at The Grey Area, a business in Prestonsburg.

• An Inez woman was arrested after she allegedly stabbed a Martin County sheriff’s deputy in the leg. Mary Lou Setser, 49, was charged with drug paraphernalia, third-degree assault of a police officer, menacing and third-degree terroristic threatening.

• Mark A. Blankenship, 32, of Paintsville, was arrested and charged with numerous offenses after he fled from a traffic stop and later attempted to flee from police again.

• Johnson and Martin counties received CARES Act reimbursements for COVID-19-related expenses. Johnson County was awarded $97,091 for personal protective equipment (PPE) and law enforcement payroll, while Martin County received $12,011 for PPE, sanitizer, disinfection of public spaces and telework supplies.

• Lawrence County Judge-Executive Phillip Carter, Deputy Judge-Executive Vince Doty, local volunteer Suzie New and employees at the Lawrence County Senior Citizens Center distributed dairy products to the public.

• Football practice at Lawrence County High School was temporarily suspended after a member of the coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19.

• The Lawrence County Fiscal Court proclaimed Aug. 24-28 as Lawrence County School Heroes Week to honor school employees who prepared and delivered meals to students when the coronavirus pandemic began.

• Students in Lawrence and Martin counties began virtual learning as in-person instruction was delayed in Kentucky.

• Casey Spence, 22, of Tomahawk, who was previously arrested for the theft of a motorcycle in Johnson County, was apprehended again for stealing a truck in Lawrence County, police said.

• The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office received $1,662 to purchase personal protection equipment.

SEPTEMBER

• A $2,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man who entered an Oil Springs residence armed with a gun and left the scene with several items. The man was dressed in black and represented himself as a law enforcement officer who was at the home as part of an ongoing investigation.

• Matthew Howard, 34, of Lawrence County, was arrested and charged with 20 counts of distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor.

The city of Louisa’s major sewer project, which began in June on Pike Street, moved to Lock Avenue, which is also state Rt. 2566. Highway District 12 said that section of the state road was closed to trucks and through traffic, which was detoured un… — The city of Louisa’s major sewer project, which began in June on Pike Street, moved to Lock Avenue, which is also state Rt. 2566. Highway District 12 said that section of the state road was closed to trucks and through traffic, which was detoured until the project is finished.

• The city of Paintsville and Floyd County were awarded funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Regional Development Agency Assistance Program for sewer and water projects. Paintsville received $1.5 million to extend the sewer line from the city wastewater treatment plant to the Honey Branch plant. Floyd County was awarded $248,955 for an emergency water line relocation project at Estill Bottom at Wayland.

• Former Johnson County resident Chris Stapleton was nominated for two Country Music Association (CMA) awards, picking up nods for Male Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Second One to Know.”

• Captain Randy Surber was named the new commander of Kentucky State Police Post 9 in Pikeville, which covers Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Martin and Magoffin counties.

• Adams Middle School Assistant Principal Matt Moon was named the Kentucky Music Educators Association Administrator of the Year for District 9.

• The body of Ryan Jason Marcum, 36, of Inez, was found in a tent on Buck Creek Hill. Martin County Coroner Chris Todd said Marcum had been shot, and he was awaiting autopsy results to determine whether Marcum was a homicide victim or if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.

• The Martin County Health Department reported the county’s third coronavirus-related death.

• Gov. Andy Beshear said he would not provide any further guidance to school districts in Kentucky about in-person instruction prior to Sept. 28, which was the first day the state would allow students to return to classrooms.

• The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the sentence of former United States Penitentiary Big Sandy inmate Eric “Big E” Flores, who was convicted of assaulting another prisoner with a dangerous weapon.

• Inez resident Dorothy Helen Mills celebrated her 100th birthday.

• The Louisa City Council approved a contract change that increased the cost of the city’s riverwalk project by more than $100,000. An engineer told council members that an archaeological study needed to be conducted, which was not part of the original plans.

• The Lawrence County Fiscal Court approved tax rates during a special meeting.

• The U.S. Census Bureau released self-response statistics showing that the percentage of residents in Lawrence, Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties who have completed their Census survey online, or by mail or phone was lower than the state average of 67.8 percent.

• State officials said school districts across Kentucky would use a four-color metric to guide them in deciding whether to offer in-person, virtual or hybrid instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Kentucky State Police arrested Hark Richard Mullins, 49, of Newtown, W.Va., after he refused to stop and attempted to flee at speeds greater than 100 miles per hour. A trooper clocked Mullins driving at 102 miles per hour on U.S. 23 in Lawrence County, the KSP said.

• Repair work began on the bridge between mile point 8.5 and 8.6 at Cherokee (Ky. 201) in Lawrence County. Work included demolition and repair of the concrete edges and replacement of end joints on each end of the bridge.

• Laura Carter Broughton, 40, and Donald Griffith, 58, both of Ashland, were reported missing. Broughton’s daughter said on Facebook that her mother was last seen in Inez around Aug. 27 but was reportedly going to the Ashland area at that time. Neither had been heard from or located since.

• Ten Floyd County residents were arrested on drug charges in the Weeksbury, Melvin and Wheelwright areas in response to active investigations and complaints of illegal drug trafficking, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office said.

• Floyd County was among 18 Eastern Kentucky governments approved for $2,789,546 in reimbursements from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for local governments with expenses related to COVID-19. Floyd County officials said they would use their $664,582 for personal protective equipment (PPE), the sheriff’s office payroll, disinfectant, small business relief and supplies for food banks.

• Martin County Attorney Melissa Fannin-Phelps asked the state attorney general’s Department of Criminal Investigations to look into the spending of Flex money for road paving that was not listed on the 2020 Flex fund list.

• Sean Holys Tharp, 35, of Hager Hill, was charged in a five-count federal indictment with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of the drug.

• Johnson and Floyd counties each reported two more coronavirus-related deaths.

• Brenda Joyce Shannon, 40; Kelley Nicole Atkins, 28; and Winfred Simmie Scott, 30, all of Louisa, were arrested by Kenova, W.Va., police on drug-related charges following a traffic stop.

• Unemployment rates reached double digits in all counties in the Big Sandy Area Development District in August, according to state statistics. The jobless rate in the Big Sandy district reached 11.7 percent in August, compared to 7.8 percent in July, while the FIVCO ADD’s rate was 9.9 percent, up from 6.6 percent in July.

• Transportation officials said construction of two new bridges in Lawrence and Martin counties was slated to begin before the end of the year, while the start of similar projects in Johnson and Floyd counties had not been determined. All of the projects were part of the 106-bridge design-build “Bridging Kentucky” contract awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

• The Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) presented state Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, with a 2020 “Friend of Kentucky Cities” award. Wheeler sponsored Senate Bill 187 in the 2020 session, a KLC initiative that would have modernized the list of required documents a city files with the secretary of state’s office after a boundary change. Wheeler represents the 31st District of Lawrence, Martin, Pike, Elliott and Morgan counties.

• The Lawrence County Fiscal Court offered residents low-cost spay/neuter assistance for dogs.

OCTOBER

Muralist Leslie Heinze and assistant Becky Clay painted a mural on the back of the Sipp Theater in downtown Paintsville as part of the new “Paintings in Paintsville” project.

• The bodies of Laura Carter Broughton, 40, and Donald Griffith, 58, both of Ashland, who were last seen in Martin County and reported missing in August, were found in a wrecked vehicle just outside of Catlettsburg. Officials said that it appeared the crash had occurred several weeks prior to the discovery of the bodies.

• The Lawrence County Public Library held a grand opening of its newly renovated building.

• In-person instruction began in Kentucky Sept. 28, but it was short-lived for several students in the Floyd County School District as one classroom at Prestonsburg Elementary was placed on quarantine after a student tested positive for COVID-19.

• The city of Louisa announced that the long-awaited Louisa East Elementary street project would move forward even though all bids came in over the project budget.

• While most fall festivals in Eastern Kentucky were shuddered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jenny Wiley Festival was not one of them. The annual event kicked off in downtown Prestonsburg with a few changes.

• A 66-year-old East Point man, William McCoy, died after being struck by an automobile along U.S. 23 in the Stanville community of Floyd County when he reportedly walked into the vehicle’s path of travel.

• Big Sandy Community and Technical College received $1.5 million to create the East Kentucky Oral Health Training Center on its Mayo campus.

• Johnson Central High School graduate McKenna Pelphrey was the first recipient nof the Cathy Goble Gullett Memorial Scholarship, which was established to benefit Morehead State University students.

• Three counties in the Big Sandy region reached milestones in the number of positive COVID-19 cases. Lawrence and Martin counties exceeded 100 total cases, while Johnson County reported its 200th case.

• Corbie Fyffe, 57, of Blaine, was charged with intimidating a participant in the legal process for allegedly making multiple threats to kill” Constable Daniel Castle with a handgun, according to a criminal complaint.

• Grayson RECC announced a series of steps to start regular operations and work with members who are behind on their bill payments. In March, Grayson temporarily suspended disconnections and late fees for nonpayment as an emergency relief measure for members faced with financial hardships due to the coronavirus.

• The elimination of a circuit judgeship in Floyd County resulted in a lawsuit filed in Franklin Circuit Court. The suit by former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Janet Stumbo and Floyd County Bar Association President Brandis Bradley claimed action in 2018 to eliminate the Division II seat in Floyd Circuit Court effective in 2023 was unconstitutional.

• Early voting for the November general election began in Kentucky.

• Vanessa Morton, 45, of Staffordsville, was indicted by the Johnson County Grand Jury on a first-degree manslaughter charge in the March 15 death of Christopher Downs.

• State Auditor Mike Harmon released a report showing the status of ethics codes in all 120 counties. Among other findings, Harmon’s “data bulletin” showed that Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties did not have members appointed to their ethics boards, with Lawrence being the only local county to have members in place.

• Louisa City Council members authorized the use of depreciation funds for upgrades to the city’s water plant.

• The Lawrence County, Johnson County, Paintsville Independent and Martin County school districts resumed virtual learning for all students as local COVID-19 case numbers continued to climb.

• A two-vehicle crash Friday on the Mountain Parkway in Salyersville claimed the life of Joey Lewis, 36, of Banner.

• The backs of historic buildings in downtown Paintsville started coming alive with the sights of yesteryear as the second phase of the “Paintings in Paintsville” project spearheaded by the Johnson County Extension Family and Consumer Sciences program began with the painting of a mural on the back of the Sipp Theater.

• Highway District 12 began a sign removal blitz in Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Martin, and Pike counties as all signs illegally placed on state right of way were taken down, including those for political candidates, yard sales, businesses, real estate, or any other purpose.

• The Louisa Fire Department responded to an early-morning vehicle fire on U.S. 23 north of Louisa involving a Chevrolet dually pickup owned by the Lawrence County Road Department. Two employees were in the vehicle at the time of the fire, but no injuries were reported.

• Lawrence, Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties were in the “red zone” on Kentucky’s COVID-19 incidence rate map. Red zone counties are those with 25 or more average daily cases of the coronavirus per 100,000 residents.

• The coronavirus did not scare away Trick or Treat in the Big Sandy region as Lawrence, Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties observed the annual Halloween activity.

• Johnson Circuit Judge John David Preston sentenced Paul Lemay, 52, of Oil Springs, to 45 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Mandy A. Lemay, 27, and 12 months for the abuse of her corpse in November 2018. Commonwealth's Attorney Tony Skeans' office said Lemay would not be eligible for parole until December 2039 and “will potentially serve out in March of 2057, when he will be 90 years old.”

• A former California resident who lived in Prestonsburg was arrested after law enforcement and postal workers intercepted a large quantity of illegal drugs that was shipped to his address from California. Thomas Heacox was charged with first-degree criminal attempt to traffic in a controlled substance, methamphetamine, greater than two grams.

• Christopher Evans, 38, of Louisa, was arrested in Prestonsburg after he allegedly stole a riding lawn mower and hid it in a nearby neighborhood, and then went back for a push mower, police said.

• Significant drops in unemployment rates were reported in the FIVCO and Big Sandy area development districts for September. Jobless statistics released by state officials showed that the FIVCO district’s rate slid from 9.7 percent in August to 7 percent in September, while the Big Sandy ADD’s rate dropped from 11.5 percent to 8.5 percent.

NOVEMBER

The Louisa Rotary distributed 130 turkeys to various members of their organization who are planning to help give them out for Thanksgiving. This year’s sponsors included the Louisa Rotary Club, City National Bank of Louisa, Foothills Communication, … — The Louisa Rotary distributed 130 turkeys to various members of their organization who are planning to help give them out for Thanksgiving. This year’s sponsors included the Louisa Rotary Club, City National Bank of Louisa, Foothills Communication, First Baptist Church of Louisa and Walmart of Louisa.

• Two new House members — Republicans Patrick Flannery from the 96th District and Norma Kirk-McCormick from the 93rd District — and a new senator, Republican Johnnie L. Turner from the 29th District were elected by voters in the Big Sandy region in the Nov. 3 election. State Reps. Bobby McCool, R-Van Lear, from the 97th District and Ashley Tackett Laferty, D-Martin, from the 95th District, along with Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, were easily re-elected.

• Fire broke out at Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt’s home in Prestonsburg.

• Three people were killed in two separate car crashes in Floyd County. Samuel Kelly, 18 of David, was pronounced dead at the scene of the first collision, which occurred on U.S. 23 in Prestonsburg. A single-vehicle collision on Rt. 80 near the Rt. 680 intersection at Eastern claimed the lives of Ronald Williams, 54, and his mother, Madge Williams, 80, both of MacDowell.

• A man convicted of drug and other offenses in Lawrence Circuit Court in 2019 was granted a new trial by the Kentucky Supreme Court. In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Gary Haven Cochran was not made aware by Judge John David Preston of the dangers and disadvantages of representing himself at trial. The court reversed his conviction and sent it back to Lawrence Circuit Court for a new trial.

• The Floyd County School District made changes to its food service program that allowed parents/guardians to pick meals up a week at a time.

• COVID-19 case numbers continued to steadily rise across Kentucky and in the Big Sandy region, with Lawrence, Johnson, Floyd and Martin counties maintaining their red zone status for yet another week.

• Organizers announced that the annual Lawrence County Christmas parade would be held Dec. 12 in downtown Louisa.

• A Boyle County man, Christopher Francisco, 30, was sentenced to 322 months in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm. Law enforcement stopped Francisco’s vehicle in Floyd County on Feb. 11 and found approximately three pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm, according to his plea agreement.

• Highway District 12 maintenance facilities in Johnson County, and at Minnie in Floyd County and Shelby in Pike County were temporarily closed due to one employee at each location testing positive for COVID-19.

• Lawrence County native Adam Chaffins released a new single, “Now I Don’t Know,” which was available on streaming platforms and digital retailers.

• Public libraries in Lawrence, Johnson and Floyd counties were closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions but continued offering curbside services.

• Captain Jonathan Holbrook and officer Zac Stapleton of the Paintsville Police Department along with Johnson County Constable Bruce Ritz were awarded the Paintsville Police Department Meritorious Award by Police Chief Mike Roe for “a selfless act of service, when called on, deserving of praise and recognition.” Holbrook said that he, Stapleton and Ritz worked several hours helping the homeless with COVID-19 to make sure “they had everything they need for the duration of their quarantine.”

• Lawrence County was one of six counties chosen for a post-election audit. Lawrence, Fleming, Hickman, Livingston, Anderson and Boone counties were randomly selected for the audits, which would be conducted by the attorney general’s Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

• Darrell T. Haney, 53, of Denver, was killed in a single-vehicle crash at Upper Twin Branch in Johnson County.

• Lawrence County solid waste coordinator Jim Burchett put citizens on notice that the mandatory garbage collection requirement of the county’s trash ordinance would be “strictly enforced” beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Burchett said that anyone who did not have trash collection service established must contact one of the franchised service providers to do so.

• Former Johnson County postal worker Donald Eugene Reffett was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered him to pay $1,267.90 in restitution and a $750 fine. He had pleaded guilty earlier in the year to misappropriation of postal service funds

• The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office assisted Floyd County Constable Gary Nelson in the Garrett community of Floyd County that resulted in the arrest of four people on drug-related offenses. James Pratt of Louisville, Bryan Pratt of Pine Top, Kenneth Slone of Topmost and Keisha Sexton of Deane were all charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, more than two grams of methamphetamine; and possession of drug paraphernalia. James Pratt was additionally served with a parole warrant and was charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Bryan Pratt was additionally charged with disregarding a stop sign.

• Former United States Penitentiary Big Sandy employee Hank Williams, 56, of Weeksbury, and ex-inmate Librado Navarette, 34, were indicted on methamphetamine trafficking and other charges. Williams, former cook supervisor at the USP Big Sandy, was charged with conspiring with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiring with others to money launder. The indictment further alleged that Williams accepted a bribe from Navarette.

• Highway District 12’s Allen maintenance facility in Floyd County was closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID-19.

• The owner of several drug abuse treatment facilities in Eastern Kentucky was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of wire and health care fraud. The indictment charged Eugene Sisco III with allegedly defrauding the Medicaid program by charging patients for certain services and then billing Medicaid for the same services. Sisco was the owner of Renew Addiction Treatment Clinic, an outpatient abuse disorder facility that had locations in Pike, Floyd and Harlan counties. He also owned ASAP Addiction Treatment, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Professionals and Renew Residential Services, doing business as Brookside, the indictment says.

• Sean Tharp of Hager Hill pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. An investigation revealed that between April and September, Tharp conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine into Johnson and surrounding counties, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. He admitted to developing a relationship with a supplier outside of Kentucky and traveling to Georgia on multiple occasions to obtain pound quantities of methamphetamine, which he brought back to the Johnson County area to sell, according to his plea agreement.

DECEMBER

Paintsville High School won its first state football championship, defeating Kentucky Country Day 38-7 in Lexington.

• It was announced that a private screening of a short film featuring a local young actor was scheduled at the Garden Theater in Louisa Jan. 7, 2021. Members of the cast of “Thandi’s Love,” including 13-year-old Zeb Slone of Louisa, were scheduled be present for a meet and greet following the screening with a red carpet event. The 45-minute movie is set in the South during the mid-1800s and explores the love affair between mulatto slave Thandi Boran and her married master, Tom Lexington. Slone and Jasmine Smith play the young versions of Lexington and Boran.

• Johnson County taxpayers were expected to get a supplemental tax bill for a new tax approved earlier in the year by the Johnson County Board of Education. The school board passed a nickel equivalency tax of 6.1 cents per $100 of assessed property on Oct. 1.

• Numerous events and activities were announced to celebrate the Christmas season in the Big Sandy region.

• Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky was expected to receive approximately 38,000 doses of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) as early as mid-December. The initial does would be provided to 38,000 individuals, Beshear said. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines both require an initial shot followed by a booster shot.

• The Lawrence County Public Library completed a project to index obituaries that have been published in The Big Sandy News over the last 135 years. The library’s genealogy/adult services coordinator, Caleb Farley, said that when he started the project, the index included obituaries from 1885 through 2012. It now includes obituaries up to the current date, he said.

• Repair work to fix a shoulder break started on Ky. 3 in Lawrence County at mile point 31.520, just before Lambert Branch, near the intersection with Ky. 3399. Geotechnical Services International (GSI), a contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, built a soil nail wall with drainage to stabilize the shoulder and embankment.

• The coronavirus hit the inmate population in the Big Sandy region as 30 active cases were reported at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Johnson County and 19 at the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy in Martin County.

• The Martin County Fiscal Court unanimously approved a resolution supporting a $300 million project that officials said could bring between 250 and 300 jobs to Martin County. The project would consist of a solar electrical generating facility at the location of a reclaimed surface mine formerly known as Martiki Coal.

• The pursuit of a wanted felon in Floyd County led to charges of attempted murder of a police officer. Tommy Shepherd of Open Fork of David was served with four felony warrants and charged with attempted murder of a police officer; third-degree assault of a police officer; three counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer; first-degree fleeing/evading police on foot and in a vehicle; possession of methamphetamine; first-degree criminal mischief; tampering with physical evidence; resisting arrest; and criminal littering. He was charged as a first-degree persistent felony offender.

• The Martin County Sheriff’s Office arrested nine people at Long Branch in Lovely and confiscated over $10,000 in cash, 42 firearms, marijuana, methamphetamine and pills. The officers also discovered two defaced firearms and two stolen firearms during the arrests.

• The Martin County Water District held a special meeting and approved its 2020-2021 budget, which members said would require them to seek a rate increase of approximately 10 percent from the Public Service Commission.

• Recently released statistics showed that unemployment numbers rose in October in the FIVCO and Big Sandy area development districts, with four counties posting some of the highest rates in Kentucky. The jobless rate in the FIVCO district increased from 6.9 percent in September to 8.5 percent in October, while the rate in the Big Sandy ADD jumped from 8.5 percent to 11.1 percent.

• Eugene Sisco III, the owner of several drug abuse treatment facilities in Eastern Kentucky, pleaded not guilty to federal charges of wire and health care fraud and a February 9, 2021, trial date was set in the case. A federal indictment returned in November charged Sisco with defrauding the Medicaid program by charging patients for certain services and then billing Medicaid for the same services.

• The Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC) officially opened the Southeast State Correctional Complex in Floyd County. Southeast State Correctional Complex is a 621-bed prison in Wheelwright housing medium-custody male inmates. DOC is leasing the building from CoreCivic and operating the facility as a state prison.

• Eastern Kentucky’s first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Pikeville Medical Center, which administered it to its healthcare workers.

• John David Trimble was charged with murder in the shooting death of his brother-in-law, Randy Salyers.

• Gov. Andy Beshear said students could return to in-person instruction on Jan. 11, even those in counties listed in the red zone.

• Former Big Sandy News publisher Marjie Hale died.

• Graveside services were held for Eddie Schmitt, known as Louisa’s cardboard artist.

• The final defendant in a Floyd County methamphetamine case, Rodney Yount, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to a total of 180 months, including 120 months on the meth charge and 60 months on the firearms offense. Co-defendants Christopher Francisco and Barbara Jean Norman were sentenced in October and November, respectively, with Francisco getting 322 months and Norman receiving 152 months.

• Lawrence County’s annual parade was held in downtown Louisa.

• The Lawrence County Fiscal Court declined to approve a resolution supporting an increase in the state gasoline tax to provide more funds for road projects.

• James Cottle of Johnson County was sentenced to 10 months in prison after violating the conditions of his supervised release. Cottle was sentenced in 2008 to 160 months on child pornography charges, and was released from federal custody in 2018.

• The Lawrence County Humane Society, Inc., received a $14,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to help prepare more shelter pets in Lawrence County for adoption and ensure they are ready to find loving homes.

• The Johnson County Grand Jury returned 13 indictments after holding its first virtual session. The 24th Judicial Circuit Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, which includes Johnson, Lawrence and Martin counties, said it is moving all grand juries to a “virtual basis” based on the most recent Kentucky Supreme Court order concerning court operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Kentucky State Police investigated aassault in the McDowell area of Floyd County in which a man was shot in the head. Ryan Etcherson, 26, of Detroit, Mich., was shot near his vehicle on Brown’s Branch, but was able to walk to a nearby residence to seek help, the KSP said.