Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Pike Co. News - 3.9.26

Transcript

Pike Co. News - 3.9.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

0:00
Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Appalachanews Express
0:03
for News and Pikeville and Pike County. As a reminder,
0:06
Radio Eye is a reading service intended for people who
0:09
are blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult
0:12
to read printed material. The Appalachanews Express is donated to
0:15
Radio Eye by the publisher. Your reader to day is
0:19
Darcy mac Ardell. We will begin with the e edition
0:22
dated March the sixth through the ninth of twenty twenty six.
0:28
Our first article from the front page is Fiscal Court
0:31
hears public comment concerning landfill and sets magistrates salaries by
0:36
Terry L. May, News Editor. The Pike County Fiscal Court
0:40
met in regular session March third and allowed the public
0:43
to make awaited comments concerning the now defunct proposed landfill
0:48
at Myram. In addition, the court addressed several other issues,
0:51
including setting salaries for magistrates. In the new administration of
0:55
the court that takes office in January of twenty twenty seven.
1:00
Strict two Commissioner Kleinard Bubby Atkins had requested a second
1:04
vote on whether to break the host Community agreement executed
1:08
February tenth between the county and USA Waste management and recycling,
1:13
allowing for the company to take the necessary steps to
1:16
develop a privately owned landfill on an abandoned surface. Mind sight,
1:22
I would like to make a motion that we rescind
1:24
this agreement again and vote on it. He said. That
1:27
way everything is squared away. Also, I would like for
1:31
us to send this company a letter if we have
1:34
not already, to let them know we voted no on
1:37
the host agreement. The court once again voted in a
1:40
three to one split vote in favor of vacating the
1:43
contract by County Judge Executive Ray S. Jones cast the
1:48
only vote against breaching the contract. Are there any future
1:52
options for Pike County Solid waste? Jones asked the commissioners.
1:56
Would you like to discuss those with these folks about
1:59
what your lands are, about what we are going to
2:02
do when the landfill in this last phase is done,
2:07
how much the bills are going to go up, and
2:09
what we should do. We have probably five to six
2:12
years before the landfill is full. The Fiscal Court also
2:15
agreed to set the salary for the incoming magistrates at
2:18
forty seven thousand, eight hundred and eighty dollars, plus benefits
2:22
such as a cell phone, health insurance and a training stipend.
2:27
This is the same compensation package the current commissioners receive.
2:31
After the agenda's action items were complete, Jones turned the
2:35
floor over to public comment, for which twenty one people
2:38
had signed up to speak. The comments highlight the concerns
2:41
about the landfill's environmental impact, local governmental transparency and decision making,
2:47
and expressions of gratitude toward the Commissioners for rescinding the
2:50
host company agreement. Most of the speakers voice the same
2:54
concerns as Oma Johnson and Jeremy Lyttle, who highlighted the
2:58
lack of public input and the proximity of the site
3:01
to Holmes. Little says his residence is directly across the
3:05
hill from the proposed site and to ungroundwater sources. Jones
3:10
emphasized that the host agreement did not mean the landfill
3:13
would ever be developed, but allowed USA Waste Management when
3:16
Recycling to pursue the possibility. He said the project would
3:20
have faced many regulatory hurdles. However, Zachary Tackett admonished members
3:25
of the Fiscal Court to stop making rash decisions. I
3:29
would like to see moving forward and this is for
3:31
you guys and then anybody that is elected, like Judge
3:34
Jones said earlier, you don't have to make decisions right away.
3:38
He said, I am not agreeing with Jones because I
3:41
do not think he did bring this magistrate's salary up
3:44
in a hasty way to try to prove a point
3:46
in his own way. I think this is wrong. But
3:49
take your time, Tackett continued, Read the facts, read what
3:53
is before you, and if you don't understand it, take
3:56
it to somebody who does. Don't make rash and hasty
3:58
decisions just because of the wind. Ourndex's article from the
4:03
front page is Mullen's Elementary principal talks about school culture
4:07
by Terry el Main. News editor. Ricky Thacker, who took
4:11
the home of Mullens Elementary School at the beginning of
4:14
the academic year, talked to the News Express about his
4:17
roots in Pike County and the culture his staff is
4:19
setting for the school, combining community engagement, technology integration, and
4:24
student curiosity and creativity. Becker is a graduate of east
4:30
Ridge High School and of Pikeville College now the University
4:33
of Pikeville. He has been an educator for the past
4:36
two decades, serving as a teacher at Betsy Lane High
4:39
and then as an assistant principal and principal at Prestonburg
4:43
High School before coming to Mullins. He said Mullins has
4:46
a well rounded program of academics, sports, and extracurricular activities.
4:51
The school has a student population of around seven hundred currently.
4:54
Becker said he would like to see that number grow.
5:00
My goal is to get over one thousand students, he said.
5:03
I want everyone to come to Mullins because a tiger
5:06
and an eventually become a Tiger and eventually go on
5:10
and become a Pike County Central Hawk. We have so
5:14
many opportunities here and so many more opportunities to come.
5:18
Becker said that at Mullins, heat and his staff work
5:21
to create an environment where student curiosity is a driving
5:24
force as they learn through traditional teaching models with new
5:28
technologies in AI research and effective communication among the students
5:32
being integrated in the process. I try to incorporate people.
5:37
That is greater than programs. But we do have more
5:40
access and availability to technology now more than ever before.
5:43
He said, you have to use technology as a resource.
5:47
It is a phenomenal resource and we have been given
5:50
more vibrant learning opportunities for our kids. We want our
5:54
students to learn and to be able to defend their
5:56
answers and topics Thatacker continued, we want to engage our students.
6:00
We want to give them opportunities. We don't just want
6:04
to be cut and dry and say answer twenty questions,
6:08
complete this outline, or do this activity. We want them
6:11
to engage in research and explore their curiosity. Becker said
6:15
that whether this that is using proven methods or exploring
6:19
new developments, good teaching is good teaching, and he wants
6:22
to incorporate both worlds. At Mullin's we are laying the
6:26
foundation for Pike County Central High School, where they will
6:30
put up walls and windows, he said, using a carpentry analogy.
6:34
When they eventually go to a post secondary school or
6:37
start a career, that is when they will start putting
6:40
on their roof. But it will all have started here
6:43
at Mullen for them. We want to provide a solid
6:46
foundation of academic excellence. Our next article from the front
6:51
page is Rogers bound over to grand jury on possession
6:58
of child sexual material tracks Or by Terry L. May,
7:02
News Editor. Probable cause was found during a preliminary hearing
7:06
in Pike District Court of March fifth for a grand
7:09
jury to hear a case of a Pike fulman charged
7:11
with possession of matter betraying a sexual performance by a miner.
7:16
Pike District Judge Tommy May ruled that the County Attorney's
7:20
office and the arresting agency had met the qualifications for
7:24
probable cause and bound the case over for a grand
7:27
jury inquiry. In edition, May keep Roger's bond of two
7:34
hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash originally set by Pike
7:37
District Judge Robert Wright. During the testimony presented by Hobson,
7:42
he set a cell phone confiscated for Rogers was submitted
7:45
for digital download, and more than nineteen hundred images were
7:48
found concerning this investigation. He later testified that the people
7:52
in the images were juveniles based on their appearance from
7:56
two to twelve years old. De Bourbon pursued a line
8:04
of questioning as to the legality of the rest in
8:07
the images found. However, Assistant County Attorney Tommy Chamberlain eventually
8:12
objected that the proceedings being conducted were a preliminary hearing
8:16
and not at an evidentiary hearing. We are getting beyond that,
8:20
he said De bourb encountered a preliminary hearing is to
8:24
see what evidence you have. Rogers was arrested on the
8:27
charge and booked into the Pike County Detention Center on
8:30
February the twenty sixth, where he may remains as of
8:33
press time. According to Pikeville Police public information officer Tiaeson Lockridge,
8:40
the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible in
8:43
the case. Rogers was free on bond in several misdemeanor
8:47
cases at the time of his arrest, including one in
8:50
which he is accused of subjecting a woman a stranger
8:53
of the age of eighteen, to sexual contact without consent
8:57
in the Pikeville parking garage in August. Our next article
9:02
is GOP bill would give Kentucky school boards no choice
9:07
in approving religious instruction By McKenna Horseley, Kentucky Lantern. A
9:13
House bill filed this week by a Republican lawmaker would
9:16
require Kentucky public schools to allow outside moral instruction groups
9:21
to give religious instructions to students during class time. House
9:25
Bill eight two nine, sponsored by Representative Shane Baker of Somerset,
9:29
would make changes to a law passed by the GOP
9:32
controlled General Assembly last year that permits school boards to
9:35
consider requests from such groups. The law enacted last year
9:40
says school boards may approve proposals for moral instruction that
9:44
meet certain specified requirements. This year bill says schools boards
9:49
shall approve proposals that meet the requirements. Representative Shane Baker
9:54
presents a resolution to return a ten Commandment's monument to
9:59
the Capitol. And twenty twenty five Ohio based Life Wise Academy,
10:04
which teaches public school students about the Bible, submitted requests
10:08
to several Kentucky school boards with varying outcomes since the
10:11
twenty twenty five law was passed. If approved, Baker's bill
10:15
would require school boards to allow moral instruction programs to
10:19
students if they meet requirements such as having a transportation
10:22
plan and proof of insurance. The bill would also expand
10:26
the time moral instruction would be offered to students from
10:29
up to an hour to at least an hour. The
10:34
program could also take place on school campuses if school
10:38
boards allow equal access to the use of school property
10:42
by public men members of the community. The current law
10:46
requires students be transported off campus for the classes. Additionally,
10:51
the Kentucky Attorney General's Office may file civil law suits
10:55
against school boards that do not comply with the measure.
10:58
Baker said via a bolksperson that the bills streamlines the
11:02
process for approval for moral instruction programs like life Wise
11:06
in schools. HB eight two nine was filed Tuesday and
11:10
had not been assigned a committee as of Wednesday morning.
11:13
Representative Jason Peatrie, Republican Elkton, chair of the House Appropriations
11:18
and Revenue Committee, is a co sponsor. The chair of
11:22
the Oldham County Board of Education, one of the school
11:25
boards that rejected a request from Life Wise Academy, previously
11:29
said she voted against the proposal because of concerns about
11:33
logistics with LifeWise picking up and dropping off at school
11:37
multiple times a day. Meanwhile, the McCracken County Board of
11:40
Education approved a similar request for an intermediate school in
11:44
its district. The Paduca's son reported in September. One board
11:48
member cited the programs operation in another county, Marshall County Schools,
11:54
which has had the programme since twenty twenty three. One
11:57
group of Oldham County residents, Kentucky Citizens for Democracy, vocally
12:02
oppose the LifeWise requests their last fall. The group issued
12:05
a statement opposing the bill Tuesday night, saying it is
12:09
part of a growing effort to and fed religious instruction
12:11
programs into the daily structure of public education. While these
12:15
programs are often described as voluntary, real world experience in
12:19
districts across the county shows, they frequently create division among students,
12:24
disrupt the school day, and place pressure on children who
12:26
choose not to participate. The Citizens Group said public schools
12:31
exist to serve every child in the community, regardless of
12:35
religion or belief. Programs that separate students for religious instruction
12:39
during the school day risk undermining that shared civic mission.
12:43
According to its statement of faith online, LifeWise maintains a
12:46
high view of the authority of Scripture and we align
12:49
ourselves with historic Orthodox Christian beliefs as expressed in the
12:53
Nicene Creed. Last year, Republican Ohio Governor Mike de Wine
12:58
signed a law requiring school districts to create a religious
13:01
instruction release time policy. The law had previously allowed school
13:05
boards to decide policies around letting children attend religious instruction
13:10
during the school day. Throughout twenty twenty five, LifeWise rapidly
13:14
expanded in Ohio schools. Bashir state leaders stand up against
13:20
federal rule that would limit student loan access for healthcare
13:24
workers special to Appalachian Newspapers. Governor Andy Basheer said in
13:29
a statement he has joined twenty four attorney generals and
13:33
one other governor in submitting a letter to the US
13:35
Department of Education opposing a proposed rule under the One
13:39
Big Beautiful Bill ad HR one one hundred and nineteenth
13:43
Congress that would cap federal student loans for graduate students
13:47
in nursing, physician assistants, and other health fields, a change
13:51
that could worsen health care shortages across the country. Healthcare
13:55
workers are heroes who save lives, and any American who
13:59
chooses to pursussue this noble career should feel they have
14:02
options to do so, said Basher. Capping federal student loans
14:05
would make graduate degrees more expensive and unattainable, while also
14:10
fueling the dangerous health care shortages across our country. This
14:14
rule is unlawful, unnecessary, and harmful to families in our communities,
14:19
especially those in rural America who are already feeling the
14:22
impacts of the Big Ugly Bill HR one, the statement said,
14:27
newly limited the amount of federal student loans the graduate
14:29
students can borrow to twenty thousand, five hundred each year
14:34
up to one hundred thousand dollars total. Students pursuing professional degrees, however,
14:39
are permitted to borrow up to fifty thousand a year
14:42
for a total of two hundred thousand. The statement said.
14:45
Congress broadly defines professional degree as any degree that signifies
14:50
both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in
14:53
a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond
14:57
that normally required for a bachelor's degree. Congress also provided
15:01
a list of ten examples, such as medical degrees and
15:03
law degrees, but specified that professional degrees are not limited
15:08
to those examples. The proposed rule under hr IE would
15:12
take Congress's list of ten examples plus clinical psychology and
15:16
make it exclusive, meaning only students pursuing those degrees and
15:19
no others would be eligible to borrow up to the
15:22
higher loan amounts the statement set. The statement said that
15:26
would exclude aspiring nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists,
15:31
and other professionals who are essential to states health systems
15:34
and economies for nursing schools and other programs that exceed
15:38
the twenty thousand, five hundred annual cap. Students would be
15:41
forced to seek private loans on worse terms or be
15:44
priced out of the higher education entirely. The statement set.
15:47
The coalition argues that the proposed rule violates federal law.
15:51
The Department of Education, the statement said, violated Congress's clear
15:55
intent by turning in an illustrative list of degrees into
15:58
a hard limit, leaving at nurses, physician assistants, and other
16:02
essential health professionals who depend on these loans to access
16:06
and complete their education. The list of examples was originally
16:09
devised in the nineteen fifties, long before graduate programs in nursing,
16:14
physician assistance, and physical therapy became common. By freezing that
16:18
list in place, the Department of Education has ignored decades
16:21
of change in health professions and excluded health professionals who
16:24
clearly fall within Congress's definition, the statement said. The statements
16:28
said Kentucky and other states are already facing health care
16:31
workforce shortages, and this rule would make things worse, preventing
16:37
students from borrowing the amounts needed to pay for programs
16:39
such as nursing, physician assistance, and physical therapy will result
16:43
in a reduced supply of expert health care workers, the
16:45
statement said. The letter urges eed to abandon its narrow
16:50
definition of professional degree and devise a broader one that
16:53
encompasses the full spectrum of degrees intended by Congress, the
16:56
statement said. Joining Governor Basher and submitting the elements are
17:00
the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the
17:06
District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada,
17:13
New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington,
17:21
and Wisconsin, and the Governor of Kansas. Library mural on
17:28
hold by Gary Slan's staff writer the Pike County Public
17:32
Library District of Board of Trustees. On February the twenty sixth,
17:36
the board tabled any action on a proposed mural at
17:40
the Elkhorn City Library branch. The mural was not funded
17:44
in the current budget. Director of Libraries Delaana Adkinson, I
17:48
would recommend to the board that we tabled this until
17:51
we begin our budget discussion for the twenty twenty six
17:53
twenty twenty seven budget. The board agreed and the topic
17:56
was tabled until a later date. Adkins then presented the
18:00
progress report for the month of January. The library just
18:03
held one hundred and ninety seven programs during January, with
18:06
three thousand, eight hundred and seventy six people attending those programs.
18:10
Adkins said some of our programs were either canceled or
18:14
postponed due to weather conditions. The report also indicated that
18:17
the patron account, which is the number of people who
18:20
physically visited a library, was down slightly, also because of
18:25
weather conditions in January. The patron crown for January indicated
18:29
by eight hundred and forty three people visited the Belfree Library,
18:33
one thousand, two hundred and eighty two people visited the
18:35
Elkhorn Library, The Lee Avenue Library reported three thousand, two
18:40
hundred and thirty four people, four hundred and five people
18:42
visited the Phelps Library, and the Virgie Library reported five
18:46
hundred and eighty people. The next meeting of the Board
18:49
of Trustees is set for three pm on March The
18:51
nineteenth bills to change PSC utility regulation improved by Senate
18:58
Committee by Rustcast Regional editor. The Kentucky Senate Committee on
19:03
Natural Resources and Energy approved two measures on March the
19:06
fourth aimed at changing the Kentucky Public Service Commission and
19:10
the way utilities are regulated. SB two thirteen, which was
19:14
sponsored by Senators Philip Wheeler, Scott Madden, Brian Smith, and
19:19
Robin Webb, would make changes to the regulation of electricity
19:24
utilities in the Commonwealth. Wheeler said during the committee's March
19:28
fourth meeting that the bill is an attempt to keep
19:31
rates fair. If utilities are uninterested or unable to reasonably
19:35
meet the needs of the public that depend on them
19:38
for life sustaining services or to be the primary economic
19:42
driver in their communities, then this bill provides the PS
19:46
with a preliminary toolbox to mitigate utilities behavior or impacts,
19:51
or otherwise provide customers with an alternative means of service,
19:54
Wheeler said. Included in the changes the bill would make,
20:00
according to Wheeler, is that it would set forth in
20:02
the law that the service territories that utilities have are
20:06
not a right but a privilege, and if the PSC
20:09
determines that a suppliers not providing adequate service, it may
20:13
order the utility to correct the problem. The bill, Wheeler said,
20:17
would also allow facilities to be served by another electricity
20:21
provider if the facility wishes, and require the utilities can
20:26
conduct integrated research planning every three years. Electricity providers would
20:31
also be required to procure electric generations sufficient to meet
20:35
customer demand using an open, competitive process and at a
20:39
rate that is the lowest possible. Given the long lived
20:42
nature and significant cost of utility investments, one poor decision
20:46
by utility with respect to wires, poles or power plants
20:50
can cost customers for decades, Wheeler said. Given that utilities
20:54
are rate related and their rates include their investments capital
20:59
com customers rather than shareholders, bear the risks of utility's
21:03
bad decision making. Another provision of SB two one three
21:08
is that the PSC would be allowed to determine an
21:11
amount to be returned to customers in case of a
21:14
utility or electric utilities transfer over sale. Wheeler said this
21:19
would serve in cases such as Kentucky Powers failed sale
21:21
in twenty twenty three to Liberty Utilities, which would have
21:25
resulted in Kentucky Power making a profit of somewhere between
21:28
three hundred million and one billion. That profit was going
21:32
to be saddled on the rate payers of eastern Kentucky,
21:35
one of the poorest areas in the entire state for generations.
21:38
He said, if the utility doesn't want to do business
21:40
in Kentucky and chooses to leave, they deserve to leave
21:43
with their capital. They do not deserve to leave a
21:46
lasting legacy of indebtedness on ratepayers within a service area.
21:51
Wheeler said rising electricity rates are causing rate payers nervous problems.
21:57
It really is a tear jerker when you see people
21:59
that live a single wide trailer that get an eight
22:01
hundred to nine hundred dollars electric bill when they're drawing
22:04
a fifteen hundred dollars so security check. He said, you
22:08
can't live like that. It's just not right. The committee
22:11
also approved SB eight, sponsored by Smith and Webb, which
22:15
would make changes to the PSC and the way it's appointed.
22:19
SB eight would expand the PSC from three members, all
22:23
appointed by the governor, to five members, three of whom
22:26
would be appointed by the governor and two of whom
22:29
would be appointed by the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts.
22:33
The board, according to Smith, would also be balanced under
22:35
the bill, with no more than two members having the
22:38
same occupation or profession and no more than three from
22:41
the same political party. We want a diverse board, he said.
22:45
We want a board that's not dominated by politics. Smith
22:49
also defended on March fourth and provision that requires a
22:53
heightened standard for allowing parties to intervene in cases before
22:57
the PSC. When someone comes to make an issue with
23:00
a project in the Kentucky we want the transparency of
23:03
knowing who's funding you to be there, Sam Smith said.
23:07
Are you there because you're a citizen group who cares
23:09
about it? Are you a group that's been paid for
23:13
by an outside country like China or Russia like we've
23:16
seen in the past. Smith said, anyone who wants to
23:18
intervene should not be opposed to providing that information. If
23:22
you're concerned about showing that, then we don't want you
23:24
in front of our committee because it is not something
23:26
that lines up with Kentucky. Smith said, there is no
23:29
outright ban on intervention. We're only blocking people who don't
23:32
want to tell us why they're here and who's funding them.
23:35
The Attorney General's Office, Smith said, is the organization responsible
23:39
for representing the consumers, Unlike outside advocacy groups. The Attorney
23:43
General is elected statewide. He said, no one elects these
23:48
outside groups or organizations that want to come in here
23:51
and speak on our behalf or push their agenda. However,
23:54
Tony Curtis of the Metropolitan Housing Coalition an Audrey Erstberger
23:59
from the Kentucky The Resources Council express concerns about the
24:02
intervention provision during the March fourth committee meeting. The provision
24:07
categorically bars intervention by any of the nonprofit organizations that
24:11
represent residential taxpayers, including affordable housing advocates, community ministries, community
24:18
action councils, senior advocate groups, and others. Kurtis said, the
24:22
Attorney General's Office, through the Office of Rate Intervention, cannot
24:27
legally be the sole advocate for residential customers because, as
24:30
the Attorney General has noted in past cases, this mandate
24:34
is to represent all customers or consumers and does not
24:38
allow him to advocate for a subset specifically. Both bills
24:42
go to the Senate for vote. If past they move
24:46
on to the House. We will end this week as
24:50
we do most weeks, with our community calendar ongoing. The
24:54
Belfry Branch of the Public County Library hosts a sign
24:57
language class at five point thirty each Tuesday. The library
25:00
is located on US one nineteen m Belfrey. The Mountain
25:05
Mover's Toastmasters Club meets at six p m in the
25:08
Lee Avenue branch of the Pike County Libraries. The club
25:11
meets on the second and four Thursdays of each month.
25:14
For more information, contact George Thornberry or Judy Smith at
25:17
six zero six four three four four three nine four
25:22
or eight five nine four four three nine eight seven
25:25
six Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held at seven p m
25:28
on Thursdays at Christian Life Fellowship Church in Damren Lane
25:32
six one five five North Mayo Trail and Pikewam. The
25:36
Belfry Young Adults Crafts Club conducts social craft classes for
25:40
adults ages eighteen to twenty five on alternating Saturdays at
25:44
three p m at the Belfry Public Library. Registration is
25:47
not required. The Teen Activity Club, a group kraft four
25:53
youth ages thirteen to eighteen, meets at the Pike County
25:56
Public Library on Lee Avenue on alternating Mondays sessions Beginning
26:00
at four pm. March sixth through the eighth. The Artist
26:05
Collaborative Theater will present Little Women, directed by Emily Chaney.
26:09
The performances will be each Thursday and Friday nights, beginning
26:13
at seven point thirty, with Sunday matinees at three pm.
26:17
All performances will be held in the Pikeville High School
26:19
Alumni Auditorium. Bellfrey Quilting Enthusiast meets on the second Saturday
26:25
of every month from noon to three pm. Bring your
26:28
talents and share your creativity, ideas, projects, and interests at
26:31
the Bellfry Public Library. All skill levels from beginner to expert,
26:35
are welcome and registration is not required. This concludes today's
26:43
reading of the Appalachian News Express your reader, husband Darcy mcgartol,
26:47
Thank you for joining me, and please stay tuned for
26:49
continued programming from Radio I