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Pike Co. News - 2.16.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Appalachian News
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Express for newsrom Pikeville and Pike County. As a reminder,
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Radio I is a reading service intended for people who
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are blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult
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to read printed material. The Appalachian News Express is donated
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to Radio I by the publisher. Your reader today is
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Darcy mac Ardell. We will begin with the E edition
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dated February thirteenth through the sixteenth of twenty twenty six.
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Our first article from the front page is Pike b
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o E Phill's District one Board vacancy by Terry L. May,
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News Editor. Following an executive session lasting less than twenty
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five minutes to interview a prospective candidate, the Pike County
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Board of Education named a person to fill the vacancy
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created in District one. The successful candidate was Donald Thornsbury,
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a resident of Robinson Creek. The b o E decision
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was made at its February tenth meeting with a unanimous vote.
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The seat became vacant January first, upon the retirement of
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former District one board member Ireland heavy Blankenship, who had
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a long career as both a school district employee and
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then as a board member. Thornsbery told The News Express
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that he was both anxious and humbled with his appointment
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to the board. I have lived my whole life in
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the area, he said. I am a nineteen eighty nine
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graduate of Virgie High School, and my daughter graduated as
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valedictorian at Shelby Valley High and is now in medical
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school at the University of Kentucky. Thornsberry said that although
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his daughter has now left the school system, he has
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remained active within the district and expressed his desire to
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continue his long standing relationship with the community and to
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help ensure the educational future of Pike County students. I
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have watched the board for a while. I am impressed
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by how they support the kids in both academics and sports,
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he said. I am new and will have a lot
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to learn. I have big shoes to film, but I
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look forward to getting into the community and working with
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the students and faculty. I want to continue to do
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what Heavy has done, he continued, and that is to
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always make sure that we do what we do is
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in the best interest of these kids. Thornsbury, fifty five,
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and his wife, Tiranda have one daughter, Olivia. He is
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currently a p R. Sales specialist at Loew's. He has
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worked with the company for more than twenty five years.
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He broke from Low's for a few years, during which
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time he was an employee of the Mountain Water District.
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Each of his fellow board members welcomed him to the board.
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Superintendent Freddie Bowling also expressed his pleasure at having Thornsbury
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join the board. I have known Donald for thirty years,
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Bowling said, he is a great person and will represent
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our community extremely well. Thank you for stepping up. Thornsbury
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will Phil Blankenship's unexpired term, which ends this year. If
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Thornsbury wishes to continue as a member of the Pike
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County Board of Education, he will have to file as
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a candidate in the non partisan race for the seat
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later this year. The position will be voted on during
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the November general election, along with two other seats on
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the board. Our next article from the front page is
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Kentucky Veterans Advocate's sounding alarm on benefits bill by Russ Cassidy,
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Regional editor. Local state and national veterans' advocacy organizations are
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opposing a measure currently making its way through the Kentucky
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General Assembly process regarding veterans benefits. According to Nathan Cesco
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of Pikeville, who is the National Legislative chair for the
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Southeastern Conference of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, House Bill
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five oh eight, which was approved by the House Committee
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on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection on February tenth,
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raises numerous concerns for veterans advocates. The bill concerns companies
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that provide services to veterans seeking to obtain the full
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benefits owed to them through Veterans Affairs. Sesco said that
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there are two parts of the bill that the groups
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are opposing. The first would allow companies to collect up
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to five times the initial increase in payments, not to
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exceed twelve thousand, five hundred. Also, he said the bill
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would allow companies to provide the service without being accredited.
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A law similar to HB five oh eight pass in
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Louisiana was found to be unconstitutional by the U S.
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District Court of the Middle District of Louisiana in an
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order entered February sixth. The accreditation issue, Sescu said, is
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particularly concerning. There are ten companies out there but the
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one that's doing all of the lobbying is against being
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accredited because then they have to follow the rules of
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the VA, Sesco said. In some cases, he said, it
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has been found that companies are giving veterans language to
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copy and paste verbatim into their applications. That is causing problems.
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The companies don't personally fill the paperworkout, you do, he said.
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When the company when the copy and paste language is
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found by the Veterans Affairs during processing, it can cause
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a veteran to be rejected for all benefits. It's the
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same as what happened with Eric C. Khan, he said.
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He made fraudulent claims of social security. Everyone knew it
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and he's in jail for it. The loss of benefits,
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Cesco said, is particularly a problem considering the veulnerabilities of
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the veteran population. As former clients of Eric C. Khan
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were losing benefits, suicides occurred. Now you're attacking a veteran
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population that is notorious for being the largest suicide population
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in the country, and they're going to get their benefits
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taken away, he said. Cesco said that the amount of
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money and effort which has been spent by why the
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benefit assistants companies shows that there are questions about the
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work they do. If they're so good at their job
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and it's such a good thing for veterans, why do
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they have to spend sixty five thousand lobbying, he said.
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Sesso said several organizations such as the VFW Disabled American
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Veterans and the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs, offer the
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same services as the companies, but they are not allowed
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to charge veterans for these services. Cesco said he used
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k d VA when he left the military to assist
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in his benefit filing. Veterans advocates, however, are supporting Senate
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Bille fifteen, a measure that includes sponsors such as Senator
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Scott Madden, Republican Pineville and Senator Philip Wheeler, Republican Pike Film.
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According to Sessco, Senate Bill fifteen, which has not yet
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made it out of committee, would require any person seeking
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compensation for assisting with veterans benefits to be accredited by
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the VA. Our next article from our front page is
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more attorneys asked for cases to be moved from Hall's courtroom.
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By rus Cassidy, Regional editor More attorneys with involvement in
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the criminal case against Pike Circuit Judge Howard Keith Hall
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have asked that their cases be moved from his courtroom.
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A hearing was held February eleventh to discuss motions by
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Pike Judge Executive Ray S. Jones the Second and his
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law partner, former Pike County Attorney Kevin Keene, filed in
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cases before Hall, asking that Hall be disqualified from presiding
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over them. Hall was acquitted by a federal jury in
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November of charges of theft and government funds and mail
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fraud related to allegations dating to Hall's term as Pike
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County Attorney. In the motions, Jones wrote that during the
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course of the trial against Hall, Guthrie True, who represented Hall,
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set forth a theory that the criminal investigation, indictment, and
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prosecution of Hall arose because of political retaliation. He placed
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the blame on numerous local attorneys from the Pike Commonwealth's
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Attorney's Office and Pike County Attorney's Office. Jones wrote the
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alleged retribution was alleged to have arisen out of the
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twenty twenty Circuit judge election. In twenty twenty two, County
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attorney election. Keen lost a twenty twenty two election for
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County attorney. True's theory was that Jones was upset because
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Judge Howard Keith Hall and or Judge Hall's people opposed
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Kevin Keen in his unsuccessful campaign for County attorney. Jones wrote,
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Judge Hall's theory of defense and perceived blame of Kevin Keen,
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among others, for his criminal prosecution, clearly illustrates personal bias
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and prejudice, or at least the appearance of bias and
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prejudice concerning plaintiff's council. During the February eleventh hearing, Jones
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pointed out that he and Keen work on every case
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together and that if Hall was not inclined to grant
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the motion, it would be taken to the Kentucky Court
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of Appeals. We believe that the record sufficiently lays out
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the basis for a recusal, he said. Hall said that
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he is hesitant to move cases out of his court,
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especially in light of a smaller number of judges in
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Eastern Kentucky to take the cases. He also pointed out
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that Jones had called him in July while the criminal
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case was pending to voice support for him. However, Jones
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said his concern over the question of the appearance of
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impartiality remains. I'm not going to talk about conversations you
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and I had outside of court. He said, your attorney
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has made some very scurrelous accusations against my lawyer, law partner,
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Kevin Keene. Hall said he would enter a decision within
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ten days. Attorney General Martin Hammond has also asked that
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Hall be recused from his cases because of information that
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arose during the trial that Hammond had hired an investigator
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to look into Hall. Lall had not issued a decision
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in Hammond's cases as of press time on February the twelfth.
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Our next article from the front page is Kentucky Power
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responds to ag rate increase opposition filing. To an Appalachian
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newspaper's staff report, Kentucky Power has responded to a recent
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filing by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman's office opposing the
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possibility of the company being granted any rate increase by
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the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Kentucky Power initially filed a
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rate increased request with the PSC which would increase residential
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customers rates by fifteen percent. However, during the process of
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the PSC case, the company arrived at a settlement agreement
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with some of the intervening parties that would reduce that
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to eleven point nine percent for residential customers. Under the
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settlement agreement, deferred tax liability credits would spread the increase
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over three years, with a seven percent increase in residential
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rates for the first year, with two point one percent
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added in the second year, and two point eight percent
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added in the third year. Coleman's office filed a brief
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February third opposing any rate increase, including the one proposed
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under the settlement agreement. On February tenth, Kentucky Power responded
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to the ag brief in its own filing. Kentucky Power
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has recognized throughout this case that it is different, Its
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customers are different, its service territory is different, and that
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is why it is doing things differently, the Kentucky Power
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filing said. The Attorney General, on the other hand, has
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seized the briefing portion of this proceeding to pad the
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record with untimely, unsupported, and illogical proposals that ultimately cannot
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help customers. The Attorney General's brief, which while boisterous, lacks nuance,
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provides no subsption, ban shift solutions, and only raises more questions.
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Kentucky Power said in its responsive brief, it instead engages
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in finger pointing at Kentucky Power and the Commission, while
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ultimately it distracts from the important work both are doing
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with respect to the real world issues faced by the
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company and customers, the filing side the company has taken
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several actions, including a one million dollar donation towards weatherization
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assistance in Eastern Kentucky, giving more than two hundred and
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seventy thousand in housing assistance in twenty twenty five, giving
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tens of thousands of dollars in donations in twenty twenty
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five for spring flood relief, and giving tens of thousands
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of dollars supporting local food banks. All the contributions, the
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filing said, are shareholder dollars and are not recovered through
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customer rates. There are very few, if any, other businesses
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serving Eastern Kentucky in the this manner or magnitude, the
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company said in the filing said Kentucky Power cannot solve
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the systemic issues plaguing Eastern Kentucky on its own nor
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is it charged as an electric utility to do so
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nonetheless does all it can to help because, as stated earlier,
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these efforts benefit everyone. At the center of the rate request,
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the filing said, is the Kentucky Power's expenses are growing.
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If Kentucky Power does not receive a rate increase, then
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Kentucky Power would not be able to maintain the level
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of service it currently provides, and in some instances it
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would have to scale back spending on important operations and
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maintenance expenses, reliability programs, and other capital investments. The filing said,
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the Attorney General's argument that Kentucky Power should receive no
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rate increase is completely unreasonable, unsupported by its own evidence,
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contrary to the law, and should be dismissed out of hand,
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the filing said. In its brief, the Attorney General's Office
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reiterated its stands that Kentucky Power's proposed rates do not
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meet the Commonwealth ser standards of being fair, just and reasonable.
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Kentucky Power has some of the highest residential electric bills
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in the Commonwealth. The brief said. Kentucky Power takes issue
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with the characterization, but it is an accurate one. Kentucky
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Power's residential ratepayers pay higher rates per kWh killawatts per
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hour that than almost all other Kentucky rate payers, even
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those that serve similar service areas. And on top of that,
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the average volume used by Kentucky Power's rate payers is
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considerably higher than almost all other Kentucky residential rate players payers.
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The brief continued, this combination causes the total bills of
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Kentucky Power's residential ratepayers to be out of step with
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those of other utilities. In a February third filing, a
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group of organizations, the Kentucky Resources Council, the Appalachian Citizens
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Law Center, Kentuckian's for the Commonwealth, the Kentucky's Solar Energy Society,
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and Mountain Association, referred to as the Joint Interveners, also
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expressed its concerns over Kentucky Power receiving a rate increase.
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While acknowledging the challenges the company faces, the Joint Interveners
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take issue with Kentucky Power's assertion that it cannot provide
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safe and reliable service in its territory without a rate increase.
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Despite this claim, the company already had the highest average
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residential rates of any investor owned utility regulated by the
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Commission in twenty twenty four, and was only lower than
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one rural electric cooperative reporting to the Commission in that year,
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the filing said. Furthermore, average usage by the company's residential
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rate payers was higher than any Commission related utilities save
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for a different rac which had lower rates. Further the
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filing points out Kentucky Power's parent company, AEP reported a
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narrowly one billion profit in a single quarter multiple times
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and plans to spend seventy two billion, including thirty billion
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in transmission infrastructure, over which Kentucky Power apparently is unsure
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of its say but certain it will be paying some portion.
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The mitigation strategies by the company in its applied for
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rates and reduced settlement rates are at best bandages attempting
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to staunch the ever increasing flow of money from Boyd Breathett, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Knot, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Macgoffin,
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Martin Morgan, Owsley, Perry Pike in Rowan Counties. The joint
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interveners also argue that Kentucky Power should not earn any
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return on the DTL rider. In addition to several financial
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recommendations made by the joint interveners. The filing also recommends
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that Kentucky Power continued to take positive steps towards community engagement,
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including that the PSC requires the company to host regular
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community meetings. Recent community meetings to receive feedback appear to
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have garnered much participation in helpful feedback that the company
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should heed, including improving weatherization and overall housing stock in education,
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and transparency around rate structures, the filing said. Our next
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article is John and Jen Rosenberg review Stumbling Stones, the
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John Rosenberg story by Devin Kidd. Appalachian Newspapers with Stumbling Stones,
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a play based on the life of attorney John Rosenberg,
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set to be at the Mountain Arts Center on February
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the twentieth. Rosenberg himself said the play is impressive. Jeff Scher,
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who Rosenberg said is also an attorney, is the sole
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actor in the play, a fact that, according to Rosenberg,
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proves his level of talent. We've seen it. Jeff does
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a great job in its really powerful, he said. It
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includes the Holocaust, and he's taken the broad form deed
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relating to property and mineral rights for properties as the
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legal issue. It was shown in versales and I think
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people were very impressed. Rosenberg admitted it's hard to say
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anything about the play because it's about his life. John's wife, Jean,
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on the other hand, said watching the play was like
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a full circle moment. John had been through an incredible
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set of circumstances much beyond our control. But we've had
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one opportunity after another. She said. Life happens to you,
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and when you see it in a play, you're astonished
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at how all these things fit together. It's not our making,
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it's a bigger picture. Rosenberg said. Shecher approached him about
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two years ago with the idea for the production. We
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saw him around two years ago when he had the
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idea to do this. He talked to me and Jean
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and sent me a projected script numerous times. He said.
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He worked on this for a year and a half
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and I'm really proud of him and his work. He's
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a public defender himself and trains public defenders all around
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the country. Rosenberg said the play itself stretch stresses the
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values of law, democracy and doing what's right. By and large,
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it's the way that it is. He said. The play
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shows the power that people have through the broad form deed.
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It took a Constitutional Amendment to change the interpretation. And
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it happened because people in Kentucky realized that it was
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unfair to treat landowners that way, having their minerals strip
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mind away without their permission. The rule of law is
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so important to democracy, and that's one thing I believe
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this play shows. Looking back, Rosenberg said, he's amazed at
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how his time in the Eastern Kentucky came together. We
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pulled on to Jennie Willy Campground and the end of
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nineteen seventies put up a tent and that we'd be
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here two or three years, he said. One year led
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to another, and here we are. There's been plenty to
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be done and people have been so good to us.
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We're grateful for the family values we are surrounded with.
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Gene added, they've helped guide our lives. Apple Read Legal Aid,
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a private nonprofit law firm founded by John Rosenberg, will
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be set up at the event for funding fundraising purposes. Additionally,
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proceeds from the performance will benefit appleren a Q and
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a with John and Gene will take place after the performance,
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which is scheduled for seven thirty pm on February the twentieth,
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with a VIP pre show package beginning at six pm.
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For more information, VISITMACA RTS dot com. Our next article
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is an Appalachian Newspaper staff report superintendent's voice support for
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basher pre K proposal. A total of ninety three schools
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superintendents sign their names in support of a proposal by
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Governor Andy Bisheer for the state to fund p KE
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through K for all I'm sorry, pre K for all
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four year olds in Kentucky. In a statement February ninth,
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Basher announced the superintendent sent a letter on February fifth
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to the General Assembly, which is currently in process of
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setting the state's two year spending plan, asking that legislators
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fund the program. Local superintendents signing the letter include Floyd
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County School's Superintendent Tanya Williams, Hazard Independent School's Superintendent Sondra Combs,
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Perry County Schools Superintendent Kent Campbell, and Pike County Schools
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Superintendent Freddie Bowling. In the statement, Basher thanked the superintendents
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for their support. Education leaders from across the state have
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stated clearly that Kentucky's students and our families cannot wait.
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Pre K access for every four year old must be
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a priority. This season to move our state forward, said Basher.
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Far too many of our kids are not kindergarten ready,
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and we must change that for them, for our families,
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and for our workforce. I want to thank these superintendents
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and educators for their commitment to our kids and our future.
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Other organizations or individuals and government agencies have also voiced
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support for the program, which bis Sheer administration officials have
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said will increase kindergarten readiness and help parents return to
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the workforce. On February the third, the Hout's Budget Review
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Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education and Workforce Development heard
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from Sam Flynn, executive director of the Team Kentucky pre
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k for All Programs. Flynn told legislatures that the administration's
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proposal is to take money collected from gambling which has
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been placed in a permanent pension fund, to pay for
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the program. The program is expected to add as many
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as nine thousand, six hundred additional children to public schools
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to public preschools, with the first fiscal year being a
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planning year, in the second fiscal year seeing implementation. The
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expected cost of that second year, Flynn said, is forty million. However,
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he said not all districts will implement the policy and program,
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and not every child who is eligible will be enrolled.
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This is a voluntary program, he said. Families can opt
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to be part of it or not to. We think
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that fifty five to sixty five percent of families will
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choose to send their child to a public pre K
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if it's an option. While Flynn said the program is
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about kindness kindergarten readiness, legislators have questioned the proposal. During
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the February third Subcommittee meeting, Representative Josh Bray, Republican Mount
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Vernon question the administration's can tension regarding the expansion providing
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childcare opportunities. Pre K is not childcare, Brace said, the
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school system is not childcare. It shouldn't be even talked
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about as a replacement for childcare because they're not compatible
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at all, he said. Also questioned Flynn about the expected
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costs of expanded preschool, saying that after the runaway or
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planning year, costs will rise. Even with the runway, at
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some point in time we can expand the number of
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kids in school, there will come budget requests to build
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new buildings, to build additional classrooms for additional saving. Brace said,
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many districts, Flynn said, have already shaped spaces for the
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additional services. In December, Senator Philip Wheeler, Republican Pikeville, told
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members of the Southeast Chamber of Commerce, which has signed
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on as a supporter of the program, that it's unlikely
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to be approved. I have nothing against pre K, I
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don't have any problem with it whatsoever, he said. I
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met with the Governor's people. I said, Okay, guys, answer
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me two questions. One, how are you going to pay
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for it? And how are you going to key the
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Baptist Church and the Methodist Church from hanging me from
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the lampposts for shutting down their preschools. They didn't have
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a really good answer to either one of those things.
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We will end this week, as we do most weeks,
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with a review of the community calendar. Looks like ongoing.
25:18
The Belfry Branch of the public Library hosts a sign
25:20
language class at five thirty pm each Tuesday. The library
25:24
is located at US one nineteen m Belfree. The Toastmaster,
25:29
the Mountain Mover's Toastmasters Club meets at six pm in
25:33
the Lee Avenue branch of the Pike County Libraries. The
25:36
club meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
25:40
For more information, contact George Thornberry at six zero six
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four three four four three ninety four. Narcotics Anonymous meetings
25:49
are held at seven pm on Thursdays at Christian Life
25:52
Fellowship Church, Damren Lane. The Belfrey Young Adults Crafts Group
25:58
conducts social craft classes for adult ages eighteen to twenty
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five on alternating Saturdays at three pm at the Belfrey
26:05
Public Library. Registration is not required. The Teen Activity Club,
26:10
a craft group for youth ages thirteen to eighteen, meets
26:13
at the Pike County Public Library on Lee Avenue on
26:16
alternating Mondays. Sessions begin at four pm and last approximately
26:20
an hour and a half. Belfrey Quilting Enthusiast meets on
26:24
the second Saturday of every month from noon to three
26:27
Bring your talents and share your creativity, ideas, projects and
26:31
interests at the Belfrey Public Library. All skill levels from
26:35
beginner to expert are welcome. Registration not required. February twenty second,
26:43
evangelist George Mead will be the guest speaker at the
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Christian Life Fellowship Church during its ten thirty a m.
26:49
Worship service. February twenty fourth First Christian Church of Pikeville
26:54
will provide hot meals and groceries from four thirty to six.
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This is a drive through event. Volunteer will load your items.
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The church is located at three Poine three Chloe Road,
27:04
near Pikeville Elementary School. Lastly, February twentieth through March the eighth,
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the Artist's Collaborative Theater will present Little Women, directed by
27:13
Emily Chauney. The performances will be each Thursday and Friday
27:19
nights beginning at seven thirty pm, with Sunday matinees at
27:23
three pm. All performances will be held in the Pikeville
27:26
High School Alumni Auditorium. This concludes today's reading of the
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Appalachian News Express your reader, husband Darcy mcgartell, Thank you
27:35
for joining me, and please stay tuned for more programming
27:38
from RADIOI