Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Licking Valley Courier - 1.23.26

Transcript

Licking Valley Courier - 1.23.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

0:00
Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
0:03
you news from in and around West Liberty. Your reader
0:06
today is Janice. We begin with the edition David Thursday,
0:10
January twenty second, twenty twenty six. As a reminder, RADIOI
0:15
as a reading service intended for people who are blind
0:18
or have other disabilities that make it difficult to Reprintedteria.
0:23
Our first article today is Roger Ball dies in automobile
0:28
crash on January fifteenth, White Oak, Kentucky. January fifteenth, twenty
0:34
twenty six. Kentucky State Police Post eight Morehead received a
0:38
call from West Liberty Dispatch Round eight a m. On Thursday,
0:43
January fifteenth, requesting assistance with a single vehicle futility collision
0:49
on US four sixty east near the Magoffin County line.
0:53
Preliminary investigation reveals that Roger Ball, eighty four, of West Liberty,
0:58
was traveling west on US four sixty when his twenty
1:03
twenty two four pip up dropped off the side of
1:06
the roadway into a small grassy area, traveling straight ahead
1:10
and striking an embankment. Mister Ball was pronounced de ceized
1:15
by the Morgan County Corner Sean van Cleeve at the scene.
1:20
KSP was assisted on scene by Morgan County E M S,
1:25
Morgan County Rescue Squad, White Oak Fire Department, Morgan County
1:30
Sheriff's Department, and Morgan County Corner's Office. The collision remains
1:35
under investigation by Trooper Brian Evans. Our next article is
1:42
Morgan County Middle School Academic Team excels at District Governor's
1:47
Cup events. And there is a picture and underneath the
1:51
picture it says Morgan County Middle School Academic Team back
1:55
row left to right, Samson, Elam, Braxton Tacking, Peyton Elam,
2:01
and Jackston Ferguson. Front row left to right, Coach Rebecca Bailey,
2:09
Heza Kiah Crater, Jackson Ritchie, Samantha Hagar, Andrea Casey, Alex McAllister,
2:19
and coach Robin Ferguson. Not pictured is David Melton from
2:26
the middle school Facebook page. Members of the Morgan County
2:30
Middle School Academic Team recently competed in the District sixty
2:34
nine Governor's Cup event. The team placed third overall, with
2:40
individual members also placing in several categories. Sampson Elam, General
2:46
Knowledge first place, Math first place, and Science first place,
2:51
Andrea Casey Arts and Humanities first place, and general Knowledge
2:56
third place, Raxton Tackett General Knowledge second place, Arts and
3:01
Humanity's fourth place, Jackson Ferguson General Knowledge fourth place, Jackson
3:07
Ritchie General Knowledge fourth place. Quick re Call team advanced
3:11
to the third round. The Middle School is very proud
3:15
of this team and their effort of accomplishments. Our next
3:19
article is Morgan County post five point three percent jobless rate, Frankfurt, Kentucky,
3:26
January fifteenth. Unemployment rates fell in one hundred and nineteen
3:30
counties and rose in Pike County between November twenty twenty four.
3:35
In November twenty twenty five, according to the Kentucky Center
3:39
for Statistics, an agency within the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet,
3:46
Morgan County's jobless rate in November was five point three percent,
3:51
down from six point zero percent in November of twenty
3:56
twenty four, with a four thousand, five one hundred ninety
4:00
one of the county's available workforce of four thousand, eight
4:05
hundred forty eight at work. Woodford County recorded the lowest
4:11
jobless rate in the Commonwealth at three point five percent.
4:15
It was followed by Fayette, Odam and Shelby Counties three
4:19
point seven percent each, Bourbon, Caldwell, Scott, Todd and Washington
4:25
Counties three point eight percent each, and Campbell, Franklin, Graves, Harrison, Jessman, Nicholas,
4:32
Spencer County's three point nine each. Martin County recorded the
4:38
state's highest unemployment at eight point four percent. It was
4:42
followed by Lewis County seven point eight percent, Magoffin County
4:47
seven point six percent, Pike and Wolfe Counties at seven
4:51
point two percent each, Elliott and Jackson County's seven point
4:56
one percent each, Carter and Lawrence County six point six
5:01
percent each, and Not County six point four percent. Our
5:06
next article is EKCC inmates indicted in two deaths at facility.
5:14
The Morgan County Circuit Court grand jury recently indicted two
5:20
Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex inmates in connection with a pair
5:24
of murders that occurred at the facility last year. The
5:28
Kentucky State Police issued two press releases on January sixteenth,
5:33
stating that the following suspects were indicted in the deaths
5:37
of fellow e k CC inmates, Robert A. Broyles, thirty
5:43
four of Louisville, Kentucky, on August thirty first, twenty twenty five,
5:48
and Ryan Rayburn twenty seven of Ashcamp, Kentucky on September thirtieth,
5:53
twenty twenty five. Daylan Rise forty five Eastern Kentucky Correctional
6:00
Complex inmate Rice was indicted in the deaths of Broyles.
6:06
He is charged with murder and being a persistent follow
6:10
offender first degree. Jeremy Brooks forty five Eastern Kentucky Correctional
6:15
Complex inmate Brooks was indicted in the death of Rayburn.
6:20
He is charged with the murder and being a persistent
6:23
felon offender's second degree. Broyles and Rayburn were both found
6:28
unresponsive in their cells through life saving measures. Though life
6:32
saving measures were taken by the first responders, both men
6:36
died shortly after being transported to the Morgan County arh
6:41
by local EMS personnel. The Browell's investigation is being led
6:47
by the KSP Detective Matt Martin, while rayburn investigation is
6:51
being led by KSP Detective Jared Wagner. Our next article
6:58
is West Liberty. The police Department shares updates on two
7:03
cases involving foreign nationals ongoing investigation stems from events that
7:08
occurred in August and December of twenty twenty five. Editor's note.
7:14
Listed in the arraignment section of this week's News of
7:18
Record is an individual identified as Santos Reynosa Mendez, who
7:25
has been charged with retaliating against a participant in the
7:30
legal process and attempt at kidnapping. Detective Michael Williams of
7:35
West Liberty Police Department told The Courier that mendez arrests
7:39
stem from a December eighth, twenty twenty five, incident on
7:44
Broadway Street, and that Mendez and other parties involved have
7:48
been identified as foreign nationals of Guatemala. Additionally, Detective Williams
7:55
indicated that Mendez is the subject of an ongoing investigation
7:59
being inducted by the West Liberty Police Department and the
8:03
US Department of Homeland Security DHS. The police department is
8:09
also collaborating with DHS and agencies in Kentucky in multiple
8:13
other states on a separate investigation that was opened in
8:17
August twenty twenty five involving foreign nationals from Guatemala and Harnduras,
8:23
including a missing juvenile who was located and recovered from
8:27
San Antonio Texas last September. The following press releases include
8:33
detailed accounts of the events that prompted these investigations, as
8:38
provided by Detective Williams. December eighth, twenty twenty five events
8:44
and subsequent investigation press release. On December eighth, twenty twenty five,
8:51
West Liberty Police Department Telecommunications Center received a criminal complaint
8:59
regarding a male allegedly attempting to kidnap a female. Officers
9:04
responded to a residence on Broadway Street and made contact
9:08
with the reporting party, who is a citizen of West Liberty.
9:13
The reporting party stated that a female arrived on her
9:17
properties screaming for help and for law enforcement to be contacted. Additionally,
9:23
the reporting party stated that she, along with her husband,
9:27
observed a black van chasing the female, and that the
9:32
then van pulled into the reporting party's driveway and began
9:36
speaking to the victim. The reporting party's husband acted accordingly,
9:42
which resulted in the van leaving the location. The female
9:46
victim was observed upon law enforcement arrival to be cold,
9:51
appearing now nourished, terrified, and tightly holding onto a pink
9:55
stuff animal. The victim was removed from the scene to
9:59
West Liberty Police Department, where she provided documentation indicating she
10:04
was eighteen years of age and a foreign national of Guatemala.
10:09
Authorities are still investigating if the victim is truly eighteen
10:14
years of age or if she is younger. However, the
10:17
victim was subsequently transported to Morgan County ar for injuries
10:22
sustained in an alleged assault that had occurred in the
10:27
early morning hours of December eighth. After further investigation, the
10:33
victim that reported she arrived in West Liberty three nights
10:36
prior from South Carolina. The victim also stated that she
10:41
was brought to West Liberty by her mother, who is
10:44
also a foreign national of Guatemala, for the purpose of
10:48
working in a restaurant in Rowan County. During her questioning,
10:53
the victim also indicated that she was removed from school
10:57
in the eighth grade by her mother and had worked
11:00
in fields and restaurants with the proceeds going to her
11:03
mother's since arriving in the United States. The alleged perpetrator,
11:09
San Antonio's Renosa Mendez, whose name The Licking Valley Courier
11:15
obtained from this week's District court document, was identified with
11:21
the assistance of the reporting party and the victim. Mendez
11:26
was found to have been arrested by West Liberty Police
11:30
Department the same mourning as the reported kidnapping incident, along
11:36
with the victim's mother for alleged assaulting the victim. Mendez
11:41
and the victim's mother were out on bond at the
11:44
time of the alleged attempting kidnapping. Mendez, also a foreign
11:49
national from Guatemala living in West Liberty on December eighth,
11:53
twenty twenty five, is a subject of an ongoing large
11:58
scale fraudulent and stolen identification documents investigation being conducted by
12:06
West Liberty Police Department and agencies within the US Department
12:10
of Homeland Security. The investigation into the Mendez encompasses stolen
12:17
and fraudulent state and federal identifications, as well as bank fraud.
12:22
During the course of the ongoing probe, three arrests have
12:27
been made and subsequent search warrants have been executed by
12:32
West Liberty Police Department. Thus far, Mendez was arrested on
12:37
Morgan County District Court warrant and the victim was transported
12:41
to a safe location while investigating continues. Charges against Mendez
12:47
included attempted kidnapping, and retaliation against a participant in the
12:52
legal process. The investigations are being conducted by Detective Michael
12:57
Williams and Officer Brian Hillman of West Liberty Police Department.
13:04
August twenty twenty five events and subsequent investigation press release.
13:11
On Thursday August fourteenth, twenty twenty five, West Liberty Police
13:16
Department was contacted by a Morgan County Sheriff's Office school
13:20
resource officer and the Morgan County School District Truancy officer
13:25
regarding a female juvenile approximately fourteen to fifteen years of age.
13:31
The juvenile at that time had not attended classes during
13:34
the twenty five twenty twenty five twenty six school year.
13:39
The juvenile was reported to residing West Liberty and a
13:42
welfare check was requested. The school truancy officer had reported
13:48
receiving conflicting stories as to the juvenile's location from individuals
13:53
associated with the girl. The investigation continued until formation was
13:59
received indicating the juvenile, a foreign national of Guatemala, had
14:04
been missing unreported for approximately three months prior to the
14:10
start of the school year. Associates of the juvenile provided
14:15
information indicating that she was possibly residing with the San Antonio,
14:21
Texas area with an adult mail. West Liberty Police Department
14:26
was able to track and locate the juvenile util utilizing
14:31
background image analysis via social media platforms associated with her
14:37
in an adult male subject. With the assistance of Leon
14:42
Valley Police Department in Texas and AT and T services,
14:46
investigators were able to locate and recover the juvenile in
14:51
the Leon Valley area of San Antonio, Texas. Representatives of
14:56
the West Liberty Police Department traveled to Texas and transp
15:00
awarded the juvenile back to West Liberty in September. After
15:05
further investigation into statements made by the juvenile and electronic
15:10
evidence associated with the cellular device warrants, authorities discovered an
15:16
adult male subject financed the transportation of the juvenile from
15:22
West Liberty to Texas and subsequently engaged in a relationship
15:28
with her. The male subject has been identified as Carlos
15:32
Jose Flores Alacro Alacron, a foreign national from Harnduras, and
15:40
is being sought for violations of Kentucky Revised statues related
15:44
to human trafficking, procuring a minor by electronic means, and
15:49
possession and distribution of images portraying the sexual performance of minors.
15:55
The Leon Valley Police Department engaged in a foot and
15:59
vehicle pursuit with a male subject believed to be Alcorn
16:04
who is also using an ALIAS while conducting the juvenile
16:08
recovery operation between that agency and West Liberty Police Department.
16:13
The subject was not apprehended, but a female who assisted
16:17
him in fleeing was detained in questioned. The investigation is
16:22
being conducted by the West Liberty Police Department with the
16:25
assistance of law enforcement agencies in Kentucky, including the Department
16:30
of Community Based Services in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana,
16:36
and Texas, as well as the US Department of Homeland Security.
16:42
This investigation is also associated with an ongoing large scale
16:46
fraudulent and stolen identification document investigation being conducted by West
16:52
Liberty Police Department and agencies within the US Department of
16:55
Homeland Security. The ongoing probe encompasses stoneland and fraudulent state
17:01
and federal identifications and bank fraud. Three arrests have been
17:06
made as subsequent search warrants have been executed by the
17:10
West Liberty Police Department. Thus far, this investigation is being
17:15
conducted by Detective Michael Williams of the West Liberty Police Department.
17:19
Detective Williams would like to thank the school Truancy Officer
17:23
Mister Haney, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, including the School
17:27
Resource Officer John Paul Turner, for alerting the West Liberty
17:32
Police Department of the juvenile's absence from school, All of
17:36
the Morgan County DCBs supervisors, workers and investigators, including missus Maid,
17:44
Miss Bruins, Deputy Chief Perry, and Telecommunications Officer McGraw, who
17:49
traveled and transported the juvenile back to Kentucky. The West
17:54
Liberty Police Department Chief Wayne Lewis and City Hall staff
17:58
for providing Dick's financial and administrative support in conducting the
18:04
investigation and recovering the juvenile in the Morgan County, and
18:08
the Commonwealth's Attorney Office additional information and Detective Williams notes
18:15
that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Anyone
18:20
with information regarding suspected criminal activity is urged to contact
18:25
West Liberty Police Department at seven four three forty eight
18:30
thirty five. Our next article is West Liberty Homemakers hold
18:36
their monthly meeting on January twelfth. The West Liberty Homemakers
18:40
Club had their regular meeting on Thursday, January twelfth at
18:44
the Morgan County Extension Office. The meeting was called to
18:48
order by club President Sharon Likens. She welcomed everyone and
18:52
thanked them for coming out to the meeting. An inspirational
18:55
poem entitled to Caring Thought was read. All business was
18:59
taking care of lessons, all money value, strong bones, and
19:03
understanding suicide were discussed. All those present were very interested
19:08
in the international trip to the Mountain's Art Center to
19:12
see a touch of Ireland. Games were enjoyed and door
19:17
prizes were given and everyone enjoyed a delicious meal prepared
19:21
by the hostess, Carol Jean Hoskins Prize. Those enjoying the
19:26
evening were Sharing Lichens, Joan Nell Tobin, Sandy Pelfrey, Cricket
19:31
Cantrell and Hostess Carol Jean Hoskins Prize. Our next meeting
19:35
will be six p m. Thursday, February twelfth at Morgan
19:39
County Extension Office with Flow Bitten serving as hostess. We
19:44
hope to see more members at the next meeting. Our
19:48
next article is Quilts of Valor national Soday is slated
19:52
for Saturday, February seventh. Quilts on Valor QOV has a
19:59
special day on the first Saturday of February each year.
20:03
The QOV Morgan County Piece by Piece Organization invites all
20:08
sewers ages nine and above to join us in sewing
20:12
the new Echoes quilt blocks on Saturday, February seven. The
20:17
event will take place at the Morgan County Cooperative Extension Office,
20:21
one thousand and two Prestonberg Street, West, Liberty, Kentucky. The
20:26
agenda includes sewing games, prizes of craft and launch. Registration
20:31
will begin at nine am, lunch at noon, and continue
20:36
with the festivities until three pm. Each participant will sow
20:40
a block to take home. All other Patriot blocks shall
20:45
be sewn for QOV Morgan County Piece by Piece. Pre
20:51
cut fabric, pattern instructions and sewing tools will be provided.
20:56
A limited number of sewing machines will be available, However,
21:01
you are welcome to bring your own machine. Cost is
21:04
twenty dollars per person. Registration is calling by calling Susie
21:09
Blevins at eight five nine four two one seventy six
21:15
sixty seven or six oh six seventy four three seventy
21:22
eight seventy eight or taxed e Emily Elam At six
21:29
oh six four nine five fifty four sixty four. Our
21:35
next article is Panel advances bill on Driver's license renewals.
21:41
Bill has wide support due to inconvenience posed by current
21:46
system rank for Kentucky. January fourteenth, legislation that would make
21:51
it easier for some Kentuckians to renew or obtain a
21:55
duplicate of their driver's licenses was unanimously advanced Wednesday by
22:00
the Senate Transportation Committee. Senators Aaron Read Republican Shelbyville test
22:07
to find that that long drives, long lines, and repeated
22:12
delays have caused frustration among many Kentuckians. Some residents have
22:17
regional driver's license near their homes or workplaces, while others
22:22
do not. Under Senate Bill seven, participating county offices could
22:28
only renew or duplicate a license. The bill doesn't allow
22:33
first time licensing or testing at those offices. Participation is
22:38
voluntary and no county is required to participate. Read said,
22:44
unless you have a regional office in your backyard. Every
22:47
one of us has heard some message from pardon me,
22:54
from people that the current driver's license system is not
22:58
meeting the needs of he said. Reid said offering local
23:03
services to tool governments can use the better to serve
23:09
the citizens. Senate Bill seven provides a practical conservative solution
23:14
by giving counties the option to bring drivers license renewals
23:19
back home. It's not a mandate. I need to stress
23:22
that it's an option, he said. Reed said the legislation
23:27
includes a twenty five dollars convenience fee that will be
23:31
retained locally, so counties can break even and avoid an
23:35
unfunded mandate. Multiple constitutional offices, such as those county clerks,
23:43
circuit clerks, sheriffs, and county judge executives, would be eligible
23:49
to offer the services. This would provide more possibilities for counties,
23:54
and interlocal agreements would allow sharing of personal equipment or
24:01
This build strengthens rule access, reduces travel burdens on families,
24:05
improves customer service at statewide, and restores accountability to local
24:11
officials who already served their communities with excellence, Reid said.
24:17
Senator Greg Elkins, Republican Winchester, thank Reed for his work
24:22
on the legislation. He asked Read about possible fraud that
24:26
could occur at the new offices. Do you think restoring
24:30
this back to the county level will help with that
24:33
fraud issue, and did you have any thoughts on that
24:37
as you put this together, he asked. Reid said the
24:41
legislation wouldn't directly affect fraud, but it could have positive
24:47
outcomes because the burden would be on the locally elected officials.
24:52
Senator Brandon Smith, Republican, Hazard also commented, commended read and
24:58
said Chairman Senator Jimmy Hickint Republican Lebanon reached out to
25:04
him and most likely others to seek a solution to
25:08
improve the situation. One thing was consistent, but people wanted
25:12
something done. This has really put a lot of strain
25:16
on some areas. If you have one in your area,
25:19
it's not bad. But if you're in a rural area
25:22
and you have any kind of health issues whatsoever, it
25:25
becomes a bond dooggle if you will, Smith said Senator
25:31
Donald Douglas, Republican. Nicholasville said, aging Kentuckians are going to
25:37
be happy to have an option when renewing or duplicating
25:41
their license. This concludes excerpts from recent editions of the
25:47
Licking Valley Courrier. Your reader has been Janis on behalf
25:51
of everyone here at radio. I thank you for listening,
25:55
keep on listening, and I hope you have a very
25:57
good day.