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Pike Co. News - 5.11.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we're going to turn to the reading of the
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Appalachian News Express for news in Pikeville and Pike County.
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As a reminder, Radio I is a reading service intended
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for people who are blind or have other disabilities that
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make it difficult to read printed material. The Appalachian News
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Express is donated to Radio I by the publisher. Your
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reader today is NYA. We will begin with the addition
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dated May eighth to May eleventh, twenty twenty six. Our
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first headline is Pikeville two hundred Time Capsule awaits opening
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in fifty years by Terry L. May, News Editor under
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a cloudless sky with the city of Pikeville in the
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background and an eagle gliding overhead. The final observance of
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the Pikeville two hundred celebration was marked on May fifth
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with the ceiling of a time capsule. Special events were
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held throughout twenty twenty four. The Kentucky General Assembly established
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the City of Pikeville on December thirtieth, eighteen twenty four,
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to mark the anniversary. The time capsule, which is to
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be opened in fifty years, was originally scheduled to be
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sealed at the end of twenty twenty four. Quote The
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project was delayed because of the weather, which postponed the
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installment of the Pikeville two hundred plaza, said Kathy Atkins,
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team leader for Pikeville two hundred committee. We wanted to
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wait for the plaza to be completed before the time
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capsule was placed. End quote. Assistant team leader Sarah George said,
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the time capsule highlights Pikeville's urban renewal and legacy and
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emphasizes the city's resilience and future aspirations. Quote. The Pikeville
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two hundred team envisioned a plaza life this where visitors
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and residents alike could come and learn a little bit
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about the model city's urban renewal and the cut through
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project from interpretive science and rest and relax end quote.
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George said, quote we imagine this will be a place
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where people have small events and come to take homecoming
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and prom pictures end quote. Included in the time capsule
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are a variety of Pikeville memorabilia, including a Pikeville High
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School football helmet, several books about the history of Pikeville
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written by local authors, a copy of a mini documentary
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written for the Pikeville two hundred celebration, a pamphlet from
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the Pikeville dar or the Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter,
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a scrapbook containing letters from sixth grade students at Pikeville
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Elementary School, and items from the Pikeville two hundred Committee. Also,
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Pikeville Mayor Jimmy Carter enclosed a letter to whoever will
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be the mayor of the city in fifty years quote
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on behalf of the city of Pikeville. It is a
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true honor to welcome you to a very special moment,
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Carter told those in attendance at the event. The dedication
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of the Pikeville two hundred Time Capsule here at the
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Pikeville Overlook is more than just a ceremony. It is
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a celebration of who we are, where we have been,
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and the legacy we are intentionally leaving behind for those
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who will stand in this very place many years from now.
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For two centuries, Pikeville has been shaped by hard working
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men and women, strong visionaries, and a spirit of resilience
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and pride that continues to find us to day. He continued,
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This time capsule represents our story, preserve for future generations
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to discover, reflect, and we hope to be inspired as
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we look over this incredible view, we are reminded of
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how far we've come from our early beginnings to be
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the thriving, forward thinking city we are today. End quote.
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Carter praise the Pikeville two hundred team for its efforts
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in organizing the bisential celebrations and their care in preserving
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the city's heritage and shaping its future. In his letter
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to his future predecessor, Carter wrote, quote, we the citizens
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of today, want to leave you a snapshot of our time,
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our challenges, our aspirations, and our enduring values. Our daily
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lives are a mix of constant connectivity, yet we still
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cherish our community in Appalachian heritage. Life right now in
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Pikeville is defined by a period of significant transition. Our
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hope is that by twenty seventy five, Pikeville will be
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a place of diverse, robust economic opportunity, ensuring property that
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is shared by all. As you navigate the complexities of
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your town, we encourage you to prioritize the core values
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that make our city special. Integrity, hard work, kindness toward
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our neighbors, and a strong sense of community built upon
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the foundations we have laid and continue to hold on
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to the values of faith, family, and community that we cherish.
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We hope that the future is bright, that many of
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our current struggles are historical footnotes, and that the spirit
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of Pikeville remains strong and determined forever. Endote. In the letter,
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Carter told the future mayor about the decline in the
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coal industry, struggles with developing new economic resources, natural disasters
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affecting the city, infrastructure development, and even zoning changes. Quote.
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We are filing this time capsule for those who come
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after us with reminders of who and what went before
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them in the city of Pikeville. George said, no other
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small town in central Appalachia has the things we have.
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It is just not brick and mortar, ashfall and dirt
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buildings and facilities. We have had leadership that was visionary
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and intelligent in our city and our county. We have
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elected officials who truly serve the public over their own
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selfish interests end quote. She said that the same type
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of leadership is also demonstrated throughout every sector of the city,
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from schools and education, health care facilities, churches and civic organizations,
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and the business community. She talked about people like Mayor
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William Hambley, doctor Mary Paul Fox, t w Oliver Walter, May,
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James Record, Governor, Paul Patton, and many others quote collectively,
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it is the people of Pikeville who make our town
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what it is, George said, not perfect people, but men
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and women who have a servant's heart and a desire
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to give their time towards making Pikeville the best it
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can be. Our next article is called Worth to become
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President at Rocky Vista University, a special to the News Express.
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The University of Pikeville has announced that Lorie Worth, pH d,
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who is currently serving as Executive Vice president and Chief
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Strategy Officer, will be leaving the institution later this summer
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to become president of Rocky Vista University. During her ten
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years at you Pike, Worth has played a pivotal role
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in advancing institutional strategy, growth and student success. According to
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a statement from You Pike, she has led the launch
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of undergraduate and graduate academic programs and expanded athletic and
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co curricular offerings to strengthen student engagement. Her leadership and
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partnership helped establish the new Tanner College of Dental Medicine,
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set to welcome his first class on June first. The
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statement said Worth was also an instrumental figure in spearheading
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the university's fifty million dollar capital campaign, engaging both private
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donors and foundations to advance transformational philanthropic investment. Quote. Doctor
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Worth is a visionary and collaborative leader who has made
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a lasting impact on the University of Pikeville. President Burton Webb,
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PhD said in the statement, her ability to align strategy
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with mission, builds strong teams and deliver results for students
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and the institution has been exceptional. While we will miss
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her greatly, we are proud to see her step into
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the presidency at Rocky Vista University, where she will continue
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to lead with integrity, innovation, and purpose. According to the statement,
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rvu's main campus is located in Denver, Colorado, and his
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secondary campuses are in Utah and Montana. The university offers
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a range of graduate level health profession programs accredited by
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the Higher Learning Commission in the American Osteopathic Association's COOCA.
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RVU aims to develop competent, compassionate healthcare providers who can
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serve diverse communities and address workforce needs. Our next headline
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is Jones Issues Dire financial Warnings Pike Fiscal Court holds
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off on budget reading by Rush Cassidy, the Regional Editor,
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the Pike County Fiscal Court did not hold an expected
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first reading of its budget for the coming fiscal year
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on May fifth, as Pike Judge Executive Ray S. Jones,
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the second warned of financial hardships the county is spacing
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during its regular meeting. The Court decided to hold off
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on the first reading of its budget after Assistant Pike
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County Attorney Roy Downey raised concerns that changes had been
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made to the proposed budget that Jones said were reflective
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of lessened funds the county had received. One key reduction,
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Jones pointed out, is in the funding expected to be
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received through the Transportation Cabinet Department of Rural and Municipal
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Aid quote. The country road to aid is being reduced
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by five hundred and thirty four thousand dollars by our
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friends in the General Assembly. Jones told the court that
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is a substantial amount of money and it will cause
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some ramifications down the road because the lion's share of
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the Road Department budget comes from County Road Aid end quote.
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Furthering concerns about Road Department costs, Jones said, from March
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to April, the Road Department's diesel fuel costs rose ninety
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one point forty nine percent quote, and the pase not
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fired up yet, Jones said, Wait until that baby's fired
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up and starts laying blacktop, and you're going to see
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the Road department diesel fuel substantially increase end quote. Those
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increased fuel costs, Joan said, are not expected to decline soon. Quote.
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Every expert, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessenett, says that
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your costs for fuel are not going to go down
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much before the end of the year, Jones said, And
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this war is far from over, far from over. In
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a statement issued on May sixth, State Senator Philip Wheeler R. Pikeville,
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State Representative John Blanton R. Saliersville, State Representative Mitch Whittaker R.
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Fleming Neon, and State Representative Bobby McCool R. Van Lear
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said they are disappointed in the reduction of county road
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aid brought about by a decrease in the motor vehicle
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fuel tax receipts. Quote. The legislator attempted to lessen this
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impact by placing record funding into the f Y twenty
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twenty seven Local Assistance Road Program, which funded all Country
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county roads submitted to the General Assemble for re paving
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prior to October first, twenty twenty five that scored at
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a level eight or higher on the Transportation Cabinet's deterioration Index.
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The statement said Pike County submitted two roads for LARP
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funding prior to the deadline, and both were funded at
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a total cost of three hundred and sixty two thousand dollars.
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The legislature, according to the statement, also funded a matching
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grant pool for f Y twenty twenty seven that would
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provide an additional one hundred thousand dollars of funding for
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Pike County and one hundred thousand dollars for Pikeville for
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resurfacing projects, as well as an additional thirteen million dollars
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for county and municipal road aid and f Y twenty
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twenty eight quote, the Pike County Legislative Delegation is hopeful
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that additional county road aid could be available next next
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year if road funding receives increase, the statement said. However,
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Governor Andy Bursheer's recent executive order regarding Kentucky's Motor Vehicle
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fuels tax prists further depleting the transportation budget at the
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rate of thirty million dollars per month at a time
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when Kentucky rural county roads are in desperate need of repair.
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The increased road department costs were among the reasons that
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the county's budget for the coming year has been changed
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since its initial draft was issued a few weeks ago.
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According to Jones, Downey told the court that he had
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not had a chance to thoroughly review the changes, but
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one change discussed during the meeting was a proposed reduction
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in the Court's contribution to the Pike County Sheriff's Office supplement,
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bringing the supplement down to three hundred thousand dollars. I
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think the members of the court need to know what
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the differences are, Downey said. Jones said he proposes to
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make up for some of the road fund reduction through
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the reduction of the Sheriff's Office supplement, and some will
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come from the county surplus. The Kentucky Department for Local Government,
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according to Treasurer Frankie Stacy, would not accept the proposed
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county budget and Sheriff Rodney Scout's budget if the supplement
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amounts do not match. Quote. In January, the Fiscal Court
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approved the sheriff's supplement in his budget. So now that
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we're doing our budget with a cut to his supplement,
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when the DLG reviews it, we're either going to have
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to amend some of our budget put that supplement back
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to what we agreed to in January, or the sheriff
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has to amend his budget, or they're not going to
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sign off on that budget end quote, Stacy said. Jones
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told the Court that he will speak with both Scott
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and the Statement State Local Finance Officer, and a specialty
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meeting can potentially be held as early as late next
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week to hold the first reading. Jones told the Court
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during the May fifth meeting that the road fund is
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not the only financial difficulty the Court is facing. In
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addition to following coal severance funds, Jones said the Court
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is also facing increased costs in the coming fiscal year
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thanks to rise and costs related to employees, including the
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addition of three magistrates when the court's makeup changes on
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January January first. Quote, our costs are flying up. Health
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insurance for our employees, liability insurance, workers comp. Jones said,
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you factor in the two point seven percent pay raises
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for all county workers, the addition of three magistrates at
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roughly forty nine thousand dollars salary, plus health insurance plus
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retirement plus FICA plus p changed contribution, and all that
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it's going to substantially add to this. In addition, Jones said,
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the county may have to make up a difference created
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by the legislator's decision not to fully fund the senior
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Meal program at the requested level. Jones said twenty million
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dollars was requested. However, the legislature funded it at ten
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million dollars. Coal severance, Jones said, is also down and
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expected to be down even further in this coming fiscal year.
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During the meeting, the court also accepted its audit for
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the fiscal year and did June thirtieth, twenty twenty five.
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The auditors, according to Jones, found no instances of fraud
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or reasons to suspect fraud had occurred. Jones said that
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allegations of fraud and misappropriation of funds made on social media,
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especially during the debate over a proposed landfill in the
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Drton area, threatened the county's future. Quote it's making a
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mockery out of the county. It's making a mockery out
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of eastern Kentucky, Joanes said. And some of the folks
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who have done this and played into this nonsense are
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going to jeopardize any economic development ever coming to this
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county again. Our last headline is you. Pike Nursing Social
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Work graduates honoured a special to the News Express. The
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University of Pikeville College of Nursing and Human Services, also
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known as CNHs, recently honored students graduating from the university's
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nursing and Social work programs during a pair of pinning ceremonies.
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The Elliott School of Nursing held a pinning ceremony in
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Booth Auditorium April thirtie, honoring twenty four Associate of Science
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and Nursing students receiving their nursing pin. The ceremony commemorates
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the successful completion of their nursing coursework and clinical rotations.
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The Dean of c NHS, Karen Damren, pH d r N,
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addressed the graduates, explaining the meaning of the pen they
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received and what it truly represents. Quote tonight, as you
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receive your pen, you are joining a tradition that traces
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back to Florence Nightingale, who believed that nursing was both
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a science and a calling. Said Damren, the pen you
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receive is more than a symbol of completion. It is
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a promise, a promise to serve with integrity, to lead
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with knowledge, and to care with compassion even when no
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one is watching. End quote. Carly Lafferty of Whelan was
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the recipient of the Elizabeth Akers Eliot Award, selected by
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the nursing faculty as the student who best exempt fies
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the very essence of nursing, who combines qualities of critical thinking,
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professional judgment and caring, and who exceeds what is expected
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of a new graduate. Carla Hall of Grethel received the
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Spirit of Nursing Award, an honor bestowed by fellow classmates
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for the nursing students they would most like to have
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caring for themselves or their family if they became ill.
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Kylie Duskins of Ivil received the Vivian Day Award, presented
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to the graduate with the highest grade point average in
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nursing courses. The Upike School of Social Work held its
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penning ceremony in Booth Auditorium on Friday, May first, honoring
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twelve graduates receiving their Bachelors in Social Works or BSW
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and twenty seven graduates receiving their Master of Social MSW degrees.
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Genesia Kilgary Bowling, a PhD, and the MSW and CSW
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Chair and Professor with the School of Social Work and
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director of the Master's Program celebrated graduates along with families, friends,
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professors and colleagues and attendance. She reminded students to be
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advocates and agents of change as they receive their pins
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and step into the field of social work. As professionals quote,
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this act of pinning is more than a ceremony. It's
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a transition. It marks a moment when students are recognized
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not only for what they have completed, but for who
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they are becoming, said Kilgary Bowling. Tonight, you are not
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simply being acknowledged as graduates. You are being welcomed into
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a profession, a profession grounded in service, guided by ethics,
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and committed to advancing the dignity and justice and well
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being of all people. Awards were given to the graduates
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in both BSW and MSW categories. The Spirit of Social
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Work Award was presented to BSW student Fidella Covill of
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Pikeville and MSW student David Sykes of Pikeville for best
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exemplifying student leadership and embodying the values and ethics of
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social work. The Excellence and Social Work Scholarship Award was
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presented to m SW student Norman Ramsay of Pikeville and
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BSW student Madison Taylor of Pikeville for demonstrating outstanding academic
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achievement and strong commitment to scholarly excellence. The Outstanding Practissium
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Student Award was presented to BSW student Victoria Hines of
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Louisville and ms W students Lisa Reiner of Sharpsburg and
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Ethan dobl of Grethel. These students went above and beyond
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in their practicem experience, demonstrating exceptional social work knowledge and skills,
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maintaining the highest level of professionalism, and showing a strong
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commitment to serving their community. The Outstanding BSW Achievement Award
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was presented to Zachary Blick of Pikeville for achieving academic
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excellence in the social work program. To view these ceremonies
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in their entirety, visit Upike's YouTube channel at www dot
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YouTube dot com slash upike Bears. Our final story is
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Unite Celebrates End of School Year by Gary Sloane, staff writer.
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Operation Unite and America Corps members attended an end of
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the school year event on May fourth at First Baptist
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Church in Pikeville. Members reflect did on their various stories
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of what was accomplished and the students who received tutoring
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and other services. Keynote speaker for the event was Caring Kelly,
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an Elkhorn City native in chief of Staff for the
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fifth District US Representative how Rogers. Quote. I've listened to
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the stories you all have shared here today, and I'm
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just so proud of each and every one of you,
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Kelly said. The youth of the region are indeed very
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blessed to have you all as mentors and tutors in
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a time when both are sadly missing in many areas.
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Kelly headed Operation Unite several years ago before going to
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work for Congressman Rogers in various positions leading up to
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her current position as chief of staff. Quote. While personnel
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have changed throughout the years, the mission remains the same
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for Operation Unite and the America Corps help today's youth
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to reach their full potential and to stay away from
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addictive and harmful drugs. Kelly said members enjoyed a catered
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lunch and many received awards in certificates during the event.
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This concludes to day's reading of the Appalachian News Express
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your reader husband Naya, thank you for joining me, and
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now please stay tuned for more programming at Radio I.