April 23, 2008
Two people found inside a burned home last week in Morgan County, Kentucky, did not die from the fire. That’s what Kentucky State Police investigators are now saying. Evidence at the scene and autopsy results indicate that 81-year-old Bernice Elam and her 54-year-old, disabled son Mickey were murdered. According to WYMT-TV news, the house in which the pair was originally thought to have burned to death is located at Cannel City on Kentucky Route 191.

Harlan County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive Joe Grieshop is urging officials of Cumberland, Benham and Lynch to merge their services. The three towns in the eastern part of the county have been struggling financially for years, according to the Harlan Daily Enterprise. Grieshop spoke at a meeting of the Lynch council – quote – Merger is absolutely essential for the Tri-Cities to survive. Our biggest problem is working together – end quote.

Sheriff’s deputies in Buchanan County, Virginia, can now legally moonlight for Norfolk-Southern Railway. The Virginia Mountaineer reports that the county board of supervisors approved a request from the railroad that off-duty officers be allowed to work in uniform to patrol public roadways near rail lines. The company will reimburse the county, which will pay the deputies.

David and Donna Clifton own two holes at StoneCrest Golf Course in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. That’s not how it was supposed to be. According to the Big Sandy News, the Cliftons had deeded the property to the city of Prestonsburg with a restriction that it be used for recreation. However, another couple bought the property from the city and began to build a house, before they learned about the restriction on the lot. Susan and Danny Hamilton filed suit against the city in 2005. Last week a judge ruled that the land should revert to the Cliftons. The Hamiltons are now seeking a judgment for damages.

Pikeville College has begun the search for a new president. Hal Smith, who has headed the private eastern Kentucky college for 11 years, has announced he will retire next year. According to the Appalachian News-Express, the board of trustees has formed a presidential search committee and has hired a consultant to help with the search.

Five eastern Kentucky projects are recipients of crumb rubber grants, which encourage environmental stewardship. According to a press release from the state Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, in Martin County, Eden Elementary School is getting 40,000 dollars and Warfield Elementary gets more than 23,000 dollars, both for playgrounds. In Perry County, Hazard Independent district’s Walkertown Elementary will use more than 70,000 dollars for playgrounds, and Hazard Perry County Community Ministries more than 6,000 for a playground. Pike County Central High School has been awarded more than 35,000 dollars for a multi-use athletic field.

Both Harlan and Bell counties in eastern Kentucky have been approved for grants related to all-terrain vehicle programs. The Bell County ATV Park will get a boost of 20,000 dollars from the Appalachian Regional Commission. According to a press release from the governor’s office, the money is to be used to hire an engineering firm to map and classify existing ATV trails and provide a land assessment study for a trail system. The Harlan County Ridge Runners ATV Club will get more than 12,000 dollars for an adventure tourism expansion project. The funds will be used to purchase GPS mapping equipment and safety equipment for guided trail rides offered by the club.

A stolen backhoe has been found by Pike County, Kentucky, authorities, but it’s a little less for the wear. The Appalachian News-Express reports that the Caterpillar backhoe, valued at about 72,000 dollars, disappeared early last week from a lot near Phelps in the county’s fifth district, where it was being used for a massive trash cleanup. A few days later, the equipment was found at Carter Branch, minus its batteries and gas caps. An attempt to change its identity had apparently been made, since the county emblems had been painted over.