Transportation Cabinet awards $434,000 in road contracts

Work set for Mason, Fleming and Lewis counties

FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. – Nearly $434,000 in contracts awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will mean upgrades to seven miles of roadways in Mason, Fleming and Lewis counties in Department of Highways District 9.

Projects awarded June 3 include resurfacing roads with new asphalt to boost Kentucky’s transportation reliability and improve safety for motorists.

“These are important investments in our transportation infrastructure,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Prather. “A solid transportation infrastructure is essential to our communities everywhere in the commonwealth.”

In District 9, low-bid contracts were awarded for the following work:

• Resurface Olive Hill-Vanceburg Road (KY 59) in Lewis County from KY 344 north to KY 9, a distance of 5.1 miles – to Mountain Enterprises Inc., $349,930.88.

• Resurface Mud Sock-Hillsboro Road (KY 2510) in Fleming County from KY 697 east to KY 1515, a distance of 0.5 miles – to H.G. Mays Corporation, $19,681.03.

• Resurface Garrett Run Road (KY 1443) from Cabin Creek Pike north to the Lewis County line, a distance of 1.55 miles – to H.G. Mays Corporation, $63,898.56.

Most projects will take place this summer or fall. During construction, motorists should “Drive Smart” in work zones and remain aware of workers, traffic control devices and construction equipment at all times.

Five vehicle pileup on Bypass

A five-car pile up at the intersection of the Bypass Road and Elizaville Avenue was caused by inattention, according to police.

Flemingsburg Police Chief Randy Sargent said Jared Miller was not paying attention to the traffic light when he was making a left turn from the Bypass onto Elizaville Road. That mistake caused a chain reaction and sent five cars piling into each other.

According to the police report Miller said he “looked up and saw the green light and misjudged the motions of the other vehicles in the left turn lane.”

The driver of a Dodge Ram, Gregory Terrell said he saw the car Miller was driving and noticed that it was moving fast.

According to the report, Terrell and his passenger Terry Boggs, “looked through their rear-view mirror and saw Unit 1 (Miller), coming at them and that he was not slowing down.”

Officer William Thoroughman, who worked the accident, said in his report that Miller hit Terrell, who hit the vehicle driven by Jarrod Monroe, who hit the vehicle driven by Rebecca Glasscock, who hit the vehicle driven by Tyler Story.

Traffic coming from the Morehead direction was re-routed through Arby’s driveway until the wreck was cleared, which took nearly an hour.

Miller was the only person taken to the hospital, according to the report. Sargent said he had minor injuries and that he was tested for alcohol. Thoroughman said Miller submitted to the test and the results are pending.

“With him being at fault and not slowing down, that is why we had him tested,” Sargent said. “We also found alcohol in the car, but it was unopened.”

Foxport School, March 23, 1911

 

Unity Baptist wins $1,000

The “Dash for Cash” at Ken’s New Market in Flemingsburg marked a major milestone last Wednesday when Alan Argo presented a $1,000 check to officers of the Unity Baptist Church on Elizaville Avenue.

“There are nine $1000 scratch-off cards possible in the three Ken’s stores,” said Argo. “We’re happy that the first one is here.”

The Church members were even happier. Shown with Argo are Tate Meade, deacon emeritus, Ron Taulbee, pastor, Dan Bohl, trustee, Parkey Thompson, deacon, Ewell Vice, trustee, and Earl Kinder, deacon.

Moore convicted

On June 17, 2008, a Fleming County Jury found Jody Lee Moore guilty of First Degree Fleeing/Evading Police while his operator’s license had been suspended for driving under the influence, Second Degree Fleeing/Evading Police and Second Degree Persistent Felony Offender.  On December 22, 2007, Moore, age 35, fled from the police when he failed to stop at a vehicle traffic check point in Cowan.  After a high speed chase, Moore drove to his residence and then fled on foot.  Moore was not apprehended and later turned himself in to Fayette County authorities.
During the one-day trial, Moore’s attorney argued that Moore was misidentified by law enforcement officers and the girlfriend who was found in the vehicle.  The law enforcement officers and Moore’s girlfriend all identified Mr. Moore as being the individual driving the vehicle.  Moore’s sister testified that her brother had called her from Maysville during the time of the law enforcement chase in Cowan.  She also testified that she picked her brother up in Maysville.  At the conclusion of the trial, the Fleming County jury found Moore guilty and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on the charge of First Degree Fleeing/Evading Police, and 12 months imprisonment, with a $500.00 fine, on the charge of Second Degree Fleeing/Evading Police. Due to his prior felony offense of Third Degree Rape, he was later found guilty of being a Second Degree Persistent Felony Offender and sentenced to the maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment in lieu of the three-year sentence.  Judge Stockton Wood, Fleming Circuit Court, ordered Moore be held at the Mason County Detention Center and directed that a Pre-Sentence Investigation Report be prepared.  Final sentencing has been tentatively set for August 1, 2008, in Fleming County.
Moore was prosecuted by Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, Gary W. Adkins.  The defendant was represented by Hon. Debra Rigg, of Maysville.  The criminal charges were investigated by Trooper Eugene Robinson, KSP Post 8, and Deputies Jared Wagner and Deputy Sheriff Bud Lyons, of the Fleming County Sheriff’s office.

The Rest Is History

Read John McIntyre's blog entry about his early days of working at the Gazette

Book fun in the summer

Wally Thomas reads a children's book at Doodles Gallery as part of the annual Fleming County Reading Festival June 11 and 12.

Cow pool

At Bald Hill the cows found some relief from the 90 degree temperatures.

Injured motorcycle rider dies

Joseph Fite of Bunnell, Fla., injured June 1 in an accident near Poplar Plains involving a car and his motorcycle, died from his injuries June 10 at the UK Medical Center.

The accident is still under investigation by Trooper Chad Bowling.

Bear in the yard

Back yard bear in Fleming County

Barber granted shock probation

Toni G. Barber, incarcerated since Dec. 5, 2007, after being sentenced to seven years on one count of manslaughter and two years on one count of criminal abuse, was granted shock probation Friday by retired Senior Circuit Court Judge Lewis D. Nicholls.
The conditions of Barber’s release include an intensive 30-day drug rehabilitation program plus grief and depression counseling in Elizabethtown. Following her release from the facility, Nicholls has ordered Barber to perform community service work at the Hope Pregnancy Center in Morehead, maintain full-time employment or return to college, and attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings three times per week and participate in intensive out-patient treatments administered through Comprehend.
In addition, Barber is to establish a fund in the name of her deceased son, Kaleb Davis and to make annual donations to the fund in the amount of $1,000 for the next seven years, which is the number of years she was to serve in prison. She is also subject to random drug testing and home visits by her probation and parole officer. Barber's probation covers a five-year period.

Bear in Fleming County

A wandering hungry bear showed up Tuesday night at the home of David and Shari Roark, who snapped photos as the bear dined on garbage. The photo quality suffers, since the photographer did not want to take a chance on an open door.

FCHS graduation 2008

A sea of graduation caps filled the gymnasium of Fleming County High School Sunday afternoon, June 1, as 146 seniors received their diplomas. A full page of photographs is in the June 4 issue of the Gazette.

Crawford pleads guilty

A man accused of trafficking in drugs has entered a guilty plea in Fleming Circuit Court.

Billy Crawford, 53, denied a plea offer May 29, according to his attorney Tom Griffiths. However as the trial began Tuesday, June 3, Crawford entered a guilty plea to two counts of conspiracy to traffic pills and one count of possession of a handgun by a felon. Griffiths said the plea cancels three trials scheduled for Crawford. Because Crawford rejected the plea offer, it is up to Judge Stockton Wood to determine the sentence for Crawford.

“The judge gave a five minute speech announcing the plea,” Griffiths said. “He said Crawford had had a change of heart over the weekend.”

Crawford faces up to 20 years on each charge. The sentencing date has been set July 2, according to Griffiths.

Crawford was arrested last year in a drug bust near Ringos Mill, which resulted in three arrests and three indictments. According to Fleming County Sheriff Scotty Royse, members of the Fleming County Sheriff's Department together with members of the Buffalo Trace Narcotics Task Force arrested two people Aug. 2 for trafficking in controlled substances. Jason M. Grizzell, 28, of Waynesburg and Stephen M. Lewis, 24, of Carter County, formerly of Ewing, were both arrested

Officers intercepted the vehicle coming back from Florida with drugs from the Ft. Lauderdale, Miami area and seized a large quantity of Oxycodone and Xanax, a bottle full of Endocet, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The men also had several thousand dollars on them at the time of their arrest. The three were indicted by the Fleming County grand jury Aug. 3. According to the indictment, Grizzell was charged with one count of complicity to trafficking in a controlled substance, first degree when he transported Steven Lewis and the drug Hydrocodone, a Schedule II narcotic, so Lewis could sell the drug. The felony charge carries a penalty of five to 10 years imprisonment. Lewis was indicted on three counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, first degree when he knowingly and unlawfully sold Oxycodone, a Schedule II narcotic, according to the grand jury.

Motorcyclist injured

Joseph Fite, 63, of Bunnell, Fla., was injured Sunday, June 1, when he swerved his 2006 Harley-Davidson to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle that crossed over the center line on Ky. 211 near Poplar Plains.

The bike slid approximately 74 feet on its side. Fite was airlifted to the UK Medical Center and is listed in critical condition. The accident is being investigated by Trooper Chad Bowling.

Motorcyclist injured

Joseph Fite, 63, of Bunnell, Fla., was injured Sunday, June 1, when he swerved his 2006 Harley-Davidson to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle that crossed over the center line on Ky. 211 near Poplar Plains.

The bike slid approximately 74 feet on its side. Fite was airlifted to the UK Medical Center and is listed in critical condition. The accident is being investigated by Trooper Chad Bowling.