FLEMINGSBURG, Ky. (Nov. 30, 2020) – As the season’s first winter storm moves into the state, Kentucky Department of Highways District 9 snowfighters are gearing up for action with salt stockpiled and snow plows prepped.
“Snow removal is a top priority of the Transportation Cabinet during winter weather season,” said Steve Gunnell, chief district engineer. “And our highway crews are always prepared to keep motorists moving on Kentucky roadways.”
As of 11 a.m. today, Monday, Nov. 30, crews in Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas and Rowan counties are on call – standing by for salt truck and snow plow duty when weather conditions call for it. The National Weather Service forecasts dropping temperatures and snowfall accumulations late today and overnight. Currently, air temperatures average about 34 degrees and pavement temperatures are about 40 degrees, with scattered rain and flurries.
The highway district, which maintains more than 2,000 miles of state roads in northeast Kentucky, has about 175 highway technicians who clear highways using 75 snow plows and tens of thousands of tons of salt.
When snowstorms hit, crews in affected counties are assigned 12-hour shifts to plow and treat state roadways on a priority basis – part of the Transportation Cabinet’s mission to keep traffic moving in a safe manner with an emphasis on maintaining mobility along critical corridors.
Priority A routes include critical state routes and those most heavily traveled such as interstates and main roads between counties or to hospitals, which receive the highest priority for snow-clearing efforts. Priority B and C routes include other important but lesser-traveled state routes.
The Cabinet’s snow and ice information website, SnowKY.ky.gov, provides the public with maps of those priority routes, as well as helpful winter driving tips, fact sheets and videos on the snow removal process.
In addition, the public can monitor winter operations in real time on the state’s interactive traffic system – GoKY.ky.gov – to find out what’s happening on state routes in their local counties.
Statewide, nearly 2,000 men and women serve on the frontlines and behind the scenes of the Cabinet’s snow and ice removal efforts. The Cabinet is equipped with several hundred thousand tons of salt, as well as adequate supplies of brine and calcium chloride, and more than 1,000 deployable trucks and plows among the 125 snow and ice maintenance locations. More than 400 more contracted trucks are available to assist in snow and ice operations.
PUBLIC PREPARATION
The Transportation Cabinet encourages motorists to prepare for winter and remain safe by following these tips:
– Pay attention to weather advisories. Weather will impact travel on some level, so prepare for a slower commute.
– Travel only as necessary during major snow events. It’s better to be stuck at home than to be stuck on the road.
– Maintain a safe braking distance from other vehicles, as well as snowplows and other heavy highway equipment.
– Do not pass snowplows on the shoulder.
– Winterize vehicles.
– Stock vehicles with blankets, flash light and an emergency supply kit.
– Know before you go. Visit goky.ky.gov and download the free Waze app to check traffic conditions before you travel.
– Eliminate distractions (e.g. using phone and eating) while driving.
– Wear your seatbelt. It’s not only state law, but also your best defense in case of a crash.
– Cooperate with the expectations of the Quick Clearance law, which requires drivers to move vehicles to the shoulder in the event of a non-injury crash.
Dahlias, with their lush, vivid blossoms, are a garden favorite and often take front and center at county and state fair competitions. Unfortunately, they are semi-tropical plants and will not overwinter in Kentucky’s climate. Don’t worry, though. With a little effort in storing their tuberous roots properly, you can enjoy your dahlias year after year—and maybe bring home a blue ribbon or two in the process.
Dig only your healthiest plants. Roots from any plant that may have shown signs of a virus should end up in the trash. Virus symptoms may include streaked or mottled foliage, distorted leaves or flowers, or stunted growth. You do not want disease to spread among your healthy dahlias next year. While some people dig their dahlias before the first frost, it is often best to allow them more time in the ground to mature as much as possible. Though a frost may damage top foliage and blooms, roots will continue to mature and toughen up through a light frost and often through the first hard freeze, depending on how deep into the soil that freeze went.
Cutting the tops off a few days before digging the tuberous roots will allow the eyes to come out, which makes it easier to accurately divide the clumps. Water is a tuberous root’s enemy, so many people will cover the freshly cut tops with aluminum foil to prevent water from getting into the crown until they can dig them.
Be careful when digging and handling the tuberous roots. Dig into the soil on all four sides of a clump, about 12 inches from the stalk. Using either a shovel or fork, gently lift the clump, then turn it upside down to drain any water from the stalk. If you lift them in the morning and leave them out to air dry for a couple of hours, they will not be as fragile. Then, using a hose, you can wash off the dirt without damaging the tubers.
The clump of roots could be stored as is, but it is usually easier to divide the clumps in the fall when they are softer. If left to spring, some clumps can become so hard they can be almost impossible to cut. Remove all the small feeder roots and stems, which can promote root rot during storage. When you cut the clumps, look for the eyes. Each division should have a crown with an eye. If the inside of the crown shows brown or rusty spots, cut those away. Those spots probably indicate crown rot, and the tuberous root will not make it through the winter. To avoid spreading virus between plants, dip your cutting tools into a solution of one-part bleach and 10-parts water or spray them with a disinfectant after dividing each clump.
After making each division, dip the cut ends into a fungicide and let dry. Drying time will depend on temperature and humidity but could take between 24 and 36 hours depending on the size of the cut.
Store your tuberous roots in a medium that maintains a decent, but not excessive moisture level. Storing tubers in coarse vermiculite in a plastic bag is one of the preferred methods. Check occasionally to ensure rotting is not occurring and mice or other rodents have not compromised your dahlia stash.
For more information, contact the Carter County office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.
The Carter County Fiscal Court will meet in SPECIAL SESSION Tuesday November 24, 2020 at 6pm due to the Covid 19 Pandemic this meeting will be held via Zoom.
FRANKFORT ⎯ COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 deaths continue to spike across the Commonwealth, which prompted Governor Andy Beshear to take decisive action. On Wednesday, there was announced a series of measures to curb the third wave of COVID-19. These measures will be in effect from Friday, November 20, and last through Sunday, December 13.
All indoor gatherings at venues are limited to 25 or fewer people per room. Gyms must reduce to 33% capacity with masks required at all times while exercising, and group classes are prohibited.
Another provision of the measures states that restaurants and bars must close in-person dining services. Outdoor service and carryout will continue. Knowing this will hurt many Kentucky restaurants, to alleviate some financial burden associated with these adjustments, there was $40 million announced in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds, which will be made available to assist establishments affected financially. There are more details on how to apply for up to $10,000 in funds for various expenses, with a maximum award of $20,000 per business entity. Further informationwill be provided in the coming days. You can check www.governor.ky.gov for more updates.
Lastly, under the new provisions, all Kentucky K-12, public and private schools will cease in-person instruction beginning Monday, November 23. Middle and high schools will remain closed for the remainder of the fall semester until at least January 4, 2021. Also, high school winter sports are postponed until January 4. Elementary schools may reopen to in-person instruction on December 7 if the county is not in the red zone and can follow guidelines.
As we approach the holiday season, we are at a critical junction in regard to COVID-19. Although it may be much different than previous years, I wish you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving. As vaccine clinical trials continue to produce encouraging results, there is hope of normalcy on the horizon.
There was a full schedule of committee meetings in Frankfort this week and we are facing the challenges regarding staff, working from home, and skeleton crews at the Capitol, and I ask my constituents to continue to be patient as we attempt to process your inquiries and concerns.
I encourage you to stay engaged and share your input as we near a month from the start of the 2021 Regular Session on January 5. As always, I will do my best to keep you updated and informed about what is happening in Frankfort. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, I remain accessible by email at Robin.Webb@LRC.KY.GOV.You can also leave a message for me on the Legislative Message Line at (800) 372-7181. Citizens with hearing impairments can use the Kentucky Relay Service at 711.
Black vultures are native to Kentucky. As a result, they are present here year-round, but you may be seeing more of them now for a few reasons. Their overall populations have increased in the state in the past couple of years. They are also a migratory species with a recently expanded range that stretches from Canada to South America, so you will see a lot more birds in Kentucky during the fall and winter as the birds from the northern range migrate south.
While they are usually carrion feeders, black vultures will attack and kill small- to medium-sized animals, including young livestock like calves, piglets, goats and lambs. This is why they are a nemesis to many Kentucky farmers.
Not to mention, black vultures can roost with as many as 100 other vultures, which can make them seem particularly menacing. Their roosting can cause structural damage, because the birds have a bad habitat of picking at materials that have a rubbery texture. They have been known to damage pool covers, roof shingles, rubber roof liners, vent seals and window caulking.
Since black vultures are federally protected by the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, you cannot kill them or destroy their nests or eggs without a federal permit. Even if you do get a permit, these birds are extremely smart and very difficult to kill. However, it is legal to take steps to make the birds uncomfortable by making loud noises or spraying them with a garden hose.
It is also legal to use effigies to deter them from your property. Effigies are perhaps the easiest way to deter black vultures. When properly displayed, these depictions of dead vultures are extremely effective at getting these birds to move on their way. Effigies need to be hung high and upside down by their feet with their wings spread, so the vultures can see them from a distance.
Since many Kentucky livestock producers have animals that give birth during the fall and winter, putting the expectant mothers in one pasture and hanging an effigy in that area is very effective at keeping black vultures away from newborn livestock. For the most success, make sure the effigy can be seen from all angles and any location in a birthing pasture. You may need to hang more than one effigy to accomplish this.
Building your own effigy is easy and inexpensive, as you can reuse many items commonly found around your farm. Matt Springer and Jonathan Matthews from the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources have developed a pattern and directions to make a black vulture effigy using a rubber stall mat that you can freely access and print online at http://forestry.ca.uky.edu/files/forfs18-03.pdf. The entire project costs less than $30 and takes about two hours to complete.
For more information, contact the Carter County office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.
In March of this year, every program offered at Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) transitioned to remote instruction in response to the pandemic.
One program that saw tremendous success during that transition was the Practical Nursing (PN) department.
Terri Ratliff (program coordinator) and the PN faculty moved every component of their program online, from skills assessments to lab hours to clinicals.
Full-time PN faculty include: Terri Ratliff, Deena Howerton, Melissa Green, Susan Wallace-Vernatter and Brigitte Carroll. Harold Bruce, Tamara Cantrell and April Melvin were adjunct faculty with the department during this spring semester.
“In March, everything was scary, because it was all brand new for everyone. The students were so appreciative though, because we didn’t miss a beat,” says Carroll. “Our students did it and did it well.”
PN faculty spent 16 hours each week with their students online to complete their lab hours and Wallace-Vernatter moved all skills assessments to a virtual platform. She recorded videos demonstrating specific skills, and students recorded videos indicating mastery of those skills.
“Nursing is a team profession, so we run our program based on that idea. Our philosophy is ‘one team, one goal’,” Ratliff added.
When the department transitioned to remote instruction, students continued to use ClinPrep, a simulated electronic medical record system used by students to document patient care. PN students had been using it prior to the spring semester to record their charting during clinicals, but continued to do so using “simulated” patients during the spring semester.
Due to the unique way PN faculty had used ClinPrep, the owners of the company approached the PN faculty and asked them to beta test SimPrep, a new software that incorporates the features of ClinPrep with providing nursing care in simulated cases, as well.
SimPrep is an academic EHR (electronic health record) training system designed to help students learn documentation skills, medication administration, and data collection skills in both the simulation lab and classroom setting, says Daniel Tucker, CIO of ClinPrep/SimPrep.
“SimPrep mimics the functionality of a hospital EHR so students get the training they need to hit the ground running when they graduate,” he said.
ACTC is the only institution in the state that is testing this program.
“ClinPrep has been amazing for our students, because it is so user friendly compared to some of the other products we have used,” said Howerton.
Green creates patients with a detailed medical history and unique scenarios in which students provide patient-centered nursing care using simulation. Students work in groups to provide care to the patient.
Ratliff nominated Green for the Kentucky League for Nursing Jo Ann Maurer Wever Award for Excellence in Nursing Education earlier this year for her work on the simulations.
Green was this year’s recipient of that award.
She worked to ensure that curriculum and skills that have been covered in class are integrated in the simulation experience so that students can apply the content they have learned in a practical environment.
“Our simulations are tailor-made to follow along with the topics that are being taught in that unit. Each simulation focused on a different body system based around what was going on in lecture,” said Green.
“I kind of looked at it as writing a play in three acts, because I needed to cover sixteen hours of what we would have done during clinicals,” she added. ““The faculty jumped in and we all made it happen together. We put our heads together and brainstormed every simulation.”
Green says part one is the introduction to the patient, part two is providing care for the patient’s condition, and part three is the evaluation of patient care.
“The way the Ashland Nursing Team was able to quickly and effectively transition their learning 100 percent online is exemplary and should be used as a model for other nursing programs. The Ashland Nursing Faculty was instrumental in providing ideas and feedback for the SimPrep Simulation Lab software that they have been beta testing for us,” said Tucker.
“From our perspective, the usage of SimPrep and the beta testing process has been stellar. We really appreciate all the support that they have given to our company and the product we are developing,” he added.
PN instructors say they are fully prepared to transition back to remote instruction in the event that the in-person instruction moves to online or students are restricted from visiting clinical sites.
Students are currently participating in clinical hours at varying site. Some are COVID tested every week to be cleared to return to clinical sites the following week.
Even though students have returned to campus for the fall semester, Ratliff says instructors continue to include simulation as a part of their curriculum delivery.
“We truly stand by our philosophy: one team, one goal,” she said. “The students and the faculty all work together to ensure our students’ success.”
If you can remember last year, Ashleigh Freda (The Running Wife) held a 5k and most of the proceeds went to help feed kids in the Carter County School System. Becky Walker was directly involved in this process through the school system, and many of you sponsored the race.
Ashleigh is doing it again with her Holiday Hustle Challenge Virtual 5k.
I found out today, she is still looking for Carter County (and other local) sponsors. 3 businesses donated today, and I wanted to reach out to see if you will help too! Sponsoring $100 or more will get you on the t-shirts and all the marketing, but will also go to help feed the kids of Carter County this Christmas.
To make sure you understand the level of impact: The Running Wife donated $25,000 worth of food to Carter County last year and has raised over $65,000 for Kentucky kids this year since March.
If you’d like to sponsor this event, and help feed Carter County kids this Christmas, reach out to me and I will get you the information you need, or linked up with Ashleigh. I’m also sure Becky Walker will be willing to share the impact of this event as well :).
Contact me at president@graysonrotaryclub.com
I was late getting this out- DEADLINE TO SPONSOR IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23.
Thanks, (Husband of a member of The Running Wife Club)
Opal Tackett Hall, 90 of Hitchins, KY went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at her residence.
Opal was born February 8, 1930 in Holden, WV, a daughter of the late Thomas and Hattie Baier Tackett. She was preceded in death by her husband Lack “L.D.” Hall; four sisters, Eula Wright, Isabelle Clay, Leola Adams and Nellie Evans; six brothers, Ward Tackett, Hobert Tackett, Billy Tackett, Harlan Tackett, Ford Tackett and Clyde Tackett.
Opal is survived by one son, Willie (Angela) Hall of Taylorsville, KY; one brother, Tommy Tackett of Grayson; two sisters, Betty O’Banion of Taylorsville, GA and Pearl Merritt of Acworth, GA, one grandson, Carson Hall of Mt. Washington, KY.
Graveside services will be Sunday, 2:30 at East Carter County Memory Gardens, with Delmar Rogers, minister. Due to COVID mandates there will be no public visitation or funeral. Mask will be required at graveside services.
Grayson Rotary Club, Grayson Area Chamber of Commerce and Carter County Project Merry Christmas have joined forces for an online auction to benefit both Rotary Club and Project Merry Christmas.
Bid by placing the dollar amount of your bid in the comments of the specific item you are bidding on. Bidding closes at 5pm on Monday, November 23, 2020.
Winners are to pick up items between 12:30-5 p.m. on November 24, at the Grayson Gallery & Art Center. Payments can be made by cash, check, credit card, or debit card at time of pick up.
All proceeds go to Grayson Rotary Club and Carter County Project Merry Christmas!
Lyle J. Clevenger, 82, of Grayson, went to his eternal home on Wednesday November 18, 2020.
Lyle was born on October 21, 1938 in Hitchins Kentucky to George and Irene (Parsons) Clevenger.
He was proceeded in death by his parents, a son Lyle Scott Clevenger and a daughter Connie Miller.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Hazel Clevenger, two sons Larry Clevenger of Ohio, and Jeff (Kim) Clevenger of Grayson; two stepsons David Stevens and Donald Stevens of Grayson, three grandchildren Brayden Clevenger of Grayson, Stephanie Adkins of Ohio, and Sarah Johnson of Ohio, two great grandchildren Kayla Johnson and D.J Adkins of Ohio, and two brothers, Buster Clevenger of Hitchins, and Joe Clevenger of Greenup.
Lyle retired from the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local 40 and was a member of the Willard Masonic Lodge 626. He was a member of the Scottish Rite 32 degree, El Hasa Shriners in Ashland Kentucky.
Lyle was a man of yesteryear and enjoyed watching westerns and dressing the part of a cowboy. When out and about town, he could always be found wearing his jeans, western shirt, cowboy boots, and cowboy hat. He enjoyed spending time riding his Harley Davidson motorcycles and fishing in the past. He also enjoyed spending time visiting with friends and family in person and on the phone. He liked to stay “in the know” of what was happening in the community and kept his scanner tuned in to hear all the action.
His children and grandchildren were a source of pride, especially his grandson Brayden. He always wanted to hear what his grandson was up to whether it was Bible study, archery, or schoolwork. When Brayden was little, Lyle would call to see if he wanted something to eat “from town” and would always show up with a Happy Meal and they would have lunch together a couple of times a week. Fast forward eleven years, and it was Brayden who brought a meal to serve his “grandpa” during the last few months of his life.
Life has a way of coming full circle. Lyle’s kind smile and giving heart will be missed by those who knew him; however, there is comfort in knowing that he has reached his eternal home and is in the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, 12:00 noon at Malone Funeral Home with Delmar Rogers, minister. Entombment with Masonic Services conducted by Willard Lodge 626 F & AM at East Carter Memory Gardens in Grayson, Ky. Friends may call Saturday 11:00 A.M. until the service at Malone Funeral Home.
Condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.malonefuneralhome.com.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, mask will be required along with social distancing. Pallbearers include Jeff Clevenger, Brayden Clevenger, Shannon Johnston, Steve Hartman, David Stevens, and Donald Stevens.
Honorary pallbearers include Larry Clevenger, Buster Clevenger, and Joe Clevenger.
The president and CEO of Commercial Bank of Grayson and Olive Hill has announced changes for in-office business at local branches:
To our customers,
We have one simple objective that guides us: keeping you and our employees safe. Like so many of you, our lives continue be impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19). We closely monitor regulatory guidelines and recommendations on the steps we can take to help prevent the spread of the virus. Our actions this year have been focused on making necessary adjustments to ensure the safe reliable operation of our locations.
Our goal is to continue to serve the needs of our customers and community throughout this Pandemic. The increased infection rates in our region require us to take additional measures until further notice:
Effective Saturday, November 21 our Olive Hill Office will be by appointment only.
Main Office access by appointment will go into effect Monday, November 23.
Interchange Branch lobby will remain open by appointment only as well.
We encourage use of our drive thru facilities when it is a reasonable option for your needs.
Please note available 24/7 is the bank’s safe, secure, easy-to-use E-Banking services, including: Internet Banking, Bill Pay, Mobile Banking App, and Mobile Deposit Capture. Information remains available as well through the Tele-Banker at 1 (800) 598-4524. We will be glad to assist in setting up these services, contact our customer service personnel at 1 (800) 467-1179 or 1 (606) 474-7811.
We are thankful for the strong relationships we have in our communities. We will continue to monitor this on-going impact, keeping channels of communication open.
Emma Vivian Hall Kelley, 74 of Grayson went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at her residence.
Emma was born June 09, 1946 in Hitchins, KY a daughter of the late Lonnie and Bertha Stegall Hall. She was a member of the EK Mines Community Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband Homer Jack Kelley in 1995; one daughter, Tobby Hedge; five brothers, Bob Hall, Lonnie Gene Hall, Ray Hall, Robert Hall and Roy Hall; two half-brothers, Bill hall and Ernest Hall; two half-sisters, Bonnie Tate and Sarah Miller. She is survived by one son, Paul Kelley of Grayson; one daughter, Deborah Loveday of Grayson; four grandchildren, Gregory Kelley, P.J. Kelley, Travis Hedge and Yvonne Loveday; three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Friday, 1:00 p.m. at Malone Funeral Home with Bro. Joe Hutchison, minister. Friends may call Friday 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Malone Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.malonefuneralhome.com.
“We needed an opportunity to let people celebrate Christmas for what it is,” Betsy Fannin said, explaining plans for the upcoming “Grayson Merry & Bright Christmas Light Trail” by the Grayson Area Chamber of Commerce.
In 2020 in often seems that everything has been cancelled.
“We’ve had so many celebrations minimized. We aren’t having the Christmas Parade. We’re not having the Christmas celebration and a lot of company Christmas parties have been canceled,” Betsy Fannin said, explaining the Chamber’s plans to organize the “Grayson Merry & Bright Christmas Light Trail” and guide carloads of families along a path of lighted homes, businesses, municipal organizations and churches.
“This is not just in the city – anyone in the county can light and decorate their exterior and be a part of it,” Fannin added.
“We want people to let their inner Clark Griswold come out and enter the contest on Facebook!”
People are asked to send in a photo of their decorated exterior (“It can be from last year!”) to qualify for a numbered yard sign they can pick up at the Grayson Tourism Commission cabin. Each registered Christmas display will then be pinpointed on the official Grayson Merry & Bright Christmas Trail map, allowing viewers to easily find them.
Three weeks of voting will officially begin November 29, with touring judges asked to select their favorite home, neighborhood, business and organization for prizes.
The house with the most votes as of December 21 will receive a $250 award from Pure Country Automotive. Home with the second and third highest number of votes will be rewarded with $100 and $50 respectively, sponsored by Family Vision Health Care.
The neighborhood with the most participating homes will be recognized with a banner near the entrance to their community. A trophy will also be presented to the business which gets the most votes, as well as the organization (churches, fire departments etc.).
“For added fun,” Fannin said there will be weekly drawings for additional “Grayson Bucks” prizes to be spent at locally owned and operated businesses. Sponsored by Brooks Wells Century 21 BW Enterprises, organizers will draw a house number at random to determine each week’s $75 winner.
The “Grayson Bucks” drawings will be held on Friday, December 4, 11 and 18 at the offices of the Carter County Post, inside Antiques N Uniques at 602 Carol Malone Boulevard.
“We hope people will encourage their neighbors to just light up their neighborhoods and give families an opportunity to drive around and just enjoy the Christmas spirit,” Fannin said.
The “Merry & Bright Christmas Trail” in Carter County has also inspired organizers at the Boyd County Tourism & Convention Bureau to adopt and implement a similar event – the “BoCo Light Trail”, Fannin noted. For more information on that effort visit
Ronald “Hoppy” Caudill, 55 of Stout, OH formerly of Hitchins went to be with his Lord on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at SOMC Hospice Center in Portsmouth, OH.
Hoppy was born March 24, 1965 a son of John Harlan and Peggy Ruth O’Dell Caudill of Hitchins, KY. He was preceded in death by a son Dustin Keith Caudill.
He is survived by his wife, Shelia Whitt Caudill of Stout, OH; three sons, Ronald “Bo” (Cassandra) Caudill, Jesse Caudill and Garth Caudill all of Hitchins, KY; one sister, Lynn (Jim) Fuchs of Hitchins; one brother, Johnny (Gail) Caudill of Carter City, KY; two step daughters, Cindy Alderman of Kenova, WV and Leigh LeMaster of Grayson; six grandchildren, Ronnie Caudill II, Eralynn Faith Caudill, Haylie Caudill, Oliver Caudill, Jeannie Caudill and Alexi Caudill.
Visitation will be Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Malone Funeral Home with burial at a later date. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family at www.malonefuneralhome.com.
Mikee Nolan knows the exact date his problems with drugs began.
“My addiction started October 15, 1994,” he said, kicking back in an office chair at A Center 4 Change in Olive Hill, where he had clocked in to work for the first time that morning.
It was his father’s birthday, he explained, and he was on his way to Court Days to buy his dad a gift. Things were looking good for Nolen – He had recently graduated from West Carter High School and been hired to work at Grayson’s ham plant.
Less than two miles from home, his car collided head on with a 3/4-Ton utility truck.
“It almost cut my legs off. I was choppered out and woke up on a morphine pump. I had never touched drugs. I’d never even smoked weed,” he said, later clarifying he and his teen friends had been guilty of buying alcohol from local bootleggers on a few occasions.
“I woke up in an almost full body cast. I was wrapped from the chest down,” he said, citing a list of broken bones and injuries sustained in the accident.
“They wanted to amputate my right leg, but my mom talked them out of it.”
Nolen said he spent a couple of weeks on high doses of morphine before being sent home with prescriptions for morphine and another painkiller, Vicodin (hyrdocodone).
“I don’t recall anybody warning me about anything. It was just medicine.”
After nearly a year of pharmaceuticals and physical rehabilitation, Nolen was released from his doctor’s care with no more medications offered and no resources or guidance to assist the sudden transition to sobriety.
“That’s when I realized something was wrong … I started seeking them (prescription drugs) elsewhere. I bought Hydrocodone. I didn’t realize it was wrong at the time.”
By that point, Nolen said he had exceeded and defied doctor’s predictions that he would likely never again walk normally.
“I was playing basketball. I was 100 percent recovered – it was the aftermath of prescription drugs.”
“I got to the point I was buying pills. When I was 21, I started at Morehead (State University) and I started selling marijuana to buy Percocet (acetaminophen-oxycodone) and hydrocodone.”
Intro To Oxycontin
“I was a party and this girl asked me if I wanted to do an OC. I said, ‘What’s an OC?'” Nolen recalled, adding his new friend assured him he would like it. He decided to give it a try.
“I puked my guts out that night – then called her the next day for more. I forgot all about Hydrocodone and Percocets.”
As his OC consumption increased, his need for cash did the same.
“I started selling cocaine. I needed more money,” he said, noting a single 80mg Oxycontin sold for $100 at that time and he was taking 10 to 15 a day, averaging about one an hour while awake.
Shaking his head, Nolen said he had to have two of the pills crushed and ready to snort, on a plate beneath his bed each morning “just to get out of bed.”
Cocaine & Heroin
“I didn’t do too much cocaine, except to test it when we bought it,” Nolen said. “It was all pills. LOTS of alcohol. And, occasionally Methadone.”
Cocaine paid the bills and also provided Nolen his first encounter with heroin. His lack of knowledge of the substance could have gotten himself and three others killed, he said.
He explained that his cocaine supplier sent a small gift packet of the powder, and cautioned him that it was enough to get several people high.
“I split it into four lines,” he said, explaining he was partying with two girls, both of whom had experience with narcotics, and a male friend who had never taken any kind of opiate.
“He ended up foaming at the mouth, passed out on the couch with us checking to see if he was still breathing,” he said, adding one of the girls began vomiting and got herself under a cold shower, while the other female also dealt with near-overdose symptoms.
“It got me so high my ears were ringing,” Nolen said, confirming he also was unable to control the vomiting the heroin brought on.
His dealer offered him a chance to be among the first to sell heroin in this area, but Nolen said he was certain it would cause overdose deaths. He also feared the legal ramifications of being the person who delivered those lethal doses.
Looking back, Nolen said he’s certain he could have made a lot of money if he had made a different decision. As he was studying business management along with hotel/restaurant management at MSU (with plans to attend culinary school after graduation).
“My clientele was rich college kids.”
Trouble With The Law
As a cocaine dealer, Nolen said he was not particular about who he sold to.
“I would sell to whoever, whatever, whenever,” he said.
One day, the guy in Indianapolis who supplied his cocaine and Oxycontin called Nolen up and said, “They got you.” He asked him to lose his contact information and even forget a debt he owed for a previous cocaine deal.
“I didn’t believe him. Then, three or four weeks later my friends started calling and saying ‘Dude, you’re in the paper for selling cocaine.’ They had me on nine or 10 different trafficking charges.”
Those indictments didn’t show up when Nolen got caught in a police roadblock, and had nearly talked his way out of going to jail even though he his driver’s license had been revoked to to a D.U.I. charge.
He was almost out of the backseat of the police cruiser, but Olive Hill’s police chief just happened to radio in to check on the roadblock’s progress.
The chief, who was aware of the pending charges, recognized Nolen’s name and instructed the officer at the scene to – “Transport him now.”
Nolen found himself incarcerated, “in panic and in withdrawal – It was a bad time.”
He spent the next three months in jail in Rowan County. “None of my family knew what I was in there for. I wouldn’t tell them.”
His fellow inmates strongly advised him to retain a lawyer and Nolen said he was pleased to find one who was able to get his bail reduced twice. Even at the lower rate, however, he needed help with the money and had to be honest with his family about the type of charges he was facing.
“I had to call my parents and say, Hey mom, I’m a drug dealer and I’m facing serious time.”
Released on bond, Nolen said he largely disregarded his attorney’s advice about how to handle the charges.
“I wanted to take it to trial – like an idiot. They had me cold on nine out of the 10 charges.”
Nodding Off In Court
On the first day of jury selection, Nolen said he ingested a considerable amount of Oxycontin before even getting into his lawyer’s car for the trip to court.
“I was so frickin’ high. I puked on my shirt in the car on the way there. I was nodding in court.”
As he struggled to appear aware of his environment, Nolen said he saw a woman hand the judge a piece of paper and whisper something to him.
“The judge then said ‘You had a chance of beating these charges, but we have a new indictment …”
The new indictment charged Nolen with selling 10 Oxycontin to a confidential informant who was detained in a holding cell in the back of the courtroom, prepared to testify. The judge advised Nolen he could accept a seven year sentence, or face each charge separately with maximum penalties applied.
His attorney strongly advised him to take the seven year sentence.
“I just remember seeing my mom start bawling crying,” he said.
Prison & Parole
Nolen’s first prison was more like a farm/camp, he said, with no cells or even fences.
“I was there 22 months and made parole. First thing, I was right back to doing the same dumb stuff,” he said, confirming he was not sober at any point during his time as an inmate and adding that drugs are even available even at the county-jail level.
“At that point is when I think it really did become a choice for me. It just snowballed again from there.”
He moved to Grayson and realized the local Oxycontin connections, typically doctors, had dried up or otherwise had been “weeded out.” Lots of people were traveling to Florida to get prescriptions, and Nolen decide to let others do the traveling and work for him.
“I got the money up and sent people to Florida for me. In 2009 it all caught up with me again,” he said, explaining he was selling drugs from an apartment complex when “They hit me with a full-on raid.”
Like A Scene From A Movie
His apartment was filled with people anxiously waiting for the pills to arrive, and there was a car load of people heading their way fresh from Florida with “hundreds of pills” in pocket.
Nolen said a phone call and quick series of events resulted in him being “Swarmed – like a scene from a movie” face down in a post office parking lot. He was wearing only shoes and shorts, carrying his wallet and phone, shirtless and face down on the blacktop on a blistering hot July afternoon.
As he felt the heat searing his skin, Nolen said he got a phone call from a customer – the son of the police officer who had his gun at the base of his skull.
The officer calmly reached down and pushed a button to dismiss the call, but was clearly well aware of who was on the other end, Nolen said.
As he was taken into custody, Nolen said it appeared as if everyone who lived in his apartment complex had come outside to watch him get busted.
More Jail Time
Since he was still on probation at the time of his arrest, Nolen explained he went back to jail and used legal tactics to “ride out the parole,” before he was ultimately sentenced to six years.
He again qualified for parole in about two weeks.
“I went to a halfway house for three or four days and then I got a job in Sacramento.”
Mikee Meets Meth
Seeking a change of scenery, Nolen said he took a job in Sacramento, California – where he tried his first taste of methamphetamine. His first hit was with a homeless man who followed him back to his hotel after bumming a couple of dollars “for Crystal” – which Nolen thought was the name of a woman the guy knew.
“I was like, ‘Who’s Crystal? Is she in trouble?”
Nolen said he soon realized “everyone out there” carried a small pipe to smoke meth with, and that high-quality crystal from Mexico was easy to find.
He realized he was in trouble with the drug when he went to reheat a few leftovers from Taco Bell – only to find them molded. He’d realized he bought the tacos six days before, when he last ate.
When he came home to Kentucky he had lost 70 pounds. Nolen’s own mother couldn’t initially recognize him as he walked up, he said.
Home Again
“I was way messed up when I got back,” Nolen continued with his story as the next chapter turned to a codependent relationship, cooking meth and sleeping in the bed of a pickup truck parked in the woods.
Most local meth was homemade at that time, he reminded, and he too learned to “cook meth in a bottle.” He and his girlfriend at the time had both been kicked out of their family’s homes, so they parked her truck in different places and slept in the back when they needed rest.
This went on for months, Nolen said, and he had skipped many mandatory meetings with his probation officer. His meth use had clearly altered his thinking, he said.
Chuckling and shaking his head slightly as he remembered spending the night, “chasing Bigfoot through the woods with a BB gun and running from a midget Swat team.”
The next morning he asked if it was the first Thursday of the month, and reported to his probation officer as if he’d been showing up every 30 days.
“I hadn’t seen him in six or seven months,” he said, adding he was still in a delusional state as he arrived.
“I was seeing deer in the second floor windows, but I walked in like I was there three weeks ago.”
Surprised to see Nolen, the probation officer observed he did not look well and asked if he had been taking drugs. Nolen told the man he was clean, but he asked for a drug test anyway. The results were not good.
“He said, ‘Dude, you burned the bottom out of the cup.’ He told me I failed for all the drugs they test for, except Xanax.”
He spent the next 10 days in jail without a minute of sleep as his body attempted to adjust to the sudden change. He was given the option of going into a rehabilitation program and jumped at the chance, just to get out of jail.
“I thought, if it gets me out of here today I’ll take the rehab.”
“I planned to take drugs in with me,” he continued, explaining he had a small container of drugs with him as he arrived, and a massive dose already in his bloodstream.
“So high … again. I did 10 to 20 (Oxycontin) on the way there,” he said.
Before signing in, Nolen decided to leave his stash of drugs behind.
“I woke up on that first day and never looked back. I finished the program six days early. That was eight years and four months ago yesterday.”
Regrets & Lessons Learned
Ask Nolen if he is now a happy person and his immediate response is, “Extremely.”
He admits he has a few regrets which do linger within him, including the way he treated some of those who wanted to buy drugs from him, but had no cash. He is especially haunted by memories of the way he once took great pleasure in getting people to try drugs for the very first time.
“I was the worst kind of drug addict. I liked keeping the next person high. I loved first timers.”
“It was bad. There’s a list of people I got started on OC – some of them no longer alive. That’s my toughest regret. That and what I put my parents through.”
He recalls being in high school, preparing for graduation and wanting a class ring despite the fact it was outside his family’s budget. Nolen’s dad somehow found the money for the class ring, he said.
“I remember pawning it to get dope,” he said, explaining he still regrets that decision because he knows the ring was immediately melted down and can never be gotten back.
A New Role
While it’s true that Nolen clocked in to work as a Peer Support Specialist at A Center 4 Change that morning, it is actually a role he has embraced for years.
“For the last eight years I have counseled my friends off ledges and into rehab – literally hundreds of them. I’m passionate about it.”
As a Peer Support Specialist, Nolen will work one-on-one with people in recovery as well as people with active addiction problems.
He has a simple message for anyone struggling with substance abuse issues.
“If I can get off drugs and prosper in sobriety then anyone can.”
FRANKFORT – In the case styled Beshear v. Acree, the Kentucky Supreme Court issued a sweeping and unanimous decision that Governor Andy Beshear’s emergency actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic are legal.
The court said they were not only constitutionally sound but “was, and continues to be, necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of all Kentucky citizens.”
The case was presented by Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who represented a group of business owners. They argued Gov. Beshear did not follow the necessary administrative procedures when instituting the orders, and exceeded executive authority.
Unlike other states, Kentucky’s General Assembly is a part-time legislature comprised of citizens. Our state constitution, enacted in its current form in 1891, allows legislators to convene and pass laws from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January, until midnight on April 15. In times of crisis when the legislature is not in session, the General Assembly, like other states, grants unilateral authority to the Governor, which allows them to declare a state of emergency and enact emergency orders through the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) Section 39A.
Gov. Beshear declared a state of emergency to address the pandemic in March of this year. Kentuckians have become familiar with the orders, which include: the mask mandate; limits on gatherings; and gave schools flexibility to conduct non-traditional instruction. Attorney General Cameron attacked the Governor’s actions from several angles, from the orders lacking a rational basis, to the emergency powers statute. KRS 39A has been invoked over a hundred times by both Democrat and Republican administrations alike, and not deemed violative of the Kentucky Constitution.
Throughout the Kentucky Supreme Court’s 103-page opinion, they consistently agreed that the executive branch is charged with power per the Kentucky Constitution and delegation of authority by the Kentucky Legislature. Invalidating KRS 39A, would lift all COVID-19 restrictions during a sharp escalation in the pandemic, force children back into school, hamper first responders’ ability to acquire necessary PPE, and handcuff the Governor from effectively responding to floods, tornados, earthquakes, and more. KRS 39A does not intend to give carte blanche to the executive branch. The Governor remains accountable to the citizens of Kentucky, and the General Assembly may address the state of emergency and the emergency powers when it gavels into session this January. An emergency requires decisive action and a clear direction.
As the 2020 general election winds down, it is safe to say our right to vote is one of the most powerful tools afforded to American citizens. A heavy price was paid for the freedoms we are granted today. On this past Veterans Day, I hope you were able to set aside some time to celebrate and honor all of our veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. There have been many who served and sacrificed since before the American Revolution and continue to do so today. For this, we are grateful. For this, we will forever be indebted. Regardless of the day, always remember those who have committed themselves to our country and protected our freedoms.
I encourage you to stay engaged and share your input as we rapidly approach the 2021 Regular Session. As always, I will do my best to keep you updated and informed about what is happening in Frankfort. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, I remain accessible by email at Robin.Webb@LRC.KY.GOV. You can also leave a message for me on the Legislative Message Line at (800) 372-7181. Citizens with hearing impairments can use the can use the Kentucky Relay Service at 711.
William Thomas “Tom” Seagraves, 79, of Hitchins went to be with his Lord Thursday November 12, 2020 at the Kings Daughters Medical Center in Ashland.
Tom was born July 10, 1941 in Carter County a son of the late Clem Sr. and Clara Margaret Blevins Seagraves. In addition to his parents, Tom was preceded in death by a daughter, Tonda Seagraves Prater; and three brothers, Bob Seagraves, Troy Seagraves and Howard Dale Seagraves.
Tom was a member of Willard Wesleyan Church and he loved his church family very much. Tom worked for Asplundh Tree Trimming Service, and was a life-long Farmer, and especially enjoyed taking care of his animals and putting up fence.
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Elsie Louise Sammons Seagraves; four daughters, Darlene Seagraves, Sandy Parsons, Shelia (Luke) Snyder and Roxanne (Jeff) Moore all of Grayson; a son, Kevin (Rhonda) Parsons of Grayson; fifteen grandchildren, Thomas Tackett, Janie Tackett, Danny Tackett, Gary Curtis Sloas, Brandon Keller, Aaron Snyder, Joshua Moore, Adam Parsons, Kayla Blake, Hannah Rodriguez, Zach Parsons, Jason Stewart, Ginny Greenhill, Erica McDavid and Amy Tolliver; twenty two great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; five brothers, James Ed Seagraves, Roger Seagraves, Roy Dean Seagraves, Clem Seagraves, Jr. and Randy Seagraves all of Grayson; and a host of friends and extended family who all mourn his passing.
Funeral Services will be 1 pm Tuesday November 17, 2020 at the Malone Funeral Home in Grayson with Bro. David Wilcox and Bro. Mark Mullins officiating. Entombment will follow in the East Carter County Memory Gardens.
Visitation will be 11 am Tuesday until the service hour. Condolences may be sent to the Seagraves family at www.malonefuneralhome.com
Donald “Doc” Gibson and the team at All Creatures Veterinary Care recently celebrated a true small-business milestone – 25 years of service and care for Carter County’s and the Tri-State’s pets and farm animals alike.
“I went all in on Grayson,” Gibson said during a break between patients, recalling his first visit to what was then Gross Veterinary Clinic to meet with Dr. Gross’ widow, Viola, and one of his sons to make a deal on the then-idle veterinary clinic.
“We agreed on a price. I borrowed the money and, Wow, 25 years later …” he said.
From ‘the middle of nowhere’
Born and raised in southeast Kentucky on Knott County’s Carr Creek (near Alice Lloyd College), Gibson grew up on the family farm and was the son of a coal miner.
“I’m from down in the mountains in the middle of nowhere on a farm. My dad became a coal miner and he wanted us boys to do something with ourselves besides coal mines. He loved underground mining but he had lung and safety concerns,” Gibson said.
The Gibson farm’s livestock ranged from cows and chickens and pigs to horses and mules, used for plowing and logging jobs. As on any farm, animal injuries and illness sometimes required the help of a local animal doctor.
“I was always intrigued by the local vet,” Gibson said, explaining the man was “grandfathered in” as a veterinarian, and educated only by experience.
“It seemed like a fun thing to do,” he said.
As a young boy, Gibson decided he was going to college when he was old enough, although he admits veterinary school was not his first career choice.
“My initial love was auto mechanics. But, when I found out there was no college required to be an auto mechanic, something clicked and I said, ‘Alright. I’m going to be a veterinarian.’ I wanted to be one of the first in my family to go to college. Myself and my cousin were the first two.”
He first attended Morehead State University and was accepted at Auburn University upon his first application.
Starting Up
“I remember our first client on July 4, 1995. Bob Caummisar had a puppy that was having siezures. We fixed that puppy and he lived happily ever after!”
Gibson said he was blessed to find community support in Grayson, and that “Jack Strother and Commercial Bank of Grayson stood by me from the beginning,” in addition to his own father and family members.
He recalled meeting a group of local farmers for the first time.
“They told me I had big shoes to fill following Doc Gross,” he said, smiling at the memory.
“I think Doc Gross was looking down on me. We joked about his ghost being there when unusual things happened at the old clinic.”
Many Changes
The fundamentals of animal medicine have remained, although the technology and techniques involved have changed tremendously.
“The technology from then to now is almost daylight to dark,” Gibson said.
“For example, Dr. Gross had a Polaroid X-Ray machine with imaging in reverse – so, bone was black on the film. I used it for many years. Now it’s all digital and it takes six seconds. With the Polaroid, you snapped the shot, then pulled the exposed film and several minutes later you got a reverse-image picture.”
Credit Where Due
“Our goal is to provide the best care and do what’s right by that animal. You can’t always meet, but sometimes you can exceed expectations,” Gibson said, citing the importance of the people who work at All Creatures Veterinary Care.
“I owe a lot to my staff, from the beginning to the ones working today and the ones working for me in the future,” smiling, he added “They do the dirty work, so to speak.”
All Creatures (Almost)
Dogs and cats make up the bulk of the All Creatures Veterinary Care files, although Gibson and team often work with unexpected species. The business name is a nod to James Herriott’s book “All Creatures Great And Small,” Gibson noted.
Pet rats, primates, “birds of all kinds (including an owl), a baby elephant, a giant tortoise, and an egg bound spotted Gecko (“I had to hit the books and go online for that.”) are among the clinic’s more unusual patients.
“It was goats this morning and it will be horses this afternoon,” he said, explaining he was working with 4-H kids that day.
“I won’t see unscented skunks or venomous snakes, but anything else we’ll pretty much see.”
Family, Fun and Flight
Gibson and wife, Cindy, who have four dogs (three Golden Retrievers and a Chocolate Lab); two cats; a Clydesdale horse and a miniature pony as their own pets, share a passion for flying. Gibson has been a licensed private pilot for more than two years and is now finishing up work to obtain his instrument rating.
When opportunity allows, they enjoy flights to the Florida Keys, where they were married. Florida also provides Gibson a chance to work with a non-profit sea turtle rescue organization – including two invitations to help release turtles last year.
“I also have two grandkids I want to spend more time with,” Gibson said, adding the family also enjoys time on Grayson Lake, which he called “a gem in our backyard.”
Looking Ahead
“With this pandemic, you just don’t know … We have stepped back and changed the way we do business,” Gibson said, explaining staff members have voted to continue with curbside service for safety reasons.
“Who knows where this is going to go or what is going to happen?”
“I want to continue doing community work,” the longstanding member of the Carter County Fair Board said.
“I’m happy with my decision to become a vet,” he said, grinning before he added “I wasn’t good enough to make it at any sport!”
For more information about All Creatures Veterinary Care, located at 406 East Main Street, Grayson Kentucky, call (606) 474-5146 or visit
