H&R Block in Vanceburg is sponsoring a promotion to give a local winner an all-expenses paid weekend for two to the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on May 28.

Thomas "Grover" Evans said he and his wife, Pam, came up with the idea some time ago while discussing ways to promote the local tax return preparation service.

"This area has a lot of NASCAR fans and many of them travel to races," he said. "There are also many who couldn't afford the cost of travel and accommodations to attend one of the races. We thought this would be an opportunity to give someone locally a chance to see a race in person without breaking the bank," he said.

While the promotion is intended to publicize the local office, there is no purchase necessary to register to win the package.

"The main restrictions are that employees of H&R Block and their families are not eligible to win and entrants must be at least 18 years old," Evans said. 

State Rep. Robin Webb, who spearheaded the drive last year to establish a sportsmen’s caucus in the General Assembly, was chosen yesterday to be one of its four chairmen. She will lead those members who are Democrats in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

"While the legislature has done a lot of positive things for sportsmen and women over the years, it was clear to me that there needed to be more focus on issues important to them," said Rep. Webb, D-Grayson. "I’m proud that a majority of my colleagues in both the House and Senate feel the same and are taking an active role in getting this caucus up and running."

 The Kentucky Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus belongs to the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, which are united in promoting hunting and fishing and making sure that our fish and wildlife resources are managed properly.

"These caucuses represent nearly 38 million Americans, and they are certainly a powerful force when you consider they annually put $70 billion into the economy," Rep. Webb said. "In Kentucky – where we have more running water than every state but Alaska and half the state consists of forests – their impact is even more widespread. My hope is that this caucus will be able to better address their concerns this legislative session and well into the future."

Amtrak makes emergency stop

An Amtrak passenger train made an unscheduled stop in Vanceburg Friday morning when a passenger reportedly became ill.

A Vanceburg Police Department spokesman said the eastbound train stopped to allow for the passenger to be transferred to an ambulance and taken to a hospital.

Portsmouth Ambulance picked up the passenger at the Court Street crossing near the Vanceburg Post Office and taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio.

The train stopped about 7:55 a.m. and resumed travel about 45 minutes later.

Accident closes Rt. 344

An accident involving a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Ky. Rt. 59 and Ky. Rt. 344 closed the latter route for about three hours Thursday evening

Lewis County Sheriff's Deputy Johnny Bivens said a 2002 International tractor-trailer, operated by Paul Coleman, 43, of Albany, New York, was attempting to make a right turn off Rt. 59 onto Rt. 344 when the right rear of the trailer struck a bridge wall, tearing the axle from the vehicle.

Bivens said the damage caused the vehicle to be inoperable and resulted in both lanes of the road being closed from about 7 until 10 p.m.