By Dennis Brown

Lewis County officials presented their monthly activity reports during the January meeting of Lewis County Fiscal Court.

Sheriff Bill Lewis filed his department’s report for activities from December 8, 2008, through January 12, 2009:

 * Subpoenas Served   55

* Domestic Related Calls   105

* Civil Summons Served   24

* Felony Arrests   22

* Misdemeanor Arrests   19

* Accident Investigations    9

* Juvenile Investigations   18

* Criminal Summons   14

* Prisoners Transp. to Secure Facility   147 miles

* Juveniles Transported    567 miles

* DVOs and EPOs   6

* Court Bailiff Hours   264

* Prescription Deliveries   3

* Auto Inspections   58

* Funeral Escorts   8

* Property Taxes Collected   $406,611.48

* Franchise Taxes Collected   $354,408.47

* Stolen Property Recovered:   $6,850

Two Chainsaws   $850

Four Wheeler   $6,000

Lewis County Emergency Management Director Carl Chaney reported the following activities:

* Performed all routine administrative/office tasks as required by KyEM.

* Turned in all monthly reports for KyEM.

* Attended a Greenup County 911 Holiday Open House.

* Attended a Transportation Meeting at BTADD with Judge Applegate.

* Met with Floodplain Mapping Representatives at local office.

* Attended a KyEM Meeting at Morehead.

* Working on 911 issues.

* Working of Flood Plain issues.

* Provided dispatch coverage.

The Lewis County E-911 Dispatch Center received a total of 468 calls for service for the following agencies:

* Sheriff’s Department   174

* Vanceburg Police Department   107

* Traffic Stops   35

* Injury Accidents   11

* Non-injury Accidents   33

* Complaints   78

Fire Department and other calls:

* Lewis Co. FD   4

* Camp Dix FD   4

* Garrison FD   9

* Vanceburg FD   7

* Firebrick FD   2

* Black Oak FD   11

* Kinniconick FD   0

* Tollesboro FD   17

* Med Corp Ambulance   128

* Coroner   2

Road Supervisor Dane Howard reported that the road department had performed grading work on Fingerboard Road, Clear Creek Road and Bowman Springs. Pipe work was done on Quicks Run, Little Holly, Frye Hollow, Garden Branch, Garrison Lane Big Cabin and Richmond Road.

He reported that ditching/road widening was performed in Garrison and on Garden Branch and noted pothole repairs had been made on Evermans Dreamview, Andrew Mason, Rock Run, Meadowbrook, Sandy Lane, Tar Fork and Fingerboard Hill.

Howard’s report also listed repairs and projects for Straight Fork, Holly, Hazel, Fingerboard, Perry Branch, Wilson Road, Wilburn Lane, Garden Branch, Garrad Road, Sauers Road, Straight Fork, Rock Run, Mosby Road, McCleese Hollow, Bowman Springs, Oak Hill Road and Trinity Station Road.

He noted that signs had been printed and/or installed at Katelyn Lane, Sparks Lane, Evans Road, Spence Lane, Jordan Lane and 64 city signs. He said the road department hauled nearly 3,400 tons of gravel over the previous month.

Judge Executive Steve Applegate presented a copy of a letter from the Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Waste Management, outlining illegal dumps cleaned up in Lewis County in 2008. The noted dumps were located near Bolander Sawmill, on Bowman Springs Road, Buck Lick Road, County Cemetery, Sparks property, Thurman property, Sargents Branch and two locations on Indian Run.

Animal Control Officer Brian Grierson reported that for December, 2008, he had received 92 calls and picked up 14 animals. Those dropped off at the shelter totaled 55. Nineteen were adopted or reclaimed and 63 were put down.

For all of 2008, Grierson reported that he had received 1,181 calls, picked up 350 and put down 884. 723 were dropped off at the shelter and 221 were adopted or reclaimed.

Judge Applegate presented a letter from Steve Cuckler, Government Affairs Manager for Time Warner Cable. Cuckler said that the cable system will no longer carry stations WKYT or WTVQ out of Lexington because Lewis County is considered to be in the Huntington/Charleston, West Virginia, market and the ABC and CBS networks could be picked up on those stations.

Applegate said he urges cable customers in Lewis County to contact Time Warner and ask that the Lexington stations be returned to the local system. The telephone number is 614-481-5000.

The Lewis and Greenup Counties Drug Court held its seventh graduation ceremony last week with 18 graduates receiving praise and words of encouragement for completing the phases required in the program.

The ceremony was held Friday at the Greenup First United Methodist Church with friends and family members in attendance along with attorneys, judges, law officers, counselors and observers from other counties who are working to start up the program there.

Drug Court Executive Officer Connie Payne spoke to those in attendance and gave a brief overview of the program. She said the local program has served as a model for many other counties and even states to help rehabilitate drug offenders.

She said that before the program began officials had said the offenders who were sent to prison would only return to the community after serving their time and pick up where they left off. The program, she said, has changed that stereotype be rehabilitating the offenders and making them productive members of society.

The local program has graduated nearly 125 since its inception. Payne said that if they had gone to prison rather than into the program, the cost to taxpayers would have been more than $1 million annually. The program is a minimum of 12 months and is longer for those who don’t follow the program or are caught using drugs during the various phases. She said she has known of some who have been in the program for three years after having been

set back by not meeting the requirements. An average, she said, is about 17 months

During the first phase, Payne explained, participants must call a telephone number each morning to see if they are required to take a monitored urine test that day. They will take a minimum of three such tests a week and many weeks will take more. A positive test sets them back to the beginning of the program and they run the risk of being sent to prison to serve out their term.

In the second phase participants will take at least two urine tests a week and must be holding down a job or performing community service. Participants in each phase must also meet weekly with drug court staff as well as the presiding judge and attend Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

Julie Ilhardt, director of the local Drug Court Program, recognized several who have assisted with the program and are credited with making it one of the most successful anywhere. Among those were Judge Robert Conley, Commonwealth’s Attorney Cliff Duvall, Judge Brian McCloud and Judge Lewis Nicholls. She said the assistance of prosecuting attorneys as well as law enforcement was also essential in making the program a successful one.

Friday’s graduates were Chris Bloomfield, C. “Rene” Breech, Robert Brown, James Conley, Joel Dunigan, Elmer Gayheart, Ray Hackworth, Shannon Keeton, Tracie Kellogg, T. “Randy” Kimbler, Kelly Lancaster, Archie Maynard, Billie Mullins, Richard Reynolds, Larry Stevens, Dallas Stevenson, Daniel Stone and Josh Thomas.