By Dennis Brown

Plenty happened here in the Lewis County area in 2004.

Last month we asked you to look back over the 52 issues of The Herald for 2004. Several stories vied for inclusion in the top rankings. Many of you helped us rate the top stories for 2004.

What stories did our readers rank at the top of the list?

Overwhelmingly, the top voted story was the tragic accident last year in which four Lewis County youths lost their lives when their vehicle went into Crooked Creek during a flash flood.

Other stories, in order, receiving the most votes were:

A roundup of suspected drug dealers just before Thanksgiving; Annexation into the city of an area just west of Vanceburg; Renaming the Lewis County Public Library in honor of Helen Rayburn; The Lions basketball team winning the 62nd district championship; Tobacco; Changes to Main Street in Vanceburg; Counterfeit money circulating in the area; The election; and Grants to Lewis County's fire departments.

Some readers brought attention to the numerous accidents on the AA Highway. One reader noted that officials seem more concerned with whether drivers are wearing seatbelts than the problem areas with the highway.

The AA Highway stories were not specifically about one event. Other readers noted the numerous stories associated with the War in Iraq and its local connections and the state failing to adopt a budget, including stories associated with a proposed teachers strike over health insurance.

Lots more happened in Lewis County, and elsewhere, last year. We thank you for your input and for being a dedicated reader. Many of you brought attention to stories that had a personal impact on you. Several involved tragic events including the loss of loved ones or incidents you felt strongly about.

In rating the stories, we weighed the overall impact on the community and relied heavily on how many submitted lists contained the same stories.

Of those who submitted a list, the name of G.R. Brown of Vanceburg was drawn to receive a free one-year subscription to The Herald.

Here's to all of the top stories of 2005 being good news stories.

By Dennis Brown

The Lewis County Sheriff's Department is investigating several accidents last week which resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries.

Sheriff Bill Lewis said he was called out to the scene of a single vehicle accident about 6:00 a.m. Friday.

Lewis said a 2004 Toyota Camry, operated by Cecil Staggs, 54, of Vanceburg, was traveling west on the AA Highway near Tollesboro when the vehicle left the roadway, struck the right guardrail, traveled back across the road, struck the left guardrail, traveled another 106 feet and again struck the right guardrail, coming to rest in the westbound emergency lane.

Stags was pronounced dead at the scene by Lewis County Coroner Tony Gaydos. Gaydos said Staggs suffered a "major coronary event" according to a medical examiner who performed an autopsy the next day in Northern Kentucky.

Gaydos said the death will be attributed to the heart attack, adding that the injuries sustained in the accident would not have been life threatening.

Deputy Joe Paul Gilbert is investigating an accident Thursday evening, which sent a Tollesboro resident to a Lexington hospital.

Gilbert said the accident happened on Ky. Rt. 57 when a 1996 Toyota Avalon, operated by Heather Williamson, 25, of Tollesboro, was traveling north on the roadway.

He said the Williamson vehicle struck the rear tires of a 1992 Kenworth truck operated by David Applegate, 36, of Tollesboro, which was sitting in the southbound lane and waiting to turn into a driveway.

Gilbert said Williamson was airlifted to a Lexington hospital for treatment.

Deputy Johnnie Bivens is investigating a two-vehicle accident Thursday on Montgomery Road near Garrison.

He said a 1994 Chevrolet Corsica, operated by Dorothy Harlow, 31, of Garrison, was traveling south on the roadway when she apparently crossed to center line and struck a 1990 Ford Bronco operated by Daniel Bloomfield, 29, of Garrison.

Bivens said the Bloomfield vehicle left the left side of the road and struck a tree, then traveled across the road and came to rest against an embankment.

He said both vehicles sustained extensive damage. He added that Bloomfield was treated at a Portsmouth, Ohio, hospital. Harlow and three minor children in her vehicle were not injured.

The Tollesboro Fire Department has received the results of a recent public protection classification survey conducted by the Insurance Service Office (ISO).

Tollesboro Fire Chief Gary Thomas, Judge Executive Steve Applegate and Rick Hilterbrandt of Western Lewis-Rectorville Water have been notified that Tollesboro has earned a classification of a class 5/9, an improvement over the former classification of 9/10.

This analysis of the structure fire suppression delivery system means the Tollesboro community's firefighting services are improving in the face of the demands of a changing environment. The ISO evaluation included the receiving and handling of fire alarms, pumpers and all equipment, training of fire personnel, and the upkeep of hydrants and the water supply system.

The ISO split classification generally means the class 5 applies to properties within a defined distance (five road miles in most states) of a fire station and within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant. 

The class 9 applies to properties beyond 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant but within the defined distance of a fire station. ISO generally assigns class 10 to properties beyond the defined distance of a fire station.

ISO informed insurance companies of this classification with an effective date of February 1 so it may be incorporated into their policy rating system and policy rate fees extended to policy holders based on the new classification.