Staff Report

The Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) has announced its winners in the 15th annual River Sweep Poster Contest. The River Sweep is an annual riverbank cleanup held each year along the Ohio River and its major tributaries.
The Grand Prize Winner is Kimberly Cropper, a sophomore at Lewis County High School . She will receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and her artwork will be used in promoting the 2009 River Sweep. In addition, the art department at Lewis County High School will receive $100 for art supplies.
When asked about her thoughts when she first heard of her winning, Kimberly stated, "I did my silent celebration dance as I was holding the phone and hearing the news."  Kimberly's poster was one of 2,000 posters entered into the contest from the six-state area. All entries were judged and the judges were unaware of the student's name, school, or hometown during the judging process. Jeanne Ison, River Sweep Project Director, said the Commission was very proud of Kimberly and her efforts in this project.
When Mrs. Mason, LCHS art teacher, assigned the project to her Art II, III and IV students, Kimberly said she had no idea what to draw. However, when she arrived home her idea was born. "When I got home that day, my mom was sweeping the floor. I thought to myself why not use mom for my model." From that came her prize winning poster of her mom sweeping the floor, her dog looking on and the Ohio River flowing in the foreground. At this time we do not have a rendition of the poster; however, as soon as we do we will publish it in the paper.
The T-shirt design winner is Kelsie Loveridge from Evansville, Indiana. Kelsie, an 11th grade student from Benjamin Bosse High School, will receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond, and her poster design will be used at the T-shirt design for all River Sweep shirts (each person participating in the River Sweep receives a free T-shirt).
The Grand Prize Runner-up is Megan Mcfee, Vienna, West Virginia, an 8th grade student at Jackson Middle School, in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She will receive a $250 U.S. Savings Bond.
There were 13 other first place winners, one in each grade level (kindergarten through 12th grade). They each will receive a $50 U.S. Savings Bond
"There were 1,800 entries in the poster contest," said Jeanne Ison, Project Director. "We want the students to know we thought the artwork submitted was excellent. It was a very difficult task for the judges."
The Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission is an interstate agency established in 1948 to control and abate water pollution in the Ohio River Valley. Member states include Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. The federal government is also represented. The River Sweep was created in 1989 to raise awareness of and promote participation in issues surrounding the Ohio River. ORSANCO and various industries throughout the Ohio River Valley sponsor the event.

The 2009 River Sweep will be held Saturday, June 20. Persons interested in more information about the Sweep can contact Jeanne Ison at 513-231-7719 or 800-359-3977.

Luwana Polley/Lewis County Herald

LCHS Sophomore Kimberly Cropper was the winner of the ORSANCO River Sweep Poster Design Contest.

By Dennis Brown

Two Vanceburg men were arrested last week and charged in connection with an alleged drug transaction at Echo Hills Apartments. A Blue Spring resident was also arrested in a separate incident.
According to Deputy Dwayne Stone, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department had received numerous complaints of drug trafficking in the apartment complex. Stone said that late last Monday he observed Jason Webb, 29, of Vanceburg, enter an apartment in Echo Hills.
Stone said Webb was inside a short time and exited the apartment where he confronted him. Stone said he searched Webb and found him to be in possession of two Oxycodone pills.
Stone arrested Webb and then entered the apartment, following Webb’s wet footprints to a bedroom. Inside the bedroom, Stone said he found Justin Johnson, 20, of Vanceburg.
Stone advised Johnson that he knew about the transaction just completed. He said Johnson provided him with his billfold which contained money, believed to be from the transaction, and one remaining Oxycodone pill, which Stone said matched the pills that Webb had in his possession.
Johnson was arrested and charged with first degree trafficking in a controlled substance and first degree possession of a controlled 

The Lewis County Sheriff's Department arrested a Blue Spring resident and seized drugs and cash from their residence Sunday night.
Deputy Dwayne Stone said that he was investigating a burglary incident that occurred at another residence when he arrived at the Blue Spring home of Crystal Corns at about 7:45 p.m. Sunday.
Stone said after he was admitted to the residence he observed Corns with a large amount of cash and a small baggie containing prescription painkillers. He said she told him she had been selling prescription pills for profit.
Corns, 35, was arrested and charged with first degree trafficking in a controlled substance and was lodged in the Lewis County Detention Center under a $25,000 bond. Stone said among the items seized from the residence were drugs, financial records, notes and a large sum of cash.
The incident remains under investigation by Deputy Stone.