0701 news

Meningitis prompts closure of schools

By Dennis Brown

Lewis County Schools were closed Thursday and Friday after a student at Lewis County Central Elementary was taken to Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, exhibiting symptoms of meningitis.

School officials canceled classes initially citing the cause as due to illness. On Thursday afternoon, officials reported that the kindergarten student exhibited symptoms of meningitis. On Friday morning, a spokesperson at the Lewis County Health Department said they received confirmation that the child had been diagnosed with having bacterial meningitis.

School Superintendent Maurice Reeder Jr. said he first became aware that a LCCE student was exhibiting signs of having a meningococcal infection at about 6:00 p.m. Wednesday.

He said a meeting with school nurses, some members of the school system's crisis team and LCCE administrators was immediately called and those people met at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.

Reeder said that while they couldn't get a confirmation on Wednesday evening (Because test cultures to confirm the infection take from 24 to 36 hours to produce a result) the officials thought it to be in the best interest to cancel classes for Thursday and Friday.

Parents of students at the school that the child may have been in direct contact with, as well as school employees, were notified Wednesday night and early Thursday that there was a possible case of meningitis.

A general release came out later Thursday, resulting in the official notification to the public. The matter wasn't confirmed by health officials until early Friday.

The parents contacted by officials were urged to seek the advice of a family doctor if they thought their children may have been in contact with the sick child or if their children were exhibiting any of the symptoms associated with meningitis.

Immediate family members of the sick child were administered preventive antibiotics.

The child was listed in critical condition Wednesday evening, was stabilized overnight and his condition continued to improve throughout the weekend.

Information about meningitis is available on the Internet at www.publichealth.state.ky.us and www.cdc.gov Locally, you may contact the Lewis County Health Department at 606-796-2632 or your family physician.

City Council adopts curfew

By Al Owens During last week's regular session of the Vanceburg City Council, City Attorney E.V. Holder Jr. gave second reading to an ordinance setting a curfew for the city.

The ordinance states that people younger than 18-years-old cannot be unsupervised in public places between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The law would not apply to young people accompanied by their parents or guardians, but the legislation stipulates that parents or guardians cannot permit those under 18 to violate the curfew.

Each violation will constitute a separate offense. Fines would range between $10 and $25.

In other business, on the recommendation of Mayor William T. Cooper, the council tabled an ordinance establishing speed limits on city streets.

Former Police Chief Roy Lawson, who is serving on council, said that he in no way advocates fast driving, but a five-miles-per-hour limit on some of the streets is not practical.

Council members want to review the entire list of streets and the specific limits before the second reading and adoption of the ordinance.

Lewis County suspect is caught in Hawaii

By Dennis BrownA Lewis County man sought in connection with thefts in Batavia, Ohio, and Maysville was arrested in Hawaii after being tracked down by officials.

Lewis County Sheriff Bill Lewis said Steve Savage of Vanceburg had initially been sought in connection with the theft of rental equipment from Maysville Rental and Supply, a jet ski and trailer from a resident of Batavia and a rental truck from Enterprise Rental in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Lewis said the series of events began to unfold on January 4 when he was contacted by Scotty Cooper of Trace Creek Road that someone had burned some items behind his home. (See previous news story Property Recovery.)

On investigation, Lewis said, the burned item turned out to be a jet ski. A trailer for the jet ski was left nearby. Other evidence was recovered at the scene including a pair of gloves, some tire tracks in the snow and a reciprocal saw blade.

By tracing the jet ski registration number, Lewis discovered it was registered to someone in the Cincinnati area.

The tire tracks were later determined to belong to a rental truck, allegedly rented by Savage. While investigating, Lewis discovered that the rental truck had not been returned at Portsmouth when it should have been. It was, however, returned in Phoenix, Arizona.

Lewis also discovered that Savage had reportedly purchased an airline ticket to Honolulu, Hawaii, at about the same time the truck was turned in at Phoenix.

Lewis said he was working with KSP Detective Brian Bowling on the case when on January 30 he received a tip that Savage's girlfriend, Angie Stamper of Vanceburg, was on her way to Los Angeles, California, and had planned to fly from there to Honolulu on February 3 to meet up with Savage.

When the plane landed at Honolulu International Airport, Savage was reportedly waiting for her to arrive Airport officials detained Savage and he was lodged in Honolulu awaiting an extradition hearing.

While Savage was arrested on the theft charges in connection with the rental equipment, charges of receiving stolen property are pending in connection with the theft of the jet ski and trailer.

Lewis said he will also seek persistent felony offender charges because of earlier convictions.

Lewis said information will be presented to the Lewis County Grand Jury on Friday for possible indictments.

Photo Catch

Dennis Brown/Lewis County Herald

Gary Kidwell spoke with Missy Bloomfield, right, and Lori Holder during a remote broadcast at the Family Fitness and Rehab Center Saturday. The center is celebrating its first anniversary and will be hosting an open house Wednesday afternoon.

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