By Dennis Brown

Several traffic accidents were reported around the area last week, one resulting in injuries to several teenagers.

Deputy Tom Polley said a single accident on Ky. Rt. 59 near the mouth of Scott’s Branch happened Saturday morning and all five passengers in the vehicle were injured.

Polley said an auto, operated by Derek Bush, 17, of Owingsville, was traveling south on Ky. Rt. 59 and apparently failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle went off the left side of the roadway and struck a guardrail, utility pole guy wire and tree before coming to rest near the intersection of Ky. Rt. 474.

Polley said a passenger in the vehicle, Joshua W. Branham, 21, of Jeffersonville, was airlifted from the scene and taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington.

Two other passengers in the vehicle, Samantha L. Cornell, 18, of Vanceburg, and Brittany Smith, 15, of Olive Hill, were taken to St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead by ambulance and Courtney Dunaway of Vanceburg was taken to the Morehead hospital by private vehicle, according to Polley.

Polley, who is continuing the investigation into the accident, was assisted at the scene by Camp Dix Fire and Rescue, MedCorp Ambulance, Carter County Ambulance and A&B Towing.

Chief Deputy Johnny Bivens is investigating two separate accidents Wednesday. Bivens said the first accident involved a single vehicle and the second accident involved two vehicles.

According to Bivens, Tracy Clark, 40, was operating a 2004 Ford Focus north on Kinney Road when she reportedly swerved to avoid an animal that had traveled in front of her vehicle.

Bivens said Clark lost control of her vehicle and exited the south side of the roadway, impacting with a utility pole. A passenger in the vehicle, Joyce Gamble, 53, was injured in the accident and was transported to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Clark was not injured in the accident, according to Bivens.

Bivens was assisted at the scene by Garrison Fire & Rescue and MedCorp Ambulance.

Bivens said the two-vehicle accident involved a 1982 Chevy Pick-up, operated by Robert Bane, 69, of Tollesboro.

He said the pick-up was pulling a wagon loaded with tobacco north on Ky. Rt. 57 when the wagon was struck in the rear by a 2007 Ford, operated by Rickey Gilbert, 55, of Vanceburg.

Bivens said that on impact, the wagon came loose from the truck and traveled across the roadway, where it came to rest on the south side of Ky. Rt. 57.

There were no injuries in the accident but the Gilbert vehicle sustained serious damage, Bivens said. He was assisted at the scene by Tollesboro Fire & Rescue. 

Both accidents remain under investigation by Bivens.

Four Lewis County residents were taken to a Portsmouth hospital Tuesday night following a two vehicle accident on Ky. Rt. 8 in Vanceburg.

Vanceburg Police Sgt. Joe Paul Gilbert said the accident happened about 8:00 p.m. as a 2004 Honda Accord, operated by Faye Allen, 76, of Vanceburg, was pulling out from Lewis County Central lot and turning left onto Ky. Rt. 8. 

He said at that time a 2000 Ford Focus, operated by Savanna McCane, 17, of Garrison, was traveling east on Ky. Rt. 8 and collided with the Allen vehicle. He added that McCane reported she attempted to avoid the collision. Both vehicles came to rest on the roadway.

Two passengers in the McCane vehicle, Joseph Workman, 18, and Haley Osborne, 14, both of Garrison, and Allen were taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center by MedCorp Ambulance. McCane was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle, Gilbert said.

Gilbert, who is continuing the investigation, was assisted at the scene by members of the Vanceburg and Black Oak Fire and Rescue Squads, MedCorp Ambulance and Dobo's Wrecker Service.

People’s Self-Help Housing recently held an open house for two new 1,210 square foot homes in Katelyn Corner Subdivision at Tollesboro.

PSHH Executive Director Dave Kreher said the homes are “green” certified under the Green Build Kentucky program and both homes are also Energy Star certified homes.

Kreher said that each home is priced for sale at the appraised value of $85,000 to eligible buyers. Applications are still being taken from those interested in purchasing one of the homes.

Paul Semisch with PSHH said more than 90 people visited and toured the homes during the open house along with several officials from Fleming-Mason Energy, USDA Rural Development and the Kentucky Housing Corporation.

Kreher described some of the features of the homes and said solar electric to help power the homes is generated from a photovoltaic system.

Twelve 32”x 62”panels are installed at each home. The panels, which cost about $970 each, are rated to generate 2.52 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Kreher said that is about one-third of projected electricity usage.

He said that excess electricity generated feeds back into the grid through the meter and is credited by the supplier, in this case, Fleming-Mason Energy.

Kreher said Solar Renewable Energy Credits for the homes are payable annually to homeowner at about $900 per year and a federal tax credit is also available to homeowner up to 30 percent of the cost.

The additional associated costs are effectively paid pack in 13 years, not including the savings on the electric bill, he said.

The homes also are equipped with solar water heaters. Each is comprised of a pressurized propylene glycol system with two collector panels and a photovoltaic powered circulation pump to supplement electric water heating.

Kreher said the homes are super sealed and insulated

with four inches of R-26 rated spray-on foam on exterior walls.

The ceiling has 15 inches of blown in cellulose and the floors feature passive solar areas in the south rooms.

The homes have ultra-efficient heating and air conditioning featuring a 1.5 ton electric heat pump system with energy recovery ventilation system, located in attic space, for fresh air, and a programmable thermostat which can be programmed to automatically adjust temperatures when no one is in the home or everyone is asleep. 

Windows and exterior doors with energy conserving features have also been selected for the homes.

Kreher said that other green features are throughout the home include solar and Energy Star lighting and ventilation, efficient dual flush toilets, and water saving faucets and showerheads.

He added that paints, primers, sealants and adhesives all have low Volatile Organic Compounds to provide the best possible air quality and the utilization of building materials made with recycled products.

He said that during construction that waste meterials were sent for recycling.

Some other measures built into the homes were 30 inch overhangs which shade sun out of windows during the summer and allow winter sun in the home to help warm the concrete floor for passive solar heat.

He said powder coating on the metal roofing reflects heat and reduces heat build-up in home, adding that the surface is cool to touch, even in the bright summer sun.

Kreher said that many of the building products used in the homes were manufactured within a 500 mile radius of Tollesboro, resulting in reduced transportation costs and lower CO2 emissions.

Kreher said those interested in going “green” are invited to contact PSHH or visit them on the Web at www.pshhinc.org for more information.