Meeting in regular session last week the Lewis County Board of Education heard a presentation from Billie Jo Thornsberry, president of the Lewis County Education Association, regarding the teacher health insurance problem in Kentucky.

Thornsberry pointed out that the total cost of health insurance for educators in Kentucky is lower than in most neighboring states but is the only place where the teachers pay more of the premium than the state government does.

For example, in Illinois the total cost is $1,096. There the teacher pays $207 and the state pays $889. In Kentucky the total cost is only $897 but the teacher or employee pays $540, and the state only pays $287.

Thornsberry told the board that her organization wants the board to remain informed, to support the teachers and all other school employees and to consider what the board can do to alleviate the situation.

She concluded her remarks by saying that if the Kentucky General Assembly doesn't find a solution to the problem that Lewis County will be without some teachers when the KEA called strike begins on Wednesday, October 27. She clarified that the strike will be called off if an acceptable insurance plan is put in place before that date.

Superintendent Maurice Reeder Jr. told Thornsberry and the board that earlier in the day he had received an e-mail update on the General Assembly's progress. He said that the legislators worked over the weekend to find a solution, and good progress has been made.

Reeder stated, "Everyone knows this is not a good health bill, and the legislature and the Governor are the ones that need to be doing what they are doing right now."

He added that the legislators plan to have a new and improved insurance plan set up by the middle of next week and hopefully a strike can be averted.

Reeder emphasized that local school boards have no input in the proceedings.

The superintendent told Thornsberry that the board would continue to work with the teachers and hoped the local KEA would work with the board.

Turning to other matters Reeder informed the board that the Department of Facilities went ahead and approved the BG1 for the Tollesboro Elementary project in spite of the fact that the bonding money will not be released until the state has a budget. That means that the board can go ahead and so some preliminary things and have them in order so the school can go ahead with the project once the state has a budget. The action could save as much as three months of time in getting the work started.

Reeder told the board that on October 1, the first day of fall break, Tim Crawford, an attorney for the School Board Association, came in and did six of the 12 hours of required evaluation training with the Central Office Staff and all the principals and assistant principals in the district.

He announced that the Veterans Day Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 11, at the high school beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Belinda Forman told the board that the district had portfolios audited at two elementary schools, and the state changed no scores. She said that we were really pleased that our scoring was right where it should be.

She confirmed that three of the elementary schools scored 100 percent proficient on their portfolios.

The details could not be given at the board meeting because the state had not yet officially released the information.

She said that Central Elementary was chosen to be a national impact study, and the staff is excited about that.

The district is getting ready to file for a reimbursement of $320,000 under the grant. That will be the first reimbursement, and is quite a bit of money for those programs.

The board approved the use of the Kentucky State Police canine drug unit in the Lewis County Schools.

Elden Riffe, the District Resource Safety Officer, explained the safety measures taken to keep the children away from the dogs during the drug searches.

He also said that the district tries to have the KSP canine unit in three times a year. Sometimes they show up unannounced. The dogs check the lockers, the vehicles in the parking lots and some classrooms.

Before the dogs enter a classroom the officers have the students leave their book bags in the room and then go to another room where they won't be near the dogs.

If the dogs hit a locker or vehicle they are marked and then checked for marijuana or illegal prescription drugs.

The canine unit came to the high school, the middle school and the alternative school on August 17 but no drugs were found, and that's the desired result.

Riffe said that drugs have been found in the past but none have been found this year.

The action is an effort to keep drugs out of the schools and to help any children that might be abusing narcotics.

The board approved the annual entry into the Limestone Academic League.

In quick succession the board also approved the non-resident contracts for students from other counties that attend classes in Lewis County and for local students that attend school in other counties.

Kevin Duff explained that Lewis County has an any-and-all contract with all the neighboring districts except Mason County. With them the local district has a one-for-one contract. That means that the districts get paid for the students that come to their respective schools.

The board approved the working budget for the school year. This is the third time the board has considered this year's budget, and this is the final draft.

Reeder said that money was tight and the budget has no extra money in it.

He explained that the amount paid for salaries was about the same as last year, but the district had fewer teachers because of the state mandated raises for the teachers. The SEEK funds also decreased by about $200,000. Everything else is about the same as last year.

Reeder said that last year the budget just exceeded $12 million, but this year it is slightly under $12 million.

The board approved the subsurface investigation for the Tollesboro Elementary project. Bowser Morner, Inc. of Lexington had the lowest bid at $3,860. They will drill in the ground to see what kinds of material are under the surface that would affect the digging for foundations, etc.

Meeting in a brief regular session last week the Lewis County Fiscal Court entertained a request from Brian Stamm to close the portion of Kilbreth Road leading up to his property.

County Judge Executive Steve Applegate explained to Stamm that the proper procedures would be followed, and the court would begin the action at next month's session by advertising a public hearing on the matter of closing the road. After that the court would listen to the recommendation of the road foreman and then close the road if no one objects.

In quick succession the court approved the appointment of Tom Liles to the Garrison Water District Board to fill the unexpired term of Billy Porter.

It appointed Diane Wilson to the Kinniconick Volunteer Fire Department Tax Board replacing Steve Howard.

Lewis County Sheriff William D. "Bill" Lewis, Jailer Tim Underwood and Emergency Management Director Carl Chaney all presented hand written reports of their departments' more important activities since the last session.

The court routinely approved all the claims and transfers for the General Fund, Road & Bridge Fund and Jail Fund accounts and also the treasurer's report.

Meeting in regular session last week the Electric Plant Board of the City of Vanceburg received an explanation of the annual audit for 2003-04 from Rodney M. Robinette, CPA from Smith, Goolsby, Artis & Reams PSC, Ashland.

Robinette told the board that due to new regulations by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) the report contained the same information as usual but in a radically different format. The new format makes the report easier to understand although it contains more details in some areas.

The plant board, like the city, did not include the Management's Discussion and Analysis, and the report includes a paragraph stating that fact.

Robinette said that the report shows that the financial statements are fine and reveals no findings of noncompliance.

He stated that the utility company did a good job of managing the cash flow and said, "You're doing okay."

The audit shows that the company's total assets are valued at $24,968,278. Total liabilities come to $10,128,895.

The board approved and accepted the audit.

Kennedy said that all told FEMA had reimbursed the company $502,000 as a result of the ice storm.

The plant board spent $750,000 total on the damage from the ice storm that hit the area in February 2002. He explained that FEMA paid 75 percent of the cost, the state 12 percent and the local company 13 percent.

Kennedy said that the tree trimmers are in the county and will work over 22 miles trimming limbs and trees away from utility lines. He noted that the workers were behind because they had been in Florida helping the hurricane victims. A lot of trimming needs to be done this year because of the amount of rain earlier in the season.

He said that the trimmers have spent a whole week just in the Appletree area alone.

The board accepted the resignation of Rainbow Bivens. Bivens has worked for the utility company for 44 years. Kennedy said that Bivens has been an excellent employee and a great asset to the company.

Authorities are investigating the death of a Petersville man over the weekend after he apparently fell off a bridge there.

Deputy Tom Polley said he received a call from dispatch to respond to the Petersville area about 10 a.m. Sunday.

Polley said pedestrians in the area had spotted what appeared to be a body in a creek near Ky. Rt. 344 and had contacted Kentucky State Police who, in turn, contacted local authorities to secure the scene until state officials could arrive on site.

Polley said that upon arrival, he had confirmed that the report was authentic and summoned Lewis County Coroner Tony Gaydos.

Gaydos pronounced the person dead and ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and the identity of the deceased.

Gaydos said the incident is being treated as an accidental death since preliminary investigation indicated that the body was located directly below the bridge and had not shown any trauma or evidence that would indicate otherwise.

Gaydos said the incident had apparently happened late Friday or early Saturday. An autopsy was scheduled for late Sunday in Northern Kentucky.

Kentucky State Police identified the body as that of Larry Ray Cooley Jr., 50, of Petersville.

A KSP spokesman said Cooley has reportedly left the home of a friend on foot. His body was found Sunday morning about 200 yards away from that residence.

KSP is continuing the investigation.

Tollesboro ATV accident

Two Tollesboro men escaped serious injury October 10 following a collision between two ATVs at around 8:50 p.m.

Banne Hook, 40, and Lonnie Williamson, 41, were riding in a field near Hampton Lane in Tollesboro.

According to Lewis County Sheriff's Deputy Dwayne Stone, Hook's 2004 Honda apparently ran out of gas or otherwise stalled out, and was struck in the rear by Williamson's 1994 Honda. Hook's ATV was tipped over.

A Garrison man was injured early October 11 in an accident on Kentucky Route 9 near the intersection with the Grayson Spur.

According to Lewis County Deputy Dwayne Stone, Samuel Allen, 21, was traveling north on Kentucky Route 10 toward Vanceburg at 1:10 a.m. when he apparently fell asleep.

Approaching the intersection with the Grayson Spur, his 1996 Chevy S-10 pickup went off the right hand side of the roadway and traveled 105 feet before hitting a large highway sign and broke through the sign post, resulting in substantial damage to the passenger side of the truck.

The truck continued to travel an additional 69 feet before coming to a stop at the rock wall.

Allen was transported to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was treated for facial injuries. Stone said Allen was wearing a seatbelt.

Burglary suspect arrested

A Meadowbrook man was arrested the evening of October 12 in connection with two recent burglaries in the Meadowbrook area. The burglaries had occurred within the past two weeks at the homes of Becky Sullivan and Stanley Allen.

The Lewis County Sheriff's Department had recovered six diamond rings and a pearl necklace. After further investigation, the department executed a warrant at about 2 p.m. Tuesday at the home of Josh Applegate, 22.

According to Deputy Dwayne Stone, Applegate allegedly strapped a knife to his arm with duck tape and barricaded himself inside his home.

Members of the Sheriff's Department entered the room and ordered Applegate out from behind a piece of furniture.

Applegate surrendered without incident and was alleged to have on his person four more diamond rings, drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Applegate was lodged in the Lewis County Detention Center on a charge of second degree burglary at about 6 p.m. Other charges are pending.