The 23 team members from the UK College of Dentistry took to the court of the LCMS gym with as much ease as Tubby's crew.

The five members of the dental faculty, a dental hygienist, and two staff members were accompanied by 15 first-year dental students. As part of the "Seal Kentucky Program" they came to Lewis County to apply sealants to the teeth of students at LCMS and Central Elementary.

David Bolt, of Lewis County Primary Care Center and one of the organizers of the program, stated: "This is a continuing part of the community partnership to help reduce tooth decay among the children of Lewis County."

The partnership includes Lewis County Board of Education, Lewis County Primary Care Center, the Kentucky Department of Public Health's Oral Health Program, the local health department and the UK Department of Dentistry.

More importantly, Dr. James Cecil, a UK College of Dentistry faculty member and director of the Kentucky Department of Public Health's Oral Health Program, provided funding to the Lewis County Health Department in January of this year to purchase portable equipment to start a sealant program in the county. The program will involve local dentists, Dr. John O'Cull, Dr. Ron Mays and Dr. Sheila Arnett, with Lewis County Primary Care Center.

The College of Dentistry team came to Lewis County to kick off the local sealant program. It was a very well organized effort.

The college has seven portable dental units. All of these were set up in the LCMS gym.

Two dental school students were at each portable chair screening students. The five faulty dentists and hygienist oversaw every step.

After sixth grade students were seen, elementary students from Central were bussed in for screening and application of sealants.

An innovative market for soybean producers is now available in Tollesboro.

The State Agricultural Development Board held a check presentation for SOYX, LLC last Wednesday at Rip's Grainery in Lewis County.

SOYX, LLC (Jim and Jennifer Meadows of Tollesboro and Rick and Donna Lowe of Flemingsburg) was awarded $112,000 in Lewis and $227,385 in Fleming County Agricultural Development Funds to develop a soybean extrusion business in Lewis County. On hand for the presentation were State Senator Charlie Borders and State Representatives Robin Webb and Mike Denham, as well as a number of area farmers who had the opportunity to watch the extruder in operation.

The facility will benefit regional soybean producers by providing a local market for soybeans. The extruder extracts soy oil and then produces meal, which provides an alternative feed source for area dairy producers and other livestock owners.

Lewis County Agriculture Extension Agent Richard Bowling pointed out that soybean planting intentions in Lewis County have about doubled since the extruder project was proposed about two years ago. He also noted that corn acreage has not decreased, indicating that the increase in soybean acreage has not been at the expense of existing corn production.

Kentucky's Legislature has made a historic effort to diversify away from tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50 percent of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.

A new market for soybeans is now available at Rip's Grainery in Tollesboro, where soybeans are processed through this extruder to produce oil and meal.

To date Kentucky has invested over $152 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises.

The SOYX project represents just one of the over 1,300 projects that have been funded through Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001. For more information regarding this project, contact Jim Meadows with SOYX, LLC at 606-798-3276.

The State Agricultural Development Board also recently delivered $150,900 in support of diversification cost-share programs in Lewis County.

The Agricultural Diversification program provides cost-share assistance with individual producers in Lewis County seeking to diversify production. The agricultural diversification program includes: commercial vegetable and herb production, commercial fruit and sweet sorghum production, equine production, direct-to-consumer livestock production, dairy production, small animal production, commercial aquaculture, commercial silviculture, commercial ornamental horticultural production, and greenhouse construction or conversion for horticultural enterprises.

The Cattle Handling Facilities program provides cost-share assistance with individual beef and dairy producers in Lewis County to implement best management and health practices that augment efficient production and marketing opportunities.

Next door to her new home stood the old house that had been in the Rigsby family for years and the place Mrs. Rigsby had called home for the past 12 years.

"The old house has been remodeled so many times there's very little left of the original house" Mrs. Rigsby stated.

Living on a very limited fixed income, Mrs. Rigsby sought assistance to repair rotting floors, replace drafty old windows and doors and to repair persistent plumbing problems. She was advised that it would be too costly to make the needed repairs given the overall condition of the old house.

Last winter, a slip on an icy sidewalk led to a badly broken ankle and confined Mrs. Rigsby to a wheelchair for six weeks. She also had to contend with last winter's ice storm, which left her without water and electricity for nearly two weeks. Her waterlines froze and broke twice during the winter and her septic line separated under the rotted bathroom floor.

Jackie closed off most of the rooms in her home during cold weather, camping out in the two remaining rooms and still ended up with heating bills between $300 to $400, leaving little income to buy groceries and medicine.

In early spring, Mrs. Rigsby contacted People's Self-Help Housing to see what, if anything, could be done. Dave Kreher, Executive Director of People's Self-Help Housing met with Mrs. Rigsby at her home and after assessing the situation told her about the many programs available to assist her in having a new, safe, energy-efficient and low maintenance home built to replace her old home.

After reviewing the options, Mr. Kreher decided on the program that best fit Mrs. Rigsby's situation. Permanent financing for the home consists of a 20-year mortgage with Citizen's Deposit Bank & Trust at a fixed interest rate of 4.99% and a monthly house payment of $157.00. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati's Affordable Housing Program is providing the remainder of the permanent financing with a five year forgivable loan. Construction financing was made possible with proceeds from HUD's HOME Program.

"This is about the many families in the area living in substandard housing with a limited income, if you call that living," Dave Kreher said at the dedication. "They need to realize that affording a new home can happen. There is help available so that you don't have to spend most of your income on heating bills or emergency repairs."

Building the new home in a week called attention to the plight of low-income neighbors and the willingness to help in a rural community. PSHH and CDB&T employees were assisted in the building by local volunteers and volunteers from Notre Dame University, Villanova University and Mt. St. Mary's College. In all, nearly 100 people participated in completing the project.

Lewis County Judge Executive Steve Applegate welcomed guests to the dedication. Melissa Dallas, Vice-President of Public Affairs of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati spoke of the help available to low-income citizens through the Federal Home Loan Bank as being a well kept secret. "Folks don't realize we have help available to make housing affordable" Ms. Dallas stated.

Steve Mineer, CEO & President of Citizen's Deposit Bank & Trust also lauded those who worked together to complete the project and reiterated CDB&T's commitment to the local community. Six CDB&T employees assisted in the construction of the home. Marilyn Mason, field representative for Congressman Ken Lucas also spoke of his commitment to providing affordable housing in his district. State Senator Charlie Borders and Representative Robin Webb were unable to attend but sent their congratulations and regards to Mrs. Rigsby.

After the ceremony and open house, Mrs. Rigsby just sat for awhile in her new home letting all that had happened in one week sink in. This winter, there won't be any worries about cold drafts, high heating bills and broken water pipes.