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Tazewell man dies in wreck
Staff Report A New Tazewell, Tenn. man was killed Thursday night as the result of a one-vehicle wreck. Dustin W. Poore, 26, died in the crash that occurred around 10:44 p.m., according to a report from Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Reed. Poore was driving his 2010 Nissan truck west on Dogwood Road when he crested a hill and went off the shoulder on the right side of the road, traveling approximately 30 feet, according to the report...
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Watson
Man enters guilty plea in criminal abuse case
Anthony Cloud Staff Writer The Middlesboro man accused of inappropriately touching a small child pleaded guilty in Bell Circuit Court on Tuesday. Randolph Watson Jr., 36, pleaded guilty to two lesser charges of first-degree criminal abuse. Commonwealth’s Attorney Karen Greene Blondell recommended 10 years in the penitentiary. The child’s mother was present in court for the plea agreement. The mother of the victim authorized the plea agr...
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Shattuck resigns from tourism board
Staff report Longtime Bell County Tourism board member Tom Shattuck has resigned from his position as chairman. Tourism director Judy Barton confirmed that Shattuck’s resignation letter was dated for Feb. 27. No reason for his resignation was given in Shattuck’s letter. His term ended on Dec. 31. Since no one was appointed to replace him, Shattuck was allowed to continue serving on the board until February, according to Barton. Shattuck...
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Fiscal court presents jail budget
Anthony Cloud|Daily News The Bell Fiscal Court held a special called meeting on Thursday to present the fiscal year 2013-2014 jail budget. Bell County Judge-Executive Albey Brock, shown here, said the budget is very similar to the one passed last year. No action was taken during the meeting.
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Ready! for Kindergarten
Reina P. Cunningham Staff Writer Ready! for Kindergarten (Ready!), a school readiness program new to Bell County, held an informational session on Thursday at the Middlesboro Intermediate School Library. The session was open to anyone interested in becoming a part-time facilitator for the program. Current and former educators from throughout Bell County showed up for the meeting. The general consensus among the group was that Ready! i...
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Flu B closes Middlesboro Independent Schools
According to Director of Pupil Personnel and Transportation Waylon Allen, Middlesboro Independent Schools will be closed on Friday. The decision was made late this morning after reports confirmed continued low attendance numbers of both students and teachers. The low attendance numbers are believed to be a result of Flu B. There will be a day added to the end of the school year to make up for the sick day.
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USW to vote on contract proposal
Staff Report The United Steelworkers (USW) are scheduled to decide at the ballot box today and Friday on whether to accept a negotiated contract by union officials and Appalachian Regional Healthcare. According to Roger McGinnis, a member of the USW staff, “We have a tentative agreement and plan to explain and vote this Thursday and Friday.” Julius Pearson, ARH system director of employee and labor relations, said, “This tentative agree...
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Bell High sophomores participate in state initiative
Anthony Cloud Staff Writer Bell County High School sophomores participated in “Operation Preparation” on Wednesday inside the library. The event was held in conjunction with the Gear Up program and the Bell Family Youth Resource Center. Community members worked with all the sophomores on their individual learning plan to prepare them for college. The program is held to make sure kids are on target for college or their future careers. ...
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County health ratings released
Staff Report Recent numbers released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the University of Wisconsin shows Bell County ranked in the bottom quarter of the state in county health ratings. Out of 120 counties in Kentucky, Bell County ranked 109 overall. The rankings are based 30 percent on health behaviors, 20 percent on clinical care, 40 percent on socioeconomic factors and 10 percent on physical environment. Bell County ranked 11...
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Sheriff’s department receives in-car computers
Staff Report The Bell County Sheriff’s Department has received two new in-car computers known as mobile data terminals (MDTs), thanks to Attorney General Jack Conway. Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett said the new computers will assist his agency tremendously, adding they will be put to good use. The MDTs will allow officers to enter information during a traffic stop or after responding to a scene. Officers will be able to quickly deter...
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Tourism submits genealogy grant proposal
Bell County Tourism Director Judy Barton has placed a proposal for the Efroymson grant. The proposal was completed in conjunction with the Bell County Historical Society. The grant is for $25,000 to be placed toward a genealogy center. The center would be located in the tourism office or the historical society office. “It’s not a lot of money, but it will give us a start,” said Barton. Barton said her pitch for the proposal was based ar...
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Health overhaul to raise claims cost
WASHINGTON (AP) — Insurance companies will have to pay out an average of 32 percent more for medical claims on individual health policies under President Barack Obama’s overhaul, the nation’s leading group of financial risk analysts has estimated. That’s likely to increase premiums for at least some Americans buying individual plans. The report by the Society of Actuaries could turn into a big headache for the Obama administration at a ti...
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Negotiations continue to avoid strike
Appalachian Regional Healthcare and the United Steelworkers are continuing to negotiate in hopes of preventing a strike by employees at the company’s facilities across eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. After giving a 10-day strike notice on March 21, the USW reported to its membership late Monday that it continues to “negotiate in good faith” in an effort to avoid a strike at 12:01 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Meanwhile, Julius Pears...
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Estep works to find jobs for miners despite setback
“Times are hard for coal mining.” That is the message Eddie Estep, president of Professional Contracting in Norton, Va., shared recently, speaking of the difficulty involved in getting miners back to work. A small group of trainees and helpers busied themselves at the Norton offices for Professional Contracting. One helper was Nathan Whistenhutt. “You won’t find too many people that care as much as that man,” said Whistenhutt, a laid ...
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Oliver
Detroit man jailed in kidnapping case
A Detroit, Mich. man has been arrested by Lt. Tom Busic of the Middlesboro Police Department on a bench warrant involving a kidnapping case. Jerry Lee Oliver, 46, was arrested on Monday night. The indictment warrant stems from an incident where Oliver allegedly was involved in the kidnapping of a juvenile several months ago. Oliver, along with Linda S. Graster, 38, of Middlesboro, allegedly entered a residence near Airport Road and forc...
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