Metal plant workers get forced furlough

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A spokeswoman at the Special Metals Corp. plant in Huntington says the company is halting production for five days and giving employees time off without pay starting May 22.

Spokeswoman Judy Schmidt said Friday the cost-cutting move involves more than 1,000 employees at plants in Huntington, Burnaugh, Ky., and Elkhart, Ind.

Schmidt says employees can use vacation time to recoup their lost wages.

Special Metals produces high performance nickel-based alloys and super alloys.

Deputy indicted on gun, drug charges

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) – An eastern Kentucky deputy sheriff has been arrested after a federal grand jury indicted him on drug and weapons charges.

Rowan County deputy sheriff Roger Lee Holbrook, 56, was arrested on Friday in Morehead.

Holbrook is charged with conspiracy to distribute the drug oxycodone, attempting to aid and abet the distribution of oxycodone and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

The indictment alleges Holbrook conspired with others to distribute oxycodone pills in April 2008 and attempted to aid the distribution of pills two other times that year. The weapons charge stems from an incident in July of last year.

Museum welcomes new exec director

ASHLAND, Ky. — The Highlands Museum & Discovery Center in Ashland welcomes a new executive director to its staff.

Leigh Ann Lambert Heineman, 35, is an Ashland Area native. Leigh Ann is a graduate of Morehead State University.

She has been an insurance agent with the Harold D. Miller Insurance Agency for the past 17 years.

Leigh Ann has also been an Executive Director of the Miss Ashland Area Scholarship Pageant. She is married to Michael Heineman, and has two children, Anna, 6, and Jack,

Your guitar is star at Paramount show

ASHLAND, Ky. — The Paramount Arts Center is getting ready for its first-ever guitar show.

If you have a guitar you’d like to show off, something vintage you’d like to sell or maybe a whole collection and want to do a little trading, this is the place to be.

The event is Saturday, June 13 from noon to 5 and is an event for guitar enthusiasts.

Rental space is $50 for the five-hour event and exhibit forms can be downloaded from our website or are available in the box office.

Also, as part of our guitar show, the Paramount is hosting a Guitar Hero competition.

The competition begins at 3 p.m. in the Marquee room and will feature a competition on Guitar Hero: World Tour. There is a $5 entry fee to compete, but that entry fee also covers admission to the Guitar Show and its workshops.

For more information go to www.paramountartscenter.com or call 606.324.3175 ext. 309.

Local graduates honored by WSAZ

Huntington, W.Va. — Graduating high school seniors are being honored in the WSAZ NewsChannel 3 salute to the “Best of the Class 2009.”

More than 200 top scholars, from 32 counties within the West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky WSAZ viewing area, are featured in public service announcements that were videotaped during a luncheon held at the Huntington Museum of Art on May 4th.

The announcements will air on WSAZ beginning May 18 through June 14. Honorees can also be viewed at www.wsaz.com by clicking on “Best of the Class.”

WSAZ celebrates graduating seniors each year with this nationally acclaimed program. This year marks the 25th anniversary for the event.

Restrictions, closure slated for U.S. 52

BURLINGTON — U.S. 52 in Lawrence County will be subject to lane restrictions along an approximately 2.5-mile section this weekend in order to facilitate a project to move a house.

Today, the westbound lanes of U.S. 52 will be reduced to one lane and subject to possible closure between the intersection of County Road 120N (Burlington-Macedonia Road) and the County Road 18 (Solida Road) exit while a house is being moved to South Point.

Currently, the lane restrictions are scheduled to begin at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday and continue throughout much of the early morning hours.

However, the duration of the lane restrictions will be dependent upon factors related to facilitating the project.

Since the route will not be subject to a full closure, there will be no posted detour, and traffic will be maintained and controlled by law enforcement and transportation officials as needed.

Motorists, however, are advised expect periods of delay throughout the morning and to exercise additional caution as signaling may be affected by this project. Eastbound traffic should not be affected by the move.

OLBH Foundation disburses $1.6M

RUSSELL. Ky. — The Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH) Foundation has published its annual report documenting its 2008 fiscal year.

In fiscal year 2008, the foundation disbursed $1,669,225 to better OLBH and the Tri-State community.

The annual report includes articles on the hospital’s philanthropic mission and the various ways that mission is executed with special focus on the major initiative of building healthy communities.

The annual report details the ways the Foundation works to provide funding for a variety of hospital and community needs.

The report includes a listing of the OLBH Foundation’s donors as well as graphical information detailing how all donated monies were used.

To obtain a free copy of the OLBH Foundation’s 2008 annual report, call the Foundation at (606) 833-3777.

Portsmouth Daily ends Monday paper

PORTSMOUTH (AP) — The Portsmouth Daily Times has dropped its Monday edition.

The newspaper cited declining ad revenue and the need to reduce printing and distribution costs in ending the edition this week.

Several newspapers in Ohio and across the country have eliminated one day of distribution to cut costs.

The southern Ohio paper now publishes six days a week, with a circulation of about 12,000. It is owned by Clinton, Conn.-based Heartland Publications LLC.

Saturday Night Jam set for May 23

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The Saturday Night Jamboree, Inc., will present “The Legends of Country Music” at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena Conference Center, in Huntington.

Performing songs by country legends Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, Mel Street, Johnny and June Cash, Patsy Cline and others will be Donna Cunningham, Jay Walker, Santana Marie, Rick Ruggles, Channing Bowen, Robert Trippett, 3 1/2 Men, The Ross Sisters, Lonnie Higgenbotham and The Jamboree Band.

Admission is $6 ($5.00 for seniors and children under 12 are free). For more information, contact Rick Ruggles (740)894-6552.