W.Va. man faces 10 years for making machine gun

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) – A West Virginia man has pleaded guilty to possessing a fully automatic rifle.

Charles Neace admitted in a federal court hearing Monday that he’d converted a semiautomatic rifle so it could fire more than one shot with a single squeeze of the trigger in May 2008. The 30-year-old Lincoln County man faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Neace is scheduled to be sentenced July 6.

Width restriction changed for Scioto-52 bridge

SCIOTOVILLE — Due to construction and maintenance of traffic concerns at the Sciotoville overpass on U.S. Route 52, contractors for the Ohio Department of Transportation will change the width restriction for westbound traffic, reducing it by six inches.

Crews from the Velotta Company are rehabilitating a series of eight structures on U.S. 52 between S.R. 139 at New Boston and S.R. 140 near the eastern corporation limit of Portsmouth.

U.S. 52 is currently reduced to one lane in each direction; however, the single westbound lane will now be reduced to 11 feet at the 25-mile marker; U.S. 52 East will not be changed, and traffic will continue to be maintained in one, 11’6” lane.

The change in width restriction is schedule to go into effect Wednesday. Motorists are advised to exercise additional caution and to expect possible intermittent periods of delay as a reduced speed limit is also in effect through the construction zone.

Concert to benefit March for Babies

ASHLAND, Ky. — A benefit concert featuring Bronson Bush and Head South band will be Friday.

The concert will be at the Eastern Kentucky Opry and Jamboree Barn located at 3238 State Route 5 in Ashland. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the music will start at 7 p.m.

There is a suggested donation of $5 for individuals and $10 for families for admission. All proceeds from this event will be donated to the March of Dimes – March for Babies.

The March of Dimes – March for Babies gives hope to more than half a million babies born too soon each year. The money raised supports programs in our community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies.

Hospice offers loss workshop

CHESAPEAKE — Hospice of Huntington, Inc., will conduct “Coping with the Loss of Spouse of Life Partner” at the Briggs Lawrence County Public Library’s Chesapeake Branch at noon Tuesday, April 13.

Guests are urged to bring their lunch to this professionally facilitated session to discuss grief and loss.

The Briggs Lawrence County Public Library Chesapeake Branch is located at 11054 County Road 1, Chesapeake. The session is free and open to the public, however registration is requested.

For additional information or to register, please contact Harriette Cyrus at 304-529-4217 or 1-800-788-5480.

Bellefonte Ortho Hand Center opens practice

RUSSELL, Ky. —Officials with the new Bellefonte Orthopedic Hand Center announced the opening of the practice.

The Bellefonte Orthopedic Hand Center is located at 1101 Saint Christopher Drive, Suite 340 on the campus of Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital.

The Bellefonte Orthopedic and Hand Center specializes in orthopedic conditions and injuries of the hand and wrist including:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Tendon and Nerve Lacerations

Work Injuries

Ganglion Cysts

Fractures of the Wrist, Hand and Fingers

Trigger Fingers

DeQuervain’s

Tennis Elbow

Arthritis of the Wrist & Hand

Tendinitis of Elbow, Wrist & Hand

Dupuytren’s Disease

Ligament Injuries

Vascular Problems and Injuries of the Upper Extremities

Orthopedic hand surgeon James Lanter, M.D. earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, Tenn. and completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Tulane University in New Orleans.

He is fellowship trained in both hand and microvascular surgery (Duke University Medical Center) and reconstructive spinal surgery (Gainesville, Fla.). Lanter is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and has more than 20 years of experience treating upper extremity disorders.

To schedule an appointment at the new Bellefonte Orthopedic Hand Center, call (606) 833-HAND (4263).

Tax forms, assistance available at BCPL

SUMMIT, Ky. — The dreaded deadline is inching closer, and Boyd County Public Library can help last-minute tax filers in a couple of ways.

Local representatives of the American Association of Retired Persons are at the Summit Branch to help filers on Wednesdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through April 14. The assistance is for those in the middle- or low-income categories, with special attention to those ages 60 years and older.

Those needing help should bring with them: all the necessary 2009 tax forms, including W-2; copies of 2008 federal and Kentucky income tax returns; unemployment compensation statements, SSA-1099 (for Social Security benefits); all 1099 forms showing dividends and interest; and any other pertinent tax documents, including documentation if itemizing deductions.

Federal forms and instructions are available free of charge at the Summit, Catlettsburg and Ashland locations. The Kentucky Revenue Cabinet does not provide bulk forms and instructions to libraries, but BCPL staff will print off one copy of every state form that a patron needs. Additional copies are 10 cents per page. Instructions can also be printed at a cost of 10 cents per page.

To get Kentucky forms, people can also go to www.revenue.ky.gov/forms or call (502) 564-3658.

Links to the federal and state revenue sites can be found on the library’s Web site, at www.thebookplace.org.

Defense rests in ex-MU player’s death

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — The lawyer for a Charleston man accused of killing a former Marshall University football player has rested its case.

The defense wrapped up Monday afternoon, several hours after Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles rested the government’s case against Jerel Addison Garner.

Garner is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of 25-year-old Donte Newsome outside a Huntington nightclub in July 2008. Garner also faces attempted first-degree murder and other charges.

The trial started last week.

Originally from Chesapeake, Va., Newsome lettered at linebacker at Marshall from 2002 to 2005.

CG church to host Easter drama

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Memorial United Methodist Church will host an outdoor Easter drama Friday.

The play will bring the Passion story to life at 8 p.m. Good Friday, April 2.

The performance will be at Coal Grove Memorial United Methodist Church, located at 226 Memorial Street.

For more information, contact Pastor Brad Jenkins at (740) 532-5610 at the church.

Major expansion adds new sites to local KOA park

ARGILLITE, Ky. — The new Ashland/Huntington West KOA Campground how has 50 more full-hookup campsites for recreational vehicles, according to owners Charles and Thelma Dameron.

 “This really completes the second half of the construction of this campground,” said owner Charles Dameron. “We are ready and raring to go for the summer camping season.”

 The campground, located at 80 KOA Lane in Argillite less than a mile from Interstate 64, inclues a pool, miniature golf, volleyball courts, a playground, pavilions, big-rig friendly pull through RV sites, four KOA Kamping Kottages, two full-service Kamping Lodges and many beautiful tent sites.

 There are also on-site hiking areas, as well as fishing in nearby lakes. This summer, campers can also enjoy the Appalachian arts and crafts available in the campground store, as well as regional entertainment on the campground’s Fire Pit stage.

 
Guitar Hero tourney on April 8 at BCPL

ASHLAND, Ky. — Be part of Boyd County Public Library’s first-ever district-wide Guitar Hero tournament on Thursday, April 8.

The tournament starts at 4 p.m. at the branches in Ashland, Catlettsburg and Summit. It runs until 6 p.m. at Catlettsburg (when the branch closes) and until 7 p.m. at the other two.

The library has a large collection of video games available for checkout. In addition to Wii games, there are also games for PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PS2 systems. All the games are housed at the Main Branch in Ashland.