Coal Grove water service interruption planned for Monday

COAL GROVE — Customers in part of the village of Coal Grove will have an interruption of water service for most of the day Monday, village officials announced Friday.

Village Clerk Debbie Fields said the service interruption will affect customers between the intersection of Memorial Street and Pike Street to the intersection of Marion Pike and U.S. 52. This is necessary to allow for a fire hydrant repair.

The interruption may last most of the day.

Suspect arrested in repeat robberies of W.Va. bank

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Huntington man accused of robbing the same bank three times is in custody.

Toby Max Duckett of Huntington was being held Friday morning at the Western Regional Jail on $160,000 bond.

Huntington police Capt. Rick Eplin says the 39-year-old Duckett was arrested Thursday following a search of his home.

Eplin says evidence discovered during the search links the suspect with three robberies of a Peoples Bank branch in Huntington.

The robberies on March 2, March 26 and April 17 prompted the bank to restrict access to its lobby and take other unspecified security measures.

Duckett is charged with three counts of armed robbery and one count of obstructing an officer. An officer at the jail didn’t know Friday whether Duckett has obtained a lawyer.

County farm bureau offers scholarship

The Lawrence County Farm Bureau is proud to offer a $250 scholarship to an eligible county college student. This individual needs to be a senior level, or be enrolled in a 2- or 4-year collegiate level of study in agriculture or a related field of study, for example home economics, agronomy or marketing.

This scholarship is geared to encourage and support those students that are continuing to give back to agriculture.

The scholarship deadline is May 21. Applications are available at the Farm Bureau office at 231 Broadway Street in Jackson or www.ofbf.org/counties/lawrence or from any area school guidance counselor.

For more information, call the Farm Bureau at 1-800-777-9226.

Youth soccer league registrations set

CHESAPEAKE —Registration dates are set for fall leagues for the Eastern Lawrence Youth Soccer Association.

The association is open to players from the age of 3 to 11 years old or a student who will be in sixth grade in the fall.

There will be a registration on Saturday, May 1, at the Chesapeake Elementary School cafeteria from 9 a.m. to noon. A second registration will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 8.

For more information, contact Juli Stephens at 740-867-6649.

Carey hosts session in South Point

SOUTH POINT — State Senator John Carey (R-Wellston) will hold an open door session in Lawrence County on Thursday, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce located at 216 Collins Ave., South Point.

During the session, constituents in Lawrence County and throughout the 17th District will have the opportunity to speak with Senator Carey one-on-one about issues concerning state government and the region, as well as discuss any personal matters regarding state agencies. The event is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend.

“These sessions are an important opportunity to speak with my constituents, listen to their concerns and stay up to date on key issues and events in Southern Ohio,” said Carey.

Democratic Ky. Senate candidates debate coal

ASHLAND, Ky. (AP) – Democratic U.S. Senate candidates debated better practices for coal mining during a debate in eastern Kentucky.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo said during the debate Friday that the development of new and better uses for coal should be a priority for the region and he wanted more coal-to-liquid plants in the area.

Attorney General Jack Conway, his leading opponent, said he wants surface mining to be done in an “environmentally responsible way,” and said he opposed stream-fill regulations enacted before President George W. Bush left office in 2008.

Republican candidates were invited to speak at the East Kentucky Leadership Conference, but none came.

Judge gives EPA more time in W.Va. mine lawsuit

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal judge is giving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency six months to decide the fate of West Virginia’s largest surface mine.

U.S. District Judge Robert Chambers gave EPA the additional time while denying Arch Coal’s request that he make an immediate decision in the case.

EPA has said it plans to veto a permit given to Arch’s Big Spruce No. 1 mine in 2007.

The agency says the mountaintop removal mine and associated valley fills would bury 7 miles of headwater streams and degrade water quality.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the permit.

Marshall holds line on in-state tuition

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall University’s Board of Governor’s has agreed to hold the line on tuition costs for in-state students next year.

The board, however, voted Thursday to approve tuition hikes for out-of-state and metro students.

Metro students reside in nearby counties in Kentucky and Ohio.

Also, all students attending Marshall’s Huntington campus will pay higher fees for the academic year that begins this fall.

Out-of-state students will see tuition increase by $207 per semester. Metro students’ tuition will increase by $149 per semester.

Graduate tuition for out-of-state and metro students also will increase $227 and $160 respectively.

The board said the fee and tuition increases are necessary to keep pace with modest inflationary pressures.

OLBH to Host Look Good…Feel Better Meeting April 27

RUSSELL, Ky. — Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH) will host a free Look Good…Feel Better meeting, Tuesday, April 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the OLBH Women’s Center at Bellefonte Center (1000 Ashland Drive).

Look Good…Feel Better helps women cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment by teaching them beauty tips that can help them enhance their looks and boost their self-images. In addition to changes in a patient’s physical condition, chemotherapy and radiation can cause increased susceptibility to infection.

Look Good…Feel Better features experts trained to help patients deal with the physical side effects of cancer treatment and to promote good hygiene.

For more information on OLBH, visit www.olbh.com.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra to perform at Shawnee State University

PORTSMOUTH — The Dayton Philharmonic, under the direction of Neal Gittleman, comes to Portsmouth and Shawnee State University’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts for the first time at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 1.

They will be bringing a program that is part of a series called “Classical Masters,” featuring the music from the Haydn and Mozart and Beethoven era with Mendelssohn’s “Hebrides Overture,” Mozart’s “Horn Concerto No. 4” and Schubert’s Symphony No. 5. Founded in 1923, the 83-piece orchestra is from Dayton, Ohio.

Ticket prices range from $26 to $36 with student and family discounts available. Tickets may be purchased by calling the McKinley Box Office (740) 351-3600, online at www.sopaa.org

“We think you will enjoy this fine Ohio orchestra as much as they will enjoy being with us,” said Carl Daehler, executive director of Fine, Digital and Performing Arts at SSU.

This performance is sponsored by the Scioto Foundation and Glockner.

Ironton settles with U.S. EPA

IRONTON — The City of Ironton will pay $2,900 for its part of a settlement with the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The Ironton City Council voted Thursday night to enter into an agreement with the U.S. EPA in regards to the Cooksey Brothers Landfill Settlement.

The U.S. EPA had sued the landfill and all its contributors last year for improperly disposing of tires, Mayor Rich Blankenship said.

The city had taken tires to the landfill years ago, Blankenship said. At the time, putting tires there was legal, he said.

“The landfill was licensed and the city was doing nothing wrong,” Blankenship said.

The city’s legal counsel has advised the mayor that paying the $2,900 would be less expensive than fighting the lawsuit, Blankenship said.

“It was cheaper not to fight it,” he said.

— By Lori Kersey

KSP warns of ‘phishing’ scams

ASHLAND, Ky. — The Kentucky State Police in Ashland is warning area residents to beware of local phishing scams that have reappeared in the Tri-State.

According to a statement from the KSP, an area resident recently received a phone call from an individual claiming to work for Visa.

The man offered to provide a series of free gifts to area resident because of a purchase she had made earlier on the credit card.

When the woman informed the caller she did not have a credit card, the caller asked for personal information in order for the woman to receive some coupons.

Troopers warned this type of scam is commonly referred to as “Phishing.”

The caller was very vague with his information and used deceptive techniques in an attempt to gain personal information from the recipient on the other end of the call.

Callers of the sort may ask for personal information like names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other account numbers.

KSP troopers advised reputable businesses do not ask for this information on a call unless it is a secured business like a bank; but this is usually prompted when citizens actually are the ones making to call to these type institutions.

The area code for this specific phishing scam was (268) which originated from Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean Islands.

Citizens are asked to be cautious about giving any type of personal information over the telephone or Internet unless it is a secured reputable site.

Reputable businesses will not ask for this type of information over the phone.

According to law enforcement, identity theft is the number one growing crime in the United States. If you suspect this type of illegal activity, you can contact the Kentucky state Police at 606-928-6421 or report the crime online at www.kentuckystatepolice.org/crimacts.htm or contact your local law enforcement agency.