Coal Grove culvert replacement to begin Monday

The Village of Coal Grove will begin a culvert replacement on Lane Street Monday.

Lane Street will be temporarily closed between Hamilton Street and Rowe Street daily until the work is completed.

Local EMS deployed for hurricane response

Patriot EMS is part of 175 ambulance units that have been deployed to New York City due to the pending landfall of Hurricane Irene.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency contacted the ambulance service at 12:15 a.m. Friday morning.

Patriot EMS dispatched an advanced life support unit to the disaster zone. On board the ambulance were paramedic and deputy chief Alan Mullins and EMT Laura Bowen.

Senior Expo canceled for 2011, hoping to return

For seniors in the area, early September usually brings a time of excitement for the annual Senior Expo that is sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7).

Unfortunately for 2011, Senior Expo had to be canceled with the hopes of a return in the future.

“We were so disappointed to cancel Expo for this year,” commented Pamela K. Matura, Executive Director of the AAA7. “Due to budget issues and a tightening of funding within our own Agency, it was in our best interest to cancel for this year. Even though it was a very tough decision as we know so many enjoy attending the event, we also knew that it was a good decision in order to focus on the services and programs we provide to seniors and those with disabilities in our ten-county district. We look forward to the opportunity of hosting Expo again in the future.”

At this time, no decision has been made regarding Senior Expo for 2012. Once known, that information will be relayed to the community and AAA7 service providers.

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. provides services on a non-discriminatory basis. These services are available to help older adults and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes through services paid for by Medicare, Medicaid, other federal and state resources, as well as private pay.

The AAA7’s Resource Center is also available to anyone in the community looking for information or assistance with long-term care options. Available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., the Resource Center is a valuable contact for learning more about options and what programs and services are available for assistance.

Girls’ Night Out is Aug. 31

ASHLAND, Ky. — This month’s Girls’ Night Out at Boyd County Public Library features the movie, “Red Riding Hood.”

The Aug. 31 program starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave. Entry to Girls’ Night Out is a food dish to share, or $2. All funds collected go to purchase refreshments for the program.

“Red Riding Hood,” rated PG-13, is a fantasy twist on the fairy tale. Set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf, a young girl, played by Amanda Seyfried, falls for an orphaned woodcutter.

Girls’ Night Out takes place the last Wednesday of each month. Men are welcome to attend, but the Girls’ Night Out program is not intended for children. The September GNO selection is “Bridesmaids.”

For more information, call (606) 329-0090 or visit www.thebookplace.org.

Scarecrows wanted for annual display

ASHLAND, Ky. — Community entries are needed for the sixth annual Scarecrow Spectacular at Boyd County Public Library.

The display, at the Main Branch, 1740 Central Ave., runs from Sept. 12 to 22. It will end with a reception for all the scarecrow makers, bidders and the general public at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. All monies raised from the auction will be used to fund programs at BCPL.

The display is a month earlier than in years past, in order to give people who bid on the scarecrows more time to take them home and enjoy them this fall.

Individuals, groups and businesses are invited to build and decorate a scarecrow and bring it to the Main Branch by Friday, Sept. 9, ready to display.

The scarecrows will remain on display, inside and outside the library, from Sept. 12 to 22, during which time the public is invited to look and vote on their favorite. Trophies will be awarded to the winners in the following categories: Funniest; Most Creative; Scariest; and People’s Choice.

A silent auction for some of the scarecrows will also take place during the display period. The remaining entries will be auction off during the Sept. 22 reception. Trophy winners and all high bids will be announced at the reception, and scarecrows can go home that night. There is no entry fee for the Scarecrow Spectacular, but scarecrows will not be returned to those who made them.

Scarecrow makers are asked to fill out a brief application, available at all three library branches or online, at www.thebookplace.org. Complete rules for the scarecrow display are also available at any branch or on the library’s web site. For more information, call Amanda Clark at (606) 329-0518, ext. 1140.

Free healthy heart and EKG screenings Sept. 6 and Sept. 29 in Ironton

IRONTON — King’s Daughters Medical Center is offering free healthy heart and EKG screenings during September to the residents of Ironton and Lawrence County.

The screenings will be held Tuesday, Sept. 6, and Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Kentucky Heart Institute Office on the lower level of the King’s Daughters Family Care Center – Ironton, 912 Park Ave. Screening appointments are available beginning at 9 a.m.

Results will be read by Kentucky Heart Institute cardiologist Tina Sias, M.D.

The screening includes an EKG, total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and blood oxygen levels, and is sponsored by King’s Daughters in cooperation with the Kentucky Heart Foundation. Appointments are required and may be made by calling 1.866.HEART.KY (432-7859). No fasting is required.

“People should take the time to know their numbers,” said nurse Tracy Woods of King’s Daughters Community Services, “because they can be indicators of potential heart problems, and early detection is the key.”

An EKG is a test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. It also is used to check the health of the heart, especially when conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are present.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for more than 34 percent of all deaths annually. Every 38 seconds, an American dies of cardiovascular disease, according to the American HeartAssociation.

KDMC is a locally controlled, not-for-profit, 465-bed regional referral center, offering comprehensive cardiac, vascular, medical, surgical, maternity, pediatric, rehabilitative, psychiatric, cancer, neurological, pain care, wound care and home care services. For additional information, visit us online at kdmc.com or call 1.888.377.KDMC (5362).