Woman pleads guilty to embezzling $1.1M

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Huntington woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1 million from clients of a health benefits company she owned.

Andrea Mills entered her plea Monday before U.S. district Judge Robert C. Chambers.

Mills formerly owned Allied Benefit Administrators Inc., a third-party administrator of employee health benefit claims.

She admitted embezzling $1.1 million in premiums that her clients paid for reinsurance. The reinsurance was to limit the clients’ exposure under the benefit plans they offered.

As a result of her actions, clients lost $2 million in health claims that should have been covered by reinsurance but were not.

Mill faces up to five years in prison, a fine and restitution during sentencing, set for Aug. 10.

Huntington council OKs $1 fee hike

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Huntington officials plan to give the public a full accounting of how revenue from the city’s user fee is spent.

City Council voted 8-3 Monday night to increase the weekly $2 fee by $1 to pay for additional police protection and street projects. The increase is expected to generate an additional $1.6 million in revenue annually.

Anyone who works in the city limits must pay the fee.

In response to concerns about transparency, the city plans to post revenue and expense statements on its Web site. That information also will be available on the city’s public access television channel and in paper copies at City Hall.

Operation TLC part of cleanup event

PROCTORVILLE — Operation TLC will be conducting its second cleanup of the spring on Saturday, May 2.

Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. for coffee and donuts at the Chesapeake Community Center and will then fan out to cover mainly the area between the downtown and east Huntington bridges. Free T-shirts to all first-timers.

At its first cleanup this year, Operation TLC volunteers picked up more than 230 bags of trash, and all-time record for the group. Contact Billie Smith at rksmith@zoominternet.net for further information.

Brown Bag series set for Wednesday

IRONTON — Ohio University Southern’s Brown Bag Concert Series will continue Wednesday.

Bridget Reynolds, accompanied by Phil Osborne, will perform at 12:15 p.m. in the Mains Rotunda of the Riffe Center.

The spring schedule includes:

May 6

Rebel By Heart

May 13

Marlene Ferguson

May 20

OUS Community Band

May 27

David Miller

June 6

Elizabeth Russell Melvin

The concerts are free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Nina L. Russell Queen, at 740.533.4548.