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County increases budget by $765,000
BY ROGER SMITHMOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court will conduct the second reading of its fiscal year 2022 budget in a meeting June 16. The $10,046,488 budget is a $765,000 increase over last year’s budget. Judge/Executive Colby Kirk conducted the first reading of the budget in the fiscal court’s May regular meeting. The…
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Third person arrested in Mingo murder
BY KYLE LOVERNFOR THE MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WILLIAMSON, W.Va. — The Mingo County Sheriff’s Department recently made a third arrest in connection with the March 31 murder of a Delbarton woman. Brittany Garlock, of Rockhouse Creek Road in Delbarton, was arrested May 23 in Charleston by the U.S. Marshal’s CUFFED Task Force on the charge of…
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Webb drowns in Paintsville Lake
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT PAINTSVILLE — The body of a 23-year-old man was recovered Sunday night in Paintsville Lake. Johnson County Coroner J.R. Frisby has identified the man as Kyle Webb of Thelma. Webb had reportedly been cliff diving on Pickle Fork when he entered the lake around 5:30 p.m. and never came up. Emergency crews…
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Two sentenced to life in prison
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT LONDON — Two Kentucky men will spend life in federal prison for two counts of kidnapping. Jake Messer, 39, of Rockholds, was given a life sentence May 31 by United States District Judge Robert E. Wier in London. His father, George Oscar Messer, 62, of Rockholds, was sentenced to life in prison…
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Martin County Arrest Report
INEZ — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk’s office reported the following arrests: Brandon Allen Jarrell, 37, of Warfield, was arrested Friday at Riverside Apartments on an indictment warrant. The indictment charges him with theft by unlawful taking or disposition $1,000-$10,000 and theft by unlawful taking or disposition $500-$1,000. Deputy Braxton McGinnis made the arrest. Kristi…
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Big Sandy Jail Blotter
APPALACHIAN NEWSPAPERSSTAFF REPORT PAINTSVILLE — Several people were arrested recently and lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center. Those arrested, according to the booking log at the jail, included: Tuesday, May 31 Johnny Skaggs, 30, of Winchester Avenue, Ashland, violating probation. Christina K. Fairchild, 35, of Paintsville, failure to pay fines and failure to…
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Courthouse Report 6/8/22
Deeds INEZ — Martin County Clerk Susie Skyles reported the following deeds recorded in her office: Loretta Smith, Mary Whitt (first party) to Johnny Whitt (second party). Lillian Stacy (first party) to Jackie Blackburn, Joann Reed (second party). Theresa Brooks (first party) to Matthew Dalton, Crystal Dalton (second party). Denise Bowen (first party) to Charles…
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Student loan debt causing ‘crippling’ financial stress
BY NADIA RAMLAGANKY NEWS CONNECTION Kentuckians collectively owe more than $20 million in student loan debt, and a new informal survey sheds light on how hefty student-loan payments affect the lives of borrowers in the Commonwealth. Research from the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy found nearly one in five residents owe student debt, including 20,000…
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Gov. Beshear stops state gas tax hike
FRANKFORT — Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration filed an emergency regulation Thursday to freeze the state gas tax and to prevent a 2-cent increase per gallon that would have taken effect July 1. “Kentuckians cannot afford to pay more, and I am committed to doing everything I can to help keep more dollars in people’s pockets,”…
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Carter cited for littering
WARFIELD — A Martin County man who allegedly tossed trash from his vehicle will answer a criminal littering citation in court. Martin County Deputy Felix Lafferty cited 61-year-old Rutt Carter after seeing him throw trash in front of the Warfield Church of God May 27. “I stopped him and made him pick it up,” Lafferty…