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Beauty man charged after starving dog found chained outside
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN BEAUTY — A Beauty man was arrested May 6 after Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said deputies found a severely malnourished dog chained outside a kennel and too weak to walk normally. Dustin Clay, 46, was charged with second-degree cruelty to animals after Kirk investigated a complaint at a residence
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Woman jailed in attempted child abduction case
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN MATEWAN, W.Va. — A Mingo County woman faces a felony charge after state police say she grabbed a young girl outside her home and claimed the child was her missing daughter. West Virginia State Police arrested Brittany Lashay Akers, 29, of Red Jacket, on a charge of attempted abduction of
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Orange creek causes alarm, citizen probe in Mingo County
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN DELBARTON-RAGLAND, W.Va. — When water in a Mingo County stream turned the color of “tomato soup,” residents did not wait for answers. They started asking their own questions, collecting samples and demanding to know what is flowing through their creek. Residents in the Ragland and Delbarton area began reporting a
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Eviction call spirals into arrest, threats against U.S. presidents
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN DEBORD — What began as a routine eviction in a Debord home unraveled Monday when a woman claiming to be a CIA agent allegedly threatened to kill both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, landing her in jail on first-degree terroristic threatening charges and drawing federal attention, authorities said. According to
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French bulldog’s sudden paralysis highlights tick danger in the Tug Valley
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN DINGESS, W.Va. — As warmer weather settles across the Tug Valley region, veterinarians are warning pet owners about a sharp rise in cases of tick paralysis. This potentially fatal neurological condition can leave dogs unable to walk within days. The concern became personal for the Walker family of Dingess, West
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Woman dies after apparent dog attack
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN MAYTOWN — A Floyd County woman died Sunday after an apparent dog attack along Railroad Street in the Maytown community, authorities said. Cynthia “Cindy” Patton Prater was found unresponsive in the roadway shortly before 3 p.m., according to the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office. Floyd County Coroner Greg Nelson responded and
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Pike grand jury indicts 22
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — The Pike County grand jury returned indictments against 22 individuals April 21, including several defendants facing drug, firearm and bail-jumping charges. Margaret Adkins, 67, of Pikeville, has been indicted on a single misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking (less than $300). Tina Adkins, 48, of Phelps, stands
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Johnson County grand jury indicts 11
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Johnson County grand jury returned indictments against 11 individuals April 17 on charges ranging from assault and drug trafficking to theft and weapons offenses. James Blevins, 33, of Paintsville, was indicted on one felony count of theft by unlawful taking over $1,000 (shoplifting). According to the indictment,
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Missing woman found dead
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PRESTONSBURG — The body found April 21 down an embankment along Kentucky Route 1428 in Floyd County has been identified as Kayla Reffett, 38, of Prestonsburg, who had been missing since March 30. Kentucky State Police Post 9 in Pikeville said deputies with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office discovered Reffitt’s
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Lawrence County grand jury indicts 14
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LOUISA — Fourteen people were indicted April 9 by the Lawrence County grand jury on charges that include major drug trafficking, assault, burglary, theft and incest. Jimmy Castle, 48, of Paintsville, was indicted on one count of second-degree assault. The charge stems from an alleged incident May 2, 2025. According
