5.17.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Now we turn to the reading of the Hazard Herald
for news and Hazard and Perry County. Your reader Today's
Eric Everett and will begin with the online edition dated
May fifteenth, twenty twenty five, which the publishers have donated
to the Radio Y as a reminder. The Radio I
is reading service intended for people who are blind to

(00:24):
have other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
In our top story today, report overdosed down by fifty
percent in Perry County. Drug overdose deaths in Perry County
dropped by fifty percent in twenty twenty four, marking one
of the sharpest declines in Eastern Kentucky, according to the

(00:46):
latest fatality report released by the Kentucky Office of Drug
Control Policy. According to the report, a total of twelve
Perry County residents died of drug overdoses last year, down
from twenty four in twenty twenty three. The county's age
adjusted mortality rate also fell from ninety three point three

(01:07):
to forty three point six deaths for one hundred thousand residents,
Aligning with a broader statewide trend. It saw Kentucky's total
overdose deaths declined by more than thirty percent. We were
very excited to see that the number of overdose deaths
had declined in the most recent report since Scott Lockhart,

(01:29):
Kentucky River Health District Director, Twenty twenty three was a
very high number for us here in Perry County. In
twenty twenty two, there were twelve overdoses reported, and then
in twenty twenty three he had taken a huge jump
to twenty four. Seeing that number come back down is
great and there's been a lot of effort made to

(01:50):
increase the distribution of naast alone and narcan. Lockard credited
ongoing outreach for helping drive the chain. Us at the
Health Department have been distributing narkhan at community events, he said.
We have it available through our syringe exchange program. We

(02:13):
also have the Naxilon boxes on the outside of the
Health Department. Narkhan is readily available as well with a
lot of our community partners. The FQHC Primary Care Center
and others are doing a lot of work around the
substance abuse disorder and helped distribute Narkhan to the community.

(02:36):
Lockhart said Perry County's recent certification as a recovery ready
community also played a major role in fostering partnerships and
a unified response. Another thing that we've been doing with
the community is working with all the community partners here,
Lockhart said. The Recovery Ready community certification that was also

(02:59):
received by County was huge. So many partners come together
and do all that they can to acknowledge the substance
abuse disorder problem and work together to address the problem.
This problem is too big for any one agency or
entity to deal with by themselves. It takes all of
us working together in the medical community, the public health community,

(03:24):
the mental health community, law enforcement, the faith based community,
all of us coming together to address these issues. Lockhart
highlighted law enforcements efforts to provide support over punishment for
those battling addiction. I want to give credit to our
law enforcement community, he said, for helping to decrease the

(03:45):
number of overdoses. They're creating an environment where they're not
looking to incarcerate individuals for using substances or having an addiction,
but supporting those individuals by trying to help them get help. Obviously,
if you break the law, if you're trafficking, or if
you're dealing, they're going to do everything in their power

(04:07):
to arrest you and prosecute you. But if you have
an addiction, they're going to try and support you to
get help too. The police chief here at the Hazard
Police Department, Sheriff Joe Engel, and other Kentucky State Police posts,
they all work favor very favorably together to try and
help individuals who are suffering from an addiction to get

(04:30):
the treatment that they need. Lockhard pointed to the Kentucky
State Police's Angel Initiative as a critical support mechanism. The
Angel initiative with the Kentucky State Police is huge. Lockhart said.
If any one can walk into the police post here
and say I need help, I need treatment, they will

(04:50):
transport them to get treatment. They will get them into
a residential bed. Lockhart also praised local judicial leadership for
supporting individuals seeking recovery. Judge Alison Wells has been a
tremendous leader in the work of dealing with substance abuse disorder,
he said, working with individuals and changing the culture about

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individuals who suffer from substance abuse disorder. Individuals who have
issues with an addiction, No one's disease should define them.
I am not a hypersensitive because I am a person
who has high blood pressure, so the same thing with
someone who has a substance abuse disorder. We need to

(05:35):
create that culture where we're not identifying these people by
their disease. He emphasized that substance use disorder is a
medical condition that requires understanding and access to treatment. Substance
abuse disorder is a disease, he said, I know it's
hard for some people to understand that. For some people's

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brains are just predisposed to addiction unlike others are. They
are wired differently, and we need to understand that. We
need to make sure that they get the treatment they need.
Rapid access to a treatment has also dramatically improved, according
to Lockhart. Another thing that's huge. If we have somebody

(06:20):
who comes to our legal exchange program and says they
need treatment, we can locate them abed within a matter
of hours. He said. It used to be days or
weeks or months before we could find them a treatment bed,
but now that can happen almost immediately, and that is huge.
We have so many different agencies working together to treat

(06:43):
people with respect and dignity and make sure that they're
getting whatever resources they need. Lockhart also credited the region's
emergency medical services with taking a proactive approach. Our EMS
services have what's called I'll leave it behind kit. He said,
if they respond to an overdose, they leave behind a

(07:05):
kit of supplies that contains NARCAN and information about the
substance abuse services offered in those communities, and those have
a huge impact as well. Lockhart said, partnerships throughout Perry
County have been essential. Our partners here Primary Care, Sandy Boucher,

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the team over here. They are wonderful partners in this work,
as are so many different entities in the community. Kentucky
River Community Care Perry County is truly blessed a our age.
We have so many partners that are all on the
same page of the hymndal, all singing the same song.

(07:48):
We want to get people help who are suffering from addiction.
We want to make sure Narkhan is in the hands
of our first responders and the general public. We want
to educate those that suffer from addiction to never use
a loan, to always plan, to have an emergency plan
should they overdose, that they should always have Narkhan available

(08:11):
to administer, and not to be afraid to call nine
to one one to get help if they needed and
in our next story, local filmmakers premiere documentary spotlighting the
rise and fall of app harvest. A team of four
film students from Morehead State University introduced the debut documentary

(08:34):
Overripe to local audiences during multiple screenings hosted by Apologues.
The film, which explores the trajectory of app harvest, the
once celebrated agricultural tech startup based in eastern Kentucky, was
produced by Hazard Boys Production, a newly formed group of

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young filmmakers Luke Dixon twenty of Hazard, Having Glover twenty
one of Pikeville, Connor Hammonds twenty two of Hazard, and
me Danan Shell twenty two of Hazard. The idea for
the documentary began as an academic endeavor proposed by a
faculty mentor. Last semester, our faculty advisor, Stephen Middleton, approached

(09:21):
us and asked if we would be interested in doing
a documentary focused independent study course at Hammonds. We tossed
around a couple of ideas at first, but ultimately settled
on telling the story of the app harvest as it
was such an important topic to the region and we
felt that it needed to be talked about more. The

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team has since presented Overripe at multiple screenings across the region,
including au premier in Moorhead and Pikeville, two Apologue events
that featured public discussions following the view in the Apalogue's
events were really special because there was a dedicated time
for discussions after the screenings. Glover said. Those discussions felt

(10:06):
very connecting and productive, and we all learn so much
from them. The response has been fantastic overall, and it
seems like people are critically thinking about the documentary as
well as Appalachian business ventures like app Harvest. The team
hopes the film has a life beyond the classroom and

(10:26):
intends to continue promoting it through digital platforms and film festivals.
We spent so much time working on overrip though, we
don't just want it to be a one and done thing,
said Dixon. We've already posted it on YouTube and on
the channel Evan Glover, and there are plans on sending
it into as many film festivals as possible. This film

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won't be the only project that we make all together.
We all work amazing together and have skills that compliment
each other, and were all very close for its ends,
so be on the lookout for more Hazard Boy productions
in the future, because we're not letting it end here.
As they looked to the future, the group made sure
to recognize those who helped bring their first film to life.

(11:14):
I want to give us special thanks to our instructor
Stephen Middleton, Matthew Kistenmacher, and John Flavell at m s
U for helping us with this project. We couldn't have
done it without their help and guidance, said Danion Snell
and Now In this week's obituaries, Elmer Eldridge Elmer Joseph Eldridge,

(11:39):
twenty four died Friday, May ninth, twenty twenty five at
the UK Hospital. George Fields George Kelley Streaker Fields, seventy
one of Lot's Creek died Thursday May eighth, twenty twenty
five at the Greg and Nooring Wells Hospice Care Center.

(12:01):
Emily Herald Emily Rose Harold twenty three died Monday May sixth,
twenty twenty five at the University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Robert Little Robert Lee Little, thirty nine of Hazard died
Tuesday May sixth, twenty twenty five at the Hazard Medical Center.

(12:24):
Bryan Wooton thirty five died Wednesday, May seventh, twenty twenty five,
at the Whitesburg a r H. And in the next story,
AARH honors exceptional nursing staff at special awards banquet, from
a nurse legend who began her AARH career in nineteen

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seventy one to a recent graduate whose professionalism and leadership
have already made her a standout. Appalachian Regional Healthcare celebrated
outstanding nursing professionals from across the healthcare system at its
first Nursing Excellence Award banquet on May sixth and Pikeville.

(13:06):
The celebration, according to a statement from ARH, comes as
part of arh's broader recognition of National Nurses Week, honoring
the vital role of nurses and advancing health care excellence.
The awards honor of exemplary dedication and performance of team
members who go above and beyond in patient care and nursing,

(13:29):
the statement said. The statement said that those honored were
selected for consistently demonstrating exceptional performance on wavering commitment to
the patient care and making meaningful contributions to the nursing
profession at ARH. The awards span multiple roles across the

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health care system, with six individuals receiving five awards, highlighting
excellence at bedside care, underscoring RASH focused on the compassionate,
excellent care. Nurses, leaders, educators and patients support staff also
received awards. Our nurses and support staff are the heart

(14:13):
of our organizations that ARH system. Chief Nursing Officer Jeanine
Karen DNP RN NEABC. This event is our opportunity to
recognize those who embody the values of our mission every day,
making a lasting impression on the patients and communities we serve.

(14:35):
The statement said, Nurses are the foundation of healthcare, providing comfort, advocacy, hope,
and clinical care, whether at the bedside, in clinics or
in patients home, their presence often marks the beginning of healing.
Nursing leads with skill and heart, forming deep connections with
patients and families during their most vulnerable moments. Act of

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nurses is immeasurable. The twenty twenty five Nursing Excellence Award
winners are Sarah Pennington, Morgan County ARH Hospital, rn Impatient
Amy holderby Morgan County ARH Hospital RN Outpatient Michelle ambergay Hazard,

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ARH Regional Medical Center, Home Health Services, Melissa Morgan Beckley
ARH Hospital, Carrica Ordination, Brittany Reid Beckley ARH Hospital Nurse
Led Team Excellence, Stacy Pittman Beckley ARH Hospital Nurse Leaded

(15:45):
Team Excellence, Alta Darling Kirk tug Valley, ARH Regional Medical
Center Preceptor Mentor Myra Rose Beckley ARH Hospital Nurse Education,
Loretta Trivett Somers County AARH Hospital Licensed Practical Nurse, Emma

(16:09):
Lambert Beckley AARH Hospital, Licensed Practical Nurse, Pelicium, Maydore Beckley
ARH Hospital Emerging Nurse Leader, Charlie Brock, Mary Breckinridge AIRH
Hospital Rising Star, Wendy Martin, Highland's ARH Regional Medical Center

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Nurse Director, Linda Craft, Mary Breckinridge AIRH Hospital, Nurse Executives,
Migelle Justice, Our Lady of the Way ARH Hospital Patient
Care Support, Hospital Lead of Music Our Lady of the
Way ARH Hospital Nurse Legends and in our next story,

(16:57):
ferryman charged with attempted murder. A Perry County man is
facing charges including at tempted murder following a May sixth incident.
According to a citation written by Perry County Sheriff's Deputy
Jamerson Montgomery, on May sixth, the agency received a call
reporting that Dalton Comber, twenty fourth, of Mudlock Road, had

(17:21):
shot his brother through the door. Montgomery wrote that when
he made contact with Comer, Coma was in possession of
a sawed off four ten shotgun and threw it on
the ground when he saw the deputy. Comber, the citation said,
told the deputy he knew he had shot his brother
through the door and heard him fall to the ground.

(17:43):
Coma was lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail on
charges of attempted murder and first degree wanton and endangerment
discharge of a firearm. Next up, several charged in Perry
District Court. Charges were filed against several recently in Perry
District Court. The charges included misdemeanor cases Lindsay Nicole Johnson

(18:09):
thirty two a jasmine court hazard theft, Claude Campbell sixty six,
a pigeon roost Lower Second Creek, Bonneyman fishing law violation,
Dicky Wells forty seven of a Kentucky seven viper public intoxication,
third degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of

(18:32):
a prescription not in the proper container. Joseph Noble thirty
eight A Punch and Creek Road, Jackson, possession of marijuana
and endangering the welfare of a miner. Kelsey K. Needham
thirty two of Outer Reef Drive Chavez, third degree possession

(18:54):
of a controlled substance unspecified and possession of a prescription
drug not in a proper container. William Cody Vestel thirty
one of Old Gray Stunton Road, Johnson City, Tennessee CDL
violations felony cases. Dalton Comer twenty four of Mudlick Busy

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attempted murder and first degree wanton endangerment for the discharge
of a firearm. Stephen B. Jones twenty seven of Lost
Creek Road Hazard, fourth degree assault, domestic violence, minor injury
convicted felon in possession of a firearm and menacing. Michael

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Womble thirty seven of Hardburley Road, Buckhorn Fugitive from justice.
Scottie Shephard fifty four of Mudlick Road, Ava WAM, first
degree trafficking in a control of substance greater than or
equal to two grams of methamphetamine, third degree possession of

(20:00):
a controlled substance drug unspecified, three counts, possession of drug
payphernalia DUI, and trafficking charges. James R. Baker, forty seven
of Kentucky eighty avawam first degree trafficking in a controlled
substance greater than or equal to two grams of methamphetomy,

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third degree possession of a controlled substance drug unspecified, three counts,
possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with evidence. Alexandria Adams
thirty six of Kentucky four to seventy six Bulan, first
degree endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree fleeing

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or evading police on foot, menacing, and third degree terroristic threatening.
Stephen rock Jones thirty seven of Lost Creek Road Hazard,
first degree promoting contraband, first offense traffic and a controlled
substance ventanyl, third degree possession of a controlled substance unspecified,

(21:08):
and tampering with physical evidence. In the editor's note, the
above list reflects people who are charged in Perry District Court.
The charges against them are merely accusations and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty and next k R

(21:29):
R J the inmate caught with fentanyl and saboxen. A
hazard man was arrested on several charges after he was
allegedly caught in the Kentucky River Regional Jail with fentanyl
and saboxen. According to a citation written by jail Deputy
Bryant Holand on May eighth, and made Stephen Brock Jones,

(21:52):
thirty seven, of Lost Creek Road Hazard, who is being
strip searched because he possibly had contraband. The citation said
Jones tried to swallow them a blue bag that had
a large amount of what appeared to be fentanyl and
one savoktone pill inside. Hollan wrote that he took the
baggie into evidence to be transferred to be lab tested.

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Jones was charged for first degree promoting contraband, first offense
trafficking and a controlled substance fetanyl, third degree possession of
a controlled substance unspecified, and tampering with physical evidence and own.
A report from the Kentucky State Police traffic stop leads

(22:38):
to meth trafficking charges against Duo two Perry County men
are facing several charges, including that they were trafficking and
meth andphetamine following a traffic stop on May eighth, According
to court documents written by Kentucky State Police Trooper Patrick Bailey,
on May eighth, he conducted a traffic stop on a

(22:59):
nineteen ninety eight eight Ford Explorer driven by Scottie Shepherd
fifty four of mud Lick Road AVOAM. During the course
of the stop, Bailey wrote, Trooper Ryan Couch saw the passenger,
James R. Baker, fifty seven of Kentucky eighty ava WAM,
throw something out of the window into a private yard. Couch,

(23:21):
the citation said, obtained permission to get the item out
of the yard and found that it was a glass
pipe used for smoking methanphetami. Both men, Bailey wrote, smelled
of alcohol, and the trooper found another glass pipe on
Shepherd's person. During a search of the vehicle, Bailey wrote,
officers found a black magnetic box which contained three individual

(23:46):
plastic baggies containing suspected methophetami. Neither man would take responsibility
for the drug. Bakers lodged in the Kentucky River Regional
Jail on charges the first degree trafficking in a controlled
substance greater than are equal to two grams of methanphetamine,
third degree possession of a controlled substance drug unspecified, three

(24:10):
counts possession of drug paraphernalia, and tampering with evidence. Shepherd
is lodged in the jail on charges of first degree
trafficking and a control of substance greater than are equal
to two grams of methanphetamine, third degree possession of a
controlled substance drug unspecified to three counts possession of drug

(24:32):
paraphernalia DUI, and traffic charges. And now let's take a
moment to look at events happening in and around Hazard.
The Perry County Clerk's Office will have a County Board
of Election meeting every first Tuesday at nine a m.
Dayton time may vary. May fifteenth. The Hazard Board of Education,

(24:55):
located at seven O five Main Street, Hazard will hold
a regularly called meeting on the May fifteenth at Hazard
High School located at one fifty seven Bulldog Lane, at
five thirty pm. On June second, Rehearsals for Sing Out
Loud and Clear our Community July fourth show will begin

(25:15):
Monday June second, and each Monday in June from six
to seven pm at Bowmen Memorial on High Street. The
performance will be July fourth evening at the Hazard Amphitheater.
Singers ages, high school and younger will be rehearsing the songs.
Leta Patterson and Judy Couch will be directing the show.

(25:39):
Come ready to sing out, and we will wrap things
up today with the Thought of the Week by Chaplain
Gary Sloane. Our brave police officers remain under constant scrutiny
and attack from the general public to the national media.
Every action is analyzed under microscope. Obviously, any bad officers

(26:03):
need to be removed. But for every bad officer, there
are hundreds out there serving and protecting us. So remember
our law enforcement in your prayers each day, for they
definitely need them. But I set are the peacemakers, for
they should be called the children of God Matthew five nine.

(26:26):
And that's all we have time for today. This concludes
the reading of the Hazard Herald for today, which is
donated to the RADIOI by the publishers. Please stay tuned
for continued programming. Thank you for joining me and behalf on,
behalf of everyone here. At the RADIOI. This is Eric Everett,
wishing you a great day.