7.5.25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Now we turn to the reading of the Hazard Herald
for news of Hazzard and Perry County Onmley Townshend. We
begin with the online edition dated July third, twenty twenty five.
As a reminder, Radio Eyes or Reading service intended for
people who are blind or have other disabilities that make
it difficult to read printed material. Physcal Court approves side

(00:23):
by side regulations to boost trail access and tourism By
Justin Begley, the Perry County Physical Court has adopted new
regulations that align with recently passed state legislation allowing certain
side by side off road vehicles to operate on county
and state roads provided they meet specific street legal requirements.

(00:48):
Perry Judge Executive Scott Alexander said the move is aimed
at expanding trail access and supporting tourism in the region.
If people want to and who this is geared towards
more than anyone as tourists. As we open up our
trail systems, they can get their side by sides inspected

(01:09):
and if they meet the requirements the standards that are required,
they can tag it and ride them on certain roads,
said Alexander. Alexander noted that One of the primary benefits
is the improved conductivity between trailheads, making it easier for
riders to navigate longer stretches without needing to haul their vehicles.

(01:30):
It will make it easier to get from one trailhead
to another, he said, maybe you need to get a
county road or a state road to get to the
next trail. This will allow us to expand our trails,
and we hope that changes people from staying one to
two days to three days or more. We look at
ways to get people to spend more nights in Appalachia

(01:51):
and East Kentucky, and by linking our trails, we know
that's a way they'll stay longer. The vehicles must meet
specific safety standards to qualify, including having lights, turn signals, mirrors,
and in many cases inclosed cabins. They do have to
meet certain standards. Alexander said, they need lights, turn signals, mirrors,

(02:15):
and I believe they have to be enclosed. So those
are guidelines and restrictions. If you've got a four wheeler,
I don't think that will qualify. Alexander encouraged those unsure
about their vehicle's eligibility to consult with the sheriff's department
or local dealers. If you're wondering if your vehicle is roadworthy,
you can check with the sheriff's department to get exact spects.

(02:37):
He said. We adopted what the state passed in order
to get side by side legal. We also have two
local businesses that sell side by sides and they can
contact those as well to find out what the specific
the specifications are. I hear they also are selling kits
now to retro fit older models to help make them streatly.

(03:00):
But this is a choice. If you want to ride
on county and state roads, they have to be street legal.
Doctor indicted in Perry County Peel conspiracy. A doctor who
owned a Chicago clinic whose receptionist is serving a sentence
related to the distribution of oxycodone and methadone in Perry
County is facing a federal indictment charging him with committing

(03:24):
the same crime. According to court documents of June twenty sixth,
the federal grand jury in London indicted doctor Ranjit Singh Wahi,
who is listed an online documentation as practicing at Midwest
Physician Pain Center, a clinic in Chicago. Further, according to

(03:45):
records in the Illinois Secretary of State's office, Wahie is
listed as the president and secretary for Midwest Physician Pain Center,
which is not listed as being in good standing. According
to the indictment, between twenty nineteen and November twenty twenty two,
in Perry County and elsewhere, while he conspired with others

(04:08):
to distribute and dispense outside the scope of professional practice
and not for legitimate medical purpose, a quantity of pills
containing controlled substances, to include oxycodone and methadone. The charge
carries a maximum twenty year prison sentence and a one
million dollar fine if why he is convicted. Judith Hersky,

(04:30):
fifty seven, the former receptionist at Midwest Physician Pain Center,
is currently serving a two year prison sentence on a
charge of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and methodone. According to
her plea agreement, beginning in twenty nineteen through November twenty
twenty two, Harsty conspired with others to distribute oxycodone and

(04:53):
methodone while she was working at the clinic. During the
conspiracy conframe, According to a statement from the U. S.
Attorney's Office, numerous Prairie County patients regularly traveled to the
clinic and without seeing a doctor, they paid Harsky at
cash COPEI. Harsky, the statement said, then filled out prescriptions

(05:14):
that were previously signed by the absent owner physician for oxycodone,
methodone and other control of substances. Harsky never possessed prescribing authority.
When law enforcement ultimately executed a search warrant on November eighteenth,
twenty twenty two, the statement said they recovered five hundred

(05:34):
and forty one blank pre signed prescriptions from Harsky's office,
including thirty from her purse. Harsky is set to complete
her sentence in June twenty twenty six, according to US
Bureau of Prison records, while he is set to make
an initial appearance in US District Court in London on
July ninth. Buckhorn Addiction Recovery Program. Working to raise awareness,

(06:00):
the buck Orange Children and Family Services Addiction Recovery Program,
hosted an open house Wednesday, June eighteenth, inviting community members
and partners to tour its inpatient cottages and learn more
about its services. Chief financial officer Joy Delizl said the
current program, which is in its third year, has several

(06:22):
vacant beds and hopes to raise awareness about its role
as a resource and addiction recovery. We want to make
people aware of what we're doing, she said. We're trying
to get the word out and get referral partners. We
have this great service and wonderful opportunity and we want
to really help people in the community, but we can't
do that if people don't know we exist. The program

(06:45):
is located on a farm and features two cottages, one
for men and one for women, each with twelve individual rooms.
The cottages are equipped with bathrooms, common rooms, dining rooms,
and kitchens and offer a variety of services including individual therapy,
family therapy, peer support, life skills training, and educational activities.

(07:08):
Residents also have access to outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking,
and farming. Each individual has their own bedroom, which is
pretty rare. Delaizel said, we want to make sure they
have privacy and time to themselves. She emphasized that the
program focuses on preparing clients to return to the workforce

(07:29):
and build independent lives. We offer our clients a range
of therapeutic services, she said, such as peer support services,
case management, and daily living skills. That's huge. Some people
don't know how to budget, or clean or cook properly,
so that's all been built in to prepare them to

(07:50):
return to the workforce. The Lisle said the farm setting
provides unique opportunities for growth. Here on the farm, we
give them a ants to work with the animals, she said.
We're in the process of expanding the pen so we
can bring in more horses. We also have goats and chickens.
We're really looking forward to that program taking off. We

(08:12):
want to teach basic grooming skills or skills and more.
It's always nice to take care of something other than
yourself and have a sense of responsibility. Being out here
in nature allows people to heal without having to deal
with all of the external factors. Community liaison Devin Wilson,

(08:33):
who came through the program in twenty twenty two, shared
her personal experience. I came through this program in twenty
twenty two, Wilson said, I stayed four months here. When
I got here, I was broken and I had to heal.
Once I healed, I was educated by the staff here.
I was pushed to my full potential. Therapy is huge here.

(08:55):
It's okay to ask for help. We're not meant to
handle everything on our own. I found myself here when
I got out of treatment. I went back to college
and got my education, got my degree, and now I
work here. This place and our staff is all about
love and compassion, and that's what people in recovery probably

(09:16):
need the most. We offer that. Wilson highlighted some of
the other services the program provides. We offer cooking classes,
exercise classes, painting classes. We also take them hiking and
getting them out in nature. We focus on healing from
the inside out here. Eliza said that the program addresses

(09:37):
both addiction and mental health in therapy. We're not just
treating addiction recovery, we're also treating mental health, she said.
As a faith based nonprofit, Deliza loaded the program relies
on community support. Donations are always something we're in need of,
she said. We want to build relationships and work without

(10:00):
treatment centers so we can give referrals and give people
the help that they need. She said, the facility is
eager to serve more individuals in need. We're committed to
helping those who are most vulnerable in our community to
deal and recover, she said. We want them to have
a firm foundation to start their recovery journey. We have

(10:21):
lots of opportunities here with dedicated staff who all share
the same vision. Charging station opens and Hazard is part
of statewide program EV fast chargers are now open at
the Apple Market and Hazard. The station, according to a
statement from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, is supported by federal

(10:42):
funds and part of Kentucky's EV charging program, which is
expanding the network of EV chargers across the state. Kentucky
is building out an accessible, convenient, and affordable EV charging
network to serve the needs and driving choices of all Kentuckians,
said Governor Andy Basher. Having our first site opened in

(11:03):
eastern Kentucky is a milestone we're proud of that supports
reliable connections across the state. The Hazard site, located at
ten seventy nine Morton Boulevard, has two units capable of
charging four vehicles at one hundred and fifty kilowatts each
and is part of the Electric Era on network. The

(11:24):
statement said the Apple Market is the third station to
come online as part of the federally funded National Electric
Vehicle Infrastructure Program. Sites are opened in Berea and Richmond.
The Apple Market is operated by a subsidiary of Arko Corporation,
one of the largest convenience store operators and fuel wholesalers

(11:46):
in the United States. We're excited to work with the
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet the ADEV charging capabilities to this Apple
Market location, said ri Cottler, CEO of r CO Corp.
EV charging at this location augments the convenience and in
store experience we offer our customers, the statement said. The

(12:08):
Hazard site was approved in May twenty twenty four and
awarded nearly five hundred eighty four thousand dollars through the
EV charging program for the project. Summer in the Park
Presents Beatlejuice Junior, a little theater of Hazard. Youth players
brought spooky, fine and musical mayhem for this year's Summer

(12:30):
in the Park event with the performance of Beatlejuice Junior
June twenty eighth at Bobby Davis Park. Adapted from the
Griffin Company film, the production features a book by Scott
Brown and Anthony King, with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect.
The story, created by Michael McDonald and Larry Wilson, follows

(12:51):
Lydia Diets, a team drawn from the afterlife who finds
herself entangled with a ghostly couple and the mischievous demon
beel Juice. Skin and Wellness Center at Primary Care opens
with focus on esthetics, dermatology, and women's health. The Hazard
Prairie County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony

(13:13):
June thirtieth to welcome the Skin and Wellness Center to
Primary Care, Suite eight hundred. The news center offers a
range of services across three key areas, esthetics, dermatology, and
women's health. The Skin and Wellness Center is staffed by
Madison Patrick, msn Ascetics nurse injector, Lourie Howard, APR in Dermatology,

(13:37):
Ammanda Vanderpool, APR in Women's health, and Sheena Miller Sweet
eight hundred, Office manager in esthetics. We provide both Allergan
and Galderma neurotoxins at dermal fillers, as well as chemical
peels and medical grade skin care products, said Patrick. We're

(13:57):
excited to continue expanding our aesthetics offerings to better serve
patients across the region. Patrick said her work is deeply
meaningful to her, both professionally and personally. Working in this
field truly feels like leaving my dream job, and I'm
incredibly passionate about what I do, and it's rewarding to

(14:18):
offer luxurious, high quality services locally, so our clients no
longer have to travel hours to receive the care they deserve.
Our women's Health team provides wellness exams, hormone support, and
a variety of other services designed to empower and support
women's well being. Patrick said, We're grateful to be part

(14:39):
of Primary Care's mission to improve access to essential health
care in our region. Baird named the Community Trust Bank
Court Board of Directors. Community Trust Bank Corp Incorporated announced
to the statement of June twenty seventh, the appointment of
David L. Bert to its board of Directors. A native
of Pipe bol, It, is an attorney and shareholder at

(15:02):
Baird and Baird PSC and Pipe Bull. He earned a
Bachelor of Science degree from the Richard T. Farmer School
of Business at Miami University in Ohio. He earned his
Juris Doctor from Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Northern
Kentucky University in Holland Heights. Baird's legal practice has concentrated

(15:24):
on mineral and environmental law, real property and contract litigation,
business transactions and bankruptcy, creditor and general practice. He's a
member of the Kentucky Bar Associate Association and the Pike
County Bar Association. Trump picks a lawyer who served in
Beviin administration for federal judgeship in Kentucky. Republican President Donald

(15:49):
Trump is reviving his Democratic predecessor's choice for a federal
judgeship in Kentucky. Chad Meredith, who served in the Republican
administrations of Kentucky Governor Matt Bevan and Attorney General Daniel Cameron,
is Trump's choice to succeed Judge Danny Reeves in the
Eastern District of Kentucky, Trump announced on social media. Trump

(16:12):
announced his plan to nominate Meredith in a post on
x calling him a courageous patriot who knows what's required
to uphold the rule of law and protect our constitution.
Meredith's chance to be nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden
in twenty twenty two was tanked by Kentucky Senator Ran Paul,

(16:33):
a Republican. Biden abandoned his plans to nominate Meredith after
Paul vowed to block his confirmation in the Senate. This time,
Paul is supporting Meredith. The association reports. Meredith, the son
of State Senator Stephen Meredith, a Republican from Litchfield, is
a partner in the law firm Squire Patent Boggs. He

(16:55):
served as Kentucky's Solicitor General from twenty nineteen to two
two twenty one, when Cameron was Attorney General, and before
that as Chief Deputy Council in Bevans administration. On Thursday,
the Kentucky Democratic Party has issued a statement criticizing the
nomination and highlighting Meredith's role in Bevans pardons. Chad Meredith

(17:18):
has no business being on the federal bench after helping
orchestrate pardons of murderers and child rapists. After graduating from
the University of Kentucky College of Law in two thousand
and seven, Meredith clerk for Judge John M. Roberts in
the US sixth District Court of Appeals and also for
Judge almil R. Farpar, now a Federal Appeals Court judge,

(17:42):
when he was a judge in Kentucky's Eastern District. Reeves,
who has taken senior judge status, was nominated in two
thousand and one by Republican President George W. Bush hazard
man facing federal kidnapp in charge. A Hazard man has
been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges including kidnapping.

(18:05):
The grand jury returned to the indictments on June twenty
sixth against Andrew Ray Oliver, twenty sixth of Oakwood Avenue,
linked to an April incident in Perry County. According to
a statement from the Hazard Police Department, on April twenty seventh,
the agency received a call reporting a kidnapping at Hopper Circle.

(18:25):
Officers responded, and the statement said, were able to identify
Oliver as the suspect. HPD Captain Keith Gwynn and Officer
Lucas Davis were able to locate Oliver and the juvenile
on an ATV at the intersection of Kentucky four seventy
six and Lots Creek Road. While looking back at the officers,

(18:46):
and statement said, Oliver drove the ATV over an embankment,
causing both he and the juvenile to be thrown from
the vehicle. The juvenile, the statement said, suffered minor injuries,
but was medically cleared and retur turned to his mother.
According to the indictment, Oliver kidnapped the child for the
purpose of eliciting communication from the child's mother and using

(19:08):
a cell phone and Facebook messenger in committing the offense.
Oliver was further indicted on a charge of possession of
a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the indictment,
if convicted on the kidnapping charge, Oliver could be sentenced
to a maximum term of life in prison, while the
firearm charge carries a maximum prison sentence of fifteen years.

(19:33):
Federal Judge Grant's injunction preventing closure of job Core Centers.
A federal judge is issued an injunction temporarily preventing the
closure of ninety nine job Corse centers across the United States,
including the Carl D. Perkins Job Corp Center in Prestonsburg.
In May, the US Department of Labor notified the centers,

(19:56):
all operated by contractors, of their impending enclosure, citing a
deficit incurred in the previous year and an extended deficit
this year. Job Corps was created to help young adults
build a pathway to a better life through education, training,
and community, said Labor Secretary Lourie Chavez Drimer in a statement. However,

(20:21):
a startling number of serious incident reports and in our end,
deft physical analysis reveal the program as no longer achieving
the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to
ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected
with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate

(20:44):
the program's possibilities. On June fourth, US District Judge Andrew L.
Carter Junior in the Southern District of New York issued
a temporary injunction in the case. On June twenty fifth,
Carter entered on order which will keep the injunction in
place during the course of litigation over the closures. In order,

(21:06):
Carter noted the Department of Labor overstepped its authority in
making the decision. Once Congress has passed legislation stating that
a program like the Job Corps must exist and set
aside funding for that program, the DOL is not free
to do as it pleases. It's required to enforce the
laws as intended by Congress. From the opinion page get

(21:30):
over It by US Cassiday. Irony is a man who
has not collected a private sector paycheck in a longer
period than I've been alive, being completely aloof to the
sufferings of both fellow government aid recipients and the people
he's supposed to be getting paid to serve. On December one,

(21:50):
nineteen seventy seven, years before I made my entrance onto
this earth, Mitch McConnell took office as Jefferson County Judge Executive.
Held out office until nineteen eighty five, when he took
office as US Senator for Kentucky. At the same time,
I was assuming my second semester as a kindergartener. Whether

(22:11):
it be the taxpayers of Jefferson County or the taxpayers
of the United States of America, for the majority of
Senator mcconalll's life, his base salary, his healthcare, and other
life essentials have been funded by them. Eyes and ears
are now in Washington, d C. As the fate of
the Big Beautiful Bill hangs in the balance those ears.

(22:33):
According to the Kentucky Lenard, overheard McConnell in a private
meeting with other Republicans reassuring them that despite the noise,
they can feel confident in supporting the bill, which proposes
numerous spending cuts yet somehow still doesn't bring down the deficit.
I know a lot of us are hearing from people

(22:54):
back home about Medicaid, but go get over it. McConnell's
reported to say, they'll get over it. Man. That's some audacity.
I know. He allegedly said the phrase is a private group.
But especially in this day and age, you have to
assume there's no such thing as privacy. I'm all for
government cuts as long as they make sense. For example,

(23:17):
instead of cutting back on healthcare, how about cutting back
on military spending that gives the military contractor his third
home expansion this year. How about instead of ensuring Nancy
Pelosi's government funded healthcare pays for her third facelift this year.
We want to make sure every child in school at

(23:38):
least knows they'll get a free nutritious meal at lunchtime.
Our government officials like to pretend that our nation is
bottom heavy with entitlement programs like Social Security and medicare
dragging the budget down. However, I'd argue the problem is
more that the government itself is the albatross around the

(23:59):
next of the taxpayers. If Senator McConnell truly knew his constituency,
I'm assuming he'd know that not only do. Many people
he's supposed to represent rely on government assisted health care,
But he also would know that medicine has become a
cornerstone of the economy of a region that suffered for
more than a decade following Cole's demise. The Big Beautiful Bill,

(24:25):
according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, would spell
the end of thirty five hospitals in the Commonwealth because
of how much it would cost these mostly rural facilities
in healthcare reimbursements. The cost is even greater when you
consider the hospitals like Pipewo Medical Center, which is committed
to providing care even for those who can't afford it,

(24:48):
and which is not listed among those which would close,
would have to fill the gap for the emergency needs
of people who could have been prevented from facing the
worst possible outcomes. A Senator McConnell reassures his colleagues, telling
them not to worry that the voters back home will
get over it. Maybe instead we should consider the possibility

(25:11):
that would be better for the community's situation to get
active about it and kick the bones out of office
and to get over it. From the obituaries page, Betty
Joe Mixine Cones of Glomar died on Thursday, June twenty sixth.
Linus Whittaker, eighty four viper died Friday, June twenty seventh.

(25:34):
Twentieth Annual Hillbilly Christmas in July ride set the time
is near for motorcycles to rev up for a great
cause to raise money for the Shriners Hospital for Children.
On July nineteenth, the twentieth annual Hillbilly Christmas in July
Randy Jones Memorial Ride will pull out from the Mine
Shaft Harley Davidson Shop in Pipewell. We've changed things up

(25:58):
some this year, event organizer said. We figured since this
is the twentieth annual ride, we'll start a little later
this year. Instead of pulling out at ten am, will
pull out at one pm. That will give more people
a chance to join us. Kenny said that last year,
more than three hundred motorcycles, along with various Jeeps, cars, trucks,

(26:21):
and classic vehicles, participated in the ride. The Kentucky Public
Service Commission announced that a statement June twenty seventh that
customers of Kentucky Power Company would see a new charge
on their monthly bills beginning June thirtieth, called a securitized
search arge. This is the result of Kentucky's first securitization case,

(26:44):
a process approved by the Kentucky General Assembly meant to
save customers money, The statement said. The Kentucky Power received
approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission in case number
twenty twenty three fifty nine to utilize the securitization process
to finance certain costs, which in this case is projected

(27:07):
to save customers an estimated ninety million dollars over twenty years.
The PSC said and a statement the approval allows Kentucky
Power to issue bonds to recover previously incurred costs like
the Big Sandy coal plant retirement costs, deferred major storm costs,
and undercovered purchase power writer costs secured by non passable

(27:33):
charge on customer bills. This concludes the reading of the
Hazard hero. Please stay tuned for continued programming. Thank you
for joining me and on behalf of everyone here at RADIOI.
This is Lee Townshend, wishing you a good day.