20 years ago

(June 3 and June 5, 1992)

A family reunion, Sunday, almost ended in tragedy, when a 14-foot boat was swamped and its five occupants, including a two-year-old child, suddenly found themselves in the waters of Dewey Lake. Charles Webb, who was making his third trip across the lake around 6 p.m., to ferry family members to shore after a picnic, brought the boat he was steering to a standstill near the old Terry Boat dock to allow a houseboat to pass. The nose of his boat dipped and it was swamped by waves created by the houseboat.

The town of Wayland and its surrounding area may have a new solid waste system, soon, if the mayor and city council members’ efforts are rewarded with public support. At Monday’s Wayland City Council meeting, newly-elected Mayor, Gene Mullins, and councilmen, Curtis Tufts, Tommy Robinson and Larry Puckett, agreed to circulate a petition for Wayland residents to sign, requesting that the Big Sandy Area Development District donate $7,000 to help the city finance a new sewage system.

Floyd Countians will see the results of a state Revenue Cabinet property reassessment on their 1993 tax bills. State Revenue Cabinet workers should finish the first leg of an extensive reassessment of property values in Floyd County this month. A “double checking” of the new assessments should be complete by January, Lovell Hall, Floyd County Property Valuation Administrator, said, Tuesday.

Floyd County officials are scrambling for a way around tighter state landfill regulations to prevent the Floyd County landfill from closing on July 1. Floyd County Judge-Executive John M. Stumbo and judge-executives from surrounding counties went to Hazard, Tuesday, to plead their case before the Cabinet for Natural Resources Commissioner Phillip Shepherd.

Lt. Gov. Paul Patton is the keynote speaker for the annual banquet of the Floyd County Chamber of Commerce, set for this Thursday, June 4, at the Jenny Wiley Convention Center. The banquet begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner, an awards presentation, Patton’s address and the installation of chamber officers for the 1992-93 year.

Floyd County Democrats will hold a county caucus Saturday, June 6, at the Allen Park Convention Center. The county caucus is being held to elect a permanent chairman and to elect a group of persons to represent the county at the Congressional District Convention.

It will be several days before Floyd County officials decide what action to take if the Floyd County landfill is closed. Judge-Executive John M. Stumbo said Thursday that he is waiting for a response to a letter he sent to Governor Brereton Jones, Tuesday, that hinted the governor needed to intervene to keep the landfill open. Stumbo’s letter did not specify what action he was asking the governor to take.

There died: John E. ‘Pete’ Conley, 57, a popular local musician and president of the Lexington Musicians Association, Sunday, at Central Baptist Hospital; William Everette Wohlford, 19, of Martin, Sunday, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident; Joe Hale, 77, of Allen, Sunday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital; Nancy Davis Johnson, 88, of Pantsville, Friday, at Highlands Regional Medical Center; Thomas W. “Tom” Hill, 82, of Mt. Sterling, formerly of Prestonsburg, Monday, at Humana Hospital in Lexington; Bertha Bradley Allen, 79, of Risner, Saturday, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home; Carl Edward Newsome, 27, of Beaver, Sunday, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital; Kennard “Stubby” Meadows, 81, of Tutor Key, Friday, at Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center; Foster Jones, 70, of Grethel, Monday, at his residence; Dollie (Baisden) Marshall, 77, of Munith, Michigan, Saturday, at Foote Hospital in Jackson, Michigan; Elizabeth Mayo Bailey, 82, of Allen, Friday, at Mountain Manor Nursing Home, Pikeville; Joseph Bentley, 63, of Tram, Tuesday, at South Ohio Medical Center, Portsmouth, Ohio; Lora Hale, 75, of Greenwich, Ohio, Sunday, at Fisher-Titus Medical Center, Norwalk, Ohio; John J. Calhoun Sr., 40, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, at St. Joseph Medical Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

30 years ago

(June 9, 1982)

Herbert Hoover Hall, 49, is in jail, charged with the murder of his son-in-law, David Akers, 31, after he was shot, late Sunday night, on Tinker Fork of Mud Creek.

Andy Ray Newsome of Hi Hat, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of 10-year-old girl.

The third man, Freddie Hunter of Sidney, sought in the alleged May 23 kidnapping-rape of an Auxier girl, was arrested in Pikeville last Wednesday; the other two believed to be part of the kidnapping-rape, Sherman Ray Poston of Wayland, and Edwin Michael Mullins of Ligon, were arrested earlier.

There died: Linda L. Clark, 29, of Wabash, Indiana, Sunday in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Frank Moore, 78, of Prestonsburg, May 23, in Virginia; David (Doc) Hutchinson, 90, of Martin, June 1, at his home; Georgia C. Robinson, 74, of Prestonsburg, last Wednesday, at U.K. Medical Center; Sally Hicks Allen, 86, of West Prestonsburg, Friday, at Highlands Regional Medical Center; Greeley Stephens Jr., 48, of Lancer, last Wednesday, at Highlands Regional Medical Center; William (Bill) A. Wright, 47, of Hager Hill, formerly of Floyd County, an route to Paintsville Hospital; Eunice Salyers, 67, of Paintsville, formerly of Floyd County, Thursday, at Paintsville Hospital; Goldie Mae Shufflebarger, 84, of McDowell, Monday, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home.

40 years ago

(June 7, 1972)

The U.S. Bureau of Mines, in Washington, last week, said three of Kentucky’s 23 potentially hazardous coal-waste dams are in Floyd County, but the Bureau’s office chief, here, said he knows of no such dam.

Staffing of the Floyd County school system for the coming school year involved the employment by the Board of Education, last Saturday, of upward of 500 persons, with bus drivers, cooks and janitors yet to be named.

James Arville Duff, of Hueysville, took the oath of office as member of the Floyd County Board of Education at Saturday’s meeting of the board, succeeding Ross “Bud” Cooley, who resigned because of ill health.

Vance Volkswagen this week advertised a VW Type 3 sedan at a list price of $2,399.

One current movie showing around these parts 30 years ago was “Two-Lane Blacktop,” with singer James Taylor.

Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Town Hall, of Craynor, a son, May 23; to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lawson, of Drift, a son, May 27.

There died: Mrs. June Slone, 49, of Fla.; Suzanna Whitaker Slone, 88, Thursday, here; James Harrison Hunter, 83, Saturday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital, Martin; Elizabeth Wallen, 80, of Garrett, Sunday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital; Ed Johnson, 82, Monday, at his home at Kite; Mrs. Nora Mann, 83, Monday, in Lexington; Mrs. Hattie B. King, 64, of Prestonsburg, Saturday, at Prestonsburg General Hospital; Mrs. Bessie Horn, 73, of Ligon, Wednesday, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital; Bill Steele, 72, of Mousie, Saturday, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital.

50 years ago

(June 7, 1962)

Architects will begin drafting plans for the Prestonsburg Community College next month, and a contract for construction of the building to house classes and other functions of the institution is expected to be let by January 1.

Unless state help is forthcoming, the million-dollar-a-year food stamp program which was piloted in Floyd County during the past 12 months will end June 30, County Judge Henry Stumbo and County Attorney Barkley J. Sturgill, indicated this week.

Except for coal mines, Floyd County has a serious dearth of satisfactory fallout shelters for sizable groups of people, George Lee Shannon, Prestonsburg architect-engineer who has been engaged in a study of shelter possibilities, said this week.

Bill Hamilton, who is known as “Pa” by the children, who were his passengers, is retiring after 15 years of continuous school bus driving on the Toler Creek to Betsy Layne route.

Lake Lanes offered a $5,000 reward to the first bowler to record a perfect 300 game second in summer league play.

You could buy you a pair of pedal pushers at Cox’s this week for 88 cents, or a picnic ham at the Warrix IGA for 29 cents a pound.

There died: M. T. (Taylor) Stumbo, 69, veteran peace officer and former Floyd County Sheriff, Monday, at his home on Middle Creek; Mrs. Dixie Lee Caldwell, 64, of Betsy Layne, Friday, at the Pikeville Methodist Hospital, from injuries received in an auto accident, May 20; Robert Ramey, 45, of Hueysville, Tuesday, at West Garrett, when hit by a locomotive hauling a string of loaded coal cars; Lawrence Bryant, 72, of Hi Hat, Saturday, at McDowell Memorial Hospital; Mrs. Lilly Tackett, 56, Sunday, at her home at Craynor; Mrs. Mintie M. Hatfield, 80, of West Prestonsburg, last Thursday, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital; Orbie Hamilton, 53, of Stanville, Saturday, at Our Lady of the Way Hospital, Martin.

60 years ago

(June 5, 1952)

Floyd mines felt the pinch, this week, as the nation’s steel mills were closed by a strike.

It was announced, this week, that the new Boy Scout camp on Dewey Lake will be opened, June 15.

County Judge Henry Stumbo announced, Tuesday, he will personally pay a reward of $50 for the arrest and conviction of those who caused the partial burning of a county-owned grader at Branham’s Creek, Sunday night.

J. M. Stumbo, assistant sanitary inspector for the Floyd County Health Department, said this week, he is beginning a campaign against garbage dumping.

Eight-year-old Patty Linn Smith was seriously injured, Monday night, when Irvin Combs’ car in which she was a passenger was hit by a train at Drift.

Four Prestonsburg men—W. A. Wills, Clabe Bingham, Grover Lowe and Otis Cooley—suffered burns, Wednesday, when a gas well they were drilling on Bull Creek burst into flame.

Dr. John J. Sherman, Huntington surgeon, will join the staff of Our Lady of the Way Hospital at Martin, June 9, to replace Dr. H. B. Stratton for the summer.

The Princess Elkhorn Coal Company announced these scholarship winners: Opal June Hopson, Janet Jean Wells, Bill Perry Hall, Alvin Akers and Arnold Lee Horn.

There died: Ellis Morrison, 50, of Bypro, May 27, of mine injuries; Mary Wireman Spradlin, 85, last Thursday, at Auxier; Mrs. Dicie Meade Bentley, 77, of Glo, Monday, at a Williamson hospital; Jerry Allen, 81, Wednesday, at Cliff.

70 years ago

(June 4, 1942)

Lt. David D. May, of Prestonsburg, was graduated, May 29, from the U. S. Military Academy of West Point.

Miss Lydia Mae Francis, of Prestonsburg, and a member of the U.S. diplomatic corps, who was taken into “protective custody” by the Japanese at Shanghai, China, will leave for the United States, June 14, in an exchange of diplomas and their staffs, to be made between the U.S. and Japan.

Only six poll tax bills from last year’s poll tax book were collected in Prestonsburg, an audit made by R. R. Allen shows.

The 10 o’clock curfew ordinance here was invoked by the City Council this week.

Graduated from college: Henry D. Fitzpatrick Jr., from Eastern Kentucky State College, Richmond; Quentin Lockwood, 19, from Ashland Junior College; Miss Betty Jean May, 17, from Sullins College, Bristol, Va.; Miss Minnie Martin, of Eastern, and Miss Ruby Allen, of Langley, both from Berea College.

There died: Dr. E. N. Burke, 43, Bonanza native, Tuesday, at Lockwood, Boyd County; Alvin Napier, 51, last Thursday, at West Garrett; Mrs. Mary Robinson, 87, of Dock, Friday, at a Martin hospital; Clyde Endicott, 32, Monday, at German; James Clifton, 63, Wednesday, at his home here; Oscar Cole, about 50, Friday, at Betsy Layne; Mrs. Robert Ferguson, of Wayland, at a Pikeville hospital, Sunday.