20 years ago

(June 24 and June 26, 1992)

Bobbie Roberts, charged on March 14, with theft by unlawful taking, pleaded guilty, Tuesday, to assisting in an apparent shoplifting spree through Prestonsburg to obtain wedding apparel for his cousin, Jeannie Jacobs Fouts, Fouts, and her sister Betty Thomas, were also arrested and charged with theft. Prestonsburg police found approximately $1,500 worth of stolen merchandise in Roberts’ vehicle, including a wedding dress and veil. The shoplifting spree has gained national attention, and members of the wedding party have appeared on the Phil Donahue show.

A recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Louisville, shows that Floyd, Harlan and Pike counties are among 71 Kentucky counties that will experience a mild decline in population during the next decade. The “How Many Kentuckians” study, based on information contained in the first state population baseline projections from the 1990 nationwide census, indicates that the state of Kentucky will lose .2 percent of its population this decade, .9 percent by the year 2010, and 1.6 percent by the year 2020. These figures are based on the assumption that demographic trends of the 1980s will continue.

A Floyd County man has pleaded guilty to lesser charges after being accused of sexually abusing a minor. Bryan Nelson, 23, of Middle Creek, pleaded guilty, last Thursday, in Floyd District Court to one count of first degree criminal abuse, and two counts of first degree unlawful imprisonment. The first degree criminal abuse charge was lessened to second degree criminal abuse, a class D felony.

The trials and tribulations faced by the Floyd County Landfill are at an end, solid waste program director Dave Cooley said Thursday. In compliance with the agreed order issued by the state Cabinet for Natural Resources Division of Solid Waste Management, Floyd County officials have already overseen construction, on the landfill site, that would bring it up to code in accordance with new tougher federal restrictions. This will allow the landfill to remain open untiul July, 1995.

The ink is expected to be black when all the figures are in at the close of the 1991-92 school year for the Floyd County School System. Finance officer Tommy Thompson told the board, Tuesday night, that the district should finish the year with approximately $150,000 if “there are no emergencies out there that we don’t know about.” That amount could be boosted to just over $300,000, because of a $175,000 reimbursement from East Kentucky Utilities for erroneous natural gas billings for Allen and Duff Grade Schools.

Floyd County’s coal industry may not be seriously hampered by local CSX Transportation machinists’ decision to join their union brethren in the nationwide railworker’s strike on Wednesday, industry experts say that the already depressed coal market may suffer in Pike and Martin counties. Richard Watts, director for the Martin district of the Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals, said, on Thursday, that the bulk of Floyd County’s coal companies transported their product by truck to coal barges in Ashland and Catlettsburg.

There died: Ruby Harmon Gorrell Layne, 77, of Prestonsburg, Saturday, at her residence; Arvil Lee Stephens, 52, of Dwale, Tuesday, at his residence; Mary Ellen Tackett, 69, of Hunter, Monday, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center; Nora Alice Nunnery, 97, of Endicott, Thursday, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home; Sybil Stratton Keeton, 79, of Winchester, formerly of Pikeville, Thursday, at the Fitzgerald Personal Care Home, Winchester; Dennis G. House, 83, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, formerly of Floyd County, Saturday, at Bronson, Hospital; Sadie Crager Shepherd Howard, 73, of Gunlock, Sunday, at Highlands Regional Medical Center; Nannie Conn Spradlin, 82, of Gibraltar, Michigan, formerly of Mare Creek, at Stanville, Sunday, at Mount Clements General Hospital; Ballard Gibson, 62 of Hi Hat, Thursday, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital.

30 years ago

(June 30, 1982)

For the first time in more than 35 years, Floyd County has voted a wet majority. The voting in Tuesday’s election was comparatively, heavy, with a total of 12,187 votes cast, and of this total the Wets had 6,743 votes, to 5,444 for the Dry cause—a Wet majority of 1,299.

Just before the start of the Jenny Wiley Summer Music Theatre’s production, “Music Man,” last Thursday evening, the capacity crowd which filled the state park amphitheater was treated to the appearance of Cheryl Ladd, popular television actress and star of a new movie, “Mantrip.”

Transportation Secretary Frank Metts has announced the contract letting dates for improvements to remaining sections of U.S. 23, but the Prestonsburg-Paintsville gap remains an “unmentionable”.

Arson is suspected in the destruction by fire of three buildings in the county last weekend, and one man has been arrested. Separate blazes on the Spurlock Fork of Left Beaver Creek destroyed the Church of Christ, and gutted the Spurlock Grocery Store, at an estimated loss of $80,000.

There died: Henry David Gibson, 13-year-old son of James and Elaine Setser Gibson of Prestonsburg, Tuesday afternoon; Chloe Hall, 93, at Riverview Manor Nursing Home; Eugene Davis, 60, of East Point, at his home; Clay Douglas Martin, 41, formerly of Martin, Monday; Faye V. Dingus, 69, of Martin, Sunday, at the Paintsville Hospital; and Virgil (Dobbin) Rowe, 59, of Langley, Sunday, at the VA Hospital in Lexington.

40 years ago

(June 28, 1972)

A Tinker Fork of Mud Creek strip-mine operation, operated by a Pike county man, was closed down, Monday, when a reported 200 persons from the area joined in a demonstration.

The Kentucky Department of Parks surrendered its lease on the German Bridge camp area, effective June 16, and the U.S.Corps of Engineers immediately began work to provide camping facilities there in more attractive surroundings.

The Patsy Development Company Inc., closed its two mines at David, June 16, but Ralph T. Huffman, Falls Branch, Tenn., president of the company, is hopeful that operations can be resumed early in August.

Trustees of the University of Kentucky, last Thursday, filed, for UK’s Prestonsburg Community College, suits in Floyd Quarterly Court, to acquire by condemnation proceedings approximately five acres of land which, it is claimed, the college needs for its campus.

Born: to Mr. and Mrs. James Hall, of Melvin, a daughter, June 8; to Mr. and Mrs. Rabon Dye, of Orkney, a son, June 9.

There died: Mrs. Sarah Bailey, 59, Tuesday, at her home at Hueysville; Ed Hall, 83, Friday, at his home at Drift; Duran W. Hamilton, 84, of Ligon, Tuesday, at McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital; Lola Viola Burke, 60, of Stanville, Thursday, at Mt. Manor Nursing Home; Billie Green, 80, Thursday, at his home at Handshoe; Sam Click, 71, of Weeksbury, Saturday, at Mountain Manor.

50 years ago

(June 28, 1962)

Governor Bert T. Combs will be here, Saturday, to hear the case for and against food stamps, before deciding if the pilot food stamp program is to be continued in Floyd County.

Prestonsburg will be the first of the county-seat towns along the Big Sandy to end its contribution to river pollution, it became certain, last Thursday, as the City Council voted unanimously to accept the $710,000 loan offer of the Community Facilities Service, Housing & Home Finance Agency, to finance a sewer system here.

The strawberry processing plant, established here for the current season, grossed $35,000 for Floyd and Johnson county farmers, it was said this week by Robert Jones, county agent.

Prestonsburg, Martin and McDowell will feature beauty contests, string music, greasy poles, sack races and ball games, as the towns celebrate the upcoming July 4th holiday.

Four new voting precincts were created, Monday, by County Judge Henry Stumbo by dividing existing precincts.

At D.&D. Food Market here, a 10-lb. bag of sugar is selling for 98 cents, T-Bone steak is 98 cents a pound, and sliced bacon is going for three pounds for a dollar.

There died: Mrs. Elizabeth H. Hall, 83, of Hippo, Monday, at home; Mrs. Babe Clark, 54, of Amba, Monday, at the Methodist Hospital, Pikeville; Marion Taylor Allen, 81, Sunday, at his home at Printer.

60 years ago

(June 26, 1952)

A 40-room frame building, owned by Cluett Messer, which was originally the Wells-Elkhorn Coal Company clubhouse, was destroyed by fire, Sunday night.

Four from this county entered the state bar examination this week: Miss Mary Louise Osborne, of Bypro, who was Miss Kentucky of 1950, Charles Tackett, Jarvis Allen and Barkley Sturgill, all of Prestonsburg.

A coroner’s jury has held that Worley Hobert Evans, of Melvin, whose body was found early Wednesday in Abner Fork of Left Beaver Creek, was a victim of drowning.

Norma, two-year-old daughter of Astor Woods, of Cow Creek, was severely burned, when the one match in the box with which she was playing, ignited.

Born: to Mr. and Mrs. John Allen, June 17, a son, Stephen Reynolds, at the Prestonsburg General Hospital.

There died: Lucy Turner Jones, 71, June 18, at McDowell; William H. Stanley, 29, native of Cliff, June 19, at Riverview, Kentucky; John Hall, 75, Friday, at Honaker.

70 years ago

(June 25, 1942)

County Agent S. L. Isbell estimated that flood-swollen streams inundated 5,000 acres of cropland in the county, last week, and that the damage may exceed $200,000.

Fire, believed to be of incendiary origin, destroyed 40,000 feet of lumber at E. W. Jesse Lumber Company yards, here, Wednesday morning.

As the filing deadline for district office passed, Monday midnight, it became apparent that neither Congressman A. J. May (D), candidate for re-election, nor Carl Senters (R), will be opposed in the Congressional primary. John Young Brown filed for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senator, 10 minutes before the deadline, to be the primary opponent of Senator A.B. Chandler.

Shelby Newsome was found seriously injured a few days ago, in a coal mine at Jump.

Irvin Ramey, 40, of West Prestonsburg, suffered a fractured pelvis, Saturday night, when caught between a shuttle car and the roof of the Princess Elkhorn Coal Company mine at David.

There died: Mrs. Mabel Case, 24, of McDowell, Tuesday, at a Martin hospital; Oscar Evans, 48, of a heart attack, Friday, when stricken at the Northeast Coal Company mine entrance at Auxier; Argie Tucker, brother of Mrs. S.R. Auxier, of Prestonsburg, in Oklahoma; Lee Stewart, 64, of Melvin, Saturday, on Shelby Creek, Pike County.