The Voice of Knott County •This Weeks Headlines •Advertising Info •Change Address •Church Page •Community Writers •Contact Us •Guest book •History •Links •Subscription Info •TCT E-Mail Troublesome Creek Times P.O. Box 1500 Hindman, KY  41822 606-785-5134 FAX 606-785-0105 tct@ troublesomecreektimes.com This Weeks Headlines Week of July 22, 2010   Police seize drugs and assets By KAREN JOY JONES A drug bust in Knott County last week resulted in confiscation of some large items -- and moving them took the better portion of a day. On Thursday, July 15, officers with the Knott County Sheriff's Department, Kentucky State Police and HIDTA task force executed a search warrant at a camper trailer which was being used as a residence in the Kite area of Beaver Creek. According to Knott Sheriff Dale Richardson, the occupant of the camper, George Elmer Hall of North Manchester, Ind., was arrested and charged with trafficking in a controlled substance first degree, one count, and also one count of trafficking in a controlled substance second degree. Two Knott County men were also arrested at the scene. Scotty Slone of Litt Carr was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance second degree. He was also served with a bench warrant for unpaid child support. Adam Sparkman, Jr., of Pippa Passes, was charged with possession of a controlled substance first degree (one count) and possession of a controlled substance second degree (one count). In addition, an indictment warrant was served on Sparkman. Police confiscated approximately 100 pills, including methadone and Loracet. Sheriff Richardson explained to the Times that in such situations, if police believe assets have been acquired as a direct result of drug activity, they may be seized, and a request made to the court that these assets be forfeited. Along with Thursday's arrests, police seized the camper trailer (39 ft. x 12 ft.), a 2007 Kubota side-by-side utility vehicle, and a 2003 Chevrolet extended cab diesel pickup truck. Sheriff Richardson related that moving the camper was a major undertaking, which first required obtaining tires for the trailer and then involved careful maneuvering of the large vehicle by Combs Wrecker Service. Police later discovered the camper had been stolen in Indiana. The three men were lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Detention Center. See the current issue of the Troublesome Creek Times for the rest of the story. - Hindman man dies in Pike County flood By SHARON K. HALL A Knott County man lost his life Saturday during Pike County's torrential rains and raging waters. Donna Walters of Pikeville, was also swept away in flooding waters while trying to move her vehicle, and was recovered Sunday. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and (at presstime) thousands of Pike residents remain without power and water. Craig Ervin Morris of Hindman plunged to his death from a Zebulon community bridge on Highway 119 into Raccoon Creek approximately 240 feet below. Morris was checking on a family member's home when he lost his balance and fell. The 34 year-old man was born in Pikeville and married Karie Melana Combs Morris from Knott County. They have two children, Braydon Craig and Kierra Dawn. Funeral services were held at Lucas and Son Funeral Home in Pikeville yesterday. Morris was buried in the Morris Blackburn Cemetery at Raccoon, Kentucky. The family man was a truck driver for Sky Hawk Trucking and was a member of Zebulon Church of Christ. A complete obituary is included on the Obituary page in this issue of the Times. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) Emergency Response Team was on scene as the flood happened. The ER Team rescued people in four-wheel trucks. People were on top of cars and on roofs of homes. During the next few days Fish and Wildlife officers stayed on the scene continuously. They took medicine to victims of the flood, as well as food, water, and cleaning supplies. KDFWR Officer Shane Amburgey said over 200 homes were damaged or destroyed. When the devastation first occurred over 7,000 people were without power, 25,000 were without water or had bad water, and at presstime 15,000 people were still under a boil water advisory. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officers told the Times looting has been a problem in the devastated area. Officers were dispatched to the John's Creek Pharmacy to check on a call that someone was trying to break in the pharmacy. "No one was there when we arrived. The window did appear that someone tried to bust it," stated Fish and Wildlife officer Jason Slone. Sunday night, Fish and Wildlife assisted Kentucky State Police on a call that someone was stealing in the Harless Creek area, a hollow that was one of the worst hit by the flood. The officers had other complaints of people trying to steal metal from the damaged vehicles. Some flood victims reportedly stayed in their damaged homes because they wanted to protect any property that remained. "Cars were on top of cars. Thirty to forty vehicles on one hollow washed down. The force of the water uprooted a utility pole and drove it into the highway", noted Slone, "It looked like there had been an explosion." See the current issue of the Troublesome Creek Times for the rest of the story. Pinetop man jailed after crash By JORDAN THOMAS HALL A two-vehicle accident occurred Friday around noon near the intersection of Hwys. 899 and 1393 (Branham's Creek Rd.) in Mallie. According to Kentucky State Police trooper Jody Sims, Scottie Johnson, 32, of Mallie was traveling north on Hwy. 899 in a 1998 GMC truck when he crossed the centerline. He then went into the path of a purple Hyundai Elantra operated by Sonja Caudill, 46, of Pinetop. The left front of the truck struck the Elantra near the driver's side door. Upon impact, the Elantra, which was coming from Branham's Creek toward Hindman, spun into the guardrail on the northbound lane. The truck then continued off the road and into a ditch before resting over a culvert. Ball Creek Volunteer Fire Department and TransStar Ambulance Service responded. Both Johnson and Caudill were transported to Hazard ARH and treated for their injuries. Caudill was wearing a seatbelt; Johnson was not. Johnson is suspected of driving under the influence at the time of the crash. After being treated he was arrested and lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Hazard. He has been charged with DUI and reckless driving. Caudill's injuries did not appear to be serious. See the current issue of the Troublesome Creek Times for this and other stories. Tike's Ride across America By SHARON K. HALL Richard "Tike" Martin fulfilled his lifelong dream this summer when he and friend Cathy Combs took a 7,000-mile ride across the country on a motorcycle. The reason for the trip was not just to follow a dream; he rode to raise money for United Way. Martin took a break from his company, Bluegrass Pest Control, to ride coast to coast on his Harley Davidson motorcycle. Martin and Combs departed from Pippa Passes on June 19. Cathy Combs of Emmalena said Martin asked her to go on this ride. "He asked and I was ready." National landmarks awaited them as they took time to view and photograph sites throughout America. Martin said, "We left June 19 and got back July 11. We rode 7,089 miles in 23 days. We went through 16 states. We rode to California and up to Oregon traveling along the coastal highway. We didn't go further north because it was getting too cold. Then we went across the nation to the Atlantic coast." United Way chairperson Richard Crowe said Martin is a new member of the Southeast Kentucky chapter. Crowe said, "Board members Tike, Pam Richardson and Chad Conway from Knott County have all been involved to help with this event." Crowe added, "We love Hindman, we love the stuff going on here. We are looking for ways to make things happen." United Way is an organization that distributes funds to nonprofit groups. Some of the Knott County recipients that have received money from United Way area are Hindman Settlement School, Lotts Creek Community School Pantry, Caney Food Pantry, Hindman Methodist Caring Fund, and Appalachian Artisan Center. At presstime, Tike's Ride raised $1,000 for United Way. People can still come into the Artisan Center in Hindman to make contributions or purchase a T-shirt. Through donations and sales from T-shirts money is still coming in. The Artisan Center and other businesses sponsored his ride. The Artisan Center and United Way hosted a "welcome home" reception for Martin Friday at the Artisan Center. People listened to Martin and Combs' stories and enjoyed cake and refreshments. He informed people he had no schedule and no reservations. They pulled a motorcycle trailer to carry two different wardrobes. With climate changes throughout the states they were prepared. "It is great to be able to give some back to the county. I own a business, lived here all my life. People have been good to me in Knott and surrounding counties. It is good to give back and hopefully the older I get the more established I get. Then I will be able to give more back to the community." Richard Martin is the son of Sonny (retired fire chief) and Velma Martin of Hindman. See the current issue for the rest of story ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vick Mullins has been growing corn since he was 8 years old, but never has he seen what he pulled from his garden recently. Mullins found several stalks of corn in his garden at Burgey's Creek that held nearly 50 "baby" ears of corn. Knott County agricultural agent Chad Conway said the corn, as a result of a recent flood, had crazy top fungus, which caused the top to grow in such an unusual form. (Photo By Jordan Thomas Hall). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Workshop encourages aspiring adventure tourism entrepreneurs By KAREN JOY JONES Entrepreneurs from nine Kentucky businesses spoke during a four-hour workshop held in Hindman last week for those interested in developing businesses related to adventure tourism. The workshop was presented by students from Berea College's Entrepreneurship for the Public Good program. It was the first step in a series of entrepreneur activities sponsored by the Knott County Tourism Commission, through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission and with the help of the EPG program. This session was held in the gallery of the Kentucky .... Read the current issue of the Troublesome Creek Times for the rest of the story --- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A host of family and fiends will miss this mild-mannered, loving lady ( wife, mother, sister, aunt, neice, cousin and friend) Glenna Faye Huff Collins Glenna Faye Huff Collins, age 71 of Kite, passed away July 5, 2010, at the UK Medical Center in Lexington. She was born November 13, 1938, in Estill, Ky., the daughter of the late Carl & Vada Sparkman Huff. She was a Homemaker and a member of the Body of Christ. She was the wife of James Collins Sr. She is survived by 2 sons: Timothy Wade (Christina) Collins Sr. of Maysville & James Russell (Diane) Collins II of Lawrenceburg; 1 daughter: Tina Lynn (Bobby) Dye of Ligon; 3 brothers: Glen Huff of Fisty, Kenneth Huff of Leburn, & Arnest "Cleo" Huff of Lancaster, Ohio; 1 sister: Allene Gayheart of Hindman; 17 grandchildren & 5 great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, family & friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; 2 brothers: Carl Huff & Bufford Huff; 2 sisters: Ruby Patrick & Imogene Goughenour. Funeral services were held Saturday, July 10, 2010, at 11 a.m. at the Nelson Frazier Funeral Home in Hindman with Howard Owens officiating. Burial followed at the Joe Hall Cemetery on Dry Creek Road at Topmost under the direction of the Nelson Frazier Funeral Home in Hindman. www.nelsonfrazierfuneralhome.com

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