www.middlesborodailynews.com Serving the Tri-State community Printed on 100% Recycled Newsprint WEATHER SPORTS SEE INSIDE Morning showers with Kentucky grabs a Sex offender listing. isolated thunderstorms narrow win over Awareness is key to in the afternoon ...... 2 Vanderbilt ..... 11 keeping kids safe.. 3 Vol. 102 • No. 09 SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2013 50 cents daily | $1 Saturday MPD bust meth lab operation Anthony Cloud When officer Chuck Staff Writer Bruce of the MPD searched Price’s resi- Four individuals dence, he allegedly found were arrested after the a small bag with white Middlesboro Police powder inside Price’s top Department (MPD) raid- chest-of-drawers, accord- ed a meth lab operation on ing to the arrest citation. Thursday. Harold R. Price, The powder later tested Charles Wayne Shelby II, positive for methamphet- Nakisha Warf and Ronnie amine. G. Turner were all arrest- ed on meth charges. See METH | 2 Ronnie G. Turner Nakisha Warf Harold R. Price Charles Wayne Shelby II All ‘A’ Classic champs Court: Griffey found competent to stand trial on sex abuse charges Staff Report Jason Griffey appeared in Bell Circuit Court on Friday for a competency hearing and was found competent to stand trial on numerous sexual offenses involving boys under the age of 12. After about a 15-min- ute hearing, Griffey, 29 sodomy, seven counts of of Middlesboro, was first-degree sexual abuse found competent. He will and nine counts of first- appear in court for a pre- degree criminal attempt trial conference at 9 a.m. to commit sexual abuse. on Feb. 15. All of the alleged vic- This was the second tims in the case are boys competency hearing for under the age of 12. Griffey. He was a no show Griffey was originally at the first hearing held about four months ago. arrested on Oct. 14, 2011, Court records show, at for just the 11 counts of that time, officer Leon sodomy. He was charged Wilson of the Bell County with sexual abuse and Sheriff’s Office attempted criminal attempt to com- to pick Griffey up when mit sexual abuse follow- Jay Compton|Daily News he was advised Griffey ing investigation. “didn’t feel like coming Officer Josh Pratt of The Pineville Lady Mountain Lions pose with their trophy after Friday’s 56-52 double-overtime win against Lynn Camp in champion- over.” the Middlesboro Police ship game of the 13th Region All ‘A’ Classic. For more on the game see page 11 and visit www.middlesborodailynews.com. Griffey was indicted on Department was the 11 counts of first-degree arresting officer. Ray of Hope holding Internet safety program Staff Report Info will be provided on how to better keep children The Ray of Hope staff asks participants to pre-reg- safe on the Internet as well as computer safety tips. ister for the event to assure there is enough seating. The Ray of Hope Children’s Advocacy Center has There will also be a discussion focused on social The individual doing the training has trained partnered with the Kentucky Center for School Safety media and geotagging, which is the ability to add Kentucky State Police troopers on the issue in the past. and the Department of Criminal Justice to provide an geographical identification to a photograph or video. There will also be a student Internet training course Internet safety training course on Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. There will be a discussion on what a parent or care- held on Jan. 16 and 17. The event will be held in and 7 p.m. giver should not do to a computer if a child is missing. collaboration with the Kentucky Attorney General’s The event will be held for all interested parents, The safety course is being offered to school districts office. The event will address similar concerns as the caregivers and other concerned community members. in the area. Jan. 22 event. Rogers continues fight against drug abuse WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, communities across the country. As my friend, Congressman Rogers, and dozen members the Congressional U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers and U.S. lawmakers began to recognize the scope the commitment of our colleagues in Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse Rep Nick Rahall announced the relaunch and devastation of this scourge, the Congress for action on a national level, worked across the aisle to raise aware- of the bi-partisan Congressional Caucus Congressional Caucus on Prescription our goal is to explore, develop and ness of the problem nationwide and to on Prescription Drug Abuse. Drug Abuse was launched in 2009 to expand solutions to conquer the prob- help develop effective policy solutions. The goal of the caucus is to raise help unite legislators and interested par- lem of prescription drug abuse. This Of note, members of the Prescription awareness of abuse ties in preventing the may be the biggest challenge of our Drug Abuse Caucus rallied behind and to develop inno- misuse of powerful society, and the only way this destruc- initiatives to support prescription vative and effective “Today, this drug problem not narcotics. With the tive trend can be reversed is if everyone data sharing across state lines; par- treatment, prevention, only affects my congressional help of Congressman — I mean, everyone — gets involved. ticipated in a congressional panel at law enforcement and district, but has magnified in Rahall, I am confi- Our nation’s future — our children’s the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit research policy solu- scope and intensity, cross- dent that solutions and grandchildren’s future — hangs in hosted by Operation UNITE in Orlando; tions in the federal cutting geographical and are within reach and the balance.” engaged high-ranking officials in the sphere. socio-economic boundaries, that we can contin- According to the Substance Abuse Administration on the prescription drug Rogers and Rahall hitting communities across ue to make a differ- and Mental Health Administration epidemic through hearings, letters and will serve as co-chairs ence in Washington (SAMHSA), the number of emergen- briefings; and introduced legislation to of the Congressional the country.” in this battle against cy room visits from prescription drug keep crushable generic pain pills from Caucus on Prescription prescription drug abuse has nearly doubled in America flooding the streets and a bill to require Drug Abuse. — U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers abuse.” over the last five years. continuing education for prescribers of “In Kentucky, the “Every day in Equally troubling, there has been a powerful narcotics. prescription drug southern West staggering 400 percent increase over Members also worked to secure fed- abuse problem casts a dark shadow Virginia, news stories confront us about the past decade in the number of hos- eral funding for programs that address over our close-knit communities, par- the vicious cycle prescription drugs pital admissions for prescription drug the issue of prescription drug abuse ticularly targeting our young people,” wreak upon on our communities: crime, abuse. holistically, such as drug courts, preven- said Rogers. “Today, this drug problem child neglect, overdoses, death, and Clearly, this is a growing and alarm- tion and treatment initiatives, support not only affects my congressional dis- whole families torn apart,” said Rahall. ing trend which is impacting people of for collaboration among federal, state trict, but has magnified in scope and “We are traveling a difficult and chal- all ages, but it creates additional prob- and local law enforcement, and vital intensity, cross-cutting geographical lenging path to save an entire gen- lems for our children and their families. research programs aimed at reducing and socio-economic boundaries, hitting eration of Americans, but working with In the 112th Congress, nearly three the prescription drug abuse epidemic. PAGE 2 THE DAILY NEWS | satURDAY | JanUARY 12, 2013 NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, PEOPLE BRIEFS Today's Weather argued his client’s conviction and death Local 5-Day Forecast State 10th in national sentence should be thrown out because Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed jurors sang Christian songs on their 1/12 1/13 1/14 1/15 1/16 education survey downtime. FRANKFORT (AP) — A well-respect- The suspects, from Lebanon, Ky., ed national education magazine has were convicted in separate trials in the 2007 kidnapping and killing of 21-year- ranked Kentucky 10th in education per- 71/55 67/46 47/37 47/32 49/31 formance. old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom. Showers in the Occasional showers Showers possible. Showers. Highs in More clouds than Education Week magazine announced morning with iso- possible. Highs in Highs in the upper the upper 40s and sun. Highs in the up- the ranking Thursday in releasing its Kurtz said he would issue a written lated thunderstorms the upper 60s and 40s and lows in the lows in the low 30s. per 40s and lows in 2013 Quality Counts survey. Gov. Steve ruling next week. in the afternoon. lows in the mid 40s. upper 30s. the low 30s. Beshear praised the higher ranking in a Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset Sunrise Sunset news release. Lexington prosecutor 7:47 AM 5:40 PM 7:47 AM 5:41 PM 7:46 AM 5:42 PM 7:46 AM 5:43 PM 7:46 AM 5:44 PM Last year, Kentucky was 14th on the list, and the year before, it came in 34th. resigns after charge The highest-ranking state was Maryland. LEXINGTON (AP) — A former Overall, the state received a B-minus Lexington prosecutor is due in court Kentucky At A Glance grade from the magazine. It received over allegations of shoplifting. high marks in categories such as assess- WKYT-TV reports recently filed court ment and accountability, but lower papers show 43-year-old Lori Boling grades in achievement, school finance resigned from the Fayette County Louisville and chance for success.