www.middlesborodailynews.com Thursday, February 2, 2012 Serving the Tri-State community Printed on 100% Recycled Newsprint 12 Pages, 50¢ INSIDE Ky. governor vows to shut down pill mills BRUCE SCHREINER holdups, masked rob- Associated Press “The vast majority of our doctors are honorable folks bers wielding shotguns doing a good job, but we’ve got some of those people demanded pills. LEXINGTON, Ky. in this state... who are criminals and they’re abusing "It's basically turned (AP) — Prescription into the Wild West," he drug abuse has become their privilege of being a medical professional. said. so rampant in parts of And we’re going to go after them. Some people in his eastern Kentucky that We’re going to run them out of this state.” area are unable to get some people yank out jobs because they can't their own teeth to get —GOVERNOR STEVE BESHEAR pass a drug test, he said. fresh supplies of That has created a painkillers to feed their demand for urine, sold addiction, a prosecutor in jars at some flea mar- said Wednesday. Others pills," Turner said dur- icine cabinet than from our doctors are honor- kets and other places, he are trading food stamps ing a prescription drug car crashes, according to able folks doing a good said. for pills or even buying abuse summit. "And if state officials. job, but we've got some Authorities have urine to pass drug tests. something is not done, Gov. Steve Beshear of those people in this found stacks of food Floyd County the whole region is promised to lead a push state ... who are crimi- stamp cards that pill Vaught: Teague Commonwealth's going to be destroyed." to shut down rogue med- nals and they're abusing peddlers received in key to Kentucky’s Attorney Brent Turner Politicians, prosecu- ical professionals who their privilege of being a exchange for painkillers, success said his area is awash in tors, law enforcement, are overprescribing medical professional," he said. Some people prescription pills that are educators and medical painkillers. he said. "And we're have pulled their own — Page 8 peddled illegally, and he professionals attended Beshear told reporters going to go after them. teeth to get a short-term YOUR warned the conse- the daylong event, talk- his administration is We're going to run them supply of painkillers quences are broken fam- ing about collaborative helping draft legislation out of this state." from dentists, he said. COMMUNITY ilies, unemployment and approaches to curbing aimed at tracking down The measure to be Iraq war veteran rising crime. pill abuse. More people so-called pill mills and introduced in coming Dustin Gross counts "We're not treading in Kentucky die by over- "the pill pushers in white days in the Kentucky himself lucky — he said Former water, folks, we are dosing on drugs often coats." General Assembly also he's been clean and sober for nearly 14 railroader drowning in a sea of found in the family med- "The vast majority of would bolster a prescrip- tion monitoring program months after rehab and killed by to ensure that it tracks treatment for his pre- Take your sweetheart all drug prescribers. scription drug addiction. train in On average, about 80 Gross told the confer- Barbourville people die each month ence that he never took out for in Kentucky due to over- pain pills until he was wounded in Iraq. A road- BARBOURVILLE, doses of legal and illegal side bomb shattered his Ky. — A railroad retiree dinner and a mystery! substances, according to left foot, broke his right has been killed by a train FBI intelligence analyst in Barbourville. Anthony Carter. That foot and caused a brain Police said the CSX figure is based on find- injury. Transportation train ings by coroners or med- He said he found struck Delmer Bright's ical examiners, he said, ample supplies of sport utility vehicle at a adding that he thinks the painkillers afterward, crossing Tuesday after- true monthly death toll and resorted to pawning, noon, fatally injuring the from overdoses is close stealing and lying to get 83-year-old man, to 100. the money to feed his according to WLEX-TV Addiction woes are addiction. in Lexington. He was widespread, he said, not- "It became No. 1 in pronounced dead at ing that 1 in 5 Kentucky my life," he said. Knox County Hospital teens abuse prescription "Nothing else seemed to just after 1 p.m. drugs. Also, increasing matter." Bright, a retired CSX numbers of newborns Turner and others employee from Flatlick, are treated for drug said Kentucky can't was on Cumberland withdrawal syndrome, prosecute its way out of Avenue in Barbourville he said. the problem, a nod to the at a railroad crossing Tougher efforts aimed role of treatment to try when his car was struck. at curtailing the illegal to turn around lives and A coupled line of prescription pill trade reduce costly prison three locomotives, with Back by popular demand – the original mystery, Just Kill Me Now (Aw, can't come soon enough, populations. no other cars attached, Shoot), will take the stage in the Karlan Mansion at Wilderness Road State Park some local officials said. Beshear noted that his was going north on the (WRSP) on two consecutive weekends: Feb. 17, 18; 24, 25. The evening per- In Floyd County, pill state budget proposal tracks when they appar- formance of this tongue-in-cheek “who dunnit” will be accompanied by a three- abuse is responsible for included starting ently hit Bright’s vehicle course meal of salad, pasta and dessert. most of the theft, child Medicaid coverage for and pushed it off on the The story unfolds as colorful characters lead the audience through three acts support, domestic vio- outpatient substance western side of the of fun, confusion and discovery. Cast members include: Miles the butler lence and other criminal abuse treatment for (Michael Brindle), Lord and Lady Astor (Ken and Barbara Simpson), gangsters tracks. cases, Turner said. The adults and adolescents in Mugsy, Lucky, Baby Face (Mike Stephens, David Cope, Olivia Marcum) and area has been hit by a Kentucky. Firefighters at the Miss Boom Boom (Lisa Barnes-Smith), French maids Fifi and Mimi (Donna scene reported that rash of armed robberies Beshear said his pro- Long, Linda Hensley), the Ghost of Elydale Mansion (Frances Inwood), detec- of pharmacies, gas sta- posal would provide Bright’s vehicle landed tive Lt. Gum Shoe (Shawn Williams), Italian chef Cookie (Jon Tustin), and man- in a wet spot just beyond tions and convenience treatment for about sion hostess Madame Molly (Carolyn Hughes). By the third act, dinner guests stores, and almost all 5,800 in a two-year peri- the first telephone/elec- will be invited to try to solve the mystery. tric pole on the left side were rooted in a desire od. It wouldn't meet the Park Manager Jon Tustin said, “We’re excited to present a second season of to obtain painkillers, he total demand, but it's a of the tracks. this play, as all performances sold out last year, and we’ve had many folks ask According to a report said. start, he said. if we’d be doing again this year.” This original production was written exclusive- "Good, effective from a Barbourville city ly for WRSP, and the cast is comprised of park employees and local talent from In less than a one- police detective, gates the tri-state area. month period recently, treatment programs do were being dropped at Admission is $15 per person. Early reservations are recommended, and six armed robberies work, and people do the crossing and one was advance tickets are required, as seating is limited (only 60 seats available). occurred in a 10-mile recover from these kinds broken off during the Purchase your tickets at the Visitor Center at WRSP, 8051 Wilderness Road, area of Floyd County, he of addictions and they collision. Ewing, Va., or call 276-445-3065 for more information. said. In the pharmacy can become productive," Tonya Liford told the governor said. WLEX she saw the crossing arms come MSHA officials: US coal mine safety is improving down as the SUV was on the rails and watched as VICKI SMITH Association's annual years, and the biggest underground tracking try. You, me, the min- the engine struck the Associated Press vehicle. Liford said she mining symposium in since an overhaul of fed- systems so miners can ers," Stricklin said. Charleston. eral mine safety laws be located in a crisis, "We're still trying to get went to the SUV and CHARLESTON, held Bright upright in Despite improve- inspired by back-to-back installing refuge cham- out of that situation and W.Va. (AP) —î Federal ments, 60 percent to 70 tragedies in 2006. bers to shelter those who the seat and talked to regulators said move forward." him as he drew his last percent of the anony- Twelve men died can't escape, expanding However, today Wednesday the nation's mous tips that MSHA after an explosion and the number of mine res- breath. coal mines have made "we're better prepared if Family members said receives about safety prolonged entrapment at cue teams and providing there is an emergency." huge strides in safety, hazards are found to be International Coal better training. Bright went to work on pointing to a dramatic "We're in a negative the railroad when he was true, he said. And Group's Sago Mine near The tracking systems industry," one judged by reduction in the number Stricklin said he remains Buckhannon in January were still being imple- 15 and retired after more of accidents and injuries fatalities, fines and vio- than 40 years of service.