Thursday, December 7, 2006 • 57 Oaks Lane, Suite 15 • Whitley City, KY
Watson arrested agai
n
By Greg Bird
Billy Ray "Mud" Watson was arrested for the second time in just over a week Thursday afternoon, this time for allegedly resisting arrest, disorderly conduct among other charges.
Officers were called to the Watson residence Thursday morning for a domestic disturbance call, but Watson fled out of the residence before he could be apprehended.
Around 4:00 p.m., officers were summoned once again to the residence after receiving a report that Watson had returned and was allegedly shooting a gun around his home.
More than 10 law enforcement officers, including McCreary County Sheriff's deputies, Kentucky State Police, Constables and Fish and Wildlife agents descended on the home, in an attempt to quell the situation.
After blocking off road access around the residence for the safety of civilians, the officers surrounded the home and eventually took Watson into custody.
Watson is being charged with Public Intoxication, Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Menacing and was lodged in the McCreary County Jail.
Watson was arrested last Wednesday as part of the Operation UNITE drug round-up and charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. He posted a $50,000 cash bond earlier this week and was released from jail.
As of press time Wednesday, Watson was being held at the McCreary County Jail without bond.
By Greg Bird
Billy Ray "Mud" Watson was arrested for the second time in just over a week Thursday afternoon, this time for allegedly resisting arrest, disorderly conduct among other charges.
Officers were called to the Watson residence Thursday morning for a domestic disturbance call, but Watson fled out of the residence before he could be apprehended.
Around 4:00 p.m., officers were summoned once again to the residence after receiving a report that Watson had returned and was allegedly shooting a gun around his home.
More than 10 law enforcement officers, including McCreary County Sheriff's deputies, Kentucky State Police, Constables and Fish and Wildlife agents descended on the home, in an attempt to quell the situation.
After blocking off road access around the residence for the safety of civilians, the officers surrounded the home and eventually took Watson into custody.
Watson is being charged with Public Intoxication, Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct and Menacing and was lodged in the McCreary County Jail.
Watson was arrested last Wednesday as part of the Operation UNITE drug round-up and charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance. He posted a $50,000 cash bond earlier this week and was released from jail.
As of press time Wednesday, Watson was being held at the McCreary County Jail without bond.
Skinner contests election
Gus Skinner is contesting the results of the General Election primarily on the basis that votes discarded with “Gus” only wrote-in should count.
Skinner was named Sheriff of McCreary County the night of the November 7 election, but a recanvass dropped his vote totals, giving the office to Democrat Randy Waters. Skinner and his Corbin attorney, Darrell Saunders, filed a six-page challenge to the election Wednesday around 3 p.m.
“The within petition is filed to contest the election of Randy Waters as Sheriff of McCreary County, Kentucky at the November 7, 2006 General Election and to adjudge Gus Skinner as Sheriff,” the petition states.
The petition was filed locally with the McCreary County Circuit Court Clerk and the case should be held locally in Circuit Court.
“I told the people of McCreary County I was not going to quit until it was over so I am pressing on as hard as I can,” said Skinner Wednesday. “I still feel I am the people’s choice for Sheriff and this is still in God’s hands.”
The petition states that more than 50 votes for Skinner, where “Gus” (first name) only was written, were not counted by the Board of Elections, but should have been. KRS statute 117.265 addresses the verification of votes for a write-in candidate, but does not specifically address the variations of a person’s name and the specifics within those variations that would constitute a vote. Administrative regulations again do not clearly address the “first name only” issue for write-in candidates, but state minor variations in the form of the name “shall be disregarded…as long as the intended candidate can be determined.”
Skinner’s petition says he has 38 registered voters who have come forward, stated they voted by writing only the name “Gus” and that their intent in doing so was to vote for Gus Skinner as Sheriff.
The intent of the voting is the target point in the argument and Saunders says under state law, “Gus” should be efficient enough to show voter intent, especially since there was only one write-in candidate in the election seeking the office of Sheriff and only one candidate named “Gus.”
“There can be no question that votes cast for “Gus” were, in fact, votes for Gus Skinner for Sheriff,” the petition states.
“Their vote should count,” Skinner argued.
Saunders said in the petition that the refusal on behalf of the Board of Elections to count votes with “Gus” only “was and is improper and irregular and has denied the right of those persons to vote, rendering the election not free and equal within the meaning of the Kentucky Constitution.
Skinner said he was initially informed “GUS” only would count and advertised such. However, he was later told the first name only would not count. McCreary County Court Clerk Jo Kidd said previously she spoke with County Attorney Phil Chaney and officials from the Secretary of State’s Office, with both advising she should not allow the first-name-only votes to be counted.
The petition also declares that votes for Skinner under other office headings, such as county surveyor, should also be counted as intended votes for Skinner as Sheriff.
Saunders also draws question to the process of the recanvass held just after the election. His petition states the votes on the e-slate computerized machines were not properly recanvassed. The petition states election officers, in some instances, obtained new vote tally tapes from the machines for the recanvass and did not use tally tapes from the night of the election as law stipulates. Skinner has 273 votes on the e-slate election night, but only 253 after the recanvass, enough to have cost him the election.
After the recanvass, Skinner’s vote total dropped from 1659 to 1626. The votes of Waters (1636) and Republican Milford Creekmore II (1635) did not change from election night.
The petition calls for the recanvass vote totals to be disregarded, based upon the Board of Elections failure to properly conduct the recanvass. Saunders also says the Board has not filed a document required by state administrative regulations pertaining to the procedure and totals tabulated during the recanvass.
McCreary County Court Clerk Jo Kidd has certified the election, which declared Waters the Sheriff. The petition asks for that certification to be set aside as well.
Saunders told The Voice, by law, “the court should expedite the matter and give this case precedence over all other cases where practical.”
The next Sheriff is supposed to begin his term at midnight on December 31. Saunders said Skinner contesting the election would not prevent Waters, now Sheriff-Elect, from taking office if a resolution has not be reach in the matter.
At press time, Waters was not available for comment. He is in Bowling Green undergoing training in order to take over as Sheriff.
The petition to contest the election was filed with Randy Waters, Milford Creekmore and Board of Elections Officers, Jo Kidd, Larry King, Wilma Waters and Penny Perry named as respondents.
Obituaries
Wilma K. Foster Roberts
Pauline Simpson
Elizabeth "Beth" Thomas
Rueben E. Trammell
Wilma K. Foster Roberts
Wilma K. Foster Roberts, age 70 years, Stearns, Kentucky died November 28, 2006. Funeral services were held Thursday, November 30, 2006 at McCreary County Funeral Home with Rev. David Troxell officiating. Burial was in Hickman Cemetery.
She was born at McCreary County, Kentucky on April 4, 1936 the daughter of the late Raymond and Emma Hill Foster. She was a homemaker. She had accepted Jesus Christ as her savior and was of the Baptist faith. Her hobbies include quilting; crocheting and gardening.
Her parents and her daughter, Nedra Foster preceded her in death.
Survivors include her children, Wayne Terry and wife, Thara; Juwanna Sampson and husband, George, Whitley City, Kentucky; David Foster; Randell Roberts; Jennifer Roberts; Tammy Roberts; Jeneane Roberts, Stearns, Kentucky; Sherrell Roberts and wife, Yanire, Monticello, Kentucky; Gerald Roberts, Nancy, Kentucky and Twanna Clark and husband, Raymond, Parkers Lake, Kentucky. The surviving brother and sisters are, Ray Foster, Worley Hill Top, Kentucky; Wilda Bryant, Marshes Siding, Kentucky and Freda Foster, Revelo, Kentucky. Twelve grandchildren survive.
McCreary County Funeral Home entrusted with arrangements.
Pauline Simpson
Pauline Simpson, age 80, of Stearns, Kentucky passed away Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time a complete obituary will be in next week’s edition.
Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home is serving the family of Pauline Simpson.
Elizabeth "Beth" Thomas
Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, age 66, of Danville, Kentucky, formerly of Pine Knot, passed away Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville.
The family will receive friends Sunday, December 10, 2006, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the chapel of Pine Knot Funeral Home. In accordance with the families wishes Mrs. Thomas was cremated. Expressions of sympathy may take form of contributions to Hospice of Lake Cumberland or the McCreary Health & Rehab Activity Fund.
She was born January 13, 1940, the daughter of the late John Chitwood and Mildred Strunk Chitwood. She was a social worker for the State of Kentucky, a member of the First Christian Church, and a member of the Fellowship of Friends of Bill.
Surviving family include her husband Charles Thomas of Danville, her mother Mildred Chitwood of Danville, two daughters Melissa Thomas of British Columbia, Canada, and Allyson Thomas of Danville, a son Terry Thomas of Atlanta, Georgia. There is one brother John Chitwood, Jr. of Danville, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Pine Knot Funeral Home assisted the family with local funeral arrangements.
Rueben E. Trammell
Mr. Ruben E. Trammell, age 54, of Pine Knot, Kentucky, passed away Monday, December 4, 2006, at his home on the Old Cal Hill Road in Pine Knot.
Funeral services were held Thursday, December 7, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. at the Round Top Church in Pine Knot. Burial was in the Smith Cemetery.
Born June 1, 1952, in McCreary County, he was the son of the late Clifford James and Savannah Stephens Trammell. Besides his parents he is preceded in death by a brother Charles Trammell and his grandparents William Calvin Stephens, Rose Gibson, John Trammell and May Belle Roberts.
Surviving family include three children, Mark and Ruben Trammell of Parkers Lake, and Stacey Trammell of Atlanta, Georgia, and three step-children Thomas Gibson of Monticello, Jesse Israel of Parkers Lake and Christina Roberts of Pine Knot. There are four brothers Ancil Woods, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Robert Hank Trammell of Slavens, Clifford Johnny Trammell of Silerville and Willard Joe Trammell of Barbourville. There are six sisters, Anna Faye Myers of Pine Knot, Ruthie Gregory, Mary H. Gregory, Barbara Gregory and Kathy Vaughn all of Slavens and Shirley Gibson of Somerset. Ruben had four grandchildren; Mateo and Natalie Trammell, Spencer Hamilton and Cody Roberts.
Pine Knot Funeral Home assisted the family of Mr. Ruben Trammell with funeral arrangements.
