Investigation Continues Into Rash of Copper Wire Thefts

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
  Investigation is continuing into a rash of copper wire thefts throughout the county, according to Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Randy Cole.
  Some of the suspects have been caught on surveillance cameras and while arrest have been made of two individuals reported last month, Cole said he anticipated 18 more individuals would be arrested and charged in 250 separate counts.
  Cole said copper wire has been stolen from gas well sites, CNX Gas, Norfolk Western Railroad, CONSOL, Rapoca, Nichols Line Contracting, APCO at Jewell Ridge and Pump House Supply.
  "We’ve just been flooded with copper cases," Cole said.
  He said recent increases in the value of copper wire as a salvage material has apparently been the spark sending would-be thieves to various locations in search of the wire.
  Unfortunately, Cole said, the thefts also have a few more potentially serious side effects since when the thieves take the wire from gas well sites, they leave those sites ungrounded and potentially dangerous to any unsuspecting gas well company employee who visits the job site to perform maintenance work. Cole said area companies have instructed their personnel to check for signs of missing wire before beginning maintenance work in an effort to curb any potential disasters.
  Additionally, motorists crossing the railroad tracks where signals and signal gates are located need to pay particular attention to any oncoming trains since the theft of wire along the tracks disables the signaling system and before railroad officials may be aware it’s been stolen, the warning light system could not be working, Cole explained.
  He added that in Kentucky, there have also been instances where thieves have climbed power poles, attempting to remove copper wire from transformers. The results, he added, can be deadly with electrocution a high risk factor.
  Just last week, Cole said, four miles of copper wire was stolen from the railroad. He said 2,000 feet of that wire has now been recovered.
  At Nichols Line Contracting, he said, some 900 pounds of copper wire was stolen last week.

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Nine New Employees Hired for Coming School Year
No Specific Assignments; Additional Hiring Anticipated

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
  Nine new employees were hired for the coming school year during a meeting of the Buchanan County School Board last Monday.
  The new hires were not immediately assigned to specific schools, pending anticipated retirements and other personnel shifts within the county school system, however, they will be assigned for the start of the new school year.
  Additional hiring is also anticipated with the interview process now underway, according to Administrative Assistant Joyce Presley, who added there was likely two or more days of interviewing to be completed. Some 40 applications total were submitted for consideration.
  Approved as employees for the coming school year were: Ashley Sexton, earth science; Bill Taylor, biology; Jennifer Wible, math; Tiffany Sheppard, PreK-6; Shannon McCormack, elementary education, math, science; Jessica Hess, elementary education; Jimmy Marcum, elementary education; Charles Boyd, technology’ and Geri Wallace, listed as other.
  In other personnel matters, the school board okayed Sandra Kay Bandy as a substitute school bus driver.
  A brief closed door session was held to discuss personnel -- the superintendent’s evaluation; and legal advice regarding property at Twin Valley High School.
  When board members emerged from behind closed doors, it was to agree to hire a surveyor to survey property at Twin Valley on which Stella and Clark Ward had a life estate. The board also authorized Attorney Tom Scott to execute a deed of correction on the property in question to describe the appropriate boundaries. The cost was stipulated not to exceed $2,000.
  Garden Chairman Steve Hamro III announced the board’s evaluation of Superintendent Tommy P. Justus had seen Justus score an "outstanding" rating from the board.
  "He does a wonderful job," said Prater School Board Member Bill Crigger.
  Crigger said Justus dealt well with handling the day to day tasks of his job as superintendent.
  "I applaud his efforts and I applaud his leadership of this school system," Crigger added.
  Hamro echoed those comments, adding he too appreciated the hard work done by Justus and by Presley.

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Democrat Party Elects Incumbent Branham to Seek Supervisor Post

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
   Incumbent North Grundy Supervisor Carroll Branham officially received the Buchanan County Democrat Party nod to seek the post of supervisor in November’s special election.
  Branham, who was nominated Saturday morning during a brief convention of Slate and North Grundy Democrats, was the only Democrat to file for the post.
  He was nominated by acclamation.
  In accepting the nomination, Branham thanked fellow Democrats for their confidence in him.
  "I look forward to working with all of you -- wherever you live in the North Grundy district," Branham said. "I appreciate the chance to do this."
  Branham was appointed to the North Grundy post earlier this year after the tragic death of then supervisor Joe Keene, who died as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.
  "Joe and I were good friends," Branham said. "I know he was involved in several projects and I’ve tried to follow-up on those to finish them out. If there’s something he was working on that I don’t know about, I’d be more than happy to follow up on it."
  Democrat Party Chairman Vern Presley also remembered Keene for his work, adding the party, the district and the county had lost "a dear friend in Joe Keene."
  Presley noted that the fact that Branham was the only candidate to file for the post spoke well of the district’s confidence in Branham, since no one else opposed him for the nomination.
  "I understand the other party is having difficulty in finding someone to run against him," Presley added, referring to the Buchanan County Republican Party. "I think you picked a fine candidate."
  Presley reminded fellow Democrats of the June 13 primary, adding the winner of the primary will go on to seek election opposing incumbent Republican Sen. George Allen.
  North Grundy precinct delegates or alternates attending Saturday’s convention and voting included B.H. Looney; Kyle Branham, Paul Compton, Barbara Keen, Donald Shortridge, Philip Skeens, Sue Yates, Janet Skeens and Anna Shortridge.
  Slate precinct delegates or alternates attending Satur-day’s convention and voting were John Louis Viars, Margaret Viars, Elizabeth Wagner, George Lee, Alicia UpChurch, Lois Cantrell, James Cantrell, Florence Mullins, Jackie Day and Jason Day.

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