Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express

University of Pikeville Opens New Medical Building

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:31:02 +0000

The University of Pikeville has opened its latest facility - the $40 million Coal Building. Initially announced two years ago, The Coal Building adds a complete home for the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as a state-of-the-art cafeteria to be used by the university community.

Pike Air Service Remains in Holding Pattern

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:01:36 +0000

A proposal to apply for $1 million in multi-county coal severance funding in order to continue a project to establish commercial air service in Pike County will remain in a holding pattern for now. The Pike Fiscal Court, in its regular meeting on Tuesday, again declined to act on the proposal, for which a court resolution supporting the possible allocation of $1 million is required, despite the pleas of a consultant who is working on the project that this may be the last chance.

Public UPike Proposal Dead

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:06:20 +0000

A proposal to make the University of Pikeville a public institution died in a state House committee on Tuesday. However, state Rep. Leslie Combs, primary sponsor of the bill which would have seen UPike receive coal severance money to reduce its tuition, said the issue isn’t finished. “It’s over for this year,” she said. “But the debate will continue on.” In the place of the UPike proposal, the House Education Committee, of which Combs is a member, approved a substitute bill which will provide scholarship funding for students in the 16-county coal producing region to attend four-year programs in the area.

Pike Co. Coal-to-Liquid Plant Projects Questioned

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:28:01 +0000

The Buffalo Creek and Chisolm Energy coal-to-liquid plants are barely in existence, currently just plans on paper and a concrete pad at two Pike County sites. The projects, a pair of coal-to-liquid fuel plants proposed to be built in Pike County by the same company proposing a similar project in Mingo County, W.Va., have been on the drawing board since at least January. The plants, if built, will be the biggest economic development project undertaken in the county’s history. But, documents obtained by the News-Express show that the project is already plagued with problems and issues which raise questions about the level of involvement of the county government in the projects.

Pike County Looking into Coal Academy Finances

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:18:05 +0000

The Pike Fiscal Court is looking into the finances of the Kentucky Coal Academy, but the reasons for that remain unclear. During the most recent court meeting, magistrates unanimously approved paying a $5.83 bill to Kentucky Community and Technical College System for an open records request the court made regarding the Kentucky Coal Academy, a coal mining training program based in the eastern and western coalfields of the state.

Kentucky Power Chief: Rates Going Up, EPA to Blame

Russ Cassady, Appalachian News-Express — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:56:29 +0000

Greg Pauley’s message to Kentucky Power customers these days is simple — your electric bill is likely going up and the Environmental Protection Agency is to blame. The COO and president of Kentucky Power, Pauley delivered the message to a crowd at Pikeville's Landmark Inn on Monday, as a part of a series of visits throughout the company’s service area to explain to customers the challenges the company is facing.