Meeting in regular session last week, the Vanceburg City Council moved to authorize Electric Plant Board Superintendent Phil Kennedy to apply for loans totaling $1,515,000 for the Southern Lewis County Water Project.

Kennedy said the $4 million project includes 54 miles of water lines out past Laurel School to the Carter County line, Indian Creek, Quicks Run and Straight Fork.

He told the council that when this project is completed the utility company would probably be able to get water lines to the side roads for about $450,000 to $500,00.

Kennedy pointed out that Governor Paul Patton plans to have water service available to all Kentuckians where feasible by the year 2020. Kennedy added that Lewis County should accomplish that goal well before that date.

He asserted that the Vanceburg water system has equipment as modern as anyone and that with six wells now and one more soon coming in Laurel and maybe another on Quicks Run, that the county will have the capacity to get water to everyone.

A spokesman with the Lewis County Sheriff's Department said the incident happened about 2:00 a.m. Sunday on Skidmore Lane near garrison as Deputy Axel Simonetti was responding to a domestic call in that area. Simonetti was traveling west on Skidmore Lane.

At the same time, a vehicle being pursued by Trooper Jeff Lewis for speeding on the AA Highway was traveling east on Skidmore Lane.

The two vehicles collided head-on on the narrow roadway. Simonetti's cruiser came to rest on the north side of the road after colliding with a barbed wire fence. The other vehicle continued on the roadway for several yards before coming to a stop. Both vehicles were extensively damaged.

The spokesman said the driver and a passenger in the vehicle fled the scene on foot and were not immediately apprehended.

Trooper Jeff Lewis checks out a vehicle that collided with a Lewis County Sheriff's Deputy's cruiser early Sunday. The driver and a passenger of the vehicle fled the scene. Lewis was in pursuit of the vehicle at the at the time of the incident.

The spokesman said in the course of the investigation, it as determined that the driver of the vehicle was thought to be Brian Clark of Garrison and the passenger a juvenile.

Sheriff Bill Lewis said Clark is on probation and does not have a valid driver's license. Lewis added that warrants were in the process of being obtained for Clark at press time Monday.

Simonetti called for assistance following the accident. Trooper Lewis arrived on the scene immediately following the accident.

Simonetti was taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was treated for minor injuries and released.

Vanceburg Police Chief Joe Billman said a worker at Bee Mart on the AA Highway called the police dispatcher about 1:30 a.m. Friday to report an apparently intoxicated man that had stopped by the convenience store/gas station to get gas.

Officers Johnny Bivens and Chris Jordan responded to find the man putting gas in his extended cab pickup. The officers determined that the man, Raleigh C. Campbell, 47, of New Richmond, Ohio, to be under the influence of an intoxicant and proceeded to charge him with public intoxication.

In the process of arresting Campbell, officers discovered a small bottle contained a white powder in Campbell's pocket.

On further examination, officers discovered a duffel bag behind the front seat of the pickup. In the duffel bag were 8.5 pounds of compressed block marijuana, Billman said.

About 8.5 pounds of compressed block marijuana were seized last week after Vanceburg police arrested an Ohio man at Bee Mart in Vanceburg. Other charges are pending against the man. His vehicle and a car trailer were impounded by the department.

Three were charged in connection with a burglary at Triple D Lumber Company on the AA Highway west of Vanceburg and one was charged with the theft of a stereo system from an auto in Vanceburg.

The fourth arrest was a result of information gathered while officials were investigating the lumber company incident.

Sheriff Bill Lewis said the burglary at the lumber company happened overnight Wednesday and was discovered about 8:30 a.m. Thursday by David Riffe.

Lewis said an estimated $2,000 worth of items were taken including a pressure washer, a Stihl chainsaw, a back grinder and assorted tools.

Lewis said Russell Eugene Edington, 27, Jerry Allen Flinders, 20, and Kenneth Bruce Flinders, 18, were each charged with third degree burglary and lodged in the Lewis County Detention Center.

Officers Bivens and Jordan obtained a search warrant later that night for the home of Joe Corns on High Street in Vanceburg.

The officers searched the home and recovered a stereo system that had allegedly been taken from an auto belonging to Daniel Cooper. The officers reportedly received other items, resulting in additional charges against Corns.