The US Small Business Administration and FEMA have opened a temporary disaster assistance office in Vanceburg to assist those who suffered losses in storms last month.

The office is located in the Lewis County Courthouse and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice. The office will also be open Saturday, June 28, from 8:00 a.m. until Noon.

The SBA has also opened a temporary disaster assistance office at the Greenup County Courthouse at 301 Main Street in Greenup, and a similar office is located at the Olive Hill Elementary School, 825 East Tom T. Hall Blvd. in Olive Hill.

"You can also turn in your completed SBA disaster loan application at this office," he added. "But be sure you have already registered through FEMA before coming in."

Allen said that individuals or business owners who were affected by the severe storms, flooding, mud and rock slides, and tornadoes occurring May 4 through 27 should take advantage of the help being made available by tax dollars.

"even if you had some insurance for your disaster-related damages, you should register for help and complete your SBA application as quickly as possible," he said. We can't begin to help until you've done that."

The suit, DeLoach v. Philip Morris Class Action, alleges that Philip Morris USA, Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., Lorillard Tobacco Co., Universal Leaf Tobacco Co., J.P. Taylor Co., Southwestern Tobacco Co., DIMON, Inc. and Standard Commercial Corp. "unlawfully agreed and conspired to restrain competition and fix prices for and allocate domestic flue-cured and burley tobacco sold at tobacco auctions in the United States, and engaged in other unlawful conduct to stabilize prices of tobacco at levels below those that would have existed in a competitive market". It also alleges that the tobacco companies caused the quota under the federal tobacco program to be depressed.

All but R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. are part of the settlement. The lawsuit continues against R.J. Reynolds.

The recent mailing also includes a claim form that needs to be completed and postmarked before October 14.

The settlement, reached on May 16 in US District Court in Greensboro, North Carolina, calls for $100 million to go to growers and $100 million to quota holders, and will be based on quota pounds and sales during that time period.

In addition, the settlement calls for Philip Morris USA, Brown & Williamson and Lorillard to commit to purchase a total of at least 405 million pounds annually of domestic flue-cured and burley tobacco.

Philip Morris USA will also pay $8 million into a fund to be used for leaf tobacco research and extension programs; $5 million of that fund may be used to promote quota buyout legislation.

This class action settlement is separate from the existing Phase II Tobacco Settlement distributions.

A spokesman with the Morehead Post of the Kentucky State Police said the plants were discovered divided into 11 plots in the Briary area.

The spokesman said the plants were located utilizing a helicopter from the Kentucky State Police and destroyed by officers on the ground.

Anyone with information concerning the location of illegal marijuana patches are asked to contact the Kentucky State Police at 800-222-5555 or the Lewis County Sheriff's Office at 606-796-2912.