WKDP – WCTT Local News

Gov. Steve Beshear spoke at the first ever Kentucky Prescription Drug Abuse Summit in Lexington today where he promised to lead a push to shut down rogue medical professionals who are overprescribing painkillers.

Politicians, prosecutors, law enforcement, educators and medical professionals attended the daylong event, talking about collaborative approaches to curbing pill abuse in a state where, according to state officials, more people die by overdosing on prescription drugs than from car crashes.

Beshear told reporters his administration is helping draft legislation aimed at tracking down so-called “pill mills” and “the pill pushers in white coats.”

The measure, to be introduced in coming days in the Kentucky General Assembly, also would bolster a prescription monitoring program to ensure that it tracks all drug prescribers.

According to new data from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the number of Oxycodone pills sold in Florida dropped dramatically over the last year while sales in Kentucky increased.

The DEA reports sales of the pain killer from doctors’ offices and pain clinics in the state of Florida dropped 97 percent over the last year, with only 1.2 million tablets sold in 2011 compared to the 46 million sold in 2010.  And, while 90 of the top 100 Oxy-prescribing doctors in the nation were from Florida in 2010, only 13 Florida doctors made the list last year – and none of them were in the top 10.

With new laws against “pill mills” forcing addicts to travel outside of Florida for Oxycodone, the DEA says there has been a notable increase in sales in other states, such as Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Kentucky State Police, Post 11, which covers Laurel, Clay, Rockcastle, Pulaski, Whitley, McCreary and Wayne counties, is now accepting applications for the 2012 Citizens Police Academy.

The 11-week academy is slated to begin March 22 and conclude May 31.

Students will meet from 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. where they will learn about the main facets of the Kentucky State Police, including patrol, criminal investigations and drug investigations.

The academy will be held in a downstairs classroom at the Laurel County Health Department in London.  There is no cost to attend and anyone age 18 or older living within the post 11 district is welcome to apply.

Applications can be obtained by contacting the Kentucky State Police, Post 11, at 606-878-6622 or by visiting http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/posts/post11.htm.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 9, 2012.

A Knox County constable will plead guilty to a DUI charge stemming from an arrest last week, but says he does not plan to resign.

50-year-old Carl Bolton was pulled over last Friday on the Corbin by-pass after an officer witnessed him cross the center line three different times.

Bolton reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .148, almost twice the legal limit in Kentucky.

Bolton has been constable in District 5, covering the communities of Gray and Woodbine, for six years.  Prior to that, he served more than 20 years as a Knox County Sheriff’s deputy, including two years as chief deputy.

Bolton’s current term as constable expires in three years.

A pain clinic in eastern Kentucky has been shut down for good following a raid last week.

Federal and local officials raided the Caremore Medical Management Center in Johnson County last week.  Following the raid, Paintsville Mayor Bob Porter revoked the clinic’s business license with an order calling it a “public nuisance.” 

The doctor working at the clinic, Dr. Rano S. Bofill, M.D., surrendered his state medical license just a few days before the raid.  Bofill told DEA investigators that he saw around 20 and 25 patients a day at the clinic and that he felt uncomfortable about the amount of prescriptions being issued.

The investigation into the business is ongoing and the case is expected to be presented to a federal grand jury.

An elderly man was killed Tuesday afternoon when his vehicle was hit by a train in Knox County.

It happened around 1 p.m. on Cumberland Avenue in Barbourville.

Police say 83-year-old Delmer Bright of Flat Lick was crossing the tracks when he was struck by a CSX train.

Bright was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Family members say Bright worked for the railroad for more than 40 years before retiring.

CSX continues to  investigate the exact circumstances of the collision.

A man is recovering after police say he accidentally shot himself during target practice.

It happened Tuesday afternoon near West Liberty in Morgan County.

State Police say 19-year-old Vincent Dunn was using a sawed-off rifle when a bullet ricocheted, hitting him in the chest.

Dunn was airlifted to UK Hospital where he is listed in fair condition

Two people were arrested on drug charges following a suspected shoplifting complaint in Laurel County.

It happened Monday afternoon at the Dollar General store off U.S. 25 in Lily.  Authorities received a report that a suspected shoplifter was arguing with a store manager in the parking lot.  

According to Sheriff John Root, when deputies arrived they discovered illegal drugs in the possession of the male suspect.

Deputies arrested 39-year-old Bobby Eversole of London on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and prescription controlled substance not in proper container.

They also arrested 49-year-old Gladys Eversole on similar charges for drugs in her possession.  

Both were lodged in the Laurel County jail.

A judge has postponed the filing deadline for legislative races while he weighs the constitutionality of newly drawn district boundaries.

Just hours before the original deadline Tuesday, Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd issued a temporary restraining order that pushed the filing deadline to Feb .7.

House Republicans filed a lawsuit last week challenging the boundaries that they claim favor Democrats.  The lawsuit contends that the new districts could have been better balanced.

A Jackson County woman was killed and a man was seriously injured in a head-on crash Tuesday morning in Madison County.

It happened just after 9 a.m. on Battlefield Memorial Highway.

Police say 53-year-old Betty Smith of McKee somehow lost control of her SUV, cover-corrected and hit another vehicle head-on.

Smith died at the scene.  The driver of the other vehicle, 49-year-old Gregory Hackworth of Irvine, was transported to UK Hospital where he was last listed in serious condition.