POWELL COUNTY, KY – A rockslide blocked westbound lanes on the Mountain Parkway Sunday morning in Powell County, trapping at least eight vehicles during heavy rain. The county judge executive said no one was injured, though the roadway was temporarily shut down while crews removed debris. The Kentucky Transportation Department cleared the rocks and reopened the parkway just before ten o’clock. Officials remind drivers to slow down on wet roads, noting slick pavement can reduce traction and stopping distance.

 

WILLIAMSON WV, – Two Williamson parents face multiple charges after deputies found a four‑year‑old child wandering naked in the street. Mingo County deputies say 25‑year‑old Kailee Gerardi and 27‑year‑old Zachary Wayne Johnson are charged with child neglect and animal abuse after the child was discovered early Thursday on West Fifth Avenue. When deputies located the home, they found four more children sleeping on one mattress in unsafe conditions, along with a caged, malnourished dog. All five children are now in CPS custody.

 

PRESTONSBURG, KY – Deputies with the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office say two people were arrested in Prestonsburg after a child’s welfare was put at risk. Officers responded to a home Friday after reports of a fight and a child screaming in the background. Deputies say Brett Blankenship tried to barricade the front door, but they gained entry through the back. He faces multiple charges including wanton endangerment and unlawful imprisonment. Jamie Blankenship was also arrested, charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, after police described the home’s conditions as deplorable.

 

INEZ, KY – Officials have confirmed that a hunter discovered human remains Monday evening in the hills off Coldwater Road in Inez. Authorities say an ID and food stamp card found at the scene belong to 59-year-old Jody Pauley, who has been missing since March. Sheriff John Kirk says the remains match Pauley’s description, but identification will depend on forensic testing. Deputies, Kentucky state police, and the coroner’s office searched the rugged area overnight and are continuing to investigate as the remains are sent to the state medical examiner for an autopsy.