December trial set in W.Va. sheriff’s slaying

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A December trial date was set Tuesday for the man charged with killing Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum earlier this year.

Cabell Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell set aside two weeks for the trial of Tennis Melvin Maynard. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Dec. 9 in Mingo County.

Maynard is accused of shooting Crum April 3 as the sheriff ate lunch in his parked vehicle in downtown Williamson. He also is charged with attempted murder linked to the pointing of a loaded firearm at Mingo County Sheriff’s Corporal Norman Mines and fleeing with reckless indifference.

A deputy shot Maynard following a short chase and he remained hospitalized until mid-May, when he was detained at the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville.

Maynard has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Extra security was provided during Tuesday’s court appearance, in which Maynard sat covered in a bulletproof vest. As he was taken away, two men yelled encouragements to him.

Crum’s widow, Rosie, sat on the front row in the courtroom. She was appointed as the interim sheriff after her husband’s killing.

A motions hearing will be held Oct. 15.

 

BCPL funds Monarch butterfly waystation project

ASHLAND, Ky. — If all goes as planned, Boyd County Public Library will soon be a regular pit stop on the route of the majestic Monarch butterflies as they travel from Canada to Mexico, and back.

Work began this week on a Monarch Waystation, just outside the Main Branch in Ashland, and adjacent to Central Park and Crabbe Elementary. The site was chosen because of the large amount of sun it receives, making it ideal for butterfly travelers.

On Tuesday, members of the Southern Hills Garden Club planted dozens of plants that attract butterflies, for both feeding and laying eggs. Kim Jenkins of Sweetbay Landscaping, began last week laying out the garden, and collecting all the plants that had been ordered. BCPL is paying about $1,000 to cover the cost of the garden.

Some of the plants have proven hard to find — like the common milkweed. It actually is a weed, but gardeners plant it specifically to attract butterflies. The problem is that so many groups in Kentucky and nationwide are currently installing Monarch waystations in their communities, thanks to a push by MonarchWatch.

There are still more than a dozen plants to go in the ground, in addition to the common milkweed. There are also plans for signs that will explain the project and all the plants, as well as a directional sign (Canada this way; Mexico that way) for the butterflies. There will be programs at the library in the future to explain the project, and provide milkweed to individuals who would like to plant their own.

To find out more about the Monarch Waystation project, visit www.monarchwatch.org. You can also follow Monarch Watch on Facebook.