West Virginia

Deborah Louise Combs, 57, widow of H. Prewitt Combs, passed away Tuesday Jan. 8, 2013 at her home. Memorial services will be held at a later date in West Virginia. The online guestbook is available at www.scobeefuneralhome.com and the 24-hour funeral information line can be reached by calling 744-2122.

TAMPA - West Virginia players don't really want to compare the Kentucky team they beat last year in the Elite Eight to the Kentucky team they play Saturday in the NCAA Tournament East Region third round. "They have better shooters this year," said West Virginia guard Casey Mitchell. "Their guards also rebound better. Last year their guards just leaked out on the fast break because (DeMarcus) Cousins and (Patrick) Patterson got all the rebounds. This year the guards not only shoot the 3-point shot better, but they rebound better.

KENNA, W.Va. - A man driving a truck from Casey County was killed in a fiery crash Monday after his truck slammed into another truck on Interstate 77 north of Kenna, according to an article in the Charleston Daily Mail. The driver has not been identified; however, the semi was owned by Neat and Roberts Inc. of Dunnville. Scottie Lynn, a spokesman with Neat and Roberts said the semi, loaded with farm gates, left Casey County early Monday morning. He said officials in West Virginia are waiting for dental records before a positive identification can be made.

LEXINGTON - Cheers went up inside Lexington Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon when the “little guys” barely beat the auctioneer's clock and summoned the gumption to top the big guy's bid to purchase Anderson Circle Farm by $50,000. That victory was short-lived, however, when Jim Justice II of West Virginia quickly bumped up his offer another $500,000 to a cool $25 million, enough to scare off the other suitors and buy all of the 5,529 acres of prime Mercer County farmland for his agricultural empire, lock, stock and barrel.

Thursday, June 7 South Atlantic League Baseball West Virginia at Lexington, 7:05 p.m. (WHBN-AM 1420) Friday, June 8 South Atlantic League Baseball West Virginia at Lexington, 7:05 p.m. (WHBN-AM 1420)

James Pal Pinkston, 90, widower of Helen Short Pinkston, died Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. He was a retired teacher for the Barren County School System and a Marine Corp Veteran. Survivors are two children, Kelly and husband Skip Pinkston of West Virginia and Fay and husband Billy Morris of Nicholasville, two grandchildren, David and Lisa Hernadez of West Virginia, one great-granddaughter, Quintheta Hernadez of West Virginia, one sister, Vera Mae Pinkston of Tennessee. Services were held at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 23, at Betts & West Funeral Home with the Rev. Dan Barnes officiating.

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Jodie Meeks scored a game-high 19 points to lead Kentucky to an upset win over West Virginia 54-43 in the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday. Meeks, who was named the tournament MVP, went 12-of-12 from the free throw line. Patrick Patterson added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Kentucky (4-2), who held the Mountaineers to four points in the final 7:39. After West Virginia (4-1) led as many as 12 in the second half, the Wildcats rallied to take a 37-36 lead with 7:31 left.

Atwood "Buddy" Vanarsdell Hurt Jr., 65, husband of Patricia Ann Kerns Hurt, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, at his home. Buddy was born July 1, 1944, in Mercer County to the late Atwood Vanarsdell Hurt Sr. and Velma Louise Halfhill Hurt. He was a farmer, member of Clover Bottom Baptist Church and Nonesuch Volunteer Fire Department for more than 30 years. Additional survivors are two sons, Buddy Lee and wife Margaret Hurt of West Virginia and Douglas Atwood and wife Kristie Hurt of Lexington, stepdaughter Susie McClure of Crab Orchard, stepson Bobby McClure of Wilmore, six grandchildren, Caleb and Laykin Hurt of West Virginia, Kaitlin and Lauren Hurt of Lexington, Cheyenne McClure and Faith Brock of Crab Orchard, one sister, Norma and husband Sheridan Flora of Versailles and other family members.

California resident Flynn Donoho made his way through Winchester Monday as part of a quest to end cancer. An avid cyclist, Donoho has spent the spring trekking across the United States, trying to increase awareness about all forms of cancer, and raise money for the American Cancer Society. His current journey is the third in his attempt to bike through the 48 contiguous states. His first trip, in 2011, included the perimeter of the country, then in May 2012, he began hitting the states in the middle.

Deborah Louise Combs, 57, widow of H. Prewitt Combs, passed away Tuesday Jan. 8, 2013 at her home. Memorial services will be held at a later date in West Virginia. The online guestbook is available at www.scobeefuneralhome.com and the 24-hour funeral information line can be reached by calling 744-2122.

Bob “James Robert” Harris, 81, of Hustonville, formerly of West Virginia, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 6, at his home.  Born Nov. 27, 1930, in Glenville, W.Va., Bob was a son of the late George and Genevieve Stout Harris. He was a farmer and a US Army veteran. Survivors include his wife, Shirley Coleman Harris;  sons, Todd and Gene Harris;  daughters, Anna (Gary) Morris and Cindi Harris; brother, Harold Eugene Harris; sisters, Isabelle Dailey, Anna Dea Davis and Betty Swadley; and four grandchildren.

Claudia Ann Taylor, 51 of Florida died Saturday, May 19, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center after an extended illness. A native of Ohio, she was born March 18, 1960. She had been a resident of Rockcastle Health and Rehabilitation Center and a lifelong resident of Florida. She was a restaurant manager for Ponderosa Steak House. She is survived by three children, Crystal Bolt, Amanda and Amber Taylor, all of Florida; a half-sister, Carol Bartlett of Alabama; a half-brother, James Jackson of West Virginia; and three grandchildren.

LEXINGTON - Cheers went up inside Lexington Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon when the “little guys” barely beat the auctioneer's clock and summoned the gumption to top the big guy's bid to purchase Anderson Circle Farm by $50,000. That victory was short-lived, however, when Jim Justice II of West Virginia quickly bumped up his offer another $500,000 to a cool $25 million, enough to scare off the other suitors and buy all of the 5,529 acres of prime Mercer County farmland for his agricultural empire, lock, stock and barrel.

Monday afternoon the Kentucky State Police reported that a pair of area teenagers, missing since Sept. 1 have been found in Tennessee. According to a very brief report from KSP Post 7 Public Affairs Officer Trooper Paul Blanton, Alyssa Moore, 16, of Hustonville, and her boyfriend, Justin Smith, 16, of Lancaster were found by authorities in Tennessee, but their actual location and how they came in contact with authorities is unknown at press time....

HUSTONVILLE - When Tanya Moore left home Thursday afternoon for West Virginia, a laptop and a printer were loaded in the back seat of her Toyota Corolla. “It's my mobile office,” Moore said, “so I can print out more fliers when I need them.” Moore is going through fliers by the hundreds these days as she and her husband, Douglas Moore, try to track down their runaway daughter, Alyssa, 16, who hopped a Greyhound bus ticketed for Wheeling, W.Va., with her boyfriend on Sept.

Lee Andrew Laudermilt, 40, son of Susie Ann Spizzirro and Edward Lee Laudermilt, passed away Thursday, June 16, at the home of his mother on Central Avenue, surrounded by family.  He was a native of West Virginia, born Oct. 28, 1970. A talented artist, he had lived in Gatlinburg, Tenn., until his illness brought him brought him back to Susie.  In addition to his mother, he will be missed by brother Edward Lee Laudermilt and wife Tara  of Morehead; sisters Teresa Lynn Laudermilt Fullerton and husband Dan of Georgia, and Mellissa Ann Laudermilt of Mt. Sterling; and nieces and nephews Ashley, Austin, Caneron, Daniel, Tyler and Joshua.

TAMPA - It's hard to imagine a player who only scored three points perhaps being the most valuable player in Kentucky’s nail-biting 71-63 win over West Virginia here Saturday, but that just shows how important DeAndre Liggins' defense can be. In the first half, West Virginia guard Joel Mazzulla — the same player who ended UK’s national title hopes with a career game in the Elite Eight last year — had 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting...

TAMPA - For Josh Harrellson, the four stitches he needed above his eye to close a cut were more like a badge of honor than a bother. The Kentucky senior center continued his remarkable postseason play with 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting, eight rebounds and one blocked shot to help UK (27-8) beat West Virginia 71-63 and advance in the NCAA Tournament. Harrellson said the stitches came after his blocked shot when he took an inadvertent elbow. “It was an accident, and it happens in basketball games,” said Harrellson.