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Huntington, West Virginia www.herald-dispatch.com First Edition 50¢

Group helps families deal with addiction

The Loved Ones’ Group offers support, “You don’t realize how serious the infiltration of drugs is just felt a need to try to help,”
Dixon said. “In doing this, it’s
in this area until you have a loved one
education to those coping with drug abuse who gets involved in it.” also therapeutic for me. It’s not
a religious group, but it has a

WEDNESDAY By BRYAN CHAMBERS

The Herald-Dispatch
bchambers@herald-dispatch.com
December 30, 2009 HUNTINGTON — Two wom-
en whose families have been
affected by substance abuse will
lead a free weekly support group
beginning in January at the Bar-
nett Center in Huntington.
The Loved Ones’ Group is a
seven-week program developed
by The Counseling Center of
Portsmouth, Ohio. It was brought
to the Barnett Center by Hun-
tington residents Cary Dixon and
Margie Copley. Dixon’s son has
been battling drug problems for
the past four years, while Copley
Cary Dixon
Huntington resident whose son has been battling drug problems
spiritual quality to it that gives
me strength.”
“You don’t realize how serious
for the past four years
the infiltration of drugs is in this
has lost a sister and niece to fatal families suffer from pain brought area until you have a loved one
drug overdoses. on by drug and alcohol addic- who gets involved in it,” Copley
The women, who have been tion. added.
friends for about 20 years, said “I know how severe the prob-
they grew tired of watching other lem is here in Huntington and Please see SUPPORT/10A

Diner owner, customer Stimulus to

offset W.Va.
Reading act quickly to save lives budget cuts
By LAWRENCE MESSINA

assistance dog The Associated Press

CHARLESTON — Gov. Joe Manchin is
banking on West Virginia’s share of fed-
dies in accident eral stimulus money to offset most of the
3.4 percent budget cut he’s ordered for all
A Rottweiler named executive branch departments, administra-
Zoe that helped Hun- tion officials said Tuesday.
tington-area children The governor ordered the cuts Monday,
to pre-empt a projected shortfall in general
overcome their fear tax revenue now estimated at $120 million.
of reading died With the budget year ending June 30, gen-
Sunday after she eral revenue
collections
was hit by a truck Stimulus dollars are a r e a l r e a dy
in Point Pleasant. expected to go toward $13.7 million
n $57.6 million for behind.
Local / 4A public schools The Leg-
n $12.2 million for islat u re a nd
Work complete higher education
n $27.7 million for
S u p r e m e
Cou r t have

on 20th Street Medicaid also agreed to

reduce spend-
ing. Other
underpass Mickey Brown of Pedro, left, and
Robert Melvin of Coal Grove elected offices in the executive branch
fall under the 3.4 percent mandate.
Though the cold rescued seven occupants during
But it is Manchin’s office and cabinet
an apartment fire that occurred
weather caused early Tuesday morning above two departments that will consume 95 percent
some delays, the businesses in the 500 block of of this year’s $3.7 billion general revenue
Marion Pike in Coal Grove, Ohio. budget. The governor has given the execu-
20th Street under- tive branch agencies until Jan. 20 to deter-
pass between 7th Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch mine where and how they will cut.
and 8th avenues Administration officials expect to tap
stimulus funds to replace $57.6 million for
opened Tuesday public schools, $12.2 million for higher
after contractors
finished laying Nine people displaced by structure fire in Ohio education and up to $27.7 million for Med-
icaid, Revenue Department spokeswoman
Kimberly Osborne said Tuesday.
black top and the By BRYAN CHAMBERS While the governor awaits details from
lanes were striped. The Herald-Dispatch agency chiefs, residents should notice
Local / 4A bchambers@herald-dispatch.com little or no changes to state operations,
COAL GROVE, Ohio — Nine people were displaced from Osborne said.
their residences and two businesses were damaged early That’s a far cry from the shuttered high-
Sip a seasonal Tuesday when a fire broke out in a building in Coal Grove,
Ohio.
way rest stops, scaled-back senior nutrition
programs and downsized public college

favorite with No one was injured in the blaze, which started shortly after
4 a.m. in a two-story building in the 500 block of Marion Pike.
enrollments that citizens are enduring in
other states.

eggnog recipes The Corner Diner and Hapney Barber Shop are located on
the ground floor of the building and five apartments are on
the second floor.
Recession-battered state governments
face budget shortfalls estimated at a com-
bined $14.8 billion, according to a report
One of the best The fire has been ruled an accident by the Ohio State Fire released earlier this month by the National
toasts for good Marshal’s Office, spokesman Shane Cartmill said. It origi- Governors Association and the National
health would be a nated in an apartment above the diner and likely was started Association of State Budget Officers. This,
by a candle burning too close to a couch and curtains or the after states cut a total of $111.8 billion
smooth sip of the careless disposal of smoking materials, Cartmill said. before passing their current spending
popular holiday plans, the groups’ fiscal survey said.
favorite: eggnog. Please see FIRE/10A
Please see STIMULUS/10A
However, the drink
can also be used
for recipes, such as
pies, cookies and Fighting fraud Health care change to help some in Ohio
Senior citizen patrol keep New state budget includes shift in insurance coverage rules
other desserts.
Life / 5C The Associated Press Ohio Department of Insurance the extra insurance costs associated

Index Medicare costs in check CLEVELAND — While federal

lawmakers debate whether to elimi-
spokeswoman.
The trade-off is that others will
with those individuals. She said oth-
ers would wind up paying more.
Business 5A Local 4A MIAMI — The Senior Medicare Patrol is one of nate health care roadblocks for likely end up covering the differ- The Association represents 19
Classified 1D B. Lucas 5C the least-known forces in the government’s effort people with pre-existing medical ence. Critics say insurance compa- insurance companies, including
Comics 9C Movies 8C to eliminate such fraud, which drains billions of dol- conditions, the new year should nies will pass on some of their costs Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue
Crossword 5D Nation 9A lars a year. But it is seen as a valuable part of the provide sick people in Ohio with of covering the sick in the form Shield and CIGNA Healthcare.
Editorials 8A Obituaries 2C Obama administration’s bid to overhaul health care an easier time buying health insur- of higher premiums for everyone McGivern also said pending fed-
Horoscope 3D Sports 1B and bring down costs. ance, and at less expense. else. eral health care legislation could
Life 5C Television 8C
The 4,700 senior citizen volunteers who serve as When lawmakers approved the Ohio law requires health insurers make the Ohio rules moot.
© the government’s eyes and ears have been credited current state budget, they included to sell policies to individuals with While differing in other areas,
with saving taxpayers more changes in Ohio health coverage pre-existing sickness, and about the bills passed by the U.S. House
Champion Publishing, Inc. rules that go into effect Friday, such 1,300 people with heart disease, and Senate both would bar the
than $100 million since
www.herald-dispatch.com 1997. The program as a cap on premiums for those with cancer, mental illness and other insurance industry from denying
Huntington, West Virginia relies on elderly ailments who are shopping for a conditions buy their own cover- coverage based on pre-existing
Vol. 109 No. 364
people to apply health plan on their own. age. They’re charged an average of conditions and would not allow
a lifetime’s Until now, the state allowed an about $800 a month, versus $300 the sick to be charged higher pre-
worth of com- insurer to charge people with ill- per month that people without seri- miums.
mon sense and nesses up to four times the compa- ous ailments pay. A second phase of the Ohio pro-
skepticism. ny’s usual base rate. The new limit Kelly McGivern, president of the gram, scheduled for 2013, would
will be two times the base rate. Ohio Association of Health Plans, lower the cap even further and pro-
More on 9A “We’re trying to make it more said the new price cap for those hibit any extra insurance charges
affordable,” said Carly Glick, an with illnesses is too low to cover for pre-existing conditions.

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