2011-04-06

Fixing heart valve sans surgery



NEW ORLEANS Cardiologists are reporting a major advance: A longawaited study suggests that many people with a bad aortic valve, the heart’s main gate, can avoid open-heart surgery and have a new one placed through a tube in an artery instead. There is a downside — a higher risk of stroke — and uncertainty about how long these valves will […]

Bladder infections are bane of women



DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Please explain urinary tract infections. Why do they recur? My doctor prescribes antibiotics, but shortly after I’ve completed taking them, I have another infection. What do you suggest as treatment? A pharmacist told me that I needed one or two days in the hospital to flush out my kidneys. — S.A. ANSWER: Urinary tract infections fall into […]

Prices slashed for preemie preventive



ATLANTA The maker of an expensive drug to prevent premature births has slashed the price by more than half after an outcry over the high cost and moves by federal regulators to keep a cheap version available. The drug is still pricey at $690 per weekly injection but it is a drastic reduction from the $1,500 price charged by KV […]

Study: Restless legs may be a sign of heart risks



NEW ORLEANS The nighttime twitching of restless legs syndrome may be more than an annoyance: New research suggests that in some people, it could be a sign of hidden heart problems. People with very frequent leg movements during sleep were more likely to have thick hearts — a condition that makes them more prone to cardiac problems, stroke and death, […]

Two Letcher County natives die



Howdy friends and neighbors. Hope all had a really great week with lots of warmth and sunshine. It’s been cold all week here, but this morning it’s a beautiful winter wonderland. Yes, we got around three inches of snow last week and it’s sticking to trees and bushes. I plan to just enjoy the scenery and hope it gets into […]

My boss in the service



Military personnel did not stay long at the same base or in the same command. I was the exception. I was in the same command at three different bases for 15 years, and 11 years at Travis. My boss was a full colonel from a little town in Virginia, and came into the service in 1937 with the U. S. […]

Jenkins top students named



Jenkins Middle High School has named its top students for the fourth six weeks. They are: 4.0 grade point average (gpa) or higher — Braiden Addington, Sean Anderson, Melissa Bartley, Lindsey Belcher, Keiley Bentley, Logan Branham, Kevin Brashear, Ashley Calhoun, Brady Caudill, Scotty Church, Stachia Collins, Sarah Corbett, Erica Creech, Aleisa Engle, Tanner Goff, Michaela Hardin, Trevor Hardin, Evelyn Holbrook, […]

Trail ride set April 9



The Letcher County Saddle Club will hold its spring trail ride on Saturday, April 9, at The Stables at Creekside Glen at Partridge. The ride begins at 9 a.m. and there is no charge. Riders can pack their own food or purchase food from the Shriners. For more information, call 855-9262.

Dump free in April



The Letcher County Transfer Station at Millstone will be open until noon on Saturdays in the spring and summer. During PRIDE Cleanup in the month of April, there will be no charge for dumping except for tires and construction materials. People are encouraged to clean up around their homes and outbuildings. The county Sanitation Department will not pick up this […]

AWARD —