The Advocate-Messenger from Danville, Kentucky • Page 2

SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2007 LOCAL THE KENTUCKY-ADVOCATE WWW.AMNEWS.COM Missing Lincoln teen found in Lancaster By STEPHANIE SCHELL A 17-year-old Lincoln County girl who was deemed missing by her grandparents 1 for about three weeks was found early Friday morning in Lancaster, said Lincoln County Sheriff Curt Folger. He said she is in custody at Adair County Juvenile Detention Center charged with being a habitual runaway. Heather Thomas was last seen by her grandparents, Randall and Midge Long, June 1. Lincoln County Sheriff Department was then asked to get involved. Deputy Donnie Gilliam said Thomas this wasn't their first go-round with Thomas running away.

Gilliam previously said with each runaway attempt, Thomas learned more about how to avoid being found. However, he also speculated he didn't think she had gone far, and said authorities did not believe she wasin danger. Folger said Lancaster Police Department, Garrard County Sheriff Department and Lincoln County Sheriff Department had been exchanging information for some time when Lancaster Police Department received a tip of Thomas' whereabouts. Thomas was found at a Lancaster residence, Folger said, although the address could not be confirmed as of Saturday. The names of the people living there also could not be confirmed.

Folger had been out of town all week and had not received all the information about the case. Lancaster police could not be reached Saturday to comment on the case. The Great American Brass Band Festival has come and gone. Relive the sights and sounds on amnews.com. Clay A little off the ears Suds and Scissors' groomer Dixie McAninch trims up Murray Hooper on Friday at the business on Lebanon Road in Danville.

Murray is a cockapoo, a cross between an American cocker spaniel and a poodle. Experts: Wage hike no big deal POLICEnews BOONEVILLE On Tuesday, Wallace Thomas will have to pay a handful of his eastern Kentucky sawmill employees 75 cents more per hour under the state's new minimum wage law. No big deal, he says. The tough part will be two years from now when a dozen or so employees now making around $7 an hour realize they're earning as much as a minimum wage worker. "It'll be harder to make someone already making $7 an hour work for the same amount" when the minimum wage reaches $7.25, said Thomas, co-owner of Thomas Brothers Sawmill in Owsley County.

The law, virtually identical to the minimum wage law passed in Congress last month, increases minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 in three installments over two years. The first jump, effective Tuesday, will raise the wage to $5.85. Experts say the new minimum wage laws will have little impact on major businesses and on the working poor in Kentucky the sixth poorest state in the nation. Small business owners, such as Thomas, who pay their laborers less than $10 an hour, will be most affected, said Michael Jones, a state economist. About 200,000 Kentucky workers will get a pay raise on Tuesday, accord- By SAMIRA JAFARI Associated Press Writer ing to data compiled by the Governor's Office for Policy Research.

These workers, who make less than $5.85, make up 8 percent of the work force in Kentucky, Only 8,000 workers actually earn $5.15 an hour. By 2009, another 150,000 will benefit from the "ripple effect" of raising the wage, according to the Kentucky Raise the Wage Coalition. Thomas, who jump-started his sawmill business three years ago in the poorest county in Kentucky, is preparing his wallet. "It may be harder to pay that," said Thomas, who starts out trainees at $5.15 for stacking lumber and pushing slabs through giant saws. Jones added that a common misconception is that raising minimum wage is a way "to get back at big business." However, larger industries, such as fast food and discount retailers won't be greatly affected because the law allows them plenty of time to adjust payrolls and improve efficiency.

Nationally, the effects of increasing minimum wage on poverty, job growth or inflation have been small, according to a 2007 study from the University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research. "To date, the economic evidence for or against an increase in the minimum wage is not reported James Ziliak, director of the center. The Raise the Wage Coalition lobbied for the pay hike, saying the working poor can't afford basic necessities like housing, food and clothing. Obituaries Visit our online obituary archive at www.amnews.com Funerals Sharon L. Baker 1945-2007 Sharon Lee Baker, 62, of Danville, died June 21, 2007, in Lexington.

Born January 1, 1945, in Michigan, she was the daughter of the late Stanley and Violet Evans Phillips, and the widow of Daniel Baker. She was a homemaker and a mem- Kentucky Published Sunday by ADVOCATE COMMUNICATIONS USPS 148-260. Periodical postage paid at Danville, KY. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for publication and not otherwise of all new dispatches credited to this paper and also the local news published herein. All rates include The Advocate-Messenger published Postmaster: change of address forms to The Advocate enger, 330 S.

Fourth Danville, KY 40422 The Kentucky Advocate C2004 FESTIVAL "In one sense it's not a lot of money," said Ed Monahan, chairman of the coalition. "But in another sense, if you're a single mother struggling to make ends meet, that little bit of money is going to help you." Back at the sawmill, 48-year-old Donald Montgomery, who makes $6 an hour, said the incremental increases are small for his household, which includes a wife disabled by seizures and a 17-year-old who simply needs stuff. Still, "anything would help, I guess," he added. "It's pretty hard sometimes." Jones said the wage increase may help thousands of the working poor, but it could cost many their hours or even their jobs. "As minimum wage goes up, you would expect employers to hire fewer workers," Jones said.

"Instead of hiring three-tofour low skilled workers, you could hire two higher skilled workers." By the time minimum wage reaches $7.25 in Kentucky, there will be a job loss of up to 6.4 percent, according to Ken Troske, director of the UK Center for Business and Economic Research. Troske, who issued a report on minimum wage earlier this year, believes giving the working poor an income tax credit is a better alternative. An earned income tax credit, like those offered by other states and the federal government, would allow workers who earn less than a certain amount, depending on the size of their household, to reduce their state tax bill or even claim a refund. CASEY Phyllis Davis LIBERTY Phyllis Davis, 60, of Nicholasville, died Thursday at her home. Born in Casey County, she was the daughter of the late James and Emma Lanham, and widow of John Wilber Davis.

Survivors include sons, James Davis of Winchester, and Kevin and Jeff Davis of Nicholasville; brothers, Ralph and Dennis Lanham; and sisters, Ruth Galvin, Barbara Lane, Charlotte Phillips and Alice Sallee. Services are 2 p.m. today at McKinney-Brown Funeral Home by Jerry Dedman. Burial is in Lanhamtown Cemetery. Visitation was 6-9 p.m.

Saturday. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Home Pay-By-Mail Delivery: Senior E-Z Rate: rates $41.90 Pay 3 available Months, $13.07 Mail (60 per Daily Delivery years month older) (KY): Sunday $52.90 3 All carriers and distributors are independent contractors keeping their own accounts. The Advocate-Messenger is not responsible for advance payments made to these carriers, their agents or their representatives. The Advocate-Messenger recommends advance payments be made directly to our office where they will be held in trust for the carriers and paid to them weekly or monthly upon delivery of the newspaper. Woman faces drug, traffic charges HARRODSBURG A Nicholasville woman recently was arrested on traffic and drug-related charges, police said.

Loretta Lynn Hilen, 42, was arrested in a traffic stop on North College Street after someone reported her to be driving while intoxicated. She was charged with first offense driving under the influence of intoxicants, and possession of cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. She was lodged in Boyle County Jail, according to a report by Officer Lynn Davis. NEWSbriefs Meetings Danville City Commission 4 p.m. Monday at city hall for an executive session to discuss city manager hiring process.

Regular meeting will follow at 5:30 p.m. with an agenda that includes fireworks discussion, second reading of budget and other items. Danville Board of Education 7 p.m. Monday at the Central Office. Boyle Fiscal Court 5 p.m.

Tuesday at the courthouse. Agenda includes Centre College bond issue, second reading of budget and Economic Development Partnership discussion. ber of Pentecostal Holiness Ellen Sears, 93, Church. caster, died Friday. Survivors include two sons, Eugene (Cindy) Lucas of Michigan and Kevin (Sonya) Lucas of Alabama; three daughters, Amy Singleton and Connie (Edwin) Riley, both of Danville, and Amanda (Donald) Hale of Bereas a sister, Carol Schuck of Michigan; five grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by a daughter, Violet Baker; a brother, Sonny Phillips; and a sister, Connie Emery. Visitation will be Monday from 4-7 p.m. at Stith Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Breast Cancer Foundation. LINCOLN Susie E.

Sears 1913-2007 STANFORD Susie CONTACT US To subscribe or to place news items: 236-2551 (Mon DO YOU HAVE A NEWS TIP? Call 236-2551 or 1-800-428-0409 Classified Line Ads 236-2589 (ME) Other Advertising 236-2551 (4F) Born Dec. 10, 1913, in Lincoln County, she was the daughter of the late Tommy and Mattie Yates Yocum. She was a homemaker, widow of Ed Sears and member of Geneva Community Church. Survivors include son, Harold Buck (Gail) Sears; brothers, Floyd and Samuel Yocum; sisters, Virginia Shearer, Mildred Coffman and Margie Harris; 11 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by sons, Carlie and David Lee Sears; and daughter, Sadie Frances Sears Franklin.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Fox Funeral Home. Burial will be in McKinney Cemetery. Visitation is 6-9 p.m. of Lan- TEL el JULY 26 TUNE 17, 1927.

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