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Jeff McGaha was sentenced to 20 years Tuesday for the June 2011 murder of Michael Cowan.
Before Judge James Bowling gave his final decision on sentencing, defense attorney W. Currie Milliken submitted a request for a second trial because he discovered that a member of the jury from the trial was a “Facebook friend” of a member of the Cowan family.
Commonwealth’s attorney Brian Wright argued that being a “Facebook friend” didn’t prove that the jury member was actually friends with the member of the Cowan family or that it caused any conflict with their ability as a juror. Judge Bowling denied the request for another trial.
Bowling decided after going over victim statements, he would go with the recommended sentence of 20 years with credit for time served.
McGaha was found guilty of the murder of Cowan after nearly a weeklong trial in early December.

A forensic audit originally scheduled for completion in October was never mentioned during Tuesday night’s hospital board meeting.
The board ordered the forensic audit in August and was told it would be complete and presented to the board in October. A forensic audit, which should help explain how the hospital district ended up $13 million in debt, is a financial review designed especially for use in civil or criminal court proceedings.
Following the board meeting, Ken Doran, CEO of Spectrum Health Partners, said the audit is now under review by state and federal authorities but would not elaborate.
Doran said neither the hospital administration nor the board have seen the audit, which was completed the first week of January. The audit had been turned over to authorities by Bill Mabry, an attorney with Frost Brown Todd, who represents the hospital, he said. Authorities should complete their review of the audit in the next two weeks, he added.
MERGER, SALE MOVES FORWARD
During the board meeting, chairman Jim Evans appointed new board member Bruce White and member John Nall to a strategic review committee, which will be responsible for assessing proposals to purchase or merge with Westlake.
Doran said letters have been sent to 17 different agencies and they have until Feb. 17 to make a proposal.
He expects a special called meeting to be necessary in March to narrow down potential partners to three.
Doran recommended to the board to hire Bradley Arnt Boult Cummings, a law firm in Nashville, to provide legal services for a sale or merger. Doran said he has worked with attorney Steve Brown on 75 acquitions and 30 sales and considers him the best.
The fees, which Doran said were discounted, would be $15,000 a month retainer with a total cost ranging from $125,000 to $175,000.
Board members asked to review an agreement proposed for the law firm and are expected to address the issue next month. Doran said the attorneys would probably not be needed until April.

FINANCIALS
DISCUSSED
The hospital district has received $1 million of the $1.7 million it borrowed through the county.
While December patient census saw an improvement, the district showed a net loss of $132,781 for the month. For the six months ending in December, the district showed a $1.5 million loss.
The district is operating on a tight cash flow, even with the influx of funds from the county. December’s financials showed the hospital with $193,000 in the bank and $1.5 million in liabilities. Doran said $700,000 of the debt is current with another $400,000 being less than 60 days old.
The hospital did receive some good news this month. While they were expecting a cash influx of $400,000 from the state because of a new technology system, they learned they would instead receive $850,000. Of that total, $245,000 is expected to arrive during the next two weeks.
The board approved agreements to return two doctors who worked previously with Westlake. Dr. Jesus Siady will work up to three days a week at Westlake Primary Care. He will be paid $145 an hour.
Dr. Charles Townsend will work at Edmonton Primary Care under the same agreement.
Outgoing board member Bradley Irvin was recognized for his work on the board.
The hospital board meets the last Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the hospital board room. Chairman Jim Evans, board members John Nall, Russell Guy Perkins, Josh Harden and Bruce White attended Tuesday night’s meeting.

By Sharon Burton
[email protected]

Jerlene Hall, 59, of the Cundiff community, passed away Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 at Westlake Regional Hospital emergency room.
She was born on Oct. 27, 1952 in Adair County and was the daughter of the late Clyde and Lonie Ellen Spencer Melson and was a member of Amazing Grace Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters, Robert and Junior Melson, Betty McClister and Helen Jean Melson.
She is survived by her husband, McKinley Hall of Cundiff; two daughters, Tabatha Broyles of Muncie, Ind. and SueEllen Spears of Fairfield, Ind.; one son, Michael Hall of Indianapolis, Ind.; two brothers, Walter Melson of Cundiff and Stanley Melson of Jamestown; and by one sister, Norma George of Cundiff.
Ten grandchildren and one great grandchild also survive.
Funeral service was Sunday, Jan. 22 at Grissom-Martin Funeral Home with burial in Burchett Cemetery in Cundiff.
Casket bearers were Dustin Pedigo, Robert Broyles, Lawrence Roberts, Michael Hall, Gary Melson and Stanley Pender.

Grissom-Martin Funeral Home was in charge of funeral arrangements. Visit www.grissommartin.com.

The Adair County Community Voice earned a dozen awards–including four first-place honors–during the 2011 Excellence in Newspapers Contest.
The awards were presented during the annual meeting of the Kentucky Press Association Friday.
The Voice and Editor Sharon Burton earned two first place awards for coverage of Westlake Regional Hospital, earning top honors in best general news story and best investigative story or series.
“What set this apart was the newspaper’s dogged pursuit of openness and a result that benefited the public,” wrote the contest judges.
Assistant Editor Allison Hollon earned the Voice a first place award for best ongoing/extended coverage story for her reporting of Lonnie Mann’s struggle to be allowed back into the public school system after he obtained a GED.
The other first place honor went to Burton for her column. In this category, three columns are submitted for the competition. Burton’s columns celebrated the life of Charles Sparks, shared her family’s experience when her daughter and granddaughter lost their home to a house fire, and criticized the hospital board for relying on bad advice to keep documents from the public.
“Sharon Burton wrote on a variety of subjects with feeling and with a knowledge of her community. She communicated her thoughts without being sappy and Adair County is fortunate to have her publish its newspaper,” judges commented.
The Voice staff earned a second place win for best spot news picture of a September 2011 fatal wreck on the parkway.
“Though the wreckage tells the story, the woman and her dog add the human element to the image and make it much stronger,” judges wrote.
For the first time, the Voice earned accolades for its sports coverage.
Scott Bennett took second place in best sports picture for a football photo and John Overby earned third place in bests sports feature story for his May 2011 article about senior baseball player Will Rich.
The Voice also received third place recognition for best editorial and best headline, both written by Hollon, and best picture essay showing the community’s farewall to Charles Sparks. Burton, Hollon and Mindy Yarberry took the photographs.
The Voice received a certificate of merit for best sports picture essay, featuring work from Bennett and Hollon.
The Voice competed in the Weekly Class 1 category and brought home a third place general excellence award. The contest covered editions published from October 2010 to September 2011.

The Kentucky State Police is investigating a suspected prostitution ring and human trafficking case involving local juveniles.
As of Tuesday, one Columbia man has been arrested. An undocumented alien, Adulfo DeAquino Cancino, 27, has been charged with human trafficking, unlawful transaction with a minor, and illegal sex act under 16 years of age and lodged in the Taylor County Detention Center.
KSP Detective Mike Dubree is investigating the suspected prostitution ring involving local female juveniles. Dubree expects more charges to be filed in Adair and other counties in the Post 15 district.