The murder trial of Stephen W. Williams began last Monday afternoon, January 27, in Russell Circuit Court, according to Circuit Clerk Tony Kerr.

Williams is accused of shooting and killing Paul Montgomery at Montgomery’s mobile home in the Bryan Community in December 2006.

A jury was seated last Monday and opening statements in the case began about 2:15 p.m. Monday afternoon. The first witness in the case was expected to be called to the stand Wednesday, January 29, following the publication of this newspaper.

Danny Hill was convicted in July 2011 of facilitation to murder and tampering with physical evidence for his role in Montgomery’s death. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The case is being tried by Commonwealth Attorney Matthew Leveridge and the trial is taking place at the Russell County Judicial Center.

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Kentucky State Police arrested three Columbia residents late Saturday night, January 25, for allegedly robbing a Jamestown man in Adair County.

The arrests were made following an investigation into the alleged robbery of Richard Boyd, of Jamestown, that occurred on Carrie Bolin Drive within the city limits of Columbia.

Arrested and charged with first degree robbery, receiving stolen property and conspiracy to commit robbery were John Carroll, 18, Diamond Skruggs, 22, and Jamie Scarborough, 26.

The arrests were made by Trooper Justin Phillips. He was assisted by Trooper Adam Likins, the Columbia City Police, Adair County Sheriff’s Department and Jamestown City Police.

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The barrier wall construction and remediation of Wolf Creek Dam in Jamestown was a massive undertaking, with towering cranes, more than two dozen pieces of heavy machinery, and scores of vehicles and workers in constant motion, all inside a workspace that was 80 feet wide and 4,000 feet long. Despite the challenges, Treviicos-Soletanche Joint Venture has gone nearly three years without a lost time incident.

Deputy Secretary Rocky Comito of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet honored Treviicos-Soletanche Joint Venture with the Governor’s Safety and Health Award two weeks ago. The honor recognizes the company’s more than 1.3 million work hours without a lost-time incident while working on the Wolf Creek Dam project as a contractor for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Kentucky Labor Secretary Larry L. Roberts applauded the corporation’s achievement and dedication to its employees.

“Today’s honor represents an oustanding commitment to safety,” said Secretary Roberts. “Considering the scope of this project and the potentially hazardous nature of construction work, to go nearly three years without an incident demonstrates ow Treviicos-Soletanche Joint Venture has placed a pre-eminent emphasis on safety.”

In 2005, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed Wolf Creek Dam, which was built right after World War II, under a “high risk for failure” designation. The dam was plagued by leaks and repaired many times before undergoing a $594 million major rehabilitation. The main contract was awarded in 2008 to Treviicos-Soletanche Joint Venture for the construction of a 98,000-square-foot concrete barrier, which was completed in March 2013, nine months ahead of schedule.

“Safety is a fundamental and integral part of our work,” said Treviicos-Soletanche Joint Venture Project Manager Fabio Santillan. “A job of this complexity cannot be conceived without following high, stringent safety standards and without the firm commitment and collaboration of all the team members. Treviicos-Soletanche J.V. recognizes and thanks the support and partnership received from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, in achieving this important milestone.”

“Reaching more than a million work hours on the job without a long-time accident is a significant achievement,” said Lt. Col. John L. Hudson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District Commander. “The crews at Wolf Creek Dam worked day and night and kept safe despite the vehicles, equipment and people moving about constantly on the congested work platform.”

Treviicos-Soletanche J.V. officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agree that the concrete barrier wall at Wolf Creek Dam is the largest of its kind ever in the history of the world. It was built using eight different techniques, including high mobility gouting, low mobility grouting, clamshell excavation, hydromill excavation, directional drilled pilot holes, auger drilling, reverse circulation drilling and verification coring drilling.

The barrier wall used more than a billion pounds of concrete. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates the amount of concrete used in the wall could build a sidewalk five feet wide and four inches thick from Russell Springs to Washington, D.C.

In January 2007, the water level in Lake Cumberland was lowered 40 feet to ease pressure on the dam. With the new barrier wall, the level was raised 20 feet last summer, and is expected to be back to historical operational levels at 723 feet above sea level this summer.