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Manchester Enterprise - 2.13.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the Manchester Enterprise to read news
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from and around Manchester. Your reader today is Jim Rice.
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We will begin with the edition dated Wednesday, February the eleventh,
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twenty twenty six. As a reminder, RADIOI is a reading
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service intended for people who are blind or have other
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disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material. Money's
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coming for parkway expansion. Congressman Hal Rogers earmarks money for road,
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new livestock market, staff report, Enterprise News Manchester. A twenty
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million dollar federal investment to widen approximately fifty nine miles
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of the Hal Rogers Parkway between London and Hazard is
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expected to improve long term economic growth opportunities for Clay
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County and the region. Congressman Hal Rogers announced the funding
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this week. The funding, included in a broader federal appropriations
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package supporting infrastructure and economic development projects across southern and
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eastern Kentucky, will allow the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to move
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forward with improvements to one of the region's primary transportation corridors.
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Local officials say the expansion will help improve travel safety,
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support commercial traffic, and increase access for tourism and business development.
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Quote these investments represent a major step forward for Clay
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County and the entire region. County Judge Excess Executive Tommy
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Harmon said, quote, the twenty million dollar commitment to the
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Hall Rogers Parkway improvement program is critical for our long
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term growth and safety. In addition to transportation funding, Clay
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County will receive one point three million dollars for the
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Clay County Livestock Marketplace, a project expected to strengthen the
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local agriculture economy and create new market opportunities for farmers
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and producers. The one point zero three million allocation for
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the Clay County Livestock Marketplace will provide a significant economic boost,
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creating new opportunities for our farmers, producers, and local businesses,
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Harmon said. Local leaders say both projects rep present targeted
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investments in Clay County's infrastructure and rural economy, positioning the
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county for future growth while supporting key industries such as
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agriculture and regional transportation. Taxed article home water leak woes.
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Water employees have found over a half million gallon loss
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due to home leaks, staff report Enterprise News. Manchester water
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crews continue working across several areas of Clay County as
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widespread customer side leaks have caused significant water loss and
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impacted tank levels serving portions of the county. According to
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city officials, crews have been working in the Big Creek,
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Hector and Lockharts Creek communities, along with surrounding areas where
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numerous customer leaks have been identified. More than five hundred
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thousand gallons of water usage has already been traced to leaks,
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placing strain on the water tank supplying those areas. Mayor
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Steve Collins said cruise have now checked nearly thirty five
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hundred meters over the last several days while going house
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to house searching for leaks. Quote. The water department is
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out checking for leaks and so far we have found
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several more customer leaksuote Colin said. As we find these,
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we are shutting off the water to that residence unquote.
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City officials say residents may notice decreased water pressure if
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crews are working in their area or if a leak
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is discovered nearby. Residents who suspect they ma they have
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a leak are encouraged to check their water meter if
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a meter is moving, while all faucets and appliances are
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turned off, it may indicate a leak. Colin said that
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at this time, all areas of the city's coverage zone
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should have water service unless a residence has been shut
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off due to a confirmed leak or is experiencing frozen pipes. Quote.
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Everyone at this time should have water unless your lines
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are frozen or you have been turned off for a leak.
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Colin said, if you have been turned off for a leak,
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please do not turn your water back on unless proper
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repairs have been made. Crews continue to work under difficult
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winter conditions, including meters buried under snow and ice, and
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hazardous roadways. Officials warn that even if a home currently
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has no leak, problems may still develop as temperatures rise
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and frozen pipes begin to thaw. We have checked almost
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thirty five hundred meters in the last couple of days,
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but you may still develop a leak later as your
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pipes thaw out, Collins added. City officials say if residents
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do not currently have water, the most likely causes are
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either frozen service lines or water service being temporarily shut
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off due to a leak. Officials say updates will continue
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to be provided as crews work to stabilize tank levels
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and maintain reliable service across the county. City leaders also
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expressed appreciation for both the hard work of water department
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employees and the patience of residents during the ongoing situation.
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Next article The Goose Chase c c Days Festival bringing
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back popular raft race staff report, Enterprise News, Manchester Outdoor
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fund creativity and community spirit will take center stage later
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this spring during the Clay County Day's Festival as they
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host the Goose Chase, a homemade raft and a kayak
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race set for Saturday, May thirtieth on the Goose Creek River.
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Many can remember the raft races held with the Alelujah
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Festival back in the nineteen eighties. It was a popular
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event that organizers hope recreates interest and participation. The event,
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designed to bring together friends, families, churches, clubs, and community groups,
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will feature both a homemade raft race and a kayak race,
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offering participants multiple ways to compete on the water. Sign
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Ups will be held from nine am to nine thirty am,
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with the race scheduled to begin at ten am. The
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homemade raft race will require teams for participants using non
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motorized rafts. Teams must remain on their raft until crossing
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the finish line, and organizers are encouraging creativity in raft design,
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making the competition both fun and visually entertaining for spectators.
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The kayak race will be limited to non motorized paddle
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powered kayaks. Participants must remain in their kayak throughout the race.
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Organizers say safety will be a top priority during the event.
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Participants must be age twelve or older, and life jackets
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will be required at all times. Anyone under the age
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of eighteen must have a parent or guardian present. In
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addition to competition, the event is aimed at strengthening community
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connections and encouraging outdoor recreation along Goose Creek, one of
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Clay County's natural attractions. Awards will be presented in several categories,
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including fastest Kayak, fastest Raft, best homemade Raft, Best Team Spirit.
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The event is sponsored by Clay County Tourism in Manchester
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to tur It is expected to draw participants and spectators
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from across the region. Organizers are encouraging community groups, churches,
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youth organizations, and families to participate, noting that quote any
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group is welcome unquote. The event's theme encourages participants to
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build it, paddle it, and chase the goose, combining friendly
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competition with community pride and outdoor adventure. Additional details about
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registration and event logistics are expected to be released closer
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to the race date. Next article A Calling for Adventure
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by Melissa Garrison Enterprise feature. If you've never seen Jeremy
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Baker play guitar, that you don't know what you're missing.
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Not only does it leave me out of breath and
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watching him jump so much, but don't know how he
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does it and stays focused somehow though it fits his
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personality so well. I was blessed to interview Jeremy at
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the church. It was a nasty, rainy evening, but our
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conversation was pleasant and uplifting. The word that came to
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mind for Jeremy was adventurous. In his office, you'll see
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mounts of deer and other wildlife, and among all of
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the wildlife and nature attributes since a line of NASCAR
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race cars. I thought to myself, this guy wears many hats,
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and I discovered he really he does. From childhood, Jeremy
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believed he had a calling on his life, one that
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ultimately played out, but not without hardships. I hope you
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find Jeremy's story as uplifting and encouraging as I did.
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Jeremy loves people and values relationships. He was born to
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his mother when she was only fourteen years old. She
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and his father had their own struggles and divorced when
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he was young, Living mostly with his grandparents, he would
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attend church with a friend. He eventually found himself attending
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Bible school and was baptized. As he entered his teenage years,
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he began dabbling in different things while searching for his identity.
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Identity was a struggle for Jeremy. During his senior year
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of high school, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. The day
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of his diagnosis diagnosis, his grandfather, Lester Sinners, told him, quote,
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this is where your faith steps in unquote. Faith became
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real for Jeremy at that time. Around that time, he
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began dating his wife, Brenda. He recalls there were some
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very difficult seasons during that period. Jeremy went to college
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and studied wildlife biology. His dream was to become a
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game warden, and honestly, I could envision Jeremy in that role.
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He grew up hunting squirrel hunting, fishing for bluegill, and
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just about anything else you can name. He has had
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a true love for hunting since childhood. When I asked
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him about his hobbies like hunting, Jeremy said, it's more
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like a way of life. He loves it. His health
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began to decline around twenty twelve, and he and Brenda
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married at ages twenty one and nineteen. That sounds young
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to many, but I think back to earlier generations when
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people married young and built families. It's not the age
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that makes a marriage work. It's what Jeremy and Brenda have.
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Jesus he has been a crucial part of their marriage.
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The phrase quote in sickness and in health unquote comes
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to mind. Jeremy shared that his health struggles have been
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very stressful at times, with surgeries and chronic illness. Life
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has had its share of uncertainty. With his biology degree,
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Jeremy began working as a teacher at Redbird Christian School.
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He taught there for five years and later pursued his
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principal certification. He believed that would be his calling, but
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God was leading him in a different direction. Jeremy also
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loves music. As I mentioned, earlier. He plays guitar. He
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had a band for a time, but music helped him
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find healing. It was a way to seek God. When
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Jeremy was building a relationship with his now pastor, Clay Bishop,
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he was asked if he had considered ministry. He began
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praying about it, and for the past three years he
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has served as assistant pastor. Jeremy and his wife have
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recently begun leading youth at the church. It's a new
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chapter in their lives, but one they are excited about.
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With two children, I know how impactful they will be,
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not only for their own family, but for men others.
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Jeremy feels blessed to serve through media in music at
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the church as well. Jeremy loves hunting, photography, family, filming, music,
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and the outdoors. Through all of it, he finds ways
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to glorify God. He got his video camera around age
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ten and began making videos. That began making videos that
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passion followed him into high school and college. He now
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runs a hunting YouTube page and does filming work, including weddings.
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Film and videos have always been a big part of
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his life. As Jeremy says, quote, if you find thing
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you love it will never feel like work. I felt
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that for me, writing doesn't feel like work, it's fun.
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And for Jeremy, depending on the day, he wears many hats.
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Jeremy's photography is phenomenal. As he walked through his office
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showing each photo, there was a story behind everyone. Some
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were taken out west during hiking and hunting trips that
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much like his guitar playing, leave me out of breath
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just thinking about them. Hiking those mountains takes determination, and
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Jeremy definitely has that. Jeremy has met many people along
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the way and has had mentors who helped guide him.
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As adventurous as Jeremy is, he still needs a guide
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and he won't hesitate to tell you that God is
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that guide. Living a life of faith is an adventure,
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one filled with sacrifice, but God has always provided. Jeremy
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is humbled to serve at City of Hope Church. Many
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people have poured into him throughout his life. If he
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started naming them all, he would have we would have
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been there for a while because honestly, it takes a
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village to help shape us into adults. We need good
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mentors and good friends. Jeremy's life revolves around his faith,
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his family, and his relationship with God. He has not
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let Crohn's disease define him. He has pressed forward and
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says he couldn't be happier at this stage of in
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his life. Jeremy says he desires to be more present.
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Presence is most important, and he is on the adventure
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with God wherever that may lead. He would love to
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do more advanced filming and expand beyond what he currently does,
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and he absolutely could. His photography captures incredible mountain and
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landscape scenes. Jeremy intrigued me, which is why I felt
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led to interview him. Anyone who leaves teaching for ministry
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usually has a deeper story behind it. For Jeremy, it
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was obedience to God's calling. Many times, comfort and obedience
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are not the same. When we step out of our
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comfort zone, it can be uncomfortable for a moment, and
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then God steps in. Jeremy shared an interesting quote from
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the book Boon Quote in his mid thirties, a man
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either reaches out towards risk and glory or stays within
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the routines of the expected and ordinary. It is the
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age when men leave safe homes and jobs and go
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on voyages and odyssees and performed transforming sacrifices. It's an
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age at which visionaries become prophets or explorers or inventors,
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or make fools of themselves trying unquote. Jeremy go to
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Bible verse A Psalm thirty two. Lord and my God,
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I called to you for help, and you healed me.
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And finally, in Jeremy's own words, quote, Christ has changed
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my life in every capacity, from being a husband to
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a friend, a son, a brother, and a father. He
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has been my direction for everything, a best friend and
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an anchor. The old man is gone. He has been
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my awe. In awe, I found my true identity in
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Jesus unquote. Now we turned to sports. Act of kindness.
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Former Attorney General praises CCMs coach teacher for their kindness
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at UK basketball game by Tanner Hoskins Enterprise Sports, Lexington, Kentucky.
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A simple act of kindness by two Clay County educators
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is drawing praise and gratitude from a former statewide leader
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after the couple helped him and his wife safely navigate
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dangerous conditions outside reperina. Former Kentucky Attorney General Chris Gorman
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recently contacted the Manchester Enterprise to share a story he
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felt the community deserved to hear, one highlighting the character
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and compassion of Clay County residents Connor Robinson and his fiance,
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Jonica Brown. Robinson serves as a physical education teacher at
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Clay County Middle School and also an eighth grade basketball coach.
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Brown is an educator at Burning Springs Elementary. According to Gorman,
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the incident occurred as he and his wife, ages eighty
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three and eighty one, were walking to a University of
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Kentucky basketball game against Tennessee. The couple had parked about
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five blocks from rupp Ana and quickly discovered the sidewalks
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were covered with an estimated three inches of solid ice. Quote.
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Unbeknownst to us, the sidewalks had a solid sheet of
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ice about three inches thick. As we walked to the
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Tennessee game unquote, Gorman wrote, quote, we encouraged folks to
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go around us, since we were going to slow trying
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to avoid a fall. That's when Robinson and Brown stepped in.
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Quote one young couple who were teachers said quote, no,
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let us help you. Unquote. Gorman said, they carefully held
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on to each each of us, staying with us the
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entire three blocks until it was safe. Gorman noted he
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initially only caught Robinson's name, but later learned the couple
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was from Clay County. He said their willingness to slow down, assist,
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and ensure two elderly strangers reached safety left a lasting impression. Quote,
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they are a real credit to your community, and with
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all the negative we see in this world, it is
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comforting to see two people who truly cared about two
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old folks unquote, Gorman said. When reached for comment, Robinson
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down played the moment, saying helping others is simply part
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of who he tries to be, both personally and professionally.
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Quote I don't think we did anything special unquote, Robinson said.
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Quote we just saw two people who needed help and
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wanted to make sure they were safe. That's what we're
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supposed to do for each other. If you could help someone,
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you should. I'm just thankful we were there and able
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to help them get where they needed to go safely. Unquote.
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Brown echoed that mindset, saying kindness often comes down to
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small moments and simple decisions. Community leaders say stories like
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this reflect the values Clay County strives to instill in
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its students and citizens service, compassion, and looking out for neighbors,
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whether they live next door or complete strangers. For Gorman,
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the experience served as a reminder that kindness is still
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alive and well, and for Clay County, it's another example
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of local educators leading not just in the classroom, but
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in everyday life. Next article All Region Honors. Two Tigers
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make first Team All Region by coaches by Tanner Hoskins
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Enterprise Sports. Clay County High School placed two players on
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the prestigious thirteenth Region Boys Basketball Coaches Association First Team
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All Region squad, highlighting the continued strength of the Tigers
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program during the twenty twenty five twenty sixth season. Senior
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Alden Wagers and junior Aiden Grubb were both selected the
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first team All Region lists. Wagers, a senior, ford, has
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been a cornerstone of Clay County's lineup, providing scoring leadership
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in defensive intensity throughout the season. Known for his ability
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to impact games on both ends of the floor, Wagers
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has consistently delivered in big moments and has been steady
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presents for the Tigers. Grubber junior, has emerged as one
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of the region rising stars. His athleticism, scoring ability, and
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versatility have made him a matchup problem for opponents. Off season,
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coaches across the region took notice of his growth in production,
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leading to his selection among the region's elite. The first
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team All Regions selections were headlined by thirteenth Region Player
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of the Year Rheese Davidson of North Laurel, while Whitley
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County's Eric Sword was named thirteenth Region Coach of the Year.
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Clay County was also represented on the All Regions Senior
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Academic Team. It's a three point five grade point averager higher,
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with Wagers and Jay Nicholson earning recognition for their work
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in the classroom as well as on the court, joining
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the two Tigers on the first team. Arerheese Davidson North Laurel,
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Blake Burnett, Bell County, Bryce and Mayheon Whitley County, Ethan Buell,
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Bell County, Eli Petrowski, Corbyn evan Ellis Corbin, Reggie Cattrell
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Harland County, and Braxton Ferguson Bell County. Tommy Brandstutter of
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Anita Baptist A junior was named of the second Team.
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Oneida players Mike Cunningham, Jaden Balfour and Rosen Major and
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Caden Robb were named of the Senior Academic Team. This
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concludes the reading of the Manchester Enterprise. Your reader has
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been Jim Rice. Now please stay tuned for continued programming
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and on behalf of everyone here at Radio I thank
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you for listening and we hope you have a good day.