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Licking Valley Courier - 6.19.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
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you news from end and around West Liberty. Your reader
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today is Janics. We begin with the addition dated Thursday,
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June the eighteenth, twenty twenty six, as a reminder, Radio
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I as a reading service intended for people who are
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blind or have other disabilities that make it difficult to
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read prind material. Our first first article is Independence Day
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Activities slate at July third and fourth in West Liberty
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Tourism Commission is host to music and fireworks at ole
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Mill Park on Friday July the third. Kowana's Club to
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host Main Street celebration and games July the fourth. The
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West Liberty Tourism Commission will host an evening of musical
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entertainment on Friday, July the third at Omell Park ahead
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of the annual Independence Day fireworks display. Event, which is
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part of the free admission Live on Licking Concert series.
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Will begin at seven pm with a performance by opening
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group Legends Loss in nineteen seventies and a nineteen eighties
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hair metal cover ban prior to the headlining band known
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as Three Legged Circus. The Three Legged Circus will perform
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hits from the nineteen eighties, nineteen nineties in the early
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two thousands. Following the concert Three Legged Circus Concert, the
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annual Thunder Over the Licking fireworks display will begin at
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ten PM. Food trucks will be on the grounds for
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the concert and fireworks display. Festivities will continue on Saturday,
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July the fourth with with West Celebrities Kawanas Club Annual
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Independence Days Celebration on Main Street at ten am. The
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program will include dav Chapter one thirty two, Color Guard,
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recognition of veterans, patriotic readings, and the presentation of the
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Citizens and Organization of Year Awards. These ceremonies will receive
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the traditional street games scheduled for ten thirty a m.
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Street games will include a sack race, bicycle and tricycle races,
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foot races, three legged Race, egg toss and more with
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money prizes. Free watermelon and lemonade will be available during
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the July fourth Street celebration. Everyone is invited to come
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out to the special events and commemorate the two hundred
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and fiftieth anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence
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in downtown West Liberty, Okay. Our next article is Deputies
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respond to call that leads to drug investigation. The Morgan
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County Sheriff's Office recently responded to a com for assistance
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that resulted in the opening of a drug investigation. Sergeant
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John Paul Turner of Morgan County Sheriff's Office reports that
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multiple deputies in Morgan County EMS personnel's were dispatched to
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thirty three thirty seven Liberty Road in regard to a
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possible overdose. A forty five year old female was taken
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from the residence to Morgan County arh Sergeant Turner said
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while at the scene, deputies located illegal narcotics and paraphernalia
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in plane view. Following the discovery, Deputy Cope Bowman, Deputy
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Cody Ward, and sheriff Deputy Jeff Smith obtained a search
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warrant for the residents, which resulted in a seizure of
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numerous items from the scene. Sergeant Turner said that the
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matter remains under investigation by Deputy Colt Bowman and indicated
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that charges are pending in the case. Updates will be
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noted in the Courier as they become available. Our next
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article is aunt Sterling men seriously injured in June eleventh
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crash a Montgomery County man was seriously injured in an
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automobile collision that occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, June
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eleventh in Morgan County. Sergeant John Paul Turner of the
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Morgan County Sheriff's Office told the Courier that shortly before
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three point fifty five PM, David Branham's sixty of Mount
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Sterling was traveling east in a two thousand and one
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Lincoln town Car on Liberty Road. Brandham's vehicle crossed the
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center line and collided head on with a twenty twenty
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one Ford F one point fifty operated by Keith Gullett,
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sixty three of West Liberty in the westbound lane. Sergeant
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Turner said that the first responders utilized Josephly's equipment to
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free Branham from his vehicle. Upon extre extressions, Branham was
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airlifted to Cable Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia with
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serious injuries. Gullett was pardon me Gullett was transported to
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Morgan County arh where he was treated in release. The
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crash remains under investigation by Deputy Cody Ward of the
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Morgan County Sheriff's Office. Other responding agencies include Morgan County EMS,
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Morgan County Rescue Squad, West Liberty Fire Department, and Air
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Evac Life Team. Our next article is local man arrested
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for multiple sexual offenses involving juvenile victim. Zachary M. Gamble,
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twenty four, remains incarcerated at Rowan County Detention Center at
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press time. The West Liberty Police Department has opened additional
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related investigations. West Liberty Police Department WLPD D officers have
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arrested a local man for multiple sexual offenses involving a
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juvenile victim. Zachary M. Gamble, twenty four of West Liberty
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was arrested the morning of Wednesday, June tenth on the
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following charges sodomni first degree, rate, first degree, unlawful transaction
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with the minor, third degree, intimidating a participant in the
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legal process. According to the arrest warrant, West Liberty Police
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Department initially opened an investigation into Gamble on February twenty seventh,
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twenty twenty six, regarding alleged violations related to sexual conduct
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between Gamble and a minor foster child. The warrant states
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that these charges against Gamble stemmed from events that allegedly
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occurred from April the eleventh, twenty twenty five, through April
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the thirteenth, twenty twenty five, and that the victim was
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fourteen years old at that time. Gamble was launched in
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the Rallan County Detention Center in Morehead following his arrest
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and remains incarcerated there as of this writing. According to
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Rollan County Detention Center website, bond for Gamble has been
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set at one hundred thousand dollars. Officers noted the arrest
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warrant that the West Liberty Police Department has since opened
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multiple ongoing parallel investigations into sexual conduct between Gamble and
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additional juveniles. Any further updates regarding this case will be
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noted in the Courier as they become available. Our next
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article is local female veterans are honored at Flag Day
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event by Miranda M. Cantrell. And there is a picture
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of four ladies and they have quilts wrapped around them
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and the caption underneath the pictures says Pittard. Left to
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right are local veterans Kathy Neil, Medley Bidler, Jessica Jones
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and Sayus Price, who all received a veterans quilt from
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the Morgan County Piece by piece Quilters during a Flag
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Days celebration held on Sunday, June fourteenth at the Morgan
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County Extension Office. Now the article. The Morgan County Women's Club,
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Morgan County's Peace Quilters, Morgan County dav Chapter one thirty
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two in Woodman Life Chapter seven twenty two hosted a
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special Flag Day ceremony on Sunday, June fourteenth at the
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Morgan County Extension Office. Organizers had originally planned to hold
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the event at Tredway Memorial Park, but opted to change
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the venue due to the threat of inclement weather. Tredway
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Park is the site of the Morgan County's Women's Military Monument,
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which was originally erected in two thousand and seven, sculpted
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by Stephen Tyrone of Morehead. In addition to observing Flag Day,
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organizers also honored Morgan County's female veterans amid the anniversary
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of Women's Armed Services Integration Day more commonly known as
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Women's Veterans Recognition Day, which was designated on June twelfth,
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nineteen forty eight. The ceremony included readings for Phase two
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of the Women's Military Monument, which included new signage with
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statements from sculptor Steve Tyrone on the plaques the plate.
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The plaque statements were read by the Morgan County Women's
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Club members Irene Stamper, Judy Elam and Sherry Smith. Morgan
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County Piece by Peace Quilters presented quilts to four female
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veterans during the ceremony, Kathy Neil Army nineteen eighty to
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nineteen eighty three, Melody Bidler Air Force nineteen ninety one
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to twenty twenty three, Jessica Jones Air Force two thousand
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and five to twenty seventeen, Shay Lee Price Army two
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thousand and seven to twenty ten. Other quilt recipients who
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were not in attendance included the following Virginia Potter Air
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Force nineteen seventy to nineteen seventy four, Paula Frayley Army
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nineteen seventy three to nineteen seventy six, Cassander of Frederick
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Army National Guard twenty eighteen to present. Potter, Frehley and
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Frederick will receive their quilts at a later date. Michelle
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Vance of Woodland Life Chapter seven twenty two presented a
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special Betsy Ross two hundred and fifty flag two DAV
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Chapter one thirty two members Wayne Brown and Johnny Falkes
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in honor of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of
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the United States Declaration of Independence, a flag ceremony following
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the President. Additional additionally, the event saw several musical selections
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from Andrea Trustee, who presented the national anthem and also
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joined Don and Andrew Grigsby for a performance of the
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American Medley, as well as Morgan County High School students
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and Connor Adams, Morgan County High School Drum Corps, and
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the Colden Brown Colden Brown Bugler. The ceremony also included
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remarks and readings from Pam Pilgrim, Morgan County Women's Club President,
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Bridget Murphy, General Federation of Woman's Club Kentucky President, Susie Blevins,
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Morgan County Piece by Peace, President Hunter Freiley, West Liberty
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Christian Church Pastor Emily Elm Morgan County Piece by Piece Leader,
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Chloe Lewis, Morgan County High School student, and Michelle Vance.
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Woodman Life Chapter seven twenty two a special thanks. The
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Morgan County Woman's Club would like to thank everyone who
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made this program possible. First, thank you to Piece by
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Piece Homemakers dav Chapter one thirty two in Woodman Life,
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chapter seven twenty two for taking what started out as
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a simple dedication and turning it into a beautiful, collaborative
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community event. The Danny Mackenzie and the West Liberty Kawanas Club,
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the New Vision Recovery. Thank you for getting the park
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ready for us. To Morgan County Extension Office, thank you
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for allowing us to use your facility at the last minute.
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Thank you to the students and to Andrea trustee Don
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and Andrew Rigsby for the special music and readings. Lastly,
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thank you to our veterans for your service and dedication
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to the Land of the Free and the home of
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the brave. Our next article is bridge to High School
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is desig Don McKenzie Memorial Bridge. And there is a
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pitcher and there are four gentlemen standing under a sign
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that says Don mackenzie Memorial Bridge. The caption for under
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the picture says from left, State Representative Richard White, Superintendent
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of Morgan County Schools, Ralph Hamilton, President of Kentucky Community
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and Technical College System. Ryan Quarrels Shawn McKenzie, Donnie's son
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in front of the Don McKenzie Memorial Bridge signage and
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here's the article. Frankfort, Kentucky, June the twelfth official signage
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designating the bridge at Morgan County High School over Kenny
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Creek as Don mackenzie Memorial Bridge has been installed. State
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Representative Richard White announced Don McKenzie was a man of
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outstanding character and a beloved member of the Morgan County community.
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Said why, whether serving others at Mackenzie's pool and lunch
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room or volunteering with local athletic programs, Don was deeply
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committed to serving his community and investing in the next generation.
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His kindness, generosity, work ethic, and willingness to help others
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left a lasting mark on Morgan County that will never
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be forgotten. Donald Henry Don McKenzie was born in Licking River, Kentucky,
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on November twenty first, nineteen fifty eight. He married why
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Natta Perry mackenzie, and they were blessed with three children, Terry, Donna,
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and Sean. That same year, he found at Mackenzie's pool
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in lunch room in West Liberty and operated the lunch
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room for the remainder of his life. Deeply committed to
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the Morgan County community, Don volunteered with local Little League
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and football programs. In recognition of their many contributions to
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the community, he and his and brother Ronald were chosen
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as Morgan County's Outstanding Citizens of the Year in nineteen
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ninety two. Don passed away on April fourteenth, twenty twenty five,
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leaving behind family and friends who miss him dearly. The
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Don Mackenzie Memorial Bridge will serve as a lasting reminder
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of Don's legacies. White added, as we drive over the bridge,
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may we always remember the example he set for all
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of us. White filed House Joint Resolution eighty nine during
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the twenty twenty sixth regular session designating the Don Mackenzie
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Memorial Bridge in Morgan County. This designation was then included
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in Senate Joint Resolution one thirty nine as part of
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a larger road and bridge naming resolution, which was signed
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into law into April. Our next article is repairs begin
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on Kentucky three sixty four to continue several weeks. Road
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to be close from six am to seven pm weekdays
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in open nights and weekends. Jackson, Kentucky. A project to
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repair a major break in pavement at mile point six
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point five to two on Kentucky three sixty four in
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Morgan County began last Thursday and is expected to continue
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for several weeks. During the initial stages of the project,
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the road will be closed to through traffic from six
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am to seven pm Monday through Friday. The road will
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be open to one lane traffic controlled by temporary signals
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during overnight hours and on weekends. This location is approximately
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one point five miles a half a mile from US
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four sixty to Coddle. During the first phase of the project,
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which is anticipated to last three to four weeks, emergency
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vehicles will be accommodated during daytime hours, but the road
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will be closed to all other traffic. Drivers will need
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to continue detouring via Kentucky thirty three, thirty three, Kentucky
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ten eighty one, and US four sixty. No sign detour
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will be posted. After the initial three to four week period,
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one lane Kentucky three sixty four will be open to
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traffic at all times, with temporary signals in use. The
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entire project is expected to take approximately nine weeks to complete.
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Kentucky three sixty four has been closed since May twenty
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eight when a large break in the pavement developed that
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made the road unsafe for travel. Approximately four hundred and
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forty vehicles per day are affected by this closure. Our
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next article is Parker Trustee wraps up an outstanding athletic
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career at Morgan County High School by Patrick David by
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David Patrick, Sorry about that. Parker Trustee has invested countless
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hours on the athletic courts and fields as a varsity
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athlete at Morgan County High School. He was born and
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bred a Cougar. His parents, Chris and Christy, are both
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longtime teachers and coaches. Parker has always bled blue and gold.
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Playing varsity sports at Morgan County High School has been
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a blessing to me in first and foremost, I thank
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God for the opportunity in the success I've had. Without him,
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none of this would have been possible, Trustee said. The
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past years have been a grind, from staying at the
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gym late playing one on one with guys, to hundreds
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of swings taken in the cage before and after practice.
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It's it's really shaped me to be the player I
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am It all started on the basketball court as an
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eighth grader, when Trustee scored his first two points in
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a sixty seven to forty eight win over Powell County
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on March off, twenty twenty one at Veteran's Memorial Gymnasium.
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Then on March seventeenth, twenty twenty two, his baseball career
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began to impress began in impressive fashion as he collected
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two hits two runs scored in three RBI's versus Estell County.
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Four days later, he pitched a scoreless inning against Powell County.
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In all, Trusty would play in twenty seven games in
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that first season, finishing third on the team with twenty
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three hits along with a point three two four batting
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average at the and the rest, as they say, is history.
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Trustee retained his eighth grade eligibility in twenty twenty one
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twenty two due to COVID and scored fifty five total
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points on the basketball four As a freshman, he netted
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seventeen points in thirteen games as a as the Cougar's
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role to twenty two wins and a sixty second district
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championship in Rhys Griffiths's first year as head coach on
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a loaded senior leaden team in twenty twenty three twenty four,
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Trusty scored only twelve points in twenty one games, but
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competed hard and improved, waiting patiently for his opportunity. As
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a Morgan County captured back to back district crowns. As
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a junior, Trustee's time had come a compartment and he
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was called upon to play a significant role, joining teammates
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Asher Gamble, Eli Bradley and Grayson Hampton to guide Morgan
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to a third consecutive district championship. Trusty hit a team
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high seventy two to three pointers in average, just shy
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of eleven points per game as Morgan scratched its way
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to twelve wins in in what deemed as a rebounding
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year in his In his senior season, Trustee was one
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of five double figure scorers as coach Rhys Griffith's team
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captured yet another district title, making Trustee, in multiple teammates,
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the first players in school history to be part of
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four consecutive district titles. Again, Trustee paced Morgan in three
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pointers with seventy six as he scored a career best
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season total of three hundred and sixty nine points. Meanwhile,
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Trustee excelled on the baseball field, hitting point three to
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three zero or better in each of his final three
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varsity seasons, highlighted by a point four zero two average
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as a junior. In that spring, Trusty was the only
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sixteenth Region player to amass thirty or more hits, runs,
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and steals, earning him at on the prestigious Daily Independent
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All Area team. Furthermore, Trustee is the only documented player
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in Morgan County High School history to have two hundred
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careers strikeouts as a pitcher, while adding one hundred twenty
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five plus hits and one hundred twenty five plus run score.
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He also holds a modern school record for career hits
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with one hundred thirty six. Parker has been instrumental of
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the direction in programs that our baseball program has made
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these last two years. Morgan County High School head baseball
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coach Twayne Willis said, he is a player that will
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do anything you ask him to do. Park has accomplishments
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on the diamond have put him up there with the
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greats of Morgan County. As for a career stats in
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both sports, it's something to be very proud of. On
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the field, Trusty tallied one hundred thirty six hits, one
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hundred four five runs, run scored, eighty seven stolen bases,
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and point three three four batting average. On the mound,
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he was credited with fifteen wins and had two hundred
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four strike strikeouts. On the court, Trustee had had one
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hundred sixty six career threes while shooting thirty nine percent
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from distance. He grabbed two hundred and fifty one rebounds
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and shot seventy six percent from the free throw stripe.
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He finished a perfect eight negative or zero in the
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sixty second District Tournament, winning championships in all four district gymnasiums.
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Parker has such pride in being a Morgan County Cougar
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and gave his all for those letters on the front
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of his jersey. Hand. Basketball coach Rehyes Griffith said he's
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a fierce competitor, made everyone better and always embrace the moment.
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It's been a true blessing to coach Parker. I would
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like to thank Coach Griffith, Coach Johnny Perry, Coach Sean Conley,
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and coach Willis for guiding me into the right direction.
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I wouldn't have wanted to do this at any other school.
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Go Cougar's. Parker will now take his talents to Union
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Commonwealth University to play baseball. Cougar Nation is excited to
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follow his collegiate academic and athletic career, and we pray
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that he has amazing success in Barberville. Our next article
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is Kentucky State Police announced Traffic Safety up party. Kentucky
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State Police announces Traffic Safety Checkpoints Morehead, Kentucky, June the first,
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twenty twenty six. The Kentucky State Police Morehead posts would
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like to offer periodic reminders to drivers who travel our roadways.
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Our agency strives daily to ensure the safety of my
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motoring public. Some of these proactive measures include various roadside
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safety checkpoints and saturating known problematic areas in the district
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through general patroled tactics. The Kentucky State Police utilizes traffic
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safety checkpoints to promote safety for motorists using the public
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roadways and to provide a deterrent for those who violate
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laws contained in the Kentucky Revised Statue. The intent of
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a traffic safety checkpoint is to provide high visibility public
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safeties service focusing on operator impairment, vehicle equipment and deficiencies,
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confirming appropriate registration and insurance of vehicles, and the valid
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licensing of drivers. Other violations of law, and other public
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safety issues that arise will be addressed. These checkpoints will
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allow the Kentucky State Police the opportunity to periodically concentrate
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its efforts in checking for violations of Kentucky's traffic and
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regulatory laws that will ultimately increase the safety of the
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citizens within the commonwealth. Post eight serves the following counties, Bath, Elliott, Fleming, Lewis, Mason, Nnafee, Montgomery, Morgan, Pye, Rowland,
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and Wolf. Traffic safety checkpoint locations in Post eight district
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may be located on their website. And our last article
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is grilling safety provided by your local Emergency Management Office.
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According to the n FPA, gas and charcoal grills calls
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an average of three four hundred structure fires and four
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nine hundred outdoor fires in or on home properties in
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two thousand and five, resulting in the Campine combined direct
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property laws of one hundred and thirty seven million dollars.
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To make sure your next barbecue doesn't go up in flames.
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The Home Safety Council recommends the following safety tips. Designate
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the grilling area a no play zone, keeping kids and
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pants well away until grill equipment is completely cool Before using,
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position your grill at least ten feet away from other objects,
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including the house and any other shrubs or bushes. Always
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stay by the grill when cooking, only you start a
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fluid when making the pardoning only you start a fluid
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made for barbecue grills. When starting a fire in a
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charcoal grill. Before using a gas grill, check the connection
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between the propane tank and the fuel line to make
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sure it is working properly and not leaking. Never use
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a match to check for leaks if you If you
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detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas and don't
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attempt to light the grill again until the leak is fixed.
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Never bring a barbecue grill indoors or into any unventilated space.
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This is both a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
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This concludes excerpts from recent editions of The Licking Valley Courier.
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Your reader has been janis on behalf of everyone here
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at RADIOI thank you for listening. Keep on listening, and
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I hope you have a very good day.