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Corbin Times-Tribune - 6.23.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Times Tribune
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for news in Corbin, Laurel, Whitley, and Knox Counties. Your
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reader today is Janice as a reminder of RADII as
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a reading service intended for people who are blind or
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have other disabilities that make it difficult to read. We'll
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begin with the E edition dated June eighteenth, twenty twenty six.
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Our first article is Folds of Freedom. Williamsburg VFW conducts
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annual flag retirement ceremony by Macy Swafford. Williamsburg. Members of
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the Veterans of Foreign War Post thirty one sixty seven
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gathered Saturday to conduct their annual flag retirement ceremony, honoring
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worn and unserviceable American flags through a dignified retirement by
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fire in accordance with the US Flag Code. The ceremony
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was presented by Ben Campbell, Brown legacy member of the
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VFW Post thirty one sixty seven, alongside Post Commander Troy Whitten,
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a Senior Vice Commander William Kendall, and one year trustee
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Donny Meadows. Addressing those in attendance, Campbell explained the purpose
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of the ceremony and the importance of treating the American
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flag with respect. We are gathered here to we let
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me start over. We are gathered here together in the
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sight of God, to pay our last respects to the
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symbol of our great nation, America, the Land of the
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Free and home of the brave, Campbell said. Campbell noted
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that the US Flag Code states that when a flag
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becomes worn beyond repair, it should be retired in a
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dignified manner, preferably by burning. Throughout the ceremony, participants reflected
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on the symbolism of the flag's colors, stars, and strung apes,
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as well as sacrifices of those who have served in
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the nation's armed forces. Campbell also read a tribute from
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the perspective of the American flag, reminding attendees of its
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connection to generations of Americans who fought to preserve freedom.
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Honor me, respect me, and defend me with your lives,
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Campbell read, keep alight the fires of patriotism, strive earnestly
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for the spirit of democracy, and keep me always assemble
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a freedom, liberty, and peace in our country. The ceremony
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concluded with the retirement of the flags by fire and
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a moment of silence honoring the nation's veterans, service members,
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and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the
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freedoms Americans enjoy today. Our next article is Corbyn Commission
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honors community leaders, advance Walmart annexation by Macy Swafford, Corbin.
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The Corbyn City Commission recognized a longtime community leader, accepted
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a donation for inclusive playground equipment, advanced the annexation of
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the city's Walmart property, and approved several administrative items. During
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its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, Mayor Susie Ramis presented
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a Corbyn Colonel Award to Gail Frederick in recognition of
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her fifty years of service as a dance instructor and
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business owner in the community. Addressing Frederick during the presentation,
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Ramis praised her impact on generations of local families. It's
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been a joy to watch for sure, Ramis said, for
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you to do this as long as you have, you've
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really elevated the city of Corbin, and we've just wanted
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to personally thank you for everything you've done. Remis also
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noted Frederick's role in helping young people developed confidence and
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character through dance. You've already brought the joy of dance
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to our community to generation of girls and I'm sure
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a few boys too that you got to teach and
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really show them how to present themselves with poise and beauty,
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she said. The commission also welcomed Travis Freeman of the
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Freeman Foundation, who presented a donation in the amount of
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three thousand dollars to the city from proceeds raised during
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the organization recent Lights Out Dinner event. The funds will
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be used toward additional inclusive playground equipment at a city park.
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If you have never done, that is super fun and
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it really does open your eyes to how hard it
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is to navigate the world with the disability like not
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being able to see, Raymond said while introducing Freeman, Travis
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is just amazing to me. Commissioners conducted the first reading
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of the Ordinance two thousand and twenty twenty six DASH four,
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which would annex the Walmart property located at sixty South
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Stuart Road in the city limits of Corbon and establish
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it zoning classification as Commercial C one. The annexation follows
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years of discussion regarding Corbyn Walmart property and previous litigation
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involving annexation efforts between Corbin and the neighboring London. The
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ordinance received the unanimous approval on the first reading. Commissioners
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also unanimously approved second reading of Ordnance twenty twenty six
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Dash two, annexing property located at eighty four East Wentworth Street,
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and Ordnance twenty twenty six Dash three, which declares a
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portion of Lincoln Avenue closed. City Clerk Tony Tory Brock
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presented the city's property and liability insurance renewal for fiscal
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year twenty twenty seven, outlining a total premium increase of
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thirty four thousand, seventy dollars and fifty nine cents. According
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to Brock, liability coverage increase by thirteen thousand, six hundred
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and ninety two dollars and sixty four cents, while property
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coverage increase by twenty thousand, thirte hundred seventy seven thousand
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and ninety five cents, representing an overall increase of ten
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point sixty one percent. The total annual prem annual premium
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premium was approved at three hundred and fifty five thousand,
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two hundred eighty three dollars and forty nine cents. The
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property went up so much because KLC Kentucky League of
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Cities did a fifteen percent rate increase program wide, said Brock.
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She added the the equipment coverage increased by four point
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three percent to account for inflation and maintain replacement cost coverage.
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Liability coverage was also increased to comply with ARENA contract requirements.
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Brock noted that most city assets ensured through KLC are
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covered at replacement costs. The commission unanimously approved the insurance renewal.
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Commissioners also unanimously approved the hiring of Katie Royston as
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a full time dispatcher in Braxton Robinson as a part
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time dispatcher. During During department reports, City Treasurer Sky Hedrick
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informed commissioners that Speakeasy Dispensary Corbyn's Medical Cannabis Dispensary, is
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expected to open by the end of the month in
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the former Dino's building. We currently do not have a
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business license for the dispensary, said Hendrick. Jacob Rohan and
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I reached out to the League of Cities and they
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sent us three cities, Paris, Frankfurt and Bowling Green. Everybody
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in the state is kind of doing the same thing,
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which is five hundred dollars for the year, Hendrick requested
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an amendment to the city's Business License Ordinance to establish
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a medical cannabis dispensary license fee of five hundred dollars annually.
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Their request was approved unanimously. Parks and Recreation Director Jacob
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Rohn also announced that ARH had made a donation to
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the Corbin City Pool, allowing the city to offer four
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free admission Thursdays during the summer session. Commissioners later entered
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the executive session to discuss personnel matters. No formal action
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was taken following the executive Executive session and there are
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two pictures. Under the first picture it says the Corbyn
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Commissioners present longtime local dance instructor Gail Frederick with a
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Corbyn colonel and then the next one underneath that one,
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Travis Freeman with the Freedom Foundation presented a check to
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the Corbyn Commissioners for the City of Corbyn for all
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its inclusive playground equipment with funds raised from the Lights
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Out Dinner. Our next article is London Man Drowns and
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Rockcastle River by Macy Swafford, Laurel County. The community saw
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its first drowning of the season as first responders were
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called to two separate incidents Saturday. According to the Laurel
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County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched at approximately twelve fifty
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five pm Saturday after a report of a body floating
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in the water off of Kentucky teen fifty six, about
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eleven miles west of London. Laurel County Sheriff's Shift Sergeant
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Zach Allen and Deputy Ethan Brown responded to the scene,
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where they located a deceased individual lying face down in
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the rock Castle River off Somerset Road. London. Laurel Rescue
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squad recovered the victim, who was later identified as Terry
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Vickers fifty six of London. Laurel County Coroner Doug Bowling
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pronounced the man dead at the scene. Investigators believe drowning
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was the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing by
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the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. Agencies assisting that the scene
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include Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Ambulance Incorporated
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of Laurel County, and Swiss Colony Fire Department. Later that
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same afternoon, emergency responders from Laurel and Whitley Counties were
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called to a separate possible drowning at the spillway on
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Laurel Lake. According to London, the Laurel Rescue Squad Laurel
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Whitley Emergency Management requested mutual aid at approximately four to
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twenty five pm. Rescue crews including London, Laurel Rescue Squad, Woodbine,
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Fire and Rescue, Pardon Me, Kentucky Department of Fishing, Wildlife Resources,
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Whitley County Sheriff's Department, Kentucky State Police, and Whitley County
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EMS responded to the area with boats and rescue equipment. However,
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shortly after crews arrived on the scene, Kentucky State Police
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located the individual who wasn't identified safely and no injuries
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were reported. Services were held Tuesday for Vickers at Bowling
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Funeral Home. Our next article. As child sex charges top
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this month's Whitley indictments by Macy Swafford, Whitley County. The
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Whitley County Grand Jury returned its latest round of indictments
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this month, with allegations involving child sex offenses among the
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top charges. Additional indictments include infenceive offenses such as wanton
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endangerment and failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
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Dwight G. Gray, twenty three of high Point, North Carolina
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was indicted on one count of second degree rape, one
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count of precruement or promotion of the use of a
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minor by electronic means, one count of promoting a minor
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under sixteen in a sexual performance, one count of a
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minor under sixteen in a sexual performance, one count of
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possession of matter portraying a sexual performance it's by a manor,
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one count of first degree unlawful transaction with a minor
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involving an illegal sex act with a child under sixteen,
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one count of distribution of obscene matter to minors, and
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one count of second degree unlawful transaction with a minor
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involving controlled substances. According to the indictment, the offenses involved
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a minor and occurred between January one and January fifteenth
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of this year in Whitley County. Virgil Edward Larson, Junior,
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forty five of Logan, Ohio, was in debt, indicted on
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one count of procurment of promotion of the use of
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a minor by electronic means, one count of promoting a
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minor under sixteen, and a sexual performance, one count of
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a possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a
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matter minor, and one count of use of a minor
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under the under sixteen in a sexual performance. The indictment
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reports the offenses involved a minor and occurred between February
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first and March second of this year in Whitley County.
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Cammy L. Caldwell, forty five of Williamsburg was indicted on
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two counts of first degree wanton endangerment and one count
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of first disorderly conduct. According to the indictment, Caldwell repeatedly
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discharged a firearm near two individuals during the February incidents,
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creating a danger of death or serious physical injury. James
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Afield fifty five of Williamsburg was indicted on one count
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of failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements and
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one count of the first degree persistent felony offender. The
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indictment states Phils failed to report a change of address
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to the Kentucky State Police Sex Offender Registry between November one,
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twenty twenty five. In March twenty six of twenty twenty six,
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Michael A. Thomas, sixty four of Whitley City was indicted
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on one count of failure to comply with sex offender
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registration requirements. According to the indictment, Thomas failed to report
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a change of address to the Kentucky State Police Sex
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Offender Registry between April first and May one of this year.
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Bradley L. Hamblin, thirty four, of Williamsburg was indicted on
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one count of first degree fleeing or evading police motor vehicle,
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one count of operating the motor vehicle under the influence
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of alcohol, one count of first degree wanton indangement of
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a police officer, one count of first degree wanton endangerment,
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one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of
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misdegree possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine, and one count
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of first degree persistent felony offender. According to the indictment,
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Hamlin fled from law enforcement on May third of this
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year after failing to obey signals from Whitley County Sheriff's
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Deputy Derrick Lovett to stop the vehicle. The indictment states
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the pursuit created a substantial risk of serious physical injury
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or death due to death to Deputy love It and
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other motorists while Hamlin was allegedly operating the vehicle under
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the influence. He is further accused of wantonly creating a
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danger of death or physical injury to a deputy onseen
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and another individual, possessing drug paraphernalia and meth amphetamine, and
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being a first degree persistent felony offender based on prior
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felony convictions. An indictment is a formal charge that does
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not imply guilt or innocence. All defendants are resumed innocence
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unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Our next article is blood drive to honor infant battling
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leukemia set for June twentieth in Corbyn by Macy Schwaffer.
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Corbyn community members will have an opportunity to help safe
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lives while supporting the local family during a special blood
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drive scheduled for Saturday, June twentieth at Central Baptist Church
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in Corbin. The Kentucky Blood Center will host the blood
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drive from ten am to two pm and the church
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gymnasium located at two oh one West Fourth Street. The
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event is being held in honor of six six month
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old Cooper Jewel, who is currently battling acute Mylloyd leukemia
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a m L. According to organizers, approximately one quarter of
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the nation's blood supply is used by cancer patients, making
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blood donations especially important for individuals undergoing treatment. The blood
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drive aims to raise awareness about ongoing need for blood
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products while showing support for Cooper and his family during
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his fight against cancer. Donors who participate will receive a
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Kentucky Blood Center United We Give t shirt and a
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voucher for a free pint of Bluebell ice cream while
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supplies last. Ongoers encourage eible eligible donors to attend and
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help ensure blood products remain available for patients across Kentucky
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who rely on transfusions and other life saving treatments. The
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blood drive will be located inside the church's gymnasium at
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two on one West fourth Street, and there is the
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picture of the baby all right. Our next article is
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towing concerns raised during Whitley County Whitley Fiscal Court meeting
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by Macy Swafford Williamsburg. Concerns over two local towing companies
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being removed from the Whitley County Sheriff's Department towing list
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were brought before the Whitley County Fiscal Court during its
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regular meeting Tuesday. Jim Foley with Quality Care Towing and
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Marty Gilly with Bow's Toes address the court during the
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guest Comments, saying they had been removed from the sheriff's
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towing list without being given a direct reason. My reason
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for being here, you guys may have heard we've been
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removed from the sheriff's calling list post election, fully said,
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my purpose was to address the sheriff and ask him
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for a reason. We've never been given a reason. Gilly
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also told the court he had been on the towing
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list for several years and said he believed the decision
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would affect local businesses. Sheriff wins an election takes me
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and Jim Foley off the list with no reason, Gilly said.
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My question to you all is can you help us
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with this? County Attorney Robert Hammonds explained that while the
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Fiscal Court can review county policies, the sheriff is the
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constitutional officer whose office operates independently of the Fiscal Court.
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The compliance the wrong venue, the complaints the wrong venue.
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Hammonds told the towing operators, we don't have control of
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other constitutional officeholders. Whitley County Sheriff Bill Elliott was unable
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to attend Tuesday's meeting, but later provide comments saying the
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towing list is reviewed annually and the towing companies are
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required to submit updated paperwork each year. Commercial vehicle tags,
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like on records, they expire March thirty, first of every year.
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Elliot said, by policy, they're supposed to have that stuff
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turned in by April one of each year. Billy with
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bose Toes stated that at the meeting that neither of
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them were provided with a written or verbal statement saying, Wow,
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they got dismissed from the towing list. I'm trying to
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get it fixed like this. If you all can help
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two local businesses in town, that's what we're crying out
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for you to do, said Gilly. We've done nothing wrong,
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absolutely nothing wrong. Judge Executive Pat White Junior recommended to
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the two towing companies to talk to Sheriff Eliot directly.
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The Sheriff's policy states that each record service must provide
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an updated KSP twenty five forms and registration receipts by
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April one annually. The police further states the failure to
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provide the required information by that date will result in
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the record service being removed from the record log for
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the year. Neither one of them has called me. Eliot
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said they've expressed no concern. I have had no calls
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from either one of those record services requesting to be
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on the list for this year. Eliott also said he
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would be willing to allow the possibility for the companies
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to reapply. The court also approved the second reading of
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the county's fiscal year twenty twenty six twenty seven budget.
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The budget includes approximately thirteen point eight million in the
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general fund, five point three million in the road fund,
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and four point five million in the jail fund, along
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with funding for ongoing county projects. White said the budget
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also includes a two percent pay raise for county employees.
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The court also approved the renewal of the county's contract
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with the Whitley County Board of Education for school resource
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officers for the twenty twenty six twenty seventh school year.
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Officials said the program had been successful and that the
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county hopes to expand the school's safety efforts through a
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federal cops hiring Grant. Whitley Slash Laurel County Emergency Management
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Director Jerry Rains also gave his monthly report, noting that
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a life jacket station had been installed at Ballard Ford
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Boat Ramp and that the jackets are being used and returned.
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Rains reported four search and rescue calls for the month,
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as well as thirty nine missing person cases for Whitley
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and Laurel Counties combined during May. Rain said as of
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June first, there were nine people still missing, with a
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year to day total of one hundred three missing person cases.
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As of Tuesday morning, that number had increased to one
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hundred and nineteen in bays with the Whitley County Conservation
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District also presented the district's annual report, noting that the
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state called share Funds had assisted none participants for a
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total of ninety four thousand, nine hundred and seventy dollars,
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and during the twenty twenty five twenty six fiscal year,
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the district also certified seventeen new agriculture water quality plans,
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maintained six agriculture districts in the Corbin area. Lord it
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eight one thousand dollars scholarships to local high school students,
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and provided funding to local farmers for hay and pasture seating.
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Our next article is this summer. Explore your community by
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taking a walk in the summertime, Walking is an excellent
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means of exploring your community while keeping in shape. Here's
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how to infuse a little vacation into your fitness routine.
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Plan your walk. You can set your walking plan to
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correspond with other tasks on your day's schedule. Do you
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have errands to run, Go to your destination and set
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aside an extra fifteen to thirty minutes to explore the
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surrounding area. Is your schedule somewhat flexible, Choose a few
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hidden gems in your city and set off on an adventure.
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Roots Adjust your tour, adjust your no roots adjust tours
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whether you walk around a city or the countryside. The
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fiscal activity helps you maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. As
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you become more familiar with the roots in your area,
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you'll be able to keep fit by adapting your walks
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to include hills and rolling parkland. For even more enjoyable experience,
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purchase a pair of comfortable supportive walking shoes from your
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local sporting goods retailer. This concludes the reading of The
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Times Tribune. Please stay tuned for continued programming. Thank you
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for joining me and on behalf of everyone here at RADIOI.
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This is Janice, wishing you a very good day.