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Hazard Herald - 12.14.25 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Hazard Herald
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News of Hazzard in Perry County um Lee Townshend. We
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begin with the online vission dated December tenth, twenty twenty five.
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As a reminder, radioized a reading service intended for people
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who are blind or have other disabilities that make it
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difficult to read printed material. Hazard takes first step toward
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repealing restaurant tacks. The Hazard City Commission has taken the
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first step toward repealing its three percent restaurant tax. In
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a special meeting December fifth, the Commission held first reading
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of an ordinance to repeal the tacks, even as it
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continues to appeal court decisions that declared that because of
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the city's classification, it could not collect it. The second
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reading in a vote on the repeal, is expected to
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be undertaken during the city city's next meeting, except for
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December fifteenth. In twenty twenty four, the city approved implementing
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the tax, the proceeds of which were originally intended to
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fund the Hazard Perry County Tourism Commission, and it took
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effect on January one. However, the move was contested even
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before the City of Hazard undertook the effort to enact it.
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In twenty fifteen, legislation signed into law by the previous
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year by then Governor Steve Basheer fixed the classification of
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cities this effect of the tacks. Hazard under the law
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was not one of those cities that was able to
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do attacks. In twenty twenty three, Hazard challenged the classification
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in Franklin Circuit Court and was ultimately successful in getting
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a judgment that fixed its classification in such a way
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that it would be allowed to access the tacks. However,
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that ruling was challenged by Attorney General Russell Coleman before
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the Kentucky Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals issued
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an opinion in October remanding the case by the Franklin
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Circuit Court for dismissal. In the opinion, the Court of
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Appeals wrote that in rendering his decision, Franklin Circuit Court
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Judge Philip Shephard overstepped the balance of the court. All
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parties acknowledged that Hazard has been misclassified, the opinion said,
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but that error does not grant the judicial branch the
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authority to do what only the General Assembly can do
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under the eighteen ninety one Constitution. The opinion said, the
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law is not the problem, but the problem is the
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failure of the General Assembly and Hazard to correct the
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classification issue until the taxation issue arose. Hazard has been
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misclassified for decades and never had the authority to enact
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the tax. The opinion said, it never sought to have
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their designation corrected. Had it done so prior to twenty fourteen,
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it would have had the ability to levy the tax
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that now wishes to enact. It's not arbitrary for the
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legislature to keep the pool of cities allowed to enact
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this tax the same as it was when it decided
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to change the classification system. In the opinion, the Court
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of Appeals also expressed his concern over Hazard's decision to
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collect the tax, despite the Court warning the city prior
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to the tax as the enactment that it would be
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doing so at its own peril. We're particularly troubled by
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the decision by Hazard to enact the tax during this litigation.
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The Court of Appeals October opinion said, Hazard was given
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fair notice and our order entered on September seventh, twenty
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twenty four we warned Hazard that it could enact the
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tax at its own peril. Sadly, upon any finality of
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this case, a lack of authority to impose attacks may
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present difficult questions of proper remedy. Hazard City Manager Tony
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Eversol said that the Tourism Commission is currently holding the
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tax proceeds collected in an escrow account. Penning the outcome
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of the court case. Eversoul said, the city hopes it
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will ultimately be able to assess the tax. We still
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feel it's good, we still feel it's needed, Eversoul said,
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adding the intent is to allow the community's tourism industry
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to compete with others around it that are using the tax.
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The idea behind the tax, he said, is that the
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city can fund tourism initiatives through an option means, as
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opposed to a tax that is not you don't have
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to pay it if you don't want to, Eversol said.
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The Hazard City Commission's next meeting it's set for seven
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thirty pm on December fifteenth. Elf On the Town Giveaway
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ending soon, The Hazard Herald will be giving away two
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hundred and fifty dollars as part of the elf On
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Christmas Town Cash Giveaway, which is currently in progress. The
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promotion is simple go to the ten businesses listed below,
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take a selfie with the ELF signboard and upload your photos.
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According to Appalachian Newspaper's regional advertising director Gina Ferguson, we
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want a fun Christmas promotion that the whole family could
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have fun with, and who does not like extra cash
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at Christmas time? She said, Everyone likes our Easter Egg contests,
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so we model ELF on the town after it. This
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is easier. There are no clues that build on each other.
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There's no going from place to place trying to find
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the clues. They are in plain sight and not hidden
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within the businesses. She said. Each ELF sign has a
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QR code to be scanned in order to upload and
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register the pictures. However, pictures are selfies with all ten
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clues are a requirement. Once we have ten pictures from participants,
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their names will be entered into a random drawing to
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choose a winner. Ferguson said local businesses participating in the
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Hazard Harold Elf on the Town Christmas Cash giveaway are
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ready set. Play Toy Store, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Janet Smith,
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Coal Country, Campbells, Threads of Love, Merle Norman, East Main
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Street Pharmacy, Kentucky River Finance, Complete Care, Pharmacy, Belcher in Bordeaux,
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and Dion's. The deadline for entries is December sixteenth. HPD
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holds Shop with a Cop at Walmart. Twenty students from
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Hazard Independent spent Tuesday morning, December ninth, shopping alongside officers
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from the Hazard Police Department as part of the department's
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annual Shop with the Cop program at Walmart. Each child
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received one hundred and fifty dollars to spend on items
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of their choice through a collaboration with Walmart, which provides
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a free McDonald's breakfast for the students upon arrival. Funding
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for the effort included in the HPD's annual budget. According
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to HPD E chief Zach Miller, the department has a
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long history of supporting families during the holidays. We've been
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here for fifteen years and we're always We've done something
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in some type of Christmas event every year, said Miller.
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In the past, we did Santa with a Badge and
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the public would drop off toys and clothes and we
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would rap and deliver them. We transition to Shop with
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a Cop within the last couple of years, Miller said.
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The program carries meaning beyond the shopping trip itself. Events
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like this are important. Miller said. It's important because typically
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if these kids have an interaction with the police, it's
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normally a bad day or a bad experience or event
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in their lives. He said, creating a positive experience can
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help re shape how students view law enforcement. We do
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this to make a positive impact on them and show
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them a different side of the police. He said. Some
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of these kids can be inspired by this and it
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can plant that seed that maybe grows into them wanting
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to become an officer of the law one day, so
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they too can help positively impact people. Investigation into crash
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involving Post thirteen cruiser ongoing KSP says by Justin Begley,
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the investigation into a crash in not County involving a
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Kentucky State Police Post thirteen cruiser is ongoing. According to
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a statement from KSP Post thirteen, at approximately five to
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nineteen pm on December second, the post was notified of
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a two vehicle crash on Kentucky eighty at Hyman. Troopers
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and medical personnel responded, the statement said, and the preliminary
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investigation indeed indicated that a marked KSP Patrol vehicle being
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driven by Anthony Versaglia was intransit from Post thirteen to
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his garage for vehicle maintenance. The statement said the cruiser
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was traveling eastbound when the front mumper struck the rear
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bumper of a passenger car that was traveling eastbound operated
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by Deborah Wallen. According to the statement, Wallin said a
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juvenile passenger was also transported to Hazard ARH to be
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treated for possible minor injuries. Versaglia was not injured as
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a result of the collision, the statement said. On December fourth,
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KSP Post thirteen spokesman Trooper Matt Gayheart said the investigation
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into the crash is ongoing. There's a full investigation going
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on and the accidents being reconstructed. He said more information
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will be released down the road and will be made available.
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The collision is being worked by Colt Stumbo, with a
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full reconstruction being done by Detective Scott Caudle. It's not
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uncommon for Versaglia, a retired KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer,
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to be driving cruisers, according to Gayheart. Versaglia works for
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US as a contractors a mechanic. Said Gayheart, he's a
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retired commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer. In his duties, he oftentimes
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comes and gets cruisers and takes them to his garage,
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does routine maintenance on them, and brings them back. In
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the days following the crash, the family of the injured
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occupants expressed concerns about both the extent of the injuries
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and the response after the accident. Alicia Hall, daughter of
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Deborah Wallen and mother of the juvenile passenger, said her
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family is still dealing with the aftermath. Hall, who arrived
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on the scene and photographed damage to her mother's vehicle,
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said her mother's injuries are far more serious than initially
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believed when she was discharged. Apple Hazard arh sent my
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mother home with three broken ribs, three small places broken
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in her back, a concussion, and fluid around her heart.
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Hal said, we asked KSP for a rental car to
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be able to take my mother and daughter to upcoming
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doctor's appointments, and I was told they never had anything
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like that happened before, and they weren't sure if they
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could or not. I had them going to another doctor.
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Hall added that her daughter has also been struggling emotionally
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since the collision. My daughter is having nightmares from this,
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and we still can't find my daughter's glasses from the accident,
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she said. Hal said the crash has had a significant
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impact on both her mother and daughter, emphasizing that neither
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of them had any control over what happened, and praised
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the response from KSP investigators. They didn't ask for this,
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she said. Mom wasn't going forty five miles an hour
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and the other driver was going over ninety. But I
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have to say that Sergeant Colt Stumbo and Detective Scott
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Caudle have been very helpful. They stayed and held my
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daughter's hand while they were cutting them out of the car.
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The Art Alliance brings A Christmas Story the Musical to
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the Forum. Amid to many holiday events taking place across
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Hazards season, the Appalachian Arts Alliance will be a classic
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Christmas Tale to the stage with its community production of
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A Christmas Story the Musical. The show will run December
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twelfth through fourteenth at the Hall Rogers Forum. Creative lead
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of the theater and Dance with the Appalachian Arts Alliance,
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Taking Cox said the production brings together performers from throughout
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the region. In this community performance, a cast of forty
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five local adults and children come together to bring this
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beloved story to life at the Hall Rogers Forum. She said,
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make the Appalachian Arts Alliance part of your Christmas tradition
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by joining Ralphie and his family as they take you
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back to that memorable Christmas in the nineteen forties. Cox
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added that the show is made possible through strong local collaboration.
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Partnerships with the City of Hazard, Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, Hazard,
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Perry County Tourism, and more help the Apalachian Arts bring
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the high energy performances, outstanding singing and dancing and laughter
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all around. With this production, Cox said more information is
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available at art station ky dot org. Tickets can be
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purchased at the door for fifteen dollars for adults and
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ten dollars for children. The Christmas for Charity Gala held
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its twenty sixth event December sixth, featuring music and dancing
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with food and cocktails catered by a Big Blue Smokehouse.
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Organizers said the fundraiser was a great success with a
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sold out event. A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful sponsors, supporters,
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and vendors who make this event such a joy joyful
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celebration each year, said Vettery Betsy Clemos, executive director of
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the Hazard Pirie County Chamber of Commerce. Your generosity helped
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us to raise funds for CASSA and the Dolly Parton
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Imagination Library support children and families in our community. From
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the opinion page, the column tis the Jeff Vanderback. I
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haven't been in the spirit of the season lately, through
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no fault of my own, after a series of unfortunate
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circumstances and the pressure of the season to perform. I'm
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almost ready for January. After Halloween and the season to
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give thanks Christmas comes way too soon. There's no time
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to catch up. Let's also not forget that property taxes
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are due by the end of the year, just when
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money's already tight. I wish Jesus were born in June,
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nicer weather and the gifts we bring could be vacation
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related grills, coolers filled with beverages, etc. But I guess
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that's asking too much of Mother Mary, so I'll just
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let it be. The unfortunate circumstances of mine started in
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Saint Louis last week. As we were visiting family for Thanksgiving.
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Late Wednesday evening, a black cat ran across the parking lot,
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and my wife said that was bad luck. I was
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in total denial until I hit the curb with her
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brand new car and jocked up the wheel and tire
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in sub freezing temperatures. On Thanksgiving Day, I needed to
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find an air hose because the tire was leaking air.
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I wasn't sure if the leak was from the scrape
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rim or the flapping rubber on the sidewall of the tire.
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I was damn determined to fix my faux pas. I
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pumped up the tire and the genius in me decided
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that I needed to repair the flapping piece of rubber.
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So naturally, I used gorilla glue to adhere the rubber
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back to the sidewall. What could possibly go wrong? On
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Black Friday, I sat in a car dealership in Saint
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Louis at seven thirty am, first one there, waiting for
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the service department to arrive so they could address my issue.
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The service deck was very understanding and compassionate to my
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circumstances and ensure me that he would fix the issue
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so I could make it back to eastern Kentucky. As
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he was running his hand over the glued tirewall. He
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asked what had happened. I told him about the gorilla glue,
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and he said that won't stop a leak. I said
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he was probably right, and I did that for the
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same reason why I sing in the shower, because it
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made me feel better. It may not work, but in
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my discombobulated minds thinking I felt better. Needless to say,
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I'm back safely, much to the sagrant of many, I'm sure.
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The next set of circumstances was Black Friday, which I
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missed because of my tire escapades, so my stress level increased.
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Shop Small Saturday, I was snowed in as Saint Louis
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got nine inches missed out. Cyber Monday was a bust
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and giving Tuesday almost past. I've ventured up to broke
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Wednesday and cut up the credit card Thursday Friday. I
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may be changing my identity. All that said, I had
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to remember why we celebrate. On our news feed, I
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saw a Christmas celebration that was performed at Pike Bull
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Medical Center. They had a big tree. Local students, Saint
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Carrol's and luminarias were placed around the tree in recognition
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of organ donors that did it for me. I actually slowed.
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Speaker 2: Down and realized that while the world is a mess
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and things don't always go my way, there is a
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reason to celebrate. I, like many people, often overlook reality
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and that in life everything will eventually work out.
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Speaker 1: We all go through challenging financial times, in business, or
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with our health, even black cats. We can't control others,
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just ourselves, and when life gets out of hand, and
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when we least expect it, you find the help and
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support you need. I say the definition of serendipity is
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looking for a needle in a haystack and finding the
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farmer's life was my haystack, and PMC was the farmer's daughter.
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I found comfort when I least expected it. This season
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celebrates your life and your family and friends, and as always,
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thanks for reading The Hazard Hero. Second verse same as
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the first by rus Cassaday. Here we go again. As
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someone once said, history doesn't repeat itself, but it often rives.
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The Hawks initial plans for the war didn't fully work out.
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They didn't get American boots on the ground in Ukraine
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or Gaza, so I guess it's all to the next. However,
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the next potential target for the US war machines, apparently Venezuela,
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and I think the administration of Donald Trump needs to
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consider something as they try to determine where American boys
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and girls will die for oyal or defense contractor profits.
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When I was growing up in the waning days of
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the Cold War, we had a real enemy, Russia that
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was scary as a child, the opportunity to worry on
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a regular basis about the very real possibility of nuclear annihilation.
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Of course, the possibility is still there, but you've got
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to learn to move on at some point. I guess Venzuela,
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though I don't exactly get a chill up my spine
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thinking about the possibility of Venezuela conducting an effective, amphibious
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landing on some Gulf coast beach. More likely they would
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be met by confused but unimpressed terrorists seeking a respite
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from cold to climes wondering how they're going to afford
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their southern vacation. That's the thing about agenda war. It
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has to have some bogeyman behind it, the big bad
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that makes the idea of sending American sons and daughters
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to die in foreign lands more palatable. Vietnam had its
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creeping cap communism, our misadventures in the Middle East had
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things like weapons of mass destruction or terror as driving force.
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So what the administration, especially Secretary of State Little Marco Rubio, Hey,
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the President's words, not mine, has landed on its war
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on drugs and hard drugs are undoubtedly a massive problem.
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The cemeteries and recovery facilities will tell you that story.
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But you can't tell an Appalachian that all of the
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most dangerous drug dealers live outside the continental US. I
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don't recall the military targeting the Cycler family's yachts. So
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why Venzuela really? I mean, I'm not going to say
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with one hundred percent certainty that it's because Venzuela holds
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the world's largest proven oil reserves. There's also the fact
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that it holds a whole lot of land mass where
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we can deploy and fire all the toys that keep
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the executives at Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumming, General Dynamics, and Boeing,
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among the others, fed with cash. Makes the market hum happily.
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So I'd say that for many it's a win win.
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I'll tell you who a war invens Awela won't benefit
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the same people. War never benefits the low income and
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middle income people on both sides, as well as those
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who we expect to fight and sacrifice their lives in
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the seemingly endless conflicts. Back in boy Scouts, we used
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to sing goofy songs about the campfire, and many of
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them featured a bridge between the repetitive verses that also
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intended to make the sing along gradually get more unhinged
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as it went along. Second verse, same as the first,
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A little bit louder, a little bit worse, eventually leading
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to something like third verse, same as the first, A
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whole lot louder and a whole lot worse. History may
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not repeat, but it certainly rides, and when it comes
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to war, it gradually gets worse. Here are of the obituaries.
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Tyrell D. Caudle seventy two Hazard died Tuesday, December second.
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Anita Gamble seventy one of Hazard died Saturday, November twenty ninth.
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Linda lu Coots sixty five of Hazard died Monday, December first.
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Robert me Bobby Cox seventy two of IPRA died Tuesday,
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December second. DoD If you get sixty nine of Bondyman
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died Friday, December fifth. Susie Lindsay eighty three died Tuesday,
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December second. Esther Carrons eighty six of Lots Creek died
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Tuesday December second. Earl Hudson eighty of Youland died Thursday,
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December fourth. Dan McVay Senior seventy eight of Hazard died Saturday,
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November twenty ninth. Charles Edward Mercer Junior Bootsie seventy nine
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of Hazard died Friday November twenty eighth. Marshall Reid eighty
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three died Saturday, December sixth, and Frederick Smith seventy four
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of Bronston died Tuesday, December second. Bonham and man charged
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with goat trafficking and other offenses. A Perry County man
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was arrested December seventh on various drug related charges. Deputy
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Chris Jones of the Perry County Sheriff's Office wrote in
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the arrest citation that he observed Dustin Steadham, thirty eight
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of First Creek Lane, Bonnaman, sitting on the railroad tracks
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at First Creek Lane. I had prior knowledge he was
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a convicted fellam, Jones wrote in the citation. Jones got
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out of his cruiser in place. Stidham into custody, and
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the citation said, ask him if he had anything haunt him.
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Steadham said the citations he had a gun in his
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front pocket, and Jones seized the handgun. Stidham was charged
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with possession of a handgun by a convicted fellow in
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several drug trafficking charges. Local chambers of commerce show support
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for preschool expansion. Governor Andy Basheer announced December fourth, fift
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dozens of local Chambers of Commerce have submitted a letter
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endorsing his pre K for All initiatives. The chambers, according
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to Basher's office, are urging that the Kentucky General Assembly
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may expanding access to pre K for all four year
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olds a top priority in the upcoming legislative session. TEK
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Center signs agreement with Central Midwest Carpenters Union. The TEK
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Center recently signed an agreement with the Central Midwest Carpenters Union.
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The centers located in Magoffin County, and it is for
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individuals who wish to pursue a career in a skilled trade.
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Angela Reynolds, president and founder of Tech Center, said the
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center's carpentry and welding students will be one's benefiting from
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the partnership. Attorney General Russell Coleman announced in a statement
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on December fifth, an investigation into four of the country's
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largest voice providers as part of an ongoing investigation. The
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statement said, the bipartisan Anti Robo Call Multistate Litigation Task
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Force has directed Intelligence, Bandwidth, Women, and Peerless to stop
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transmitting suspected illegal robo calls across their networks. Kentuckians are
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fed up with the never ending robo calls that steal
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their time and try to scam them out of money.
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Coleman said, working with the AGS on both sides of
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the Isle, were taking on this growing threat to Kentucky
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to protect families from this lawless conduct. Appalachian Regional Healthcare
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announced in a statement December fifth, and all four members
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of the ARH Internal Medicine Residency Programs class of twenty
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twenty five have successfully passed their board certification exams on
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their first attempt. This mark of distinction demonstrates the exceptional
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dedication of these individuals and the strength of the residency program.
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The AARH Residency Program class of twenty twenty five was
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doctor Samantha Evershol, doctor Ali Raza, doctor s Caamanini, and
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doctor deep nip Gula Polly passing boards of the further
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first time, the statement said, is considered a significant accomplishment
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in the medical field. Christian Appalachian Project named new President CEO.
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The Painful based Christian Appalachian Project is named Jennifer Stolo
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the next President CEO of the sixty one year old nonprofit,
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effective January nineteenth. According to a statement from the organization,
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Stolo will replace Guy Adams, who announced his impending retirement
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after leading the organization since two thy ten. CAAP is
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a faith based nonprofit that serves eastern Kentucky and the
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surrounding Appalachian region, providing a broad range of services including
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home repair, hunger and disaster relief, early childhood and youth programming, counseling,
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and more for children, families, and seniors. This concludes the
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reading of the Hazard Herald. Please stay tuned for continued programming.
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Thank you for joining me and on behalf of everyone
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here at RADIOI. This is Lee Townshend, wishing you a
27:33
good day.