Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Hazard Herald - 5.24.26

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Hazard Herald - 5.24.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now he turned to the reading of the Hazard Herald
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for news of Hazard in Perry County. Onm Lee Townshend.
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We begin with the online edition dated May twentieth, twenty
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twenty six. As a reminder, radioized a reading service intended
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for people who are blind or have other disabilities that
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make it difficult to read printed material. Arbitration results in
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fifty one million dollar judgment against state senator's company in
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cryptocurrency lawsuit. A Chinese technology firm has been awarded fifty
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one million dollars in a lawsuit against the company owned
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by state Representative Brandon Smith, a Republican from Hazard. According
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to a motion file May eleventh, HBT Power Limited asked
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for the U. S District Court in the Western District
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of Kentucky to confirm the final arbitration amount of fifty
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one million dollars awarded to it by the Judicial Arbitration
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and Mediation Services in Corporate in connection with the company's
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lawsuit against Smith's Mohawk Energy, LLC. The lawsuit is linked
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to a cryptocurrency mining site that companies were working to
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establish at the Gateway Industrial Park in Jenkins. HBT Power
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claimed in its lawsuit filed in US District Court for
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the Western District of Kentucky that the company was seeking
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opportunities to develop a bitcoin mining facility in a place
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that would provide efficient power supply rates and a reasonable
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return on investment policy. Furthermore, the lawsuit said the company
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wanted to utilize the thousands of cryptocurrency mining machines it
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has acquired. Smith, the lawsuit said, indicated Mohawk had the
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property and ability to help the company carry out its
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crypto mining activities. HBT, the lawsuit said, delivered more than
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four four thousand mining machines to the facility of Jenkins,
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but later learned the Mohawk Energy did not actually own
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the premises and that Mohawk was involved in a dispute
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with the actual owner. Further the lawsuit claims HBT learned
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that Mohawk was attempting to sell the crypto mining machines
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to third parties, including in which Smith as a founding interest,
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in other financially beneficial connections. In a response, Smith and
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Mohawk claimed that HBT Power had failed to pay in
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full what had owed to the Mohawks. The sale of
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the machines, the response said, was done to recoup past
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due sums. Further, Mohawk and Smith claim in their answer
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that despite being ready for the operation, HBT Power did
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not start mining at the Jenkins facility, causing Mohawk to
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incur additional costs. Smith defended his work in a statement
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given to the Hazard Herald in October. If you take
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a look at our mission and goals, we're bringing skilled
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technical jobs to the eastern part of our state. I
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think we did just that and we can continue to
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do so, he said. Unfortunately, in business, parties have the
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freedom to bring suit and we trust the process to
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see our way to justice and truth in our role.
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Smith added that while the company's progress was hindered by
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the disputes, he remains proud of what it's accomplished. We
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entered into an agreement that was woefully unfulfilled by the
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other party, but stand proud of the incredible hard work
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of our employees and building something that could be life
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changing for so many in our regions, Miths said. Local
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officials along with members of the community gathered for the
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grand opening of PJ Mix on May seventeenth, with shoppers
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lined up at the door. According to Hazard Mayor Donald
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Happy Mobilini, the store saw over five thousand trains transactions
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on his opening day. The store also celebrated its opening
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day by donating ten thousand dollars to the Housing Development Alliance.
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Murder charge filed in connection with man's nineteen ninety two disappearance.
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A Perry County man is facing charges including murder in
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connection with the nineteen ninety two disappearance of another man.
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According to a warrant taken out by Kentucky State Police
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Trooper Patrick Bailey, on March twenty fourth of this year,
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he received information that Troy Fugot, twenty six, of Entertainment
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Drive Bodyman, had killed Michael Willham, who was thirty one
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years old when he went missing on April twenty sixth,
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nineteen ninety two. Bailey, the warrant said, was informed that
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William's body had been seen in the trunk of Fugot's vehicle,
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wrapped in a clear plastic material. Upon further investigation, the
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warrant said, Bailey gathered enough information and to corroborate the
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allegations that Fugut had killed Willem, whose body was also burned.
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Based on the totality of the investigation, affient, Bailey believes
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there is probable cause to conclude that Fugut intentionally caused
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the death of Michael Woollam, abused or improperly disposed of
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the victim's body, and tampered with physical evidence. Bailey wrote.
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Fugut was lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail on
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charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with
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physical evidence. New horse park opens in Leatherwood by Justin Begley.
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Local officials, community members, and representatives from regional organizations gathered
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on May fourteenth for the grand opening of the Appalachian
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Horse Center and Leatherwood, celebrating a new attraction focused on
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preserving Eastern Kentucky's free rooming horse heritage while expanding tourism
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and economic opportunities in the region. Hosted by the Perry
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County Fiscal Court in partnership with the Appalachian Horse Center,
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the new facility was created to honor and preserve the
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heritage and cultural importance of Eastern Kentucky's free roaming horses.
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Man dies after colliding with Perry County ambulance in Breathett.
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Kentucky State Police said a man was killed on May
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seventeenth after his vehicle collided with a Perry County ambulance.
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According to a statement from KSP Post thirteen, at approximately
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one fifty one am on May seventeenth, the agency received
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a call of putting the crash on Kentucky fifteen in Jackson.
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Troopers and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, the
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statement said. The preliminary investigation, KSP said, indicates that John Southwood,
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forty one, of Lost Creek, was driving a twenty ten
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Chevrolet Silverado Northmound on Kentucky fifteen when the vehicle crossed
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the center line and collided with the southbound twenty sixteen
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Ford F four point fifty Perry County ambulance that was
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returning to its station. Southwood was pronounced dead at the
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scene by the by the Breathay County Coroner's Office. Two
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members of the ambulance's crew were transported to hazardrh forre
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cautionary treatment. The investigation determined that Southwood was not wearing
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a seat belt at the time of the collision. KSP said.
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Seat belts, according to the statement, were in use by
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the other occupants involved. Toxicology results for pending in an
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autopsy has been scheduled. The collision remains under investigation as
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being reconstructed by Trooper Brandon Watts. The statement said Morgan
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County teen charged with criminal abuse in stalking a Morgan
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County teenagers facing felony charges after several indictments in Perry County.
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According to a warrant taken out by Kentucky State Police
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Trooper Patrick Bailey, between May eighth and May eleventh, Anthony
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Allan Wallace, junior, eighteen, of Shady Pines Road, Elkforth, committed
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the ax that led to the charges of first degree strangulation,
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non domestic violence, first degree criminal abuse child twelve or under,
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and first degree stalking. According to the warrant, Wallace intimidated, overpowered,
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and threw a juvenile victim into the North Fork of
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the Kentucky River, putting him at risk of serious physical harm. Wallace,
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the warrant said, also laid in the prone position outside
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of the residence, sliding glass door, peeking under the curtains
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and into the apartment. The warrant said Wallace was caught
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several times peeking into windows and made sexual comments about
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a juvenile that was threatening in nature. The warrant said
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Wallace also, during an altercation, strangled two juveniles by wrapping
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his hands around their necks. Lawless was arrested on the
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charges on May thirteenth, court documents show and was scheduled
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to be arraigned on May nineteenth. Law Enforcement kicks off
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clcket or a Ticket campaign. Members of the local law
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enforcement and community agencies gathered on May eighteenth as Kentucky
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State Police Post thirteen officially launched its annual Clcket or
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Ticket campaign, emphasizing the importance of seat belt use and
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traffic safety across the region. Officials spoke during the event
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about the life saving impact of seat belts, pointing to
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local statistics and ongoing efforts to reduce roadway fatalities. Matt Gayheart,
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public communications officer for Kentucky State Police, said the campaign's
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focus remains on saving lives rather than simply issuing citations
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every day. The men and women in uniforms spined the
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crashes were the simple decision of wearing a seat belt
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meant the difference in life or death, said Gayheart. This
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campaign is not about writing tickets for the sake of enforcement,
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It's about saving lives. Far too many people still choose
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not to wear a seat belt, especially on short trips
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close to home. In twenty nineteen, out of the one
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hundred and twenty counties, Perry County was rated number one
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and unbelted fatalities. US as law enforcement agencies and our
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community partners have got together and done this kickoff every
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year since we have drastically changed from being ranked number
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one in unbelted fatalities. This year we have six as
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of today. That's six family members, six empty chairs at
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a Thanksgiving table this year. So law enforcement works together
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to flip the script so we can change the numbers.
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From the opinion page at to Judas by Russ Cassaday
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been said that everyone has a price, and the Bible
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we read of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles
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Jesus called during his ministry. The Gospels tell that Judas
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was very close to Jesus and given charge of the
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ministry's money. The apostle John tells us that Judas was
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a thief and had the money bag and, according to
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the NIV translation, used it to help himself to what
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was put into it. Knowing this, it's somewhat unsurprising that
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when the religious leaders were seeking to arrest Jesus and
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needed someone from his inner circle to betray him. Judas
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was there the price, according to the Bible, thirty pieces
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of silver. Theologians and religious folks have debated over a
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millennium and all about the reasons why Judas betrayed Jesus,
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and I'm not going to solve that in this calum However,
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I think it's instructive to reduce it to its simplest interpretation.
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Judas had a price, money, and was willing to give
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up Jesus to satisfy that law. It's really easy for
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us to look down on Judas and yeah, he was wrong,
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but so am I, and so are you. We all
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have a price. Some of those prices appear noble or good,
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others not so much. But when the chips are down,
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there's nearly always something that will move us away from
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even doing the things we most believe in. I don't
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want to admit that, and it pains me to do so,
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but I can't read the story of Judas without wondering
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what would I have done in that circumstance? Would I
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have betrayed him? And while I'd like to say with
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one hundred percent certainty, I would not, I also realize
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that in my imperfection and armed with the free will
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the Lord gave us, I'm a dangerous creature. We're in
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the election season, and the primary election either here or
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just passed, depending on when you're reading this, and voters
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going to the polls and casting their votes for people
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they believe will represent them go to bat for them
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and help make their lives better. I have no doubt
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that many of these individuals who put their names in
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for public office are doing so with the fullest intent
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of doing the right thing for the people here. But
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we've seen repeatedly that many of those we elect quickly
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accept their thirty pieces of silver and betray us. For some,
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it takes a little longer, and for the rare public servant,
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they're able to withstand it completely. But many fail, not
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because they're uniquely weak or evil, but because of the
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reality of the corrupting influences tempting them are so strong,
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so targeted, so overwhelmingly attractive, that most of us would fail.
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I do not believe everyone has to follow my religion
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or any religion, but there is an impact on the
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loss of that stabling force in our society. Many people
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have replaced faith in God with faith in politics as
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their God in life. Political structures are made of people
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at their center, while religion has God at the center.
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People are corruptible, God does not. So when you make
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your tense center post of something that cannot ever achieve
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full structural integrity, and then the whole thing falls down eventually.
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No matter who you vote for, it's entirely likely they
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will fail. Maybe they will be a judas and completely
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sell out those who voted for them. Regardless, support them
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or vote them out, but don't make their success or
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failure the center of your life. So many people have
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made their allegiance to a flawed human or political party
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something that is not negotiable, something that's worth losing friends
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and family over, regardless of the outcomes. This year, resolve
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to pull yourself away from that mindset. If that's where
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you are, people will often fail. You find something that
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won't and process your politics through that, and resolve that
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no matter who gets elected, we should all be working
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together as much as possible to make our community better.
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That's the only way we're going to make it. And
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the Guests column The Lives that secured the freedoms we
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enjoy today by Brandon Smith Kentucky Senator of thirtieth District.
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The World Day often arrives in small measures. The first
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flags appear along a cemetery road, the hush that settles
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over main street or a town square before a buglar place.
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The Warren photograph that was picked up from a treasure
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spot and held a little longer than usual. For many Americans.
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The holiday arrives alongside cookouts, crowded lakes, and the long
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awaited beginning of summer. Before all that, Memorial Days also
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asked something quieter and much more meaningful of all of us.
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It asked us to remember not simply the history of war,
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but the stories of the courageous men and women who
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lived through it. A son who never returned home to
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the family farm, a young marine whose laughter still echoes
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in the old home videos. A medic who wrote letters
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home between deployments but never returned to their loved ones.
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The freedoms we enjoy every day were secured by ordinary
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Americans who answered an extraordinary call, knowing the cost might
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be everything. More than one hundred and fifty years ago,
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communities began gathering after the Civil War to decorate the
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graves of fallen soldiers with flowers or became. Memorial Day
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was never rooted in celebration, but in remembering with both
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grief and gratitude. Kentucky's native son, President Abraham Lincoln, once
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called on Americans to ensure these deads shall not have
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died in vain. Time has passed that responsibility down to us.
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We honor the fallen not with ceremonies and speeches, but
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in the way we live and how we teach our
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children about sacrifice and the responsibility they will one day
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inherit to ensure these brave men and women are never forgotten.
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The Memorial Day we remember in honor those like Air
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Force Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt, a daughter of Bargetown, who
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served with the ninety ninth there refusing Squadron. Her final
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mission and those of her five other service members ended
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in the deserts of war torn with Western Iraq during
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Operation Epic Fury. We also remember Army Sergeant Benjamin Pennington,
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a son of Glendale, Kentucky, who succumbed to wounds sustained
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during an enemy attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in
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Saudi Arabia. This weekend, many will enjoy the noise and
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motion of life, and they should. The many blessings we
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have as Americans and Kentuckians should not be taken for granted.
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Their blessings around the world that could never dream of
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and are only possible because of heroes like Ashley Pruett,
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Benjamin Pennington, and thousands of others who have answered a
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call to duty for their nation and their fellow citizens.
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The Memorial Day, may we pause long enough to remember them.
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May we speak their names, tell their stories, and never
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allow their sacrifices to become cliche, distant or abstract. Freedom
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has a price. Memorial Day reminds us to never forget
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those who paid it. Here are of the obituaries. Kimberly
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Gale Feltner sixty three died Thursday May fourteenth. Sharon Lewis
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sixty three died Saturday May sixteenth, Vernon Lee Lewis twenty
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five of Leeburn died Friday May fifteenth. Kathy Reid sixty
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two died Sunday May seventeenth, Nda Stamper Smith seventy two
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of Chavez died Saturday May sixteenth, and Jerry Lene Whittaker
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sixty five of Hazard died Tuesday May twelfth. Eka You
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Engineering Marx Milestone with first graduating class Eastern Kentucky University
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Spring twenty twenty six commencement well mark milestone for the
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university's growing engineering program and its first cohort of students
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prepared to leave and move across the stage. These students,
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according to a statement from EKA you, are ready to
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begin the next chapter of their journeys, with most having
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already secured employment following graduation breaks. Interstate completes six mile
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hiking trail expansion preparing for twenty twenty six season. Breake
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Center State Park is expanding with new trails and events
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in twenty twenty six. However, according to park Superintendent Austin Bradley,
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the work being done and focuses on preserving and highlighting
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the most important aspect of the park, its beauty. It
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goes back to why we were founded in the first place,
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he said. The original reason was all about the Break's
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gorge and the beauty of it, and every single one
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of these trails provides a new and improved way to
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access portions of the gorge. According to a statement from
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the park, the expansion includes the Cliff Mine Trail, extension
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of Camp Branch Historical Trail, and the addition of the
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Muleskid Cove Trail and Bottom of the Trail connection, which
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together create a new access quarter into the scenic Grassy
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Creek area and the bottom of the Break's gorge near
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the Virginia Kentucky state line. Local and state officials met
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May twelfth at the Perry County Physical Courthouse to an
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outs funds secured for the new Buckhorn water treatment plant
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and the Buckhorn spillway and dock. We were happy we
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could secure these funds, said Senator Brandon Smith. This money
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will play a big role in helping restore Buckhorn to
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its former glory. It's such a nostalgic place that it's
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very dear to the area. From sports page, Pirie Central
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Blank's Belfrey, Perry Central Blank visiting Belfree ten to oher
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and six innings and a High School of Softball regular
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season finale on Friday, May fifteenth. With the win, Perry
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Central improved to twenty three and thirteen. Perry Central plated
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three runs over the first two innings, then extending its lead,
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Perry Central pushed across six runs during the third frame.
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Perry Central cross home plate once during the bottom half
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of the sixth inning to register the ten run win.
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Jo C. Mullins pitched a four hit shutout for Perry
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Central and earned the win. In the circle. Mullens recorded
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nine strikeouts. Mally Fham pitched for Belfrey and suffered the
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loss in the circle. Fam also recorded nine strikeouts. Offensively
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for Belfrey. Arizona Smith, Abbey, Viperman, McKinley, Fields, and Maddie
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Blevins each hit safely once. Perry Central notched its second
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win over Belfree in the twenty twenty sixth high school
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softball season in a game played in Pike County on Monday,
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April thirteenth, Perry Central edged Belfrey four to three. Johnson
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Central continued to do what it does hitting bombs. Johnson
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Central drove in five of its seven runs in the
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game on home runs. Julie Dills, Mally Music, and Malley
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Price each went the yard for the Golden Eagles. The
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homers helped the Lady Golden Eagles rally pass Perry Central
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for a seven to six win at Perry Central last Thursday.
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With the win, Johnson Central finished the regular season with
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an eighteen to fifteen record. Next up for the Lady
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Golden Eagles will be the fifty seventh District Tournament beginning
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Monday May eighteenth and Wednesday May twentieth at Johnson Central
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High School. Mullens led Perry Central at the plate, going
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three or four with one RBI and one run, scored
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Commodore's roll to win over Jaguars. Perry Central roll pass
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Floyd Central eighteen to two and four innings. On Thursday,
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May fourteenth, the Commodore scored first and never trailed. Perry
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Central led t and O midway through the third inning,
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leading ten to one. Perry Central erupted for eight runs
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during the top half of the fourth frame. Devin Gayheart
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pitched for Perry Central and earned a win. On the mound,
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Gayheart recorded four strikeouts. Logan Sloan started on the mound
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for Floyd Central and suffered the loss. Sloan pitched two
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innings and struck out one Perry Central batter. Following Sloan,
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Aiden Jones pitched two innings in relief for the Jaguars.
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Jones tail kellyed two strikeouts. The Commodores excelled defensively and defensively,
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currently fourteenth region title contender Perry Central mood runners around
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the bases throughout the game, Perry Central, under the direction
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of coach John Meehand, scored eighteen runs on seventeen hits.
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Gayheart two hits two RBIs, Mason Sumner two hits three RBIs,
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Tate Watts two hits three RBIs, Connor Perkins two hits
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two RBIs, brys and Johnson two hits two RBIs. Floyd
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Central playd two runs on late hits. Logan me one
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hit for two RBIs, Logan, Luke Gibson one hit, Ryan
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Jane one hit, and Barrett Williams one hit accounted for
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Floyd Central's offense. Perry Central Knights dis second win over
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Floyd Central in the twenty twenty sixth high school basket
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baseball season. The Commodore edged the Jaguar four to three
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in a game played in Hazzard on Thursday, April twenty third.
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Hazard shut out Floyd Central eleven zero and six innings.
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On Tuesday, May twelfth. The Bulldogs scored first and forced
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Floyd Central to play from behind throughout the game. Hazard
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manufactured a pair of runs during its initial at bat.
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The Bulldogs excel late in the game. Hazard played at
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eight runs over the last three innings. Tucker Napier and
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Jaden Frehley combined to pitch a three hit shutout for
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the Bulldogs. Each Hazard pitcher pitched three innings and limited
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Floyd Central batters. Napiers started on the mound for Hazard
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and earned the win. The Hazard starting pitcher recorded five strikeouts.
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Freyley pitched in relief for Hazard and struck out two
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Floyd Central batters. Luke Gibson and Brants Pennington split time
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on the mound for Floyd Central, pitching three innings apiece.
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Hazard defeated Floyd Central for the second time in the
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twenty twenty six high school baseball season. The Bulldogs beat
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the Jaguars thirteen to one in five innings in a
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game played on Tuesday, April twenty first, Ken Kaid saves
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Bulldogs advanced past Leslie County three to two. Hazards season
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was in the balance. The Bulldogs trail Leslie County two
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entering the bottom of the seventh With two outs. In
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the bottom of the seventh and opening round of the
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fifty fourth District Tournament, Trace Kinkaid did a two RBI
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triple to tie things up at two apiece. The triple
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saved Hazard season. Kincaid scored on a wild pitch to
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get the Bulldogs a three to two win to advance
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into the fifty fourth District championship against Perry Central. This
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concludes the reading of the Hazzard Herald. Please stay tuned
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for continuing programming. Thank you for joining me and on
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behalf of everyone here at RADIOI. This is Lee Townshend,
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wishing you a good day.