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Corbin Times-Tribune - 5.12.26 · 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 Corbyn, Laurel, Whitley and Knox Counties. Your
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reader today is Janice as a reminder Radio I 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 printed material.
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We'll begin with the e edition dated Thursday May seventh,
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twenty twenty six. Our first article is Crown of Corbin
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by Macy Swafford, Corbyn. The Ossoul Law Club of Corbin
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hosted its eighty third annual May Day Festival Friday evening,
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bringing together students, families, community members for an evening of
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tradition and high energy performances centered around this year's Rockout theme.
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Held at the Corbyn Arena, the long standing event highlighted
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student themed dances across Corbyn independent schools while continuing the
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ceremonia traditions that have defined May Day for decades. The
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program opened with Mistress of Ceremonies, Candy Jones, welcoming attendees,
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followed by a national anthem performed by Corbyn High School
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Chamber Choir under the direction of Nick Hibbard, a processional
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featuring past queens. This year's Court, escorts and participants followed
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formally beginning the evening ceremonies. Zella Wren Arena was crowned
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the twenty twenty six Tiny Queen and was escorted by
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Tatum Patel. Runners up in the Tiny Queen division included
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Ramsey Charles Robinson first runner up, Lauren gall Damon second
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runner up, Aspen Rey's Shema third runner up, Talitha Raschel
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Brooks fourth runner up. In the May Queen competition, Raleigh
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Mackenzie Gardner was crowned the twenty twenty six May Queen,
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escorted by Caleb Humpfleet. Members of the May Queen Court
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were also recognized, including Sydney Jane nine Britton first runner up,
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Chloe Elsie Trivett second runner up, Tyler Elizabeth Strain third
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runner up, Troy Camille Hampton fourth runner up, Alexis Rose
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Wilson fifth runner up, and Gracie Jane Pea sixth runner up.
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Earlier in the ceremony, the twenty twenty five May Queen
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Peyton Elise Taylor. In twenty twenty five Tiny Queen Kara
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Mary Francis Hammonds were presented as part of the transition
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into this year's crowning. Additional ceremonial participants included Flower Girls
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Quinn Marie Miller, Navy, Elsie Rains, Shane's Elin Raines and
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Ella Marie Reeves, Trumpeter Slate Arena and Camden Tate stoveall
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were also part of the ceremony, while train Bearons, Aiden Ray,
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Gregory Pearce and Asabo Hill assisted in helping escort the
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new Queen. Following the crowning ceremonies, Gail Frederick's School of
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Dance perform the traditional May Pole Dance, presenting the routine
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tilted spring Walls, where long ribbons were traditionally winded or
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winded as part of the maple pole winding. The evening
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continued with performances from Corbin Primary School students who brought
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this year's rock Out theme to life through a series
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of energetic routines. Student groups included the Rock and Redhounds,
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Jack Jams, All Star rock Stars and Little Storm Shakers,
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each performing under the direction of their teachers and monitors.
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The performances showcased a wide range of students in grade
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levels dancing and rocking out with the May Day Corps.
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The Ossolo Club expressed their appreciation to students, teachers, families
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and community members who contribute it to this year's success.
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And there is a picture of a lot of people
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and it's in the arena and their ascending from the
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top to the bottom, and underneath the caption reads the
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twenty twenty six May Day Court Dance along to each
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performance from students at the Corbyn Primary School. Then there's
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another picture of a young girl escorted by a young
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man and underneath it says twenty twenty six May Queen
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Riley Mackenzie Gardner alongside her escort Caleb Humpfleet is introduced
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during the ceremony. And lastly, there is a picture of
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a gentleman crowning the little girl and it says Corbyn
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Independence Superintendent Travis Walder alongside twenty twenty five Tiny Queen
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Carol Mary Francis Hammond's officially crowns Zella Wren Arena as
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the twenty twenty six Tiny Queen. Our next article is
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Lights Out Dinner Shines Light on Disability Awareness by Macy Swafford. Corbyn,
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the Freeman Foundation and Baptist Health Corbin hosted Lights Out
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Dinner in the Dark on Tuesday at the Corbin Center,
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offering a blindfolded dining experience to benefit autism awareness and
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disability focus programs. The evening open with Freeman Foundation founder
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Travis Freeman, thanking volunteers, his family, and Baptist Health Corbin
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for helping make the event possible. Freeman, who lost his
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sight at age twelve due to rare infection, found at
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the Freeman Foundation to raise awareness and support for individuals
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with disabilities. He said Baptist Health Corbin's support grew after
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an early conversation with hospital president Angela Foster. I just
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went in asking for a donation, and Angela said, I
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think you're asking far too little, Freeman said. Foster then
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addressed the crowd, thanking attendees for supporting the cause and
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recognizing Baptist Health Corbin's rehabilitation team. She said the hospital's
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pediatric outpatient rehabilitation program helps children with autism and other
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developmental needs build communication skills, independence, and confidence. What may
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seem like a small milestone can be major breakthrough, Foster said.
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The first word a new skill, a moment of connection.
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Those moments matter. Speakers Cameron and Susan Mills then took
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to stage to share their family stories and their experience
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raising Susan's son, Alex, who was diagnosed with autism at
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age two and a half. Susan Mills spoke about the
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challenges of getting a diagnosis, finding therapy service, and working
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through insurance barriers. I had to fight to get a diagnosis,
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she said, adding that her work through My Autism Tribe
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and her children's book series grew from wanting to help
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families having meaningful conversations about differences and inclusions. Missus Mills
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also spoke about her Dino Sprout children's book series, which
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uses illustrated stories to help children better understand differences such
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as autism, anxiety, sensorary challenges, and other disabilities. She said
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the books are intended to encourage conversations about inclusion and
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accepting some among children. Parents and educators. Teach your child
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the world, and teach the world about your child, Mills said.
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Cameron Mills, known for his days with University of Kentucky basketball,
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reflected on becoming a stepfather to Alex and learning more
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about autism through his family. I didn't know what autism was,
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he said. I didn't know how many people dealt with
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disabilities until I entered this world with Susan. The couple
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also emphasized the importance of advocacy, support systems and community
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spaces where individuals with disabilities feel accepted and included. Following
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their remarks, Freeman spoke about the mission of the Freeman Foundation,
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which he said works to raise awareness and the needs
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of potential of people with disabilities. He said the proceeds
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from the event would support the east Side Club, Censory
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of Gym, Aaron's Hope for Friends, the Freeman Foundation, and
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the efforts to add all inclusive playground equipment to local parks.
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Freeman also shared the story of a young blind boy
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in Haiti named David, whom the Foundation helped receive cataract
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surgery after being abandoned by his family. Freeman said the
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surgery allowed the child to begin school and eventually live independently.
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Through this experience of eating a meal blindfolded in complete
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darkness to simulate blindness, attendees left the event with a
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greater understanding of the challenges individuals with disabilities may face,
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while also supporting programs and resources that assist those with
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impairments and promote inclusion within their community. Our next article
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is Corbyn Card business expands amid online sales boon by
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Macy Swafford. What started as a hobby collecting Pokemon Ugo
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cards has quickly grown into one of Corbyn's fastest growing
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businesses as TCG Empire owner Joshua Howe continues expanding both
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his storefront and online presence through TMU. Hal thirty seven,
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originally from Hickory, North Carolina, moved to Corbin after the
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company he worked for purchased another business locally. Before entering
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the trading card industry full time, how spent thirteen years
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building furniture. I just got tired of doing the same
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thing for so long and decided to switch what I
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was doing, how said. How said his interest in trading
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cards first began during the early years of Pokemon, before
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eventually expanding into Ugo, where he became interested not only
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in playing, but also buying and reselling cards. While the
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business initial initially started small, how said he realized TCG
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Empire had become something much larger after he left his
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full time job and began investing completely into the business.
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The biggest risk is bringing on people and then them
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trusting that I will make sure they get their check
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every week, how said. You have to spend money to
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make money. Tcg Empire opened its Corbin storefront in February
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of twenty twenty five, but the business has seen explosive
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online growth since launching on TMU in October. How said.
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The company's repack bundles, collections of guaranteed hit cards sold
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at affordable prices, quickly became popular with customers, and the
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first six months alone, the business sold over seventy two
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thousand cards bundles on TMU, how said, tcg Empire now
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sells roughly fifteen thousand repacks monthly, with prices generally ranging
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from eleven dollars to around thirty dollars, depending on the
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value included. Demand accelerated so quickly that how said the
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company outgrew its original setup almost immediately. Late last year,
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We were doing like one thousand, five hundred to one thousand,
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six hundred orders, how said, We were actually doing it
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out of the small storefront that we have, and it
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was kind of a mess. The company now fulfills as
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many as one thousand, five hundred daily orders, prompting How
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to invest in a dedicated warehouse space. Tcg Empire recently
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moved operations into a larger warehouse facility in Corbin after
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termite issues forced them from their previous location. It's a
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lot smoother now, House said, everything's more organized and everything
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has its place. The rapid growth also allowed How to
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expand his workforce, bringing on five new full time employees
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while transitioning from previous part time staff into full time positions.
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Beyond the business itself, How said he hopes tcg Empire
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continues serving as a positive part of the local community.
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The business regularly hosts trading card game events, casual game nights,
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Dungeons and Dragon sessions, and learn to play programs for
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games like Pokemon and Magic. The gathering including events alongside
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the Corbyn Public Library. We've tried to do things for
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the community, House said. We always try to be fair
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with the customer locally and just be fair with the community.
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How believes part of the recent resurgence in trading cards
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comes from nostalgia, with parents now introducing the hobby to
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their children. I think there's been a lot more families
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getting into a house, said, I think this kind of
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brings like a bonding moment. As TCG Empire continues growing
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online and locally, How said, the company's focus remains on
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expanding its catalog, improving operations and maintaining the community atmosphere
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that helped build the business. We definitely plan to continue growing,
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he said. We always strive to get everything order out
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every day. To visit their storefront in Corbin. Visit them
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at sixteen o three South Main Street and there is
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a picture of the man wearing a T shirt that
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says Empire. Then there's another picture that it's of the
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warehouse and it says how and his team operate their
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cells out of a portion of a warehouse located on
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the American Greeting Card Road in Corbin. Our next article
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is Corbyn man dies following Knox County collision by Macy Swafford,
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Knox County. A Corby man died following a two vehicle
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collision last week in Knox, according to the Knox County
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Sheriff's Department and a press release issued last Thursday. The
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Sheriff's department stated the Knox County nine to one one
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received a call around seven pm on April twenty ninth
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regarding the crash on US Highway twenty five East, just
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south of Higgins Road. According to the preliminary investigation, A
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two thousand and one Mercury Sable operated by a seventy
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three year old Alfred Smith of Corbin, was attempting to
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make a left turn from a northbound US twenty five
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East onto Kentucky twelve thirty two when the vehicle crossed
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into the path of a southbound twenty twenty five Chevrolet
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Ceverado driven by twenty nine year old Cody Cox. A
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Pineville authority said the two vehicles collided and came to
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rest just off the shoulder of the roadway. Smith was
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transported by the Knox County EMS to Baptist Health Corbin,
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where he was later pronounced deceased by the Whitley Koulner
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County Coroner's Office. The official stated that drugs and alcohol
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are not to be factors in the crash at this time.
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The incident remains under investigation by by Deputy Elijah Broughton
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and Sergeant Jesse Smith with the Knox County Sheriff's Office.
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Assistant agencies at the scene included Knox County EMS, Bailey
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Switch Fire Department, Knox County Emergency Management Director Mike Taylor,
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Barberville Police Department, and West Knox Fire Department. Our next
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article is SLHS teacher arrested on child exploitation charges by
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Macy Swafford, Barberville, a Knox County man has been arrested
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in a second individual charged as part of an ongoing
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investigation into alleged child exploitation offenses. According to statements from
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law enforcement and school officials, the Barberville Police Department reported
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that on Sunday, officers, along with the Laurel County Schools
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Police Department, conducted an investigation into Bradley Kyle Yager, thirty five,
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of Hendrick, who is accused of requesting and receiving explicit
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images of a minor. Authorities said evidence gathered during the
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investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at
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Yager's residence. Yeager was arrested and launched in the Knox
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County Detention Center on charges of possession of matter portraying
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a sexual performance by a minor under twelve, and procuring
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and promoting the use of a miner by electronic means.
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The investigation involved Barberville Police Chief Adam Townsley, Patrolman Chase Henson,
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and Laurel County School's police Chief Jesse Williams, with assistants
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from the Knox County schif Ariff's Office. In a separate statement,
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Lawl County Public Schools confirm that Yager is in the
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South Lawrell High School teacher and has been suspended pending
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the outcome of the investigation. School officials stated that the
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students safety remains their top priority and that allegations of
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misconducts are addressed immediately. According to court records, a second person,
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Rachel Baker, twenty two, of Benble, was also arrested and
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charged with possession as well as distribution of matter portraying
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a sexual performance by a minor under twelve, according to
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their respective arrest citations. Baker contacted p b PD to
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report that Yager paid her for images and videos of
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herself and the child. With a not guilty plead enter
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on the behalf of the arrayment Monday. Yager is scheduled
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for a preliminary hearing in Knox District Court next Tuesday.
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At press time, he remained lodged in the Knox County
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Detention Center in lieu of a fifty thousand dollars bond.
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Baker was also lodged at k C d C and
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is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday morning. Our next
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article is lawsuits filed against Knox County Deputy over a
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fatal twenty twenty five UTV crash by Macy Swofford, London.
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Two federal law suits have been filed in U S
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District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky in London
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against Knox County Knox County Sheriff Mike Smith and Knox
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County Sheriff Deputy John Michael Mikey ash Ashearst in connection
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to the July twenty fourth, twenty twenty five, fatal UTV
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crash that resulted in the death of a twenty one
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year old Todd Saint John. One lawsuit was filed by
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the estate of Todd Saint John through personal representative Mackenzie Eads,
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while the second was filed by Jerry Stewart, who was
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riding in the side by side with Saint John at
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the time of the crash. Both lawsuits claim Ashurst turned
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his police cruiser into a deadly weapon without any legal
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justification by using it to ram the side by side
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vehicle Saint John and Stuart were riding in. According to
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the filings, Stuart went to Saint John's home on July
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twenty fourth of twenty twenty five, before the two later
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drove the side by side into a nearby gas station.
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The lawsuit states that after leaving the station, Saint John
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drove a trailer near the property when Ashurst allegedly pulled
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behind them with the emergency lights activated. The complaints claim
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Ashurst is not investigating the serious crime and that Saint
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John and Stuart posed at no safety threat. The lawsuit
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further claimed that in less than thirty seconds after encountering
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the UTV, Ashhurst ram his cruiser into the side by side,
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causing it to overturn. The filings state Saint John suffered
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constrict pardon me terrible injuries and was pronounced dead at
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Baptist Health Corbyn at ten twenty three pm. Stuart survived,
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but claims he continues to suffer lasting an emotional and
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physical trauma from the incident. Stuart's law suit states not
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a knight passes without Jerry reliving the horror horrifying image
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of Todd bleeding out in the street while Jerry is
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unable to help save his best friend's life not a state.
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This lawsuit states that Saint John's death left behind his
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feeling say and two young children, adding, instead of planning
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their wedding and the rest of their life together, Mackenzie
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was left to plan Todd's funeral. Both complaints also accused
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Knox County and Sheriff Smith of knowingly rehiring Ashurst despite
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an alleged history of misconduct. The lawsuits referenced a previous
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fatal shooting involving Ashurst in twenty sixteen. The complaints further
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claimed Sheriff Smith new Ashurst had twice been denied employment
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with the Kentucky State Police following background investigations, had prior
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citizen complaints during previous law enforcement employment, and had resigned
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as Livingstone police chief after alleging engaging the physical, threatening,
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and aggressive behavior toward an incoming mayor at a city
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council meeting. Additionally, the lawsuits referenced a social media post
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allegedly made by Ashurst after the crash, claiming he changed
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his Facebook profile picture to a side by side vehicle
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just days after the incident. The complaints state that the
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post demonstrated a total lack of remorse. Lawsuits seek compensatory damages,
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attorney feeds, and punitive damages claims including excessive force negligent hiring,
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negligent supervision and training, wrongful death, and other state law claims.
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They come after a Knox County grand jury declined to
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indict the deputy last October. When reached for comment, Sheriff
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Mike Smith said he could not comment on the lawsuits
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due to ongoing litigation. Our next article is Corbin Public
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Library spotlights literacy programs and community resources at Rotary by
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Macy Swafford, Corbin. The Corbyn Rotary Club met last Thursday,
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where members celebrated another successful International Day fundraiser before hearing
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from guest speaker Maddy Flannery of the Corbyn Public Library
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about upcoming library programs resources in the future of the
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Dolly Parton Imagination Library program locally. Before Flannery's presentation, Corbyn
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Rotary members announced that this year's International Dinner fundraiser, held
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in partnership with the London Rotary Club, was able to
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generate a total of sixteen thousand, six hundred and twenty
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dollars through the Corbyn Club. Officials announced both clubs would
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send checks in the amount of twelve thousand, six hundred
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twenty three dollars and twenty one cents to each of
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the Rotaries Foundation, Polio Plus Initiative, Debbie Harden and Sudar Patel.
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They do such a good, fantastic job leading this, said
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Rotary Secretary Treasurer J Bill Sash As members applauded the
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organizers and congratulated one another on another successful event. Flannery,
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who has worked at the library for nearly three years
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after first volunteering there while in high school, spoke about
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the wide range of services available through the library. Beyond books,
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we have a lot more than just books, Flannery said.
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We have DVDs for patrons to check out. A lot
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of the patrons have told me I've canceled my cable
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subscription and I just come here and get movies. She
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detailed several library resources, including audio books, large print books, puzzles, games,
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a sound room, a podcast studio, as well as a
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stem lab equipped with three D printers, science kits, and computers.
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We have three D printers available to the public for use,
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she said, even that in the very low costs compared
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to buying your own three D printer or using a
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company or something that charges you to use it. Flannery
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also highlighted the library's history room, crediting volunteer Tiffany houctionuns
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for digitizing and organizing historical records and newspapers. According to Flannery,
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the room now allows visitors to search archive newspapers, yearbooks,
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and historical records digitally by name, year, or publication. She
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also discussed the library's annual Summer Reading program, which begins
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June fifth and is designed to encourage children to continue
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reading and learning during summer break. The main purpose of
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this is to keep kids from falling behind over the summer,
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Flannery said. The idea is that they consistently come to
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the library over the summer to continue to read, continue
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to have social interaction, continue to learn that teachers may
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be able to spend less time having to review at
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the beginning of the year. This year's summer reading theme
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is Unearthed a Story which will feature a dinosaur theme, decorations,
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and activities throughout the summer. Flannery additionally spoke about the
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library's annual ghost tours, which combine the local history with
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Halloween themed storytelling centered around downtown Corbyn landmarks. Much of
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Flannery's presentation focused on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program,
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which provides one free book each month to the children
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from birth until age five. Not everybody has the ability
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to get to the library to get books, Flannery said,
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so for a lot of people, this may be the
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only way that they get books to their kids before
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they go off to school. Flannery explained the Friends of
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the Corbin Public Library currently funds programs for children in Knox,
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Laurel and Pardoning in Whitley County, contributing roughly seventeen thousand
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dollars annually, which is matched by the state of Kentucky. However,
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she noted the program's future remains uncertain. This concludes the
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reading of the Times Tribune. Please stay tuned for continued programming.
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Thank you for joining me on behalf of everyone here
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at radiois. This is Janice, wishing you a very good day.