Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Ashland Daily Independent - 10.14.26

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Ashland Daily Independent - 10.14.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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  Speaker 1: We now turn to the Ashland Independent to bring you
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  Speaker 1: news from in and around Ashland and Boyd County. Your
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  Speaker 1: reader today is Jane. We begin with the edition dated
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  Speaker 1: October 13, 2026. As a reminder, Radio Eye is a
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  Speaker 1: reading service intended for people who are blind or have
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  Speaker 1: other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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  Speaker 1: Our first article is Door Opens for Curiosity and Imagination.
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  Speaker 1: Olive Hill's Shrine Park Site of Renaissance Fair by Alison
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  Speaker 1: Scott for the Daily Independent. The Realm of Valdalia opened
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  Speaker 1: its gates in Olive Hill this weekend, welcoming curious travelers
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  Speaker 1: to the community's first Renaissance Fair. From blacksmithing and tablet
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  Speaker 1: weaving to jousting and armored combat, The three-day fair at
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  Speaker 1: Shrine Park offered a variety of historical demonstrations, musical performances, quests,
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  Speaker 1: and more than 20 vendors. It is a great gateway
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  Speaker 1: to get people interested in learning more. It is not
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  Speaker 1: the encyclopedia of all things exactly as it was, but
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  Speaker 1: it opens the door for curiosity and imagination, said fair
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  Speaker 1: board member Jill York, We may grow up, but let's
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  Speaker 1: not grow old and hard. Suttles, the president of the fair,
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  Speaker 1: turned to York, Rebecca Smith, owner of Smith Dungeon in Grayson,
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  Speaker 1: and a few close friends for help making his vision
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  Speaker 1: from 18 months ago a reality. When the idea was
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  Speaker 1: coming up, they came to meet with me and said,
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  Speaker 1: how might we do this? And we just kept talking
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  Speaker 1: and kept talking. and then it just sounded like too
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  Speaker 1: much fun not to be a part of, said York.
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  Speaker 1: Some of their first few guests on opening day included
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  Speaker 1: several local schools, including Olive Hill Elementary, who walked just
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  Speaker 1: down the hill to the event. Gerald Dyson, the fair's
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  Speaker 1: historian and Kentucky Christian University's associate professor of history, brought
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  Speaker 1: several artifacts from the Middle Ages to help visitors connect
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  Speaker 1: with the past. Coins from the Byzantine Empire, a gold
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  Speaker 1: solidus from the 7th century, cloak pins, ornate straps, a
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  Speaker 1: fragment of a 13th century French Bible, and more were
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  Speaker 1: all a part of Dyson's demonstration. I love the Middle
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  Speaker 1: Ages and I really enjoy getting to share that passion
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  Speaker 1: with other people. And seeing people have that wow moment
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  Speaker 1: about something that they just never thought about, said Dyson.
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  Speaker 1: And then they think how there's this whole other world.
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  Speaker 1: That's a good feeling. For many people, Vandalia marked their
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  Speaker 1: first Renaissance fair experience as others had been too far
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  Speaker 1: away for them to attend. I think people were appreciative
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  Speaker 1: at first. Not really so much apprehensive, but just people
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  Speaker 1: are shocked that there's this much interest in this area,
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  Speaker 1: said Settles. People are mostly saying they can't believe we
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  Speaker 1: have a Wren Fair in eastern Kentucky. For 16th century
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  Speaker 1: enthusiast Brittany Sergent, she said the fair was the perfect
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  Speaker 1: place to experience her first Renaissance fair as she had
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  Speaker 1: been waiting for one closer to home. Traveling three hours
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  Speaker 1: from Laurel County, Amanda Engler and her family took their
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  Speaker 1: new business on the road to attend. She said they
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  Speaker 1: had sold more in the first few days of the
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  Speaker 1: fair than in their past events. Vendor Quinn Lamont traveled
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  Speaker 1: eight hours from Michigan to sell her handmade and goblin-like
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  Speaker 1: creatures after being drawn to the fair through social media.
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  Speaker 1: I think it's pretty important because there's a lot of
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  Speaker 1: local businesses that can flex into the Ren Faire kind
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  Speaker 1: of style, said Lamont. There's local businesses that can promote
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  Speaker 1: themselves in the area, and it helps bring traffic from
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  Speaker 1: neighboring regions to the town. With overwhelming positive feedback, Suttles
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  Speaker 1: and York both said they would like for Vandalia to return.
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  Speaker 1: We're dreaming big, but reality means that we hope for success.
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  Speaker 1: We hope that the community enjoys it as much as
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  Speaker 1: everyone who's had a hand in it enjoyed bringing it
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  Speaker 1: to the community, said York. If there's a good reception
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  Speaker 1: and a great will, then I'm certain that we'll try
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  Speaker 1: to do it again. According to York, many that attended
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  Speaker 1: were asking for the dates of next year's fair so
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  Speaker 1: they could begin planning their costumes. Suttles said he hopes
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  Speaker 1: to continue the fair this reminiscing on his time spent
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  Speaker 1: at Moorhead State University, live-action role-playing with friends, and working
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  Speaker 1: at the former White Crow Comics store. It is absolutely surreal.
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  Speaker 1: This is just a testament to the interest of the area.
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  Speaker 1: It brings me great joy, said Shuttles. I'm so happy
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  Speaker 1: to do this for my community. Our next article, Weathering
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  Speaker 1: the Storm with Suds, Annual Firkin Fest goes on at
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  Speaker 1: Riverfront by Tammy Hetzer Womack for the Daily Independent. Hurricane
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  Speaker 1: Isaias proved duck soup for the flocks of Firkin Festers.
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  Speaker 1: No flow, floods, or even a port-a-potty flush could keep
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  Speaker 1: the party away from Port of Ashland on Saturday evenings.
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  Speaker 1: It takes more than a difficult-to-spell storm to wipe out
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  Speaker 1: the 11th year of carousing craft beers downtown. Once a
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  Speaker 1: tap dream for a group of young Ashlanders hoping to
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  Speaker 1: make the city more youthful and full of life, Firkin
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  Speaker 1: Fest continues to hop for those locals who drink well
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  Speaker 1: with others. Take Jonathan Wessel, 31, and his spouse Stacy Wessel, 27.
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  Speaker 1: When it is an incredibly rainy day, a good cold
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  Speaker 1: one is always a promising idea. The Ashland couple meet
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  Speaker 1: for a friendly match of cornhole with new friends. Adult
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  Speaker 1: yard games moved from the sloppy grass onto the asphalt
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  Speaker 1: of the city boat ramp. Stacia takes a quick bathroom
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  Speaker 1: break while her wannabe comic husband proceeds to embarrass her
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  Speaker 1: in this morning's edition. Boy, I sure do love beer,
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  Speaker 1: chuckles Mr. Russell, looking at his this reporter's dampened notebook,
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  Speaker 1: to make sure I got the quote correct. Make sure
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  Speaker 1: I say that in the newspaper because I do love beer.
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  Speaker 1: All in genuine lighthearted fun, a couple Ashland Police Department
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  Speaker 1: uniforms hunker under a tent as the rain picks up.
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  Speaker 1: This year, For Confessed offered an option to enlist to
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  Speaker 1: serve as a designated driver for the event for $ 15,
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  Speaker 1: with many taking advantage of the smart safety measure allowing
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  Speaker 1: an enjoyable time without the risk of driving under the influence.
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  Speaker 1: City police reminded everyone to use the service and stay safe.
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  Speaker 1: Most revelers behaved with no scrapping or silliness. Beyond dancing
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  Speaker 1: in the rain, which is never illegal, the officers enjoyed
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  Speaker 1: an easy firkin' fest. Tim Rice, 47, volunteered under the
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  Speaker 1: West 6th Brewing Tent, a makeshift man cave against the elements.
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  Speaker 1: The Lexington-based microbrewery is known for its inventive IPAs and
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  Speaker 1: seasonally flavored porters, pale ales, and flagship flavors. I love
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  Speaker 1: introducing people to new beers with small business brewery aspects,
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  Speaker 1: Rice said. Fergan Fest is great because once a year
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  Speaker 1: we get together for a few beers, support local small business,
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  Speaker 1: and open up our town to commerce and tourism. As
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  Speaker 1: dinner is poured, Wessex taps into a dessert-ish sweet treat,
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  Speaker 1: its own caramel apple cider, a dry, sweet cider with
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  Speaker 1: cinnamon notes of autumn goodness. The 5% alcohol concoction is
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  Speaker 1: an Oktoberfest fave. Gluten-reduced, just in time for Halloween costume
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  Speaker 1: balls and fall festivals, said BJ Price, 35, who loves
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  Speaker 1: representing people. West 6th as a brand ambassador. This is
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  Speaker 1: his second firkin' fest. Seeing all these people out in
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  Speaker 1: the rain, Unfazed ferments the lexatonian. That's a good party.
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: Sawstone River Room is a 15th Street downtown hotspot. A
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  Speaker 1: tony tavern trending with talented local musicians. Tap handle joyfulness
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  Speaker 1: and treasures of locally grown ingredients. Patrick Henderson shows off
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  Speaker 1: Sawstone Brewing. Company's four bellwether brews, all born in the
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  Speaker 1: original Sawstone Brewing Company in downtown Moorhead. This is the
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  Speaker 1: best beer fest east of Lexington. The organizers in Ashland
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  Speaker 1: are so helpful. Great people here raped Henderson 40 of Moorhead.
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  Speaker 1: He brags about Ashland Sawstone staff. Everyone knows them and
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  Speaker 1: loves them. We tease them that one of them should
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  Speaker 1: run for mayor. In other news, Dressing Room Seeks Support
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  Speaker 1: by Matt Jones for The Daily Independent The dressing room
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  Speaker 1: is in need of assistance. The support of our community
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  Speaker 1: helps us support the rest of our community, B.J. Fraley,
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  Speaker 1: Vice President of Federated Charities, said. For more than 100 years,
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  Speaker 1: Federated Charities, which runs the Dressing Room, has provided assistance
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  Speaker 1: for locals needing help. The dressing room provides clothing, shoes, blankets, linens,
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  Speaker 1: other household goods and hygiene products for those in need.
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  Speaker 1: Everyday people in our community come through our doors looking
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  Speaker 1: for basic necessities they cannot afford, Fraley said. However, now
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  Speaker 1: they are the ones in need of support. We are
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  Speaker 1: asking you to help us raise $ 36, 000 to keep the
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  Speaker 1: dressing room operating and and ensure these essential items remain
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  Speaker 1: available to our neighbors, Fraley said. Giving has been down.
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  Speaker 1: We are not the only agency being affected. The amount
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  Speaker 1: is the baseline the organization needs to remain open and
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  Speaker 1: meeting the needs of the region, Fraley said. Our goal
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  Speaker 1: is ambitious, but it is achievable if Ashland businesses and
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  Speaker 1: community members come together. said Marty Goot, Federated Charities President.
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  Speaker 1: Fraley said the clothing donations had remained, but the monetary
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  Speaker 1: funding has seen a reduction. The dressing room purchases items
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  Speaker 1: they don't get donated, items such as underwear and socks.
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  Speaker 1: Fraley said the dressing room helps around 4,000 individuals each
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  Speaker 1: year and is seeking an increase in those needing help.
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  Speaker 1: We are the largest clothing closet in the region, Fraley said.
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  Speaker 1: He also said the organization opens services to more of
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  Speaker 1: those in need. If you can get here, you can
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  Speaker 1: get assistance, Fraley said. The organization is seeking business and
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  Speaker 1: community partners to make financial commitments toward the goal. We
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  Speaker 1: are seeking businesses and community partners willing to make a
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  Speaker 1: meaningful financial commitment toward this goal, Fraley said. This spring,
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  Speaker 1: the charity pushed for community donations, including setting up a
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  Speaker 1: GoFundMe and the ability to set a recurring donation via PayPal.
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  Speaker 1: Fraley said the organization applies for grants, but to help
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  Speaker 1: reduce reliance on resident support, it is looking for corporate sponsors.
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  Speaker 1: He said several large corporate donors have limited their donations
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  Speaker 1: due to the economic downturn. Federated Charities is a 501c3
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  Speaker 1: nonprofit organization, and donations and sponsorship are tax-deductible, Fraley said.
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  Speaker 1: In another effort to raise funds, the charity is having
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  Speaker 1: a yard sale on November 7th, something it has a
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  Speaker 1: couple times a year, Fraley said. The sale does not
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  Speaker 1: include clothing, but will include household items and other items.
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  Speaker 1: To make a donation, find them on Facebook, call area
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  Speaker 1: code 606-324-5400, send a check to The Dressing Room, P.O.
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  Speaker 1: Box 611, Ashland, Kentucky, 41105. For more information, visit thedressingroomashland.org.
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  Speaker 1: Our next article is, Heads and Hearts on Health at
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  Speaker 1: Hoopla by James Jewett for the Daily Independent. On Saturday
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  Speaker 1: at UK King's Daughters Medical Center's third annual Healthy Hoopla,
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  Speaker 1: Ashland Mayor Chuck Charles proclaimed October 10th a day of
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  Speaker 1: celebrating health in Ashland, Kentucky. It couldn't have happened at
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  Speaker 1: a much more fun place than Camp Landing. The former
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  Speaker 1: shopping mall that's turned into the happy capital of Northeastern
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky was full of joy. Peanuts the Clown outfitted in
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  Speaker 1: a snazzy shirt that says Professional Balloon Twister more than
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  Speaker 1: double-digit times on the front side alone. Did just that
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  Speaker 1: by twisting balloons into creative images that put big smile
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  Speaker 1: on the faces of children such as brothers Levithan, and
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  Speaker 1: Phoenix Sparks from Ashland. There was a petting zoo, inflatables
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  Speaker 1: to jump around in, frozen custard from Wits, and $ 10
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  Speaker 1: vouchers from Malibu Jacks. And it was all free. The
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  Speaker 1: price of gas wasn't a problem with free transportation to
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  Speaker 1: and from the event provided by the City of Ashland
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  Speaker 1: bus systems with shuttle routes every 30 minutes. UK KDMC's
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  Speaker 1: hiring team was also on hand, talking to attendees about
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  Speaker 1: career opportunities. At the Community Health and Wellness Fair, health
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  Speaker 1: education was available, including mental health, heart disease, cancer, and more.
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  Speaker 1: Free health screenings and UK KDMC's canine volunteers, pooches were
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  Speaker 1: also popular hits. The therapy dogs even have their own
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  Speaker 1: baseball-style playing cards that were being given away. They included
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  Speaker 1: details about each dog. Another popular treat, putting smiles on
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  Speaker 1: the faces of kids, was getting to meet Wally Cat,
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  Speaker 1: the educational mascot from UK's Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Service.
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  Speaker 1: Wally Cat travels across Kentucky teaching healthy eating, nutrition, and exercise.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps the most unique thing Saturday, though, was the smoothie bike,
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  Speaker 1: a stationary bike with a blender that uses human power
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  Speaker 1: to blend ingredients for each rider's own healthy smoothie. That
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  Speaker 1: exemplified two main points on Saturday. Good health also depends
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  Speaker 1: on a healthy diet and exercise. Warren Beeler, Deputy Commissioner
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  Speaker 1: of Agriculture for Kentucky, spoke to the crowd at Healthy Hoopla.
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  Speaker 1: Beeler from Caneyville said he thinks people are hesitant to
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  Speaker 1: get screened and are busy, and that healthy hoopla opens
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  Speaker 1: the door to do it. We get the kids here,
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  Speaker 1: we get the moms and dads screened. It's wonderful, Beeler said.
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  Speaker 1: Farmers have had a lot of growth since COVID began
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  Speaker 1: because shelves were empty in stores and people liked what
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  Speaker 1: they got from local farmers and have become regular customers.
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  Speaker 1: We're working really hard to try to get local food
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  Speaker 1: into as many venues as we absolutely can. We think
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  Speaker 1: typically the hospital is the one that is probably the
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  Speaker 1: big employer in a lot of our communities and basically
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  Speaker 1: who buy our food, Beeler said. Mayor Charles has a
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  Speaker 1: lot of experience in health care since he was vice
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  Speaker 1: president of Our Lady of Belfonte Hospital. I think healthy hoopla,
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  Speaker 1: is bringing people together to understand all of the aspects
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  Speaker 1: of health care, not only the services that UK King's
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  Speaker 1: Daughters provides, but the nutrition side of it, the mental
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  Speaker 1: side of it, the education side of it. There are
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  Speaker 1: so many aspects of health that we need to keep
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  Speaker 1: educating our citizens and our neighbors about what health care is,
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  Speaker 1: Charles said. He said he is excited that King's Daughters
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  Speaker 1: are doing this for the community. He said it is
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  Speaker 1: needed to keep the community and neighbors healthy. Prevention goes
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  Speaker 1: a long way. It's been said here several times today
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  Speaker 1: screening and early detection saves lives and make a healthier life,
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  Speaker 1: Charles said. Trudy Matthews, Chief of Community Initiatives for UK
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  Speaker 1: Health Care, said the University of Kentucky and UK King's
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  Speaker 1: Daughters are committed to enhancing the health of Kentuckians. We
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  Speaker 1: know that is not just about visiting your doctor's office,
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  Speaker 1: and certainly we want to reach people outside our hospitals
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  Speaker 1: and our clinics to give them health information. Now more
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  Speaker 1: than ever, there is so much information on the internet
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  Speaker 1: that may not be really based on good evidence of
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  Speaker 1: what is best for you. Matthews from Lexington said she
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  Speaker 1: was there helping the experts working at UK King's Daughters
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  Speaker 1: and the county extension agents that really provide wonderful information
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  Speaker 1: for people to make better health choices. So this is
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  Speaker 1: just an opportunity to get really the best information into
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  Speaker 1: the hands of folks and also have a lot of
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  Speaker 1: fun doing it, Matthews said. I think it's a great
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  Speaker 1: event for the community. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn
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  Speaker 1: more about the resources that everyone offers, said Leisha Elam,
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  Speaker 1: who was telling attendees what her employer, Ramy Estep, offers.
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  Speaker 1: Attendee Kelly Cook from Grayson said it was the first
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  Speaker 1: healthy hoopla she has attended. This is the first one
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  Speaker 1: we have attended, and we have loved it. The petting
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  Speaker 1: zoo for children is great, Cook said. She also liked
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  Speaker 1: the inflatables. Sponsors of Healthy Hoopla included City of Ashland,
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  Speaker 1: Boyd County Government, Camp Landing Entertainment District, King's Daughters Health Foundation,
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  Speaker 1: Malibu Jack's, UK Health Care, and UK King's Daughters Medical Center.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: In local news, WITS closes in Ashland. Owners of two
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: Northeast Kentucky WITS frozen custard locations announced on social media
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  Speaker 1: it has permanently closed its downtown Ashland store. The Ritchie
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  Speaker 1: family said when they opened Witt's, they believed in downtown
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  Speaker 1: Ashland and its future, but the Winchester Avenue roundabout project
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  Speaker 1: had a devastating impact on our business. Sales declined dramatically
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  Speaker 1: during construction, they posted, and their business never recovered, even
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  Speaker 1: though the project was completed in 2024. Witt's tried reducing hours,
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  Speaker 1: weekend-only operations, and other ways to keep our doors open,
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  Speaker 1: but operating costs continued to exceed sales and the financial
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: losses became too great, the family posted. This is heartbreaking
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: for us, the Ritchie family posted, not just because of
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  Speaker 1: the significant investment we have lost, but because of the
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  Speaker 1: hopes and dreams we had for this location. We sincerely
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  Speaker 1: hope our experience serves as a reminder that decisions affecting
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  Speaker 1: downtown have real and lasting consequences for the small businesses
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  Speaker 1: that invest in their communities. The Ritchie family thanked their
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: loyal customers, dedicated employees, and everyone who supported us. The
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  Speaker 1: Woods Camp Landing Entertainment District location remains open. Leadership Kentucky
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: accepting Elevate 2027 applications. Leadership Kentucky, one of the oldest
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: and most prestigious statewide leadership development programs in the United States,
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: is now accepting applications for the Elevate Kentucky Class of 2027.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: Elevate Kentucky is a three-session program that offers young professionals,
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: average age 25 to 35, in-depth personal and professional development
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: while fostering a better understanding of of the strengths and
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: challenges facing the Commonwealth. Elevate participants return to their organizations
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: with newly developed skills, knowledge, perspective, and a new statewide
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  Speaker 1: professional network. Program graduates are better prepared to be catalysts
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  Speaker 1: in their organizations and communities to elevate Kentucky. During each
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  Speaker 1: of the three-day sessions, class members will hear from thought-provoking
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  Speaker 1: Kentucky leaders, learn about challenges and opportunities facing our state
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: while they gain insights about their personal leadership abilities. In addition,
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  Speaker 1: participants will attend panel discussions, participate in experiential learning opportunities,
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  Speaker 1: and gain increased regional and statewide perspective while visiting different
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  Speaker 1: regions in Kentucky. Sessions will be held in Pikeville, Owensboro,
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  Speaker 1: and Central Northern Kentucky, running from April through June in 2027.
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  Speaker 1: Applications for the Class of 2027 will be available online
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  Speaker 1: until December 11, 2026. The obituary for this week, Janet
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: Sue Birch, 85, formerly of Ashland. Our next article, Fencing
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: in Right-of-Way. Commission votes to allow Project Talks Memorial Wall
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: and extends emergency call service by Matt Jones for the
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: Daily Independent. The intersection of City Right-of-Way and Landowners met
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: Thursday during the Ashland City Commission meeting. After making the
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: motion and seconding the first reading of the ordinance to
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: allow a fence to be constructed on a parking lot,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: Questions arose about the agreement regarding the empty lot on
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: the corner of 18th Street and Winchester Avenue. What kind
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: of fence are they wanting to put up, Mayor Chuck
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: Charles asked. Are we talking about chain link or, before
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: an answer was given, Commissioner Sonny Martin raised concerns about
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: giving up right-of-way. We have an awful lot of use
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: of city right-of-way around the city, Martin said. Public has
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: use of that right-of-way. I've got an issue putting a
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: fence around a public right-of-way. Martin said he didn't understand
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: the need. This request comes from Perry Madden, who is
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: the owner of the Henry Clay House, City Attorney Andrew
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: Wheeler said. Wheeler said the request was to fence the
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: entire parking lot for the building, which Madden owns. Madden
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: plans to repave and stripe the lot as well, Wheeler said.
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: Within that parking lot, there is about a space that
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: runs perpendicular to Winchester Avenue, Wheeler said. Martin asked for
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: clarification regarding the size of the right-of-way. It's space that
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: would probably make five to six spaces, Wheeler said. Since
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: the completion of the downtown road works, the only way
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: to access the spaces is off of 18th Street through
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: Madden's parking lot, Wheeler said. Wheeler said the city had
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: put forth a spot for a spot swap with spaces
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: behind the former Gene Jackson building. He was not interested
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: in the swap and requested that this be sent in,
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: Wheeler said. He is a very strong corporate citizen. He
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: does a lot of good in our town. He owns
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: a lot of property that pays a lot of taxes.
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: But again, this is the first time I've heard someone
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: want to fence the public right-of-way, Martin interjected. Wheeler said
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: he was not sure of any of right-of-ways being fenced in.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: Charles asked for clarification on the space. Martin said there
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: are a lot of spaces in the lot not on
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: the right-of-way, but Madden was looking to fence in the
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: entire lot, which includes the spaces on the right-of-way. Fellow
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: commissioners D.J. Reimer and Tim Renfro joined Goode in voting
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: for the ordinance while Martin abstained. In other business, the
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: city extended the agreement for an emergency call answering service.
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: There was a water leak up the street from my parents,
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: Reimer said. I called the number and gave the information,
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: and it wasn't 20 minutes until someone from the water
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: department was on site. It's a very effective program, city
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: manager Tony Grubb said. It's 24-7. Assistant Director of Finance
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: Michelle Veach said, said it was citywide and goes to
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: the water department, street department, and others. I get a
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: report every morning that lists the calls, Beach said. Beach
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: said the city follows up with callers to make sure
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: they've been helped. Martin noted the program averages 123 calls
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: a month. This concludes excerpts from recent edition of the
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: Ashland Daily Independent. Your reader has been Jane. On behalf
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: of everyone here at Radio Eye, thank you for listening.
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: Keep on listening and have a good day.