Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Corbin Times Tribune - 9.1.26
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Times Tribune
- 0:03Speaker 1: for news in Corbin, Laurel, Whitley, and Knox Counties. Your
- 0:07Speaker 1: reader today is Janice. As a reminder, Radio Eye is
- 0:11Speaker 1: a reading service intended for people who are blind or
- 0:14Speaker 1: have other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
- 0:18Speaker 1: We'll begin with the e-edition dated August 27, 2026. Our
- 0:22Speaker 1: first article is... Weekend entertainment at the Corbin Arena. Headliners
- 0:31Speaker 1: and headlocks. Travis Tritt performed Friday night. Corbin. The Corbin
- 0:38Speaker 1: Arena welcomed a large and enthusiastic crowd on Friday as
- 0:43Speaker 1: Travis Tritt performed for fans eager for a night of
- 0:46Speaker 1: country music. The audience stayed energetic throughout the evening, cheering,
- 0:51Speaker 1: singing along, and enjoying the chance to see a major
- 0:55Speaker 1: country artist perform locally. Guest performer Dylan Carmichael opened the show,
- 1:01Speaker 1: giving the crowd a strong start in setting the tone
- 1:05Speaker 1: for the night. Fans responded with steady excitement, filling the
- 1:10Speaker 1: arena with a lively atmosphere as the concert continued. Throughout
- 1:15Speaker 1: the event, people stood, clapped, recorded moments on their phones,
- 1:20Speaker 1: and shared the experience with friends and family. The overall
- 1:24Speaker 1: environment remained relaxed and upbeat from the beginning to the end.
- 1:30Speaker 1: Tritt posted his gratitude via social media. Big fun was
- 1:34Speaker 1: had in Corbin, Kentucky this weekend. Shout out to my
- 1:38Speaker 1: talented friend Dylan Carmichael for the fantastic job he did
- 1:43Speaker 1: kicking this show off. And there are two pictures of Corbin.
- 1:50Speaker 1: Travis Tritt. And under the first one, it says country
- 1:53Speaker 1: music star Travis Tritt headline at the Corbin Arena Friday night.
- 1:58Speaker 1: And then the last one was the show opened with
- 2:02Speaker 1: Dylan Carmichael. Our next article is AMW Wrestling brought high
- 2:09Speaker 1: energy pay-per-view action on Saturday night by Sudi K. Wilson. Corbin,
- 2:15Speaker 1: the Appalachian Mountain Wrestling held a high energy event at
- 2:19Speaker 1: the Corbin Arena on Saturday. The show delivered a night
- 2:24Speaker 1: of hard-hitting action for both the live audience and viewers
- 2:28Speaker 1: watching on pay-per-view fans filled the arena with steady excitement
- 2:33Speaker 1: as wrestlers met with supporters, signed autographs, and shared insight
- 2:38Speaker 1: into their in-ring styles before the show began. The event
- 2:43Speaker 1: featured legendary wrestler Robert Gibson, who was at the arena
- 2:48Speaker 1: meeting fans and signing cash wheeler and, oh, pardon me.
- 2:54Speaker 1: That's the way this is on the computer. Let me
- 2:57Speaker 1: go back. The event featured legendary wrestler Robert Gibson, who
- 3:02Speaker 1: was at the arena meeting fans and signing autographs. Gibson
- 3:07Speaker 1: shared that he began wrestling in 1977 at 17. and
- 3:14Speaker 1: is now 68, still connecting with supporters after decades in
- 3:18Speaker 1: the ring. He noted that Rock and Roll Express vs.
- 3:22Speaker 1: Midnight Express remains one of the longest-running rivalries in wrestling history.
- 3:28Speaker 1: When asked about his favorite move during his career, he
- 3:32Speaker 1: named the double drop and the Gibson leg lock. If
- 3:36Speaker 1: he could wrestle anyone from an area, he would choose
- 3:41Speaker 1: beautiful Bobby Eaton calling him one of the greats. Another
- 3:45Speaker 1: of the night's featured competitors, Carl Anderson, described his wrestling
- 3:50Speaker 1: style in three words, absolutely amazing athletic. When the crowd
- 3:56Speaker 1: is fired up, his favorite move to hit is the
- 3:58Speaker 1: spine buster, a staple that always gets a reaction. Ask
- 4:03Speaker 1: what Warning label his character would carry, Anderson said, very loud.
- 4:18Speaker 1: If his match had a movie title, it would be Choke.
- 4:22Speaker 1: He would choose Game 7. Marvelous Marcus Johnson summed up
- 4:27Speaker 1: his styles as classic, technical, and smooth. His favorite move
- 4:32Speaker 1: to deliver when the audience is at its loudest is
- 4:35Speaker 1: a blockbuster, a top rope maneuver that always gets fans
- 4:41Speaker 1: on their feet. Marty Clay kept his answers sharp. If
- 4:45Speaker 1: his character had a warning label, it would say, don't
- 4:48Speaker 1: make me mad. For a movie title describing his match,
- 4:53Speaker 1: he chose, take back what's mine. RT3 described his wrestling
- 4:58Speaker 1: style as powerful, quick, explosive. A combination reflected in his
- 5:03Speaker 1: favorite high-energy move, the spear. A moment that always brings
- 5:08Speaker 1: a strong crowd reaction. The final match of the night
- 5:12Speaker 1: brought one of the biggest reactions from both the arena
- 5:15Speaker 1: crowd and the pay-per-view audience. The bout ended in disqualification
- 5:20Speaker 1: after wrestlers jumped in and interfered, stopping the match before
- 5:25Speaker 1: a clear winner could be decided. After the interruption, officials
- 5:29Speaker 1: allowed the match to restart, giving the competitors a chance
- 5:33Speaker 1: to finish what they started. When the action resumed, The
- 5:37Speaker 1: Good Brothers held their ground and ultimately kept their titles,
- 5:42Speaker 1: closing the show with a strong finish. And there is
- 5:46Speaker 1: a picture of, and underneath the picture, it says the
- 5:49Speaker 1: stars of Appalachian Mountain Wrestling vowed the crowd Saturday night
- 5:55Speaker 1: at the Corbin Arena. Our next article is Millions in
- 6:01Speaker 1: Funding Headed Towards Area Projects by Macy Swofford. Williamsburg. State
- 6:07Speaker 1: and federal officials presented a series of checks Tuesday for
- 6:11Speaker 1: a project in Whitley County and Williamsburg providing funding for
- 6:16Speaker 1: water infrastructure, jail improvements, economic development, and the regional airport. U.S.
- 6:22Speaker 1: Congressman Hal Rogers, Senate President Robert Stivers, Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison,
- 6:30Speaker 1: Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White Jr., and other local
- 6:34Speaker 1: and state officials gathered at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention
- 6:38Speaker 1: Center for the funding presentation. The largest check presented was $ 6. 4
- 6:44Speaker 1: million to the Williamsburg-Whitley County Airport for runway addition. Senator
- 6:50Speaker 1: Stivers described the airport project as a potentially major economic
- 6:55Speaker 1: development opportunity for the region because of its location near I-75.
- 7:01Speaker 1: This is what I think will be a game changer
- 7:06Speaker 1: project for the whole region, Stivers said. The Whitley County
- 7:10Speaker 1: Fiscal Court received $ 1. 5 million check for the local jail
- 7:14Speaker 1: renovation and expansion project. The funding is part of an
- 7:18Speaker 1: approximately $ 11. 5 million jail and communication center project that officials
- 7:24Speaker 1: said is more than 80% funded through grants. The project
- 7:28Speaker 1: will provide additional space for inmates, and help the county
- 7:33Speaker 1: operate the jail more efficiently. Judge White said construction is
- 7:38Speaker 1: currently ahead of schedule, with the project approximately 12 days
- 7:42Speaker 1: ahead of the original timeline. Another $ 950, 000 check was presented
- 7:48Speaker 1: to the Whitley County Fiscal Court for development of an
- 7:52Speaker 1: innovation hub. Officials said the facility will focus on entrepreneurship,
- 7:59Speaker 1: and small business development, providing a place for new ideas
- 8:03Speaker 1: and businesses to grow. The city of Williamsburg received two
- 8:07Speaker 1: checks for water infrastructure projects. A $ 3 million check was
- 8:12Speaker 1: presented for downtown water system improvements, while another $ 1. 5 million
- 8:18Speaker 1: check was presented for water tank replacement. Mayor Harrison said
- 8:23Speaker 1: the water funding will allow the city to address aging
- 8:26Speaker 1: infrastructure issues and improve service for Williamsburg and the surrounding
- 8:31Speaker 1: water districts that depend on the city's water system. We
- 8:36Speaker 1: produce great water, but other places, we're old and we
- 8:40Speaker 1: have problems. And with the announcement today, we're going to
- 8:44Speaker 1: be able to fix most of those things, Harrison said.
- 8:47Speaker 1: We'll be able to take care of the citizens of
- 8:49Speaker 1: Williamsburg first, and then also all the county districts. Harrison
- 8:56Speaker 1: said the investment is significant for the city and the
- 8:59Speaker 1: region and paid a special thanks to Stivers, Rogers, and
- 9:04Speaker 1: Representative Nick Wilson. I appreciate you guys more than you
- 9:08Speaker 1: will ever know because this is big for us, Harrison said.
- 9:13Speaker 1: Congressman Rogers praised the region and its leaders for continuing
- 9:17Speaker 1: to pursue projects designed to improve infrastructure and create opportunities
- 9:23Speaker 1: for residents. Williamsburg is Kentucky's first impression on drivers who
- 9:29Speaker 1: are headed north on I-75, and you're taking advantage of
- 9:35Speaker 1: that more than ever before with new businesses right off
- 9:39Speaker 1: the interstate, said Rogers. Rogers also highlighted the University of
- 9:44Speaker 1: the Cumberlands and its role in the region's future among
- 9:48Speaker 1: the many other projects that continue in Whitley County's growth.
- 9:53Speaker 1: Stivers emphasized the importance of cooperation among local, state, and
- 9:58Speaker 1: federal officials in securing funding for projects and credited Corbin
- 10:03Speaker 1: Mayor Susie Ramis, Mayor Harrison, and Judge White for being
- 10:07Speaker 1: great collaborators in that process. He also pointed to more
- 10:12Speaker 1: than $ 140 million in improvements along I-75 as an example
- 10:16Speaker 1: of of what can be accomplished through cooperation between state
- 10:22Speaker 1: and federal officials. The funding presented Tuesday is expected to
- 10:27Speaker 1: support infrastructure improvements, public facilities, entrepreneurship, and economic development throughout
- 10:35Speaker 1: Whitley County and Williamsburg. Earlier in the day, checks were
- 10:39Speaker 1: presented in Knox County for projects including $ 1. 25 million in
- 10:47Speaker 1: for the Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority to support site
- 10:53Speaker 1: development within its business park. $ 750, 000 for the City of
- 10:59Speaker 1: Barberville to purchase a countywide emergency warning system. $ 400, 000 for
- 11:04Speaker 1: the Knox County Fiscal Court to purchase sensory playground equipment.
- 11:12Speaker 1: These investments reflect a commitment to strengthening Knox County's From
- 11:16Speaker 1: the ground up, State Representative Tom O'Dell Smith stated, Projects
- 11:21Speaker 1: like the industrial park expansions, water and sewer improvements, emergency
- 11:26Speaker 1: warning systems, and new playground equipment will have lasting impact
- 11:32Speaker 1: on our communities. And there is a picture of five
- 11:35Speaker 1: men holding two checks. And it says, Williamsburg Mayor Roddy
- 11:41Speaker 1: Harrison and Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White Jr., were
- 11:45Speaker 1: presented with checks for funding to go towards water infrastructure.
- 11:50Speaker 1: Our next article is Serious Collision Shuts Down I-75 by
- 11:55Speaker 1: Macy Swafford, London. Interstate 75 was shut down at press
- 11:59Speaker 1: time in both directions between exits 29 and 38 in
- 12:04Speaker 1: Laurel County following a serious collision involving several commercial motor vehicles,
- 12:09Speaker 1: according to Kentucky State Police. The accident occurred around 1 p.m.
- 12:14Speaker 1: Wednesday afternoon with one witness reporting 10 to 15 explosions
- 12:19Speaker 1: near the northbound weigh station. Northbound and southbound traffic was
- 12:24Speaker 1: diverted from the interstate onto US-25. Motorists were urged to
- 12:30Speaker 1: avoid the area and seek alternate routes while the collision
- 12:34Speaker 1: is being investigated. More information will be provided as it
- 12:38Speaker 1: becomes available. This is a developing story. Our next article
- 12:44Speaker 1: is Laurel County Grand Jury Indicts London Woman in Vehicular
- 12:48Speaker 1: Homicide Case by Macy Swafford and Janie Slavin. London, the
- 12:54Speaker 1: Laurel County Grand Jury has returned a superseding indictment in
- 12:59Speaker 1: the case of a three-vehicle accident that resulted in a
- 13:04Speaker 1: fatality a year ago. Kimberly Diana Hendrick, 56, of London,
- 13:10Speaker 1: also known as Kimberly Diana Howard, is facing six counts
- 13:16Speaker 1: stemming from an August 1, 2025, collision that occurred on
- 13:21Speaker 1: the American Greeting Card Road in southern Laurel County. According
- 13:26Speaker 1: to the indictment, Hedrick is charged with vehicular homicide for
- 13:30Speaker 1: a death while operating a motor vehicle under the influence
- 13:33Speaker 1: of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another substance used that
- 13:38Speaker 1: impaired her driving ability. Hedrick also faces four counts of
- 13:43Speaker 1: first-degree wanton endangerment. The indictment accuses her of striking a
- 13:48Speaker 1: vehicle occupied by four passengers while under the influence of intoxicants,
- 13:54Speaker 1: creating a danger of death or serious physical injury to
- 13:58Speaker 1: each passenger. The final count charges Hedrick with operating a
- 14:03Speaker 1: motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants' first offense.
- 14:08Speaker 1: According to an August 2025 release from the Laurel County
- 14:11Speaker 1: Sheriff's Office, the crash occurred around midnight in the morning
- 14:16Speaker 1: of August 1, 2025, approximately 11 miles south of London.
- 14:22Speaker 1: Authorities said a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Hendrick was southbound
- 14:27Speaker 1: when it crossed the center line, striking a northbound Chevrolet
- 14:31Speaker 1: Aveo head-on and critically injuring the driver, Benita Vickers, 55,
- 14:37Speaker 1: of Corbin. The Tahoe then collided with a Hyundai SUV
- 14:43Speaker 1: and went airborne, landing on a guardrail. The AVO and
- 14:48Speaker 1: Hyundai came to rest, blocking the roadway. LCSO stated that
- 14:54Speaker 1: Vickers was transported to Baptist Health, Corbin, and pronounced dead
- 14:59Speaker 1: shortly after arrival. Whitley County Coroner Indy Crowley A male
- 15:05Speaker 1: passenger in her vehicle was also injured and taken to
- 15:09Speaker 1: that hospital. The driver of the Hyundai, identified as David
- 15:13Speaker 1: Nichols Wynn, 40, of London, fled the scene, according to LCSO,
- 15:20Speaker 1: due to outstanding warrant. Two female passengers in that SUV
- 15:25Speaker 1: were also taken to Baptist Health Corbin. Heydrich was taken
- 15:30Speaker 1: to St. Joseph, London, for treatment of minor injuries. Deputies
- 15:34Speaker 1: noted the odor of alcohol and slurred speech and charged
- 15:37Speaker 1: Hedrick with vehicular homicide while under the influence. Hedrick was
- 15:42Speaker 1: initially indicted in May for vehicular homicide and DUI with
- 15:47Speaker 1: aggravating circumstances. She remains free of custody in lieu of
- 15:52Speaker 1: a $ 50, 000 bond posted on August 12, 2025. Hedrick is
- 15:59Speaker 1: scheduled to be arraigned on the superseding indictment in Laurel
- 16:04Speaker 1: Circuit Court on October 14th. Wynn pleaded guilty last month
- 16:09Speaker 1: to leaving the scene of an accident with death or
- 16:12Speaker 1: serious physical injury. On Monday, Laurel Circuit Judge Michael Caperton
- 16:19Speaker 1: sentenced him to a two-year suspended sentence with supervised probation
- 16:23Speaker 1: for five years. An indictment is a formal charge that
- 16:28Speaker 1: does not imply guilty or innocence. All defendants are presumed
- 16:33Speaker 1: innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
- 16:40Speaker 1: Our next article is Corbin Commissioners Keep Tax Rates Unchanged
- 16:45Speaker 1: Approved Behavioral Health Funding by Macy Swafford. Corbin. The Corbin
- 16:51Speaker 1: Board of Commissioners approved the city's property tax rates unchanged
- 16:55Speaker 1: during a special called meeting Monday, while also authorizing a $ 50, 000
- 17:01Speaker 1: opioid settlement funded agreement with Into Action Behavioral Health. Commissioners
- 17:09Speaker 1: gave the first reading to Ordinance 2026-7, which sets the
- 17:16Speaker 1: city's tax rates for the upcoming tax year. The ordinance
- 17:20Speaker 1: maintains the same tax rates as last year. Under the ordinance,
- 17:25Speaker 1: the real property tax rates remain $ 0. 27 per $ 100 of
- 17:27Speaker 1: assessed value, while personal property tax is at $ 31. 32 per $ 100.
- 17:30Speaker 1: The motor vehicle tax remains at $ 24. 23 per $ 100. Mayor
- 17:32Speaker 1: Susie Ramis told commissioners the unchanged rates were good news
- 17:36Speaker 1: for taxpayers. So, we're keeping our taxes where we were
- 17:56Speaker 1: last year, Ramis said. Good news. No raise. The ordinance
- 18:00Speaker 1: also establishes how the tax revenue will be distributed among
- 18:05Speaker 1: the city's current expense fund, police and fire pension fund,
- 18:09Speaker 1: and library fund. Real intangible property taxes will become payable
- 18:15Speaker 1: October 15th with a 2% discount available through November 30th.
- 18:21Speaker 1: Face value will be due December 31st with delinquent taxes
- 18:26Speaker 1: subject to a 10% penalty beginning January 1, 2027 and
- 18:32Speaker 1: interest beginning February 1st. Commissioners also unanimously authorized Ramus to
- 18:38Speaker 1: sign documents related to a memorandum of understanding between the
- 18:43Speaker 1: City of Corbin and Into Action Behavioral Health, LLC. According
- 18:48Speaker 1: to the MOU document, Corbin will provide Into Action Behavioral
- 18:54Speaker 1: Health with $ 50, 000 from the city's National Opioid Settlement Funds
- 18:59Speaker 1: for a project titled Into Action. The agreement states the
- 19:04Speaker 1: project will use evidence-based strategies involving the opioid use prevention, outreach,
- 19:11Speaker 1: harm reduction, and treatment or a combination of those approaches.
- 19:17Speaker 1: The MOU states Into Action Behavioral Health has worked in
- 19:22Speaker 1: the substance use field for more than 10 years. The
- 19:26Speaker 1: organization will provide quarterly updates to the commission and develop
- 19:30Speaker 1: reports detailing project performance and expenditures. The agreement also calls
- 19:36Speaker 1: for an annual assessment of the project's effectiveness using research
- 19:41Speaker 1: from the University of Kentucky Center for Drug and Alcohol
- 19:44Speaker 1: Research or comparable research. The MOU will remain in effect
- 19:50Speaker 1: through June 30, 2027 unless terminated earlier. Either party may
- 19:58Speaker 1: terminate the agreement with 60 days notice with a with
- 20:05Speaker 1: into action behavioral health required to return unspent or unobligated
- 20:12Speaker 1: funds unless the city waives the requirement. The agreement also
- 20:16Speaker 1: requires Into Action Behavioral Health to maintain liability insurance, naming
- 20:21Speaker 1: the city of Corbin as an additional insured. Following the vote,
- 20:26Speaker 1: Ramis welcomed Representatives Sarah and Jason Payne of Into Action
- 20:31Speaker 1: Behavioral Health and said the city was really excited to
- 20:35Speaker 1: have this opportunity. Also Monday, commissioners approved the second reading
- 20:41Speaker 1: to Ordinance 2026-6, annexing a tract of property into the
- 20:50Speaker 1: city limits and establishing its zoning classification. The commission approved
- 20:56Speaker 1: the first reading to Ordinance 2026-8. which would accept Frontage
- 21:06Speaker 1: Road No. 1, Frontage Road No. 2, and South Stewart
- 21:09Speaker 1: Road as city streets. Each road would have a 25-mile-per-hour
- 21:14Speaker 1: speed limit. Commissioners also accepted resignation of Corbin police officer
- 21:20Speaker 1: John Hill. Our next article is London Laurel 911 Board
- 21:25Speaker 1: Addresses Corbin Annexation Dispatch Procedures by Macy Swafford. London, the
- 21:30Speaker 1: Laurel County 911 Board discussed last week how emergency calls
- 21:35Speaker 1: should be handled following the City of Corbin's recent annexation
- 21:39Speaker 1: of the Walmart property in King's Truck Stop area near
- 21:43Speaker 1: Exit 29. 911 Director Larry Walls told the board he
- 21:48Speaker 1: had been contacted by Corbin Fire Department Battalion Chief Chad Jackson,
- 21:55Speaker 1: who requested that Corbin Emergency Services be notified of the
- 21:59Speaker 1: EMS calls when received calls calls received from the newly
- 22:04Speaker 1: annexed areas. Wall said the board's current practice has been
- 22:09Speaker 1: to wait until an annexation is officially posted on the
- 22:13Speaker 1: Kentucky Secretary of State's website before changing dispatch procedures. As
- 22:18Speaker 1: of August 14th, the annexation had not yet appeared on
- 22:23Speaker 1: the website, so Corbin had not been automatically dispatched to
- 22:28Speaker 1: those areas. Jackson explained that Corbin officials had been advised
- 22:34Speaker 1: that the annexation became effective once it was published in
- 22:38Speaker 1: the newspaper with the Secretary of State later recording the action.
- 22:43Speaker 1: The biggest discrepancy is whether or not we do service
- 22:47Speaker 1: it before the Secretary of State posts it or not,
- 22:51Speaker 1: Jackson said. Jackson said Corbin's police department was already responding
- 22:56Speaker 1: to calls at Wal-Mart and asked that the 911 center
- 23:01Speaker 1: begin notifying Corbin directly rather than routing calls through other agencies.
- 23:07Speaker 1: We're just asking to be notified, Jackson said. We don't
- 23:11Speaker 1: care who else shows up. Board Chair David Williams said
- 23:15Speaker 1: the issue creates additional complications for dispatchers because 911 calls
- 23:21Speaker 1: from the annexed property still enter the Laurel County 911 center.
- 23:26Speaker 1: The 911 call from the Walmart or any other property
- 23:31Speaker 1: that's annexed down there comes into our center, and then
- 23:35Speaker 1: we've got to hand it down, Williams said. Board members
- 23:39Speaker 1: also discussed the need to ensure Laurel County law enforcement
- 23:42Speaker 1: agencies are still notified of serious incidents occurring in the area.
- 23:48Speaker 1: Laurel County Sheriff John Root said he did not have
- 23:52Speaker 1: an issue with the Corbin responding to calls in the
- 23:55Speaker 1: annexed area, but wanted the Laurel County Sheriff's Office to
- 23:59Speaker 1: remain informed of major incidents. If it's a shooting or
- 24:04Speaker 1: a robbery, you know we'll respond because it's within Laurel County,
- 24:09Speaker 1: Root said. Sheriff Root noted that the deputies could already
- 24:14Speaker 1: be nearby and that serious calls should not be overlooked
- 24:18Speaker 1: simply because another agency is responding. The board also discussed
- 24:24Speaker 1: the 911 center should be automatically transferred calls to Corbin
- 24:29Speaker 1: or continually manually determine which agencies should be notified. Members
- 24:36Speaker 1: agreed that a written protocol would be beneficial as annexations
- 24:42Speaker 1: continue to expand. County Attorney J.L. Albright said he would
- 24:47Speaker 1: review the matter if Corbin officials provided information showing that
- 24:51Speaker 1: the annexation becomes official at a point other than when
- 24:56Speaker 1: it is recorded by the Secretary of State. The Board
- 25:00Speaker 1: ultimately agreed to maintain its current practice of waiting for
- 25:04Speaker 1: the annexation to be officially reflected on the Secretary of
- 25:08Speaker 1: State records while working to establish a written policy for
- 25:12Speaker 1: future annexations and dispatching procedures. Members also agreed that regardless
- 25:19Speaker 1: of jurisdiction, Laurel County agencies should continue to be notified
- 25:25Speaker 1: of serious incidents occurring within the county. The amendment was
- 25:30Speaker 1: also approved unanimously and will be submitted to auditors as
- 25:34Speaker 1: part of the board's year-end financial records. A new mutual
- 25:40Speaker 1: aid agreement between Ambulance Incorporated and the London Fire Department
- 25:45Speaker 1: was approved by the Laurel County 911 Board of Officials
- 25:49Speaker 1: Discussed changes to how the agencies will respond to emergency calls.
- 25:56Speaker 1: The discussion comes after the London City Council decision to
- 26:00Speaker 1: rescind the Fire Department's Certificate of Need. Under the new agreement,
- 26:06Speaker 1: London Fire will not automatically respond to every ambulance call
- 26:10Speaker 1: within the City. Instead, the agreement outlines specific types of
- 26:14Speaker 1: calls that would warrant a Fire Department response. 9-1-1 officials
- 26:19Speaker 1: discuss concerns about dispatchers being responsible for determining whether an
- 26:25Speaker 1: injury or other emergency is severe enough to require additional
- 26:29Speaker 1: fire department assistance. Board members agree that dispatchers should continue
- 26:34Speaker 1: following established dispatch protocols while ambulance personnel can request fire
- 26:40Speaker 1: department assistance when they determine it is necessary. Walls noted
- 26:46Speaker 1: that the change will be an adjustment for dispatchers who
- 26:49Speaker 1: have been traditionally instructed to send the London Fire on
- 26:54Speaker 1: all applicable calls. There probably will be some hiccups here
- 27:00Speaker 1: and there, some calls missed, maybe some sent on calls
- 27:04Speaker 1: that they shouldn't have been, and vice versa, said Walls.
- 27:08Speaker 1: The board also discussed placing the new procedures into written
- 27:12Speaker 1: policies so dispatchers and emergency personnel have a clear protocol
- 27:17Speaker 1: to follow. Jamie Mills, paramedic, director of EMS operation at
- 27:23Speaker 1: Ambulance Incorporated, abstained from the vote under advisement from board
- 27:28Speaker 1: attorney Albright. The agreement was approved following a motion by
- 27:33Speaker 1: the board. The board also unanimously approved an amendment to
- 27:37Speaker 1: its fiscal year budget to account for actual revenues and expenditures.
- 27:43Speaker 1: Williams explained that the amendment was necessary to ensure the
- 27:49Speaker 1: budget reflects the board's year-end financial records before its annual audit.
- 27:54Speaker 1: At the end of the fiscal year, we have to
- 27:56Speaker 1: amend our budget to show our shortcomings or any money
- 28:00Speaker 1: that came in and readjust the budget. That way, when
- 28:03Speaker 1: we have our end-of-the-year audit, our books match, Williams said.
- 28:09Speaker 1: He said the board exceeded its budget for wages by
- 28:12Speaker 1: approximately $ 58, 000, with much of an additional expense attributed to
- 28:17Speaker 1: overtime related to the tornado. The board also received an
- 28:22Speaker 1: approximately $ 12, 000 more than anticipated in cell phone tax revenue
- 28:27Speaker 1: and about $ 33, 000 more than budgeted from Laurel Fiscal Court
- 28:30Speaker 1: and 9-1-1 water tax fees. This concludes the reading of
- 28:39Speaker 1: the Times Tribune. Please stay tuned for continued programming. Thank
- 28:43Speaker 1: you for joining me, and on behalf of everyone here
- 28:46Speaker 1: at Radio Eye, this is Janice wishing you a very
- 28:50Speaker 1: good day.