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Licking Valley Courier - 3.6.25 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
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you news from in and around West Liberty. The reader
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today is Janice, who begin with the edition David Thursday,
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March fifth, twenty twenty six. As a reminder, RADIOI is
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reading service intended for people who are blind or have
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other disabilities that make it difficult to reprint material. Our
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first article for today is spring Craft Fair Saturday March
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seventh at Wellness Center. The annual Hometown spring Craft Fair
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the Saturday March seventh at the Morgan County Wellness Center.
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The event will run from nine am to four pm.
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Over fifty vendors will be offering candies, jellies, big goods, candles, quilts,
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crochet and knit items, wood crafts, leather goods, reads, jewelry,
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and moore. Please join us for this special event. And
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then here we go to the front page story. Sixty
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second District Tournament champions Morgan County Basketball completes four game
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Suite Cougar's beat Elliott County, Lady Cougar's outlast East Carter
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in title games. Neither the Morgan County boys or girls
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basketball teams entered the sixty second District tournament as the
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one seed, but when the final horn sounded, both emerged
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as champions. Last week in Grayson, the third seeded Cougars
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led by as many as fifteen before holding off a
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late East Carter rally for seventy four to seventy win
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in the sixty second district tournament opener thanks to four
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players in double figures Eli Bradley nineteen, Aden Barker sixteen,
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Parker Trustees sixteen, Asher Gamble fifteen coach Reese Griffiths. Team
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followed with an impressive second half performance in beating top
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seeded Elliott County fifty nine to fifty one. Once again
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player scored in the double figures, led by Asher Gambles
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twenty points, along with a strong ten point eight rebound
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performance from Grayson Goose Hampton. The Cougars came into the
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tourney having dropped four of the five regular season matchups
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between the two schools zero to three versus Elliott, one
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to two versus East Carter, but one when it mattered
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most on the girls side, Morgan County b East Carter
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in the game one on the strength of the combined
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forty one points and twenty one rebounds from Emma Clinger
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and Lilly Littell. Then in the championship, Coach Derreck Young's
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squad completed the county sweep as the dynamic duo again
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led the way with the combined thirty five points and
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eighteen boards. Bella Smith added two huge threes in the
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quarter fourth quarter, while Sarah Jenkins converted a critical basket
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and won one in the final thirty seconds of the
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Lady Cougars earned the district title. For the Cougars. It
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marked the fourth consecutive pardon Me district title is Griffith
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Stay's perfect eight to zero in district tournament games in
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his tenure at Morgan County High School. As for the
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Lady Cougars, the win avenged last season sixty five to
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thirty eight blowout loss to the East in the finals.
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It's the third district for the girls since twenty twenty
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and the second championship for Young. Full game stories can
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be found on page five. Our next racle is make
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it a four peak. Cougars beat East Carter in Elliott
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County to claim district crown by David Packet for the
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first time in the program history. The Morgan County boys
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basketball team has won four yes count of four concutive
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district titles. Last week, Morgan Road Is starting five for
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a full thirty two minutes to record a well earned
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fifty nine fifty one win over arch rival Elliott County
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in Grayson. All this coming after a talented and deep
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Lions team has defeated the Cougars in each of their
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three regular season meetings sixty seven to forty eight, seventy
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to sixty five, sixty seven to sixty four. After Elliott
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beat us the third time, we all wanted another crack
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at them, head coach Reece Griffith said, They're a great
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team and they whipped us in the regular season, but
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I'm a competitor and I didn't want it to end
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like that. So to get another shot in the postseason
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was big. Basketball fans know that beating the team four
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straight times, especially a team with the talent and experience
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of Morgan County, is very difficult to do. In defending
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three time district champs, knew this and refused to surrender
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their title. I came to Morgan County with the expectation
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to win championships, head coach Rhees Griffith said, and this
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is not about me as a coach. It's about the
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hard work and dedication of four great teams. I've always
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believed that it takes great players to make a great coach.
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It takes kids that are willing to buy into what
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you're trying to get done. And these kids bought in
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every single day. I'm super proud of them. To get
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Elliott Griffith's team had to go through had to first
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go through East. Carter, the district's second seed with fifteen
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wins to its credit, including four in district play. East
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had joined its share of success, joining undefeated for a
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month of for a month January fifth through February fifth,
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including a sixty five fifty six overtime win over Morgan
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County in West Liberty. The Cougars avenged with that loss
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with a sixty eight to forty eight route in Grayson
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on February tenth. It snapped east eight game win streak.
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It also put the Raiders in a late season skid,
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losing five of their last six games, and Morgan wasn't
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about to let East off that map. In this postseason matchup.
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The Cougars trailed East for nearly the entire opening quarter
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and faced a twenty one to sixteen deficit after one
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baskets by Asher, Gamble, Parker Trustee Aden Barker kept the
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Visitors close before Grayson Goose Hampton tied it at twenty
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five with a fade away jumper in the lane. At
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three minutes and thirty five seconds mark for the second period,
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Emli Bradley gave Morgan to leave twenty seven to twenty
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five with a bucket and the paint. Both teams traded baskets,
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but the Cougar's got the upper hand on the back
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to back threes from Trusty and Bradley, followed by Bradley
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and Hampton scoring layouts over the final one minute and
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ten seconds for a thirty seven to thirty three lead
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at intermission. Morgan refused to relinquish the lead in the
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third quarter and even expanded it. Trusty opened with a
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three pointer from the left wing before Barker scored on
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a drive and then went coast to coast for layup.
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Gamble riled all four straight, including a deep three from
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the top to make it forty nine to forty three. Gamble,
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trust Trusty, Now let me start over Gamble, Trusty and
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Bradley all tallied baskets over two minutes and forty seconds
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before Bradley capped the quarter in a spectacular fashion with
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a thirty nine foot bomb to beat the buzzer from
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just inside of half court. The shot sent Cougar Nation
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into a frenzy as Morgan took the commanding sixty eight
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to forty eight sixty to forty eight advantage heading to
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the fourth. From there, Barker delivered seven points over the
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final eight minutes as the Cougars withstood a twenty two
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to fourteen run by East. In the end, it's all
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about surviving and advancing, and the Cougars did that with
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their four point win in the title game against Elliott.
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Morgan was seeking its first win of the season against
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its big arrival and with that, the fourth consecutive district
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champion for Hedgeco's Griffiths. The Lions scored seven of the
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game's first nine points and led all but thirty seconds
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of the opening quarter to lead twenty one to fifteen
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after one, but Morgan began shipping away as Hampton and
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Gamble scored layups, followed by a Trustee three to trim
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the deficit two two two, twenty six to twenty four.
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Gamble then scored a basket and one to give his
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team a twenty seven to twenty six advantage. Barker followed
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with a three ball from the top of the key
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to put Morgan up four thirty to twenty six. The
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Lions closed the period on an eleven to seven run,
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highlighted by consecutive baskets by Lake Atkins, to give Elliott
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a thirty seven to thirty two lead. However, Morgan got
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a much needed three from Bradley and a clutch steal
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and a layup from Gamble to tithe at the game
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a thirty seven heading to four. Barker ignited Morgan with
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a bank shop and a deep three to make it
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forty two to thirty seven Elliott's inn. Griffith answered with
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a three of his own, before Elijah Faulkner drilled another
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triple as the Lions regained the advantage forty three to
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forty two, but Bradley and Barker scored twice in less
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than a minute to stake Morgan to a forty eight
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to forty four edge heading into the fourth, a lead
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it would never relinquish. Hanthon's drive for a basket and
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one got the fourth quarter, scoring started for Morgan, Hanton
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and Barker came up with a huge defensive place with
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a block, shot and rebound respectively, as time quickly began
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to wind down. Then it was about getting the basketball
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in Gamble's hands, and as a Cougar point guard, sank
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four clutch free throws in the final minute. Barker then
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put Morgan's final two points at the free throw strike
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before getting the rebound and dribbling out the clock to
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steal the eighth point win. Morgan County, the state's fifth
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best free throw shooting team at seven percent for the season,
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converted the sixteen of eighteen at the line. Gamble number
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ten in free throw of accuracy in Kentucky is eighty
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six percent hint four in final forty four seconds and
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eleven of eleven for the game. As for coach Red Griffiths,
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he improves to a perfect eight to zero over the
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last four seasons in district tournament play and marks the
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first time in the school's history that the Morgan boys
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have won four consecutive district championships. Our next article is
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sixty second District Girls basketball Tournament. Lyttroll's double double sends
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Lady Cougar's to district title win over East Carter by
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David Patrick. Nelly Littell has been Morgan County's big game
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player from day one of the twenty twenty five to
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twenty sixth season, and last Thursday in Grayson was no different.
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The junior forward turned in a dominant performance of eighteen points,
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ten rebounds, two steals, and blocked a shot to lead
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the Lady Cougars to a fifty three to fifty win
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over East Carter in the championship game of the sixty
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second district tournament. It's always a special feeling when you
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can bring home a district title. Hedgecoch Derek Young said,
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this group has been fortunate to win three and it's
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crazy to think we only have nine district titles in
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the program's history and a third of those who have
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been in the last few years. Littroll scored the team's
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first and lands basket of the opening quarter. Em Mclinger
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added a pair of field goals while Sarah Jenkins knocked
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down a three pointer from the right wing. But East
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had the upper hand with a nineteen to twelve lead
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after one. However, the Lady Cougar defense stiffened up in
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the quarter, too, limiting the host to thee only one
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basket all literal. Jenkins and Clinger each scored individual buckets
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to trim the deficit to three twenty two to nineteen
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at break. The team's traded field goals for the majority
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of the third period, with Littoral's basket and one and
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consecutive scores by Clinger pulling Morgan within four. East followed
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with a five to zero run, but Little accounted for
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five points late in the quarter to give her team
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its first lead since early in the opening period, pardoning
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The Lady Cougars led thirty six to thirty five, heading
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it to the fourth, and Morgan saved its best basketball
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for the final eight minutes. Bella Smith opened the frame
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by banking in a pointer from the left side of
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the seven minute ten second mark for a forty to
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thirty seven lead. Nearly three minutes later, East regained the
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advantage when Brinley Walker banked in a three of her own,
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this from the top of the key. East led forty
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two to forty one, and the Cleaner then delivered back
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to back layups to give Morgan a forty five to
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forty four advantage East. Joshlyn Rudd counted with a three
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pointer to put East up too, but Smith followed with
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a pair of pivotal plays, the first coming with an
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assist to Literal for layup, followed by her second three
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ball of the period, this one from the left corner
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with a one minute and seventeen second remaining. With it,
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Morgan led fifty to forty eight and would not trail again.
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East tied it fifty all and Walker's lay up the
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final minute, but Klinger pulled a big defensive rebound with
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a possession later, and Sheenkins hit the biggest shot of
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her verirsty career with a basket and one with only
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twenty nine seconds remaining for a fifty three to fifty lead.
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The Lady Raiders would then have all three shots at
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the basket, all three pointers in the final seconds, but
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the last miss was rebounded by Literal as time expired
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to give Lady Cougar's then coveted sixty second district title.
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Klinger had seventeen points eight rebounds to assist, while Jenkins
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finished with eleven points for assist and two steals. Smith
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had missed her previous three point attempts before hitting the
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two big ones in the fourth. Seventh grader KK Halson
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had a free throw and a defensive rebound. Our next
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article is Conservation District offering scholarships. The Morgan County Conservation
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District is offering two five hundred dollars scholarships for high
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school graduates who plan to enroll in college during agriculture
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or related fields of natural resource conversation, conversation conservation. There
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we go. If you are interested in getting an application,
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contact Donna Leach at six oh six seven four three
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thirty one ninety four, Extension one oh one. All applications
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must be taken to the Morgan County Conservation District at
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nine five five Preston Bove Street, Sweep two in West
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Liberty by Thursday, April ninth, twenty twenty six. Are placed
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in the black metal box outside of the USDA located
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at the above address. Our next article DAV to nominate
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officers this Friday. Morgan County DAV Chapter one thirty two
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will hold a meeting Friday, March sixth at seven pm
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in the Fiscal Courtroom at the Morgan County Office Building.
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We will have a guest speaker from Chapter number fifteen
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Sailorsville to discuss some of the more day event. We
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will have officer nominations and is it your turn to serve?
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All veterans are welcome and we hope to see you there.
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All our Next to our cole it is Cougar's to
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set play in sixteenth Region Attorney this Saturday. Morgan County
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Boys boys basketball team will take the court versus Raceland
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on Saturday in the opening round of the sixteenth Region
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Tournament at Moorhead State University. The Cougars fifteen to twelve
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and Raceland nineteen to eleven played one time this season,
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with Morgan picking up a seventy one to sixty sixth
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Road Pardon Me Road victory. On January twentieth. The LVC
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will have a game story plus coverage of the Lady
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Cougar's first round loss to Boyd County in next week's
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LVC our next article is Morgan County officials meet FBI
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Director at Law Enforcement luncheon. And there is a picture
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and underneath the the caption. Reeds pictured left to right
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of Sheriff Greg Motley, County Attorney Miles Holbrook, Prestonburgh Chief
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of Police Ross Shirfliff. I think that's right. Congressman Hall Rogers,
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FBI Director Cash Patil, Detected Doyle Wilson of Morgan County
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Sheriff's Office, and Owensville's Chief of Police, John Sutherland. Photo
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courtesy of Congressman Howe's Rogers office. County Attorney Miles Holbrook,
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Sheriff Greg Motley, and Detective Dor Wilson of Morgan County
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Sheriff's Office met with Congressman Hall Rogers and FBI Director
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Cash Battail on Friday, February twenty seventh during the Law
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Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon at Eastern Kentucky University Campus in Manchester.
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Congressman Rogers invited Patel to the event, which included panel
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discussions with more than one hundred and fifty law Kentucky
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law enforcement officers at the local, state, and federal levels.
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I'm thrilled to have the nation's top law enforcement chief
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here to meet Kentucky's finest police officers and prosecutors, Rogers
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said during the event. Collaboration is a key across local, state,
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and federal levels as we work to make our region
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and our nations safer. Police work is often a thankless
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job but not today. Director Ptil and I are here
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to praise the brave men and women who serve and
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protect Kentucky's Appalachian Region. Attendees have the opportunity to meet
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with Director for TAIL and discuss the successes and challenges
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of law enforcement in rural America. According to February twenty
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seventh press release, Congressman Rogers announced a twenty million dollars
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in community project funding that he secured for police departments
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in southern and eastern Kentucky to upgrade communications equipment. The
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funding was signed into law by President Donald Trump in January.
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Sheriff Greg Motley expressed his gratitude to Congressman Rogers for
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the communications funding. The announcement of twenty million dollars for
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radios for rogers thirty counties is very encouraging to hear,
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Motley told The Courier. My hope is this money will
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become available in the next few months and we will
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be able to improve our radio system for the next
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sheriff taking office. County Attorney Miles Holbrook reflected on the
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experience in a February twenty seventh Facebook post. I would
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like to thank Representative hol Rogers and FBI Director Cash
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Ptel for inviting me, along with other Eastern Kentucky prosecutors
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and law enforcement to a roundtable discussion concerning the nation's
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effort to curb violent crimes in drug human trafficking. Morgan
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County was well represented, as Sheriff Motley and Detective Wilson
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were also able to attend. I was briefly able to
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discuss my experience as a public defender with Director Patel,
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who also served in that role before becoming a prosecutor.
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Congressman how Congressman Rogers press release also noted that the
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feature a panel discussion between FBI dea Us Marshall Caller Phillips,
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Kentucky State Police Commissioner PJ. Burnett, Clay County Sheriff Patrick Robinson,
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and Somerset Police Chief Josh Wesley. In addition to discussing
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collaboration between agencies, panelists focused on the impact of border
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security in rural America, changes in drug trafficking trends, and
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online safety for Kentucky. You For more information regarding Congressman
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Rogers work in Washington and at home in Kentucky, visit
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how Rogers dot house, dot dog and follow him on
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social Media. Next article is Fiscal Court votes to remove
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portion of Prader Road and mid property dispute. Multiple land
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owners in contested areas address court at February twenty sixth
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regular meeting by Miranda M. Cantrell. The Morgan County Fiscal
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Court during the regular February twenty sixth meeting, voted to
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remove a portion of a road from the county road
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system amid ongoing dispute among multiple property owners. Background information.
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The landing Crater family of Morgan County had previously requested
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that eight hundred forty four feet be removed from Prader Road,
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also known as c R. DASH twelve twenty three, which
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is located off Railroad Fork in Canal City. County Attorney
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Miles Holbrook stated during the February twenty sixth meeting that
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the road ends in the middle of what he describes
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as a pasture owned by the Praters. Individuals owning land
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beyond the Prater pasture appeared before the court to oppose
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the closure of the above mentioned portion of Prater Road,
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which they stated they have historically used to access their properties.
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Primary speakers opposing the partial closure included property owners Andrea
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Whykins of West Union Ohio, who introduced herself as the
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daughter of Linda Terry and the late Philip Terry of
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West Liberty, and Jerry Mead, a civil engineer and owner
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of Meeds Civil Engineering, p LLC, whose website states the
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firm is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and its license
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in several states throughout the southeastern United States, including Kentucky.
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Additional land owners in the area beyond the Prater pasture
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joined Blackens and Need at the meeting, which included several
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impassion exchanges between Whykins, Need attorney Hal Holbrook and Judge
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Executive Jim Gazey, and Othersnal City resident. Scott Crater, the
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son of Landing Crater, was also in attendance but did
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not address the court. Andrea Watkins opened a discussion with
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prepared remarks that she also provided the career of the
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following following her address. For over the last thirty five years,
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my family and other landowners have relied on Praider Road
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for access our property. Indeed clearly establishes our rights of
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access and along the long standing continuous use of roads
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supports prescriptive rights which protect our legal ability to access
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the property, even if portions of the road are located
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on or near the adjoining land. The adjoining land owner,
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mister Prater, claimed that the closure would not affect anyone.
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This is inaccurate not only our property, but my aunts
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and my cousin's cabin and property along with other land
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owner's property. Totally five hundred and six acres depends on
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this road. Several landowners and our surveyor will provide testimony
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regarding the impact of the proposed closure. Watckens, in her
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statement also through huge claims of other access. I would
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like to also state that it was mister Prater who
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took it upon himself over thirty five years ago to
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block and down the creek that we used prior. Watkins
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says it was by his doing that we have used
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Creative Road for the past thirty five years. Our deed
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states a road twelve feet wide as it is now
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is to be reserved. That road is c R twelve
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twenty three. What Coin cited several benefits of keeping the
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portion of Creator Road in question open, including the emergency access,
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contribution to the local economy via property tax, local purchases
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and tourism, and preservation of property value. Before concluding her address,
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Wifekins asked the Court to consider the legal deed rights
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along standing use in multiple parties affected and surveyor and
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documentation evidence. The Court has opportunity to uphold the rights
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of all landowners fairly. Watkins said failing to do so
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only would harm our family and others affected landowners, but
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also threatened the property rights of anyone who owns rural
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land in the county. Decisions about the prey to road
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c R twelve twenty three should reflect the interest of
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the community, not a single individual. This concludes, exerts from
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the recent editions of the Licking Valley Courier. Your reader
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has been janis on behalf of everyone here at radio.
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I thank you for listening, keep on listening, and I
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hope you have a very good day