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Corbin Times-Tribune - 2.10.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Times Tribune
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for the news in Corbin, Laurel, Whitley and Knox Counties.
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Your reader today is Janice. As a reminder, RADIOI is
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a reading service intended for people who are blind or
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have other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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We will begin with the addition dated pardon me Thursday,
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February fifth, twenty twenty five. Our first article is Barberville
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celebrates Groundhog Day and launches national two hundred and fiftieth festivities.
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Barberville Mayor David Thompson and Knox County Judge Executive Mike
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Mitchell signed a proclamation to commemorate two hundred and fiftieth
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anniversary of signing of the Declaration of Independence July fourth,
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seventeen seventy six through July the fourth, twenty twenty six,
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Tri County Mystery Meets joined forces with Barbarave Tourism and
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Barberville dar for a ceremony not only commemorating Groundhog Day,
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but also establishing the framework for a massive, year long
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city and county wide celebration in conjunction with America two
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hundred and fifty initiative honoring American history, Freedom in the
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American Spirit throughout twenty twenty six and above that has
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a picture and where they have people, there's two men.
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I guess that's the Barberville Mayor and the Knox County
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Judge Executive Mike Mitchell. And then there are two soldiers
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standing beside them, and they have flags and decorations. It's
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very pretty. Our next article is woman killed in Knox
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County house fire Cannon. Kentucky State Police are investigating the
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residential fire in Knox County that resulted in the death
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of a sixty six year old woman last Thursday. According
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to a press release from Kentucky State Police, the incident
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occurred January twenty ninth at approximately nine to fifty pm.
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Troopers from Post ten and Harland were requested by Knox
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County nine one one dispatch to assist with the residential
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fire on Twin Oaks Lane in the Cannon community. Upon arrival,
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members of the Knox County Sheriff's Office, Richland Fire Department
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in Barberville Fire Department located a deceased female inside the residents.
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State Police were contacted after the discovery. Trooper William Knight
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of the KSP post ten and Knox County Coroner Mike
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Blevins responded to the scene following the report. The woman
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was later identified as Catherine Smith, sixty six, and autopsy
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was scheduled to be conducted at the State Medical Examiner's
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office in Frankfort next to Ken were notified at the scene.
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Richland Fired reported they sent four trucks and two more
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from Barberville. Fighters encountered the road inaccessibility due to the
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extreme ice and steep Firefighters then stretched into the excess
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of five hundred feet of the hoes up the hill
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to reach the home. Kentucky State Police stated that no
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foul play was suspected based on the preliminary investigation. The
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incident remains under investigation by Trooper Knight, with additional information
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to be released as it comes available. Our next article
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is two arrested in connection to attempted kidnapping. Illinois men
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jailed after Laurel Sheriff's Office investigation by Macy Swafford London.
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Two Illinois men were arrested early Saturday morning following an
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investigation into an attempted kidnapping involving a juvenile in southern
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Laurel County. According to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff
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John Rue reported that Sergeant Robert Reid and Deputy Robert
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Smith made the arrest at approximate six oh seven am
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on January thirty first, after deputies were dispatched by London
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Laurel County nine one one to report a suspicious vehicle.
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According to authorities, deputies responded to the residents off of
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a side road along US twenty five, about seven miles
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south of London, where a silver vehicle bearing Illinois license
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plates had reportedly stopped. The occupants of the vehicle allegedly
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told the mother of a seventeen year old girl that
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they were there to pick up her daughter, claiming she
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was the girlfriend of one of the men. The mother
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reported instructed the individuals to leave in contacted the lc
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SO When deputies arrived, they spoke with the mother and
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the team, learning the juvenile had allegedly been communicating online
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for approximately two months with one of the suspects, who
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is nineteen years old. Authorities said the man allegedly intended
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to take the juvenile back to Texas. While at the residence,
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deputies observed footprints in the snow near the home and
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an outbuilding that were believed to have been made by
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the suspects. Sergeant Reid continued the investigation at the scene,
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while Deputy Smith later located the suspect vehicle at a
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business parking lot along US twenty five, approximately eight miles
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south of London. Deputies detained two men, one identified as
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nineteen year old male Gabriel Wabaw of Peoria, Illinois, who
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allegedly intended to pick up the juvenile, and the forty
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three year old Chad Gofenett of Peoria Heights, Illinois, whom
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authorities said transported the younger suspect from Illinois to Kentucky.
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Investigators determined the men had allegedly planned to take the
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juvenile across state lines without parental consent. Waybell was charged
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with attempted kidnapping of a miner, unlawful transaction of a miner,
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first offense, and first degrees sexual abuse use involving the
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victim under the age of eighteen. Goupinette was charged with
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complicity to kidnapping of a minor and possession of marijuana.
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Both individuals were lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center
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and scheduled to be arranged Monday with not guilty. Police
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entered on their behalf Waybell and goufinett our schedule for
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preliminary hearings in Laurel District Court next Tuesday morning. The
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next article is two million dollars secured for London Corbon
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Airport terminal renovations by Macy Swafford London. The London Corbin
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Regional Airport will receive two million in federal funding to
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renovate its aging terminal facility following passage of the Transportation
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Housing an Urban Development Appropriations Bill. According to a statement
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released by the London Corbin Airport, the funding was secured
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with the support of Congressman Hal Rodgers and signed into
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law by President Donald J. Trump as part of the
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Community Project Funding. Airport officials said that the two million
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dollar allocation will be used to renovate the facility's aging terminal,
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commonly referred to as fixed Base Operator FBO building, with
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improvements aimed at enhancing safety, security, energy efficiency and overall functionality.
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The FBO Fix Based Operator Building pardon ME, serves as
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the primary office space for airport staff and also houses
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London Aviation Flight Training Center. The facility is additionally used
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for training programs hosted by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
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the AOPA, FAA Safety Team and FAAS Team representatives and
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industry members, as well as the conference space available to
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business customers throughout southeastern Kentucky. Airport officials noted that the building,
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which is soveral decades old, sustained additional damage during the
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London Tornado of twenty twenty five. They said the planned
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repairs and renovations are critical to maintaining efficient and cost
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effective airport operations. The London Corbin Regional Airport provides general
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aviation services to the regional and supports business travel, flight training,
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and economic development efforts across southeastern Kentucky. More information on
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the federal funding allocation is available through Representative Rogers Congressional Office.
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Our next article is Baptist cor Health Corbin hosts annual
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Tree of Life Ceremony by Macy Swafford. Baptist Health Corbin
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held its annual Tree of Life ceremony to honor volunteers
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and employees who have passed away, recognizing their service and
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lasting impact on the hospital and community. Mark Steely, Vice
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President of Baptist Health Corbin welcome attendees and spoke about
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the significance of the Tree of Life, which is displayed
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near the emergency department entrance at the hospital's main entrance.
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Several years ago, our volunteers purchased the Tree of Life
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so we can honor our co workers, loved ones, friends
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and family each year, said Steely. Over time, the tree
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of Life has grown in Additional names have been added,
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each represented by a bronze leaf. New leaves were dedicated
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during the ceremonies to honor those who have passed away
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within the year past year. These volunteers we want to
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honor who are no longer with us. We've added a
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leaf to the tree this year, Steely said. The volunteers
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have purchased that leaf, and you'll notice the new names
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with the white ribbon that has been added to that.
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Steely also shared with gratitude the opportunity to recognize his
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colleagues and reflect on the lives of those who serve
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Baptist Health, Corbin, noting the importance of coming together to
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remember their contributions. Before the ceremony concluded, Chaplain Todd Peeler
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offered a dedication prayer honoring those who had been part
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of Baptist Health family and recognizing their service, compassion and commitment.
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Those honored during this year's Tree of Life ceremony included
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Chad Anderson, May Bales, Tiffany Brown, Jeff Chadwell, Jerry McCartney Jackson,
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James Jackson, Wendell Jackson, Lisa Jones, Clyde T. Lawson, Norma J. Lawson,
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doctor Jean Maurice Page, ROBERTA. Quicksal, Erica Ritchie, Beulah Smith,
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Otis Smith, Peggy Smith, and Carolyn Warwick. The Tree of
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Life ceremony is held annually as a tribute to those
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who faithfully served Baptist Health Corbin and left a lasting
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legacy within the hospital and the community it serves. Our
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next article is Knox Laurel Circuit Judge Greg greg Lay
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files for Court of Appeals London following the vacancy on
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the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Chief Circuit Judge Greg Lay,
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who has served as circuit judge in Knox and Laurel
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Counties the twenty seventh Judicial Circuit for over two decades,
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is a first file as a candidate for the Kentucky
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Court of Appeals Third Appellate District Judge Lay has served
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Knox and Laurel Counties as a circuit judge since being
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elected in two thousand and four, presiding over criminal, civil,
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and complex litigation matters. It has been an incredibly great
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honor to serve as a circuit judge for more than
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twenty years. I have had the privilege of serving in
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two counties that I love, all while working with some
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of the best people in the court system has to offer.
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Speaker 2: It has truly been a blessing.
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Speaker 1: Judge Lay said, I'm seeking a seat on the Court
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of Appeals because I have a great respect for the
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rule of law and the appellate process. My years of
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experience as a circuit judge, where I have presided over
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thousands of cases, will give me the broad range of
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judicial experience that is needed to review cases on appeal.
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The Kentucky Court of Appeal reviews decisions from trial courts
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across the Commonwealth and plays a key role in ensuring
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consistency and fairness in the application of the law. Judge
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Lay received the Trial Judge of the Year Award from
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the Kentucky Justice Association in twenty twenty one. With the
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announcement of this award to Judge Lay. The Kentucky Justice
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Association released the following statement. Judge Lay is viewed as
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an impartial and by the book judge. Among those who
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have appealed before him in court, he is highly respected.
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Judge Lay also received the Trial Judge of the Year
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award from the American Board of Trial Advocates in twenty
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twenty three. Judge Lay is a Chief Regional Circuit Judge
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of the Cumberland Region of Circuit Judges, having been appointed
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to the position by former Chief Justice of Kentucky's Supreme Court,
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John Minton. The Cumberland Region assists of twenty three counties,
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ten judicial circuits, twenty circuit judges. As the Chief Regional Judge,
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Lay is responsible for various administrative responsibilities in the region,
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including the assignment of judges to cases needing coverage and
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assignment of judges to temporarily preside over court dockets and
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counties where the regular judge is unable to serve. Judge
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Lay was elected in twenty twenty one by his followed
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judges to serve as an executive committee member now the
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Board of Directors of the Circuit Judges Association, representing the
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third District Judge Lay continues to in that capacity. The
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third Appellate District consists of twenty five counties Adair Anderson, Bell, Boyle, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland,
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Garrett Greene, Harlan Knox, Laurel Lincoln, Marion, McCrary, Mercer, Medcalfe, Nelson, Pulaski,
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rock Castle, Russell, Taylor, Washington, Wayne, and Whitley. I am
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so excited to meet the voters, members of the legal community,
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and citizens throughout the district in the months ahead.
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Speaker 2: Judge Lay said.
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Speaker 1: The vacancy in the Court of Appeals was created by
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the January thirty first retirement of long serving Court of
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Appeals Judge James Lambert. Judge Lay recognized that Judge Lambert
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for his nearly twenty years of service to the Kentucky
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Court of Appeals. Judge Lambert served the Commonwealth Admiral and
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Brooke my gosh, I can't say it, Admiral Blee during
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his time of the Court of Appeals. His length of
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service is a testament to his effectiveness as a Court
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of Appeals judge, he said, courtesy of Judge Greg Glay.
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Our next article is Colonel fest Dates announced for April
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twenty twenty six. By Macy Swafford. Corbin, one of Corbyn's
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most anticipated spring celebrations is officially returning. Colonel Fest twenty
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twenty six is schedule for Friday and Saturday, April tenth
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and eleventh, bringing two days of food, music, vendors, and
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family friendly activities to downtown corbyin The event is hosted
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by the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission.
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Speaker 2: Organizers say the annual.
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Speaker 1: Festival will once again highlight local and regional vendors, live music,
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food offerings, and interactive contest, drawing residents and visitors alike
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into a weekend of entertainment that pays homage to Corbyn
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native and chick and lover Colonel Harlan Sanders. While a
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full schedule has not been released, officials noted that planning
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is underway in more detail, with more details including entertainment
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lineups and events schedules, will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Vendor applications are set to open on February ninth. Those
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interested in participating as a vendor, sponsor, or partner, or
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who would like to be notified when applications become available,
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are encouraged to contact organizers at info at corbinkytourism dot com.
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Our next article is Despite local opposition, us FS jellicoal
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Project on track to proceed as originally planned by Eugena Jones,
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McCrary County Journal Editor. Local opposition to the Jellico Visitation
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Vegetation Management Project, which affects portions of McCrary and Whitley
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Counties and covers nearly half of the Jellico Mountain area,
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appears to have had no effect on the US Forest
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Service officials, who appear determined to move ahead with what
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is set to be one of the largest longest term
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logging projects in the Daniel Boone National Forest history, spanning
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forty years. The project aims to treat approximately nine thousand,
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five hundred acres through commercial harvesting, including clearcutting, roadwork, and
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rbside applications. On January twenty first, twenty twenty six, the
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US Forest Service Daniel Boone National Park Forest Stearns Ranger
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District issued its draft Decision Notice and Finding of No
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Significant Impact for the Jellico Vegetation Management Project project via
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Stearns District Ranger Kyle Edmund's public notification of his decision
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to implement the action as originally proposed in the Jelicov
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Visitation Management Project Environmental Assessment. Edmund's draft decision to implement
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the project Mmcrary and Whitley Counties includes nine hundred thirty
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one acres of clear cutting, one eight hundred five acres
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of two aged shelter wood harvests, two thousand, four hundred
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and thirty four acres of debt deferment harvest, four thousand
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to three hundred and sixty seven acres of thinning, and
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additional intermediate treatments listed in the environment Environmental impact Study.
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I carefully considered all the information provided to many by
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the interdisciplinary team and evaluated the effects of our proposed
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actions against the purpose and need for the project, Edmund
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stated in his draft decision notice. I considered input we
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received from the public through primary scoping, comments received during
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the thirty day comment period, inputs from stakeholders, and collaboration
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with our partners. I have decided to implement the Jellico
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Visitation Management Project proposal action because I believe it was
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most effectively meets the purpose and needs of the project,
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which is to move the area toward the desired conditions
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of the Daniel.
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Speaker 2: Boone National Forest.
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Speaker 1: Although Edmund stated that the public comments and concerns were
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considered in making the final decision, most local participants in
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the Forest Service public involvement opportunities for the Jellico project
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have strongly opposed the proposal. These opportunities included a planned
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field trip that was canceled due to COVID nineteen and
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replaced with a virtual field trip developed and made public
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online on January twenty second, twenty eighth, twenty twenty two.
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Preliminary public scoping began in October twenty twenty two, with
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an opportunity for public comment, resulting in three hundred and
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twenty four comments on November seventeenth, twenty twenty two, pardoning.
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During the public scoping, an in person public meeting was
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held at the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office in Williamsburg, Kentucky,
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with approximately one hundred people in attendance, including concerned individuals
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from a prairie county. Most speakers strongly opposed the project.
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The environmental assessment, which contained the proposed action to alternatives
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and analysis, was sent for a thirty day comment period
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in April of twenty twenty four. Six hundred and eighty
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six comments, generally in opposition to the project, were submitted
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during this time. Some comments supported Alternative one, a scaled
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down version of the original proposal. According to the draft notice,
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primary concerns express in the comments were timber hard clear cutting, deferment,
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harvest and to age shelter wood, harboside application, landslides, stream sediments,
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and impacts to flora and fauna. Changes to the viewish
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viewship pardon me. Changes to the view shed due to
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the timber harvest were repeatedly expressed as a concern. According
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to the National draft Notice, private landowners with property adjacent
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or within sight of the National Forest Service land in
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the Jellico Mountain area, including McCrary County, Rock Creek, Osbourn Creek,
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Hayes Creek areas, express fear, disgust, and outrage that the
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view of the mountains might be altered. Minority comments in
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support of the project sited wildlife benefits, timber production, treatment
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of non invasive species, and improved forest health. Upon learning
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of the draft decease, Jim McCrary County resident Sam Perry,
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a local historian and author, expressed his concern. Although I
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am fully I fully support the multiple use philosophy of
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the Forest Service.
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Speaker 2: I do not believe.
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Speaker 1: That a clear cutting or even age management, as the
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agency call it, is a wise management technique for the
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Jellico Vesitation project, as opposed to the shelter wood harvesting
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that leaves some of tour trees for natural to regeneration.
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Perry explained, historically, McCrary County pardon me eam has not
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served our people well and has resulted in large tracts
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of land filled with spinal spinley, Virginia pine, red maple, honeysuckle,
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and greenbriar, despite promises made by the Forest Service. If
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mature timber must be harvested in the project area, it
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should be done judiciously and sparingly. Even even age management
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should have no place in the plan. Tim Martin, who
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along with his wife Teresa, has vigorously opposed the original
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project proposaled and lobbied for an alternative, voiced his dissatisfaction
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with the draft decision. While many residents here support responsible
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logging and smart forest management, clear cutting the steep slopes
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of the Jellico Mountains is anything but smart. Martin asserted, landslides, fooding, flooding,
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sedtiment in our creeks and invasive species are just some
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of the negative consequences of clear cutting mountains with slopes of.
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Speaker 2: Thirty to forty five degrees or more.
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Speaker 1: In addition, the four decade project length robs our children
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and even our grandchildren of the right to have a
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say in how their public national forest it is managed.
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We must remember that every American citizen is a co
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owner of our national forest, and the US Forest Service
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is supposed to work for the US citizens, not for
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the logging companies. My wife and I have worked with
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local community and the Forest Services Stearns to produce a
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compromised solution called Alternative One, which calls for responsible logging
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of three thousand acres over the next six years with
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no outright clear cutting. Alternative one is a solid compromise
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for the community overwhelming supports. Many residents are devastated by
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the Forest Service draft decision published in January twenty one
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of twenty twenty six to disregard the community and proceed
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with their original plan to log half of the Jellico
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Mountains and clear cut a quarter of the forest over
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forty years with no further opportunity for public input. The
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Forest Service is writing itself a black check to clearcut
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our mountains and ignore our community for decades. I responsibly
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call for the US Forest Service to do the right
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thing for the citizens of Whitley and mccrarrie Counties, retract
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their draft decision and instead move forward with a smart
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and balanced alternative one.
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Speaker 2: The following release of.
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Speaker 1: The us FS draft decision noticed Kentucky Heartwood, a reabased
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nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and well being of
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Kentucky's public LANs, reacted through an official press release, this
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is not a sustainable forest management. A representative of Kentucky
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Heartwood stated the project is being justified under a forest
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management plan that is more than twenty years old, yet
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would guide logging.
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Speaker 2: Decisions for the next four decades.
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Speaker 1: This raises serious questions about whether current science climate conditions
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are on the ground realities of the communities in the
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area are being meaningful considered. Continuing, Hardwood also pointed out
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to the independent geological analysis and landslide inventories showing the
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Jellico Mountains contain unstable terrain and a history of slope failures,
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concerns the group says are not sufficiently addressed in the
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agency's review. Clear cutting in headwaters and steep terrain directly
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affects local communities, especially those already vulnerable to flooding and
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infrastructure damage. The project area is highly prone to landslides.
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The organization explained these forests play a critical role in
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stabilizing souls and protecting the communities below from erosion, landslides,
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and flooding. In addition to releasing a public statement opposing
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the us FS draft decision, Kentucky Hartwood said it would
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formerly participate in the objection period for the Jellico Visitation
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Management Project and urge community members, local governments, scientists, and
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concerned citizens to submit their own objections. While the draft
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decision notice is subject to the objection process, only individuals
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or entities who submitted timely written comments on the proposed
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project during their prior public comment periods may file objections.
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Written objections must be postmarked or received within forty five
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days after January twenty first, twenty twenty six, and must
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include one the objector's name and address with the phone number,
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if available, number two, a signature or other verification of authorship.
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Number three, identification of the lead objector when multiple names
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are listed, Number four the name of the proposed project
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Jellico Visitation Management Project, name and title of the responsible
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official called Edmund's District Ranger. Name of the National Forest
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and or Ranger district on which the project will be
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implemented Daniel Boone National Forests forward slash Stearn's Ranger District.
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Number five a description of the aspects of the proposed
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project that the objection addresses, including suggested remedies in supporting reasons,
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and number six a statement that demonstrates connection between prior
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pacific written comments on the proposed project and the content
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of the objection. Objections must be filed via mail, express
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delivery or messenger service. I Objection Reviewing Officer, Forest Supervisor H.
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Scott Ray, us D A OFF four pardon me us
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d A Forest Service Daniel Boone National Forest one seven
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zero zero bypass road Winchester, Kentucky four O three nine
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to one or facts to six O six three seven
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six thirty seven thirty four or email two s M
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F s DOT, R B D B S O O
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B J at U, s D A DOT GOV or
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hand delivered Monday through Friday eight to four thirty p m.
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Speaker 2: Excluding holidays.
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Speaker 1: Two one seven zero zero bypass Road, Winchester, Kentucky. This
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concludes the reading of Time's Tribune. Please stay tuned for
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continued programming. Thank you for joining me and on behalf
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of everyone here at radio while this is Janice wishing
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you a very good day.