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Corbin Times-Tribune - 4.28.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of The Times Tribune
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for news in Corbyn, Laurel, Whitley and Knox Counties. Your
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reader today is Janice as a Remainder Radio I 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'll begin with the E edition David Thursday, April twenty third,
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twenty twenty six. Our first article is hundreds turnout for
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annual spring clean up at Cumberland Falls by Susy K.
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Wilson Cumberland Falls. More than two hundred eighty volunteers gathered
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at Cumberland Falls Saturday for the Kentucky Wildlands Pride annual
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Spring clean up, marking one of the largest turnouts in
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the event's history. Volunteer of all ages work from nine
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a m. To twelve noon, helping clear litter from trails,
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riverbanks and public areas as well as along Kentucky ninety
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US twenty one, before enjoying a free lunch in door
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prizes including passes to Kentucky Spanash Water Park in Williamsburg.
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The cleanup overall removed four hundred thirty individual bags of
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trash plus thirteen tires. The bulk of the trash was
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collected along Highway ninety, but volunteers also cleaned below the falls.
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This year's clean up drew two hundred eighty three volunteers,
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with the Whitley County High School Junior Rotc earning recognition
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as the largest community group for Whitley County. The unit
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brought forty eight cadets who spent the morning working along
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the falls and surrounding walkways. McCrary County one the coveted
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Volunteer Cup, which goes to the county with the most
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volunteers participating in the event. McCrary County was represented by
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one hundred forty three volunteers and Whitley County had one
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hundred and twenty four volunteers. The remaining volunteer years were
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from other counties. The cleanup tradition dates back to two
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thousand and eight, but for some families, the commitment goes
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back even further. Longtime volunteers Rich and Peggy Yager first
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began helping in the nineteen nineties. We love the falls,
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mister Yeager said, we all saw hi here. We used
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to teach at Saint Camila's. I taught high school in
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Peggy Talk Grade School and we would bring our students
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here to volunteer for others. The cleanup has been become
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a family legacy. Cameron Brossard said he had participated for
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twenty six years, beginning when he was just four years old.
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I started doing this clean up with my mother and
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my boys Scout troop at the Laurel Lake cleanup with pride,
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he said, adding he now brings his own children. I've
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passed the tradition on. I have five kids, but only
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three came today because the other two were homesick. I
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loved doing park. Naturalist Jehan Absure got at the Whitley
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County Junior ROTC group down to the falls where they
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worked their way toward the beach area beneath Gatliff Bridge.
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We covered the sidewalks and cleaned all the way up
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to the beach. She said. I really appreciated seeing our
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youth take pride in cleaning up our park, working together
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as a community and giving back to our environment. Av
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Sure said the students enjoyed being close to the waterfall
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and experience usually limited to cleanups. You don't get that
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close unless you're doing this work, she said. Crossing the
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railings and being safe near the water can be risky,
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so I was glad I was able to be there
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making sure everyone stayed safe. With strong participation, multi generational involvement,
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and a shared love for the park, organizers say the
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annual cleanup continues to grow as a community tradition, one
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that keeps Cumberland Falls beautiful for the thousands who visit
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each year. The Spring Cleanup at Cumberland Falls is a
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partnership between the Kentucky Wildlands, Eastern Kentucky Pride, Cumberland Falls
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State Resort Park, McCrary County Fiscal Court, one to nine Board,
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Whitley County Fiscal Court, McCrary County Tourism, Whitley County Tourism Board,
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Kentucky Cancer Program, the Center for the Rural Development and
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Operation UNITE. Our next article is Ladder Truck, audit and
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Arena entrance Highlight Corbyn's Commission Meeting by Macy Swfford, Corbyn.
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The Corbyn City Commission approved the purchase of a new
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ladder truck for the fire department, accepted a clean fiscal
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year twenty twenty five audit report, and address several city
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business items. During its regular monthly meeting Monday. One of
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the meeting's items was approval of a new custom ladder
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truck for the Corbon Fire Department. Corbin Fire Chief Barry
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McDonald told commissioners the department's current ladder truck is twenty
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five years old and has recently experienced mechanical issue. McDonald
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said the department received two bids for the replacement truck,
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with commissioners approving a one million, nine hundred eighty eight thousand,
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seven hundred and forty one dollars bid from Pierce Manufacturing
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for the new ladder truck. Officials noted that the costs
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came in under the previously discussed two point two million
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dollar estimate. City officials said the truck would be largely
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outfitted upon delivery, with some equipment to be transferred from
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the current apparatus. They also noted a manufacturer price increase
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is expected may first, making timing of factor in the purchase.
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McDonald said while the current truck can still be used
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in some situations, it is not ideal or for regular
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ladder operations. We can use it as far as water
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and stuff, but right now we don't want to attempt it.
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He said, it's not safe right Now. Commissioners unanimously approved Emotion,
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authorizing both the purchase of the truck and financing through
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Hometown Bank. Commissioners also received the city's fiscal year twenty
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twenty five audit report from Sammy Lee of s K
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Lee CPA's Lee reported an unmodified unqualified opinion, the highest
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opinion and auditor can issue, and said the city remains
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in a strong financial condition. According to Lee, Corbin reported
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approximately ten point two million dollars in cash and cash equivalents,
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nearly fifty million in total assets, and saw its net
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position increased by roughly two million dollars during the fiscal year.
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He also noted that the city had no compliance findings. We
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issued an unmodified unqualified type opinion. Lee said, that's the
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best opinion we can use as a CPA firm. Lee
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added that the city is very solvent and very liquid,
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praising staff for improvements made over the recent years. Overall,
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the audit reported no findings, with Lee's stating the city
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is in strong financial standing. Also on the agenda, Corbin
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resident Andy Dunn spoke to commissioners about speeding concerns by
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Roy Kidd Avenue and issues involving large trucks being rooted
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by GPS onto Christian Street. Dunn said speeding traffic has
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become a safety concern for pedestrians, children and motorists in
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the area. Commissioners said they would look into increased patrols, signage,
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and gospel traffic monitoring situate solutions. Mayor Susie Ramis opened
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the meeting with the prayer offering a special recognition for
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young Corbyn resident Mellie Kate, who is currently battling DIPG,
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the fuse in centric poteen gillloma, an aggressive brain tumor
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typically found in the brainstem of children. According to a
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recent Facebook post from Meae Kate's mother, she currently is
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recovering from surgery and meeting with radiation oncology to figure
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out their next steps. Mayor Ramis also read a proclamation
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recognizing the Veterans of Foreign War's Buddy Poppy Program with
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and encourage residents to support the annual fundraiser benefiting disabled
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and needing veterans, widows and orphans. Commissioners also approved the
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promotion of hiring Tyler Tye as captain with d Corbin
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Fire Department, a request to dedicate Lincoln Avenue as an
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official city street was approved and later held the first
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Ordnance first Reading of Ordnance twenty twenty six one, formerly
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naming the roadway and establishing a twenty five mile speed limit.
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After an executive session where no formal action was taken,
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commissioners approved a renewed contract between the Corbyn Area, I'm
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Sorry a Corbin Arena and Pepsi Cola. City officials said
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Pepsi will also contribute fifty thousand dollars toward renovation of
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the arena sign that has been discussed at past meetings.
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City Manager Scott Williamson announced that the city had been
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advised by Senate President Robert Stuiver's representative Tom o'dale Smith
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and Representative Nick Wilson that funding has been secured for
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a second entrance in ramp for the arena. It comes
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after public outcry over the need for additional access following
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numerous reports of traffic congestion during major events. We don't
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know the exact location, but it has been approved, said Williamson.
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The project comes after public calls for additional access following
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numerous reports of traffic congestion during major events. More information
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on the project is expected to be released. In the
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near future. Our next article is Republicans Honor their own
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at fifth District Lincoln Banquet by Nita Johnson Corbyn. It
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was a night of recognitions for those who have made
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an impact on their communities. The fifth Congressional Lincoln Dinner
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was a sellout event that honored retiring US Senator Mitch McConnell.
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Among those honored at the Corbyn Center Saturday evening were
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former State Representative Barbara White Culture of Manchester, who served
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from nineteen nine five to two thousand and three. Culture
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received the Nancy Mitchell Women in Leadership Award, one presented
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to women who have stood strong during adversity. Karen Kelly
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US Congressman Hal Rogers, chief of Staff, presenteth the award,
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describing the late Mitchell as someone who fought for what
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she believed in. We started this award to inspire other
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women to step up and lead, and that's what the
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recipient of this year's award has done, Kelly said. Culture
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said the award was an honor that she enjoyed her
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years serving the ninetieth House of Representatives, which included clay
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in part of Laurel County. She and her husband operated
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Culture's Fine Jewelry with the branch in London for several years.
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Honoring others who have served their state and community, Kelly
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mentioned the loss of former Commonwealth Attorney Tom Handy at
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retired Court of Appeals Judge Robert died of both London.
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Handy died after a short illness on Monday, April thirteenth,
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with Dyke's death coming just two days later on April fifteenth.
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Inductees into the Fifth District Lincoln Club for twenty twenty
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six were Bill Turpin of Pulaski County, State Representative, Ken
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up Church of Wayne County, Rodney Coffee of Menafee County,
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and posthumous inductee Regina Jones of Pike County. Kentucky Leader
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Senate Leader Robert Steivers served as moderator of the event,
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speaking some about state politics, but the evening centered on
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US Senator Mitch McConnell, who will retire from a forty
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one year career at the end of the year. McConnell
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is recognized as the longest serving Senator in Kentucky history.
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He served as Senate Minority Leader from two thousand and
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seven to twenty fifteen and twenty twenty one to twenty
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twenty five. When Republicans gained seats in the Senate, he
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became majority leader from leader from twenty fifteen to twenty
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twenty one. That long JEFD makes McConnell the longest serving
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party leader in the US history. His dedicated service will
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be honored with the statue placed in the Kentucky Capital Rotunda,
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a sign of the statue of Henry Clay, one of
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McConnell's favorite Kentucky and national figures. McConnell and the US
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House of Representative how Rogers engaged in a fireside chat
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with CNN Scott Jennings, who is a political strategist and columnist.
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Both McConnell and Rogers reflected on their careers at the
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national level, with Rogers telling how he and McConnell met.
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Rogers says, I gave him his first job in politics.
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The storied history of the two in their careers as
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politicians have spanned over four decades, having served under five
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US presidents. Both reflected on some of their memories, with
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McConnell's citing how southeastern and eastern Kentucky has flipped from
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a primarily Democratic stronghold over those years. I remember the
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eastern part of the old fifth District was very democratic.
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It has gone from Republicans getting thirty five percent of
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the votes to seventy percent in twenty twenty. McConnell said.
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Both men said today's society is a battle to save
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Western civilization. With the movement of political parties. We are
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the most revered, most respected country and there is a
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mutual calling. Everyone is fighting for Western civilization. He said.
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In this fight, there are ideal pardon me, ideally ologies,
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and we have to stand up for faith, reason and liberty.
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We have to realize that freedom comes from God. We
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are in the fight for survival of our society, in
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our culture. The Republican Party has to spread the right
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of truth and faith to God and our party value.
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Conall touched on the war with Iran and the role
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of the United States in that conflict. Iran's been killing
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us for forty seven years. He said, this President Donald
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Trump took it to them. There is an evil cell
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in Russia, China, Iran and Iran supporters. We never want
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another nine to eleven. But I remember how this country
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came together after that, flying their flags and joining together.
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McConnell and Rogers also discussed going on a bus tour
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across the country during the two thousand and eight when
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the stock market dropped and left the country in financial crisis.
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We put the entire Republican Party on our shoulders and
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went on a bus tour with sixty six stops, McConnell said.
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Jennings asked the two who was the favorite US president
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with whom they so, with McConnell's citing George W. Bush
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and Rogers naming Ronald Reagan. There were about fifty freshman
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members of the House, and he took all the new ones,
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and we spent the day with him. Rogers said, of
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becoming congressman in nineteen eighty one, we learned the lessons
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of Reagan not to be too boisterous, but to use
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common sense and goodwill to opportunities. We need to get
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back to that. When question what was next, McConnell laughed, saying,
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I'm leaving, he's staying, referring to Rogers. Rogers responded that
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his priority would focus on being a member of the
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House Appropriations Committee and to fund the military and intelligence programs.
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He pledged his dedication to serving the people, especially the
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plight of Kentuckians who have lost many of their resources
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to political agendas. We need things, he says. We've lost Cole,
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we've lost Timber, and we have tornadoes. I've learned, after
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forty six years in politics and eleven years as a
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district attorney, that you don't get anything done unless you
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work day and night. I'm not a show horse. I'm
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a workhorse. The statue of McConnell that will be placed
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beside Henry Clay in the state capital was also addressed,
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with McConnell saying he wrote his college thesis on Clay
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and the situation of the country in eighteen fifty. I
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never thought I'd get an honor like this, he said.
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This is beyond anything I ever imagined possible. And there
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is a picture below this and has a man, a
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woman standing at a podum, another man and another woman
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and underneath the caption, says Former state Representative Barbara Coulter
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was presented with the Nancy Mitchell Women Leader and Leadership
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Award during Saturday's fifth District Lincoln Dinner at the Corbyn Center.
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Pictured from left are the Kentucky State Center President Robert Stuivers, Coulter,
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retired District director to US Congressman Howell Rogers and Mitchell's
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widower Bob Mitchell, and Rogers chief of staff Karen Kelly.
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Our next article is Whitley County Board of Education honors
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emst by Macy Swafford, Whitley County. Members of Whitley County
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Board of Education recognized local first responders and approved several
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district items during this month's regular meeting. Superintendent Superintendent John
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Seller presented members of Whitley County Emergency Medical Services with
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the District Above and Beyond Award for their response to
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a recent school bus crash involving a deputy cruiser and
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thirty four students on board. Seller praised EMS crews for
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their actions during the incident, which happened the same day
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as a fatal collision on Cumberland Falls Highway. Authorities previously
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stated a deputy was responding to assist at the fatal
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crash when the deputy's vehicle collided with a school bus
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while attempting to navigate backed up traffic. This month, we're
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recognizing one of our community partners, MS Sealer said. Reflecting
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on the day of the crash, Sealer said school officials
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quickly realized the situation was more serious than initially believed.
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You never know. When you're here at the central office.
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You get a phone call and the stress, the anxiety,
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tension and all that hits YOUES, Superintendent Sealer said. He
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added that Transportation Coordinator Larry Brown informed him the crash
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involved numerous children who may need medical attention. Mister Seler,
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this is a little more serious than just a little
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fender bender, he recalled Brown, saying, we've got thirty some
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kids on this bus and we may need some medical attention.
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Superintendent Sealer said, EMS crews arrived quickly and immediately began
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organizing care for the students. Our EMS showed up, took
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that showed up, took those thirty four kids, set up
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as triage makeshift unit there and put eyes on the
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hands on all of those thirty four kids. Siler said.
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He noted responders worked closely with school transportation staff, School
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Resource Officer Mike Lawson, and families to determine which students
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needed to be transported to the hospital and which could
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safely return home. They worked and communicated with our transportation
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department and our SRO who might need to go on
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to the hospital, who definitely needed to go to the
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endto the hospital and who was clear to let mom
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and dad take them home. Siler said. According to school officials,
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all students involved in the crash weren't treated for minor
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injuries and have since returned to school. Siler also commended
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EMS person now for participating in follow up debriefing with
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school officials and emergency management staff to discuss ways to
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improve future emergency responses. We had kind of a debrief
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What worked, What do we need to do different? How
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does communication possibly get better? Silar said. He closed by
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expressing gratitude for the agency's continued service to district students.
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We're teachers and we're transportation directors. We're not medical experts,
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and we were very thankful to have you folks there
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taking care of our kids, Siler said. In other business,
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the board approved a Grow More Good Grassroots grant for
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Oak Grove Elementary School in the amount of seven hundred
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and fifty dollars to purchase new outdoor raised garden bed supplies.
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Board members also approved an audit contract with White and
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Associates for the twenty twenty five twenty six fiscal year. Traditionally,
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the board approved HVAC of grades at Oak Grove Elementary
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School and the amount of fifteen thousand, seven hundred and
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fifty dollars Special education Teachery Teacher Marjorie Hendrickson also attended
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the meeting and informed school board members that she had
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secured a fully funded summer trip to Washington, d c.
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For a small group of Whitley East students through the
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Kentucky Educational Development Corporation program. Hendrickson said the trip, scheduled
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for July, will give seven students, particularly those from low
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income backgrounds, who may not otherwise have the opportunity, a
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chance to visit historic sites, learn more about the nation's history,
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and take part in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.
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She said Whitley County had not previously participated in the program.
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Board members thank Hendrickson for pursuing the opportunity, and the
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trip was approved unanimously. Our next article is Abatement Program
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students recognized at Whitley's fiscal Court meeting by Macy Swafford
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Whitley County. Members of the community involved with Whitley County's
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Abatement Program, an initiative funded through opioid settlement dollars, were
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recognized during this month's Whitley County Fiscal Court meeting, where
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magistrates also addressed several additional county matters. Bootsy Turnbill, owner
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of On Point Barbering Academy, praise the opportunity the program
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has created for students seeking a second chance through career training.
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I'm thankful and blessed, humbled by the opportunity you all
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have given us here with funding for these students to
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be able to change their lives, said Turnbill. And they
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when they get out, they don't have the opportunity that
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most people get when getting a job because of a
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background check. This gives them the opportunity. One of Turnbill's students,
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Joe Jackson, spoke to the court about his own recovery
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journey and how the program has impacted his life. I
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spent most of twenty years in addiction. Today I got
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one hundred and thirty dwo days sober, the most I've
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ever had, said Jackson. Since getting out of jail and
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getting this opportunity, It's really changed my life. Ms Boots
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has changed my life. I'd love to see more people
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get that chance. Another student, Keisha Campbell, echoed similar gratitude
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for the opportunity. I just want to say I'm thankful
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for the opportunity as well, said Campbell. You get to
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go somewhere, to be somewhere and not to do bad things.
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It's great. Magistrates and Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White
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Junior expressed appreciation for the students and the challenges they
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have overcome. Opioid Coordinator Darryl hurst So shared his pride
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in gratitude for those participating in the program in other businesses.
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Deer Ridge Lane was unanimously approved for adoption into the
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county road system. The statewide Emergency Management and Mutual Aid
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Assistance Agree agreement between the Fiscal Court and the Commonwealth
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of Kentucky was tabled again due to concerns surrounding an
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evergreen clause that would automatically renew the agreement each year
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unless terminated with advanced notice. I ask if we could
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take the agreement clause out of the contract, and the
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assistant director advised that he was not exactly sure how
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that could be done, said Whitley Laurel Emergency Management and
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Director Jerry Rains. He said he would touch base with
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a few more people and see what information he could get.
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To me the matter was tabled until next month's meeting.
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During department reports, Rain said March was a busy mind
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for emergency management crews, who logged nearly two two hundred
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miles and responded to eighteen onseeing incidents. Among the more
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significant calls was a sixteen vehicle pile up on Interstate
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seventy five near the twenty six mile marker on March sixteenth.
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Rains also reported the office handled nine loss, missing or
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runaway person cases during March, six of them in Whitley County.
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Of the fifty two cases reported so far this year,
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only five individuals remained missing. He added that the county
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is waiting FEMA reimbursement funds after state officials recently completed
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a close out review on previous disaster projects. Next our
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call is Williamsburg City Council discussed this downtown water project
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other ongoing community concerns by Madison Nance. Williamsburg Mayor Roddy
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Harrison shared the expected timeline for bids and constructions regarding
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the downtown water project at the April thirteenth meeting of Williamburg.
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Williamsburg City Council. Although the council's agenda for its regular meeting,
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lacked many specific items of business. Updates were provided regarding
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the downtown project as well as other ongoing community concerns.
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Harrison shared that the project is presumed to go to
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bid come late May or early June, with construction beginning
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the last of July. Mayor. Harrison also teased more that
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more monies are expected to go towards the city's water
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project shortly. The expected funds would supplement the four million
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dollars already secured from HUD to replace old infrastructure lines,
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starting with larger ones. The project also seeks to install
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a new storagetome in the city, which would allow for
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increased water production. We're wanting to update our plant so
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that we can produce more, Harrison said. We can produce
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two million gallons per day, or probably with the growth
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of everybody, the college, the city and the water districts
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need to move to three million gallons a day output.
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This concludes the reading of the Times Tribune. Please stay
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tuned for continued programming. Thank you for joining me on
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behalf of everyone here a RADIOI. This is Janice, wishing
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you a very good day.