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Corbin Times-Tribune - 1.27.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Times Tribune
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from news in Corbin and 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 intendant 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 dated Thursday, January twenty second,
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twenty twenty six, and the main headline today is fire
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shots down w Burg Main Street Wednesday morning blaze damages
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multiple buildings Williamsburg. A large overnight fire force the shutdown
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of a downtown Williamsburg late Tuesday made and into the
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morning hours of Wednesday after a blaze that began at
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a law office spread to multiple buildings along Main Street block.
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According to initial reports, the fire originated in the office
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in the law offices of Crawley and Foley, prompting road
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closures in a large emergency response as flames and heavy
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smoke engulfed several structures in the downtown area. The Kentucky
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Transportation Cabinet District eleven reported that Main Street was closed
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due to the structure fire, while crews from multiple fire
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departments in neighboring counties worked through the night to contain
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the blaze. Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison confirmed to WKYT that
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the fire was located at the Crawley and Associate's building
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on Tuesday night. The Sheriff's department also confirmed the scope
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of the fire had expanded beyond a single structure. There
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are several businesses and buildings on the fire on Main Street.
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Multiple fire departments are on scene and working to contain
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the fire, the department posts stated on Facebook. Downtown businesses
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next to Crawley and Foley that were damaged appear to
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appeared in videos posted to Facebook to be associates in
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eye care apartments of the above the buildings and more
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surrounding the law office. Official word on what additional businesses
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were also affected have not yet been released. The Whitley
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County Sheriff's Department issued and updated early Wednesday morning stating
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that the county offices in the affected area would be
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closed due to the active fire scene on Main Street
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in Williamsburg. Both the Whitley County Judicial Center and the
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Whitley County Courthouse, which houses the sheriff office, will be
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closed today. The department stated anyone needing a vehicle inspection
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today can go to Morban City Hall located at eight
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o five South Main Street in Corbin. Our inspection officer
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will be there until four pm as daylight broke. Photos
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and video from the scene showed excessive smoke, damage, water soap,
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store fronts, and firefighters continuing suppression efforts. In a statement
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release Wednesday morning, the law offices of Crawley and Foley
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confirmed their Williamsburg office sustained severe damage, but said operations
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would continue from other locations. As you may have heard,
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our Williamsburg office was in a devastating fire last night,
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the firm stated. We are working today with officials and
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doing our best to stay operational in order to make
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sure that we still meet the needs of our clients.
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The firm added that the phone services had been re
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rooted and client records remained secure. Our Williamsburg phones are
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being forwarded to our other offices so that you can
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still reach someone if you need us. The statement read,
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our files are kept electronically as well as hard copies,
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so your documents are safe. While all staff members were
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reported safe, the firm continued, a loss resulting from the fire,
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we are most thankful that all of our humans are safe,
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but we mourn the loss of one of our little dogs, which,
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as you know, was in our family. The post stated
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the fire also impacted local schools and morning operations. The
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Williamsburg City Schools shared a message of support while confirming
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classes would remain in session. Our hearts go out to
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everyone affected by the devastating fires in downtown Williamsburg. You
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are in our thoughts and prayers. The school posted. Williamsburg's
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City School will be on regular schedule today. The school
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noted potential transportation delays due to the emergency response. Buses
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are expected to run at their regular times, but some
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students may be picked up by a different bus than usual.
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The post stated if students arrived late because of this
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tragic event, their tardiness will be excused. City officials also
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acknowledge the emotional toll of the fire in the community.
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The City of Williamsburg, Kentucky, thank the residents and the
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first responders for their support. Thank you, Thank you all
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for the post about the devastating fire downtown Williamsburg the
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city Road. Please everyone continue to pray for our hometown
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and all the first responders and all the business owners.
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This is just heartbreaking. My heart and prayers fell out
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to all who suffered from the fires in Williamsburg last night.
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State Representative Nick Wilson, Republican Williamsburg stated, May God bless
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our firefighters and first responders. As of Wednesday, January twenty first,
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at eleven fifteen am, the Williamsburg Fire Department confirmed that
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crews were actively or still actively on Main Street along
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with several other fire agencies. Main Street is closed until
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further notice. Seek alternative routes to get your to your destination.
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All pedestion trends are encouraged to seek alternate routes as
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well due to emergency vehicle traffic, stated the Williamsburg Police
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Department in a Facebook post. The damage due to the
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fire is still unknown at this time. While emergency services
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are still continuing to contain the fire. The public will
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be notified as soon as the roadway is open. Our
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next article is Corbyn nurse arrested on drug trafficking charges
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by Macy Swafford. Corbin all On Carl, nurse practitioner was
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arrested last Thursday night, January fifteenth in Middlesbrough on multiple
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drug related charges following an investigation by the Middlesburg Police Department.
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According to the Middlesburg Police Department press release on their
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Facebook page, Angel Renee Henderson, fifty two, of Corbin, was
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taken into custody after being served with an arrest current
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originating out of Bell County. She was subsequently launched in
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the Whitley County Detention Center. Henderson has been charged with
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engaging in organized crime and first degree trafficking in control substance.
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Lieutenant Barry Cowan with the Middlesborough Police Department said the
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charges stem from an investigation that revealed Henderson allegedly used
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her prescription authority to unlawfully distribute construct control substances. The
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Middlesboro Police Department indicated in its press release that the
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investigation remains ongoing and that the additional rest are anticipated
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as the case continues to develop. Jail records indicate that
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Henderson was released on the same day after posting one
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hundred thousand dollars surety bond. Court records show she is
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scheduled to appear for arraiment in Bell District Court on
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January twenty seventh at nine a m our. Next article
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is Whitley County jury convicts man involved in fatal DUI
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crash by Macy Swafford, Whitley County. A Whitley County jury
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has convicted Matthew Crowley in connection with a fatal drunk
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driving crash the claimed the life of a toddler and
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left the child's mother permanently injured. The charges against the
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thirty six year old Williamsburg man stems from a fatal
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crash that occurred just after midnight on January thirty first,
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twenty twenty four, near the mile markers seventeen on Interstate
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seventy five between Williamsburg and Corbin. According to Kentucky State
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Police in the Tribute Times previous report from twenty twenty four,
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troopers said Crowley, who was driving southbound on I seventy five,
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struck the year averrear of a nineteen ninety six maroon
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Goo Tracker driven by a woman of Flat Lick. The
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impact caused Crawley to crash into the side left guard cables,
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while the Geo Tracker was forced over the guardrail on
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the right side of the roadway, overturning and ejecting a
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two year old child from the vehicle. The child later
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died from injuries sustained in the crash. The woman was
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reportedly trapped inside her vehicle, extradited by first responders, and
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flown to a Tennessee hospital with severe injuries. Late last week,
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Ford the jury found Crowley guilty of wanton murder, first
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degree assault, and wanton endangement following deliberations Thursday in Whitley
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County Circuit Court. The case was prosecuted by Commonwealth Attorney
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Ronnie Bowling. The investigation into the crash was led by
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Trooper Corey Jones with the Kentucky State Police Authority. Said.
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Jones was assisted by Troopers Donnie Jones, Rob Mitchell, Michael Hamblin,
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and Sergeant Zach aust. Additional assistance was provided by Sergeant
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Shane Bowleing, Sergeant Jerry Jones, and Sergeant Chad Foley with
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the Williamsburg Police Department. Officials described the incident as a
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tragic and preventable crash caused by impaired driving, emphasizing the
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lasting impact on a victim's family. Final sentencing in the
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case is scheduled to take place before Judge Dan Below
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next month. The case against Crowley codefendent twenty four year
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old Jana Vorwak of Williamsburg remains pending, with the bond
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hearing schedule for February second in a Whitley County courthouse.
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Our next article is State Representative Smith files gas tax
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bill by Macy Swafford Frankfort. House Bill three seventy, filed
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by Tom O'Dell Smith, Republican Corbin, would restructure Kentucky's fuel
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tax system to increase east revenue dedicated for county and
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city road maintenance as lawmakers debate on how to address
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what Smith describes as a growing infrastructure crisis across the state.
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House Bill three seventy proposes setting a single excise tax
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rate on gasoline and special fuels belonging beginning at twenty
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nine point six cents per gallon, with an initial increase
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of five cents in the first year and a second
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five cent increase the following year. According to Smith, the
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increase would then be capped and subject to annual adjust
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adjustments tied to the revenue stability, not automatic percent percentage hikes.
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This bill will add five cents the first year to
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a gallon of gas, Smith said in a statement on Facebook,
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responding to public backlash. If a gallon of gas is
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two dollars and fifty cents, it would go to two
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dollars and fifty five cents, that is a two percent increase,
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and would go to two dollars and sixty cents the
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next year, which is a one point nine percent increase.
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Then it's capped. According to some claims circulating online, the
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bill would impose a five percent increase every year, which
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Smith's disputes. I will follow up on where this is
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coming from, and if it's true, it will be removed.
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Smith said. The only part that I know of is
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an area that balances the revenue and keeps it stable
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by not going over or under a five percent adjusted
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amount by revenue received. The representative said the provision is
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designed to comply with Kentucky's balance budget requirements, noting that
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the state operates on a two year budget cycle and
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commence funding to a road projects based on f instments
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that must remain physically stable. Smith said the support for
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the bill stems from long term revenue trends that have
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failed to keep paid with rising cost According to Smith,
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fuel tax revenue has increased only ten percent over the
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past fifteen years, while inflation has risen roughly forty percent,
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and construction and materials at costs have doubled. We keep
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going backwards on road improvements and maintenance, he said. Smith
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signed data collected from county statewide, where roads were graded
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on a scale of one to ten, with ten representing
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the most dangerous conditions. In Knox County alone, Smith said
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sixteen roads were rated at a ten across Kentucky. More
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than sixty million dollars worth of roads received the highest
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danger rating, while only twenty million dollars is currently budgeted
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to address those news needs. Understand that a six and
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above needs immediate attention, Smith said that means forty million
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dollars will will not be able to be addressed. The
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bill also includes charges to registration and title fees, increases
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certain county clerk fees, and adjust how fuel tax revenue
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is distributed between state, counties and cities. Smith emphasized that
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the additional revenue would be directed to local governments, which
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are prohibited from imposing their own fuel taxes. The funds
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I'm talking about are for local government funds that help
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counties and cities. Smith said they do not have the
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ability to put a tax on fuel. Only the state can.
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Smith added that the counties and cities are facing mounting
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financial pressure from responsibilities such as jail call and road maintenance,
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often while maintaining state and federal roadways that run through
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their jurisdictions. Concerns were raised about the possible financial burden
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on drivers, to which Smith argued that the proposed increase
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is modest compared to the existing fuel price fluctuations. I've
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traveled a lot and can see one station at two
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dollars and thirty cents a gallon, and within ten miles
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it's two dollars and seventy cents. He's stated, that's forty cents.
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I believe five cents to have to have good roads,
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not only reducing maintenance on our vehicles, but improving the
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value of our homes and land. It's worth looking at.
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Smith said he plans to release county by county projections
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in the coming weeks showing how much additional funding would
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be distributed if House Built three seventy is enacted. I
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file the bill to bring attention to the problem, Smith said,
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so when you're asking me for your road to be fixed,
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you will know that I am trying. Our next article
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is Whitley School Board Previews Draft twenty twenty six twenty
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seven budget honor students' achievements by Madison Nance correspondent. The
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Whitley County Board of Education received a first look at
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a draft twenty twenty six twenty seven district budget last
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Thursday night, with Superintendent John Siler cautioning that the key
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funding details remain uncertain until the state legislative session continues concludes.
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This is very much a draft budget. Siler's told the
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public there are certain things we cannot yet predict until
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we see what happens in Frankfort. Sailer emphasized that state
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per pupil funding levels and other legislative decisions could alter
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final revenue fits figures the preliminary spending plan, budgets for
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the purchase of new school buses continued dead obligations from
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buses purchased in twenty eighteen, and small construction projects across
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the district, including potential restroom renovations at the high school
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and middle school and minor remodels at the elementary school.
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Schools Seller said all proposed projects remained contingent on final
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state funding decisions, and that the board will revisit the
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budget once the legislative session ends and more precise funding
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figures become available. Board members also heard a presentation from
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White and Associates, the district's external auditing firm. Auditor Ardie
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White reported that the district received a clean audit for
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the twenty twenty four twenty five fiscal year with no
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findings at either the financial statement or federal program compliance levels,
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and commended the district's record keeping practices. The board went
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on to unanimously approve acceptance of a School Facilities Construction
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Commission offer of assistance in the amount of forty two thousand,
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six hundred eighty eight dollars in annual debt service. The
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funding is part of the district's long term facilities plan
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and can be combined with future offers to support building
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projects without increasing local tax obligations. Board members also approved
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renewal of the district's student accident insurance plan for the
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twenty twenty six twenty seven school year through Roberts Insurance
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at a cost of fifty seven thousand, seventy six dollars
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and seventy five cents. The plan provides secondary coverage for
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student injuries occurring at a school or during school activities.
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Members also authorized offering optional voluntary Accident Insurance to parents
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for additional coverage. The meeting additionally featured several student recognitions.
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Whitley County High School's FFA land Judging team was first
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honored for winning the state competition and will advance to
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compete at the national contest in Oklahoma City this spring.
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Students recognized included Logan Anderson, Justin Brown, Rayleigh Jackson, Evan Manning,
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Paisley McKitty, and Miah sorry Mia Pruitt. Following the FFA
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judging team's recognition the school, the district held a whitecoat
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ceremony for the Whitley County High School bio medical science
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students competing completing the program Pathway. Students recognized were Johnny Bowman,
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Jaden Broyles, Hailey Bunch, Macy Carr, Addison Comb's, Anna Crowley,
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Lindsay Elliott, Madison Hopkins, Noah King, Cally McQueen, Kia Mullins,
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Cassidy Mullins, and Carara parent Also honored was high school
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agriculture teacher Brian Pruitt as this month's Above and Beyond recipient.
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Prewit was recognized for his leadership of the FFA program
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and its students' high rates of industry certification and dual
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credit participation. The Whitley County Board of Education's next meeting
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will take place Tuesday, February seventeenth, f five pm due
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to the Kentucky Board's association at nial conference. Our next
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article is Whitley Fiscal Court tables budget amendment except Sheriff's
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excess fee by Macy Swafford. Whitley County Fiscal Court convened
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for its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, where magistrates addressed a
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budget amended ordinance, accepted the Whitley County Sheriff's partial excess fees,
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and approved the declaration of several items as surplus equipment.
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The meeting opened with a request for approval of the
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second reading of Ordnance twenty twenty five through eight, relating
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to budget Amendment number three. The courtenance had been tabled
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and was postponed due to staffing changes at the Department
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of Local Government and the county not yet receiving approval
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from the state Local Finance Officer. Usually that's not hard
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to get turned around, but from their staffing changes, occasionally
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we run into something like this, said Judge Executive Pat
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White Junior. A motion was made to table the ordinance
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without further discussion, which was approved by the court. Following
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approval of appropriation transfers and the payment of claims and
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pre made claims prepaid claims, the Court moved to other business,
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including acceptance of Whitley County Sheriff partial excess fees. Sheriff
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Bill Elliot was pre present at the meeting and presented
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White with a check in the amount of one hundred
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and fifty dollars. We really struggle may in June into
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June because that's when we have no income, but for
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the most part coming in, said Sheriff Elliot. According to KRS,
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excess fees are defined as fees and commissions that exceed
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the total salaries and expenses required by law to be
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paid by an office at the end. At the end
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of each calendar year, any remaining excess fees must be
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paid to the Fiscal Court. The sheriff and clerk have
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to start a new account every calendar year so no
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other money can cross over White, explained. Sheriff Elliott noted
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that his department is in great shape and credited the
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Fiscal Court for its continued support. Every decision we make
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would be what's best for our county. I have a
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great relationship with you guys, and I appreciate that, sheriff
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said Sheriff Elliott. The court voted unanimously to accept the
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excess fees and make the appropriate appropriation transfers and paid
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the claim back to the Sheriff's office. Later in the meeting,
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the magistrates approved a request to declare several items as surplus,
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including a tilt dual wheel trailer and multiple vehicles, and
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authorized advertisements for their sales. We had several pieces of
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equipment that have been sitting at the Road department for
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quite some time. Said why, we had a few people
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approach that they were interested in bidding on it. We
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have had quite a bit of interest in some of
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those things. Following the roll call vote, the motion was
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declared to declare the item surplus and authorize advertisements was
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voted was unanimously approved. Also on the agenda was a
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motion to accept the petition to adopt Lucky Lane into
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the county road system. The road falls within the fourth
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district Representative Major State Raleigh Meadows, who made the motion.
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The court approved the request unanimously. Our next article is
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Corbin Tourism receives a clean audit discussed as possible new initiatives.
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The Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission held a special Call
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of meeting Friday to review the Commission's fiscal year twenty
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twenty four to twenty five audit and to begin discussing
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potential tourism initiatives following the completion of its website rebrand.
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The auditor, who who conducted the financial year twenty four
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to twenty five audit, was scheduled to attend the meeting
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and present his findings, but was unable to do so
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while recovering from surgery. Commission members were informed that the
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auditor plans to attend the February meeting to provide a
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more detailed overview of the audit results. According to Tourism
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Director Emily Roberts, the audit reflected positively on the Commission's
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financial standing. There were no problems that impacted the financial statement,
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said Roberts. On the last page, he said that there
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were no deficiencies noted in the current years. The Commission
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also considered sponsorship request from Cumberland River Behavioral Health for
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its upcoming R and R five K, an event. The
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Commission supported last year. The five K, held in Williamsburg,
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raises funds for children's summer programs and for Refuse Ridge,
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an organization dedicated to wolf rescue in environmental education. The
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race is scheduled for May thirtieth at eight a m.
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With registration closing the day prior. Those interested in registring
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can find more information on the Cumberland River Behavioral Health
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Facebook page. The Commission voted unanimously to sponsor the event
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again in the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars.
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Looking ahead to future projects, Roberts shared several ideas aimed
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at increasing community engagement and promoting local attractions. One proposal
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involved creating a tourism passport program to encourage residents and
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visitors to explore Corbin. I know that quite a few
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other communities do that, where we could create almost a
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little like a booklet, and we would put in our
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attractions in our restaurants, things we want to highlight, said Roberts,
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and then they can come in take that and go
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to those locations and visit them. Somebody there signs off
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on it and their or scans it, and once they
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get so many stamps or signatures, we could give them
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a free swag item or something like that. Roberts also
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discussed the possibility of hosting tourism open house to invite
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residents and travelers into the tourism center. She noted that
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in October November November, several long time Corbyn residents visited
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the office simply to see what the building offered. The goal,
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Roberts said, would be to increase public awareness and education
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about tourism efforts in the city, while allowing the community
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to better understand how events and promotions are planned. I
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think that would be a cool little kickoff with our
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own with our rebrand toos, said Commissioner Sumner Jackson. The
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Commission is preparing for the official launch of its rebranded website,
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which is expected to roll out soon. In addition, members
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announced that Corbin Tourism has launched an official TikTok account
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to highlight local businesses and events throughout the city. Community.
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Members can follow the account under the name corbin Ky
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Tourism to stay up on date with upcoming promotions and announcements.
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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 at RADIOI, this is Janice, wishing
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you a very good day.