Transcript

5.28.26 · Springfield Sun

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the Springfield Sun to bring you
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the news from in and around Washington County. Your reader
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today is Anne Glover, and we are reading from the
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edition dated Wednesday, May twenty seven, twenty twenty six. Top
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story local resident plunges car into Springfield reservoir. The story
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is by Jenna George Ashley Tunningly of Springfield went off
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the local Springfield Reservoir embankment, plunging her car into the water.
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This came after the thirty four year old Tunningly claimed
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to have attempted a right hand turn into the parking
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lot of Rotary Park at the reservoir when she had
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just come off of Booker Road from heading west. During
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this arrival to the parking area, Tunningly told Washington County
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Sheriff's deputies she lost consciousness for unknown reasons, sending her
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and her twenty fourteen Nissan Rogue into the lake. The
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vehicle's final position was twenty five feet from the water,
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yet submerging the suv up to the hood line and
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rendering the damage severe. Tunningly was extracted from her vehicle
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by the Washington County Fire Department and the rescue squad
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then evaluated by Washington County E M. S. During this time,
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she spoke to the members of the Sheriff's Department who
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were on the scene and said the last thing she
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remembers was turning into the parking lot and being pulled
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from her vehicle. Along with her evaluation by E. M. S,
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Tunningley went through different testings to see if there were
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any suspected drug or alcohol usage, to which none were found.
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A preliminary breath test PBT and also a field sobriety
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test were used to attempt to find the determining factors.
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Completed by Deputies John Spauding and Luke Mudd. The only
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restriction Tunningley had would be her corrective lenses surviving this accident.
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Tunningley refused transport for further evaluation, and that's the end
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of the story. Our next story from the front page
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Commander Academy holds twenty twenty six commencement. The Commander Academy
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held their annual commencement ceremony on Thursday, celebrating the twenty
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twenty six class of twelve and their achievements. Starting off
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the night, once the graduates had entered, the members of
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the Commander Academy team took their places on the podium.
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Speakers and ceremony participants included individuals such as Kyle Yankee,
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Chad Willis, Tiffany Ballard, Ty Ethington, and doctor Robin Cochrane.
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As the students sat adorned in their caps, they sat
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proud listening to each speaker and member of staff, though
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with their attention on the stage, many glances were had
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at the diplomas resting on the table upstage. Soon it
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was their time to receive these leather cases holding the
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paper reminder inside of the journeys they had taken to
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get there. The students then turned their tassels as doctor
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Cochrane spoke, ending the ceremony, before the group walked back
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off in their recessional. Following the ceremony, light refreshments were
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served to the students in their families. This time allowed
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for photos, conversations, and introductions and goodbyes shared over cake
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and soda. And that ends the story. Our next story
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from the front page, Willisburg Never Forgets City honors passed
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veterans with memorial service and a festival story is by
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Jane Reid Klein. Visit Willisburg on any given Saturday and
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you will find quiet streets and a friendly face or two.
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But visiting Willisburg on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend
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is a totally different story. Typically, on that Saturday, the
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streets are lined with vendors and food trucks and filled
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with people ready for a day of fun, food, live music,
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a parade, and a beautiful memorial ceremony at the cemetery.
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But Saturday May twenty third, twenty twenty six, was again
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a different story. The day began with light rain that
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subsided for the memorial ceremony, but picked up again before
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the other activities began. The pouring rain kept visitors and
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vendors away, but for those that braved the intermittent rain,
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the day remained fun. From the crowning of the Little
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Miss and Misters of Willisburg to the auctions and everything
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in between. The rainy day provided a full day of activities.
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Immediately following the Memorial service, a crowd gathered at the
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firehouse for the crowning of Little Miss and Mister Willisburg.
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The winners of the zero through three age group were
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Judith Jane Byrd and Brantley Cole England, and in the
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four to six age group, Norah Osbourne and Augusta Spaulding.
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The annual parade featured two Grand Marshals, Bulah Feye Chesser
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and Joe Carney. The parade was followed by another Willisburg
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Memorial Day staple, the crews Inn. Winning the trophy in
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the car show was Tanya Taylor of Mackville. Throughout the day,
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visitors had the opportunity to bid on a number of
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items in the silent auction that was set up inside
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the firehouse. Funds raised in silent auction helped support ongoing
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programs in Willisburg. Also, near the end of the festivities,
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the city holls of live auction of pies and cakes
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as a f fundraiser for the Crusade for children. I'm
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very happy with the way it turned out considering the
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bad weather we had, said Mayor Wanda Thompson. It was
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a long day, but we did better than I thought
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we might. All right. That ends the story. Our next
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story from the front page, New vehicles are coming to
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Emergency Services story is by Jenna George. New vehicles will
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be entering the county soon, alongside the circulation of money
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for insurance and other budgeted funds within the Court system,
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the emergency Management team will officially begin their journey to
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purchase a new twenty twenty six Dodge Ram pickup truck.
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This truck will be a four wheel drive with a
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crew cab, bringing the total to a little over forty
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two thousand dollars from Don Franklin. Another option which was
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looked at was a forty nine thousand dollars Chevrolet, but
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the six thousand dollars difference helped pull the Ram to
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the winning choice. Adding on to this truck will be
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a twenty thousand dollars package with an uplift, a roll
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out bed, a pushbar, lights, and even striping. In the
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budget for next year, the Court has allowed allotted sixty
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five thousand dollars for both the truck and the other additions.
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With the RAM and the other aspects, the total round
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total round up will be sixty three thousand dollars. The
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court gave their approval for this purchase and therefore the
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truck will be secured and held until the fiscal year
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turns over come July. As for the Sheriff's department previously
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totaled a Durango, the insurance money has finally come back
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around to the court. The total reimbursement for the vehicle
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is a tad over twenty six thousand, leaving them with
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the ability to purchase a brand new twenty twenty two
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dodged charger. This charger, while older in terms of years,
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has never been titled in the time it has been
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on the lot. Therefore, with this purchase, the warranty will
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start once the title is created, giving the department the
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extra safety buffer that they need. Also in the next
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fiscal year, the road paving budget has also been looked
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at ahead of time. Though the state is overall low
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on funding and some roads may not be approved, Judge
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Tim Graves is still looking into ways to get those
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roads repaired and fixed. The magistrates also made the decision
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to approve some money items which were on the agenda,
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including the insurance rates for the twenty twenty six twenty
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seven fiscal year, where they would pay the Calf KALF
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CALF premium of one hundred eighty five thousand dollars ninety
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eight thousand for workmen's comp and a little over forty
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one thousand for the health insurance. Gregor and Associates was
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approved as a third party administrator for the next fiscal
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year as well, where the rate is five dollars per
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employee per month with a minimum of fifty dollars and
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an annual fee of one hundred dollars. In addition, Magistrates
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approving the budget twenty twenty six O two Amendment iiO.
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This amendment was due to Washington County realising there were
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unbudgeted receipts in the General Fund, Road Fund, Jail Fund,
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Opioid Fund, and Clerk Storage Fund for the twenty five
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twenty six fiscal year, leading to the need of an
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increase of receipts by one million, one hundred thirteen thousand
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dollars to include these unbudgeted receipts. By the end of
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this first reading, the magistrates approved this amendment. The next
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Fiscal Court meeting is at nine a m. On June eighth,
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twenty twenty six. There ends the story. We have two obituaries.
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Donald Allen or Donnie Hamilton, seventy one of Harrisburg, formerly
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of Washington County, passed away on Wednesday, May twentieth at
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his residence. And Mary Ann Nally Rhinel, age sixty four,
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of Viola Lane, Springfield, passed away on Tuesday May nineteenth,
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at her residence. Our next story on page two, nominations
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in hand candidates looked toward the November general election. Truett
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faces Mud in November. The story is by Jane Reid Kleine.
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A Night with Few Surprises sets the stage for the
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November general election. As the polls closed last Tuesday, the
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results began flowing into the county Clerk's office. The most
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watched races in this primary for both parties was Kentucky's
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fourteenth District Senate. Two Democrats and seven Republicans sought their
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party's nominations to fill the seat being vacated by Senator
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Jimmy Higdon, who was retiring at the end of his term.
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Marion County is sure to be represented, as the winners
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of both parties across the five county district are Marion
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County residents. In November, Democrat Carry Truett will face off
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against Republican Ben Mudd for the position. Both one soundly.
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In their home county. Truett defeated her challenger, Malcolm Jones,
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six hundred ninety eight to two forty. In Washington County
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District wide, Truett one soundly six thousand, eight hundred eight
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votes to twenty four sixty nine. Mud dominated the Republican
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ticket in Marion County, but fell behind Stephen Carney in
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Washington County. In Washington County, Carney carried seven hundred seventy
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two votes, followed by Mud with four hundred sixteen, Dallas
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Robinson two nineteen, James Victory sixty seven, Lynn Shelbourne thirty five,
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Peggy Smith twenty three, and Brian Bayers thirteen. Across the district,
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Mud received four thousand, one hundred twenty two votes, followed
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by Robinson with three thousand, seven hundred fifty nine, Victory
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with two thousand eighty eight, Carney fifteen seventy six, Shelbourne
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thirteen ninety, Bayers four hundred fifty two, and Smith with
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three hundred sixty eight. Higden endorsed Mud late in the race,
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and many believe that had an impact on the ballot box.
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Another highly contested race in this primary was for the U. S.
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Senate seat being vacated by Mitch McConnell, who was also
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retiring at the end of his term. On the Republican ballot,
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the two top contenders were Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron.
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Nate Morris had been a front runner, but withdrew from
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the race following President Donald Trump's endorsement of Barr. Across
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the state, Bar drew sixty point five percent of the
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votes with two hundred eighty three thousand. Cameron received thirty
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point eight percent with over one hundred forty four thousand.
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The voting by Washington County Republicans was much closer, with
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Barr receiving seven hundred sixteen votes and Cameron garnering six
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hundred sixty two. Democrats in Washington County did not follow
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the state numbers in this race. In Washington County, Amy
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McGrath won four hundred forty one to Charles Booker's three
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hundred forty eight. Although securing Washington County, mc grath could
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not do the same state wide. Booker won the nomination
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with one hundred fifty five thousand votes two mc grath's
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one hundred nineteen thousand. Booker and Barr will face off
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in November. In the local races, District one magistrate, incumbent
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Dallas Lewis secured a solid victory over his opponents. Lewis
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received sixty eight percent of votes with two hundred thirty one.
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He was followed by Mike Jones with seventy five and
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Devon Hood with thirty three. District two is an open
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magistrate seat, with Steve Divine opting not to run for
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another term. Justin Hatchett secured the victory with two hundred
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sixty one votes to Charles Hagen's sixty. District four is
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also an open magistrate seat, which now belongs to Ronnie Huntsberger,
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who defeated Richie Hamilton one hundred thirty six to fifty five.
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An upset in District five as newcomer John Viz defeated
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incumbent Matt Medley in a very close one hundred four
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to hundred and two tally. Lewis and Huntsberger are unopposed
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in November. Hatchett will face Donnie Baker in the fall,
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and vice will face Billy Reiney Junior. Being unopposed in
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November is not a guarantee of winning the seat, although
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unlikely someone could mount a successful write in campaign. On
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page three nine, w CHS students earn associate degrees before graduation.
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Washington County High School seniors Ashton Baker, Kaylee Gabhart, Hailey, Kelty,
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Kaylee Lewis, Jacob Pietzki, John Tate Smith, and Taylor Worthington,
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and juniors Madeline Macken and Caden Lewis have E each
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graduated from Elizabethtown Community Technical College, earning associate degrees just
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days before they were set to receive their high school diplomas.
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The students were able to take college courses during their
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high school career and received their degrees at e ctc's
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May graduation that occurred last week. Ashton Baker, who earned
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an Associate of Arts, says getting the degree was kind
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of an accident. I love learning and curiosity, she said.
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I first began taking classes to have a more structured
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version of independent study. I just kept getting more courses
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until I eventually goes too close not to get my
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associate degree. She admits it was difficult to juggle it
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all and says when she is Stan's College in the fall,
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she plans to have a lighter class load. She plans
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to attend the University of Kentucky to study history and sociology.
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Ashton is the daughter of Jody and Tara Baker. Kayleie Gabhard,
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who earned an Associate of Science, said she wanted to
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get a jump start on college and challenge herself. As
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a student at e c TC, she took lots of
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biology and science courses, focusing on those that fit her
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career pathway in animal and veterinary science. It got very
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stressful at times, with normal in school classes, dual credit
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and extra college classes, and night and working most days
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after school and weekend, she said, but overall it was
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nothing that I couldn't handle. She plans to attend the
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University of Kentucky to study animal science and then attend
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Auburn University to earn a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Cayley
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is the daughter of Brian and Terry Gabhart. Hailey Kelty
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earned an Associate of Arts and said she wanted to
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try and get ahead of her plans for the future
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while she took her basic courses. She also said she
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tried to focus on psychology related courses. It gets tough sometimes,
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but I always tried to write everything out and plan
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that it would end up being successful. She said. She
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plans to attend Campbellsville University and major in social work.
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Hailey is the daughter of Ryan Kelty Kylie Lewis, who
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also received an Associate of Arts from e. C TC
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says she took her basic courses along with a few
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psychology and criminal justice classes, and said she wanted to
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be ahead when she starts college and also start her
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career sooner. It got very overwhelming at times, but just
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knowing that I would be ahead kept me motivated. She said.
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She plans to attend the University of Kentucky to study
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criminal psychology. She is the daughter of Dallas and Leanne Lewis.
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Jacob Piasecki says he took mainly the basic courses as
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well as several advanced placement classes that he found interesting,
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including environmental science and astronomy. I wanted to challenge myself
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as I could to prepare for college, he said. Earning
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an Associate of Arts, Piasecki says the workload was definitely
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more rigorous than typical high school classes and required more
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of his time and dedication, but it was fairly manageable
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with time management. Piasecki attended the university the Kentucky Governor's
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Scholars Program this summer before his senior year. Piosechi has
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been accepted into Columbia University, an Ivy League university in
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New York City, where he will major in sustainable development.
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He is the son of Joseph and Laura Piasecki. John
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Tate Smith, who also earned an Associate of Arts, said
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it was a goal of his to obtain an associate
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degree while in high school. While pursuing my associate, the
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workload was not easy, he said. A lot of my
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classes were conducted online, working on my own as I
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paced through the assignments. It was a little challenge at
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times to not have the professor write in front of
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you to ask questions, but I quickly learned to stay
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in touch and communicate often to ensure all the assignments
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were getting completed correctly and accurately. Smith plans to attend
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the University of Kentucky in the fall and major in
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civil engineering. John Tait is the son of Wesley and
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Abbey Smith. Taylor Worthington earned both an Associate of Arts
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and Associate of Science from ECTC. My goal has been
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to build a strong foundation for a future career in
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the health sciences, so I took courses that prepared me
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for the path while also challenging me academically. He said.
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Earning two associate degrees while still in high school was
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definitely a push for me to grow both as a
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student and as a person. The workload was very intense
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at time, balancing high school classes and college coursework, assignments, exams,
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and extracurricular responsibilities. Acquired a lot of discipline, time management,
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and sacrifice at w c HS. He also earned national
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certification in phlebotomy through the district's partnership with Marion County
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Area Technic Technology Center at e CTC. Who was a
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member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He plans
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to attend the University of Kentucky to study health science
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and pursue a career as a physical therapist. My long
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term goal is to earn my doctorate and physical therapy,
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he says. I want to help people recover, regain independence,
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and improve their quality of life, making a positive difference
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in others lives every day. Taylor is the son of
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Adam and Angela Worthington. Madeline Mackin, a junior, earned an
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Associate of Arts from ECTC. I decided to work toward
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this degree to challenge myself and get ahead on my
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education and to take advantage of the opportunity to earn
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college credit while saving money, she sas said This schedule
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required strong time management, as many assignment deadlines often overlapped.
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Madeleine took courses not only through e c TC, but
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also through Kentucky State University and Murray State. Adjusting to
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the different expectations of multiple universities and professors was a
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major challenge, but it helped me become adaptable, organized, and
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prepared for future academic success. When she finishes high school,
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she plans to further her education at the University of
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Kentucky and go into dentistry. She is the daughter of
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Jeremy and Kim Mackin. Cayden Lewis, also a junior, earned
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an Associate of Arts at e CTC. I took classes
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based on what I would need for my degree. I
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want to be a speech language pathologist for nice U,
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she said. The workload was the right amount. At times
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I thought it would never end, but I looked at
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the bright side and continued working for what I wanted.
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Cayden is the daughter of nicole Ma Maupin and Matthew Lewis.
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All right, the story does continue, but we will move
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to something else. On the sports page, we have information
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on the Class one A Region two meet. This is
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cross Country. I believe yes, and then Commanders fall to
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Cardinals in district tournament. Gonzalez signs with Midway University. Talent
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compete in two events at a state meet, and Washington
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County Little League Softball All Stars are announced. I'm going
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to start with Gonzalez who is signing at Midway. Washington
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County senior Ariana Gonzalez is headed to the next level.
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Gonzalez signed with the Midway University softball program during a
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ceremony held in the Washington County High School Library on Friday,
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May twenty second. A standout student athlete, Gonzales helped to
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lead Washington County throughout her high school softball career. As
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a senior, Gonzales, a left fielder, batted five forty seven
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with forty seven hits, thirty RBIs, nine doubles, two triples,
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three home runs, fifteen walks, and forty four runs. Gonzales
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was among the leaders for Washington County nineteenth District, fifth
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Region in the twenty twenty six high school softball season,
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helping the Command Drets compile a fourteen and fourteen record.
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Midway University competes in the River States Conference and then
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Talent competes in two events at state meet. Washington County
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Junior Hunter Talent competed in two events during the KHSAAA
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Class one Track and Field State Championship presented by UK
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Healthcare at the University of Kentucky Trek and Field Complex
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on Thursday, May twenty first talent, who is excelled for
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Washingtonington County throughout his high school track and field career,
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competes in both boys one hundred and ten meter hurdles
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and the Boys three hundred meter hurdles during the kh
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SAA Class ONEA Track and Field Championship. This was presented
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by UK Healthcare. The Washington County Junior notched two top
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twenty finishes. A versatile athlete who has thrived in multiple
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events for the Commanders talent will be carrying momentum into
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his senior year. Talents results from the KHSAA Class one
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Track and Field State Championship presented by UK Healthcare follow
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Boys one hundred and ten meter hurdles eighteenth Hunter Talent
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at seventeen point nine zero and then Boys three hundred
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meter hurdles sixteenth Hunter Talent forty six point two five.
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Next Commanders fall to the Cardinals in district tournament Bardstown.
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Nelson County prevented Washington County from advancing in the postseason,
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defeating the Commanders nine to five during the semi finals
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of the nineteenth District Baseball Tournament on Monday, May eighteenth.
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Washington County, the visiting team in the postseason mash up matchup,
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scored first and owned multiple leads. The Commanders pushed across
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three runs during the top half of the third inning.
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Washington County led four zero midway through the game, but
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couldn't limit Nelson County. Thriving late in the game, Nelson
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County scored nine runs over its last three at bats.
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The loss eliminated Washington County from the nineteenth District Baseball Tournament.
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Washington County exited the twenty twenty sixth high school baseball
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season with an eleven and nineteen record. Trenton Gaggle started
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on the mound for Nelson County and earned the win.
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Gaggle pitched three and two thirds innings and recorded five strikeouts.
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Following Gaggle, Tray Sparrow and Austin Baylog each made relief
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appearances for the Cardinals. Sparrow pitched two and a third
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innings logged in three strikeouts. In another relief effort for
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Nelson County, Baylog worked one inning from the mound and
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struck out one Washington County batter. Story does continue, but
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we are out of time. This concludes excerpts from the
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recent edition of the Springfield Sun. Your reader has been
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Ann Glover on behalf of everyone here at radio. I
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thank you for listening, Keep on listening, and have a
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great day.