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Corbin Times-Tribune - 3.3.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the reading of the Times tribute
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for news in Corbin, Laurel, Whitley and Knox Counties. The
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reader today is Janice. As a reminder, Radio I as
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the Reading Service Intendent 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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Will begin with the addition that the e Audition dated
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Thursday February twenty six, two thousand, twenty six Corbn Commissioners
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recognized Cees cheer team approved zoning amendment by Macy Swafford.
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The Corbin Board of Commissioners met in a regular session,
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opening the meeting with a special recognition of the twenty
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twenty five twenty six Corbyn Elementary School cheerleading team after
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the squad captured the Kapos a large elementary state championship.
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The title marked the first in a program history and
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came in just came in just the team's second year.
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You've got eleven returning girls, seventeen brand new girls, and
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you brought home the goal. Fifteen teams and all you
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had to do is compete against the Mayor Susy Rasmus
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during the recognition, and you all brought home the goal
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for Corbin and I am so extremely excited. Mayor Rasmus
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invited each cheerleader to the front of the room for
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a group photo. The team was then presented with a
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Corben Colonel acknowledging them for their accomplishment on behalf of
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the Corbyn Commissioners. Following the recognition, commissioners address a zoning
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map amendment of pardon me recommended by the Corbin Planning
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and Zoning Commission for property located at seven o six
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Mainer Street. Before action was taken. Attorney Henry Grady wh
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Grady and Associates spoke on behalf of applicants Dr Christopher
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Stokes and Catherine Stokes, who requesting the Commission delay approval attend.
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I attended the Planning Commission meeting in December and I
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have been waiting to receive the minutes for the findings
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of fact regarding that matter, and I have never received them,
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said Grady. Grady further argued that the resolution signed by
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the Planning Commission Chair had not been formally approved by
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the full Commission and stated he had not been provided
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the findings of fact despite multiple requests. Samuel Davis' attorney
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for the Corbin Planning and Zoning commission on the matter
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responded that the City Commission's role was limited to accepting
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or rejecting the recommendation. We're just here to approve or
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disapproved this thing. Procedures have been followed up. This is
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not the forum to argue that the procedure was wrong,
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said Davis. If they got a problem with that, file
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the lawsuit and get it going. But we're only here
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for one thing, statutorially to do is to accept or
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reject the recommendation from the Planning Committee. Commissioners unanimously voted
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to approve the zoning map amendment. Commissioners also approved six
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promotions within the Corbon Police Department at the request of
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the police Chief, Rusty Hedrick. Promotions included Chris Brown and
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Robbie Hodge to the rank of corporal, Brad pruittt Lonnie
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Sawyers and Will Pardoner and Will Stewart to sergeant, and
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Jeff Hill to lieutenant. An additional action, commissioners appointed Holly
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Lawson of the fair Fell End to the city's Tourism Board,
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filing the seat that will soon be vacated by Ish Patel.
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The board also unanimously approved a request for a fiscal
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year twenty twenty seven Appropriations Committee project funding to support
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an additional entry and exit point at the Corbin Arena.
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Following discussion at prior meetings regarding traffic flow and safety concerns.
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During the city manager's report, Scott Williamson requested authorization for
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himself and may Erasmus to sign a contract with the
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Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regarding traffic signals changes at Laurel Avenue
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and roy Kidd Avenue, as well as improvements at the
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Depost Street and roy Kidd Avenue intersection. What the state
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will do is to take the light out and there
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will be a sign that will say that We'll say
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we are studying this for forty five days, said Williamson,
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and they'll leave a flashing light. After forty five days,
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they'll take the light completely out at Laurel and roy
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Kidd and it will be a four way stop. Commissioners
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unanimously approved the request, along with a twenty six thousand
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dollars expenditure for a U traffic signal at the Depostry
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in Roy Kidd Avenue intersection. The next article is Corbin
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School Board highlights students legislative concerns by Macy Swafford. The
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recognition of students, staff, and school performance was a central
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focus of the regularly held Corbin Board of Education meeting
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last week. Superintendent Travis Wilder opened the meeting by welcoming
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Corbin Elementary student Nate Baker, who led the Pledge of
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allegiance following approval of the agenda, while their recognized coordinators
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and staff with the district Family Resource and Youth Service Centers.
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District officials praised the Family Resource and Youth Service Center
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staff for supporting academically at risk students and by helping
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remove barriers to learning, noting that Kentucky's Family Resource Youth
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Service Center program is the largest full service family support
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initiative in the country, serving more than one thy two
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hundred schools statewide, including all seven schools within the Corbon
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Independent School District. Corbin Elementary School Principal Liberty Roberts then
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presented a report highlighting new initiatives and students accomplishments at cees.
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Roberts outlined instructional efforts such as Redhounds Communicate, which focuses
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on student discussion, evidence based reasoning, and respect for differing perspectives,
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along with Redhound's research, which connects foundational science knowledge to
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hands on research and data analysis. She also emphasized leadership
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developments centered on service, school culture and here in recognition,
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Roberts recognized student leaders and athletes during cross country runners
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Rhys Coddle and Raylen Mick, who helped lead the school's
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fourth grade and under team to a sixth place finish
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at the state level, both earning all state honors. Leadership
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team members Pacps Blair Terrell, Elijah Jones, and Nate Baker
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were also recognized. There are so many reasons to get involved,
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and we have seen by students doing that it truly
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changes them as students and as people, Roberts said. Students
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also showcase their involvement through the Redhound project. A student
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produced new style presentation highlighting athletic achievements and school law accomplishments.
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Following the presentation, principles from each school in the district
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shared results from the Kentucky Working Conditions Impact surveyvating strong
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overall feedback while also identifying areas for continued improvement. To
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close the meeting, Wilder provided a legislative update outlining funding
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concerns the district is monitoring during the current by eneum,
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including the potential effects of House Bill five hundred, Wilder
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said the district continues to advocate for increased SEEK funds,
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explaining that the flat funding levels effectively function as a
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reduction amid rising cross He also expressed concern over proposed
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transportation funding cuts, noting districts are already required to absorb
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significant transportation expenses, while the cost of a single school
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bus can exceed two hundred thousand dollars. Wylder said a
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House Bill five hundred could increase employee insurance premiums and
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reduce Tier one funding support, potentially affecting non certified staffs
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such as bus driver, cooks and custodians. Those folks are
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already paying exorbitant premiums for their insurance, and we fear
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that that will limit our workforce, Wilder said, adding that
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the proposed Tier one funding shift is a waterfall that
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we see as far as funding issues. Wilder encouraged community
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members to contact local legislators in support a full education
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and employee benefit fundings, emphasizing the district's advocacy efforts in
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Frankfort Our new article is corb man accident dies at
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Firestone by Macy Slougher, Williamsburg, a CORBA man dies following
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the workplace accident last Friday at the Firestone plant in Williamsburg,
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according to a report from WKYT. According to the report,
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Whitley County Corner Andy Crowley identified the victim as fifty
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one year old Hank Kenson. Wimsburg Police were called to
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the Firestone air Ride Short facilities shortly before from the
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eleven am Wednesday, February eighteenth, after reports of an industrial
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accident on the warehouse side of the plant. According to police,
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Henson was operating the piece of equipment when there was
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an accident with the standing rack. He was pronounced dead
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at the scene. In response to the accident, Bridgestone, the
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parent company of Firestone air Ride Plant, released the following
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statement about what happened. According to WKYT, at Bridgestone, the
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well being and safety of our employees, contractors and visitors
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is our most important behind you, we can confirm one
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of our Williamsburg, Kentucky Firestone air Ride employees passed away.
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Our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends. We
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are investigating the incident. Bridgetone offers employee assistance program EAP
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services to employees and contractors. The statement read in the report.
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Willimsburg Police in Whitley County Corner's Office continued investigating the
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circumstances surrounding the incident. Henson was laid to rest. His
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obituary can be found on the left side of this
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newspaper page. Our next article is Knox County woman sentence
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for production of child pornography. Times Tribune staff report, London.
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A Barbaraville woman was sentenced last week by US District
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Judge Robert Wyer to twenty five years in prison for
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the production of child of pnography. Raving Chanelle Broughton Jones,
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thirty one, was sentenced Thursday, according to a release from
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the U. S Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
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According to her plea agreement on January fifth, twenty twenty four,
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Broughton Jones used a minor victim to engage in sexual
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explicit conduct, which Broughton Jones herself to dissipated in for
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the purpose of producing the visual deception of the conduct.
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Under federal law, Broughton Jones must serve eighty five percent
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of our prison sentence upon her release from prison. She
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will be under the supervision of the US Probation Office
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for ten years. Paul mccafee, First Assistant United States Attorney
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for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Colin Jackson, Acting Special
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Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security INVESTIGATORSSI,
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and Chief Greg Lucas Barberville Police Department jointly announced the conviction.
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The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Barberville Police Department.
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Assistant US Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on
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behalf of the United States. The US Attorney's Office prosecuted
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the federal case as part of a Project's Safe Childhood,
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a nationwide initiative Haunston two thousand and six by the
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Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child
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sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by US Attorney Offices and
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Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section CEOs, Projects Safe
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Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend,
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and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as
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well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information
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about Project Safe Childhood, please visit ww dot project Safe
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Childhood dot god. Our next article is KCEOC shelter to
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expand a mid rising homelessness by Madison Zance Corbyn. The
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Corbyn Rotary Club heard an update Thursday on expanding shelter
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services in the region, as Jesse Montgomery with KCEOC Community
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Action Partnership sharing how the organization is responding to growing
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homelessness across the area. Speaking during the club's noon meeting
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that David Steakhouse, Montgomery said the kc EOC Kentucky Community's
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Economic Opportunity Council is expanding one of its emergency shelters
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due to sustained fine demand. The homelessness has been such
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a growing issue that our shelter stays full, she said,
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all the surrounding shelters stay full. Kc EOC currently operates
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two shelters. The facility loaded at Main Street office in
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Gray's House twenty houses twenty three bands and will gain
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seven additional bands through the expansion, bringing its total capacity
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to thirty. The organizations second shelter operates with seventeen bands.
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Montgomery said both facilities routinely remain at capacity as housing
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instability continues to rise. The grave expansion is supported in
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part by several grants, including the five million dollar grant
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over five years from the Jeff Bezos Day One Family's Fund.
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Montgomery said the additional space will be handicapped accessible and
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help meet immediate needs while the organization focuses on long
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term stability for its clients. And there is a picture
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of this woman and it says that. Founded in nineteen
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sixty four, KCEOC primarily serves individuals and families living in poverty.
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The agency is largely federally funded, with programs supported through
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agencies such as USDA, HUD and Headstart Services, SPAN, Early
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childhood Education, Senior citizen Programming, workforce development, and housing housing Assistance. Huntgum,
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who has been with the organization for about six years,
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works and areas including grants, federal compliance, program development and fundraising.
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A graduate of the University of Cumberlands with degrees in
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Human services and business administration, she said the agency's mission
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is rooted in addressing poverty. At its core, our main
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mission is to alleviate poverty. Ontgomery stated, we fight the
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war on poverty every day in one form. In one
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of its forms, if they need food, we get them food.
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If they need shelter, we get them shelter. If they're
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out of that emergency situation but need career growth, case management,
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or somebody to navigate where to go next, we provide
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that too. In addition to emergency shelter, case EOC provides
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rapid rehousing and extended case management services that can last
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up to four or five days. Those services may include parenting,
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class budgeting assistance, financial literacy education, job training, and even
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weather orization to help reduce utility costs. When you lower
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their cost of living, they're able to stay self sufficient longer,
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she said. Montgomery emphasized that the organization goal is not
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a simply short term fix. We are trying to break
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that chain, not just band aid on the issue when
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it's first there, she said. KCEOC also offers homeless prevention
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services for individuals facing eviction or sudden job loss, as
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well as outreach teams who visit known encampments to connect
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individuals with available resources. Beyond housing services, KCEOC operates programs
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in multiple counties, including headst arts centers and senior citizen services.
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Its main office is located at fifty four or forty
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eight North US twenty five East in Gray with the
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workforce at four hundred and sixty four Court Street, Court Apartment,
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Court Square and Barberville, and programs reaching up to twenty
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counties through both ongoing and seasonal funding streams. To learn
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more about the organization, visit KCEOC dot org. The Corbyn
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Rotary Club meets at twelve noon each Thursday at David Steakhouse.
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The next speaker on Thursday, February twenty sixth will it
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be Jennifer Baker. Our next article is Williamsburg man indicted
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in December assault case by Macy Swafford, Whitley County. A
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Williamsburg man has been indicted on two flamy charges following
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a December arrest. Austin J. White, thirty, was indicted Thursday
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by Whitley County Grand Jury in relation to an incident
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alleged to have occurred on December seventh in Whitley County.
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White had been arrested following an assault with a baseball
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bat the other individual with severe head injury, according to
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Whitley County Sheriff's Office WCS. Whitley County Sheriff's Office said
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that the deputy, Heather Lindsey, was dispatched at approximately ten
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forty six am on December seventh, to a residence on
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Maple Creek Road in reference to the report of a
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serious physical injury. Upon arrival, Deputy Lindsay and Williamsboro Police
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Officer Bobby Freeman located the victim, who was later airlifted
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to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment of
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head injuries sustained during this assault. During the initial investigation,
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Deputy Lindsay Officer Freeman learned the suspect had fled the
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scene before EMS an additional law enforcement arrived. The Whitley
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County Sheriff's Office. Deputy Tony Deingis later located White's vehicle,
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traveling on US twenty five near the Kentucky Tennessee state line,
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detained the man, who was then taken into custody without incident.
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White was initially charged the second degree assault in second
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degree burglary. His indictment last week charges him with second
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degree assault and first degree burglary. Deputy Lindsay led the
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investigation with the assistants at the scene from Whitley County
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EMS and officer Freeman. An indictment is a formal charge
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that does not imply guilt or innocence. All defendants are
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presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court
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of law. Our next article is Silace House name as
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twenty twenty six inductee into Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame
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by Macy Swofford Lexington. Silace House, one of Kentucky's most
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celebrated contemporary writers, has been named a twenty twenty six
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inductee into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame. A native
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of Laurel County, Houses originally from Lilly Community, and has
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built a national reputation for fiction readed in Appalachian life, culture,
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and identity. He previously served as Kentucky's poet Laureed and
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is a New York Times bestselling novelist whose work has
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been widely praised for its literary craft and social revealence.
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In addition to his well known novels, House has recently
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expanded into new literary territory with the release of two
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books in genres new to his career, a collection of
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poetry and a mystery novel, further showcasing his range as
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a writer. House will be formally inducted into a public
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ceremony set for seven p m. March thirtieth at the
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Kentucky Has Apartment at the historic Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington.
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He is among four living writers to be honored in
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the twenty twenty six class, which also includes Debbie Louel, Harrison,
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Marsha Thornton Jones, Frederick Smock and Jeff Worley. The event
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is free and open to the public. Our next article
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is Corbin Tourism Approves in ICEEU donation. Here's audit and
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financial reports by Macy Swaffords Corbyn. The Corbin Tourism and
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Convention Commission held a special called meeting Thursday, during which
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members heard a presentation on the Baptist Health Corbyn Neonatal
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Intensive Care Unit in Ice. You received the fiscal year
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of twenty twenty four to twenty five audit report and
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reviewed the Commissioner's monthly financial report. Maddest Health Corbyn Director
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of Philanthropy Ryan Yotha and NCU NICU Director Melissa Barnett
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were present to update the board on the ongoing in
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expansion projects and to outline the progress that has been
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made within the department since its establishment a few years ago.
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I don't think it's any secret at this point, but
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we've got a lot of things going on at the hospital.
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If you go up there now putting up steel and
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it's actually coming together, Yother said well, discussing construction on
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the new hospital land. Our plans now is the CCU
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Critical Care Unit will move into the expansion and with
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that we will have an area that we will be
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transforming our NICU. In addition to his role as director
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of Philanthropy, Yother also serves as director of the Baptist
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Health Corbyn Foundation. He explained how the foundation provides support
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for families to faties and admit it to the ICU.
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Among the resources offered our car seats for others who
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are unable to be discharged without one. The foundation has
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also funded the renovations to two NICU rooms, allowing parents
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to stay overnight with their infant during treatment. With these changes,
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we're really going out into the community sharing what we
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have and if there are any organizations who want to
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partner alongside with us and kind of help us make
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this happen. Yo Thir said Barney have provided insight to
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the day to day operations of the NICU, noting that
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the unit currently serves infants born at thirty two weeks gestation,
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and later she said the goal following the move into
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the news space is to maintain a ten bed unit,
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and that's what the CCU currently is, and so we
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will stay within our ten beds, but we hope to
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be advanced to Level two or three NICU so that
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we can keep babies there a little longer, a little
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that are a little younger and a little sicker, and
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provide more services here than what we can now, Barnett said.
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Following the presentation and discussion regarding opportunities to further invest
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in community healthcare, the Commissioner also approved two donations to
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support the NICU. A motion was unanimously approved for one
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thousand dollars annual membership in the Baptist Health's President Circle
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and Tourism Director Emily Roberts. The board also approved a separate,
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one time ten thousand dollars donation to the NICU on
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behalf of the Tourism commission aubitor Tom Campbell employed associates
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who attended the meeting to present the full fiscal year
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twenty twenty four to twenty five audit, which had been
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only briefly reviewed at the previous meetings. Due to Campbell's
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being unable to attend. Campbell reported that Cordon Tourism received
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a clean unmodified opinion, the highest possible audit rating. He
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further noted that the Commission ended the year with an
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increased fund balance, bringing in more revenue than expenditures, and
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that no recommendations were made due to the absence of
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any issues. Our next article as Advent Health celebrates ribbon
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cutting of Daniel Boone Clinic in Barberville, Families in Barberville
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now have a renewed connection to the care they know
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and trust. On Friday, February thirteenth, community leaders, clinic providers,
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team members, and guests gathered to celebrate the official opening
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of Advent Health Daniel Boone Clinic, making a new chapter
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of a whole person primary care close to home. Formerly
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Daniel Boone Family Healthcare, the clinic now operates as Advent
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Daniel Boone Clinic. Patients will continue seeing the same community
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providers and care teams, now supported by the resources and
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faith based mission of Advent Health, a health system dedicated
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to caring for the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.
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The clinic offers comprehensive primary care services designed to perform
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support individuals and families at every stage of life, from
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preventive visits to ongoing health management. The focus remains simple
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and personal, helping neighbors feel seen and supported well. Openings
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like this are about more than a building, said Nick Bajarno,
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President and CEO of advent Health Manchester. They're about families
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having access to care close to home and neighbors being
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known and cared for as a whole group. We're honored
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to be welcome into the Barberville community and looking forward
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to walk walking alongside our neighbors on their journey to health.
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This concludes the reading of the Time Tribune. Please stay
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tuned for continued programming. Thank you for joining me and
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on behalf of everyone here at Radio Aile. This is
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Janice wishing you a very good day.