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Corbin Times-Tribune - 1.6.25 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of The Times Tribune
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for news in Carbon and Laurel, Whitney and Knox Counties.
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Your reader to day is Janet. As a reminder, Radioize
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a reading service for people who are blind or have
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other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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We'll begin with the edition dated December thirty, twenty twenty five.
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The first front page headline is missing Laurel tem located
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in Maryland. Arrest made by Macy Swafford staff writer. A
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thirteen year old Laurel County girl who had been missing
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for more than two months, was safely located Friday evening,
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the day after Christmas, in Silver Spring, Maryland. According to
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a Montgomery County Department of Police press release, Winter Wagoner
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was found inside a dale Wood Drive residence following a
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tip that led authorities to believe she may be in
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the area. Wagoner had been reported missing from her home
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in the Orlando community of Rockcastle County since October fourteen.
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Wagoner had been reported missing from her home in the
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Orlando community of Rockcastle County since October fourteen. The Montgomery
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County Department of Police, working in coordination with the US
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Marshal's Service arrested thirty seven year old Christian Alexander Delgado
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during the operation. Officers with the Montgomery County Police Departments
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Fourth District were dispatched to the residents at approximately five
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fifty two pm Friday, after receiving information about Wagoner's possible location.
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According to the release, officers and US Marshall's deputies located
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Delgado inside the home with Wagner. Del Gatto was taken
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into custody without incident, and Wagoner was transported to a
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nearby hospital for evaluation. The Rockcastle County Sheriff's Office later
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obtained an arrest warrant charging Delgado with kidnapping. He is
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currently being held in the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit,
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where he is awaiting extradition to Kentucky. Wagner, who had
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been staying in a Foster home at the time of
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her disappearance, was last seen on October fourteen around six
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point fifteen pm. Law enforcement officials confirmed she had been
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missing since that date, prompting an extensive search and investigation
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involving multiple agencies. Following the announcement of her safe recovery,
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the Laurel County Sheriff's office described the outcome as a
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moment of hope during the holiday season, stating that quote
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Christmas miracles do come true close quotes. No additional details
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regarding the circumstances of Wagner's disappearance or the ongoing investigation
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have been released at this time. The next front page
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headline is Corbyn Police investigate Forked Bank robbery by Macy
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Swafford staff writer. The Corbyon Police Department responded to a
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reported robbery at Forked Bank on Master Street on Friday morning,
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the day after Christmas. According to police, officers were notified
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of the incident at approximately ten am. Preliminary information indicated
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that a man entered the bank, jumped the counter and
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stole an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing the scene.
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Authorities stated that at this point in the investigation, it
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was not believed that a weapon was used during the robbery.
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Police also said there was no reason to believe the
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public was in any danger. The suspect was described as
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a blackmail in his forties, wearing all black clothing and
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lamb green tennis shoes. Detective Robbie Hodge with the Corbyn
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Police Department is leading the investigation into the incident. Knox
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County Sheriff Mike Smith also assisted at the scene. Anyone
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with information related to the robbery was asked to contact
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the Corbin Police Department at six oh six five two
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eight one one two two or submit tips through the
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department's text tip line at six oh six two one
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five six two three nine. All tips can be submitted anonymously.
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The next front page headline is Whitley County Clerk Carolyn
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Willis Talk's decision not to seek reelection by Macy Swofford.
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After nearly twenty six years of service in the Whitley
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County Clerk's office, County Clerk Carolyn Willis has announced she
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will not be seeking reelection in the upcoming year, the
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close of a career defined by public service, modernization efforts
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and strong community relationships. Willis was first appointed as interim
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Whitley County Clerk on December two, twenty nineteen, following the
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retirement of longtime Clerk k Schwartz. She officially assumed the
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elected role shortly thereafter, after previously serving twenty six years
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as a deputy clerk. Quote the decision to not run
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again for the Whitley County clerk's office was extremely difficult.
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Willis said, quote, I am deeply passionate about the people
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of this community and have truly enjoyed the time they
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have allowed me to serve them. I am honored to
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have been given this opportunity, and I cherish every relationship
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and encounter I have been fortunate enough to experience throughout
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my career. Close quotes. Willis said, stepping away from the
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office is bitter shuite, particularly because of the daily interactions
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she has shared with residents. Quote it saddens my heart
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to step away, and I will truly miss my daily
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interactions with the people of this county close quotes, she said.
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Reflecting on her time as clerk, Willis noted that the
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role has evolved significantly since she first took office, particularly
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in technology and election accessibility. Quote. Since I took office,
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we have been able to restore and digitize our land
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records history, provide more efficient customer service, and carry out
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secure elections. Willis said, quote, I was able to advocate
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for grant funding to upgrade our election equipment. These upgrades
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promoted Whitley County to becoming a voting center county. Voters
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now have much more convenient opportunities to vote close quotes.
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She added that continued advancements have also been made within
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the vehicle registration system quote, keeping data more accurately and
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precise close quotes. One of the most meaningful experiences of
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her career, Willis said, came during her initial campaign, which
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concluded with the COVID nineteen pandemic. Quote. The pandemic left
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devastating impacts in our community and changed our lives forever,
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and running a campaign during that time came with unique challenges,
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she said. Quote. Despite this, I was overwhelmed by the
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support and generosity I received from the residents of our
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county close quotes. Willis said the response she received after
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announcing her decision not to run again further reinforced the
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strong bond she feels with the community. Quote When I
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announced that I would not be running in twenty twenty six,
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an incredible number of people reached out with gratitude and congratulations,
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she said. Quote. Feeling that love and support from my
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community has always stood out to me the most close quotes.
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When asked how she would describe her relationship with the
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people of Whitley County, Willis emphasized the personal connections built
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over the years. She described that many of the acquaintances
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that she has met along the way felt more like
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family over the years, and serving in a small community
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allowed her to connect with people on a personal level.
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Quote the individuals in this area genuinely care for one
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another and are kind, honest, and hard working. Close quotes,
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she said. As she looks toward retirement, Willis offered advice
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to the next county clerk. Quote, First and foremost, remember
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that you are here to serve the county, she said. Quote.
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You are elected by the people to serve the people,
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and they should always be your top priority. Quote. The
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people of this county deserve the absolute best, and I
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encourage the next clerk to work diligently to provide that
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close quotes. She added. While Willis said retirement is appealing,
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leaving the role and the connections she has made along
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the way will not be easy. Quote Deciding not to
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run for reelection turned out to be far more difficult
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than I anticipated, she said. Quote. While retirement is exciting
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and appealing, leaving this position, and more importantly, the people
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of this community, will be challenging close quotes. In her
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closing remarks, Willis expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve
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Whitley County. Quote I am blessed beyond measure to have
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been given the opportunity to serve our county, and I
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am eternally grateful for the support I have received throughout
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my time in this role, she said. Quote. I pray
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continued blessings on our community and ongoing growth for the
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Whitley County Clerk's Office, as the people of this area
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truly deserve the absolute bestes. The next headline is arson
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assault cases included in Knox grand Jury report for December
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by Jane Slaven. The Knox County Grand Jury returned twenty
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eight indictments for the month of December. Grand jurors returned
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a multi count indictment December nineteen against Jerry Smith, forty five,
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of Gray. Smith has been charged with second degree arson,
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first degree wanton endangerment, and first degree criminal mischief in
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connection to a September twenty seven vehicle fire at a
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residence on Hazel Fork Road in Gray. The Knox County
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Sheriff's Office reported at the time that Deputy Thomas Martin
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responded and assisted the owner in extinguishing the fire by
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using water from a nearby mud puddle. During his investigation,
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according to k CSO, Deputy Martin learned that the victim
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was near the vehicle when Smith threw a container of
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gasoline on it and set it on fire. Court records
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indicated that Smith currently has an active warrant after failing
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to file a ten thousand dollars property bond as of
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December twenty three. Having pled not guilty at his arraignment,
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Smith is next scheduled to appear for a pre trial
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conference in Knox Circuit Court on January twenty three at
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nine thirty a m. Other indictments include Trayvon Zan Lloyd
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thirty seven of Jackson's first degree assault, jack Edward Leddington
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twenty six, second degree assault and fourth degree assault domestic
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violence minor injury, Jennifer Ann Smith thirty five of Barberville,
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third degree as scars alt of a police probation officer, menacing,
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first degree disorderly conduct, alcohol intoxication, first and second offense,
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second degree persistent felony offender. Justin Lee Percival thirty eight
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of Lexington, third degree assault, police probation officer resisting arrest,
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fourth degree assault, domestic violence, no visible injury, second degree
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criminal mischief, and first degree persistent felony offender. Luke Bray
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twenty nine of Girdler, second degree assault, domestic violence, Matthew
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Saylor thirty nine of Pineville, first degree fleeing or evading
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police motor vehicle, second degree fleeing or evading police on foot,
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four counts of first degree wanton endangerment, endangering the welfare
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of a minor, and first degree persistent felony offender. An
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indictment is an accusation of only and does not imply
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guilt or innocence. Persons are considered innocent until proven guilty
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under state and or federal law. Next from the opinion page,
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there's a guest commentary with this headline, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
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continues to waste money on single bid asphalt contracts. Since
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those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it,
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I suggest Kentucky's Department secretary Jim Gray read The Courier
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Journal's nineteen ninety four multi part series on the state's
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quote blacktop monopolies close quotes. The six month investigation reported
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by Tom Loftus and John Boscool found quote. The entire
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state funded resurfacing program is plagued by a lack of competition.
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Close quotes. Secretary Gray will recognize the names of the
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companies that benefitted decades ago from the spec vault bidding schemes.
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According to the latest research published by my organization Kentucky Free,
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many of those same highway contractors are still reaping the
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rewards from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's single bid contracts. Our
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research shows that during the first six months of twenty
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twenty five, the Transportation Cabinet awarded one hundred fifty million,
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four hundred seven thousand, nine hundred eighty two dollars in
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single bid asphalt contracts. Those awards translated to twelve million,
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seven hundred sixty five thousand, four hundred ten dollars in
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inflated project costs when compared to estimates based on competitive scenarios.
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Fifteen highway contractors secured single bid contracts from January to June. However,
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six companies reaped eighty seven percent of their dollar value.
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To be fair, some things have changed in the last
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thirty one years. Mountain Enterprises and Hinkel Contracting, once family owned,
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are now subsidiaries of c R. H Oldcastle, the largest
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building materials company in North America. Also, Hinkel is part
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of a joint venture with Nally and Gibson. Another player
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in the single bid asphalt game, Leonard Lawson, dubbed the
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King of the Rhodes by Loftus and Voscuel, died in
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twenty twenty two. Steve Lawson, his son, now sits atop
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a road paving conglomerate that includes Ats Construction, LM Enterprises,
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the Allen Company, Lexington Quarry, and Walker Construction. In the
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nineteen eighties, Leonard Lawson was an unindicted co conspirator in
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a federal bid rigging trial. As reported by the Courier
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Journal Loss and testified. Quote, he and another paving contractor
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agreed to cooperate on their bidding, splitting state jobs right
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down the middle close quotes. The days of contractors getting
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together in a room to divvy up territories are a
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thing of the past. However, a peer reviewed study published
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in twenty twenty and co authored by a University of
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Kentucky economists raised questions of quote tacit collusion close quotes
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by the state's asphalt industry. TACIT collusion refers to an
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implicit agreement among firms in an oligopolistic market to coordinate
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their pricing and output strategies. It can lead to higher
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prices and reduced competition as firms avoid competition that could
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harm their profits. It's revealed by patterns in bidding behavior
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over a long period of time. The twenty twenty study
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argued that quote stark evidence that lines might provide a
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focal point for collusive bidding can be seen in the
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Lexington Bluegrass market area close quotes. Last year, the General
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Assemblies Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee examined kytc's single bid
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asphalt awards from twenty eighteen to twenty twenty three. It
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found that quote bidding is generally more competitive in counties
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surrounding Jefferson County and in northern Kentucky. Counties in the
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Fayette County area have a high percentage of single bid contracts,
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even though multiple asphalt plants are in the region. Close quotes.
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I've been examining asphalt bidding for five years. A small
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number of companies clearly maintain local monopolies in central Kentucky,
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with rare exceptions. LM Asphalt Controls Fayette County, Lexington controls
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Jessmin and the Allen Company controls both Clark and Madison.
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Bourbon County is Hinkeles and Scott County is Nally and Gibson's.
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The Lawson owned companies don't bid into the crch Oldcastle counties,
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and the Crchldcastle companies don't bid into the laws in
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company's counties. LM Asphalt has won countless single bid projects
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in Laurel County, though none as eye popping as the
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one hundred forty seven million dollar contract for an interstate
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seventy five project announced last August. It defies logic that
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the Transportation Cabinet couldn't get another company to bid on
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such a big project. History isn't repeating itself. The same
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story has continued unabated for decades. Unfortunately, the results are
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the same today as they were in nineteen ninety four.
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The lack of competition way millions of the taxpayer's dollars
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every year. In twenty twenty one, I testified about this
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issue in front of the Interim Transportation Committee. Several legislators
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unloaded on me, trying to undermine my presentation with the
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industry's talking points those legislators should have taken two lessons
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away from that committee meeting. Lobbyists talking points aren't the
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same as facts, and an industry that tries to silence
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its critics probably has something to hide. Andrew McNeil is
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the president and Senior policy Fellow at the Kentucky Forum
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for Rights, Economics, and Education known as Kentucky Free. He
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served as the Deputy State Budget and Policy Director and
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Governor Matt Bevins administration. His email address is amcn eill
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at ky free dot org. Next an obituary, Mister Krit
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Edgar Moses, ninety three of Gray, passed away Sunday morning,
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December twenty one, twenty twenty five, at the University of
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Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. He was the son of
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the late Isaac and Carrie Smith Moses. Born July twelfth,
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nineteen thirty two in Harlan, Krit loved everything related to farming.
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He could often be found dressed in denim overalls, sitting
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in a field in his side by side admiring the
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cows grazing on the land he worked so very hard
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to maintain. In his younger years, Krit spent much of
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his time traveling the world while serving in the United
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States Air Force. During his military career, krit and his
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young family were stationed in many places, and he wouldn't
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move unless his family could join him. His placements included France, Germany, Fairbanks, Alaska,
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Fort Walton, Florida, and Georgia. He also spent the final
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two years of his career serving the United States Department
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of Defense at the Pentagon. Later in life, Krit and
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his son Kevin R. Established and co owned Moses Drilling Company,
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which they operated together beginning in nineteen eighty six. Throughout
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the later years of his life, Kritt made it a
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priority to care for those around him. There was never
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a day that passed without him providing and sacrificing for others.
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He loved his family and his farm more than anything,
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and was of the Baptist faith. He was also a
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past master and fifty plus year member of the Cumberland
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Valley Masonic Lodge Number seven five one. On January nineteenth,
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nineteen fifty three, he united in marriage with Rooney Faye Smith,
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and to this union three sons were born in addition
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to his parents. He was preceded in death by his
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wife Rooney, brother Bill Moses, and great grandson Bennett Moses.
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Survivors include his loving children Chris Moses and wife Mary, Kevin,
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Robert Moses and wife Karen, Marty Moses and wife Bryndia
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and adopted son Danny Patterson Moses, all of Gray. Sisters
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Carmelita known as carm Rose of Lexington and Jackie known
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as jap Cook of Lexington. Sister in law Margaret Moses
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of Harlan Cherished grandchildren Marcus, Moses, Crystal, Moses, Mackenzie Montgomery
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and husband Steve, Kevin A Moses and wife Laurie, Jamie
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Bingham and husband Shane, Benjamin Moses and wife Meredith, and
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Kicker Moses and wife Stephanie. Great grandchildren Gretchen Gray and
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husband Tyler, Mallory Harris and husband Ethan Hailey, Moses, Shelby Wyatt, Coleman,
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Moses and wife Abigail, Caitlin, Peyton and Bentley, Moses, Lexi
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and Riker, Moses, Emily and Hayden Bingham, Miles and Mia, Moses,
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Loewen and Bowen, Montgomery, Evan Gunner, Jordan and Jackson, Moses,
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Neemiah Taylor, Carney, Moses, Jamon, Moses and m Mazze Keen Lenny,
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great great grandchildren Cadence and Timberley Tuttle, Lincoln and Lauren Gray,
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and Lyndon Harris, special nephew Tony Irvin, among other relatives
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and dear friends. His funeral service will be conducted in
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the Chapel of the Knox Funeral Home Monday, December twenty
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nine at one pm, with Reverend Shane Bingham officiating. He
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will be laid to rest in the Johnson Cemetery. Casket
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bearers will be Tyler Gray, Ben Moses Peyton, Moses Coleman, Moses,
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Keith Johnson and Marcus Moses in leew of flowers. Donations
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may be made to Cumberland Valley Masonic Lodge Number seven
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fifty one in his memory. Arrangements are under the direction
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of the Knox Funeral Home. The next headline is Saint
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Joseph Health Welcomes Luke Robinson PAC to Cardiology Team. Saint
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Joseph Medical Group Cardiology welcomes Luke Robinson PAC to its
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London team. Robinson said he was inspired to pursue medicine
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because it allows him to combine problem solving with making
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a meaningful difference in people's lives. Medicine offers a unique
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opportunity to directly impact others by improving their health and
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well being while continuously learning and growing in a challenging field,
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said Robinson, quote I was drawn to cardiology because it
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offers the perfect blend of acute care, chronic disease management,
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and opportunities for impactful interventions. The complexity of cardiovascular physiology
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and the ability to make rapid, life saving decisions have
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always appealed to me. Close quotes. Robinson says his patient
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care philosophy centers around treating patients with compassion, respect, and
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a commitment to evidence based medicine. Quote. I believe in listening, actively,
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communicating clearly, and involving patients in their care decisions. Building
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trust and understanding each person's values and goals are essential
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to providing care that is not only effective, but also personalized.
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Close quotes He said. For Robinson, joining the Saint Joseph
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Health Team also means returning home. Quote It's incredibly rewarding
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to be able to give back to the community that
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helped shape who I am, he said. Quote. Being familiar
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with the local culture, values and challenges allows me to
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relate to patients on a more personal level and provide
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care that truly resonates. It's both an honor and a
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privilege to serve and support the health of the place
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I've always called home. Close quotes. This concludes the reading
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of the Times Tribune. Please stay tuned for continued programming.
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Thank you for joining me and on behalf of everyone
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here at RADIOI. This is Janet, wishing you a very
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good day.