Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Corbin Times Tribune - 9.15.26

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Corbin Times Tribune - 9.15.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Times Tribune
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: for Corbin, Laurel, Whitley, and Knox Counties. Your reader today
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: is Janice. As a reminder, Radio Eye is a reading
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  Speaker 1: service intended for people who are blind or have other
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material. We'll
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  Speaker 1: begin with the e-edition, dated Thursday, September 10, 2026. Our
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  Speaker 1: first article is Corbin. Cosplay, Culture, and Community. Corbin Conn
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Marks First Event at Corbin Arena by Sudie K. Wilson. Corbin.
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: Corbin Conn held its first convention inside the Corbin Arena
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  Speaker 1: on Saturday, marking a major milestone for the five-year event
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  Speaker 1: and its organizers. Organizers Tanya Woods said she sees the
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: arena becoming Corbin's Conn permanent home. The arena has always
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: been the goal, and I am so proud we've reached it,
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Wood said, describing the moment as a major achievement for
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  Speaker 1: everyone involved. It's an incredible sense of accomplishment. We've worked
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  Speaker 1: so hard to make it here. From the beginning, Wood
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  Speaker 1: believed Corbin Kahn would eventually grow into a large-scale event
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  Speaker 1: capable of filling the arena. It was always the goal
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: to grow it bigger and better, she said. A fish
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  Speaker 1: can only stay as big as its tank. Saturday's event
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  Speaker 1: attracted over 4,300 people. The move to Corbin Arena reflects
• 1:39
  Speaker 1: the event's continued growth and vision behind it, marking a
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  Speaker 1: new chapter for CorbinCon as it expands into a larger
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  Speaker 1: space at pardon me, larger space and a larger future.
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  Speaker 1: And there are a few pictures, and let me try
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  Speaker 1: to explain them. One is of people walking around, and
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  Speaker 1: the caption underneath says, an estimated 4,300 people attended Saturday's CorbinCon.
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  Speaker 1: Then below that, there's a picture of two comic characters,
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  Speaker 1: and below that it says, Marvel heroes are hugely popular
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  Speaker 1: among cosplayers. Here, Spider-Man tests Captain America's shield. And then
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  Speaker 1: there is another photo, is a little girl, and it says,
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: little girl sports some Pokemon-themed face paint. Then there is
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  Speaker 1: a gentleman in a uniform of some sort, and it says,
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  Speaker 1: cosplay is popular at such conventions, such as this participant event.
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  Speaker 1: wearing a Ghostbusters costume. The last picture is of a vendor,
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  Speaker 1: and below that it says the event allows local vendors
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  Speaker 1: a chance to connect with the people both in and
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  Speaker 1: outside the Tri-County area. Our next article is 17th Annual
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: Labor Day Pow Wow Brings Tradition and Honor to Corbin
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  Speaker 1: by Sudie K. Wilson. Corbin, The 17th annual Honoring Our
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  Speaker 1: Veterans Pow Wow was held over Labor Day weekend, drawing dancers, singers, veterans,
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  Speaker 1: and families together for a weekend of culture and tradition.
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  Speaker 1: Dancer Arik McCowan shared the meaning behind his dance. McCowan
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  Speaker 1: performs the grass dance, a style known for its flowing
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  Speaker 1: movement and deep connection to the earth. Grass dance represents
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  Speaker 1: Mother Earth and my connection to the earth and our people,
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  Speaker 1: McCowan said. It's a way we pray for others. McCowan,
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  Speaker 1: now 45, also said he has been a singer since
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  Speaker 1: he was 16 and has been dancing for seven years.
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  Speaker 1: The powwow included recognition for veterans, including Terry Knifley, who
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  Speaker 1: served 21 and a half years in the military and
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  Speaker 1: spent six months in Desert Storm. Knifley expressed appreciation for
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  Speaker 1: the acknowledgment. It was an honor to be recognized, he said.
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  Speaker 1: The event highlighted tradition, respect, and community, giving attendees the
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  Speaker 1: chance to witness meaningful dances, songs, and veteran recognition throughout
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  Speaker 1: the weekend. And there is a picture of a gentleman
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  Speaker 1: who is dancing, and the caption underneath it says, dancing
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  Speaker 1: is a key part of the event. Then there is
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  Speaker 1: a picture of a little boy And underneath it, it says,
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  Speaker 1: Powwows hosted by Southeastern Kentucky Association of Native People seek
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  Speaker 1: to preserve indigenous culture for future generations. Our next article
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  Speaker 1: is Kentucky State Police Post 11 Investigates Animal Cruelty Case
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  Speaker 1: in Laurel County. A staff report. Corbin, the Kentucky State
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  Speaker 1: Police Post 11, London, has charged a Laurel County woman
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  Speaker 1: after an animal cruelty investigation. Ginger C. Smith, 59, of Corbin,
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  Speaker 1: is facing 23 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals, five
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  Speaker 1: counts of second-degree wanton endangerment, one count of second-degree disorderly conduct,
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  Speaker 1: and 23 counts of dogs to be vaccinated. On Saturday,
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  Speaker 1: KSP Post 11 was contacted by the Guardians of Rescue,
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  Speaker 1: a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the well-being of animals
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  Speaker 1: regarding animals being mistreated at a Corbin residence on Rydell Road.
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  Speaker 1: When the troopers Jacob Loudermilk and Logan Mallory arrived at
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  Speaker 1: the residence, they located several dogs in dilapidated living conditions
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  Speaker 1: without food and or water and in various states of
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  Speaker 1: declining health. There were several closed buildings on the property,
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  Speaker 1: prompting the troopers to to seek a search warrant, which
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  Speaker 1: was granted. A search of the property uncovered more animals
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  Speaker 1: locked inside cages in extreme heat with no access to
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  Speaker 1: water or food. While troopers were on the scene, the
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  Speaker 1: owner of the residence and animals, Smith, arrived. According to KSP,
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  Speaker 1: she drove in a careless manner while entering the property
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  Speaker 1: and nearly struck several people who were assisting in removing
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  Speaker 1: the animals. This investigation remains ongoing by Trooper Jacob Loudermilk,
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  Speaker 1: who was assisted on scene by Kentucky State Police personnel,
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  Speaker 1: as well as volunteers with the Guardians of the Rescue Organization.
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  Speaker 1: And there is a couple of pictures. Underneath one picture,
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  Speaker 1: it says investigators found unsanitary conditions, and it is of
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  Speaker 1: a cage with trash as a bed. And then there
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  Speaker 1: is another picture of, I'm not sure, let me read
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  Speaker 1: the caption. KSP troopers and volunteers from Guardians of the
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  Speaker 1: Rescue work together to retrieve the animals. Oh, that's probably
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  Speaker 1: a dog that is so matted with hair and trash
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  Speaker 1: and other things. So I did not recognize it. Our
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  Speaker 1: next article is Soar Officials Preparing for Annual Summit by
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  Speaker 1: Nita Johnson. Corbin, with less than a month before the
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  Speaker 1: annual SOAR Summit, Corbin Rotarians heard some of the plans
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  Speaker 1: for this year's event. The shaping of our Appalachian Region
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  Speaker 1: Summit will once again be held at the Corbin Arena,
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  Speaker 1: with this year's dates being October 7th through October 9th.
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  Speaker 1: Joshua Ball, Chief Operating Officer for SOAR, addressed the Corbin
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  Speaker 1: Rotary Club members during Thursday's weekly meeting to give information
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  Speaker 1: about about the role of SOAR program in Appalachian region.
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  Speaker 1: We cover 54 counties and focus on economic development, Ball said.
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  Speaker 1: We help counties find employees and we help employees find
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  Speaker 1: better jobs. We provide training through the community colleges to
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  Speaker 1: keep our population here. Ball said that it has been
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  Speaker 1: predicted that the population of the Appalachian region will decrease
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  Speaker 1: immensely by 2050. That is why he and others are
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  Speaker 1: intent on helping entrepreneurs launch new businesses as well as
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  Speaker 1: providing training for higher-level technical jobs. Ball said that businesses
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  Speaker 1: looking to come to the arena frequently ask about the
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  Speaker 1: available labor force. If you have one-third of the people
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  Speaker 1: in the workforce, that means you are two-thirds who are
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  Speaker 1: able to work but aren't working, Ball said. Through the
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  Speaker 1: SOAR initiative, we have helped 300 entrepreneurs and have invested
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  Speaker 1: $ 17 million in capital. Ball told of two high school
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  Speaker 1: students who are now working in the high tech field,
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  Speaker 1: as well as describing how these jobs can keep people
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  Speaker 1: at home, meaning that with training, people can remain in
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  Speaker 1: their home area rather than to leave to seek higher
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  Speaker 1: paying jobs. Ball then focused on the summit itself, saying
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  Speaker 1: that this year would feature over 100 exhibits, including some
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  Speaker 1: on artificial intelligence and how to use it properly, as
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  Speaker 1: well as many others. Then we have East Kentucky Experience
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  Speaker 1: with students from Corbin School of Innovation, Redbird, Somerset, and others,
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  Speaker 1: he said. This is a way for people to see
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  Speaker 1: what our students are doing, Ball added. Workshops and informational
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  Speaker 1: programs are also a part of the three-day summit. SOAR
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  Speaker 1: is also working with Somerset Community College and Southeast Community
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  Speaker 1: Colleges for a 12-week training program for nuclear energy. There
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  Speaker 1: is currently a web tech program offered through Westinghouse. Westinghouse
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  Speaker 1: and GE are the only two companies that produce nuclear reactors,
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: Ball said. With controversy surrounding data centers, Ball said that
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  Speaker 1: SOAR Initiative had no opinion on those issues. We do
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  Speaker 1: not take positions on those, and we do not do
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  Speaker 1: traditional industrial recruiting, he added. We want communities to tell
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  Speaker 1: us what they need. To purchase tickets or for more information,
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  Speaker 1: visit soar-ky.org forward slash summit. The next article is Low
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: Water Levels Prompt Alert at Laurel River Lake by Macy Swafford.
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: Laurel River Lake, the U.S. Forest Service is warning visitors
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  Speaker 1: to Laurel River Lake about unusual low water levels that
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  Speaker 1: could affect boating access and marina operations. According to the
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  Speaker 1: Daniel Boone National Forest, lake levels are currently about 10
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  Speaker 1: feet below the normal summer pool, which is 1,015 feet.
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  Speaker 1: The lower levels could make water access walkways and boat
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  Speaker 1: ramps steeper than usual and in some cases unusable until
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  Speaker 1: the water levels rise. Officials are encouraging visitors to check
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  Speaker 1: the current lake level before heading to the lake and
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: to confirm the condition of their intended boat ramp or
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  Speaker 1: water access point. Visitors are also advised to contact their
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  Speaker 1: chosen marina before traveling, as concessionary operated marinas may have
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: reduced services or temporarily closed due to the low water conditions.
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  Speaker 1: The Forest Service said visitors should plan ahead and check
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  Speaker 1: conditions before loading up their boats for a trip to
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  Speaker 1: Laurel Lake. And there is a picture of a ramp
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  Speaker 1: in the lake, and underneath it, it says the Daniel
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  Speaker 1: Boone National Forest has issued an alert of low water
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  Speaker 1: levels at Laurel River Lake. Our next article is Corbin
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  Speaker 1: Mann sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking
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  Speaker 1: case by Macy Swafford, Williamsburg. A Corbin Mann was sentenced
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  Speaker 1: to 10 years in prison August the 13th following a
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  Speaker 1: drug trafficking investigation conducted by the Williamsburg Police Department. According
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  Speaker 1: to WPD's Monday's release, Samuel C. Hatfield said, was prosecuted
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  Speaker 1: in Whitley Circuit Court after an investigation led by Sergeant
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: Chad Foley involving the trafficking of methamphetamine. The 55-year-old Hatfield
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  Speaker 1: was charged with two counts of first-degree trafficking in a
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  Speaker 1: controlled substance, first offense, involving two or more grams of methamphetamine.
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  Speaker 1: first-degree promoting contraband, third-degree fleeing or evading police, and first-degree
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  Speaker 1: persistent felony offender. WPD said Foley was assisted during the
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  Speaker 1: investigation by officers Brian Lawson, Eddie Cain, Colby Cornett, and
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  Speaker 1: Sabrina Lewis, as well as Assistant Chief Brandon White. Hatfield
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  Speaker 1: was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty
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  Speaker 1: to charges. Our next article is Garbage Truck Driver Injured
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  Speaker 1: in Whitley County Train Collision by Macy Swafford. Rock Holes,
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  Speaker 1: a garbage truck driver, was injured Tuesday afternoon after the
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  Speaker 1: vehicle was struck by a train at a railroad crossing
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  Speaker 1: along Kentucky Highway 26 near the Rock Holes community. According
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  Speaker 1: to Sergeant Dave Rowe of the Whitley County Sheriff's Office,
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  Speaker 1: the garbage truck entered the crossing as The train approached.
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  Speaker 1: The train struck the truck and pushed it from the tracks.
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  Speaker 1: Rouse said the driver appeared to have been ejected through
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  Speaker 1: the front windshield and was later found sitting up by
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  Speaker 1: the train's conductor. The driver sustained multiple injuries and was
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  Speaker 1: flown to University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington for treatment.
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: At the time, Sergeant Rouse said that WCSO was informed
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  Speaker 1: that the driver of the garbage truck suffered possible internal injuries,
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: damage to the spleen and broken bones, but an official
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  Speaker 1: update on the driver's condition was not available as of
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: press time. The driver's name has also not been released
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  Speaker 1: as of press time. According to WKYT, the crossing where
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  Speaker 1: the collision occurred does not have a crossing gate. WKYT
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  Speaker 1: also reported the train's cars were empty at the time
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: of the collision and none derailed. The driver of the
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: garbage truck was the only one that sustained any injuries
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: at the time of the incident, according to Sergeant Rau.
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: Our next article is Corbin Board of Education Proposed Tax
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: Rates Shift Public Comments Dominate Meeting by Madison Nance. Corbin.
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  Speaker 1: Following a reporting error, the Corbin Independent Board of Education
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  Speaker 1: convened last Thursday to alter the district's proposed tax rates,
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: restarting the process of adopting the rates. Chief Financial Officer
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  Speaker 1: Rhonda Moore shared that the newly proposed rates include real
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  Speaker 1: estate at $ 63. 5 per $ 100 assessed value. tangible at $ 63. 5
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  Speaker 1: per $ 100 assessed value, and motor vehicle at $ 69. 3 per
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  Speaker 1: $ 100 assessed value. The previously proposed rates had been $ 62. 4
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  Speaker 1: for real estate and $ 62. 9 for tangible and $ 69. 3 for
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  Speaker 1: motor vehicles. KDE had recertified assessments because of the reporting
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: error that was initially recognized by Ms. Moore. And then
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: we were assured that the numbers were correct. And then
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: we received confirmation a few days later that the actual
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: numbers were incorrect and that we were receiving from the state.
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  Speaker 1: Superintendent Travis Wilder explained that error was not on our end.
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  Speaker 1: but because of erroneous information that was given to us,
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  Speaker 1: our previously proposed rate is not one that we could
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: viably move forward with. The real property tax bills amounts
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: if the board chooses to entertain the proposed rate from Ms.
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  Speaker 1: Moore would equate to $ 11 more per $ 100, 000 assessed property.
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  Speaker 1: To continue the rates, they would have to be created
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: in ongoing financial loss to the district that we were
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: unaware and that we would have been in place of
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: because of the error more added. The board also noted
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: that the change would mean a decrease of $ 191, 113 in
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: SEEK funds. board member Ben Childers made the motion to
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: accept newly proposed tax rates with Kim Crawley seconding, followed
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: by a unanimous vote. The board plans to meet on Wednesday,
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: September the 23rd, to officially adopt the rate. Public comments
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: then ensued, beginning with community member Felicia Fifield, who raised
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: concerns about regarding both the tax rates and the proper
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: notification of meetings. At what point does our government stop
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: bleeding us dry, Fifield said of the proposed tax rates.
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: I have three vehicles. My registration on those three vehicles
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  Speaker 1: every year is about $ 3, 000. More than 50% of that
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  Speaker 1: goes to this district. My property taxes are over $ 5, 000
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  Speaker 1: a year. More than 50% of that goes to the district.
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: I feel like it's probable time to stop hiring coaches,
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: paying them exorbitant wages, and giving each other bonuses and whatever.
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  Speaker 1: I own my home outright. I shouldn't have to pay
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: you guys and the city and the county to keep
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: owning it. Fifield went on to speak regarding the district's
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: notification of meetings. I understand that the legal notification is
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: through the media. And I'm not arguing that the district
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: is violating the minimum legal requirement. But I am asking
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: a much bigger question, she said. Is meeting the bare
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: minimum requirement really the standard we want to hold ourselves
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: to when it comes to communicating with this community? What
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: is legal sufficient and what is transparent? communication are two
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: different things. The law establishes that minimum standard. It does
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: not establish a standard for good government. Right now, if
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: a member of the public wants to know when a
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: special called meeting is taking place, there is very little
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: Very real possibility that they will simply not know. I
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: know this because I have experienced it. I found out
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: about the last meeting because I happened to see a
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: post on a Facebook group. Now, and that's how I
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: found out about this meeting as well, she said. Crawley
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: responded to the district's website is planned to have meeting
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: dates listed with the board also exploring other avenues. We're
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: trying to find reasonable ways that we can reach everybody,
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: but it will be some people on one way or
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: the other people another, and that's the hardest ones to
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  Speaker 1: reach are those who don't have direct connections to the
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: school system, Crawley said. Johnny Brown and his mother, Karen Brown,
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  Speaker 1: added to the discussion of the district's communication, referring to
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: a past incident in which the school's tennis coach Courts
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: allegedly flooded Mrs. Brown's yard. Two of them stated that Ms.
• 21:11
  Speaker 1: Brown was unable to effectively discuss the issue with anyone,
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: but that the flooding has since been resolved. Community member
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: Andrew Mann also addressed board members, asking if the district
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: would have him and Jerry Engel removed from sports games
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: if they continued to broadcast them. We have a Facebook page,
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: and when we broadcast, it is live-streamed, and it is free,
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: for that has done is, in no better terms, roughed
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: the feathers of some other folks who have recently, or
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: who have historically, maybe had the rights to broadcast the ballgames,
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: Mayen said. We were told that we would be thrown
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: out if we live-streamed, so what we did was, we
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: only live-streamed the scoreboard, as we were told to do.
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  Speaker 1: Because if we know the rules, we will play by
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: the rules, because we're not here to cause any trouble. However,
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: we also know by KHSAA standards, if there's no expressed
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: written contract that tells us that we cannot show our
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: own personal Facebook, it gets into another amendment issue as well.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: Answering the question as to whether the pair would be
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: banned from games, Superintendent Wilder responded that Board Attorney Bob
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: Hammonds informed him that the matter needs to be taken
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: up with another entity. Mayhem is referring to Mayhem said
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: that the response was satisfactory and he thanked the Board.
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: The meeting adjourned for the following public comments. Our next
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: article is Laurel Village to host 8th Annual Car Show, London.
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: The whole family is invited to come out this Saturday
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: for the 8th Annual Laurel Village Assisted Living Car Show.
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: The event is from 12 noon to 2 pm at
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: 815 North Mill Street in London. Attending is free, but
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: anyone wishing to enter a vehicle will have a $ 10
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: entry fee benefiting the activity department. Ice Cream for Liam
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: will be set up for desserts. Proceeds will go to
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: families of children with cancer in our area. For more information,
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: call Jan Beam at 606-309-0762. And there is a picture
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: of an older car, a convertible. And underneath that, it
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: says Laurel Village will host its annual car show this Saturday.
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: Our next article is Voices and visions return to London
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: to focus on rural mental health and suicide prevention by
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: the Volunteers of America Mid-States. London. Mental health challenges touch
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: every community, but rural areas often face unique barriers when
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: it comes to assessing care and support. Many families in
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: our community know what it's like to navigate a mental
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: health crisis support a loved one through depression, or grieve
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: the loss of someone to suicide. Yet too often these
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: struggles remain hidden behind stigma, distance, workforce, shortages, and challenges
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: assessing care. That is why Volunteers of America Mid-States is
• 24:41
  Speaker 1: proud to return to London on this Thursday, September the 10th,
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: for the second annual Voices in Vision event, bringing together
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: community leaders, health care providers, educators, advocates, and residents for
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: an important conversation about rural mental health and suicide prevention.
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: This year's event is titled Voices and Vision, Suicide Awareness
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: and Prevention, Rural Mental Health and Access to Care. It
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: London Community Center, 529 South Main Street. The event will
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: focus on improving access to care, strengthening local systems of support,
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: and identifying practical solutions that can help individuals and families
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: across southeastern Kentucky. At the first Voices in Vision event
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: in London last year, one message resonated above all others.
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: People are eager to talk openly about mental health when
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: they are given a safe place to do so. Attendees
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: heard from professionals, people with lived experience, faith leaders, policymakers,
• 26:02
  Speaker 1: and community members who shared a common goal of preventing
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: suicide and ensuring that no one has to face a
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: crisis alone. This conversation belongs not only in conference rooms,
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: but also in our kitchens, our church halls, our classrooms,
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: our workplaces, our town squares. That remains true today. Suicide
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: prevention is not solely the responsibility of health care providers.
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: It's a community responsibility. Every one of us can play
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: a role in recognizing warning signs, reaching out to someone
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: who may be struggling, and helping connect people to support
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: before a crisis becomes a tragedy. Rural communities face unique challenges.
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: Transportation barriers, provider shortages, economic pressures, isolation, and stigma can
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: make it difficult for people to seek help. These challenges
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: do not mean that solutions are out of reach. In fact,
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: rural Kentucky has one of its greatest strengths already in place,
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: strong communities that care deeply about one another. This year's
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: voices and visions will focus on building those strengths. Attendees
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: will discuss barriers to care, share innovative approaches that are
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: working in rural communities, and explore ways to strengthen partnerships
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: among health care providers, behavioral health organizations, schools, faith communities,
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: and local leaders. The goal is to raise awareness and
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: equip people with tools, resources, and relationships that can save lives.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: At Volunteers of America Mid-States, We see every day how
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: mental health intersects with many of the issues facing our communities.
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: Mental health is connected to housing stability, recovery, employment, education,
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: family wellbeing, and overall quality of life. When people have
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: access to support and treatment, communities become stronger. When they
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: do not, the consequences can ripple across families and generations.
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: Most importantly, we want people to know there is hope.
• 28:24
  Speaker 1: Recovery is possible. Healing is possible. Help is available. No
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: one should feel ashamed to ask for support and no
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: family should feel alone in facing mental health challenges. Voices
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: and visions exist because conversations can lead to action and
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: action can save lives by bringing people together to learn
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: from one another and work toward common solutions, we can
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: continue building a Kentucky where mental health is treated with
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: the same urgency, compassion, and attention of physical health. This
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: concludes the reading of the Times Tribune. Please stay tuned
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: for continued programming. Thank you for joining me on behalf
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: of everyone here at Radio Eye. This is Janice wishing
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: you a very good day.