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Licking Valley Courier - 7.31.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
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new news from end and around West Liberty. Your reader
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today is Janice. We begin with the addition dated Thursday,
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July the thirtieth, twenty twenty six. As a reminder, radiois
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a reading service intended 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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Our first article today is Artisan's Harvests lated for August
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first at Wellness Center. The Arson's Harvest will be Saturday,
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August first at the Morgan County Wellness Center from nine
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am to two pm. Vendors will be offering locally grown produce,
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hand crafted goods, community fund and more. The event is
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sponsored by the Morgan County Extension Service, West Liberty, Tourism,
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Bank of the Mountains, and the Morgan County Wellness Center.
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If you would like to be a vendor for this event,
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please visit the Kentucky Cooperative Extension the Morgan County Facebook
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page to download in application form, called the Morgan County
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Extension Office at six O six seven four three thirty
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two ninety two or email Angi dot Ferguson at uk
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Ukwy dot edu. Everyone is invited to join us for
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this vibrant celebration celebration of local farmers, musicians, crafters and artisans.
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Our next article is a Firehouse to perform at Omell
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Park on August. First local Christian rock band Crossroads to
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open Live on Liaking event by Miranda M. Cattrell. Popular
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nineteen eighties and early nineteen nineties rock band Firehouse is
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slated to perform on Saturday, August the first at Omeill Park,
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part of the Live on the Licking Summer concert series.
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Firehouse was established in nineteen eighty four in Richmond, Virginia,
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before members relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina to sign with
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Epic Records in nineteen eighty nine during the glam metal
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rock era. Since that time, Firehouse charted several singles on
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the bill Board Hot one hundred chart, including Don't Treat
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Me Bad, All She Wrote and Reach for the Sky,
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as well as signature power ballads when I Look into
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Your Eyes, I Live My Life for You, and Love
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of a Lifetime. Love of a Lifetime, the band's highest
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charting and best selling single, has been a popular wedding
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song since its release in nineteen ninety one. The group
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recently released a new single, Midnight Gasoline, which is now
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streaming across all platforms. Firehouse has a mass sixteen Golden
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and Gold and Platinum records, including their double platinum self
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titled debut, and has sold seven million albums worldwide. In
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nineteen ninety two, Firehouse won the Award for the Favorite
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New Heavy Metal Hard Rock Artists and has also been
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honored twice with the American Society of Composers, Authors and
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Publishers the ASCAP Songwriter Awards. Firehouse is currently comprised of
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the original members Bill Leverty guitar and backing vocals, Michael
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Fork Foster drums, per percussion and backing vocals, as well
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as Alan mackenzie bass and backing vocals, and Nate Pack
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lead vocals. The free show at Old Mill Park will
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kick off seven pm with special guests, the local Christian
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rock known as Cross Road. Crossroad Rose has been performing
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at various area events in recent weeks, including Forged by
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Faith Festival and Independence Kentucky, Pig Out in the Park
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in Jackson, Kentucky, and Bridge Day Black Party in Louisa, Kentucky. Additionally,
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Cross Rose recently released the song not Perfect, Just Right,
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which is now streaming across all platforms. Crossroads members include
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Cameron Hall vocals, Bradley Vest guitar, Jacob Bowlin brass, and
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Colt Klein guitar, all of West Liberty, Kentucky, and Jacob E.
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Maynard drums of Paintsville, Kentucky. City councilman Grant Sorrel, and
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advisor to the West Liberty Tourism Commission, said that the
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Live on the Licking Concerts series is a new is
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a union geek opportunity to showcase veteran artists as well
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as up and coming acts. It is such a treat
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to have a band like Firehouse to come to West Liberty.
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Sorrel said, I have received messages from people all over
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the country wanting to come in and see Firehouse and
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also get the chance to see Crossroads live on the
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looking is excited to provide a young talented group like
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Crossroads the opportunity to open for the legendary chart topping
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band Firehouse. We hope everyone will come out and join
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us on Saturday this free show. For additional information regarding
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Live on the Liking concert series, visit West Liberty Tourism
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Facebook page or www Dot visit Westliberty dot Com. Our
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next article is Pardon Me. Kowana's Mountain Horse Celebration Show
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is August. The first event will be held at the
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Equestrian Park on Liberty Road. The Mountain Horse Celebration Show
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horse Show, sponsored by the West Liberty Kowanas Club, is
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scheduled for four pm Saturday, August the first, at Morgan
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County Equestrian Park at forty four sixty five Liberty Road
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in West Liberty. The show is a Class B Rocky
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Mountain Show and also has numerous other mountain horse classes,
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including Kentucky Mountain's Saddle Horse, Mountain Pleasure, and other open
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mountain horse classes. For additional information, contact show manager Langlee
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Franklin at six O six seven nine four three five oh.
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The show bill also appears on the Rocky Mountain Horse
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Association website. The regular classes number one Lead Line Awards
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to All no entry fee number two, Open Mountain Horse
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on Halter any breed number three, rm HA Trail Pleasure,
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Mayors and Goldings, four km SH Open Classic Pleasure, five,
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Open Mountain Horse Trail Pleasure, six rm HA Juvenile Country
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Trails seventeen and under no Stallions number seven r MHA
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Amateur Show Pleasure number eight km SH Open Country Trial
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number nine, RMHA Amateur Trail Pleasure number ten, RMHA Juvenile
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Show Pleasure seventeen and under no Stallions number eleven km
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s H Open Trail Pleasure Number twelve, Open Mountain Horse
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two and three year Old number thirteen km SH Juvenile
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Classic Pleasure seventeen and under no Stallions fourteen, MPHA Old
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Kentucky Saddler Mayors, Geldings and Stallions, Stick Horse Class and
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Sack Race No fee fifteen minute Intermission number fifteen, RMHA
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Show Pleasure Mayors and Goldings Number sixteen, km SH Juvenile
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Trail Pleasure seventeen and under no Stallions number seventeen, RMHA
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Amateur Country Trail Number eighteen, rm HA Show Pleasure Stallions
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number nineteen, RMHA Juvenile Trail Pleasure seventeen and under no
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Stallions number twenty r MHA Country Trail Mayors and Geldings
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twenty one, RMA AOT Show Pleasure number twenty two, RMHA
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Trail Pleasure Stallions number twenty three, Open Mountain Horse Show
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Classic Pleasure number twenty four, RMHA Country Trail Pleasure Stallions
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Championship classes. There will be a five minute break between
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each Championship Class number one Open Mountain Horse Youth seventeen
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and Under, Championship No Stallions number two, Open Mountain Horse,
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Country Trail, Trail Pleasure, Championship number three, Open Mountain Horse
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Steak and Championship Premiums, entry fees and other information. Regular
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classes forty dollars thirty dollars twenty dollars, ten dollars, ribbon
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entry fee twenty dollars. Championship classes one hundred dollars, seventy
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five dollars fifty dollars twenty five dollars, ribbon entry fee
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thirty dollars. This is a Class B Rocky Mountain Show.
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All horse entries must produce registration in comply with shoeing
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requirements of breed Rocky Mountain Horse Association. In Kentucky. Mountain
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Horse Association rules apply for all their designated classes. Entries
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in championship classes must show in one regular class to qualify,
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with the exception of Open Mountain Horse Steak and Championship Class.
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Negative coggins required on all horses. Anyone on federal disqualification
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cannot transport horses to the show and cannot participate in
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this show, except as a spectator. Show management must also
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direct an apparent violators on disqualification to the spectator area.
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For additional information, call show manager Lanley Franklin at six
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oh six seven four three forty four fifteen home or
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six oh six seven nine four three five oh that's
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the sell Email GW frank at MRTC dot com, or
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visit West Liberty Kawana's club show book will pardon me
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West Liberty Kowana's club Facebook page. Our next article is
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multiple agencies collaborate on a high angle hope rescue incident
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occurved in Bruswick community on Saturday, July the twenty fifth
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by Miranda M cantrell. First Responders from multiple agencies responded
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to a July twenty fifth incident involving a high ankle
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rope rescue in the bush Rick area of Morgan County.
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The incident occurred shortly before one pint thirty pm on
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a dirt road off of Highway eight forty four, where
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local resident Neil Walter, fifty one, was reportedly cutting an
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uprooted tree when the log started rolling down a bluff
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with him. Walter's wife, Cheryl wrote on a Facebook that
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her husband's leg caught on a small tree as he
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rolled down the bluff. According to E nine to one
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one transcripts, Walter, who was stuck on the embankment, personally
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contacted dispatchers and stated that he had injured his right
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leg and also noted bleeding scrapes on his face. Chief
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Deputy Jeff Smith of Morgan County Sheriff's Office was the
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first to arrive on the scene, ahead of the Morgan
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County Rescue squad. Upon arrival, Chief Deputy Smith located Walter
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before tying off a rope at the top of the
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hill to allow other first responders to access the site.
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West Liberty Fire Department was eventually dispatched to the scene
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to assist with the high angle rescue. First responders removed
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Walter from the embankment and turned him over to the
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Morgan County EMS personnel, who transported him to Saint Clair
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Regional Medical Center in Moorhead. The Wolf County Search and
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Rescue Team was also dispatched to the scene, but first
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local responders had already rescued Walter before the Wolf County
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crew could reach the destination. Walter's wife, Cheryl, wrote on
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a Facebook that her husband had sustained injuries to his
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knee and shoulder as a result of the incident. I
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would like to thank Morgan County EMS and everyone that
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assisted us today, Cheryl Walter wrote, I want to thank
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the Lord for sparing Neil's life and that and for
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that little tree. West Liberty Fire Department express gratitude following
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the successful multi agency collaboration in a July twenty fifth
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Facebook post, we are proud to assist a successful high
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angle rescue mutual aid response along Morgan County. Rescue. Calls
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like these demonstrate the value of training, teamwork, and strong
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partnerships between emergency response agencies. To become a firefighter, too,
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firefighters must complete a minimum of three hundred hours of
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certification training, including at least eleven hours of basic rope
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rescue instruction. Technical and high angle rope rescue also required
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additional specialized courses in ongoing hands on training to maintain
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the knowledge and skills needed for these complex incidents. This
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is just one of the many scenarios we train for
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ensuring we are prepared to provide safe, effective rescue services
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when our community and neighboring agencies need us most. We
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appreciate the opportunity to work alongside Morgan County Rescue and
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are grateful for the dedication of everyone involved in making
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this rescue a success. City Councilman Mark Walter commended the
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West Liberty Fire Department and all agencies involved in the
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rescue during the regular July twenty seventh meeting of West
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Liberty City Council. Our next article is City Council approves
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updated Planning and Zoning Ordinance. Members approved twenty twenty six
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blacktop List at July twenty seventh meeting by Miranda M. Cantrell.
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The West Liberty Council approved on second reading in Updated
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Planning and Zoning Ordinance during the regular July twenty seventh meeting.
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Council members heard the first reading of the ordinance during
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a special May twenty sixth meeting, which was held one
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day after the regular scheduled May meeting day due to
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the Memorial Day holiday. City Attorney Daniel Frederick indicated during
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the July twenty seventh meeting that the ordinance now addresses
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various issues including tiny homes, manufactured homes, home occupancy, and more.
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Attorney Frederick shared overviews of the above mentioned topics at
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the Council's request, and noted that multiple amendments had been
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made since the first reading of the ordinance. West Liberty
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is small, and I think we all want to have
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a place where we don't have too much government, Frederick said.
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We've always been mindful of that. The goal of the
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zoning code is to make sure that we maintain order
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and to make pardon me, sure that neighborhoods remain in
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neighborhoods and business areas remain business areas. City Clerk Amy
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Cox told council members they can make additional changes to
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the ordinance as needed. Right now, we are working with
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a very outdated code, William said. One motion made by
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Councilman Rusty Lyndon and second to it by Councilwoman Sarah Bethleag,
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the council unanimously approved the ordinance with amendments. Attorney Frederick
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told the Courier on July the twenty eighth that he
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and members of the city's planning committee had collaborated with
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the code specialist from Kentucky League of Cities to clarify
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ambiguities and clean up out moded language in the original ordinance.
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The original ordinance had not been modified as a whole
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since the nineteen nineties. Frederick said, we have more legal
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challenges than ever before in recent years, so we have
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taken a harder look at all the codes. Many of
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the zoning codes were antiquated and not quite well worded.
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The zoning itself has not changed. There are no great substance,
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pardon me, substantive changes other than we have defined home
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occupations and put significant restrictions on that. These changes are
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meant to help with city enforcement and citizen compliance and
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keep the character of the city. The Planning and Zoning
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Ordinance can be obtained by visiting City Hall or by
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contacting the Administrative Office at seven four three thirty three thirty.
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In other news, the council received this year's Blacktop List
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from the city's Street Department. Hutchinson Road seventy one tons,
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Hollow Road sixty four thousand, seventy one tons, Keaton Heights
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forty seven point twenty seven tons, Broadway Street three point
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sixty three tons, Brooks Lane number one, eighty two point
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eleven tons, Brooks Lane number two fifty seven point nine tons,
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Brooks Lane number three, one hundred and sixteen point twenty
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three tons, Ballfield pull in nine point fifty seven tons
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due to water leak. On a motion made by Councilman
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Grant Sorrel and segative by Councilwoman leg the council unanimously
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approved the blacktop list as presented during the monthly Fire
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Department report. City Councilman Mark Walter commended West Liberty Fire
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Department and all other local emergency response agencies involved in
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a July twenty fifth high angle rescue in the Bush
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Bushrick area. A report on the above mentioned rescue can
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be found on page one of this edition. Councilman Walter,
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before adjourment, also extended the Council's condolences to various people
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who are dealing with illnesses or have lost loved ones
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in recent weeks. Additional information, The West Liberty City Council
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meets at five pm the fourth Monday of each month
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in the upstairs Council Room at City Hall. Our next
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article is Unemployment up in most Kentucky counties in June Frankfurt,
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July the twenty third, Unemployment rates rose in one hundred
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and sixteen county between June twenty twenty five. In June
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twenty twenty six fell in Ousley and Russell Counties, and
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stayed the same in Bracken and Harlan Counties. According to
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the Kentucky Center for Statistics and Agency within the Kentucky
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Education and Labor Cabinet, Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless
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rate in the Commonwealth at four point five percent. It
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was followed by Cumberland County at four point six percent, Campbell, Fayette, Kenton,
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and Scott Counties at seven four point seven percent each,
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Boone and Shelby County's four point eight percent each, Franklin
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County four point nine percent in Clark, Graves, Jasmin, Oldham, Todd,
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and Tremble Counties at five percent each. Martin County recorded
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the state's highest unemployment rate at ten point six percent.
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It was followed by Wolf County at ten point four percent,
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Macgoffin County at nine point six percent, Elliott and Lewis
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County's nine point five percent each, Jackson County eight point
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five percent, Lawrence County eight point two percent, Carter County
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eight point one percent, Pike County seven point nine percent,
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Knox Not County seven point eight percent. Morgan County's jobless
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rate in June was six point eight percent. Unemployment statistics
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are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends
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rather than actual count people working. A pardon me. Civilian
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labor force statistics include non military workers and unemployed Kentuckians
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who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed
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Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past
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four weeks. The data should be only compared to the
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same month in previous years. Our next article is a
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pitcher and it is a picture of some women and
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underneath it says Morgan County Retired Teachers Association Meeting. Pictured
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at the recent meeting of the Morgan County Retired Teachers Association.
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Front row left to right Joe N. Blair, Deborah Kidd,
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Jane Collin, and Sharon Cottle. Second row left to right
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Pam Hornbuckle, Marjorie Ratliffe, Deborah Binton, Mary Alice Oldfeld, and
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Shane Markwell. Our next article is Chaplain Fraser e KCC
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Employee of the Month. Chaplain Jeremy Fraser has been recognized
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as Employee of the Month for August twenty twenty six
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at Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex. Mister Fraser has been the
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chaplain since twenty twenty four. Since his arrival, mister Fraser
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has fundamentally improved the operations of the chapel here at CC,
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said Warden Shawn McKenzie. He oversees certified and non certified
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visitors and volunteers, and is responsible for informing inmates of
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any death or any other family emergency, and does so
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with compassion and professionalism. Mister Fraser oversees all religious services
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here at EKCC and does an excellent job, said the Warden.
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He has an excellent time in attendance and is ultimate
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team player and asset to EKCC for these reasons as
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well as others. Jeremy, I mean pardon me, Chaplain Jeremy
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Fraser is a very well deserving recipient of the Employee
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of the Month Award for August twenty twenty six. Congratulations
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on a job well done, and there is a picture
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of the two men. Chaplain Jeremy Fraser accepts Employee of
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the Month award left. Zach how Program Director right. Our
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next article is Wolf County Bitcoin Operation shuts down, a
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bitcoin mining operation that generated nearly three years of noise
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complaints from residents along Kentucky ten thirty six in Wolf
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County as much quieter now. According to a story by
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Lee Cercy of w l EX News, the facility is
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being dismantled. Barbara Campbell, who lives near the Artemis Power
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Tech facility, told Circe the constant industrial home that plagued
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the community disappeared last week. Circe said an employee at
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the facility told her the plant had closed and that
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dismantling of the equipment is expected to take about a month.
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Sears said she was told that the bitcoin market collapsed
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and is shut down. The facility began operations without public
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notice to residents, highlighting gaps in local regular of industrial
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operation in rural counties. Artemis power Tech did not return
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our calls seeking comment. Wolfe County Judge executive did not
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respond to the request to comment. This concludes excerpts from
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recent editions of the Licking Valley Courier. Your reader has
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been Janus On behalf of everyone here at RADIOI thank
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you for listening, keep on listening, and I hope you
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have a very good day.