Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Hazard Herald - 8.23.26
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Now we turn to the reading of the Hazard Herald
- 0:02Speaker 1: for news of hazard in Perry County, Humly Townsend. We
- 0:06Speaker 1: begin with the online edition dated August nineteenth, two thousand,
- 0:11Speaker 1: twenty six. As a reminder, Radio Eyes of Eating service
- 0:15Speaker 1: intended for people who are blind or have other disabilities
- 0:19Speaker 1: that make it difficult to read printed material. Perry County
- 0:23Speaker 1: Physical Court audit raises questions about the county's financial reporting
- 0:28Speaker 1: compliance with programs. A recently released report detailing an audit
- 0:33Speaker 1: of the Perry County Fiscal Court outlines several ways in
- 0:36Speaker 1: which the county's financial reporting creates the possibility of misappropriation
- 0:42Speaker 1: of funds and potential non compliance with federal programs. Parry
- 0:48Speaker 1: Judge Executive Scott Alexander has told The Herald that he
- 0:52Speaker 1: is committed to addressing the findings in the audit of
- 0:54Speaker 1: the county's fiscal year ended June thirty, twenty twenty four. However,
- 1:00Speaker 1: the auditors wrote in the report that some of the
- 1:03Speaker 1: findings were repeat findings, meaning they had been found in
- 1:06Speaker 1: a previous audit, and that the conditions found could lead
- 1:10Speaker 1: to inaccurate reporting, error or fraud. The audit was independently
- 1:16Speaker 1: performed by Caudal and Associates of Lexington and has been
- 1:20Speaker 1: submitted to the Concaged Auditor of Public Account's Office. The findings,
- 1:25Speaker 1: according to the audit report, included the Physical Court failed
- 1:29Speaker 1: to implement and maintain an effective internal control environment. According
- 1:34Speaker 1: to the report, the findings, which are a repeat from
- 1:37Speaker 1: the previous year of the Physical Court failed to establish
- 1:41Speaker 1: adequate internal controls, which resulted in the failure to maintain
- 1:46Speaker 1: accurate and reliable supporting documentation. The auditors noted that in
- 1:52Speaker 1: several areas they were unable to obtain the audit information
- 1:57Speaker 1: and gave the Physical Court additional time to get the
- 2:00Speaker 1: documents together. When those documents were finally submitted, the auditors
- 2:05Speaker 1: noted the information was found to be inaccurate and unreliable
- 2:09Speaker 1: to support audit objectives. As a result, the report said,
- 2:14Speaker 1: the auditors could not provide an opinion or give reasonable
- 2:17Speaker 1: assurance on whether the physical Statement was free from material
- 2:22Speaker 1: error or fraud, or on compliance for each major federal program.
- 2:28Speaker 1: The report said court's practices found during the audit could
- 2:33Speaker 1: create an environment for potential undetected material misstatements in the
- 2:38Speaker 1: financial statement caused by either error or fraud. The Physical
- 2:43Speaker 1: Court did not maintain adequate internal controls over cash receipts
- 2:48Speaker 1: and the reporting process. The auditors noted in the report
- 2:52Speaker 1: that the county likes proper controls over the cash receipt
- 2:57Speaker 1: and reporting functions. The report said that the auditors found
- 3:02Speaker 1: that different fund receipts were deposited into and transferred from
- 3:07Speaker 1: the general fund, but auditors were unable to determine if
- 3:11Speaker 1: all restricted receipts were returned to the appropriate fund. There
- 3:16Speaker 1: was no documented evidence of a review of banquet reconciliations,
- 3:20Speaker 1: bank statements and deposits by someone independent of the records
- 3:25Speaker 1: and reporting functions, the auditors noted. In addition, the county's
- 3:30Speaker 1: payrolls involved account that was not properly reconciled. The report
- 3:35Speaker 1: said transferring of funds for uses other than prescribed by
- 3:39Speaker 1: law may result in penalties, finds, or funds being required
- 3:44Speaker 1: to be returned. The report said the fiscal Court did
- 3:49Speaker 1: not maintain adequate internal controls over debt and reporting. As
- 3:53Speaker 1: a result, the report said, the county could be at
- 3:56Speaker 1: risk for misappropriation of assets or inaccurate fundinancial reporting. The
- 4:01Speaker 1: physical Court cannot make effective management decisions as it relates
- 4:06Speaker 1: to get service outstanding each physical year due to incorrect
- 4:11Speaker 1: fiscal records. The report said. The occurrence resulted in the
- 4:16Speaker 1: liabilities information not being accurately presented to management, regulatory agencies
- 4:23Speaker 1: and other users of the information. The schedule of expenditures
- 4:27Speaker 1: of federal funds and awards did not provide sufficient and
- 4:32Speaker 1: appropriate evidence to support compliance with each major program. According
- 4:37Speaker 1: to the report, the schedule of federal awards initially submitted
- 4:42Speaker 1: by the county two auditors was incomplete, and when a
- 4:46Speaker 1: fuller report was submitted, it was found to be incomplete.
- 4:51Speaker 1: Testing of the schedule, the report said, found the variance
- 4:55Speaker 1: of nearly two point three million dollars on grants that
- 4:58Speaker 1: were incorrect or excluded. The auditors wrote that when internal
- 5:03Speaker 1: controls are not implemented to properly oversee the administration of
- 5:08Speaker 1: federal programs, they cannot ensure that their adhering the federal
- 5:12Speaker 1: grant compliance requirements and accounting for all disbursements of appropriate documents.
- 5:20Speaker 1: The report said that as a result, the county could
- 5:23Speaker 1: find itself in non compliance with federal grant agreements and
- 5:27Speaker 1: the county's ability to receive federal funds in the future
- 5:31Speaker 1: could be effected. The Physical Court failed to implement proper
- 5:35Speaker 1: internal controls over federal programs. The effect, the auditors wrote,
- 5:41Speaker 1: is that the Court's practices found during the audit could
- 5:44Speaker 1: create an environment for potential undetected material misstatements came the
- 5:49Speaker 1: financial statement caused by either error or fraud. The Physical
- 5:54Speaker 1: Court's timesheets were not approved, of repeat finding from the
- 5:58Speaker 1: previous audit. Every kind sheet related to the Fiscal Court
- 6:02Speaker 1: was approved by a superior or manager of The report said.
- 6:07Speaker 1: Unapproved time sheets, the report said, run the risk of
- 6:10Speaker 1: hours work being misstated by employees and to result in
- 6:14Speaker 1: greater payroll issues. The auditors wrote that they did not
- 6:18Speaker 1: find instances of misstated hours work by employees, but the
- 6:22Speaker 1: failure to control the risk could lead to this occurrence.
- 6:26Speaker 1: The Fiscal Court failed to implement proper controls over dispersements.
- 6:31Speaker 1: According to the report, this is a repeat finding, and
- 6:34Speaker 1: the auditors found for the Physical Court near ending June thirty,
- 6:38Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, that a total of nearly thirteen point
- 6:42Speaker 1: eight million dollars in dispersements were missing purchase orders, that
- 6:46Speaker 1: the purchase orders for just over two point three million
- 6:50Speaker 1: dollars in dispersements were missing signatures that a total of
- 6:54Speaker 1: six hundred twenty four four hundred and twenty one dollars
- 6:57Speaker 1: in dispersements were not paid within thirty days, and that
- 7:02Speaker 1: the county displishment succeeded approved budgeted appropriations. The effects, according
- 7:09Speaker 1: to the auditors, were the Physical Court spending unbudgeted funds
- 7:13Speaker 1: and the misspending of county funds. The Fiscal Court did
- 7:17Speaker 1: not pay holiday pay at the rate published in the
- 7:20Speaker 1: County Administrative Code, which was a new finding. As a result,
- 7:25Speaker 1: the auditor wrote, the employees could be underpaid or received
- 7:29Speaker 1: unauthorized vacation name responses submitted to auditors. The report also
- 7:36Speaker 1: lists responses the Physical Court gave to the auditors for
- 7:40Speaker 1: many of the findings. The Physical Court noted that several
- 7:43Speaker 1: changes had been made in the finance department, including hiring
- 7:48Speaker 1: a new treasurer finance officer, switching finance software, and sending
- 7:53Speaker 1: employees to Kentucky Department for Local Government approved training. Court
- 8:00Speaker 1: into the report will implement stringent internal controls, conduct regular reconciliations,
- 8:06Speaker 1: and establish clear procedures for cash handling, proceipts, and financial
- 8:11Speaker 1: reporting to ensure accuracy and accountability. Alexander told The Herald
- 8:17Speaker 1: that he is proud of the economic success the county's having,
- 8:21Speaker 1: but he is committed to fixing the issues found in
- 8:24Speaker 1: the audit. Accountability is not optional, it is essential, Alexander
- 8:29Speaker 1: staid in a statement, I'm implementing targeted corrective measures, stronger
- 8:34Speaker 1: internal controls, and will be modernizing several administrative processes to
- 8:40Speaker 1: ensure that our piscal operations meet the highest standards. My
- 8:46Speaker 1: team and I will continue to work closely with auditors,
- 8:49Speaker 1: department heads, and community stakeholders to make certain every issue
- 8:54Speaker 1: is of bess thoroughly and promptly. He continued. Our county
- 8:58Speaker 1: deserves both economics success and operational excellence. I intend to
- 9:03Speaker 1: deliver both new coffee shops. Seven Brew donates to local foundation.
- 9:11Speaker 1: Members of the Perry County Community Foundation met with representatives
- 9:14Speaker 1: of Seven Brew has its newest drive through coffee shop
- 9:18Speaker 1: on August seventeenth to accept the two thousand, five hundred
- 9:22Speaker 1: dollars donation from the company. The Foundation supports local nonprofits
- 9:27Speaker 1: through grants and sponsorships focused on small business growth, health
- 9:31Speaker 1: and wellness, food and housing, insecurity, homelessness, and the motion
- 9:36Speaker 1: of local arts, history and culture. Foundation chairman Bill Betanazi
- 9:43Speaker 1: expressed appreciation for the donation and welcome seven Brew to
- 9:47Speaker 1: the community. The coffee shop is scheduled to officially open
- 9:51Speaker 1: on August twenty fourth, offering a variety of drink options.
- 9:56Speaker 1: We are truly honored and deeply grateful to accept this, yeah,
- 10:00Speaker 1: said Becka Nozi. Many thanks to Sevenbru for this recognition.
- 10:05Speaker 1: Will put this to good use, creating opportunities to improve
- 10:08Speaker 1: health and well being of higher community. Kilburn with dawls
- 10:14Speaker 1: from race for Perry County Attorney. Democratic candidate Yeary Kilburn
- 10:19Speaker 1: announced on August twelfth that he's withdrawing from the race
- 10:23Speaker 1: for Perry County Attorney, citing the demands of his personal
- 10:27Speaker 1: life and the responsibilities that would come with seeking the office.
- 10:32Speaker 1: Kilburn announced his decision in the public statement, saying he
- 10:35Speaker 1: had given the matter significant consideration before deciding to end
- 10:40Speaker 1: this campaign. I've given this much thought and consideration, Kilburn
- 10:44Speaker 1: said in the statement. I truly believe that I will
- 10:48Speaker 1: be the best county attorney for Perry County because I
- 10:51Speaker 1: care about you all. Kilburn said the timing of this
- 10:55Speaker 1: campaign contributed to his decision, explaining that he began pursuing
- 11:00Speaker 1: the office during an already hectic period in his life.
- 11:05Speaker 1: Tommy has never been my strong suit, he said. I
- 11:08Speaker 1: took on this goal at a time in my life
- 11:10Speaker 1: was already very hectic. I oh a special thank you
- 11:13Speaker 1: to many people with the following apology. With that being said,
- 11:17Speaker 1: I'm no longer going to be running for this position.
- 11:21Speaker 1: Gilbert also apologized to supporters who had encouraged his candidacy
- 11:25Speaker 1: and thank those who assisted him during the campaign. I
- 11:29Speaker 1: know that many of you wanted me to run and win,
- 11:32Speaker 1: and I apologize for that, said Kilbron. Embarrassingly enough, I
- 11:37Speaker 1: do not have it in me right now to handle
- 11:40Speaker 1: taking on this responsibility. I wish circumstances were different. I
- 11:45Speaker 1: hope that no one will be mad at me and
- 11:47Speaker 1: everyone can understand where I'm coming from. Anyone that has
- 11:52Speaker 1: helped me on this road, thank you so much. Rogers
- 11:56Speaker 1: announced his funding for Hazard other communities. US Representative Hal
- 12:01Speaker 1: Rodgers announced at an event in Hazard on think August
- 12:05Speaker 1: twelfth that the city of Hazard will receive one point
- 12:08Speaker 1: five million dollars for water lines in Perry County. During
- 12:12Speaker 1: the event at Hazard Community and Technical College, Rogers announced
- 12:16Speaker 1: a one point five million dollar US Department of Agriculture
- 12:20Speaker 1: rural Development project funded through Appalachian Regional Commission grants and
- 12:26Speaker 1: will help replace twenty miles of water lines from Buckhorn
- 12:30Speaker 1: to Chavis and construct the two hundred and fifty thousand
- 12:34Speaker 1: gallon water storage tank. The funding was part of thirty
- 12:38Speaker 1: million dollars Rogers announced at the event for communities in
- 12:41Speaker 1: the region. According to a statement from Rogers' office, the
- 12:45Speaker 1: Congressman secured funding for four of the projects through the
- 12:49Speaker 1: US Corps of Army Engineers Section five thirty one Infrastructure Program.
- 12:54Speaker 1: This funding is the first step to job creation, economic development,
- 12:59Speaker 1: flug recovery, and even educational opportunities. Clean water and wastewater
- 13:04Speaker 1: systems are the cornerstones that we build in our communities,
- 13:08Speaker 1: Rogers said at the statement. Infrastructure in the Mountains comes
- 13:12Speaker 1: with a hefty price day, and this funding will help
- 13:15Speaker 1: relieve the burden from our rural counties as they continue
- 13:19Speaker 1: to revitalize and rebuild after the twenty twenty two flood.
- 13:25Speaker 1: I'm also thankful for the strong partnership with our state
- 13:28Speaker 1: leaders who have secured match money and additional funds to
- 13:32Speaker 1: make our regions stronger projects, the statement said. We're funded
- 13:38Speaker 1: through the USDAARD and ARC water infrastructure is so important
- 13:44Speaker 1: to rural Kentuckians, and it's a priority for this administration.
- 13:49Speaker 1: Today's announcements mark the latest investments we've made to help
- 13:53Speaker 1: eastern Kentucky rebuild after the horrific flooding of twenty twenty two,
- 13:59Speaker 1: said Travis Burg and State Director for USAEA Rural Development.
- 14:04Speaker 1: Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary of Rollins,
- 14:08Speaker 1: we will continue working with water systems on projects big
- 14:11Speaker 1: and small that will improve the quality of life and
- 14:14Speaker 1: economic prosperity in rural Kentucky. Kentucky Senate President Robert Steubers
- 14:21Speaker 1: and State Senator Scott Madden also delivered state funding for
- 14:26Speaker 1: three infrastructure projects in Fletcher County at the event. Senator
- 14:31Speaker 1: State Brandon Smith and state Representatives Chris Jugot, Richard White,
- 14:36Speaker 1: and Mitch Whittaker also supported funding and attended the event.
- 14:42Speaker 1: Back Oman found not guilty of first degree assault. A
- 14:46Speaker 1: Perry County jury found the back Omn not guilty of
- 14:50Speaker 1: a fellow in the assault charge related to an incident
- 14:53Speaker 1: that occurred in October. According to court documents, following a
- 14:57Speaker 1: trial that began on August eleventh, the jury found Patrick
- 15:01Speaker 1: Clay Osborne sixty one of Albert's Way, not guilthy of
- 15:05Speaker 1: the charge, the first to be assault. The charges related
- 15:08Speaker 1: to an incident in October sixteenth in which police accused
- 15:14Speaker 1: and for another assaulting the man with a machete. During
- 15:17Speaker 1: the course of the investigation, Osborne was identified as a suspect.
- 15:22Speaker 1: Perry County Sheriff's Deputies Chris Jones wrote in a citation.
- 15:26Speaker 1: Jones wrote that Osborne was detained and the deputy was
- 15:30Speaker 1: ultimately able to retrieve the machete. Osborne, the citation said,
- 15:37Speaker 1: told the deputy that he had cut the other man
- 15:39Speaker 1: after a woman had said she was going to get
- 15:41Speaker 1: the victim to assault him. A citation said Osborne told
- 15:45Speaker 1: Jones that he the victim approached him after threatening to killing,
- 15:51Speaker 1: and that he was attempting to scare the victim, not killing.
- 15:54Speaker 1: According to a statement from Perry County Sheriff Joe Ingell,
- 15:57Speaker 1: the victim was transported by a helicopter to receive treatment
- 16:01Speaker 1: for his injuries. Assistant Public Advocate Courtney Noise represented Osborne
- 16:07Speaker 1: in the case. Senator from Ayer visits Arh and durist Hazard.
- 16:14Speaker 1: State Senator Shelley Funk Fromer, Republican of Alexandria, who represents
- 16:19Speaker 1: Kentucky's twenty four Senate district, visited Hazard on August fourteenth
- 16:23Speaker 1: to tour Appalachian Regional health Care facilities and learn more
- 16:27Speaker 1: about advancements in lifestyle medicine and aarh's expanding foods medicine initiatives.
- 16:34Speaker 1: During the visit, from from our toured arh's Lifestyle Medicine
- 16:39Speaker 1: clinic and cafeteria, and met with ARH officials in local
- 16:44Speaker 1: and city and county leaders to discuss wellness efforts, community
- 16:48Speaker 1: health programs, and the role of nutrition can play in
- 16:51Speaker 1: improving health outcomes. From the opinion page, Simple but Important
- 16:58Speaker 1: by Russ Cassaday. One of the government agencies I've had
- 17:02Speaker 1: the privilege of covering in my more than two decades
- 17:05Speaker 1: in community journalism is the Pikewell City Commission. For more
- 17:09Speaker 1: than three decades, the late Gene Davis served as a commissioner,
- 17:13Speaker 1: and I always found him to be wise and easy
- 17:16Speaker 1: to work with. One thing he did is come to
- 17:18Speaker 1: mind for me lately, as I've assisted in the coverage
- 17:21Speaker 1: of agencies across four Kentucky counties in one county in
- 17:25Speaker 1: West Virginia, in merely every meeting of the commission there
- 17:30Speaker 1: is an agenda item that facilitates the various organizations in
- 17:34Speaker 1: the city government to pay its bills. Davis was often
- 17:38Speaker 1: the commissioner who made the motion to pay the bills. However,
- 17:41Speaker 1: and I'm pretty sure this happened in every meeting I
- 17:45Speaker 1: covered in which he was present. He did not make
- 17:49Speaker 1: the motion until the first till he first asked the
- 17:52Speaker 1: city manager of the city had the money in the
- 17:54Speaker 1: bank to pay the bills, and had received an affirmative response,
- 18:00Speaker 1: especially as he got towards the end of his nearly
- 18:03Speaker 1: three decades of service. It often came with a chuckle
- 18:05Speaker 1: from those in attendance, Davis included. But even now, two
- 18:10Speaker 1: years after Davis's passing, I can't help but think that,
- 18:14Speaker 1: in his own way, he was on to something. Can
- 18:17Speaker 1: you imagine if in one of those meetings the city
- 18:20Speaker 1: manager would have answered that, indeed, the city did not
- 18:23Speaker 1: have enough money in the bank to cover its expenses.
- 18:27Speaker 1: How important would that question have become? Then? As I
- 18:31Speaker 1: watched these meetings and coverage of meetings of many bodies,
- 18:35Speaker 1: I sometimes see these agencies leadership populated with elected officials
- 18:40Speaker 1: who don't ask questions, even cursery ones and don't really
- 18:44Speaker 1: contribute much more than a yay vote to anything proposed.
- 18:48Speaker 1: Many agencies send meeting materials to their boards prior to
- 18:52Speaker 1: the meetings, so I know that in many cases these
- 18:55Speaker 1: individuals have time to review the information and develop questions
- 19:00Speaker 1: that perhaps may also be on the minds of those
- 19:03Speaker 1: they are elected to represent. However, that rarely occurs, and unfortunately,
- 19:09Speaker 1: when it does, it's often done and service to the
- 19:11Speaker 1: political as opposed to an altruistic goal. With all the
- 19:16Speaker 1: nebulous allegations of people fraudulently drawing checks from benefits programs,
- 19:21Speaker 1: I have to wonder how many elected officials are also
- 19:25Speaker 1: fraudulently drawing government checks. I'm not saying every meeting has
- 19:31Speaker 1: to be a knockdown, drag out fight, but people have
- 19:35Speaker 1: a lot of questions these days, and part of the
- 19:38Speaker 1: job of elected representatives is to get them answered publicly.
- 19:42Speaker 1: In just a few months, we'll go to our polling
- 19:44Speaker 1: places and test our votes in open offices. I'd like
- 19:49Speaker 1: that when you do so, you question whether these individuals will,
- 19:54Speaker 1: like Gene Davis, ask the simple but important questions, will
- 19:59Speaker 1: those who seek your votes really earn their keep and
- 20:02Speaker 1: represent you at whatever level they're seeking to serve or
- 20:07Speaker 1: are they simply seeking a government check. Honestly, I have
- 20:11Speaker 1: to wonder if the search for examples of government fraud
- 20:14Speaker 1: and ways don't start at the level of those directing
- 20:17Speaker 1: the expenditure of coax dollars, info Vacuum in DC and
- 20:23Speaker 1: the bill by Jeff vanderbat After weeks of speculation, rumors,
- 20:29Speaker 1: political fingerpointing, and enough social media medical diagnoses to make
- 20:35Speaker 1: Mayo Clinic fire all their professionals and hire the online
- 20:38Speaker 1: doctors without degrees, Senaer Commiss McConnell has finally issued and update.
- 20:44Speaker 1: The jury is still out as to whether that statement
- 20:46Speaker 1: was in fact from him or if it was AI
- 20:49Speaker 1: developed by Data Center No One Wants in Kentucky. In
- 20:53Speaker 1: the statement, McConnell said he's been discharged for rehabilitation is
- 20:57Speaker 1: continuing his recovery at home with physical therapy. I think
- 21:03Speaker 1: the majority of people, as I do, wish him well
- 21:07Speaker 1: and to speedy recovery. All handshaking aside, this journal attorney
- 21:13Speaker 1: has been non transparent and borderline ridiculous for weeks. We've
- 21:17Speaker 1: been playing a game of Wear's niche. While ironically, Governor
- 21:21Speaker 1: Basheer has led the charge for transparency. The media wants answers,
- 21:26Speaker 1: the public wants answers, Democrats want answers, Republicans want everyone
- 21:31Speaker 1: to stop asking questions. And President Trump, who at one
- 21:35Speaker 1: point ridicule McConnell, went radio silent during McConnell's absence. That's
- 21:41Speaker 1: probably because Thomas Massey may have the shoe into the
- 21:44Speaker 1: temporary replacement of McConnell, and Massey and mcconnald's spot would
- 21:50Speaker 1: force Trump to consider replacing the beast for the DC's
- 21:53Speaker 1: finance catering truck to hide from the well deserved domestic
- 21:57Speaker 1: attacks from Massi. At all. During mcconnald's absence, the public
- 22:02Speaker 1: would have loved to have had someone from his camp
- 22:05Speaker 1: tell the truth about the senator and asked that he
- 22:08Speaker 1: stopped being killed off on social media. That didn't happen.
- 22:13Speaker 1: We got statements what appeared to be photoshop images, and
- 22:17Speaker 1: carefully orchestrated information that was superficial at best held. Dasher
- 22:22Speaker 1: even said he heard the senator who passed with no
- 22:24Speaker 1: rebut from McDonald's camp refuting the allegations. Congress McConnell's staff
- 22:32Speaker 1: and the Washington Swamp like mouthpieces were silent and they
- 22:35Speaker 1: too deserved some of the blame. You can't create an
- 22:39Speaker 1: information vacuum around one of Kentucky's most powerful politicians in
- 22:43Speaker 1: history and then become offended when people fill that vacuum,
- 22:48Speaker 1: and the people filled that document pride, adding speculation, falsehoods,
- 22:53Speaker 1: and social media posts claiming the demise of McConnell while
- 22:57Speaker 1: fan duel betters or waiting home the being payout. Democrats
- 23:03Speaker 1: should not rest on their laurels as they were waiting
- 23:06Speaker 1: in rabbit anticipation for the newsticker to scroll across CNN
- 23:11Speaker 1: for a breaking news alert. The health of an eighty
- 23:14Speaker 1: four year old man has turned into political power ball.
- 23:17Speaker 1: Everyone has a McConnell passing ticket and is watching the
- 23:21Speaker 1: drawing seeing if these numbers come up. Meanwhile, each side
- 23:26Speaker 1: accuses the other of being discussed in humans. Democrats say
- 23:31Speaker 1: Republicans are not being transparent. Republicans are saying Democrats are
- 23:36Speaker 1: exploiting a man's health. The media says we deserve answers.
- 23:41Speaker 1: Trump hates the media while refreshing his news app every
- 23:44Speaker 1: ten minutes and making late night social media ti rates
- 23:48Speaker 1: that hold little to no truth, but no one pete
- 23:53Speaker 1: about McConnell. The legitimate issue is that McConnell is not
- 23:58Speaker 1: someone's grandfather recovering privately at home. He's a sitting US
- 24:03Speaker 1: Senator who represents all of Kentucky, and he has over
- 24:07Speaker 1: the last few years had health episodes where he gives
- 24:10Speaker 1: a blank stroke like stare during live interviews. I exclusively
- 24:16Speaker 1: interviewed him last year after he made an appearance at
- 24:19Speaker 1: our rotary meeting and mid sentence he had the blank
- 24:22Speaker 1: stare while the Sandlers bullied me out of the way
- 24:25Speaker 1: and quickly escorted him away before he awoke from the strands.
- 24:29Speaker 1: If an elected official is unable to perform the job,
- 24:33Speaker 1: voters have a reasonable expectation to get the fix. It's
- 24:37Speaker 1: not cruel, it's representative government, and if politicians don't want
- 24:42Speaker 1: their health issues to be known, they need to not
- 24:44Speaker 1: run in state civilians. Trump has swollen ankles and massive
- 24:48Speaker 1: blotches on his hands. The White House is silent, but
- 24:51Speaker 1: according to him, he knows the difference between the line
- 24:54Speaker 1: and the giraffe. Another's show of lack of medical time
- 25:00Speaker 1: transparency in an elected official. There's a distinct difference between
- 25:05Speaker 1: saying canvas senator performers duties and asking when will there
- 25:10Speaker 1: be a vacancy. That decorum is a decency disappeared when
- 25:15Speaker 1: social media was allowed to be part of the politics.
- 25:19Speaker 1: The Democrats are fueling that social paris one by not
- 25:22Speaker 1: calling for common justice can kind of like a reverse
- 25:26Speaker 1: Jay six all over again. During the course of our history,
- 25:30Speaker 1: both parties treated the health of powerful politicians like state secrets.
- 25:36Speaker 1: Everything is fine, the Sineator's fine, The president is fine.
- 25:40Speaker 1: If we don't see Kennedy get shot in real time,
- 25:42Speaker 1: Congress may still want us to believe that Kennedy is
- 25:45Speaker 1: sailing along the shores of Kennebuckport. We should respect privacy,
- 25:50Speaker 1: but we need the truth and not political games. We
- 25:54Speaker 1: don't want cholesterol numbers or the use of X rays.
- 25:57Speaker 1: Just tell us if our elected officials government and physically
- 26:01Speaker 1: capable of doing their job. I wish the Senator well
- 26:04Speaker 1: and hope he gets back on his peak soon. His
- 26:07Speaker 1: team should learn that secrecy breaths rimmers. Republicans should learn
- 26:12Speaker 1: that transparency isn't partisan. Democrats should learn that compassion could
- 26:18Speaker 1: be more united than waiting to fill a seat. Those
- 26:23Speaker 1: were Thomas, however, could require maturity and compassion, which are
- 26:26Speaker 1: characteristics that are missing and maybe even never happen in politics.
- 26:32Speaker 1: Thanks for reading the Hazard Herald. Here are of the obituaries.
- 26:37Speaker 1: Ronda Bashier sixty two of Viper died Tuesday August eleventh.
- 26:42Speaker 1: Asuperi at Pete bell At the third eighty died Sunday,
- 26:47Speaker 1: August night. Paul Glomond, hurt to be known as Mule
- 26:53Speaker 1: to most of his friends, died Sunday, August night. Jimmy
- 26:57Speaker 1: Johnson sixty seven of Viper died Monday Day, August tenth.
- 27:02Speaker 1: Melissa beyond Neiml Magnet sixty two of Hazard died Monday,
- 27:06Speaker 1: August tenth. Roger Dalnoy's sixty Foard died on Sunday, August sixteenth,
- 27:14Speaker 1: and Edna Clanahan sixty four died on Saturday, August fifteenth.
- 27:21Speaker 1: This concludes the reading of the Hazard Herald. Please stay
- 27:23Speaker 1: tuned for continued programming. Thank you for joining it ay
- 27:27Speaker 1: and on behalf of everyone here at Radio Live. This
- 27:30Speaker 1: is Lee Townsend. Mission you a good day.