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Manchester Enterprise - 7.31.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: Now we turn to the Manchester Enterprise to read news
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from and around Manchester. Your reader today is Jim Rice.
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We will begin with the addition dated seven, twenty nine,
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twenty six. As a reminder, Radio Eye is a reading
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service intended for people who are blind or have other
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disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material. The Enterprise.
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Clay woman killed on parkway, Leslie County. A Clay County
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woman was killed Saturday evening in Leslie County when the
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vehicle she was driving struck the rear of a parked
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commercial truck after entering a closed section of roadway. According
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to Kentucky State Police, the fatal crash was one of
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two deadly collisions investigating by KSP in Leslie County on
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July twenty fifth that claimed a total of three lives.
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Troopers said the first collision occurred at approximately two point
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fifty four PM when a Kentucky State Police trooper came
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upon a two vehicle crash near mile marker thirty seven
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on the Hal Rogers Parkway. According to the preliminary investigation,
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a red Nissan Juke was traveling westbound when it crossed
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the center lane into the eastbound lane and collided head
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on with a Ford Expedition. A passenger in the Ford Expedition,
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sixty four year old Penny Isen, died later at the hospital.
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The driver of the Nissan Juke, seventeen year old Tagging,
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was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the
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Ford Expedition and a juvenile passenger were airlifted to the
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University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment. While emergency responders
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and investigators were working the scene of the first crash,
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a second fatal collision occurred nearby at approximately seven to
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forty three pm. Kentucky State Police set a gray Chevrolet
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Traverse driven by forty two year old Tracy Whittymore of
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Clay County, traveled through an established roadway closure and struck
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the rear of a parked commercial vehicle. Whittymore was pronounced
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dead at the scene by the Leslie County Coroner's Office.
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Both collisions remained under investigation by Kentucky State Police. Next
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article Stiver's wind I will not seek governor's office. Manchester
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Senate President Robert Stivers announced Monday that he will not
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seek Kentucky's governorship in twenty twenty seven, saying his commitment
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remains to serving the people of the twenty fifth Senate
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District and continuing his work in the Kentucky Senate. In
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a statement released Monday, the Manchester Republican said he reached
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the decision after consulting with his family, friends, and trusted advisers.
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I am deeply grateful for the encouragement and confidence so
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many Kentuckians have shown by asking me to consider running
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for governor in twenty twenty seven, Stiver said, after thoughtful
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discussions with my family, friends, and trusted advisers, I have
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decided that my calling remains where it has always been,
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as the Senator from Clay County, proudly representing the people
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of Kentucky's twenty fifth Senate District. Stuyvers, who has served
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in the Kentucky Senate since nineteen ninety seven and has
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been Senate presidents since twenty thirteen, said public service has
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never been about seeking higher office, but about advancing policies
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that strengthen Kentucky. For me, public service has never been
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about seeking another title, he said, it has been about
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advancing sound public policy that improves lives, strengthens our economy,
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and leaves Kentucky better for it. He also expressed his
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desire to continue serving as Senate President, pending the support
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of his Republican colleagues. Quote I am hopeful my colleagues
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will entrust me with another term as Senate President so
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we can continue building on the conservative policies that has
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transformed Kentucky into one of the nation's strongest fiscal and
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economic success stories unquote. Steivers said he credited the General
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Assembily with lowering taxes, balancing budgets, stabilizing the state's pension systems,
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strengthening Kentucky's budget reserve trust Fund, and investing in education
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and infrastructure. Looking ahead to the twenty twenty seven gubernatorial election,
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Steivers said he is committed to working with Kentucky's next
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governor and emphasized the importance of cooperation between the executive
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and legislative branches. Quote I look forward to working with
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Kentucky's next governor, one who views the General Assembly as
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an equal branch of government and a true governing partner. Quote,
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he said, quote Kentucky deserves leadership that chooses collaboration over confrontation,
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and solutions over political theater unquote. Stuivers concluded by saying
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that while he was not he will not pursue the
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governor's office. He believes there is still important work to
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accomplish in the Senate. Quote, the work of moving Kentucky
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forward is far from finished, and I remain committed to
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doing that work in the Kentucky Senate unquote. He said
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his announcement in speculation that he would enter the twenty
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twenty seven gubernatorial race, and confirms his intention to continue
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representing the twenty fifth Senate district, which includes Clay Laurel, Jackson, Owsley,
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and Whitley Counties, while seeking another term as Leader of
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the Kentucky Senate. Next article. Pastor ken Bolan leaves lasting
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legacy after thirty six years at Manchester Baptist Manchester. Ken
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Bolan retired last Sunday after pastoring Manchester Baptist Church for
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thirty six years, leaving behind many wonderful memories of the
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Lord's blessings cuffled coupled with reminders of how the church
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has loved him and his late wife so well. While
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Sunday will be his last day there as pastor, he
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preached his final sermon last Sunday using Philippians one to three.
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I chose to tell the church goodbye by saying thank you.
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Manchester Baptist Church is a great church. It pains me
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to leave, but I don't have the energy and strength
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to do what they deserve, said Bowlin sixty eight. The
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church will honor him Sunday and have a fellowship and
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meal afterwards. Retirement comes three years later than he had planned.
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In twenty twenty three, he and his wife Carol moved
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to Richmond to be close to the grandchildren. We were
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weeks away from retirement, he said, but his wife had
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a gallbladder issue. She had surgery about three weeks before
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the retirement date, and although it went well, the next
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day serious complications developed. It was then learned she had
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pancreatic care answer. I was on my way out as
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pastor when she got cancer. But the church said, let
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us minister to you and Carol. It's a great church,
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and they ministered to us so well. She passed away
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September twenty ninth, twenty twenty five, the same day we
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arrived at Manchester, thirty five years to the day. The
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church loved us and held on to us. I wasn't
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in the pulpit for a month, but they were gracious
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and helped me. They stayed with me to get my
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feet on the ground. Boland said that COVID really heard
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our church. We had God's Closet for a long time.
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It was a labor of love, but was a labor
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intensive ministry. It operated a homeless shelter, food pantry and
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clothing center, and when whenever hurricane struck other areas of
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the country, the church was diligent to donate supplies for
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relief efforts. For about ten years, the church distributed a
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free coat to every school aged child in Clay County.
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That was a brand new coat to every child and
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was a huge financial blessing to those families. We have
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about twenty five hundred to three thousand school aged children
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in the county. This has been a loving and helping church.
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I'm praying they'll get a good pastor and he will
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have his own calling. I am excited for the church
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and I think God will bless them with the good Man.
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A memorable example of the support Bolan has had over
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the year years came early and his pastorate in Manchester.
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I was baptized by fire, he said. I was barely
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thirty years old and only been there three weeks. When
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Governor Burt Combs drowned. His family were members of the church,
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and I was asked to preach his funeral. I spent
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a half day on the phone taking calls from dignitaries
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who were planning to attend. I was just a little
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nobody and felt intimidated. But one of his deacons met
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him at the door and saw he was troubled, asking
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what was wrong. I said, surely they could find someone
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else to do this funeral. The deacon was Charles Keith,
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who then advised they put their pants on the same
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way you do, you go and preach the gospel. The
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deacon who encouraged him died Thursday, and Bolan preached his
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funeral on Monday. Prior to Manchester, Boland had been a
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bi vocational pastor at Welfare Baptist Church while in college,
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then pastored Nortonville Baptist Church a total of seven years.
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Reflecting on his call to Manchester, he said, I guess
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the reason God brought me here was the terrible drug
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problem in Clay County about twenty five years ago, and
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the Lexington Herald Leader mentioned it was the drug capital
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of Kentucky. There were a lot of overdoses a young
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girl came to our church youth group and her mom
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was a drug addict. We began to minister to them,
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and I tried to get her mom into rehab to
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get help. But her mom died of an overdose and
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I had her funeral on Chris miss Eve two thousand
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and three. He said, addressing the severe problem was necessary
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for quote, for this entire generation unquote. He and a
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Pentecostal pastor prayed together and asked what God would have
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them do. Quote. We had a vision to rally the
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community to march not against drug addicts, but against illegal drugs.
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There were four thousand people who showed up from a
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community of barely thirteen hundred people. We had a rally
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in the park and it got the attention of Congressman
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Hal Rogers. As a result of God laying that on
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our hearts, we got a federal grant to build a
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two million dollar rehab center, Chad's Hope Center. A lot
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of guys there will be singing in our church on Sunday.
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For me, that was the high. The church was right
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in the middle of all that. The church struck stuck
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with me through a lot of trying times, from threats,
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by drug dealers, but the church was not afraid. It persevered.
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Before then, there were no rehab centers in the mountains,
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and churches had no celebrate recovery programs. There was little
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attention to that issue. But now about every church has
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some sort of recovery ministry. One lasting memory that Bolan
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of his late wife is her commitment to minister in Cuba.
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For twenty three years she carried on a ministry started
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there by her father. She was almost bedfast when one
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day she said she wanted to go to Cuba one
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more time. Bowen said, when she was healthy, we need
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two to three days to recover from a trip there.
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I said, we are not going, and she started to cry.
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Against the advice of her doctor, they went anyway. That
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was in March of twenty twenty five. Quote. It was
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a tough, tough trip and she had excruciating pain at night,
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but she enjoyed herself as much as she could and
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was able to say goodbye to the people she discipled.
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Bowen is one of Oneita Baptist Institute's most ardent supporters supporters,
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serving as a trustee for thirty years. Quote. Our church
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always leads to state in giving we give until it
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hurts because we believe in Obi's mission. I've known all
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Obi's presidents since nineteen ninety and I'm amazed at Larry
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Grittin's leadership. God has prepared and placed him precisely where
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he is. I've been all around the world to preach
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and do mission work. Been to fifteen countries preaching and
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starting churches, including one in Ukraine in nineteen ninety four,
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which is vastly larger than our church. But I have
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never seen a ministry as effective and as faithful and
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faith oriented as Obi. They have no budget, They absolutely
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depend on God for every day and everything. The Bolans
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adopted a daughter from Haiti who went to school at Obi.
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She is now a nurse in British Columbia, moving there
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because of immigration issues rather than return to Haiti. In retirement,
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Bolan is looking forward to spending time with his three
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rambunctious grandsons, Gideon, Paul and Silas, who lived next door
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to him. Boland's other daughter, Amanda Varney, is expecting her
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fourth child in February. News of that new addition to
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the family was made to the three boys when they
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were preparing for a vacation Bible school and saw four
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Ti Die shirts in their home. They realized that three
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were for them, but wondered about that little shirt. The
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big question in the home now is this Will this
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shirt be for a girl? Next article? Former Clay man
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given twenty eight years. A former Clay County Man, Daniel Hoskins,
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fifty six, was sentenced on Thursday to twenty eight years
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by US District Judge Karen Caldwell for two counts of
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production of child pornography. According to hoskins plea agreement on
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June second. In June third, twenty twenty five, Hoskins produced
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child pornography with a minor victim while he was incarcerated
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in the Madison County Detention Center. He instructed the miner
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to produce child pnography using the detention center's video jail
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call system. Jason Parman, first Assistant United States Attorney for
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the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olsen, Special Agent
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in Charge FBI Louisville Field Office jointly announced the sentencing.
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The investigation was conducted by FBI KSP and Madison County
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Sheriff's Office. Assistant US Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case
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on behalf of the United States. Next article New Beach
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Creek walking trail opens Manchester outdoor enthusiasts now having new
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destination to explore as The Beech Creek Trail has officially
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been completed and is open for public use. Located behind
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Governor's Campground, the new trail system offers opportunities for both
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hikers and mountain bikers, featuring two distinct routes designed to
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accommodate different skill levels. The trail was designed by Dessi
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and Ben of Dirt Solutions and includes the Governor's Loop,
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an easy route geared toward beginners and families in the
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Beach Creek Climb, a moderately challenging trail for those seeking
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a more strenuous out door experience. Both trails are clearly marked,
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with the trailhead located near the wood line behind Governor's Campground.
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The project was completed through a collaborative effort between the
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City of Manchester and Trailtown, continuing local efforts to expand
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outdoor recreation and promote tourism throughout the community. Manchester Mayor
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Steve Collins said the completion of the trails another step
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forward in enhancing the city's recreational offerings. Quote. We're excited
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to officially open the Beech Creek Trail and provide another
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quality outdoor attraction for both our residents and visitors. Unquote,
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Colin said quote Projects like this improve the quality of
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life in our community while also helping showcase the natural
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beauty of Manchester. We appreciate our partnership with Trail Town
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in the outstanding work by Dessi and Ben of Dirt
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Solutions in creating a trail system that can be enjoyed
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by people of varying very varying skill levels. City officials
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encourage visitors to use the designated trailhead behind Governor's Campground
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into foul posted trail markers while enjoying the new system.
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The Beech Creek Trail is expected to become another attraction
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for outdoor recreation and enthusiasts visiting Manchester, complementing the city's
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growing network of trails, river access points, and other tourism
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amenities and sports. Young Tigers making strides as pre season
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enters final stretch Manchester summer football doesn't count in the standings,
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but don't tell that to Clay County Tigers. For a
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program replacing several key contributors over the last few seasons,
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every snap during seven on seven Passing League has mattered.
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It's been a chance for younger players to gain valuable
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varsity experience, for returning veterans to shake off the rust,
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and for the coaching staff to begin piecing together exactly
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who will be making plays under the Friday night lights
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in just a few short weeks. If head coach Mike
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Seismore's evaluation is any indication, the Tigers are exactly where
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they hope to be. Quote, I feel like we have
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improved every time we have played seven on seven this
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summer on quote, Seismore said, Clay County spent the summer
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competing against a variety of opponents, making trips to Hazzard
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and Whitley County, while also bringing home the championship from
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a Lynn Camp seven on seven tournament. While wins are
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always welcome, Seizemore said, the biggest takeaway wasn't the record,
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it was watching his team mature with every opportunity. Our
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kids have improved, they've competed, and they're continuously working hard.
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He said. It's been a great opportunity for us to
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see who was ready to compete and who may need
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a little more development. With several new faces expected to
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step into prominent offensive rows this fall, the Passing League
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offered perhaps the best look yet at what Clay County's
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next wave of skill players would become. The Tigers will
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lean on a mixture of returning experience in young talent,
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and Sizemore believes menny of the players who were forced
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into varsity action a year ago are beginning to reap
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the benefits of those early growing pains. Quote, We're fortunate
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to have several kids who can play unquote, Seismore said,
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a lot of these guys got thrown in in there
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early last season, and I think that's really going to
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pay off as they continue to grow. Among those putting
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together productive summers have been Weston Bowling, Drew Elvis, Skyler Roberts,
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Jake Gray, Brandon Brown, Matthew Brown, Bill McNamara, Bentley Jackson,
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Hunter Napier, and j D Lipps. Sizemore also pointed to
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a several freshmen who have impressed throughout the summer and
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will continue battling for varsity playing time when preseason camp begins.
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What it has stood out most to the coaching staff. However,
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isn't necessarily one player over another, it's the overall attitude
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of a young group eager to improve. Sizemore described the
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team as coachable and consistent, adding those qualities have been
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a trademark of many successful Clay County teams over the
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past decade. While this group may lack experience compared to
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some recent Tiger squads, he believes its willingness to learn
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gives it the opportunity to develop into another successful team
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in the years ahead. With Summer Passing League now in
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the rearview mirror, the Tigers are turning their full attention
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toward the physical portion of preseason practice. The helmets and
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shorts are giving way to pads, and the focus shifts
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from winning July Passing tournaments to preparing for Friday nights
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this fall. Quote we finished up our preseason seven on
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seven work unquote, Seismore said. Quote. Now our focus is
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doing the things we need to do to be ready
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to play on Friday nights. The next week will answer
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plenty of questions for Clay County, but one thing came
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clear throughout the summer. This year's Tigers embraced the opportunity
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to compete, improve and lay the foundation for what they
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hope will be another successful season. This concludes the reading
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of the Manchester Enterprise. Your reader has been Jim Rice.
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Now please stay tuned for continued programming on Radio I.
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Thank you for listening.