Darren Doyle, story:
The 2024 November General Election is one month away and because of the high profile nature of the ballot, higher turnout is expected.

Edmonson County Clerk Kevin Alexander has provided information that can be helpful to registered county voters, which lays out four different ways to vote in Edmonson County for the big election.

Local voters will cast their vote for President of the United States, U.S. Congress, State Senator, Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors, and Brownsville City residents will choose six city council members from seven candidates. The rest of the races on the ballot are unopposed.

There will also be two state constitutional amendments: one and two, with Amendment One prohibiting non-U.S. citizens from voting in a KY election. Amendment 2 would allow tax payer funding to be used for private schools.

There is also a local option that would allow the sale of medical marijuana at licensed dispensaries, as well as the operation of cannabis-based businesses in Edmonson County.

The Edmonson County Clerk’s Office has been accepting ballot requests since September 21st, which is one of the options.  The online absentee request portal, located at govote.ky.gov, will remain open through October 22nd until 11:59 pm. This is for absentee voters who must follow legal valid restrictions, only.

“We’ve had several requests from individuals, and we expect that to remain pretty steady until the portal closes” County Clerk Kevin Alexander said.  “There is a lot of interest in this election, naturally.”

For this option, voters can mail their ballots back to the office in the envelope provided at their expense, or they may drop off their absentee ballot in the ballot drop box in within the Edmonson County Clerk’s Office located at 108 Main Street in Brownsville. This is for those who must provide a valid, legal reason why they will not be able to vote on excused early voting days or on Election Day.

Clerk Alexander noted that voting on these days will require a person to fill out paperwork as to why they cannot vote in-person on the three days of no-excuse, in-person early voting or on Election Day.

The second option is excused, in-person voting.

After the portal closes (option one), the period for excused early voting begins.  There are six days when voters can vote, in-person, with a valid excuse at the Edmonson County Clerk’s Office.  Hours for these days run concurrent with the regular office hours of the Clerk’s office. 

Beginning Wednesday, October 23rd, excused early voting will run from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.  On Thursday, October 24th, voting will be conducted from 8:00 am – Noon, while on Friday, October 25th, opportunity to vote will be offered from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.  There will be no voting on Saturday, October 26th.  The following Monday through Wednesday, October 28-30, excused early voting will again be at the Clerk’s office from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.

“We are strongly encouraging people to use the three days of no-excuse, in-person, early voting on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd “ Alexander added.  “Each of these days we will be open from 8:00 am to at least 4:00 pm, with Friday the 1st extended to 5:00 pm.” 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5th, where all regular polling places will be open as it was with the spring Primary election.  Voters in Edmonson County can continue to use their regular polling place, or choose to use of one of the three “vote centers."

The added centers include the Edmonson County Community Center, South Edmonson Elementary School, and Kyrock Elementary.  Any voter can use these centers in addition to their regular polling place.

“We tested the Community Center in the Spring as our first vote center, and it went well” said Alexander.  “Offering a vote center in Brownsville, as well as each side of the river on or near the main road simply gives voters more options.” 

Alexander also reminded voters to bring identification.  He said a driver’s license is the best form, but an identification card will work as well. 

“While the poll worker may very well have known you for years, it’s just easier when you have the ID ready for them to scan so we can get people their correct ballot in a timely manner," he said. "It is our hope that people will get out and vote."

The final day to register to vote is October 7th. 

Darren Doyle, story:
Kentucky Amendment 2 is one of two constitutional amendments that will appear on the 2024 General Election ballot in Edmonson County. If passed, this amendment will allow the use of state funding for non-public education. The measure would add language to the Kentucky Constitution saying that "the General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools." K-12 public schools are referred to as common schools in the KY Constitution.

We reached out to Brian Alexander and asked several questions regarding Amendment 2. He first told us that he could not comment as the Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools, nor the Edmonson County Board of Education, but he agreed to share his opinion as a citizen of Edmonson County, and that as a citizen, opposes Amendment 2.

"First, I was a child who had food on the table and a roof over my head because of teacher salaries.  I was raised by public school teachers. I was taught by public school teachers," he stated. "I know today’s public school teachers in Edmonson County, as well as other places. They are good, decent, hard-working professionals who care about children. They are compensated from public school funds. A yes vote on Amendment 2 can affect their compensation and would cripple public schools." 

He then explained how Amendment 2 would hurt private schools.

"Based on my research, the monetary amount associated with private school vouchers will not cover the cost of private schools, and there will be strings attached to the use of public school funds in a private school setting.  In my research as a citizen, private schools are a personal choice, religious doctrines being a very prevalent aspect of this choice.  Anyone who thinks that separation of church and state in the private school setting when public funds are used in the private setting is fooling themselves."

Alexander also stated that safety is another reason he is against the amendment.

"Without a doubt, public schools are exponentially safer than private schools and personal homes.  There are reports in Edmonson County periodically of persons walking around, and sometimes into, homes.  If an intruder attempts to enter a home they’ll get in in a matter of a minute or less.  That is not the case in a public school building.  If private schools are allotted public funds they should be subject to the same safety standards, and reaching those standards will be costly.  This raises private school tuition and devalues the previously mentioned vouchers." 

Alexander said that school choice is already an option. 

"A NO vote on Amendment 2 protects public school funding as well as the autonomy associated with school choice."

While several lawmakers have voiced support for Amendment 2, including U.S. KY Senator Rand Paul, many local and area educators are against it, including Warren County Superintendent Rob Clayton in multiple interviews.

The General Election is scheduled for November 5, 2024. In addition to Amendment 2, voters will cast their choice for support or opposition of Amendment 1, which if passed, would prohibit any person who is not a citizen of the United States from voting in any Kentucky election.

There will also be a local question asking county voters if they are in favor of medicinal cannabis at licensed dispensaries and the operation of other cannabis businesses in Edmonson County.

Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey has issued the following statement regarding the closing of the courthouse today.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
A structure fire claimed a Chalybeate home early this morning on Noah Bledsoe Road.

Firefighters responded to the call of a structure fire at 2503 N Bledsoe of a home on fire around 3:25AM on Thursday, September 26, 2024. About half of the home was blanketed with flames when firefighters arrived.

A family of four was able to escape without injuries, including a 9 year-old and a 4 year-old, according to Chalybeate Fire Chief Daniel Johnson.

Firefighters became frustrated soon after arriving when they ran out of water, having to wait until back up fire units could respond. Fire hydrants are limited in the area.

Homes on each side of the involved home were also damaged as siding melted off the buildings.

Responding to the scene were the Chalybeate, Brownsville, Wingfield, Kyrock, Smiths Grove, and Richardsville Fire Departments along with the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, Warren RECC, and Leitchfield Utilities.

No injuries were reported and it was unclear as to the origin of the fire.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey has rescinded the emergency burn ban that was issued on August 27, 2024 in Edmonson County as a result of recent rainfall.

The following order was released today:

Darren Doyle, story:
A motorcycle crash claimed the life of a Cave City man in the early hours of Saturday, September 21st, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office reported that a deputy responded to the scene of a motorcycle crash around 3:25AM at 17041 Louisville Road. The driver was identified as Shawn Clark, (46) of Cave City, who was operating a 2023 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

According to the accident report, it appeared that the driver failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into a fence post.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by the Edmonson County Coroner's Office. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Also responding was Edmonson EMS and the Rocky Hill Fire Department.

Here are few lightning photos we captured in southern Edmonson County on Saturday, September 21, 2024 as light showers fell in different areas of the county.

Darren Doyle, story:
A second assassination attempt on former President and current Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump was confirmed yesterday in an incident at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. It's the second attempt in just over as many months.

Palm Beach County, FL Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed that shots fired were reported at 1:30PM on Sunday, September 15, 2024 at the golf course. Sheriff Bradshaw said that his office responded to assist U.S. Secret Service in the incident. Bradshaw said that a Secret Service agent stationed on a hole in front of Trump saw the barrel of a rifle sticking out from the bushes behind the fence of the course. The agent reportedly engaged with a hidden would-be shooter, who was said to be approximately 300 to 500 yards away from former President Trump.

A suspect fled the scene and through eyewitness reports, was seen in a black Nissan SUV leaving the area. Sheriff Bradshaw said the suspect was detained approximately 50 miles away by the Martin County Sheriff's Office. The suspect was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, age 58, who apparently had voted in North Carolina in the 2024 primary, according to multiple sources, and claimed he was most recently living in Hawaii.

Routh's social media was almost immediately suspended and inaccessible on Facebook and X, which had several critical posts on the Ukraine-Russian conflict as well as Trump. Several screen recordings of Routh's social media posts were posted on other accounts before it was suspended.

An AK-47 rifle with scope was found in the bushes, along with a backpack with ceramic tiles and a GoPro camera.

From Trump's Truth Social account, he released the following statement:

"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes - It was certainly an interesting day! Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!"

Vice President and current Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris also released a statement on Sunday, which condemned the assassination attempt.

"I am deeply disturbed by the possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. As we gather the facts, I will be clear: I condemn political violence. We all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more to violence," she stated on her social media account, X.

Questions were asked as to how someone with a rifle can be that close to Trump, especially since an attempt on his life was made on July 13th. Sheriff Bradshaw told reporters yesterday that while Trump receives Secret Service protection as both a former President and current candidate, he does not receive the same amount of protection as a sitting President.

Charges filed against the would-be assassin have not yet been announced.

Edmonson Voice Report:
In response to several school threats that have occurred across the commonwealth this week, the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Department of Education have issued the following statements.

“Kentucky State Police will continue to work with school resource officers, local law enforcement and school administrators to ensure the safety of all students. As a trooper and a father who has children in our school system, I can assure you that we will take any threat seriously and make arrests where possible.” -Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr.

“There is no greater trust – or responsibility – that can be given to our schools than a parent or guardian saying he or she trusts us with his or her child. While we are concerned about the amount of time our students are missing due to these hoaxes, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of the students and staff members that are in our schools every day across Kentucky. We ask our families to talk with their students about the very real and serious consequences that can happen if they call in a threat against another student or their school.  A threat like this can result in a student facing suspension, expulsion and/or alternative placements, in addition to the consequences from our justice system.”
-Kentucky Department of Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher 

Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander released an open letter to Edmonson County, which was published earlier today. He stated that no such threats have been found in local schools at this time.

Kentucky State Police and Kentucky Department of Education urge parents to have a conversation with their children about the dangers and consequences of posting threatening messages on social media or online. Families should also speak with their children about reporting any concerning information they may come across on social media or online to an adult. Ensuring that any information reported is accurate and truthful is crucial, as false reports can lead to unnecessary fear and confusion. However, KSP emphasizes that this should not discourage anyone from reporting potential crimes or threats.

Kentucky Revised Statute 508 states threats of violence directed toward a school are Terroristic Threatening 1st Degree, which is a Class C Felony. Furthermore, a Class C Felony is a serious crime that can carry a punishment of up to 5 to 10 years in prison.

On August 28, the Kentucky Office of the State School Security Marshal released the annual School Safety Risk Assessment Report, which shows 99.81% of Kentucky’s schools are following statutory safety requirements. The report shows that 1,325 schools are in compliance with the School Safety and Resiliency Act. 

All Kentucky public schools are required to employ a school resource officer (SRO) and the number of SROs assigned to school campuses has increased to 790. This is a 28% increase over the last year and a 61% increase since the bill was signed into law.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A fraud group is pretending to be Bank of Edmonson County, calling and asking you to verify transactions and your identity, according to Bank CEO Alex Ulm.

"If you receive one of these calls please hang up and call the bank directly," Ulm stated. "Caller ID can be faked but dialing our number will always bring you to BOEC."

He also reminded everyone that Bank of Edmonson County will never call you to verify your identity or ask you for your personal information.

The Bank has also shared information regarding crypto investment scams that could be helpful to the community.

Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander has released the following open letter to the Edmonson County community:

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
In a follow up to a previous article regarding the Edmonson County Library's decision to not renew their lease with the Edmonson County Senior Center, we have been in correspondence with others with knowledge of the situation, including Executive Director of Community Action of Southern KY (CASOKY) Carla Brown. The Senior Center is run by CASOKY, which in turn is funded through the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD).

We made several calls to Ms. Brown at the time of our original article and did not immediately get a response. We later received a return call from Brown who stated she was in Seattle, Washington for a conference but assured she would email responses to any questions we had.

We received a forwarded email six days later from Leslie Talley, Director of Operations for CASOKY, with Ms. Brown's responses.

The Library's decision has been a source of contention with the Senior Center employees, volunteers, and senior center participants, who claim the intent of the Library/Tech Center/Senior Center was to never be anything else, other than the three entities. Senior Center personnel feel they are being forced out of their home.

The County deeded the full property to the Library in October, 2009 after completion of the project, which was all funded through grants. The Library later entered into a lease agreement with CASOKY for the Senior Center, renewable every three years. Since the Library holds the deed to the property, they can legally do whatever they want with the property. The question for some is, just because they can, should they?

It is well documented that the late N.E. Reed, former Judge/Executive of Edmonson County, intended for the Senior Center to be included in the new Library and Technology Center on Ferguson Street, built in 2008, however, there has been no discovery of any documentation stating that funding received for the project included a Senior Center. It is also unclear exactly when the Senior Center talk became part of the library project discussion.

Rhonda Gipson, a volunteer at the Senior Center, spoke at the most recent public Library Board meeting in opposition of the Library's decision to not renew the lease with the center. She claimed that it was Judge Reed's wishes to keep the Senior Center at the same location forever and that the Library is going against those wishes. She also claimed that Reed and other members of the Edmonson County Fiscal Court secured specific funding for a Senior Center, which was to be included in a Library and Tech Center project.

We have gone through every Fiscal Court meeting minutes from mid 2004 through 2009. While we found two references of a Senior Center, they were in discussion only, and we found no language describing specific funding for a Senior Center.

We found the following references to the project in Edmonson County Fiscal Court minutes within that 5-year period:

• August 8, 2005: County resolution EC05-14-Community Economic Growth Grant, $400K for "an economic development and technology center"
• July 10, 2006: County resolution EC06-27- Agreement with Governor's Office for a local development grant, $500K for "Library Improvements"
• November 19, 2007: No resolution or documentation listed, but the minutes show a resident spoke at the meeting, who was concerned with the amount of money spent for the library project. "Judge Reed explained that the $500,000 will be combined with other funding totaling $1.3 to $1.5 million dollars to construct a new library/tech center/senior center," however, no further documentation or explanation was listed as to the source of the rest of the income
• November 26, 2007: Item I. on the agenda stated the following: "A motion was made by Mag. Edd Rich and seconded by Mag. Tom Wilkerson to authorize Judge Reed as acting agent for the Fiscal Court concerning all services for the construction of the Library/Tech Center/Senior Center building except items that require a bid."
• January 28, 2008: Old business, item B. "Judge Reed reminded the court that the Libary/Tech Center bids were opened on January 24, 2008 at 10:00AM."
• November 7, 2008: Old Business, item IX. A. "Approve Library/Tech Center Appliance-Equipment Purchase:"
  

While there are references to a Senior Center, there is nothing requiring the use of any of the funds received to be used for a Senior Center, despite the fact that Judge Reed intended for it to be housed at the Library at that time. The lot was donated to the county by the City of Brownsville for the purpose of the building.

Library Board Chairman Raymond Durbin told the Edmonson Voice in an earlier interview, that if documentation stating  there were funds received by the county strictly earmarked for a Senior Center-only, the Library would have likely taken another look at their decision. However, searches for those documents through Fiscal Court minutes have not resulted in any specific finds.

The library's position remains the same. They have grown their programs tremendously over the past few years, some up to 400%, according to their participation numbers. They claim their growth requires all the available space they have, which according to their deed, is the entire property, including a small portion that is the Senior Center.

They also say that county taxpayers pay a specific library tax on their property tax bill each year, and that those funds should be used only for library purposes. They also feel that the entity funding the Senior Center, CASOKY, has a responsibility to house the Senior Center as they do their other programs, which is also funded through taxpayer dollars.

We asked CASOKY Director Brown when she was first made aware of the changes to the lease agreement by the Library, which at first, was an increase of rent from 20% of the utilities (approx. $250/mo) to $500/mo.

"On February 2, 2024 we received an email with an updated agreement with proposed increases that we absolutely could not afford," Brown stated. "We forwarded that email to our board representative and County Judge asking for guidance."

Edmonson County Judge Lindsey serves as an ex-officio member of the CASOKY Board.

The Library Board said they by the time they had received a response from Brown two months later, the Library realized that money is not what their true need was, but the space instead. A meeting scheduled with CASOKY, Judge Lindsey, and the Library was set for May 9, 2024.

"Community Action went to the meeting thinking we were going to negotiate the rental terms instead we were told that our lease would not be renewed but we could remain in the building until December 31(st)," Brown stated.

We discovered that CASOKY is currently paying $2,225/mo for local rent for Edmonson County Head Start. We asked Brown if funding was available for that, is it fair to seek similar funding for a Senior Center?

"It was explained by the BRADD representation that the majority of Senior Centers in the state operate with other funding from counties, partnerships, etc.," she replied. "Community Action explained that the program takes a loss each year because grants received are not enough to cover the expenses to operate the Senior Center program. The funding the agency receives is specific to each funding source meaning Head Start funds can only be used for Head Start. Senior Center funds can only be used for senior services. We have three programs that receive federal funds from AmeriCorps Seniors, Foster Grandparent (FGP), Senior Companion (SCP) and Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Although these programs receive funds from the same source the funds cannot be commingled. FGP can only be used to support FGP, SCP can only be used to support SCP and RSVP can only support RSVP.  It was also explained that if another place was not located  it was very likely the Seniors in Edmonson County would not receive services. State regulations require specific guidelines for opening or renovating a facility for Senior Centers. Like Head Start, our options in Edmonson County are minimal."

She also explained that the Head Start moved from the Community Center to the Main Street Center, a privately-owned commercial property, because options were limited.

"Most of the Head Start programs pay minimal rent, $1 to $238 per month or are housed in the elementary schools in which we receive non-federal match or in-kind. In comparison, the agency pays $2000 a month towards utilities for our Warren County facility which houses twelve Head Start classrooms, Community Services, the Senior Center, Refugee services, KHBE , and LIHEAP. This facility is over 12,000 ft."

She said CASOKY received a large in-kind donation for the additional expense of rent that could be charged.

In their 2023 annual report, CASOKY showed a total revenue of nearly $21M, with approximately $15M of that coming from federal and state funding. That of course is for the entire 10-county area.

According to their 2022 tax return (form 990) CASOKY listed receipts of over $18M with over $10M being spent on salaries and benefits.

We asked Judge Lindsey if he agreed with the Library's stance that funds received through the county library tax should only be used for library purposes.

"This is a grey area, and a legal discussion for a much higher level than myself," he said. "I will say that I understand Mr. Durbin's thoughts and feelings on the library tax funding and can certainly understand why he has a concern about its usage."

We asked if the county had considered taking an active role in finding a new home for the seniors.

"While this program is funded with State and Federal funding, and it is not a component of local government, we have been and will continue to take an active role in trying to assist in securing a building for the Seniors of our community. It is a challenging task to work within the budget criteria that Community Action has for this program, but we hope to find something that they can make work. We are committed to working with Community Action and our Senior Center in an effort to secure a new home for them."

When asked how he felt that CASOKY had handled the communication with the library during the matter. His response was, "I can't speak on this based on my board position with Community Action."

Lindsey also found no documentation of earmarked funds for a Senior Center, only.

"I have researched multiple years of fiscal court minutes, multiple years of State budgeted appropriations, multiple years of Federal budget appropriations, and spoken to several people involved with the project. At this time, I have been unable to find any funding information specific to the Senior Center. All I can go by is what I can find with legal documentation of the events and deeds involved. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any documentation that mentions a permanent home for the Senior Center at the Library, nor that the funding for the building of the Library included funding for the Senior Center as well."

We also spoke to former Brownsville Mayor Tim Houchin, who served during the funding and construction process of the new Library building, which was 2007-2009.

"When N.E. and I started talking about this project, one of the problems was, we didn't have anywhere to build it. We were able to donate the land where it is through myself and the City Council. I thought it was a real need for us," Houchin said.

"N.E. told me he thought he could get some funding for a new library and we both worked on it. We made a lot of trips to a lot of different places to try to get the funding. Then (former State Senator) Richie Sanders got involved and helped make some of that happen, and then we were able to get some money appropriated from Washington through (former U.S. Senator) Jim Bunning."

Houchin said funding for a Senior Center was never documented in appropriations.

"You won't find anything on that because everything discussed was for the Library and Tech Center," Houchin said. "I wish I could tell you there was something in the planning when we started for the Senior Center, but there wasn't."

Houchin said the discussion for the Senior Center came during the construction process of the building when Reed saw there was room there,  at the time, for the seniors.

Former KY Senator Sanders told the Voice that he remembers discussion of the senior center but couldn't recall exactly the language regarding the funding.

"If it had been just the Edmonson County Library at the time trying to get funding, it would not have been successful in my opinion, because the whole time, the dedication and everything was Senior Citizen and Library. They each helped each other," Sanders told the Edmonson Voice.

He explained that grant funding is much more likely to be allocated to communities like Edmonson when multiple agencies join together.

"For small counties, and I can tell you from experience, they're better if they can be united than one going over here and one going over there...Communities that work together and are on the same page, by far, do much better than those that aren't."

Judge Lindsey said he felt that all parties involved should be proactive in trying to find a new home for the Senior Center. At this point, legally, that would seem only to be CASOKY, since the Library has voted on not renewing the lease with CASOKY. Whether or not anyone else gets involved remains to be seen. The Library is making plans to expand their children's programs, which they say have grown the most over the past year.

"This situation needs to be a priority for all involved," Lindsey said. "I don't want the parties involved to wait until the last minute to find a home for our Seniors, and then go into crisis mode to try to put something together. Our Seniors deserve better than that, and they deserve to have a place they can call home. While we are committed to assisting with that process, Community Action is the lead organization for the search."

The Library Board also voted to release the Senior Center from any further rent or utilities beginning in May until the end of their lease, which ends on December 31, 2024.

 "At this time, our concern is for the Seniors and staff in Edmonson County," Director Brown of CASOKY stated.

Story and photos by Joseph Barkoff:
​“Well, you won’t believe what happened next,” WDNS D93 radio host Tony Rose said would be the lead for the story about the Edmonson Voice’s 10-year anniversary, as the dinner and roast host at the Hidden Homestead Tuesday, September 10th in the Chalybeate community.
 
After 10 years of providing Edmonson County with free, always accessible--with an internet connection--news and community information, owner and most of the time sole operator Darren Doyle, 48 of Chalybeate, felt he wanted to say thank you to his sponsors and friends by celebrating his milestone of a decade with dinner and a roast.
 
A roast in Edmonson County? 
 
Yes, and this isn’t your Tom Brady’s Roast.
 
With a lineup of speakers like Edmonson County Superintendent Brian Alexander, District 19 State Representative Michael Meredith, Edmonson County Circuit Court Clerk Daniel Priddy, Bowling Green Public information Officer Debi Highland West and retired Edmonson County Sheriff and current little brother Shane Doyle, what would happen next as they were called to the stage to roast its owner, would indeed be anyone’s guess.
 
“Reading the Edmonson Voice is like getting a news update from your grandma,” Rose said.
 
Rose noted he has known Doyle for over 25 years.
 
“The TMZ of Brownsville,” Rose said of the Edmonson Voice. 
 
The model the Edmonson Voice uses for news and information dissemination is what other small counties and communities all over the world want, Rose said too.

​Alexander met Doyle when he was coaching 7th grade basketball at Edmonson County Middle School when Doyle was in the 8th grade, he said.
 
“I didn’t know Darren had the musical talent that he had at the time when he was in eighth grade,” Alexander said. “I didn’t know he would go on to sing at the Opry. I didn’t know that he had the business mind that he had. I didn’t know he was gonna go all the places he was gonna go. I just knew his basketball work ethic wasn’t gonna take him anywhere.”
 
Alexander had been able to enjoy “a lot of fun stuff with Darren over the years,” he said.
 
Darren has made the happenings of Edmonson County accessible by only a click, and brought things like sports into the homes of folks who aren’t able to get to games but still enjoy the Wildcats and Lady Cats athletics, Alexander said.
 
“He has made us relevant in the world of information,” Alexander said.

“Small business in this community, family is everything,” Meredith said when he arrived to the podium.
 
Having grown up with all  the Doyles, each of Darren’s brothers, including Darren could be described with a “T,” he said.
 
Trouble for Dustin, technical for Shane, and “tall” for Darren,
 
Despite not winning a district basketball tournament in decades, and then being surpassed in his basketball winnings, Meredith doubts someone will pass him with what he has done with the Edmonson Voice, he said.
 
“I think it’s going to be a long time before somebody surpasses what you’ve done here in 10 years with the Edmonson Voice,” Meredith said.
 
Priddy met Doyle when he was the public affairs officer for the Kentucky State Police Post 3 and took the stage with a spoiler for the crowd--Clark Kent is a disguise.
 
“I have never met a man who pretended to be someone like a superhero pretending to be,” Priddy said about Doyle, who’s haircut, glasses, and job all pointed to the possibility.
 
Going so far as to create a media company to call himself a journalist, Priddy said in air quotes. Though if he was really Superman in disguise, he would not swing a golf club like Charles Barkley. Priddy went on to poke more fun of Doyle's terrible golf game.
 
In a time where there always seems to be tension between law enforcement and the media, it was always great to have someone like Darren Doyle, Priddy said.
 
“It’s no surprise it’s been a successful 10 years,” he said.

​When Debi West first met Doyle she was not thrilled because she thought, as the only police beat reporter in the area for her paper, she was worried about competing for information in Edmonson County.
 
After talking to him and seeing his work, she developed respect and admiration for him “living the journalist dream, being the workhorse and shot caller,” she said.
 
Being both could be a burden to some.
 
West tells it is differently with Doyle and his level of integrity is a “testament to the kind of human Darren is,” she said.
 
Covering a horrible topic no one likes to cover, the kind that “hurt your heart and they hurt your soul,” West described a scenario where the delicate nature of a particular news story was handled with such care by Doyle, it impressed her.
 
Darren didn’t care about being first with the story, he cared about the impact on his community, she said.
 
The world could use more Darren Doyles and if there were more like him, maybe there would be more trust in the media, West said.
 
If you don’t know how talented Darren Doyle is, “Go ask him," his brother Shane said.
 
The world gets the same Darren no matter what he is doing, Shane said. Professional, courteous, and honest.
 
Though there were some experiences Shane thought, as the younger brother, would be unique only to him.
 
“I hope that I am the only person in this room that was tied to a tree and then just left there,” Shane said. “I am an expert in untying knots.”
 
Despite Shane’s four years of “indentured servitude” to Darren for an incident of quoting out loud a profane bumper sticker both boys would have gotten in trouble for, Shane still respects and loves his brother.
 
“He is as authentic as they come, he is as honest as they come and I am proud to call him my brother,” Shane said about Darren’s achievement of now 10 years running the Edmonson Voice.

​After everyone one had said their piece, there was only one thing left for the night.
 
Darren’s retort. 
 
A rebuttal that went down the line displacing the ego of each previous speaker with what was described as lies, jokes and half-truths by Rose as both a warning and invitation to tag along as the night opened.
 
Like a suction-cup-arrow toting Robin Hood, Darren stuck each with metaphoric harmless, yet sharpened barbs, and proud anecdotes. He had more than the three in his quiver he once gave to Shane when they were boys.
 
Darren thanked everyone in attendance but had extra thanks for his first clients. Patton Funeral Home, Bank of Edmonson County and Gravil Funeral Home.
 
Times were tough back then and after receiving his first advertiser's check from Roy Gravil, Darren bought groceries, he said.
 
“If Roy Gravil hadn’t written the first check I don’t know if any other checks would come,” Darren said. 
 
If it hadn’t been for those three folks believing in him, he doesn’t know if the people in front of him in the room with him would be celebrating Edmonson Voice’s 10 years, Darren said.
 
“From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate every single one of you,” Darren said. “I hope that we can be here 10 years from now.”
 
Bless y’all’s hearts.  

Darren Doyle, story:
The victim in last night's shooting has been identified.

KSP responded to the scene to find a male subject deceased.  The decedent, Christopher W. Helson, 43, of Smiths Grove was pronounced deceased by the Edmonson County Coroner.  Next of kin has been notified.  An autopsy is scheduled, according to KSP. 

The incident is still under investigation by Kentucky State Police. No other details are being released by authorities at this time.




Original story, September 9, 2024:

The second shooting death in Edmonson County in just over two weeks was confirmed this evening by Kentucky State Police.

According to KSP Post 3 Public Affairs Officer Katan Parker, an Edmonson County man has been confirmed dead from a gunshot wound of an incident that happened on Monday evening, September 9th.

The incident took place at 80 Timberwood Drive in the Chalybeate community. No other information has been confirmed at this time.

On August 24th, Ernest Cline, (83) was found shot to death in his home in Wingfield.

Darren Doyle, story:
The second shooting death in Edmonson County in just over two weeks was confirmed this evening by Kentucky State Police.

According to KSP Post 3 Public Affairs Officer Katan Parker, an Edmonson County man has been confirmed dead from a gunshot wound of an incident that happened on Monday evening, September 9th.

The incident took place at 80 Timberwood Drive in the Chalybeate community. No other information has been confirmed at this time.

On August 24th, Ernest Cline, (83) was found shot to death in his home in Wingfield.

...

...

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Friday’s main event at the 2024 Edmonson County Fair was the Rodeo, presented by Spur A Productions. Donnie Turley, Lions Club Fair Board Chairman, said tonight was the largest crowd he has seen at the fair in a very long time.

Traffic was backed up a couple miles in each direction in front of the fair entrances before the show.

You can see some of the Rodeo action in the slideshow below:

Darren Doyle, story:
Some lucky kids will have free admission to the Edmonson County Lions Club Fair carnival on Fair Day, September 6, 2024 thanks to a number of sponsors who are purchasing the passes to give away.

Normal price for unlimited carnival rides are $10 for Fair Day, but according to Fair Board Chairman Donnie Turley, the following sponsors have racked up a total of 350 free passes, while they last, and they hope to get even more.

Trustworthy Heating and Cooling: $2000 (200 passes)
Chalybeate Food Mart: $500 (50 passes)
The Edmonson Voice: $500 (50 passes)
McReynolds Physical Therapy: $300 (30 passes)
C&A Plumbing: $200 (20 passes)

The free passes are good for kids-only, ages 17 and under and will be handed out to the first 350 kids. Turley is encouraging more sponsorship so that even more kids can be served. In addition, the first 125 kids through the gates will receive a free ice cream cone.

To sponsor passes for kids, call/text Corey Culbreth at 270-799-1017.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
What was once a thriving place with deep waters for boating and fishing now looks more like a post-apocalyptic scene near the Lock Number 5 Dam in Roundhill, as low water levels are causing abandoned vehicles and debris to surface.

The low water is mainly caused by the continued removal of the dam at Lock 5, which is still underway.

One man, Gary Key, who lives nearby, was looking out at the water, shaking his head.

"We used to come down here and catch all kinds of fish, but it's a shame now," he said. "I came down here last week and you couldn't see this one car here then," as he pointed to a vehicle. "It's sad."

Removal of the dam was made possible and specifically called for in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act or “WIIN,” championed by Senator McConnell in 2016. The $4.6 million dam removal is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Fish Passage Program.

In a 2021 press release from the U.S. Corps of Engineers, it stated "Removal of the dam will restore free-flowing conditions to 73 miles of the Green River."

The dam removal at no. 5 and Lock and Dam no. 6 in Brownsville has been a heavy point of contention with locals. What used to be a deep river with boat and fishing access is now barely more than a creek in some places. Boat access is completely gone for this entire stretch of river.

The Edmonson County Water District has an emergency pump on standby in the event water levels become too low at their Brownsville treatment plant, however, even with very dry conditions, it has not yet been needed and water officials say the water supply is still enough for their customers.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
The Edmonson County Lions Club Fair for 2024 got off to a good start, according to Fair Board Chairman Donnie Turley.

The event for the night was the sanctioned truck and tractor pull, which featured various classes of vehicles competing for prize money, and most all the bleachers were full next to the newly constructed dirt track.

The former mud bog track is no longer there, as it's been replaced with a dirt track that can also be used for the mud run that will be featured on Thursday night.

Most notable was the carnival, with steady lines at each ride, including those for both young and old. The most popular seemed to be what was called the Speed XXL, which was a rotating seat on the end of long arm that went up what seemed to be about 10 stories in a circular motion.

“We had a great crowd for opening night,” said Turley. “We also had a few extra rides he brought this year. All the kids really seemed to be having a great time.”

The fair is back tonight with the farm stock truck and tractor pull, which is non-sanctioned event. Cost is $15 nightly, which includes carnival rides. The events begin each night at 7PM with gates opening at 4:30PM.