Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Patrick Waddell has announced that there will be no school in Edmonson County on Thursday, January 21, 2016 due to road conditions.

Most main roadways are clear but several side roads and parking lots are still icy. Stay connected for more updates.

Chalybeate Church has also announced that there will be no prayer meeting tonight due to hazardous road and parking lot conditions.

County residents woke up to cold temps and at least 2 inches of snow this morning as school was cancelled due to hazardous road conditions. 

Some areas of the county saw slightly higher snow totals, and a winter storm watch is in effect for the entire county until late Friday night. A total of around 4 inches of accumulation is expected for the county for the next couple of days. 

Sheriff Shane Doyle urged everyone to use caution on slick roads. "Our county and state road workers do a great job of taking care of our roadways, but they can't clear everything all at once. Please use common sense when traveling over the next few days. Allow plenty of space between you and other vehicles, and please slow down. Most accidents happen in this type of weather from drivers taking things for granted or just simple carelessness. If you can, just stay inside today."

Do you have any snow pics from today? Send them  via our Facebook page or email to: [email protected],  you just might see them in tonight's updates. 

SPECIAL STATEMENT FROM THE EDMONSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
​
During the January 11, 2016 board of education meeting, Mr. Waddell announced that changes are coming in K-12 education at the national level with passage of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, with the potential for more change at the state level at a time when the Commonwealth’s new budget will be squeezed.

When changes like these filter down to the local level, they usually land squarely on the local board, Lorri Keith, Mickey Johnson, Gary Bagshaw, Alex Ulm, and Tonya Jones. These members must carry out these changes through policy and budgeting as well as innovation.  They also must be prepared to communicate those changes at local businesses, at PTO or Booster meetings, in the parking lot after church, and sometimes through social media.

School Board Recognition Month in January is a good time to recognize the job that our school board members do for the students of Edmonson County.

To keep up with this ever-changing education climate, these school board members must spend hours in professional development and preparation of all kinds, form formal training to earn state-required credit hours to reviewing documents and reports prior to a school board meeting to studying education trends through news media reports.

Please take the opportunity this month to thank the school board members of Edmonson County and let them know that while events around them change, you appreciate their unwavering stand for the children of this community.

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. The Honorable Judge John M. McCarty presiding. 

Jason Alan Grimes, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security 1st. Transport order requested from Warren County Jail.

Tierra Cheyenne Vincent, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Proof shown on both counts, both dismissed. 

Gabriella Hart, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Failure to surrender revoked operator's license. Failed to appear, $250 bench warrant issued. 

Peggy Farris, Theft by deception, including cold checks under $500. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference for 3/1/16.

In an ongoing effort to make our site easier, we've put together a short video to show you some cool features. Thanks for reading EdmonsonVoice.com!

Pictured left to right, Back row: Mrs. Charla Caudill, District Spelling Bee Coordinator,Katie Smith from Kyrock Elementary (4th grade), Sarah Stewart, District Runner-up (7th grade) and District Spelling Bee Champion Elijah Pedigo (8th grade) from Edmonson County Middle School, and Mr. Patrick Waddell, Superintendent. Front Row: Evan Gallagher from South Edmonson (4th grade), Meredith Hennion (6th grade) and Jonas Miller (5th grade) from the Edmonson 5th and 6th Center. Photo courtesy of ECMS

On Thursday evening, January 14, six different Edmonson County students and their families gathered at the ECHS Auditorium for the Annual District Spelling Bee.

Sponsored by the Edmonson County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee and the Edmonson County
Board of Education, the event brought together six finalists from grades 4 through 8, who represented each of the schools in the district.

The participants included: Katie Smith from Kyrock Elementary (4th grade), Evan Gallagher from South Edmonson (4th grade), Jonas Miller (5th grade) and Meredith Hennion (6th grade) from the Edmonson 5th and 6th Center, and Sarah Stewart (7th grade) and Elijah Pedio (8th grade) from Edmonson County Middle School.

Elijah Pedigo, named overall champion, received a cash prize of $50 and will now represent the district in the 2016 Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee in Louisville, KY. Runner up Sarah Stewart, received a cash prize of $25 and is the second choice for the Louisville Festival in the event that Pedigo should be unable to attend. 

Pedigo will compete at the 2016 Ford Motor Company Kentucky Derby Festival Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, KY for the title of State Champion and a
winning prize of $10,000.

Voting for the first round of Edmonson County's Finest Awards will end this Saturday, January 23, 2016. Hundreds of votes have been tallied up each week since voting began. Some of the categories are very one-sided, while others are neck-and-neck. 

There have also been many nominations that have surprised some of our staff members, but that's what makes the contest great...it's not up to us, it's up to you!

As of today, many of the categories in this first round are too close to call. Each email address is only allowed to vote in each category once, but even if you've already voted, you can still tell your family, friends, and neighbors to get involved. Top nominations in the following categories are currently down to the wire:

• Restaurant
• School
• Auto Repair
• Non-Profit
• Lawncare

Thankfully, our voting system is tallied automatically, so we don't have the chance of miscounting the votes. You only have one more week, so if you haven't voted, CLICK HERE! If you have, please tell someone else. Thanks for making locally owned EdmonsonVoice.com the county's most popular source for local news, sports, and info!

Edmonson Voice Sports
It was a proud moment for three ECHS senior athletes as they were honored Friday night at the girl/boy basketball doubleheader against Butler County.

Senior golfer Kayla Meredith was presented a plaque that highlighted her decorated golf career while playing for Edmonson County. In her 6 years on the team, her accomplishments included:

• 1 KHSAA State Tournament Appearance
• 2 All "A" State Tournament Appearances
• Finishing a career best, 5th place overall in 2015 All "A" State Tournament
• 2-time All "A" Regional runner up
• 2-time 4th Region All-Tournament Team
• 2015 Leachman-Buick-GMC KHSAA Scholarship Award

Kayla signed with Midway University in December on a golf scholarship. 

Senior Basketball player and golfer Hunter Buttram was also recognized for his accomplishments with the golf program during his time at ECHS. His plaque was etched with the following honors:

• 2-time KHSAA State Tournament appearances
• 2014 KHSAA Regional Runner Up
• 2013 KHSAA Regional Top 3 Qualifier
• 2014 All Region Tournament Team and was low average scorer during his entire high school career

Also receiving recognition was Senior Forward for Edmonson County Basketball Austin "Cuban" Sowders. He was presented a special game ball from Head Basketball Coach Mike McClintic for joining the 1,000 point club at ECHS. He achieved the feat at Grayson County on January 8, 2016 where the Wildcats defeated the Cougars 58-55. Sowders scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the game.

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day, all county and city offices will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 18, 2016. This includes County Clerk, PVA, the Judge Executive, County Attorney, the Sheriff's office, Circuit Clerk, the courthouse, Brownsville City Hall, as well as local banks and post offices. 

Edmonson County Schools will also be closed. Regular activities and hours will resume on Tuesday.

Edmonson Voice Staff
In a turn of events, Scott Waste paid $2800 to Corey Vanmeter on Thursday for damage to his septic tank that occurred when a Scott's Waste truck fell through the tank in early December. 

Vanmeter contacted the Edmonson Voice and gave his side of the story and provided photos of the truck on top of the busted tank. Controversy grew when Vanmeter said the truck left the driveway while Scott Waste claimed that the driveway boundary was unclear and that they shouldn't be responsible for the damages since they didn't know the tank was so close.

Vanmeter was faced with $2800 in damages, of which Scott Waste agreed to pay half the amount, $1400. After much negative reaction from the original story that was published on December 30, 2015, and calls from Judge Executive Wil Cannon, a Scott Waste representative attended a recent fiscal court meeting and said why they felt like they weren't responsible for any more than half.

During the meeting, they said they would be willing to continue to work with Vanmeter to reach a solution beneficial to both parties. Vanmeter said he reached out to them again, still requesting the full amount.

"At first, it was the same thing," Vanmeter said. "He told me that the tank was too close to the driveway and he could see where other vehicles had passed over where the tank was." Vanmeter said that that might have been the case, but he also said he told them that a personal pickup truck was quite different than a 60,000 pound garbage truck. 

"We went back and forth, and I told him that I was going to file a claim with my homeowner's insurance, but that they would probably be going after him. After that, is when he offered to pay the amount in full."

Two more calls were made to Scott Waste from the Edmonson Voice, but were not immediately returned.

Vanmeter also said that Scott Waste paid him directly over the phone via credit card because it could take up to 60 days for their office to process a check. Vanmeter said they even offered to cover the fee that Vanmeter's credit card company charged him. 
​
Judge Wil Cannon said he was unaware of the result of the incident until we spoke with him. 

"That's great news for Mr. Vanmeter," Judge Cannon said. "I told Scott Waste early on that paying for half was probably a fair offer, but in order to keep quality community relationships and good public opinion, they would be better off paying the entire amount."

Cannon also said that since he's been the Judge Executive, any issue the county has ever had with Scott Waste has been solved, except for one, and that one issue is still pending. "Most of the magistrates are like me, they've had good luck with Scott Waste. But now, we're hearing of small issues here and there, and so is the public. The public is letting magistrates know these things, and in turn, the magistrates will vote on who gets the next garbage contract here. We all need to work together."

by State Rep Michael Lee Meredith
​Resolution was the watchword in the House this week as committee assignments for the remaining 51 days of the 2016 Regular Session and beyond were announced for the chamber’s bipartisan membership.
 
The assignments were announced on Tuesday by the House Committee on Committees—a procedural committee that refers bill and resolutions to standing committees throughout the session. Once committee assignments were made, bills began to pass out of House standing committees.
 
Among those bills was House Bill 40, this session’s felony expungement bill that would allow the state’s courts to permanently seal the records of Kentuckians who have been convicted or accused but not formally charged with a low-level felony. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a 15-3 vote Wednesday and sent the bill to the full House for consideration.
 
This is not the first time a felony expungement bill has surfaced in the House; similar bills have been introduced over the past 15 years. What may be different is the attention the proposal is receiving this time around. A bipartisan brigade of Kentuckians is supporting the language in 2016 HB 40. Governor Matt Bevin and Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes have both thrown their support behind the expungement provisions, as has Kentucky’s larger business community with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce leading the charge. The reasons for this support are many, with two in particular—building Kentucky’s workforce by giving low-level felons a second chance at success and reducing the state’s recidivism, or criminal relapse, rate (now at around 41 percent)—taking center stage.
 
Key provisions of HB 40 would allow expungement of felony charges that did not result in an indictment as well as low-level Class D felony convictions, and prohibit expunged convictions from being used in civil or administrative proceedings. Those who have committed sex crimes, crimes against children or vulnerable adults and certain other felons would not be eligible for expungement under the proposal. The bill would basically give eligible low-level felons the same expungement rights already available to Kentucky’s misdemeanor offenders.  The House passed HB 40 with strong bipartisan support on Friday morning.
 
Life-saving provisions in HB 97 also received the approval of the House Health and Welfare panel this week. If passed, HB 97 would give parents of newborns up to 30 days after the child is born to leave the child at a state-approved safe place if they feel they can’t keep the child.
 
Parents or those acting for them now have up to 72 hours after a child is born to leave the child at a hospital, police station, or other safe place under the state’s Kentucky Safe Infants Act. HB 97 would also allow churches or other places of worship to also participate as safe places, should they volunteer to do so and can accommodate the requirements of the law. Kentucky would become the fifth state to allow places of worship to serve as safe places for newborns according to committee testimony. 
 
Budget subcommittees started meeting this week, allowing House members to begin a formal review of agency budget requests for the next two state fiscal years. Budgets for all three branches of government and the state Road Fund will take shape in coming weeks as the subcommittees and the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee continue their work.
 
You can stay up-to-date on all legislative action of interest to you throughout the 2016 Regular Session by logging onto the Legislative Research Commission website at www.lrc.ky.gov or by calling the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at 866-840-2835. For committee meeting schedules, please call the LRC toll-free Meeting Information Line at800-633-9650.  I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via e-mail at [email protected].

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016. The Honorable Judge Renona Carol Browning presiding. 

Kimberly Ann Deering, Probation violation (for technical violation). Pleaded not guilty. Defendant scheduled for admission to long-term substance abuse treatment program. Scheduled for circuit court, 1/25/16.

Christopher Ray Decker, Tampering with physical evidence. Pleaded not guilty, preliminary hearing 1/19/16.

Clifton H Simmons, Speeding 15mph over limit. Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Pleaded not guilty to both charges. Pretrial conference for 1/26/16.

Gary W Couch, Speeding 9mph over limit. Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Failed to appear, $750 bench warrant issued.

David Lee Willoughby, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security 1st.  Continued on 1/26/16.

Kyla Leighann Self, No operator/moped license. Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security 1st. Pleaded not guilty to both charges. Pretrial conference on 1/26/16.

Tammy Louise Dickens, Theft by unlawful taking or disposition shoplifting under $500. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced to 30 days in jail, credit for one day served, remaining 29 days suspended for two years on condition of no similar offense. No contact with Dollar General Store. Ordered to complete shoplifting prevention course.

​FRANKFORT, Ky. (January 11, 2016) – Representative Michael Meredith, R-Brownsville, is sponsoring a bill in the 2016 Session of the General Assembly that if passed, would require the Kentucky Department of Library and Archives to issue two different marriage license forms.  One form would designate the parties as bride and groom or husband and wife, while the other would be gender neutral, denoting both parties as spouse. 

Following the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, Governor Steve Beshear ordered that all marriage license forms issued would use gender neutral terminology. County clerks may currently possess forms containing the language of bride and groom, but once those inventories are depleted there will only be gender neutral forms provided to clerks.

“There have been a number of constituents contacting me about this matter asking for the option to apply for their marriage licenses as husband and wife,” Meredith said. “I believe this bill is the best approach for accommodating those concerns.”

Edmonson County Clerk Kevin Alexander stated, “I am completely in support of Representative Michael Meredith and his efforts to get this bill passed. Michael and I have discussed the fact that several of our joint constituents want this option, and this bill will allow us as clerks to continue to provide it.”
​
Representative Meredith’s bill would reverse Governor Beshear’s directive and allow Kentuckians the option to choose the specific language on their license. 

Darren Doyle, story and photo
Members of Edmonson County Leadership attended today's fiscal court meeting. The organization is made up of local workers, business owners, and elected officials. Pictured above is the 2016 Fiscal Court with members of the group.

The members introduced themselves to the court as officials addressed the group and explained the operation and duties of fiscal court. Sheriff Shane Doyle, Chief Jeff Jewel, Judge Cannon, the magistrates, County Attorney J.B. Hines, and other in attendance spoke of the court's process and addressed the organization.

In other Fiscal Court news:
County Road Foreman Ray Page reported that his crew had cleared large amounts of debris and had been working on maintaining the county bridges that had been underwater during the recent extreme rainfall amounts. He also said the county has 200 tons of salt on order for the upcoming winter. "I hope we don't need any of it," he said. "But we have to be prepared."

Parks and Rec Administrator Greg Hudson said that the remodeling of the upstairs at the Chalybeate facility was almost complete and possibly could  be ready to rent this weekend. He also reported that he is working on a Parks and Rec Needs Assessment Survey that will be in conjunction with the Edmonson Voice. The online survey will be used to let Parks and Rec know what the public would like to see from their local organization. We'll have more on this as it develops.

Jailer Hank Vincent reported that the county currently had 30 inmates in lock-up at Hart County Jail along with 4 serving home incarceration. He also reported that the county had recently had to pay several medical bills on behalf of prisoners.

County Attorney J.B. Hines spoke of the positive attributes of Edmonson County Leadership, and that he'd seen first hand examples. 

Judge Cannon reported on behalf of Tourism Director Rhonda Clemmons, who was absent. He said Blue Holler Off Road Park still hadn't paid their rec taxes, but had plans of taking care of their obligations this week.

The court also:

• approved Resolution EC 16-01, Dept. of Agriculture Grant Agreeement Spay/Neuter
• reappointed Danny Hayes and Janet Dennison to EC Industrial Authority Board for a 2 year term
• approved rescue squad executive order affiliation
• reappointed water board member Barry Rich to a 4 year term
• approved letter of support for Southern KY Ambulance Service/Greenview Hospital

Darren Doyle, story
Mr. Pete Reckard, a representative from Scott Waste, attended today's Fiscal Court meeting to address the county's concerns over damage caused by one of Scott's trucks at the residence of Corey Vanmeter in an incident where Vanmeter's septic tank was crushed when a Scott's truck left the driveway and fell through the tank.

We first called Scott Waste around December 4th to hear their side, but at the time, all they said is that they were working with Mr. Vanmeter and would not comment further. Multiple calls were later made to Scott Waste through the week of Christmas with more attempts to allow the trash removal service to speak their voice so the public could also hear their side and not just Vanmeter's, but none of them were returned.

According to Mr. Vanmeter, Scott Waste offered to cover half of the $2800 in expenses, to which Vanmeter declined, and instead filed a claim on his homeowner's insurance.

Mr. Reckard told the court today that it was not entirely Scott's fault because Vanmeter had not disclosed that his septic tank was so close to the driveway. Reckard said Vanmeter's residence had been serviced since 2013 with commercial dumpster services with no issues until now. He said had Scott's Waste known that the tank was so close to the driveway, they would have made other preparations or arrangements to prevent something like this from happening.

He also said that Scott's Waste was still willing to work with Mr. Vanmeter in order to come to an agreeable solution for both parties. He also told the court that the reason Scott's did not return calls from the Edmonson Voice was because they were currently trying to work the issue out with Vanmeter at that time, and only wanted to speak with him.

Vanmeter said at this point, Scott Waste has not offered anything more than to cover half the expenses and that he hasn't heard from them since their initial offer. He said Scott's Waste hadn't returned all his calls. He said he was not aware that they had plans to attend fiscal court today. Vanmeter still says that the problem would have never happened had the driver of the truck remained in the driveway.

Reckard said that Scott Waste wants to be a good community partner and wishes to provide quality customer service. "We're going to make some mistakes," he said. "But we'll try our best to rectify those mistakes."

Judge Cannon told us earlier that he felt like it was in Scott Waste's best interest to pay for the entire amount, and that's what he was going to suggest to them. As of now, nothing has changed.

Cannon also opened the floor to other members of the court as well as visitors to ask Mr. Reckard questions or voice concerns, and several asked questions ranging from damaged cans to asking Scott's to do a better job of emptying all contents of the cans. Others in attendance spoke with Reckard privately after the meeting.

Editor's note: It's not our place to say who is at fault and who owes what, nor do we or will we accuse anyone of anything. In this case, we were contacted by Mr. Vanmeter who wanted to tell his story to Edmonson County. We've seen his septic tank, and it was in fact, crushed by a Scott's Waste truck.

On the other hand, Scott Waste made some valid points today , but they refused to share those with us when we first ran the original story, and they could have, and furthermore, they should have. When they chose not to talk with us, it gave the public the appearance that either they didn't care, or that they had something to hide, which didn't help them in any form. We would have been glad to publish any of their comments or viewpoints, but the fact is, they wouldn't give us that opportunity.

We hope that both parties can work out a solution that's mutually beneficial to all involved.

Edmonson Voice Staff
photos courtesy of ECSO
A Brownsville man was sent to the hospital after a single vehicle accident Sunday morning on Oak Hill Road in the Mohawk area. 

Emergency personnel were called out to the scene this morning around 10am, where they found a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado which had crashed through a fence belonging to Paquin Farms. Police said the driver, Christopher Bullock, 21 of Brownsville told them he looked away for a moment and went off the left side of the road. Police also said he over corrected, which caused the truck to exit the right side of the roadway where it overturned, crashed through the fence, landed upright, and then rolled another 200 feet where it finally came to rest. 

Emergency workers said Bullock was complaining of back pain and was transported to the hospital for possible injuries. "Fortunately, Mr. Bullock was wearing his seatbelt," said Deputy Wally Ritter. "It probably kept him from being thrown out of the vehicle and suffering injuries that would have likely been much more severe."

Responding to the accident was the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, Edmonson EMS, and the Chalybeate Fire Department.

by State Representative Michael Lee Meredith
 It was in 2014 when Kentucky lawmakers put together the last two-year state budget. More than three months were spent poring over budget forecasts, combing through state agency budget requests, and reaching agreement on a statewide spending package of around $20 billion.
 
Now it is 2016, and lawmakers are back in regular session in Frankfort working on a new $20-$21 billion budget to carry us through the next two years. Creating a state budget is never easy, and it won’t be easy this session as public pensions, education, corrections, Medicaid and more all vie for limited state dollars—with special emphasis on public pensions for state employees and teachers.
 
This is not the first time we lawmakers have been called to act on public pensions. In 2013, the House and Senate passed legislation designed to reduce the growing unfunded liability of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System non-hazardous plan (KERS). While pension issues are not new to those of us in the Kentucky General Assembly, the amount being requested by KERS and the separate Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (KTRS) will be a challenge—over $1 billion will likely be needed to beef up the systems over the next two years, according to 2015 committee testimony from KERS and KTRS officials. The funding is needed to reduce unfunded liabilities (retirement benefits that have been earned but are not adequately funded) of over $25 billion based on recent figures.
 
Governor Matt Bevin has said he plans to address the pension crisis this session by proposing changes for new hires, and we lawmakers are eager to see his proposal. We expect it will be revealed by Jan. 26 when the Governor presents his combined State of the Commonwealth Budget Address to the General Assembly in joint session.  We intend to explore all options available to make required contributions and any additional contributions to the public pension systems after we receive the Governor’s proposal.
 
Though the pension system and the two year budget will take up most of the time during this session, over 200 other bills have been filed.  This week I filed several bills that are priorities for me as the session continues.  As a member of the Agriculture and Small Business Committee I have worked over the last several years to find ways to help our family farmers make their businesses more profitable.  This week, I filed House Bill 192 which would exempt pharmaceuticals used in the productions of livestock from the state sales tax.  House Bill 193, which I also filed this week would exempt supplies used by beekeepers for a commericial enterprise from the sales tax.
 
House Bill 209 is a repeat of legislation I filed last year to protect our small churches from fines that have been issued to them for not carrying workers compensation insurance on their pastors.  Several of our congregations in the district were fined because officials in enforcement with state government did not understand that these pastors are not employed by the church and do not receive regular salaries.  The bill got caught up in some of the politics of last year’s session but we are hopeful to resolve the issue this session.
 
This week I also filed House Bill 211 which would require the Department of Libraries and Archives to offer two alternative marriage license forms.  When the United States Supreme Court issued their ruling, Governor Beshear directed the department to issue new forms that denote the parties to the marriage as spouses.  HB 211 would make the department also offer a form that refers to the couple as bride and groom or husband and wife like the traditional forms that had been in use before Governor Beshear’s order.  Many County Clerks still had the old style forms and were using them but have been told that when they run out they will no longer be available.
 
In the previous year we have also seen a huge problem with disgruntled people buring and desecrating our American flag.  Some have gone as far as filing criminal charges against citizens who stepped in to rescue a flag being desecrated.  House Bill 212 would allow citizens to use reasonable efforts to extinguish a burning flag.
 
We definitely have lots of work ahead of us. It’s a good thing we still have 56 legislative days left to figure it all out!
 
I welcome your comments and concerns on any issues impacting our Commonwealth during the 2014 Regular Session.  I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via e-mail at [email protected].  You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.

by Darren Doyle
Crimestoppers and the Kentucky State Police have recently reopened the case of the unsolved murder of Larry Stinson Key that occurred on July 28, 1972 on the north bound exit ramp off of I-65 at the Glendale exit in Hardin County.

Key, who was born in Huff and graduated from Sunfish High School in 1959, was the son of the late Kelly and Lillian Potter Key. His widow, Mrs. Renetta Key Wilson (since remarried) who currently lives in Celina, TX, was raised in the Sunfish community and is the daughter of Edmon and the late Vera Tomes. Mr. Tomes still lives in the area.

Mrs. Wilson told us that Larry was loved by many people in Edmonson County. She also said that he was a talented athlete and had an opportunity to play baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but turned the opportunity down in fear of being separated from Mrs. Wilson, who was Renetta Tomes, his girlfriend at the time.

So what happened? According to the Kentucky State Police Post 4 in Elizabethtown, on Friday, July 28, 1972 at approximately 4pm, Larry Key left his job at the Cave City Truck Stop and drove his blue and white 1967 Ford Convertible north on I65 toward his home in Glendale.

Somewhere around 4:30pm,  Larry took the north bound Glendale exit off of I65 and stopped on the ramp. A two tone vehicle occupied by two white males stopped on the ramp behind him. The driver of the two toned vehicle got out of his car and approached the driver's side of Larry's vehicle and fired a shot inside the vehicle. Larry then got out of his car and ran toward I65. The perpetrator then fired a second shot striking Larry, who was later pronounced deceased at the scene.

"Many people from Edmonson County knew Larry Key.  He was loved by many," said Mrs. Wilson. She told of how Larry made some wrong moves, got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and ended up the victim of a horrible crime. "He got involved with the sale of illegal drugs when we moved to Hardin County in 1969.   He went to work for his brother who ran a Truckstop and the rest is history.  His knowledge of the operation cost him his life."

Mrs. Wilson also said that the Key family has been very open and blunt on their Facebook Page about the death and what they've lived through since Larry was murdered.  "What we have discovered on our own we can talk about," she added. "What has happened within the last year and ten months, we cannot talk about.  It is not a comfortable matter to admit to the world that Larry Key died as a result of bad choices of selling amphetamines to truck drivers.  However, it is the truth and perhaps that part of it alone would impact someone enough that they would never get involved in the illicit drug world.  His case shows what “can“ happen."

She also said that Larry had been arrested and was going to be state’s evidence and that he was cooperating by giving up all information that he had.

"Admittedly, he made some very bad choices," said Wilson. "However, in hindsight, his boys and I feel that nothing was so egregious that he should have been murdered in cold blood.  He was in the process of changing his life, but was at the mercy of those much higher in the chain than he was, including law enforcement officials...When the I-65 interstate opened, it was like the wild, wild west all the way from North to South."

According to KSP Post 4 spokesman Trooper Jeff Gregory, no new developments have been made in the case. "We regularly revisit cold cases and give them to fresh eyes," he said. "We try to recontact witnesses and anyone involved with the case to see if something new can be discovered. The family's attitudes have helped give this case new life."
​
There is a total of $51,000 in reward money offered for the arrest and conviction of the person/persons responsible for Larry Key’s death.  $50K is from Key's sons and $1K is from Crime Stoppers. 

Investigators from Post 4 Elizabethtown are asking anyone with information regarding the Murder of Larry Stinson Key to contact Lt. Ezra Stout with the Kentucky State Police Post 4 Elizabethtown, Kentucky at (270) 766-5078 or e-mail him at [email protected].

Edmonson Voice Staff
photos courtesy of ECSO
Police said an Edmonson County Road Department employee discovered a truck at the end of River Road, off of Segal Road today that was completely burned. The sheriff's office was called out to investigate and it was discovered that the truck had been reported stolen out of Butler County on Tuesday, January 5th.

The truck, which was a 2008 GMC 3500 dually pickup, was reported stolen by Daniel Farris, of Roundhill. The theft is still under investigation. If you have any information regarding this vehicle, police encourage you to contact Edmonson County Dispatch at 270-597-2729.

by Darren Doyle
In 1956, The United States of America turned the phrase "In God We Trust" into the official motto of the nation, under the direction of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, the phrase has been seen on U.S. coins since 1864. It was first printed on paper money in 1957.

Obviously, a lot of things have changed since the 50's. Some will say that's good, some will say bad. No matter what view you have of those changes, it's probably safe to say that we'd be better off in 2016 if we all spent more time whistling the theme song from the Andy Griffith Show, instead of trying to keep up with Kardashians.

In September of 2015, Sheriff Shane Doyle decided it would be a good idea to include the phrase on all of his department vehicles. In a world where the phrase and related subject matter are becoming less and less popular, folks in Edmonson County seem to embrace it, rather than exclude it.

"I saw the idea used at a department in Florida, and I felt like at this time in our society, we needed to show where we stood, said Sheriff Doyle. "Also, I loved the idea of putting our National motto on our vehicles."

In some American towns, somebody would've already had a lawsuit filed before the lettering had dried, but some things still work quite differently in Edmonson County. 

"I've received tons of support, both from inside law enforcement, and from the community," Doyle said. 

Not long after the sheriff's office vehicles were lettered with the phrase, the Edmonson County Jailer cars and Brownsville City Police vehicles also followed suit.

Doyle said it certainly wasn't about getting recognition for the action, nor trying to poke at people who might not like the phrase, but rather to embrace an idea that a large majority of Edmonson County have made part of their lives.

"Edmonson County has always been full of good people. There are a ton of good churches and organizations here, and we have good schools and kids. There's a reason for that, and I believe that it's mainly because people are proud of who they are, and are willing to stand up for what they believe in," Doyle added. "People here are not perfect, and neither am I, but I'm proud of our county, and I believe that the phrase represents the majority of our people."

Edmonson Voice Staff
photos courtesy of CVFD
Many residents of the Mohawk/Oak Grove Community are happier now that a new fire hydrant has been installed on the corner of Mohawk and Reed Road, with another one to be installed on Oak Grove Church Road in the very near future.

The new additions come after an October 2015 fire in the community caused fire trucks to have to travel to Brownsville and Chalybeate to refill the trucks, costing valuable time. Chalybeate Fire Chief Daniel Johnson began looking into possibilities of installing hydrants in the much needed area.

According to fiscal court, the county does not provide hydrants, and Edmonson County Water doesn't install them at the water department's expense. Johnson was told it was each community fire department's responsibility to provide hydrants where they were deemed necessary. Currently, most all hydrants in the county were funded through grant money, however, Johnson said no grant money was immediately available.

Chief Johnson called on the community to help, and that's exactly what the people of Mohawk and Oak Grove did. Funding was raised for not only one hydrant, but two. "This would have never happened without the support and help of this community," Johnson said. "We started out with plans for one and raised enough money for two hydrants. That's really saying something about the community's support."

The hydrant was installed by the Edmonson County Water District crew members.

Johnson said the other hydrant has been ordered and is on it's way. It's scheduled to be installed upon arrival, pending good weather conditions.

"We want to thank the residents of Mohawk, Oak Hill, and Oak Grove for supporting this project," he said. "It's truly amazing what can happen when a community comes together."

He said it's always better to have fire hydrants and not use them rather than to need them and not have them available. "Now, we won't have to go back to the fire department or Brownsville to fill up. This will save lots of time to and from any fires in this area."

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