PUBLIC NOTICE

Due to the cancellation of our scheduled Fiscal Court meeting on January 26th due to extreme winter weather making roads unsafe to travel, the Edmonson County Fiscal Court has called a Special Meeting of the Fiscal Court to fulfill the requirements of KRS 67.090. This Special Meeting will be held in accordance with KRS 61.823 which allows special called meetings under these criteria. The meeting will be open to the public and will be a video conference meeting in accordance with KRS 61.826 due to areas of the County that are still difficult to travel on the roads due to ice and snow cover. The meeting information and link are provided below.

Meeting Date: January 29, 2026
Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m.
Open to the Public

Zoom Link to the Meeting:
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85864027944?pwd=3O83kmf7gvnJsF6x9yBSGEZKRlMLjg.1

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Schools will remain closed Thursday, January 29th, and Friday, January 30th, due to hazardous road conditions. These will be NTI Days #5 and #6. 

“Sunlight and temperatures have not cooperated with us in terms of road conditions," said Supt. of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander.

“Our maintenance department has worked hard to clear parking lots and sidewalks at all our schools. The School District would like to thank the State and County Road Departments for their efforts in clearing roads. This is just a very unique situation with ice on top of snow, which has packed and made it extremely difficult to clear with low temperatures and little sunshine.”

“Thanks to our staff, parents and students  in working together on these NTI days."

Friday's boys' and girls' basketball games in Whitesville are postponed to a date that will be announced later.

Darren Doyle, story:
A second Edmonson County home was claimed by fire in as many days on Sunday morning.

At approximately 8:40AM on January 25th, firefighters were paged to 1021 Noah Bledsoe Road to the report of a structure fire that was fully engulfed. Slick road conditions hindered firefighters' travel as snow and ice fell throughout the area yesterday and last night.

The residence was the home of Cliff and Karen Meredith, according to firefighters. There was no official cause of the fire reported.

All county fire departments were paged to the scene. Wingfield encountered downed power lines as they were en route and had to take another way.

The home was a total loss as well as vehicle. There were no injuries reported. 

Responding to the scene were the Brownsville, Chalybeate, Rocky Hill, Wingfield, Kyrock, and Smiths Grove Fire Departments, Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, and Edmonson County Emergency Management.

Firefighters also battled a house fire yesterday evening on Blackgold Road.

Darren Doyle, story:
Superintendent Brian Alexander has announced that schools in Edmonson County are dismissed for Monday, January 26th and Tuesday, January 27th due to hazardous road conditions.

They will be traditional snow days, according to Alexander. 

"With power outages across the county, we will assess later in the week and determine whether we continue to use traditional snow days, or if we resume NTI instruction on weather related cancellation days," Alexander said.

Darren Doyle, story:
A fire claimed a home on Blackgold Road this evening, January 24, 2026.

Emergency personnel responded to the fire around 4:30PM this afternoon to the call of a structure fire at 7044 Blackgold Road. Firefighters reported that the utility room and garage were fully involved when Kyrock Fire Chief Jeff Clubb arrived, who was first on scene. 

Assistant Kyrock Fire Chief Mike Clubb said the house was a total loss, which was the home of Amy Clubb. 

Asst. Chief Clubb said despite losing the house, they were able to save many personal belongings and no injuries were reported at the scene. He also added that it appears that the fire likely started near or at the clothes dryer.

Snow and temperatures in the teens with single digit wind chills hindered firefighters during the incident, as a Chalybeate firetruck slid off the road into a ditch. A firetruck pump also froze at the scene. 

Responding to the scene were the Kyrock, Brownsville, Bear Creek, Chalybeate, and Wingfield Fire Departments, along with Edmonson County Emergency Management, Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, and Edmonson EMS.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County is facing a potential significant winter storm this weekend and with those situations sometimes comes with government red tape in times of need.

Today, Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey declared a state of emergency for Edmonson County, which is one of the major steps necessary for multiple government entities to work together without restrictions or delays that otherwise may occur. 

One example would be with plowing snow: If a county road truck who is clearing snow on a county road had to travel on a state road in order to arrive on another county road, the truck would not be allowed to drop their plow on that same state road, (and vise versa regarding county/state) without a state of emergency declaration.

The declaration also helps the county in the event that Edmonson needs resources from state or even federal levels. 

Weather forecasts are currently calling for significant snowfall to blanket the county beginning early tomorrow afternoon and lasting with sleet and ice through Sunday evening.

Edmonson Voice Report:
Kentucky State Police Post 4 has returned a convicted child sex offender to Grayson County to face sentencing after fleeing the country, according to a press release from KSP.

Police said William Lee “Scott” Carter, (52) was arrested on June 11, 2023, following an investigation conducted by Kentucky State Police Post 4. KSP stated that Carter later entered a guilty plea to the following charges:

• One count of Rape, 2nd Degree
• Four counts of Rape, 3rd Degree
• One count of Sexual Abuse, 1st Degree
  

According to the release, during the course of the investigation, Carter confessed to the allegations. Sentencing was scheduled for September 2, 2025; however, police said Carter fled the United States prior to his sentencing date.

Carter was later located by former Kentucky State Trooper Ken Borders, who is now serving with a federal law enforcement partner, KSP stated. According to police, Carter was taken into custody with the assistance of federal authorities and temporarily lodged in Chicago, Illinois.

According to KSP, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, Kentucky State Police Post 4 Detective Travis Dalton and Post 4 Trooper Alan Spencer traveled to Chicago, Illinois, where they took custody of Carter and transported him back to Grayson County. Carter was lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center, where he will remain while awaiting sentencing, police said.

Lead investigator of the case Detective Isaac Atwell, stated, “This case demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable, regardless of how far they attempt to run. We will not stop pursuing justice for victims, and we are grateful for the cooperation of our federal partners in ensuring this offender was returned to face sentencing.”

KSP also said that due to the nature of the crimes and to protect the identity of the victim, no further details will be released at this time.

Kentucky State Police Post 4 added that they "would like to thank its federal law enforcement partners for their assistance in locating and returning Carter to the Commonwealth."

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
With the entire county under a winter storm warning, county and state road crews are preparing for anything that comes our way. 

The office of Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey is asking the public to limit travel during the weather event this weekend, if possible.

"Our State and County Road Crews will be working diligently to keep roadways as safe as conditions allow," Lindsey said in a statement. "You can help by avoiding unnecessary travel, which reduces the risk of accidents and allows crews to clear roads more efficiently. Staying off of the roads will also allow the Sheriff and his Deputies to be able to concentrate on Emergency Assistance."

Lindsey also noted that local dispatch has a non-emergency number that can be utilized when 911 is not necessary, which is 270-597-2729.

"There could be a high volume of calls coming into the dispatch office, so please direct all non-emergency calls to that number. If it is an emergency, please call 911."

For local state roads, (numbered highways) anti-icing operations ahead of the winter weather system began Thursday and will continue into Friday afternoon.

The National Weather Service Louisville has placed the entire area under the storm warning that is forecasted to begin overnight Friday and last through Monday. While the forecast keeps evolving, confidence remains high of major winter weather system moving through the area Saturday morning through Monday. While expected snow amounts keep changing, significant snowfall and icing are expected.

The District 3 office of the Kentucky Department of Transportation, which includes Edmonson County said in a statment today that major traffic impacts, even on main routes, should be expected with this winter weather system.

"The District 3 snow & ice team continues to monitor forecasts, and crews from each county are ready to deploy to plow and treat roads as needed," said KTC District 3. "People should prepare for the winter weather now and not wait until the system hits. Once the winter weather system moves into the area, travel may become very hazardous."

As of late Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service is estimating between 4-10 inches of snow and sleet, along with up to one-third of an inch of ice accumulations possible.

Darren Doyle, story:
A Segal man was arrested on a felony assault charge after an altercation that stemmed from a disagreement over alcohol, according to an arrest citation.

In a press release from the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement stated that they were called on January 16, 2026 with a complaint of an assault that allegedly took place on the previous day. The caller stated the victim was hospitalized and deputies conducted an interview with the alleged victim at the hospital later that day, according to the press release.

According to the arrest citation, the victim discovered that a quantity of his whiskey was missing, which resulted in the victim confronting a family member. The citation stated the victim said as he pointed his walking stick at the family member in the confrontation, a separate individual identified as Brian Smith (38) of Segal tackled the victim to the ground.

The victim also claimed, according to the citation, that Smith threatened to kill him if he hit the other family member.

The sheriff's office stated that deputies then responded to a residence in Segal in an attempt to locate Mr. Smith. Upon making contact and advising him that he was under arrest, Mr. Smith attempted to flee back inside the residence and resisted deputies by pulling away and refusing to place his hands behind his back, according to the sheriff's office.

Smith said that the victim struck him with the walking stick, which was the reason for the tackle, according to the citation.

According to the arrest citation, the caller of the incident told law enforcement that the victim was suffering from a punctured lung.

Smith was arrested and charged with:

• Assault, second degree (Class C Felony)
• Terroristic threatening, third degree
• Resisting arrest

He was transported and lodged in the Hart County Jail and remains on a $5,000 cash bond.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
The 2026 Primary Election just a few months ahead but with most all county positions up for grabs, there are very few challenging incumbents for those seats.

County Clerk Kevin Alexander's Office provided the final list of candidates for county offices after the January 9th deadline for filings.

The current local candidate list with no opposition is as follows:

• Coroner – Brentley Esters (R), incumbent
• County Attorney – Adam Turner (R), incumbent
• County Clerk – Kevin McDaniel Alexander (R), incumbent
• County Judge-Executive – Ronald Scott Lindsey (R), incumbent
• Jailer – Todd Vincent (R), incumbent
• Property Valuation Administrator – Kyle White (D), incumbent
• Sheriff – James Edward Vincent (R), incumbent
• District 1 Magistrate – Mark Meeks (R), incumbent
• District 2 Magistrate – T.J. Massey (R), incumbent
• District 6 Magistrate – James C. Vincent (R), incumbent
• District 4 Constable – Tim Skees (R)

Races with challengers:*

• District 3 Magistrate – Anthony Hennion (R), incumbent
• District 3 Magistrate – Charlie Tarter (D)
• District 4 Magistrate – Mickey Johnson (R), incumbent
• District 4 Magistrate – Adam Coates (R)
• District 5 Magistrate – Hunter Ashley (R)
• District 5 Magistrate – Pat Haycraft (R)

*Hennion will run unopposed in the Dist. 3 Republican Primary and will face Tarter in the November General Election. The winner of Johnson/Coates in Dist. 4 will determine the overall winner as there is no democratic challenger; the same will follow suit with the Dist. 5 Ashley/Haycraft race.
 
Ballot positions for the Primary were drawn on January 15th and are as follow:
 
District 4 Magistrate
#1 James “Mickey” Johnson
#2 Adam Coates
 
District 5 Magistrate
#1 Hunter Ashley
#2 Pat Haycraft
 
"While district judges do not file locally but at the state, both incumbents Gregory R. Vincent and Daniel Boling filed for reelection as District Judge in the 38th District without opposition," said County Clerk Kevin Alexander. "Additionally, longtime State Representative Michael Lee Meredith is running unopposed in the 19th State District."

In the U.S. Senate race to fill the seat of Mitch McConnell, multiple republicans are vying for the position: U.S. Rep Andy Barr, former KY AG Daniel Cameron, and Lexington Businessman Nate Morris, who was backed by the late Charlie Kirk, along with a host of other candidates.

Leading democrat candidates for the U.S. Senate seat are former candidate Amy McGrath, former state rep Charles Booker, Pamela Stevenson, KY House Minority Leader, along with several other candidates. 
 
US Representative 2nd Congressional District currently held by republican Brett Guthrie, who is seeking reelection, has republican candidates G. Perry Adelmann and Joshua Ferguson. 

On the democrat side, candidates are William Compton, David Hatfield, Hank Linderman, and Megan Wingfield.
 
Local Brownsville City Council, Edmonson County School Board Districts 3 and 5, and Soil and Water Conservation District positions are all non-partisan and candidates have until June 2, 2026 to file.

The Primary Election is set for Tuesday, May 19, 2026 and the General Election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
Edmonson County Water now awaits President's Trump's signature on H.R. 6938, a bipartisan "minibus" appropriations package also known as the Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environmental Appropriations Act.

Senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee KY Senator Mitch McConnell played a key role in shaping the legislation, according to Edmonson Water District General Manager Kevin Shaw. The bill earmarks at total of $38B in energy and water discretionary spending nationwide, with $541M set aside for Kentucky. From that, $9.25M is headed to Brownsville once the bill is signed into law by the President.

Shaw said that his office has been working with Sen. McConnell's office for several months.

"There's been a lot of hard work on the part of Senator McConnell's office to secure some funding and this will go a long way for what we're calling Phase 1 of two projects, with the first being for improvements for our water treatment plant," he said. Phase 2 would focus on the intake system.

According to Shaw, the county treatment plant is about 25 years behind the times in technology. 

"The first phase is estimated to be around a $15M project, so this helps tremendously. The upgrade will make work much easier and better technology all the way around."

He added that while $9.25M sounds like a lot of money, it won't do the entire job, with the current cost of construction and materials where they are in 2026, however, he was still grateful for the opportunity.

"Because we're so behind on the technology, we have to work much harder, but the quality of water we have here now isn't much different than the quality of BGMU or any other treatment plant right now. But this will allow us better feeding systems, better control on the feeding systems, along with better monitoring on them."

McConnell's office released the following statement from the Senator this morning: “These critical federal investments in water and wastewater infrastructure will protect public health and ensure Kentucky communities can continue to grow,” said Senator McConnell. “From Edmonson County to Albany and Martin County, modernizing these systems restores essential services, supports local industry, and strengthens the quality of life for residents across the Commonwealth.”

District 19 State Rep Michael Meredith said he was grateful for McConnell's work on the project.

“After years of much needed maintenance and several changes to our system, this funding for modernization efforts will enhance our capacity and capability in providing clean drinking water throughout the county," said Meredith.

Kevin Shaw said he was unsure of how quickly the money would come to Brownsville upon signature of the bill by the President but that the Water District would begin design work immediately then advertise for bids of the work. A realistic timeline for the improvements would be anywhere from 18-24 months.

"We owe a great gratitude of appreciation to Senator McConnell's office," said Shaw. "We'll continue working with our Congressional leaders in the state for similar help."

Shaw said he is well aware of complaints that spread on social media along with those his office receives about local water, whether it be rates, quality of water, or anything else. It's no secret the Water District has had multiple issues with not only the treatment plant, but also the intake. The Green River water levels are lower than they've ever been in modern times, as a result of the U.S. Government-funded dam removal projects at Locks number 6 and number 5. 

Despite those issues, Shaw says the District has sorted the large majority of the issues and water quality is currently good in Edmonson County.

"I'd tell my 89-year old mother to drink it and I'd have my 11 month-old granddaughter to drink it," he said. "Things are moving in a positive direction and things are getting better every day."

Darren Doyle, story:
One woman faces multiple charges after a warrant attempt on Monday, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

In a released statement, the sheriff's office said that on Monday, January 12, 2026, at approximately 9:30PM, deputies responded to a residence in the Cave Hollow Bay community to serve a warrant, when upon arrival, deputies observed an individual drop a backpack onto the front porch before entering the residence.

Deputies made contact with the homeowner and with the other individual, identified as Jenny Durbin, (46) of Bee Spring, the sheriff's office said. The homeowner granted consent to search the residence, according to the sheriff's office. According to the release, Durbin claimed ownership of the backpack and provided consent for deputies to search it.

During the search, deputies reportedly located an M60 explosive igniter, which is a device used to ignite a military fuse in multiple weather conditions, along with a plastic bag containing a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, and a glass pipe commonly used for methamphetamine consumption.

Durbin was taken into custody and transported to the Hart County Jail without incident where she remains on a $3,500 bond.

She was charged with Possession/Distribution of Explosives Without a Permit, Drug Paraphernalia (Buy/Possess), and Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st Degree, 2nd Offense (Methamphetamine).

Edmonson Voice Report:
Big changes have been to the Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce, with a new look, rebranding, and new officers to kick off 2026. The Chamber is now known as Edmonson Inc.

The Chamber announced today that Alicia Edwards, Director of Edmonson County Public Library, was elected president of the Chamber by its board of directors. Edwards joined the board in 2024 and has contributed greatly to the organization, according to a statement from the board.

"Alicia has demonstrated leadership that our community needs and she works well with everyone," the Chamber said. "She has been instrumental to the rebranding and reorganization that we have been working toward over the last couple of years, as we are now known as Edmonson Inc."

Edwards told the the Edmonson Voice that she was truly honored to serve as the new President of Edmonson Inc. and to represent the people, businesses, and organizations that make Edmonson County such a special place to call home.

"This community is built on neighbors supporting neighbors, small businesses that care deeply about the people they serve, and a shared pride in our beautiful county," she said. "From our local shops to our growing tourism opportunities, there is so much to celebrate here. I am grateful to be working alongside an incredible board of like-minded individuals as we continue building a strong, welcoming, and connected community for both our residents and those who come to visit."

Other changes made by the organization was the election of a new vice president, Sherrell Thompson, of A Plus Family Healthcare. She has been a member of the board since 2023 and has also been a driving force behind new ideas going into 2026.

Corey Culbreth, remains as a member of the board of directors and continues to contribute to the mission of the Chamber. He was instrumental in creating the new logo and branding for the Chamber, now known as Edmonson Inc. 

Edmonson Inc. also implemented two new board members at their monthly meeting today, which were Stacy Raymer, of Stacy's on Main, and Jessica Turner, of Bank of Edmonson County. Mrs. Turner was also elected as the new secretary/treasurer.

Four board members, three of whom that served as officers, fulfilled their terms and chose not to seek another term. They were president Darren Doyle, vice president Josh Casey, secretary/treasurer Daniel Bolton, and board member Mark Wardlow.

Outgoing president Doyle said the Chamber is being left in the best of hands.

"We worked really hard on reorganization and shoring things up for the future," he said. "We were able to accomplish several things that will set the organization up for down the road. The folks taking over now have already been such a positive influence and I know that Edmonson Inc. will do great things for our community."

Edmonson Inc. now has a new contact email address, [email protected]. 

Legal Notice:
Edmonson County Property Value Administrator (PVA) Kyle White has released the following legal notice to all Edmonson County property owners. White said all owners greatly benefit from staying informed about his office's services and the different options available to them.

"The most common question we have is about the Homestead and Disability Exemptions," said White.  "The amount has increased from last year, which is $49,100.  This can give taxpayers who qualify an estimated savings of $435.00 from a few years ago.  For homestead, you have to be age 65 anytime in 2026, own, and occupy the home. For disability, you have to be 100% disabled and currently receive benefits for the entire year of 2026, while owning and occupying the home."
​

• January 1 Through February 28, 2026 is the period for listing your real estate assessment of State, County, Ambulance, Library, Special District, and School taxes for the year of 2026. The assessment date for real property is January 1 as required by KRS 132.220.
• The Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) does not have authority in setting property tax rates. With the exception of the state rate, all property tax rates are set by local citizens that are on the governing bodies of local taxing jurisdictions.
• Real Estate: Farms, homes, houses, and lots, mobile homes, vacant land and commercial buildings. Anyone who has built a new structure or made an addition, deletion, or improvement to an existing structure on their property during the preceding year should list or report to the PVA office.
• Homestead Exemption: Persons who will be eligible for the Homestead Exemption for 2026 should make applications during January and February. Persons eligible for the exemptions must be at least 65 years of age during the 2026 tax year, or be totally disabled. Disability requirements: A person must be classified as totally (100%) disabled under any types of public or private retirement system. In addition, the following provisions must be met. the applicant must have maintained the disability classification for the entire year. The applicant must have received disability payments under this classification. Verification documents should be submitted to the PVA before December 31st of each year to show continuing eligibility. All applicants must own and occupy their dwelling. Please bring proof of age (birth certificate, Medicare card, etc.).
• Don't Wait Until Your Birthday: If you will be 65 anytime during 2026, come in now for this benefit. Any changes of status for persons already receiving exemption should be reported during January and February. 
• All Motor Vehicles and Watercraft are assessed by the Revenue Cabinet, in Frankfort, KY form motor vehicle registration. Year 2026 vehicles and boat taxes will be paid to the County Clerk When the vehicle is re-licensed for 2026. The assessment shall be due if not protested in writing, along with supporting documentation to the Revenue Cabinet within 45 days from the date of notice. Should your vehicle have high mileage, it may qualify for a reduction in assessed value, you may inquire at the Edmonson County PVA office with your odometer reading as of January 1, 2026 and within 45 days from the date of your registration renewal notice to see if you qualify for a reduced assessment on your motor vehicle.
  
• Tangible Personal Property: Merchant inventories, shop tools, construction equipment, and airplanes. This filing date is also January 1 through May 15. Taxpayers whose total sum of their fair cash value is $1,000 or less do NOT need to file a form 62A500.  Please note that records must be kept.
• The Mission of the PVA Office is to provide accurate assessments and efficient services to property owners or anyone utilizing the PVA office records and to administer the statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in a fair and impartial manner.

Brought to you by:
Edmonson County PVA Office of Kyle White, Edmonson County Courthouse, PO BOX 37, Brownsville, KY, 42210. 270-597-2381.

Darren Doyle, story, photos, and video:
Fire departments were paged out yesterday afternoon to the report of a mobile home that was fully engulfed.

Around 3:30PM on Sunday, January 11, 2026, Wingfield and south side fire departments were paged to the fire on 662 Ellis Cole Road in the Wingfield community. 

According to Wingfield Fire Chief Brandon Graham, no one was home at the time of the fire and the resident there was at work at the time. No injuries were reported.

Responding to the scene were the Wingfield, Chalybeate, and Brownsville Fire Departments, along with Warren RECC. 

Gabe DeArmond, photos:
It was a big night at Edmonson County High School on Friday, January 9th as the 2026 Basketball Homecoming drew a large crowd to the ECHS gym. 

Senior Ella Madison was crowned the 2026 Homecoming Queen. She is the daughter of Travis and Jessica Madison. She was escorted by Owen Ruth, son of Adam Ruth and Leila Ray.

The Junior Princess was Shelby Sowders, daughter of Derek and Brittany Sowders. She was escorted by Braden Wright, son of Terry and Melanie Wright.

The Sophomore Princess was Quinnlan Alford, daughter of Kyle and Lauren Alford. Her escort was Camden Williams, son of Jonathan and Whitney Williams.

Raegan Howard was crowned the Freshman Princess. She is the daughter of Timothy and Mickenzi Howard. She was escorted by Kyle Norris, son of Brent and Pauline Norris.

The attendants were Lenna Joy Bagshaw, daughter of Jarad and Rachel Bagshaw, who was escorted by Oaklee Skaggs, son of Nick and Keela Skaggs, along with Tilly Jo Massey, daughter of T.J. and Alex Jane Massey, escorted by Johnathan Kane Kemble, son of Josh and Courtney Kemble. 

Both the Lady Cats and Wildcats defeated Whitesville-Trinity in their respective games.

Darren Doyle, story:
A Wingfield man was found deceased as a result of a camper fire yesterday, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office told the Edmonson Voice that emergency personnel was called to the scene of a camper fire on Walter Wolfe Road in the Wingfield community at 2:42PM on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Law enforcement said the camper was fully engulfed when they arrived.

According to the Sheriff's Office, it was unknown at the time of the fire if anyone was inside or not; however, when the fire was extinguished, the body of the camper's inhabitant was discovered and identified as Roger Buchanan, age 71. 

The Sheriff's Office said the cause of the fire is still under investigation and that several community members in the area reported the sound of an explosion at the time of the fire. 

Responding to the scene were the Wingfield, Chalybeate, and Brownsville Fire Departments, the Sheriff's Office, Edmonson County EMS, and the Edmonson County Coroner's Office. 

The investigation continues through the offices of the Edmonson County Sheriff, Coroner, and the State Fire Marshall. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Over $38 million dollars in local school construction projects are off and running, and running on schedule, according to Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander.

He led the Edmonson Voice on a tour of both elementary schools, the all-new, state-of-the-art facility Kyrock and the renovation and addition at South Edmonson. 

While the new Kyrock is currently mostly just new concrete walls, gravel, and some mud, the site is starting to take the shape of a school with the addition of the large red, steel structure in the middle, which represents the entrance. 

The green walls are insulated concrete that will help tremendously with operating costs, according to Alexander.

"The walls are poured and with today's building technology, everything is so super-efficient. This new building has been a long time coming and our kids deserve it," he said.

Not only the building itself is going to impress. The current Kyrock was last remodeled in the 90s and a portion of the school has been changed very little since the 70s. It sits on 11 acres. The new school is planted on a massive 61-acre plot that will lend itself to much more than just elementary school needs.

"We have enough space here to create new homes for several things our school system needs," he said. 

Some of those potentially include a home for archery, cross country, soccer fields, perhaps a baseball field, and even more, he said.  Those potentials will be prioritized in the near future, he added. 

One of the biggest needs the school currently faces is the parent pickup area along with school bus entrance and exits.

"We'll have those separated for safety and efficiency," he said. "Our buses will be able to loop in and out from the Blackgold Road side while student pickup and drop off will be on 259, just across from the current school. We'll have plenty of room for everybody."

Of course, the new school itself won't be lacking room, either. It's set to comfortably hold 550 students with ages pre-K through 6th grade. There will plenty of room to grow as Kyrock currently has around 270 students enrolled.

Some features in the new Kyrock will be restrooms in each classroom, a gymnasium that will also serve as a state-approved tornado shelter with it's own power and water source, and a cafeteria that can also be used as an auxiliary gym. The second floor will feature classrooms for older kids with space that overlooks the cafeteria area.

While residents near the site may not be crazy about the messy and sometime noisy construction process, many are happy to know now that the decision has been to keep the old Kyrock intact after the new one is built. Multiple options for its use is currently being explored, with one possibility of the county government taking ownership; however, only ideas are being discussed at this point.

Alliance Corp. is in charge of the building project with local resident Andrew Bolton serving as job site supervisor. The project is set to be complete in May of 2027 with the August '27 school year being its inaugural year.

South Edmonson Elementary (SEES), also still known to many in the county as "the new elementary school," is not so new anymore. In fact, it's hard to believe, but it's now over 25 years old as construction began in 1999. With age comes new needs, which for the Bulldogs, are space, roof repairs, and and HVAC upgrade, some of which are already completed.

"With South Edmonson, we are seeing a need for expansion with that part of the county growing so quickly," Alexander said. "The current school was built with expansion in mind, so we're coming right off the back of the building with simply more of it." 

The new portion will house younger kids on the first floor and older ones on the second. 

Upon walking through the newly renovated library, which is near completion, Alexander pointed out there were no trash barrels set up to catch leaky roof moisture, something that has plagued the school for years. Thanks to a new roof the leaks are gone. 

"We're a little tighter on the schedule here at South due to some weather and other delays, but we're still hopeful to have it finished on-time," he said. 

SEES, with an enrollment of 400, and more expected in the near future, will also feature room to grow after the expansion, something Alexander wanted to ensure as he works toward the latter part of his 30-plus year education career.

"When I became superintendent, there were a list of things of things I wanted to accomplish. Getting our school facilities up to our current needs and for our future needs was at the top of that list. We are fortunate to also have a school board that has a similar vision. We've all worked together to make these things happen and I'm very proud of our county for the progress made," he said. 

Both projects are ongoing with little or no hindrance to current instruction or school-related activities. The Kyrock project cost is around $31M and the SEES project at approx. $7.4M. 

Edmonson Voice Report:
The 2026 ECHS basketball homecoming candidates have been announced. The following ECHS students participating in this year's ceremony are as follows:

Front Row, Seniors: Ella Madison, Peyton Weedman, Sarah Lancaster and Sydney Blanton.
Second Row, Juniors: Shelby Sowders, Brooklyn Carroll, Tayla Willhite, Emma Davis.
Third Row, Sophomores: Abbi Chidester, Laielah Roscoe, Quinnlan Alford, Shaylee Hampton.
Back Row, Freshmen: Emmy Graham, Reagan Howard, Allie Decker, Kendra Sabic.

The homecoming ceremony is scheduled to take place between the games Friday, January 9th.

Edmonson Voice Report:
Get your popcorn ready. A new docu-series is currently being produced by the Edmonson Voice to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Edmonson County Wildcat state championship team. The five-episode series is set to be released in February of 2026.

Edmonson Voice founder Darren Doyle is the creator of the series and the episodes will be available exclusively through the Edmonson Voice platforms.

The series is based around hours of interviews with the "Super Six," as they were known, which are the men that gathered the large majority of the playing time for the '76 Wildcats. The Voice is working in conjunction with a film crew, who helped Doyle in creating a film set on the gym floor of the EC 5/6 Center, which is the high school gym where the champions played.

"We are doing this not only as a celebration for this monumental achievement that will likely never be seen again in our community, but also for preservation," Doyle said. "We were able to gather the key players of this team together and let them tell their stories, which are simply incredible. Those who lived it will be able to enjoy the memories while new generations will hopefully be able to experience some of the magic of this team."

The documentary is in partnership with Edmonson County High School. The episodes will be available for free viewing on the Edmonson Voice YouTube and Facebook Channels, as well as EdmonsonVoice.com.

The series will be released in single episodes, with the first one being released on Friday, February 27th. A new episode will be released each Friday until the final one is released on March 27th, which is the actual 50th anniversary of the championship game against Christian County.

In addition to the six, interviews with other former players, managers, and opponents are included in the series, along with tons of game and season photos and original video from the tournament.

"The stories range from everything that happened on the court, in practice, what school and life in general was like during that era, and so many behind-the-scenes looks at what made this small group of Edmonson Count boys champions," said Doyle.

The series is made possible by The Edmonson Voice, Yellowberri Creative Studios, Kasey Alford, Dion Houchins, Alan Kepple, FMO Furniture, and ECHS.