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 Cheyanne King (25), Brownsville. Darren Doyle, story: A Brownsville woman was arrested on Monday after allegedly firing a gun during a dispute, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office. In a press release, the sheriff's office stated that deputies responded to a Nolin Dam Road address for the report of shots fired on February 9, 2026. Law enforcement said that they made contact with the complainant, who told deputies that an altercation occurred during a child custody exchange involving Cheyanne King. The press release said that according to the complainant, during the dispute King allegedly brandished a firearm, discharged one round into the air, and pointed the weapon at the complainant. Deputies later located King (25) at a residence in Brownsville and during the investigation, King admitted to discharging the firearm into the air, stating she did so after being threatened, the press release stated. King was arrested and charged with Wanton endangerment first degree - discharge of a firearm (Class D Felony) and transported to the Hart County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing. 
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Mammoth Cave National Park Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rule for Bicycle and Horse Use2/10/2026  The National Park Service invites public comments on a proposed rule that would amend special regulations for riding bicycles and horses within Mammoth Cave National Park. The proposed rule would allow the superintendent to authorize:
In addition to the proposed rule, the park signed a written determination stating that bicycle use on trails identified in the rule and certain administrative roads that would open to bicycle use under the selected alternative is consistent with protecting the park’s natural, scenic and aesthetic values, safety considerations and management objectives. The determination also confirms that these uses would not noticeably disturb wildlife or park resources. The comment period is open from Feb. 9 to April 10 through the Federal Register website.  Fiscal Court Accepts Bids for New Jaws of Life Vehicle, Will Also Apply for $50K Parks Grant2/10/2026  Darren Doyle, story: The Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted to accept three bids for a new Jaws of Life vehicle at the Monday, February 9, 2026 fiscal court meeting. According to Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey, the current Jaws of Life vehicle is now dated and needs updating for multiple reason; the main one being storage for crucial safety equipment. "We just accepted all three bids that we received in order to look them over, compare them, and make sure that the bids are consistent with each other as to the type of vehicle and needed storage needed for the Jaws of Life," Lindsey told the Edmonson Voice. "The bids will be turned over to the committee that was formed to look into this project. They will make a recommendation to the Fiscal Court once a decision has been made. This committee is comprised of Mickey Johnson, Mark Meeks, TJ Massey, Tammi Willhite, and Ashley Ritter." Lindsey said the county has a contract with Kyrock Fire Dept that was put in place several years ago to provide Jaws of Life services countywide. In that contract, it specifies that the county is responsible for providing a vehicle for use. The court also approved 2027 fiscal year Jailer's compensation and duties. Magistrates approved the salary amount of $42,271 per year. The Jailer is responsible for the lawful custody, transportation, and housing coordination of inmates. The jailer not only transports when someone is arrested, but also on court dates. The jailer also oversees contractual inmate housing with regional detention facilities, ensures safe and secure inmate transport, maintains compliance with Kentucky law, and coordinates with courts, law enforcement, and county officials. The jailer is also responsible for responding to any medical needs that may arise with any of the county inmates. The court also voted to apply for a T-Mobile Hometown Grant for Edmonson County Parks and Rec. According to Judge Lindsey, the grant can be utilized for up to $50,000. "Cody Stewart, Parks and Recreation Director, is putting together a proposal to use the grant to upgrade the baseball and softball fields in the Chalybeate Sports Complex," Lindsey told the Voice. "We are making plans and working on projects to upgrade every county owned park. This grant would help financially move this project forward. This is a 100% grant, so it does not require the county to match any percentage of the funding." The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 23, 2026 at 4PM.   Schools will be closed on Friday, February 6, 2026 for Edmonson County due slick bus turnarounds and other back roads that still have unsafe sections. It will be a traditional snow day. Friday night's high school basketball games and ceremonies are still planned to continue as scheduled.  Guthrie Helps Secure Additional $14M for Green River Water Intake Improvements in Edmonson County2/4/2026 Nearly $30M in Fed and State Funds Will Assist Edmonson County Water  Darren Doyle, story and photo:
Following the final passage of H.R. 7178, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, Congressman Brett Guthrie has announced the securing of an additional $14 million in funding for the Edmonson County Water District. This will go on top of $9.2M for the water treatment plant in Edmonson County, which was secured by Sen. Mitch McConnell in early January of this year, and the $6.5M in state funds secured by Rep. Michael Meredith in 2024. “I am proud to have been able to help secure over $23 million in federal funding towards these important projects,” said Congressman Guthrie. “For years, my team and I have worked to provide reliable and practical solutions to the water quality issues facing Edmonson County Water District. Today’s milestone could not have been possible without the collaboration with Senator McConnell, Kentucky Senator Givens, State Representative Meredith, and all other local stakeholders involved in this project. I look forward to seeing this funding directly benefiting the lives of hardworking Kentuckians well into the future.” Sen. McConnell characterized the funding as "a critical federal investment" for Edmonson County’s water projects. "Investing accordingly is among the core responsibilities of the Congress, and I’m proud to join Congressman Guthrie and local leaders to support essential federal funding that will help strengthen the quality of life for Kentuckians,” said Senator McConnell. Rep. Michael Meredith said it was wonderful news for the county. "Thanks to federal funding, along with the state resources we were able to secure, Edmonson County’s water system will finally receive the long-overdue upgrades it needs," said Meredith. "This achievement reflects years of dedicated collaboration among state, federal, and local officials and stands as a testament to the commitment that Congressman Guthrie and Senator McConnell have consistently shown for our community. Kentuckians rightly expect their elected leaders to work together—and to ensure taxpayer resources are invested in ways that will improve the quality of life for generations to come." Edmonson County Water District General Manager Kevin Shaw said there were no words that can say what this will mean to the customers of Edmonson County. "After many years of limited system improvements, we will be able to upgrade our water treatment plant with the technology needed in today’s world of new regulations. A very large portion of these funds will be used toward upgrading the water intake in Green River after the flow of the river was changed during the recent removal of the lock and dam below the current intake. My hat goes off to everyone who worked to make this funding available to the County Water System. These funds will greatly reduce the loan amount needed to complete these projects for the community." Shaw told the Edmonson Voice that the $14M amount dedicated to Edmonson County's water intake system was "pretty incredible." "We're in the planning stages right now because we still have a lot of unknowns," he said. "The river flowed a certain way for 100 years before the locks were taken out and it's not going to settle into its steady pattern overnight. We believe that the levels we saw in 2025 are going to be what would be considered normal levels and even at it's lowest, our intake never ran out of water." Shaw said the funding would be "plenty" and would help provide the intake system improvements the community deserves. He said the additional funds should fix the intake from the failures that resulted in the removal of the locks and that a timeline would be to have a design ready to present to the Kentucky Division of Water by this year's end. Barring any hidden surprises, construction could begin in 2027. According to the "experts," the purpose of removing the locks and dams was to return the river to its natural flow, despite residents of Edmonson County and our water system living with same river conditions over the past 100 years. No living person has ever been affected by whatever the original flow of the river may have been, however, that is what the county will see from this point forward. As a result, fishing, boating, and other water sports on the Green River have all but been erased since the removal of the dams. As of today, the current total amount of federal and state funding headed to Edmonson County Water to repair and improve the system, once final signatures are in place, is now $29.765M. TOTAL FUNDING DETAILS:
Thursday, February 5, 2026  Darren Doyle, story: Edmonson County Schools will remain closed on Thursday, February 5, 2026 due to hazardous road conditions, specifically school bus turnarounds. "We have about 60 different bus turnaround locations throughout the county and there are still not any that are currently useable," Supt. of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander said. "There is still too much packed ice for our buses to safely turn around in these areas, and because of that, we are not able to use our bus routes." It will be NTI day number 10 for students.   Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at the old Chalybeate Church building. Darren Doyle, story and photos: An historic building was lost yesterday in a fire in the Chalybeate community. Firefighters were called to the scene of the old Chalybeate Church building on KY HWY 3611 on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 around 2:40PM. The building was mostly overtaken with flames and smoke when firefighters arrived.  Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at the old Chalybeate Church building.  Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at the old Chalybeate Church building.  Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at the old Chalybeate Church building. The structure, which was built in 1913, was originally known as Chalybeate Sunday School Chapel, and was home to four different church denominations: Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Christian Church. Each denomination held services there one Sunday per month. Over time, three of the denominations left and started individual churches of their own and the Baptists remained in the building. Chalybeate Missionary Baptist Church was officially organized in 1940 and later became Chalybeate United Baptist Church in 1956. The church built a new facility on Chalybeate School Road where services have been held since 2004. The building was purchased a couple years ago by Scott and Michelle Skaggs. The former sanctuary portion of the building was used for a photography studio and the rear portion, originally used for Sunday School rooms, was a woodworking shop run by Eric Skaggs.  Firefighters work at the scene of a structure fire at the old Chalybeate Church building.  A ladder truck from Alvaton Fire Department at the scene.  The original building in 1913. The building was a total loss. Responding to the scene were the Chalybeate, Brownsville, Wingfield, Rocky Hill, Bear Creek, and Lincoln Fire Departments in addition to the Smiths Grove and Alvaton Fire Departments, along with the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office. Gas, water, and electric companies were also on scene to disconnect services during the fire. Those on the scene said the fire most likely started from an electrical issue in the shop portion of the building. No one was in the building at the time and no injuries were reported.   At this point, you know the drill. Some roads still slick. No school Wednesday, February 4, 2026. NTI day number 9.  Judge/Executive Thanks County for Patience, Understanding During Winter Storm Driving Conditions2/2/2026 School Supt. Says Day-by-Day Basis for School Decisions  A portion of Kyrock Road in Sweeden remains frozen on Feb. 2, 2026 as sunlight is hidden for much of the road. Darren Doyle, story and photos: Schools in Edmonson County are headed for the seventh consecutive day of closings after the latest winter storm that came a week ago, Saturday. Countywide, at least 2.5 - 3in of snow fell with an additional quarter inch of ice on top, with some areas receiving more. A couple dustings of snow followed the ice as the week went on. With the addition of the bitter temps that kept the frozen stuff around, many places in the county still look like an ice rink nine days later. Fortunately for Edmonson County, power outages were minute, unlike our neighbors to the south, where in some areas of Nashville, folks are still without power and clear traffic lanes. Still, the weather has made traveling on many secondary and back roads difficult, which has resulted in school closings. County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey said county crews have been working nonstop since before the precipitation fell on Saturday. "We've had all crews on deck for the entirety of the weather, which includes the supervisor and assistant supervisor," Lindsey said. "They took one day off this weekend with hopes that the sun would help melt some of it before plowing again." Lindsey said that all 250 miles of county roads were salt-treated prior to the storm coming last Saturday, January 24th. He said each member of the road crew has an area for which they are responsible for treating and plowing. According to Lindsey, the county currently has 5 plow trucks, each with salting capabilities, and a regular pickup. Crew members plow one side of each road, then return back on the opposite lane. It has been more challenging to clear roads after this storm because he said the rain penetrated the asphalt and created a layer that county trucks had difficulty plowing. "It was more like shaving ice, and in some places, it was even making it more slick," he said.  A cleared portion of Beaver Dam Church Road on Feb. 2, 2026. The worst roads as of today are those mostly in the northern portion of the county in places where little sunlight shines on the blacktop this time of year. With temperatures below freezing, there is not much melting, despite salt. However, many county roads are not only clear, but also dry in numerous areas. For example, Kyrock Road currently has some impassable areas for school buses, along with other areas near Nolin Dam Road. In contrast, just a few miles away, Poplar Springs Road is in very good shape after crews plowed again. South side roads are in better shape as a whole, but there are still subdivisions south of Brownsville and other county roads that are still very slick. Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander said the school system is on a day-to-day basis of deciding whether or not school will be closed. "Our kids need to be back in school, but we have to look at it from a school bus safety perspective," said Alexander. "Many people see their own roads that might be clear and don't understand why we keep closing school. Well, it was a perfect storm, so to speak, with the combination of ice and snow we got. It's very difficult to clear and we've been working on our school parking lots since Wednesday of last week with our skid steer, and it's still not finished." Alexander said bus turnarounds are still full of snow all over the county, which is another factor. "Ninety percent of our back roads still have hazardous traveling conditions and we can't take those chances when it comes to school bus routes and the safety of our students and staff." Today was the first day in over a week that temperatures broke above freezing. We asked Judge Lindsey what his reply would be to those that wonder why the state roads are much clearer than most of the county roads. Most all state roads in Edmonson County are clear and dry. "The state roads don't have near as much tree cover and shading on them as our county roads do," he answered. "Plus, state crews are able to get large graders on those roads. A lot of the county roads aren't wide enough to get a grader down them and that's why we don't have one. It makes it a lot more difficult. We've always had good luck with plow trucks, and they have the salters on them as well. Typically, after a snow, a couple days and it starts to melt off. That wasn't the case this time. Temperatures stayed in the teens and even lower." He also noted that anything that softened during the day refroze at night and caused more problems. He said he had hopes that higher temps and maybe even some rain might start to loosen the ice cap on the most heavily covered roads. He also added that state crews have offered their assistance where they could, and despite a few complaints, most residents have been understanding. "We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding during this process," he said. "I know it gets frustrating at times but our crews are working right now and they are working very hard." Today is February 2nd, and according to those in Punxsutawny, PA, the groundhog saw his shadow this morning, which is supposed to mean six more weeks of winter. Happy Groundhog Day, everyone.  Darren Doyle, story: Edmonson County Schools will stay closed on Tuesday, February 3rd, due to slick road conditions. "The roads have not improved since yesterday and we must keep schools closed for safety reasons," said Supt. of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander. It will be NTI day number 8 for students.  Darren Doyle, story: Schools will continue to be closed in Edmonson County for Monday, February 2, 2026, which is also Groundhog Day. In an ironic twist, the movie "Groundhog Day," starring Bill Murray, is a repeat of the same day over and over, which is similar to the weather Edmonson Countians have faced for over a week now with snow and ice staying put. Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander said it will be NTI day number seven for students. "The temperatures and sunlight have not cooperated with our needs," he said. "Parking lots are still in slick conditions and the ice has kept up from being able to clear them. While the main roads are in good shape, side roads all across the county remain impassable to school buses." A fresh dusting of snow caused many cleared spots to become slick again on Sunday morning. Temperatures are forecast to be above freezing during the day for much of the coming week.  |
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