The annual Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce Big Brownsville Bash is returning to downtown in 2024 with nine different events scheduled over a three-day period.

With all the events taking place on or near the historic Brownsville Court Square, Chamber Vice President Josh Casey says this year's Bash has something for everyone.

"We are bringing back the popular events that our community has enjoyed over the past two years, plus a new event that we really haven't seen here recently, which is our Truck Cruise," Casey said.

The new event is a type of car show but as the name states, this features trucks of all sorts.

Casey said the Chamber has been planning and organizing the three-day festival since last year's event and they have assembled a new BBB Committee, consisting of Casey, Mark Wardlow, Daniel Bolton, Corey Culbreth, and Valerie Warnell.

"Our committee members have worked great together and of course, none of this would be possible without our sponsors that have returned for another year."

Those sponsors include Rafferty's, Patton Funeral Home, Alford's Pharmacy, the Edmonson County Tourism Commission, Bank of Edmonson County, and A Plus Family Healthcare. Their sponsorships also allow the Chamber to give back to several nonprofit Chamber members that are assisting with BBB events that include The EC Homemakers, The EC Arts Guild, and Edmonson County 4-H. 

The event will kick off on Thursday, May 30th with the Big Bash Baby Show, sponsored by Bank of Edmonson County at 6PM with registration beginning at 4:30PM. The event will be held at the Edmonson County Community Center and presented by the Edmonson County Homemakers.

.

During all three days, (May 30th - June 1st) The Edmonson County Arts Guild exhibits will be available for viewing at the Heritage Centre on Washington Street, alongside Edmonson County 4-H with impressive displays from local kids that are participating in the annual 4-H Rally Days that also feature a kids' baking challenge called "Cupcake Wars" on Saturday.

"We added the Arts Guild and 4-H events last year and they were a huge hit," said Casey. "Plus, it's a great spot to cool off and see what amazing local talent our community has to offer."

Events on the square will begin on Friday, June 1st from 4PM - 8PM at the Truck Cruise on the square, sponsored by Alford's Pharmacy, and a sneak peek at the annual Arts, Crafts, and Vendor Fair that will highlight local vendors, creators, and boutiques inside the Community Center, sponsored by Patton Funeral Home. There is no charge to attend either event and a limited number of food trucks will be available.

Inflatables for kids will be available Friday evening and all day Saturday on the square and are free.

.

The biggest day of the event will be on Saturday, June 1st that will feature multiple events in different locations.

The annual Big Bash 5K Run and 1-Mile Walk will take place downtown with registration beginning at 6:30AM and race starting at 7:30AM. Prepaid entry fee includes a t-shirt and the event is sponsored by the Edmonson County Tourism Commission.

"We appreciate A.B. Webb and Paula Madison for their help in organizing this event," said Casey.

The Saturday session of the Arts, Crafts, and Vendor Fair will resume at the Community Center at 9AM and will concluded at 5PM.

.

Saturday will also feature a growing event, sponsored by A Plus Family Healthcare, which is the annual Canoe and Kayak Challenge on the Green River, beginning at Houchins Ferry and ending at the Brownsville Bridge Boat Ramp. Registration begins at 10:30AM with the challenge beginning at 11AM.

"We'd also like to thank our friends at Kayaks & More with their help with this event," Casey said.

The third annual Big Bash Car Show on the Square, sponsored by Rafferty's is sure to bring out a large crowd, Casey added. The event helped bring out the largest crowd ever seen on the square in 2022 with cars of all kinds parked in every available spot that was possible.

Show registration will begin at 9AM with winners being announced at 2PM.

Food trucks and inflatables will be available throughout the area on Saturday.

The festival will come to a close on Saturday night at around 9PM as the annual fireworks show will be on display at ECHS. There is no fee for the event and parking is available at ECHS, however, the event can be seen from just about anywhere in the area near the school.

"The fireworks show is one of the best ones you'll see in our area, and it's free," said Casey. "The Chamber continues to find new ways to use our resources that not only benefit our members, but also our community. This is a great way for us to highlight so many different Chamber members and bring revenue to our area, all while having a lot of fun in the process."

For information on specific events, please note the contact information for each event flyer or call/text the Edmonson County Chamber Office at 270-597-4715, or visit edmonsonchamber.com and look for the "Big Brownsville Bash" tab.

Edmonson Voice Report:
On Friday, April 26th, South Edmonson Elementary School was presented with the Kentucky Purple Star Award, a recognition given to schools for their dedication and commitment to military-connected students and their families. In attendance at the ceremony were students and staff, active service members and their families, and Lifeskills Prevention Specialist Alli Turner, who presented the award. 

Family Resource Center Coordinator, Natalie Stice, said this award goes hand in hand with the mission of FRYSC. “It is our mission to help remove non-academic barriers in education so that every student can be successful. If these military-connected students feel like they have staff members dedicated to meeting their needs, then they will have all of the tools necessary to thrive.”

South Edmonson is the first school in the Edmonson County School District to receive the honor. 

The boil water advisories that were announced on Friday by the City of Brownsville and the Edmonson County Water District have been lifted as of Monday morning, according to the City and the District.

Edmonson Voice Report:
The City of Brownsville has issued a boil water advisory for parts of the city limits on the south side.

"Please be advised that Leitchfield Utilities hit a water line while working on a construction project causing customers to be without water," The City of Brownsville Office said in a statement.

"Once service is restored it is necessary that we issue a boil water advisory for residences and businesses located on the south side of the system located from Casey’s to the city limits on HWY 259 and Hwy 70.   Samples have been taken and as soon as the lab returns the results the city will inform the public that the boiled water has been lifted."

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County Middle School will see a new principal after this school year, as 10-year veteran Brandon Prunty will be moving to the Edmonson County Board central office in a new role.

Today, Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools Brian Alexander made the announcement in the ECMS library, that the position will be filled by Mr. Ben Grey, who is currently an instructor at Edmonson County High School.

"He's been respected and admired at every position he's held, in every district he's been in, both as a teacher and a coach," Mr. Alexander said to ECMS staff members. "He's very intelligent and thinks before he acts and handles the challenges of being an administrator with grace and class; I've witnessed this firsthand."

Mr. Grey then addressed those in attendance as he was announced as the new principal.

"I want to thank Mr. Alexander for this opportunity," he said. "I want to thank the school Site-Based Committee for having faith to choose me for this position. I'm very excited and a little nervous, but I think that's a good thing. I'm excited to learn from you all, the staff, and excited to build our relationships. I've taught at the elementary level, obviously at the high school level, but never had the chance to try the middle school, so I'm very excited for this opportunity, and hopefully, we'll be a great team, and that's what I'm most excited about."

Grey, and ECHS graduate, started his teaching career in 2013, serving as the itinerant PE teacher at both North Butler and Morgantown Elementary Schools. He said there, he quickly learned from two different principals and staffs. After five years in that role he began teaching health, P.E., and weightlifting at ECHS, where he then served as Dean of Students and ALC director.

In addition, he also served as an academic team coach, both assistant and head coach for varsity baseball, head tennis coach, and assistant basketball and football coach.

Brandon Prunty, who has served as ECMS principal since 2014, said he has greatly enjoyed his time in that role, where he said he was able to see students achieve great things academically, athletically, and socially. 

"The teachers and staff here have been great mentors to students in all those areas," he said. "ECMS is such an amazing school.  I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of the ECMS family for so long.  Mr. Grey is a great young man who will work hard to continue the longstanding traditions of ECMS.  I wish him the best of luck as he leads this school into the future."

Mr. Prunty will take over the role of Supervisor of State and Federal Programs for Edmonson County Schools, which will be vacant after the retirement of Mr. Jamie Carnes, a longtime Edmonson County school and district administrator, at the end of this school year.

Mr. Prunty said he is looking forward to his new position.

"Those programs offer various opportunities for not only students in Edmonson County, but also residents.  I look forward to being involved in those and helping students and families district-wide."

Mr. Alexander praised Prunty for his accomplishments as principal over the last decade. Alexander then encouraged ECMS staff to meet with Mr. Grey to begin building their team relationships as soon as possible, however, he also asked them to give Grey a pass if he wasn't available tomorrow, since he and his wife are expecting a baby...tomorrow.

"He's going to have his hands full for the next few days," Alexander said as he encouraged those attendance to remember the Greys in thoughts and prayers.

Alexander also commended the ECMS staff and the Site-Based Decision Making Council for their professionalism and cooperation during the preparation for the change.

Ben Grey is the son of local retired educators Greg and Robin Grey. He is married to his wife, Kristin, and they have two children, soon to be three.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
An early retirement from Edmonson County Circuit Court Clerk Tanya Hodges will speed up the process of her predecessor taking his new role as Circuit Court Clerk. 

Daniel Priddy was sworn in today as the new clerk in the lower courtroom of the Edmonson County Courthouse by Chief Circuit Judge John Grise.

Hodges announced her retirement earlier this year, with her term ending in December of 2024, however, she recently felt like her best choice was to move up that date since Priddy was the only one running for what would be her vacant position.

Priddy's term will begin on May 1, 2024 as Hodges' last official day as clerk will be Tuesday, April 29th.

"We're excited for Daniel's tenure, we're sorry to see Tanya Hodges retire," said Chief Circuit Judge John Grise, who gave the oath of office to Priddy. "I've been in a lot of counties and a lot of circuits over time and in the 40 years I've been a lawyer, Tanya Hodges is as good of a circuit court clerk as I've seen anywhere, and I've seen a lot of them."

Priddy addressed the large crowd in today's courtroom after we was sworn in.

"I want to thank everybody for being here today," he said. "It really does mean a lot to me. When I started with the state police, now almost 20 years ago, I always hoped that I'd be able to finish my career service here at my home and serving the people of Edmonson County, so this is something very special to me."

Priddy, who stepped down from the KSP in December of 2023, served 19 years in various roles. He most recently was the Public Affairs Officer for KSP Post 3, which includes Edmonson County. Priddy was a true professional in his roles with KSP and was an exceptional Public Affairs Officer, always handling the job with excellence and transparency with the Edmonson Voice and other news outlets.

Priddy has been no stranger to public service, even outside of the KSP. His work earned him KSP Post 3 Trooper of the Year in 2018 and then statewide Trooper of the Year in 2019.

He has been active in local programs like D.A.R.E., Cram the Cruiser, Coffee with a Cop, and multiple school programs in Edmonson County.

Priddy gave credit to whom he described as great past circuit court clerks, "in my opinion, the best that the state had to offer," as he referred to Hodges, Sharon French, and Ann Stewart.

Hodges, who has served in the office for a total of 34 years, serving since 1987 in various roles. She has served Edmonson County as Circuit Court Clerk since 2012.

She said she has loved the job and has been very thankful to have served in her roles over the years, but now it's time to move on.

"I'm going to take the summer off, then I'm looking forward to being a full-time Grammie," she said with a huge smile.

After Priddy credited the three ladies that had served as former clerks over his lifetime, he said he wanted to continue in their footsteps.

"I can't do it by myself and I'm glad to have these deputy clerks," he said as he pointed to the current staff who was present at today's event. "I knew coming into this that they have the knowledge and experience, but over the last few weeks I've gotten to see how they treat people, the respect they give people when they walk in the office, and it shows they truly care about the people of Edmonson County. Hopefully, that will be the strength of this office going forward, and hopefully, we'll be successful as we go," he said.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A Mammoth Cave man was arrested on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, for child pornography offenses.

According to Kentucky State Police, at approximately 11:48 a.m. on Tuesday, the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Austin Douglas Hubbard, 24, on charges related to child sexual abuse material.

Mr. Hubbard was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation, police said. The KSP Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after discovering the suspect sharing images of child sexual exploitation online, according to KSP.

The investigation resulted in a search warrant in Mammoth Cave, KY on April 23, 2024. Equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination. The investigation is ongoing, KSP said.

Hubbard is currently charged with ten counts of ten counts of Distribution of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance under twelve years old and ten counts of Possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance under 12 years old.

These charges are Class-C felonies punishable by five to ten years in prison.  Hubbard was lodged in the Hart County Jail.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A project to repair sidewalk and railing on the bridge over the Green River in Edmonson County is set to begin, according to a statement from the KY Transportation Cabinet District 3.

Beginning Monday, April 29th, the bridge will be down to one lane during daytime hours. Motorists should expect delays while the bridge is down to one lane. The project is expected to take about a month to complete.

"Motorists should use slow speeds and use caution while traveling in the area," the District stated. 

Madison Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Fiscal Court met Monday, April 22, 2024. Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey called the meeting to order and after magistrates voted to approve the meeting agenda, multiple county department heads gave updates within their departments, which were all standard reports.

The first item of new business was to open bids for roofing of the Community Center. Two bids were read and received by the court, however magistrates voted to table that decision until the next fiscal court meeting, to allow them to do more research to make the best decision.

The next major discussion for today's agenda was to approve resolution EC 24-14, which is a recreational trails grant. Should the county receive approval for this grant, it would allow the walking trails at Chalybeate Park to be paved. A representative from BRADD spoke and said the court would not know until February of 2025 if Edmonson County will get the grant, and then best case scenario the black topping would not get started until Spring of 2026.

The court also voted to:

• Approve April Cash Transfers.
• Acknowledge County Clerk’s March Document Storage Fee Report, pending final audit.
• Approve County Clerk’s March MVAV Collection Report, pending final audit.
• Approve County Clerk’s March Excess Fee Report, pending final audit.
• Approve County Clerk’s March Deed Transfer Tax Report, pending final audit.
• Approve County Clerk’s Delinquent Tax Collection Report, pending final audit.
• Approve to pay 75% of employee health premiums for Fiscal Year 25.
• Approve to hire Jack Elmore as a temporary Road Employee for truck driver mower at $12.00 per hour, effective 5/1/2024.
• Approve to hire Damon Bratcher as Full Time Road Employee at $15.00 per hour, effective 4/22/2024.
• Approve Sheriff’s Quarterly Report.
• Approve Jailer’s Quarterly Report.
• Schedule Finance Committee Meeting for May 10th.
  

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2024.

Edmonson Voice Report:
The Primary election season for 2024 in Edmonson County is underway, with the Absentee Portal opening on April 6th, and remaining open until May 7th.  Individuals wishing to vote through the mail may request their ballot, providing a valid excuse, by going to govote.ky.gov.  Those wishing to get registered to vote have through the end of day on Monday, April 22nd.  
 
Clerk Kevin M. Alexander said the upcoming voting cycle will result in several citizens voting in different voting locations, due in part to reapportionment that was completed last year.  Reapportionment is required every ten years pursuant to KRS 67.045, when census data is used to reestablish boundary lines of magistrate districts. 
 
“Reapportionment resulted in some changes in the districts that made it important for the County Board of Elections to establish two new voting precincts” Alexander said.
 
A letter is being mailed out to every voter in the county detailing their voting location going forward, location address, voter's magistrate, and their school board member. 
 
“We felt this informative mailer was something that needed to be done.  Obviously, it takes a while to get all the approved paperwork from Frankfort, and we are one of 120 counties” Alexander added.  “We now have everyone in their correct precinct, so registered voters should be receiving these letters soon.”
 
One precinct change is that residents of the city of Brownsville, on both the north and south side of Green River, will now vote in the Community Center at Brownsville on Election Day.  The other precinct change was the establishment of a polling location at Bee Spring Park for voters in Bee Spring.
 
“Because of previous district lines we’ve had Brownsville residents voting at the Edmonson County Middle School and at Bear Creek for the last ten plus years, so now having them at one location will be easier” said Alexander. 
 
He added that because of the shift in population to the south side of Edmonson County, it made for a larger geographic district in District Five, necessitating a second precinct in Bee Spring. 
 
“The County Board of Elections felt like the people in Bee Spring should have their own polling location instead of having to drive to Lincoln to go vote” Alexander added. “Our Fiscal Court owns a nice, fairly new building at Bee Spring Park that people can vote at and not drive as far.”

Additionally, for the first time, the county will have one vote center, at the Community Center, where any resident of the county can come in to vote on Election Day.
 
“Originally, with the bridge re-construction on Highway 70 near the Bear Creek polling location, we were concerned several voters in District Six we going to have to drive much further to go vote.  Although that bridge has been completed much earlier than anticipated, we had already decided to provide this option to not just Bear Creek voters but to voters countywide” Alexander said.
 
From May 8-May 10, and again from May 13-15, excused early voting will be conducted at the usual location in the Community Center.  Voting during these requires voters to complete a form explaining why they are unable to either early vote or vote on Election Day.  These six days, voting will be offered during the Clerk’s Office’s regular business hours.  On Thursday May 16th through Saturday, May 18th, no excuse early voting will also be available at the Community Center.  On both Thursday and Saturday, the voting location will be open from 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.  On Friday, May 17th, voters can come in until 5:00 PM. 
 
“It is not a particularly large ballot this time, but there are important races and a very important question on the ballot in the Lincoln precinct, regarding the wet/dry vote” Alexander noted.  “We are prepared for a good turnout.”

Edmonson Voice Report:
Edmonson County High School has announced three students recently selected to the 2024 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program, along with one student that will attend WKU's Gatton Academy.

This year’s scholars are Maggie Cassady, daughter of Marty and Stephanie Cassady of the Chalybeate community, Lilly Parsley, daughter of Travis and Jessica Parsley of the Brownsville community, and Sarah Vincent, daughter of Greg and Carolyn Vincent of the Cedar Spring community.

ECHS also had four students selected as possible alternates to the program.  These students include Addison Browning, Lillian McGill, Emma-Claire Skaggs, and Konner Hardin.  These seven students were a part of the 1,813 outstanding juniors from across the Commonwealth to apply to the 2024 Governor’s Scholars Program.  The students completed a very rigorous application based on academic, volunteer, and extracurricular experience, along with the completion of an essay, and teacher/community member recommendations.  A local committee formed of school staff and community members selected these seven students to have their applications forwarded to the state to represent Edmonson County High School. 

Cassady, Parsley, and Vincent will attend a five-week program this summer at one of three colleges in the state of Kentucky that host the GSP program.  The Program’s mission is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders.  Students that attend and complete GSP will have the opportunity to receive GSP based scholarships at several colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth.  ECHS is very proud of all of these students as they represented one of the best overall performances in recent years of applicants submitted by ECHS to the program.

In addition, ECHS sophomore Brayden Johnson, son of Brad and Jodi Johnson of Bee Spring, has been named to the Gatton Academy Class of 2026.

Gatton applicants were evaluated based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards and accomplishments, extracurricular activities, responses to essay and short answer questions, and recommendation forms. In addition to these criteria, candidates were invited to interview with WKU faculty members, community leaders from across the Commonwealth, and Gatton Academy alumni.

Gatton students will complete their junior and senior years of high school living in Florence Schneider Hall.  At the end of their two-year course of study, students will graduate from high school with a minimum of 60 college credit hours and an Associate Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Kentucky University.

Students from 40 counties make up the Class of 2026.  Among the students accepted include either the fourth or fifth students accepted in The Gatton Academy’s 16-year history from the following counties: Garrard, Metcalfe, and Bourbon. Overall, The Gatton Academy has had students attend from 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

Brayden's older brother, Brody, was a member of the Gatton Academy class of 2023.

The following indictments have been returned by and Edmonson County Grand Jury. An indictment is only a formal charge and is not an admission of guilt. All parties are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Randy Edward Chapman: Possession of controlled substance, first degree. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

William James Durbin: Possession of a controlled substance, first degree. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

William James Durbin: Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Persistent felony offender first degree.

Willie Nelson Durbin: Possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Persistent felony offender first degree.

Christopher Scott Mosby: Theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $1,000 or more but less than $10,000.

Jody L. Lashley: Theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $1,000 or more but less than $10,000.

Nastasshia Monique Simmons: Exploitation of an adult over $300, Theft by unlawful taking of property valued under $1,000.

Darren Doyle, story:
Voters in the Lincoln district will see an option on their ballot for the upcoming Primary Election whether or not to allow alcohol sales in the district.

This option will only appear on ballots of those in the Lincoln District and will not appear anywhere else in the county. Several questions have been asked as to how this works, who decided the option, and what exactly does it mean. Edmonson County Clerk Kevin Alexander answered several of those questions in an interview earlier this week.

Clerk Alexander explained that when a person or group is interested in adding such an option to a voting ballot, they must first circulate a petition within that area, per KRS 241.010 (67). In order to move forward, the petition must contain the signatures of at least 25% of the registered voter turnout in the petitioned area. Signatures of those that are not registered voters in that particular district do not count, in addition to other requirements.

"Once the petition is verified and the signed petition is brought in to the Judge-Executive's office, it is the duty of the clerk's office to verify the number of acceptable petitioners there are, based upon the list of registered voters in the precinct," Alexander stated. "Petitioners can be rejected for a number of reasons - not a voter in the precinct, failure to complete properly, or unverifiable information.  This petition, despite the rejection of several signers due to some of the aforementioned examples, exceeded the satisfactory number of petitioners required."

Clerk Alexander stated that a total of 129 signatures were required on the petition and that 154 signatures were validated.

Alexander said that once the petition signature numbers were verified, Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey's Office then presented it to County Attorney Adam Turner's Officer, who also reviewed and determined it was legally acceptable. Following, Judge Lindsey's office then sent an order to the Clerk's Office for the option to be officially added to the ballot for the upcoming election, which states, "Are you in favor of the sale of alcoholic beverages in the Lincoln Precinct (E101) of Edmonson County, Kentucky?"

None of the aforementioned county offices acted in favor or opposition of the petition, they simply performed their duties as required by law.

One local businessman, Tony Mello, owner of Saling's Grocery and Bait Shop on Nolin Dam Road, located just east of the dam, started the petition in the area and says he has multiple reasons for initiating the option. Mello, who has owned the business since 1975, told the Edmonson Voice that he was also approached by others in the county in support of the option, including one former business owner who recently failed to gather enough signatures for a countywide option.

When asked how often tourists visiting the lake ask about available alcohol sales, Mello said "In the winter time, only once or twice every day, but during the summer, it's all the time. I just tell them go 17 miles from here to Leitchfield. And over there, they've seen about $288,000 from it."

Mello said that personally, he isn't interested in making more money, but say the benefits outweigh the negative. He says more revenue means higher pay for his employees, a possible tax that would bring increased revenue for the Fiscal Court, and the possibility of adding a state lodge at the Nolin State Park. His said his biggest reason is to provide a better revenue stream for the area without having to increase property tax.

"We all know Edmonson County has financial issues, but people here don't want higher property taxes," he said. "We have to get money from somewhere but we need to keep those property taxes down, and that's what I'm in favor of."

In the United States, dry counties are becoming a thing of the past. Arkansas leads the way with the most, with 33 out of 75 counties (44%) being completely dry. Who comes in second? You guessed it--Kentucky, with 46 out of 120 counties (38%) being completely dry, according to the KY Cabinet for Economic Development. Edmonson County is considered dry with exceptions, with alcohol sales being allowed at Park Mammoth Golf Course and the hotel/restaurant there because of the "winery" on the property.

So what are the pros and cons to counties and/or specific areas becoming wet? Those in favor will agree with much of what Mr. Mello stated in his comments, which include increased revenue and tourism benefits, along with fewer DUI offenses, due to the fact that those who drink do not have to drive as far to purchase it.

According to a 2012 article by the London, KY newspaper The Times-Tribune, Kentucky showed a higher number of DUI-related crashes in dry counties than their dry or moist neighbors, but an article by the American Addiction Centers noted that according to the CDC, limiting the number of days when alcohol can be sold (like limiting alcohol sales in wet areas on Sundays) has shown to decrease consumption, alcohol-related violence, and DUI-related incidents.

In a study published by Montana State University in 2014, legalizing alcohol purchase in areas where a ban once existed caused an increase in crime in some instances. The study found that "a 10% increase in drinking establishments is associated with a 3 to 5% increase in violent crime. The estimated relationship between drinking establishments and property crime is also positive, although smaller in magnitude".

The study also showed that strict prohibitions on the sale of alcohol were associated with a decrease in total arrests and that restrictions on local alcohol availability can play an important role in crime prevention.

On the other hand, dry and moist counties in Kentucky had a higher rate of meth lab seizures than wet counties, and a 2018 study of Kentucky counties concluded that "meth lab seizures in Kentucky would decrease by 35% if all counties became wet."

Mello said he would be the first person to call 911 if someone came into his store to purchase alcohol that was already under the influence or to report someone committing an alcohol-related crime.

"I think there will be a lot more benefits from it," he said. "If it's not, then vote it back out. If it's not worth it in Edmonson County, Tony Mello does not want it."

One of the main reasons that the county has remained dry over all the years is that the county is made up of dozens of churches whose doctrines teach abstinence from alcohol. Those roots run deep and most of the churches have specifications in their Church Covenants (a basic creed) that state something along the lines of abstaining from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks a beverage. The stipulation is one of the ways local churches choose to be separated from the secular world.

In the Lincoln Precinct alone, there a half dozen of these churches or more, with most, if not all, their members opposing the measure. While no churches have reached out to the Edmonson Voice specifically, we have spoken to many residents in the district that are against local alcohol sales; many of which did not want to be named.

We spoke with one voter of the area, Mr. Shane Wilson, who expressed his opinion on the upcoming vote. He said a large group of concerned citizens are strictly against the measure because they feel more harm than good will come from it.

"Edmonson County is a great place to live," Wilson said. "We are a county rich in traditional Christian values that is tucked away from the fast paced, big city life.  There’s a large amount of people that want to keep the peaceful and slower-paced living separate from the speed and dangers of certain aspects of society.  Concerned citizens against this measure truly believe it will be more harmful to our children and future generations by making a drug more easily available and will bring more crime, dangers, addictions and tragedies into our community."

Mr. Wilson said while the economic benefits have been presented in the area, he felt they would be limited to only a few businesses, but the negative impact, including that on our youth, would be much more negative than any financial gain.

"There are also negative economic aspects as well since crime, traffic accidents, vandalism, etc. are all known to increase in communities to move from dry to wet.  There is also a big difference in what people do in their own homes versus what is publicly allowed and what would be an increased accessibility of alcohol to our youth in our community."

One argument that we've heard in not only this conversation but also in many others, is how Edmonson County is behind the times, with no real way of growing or developing a better economy. Many are happy with a "Mayberry"-type feel, enjoying small town life while traveling outside county lines for work and shopping. Mr. Wilson said he likes the way of life here and he and others want to keep it as long as possible.

"The people that stay here are the ones that have religious or family ties or just love the community values that we have," he added. "Many people like keeping a distance between their work or big city life and the things that go along with that and enjoy coming home to the peacefulness and safety in our county.  This measure is a threat to that way of life.  Concerned citizens that are against this feel that voting this measure in will put more dangers on our roads, make drugs more accessible to our youth and also impact families and homes in a much more negative way than people can imagine, if they haven’t been around and seen the affects that alcohol can have.  For us concerned citizens that love the safety and peacefulness in this county, we are wanting measures like alcohol sales to keep a distance away from our community.  Naturally, we know that more populated areas have passed these measures and our hopes are that our community will not adopt and bring this into our county.  Nolin Lake has brought a large number of people into our county to enjoy this slower paced way of life and the beauty of our county.  We are a vacation spot for many but we don’t want vacation and tourism to dictate our normal day to day community life and values."

Mello said he understood why area churchgoers weren't happy when the petition was started, and said he chose not to go door-to-door or have a standard campaign-type push for the measure.

"If they are a church member, I wouldn't ask them to sign the petition. I wouldn't even think of it," he said. "I wouldn't want it to be used against them and someone would use it against them."

While this magisterial district now has two polling precincts - Lincoln (E101) and Bee Spring (E102), Clerk Alexander reiterated that the subject area for this vote are ONLY the voters of Lincoln.  Those voter ballots contain the question. 

"Additionally, if a person is registered in a party other than the Democrat or Republican, they may vote in regard to this one question on a ballot," Alexander stated.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
While no one has celebrated the detours pertaining to the total bridge replacement on HWY 70 at Bear Creek near the HWY 187 junction, commuters are looking forward to the project completion, which is supposed to result in the bridge reopening as soon as next week. However, another bridge nearby will undergo a complete closure and replacement, resulting in yet another detour in the area.

A project to replace a bridge on KY 187 (Sunfish Road) in Edmonson County is expected to create a long-term closure beginning on Thursday, April 18th, according to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3. The road will close at Whetstone Creek at mile point 2.2 and is expected to last 60 days, they said in a statement.

The state transportation cabinet announced that the the new bridge on KY 70 will open before closing the bridge on KY 187, but nothing has been announced as of today, Weds, April 17th. The cabinet added that it's possible weather could delay the closing.

"A signed detour using KY 70, KY 238, and KY 185 will be in place," the statement said. "Motorists should allow extra travel as the detour will distance to the commute."

Edmonson Voice Report:
The VFW Department Of Kentucky just announced that Brownsville Police Officer Austin Meredith was selected as Police Officer of the Year and EMT Derek Esters was selected as EMT of the Year.

Recommended by Keith Sanders, Derek started working at Edmonson County Ambulance Service as a part-time EMT on October 8, 2014.  He was hired as a full-time EMT on February 17, 2020.  Derek began his paramedic training on January 4, 2021 and became licensed as a Paramedic on May 3, 2022.
 
"Derek volunteers to work additional shifts when needed to ensure that our ambulances are adequately staffed," a statement from the VFW local post 6937 said. "Derek regularly participates in continuing education training to maintain and improve his skills as a Paramedic."
 
Derek also serves as a volunteer firefighter with Kyrock Volunteer Fire Department.

Recommended by Brownsville City Police Chief Jeremy Hodges, Officer Austin Meredith is a two-year veteran with the Brownsville Police Department. The VFW stated that he has established himself as a self-motivator working predominantly night shift.

"Officer Meredith is responsible for over 70 drug arrests during his time with the Police Department and multiple others, assisting local and state officers," the VFW stated. "Officer Meredith can be seen patrolling the city during his work week and has established a good working relationship with area businesses, schools and citizens. He is highly visible throughout his shifts, whether providing additional security for high school ball games or participating in traffic enforcement."

During a traffic stop on March 30, 2023, a subject backed into Officer Meredith's patrol car on Main Street in Brownsville in an attempt to flee the scene. Meredith pursued the subject and took heavy fire during the chase. His vehicle was disabled but in the process of calling for backup from county and state units, he was able to rejoin the pursuit in another unit's vehicle. Meredith was able to stay collected despite the life-endangering situation for himself and many others.

He was also awarded the Kentucky Sheriff's Association Medal of Valor for showing courage in an earlier deadly force encounter in 2021 while serving as a deputy for the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

Both men reside in Edmonson County with their respective families.

Edmonson Voice Report:
According to a social media post on X, The Kentucky Department of Highways District 3 has announced that the Bear Creek project is nearing completion.

The post said that contractors are soon to be finished with the project that is one month ahead of schedule.

The bridge has been closed since February 5th and has caused delays for commuters in the area. A detour has been in place since that time that routes through Bee Spring, causing anywhere from an additional 10-25 minutes of drive time.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
A small child was transported to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon after a three car collision occurred on Chalybeate Road, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

Emergency personnel responded to the crash around 2PM on Tuesday, April 9th in the 2000 block of Chalybeate Road, near Chalybeate Food Mart.

According to Sheriff James Vincent, a Dodge Ram pickup driven by James Steen, age 73 from Bowling Green, that was headed south on HWY 101 had slowed down to allow someone in front of him to turn. A Ford F150 driven by Carlie Spear, age 20, from Brownsville was also headed south behind the Ram and could not stop, striking the Ram from the rear.  

The Ram was then pushed into the northbound lane of traffic where it struck a 2015 Toyota Tacoma pickup, head on, driven by Sean Martin, age 39 of Smiths Grove. Martin's vehicle also occupied a female juvenile passenger in a car seat who suffered superficial wounds. The juvenile was transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. She and Mr. Martin were treated and released.

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

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
It wasn't a total eclipse in Edmonson County today, but it was pretty close as the sky looked more like dusk or dawn than it normally does around 2pm on a sunny day.

Cloud cover hid part of the eclipse for some of its duration, but skies were sunny throughout the county at its peak, which was around 2:04PM. Today's event, known as "The Great North American Eclipse," stretched from Texas to Maine in the U.S. and in Kentucky, was seen best in Henderson.

Using a simple filter taped on the end of a 400M zoom lens, we grabbed these photos of today's events:

Madison Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Fiscal Court met today, April 8, 2024. Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey called the meeting to order and then led the court in the pledge of allegiance per usual. Multiple county department heads gave their standard updated reports since the last meeting.

County Clerk Kevin Alexander stated that an announcement on voting times will be coming soon.

Moving into new business, the second reading for the financing of the Sunfish Roundhill Road Project was voted on and approved. Judge Lindsey stated that on April 25, 2024, he will be attending a hearing to make sure "all of our ducks in a row" and that all information is correct, and then the court can began with the bidding process for this project. You can read more about that here.

At the last fiscal court meeting, it was voted on that the county gets a new countywide alert system, TextMyGov, rather than the current system, Code Red. Today, magistrates approved to finalize the deal with TextMyGov, and Judge Lindsey is now able to sign the contract to allow Edmonson County to be part of this program.

Today's meeting was only 35 minutes long, and there were no other major discussions.

The court also voted to:

• Acknowledge Arbor Day Proclamation.
  
• Approve Coroner Bond #212 22 75, effective 4/1/2024.
  
• Approve to Purchase 2024 5500 Crew Cab VIN #3C7WRNFL9RG111463 for $88,865.00.
  
• Acknowledge Dog Control March CAD Report.
  
• Acknowledge March BGWC Shelter Directors Report.
  
• Approve Sheriff’s March Monthly Fee Account Report, pending final audit.
  
• Approve Sheriff’s March Fire Protection Tax Report, pending final audit.
  
• Approve Sheriff’s March Property Tax Report, pending final audit.
  
• Approve Sheriff’s March Franchise Tax Report, pending final audit.
• Approve to advertise for Road Department Seasonal Mowers.
  
• Set pay rate for Seasonal Mowers.
  
• Approve County Cooperative Extension Service 2025 Budget.
  
• Approve Leitchfield Exterminating Service Agreement for Health Dept.
  
• Approve Treasurer's March Monthly Settlement Report.
  
• Approve Judge's Quarterly Financial Statement Report.
  
• Approve to hire Donna Goins at $15.00 per hour for part time/temporary status as Parks Mower.
  
• Approve Danny Goins pay increase from $11.13 per hour to $15.00 per hour.​
• Approve Election Equipment Memorandum of Agreement.
  

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2024 at 4 pm.

Darren Doyle, story:
A Bowling Green man faces multiple charges after a traffic stop resulted in the discovery of meth, according to the Brownsville Police Department.

A BPD officer stated that he observed a Dodge Durango cross the center and sidelines as it was headed north on Main Street on Wednesday, April 3rd around 8PM. Upon a license plate check, local dispatch advised the officer that the vehicle's insurance needed to be verified and a traffic stop was initiated at Casey's General Store in Brownsville, police said.

The operator was identified as Mark Puckett, (50) of Bowling Green and a glass meth pipe was observed in plain view in the ashtray of the vehicle, according to Brownsville Police. After a probable cause search of the vehicle, the officer discovered 7.5 grams of suspected meth and a digital scale.

Puckett was arrested and charged with:

• Careless driving
• Failure to produce insurance card
• Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess
• Trafficking in controlled substance, first degree, first offense (over 2gms of meth)

Puckett was transported to and lodged in the Hart County Jail where he is being held without bond, according to the jail website.

Darren Doyle, story:
Three individuals were found dead in the early morning hours of Tuesday, April 2nd, according to Kentucky State Police. 

KSP reported that at approximately 2:40 a.m. KSP Post 3 received a call from Brownsville Police Department requesting assistance with a suspicious death. Troopers responded to the residence located on Carder Street. 

Troopers reportedly located Harold K Hendrick, 56, of Oakland, Carrie H. Canady, 44, of Bowling Green, and William D. Payne, 37, of Bowling Green unresponsive inside of the residence. They were pronounced deceased at the scene by the Edmonson County Coroner.

Brownsville Police did not have any comment as KSP is in charge of the investigation. KSP did not release any further details and the cause of death for the three individuals has not yet been released. 

The investigation is ongoing and is being led by Detective Jason Warinner.

Darren Doyle, story:
A Chalybeate man faces multiple felony charges after law enforcement said he threatened to kill them in an altercation last Sunday.

According to an arrest citation, the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence on Sulphur Road on March 24th at 3:24AM for a possible domestic disturbance. The citation stated that the suspect, identified as Ronald Holland, (49), told the responding deputy that he was under the influence of an unknown substance and became aggressive with the officer. Backup was called for and Holland became more aggressive, the citation stated.

Officers said Holland was instructed to put his hands behind him but Holland refused and he was tazered with no effect, according to the citation. After a physical altercation with deputies, Holland grabbed a kitchen knife and attempted to stab both deputies, as stated in the citation. Holland was tazered again as deputies continued to fight the subject but Holland grabbed another kitchen knife and threatened to kill law enforcement as the fight continued out the front door, the citation stated.

According to the citation, Holland then swung a metal pole at the deputies while he continued to attempt to stab them as one deputy removed a female subject to safety. Kentucky State Police was requested for assistance and Holland barricaded himself in a bedroom, armed with two knives as he continued threatening to kill law enforcement, the citation stated. Law enforcement eventually was able to talk Holland into exiting out the back window of the residence and he was taken into custody, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Holland was arrested and charged with:

• Assault, first degree police officer
• Public intoxication-controlled substance (excludes alcohol)
• Resisting arrest
• Disorderly conduct, first degree
• Harassing communications
• Wanton endangerment, first degree
• Disarming a peace officer

He was transported to and lodged in the Hart County Jail where he remains on a $20,000 cash bond.