​Photos and story by Joseph Barkoff.

With the sun behind the clouds and slight breeze blowing through the grass and trees, it was a beautiful day for an Easter Egg hunt in Edmonson County Saturday April 19, and a couple hundred plus folks turned out the Edmonson County Highway 70 Sports complex to take advantage.

Just before noon, at 11:00 a.m., with the four baseball diamonds each designated an age group the music stopped.

There were approximately 16,000 eggs divided and spread across the four outfields with age groups: 0-2, 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12 at the ready.

Each fence line stretched children from home plate to the outfield.

“Go,” the words came over the P.A. system from Edmonson County Parks and Rec Director Cody Stewart.

Like controlled chaos, the children spread across the now swarmed fields and by the end some kids had to carry full baskets and use an extra hand by the end of the hunt, one kid explained.

​Stewart, 34, is from Brownsville, born and raised, he said.
 
This is just my second event with the Easter Eggs,” Edmonson County Parks and Rec Director Cody Stewart said before the hunt began. “I’ve worked here just over a year.”
 
“This is a community event,” he said. “A free event.”
 
There are around 16,000 eggs this year, Stewart estimates.
 
In the past there were only 12,000 eggs, he explained. This year, Edmonson County Public Library director asked if they could donate some eggs. So, they added another 2,000 or so eggs with prizes instructing kids to redeem them at the library.
 
Plus a few other places donated some eggs, Stewart said.
 
As well as prizes from the library, other surprises waiting to be discovered included candies and prizes like a light up scooter and Slip and Slide sets complete with a sprinkler.
 
Stewart enjoys seeing the community come out, he said.
 
“Oh man, just all the community coming out and getting together and giving away some good prizes” Stewart said when asked his favorite thing about the event. 
 

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
An early morning fire claimed the main building at Park Mammoth Resort, more recently known as part of the same property as The Maple Retreat.

Fire departments were paged around 3AM on Saturday, April 19th to the report of a fully involved fire at Park Mammoth and the surrounding woods, which was reportedly called in by a driver on I-65.

Firefighters ran into trouble before even getting to the fire, as the entrance to the building was blocked off by two large gates with large rocks in front of them. Firefighters were first able to remove the gates, then use a winch and cable to hook to the rocks and drag them out of the way. The structure was nearly gone by the time trucks were able to drive up the hill to the building.

Firefighters then worked to contain the fire from spreading further into the woods. Trucks were not able to drive to the back of the building due to the steep elevation that overlooked 31W and I-65. 

Rocky Hill Fire Chief Tim Compton said the cause of the fire was not known but as far as he knew, there was no power to the structure at the time. While the building was lost, the fire was contained away from the woods.

In addition to Rocky Hill, the Chalybeate, Brownsville, Wingfield, Kyrock, Lincoln, Park City, Cave City, Glasgow FireLadder 2, and Horse Cave Fire Departments responded to the scene, as well as the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, and the Barren/Metcalfe EMS.

No injuries were reported.

MAMMOTH CAVE, KY – Green River Ferry infrastructure in Mammoth Cave National Park sustained extensive damage to its navigational cables and support towers during last week’s historic flooding event. The vehicle ferry operation will be closed for several months until repairs are complete.
 
“Our team is assessing the damage at the Green River Ferry to determine if we can simply make repairs to the existing cables and towers or if a full reconstruction of the system is required.” said park Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “The ferry is an important link for our visitors, staff, and local communities to cross the Green River, but, unfortunately, the damage we are seeing from the flood is not easily fixed.”
 
The Green River Ferry shuttles vehicles across the Green River using a system of heavy cables and four 20-foot-tall towers. The navigational cables are held in place by four approximately 11,000-ton concrete anchors that are set deep into the riverbank.
 
Traditionally during the month of April, the water level at the Green River Ferry crossing averages between 15 feet to 22 feet with a water flow just under 5,000 cubic feet per second. During the recent flood, the river reached a crest of 59.54 feet with a water flow of just over 55,000 cubic feet per second. This high volume of water caused one of the concrete anchors to be physically pulled from the riverbank and moved 20 feet downhill. It also caused extreme stress on the four support towers which are now leaning slightly. Until the cable system and towers are repaired, the ferry cannot operate.

While the vehicle ferry operation and boat ramp are closed, the Green River Ferry day use area will remain open. Hikers can use the accessible Echo River Spring Trail and picnic area, and river paddlers can continue to use the canoe and kayak ramp. Future closures of the Green River Ferry area may be required once a construction plan has been fully developed, but the park will announce any temporary closures in advance.
 
The Green River Ferry Road North will remain open to passenger vehicles only. Recreational vehicles and vehicles with trailers are prohibited.
 
For directions to Mammoth Cave National Park and information on how to reach the areas on the opposite side of the Green River, please visit the Directions and Transportation website.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A Glasgow man was sentenced this week to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of children.  

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Chief Guy Howie of the Glasgow Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents, Christopher Michael Marsh, 38, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. Between September 2021 and January 1, 2022, Marsh recorded himself engaged in sexual abuse of an infant, and on January 1, 2022, he distributed the recorded child sexual abuse material.

In November of 2024, Marsh pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green to charges of sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography.

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green and the Glasgow Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, and Jo E. Lawless, of the Louisville Office, prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
Edmonson County will receive $1.3M for work and upkeep on state roads, as announced during Monday's fiscal court meeting.

Blake Williams, a representative from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 spoke at the meeting and explained the breakdown of where state road funding will go in Edmonson County.

There was a total of $127,961 remaining from the previous year's allocation that will carry over. In addition, funding is allocated for the following:

• Routine maintenance for 89 miles of rural secondary roads: $437,500
• Asphalt resurfacing on 4.3 miles of HWY 1075, Sunny Point Road, beginning at HWY 185 and extending east to the intersection of HWY 187: $527,711
• Asphalt resurfacing of 1 mile of HWY 2336, Jock Road, beginning at HWY 728 and ending 400ft south of Silas Hunt Road: $108,672
• State flex funds: $236,481 to be distributed amongst districts

Total allotment: $1,310,364, which is an increase in $86,026 from last year's funding.

No other major business was discussed at the fiscal court meeting.

​Story and photos by Joseph Barkoff:
Don’t call it a comeback, they are already here. Neither is it an expansion at the Edmonson County Library in Brownsville.
 
It is in fact a renovation, with an open house hosted by the Edmonson County Library Monday, April 14th in Brownsville.
 
With a designer on hand from the architecture firm responsible for the upgrades to come, Brandstetter Carrol Inc. out of Lexington, some light refreshments and the layout of the new plan on an easel, folks from around the county could come in and place a sticker on a map of the area to represent where they live and see some of the vision to come. 
 
“It is not an expansion, it is just a renovation,” Edmonson County Library Director Alicia Edwards said. “We are trying to utilize the space to the best of our abilities.”
 
The part Edwards is most excited about is a designated Children’s Area.
 
“The big exciting part is that we are going to get a designated children’s area,” Edwards said. “And that is the main reason we started this. A children’s area off to its own because we think it’s only fair to the kids to have their own safe little space, but it’s also really fair to the adults not to have to hear all the kids playing.”
 
There will also be an outdoor children’s area attached they will be able to enjoy, she added.
 
Another cool feature is what is called a “Makerspace.”
 
“A makery is [a space] they can use it to be able to utilize a 3-D printer, a poster printer,” Edwards said. “The community can come in and use it for free.”
 
She thinks they will have sewing machines as well, Edwards said.
 
“What we try to do here is provide everything for people so they don’t have to go to Bowling Green,” Edwards said.
 
They plan to include a teen area that will offer young studiers more separation for quiet reading or studying as well, she said.
 
“I think what people don’t realize is we provide free notary services, all free printing,” Edwards said.
 
As well, they do GED testing and provide manuals for the test, she said.

What about the company from Lexington?

They have a fantastic reputation with the public libraries,” Edwards said. “I went to Russel County Public Library, and they had just recently built theirs in 2018, I think, and I was just amazed by it.”

Edwards has only been with the library since 2023 and didn’t think renovation was going to be directly in her future, she said. But when it became a thing, she knew they would be the one they would want to contact.

“BCI understands every library has unique operations, existing needs, and future goals, and the firm uses this understanding to achieve unity and efficiency,” it says on the BCI website under library projects next to the photo of their main library architect Monica Sumner.

They try design the building and its spaces based on where the building is located, BCI interior designer Courtney Keilman said.

“We don’t want to design some random futuristic building in the middle of a traditional town,” Keilman said.

She is excited to see the full picture when it is done, she said.

“One of the things we are doing is expand some windows down to let some natural light in the space which it really needs,” Keilman said. “I am really excited to see how that completely changes the look of the space and how it feels on the inside.”

They also hope to include flexible community meeting rooms and comfortable public seating to enjoy the natural light they hope will pour in, according to the ECPL media handout.

Why does this all matter?

“This renovation is an investment in the future of Edmonson County—providing access to education, technology, creativity, and connection,” the ECPL said on its handout. “Libraries today are more than books—they’re places where communities come together, and this project is a commitment to that vision.”

​

Edmonson Voice Report:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver's Licensing and Pop Up Program has announced their return to the Edmonson County Community Center for driver's license and ID services.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, May 1st from 9:30AM until 3PM. Edmonson County residents can start making appointments as soon as this Thursday, April 17th for REAL ID licenses, or other services offered from regional driver's license offices.

According to a released statement, staff will arrive early and begin service at 9:30AM with lunch hour being from 12PM to 1PM.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Emergency Management is seeking any Edmonson County residents that experienced property damage during the recent April flood for possible relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA).

ECEM Director Terry Massey is requesting any resident that has sustained flood damage to email his office with photos and a description of the damage.

"We are working on covering as much as we can," he said. "FEMA is funded by your tax dollars."

Residents are asked to send information by email, only at [email protected] for record keeping purposes.

Edmonson Voice Report:
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman issued a consumer alert and encouraged Kentuckians to protect their genetic data following 23andMe’s bankruptcy announcement.

According to a statement from AG Coleman, the California-based 23andMe collects and analyzes people’s genetic code and uses DNA samples for a variety of purposes, including helping people trace their ancestry and detect personal health risks. The company, which filed for bankruptcy last month, announced plans to sell its assets.

Given the sensitive consumer data 23andMe has amassed, Attorney General Coleman's statement reminded Kentuckians of their rights under the Kentucky Genetic Information Privacy Act. "Kentuckians have the right to delete the consumer’s account and genetic data and the right to request and obtain the destruction of any samples of genetic material held by the company," the AG's statement read.

“We have laws in place that protect Kentuckians’ rights and their personal information,” said Attorney General Coleman. “Every Kentuckian who did business with 23andMe should consider taking the proper steps to safeguard their sensitive information.”

Coleman said consumers can delete their account and personal information by taking the following steps:

1. Log into your 23andMe account on their website.
2. Go to the “Settings” section of your profile.
3. Scroll to a section labeled “23andMe Data” at the bottom of the page.
4. Click “View” next to “23andMe Data.”
5. Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option to download it to your device before proceeding.
6. Scroll to the “Delete Data” section.
7. Click “Permanently Delete Data.”
8. Confirm your request: You’ll receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link in the email to confirm your deletion request.

To Destroy Your 23andMe Test Sample, according to Coleman:   If you previously opted to have your saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but want to change that preference, you can do so from your account settings page, under “Preferences.”  

To Revoke Permission for Your Genetic Data to be Used for Research, according to Coleman:   If you previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers using your genetic data and sample for research, you may withdraw consent from the account settings page under “Research and Product Consents.”

Darren Doyle, story, photos, and video:
Green River has finally crested and levels are going back down but experts say the excessive water amounts from the recent flood will hang around for a while.

Brownsville officially received just over one foot of rain between Thursday, April 3rd and Sunday, April 6th, resulting in the worst local flooding since 2011. While impacts from the recent February flooding were severe, Green River rose to levels approximately 8 feet higher yesterday than February floods.

Green River rose nearly 50 feet in about three days as heavy rains drenched Edmonson and the surrounding counties but Edmonson County Water District General Manager Kevin Shaw said it on its way back down, albeit very slowly.

Earlier today, Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey declared a state of emergency in Edmonson County. This basically cuts through any red tape that could possibly hold up efforts in getting things back to normal.

Multiple state and county roads were closed throughout the event, with several closures still in place today. The good news is, the local water supply hasn't yet been in danger and Nolin Dam is doing the job exactly for which it was designed.

Some good news is that the flooding hasn't really impacted the Edmonson County Water District in a negative way, according to ECWD General Manager Kevin Shaw.

"So far, the biggest affect for us is simply a matter of inconvenience. The road out to the water treatment plant is underwater, which is causing us to have to use ATVs through the backwoods to get there, but it could be lots worse."

He said there have been no issues at the treatment plant itself and thankfully no issues with power.

"This event affected water in four or five states," Shaw said. "Most people don't think about it, but the Ohio River cresting will affect how fast our river goes down, and it (the Ohio) may not crest for two or three more days."

He said it's possible that the local intake might see some negative affects from extended sand and silt, but he was also hopeful that the intake area becomes larger.

"It's possible that the hole around the intake washed out a little bigger," Shaw said. "So far, so good here."

Nolin River Lake Manager Deryck Rodgers said that while the lake pool is currently sitting at it's third highest level in lake history, the lake is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. The biggest flood happened in 2011 with a similar event happening in 2010.

"This kind of water is all about what we do," Rodgers said. "Our primary function here is providing a downstream flood-risk management benefit. The whole purpose that the lake was constructed was part of a comprehensive plan to reduce flooding damages in the Ohio River basin. Part of the Green River project was to build these four dams, the Nolin, Barren, Green, and the Rough River Dams. We operate these dams as a system to control flooding on the Green and the lower Ohio."

Rodgers said when they hold the water back as they are now, it's never a fun time but it's exactly what they were designed to do and he said the Corps of Engineers is proud to be part of providing that benefit to the local community.

The entire spillway basin is currently underwater, but that's all backed up from the Nolin River and Dismal Creek. No water is currently being let out of the lake. You can see in the video above where the muddy waters of the creek meet with the dark green waters of the Nolin, which creates a line across the water.

Rodgers said there are no concerns with the lake at this time and that from an operational and safety perspective, everything is good.

"A lot of our time has been spent not only at the dam but also out in the recreation facilities on the water," he said. "We've got marinas, the state lodge, and a lot of other people working, trying to take care of business right now so we can continue serving the public when summer comes around."

Darren Doyle, story, photos, and video:
Edmonson County is experiencing a second round of severe flooding in only a few weeks as torrential rains fell countywide over the past two days.

While wind damage was reportedly at a minimum, flooding is the main concern with this weather system. Things are likely to become worse as river and creek levels continue to rise with even more rain in the forecast. Some areas could even see a possibility of a foot of rain over the course of a few days.

More than seven inches of rain has already been recorded in Brownsville, going back to Wednesday of this week.

All of the normal flood prone areas are closed today, which include:

• Cedar Grove Church Road
• Blackgold/Grassland
• Segal Road HWY 655 at Asphalt
• Bear Creek Bridge on HWY 238
• Bear Creek Bridge on HWY 70
• North Alexander Creek Bridge at Oak Hill Road
• Oak Hill Road Bridge in Brownsville (Near Mohawk Street)
• Willie Webb Road

In addition, Mammoth Cave National Park has announced the following closures: 

• Joppa Ridge Road
• Green River Ferry (South)
• Houchin Ferry Campground Area
• Dennison Ferry

Water levels are anticipated to rise even more as the Green River crests, which will likely back up creeks, making matters worse in some areas.

Residents experienced flooding in areas that are not usually prone to problems. More rain is in the forecast all the way through Sunday.

The Edmonson County Courthouse closed early today due to flooding.

County officials are urging all drivers to obey "road closed" signs as flood waters are dangerous. As the old saying goes, "turn around, don't drown."