Darren Doyle, story:
A Brownsville woman has passed as a result of injuries attained in a crash in Brownsville on Friday night.

According to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement was dispatched to the location near Webb's Eats & Treats on South Main Street in Brownsville at 7:27PM on Friday, May 16th, to the call of a two-vehicle collision with injuries.

The Sheriff's Office stated that through investigation it was discovered that Kristopher McCombs, (45), of Segal was operating a 1997 Chevy Blazer, headed south on Main Street. For an undetermined reason, the Blazer crossed the line and entered the path of Sheila VanMeter (67), of Brownsville, who was headed north in a 2016 Chevy Equinox, the Sheriff's Office said.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the two vehicles collided head-on and came to rest at a residence beside the restaurant.

Mrs. VanMeter was transported to the Medical Center in Bowling Green by Edmonson EMS where she succumbed to her injuries a short time later and was pronounced dead, the Sheriff's Office stated.

According to the Sheriff's Office, McCombs refused medical treatment at the scene.

The collision remains under investigation at this time by the Sheriff's Office.

In addition to the Sheriff's Office and EMS, Brownsville Fire Department and Brownsville Police also responded to the scene.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A KSP trooper who was indicted in March of this year on one count of unreasonable force was arrested last week and faces DUI-related charges.

According to an arrest citation, Kentucky State Police Post 3 responded at 8:23PM on May 7, 2025 to a Barren County church for a 911 hang-up where there was no answer.

Law enforcement reportedly made contact with Jarrod Lewis (28) of Hiseville where he had allegedly been drinking or had alcohol in the vehicle.

According to KSP, the hood of the truck was warm and the engine had recently been on with keys in the ignition. Troopers reportedly conducted field sobriety tests where the odor of alcohol was on Lewis’ breath, and according to troopers, Lewis' blood alcohol level showed nearly three times the legal limit.

Law enforcement reportedly found an open alcoholic beverage in the truck and according to authorities, Lewis stated he had purchased multiple alcoholic beverages.

He was arrested and placed in the Barren County Detention Center and charged with:

• Operating motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, first offense (aggravated circumstance)
• Possession of open alcoholic beverage in motor vehicle

Lewis is currently employed as a Kentucky State Police trooper but has reportedly been suspended since being indicted on a federal charge of using unreasonable force in March of this year. The federal charges are unrelated to the DUI-based offenses.

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Senator Mitch McConnell (KY) introduced the bicameral Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act. According to Rep. Guthrie's Office, this bill would give the park the ability to acquire an additional 551.14 acres of land from the Nature Conservancy. This newly acquired land would enhance protections in the Green River watershed, further conserving the area’s wildlife and cultural heritage while generating additional tourism to Kentucky’s Second District, Guthrie's Office stated.

The land is located near and around the former Park Mammoth Resort and Lookout Restaurant, which was recently lost in a fire.

“Every year, Mammoth Cave National Park draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and contributes nearly $90 million to our local economy,” said Congressman Guthrie. “This natural wonder has inspired people for thousands of years, playing a foundational role in the culture of our region. I am proud to introduce the Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act to expand protections for the cave system’s important biodiversity and rich history, ensuring that it can be studied, maintained, and enjoyed by future generations of Americans.”

“Kentucky is lucky to be home to an abundance of natural treasures, among them, Mammoth Cave National Park. This extensive cave network has been inspiring Kentuckians and drawing visitors from all corners of the globe for generations. Beyond its role in driving tourism to our Commonwealth, the park also plays a crucial role in the region’s economic growth, supporting good jobs for the people of Kentucky,” said Senator McConnell. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Guthrie on this important initiative once again which will expand the critical habitats that the National Park Service protects and preserves in the park.”

You can find the full text of the Mammoth Cave Boundary Adjustment Act here.
 
Guthrie's Office also stated the following:

• This legislation authorizes the National Park Service to acquire 551.14 acres of land currently owned by the Nature Conservancy (TNC). 
• This expansion would allow the National Park to manage land in Edmonson and Barren Counties, further conserving the area’s wildlife and cultural heritage.  
• The property includes cave passages, including Coach and James Caves, which hold prehistoric and historic artifacts. 
• In 2023, the park received more than 650,000 visitors, generating $89.6 million for communities surrounding the park. This expansion of the park is expected to drive further economic growth in the local community. 
• This legislation is supported by local elected officials in the surrounding counties.
• Established as a National Park in 1941, Mammoth Cave National Park is home to the world’s longest known cave system, stretching a mapped 426 miles with many miles still undiscovered.
• In 1981, the park was named a World Heritage Site, and in 1990, a Biosphere Reserve.
• In April 2025, Congressman Guthrie welcomed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to Mammoth Cave National Park for a tour of the park and a discussion with NPS staff about its importance. You can learn more about their visit here.

Edmonson Voice Report:
The former Superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools was sentenced yesterday to 30 years in federal prison for numerous child sexual exploitation offenses.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.

According to court documents, Matthew D. Constant, 53, a former superintendent, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison followed by a life term of supervised release for two counts of online enticement of a minor, three counts of receipt of child pornography, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts of transferring obscene material to a minor.

There is no parole in the federal system.   

This case was investigated by FBI Owensboro and the Kentucky State Police.

The OPS system suspended Constant without pay in June of 2023 in the midst of allegations he was involved in a relationship with an 18 year-old student enrolled in another school district. Just over one month later, Constant was arrested and charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor and tampering with physical evidence while he was the school superintendent.

In August of 2024, Constant was indicted on the following charges:

• Two counts of online enticement of a minor
• Three counts of receipt of child pornography
• Two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
• Two counts of transferring obscene material to a minor.

He pleaded guilty to the charges in February of 2025, which was not part of any plea deal, according to court records.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch 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.

Darren Doyle, story:
A man and woman were arrested yesterday and charged with burglary after a neighbor's call.

According to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a trespassing call at 3759 Otter Gap Road on Monday, May 5th around 3PM. A neighbor said they observed two individuals at the residence that shouldn't be there and that the individuals were removing items from the home, the sheriff's office stated.

Deputies made contact with Chad Whitson (54), Bowling Green, and Madison Deckard (30), Chalybeate, who were with the items in the yard, according to the sheriff's office, with some of the items having the resident's name on them.

Both were placed under arrest and charged with: Burglary second degree (Class C Felony) and Criminal Trespassing.

They were lodged in the Hart County Jail.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
After three years, the specific timeline for the rebuild of Sunfish-Round Hill Road remains unknown as Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey says "complexity of the work," and things "factored in that we were not accounting for," are some of the issues the county is facing with the massive road project.

The county road off of HWY 70 (Morgantown Road) and HWY 187 (Sunfish Road) first began to collapse in the summer of 2022 due to the parallel Cub Creek that had exceed its original banks and began eroding the base of the road. The initial extensive repair was attempted by the Edmonson County Road Department, under the direction of then supervisor Greg Carroll, hired by the fiscal court led by former Judge/Executive Wil Cannon.

According to the current Judge/Executive's Office during a March 2024 interview, the more the road crew worked on the repair, the more repairs were needed. Eventually, the entire base of the road failed and was dug completely down to the creek, at a depth of nearly 20 feet from the top of the road. This is when Judge Lindsey said the county discovered that they didn't have the funds to rebuild the road. As a result, portable barriers with "Road Closed" signage were placed on both sides of the breach.

However, in April of 2023, Donald Hardison, a Muhlenberg County man, was found deceased in a 2007 Ford Expedition after driving off the closed road into water at the construction site of Sunfish-Round Hill Road. It is unclear whether or not the barriers were in place when the man drove into the water. At the time, Judge Lindsey said they had been placed in the correct areas but it was not known where they were at the time of the accident or if the man simply avoided and driven around them. It is an approximately 20 foot drop off from the roadway to the bottom.

Regardless of where they are placed, the barriers alone can still be driven around fairly easily. In December of 2019, Alexandra Richardson was able to drive around the same barricade on Oak Hill Road, where flooding had caused the water to be several feet over the road. She drove into the water while intoxicated with her 20 month-old son and another juvenile. The boy died as a result of the crash and Richardson was charged and convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years in jail.

Nearly three weeks passed after Mr. Hardison's accident before Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted to take a more permanent action to avoid the possibility of anyone else driving into the drop off. Some Sunfish residents attended the May 8, 2023 fiscal court meeting and demanded action be taken immediately. The court voted that day to place large loads of rock at both breaches which still remain today, along with "Road Closed" signs.

The breach is well over 100 foot long by 20 foot deep, and still has a portion of Cub Creek running into the original base.

Judge Lindsey announced to the Edmonson County Fiscal Court on March 18, 2024, that he had found a possible solution for funding, which was estimated to cost around $900K. He said that while the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had agreed to pay for the project, the county would have to cover the initial cost, which they didn't have. Lindsey said that the county could secure a line of credit through the Kentucky Association of Counties, a state governing body of county offices in KY, (KACo). He also said that he hoped the work would be done in 2024, which did not happen.

We followed up with Judge Lindsey last week about the status of the project that has disrupted the lives of many Sunfish area residents, and asked for an update.

The credit line was secured in June of 2024, according to Judge Lindsey and the $900k has been borrowed. The funds have been placed in a separate account, ready for use.

Lindsey said a variety of factors have hindered the project but that he feels they have all been addressed and the county is close to moving forward.

"Some of the factors that took some time to complete were having to do with the geo-studies that were completed in and around the roadbed to make sure that the foundation the road was being rebuilt on was strong enough to support the road," he said. "Or does it need to be secured by using engineering methods like rail and cribbing that would add strength to the affected area. There were several other tests that were done as well."

He also said due to the water issue from the creek, rerouting the water under the road without eroding the road base had to be part of the solution. If not, the road would continue to fail as a result of the same issue.

"There were also multiple options presented as to the possible placement of the road based on the information gained from the results of the engineering studies. Once the best option was chosen, we had to obtain the right-of-ways and permissions to use that model from the landowner. That has now been discussed and verbally agreed to, and we are moving forward using that information."

Lindsey said he had hoped the entire project could have been completed last year.

"Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the work, and things that factored in that we were not accounting for originally, the project hasn't moved forward as quickly as we had hoped or intended."

He said the county hired an engineering firm, Arnold Consulting Engineering Services, (ACES) who was an approved state vendor, and one that the county has used for other projects in the past.

"They have been doing the testing and engineering for the blueprints and planning to rebuild the road. They are handling the engineering and scope of work for the project. We will take sealed bids for the reconstruction once ACES gets the bid packet finalized."

Judge Lindsey said while no specific time period has been discussed by ACES, he said it is a priority and they are working on that now. Once they submit all the information to the county, the fiscal court will advertise for bids, which would take two to three weeks, then those bids will be opened and read at the following meeting.

"It is the goal of all involved to be able to get this project completed this year," Judge Lindsey said. "We want to get it completed as soon as possible."

Darren Doyle, story:
A Wingfield man was arrested and faces multiple felonies after a suspicious vehicle call yesterday.

On Thursday, May 1st, Edmonson County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to the Beaver Dam Creek Baptizing Center for the call of a suspicious vehicle with a male subject passed out behind the wheel. According to the Sheriff's Office, a deputy located the vehicle at the location and saw drug paraphernalia in plain view.

The operator was identified as Samuel Lamb, (33) from the Wingfield community, who told law enforcement he had just fallen asleep, the Sheriff's Office stated. Another deputy arrived on scene and deployed a K-9 unit, who gave a positive alert on the vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in more drug paraphernalia, suspected methamphetamine, and a shotgun, according to the Sheriff's Office.

It was discovered that Lamb was a convicted felon, which resulted in enhanced and additional charges.

He was arrested and charged with: 

• Possession Controlled Substance 1st Degree, 3rd or Greater Offense (Methamphetamine) Firearm Enhanced
  
• Drug Paraphernalia-Buy/Possess(Firearm Enhanced) 
• Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon
  

He was lodged in the Hart County Jail where he is currently listed with no bond.