The City of Brownsville has announced some changes to the trash pickup schedule as a result of "excessive heat."
"Effective immediately all City of Brownsville trash customers will need to have cans out the night before, as the trash pick-up will be earlier than normal," the City said in a statement. "For the safety of our employees this is effective for the rest of June and the month of July unless otherwise notified."
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Darren Doyle, story:
A Texas man was arrested late Friday night - Saturday morning after law enforcement found drugs, paraphernalia, and allegedly stolen items in a U-Haul van. According to an arrest citation, an Edmonson County Sheriff's Deputy saw a U-Haul van parked at a business after hours in the Roundhill community on Morgantown Road, just after midnight on June 15th. The driver was identified John Ricky Lujan (52) of Houston, Texas. The citation stated that Lujan told the deputy he was out of gas and needed to return the vehicle to U-Haul. According to the deputy, a call to U-Haul confirmed the vehicle had been leased and was nine days past due but not reported stolen because the driver told U-Haul he had returned the vehicle at another location. The citation also stated that Lujan said he was in the area to appear in court in a neighboring town for a drug paraphernalia charge. Before he was patted down, Lujan told the deputy he "may have a hypodermic needle" in his possession, according to the citation, and a used needle was found on his person. The deputy stated in the citation that the driver had needle marks on his arm and that Lujan admitted to using injection drugs within the last two days. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of several prescription bottles not prescribed to the subject, with some of the bottles defaced or containing no label, the citation stated. According to the citation, other paraphernalia items were located, along with a small capsule container with suspected methamphetamine. Lujan allegedly told the deputy that a passenger that traveled with him from Texas had abandoned him, however, the deputy later discovered that the reported passenger had made a police report in Bowling Green that Lujan had stolen items from him, which were located inside the vehicle, the citation stated. It was also discovered the alleged passenger had driven separately to meet Lujan, and was not a passenger with him, according to the citation. Lujan was arrested and charged with:
Lujan was lodged in the Hart County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond. Update: 6/18/24, This story was edited to state the correct community. The arrest citation incorrectly stated "Sunfish" when the actual community was Roundhill. MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. — The Green River Ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park will temporarily change its operating hours to 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday due to a shortage of certified ferry operators. The new ferry schedule will begin on Sunday, June 16 and will be in place until further notice. The ferry boat is operated and maintained by the National Park Service, but ferry boat drivers are required to meet specific training and certification standards set by the United States Coast Guard. Additional employees are advancing through the certification process but must complete supplementary training before they can operate the vessel. The Green River Ferry is the only active river ferry service within Mammoth Cave National Park. It provides shuttle service for vehicles, hikers, and bikers from one side of the river to the other and serves as a link for community residents to have an easier commute to local communities. For the most up to date information about the status of park roads visit us on our website: www.nps.gov/maca or follow our road status on twitter: @MCNPRoadsFerry. For general park information, please phone (270) 758-2180. Superintendent Brian Alexander Discusses Plans for New School, Appointment to State Council, More6/12/2024 Big Changes Coming to Edmonson County Schools Darren Doyle, story and photos: Today, Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander discussed the approved plans for the building of a brand new Kyrock Elementary School that is expected to begin construction in about a year. Along with those plans comes a ton of changes to the way schooling will be done in Edmonson County from this point. Those plans include an expansion and remodeling of South Edmonson Elementary and an eventual demolition of the current Edmonson County 5/6 Center with the gym to remain intact. In addition to discussing the big changes coming to local school properties, Alexander also shared his thoughts on recently being appointed to Kentucky's Local Superintendents Advisory Council, or the LSAC. That means that Edmonson County now has a seat at the table where statewide school policies are created. "The local school board just awarded me another four-year contract as superintendent of schools and I want to do all I can while I have the opportunity," he said. "Ever since I first started my career in education, I've wanted to be the superintendent, and only because I've always wanted to make a positive difference." Alexander said our county school system is somewhat at a crossroads by way of expected growth that is coming. As more Bowling Green area jobs bring families closer to the county line and into Edmonson, more kids are on the way into local classrooms, which will require more room and updated facilities. "This year, we've already seen an entire classroom of students, plus some, (added) in attendance at Kyrock and that's one of the many reasons we're building a new school." Alexander said construction on the new, two-story facility with two gymnasiums is set to begin in May of 2025 with completion estimated to be prior to the start of the 2027-28 school year. The newest part of the current Kyrock was remodeled and expanded in the early 90s, with the addition of the gym and other space. Other parts of the school date back to the 70s. "It's simply time for a new facility," he said. "One of my top priorities when I first became superintendent was to expand Kyrock, and our bonding capability will now allow us to do that. In my opinion, it's long overdue." Bonding is a way for the school system to borrow money and essentially turn them into a mortgage over a period of years. He said the current "new" middle school, as some still call it, that was built into ECHS is now 20 years old. With those bonds freed up, it gives the county the ability to move forward with a major construction project like this. "To be fully transparent, once the new school is built, we will demolish the current Kyrock," he said. "All that area will be excavated and repurposed for recreational use. We're still looking at all those possibilities, but I'm really excited for the county and our school system for that." Some features in the new Kyrock will be restrooms in each classroom, a gymnasium that will also serve as a state-approved tornado shelter with it's own power and water source, and a cafeteria that can also be used as an auxiliary gym. The second floor will feature classrooms for older kids with space that overlooks the cafeteria area. The location of the new school will be on the existing Kyrock property, to the north side of the current building. Supt. Alexander said he has worked with Congressman Brett Guthrie, along with local utility companies to eventually bring sewer service all the way up to Kyrock. Kyrock will be a grade K-6 facility, along with South Edmonson Elementary, for which expansion plans are also being made. "Sort of like our current middle school, people still call South the "new school," and while it may be, compared to what we have, it was built in 2000. It's also in need of expansion," he said. Those plans are to build new classrooms on the back of the building, directly behind the hallway that stems straight back from the entrance. In addition to the expansion, the HVAC and roof will be completely renovated. "When South was built, is was done so for an easy expansion," Alexander said. "We can basically just take right off from the back of the building and everything should be integrate fairly easily." With both Kyrock and SEES eventually becoming K-6 schools, that raises the question of what will happen with the current 5/6 Center, which was originally built in 1959 as the first consolidated Edmonson County High School. "There's obviously a lot of history there," Alexander said. "The gym was built in 1968 and of course, our 1976 State Championship team and that generation created some wonderful memories. The gym and the cafeteria will remain, but the rest of the building has run its course and served its time, just like Kyrock, and the old Brownsville Elementary. It's to the point now where it's difficult to keep that building maintained." Alexander said he is hoping for opportunities that would allow the county parks and rec program to be able to use the gym and cafeteria for youth program purposes. "We've made some improvements to the gym and it still has plenty of life left. It would be great for future generations to continue using it. The property where the rest of the school is will be used in the future for other school system needs." Local Superintendents Advisory Council (LSAC) Not only will the new school projects remain on Alexander's plate for his next term, but he's also serving as an at-large member of Kentucky's LSAC. According to KRS 156.007, the purpose of the council is to advise the chief state school officer and the KY Board of Education concerning the development of administrative regulations and education policy. The chief state school officer shall submit all proposed administrative regulations and educational policies for review by the council prior to seeking approval of the KY Board of Education. The council is made up of 11 members, appointed by the Legislative Research Commission; 7 of which represent each of the state Supreme Court districts and 4 members that serve at-large. "Our State Representative Michael Meredith contacted me and informed me of the opening and asked if I would be interested in serving," Alexander said. "I've always believed any opportunity I have to represent Edmonson County is a great opportunity. I talked to the local school board about it and they were in support of it." He was informed just a couple weeks ago that his appointment had been confirmed. "Hopefully, I'll meet and work with people about Edmonson County needs. I want to be an ambassador for our community and always do what's right for our school system and county. Things change fast and it's important for small communities like ours to have our voices heard, and I appreciate Michael thinking of me." Update on Local Area Vocational Education Center (LAVEC) at ECHS The new Local Area Vocational Education Center at Edmonson County High is nearing completion. Alexander took us on a quick tour today with construction superintendent Andrew Bolton with Alliance Corporation, who is overseeing the work.
Workers have opened the new portion to the existing high school in the hallway of what is know as the vocational wing of ECHS. The project is still on schedule and will ready soon. A dedication ceremony is planned sometime this fall, Alexander said. Madison Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Fiscal Court met today, June 10, 2024. Today's agenda was mostly made up of standard items of county business, however, there was one lengthy discussion about a pay increase for the Edmonson County Road Department. The idea of a possible raise was pitched to the court last fiscal court meeting by County Road Supervisor Joe Joe Montgomery. It was decided then that the discussion should be tabled until today, to give the magistrates more time to research and decide what would be the best decision. Montgomery told the court, "I will be grateful for any raise you guys decide to give my guys. But my guys are good guys, and they deserve to be taken care of." After lots of going back and forth discussion between the magistrates and other county officials, District 4 Magistrate Mickey Johnson made a motion to increase the base pay from $15 per hour to $17 per hour, and for all current employees to get a $2 per hour raise as well. The motion passed. It was also voted to:
The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for June 24, 2024 at 4 pm. Man Faces Multiple Felony Charges Darren Doyle, story: A Bee Spring man faces multiple felony charges after local police say he led them on a high speed chase on a motorcycle on Friday night. According to Brownsville Police, an officer observed a silver motorcycle traveling south on Main Street on Friday, June 7th. The officer stated he observed the motorcycle pass a vehicle in a no passing zone and he activated his emergency lights to attempt a traffic stop. According to police, the motorcycle immediately accelerated to a high rate of speed and the officer then activated his sirens and noticed dispatch of the active pursuit. The officer said he observed the motorcycle pass several more vehicles in no passing zones while driving in a reckless matter at speeds over 100mph. The officer terminated the pursuit due to increased risk to the public, he said. The police stated that the officer knew the operator to be Stanley Basham, (42) of Bee Spring, and that a short time later officers received information that Basham was hiding at a property in the 17000 block of Louisville Road. A Brownsville Officer and an Edmonson County Sheriff's deputy located Basham where he was taken into custody without further incident, according to police, and that the motorcycle was located hidden behind some wooden pallets on the property. Basham was arrested and charged with:
He was lodged in the Hart County Jail and remains on a $5,000 cash bond, according to the jail. New Feature Offers Host of Helpful Options Darren Doyle, story and photo: Contacting someone from the Edmonson County Government now just got a little simpler, thanks to a new program called "Text My Gov." The platform allows anyone with texting capabilities to send quick messages to the Judge/Executive's Office for assistance, as well as options for receiving important notifications or emergency messages. "This is a brand new program that we feel will give better communication options for our residents," Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey said. "We've been trying to communicate through Facebook but not everyone has that. Most everyone has a phone where they can text. Judge Lindsey showed different examples of how the new program worked. He first simply texted "Hi" to 270-975-2775 to opt in to the program. From there, the user has several options. One can sign up for any and all alerts that may come from the Judge's Office, or the user can sign up for alerts only in their specific county district. He also demonstrated how to make a report using one-word messages. In one example, he simply texted "TREE." The response asked him if he was experiencing a downed tree or limb and to provide his address. That information goes directly to the Judge's Office where help is sent to solve the issue. The program also provides assistance for just about anything the county offers. "Of course, if you have an emergency situation, it's always best to call 911 or contact our county dispatch at 270-597-2729, but this is great if you need to report non-emergency situations like reporting help with an animal, water over the road, missed trash pickup, or other needs," Lindsey said. "In some instances, the program will provide you a direct number to call if the issue is outside our office, like the Sheriff or County Clerk, for example. Sometimes, the user will be provided a link from our county website, edmonsoncounty.org, for other specific needs." He said it will be very useful when the need arises for emergency notifications.
"Sometimes we have trees down over the road, or flooding where some roads are closed. If you're signed up for our notifications, you'll get a text message with the information as soon as we can send it. We will also utilize the program in the event of other emergency situations." The program is officially set to launch on Monday, June 10th but it is accessible now to anyone wishing to use it. "We do ask that folks give us some time to fine tune the program so it best fits our needs," he said. "We are still learning about the program and all it offers, because it's a great deal of information, but we are really excited about how it can help our residents." Lindsey also said the county will also occasionally use the program for weather alerts. "It's a very versatile program that we feel can reach the most amount of people in the shortest amount of time. Of course, you can call our office at 270-597-2819 if you'd like, but sometimes a text message is quicker and easier." June 6, 1944 Will Always Be a Day to Remember by Darren Doyle, news director:
As I perused through the internet this morning, I read multiple articles about the day that actually may have saved the entire world, which was June 6, 1944, more commonly known as "D-Day." Today marks D-Day's 80th anniversary. The picture above is probably the most well known and documented photo of the horrific event that saw the loss of 4,414 allied soldiers, including 2,501 Americans. The original caption of the photo was "Taxis to Hell – and Back – Into the Jaws of Death," which was taken on that fateful day, by Robert F. Sargent, a chief photographer's mate in the United States Coast Guard. The term "D-Day" is a term used to describe the first day of any major military operation. This one just happens to be the most famous. As I sit at a desk in an air-conditioned office, with my American flag proudly displayed out front, I can't begin to comprehend the utter terror and fear the men on these landing crafts experienced as the fronts of the crafts opened up into what would be so many of their last moments on Earth. And here I sit, usually complaining about the most trivial things in my very normal life. Despite that terror, they went anyway. According to the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, The D-Day operation of June 6, 1944, brought together the land, air, and sea forces of the allied armies in what became known as the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The operation, given the codename OVERLORD, delivered five naval assault divisions to the beaches of Normandy, France. The beaches were given the code names UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO, and SWORD. The invasion force included 7,000 ships and landing craft manned by over 195,000 naval personnel from eight allied countries. Almost 133,000 troops from the United States, the British Commonwealth, and their allies, landed on D-Day. Total casualties from these countries during the landing numbered 10,300. By June 30, over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had landed on the Normandy shores. Fighting by the brave soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the allied forces western front, and Russian forces on the eastern front, led to the defeat of German Nazi forces. On May 7, 1945, German General Alfred Jodl signed an unconditional surrender at Reims, France. Arguably, there has never been a more divisive time in the United States than today. The unnecessary magnification of our differences have caused so many things to go wrong in our current society, but surely there is one thing on which we all can agree: The soldiers that took it upon themselves to save the world are part of the world's greatest generation. They had something deep within their beings that we just don't have today. I'd like to think maybe I could muster that up from somewhere if I had to, but the fact is, I have never had to, thanks to these heroes. Several Edmonson County veterans fought at Normandy Beaches. Most everyone is familiar with the inspiring photos of our local veterans from all generations that are displayed in the Edmonson County Courthouse. I had the privilege of transferring every single photo to a website that can be viewed anytime. I strongly encourage everyone to visit EdmonsonVets.com, where you can scroll through more than 1,200 photos of our local veterans. They are separated into multiple categories for easy viewing. Saying 'thank you,' isn't enough, but it's all I got. I'm proud to have known some from this generation--a generation that is nearly gone. Even if all the world's WWII veterans remain as healthy as humanly possible, they are nearly 100 years old or older. They will leave us in the near future. What I pray that will not leave is their memory and I hope we all take a moment and whisper a thank you prayer for their sacrifices and dedication. Edmonson Voice Report:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 is asking motorists to use caution throughout the weekend as the 400-Mile Yard Sale is now taking place. "Motorists should use caution and pay extra attention on US68 as the 400-mile yard sale has started and will go through the weekend," the District said in a social media post. "Motorists should expect extra traffic, sudden stops, pedestrians and other challenges along US 68." Darren Doyle, story:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 has announced that the newly constructed bridge over Whetstone Creek on KY HWY 187 has been completed and is now open. The District made the announcement on their social media platforms today. They also announced that the work to the sidewalks and rails on the Brownsville Bridge over Green River was also complete, however, Wes Watt, public information officer for District 3 clarified today's statement. "The bulk of the bridge work is completed, but the sidewalk work is not," he told the Edmonson Voice in an email. "They got delayed on coming back so that’s why no work has been going on." Watt also said workers will return soon to complete the work to the sidewalk. Taxpayers Can Inspect Their Property Tax Assessment From June 3, 2024 until June 17, 2024 Edmonson Voice Report:
Edmonson County taxpayers can assess the values of their properties each year, during a limited period before annual taxes are due. This year's inspection period will run from June 3, 2024 until June 17, 2024. Under the supervision of the property valuation administrator or one of the deputies, any person may inspect the tax roll. "We encourage everyone to double check their assessment," said PVA Kyle White. "After this period closes, there can’t be any assessment changes to the tax roll. That’s why it is so important to correct assessments now, not in the fall when people receive their tax bills. Once Edmonson County’s tax roll is certified by the Department of Revenue, there can be no assessment changes." This is the January 1, 2024 assessment on which state, county, and school taxes for 2024 will be due on November 1, 2024. The tax roll is in the office of PVA in the Edmonson County courthouse and may be inspected between the hours of 7:30am to 4:30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (open until 5pm on Fri), and from 8:00am to 12 noon on Thursday and Saturday. Any taxpayer desiring to appeal an assessment on real property made by the PVA must first request a conference with the PVA or a designated deputy. The conference may be held prior to or during the inspection period. Any taxpayer still aggrieved by an assessment on real property, after the conference with the PVA or designated deputy, may appeal to the county board of assessment appeals. The taxpayer can appeal his assessment by filing in person or sending a letter or other written petition stating the reasons for appeal, identifying the property and stating the taxpayer's opinion of the fair cash value of the property. The appeal must be filed with the county clerk's office no later than one work day following the conclusion of the inspection period. Any taxpayer failing to appeal to the county board of assessment appeals, or failing to appear before the board, either in person or by designated representative, will not be eligible to appeal directly to the Kentucky Board of Tax Appeals. Appeals of personal property assessments shall not be made to the county board of assessment appeals. Personal property taxpayers shall be served notice under the provisions of KRS 132.450(4) and shall have the protest and appeal rights granted under the provisions of KRS 131.110. The following steps should be taken when a taxpayer does not agree with the assessed value of personal property as determined by the office of PVA. (1) Property owner must list under protest (for certification) what he believes to be the fair cash value of his property. (2) Property owner must file a written protest directly with the Department of Revenue, Office of Property Valuation within 30 days from the date of the notice of assessment. (3) This protest must be in accordance with KRS 131.110. (4) The final decision of the Department of Revenue may be appealed to the Kentucky Board of Tax Appeals. Homestead and Disability Exemptions The Homestead and Disability Exemption amount will stay the same this year (adjusted every other year) at a reduction of $46,350 to your assessment. This is a savings of approximately $413. This is the amount that comes off the top of the taxpayer’s assessment if they qualify. To receive the exemption, they must be age 65 or 100% disabled for the entire year, own, and occupy the residence. Madison Doyle, story and photos: Although some major events were postponed today, there was still plenty to do at the Big Brownsville Bash over the last three days. Some of these activities included the Baby Show, Truck Cruise, Arts, Crafts, Vendor Show, and more. The event was coordinated by the Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber President Darren Doyle said having some of the event was better than not having any at all.
”We were disappointed that we had to postpone some of our biggest events today, but we have to have good weather in order to have them, and obviously we can’t control that.” He said the other events will still go on, just later in the summer. ”We’re working with the county now to figure out the best day to reschedule the car show, canoe and kayak event, the inflatables, food trucks, and of course the fireworks, all on the same day as we had intended. We are still expecting a big crowd for those events.” |
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