Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
On August 21, 2017, students of the Edmonson County School District will have the opportunity to witness a historical event, a total solar eclipse.  This rare event, that takes place when the moon fully covers the sun, is going to cast one of its most spectacular views in South Central Kentucky. While Brownsville will not be in the path of complete totality, Edmonson Countians will still witness an impressive and significant eclipse event.

In anticipation of this exciting event, Edmonson County Schools are making plans to take advantage of this historical occasion.  “We are so excited that the solar eclipse is taking place during the school day.  We couldn’t ask for a more teachable moment than to get the opportunity to teach our students about the eclipse and then be with them when they witness it for themselves,” said Carol Stice, Instructional Supervisor. 

According to a statement from the Edmonson County Board of Education, each school is making plans for various lessons and guest speakers leading up to the eclipse. These include partnerships with the Edmonson County Public Library, Edmonson County Parks and Recreation, and Western Kentucky University.

All students and faculty will be given special glasses for safe viewing of the solar eclipse.  “We want to thank Western Kentucky University for providing the glasses for our students and faculty.  We are looking forward to sharing such a historic event with our students,” said Patrick Waddell, Superintendent.

Families can anticipate more information regarding the eclipse and each school’s plans in the coming days.  

In case you missed it, click here to find out more about the upcoming historical eclipse published last week on the Edmonson Voice.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
The Kentucky State Police, Post 3 in Bowling Green reported that they​ responded to Region Road near KY 70 in the Butler County portion of the Roundhill community to investigate a single vehicle injury collision on Sunday evening, July 30, 2017 around 5:45pm.

According to KSP, their investigation revealed that Elizabeth Cockrell (36) of Roundhill, KY was operating a 2002 Mercury SUV and was traveling southbound when she lost control of her vehicle and exited the right shoulder of Region Road.  KSP also said that Cockrell’s vehicle then reentered the roadway and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to travel across Region Road before striking an embankment and overturning.    
 
An unrestrained juvenile passenger, Ronnie J. Murrell III (12) was pronounced deceased by the Butler County Coroner’s Office.  Cockrell and six additional passengers were transported to the Medical Center Hospital in Bowling Green.  All occupants of the vehicle, with the exception of a two year old female, were treated and released from the hospital.  The two year old female passenger was flown to Vanderbilt University Hospital, where she is currently listed in critical condition.   
 
The investigation is still ongoing and being led by Trooper First Class Chris Newkirk.  He was assisted on scene by Butler County Sheriff’s Department, Butler County EMS, Butler County Coroner’s Office, and other KSP personnel.

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. The Honorable Judge John M. McCarty, presiding.

Aaron D. Miller, Burglary 2nd degree. Theft by unlawful taking-all others $500 or more, under $10,000. Failed to appear, will review on 8/8/17.

Byron Lee Alford, Harassment-no physical contact. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 8/8/17. 

​Justin M. Stewart, Failure of non-owner/operator to maintain required insurance-first. Failed to appear.

Dustin Hunt, Speeding 25mph over limit. Continue 8/8/17.

Steven Wayne Wilson, Jr., Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security first. Failed to appear. 

Ricky F. Vincent, Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs, aggravator, first offense. Possession of open alcohol beverage container in vehicle. Disorderly conduct. Intimidating a participant in legal process. Bribery of public servant. Pleaded not guilty to all charges. Preliminary hearing 8/8/17.

Clifton H. Simmons, Assault 4th degree domestic violence minor injury. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 8/8/17. No contact with victim, no illegal drugs or alcohol.

​Lee Edward Thompson, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 9/5/17.

Aaron Daniel Meredith, Speeding 15mph over limit. No/expired registration plate. No/expired KY registration receipt.

Matthew Wade Hamilton, Trafficking controlled substance within 1000 feet of school. Trafficking controlled substance first degree, first offense. Possession of marijuana. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Continue 8/1/17.

Chase Groves, Criminal mischief first degree. Assault third degree police officer. Possession of marijuana. Resisting arrest. Possession of controlled substance-first degree-first offense-meth. Theft by unlawful taking $500 or more-less than $10,000. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Operating on suspended/revoked license. Pleaded not guilty to all charges. Preliminary hearing on 8/1/17. No bond modification, attorney appointed.

Billy Ray Buchanan, Trafficking in controlled substance first degree, first offense. Trafficking controlled substance second degree, first offense. Trafficking in marijuana, less than 8oz-first offense. Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Continue 8/1/17.

Johnny S. Stephens, Wanton endangerment-second degree. Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs, second offense. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 8/8/17. No bond modification, attorney appointed.

​*Comments without a first and last name and an email address are not published. All comments are subject for review and must adhere to the Edmonson Voice commenting policy which is posted on this site.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
A Rocky Hill woman was able to escape her overturned vehicle early this morning in a single vehicle rollover crash.

Emergency personnel were dispatched this morning around 4am to Fairview Church Road in Rocky Hill to the accident involving Maria Jurado (32). According to officials, Ms. Jurado said she was traveling south on Fairview Ch Rd. when she looked down for a moment, crossed into the other lane, overcorrected and began to skid.

Authorities said Jurado's 2004 Chevy Impala hit a patch of trees, overturned, and came to final rest on its top. 

She was transported to T.J. Sampson Hospital for possible neck injuries via Edmonson EMS. Edmonson County JAWS was first dispatched, but emergency radio traffic indicated that Ms. Jurado was able to exit the vehicle on her own.

Also responding to the scene was the Rocky Hill Fire Department and Sheriff Shane Doyle.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
A Roundhill woman is facing a felony meth charge as a result of a domestic disturbance call on Tuesday evening.

The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office said they responded to the call around 9pm on July 25, 2017 in the 8000 block of Morgantown Road (KY HWY 70) where a couple that had previously been married were having what officials said was an escalated dispute. Authorities said that the caller advised that the female involved was under the influence of an unknown substance.

​Officials said when they arrived on scene, law enforcement suspected that illegal drugs could be a contributing factor in the dispute and asked the female, Angelia Lindsey, (44), of Roundhill for consent to search her vehicle, to which Lindsey reportedly granted.

During the search, law enforcement officials said they found methamphetamine inside the vehicle along with other drug related items.

Lindsey was arrested and charged with:

• Possession of controlled substance, (meth) first degree, first offense (class D felony)
• Possession of marijuana
• Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess

She was lodged in the Hart County Jail. Also assisting in the case was the Brownsville Police Department.

​A Class D felony in KY carries a maximum penalty of up to a $10,000 fine and one to three years in prison.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
On Tuesday, July 25, 2017 around 6:30pm, law enforcement officials responded to a Bee Spring residence where the homeowner reported discovering an unknown male who had locked himself in a bedroom at the residence. 

The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office said the homeowner reported kicking in the door which caused the male subject to jump out the window. The Sheriff's office said they, along with KY State Police soon spotted a male matching the description of the subject at the home running in the 10,000 block of HWY 259 N. The subject left his backpack at the residence that contained personal belongings, photos, and an ID.

The Sheriff's Office said they chased the subject down the road, who was discovered to be Brandon Embry, (19) of Bee Spring. Authorities said the subject was warned that the Sheriff's K-9 Unit, Tango, would be deployed unless the subject stopped immediately, which authorities said caused the teen to surrender.


Embry was arrested and charged with:

• Burglary, 2nd degree
• Wanton Endangerment first degree
• Wanton Endangerment first degree Police Officer
• Fleeing or Evading Police, first degree (on foot)

Embry was lodged in the Hart County Jail. ​

Darren Doyle, story:
A Brownsville man is facing multiple charges that include two felonies after being arrested for DUI for the second time in less than 30 days.

According to Brownsville Police, the first incident occurred on Saturday, June 17, 2017 when they received a complaint of a reckless driver near the 5/6 Center with two children as passengers. Police said they located a vehicle matching the description of the complaint soon after and made a traffic stop near the Brownsville Minit Mart on the white Dodge SUV for failing to use a signal. 

Police said the vehicle did not stop, but instead drove to a residence on Vincent Street. Authorities said Johnny Stephens, (52) of Brownsville exited from the vehicle, along with two juvenile passengers, and Stephens showed several signs of intoxication. After police administered field sobriety tests it was determined Stephens was under the influence of alcohol. 

He was arrested and charged with Driving under the influence of alcohol and two felony counts of Wanton Endangerment first degree for children being in the vehicle. He was lodged in the Hart County Jail. Brownsville Police was assisted by the U.S. Park Service and the District 2 Constable.

The same man was involved in a minor traffic accident this past Sunday, July 23, 2017 that resulted in yet another DUI charge, according to Brownsville Police.

Officials said they received a call of a minor collision near the junction of Morgantown Road (HWY 70) and 259 around 6:30pm. Reports said that as Ms. Sarah Woods (23) of Hartford was coming to a stop while traveling toward 259 on HWY 70, she was cut off by Johnny Stephens who had just turned onto 70 and attempted to cut into the Shell Station parking lot in her path. 

Police said that no one was injured in the fender bender but those at the scene suspected that Stephens had been drinking, according to the smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Law enforcement officers reported that after field sobriety tests were given, Stephens was placed under arrest for driving under the influence, his second arrest for the same charge in less than a month.

He was charged with DUI second offense and one count of Wanton endangerment. He was lodged in the Hart County Jail where he remains on a $3000 cash bond.

Assisting the Brownsville Police was the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
The annual effort to bring school supplies to Edmonson County students has resulted in a payday as members of the Family Resource, Youth Services Centers, and Community Education unloaded truckloads of goods that were gathered through the local Cram the Cruiser event in conjunction with the regional school supply drive, Stuff The Bus.

Staff members drove to the Bowling Green Daily News warehouse today, where all the goods from Stuff The Bus are stored and distributed, and Edmonson County school personnel loaded their haul. They then brought it back to ECHS where they began sorting out school supplies of all kinds so it can later will be distributed throughout all county schools.

"The supplies are sorted accordingly so that the Family Resource Centers which assist South Edmonson, Kyrock, and the 5/6 Center, and our Youth Services Center, which assists the middle and high schools can assure the supplies go where they are most needed," said Jamie Carnes, Supervisor of State and Federal Programs.

"We also send many thanks to everyone that helped in this event in any way, our donors, and for today's help," said Carnes. "We want to thank Kyle Cassady for the use of his trailer today as well."

Items that were donated through the Cram the Cruiser campaign were doubled by Stuff the Bus. 

Radio host Tony Rose and dozens of other STB volunteers helped Edmonson County staff members load boxes this morning.

"People may get tired of us saying this, but Edmonson County is one of the best examples of how Stuff the Bus works," said Rose. "When local school systems are working in their own areas for Stuff The Bus, it just extends our reach even more and because of that, we're able to help more and more students every year and that's what this is all about."

The supplies ranged anywhere from pencils, notebooks, and glue sticks, all the way to backpacks and clothing items.

The first day of school for Edmonson County students is one week from today, Wednesday, August 2, 2017.

Darren Doyle, [email protected], story and photo:
Edmonson County Parks & Rec was approved for a new tractor after a lengthy discussion at last night's fiscal court meeting. Several questions were asked and magistrates weighed in on the pros and cons of the purchase, as well as the borrowing of the money from the Road Department account for the purchase, as requested by Parks & Rec.

Parks Program Administrator Greg Hudson updated the court of the park's current tractor that he said was far beyond maintenance and repair. He also broke down the different needs that the park will continue to have for a new tractor and that the money will be paid back to the general fund over time with money budgeted within Parks & Rec.

Judge Cannon said the requested tractor would cost somewhere around $18K-$19K and while the county's general fund could cover the purchase, he recommended taking a short-term loan from the Road Department that would be paid back in full by December in order to not put strain on the general fund. The amount of funds in the Road Dept's account was not discussed, but Cannon said it was a comfortable balance.

Mag. Joe Durbin asked about the need for a tractor now that ball seasons are completed, and Hudson's reply was that now is actually the time that fields can be repaired and maintained. Hudson said that the Spring season is too wet to do most type of long-term work on the fields and new tractor was imperative now.

​Durbin said that to his knowledge, the current tractor belonging to Parks and Rec was not housed properly and that could have possibly helped lead the tractor to its current state. Mag. Mark Woosley asked how long would it take to complete the tasks that necessitate a tractor, to which Hudson said would be a couple of months. Woosley asked about renting a tractor instead of buying and Judge Cannon said he saw no sense in that because the purchase would have to be made at one point or another. 

Mag. Durbin also inquired about a budget shortfall for Parks and Rec if the purchase was made, to which Judge Cannon said there would not be, according to a prior budget discussion with Hudson.

Hudson also said that the park regularly borrows Park Director A.B. Webb's personal tractor and that it wasn't fair for the county to use Webb's personal equipment. A motion was made by Mag. Edd Rich to purchase the tractor with the borrowed funds from the Road Department, seconded by Buck Simmons. All voted "yes" except for Woosley, who voted "no," and the motion passed.

During the meeting, District 2 Constable Tim Skees addressed the court and requested use of NCIC, or The National Crime Information Center, which is a computerized database of documented criminal justice information. Constable Skees said he needs access to the same system that local law enforcement personnel use to run licenses, vehicle tags, and gain background info on subjects during traffic stops, of which he currently has no local authority to use. He also requested that Judge Cannon appoint vacant constable offices in three districts, including Wingfield, Segal, and Lincoln. No action was taken on either request.

In other fiscal court news, the county approved multiple taxes and fees from the County Clerk's office as well as the Sheriff's tax settlement, fee, and franchise monthly report.

The court also approved the Health Department Affiliation Agreement along with the Barren River District Health Department Mass Treatment and Vaccination Resolution.

Rhonda Clemmons updated the court on various Chamber, Tourism, and Trail Town news, as well as the SOKY Film Commission.

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 14, 2017 at 9am in the upstairs courtroom at the Edmonson County Courthouse.

Darren Doyle, [email protected], story and photos:
Several county and community residents attended last night's fiscal court meeting, which is one of two nightly meetings per year. During the meeting, magistrates discussed the possibility of adding more of the evening events and a motion was made by Magistrate Mark Woosley to double the amount to four meetings per year, one each quarter. 

The motion was seconded by Magistrate Joe Durbin and voting resulted in Mags. Edd Rich, Buck Simmons, and Johnny Brooks with "no" and Woosley, Durbin, and Clark Wood voting "yes." A tie-breaking vote was cast by Judge Executive Wil Cannon as "no," and the motion failed. Another motion was then made by Edd Rich to continue the two nightly meetings per year, and to be held on the first meeting of January and July. Buck Simmons seconded and the motion passed with a unanimous vote.

County officials gave several different reports from their respective offices and a couple of familiar faces visited the court that hadn't attended in a while. Judge J.B. Hines and wife Shaska were present at the meeting and Judge Hines expressed gratitude to the court and to residents in attendance for the opportunity to serve Edmonson County as both County Attorney and now Judge. He noted it was great seeing everyone outside the courtroom.

State Senator Steve Meredith (R), Leitchfield, also attended and spoke briefly to the court. He said he'd been working hard in Frankfort along with the many other legislators on a broken pension system and that tax reform was greatly needed in the Commonwealth, which is in a poor financial state. He also discussed the divisiveness in Frankfort was not really rooted in partisanship, but rather urban versus rural, and that he was making an effort along with others to bridge that gap.

County office reports:
​Road Report: : County Road Foreman Ray Page updated the court on the status of Oak Grove Church Road where workers removed approximately six feet of a blind hill/curve combo recently. He said a portion of the road is graveled and is settling for blacktop application soon. He also said mowing crews are working throughout the county when not needed for larger paving jobs.

Sheriff Report: Sheriff Shane Doyle reported on the recent tax settlement report from the state auditor. According to Doyle, the auditor reported that Edmonson County is a favorite stop for auditing because of the thoroughness and positive results the audits achieve. Doyle credited the sheriff's office staff for keeping everything in order.

He also discussed the recent drug arrests where a man was found snooping around a local business and a trafficking arrest in Wingfield.

The sheriff also reported his office has Matt Skaggs as a new deputy. Skaggs was a part-time Park Ranger for the U.S. Park Service and will begin work soon. Although Skaggs is from Grayson County, he has several family members here and also attends a local county church.

Finally, Doyle credited all local law enforcement along with the Family Resource/Youth Service Centers and Community Education for another successful Cram The Cruiser event, which is part of Stuff The Bus. He expressed gratitude to Tony Rose of WDNS and D93 for his continued working relationship with Edmonson County.

Jailer Hank Vincent reported there were 13 county inmates currently housed in the Hart County Jail. He said that number is a bit lower than normal. He also said there were another 5 inmates on the home incarceration program.

County Attorney Greg Vincent updated the court on a signed copy of the housing agreement from the Hart County Jail. He said his office is in the process of confirming everything is in order. He also recommended to the court to refrain from working with the Humane Society of Edmonson County on a spay/neuter grant due to what he described as an "unworkable insurance policy for the county." He said the organization's liability policy was more of a general business policy and one that would place too much liability on the county for work done by the organization, which is not county government affiliated. A spokesperson for the organization in attendance said they were working to have that policy changed.

Look for more fiscal court news from last night in additional articles on our News Page.

Darren Doyle, [email protected], story and photos:
We're less than one month away from what is expected to be the first total solar eclipse in the continental U. S. since 1979 and the best place to view the rare event is expected to be in the greater Bowling Green area on Monday, August 21, 2017, according to Dave Clark, from NationalEclipse.com, who spoke to the Edmonson Voice a few months back and provided a map of the best projected viewing path.

"A person needs to be between the yellow lines to see the total eclipse," said Clark. "If you're north or south of the yellow lines, you'll only see a partial eclipse which is not very impressive. The closer you are to the green line in the middle, the longer the total eclipse will last, up to 2 minutes and 40 seconds. So, where you are, people can get onto I-65 and go south into the path of totality. I-65 goes all the way to the centerline."

According to NationalEclipse, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and the Moon blocks the Sun for a viewer on Earth. During a total eclipse, the Moon lines up perfectly to fully obscure the Sun, resulting in "totality"; in a partial eclipse, the Moon and the Sun are not perfectly aligned and only part of the Sun is blocked; and during an annular eclipse, alignment is perfect but the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely obscure the Sun.

Due to the peculiarities of the Moon's orbit, no more than five solar eclipses can occur in any given year, and no more than two can be total. This, in addition to the fact that a total solar eclipse is visible on the Earth's surface only along a very narrow path for just a few short minutes, makes totality one of nature's rarest events.

So what can you expect with this total eclipse? According to National Eclipse, most people who have seen a total eclipse have described it as the most spectacular natural event they have ever witnessed. It starts as the Moon slowly obscures more and more of the Sun. When just a small sliver of light remains, you might see "Baily's beads," caused by the last rays of sunlight streaming through lunar valleys. Next: the beads dissolve into one final "diamond" in the sky. And then the soft wisps of the solar corona surrounding a huge hole where the Sun used to be.

National Eclipse says you might notice a temperature drop, birds flying home to their nests, and an eerie feeling in the air. You're standing in a strange twilight, while a sunset glows on the horizon all around you. Finally, totality comes to an end as the events occur in reverse order.

​So, can you still view the eclipse if the weather is bad? Experts say maybe, but cloud cover or rain will hinder the view. According to staff meteorologist Landon Hampton's wxornotbg.com, Bowling Green has a 29% of cloudiness, and Paducah has a 23% of cloudiness. This is much better than Nashville’s, where there is a 66% chance of cloudiness affecting the eclipse, as written by contributor Pierce Larkin this morning. Hampton also said these are just rough estimates being this far out from the event.

According to the viewing map, Hopkinsville is going to be the best spot in the United States to witness the eclipse as it will be viewable the longest there. Folks here in Edmonson County are still expected to be able to a partial eclipse, but will not be able to see the total eclipse. Bowling Green is the next best option if you're serious, but get there early...the entire U.S. has it's eye on Hopkinsville and the surrounding cities. This will make parking and logistics very difficult for those traveling through BG on August 21.

Finally, National Eclipse says looking at an eclipse without proper eye protection can be very harmful. "Since looking directly at the Sun, even during an eclipse, can cause permanent eye damage or even blindness, special eclipse safety glasses or viewers must always be used (sunglasses are not safe)," said a statement from the site. "The small amount of light emitted during even a 99.9 percent solar eclipse is still dangerous. The only time it's safe to look at a total eclipse without proper eye protection is during the brief period of "totality" when the Sun is 100 percent blocked by the Moon. If you're not located in the path of totality, there is never a time when it's safe to look with unprotected eyes. Attempting to view an eclipse using binoculars, telescopes, cameras, or other devices that don't have their own special front-mounted solar filters is extremely hazardous."

For more information about purchasing safety glasses and gear, you can check out products from National Eclipse by clicking here.

Are you making plans to view the solar eclipse? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
​The Green River Regional Educational Cooperative and the National Corvette Museum announce the launch of a Career Exploration Tour.  The tour provides high school students the opportunity to gain exposure to over 20 career paths.
 
For the past six months, National Corvette Museum staff have collaborated with the staff of a College and Career Readiness Project to develop a Career Exploration Tour.  The tour is more than a one-day event, extending what’s learned into a comprehensive College and Career Readiness Program. Prior to, during, and after the tour, participating Get the Picture students will meet one-on-one with a Career Strategist. During meetings, students will learn about themselves and the world of work, identify and explore potential occupations, develop an effective strategy to meet goals and participate in a mock job application process. 

What is Get the Picture? 
"At Get the Picture high schools, there is a College and Career Ready wall – a wall of photographs where new portraits are hung weekly and aspiring graduates wait to see if they made the cut and Get their Picture on the wall,” explained Rendy Belcher, I3 Project Director for GRREC. “The wall is for students who meet the standards set for their self-determined career path.”

Get the Picture is an innovative research project of the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative that serves targeted students in nine high schools.  It is a College and Career Readiness Project that provides intentional, timely, and continuous support for participating students through a part-time College and Career Readiness Coach, a trained Career Strategist and a school-based Student Support Team. Each participating student meets regularly with a coach and one-on-one each week with his/her Career Strategist – a professionally developed educator.

“Together, they become Pacesetters and set the pace toward college and career readiness by completing “Paces” that have been designed to develop self-determination skills” explained Cindi Whittinghill, College and Career Readiness Coach for Edmonson County.

According to the GRREC, research indicates that self-determination skills help empower teens to make key decisions around specific learning and career goals. The goals are used to create an actionable CCR Student Success Plan, guiding each student toward success and allowing him or her to Get their Picture on the wall.  

In an ongoing effort to keep Edmonson County's number one source for local news and info up to date, we've added a couple of new improvements to our network. 

Thanks to Patrick Waddell, Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools, we now have incorporated a real-time local schools calendar on our site. On a desktop, scroll over our Community Page and click on "County Schools Calendar," or from any version of our site, including desktop, smartphone, tablet, or our app, look for the "Schools Calendar" tab on our home page.

Everything that the schools have added to the calendar is posted in real time.

​In addition to the new page, staff meteorologist Landon Hampton has now incorporated our PBI Bank SkyCam on our Edmonson Drug Weather Page in real time. The camera overlooks the Edmonson County Courthouse and the sky facing southeast. It gives a view of the square in actual time and is accessible 24hrs a day. You can also click "timelapse" and get the entire view of yesterday's camera shots in a short, 30 second video.

As always, you can view Landon's latest weather forecast video on our Weather Page for the most accurate local forecast available anywhere. Landon takes a laid-back approach and doesn't use drama or scare tactics to get you to watch the weather. 

It's a great honor to be our county's number one source of local news and info. Our weekly readers have now reached nearly double our county's entire population. Thanks for your support as we continue working hard to bring you the latest and most relevant local info.

Darren Doyle, [email protected], story and photo:
Local firefighters, paramedics, first responders, law enforcement officers, and county dispatch personnel were doing all they could do to keep up with the emergency calls that were coming in on Friday night, some at the same time.

What made things worse was that local law enforcement have been without their own radio frequency on and off for several weeks, even months, due to problems with the local radio system. This forced law enforcement to use the fire emergency frequency on Friday during the calls and everyone was talking over one another, at least for a short amount of time.

The first call came in around 8:40pm on Friday, July 21, 2017 where local dispatch said a female caller on Morgantown Road reported that she had been shot in the back of the head. 

All first responders on the north side of the county were dispatched to the location in addition to paramedics and law enforcement. In calls like this, it's common for every law enforcement officer in the area, whether on duty or not, to respond to the scene due to the potential danger posed and the unknowns. 

While  en route, local dispatch reported that according to paramedics on scene, there was no gunshot and that the caller was said to be under the influence of an unknown substance. The emergency was called off, but many first responders, deputies, officers, and the sheriff was either there or almost there.

Minutes after countywide response to that scene, another call came into local dispatch of a structure fire on Segal Road. Several fire departments were on their way to that scene, which was just down the road from the false gunshot; however, the Brownsville FD, on scene at the false gunshot, was not in a large fire truck, but in a smaller emergency vehicle. They had to travel back to the Brownsville Fire Station to switch trucks and gear and head back to the fire scene.

Just before all firefighters arrived on Segal Road, that fire was called off to any other fire units not already on scene as Bear Creek FD reported it was under control. After arriving on scene, we could see a charred mattress out in the yard of the home. According to reports on scene, a faulty extension cord sparked on the mattress causing a small burn and some smoke damage. 

Approximately 30 minutes later, another call of a structure fire at an abandoned mobile home on Sandy Flat Road was transmitted from dispatch and both Kyrock and Brownsville FDs responded along with the sheriff's office. According to radio traffic, that fire was contained and firefighters cleared the scene; however, it's now heavily suspected that arson was involved as the structure burned to the ground on Sunday night.

Unbelievably, another call came into dispatch, this time from the same location of the earlier Segal Road fire, but unfortunately, the home was fully engulfed in flames. Dispatch reported that at this time,  the fire supposedly started from the other end of the home. By the time firefighters returned, the structure was too far gone to save and firefighters worked to contain the blaze to the home only. 

The Sheriff's Office said the Sandy Flat Road Fire is under investigation and no other details were currently available. No charges were filed against the female who reported the gunshot and no names were released. Law enforcement said since the gunshot report was canceled before officers arrived, there was no official criminal report filed and that it was instead a medical incident. Sheriff Shane Doyle said that it appeared the woman suffered from a combination of being under the influence of something and having some sort of emotional breakdown. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Sheriff Doyle said that while it's taxing to have all these calls come in at the same time in a small county, everyone did their job by the book.

"All of our local emergency workers did a great job responding to these calls as they always do," he said. "We have some of the best that you'll find anywhere."

Doyle said while it can be frustrating to respond to false alarms as in the case of the bogus gunshot, it's part of an emergency worker's job.

"We'd rather respond and not be needed than to be needed and not be able to respond," he said. 

Doyle added that the cause of the local radio complications are in continued research, testing, and repair, and that local Emergency Management​ is working diligently with engineers from across the country to solve the issues. Doyle has regularly praised local director Pat Prunty for his effort in improving the occurring problems that are out of local personnel's hands.

Darren Doyle, story and photos, [email protected]:
Edmonson County school personnel, law enforcement, volunteers, and even the Voicemobile traveled in a mini-convoy to Stuff The Bus 2017 on Campbell Lane with Tony Rose of WDNS D93 to deliver dozens of boxes of school supplies brought in at the EC Cram The Cruiser event held last weekend in Brownsville.

Cram the Cruiser is a local chapter of Stuff the Bus that is coordinated by KY State Police, The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, Brownsville Police, and the local Family Resource/Youth Service Centers and Community Education. 

Each year, locals raise money and received donated school supplies that are later donated to Stuff The Bus. Those supplies are multiplied through the generous donations of Stuff The Bus, and more donations come back to Edmonson County and that will directly benefit EC students.

Tony Rose gave a heartfelt thanks to Edmonson County Cram the Cruiser volunteers for their continued help in the annual school supply drive.

"We've said in the past and we'll keep saying it. Edmonson County is a flagship for what Stuff The Bus is all about," he said. We couldn't do it without friends that we have in EC. We also appreciate our friends at the Edmonson Voice for getting the word out in the local community. When it comes down to it, we're all just one big community working together for our kids."

Retiring Trooper B.J. Eaton, former public affairs officer, was honored at today's drop-off. Eaton has played a large role in the event over the past couple of years. Everyone shared laughs and applauded as he accepted a gift card to a local donut shop, presented by the STB crew.

Rose said they expect anywhere from 14-17 tons of school supplies to be distributed throughout the region, a portion of which will be delivered to Edmonson County sometime next week.

Moriah Peterson, story and photos, [email protected] :
​The 10th annual Relay For Life car show and craft festival drew a large crowd to the Brownsville square on Saturday, July 22, 2017. Eighty-one cars registered for the show and the craft fair featured over two dozen vendors.

The concessions team served food and refreshments which included hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ donated from Walden's, peach cobbler, fudge, and sweet tea and vendors were set up outside and in the community center. There was an array of items such as boutique clothing, custom door hangers, and jewelry. An auction of donated items took place before the awards began. Miss Relay, Alexas Engel handed out plaques to top 40 winners and trophies to the top 15 best.

All proceeds from this event will benefit Relay For Life which added up to over $5,000. Event coordinator Richie Jones, owner of Jones Custom Creations said he was pleased with the event.

"There are so many people we thank for this great event and we'll announce the entire list soon," he said. "We couldn't do it without the help of so many and we thank our county and surrounding communities for all their time, effort, and of course the money raised for Relay For Life. That's why we do this and why we're proud to host this annual event."

​Top 15 best winners are listed below-
Best of Show: Doc Croslin of Scottsville- 57 Chevy Bel-Air
Homemade Piston Cup Winner: Rickie Young of Scottsville- 49 Rat Rod Plymoth
Best Engine: Roger Minyard of Bowling Green- 57 Chevy 2-10
Best Interior: Lyndon Whitson of Bowling Green- 80 Toyota Land Crusier FJ40
Best Other: Chad Carrov of Glasgow- 2006 Chevy Corvette
Best Mopar: Ricky Gregory of Franklin- 73 Dodge Charger
District 2 Constables Choice: Jimmy Claywell of Smiths Grove- 69 Ford Maverick
Best Truck: Scott Walker of Franklin- 2000 Chevy s-10
Brownsville City Mayor’s Choice: Ronald & Mavis Elmore of Roundhill- 64 Chevy Pick Up
Best Chevy: Bennie Wells of Bowling Green- 70 Chevy c-10
Best Ford: Joe Daughtery of Morgantown- 68 Ford Mustang-Shelby Gt 350
Eastern Stars #577 Choice: Sandra Towe of Franklin- 56 Chevy Bel-Air
Best Bike: Eric Johnson of Bowling Green- 2009 Harley Fat Boy
Best Paint: Jerry Smith of Cub Run- 50 Ford Coupe
Best 80’s & up: Jerry Kingrey of Scottsville- 87 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. The Hon. Judge John M. McCarty presiding.

Jordan T. Waddell, Assault 4th degree domestic violence minor injury. Pleaded guilty, 30 days in jail. Resisting arrest. Pleaded guilty, 30 days in jail, served consecutively. Serve 30 days, other 30 days probated, no contact with victim.

Shawn Besau, Improper start from parked position. Failure to produce insurance card. No/expired KY registration receipt. Will attend County Attorney Traffic School.

​Walther Hyman, Jr., Harboring a vicious animal. Pleaded guilty. Sentencing on 8/15/17.

Thomas L. Rigsby,  Harboring a vicious animal. Pleaded guilty. Sentencing scheduled for 8/15/17.

Antonio M. Wilson, Improper passing. Will attend County Attorney Traffic School.

​Joshua R. Lamastus, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Display/possession of cancelled/fictitious license. No/expired KY registration receipt. No/expired registration plates. Continue on 8/15/17.

​Jodi L. Vincent, Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/second or more offense. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial conference 8/1/17.

Johnah Madden, Assault 4th degree domestic violence minor injury. Alcohol intoxication in public place-first and second offense. Pleaded not guilty to both. Continue 8/1/17.

Priscilla S. Towe, Assault 4th degree domestic violence minor injury. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 8/1/17.

Vincent G. Gray, Failure to produce insurance card, failed to appear. 

Yesterday, officers reported that they located Buchanan at his residence and arrested him on site. He was charged with

• Trafficking in controlled substance-1st degree-drug unspecified-greater than 10 dosage units (C felony)
• Trafficking in controlled substance-2nd degree-less than 20 dosage units (D felony)
• Trafficking in Marijuana-less than 8 ounces-1st offense
•  Prescription controlled substance not in original container

The Sheriff's Office reported they were assisted by the 38th District Commonwealth's Attorney's office along with the Edmonson County Jailer's Office.

Sheriff Shane Doyle said his office was very familiar with the suspect and had received multiple complaints about his suspected drug activity.

"Although we believed that the suspect was selling drugs, we have to build a case and go about it the proper and legal way," he said. "This is a good case and our entire office put forth a diligent effort in seeing this through."

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
A Butler County man is facing four different felony charges after a local business owner discovered him acting suspiciously at the business before opening hours.

Jeromy Doyle, owner of Creekside Garden and Nursery in Chalybeate said as he arrived at his business this morning around 7:40am, he saw a shirtless man pushing a moped from Doyle's farm which is behind his storefront. Mr. Doyle said the man claimed he was having trouble with his moped and asked for help. 

Doyle said he asked the man why he was there and why he was behind the storefront on a private farm.

"I knew something wasn't right," Doyle said. "He told me he just came from 'that road' and he pointed to my farm. That's when I told him he wasn't on a road, he was on private property."

Doyle said he later discovered a Kubota UTV had been moved and damaged and knew that no one in his business had driven it since yesterday.

Mr. Doyle said the man left but as Doyle was working to open the business he noticed the man at another residence, just north of the nursery. Fearing the man was up to no good, Doyle called police.

Sheriff's Deputies caught up with the man, but this time, the man was headed south. A traffic stop was made on Chase Groves, (29) of Rochester, who according to authorities, told the deputies he was looking for his "baby mama," a slang term for the mother of one or more of a man's children, especially one who is not his wife or current partner. Groves said he got lost in the search because MapQuest led him in the wrong direction, according to officials.

Deputies said they found a bag of suspected meth in Groves' possession and further investigation led to the discovery of more drug related items. He was arrested and charged with:

• Possession of methamphetamine
• Theft by unlawful taking over $500
• Possession of marijuana
• Drug paraphernalia 
• Criminal mischief, first degree

According to the Sheriff's office, Groves was also charged with Assault, 3rd degree after he allegedly started a physical altercation with one of the deputies in the courthouse holding cell. 

Mr. Doyle said that while several things had been moved and bothered at his business, nothing seemed to be missing; however, the Kubota UTV was disabled and the key is missing.

Groves was transported to the Hart County Jail. Assisting was the Edmonson County Jailer's office, to which the sheriff's office, who said they were shorthanded at the time, thanked for seeing that the subject was medically cleared for jail transport.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
According to KSP, Trooper Brian Gann was responding to an injury accident on William Simmons Road in Warren County just outside the Wingfield Community on Monday, July 17, 2017 at approximately 4:17 pm.  Trooper Gann was traveling northbound on KY 185 in a marked KSP patrol vehicle with his emergency equipment, including blue lights and siren, activated near the Anna community. 

KSP said that as Trooper Gann attempted to overtake multiple vehicles, a red 1998 Chevrolet pickup, traveling the same direction as Trooper Gann, attempted a left turn onto Pruitt Road  by crossing  the southbound lane.  Trooper Gann’s vehicle struck the pickup in the driver’s front fender and door, causing both vehicles to exit the roadway into a ditch. 

The driver, Joyce D. Smith (63), of Bowling Green, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Warren County Coroner’s Office. She was restrained in her seatbelt at the time of the collision. Her passenger, Leroy Smith (79) of Bowling Green, was transported to the Medical Center Hospital in Bowling Green, where he was treated and released for injuries sustained in the collision.  Trooper Gann was transported to the Medical Center Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.  He was treated and released. 

KY HWY 185 near Pruitt Road was closed for nearly five hours while emergency and investigative crews were on scene. The KY Transportation Cabinet announced that the road was reopened last night at 10:07pm.
 
According to KSP spokesperson Trooper Jeremy Hodges, Trooper Gann will be temporarily placed on administrative leave, as per all KSP critical incidents. 

This incident is being investigated by the KSP Collision Analysis branch, and is still ongoing.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Cram the Cruiser 2017 has come and gone, but if you missed it, don't worry. You can still donate school supplies or cash to the campaign, which is part of the Stuff The Bus network. All school supplies donated in Edmonson County stay with Edmonson County students.

From now until Friday, July 21st, donations will be accepted at the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office and Brownsville City Hall. After that you can take your donation to any of the Family Resource/Youth Service Center or Community Education Offices.

The Edmonson Voice is a proud sponsor of this event. For more information, contact the EC 5/6 Center FRC Office at 270-597-8329 or Board of Education office at 270-597-2101.

Darren Doyle, story:
The Edmonson County School system is investing a total of three million dollars in multiple projects at different county schools this summer that will be ongoing until the Christmas break, according to school superintendent Patrick Waddell.

Funds will be used from the school's building fund, which can only be used to invest back into building projects.

The projects include renovations to the bathrooms at ECHS, Kyrock, and the 5/6 Center, and will involve a complete gutting and rebuilding of the bathrooms including tile, toilets, urinals, sinks, plumbing, partitions, and lighting.

The remodels are hoped to be completed by the start of school, but could possibly take a bit longer. Mr. Waddell said restrooms will be readily available for all students, no matter.

The 5/6 center will also be receiving a new freezer and cooler in the kitchen that Waddell said was much needed, as well as a new main electric panel in the mechanical room at the school.

In addition to new restrooms at Kyrock, the school will also be getting a new boiler and an added cooling tower. The tower works much like a radiator and similar to a boiler, but with cool water for hot weather. ECHS and the middle school will also receive a new cooling tower that will be tied into the geothermal heating and cooling system.

Finally, the most recognized improvement for many people will be the all new, state-of-the-art industrial lighting system at Wildcat Stadium that Waddell says will light up the field like never before. The original lighting system has not been updated since the construction of the field in 1980. 

The lighting is expected to be complete before the start of the 2017 Football season. Football fans will also be happy to hear that as soon as home games are complete this year, the home bleachers and press box will be demolished and construction for a complete new setup will begin.

Wildcat fans will experience a new set of modern and more comfortable bleachers and the WildcatsLive crew will enjoy broadcasting live games from an updated press box.

"All of these renovations are long overdue," said Waddell. "It's taken about 10 years for us to build up funding for these projects, but they're going to be projects we'll all be proud of."

Waddell said he'd hoped that all of these projects could have been completed this summer but there was simply too much work involved and it just couldn't happen.

"We know that some of the construction process can be an inconvenience, but we have professionals working very hard to complete these projects and we kindly ask for your patience as the work continues. We're very proud to able to take on these projects now, and we're confident that our students, faculty, staff, parents, and all our visitors will be proud as well." ​

Darren Doyle, story, photos, and video:
A Cave City woman escaped major injuries on Monday, July 17, 2017 when her car rolled approximately 150 yards down a hill into a pond at hole number seven at Shady Hollow Golf Course in Cub Run. 

Family members said Mrs. Lillian Alice Harper, (76) had been taking care of her mother who lives just off the course. According to Mrs. Harper's brother, J.C. Ramsey, owner of the golf course, she went out to move her car into the shade. She apparently left the car in neutral instead of park after shutting it off and removing the keys. Family said that as she exited the gray Chevy Impala, it began rolling, knocking her to the ground.

Mrs. Harper received minor injuries according to those on scene, where she fell as the car knocked her down. The vehicle rolled down the steep embankment and entered a pond on the course where it floated another 50 feet or so.

Only a portion of the rear of the car was visible from the water. A tow truck driver waded into the pond where he hooked a chain to a rear wheel. The car was pulled out but is expected to be totalled. Officials couldn't see the gear indicator on the dash but it was confirmed that the gear shift was pulled down either in drive or in neutral. 

Family members were immediately on scene to come to Mrs. Harper's aid and she was taken to the Medical Center in Bowling Green via Hart County EMS. Also responding was the Cub Run Rescue Squad and Brownsville Fire Dept.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:​
Mammoth Cave National Park has announced that the ferry is currently shut down as of Friday evening, July 14.

The Green River measures 1.2 feet at the Green River Crossing, too low to safely ferry long vehicles or vehicles towing trailers.

No indication was given on when the ferry would reopen.

For current ferry information, please phone 270-758-2166.

*An  earlier version of this story said that the ferry was closed to all traffic, which was incorrect. It is closed only to long vehicles and vehicles towing trailers. We apologize for the error.