Darren Doyle, story:
Magistrates discussed county tax rates for 2025 at yesterday's Edmonson County Fiscal Court meeting and have suggested yet another drop in the rate for the upcoming property tax season.

County tax rates have not increased since 2015. The rates are dropping from last year's rate of 12.6 cents per $100 in property value to 12.2 cents, which is still higher than the state's compensating rate of 11.8.

The annual tax hearing has been scheduled for August 25th at 3:45PM. This allows public comment on the issue for any county taxpayer. The rates will be set at the hearing and implemented at the regular meeting to follow at 4PM. The hearing was originally scheduled yesterday for August 11th but the law requires a two-week period for the meeting to be advertised, which was realized today by County Treasurer Tammi Willhite.

Each year, the county can either choose what is known as Kentucky's compensating tax rate, the purpose of which is to ensure the county receives roughly the same property tax revenue as the year before, or they set their own rate. Using the state's compensating rate for this year at 11.8 would require no public hearing. Instead, the county can choose to increase that rate but must include a public hearing. 

Since 2015, Edmonson County's property tax assessment as a whole has increased from $519,122,693 to a current value of $1,037,149,911, according to the Edmonson County PVA's Office, which is nearly a 100% increase.

"We are able to drop the County Property Tax Rate because the Total Assessed Real Property Value continues to grow in Edmonson County and effectively brings in more income for the County than the year before, even with the decreased rate," said Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey.

Edmonson Voice Report:
The KY 1749 Wingfield Church Road bridge over Little Beaverdam Creek (mile points 3.3) in Edmonson County has reopened, but with a 3-ton limit, according to a press release from the KYTC District 3. The 3-ton limit is expected to be in place for about a month while the repair process is completed.

The bridge was closed on July 11th out of an abundance of caution due to a structural issue. The repair process began several days later.

The district stated that another announcement will be made when the weight limit restriction is lifted.

An Edmonson County Grand Jury recently returned the following indictments. An indictment is only a formal charge and is not an admission of guilt.

Curry Payne Dodd, Theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $10,000 or more, Burglary 3rd degree, Theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $1000 or more but less than $10,000, two counts.

Jeffrey Edward Whitaker, Theft by unlawful taking of property valued at $10,000 or more, Persistent felony offender first degree.

Cheryl Anne Shouse, Wanton endangerment first-degree to counts, Assault third degree, Resisting arrest, Menacing.

Brandon David Harrison, Possession of a controlled substance first degree, Trafficking in a controlled substance third degree, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Prescription controlled substance not in original container.

Tyler Ashton Skaggs, 11 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor – victim less than 16 years of age.

Cody Andrew Zane Mercer, Unlawful transaction with a minor first-degree – victim less than 16 years of age, Use of a minor in a sexual performance – victim less than 16 years of age, Unlawful use of electronic means originating or received within the Commonwealth to induce a minor to engage in sexual or other prohibited activities, Rape second degree.

Robert J. Wright, Jr., Bail jumping first degree, Persistent felony offender second degree.

Darren Doyle, story:
Three icons of the 80s and 90s (and even further) have all passed this week, including Malcolm - Jamal Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, age 54, Ozzy Osbourne, Hall of Fame singer, age 76, and legendary wrestler Hulk Hogan, age 71.

On Sunday, July 20th, Warner died while swimming at Playa Cocles in Limón Province, Costa Rica. According to multiple reports, Warner was caught in a strong current along with his daughter. Both were reportedly brought back to shore by volunteers but only the daughter survived.

Warner was a star of NBC's "The Cosby Show" from 1984 to 1992, in addition to appearing in 22 films and performing in 60 other television shows. He was also an accomplished musician.

On Tuesday, July 22nd, Ozzy Osbourne (born John Michael Osbourne) died at his home in Buckinghamshire, England surrounded by his family. His death occurred 17 days after his final live performance at the Back to the Beginning farewell concert.

Osbourne was a founding member of Black Sabbath and then went on to have a storied career as a soloist. He sold over 100 million albums with both Black Sabbath and as a solo artist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 as part of Black Sabbath, and then again in 2024 as a soloist.

Osbourne reportedly suffered from a number of health issues, including emphysema and Parkinson's Disease. His career spanned nearly 60 years.

Wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan (born Terry Gene Bollea), died of cardiac arrest at his home today, in Clearwater, Florida on July 24, 2025, at the age of 71. Emergency personnel reportedly responded to the scene, and he was transported from the residence by ambulance. 

Hogan's 40-plus years in the entertainment and wrestling industry left a huge mark in pop culture as a whole. Not only did his wrestling career come with it's own accolades, he also appeared in 15 films and 21 television series. His likeness was also used in 46 different video games. Hogan held over 50 wrestling titles and awards.

Edmonson Voice Report:
A new species of ancient shark, named Macadens olsoni, has been discovered at Mammoth Cave National Park through fossil research, adding to the park’s rich history of paleontological finds.
 
“This discovery is a remarkable addition to our understanding of ancient marine life and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our natural history,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble.
 
Macadens olsoni is notable for its unique tooth whorl, a curved row of teeth designed for crushing small sea creatures. This ancient shark likely grew to less than a foot in length and probably feasted on mollusks and worms. The fossils of Macadens olsoni were found in the Ste. Genevieve Formation, which dates back approximately 340 to 335 million years. During that time, Mammoth Cave was submerged in a warm, shallow sea teeming with life including crinoids and corals.
 
The name Macadens olsoni pays tribute to both Mammoth Cave and Rickard Olson, a retired park scientist who played a crucial role in documenting shark fossils in the park as part of a recent Paleontological Resource Inventory (PRI). The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the National Park Service Paleontology Program, Mammoth Cave National Park, and the Smithsonian Paleobiology Department. In addition to Macadens olsoni, researchers studied another ancient shark, Helodus coxanus, now renamed Rotuladens, meaning "Wheel Tooth." This species shares similarities with Macadens olsoni and highlights the diversity of ancient marine life.
 
“This finding not only enhances our knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems but also emphasizes the critical role of paleontological research in our national parks,” Trimble added. “Every discovery connects the past with the present and offers invaluable educational opportunities for students and the public.”

This now makes the fourth time new shark species have been discovered in MCNP in just over two years.

A species of petalodont (“petal-toothed) shark was discovered within the Ste. Genevieve Formation rock layer at Mammoth Cave National Park in October of 2023. Two species of ctenacanth shark fossils were discovered through the ongoing Paleontological Resources Inventory (PRI) at Mammoth Cave National Park in early 2024, and a species of obruchevodid petalodont, called Clavusodens mcginnisi, was identified by researchers through fossil teeth collected from the cave in March of this year.  
 
For more information about this exciting discovery and other paleontological finds in Mammoth Cave National Park, please visit Sharks, Fossils, and Caves: Secrets Revealed at Mammoth Cave.

The following open letter has been released by Edmonson County Superintendent of Schools Brian Alexander:

Edmonson Voice Report:
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today the filing of a lawsuit against Temu, the Chinese online shopping platform, for unlawful data collection, violations of customers’ privacy and counterfeiting some of Kentucky’s most iconic brands.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Woodford County Circuit Court, alleging the Temu app is about much more than cheap goods offered at bargain-basement prices.

The complaint alleges that Temu:

• Illegally collects users’ data without their knowledge and consent;
• Allows unfettered access of that data to the Chinese Communist government;
• Steals the intellectual property of U.S.-owned companies, including some of Kentucky’s most iconic brands including the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Buffalo Trace Distillery and Churchill Downs; and
• Uses forced labor from Chinese ethnic minorities in clear violation of U.S. trade policies.

In a press release, the AG's Office said that Temu has risen in popularity to become the most-downloaded mobile app in the U.S. in 2023. According to the lawsuit, those behind the app have used that new-found popularity to collect massive quantities of information about customers, all without their knowledge or consent.

The AG's Office stated that Temu is owned by a multibillion-dollar Chinese holding company, PDD Holdings, whose first retail app, Pinduoduo, was eventually banned from U.S. app stores for being malware. The Temu app shares a significant amount of its code with the original Pinduoduo app and has a documented relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

“Temu’s cheap products and flashy marketing hide real danger. Their platform can infect Kentuckians’ devices with malware, steal their personal data and send it directly to the Chinese government,” said Attorney General Coleman. “At the same time, they’re eroding trust in some of Kentucky’s most iconic brands, which could lead to job losses and hardship. Kentuckians need a strong defense against this aggression, and that’s exactly what the Attorney General’s Office intends to do.”

In addition to the misuse of Kentuckians’ personal information, the lawsuit says Temu is notorious for all sorts of other consumer fraud, from advertising items that look nothing like the items that eventually arrive, to faking customer reviews, to using consumer payment information to order items the customer never asked for.

The Attorney General’s Division Chief for Consumer and Senior Protection Chris Lewis led the Commonwealth’s effort, along with Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Relief Stephen Humphress and Assistant Attorney General Lyndsey Antos.

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
Edmonson County Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey updated the Fiscal Court at yesterday's meeting about the status of Sunfish Roundhill Road. 

Lindsey said that the project is about a week away from the bid package being complete. Advertisement for bids will be issued immediately after, which will allow the engineering firm with the winning bid to begin the actual work. 

He said as long as the weather cooperates the project is still on schedule to be completed this year.

The road has been closed for nearly three years.

Additionally, he also said that a portion of Willie Webb Road has remained closed since the February flooding. He said that it is possible that additional funding will be available for permanent repairs. Erosion is still causing a portion of the road to continue to fail.

Little Beavercreek Road bridge, located on Wingfield Church Road, has remained closed since Thursday, July 10th, as we first reported last week. Judge Lindsey stated that detail may be available at the end of this week as to how long the bridge will remain closed.

Edmonson Voice Report:
Kentucky State Police issued an Immediate Alert Notification, or an IAN alert earlier this morning around 8:30AM for Silas Chearer, a 5-year-old male, as stated in a press release, last seen walking away from his home on July 15, 2025 at approximately 8AM.

The press release stated that the child from Cub Run was autistic and was in potential danger.

KSP then issued another press release 52 minutes later stating the child was found deceased.

"Tragically, he was found deceased. KSP grieves with this family and the community," the statement read. "At this time, we are unable to provide further information."

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County magistrates voted unanimously for a slight increase in county fire dues for all county property owners moving forward as the second reading of Ordinance EC25-19 was approved and adopted at yesterday's Edmonson County Fiscal Court meeting.

Fire dues will increase from the current $30 per year to $50 per tax bill, which will be only the second increase in 30 years, with the last one coming in 2019 from $25 to $30 per year. The increase will boost fire departments' standard annual due revenue by more than 66%.

The discussion from the last fiscal court meeting was centered around the current needs of local fire departments, which are also affected by the high inflation rates of the past few years. Increased costs and needs have financially strained already budget-strapped fire departments, which are all volunteers.

The Fiscal Court also approved Resolution EC25-20, which will allow $26,000 of state funding to repair James Parsley Road, which intersects with Mohawk Road in the Brownsville/Chalybeate area. 

According to County Treasurer Tammi Willhite, it is a new state project called County Priority Projects Program through the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid. The county applied for assistance for three different roads, only one of which was approved. She said the program stemmed from what used to be known as Discretionary Funding.

She said the road has not sustained major damage but has deteriorated over the years.

The Court also approved  Commonwealth of Kentucky Contract - FEMA DR 4860, which simply allows the county to accept reimbursement for flood-damaged areas from the February floods. These areas included Mouth of Bear Creek Road, Browning Road, and Willie Webb Road bridge.

A final dollar amount has not yet been determined, as the work is not yet completed.

The Fiscal Court also voted to:

• Approve R&R Controls Preventative Maintenance Service Agreement-Sheriff, Dispatch, Emergency Management Offices and Parks-Estimate #250105, FY26.
• Approve R&R Controls Preventative Maintenance Service Agreement-Courthouse Annex-Estimate #250111, FY26.
• Approve R&R Controls Preventative Maintenance Service Agreement-Courthouse-Estimate #250112, FY26.
• Approve to appoint Julie Skaggs Reed to Board of Assessments for a 3 year term.
• Approve Ordinance EC25-19, Fire Dues Increase. Second Reading and Adoption.
• Approve Commonwealth of Kentucky Contract-FEMA DR 4860.
• Approve Resolution EC25-20, James Parsley Road County Priority Project Program.
• Approve Resolution EC25-17, V. Sanders Road Removal.
• Approve Ordinance EC25-21, Administrative Code, First Reading.

Edmonson Voice Report:

​The KY 1749 Wingfield Church Road bridge over Little Beaverdam Creek (mile points 3.3) in Edmonson County is set for a long-term closure.

The bridge will close beginning the morning of Friday, July 11.

​Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 bridge inspectors, out of abundance of caution, determined the bridge needed to be closed due to a structural issue found during routine inspection.

According to a statement from KYTC District 3, plans to make repairs and reopen the bridge are in progress, but it is unknown the time frame for when the bridge will reopen.

​Motorists should seek an alternate route.