Darren Doyle, story and photos:
One man was airlifted to the hospital after sustaining injuries in a dump truck rollover crash today, but law enforcement said the driver's decision likely saved other lives.

Emergency personnel responded to a single vehicle crash on Louisville Road near the intersection of Bert Davis Road around 12:45PM on Friday, August 29th. According to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Alderson, (61) of Smiths Grove, was heading south on 31W (Louisville Road) when he topped a hill with a full load of gravel in a 2025 Freightliner dump truck. 

The sheriff's office stated that the dump truck came upon another vehicle who was stopped and also headed south, waiting to make a left turn onto Bert Davis Road. Officials stated that the truck did not have enough room to stop after topping the blind hill and took the ditch off of the right side of the roadway, overturning in the process.

"The driver said he came over the hill and saw the truck waiting to make the turn," said Edmonson County Sheriff's Deputy Clay Deweese. "He said he knew there was no way he could stop and didn't want to hit the truck so he took the ditch. If he'd hit the vehicle waiting to turn, it would've probably killed the other driver."

Louisville Road was closed in the area for over an hour while the gravel was unloaded the rest of the way in order to tow the truck.

Alderson was airlifted to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville with multiple injuries.

In addition to the sheriff's office, responding to the scene were the Rocky Hill Fire Department, Edmonson County Jaws, Brownsville Fire Department, KY Department of Transportation, and Edmonson EMS.

The Edmonson County Fair is set to kickoff with fair pageants starting Saturday, August 30th and the remainder of events happening next week at the Edmonson County Fairgrounds.

As always, the Voice will live stream the parade for those that can't attend in person. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Worn and damaged concrete is currently being repaired at Nolin Dam in a large renovation project near the dam tail waters. 

According to Deryck Rodgers, Natural Resources Project Manager for Nolin Lake, USACE, T&T Construction in Leitchfield is in charge of the work and are "dewatering" the stilling basin in order to repair the concrete.

"Dewatering means that we remove the water from the area," he said. "On a job like this, it requires that a cofferdam is constructed downstream of the worksite and water coming through the outlet works is pumped around that cofferdam. This lets us work in the dry.   The contractor is currently removing worn and damaged concrete, after which they will form and pour new concrete.  We have known about this concrete damage for about 10 years and have been monitoring it with inspections."

Rodgers said the reason for the work are due to portions of the stilling basin and outlet works are nearing 65 years old and with age the concrete needs some maintenance and that the work is focused on three areas. 

"The first is the sill of the stilling basin, which is a concrete lip about 18 inches tall that runs the whole width of the stilling basin, even with the wing walls. The second area of work is just above the sill on the wing walls themselves. There is some erosion there, which isn’t very deep, but does need to be repaired. The third area is just downstream of the stilling basin sill on the slanted walls of the concrete apron, there is some eroded concrete that which we need to fix."

The work currently affects the water outlet into the river, the conduit, stilling basin, and the concrete apron.

"The stilling basin and the concrete sidewalks at the outlet works are closed to the public. When you drive to the tail water you will see orange construction fence with signs indicating that you cannot enter. The picnic shelter and boat ramp area are still open to the public. Access to the river at the boat ramp is available. We anticipate that work will be complete mid to late September. We will have the stilling basin area open as quickly as work is complete and the contractor can demobilize from the area."

Rodgers added that the entire project was anticipated to include 30 days of dewatering and construction, but due to some early delays equipment has been onsite for longer than anticipated.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
All county fire departments were eventually paged early this morning to a structure fire on Nolin Lake.

Lincoln and north side fire departments were first paged at 5AM to 698 Lakeshore Drive to the report of a fully involved structure fire. The congested space has multiple homes in a close vicinity in a heavily wooded area. County dispatch later paged the rest of the departments.

Firefighters arrived to a mobile home that was nearly already on the ground. According to Lincoln Fire Chief Steve Sanders, no one was living in the home at the time. He said that neighbors stated they noticed a fire on the porch of the structure at first, which quickly grew into a large blaze. 

"We couldn't save the structure but we're containing it to keep it away from other homes and the trees," he said at the scene. 

In addition to Lincoln, the Brownsville, Kyrock, Cub Run, Wingfield, and Bear Creek fire departments responded, as well as Warren RECC. 

No injuries were reported.

Story and photo by Peytin Manor, Edmonson Voice Student Reporter:
Edmonson County High School’s special education program has introduced a new student-led kitchen to their classroom. The classroom kitchen will be utilized for students' daily life and job skills. Students will participate in a wide range of cooking and job simulation activities.

With the kitchen now complete, special ed instructor Chaundra Vincent has big plans for her students. They will be running their own classroom-based business, where students will learn job skills pertaining to baking and making coffee drinks to operate a cake and coffee cart in the school. A survey was sent out to all teachers and staff to determine whether or not there was enough interest in their business idea.

Mrs. Vincent has taken this business plan a step further by collaborating with the marketing teacher at the school, April Hennion. Mrs. Vincent's class will learn the process of designing and creating a logo for their business from the initial steps to pressing the logo on shirts and aprons.

Proceeds from the cake and coffee cart will go towards community-based field trips. Last school year, the class visited the Edmonson County Public Library, Sun Valley Feed Mill, the Brownsville Post Office, and Mammoth Cave National Park. Students are exploring real-world jobs during these field trips. The class is looking forward to visiting even more places in the community this year.

Additionally, this past spring the program was awarded a grant from the UK Ag Extension Office for a container garden. The students plan to grow foods to be used in the kitchen for cooking activities.

Mrs. Vincent stated, “I wanted to tell you how thankful I am to have the support of my administrators, classroom team, school, and community. Without which, none of what we do would be possible. Such wonderful support allows us to give students real-world educational experiences that will serve them beyond the classroom.”

Additional support has come from other places, including the lower base cabinets that were donated by Magna. All kitchenware and supplies were donated by families, friends, and community members. School funds covered the cost of the stove and moving upper-cabinets from another classroom. The school maintenance department installed the entire classroom kitchen. 

Beyond the kitchen, Mrs. Vincent has plans to continue partnering with Coach Jody Booth and Coach Brad Meredith to keep the Lady Cats and Wildcats looking sharp on the court this season with their laundry skills. The students have learned to operate the washer and dryer, how to sort by size, hang and fold, and deliver uniforms to the locker rooms.

Every life skills activity is associated with a job; Mrs. Vincent explains to her students how these skills correlate with an equipment manager. She is giving students the life skills they need beyond the classroom from cooking in the kitchen to developing real-world job skills.

Darren Doyle, story:
The second August meeting of the Edmonson County Fiscal Court was called to order by Judge/Executive Scott Lindsey on Monday, August 25th at 4PM in the Edmonson County Courthouse. There was an additional special called meeting at 3:45PM to hear public comments regarding the 2025 County tax rates. No visitors attended the meeting so the second reading of the tax rates were approved in the following regular meeting which immediately followed.

County real property tax rates will fall from 12.6 cents per $100 down to 12.2 cents. The remaining county rates will remain the same, which include:

Tangible: 19.5
Motor Vehicle: 17.1
Inventory: 19.5
Watercraft: 17.1
Aircraft: 17.1
Bank Share: 20.0
 
Additionally, the Extension Board dropped their property tax rates from .019 to .018 per $100.
 
Sheriff James Vincent requested an additional vehicle, using funds outside of his annual budget, at a cost of $30K from the general fund. Vincent said as a result of the combination of vehicles that need repair and a shortage, an additional vehicle was necessary. The funding was approved unanimously. The money was allocated to purchase a 2023 Dodge Durango.

The Court also voted to move forward with architectural drawings of renderings previously discussed about a new porch build at the Community Center, presented by Preserving Edmonson Pride, or PEP. The Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted in July of 2023 to allocate $430,000 of ARPA funding for a downtown beautification project on behalf of PEP, however, unforeseen costs have delayed the project. More information will be available this week.

Magistrates also voted to:

• Schedule Entertainment Permit Hearing for September 22, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.
  
• Approve and adopt Ordinance EC25-22, Rolling Way Speed Limit. Second Reading (from 35mph to 25mph)
• Acknowledge BGWC July Shelter Directors Report.
  
• Approve Resolution EC25-23, Mediacom Franchise Agreement.
• Approve to purchase Sheriff vehicle 2023 Dodge Durango, VIN #1C4RDJFG1PC588036.

A burn ban has been issued for Edmonson County in an executive order by the Edmonson County Judge/Executive's Office.

All open burning is banned, with the exception of campfires in an established campground.

The ban is in effect until further notice.

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County High School and Dion and Lois Ann Houchins have announced the establishment of the Chelsea Elizabeth Houchins Coleman Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship will consist of two, $5,000 awards given each year to two deserving students who have completed a business pathway at ECHS and plan to pursue a business degree at Western Kentucky University.

“Lois Ann and I are pleased to be able to offer these scholarship opportunities to students from ECHS in Chelsea’s memory," Chelsea's father, Dion. "This community and ECHS mean so much to us and our family. I was fortunate to benefit from the generosity of someone who established a similar scholarship fund here at ECHS, and for Lois Ann and me to be able to follow that example and offer deserving students the same opportunity, while also honoring the memory of Chelsea, makes us proud.”

ECHS Principal Jonathan Williams shared his gratitude upon receiving the announcement from the Houchins family.

“It is a true honor to receive this generous endowment from Dion and Lois Ann in memory of their late daughter, Chelsea, a proud alumnus of Edmonson County High School," he said. "Through the Chelsea Elizabeth Houchins Coleman Scholarship, two deserving students each year will be given opportunities they may not have otherwise had. We take great pride in the success of our graduates, and it is special when they choose to give back to help future generations. We extend our deepest gratitude to Dion and Lois Ann for this remarkable gift.”

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – The annual Bat Day event at Mammoth Cave National Park has been set for Saturday, August 30th. Bat researchers and biologists will discuss bat biology, monitoring techniques, and provide on-site demonstrations of how they capture, evaluate, and record a bat’s health. Events and activities start at 10 a.m. and last until 9 p.m. CDT.
 
“Bat Day promises a full day of exciting activities for all ages, highlighting the vital role bats play in our ecosystem,” said park Superintendent Barclay Trimble. “This unique event allows visitors to engage with bat experts and biologists, offering an incredible opportunity to learn about and appreciate these fascinating creatures.”
 
Activities begin at 10 a.m. and will feature a diverse range of topics centered around bat conservation and education including:

• Discussions about bat rehabilitation processes, including the threats bats face in nature and the initiatives of the National Park Service (NPS) in safeguarding bats and their habitats throughout the southeastern United States. 
• Collaborative research efforts aimed at understanding bat species and efforts to protect bat habitats across the United States, as well as the vital roles that zoos and aquariums play in conservation initiatives. 
• Junior Ranger activities for aspiring bat biologists which will simulate bat capture and data collection without using live bats. 
• Observation of live bat data collection and in the field health assessments conducted by trained bat researchers and biologists.

All Bat Day events are free and do not require reservations. Participants are advised to bring a small flashlight to illuminate the pathways to and from the Mammoth Cave Historic Entrance. Bat Day activities will be cancelled in the case of severe weather.
 
Bat Day is made possible by support from Friends of Mammoth Cave National Park who work in cooperation with the National Park Service to fund projects and programs that protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources, and the visitor experience of Mammoth Cave National Park.

Edmonson Voice Report:
​Around a dozen people showed up downtown Brownsville on Thursday, August 14th to protest in front of the Edmonson County Courthouse in the wake of a recent indictment.

While the number of protestors was low, it is the first time a public protest has been performed at the courthouse, according to multiple lifelong residents of the county.

At first there was only one protestor.

Kentucky State Police, Brownsville Police, and the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office were all on scene before any protestors showed up, and for most of the morning, outnumbered protestors.

There was some scuttlebutt about people coming in from out of town to protest, and with the threat of outside agitators, local authorities were not going to take any chances.

​The first protestor on the scene was a woman named Sara Hennion, 35, from Edmonson County. Though she lives closer to Park City these days, she said. She does have kids in the Edmonson County School.
 
Like a lot of people saying online, she is upset with the situation as it has unfolded.
 
“I am fed up with people in areas of power, using that to get away with things that normal people would get drug under the bus for,” Hennion said. 
 
Hennion was protesting in part of the Tyler Skaggs case, who was recently indicted ​on 11 counts of promoting a sexual performance by a minor-victim less than 16 years of age, as reported previously by the Edmonson Voice. Skaggs' bail was set at $2,500.
 
“I’m just here to hopefully see some changes and see other people in the community that are wanting to see those changes as well,” Hennion said.

 
Another protestor came, and she had a sign.
 
Candi Alford held up a sign with a picture of a marijuana leaf next to the number $25,000, and below the two images, a hand next to the number $2,500.
 
A person with a marijuana charge has bail set at $25,000 and Skaggs, with 11 class B felonies was granted bail for 2,500, she explained.
 
“That’s always the thing,” Alford said. “As soon as somebody says, well he had a $2,500 bond, well he had a private attorney, other people don’t have that means.”
 
“All of us are here for different reasons, and personally I am here for the family to show them that we are behind them, and we care about them,” Alford said. 
 
The woman who organized the event with an event-page made on Facebook, Christie Baker, had to leave the state the morning of to travel to Colorado, she said via Facebook.
 
“I started this effort to bring awareness and a voice to survivors in our community,” Baker said. “This wasn’t just about one case. It’s about standing up against patterns of injustice and making sure survivors know they are seen, heard, and supported.”
 
The name of the event was “Edmonson County Kids Matter: Rally and Ribbon Campaign for Justice."
 
The most ribbons seen were two red, white, and blue ribbons, worn dangling off the wrists by one man who showed up across the street in what looked like air-soft armor borrowed from a small child, shorts, crocs, and socks with a helmet and holding a sign saying “No snacks? No Peace!”
 
When asked what his presence was for, he left.
 
Asked if there has ever been a protest at the Edmonson County Courthouse, “Not since I’ve been sheriff,” Edmonson County Sheriff James Vincent said.
 
Vincent has only been sheriff for three years.
 
“I have not heard of one,” he said.
 
Asked to comment on the protest, Vincent only had kind words.
 
“People, that’s what America’s for,” Vincent said. “They can protest all they want to. It is their right as an American to protest. I am for it. Whatever they want to do.”

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Summer break has come and gone and despite the foggy start, Edmonson County Schools are back in session as the first day of school for the 25-26 school year was today.

Principals for all five county schools greeted students this morning from buses, drop offs, and student drivers. Each principal and Superintendent Brian Alexander shared some of their experiences with the Edmonson Voice on the first day for students.

South Edmonson Principal Josh Long said there is nothing better than seeing a kid's excitement on the first day of school.

"The hallways were full of smiles and laughter and kids are already working hard in their rooms on beginning-of-the-year activities and telling the teachers about their summer break," he said. "We started something new this year that we are really excited about. Retired teachers were offered a chance to come back today and help out in a classroom. This gives them a chance to experience the thrill of a first day again and gives our new teachers a little help on the first day. Their day will end with a lunch sponsored by our PTO to give them a chance to catch up with each other. It's a great day to be a Bulldog!"

Kyrock Principal Brandy Meredith said she was thrilled to welcome students, families, and staff to another exciting school year.

"We believe that education is a partnership between school, home, and community, and we are grateful for the continued support of our families and neighbors," she added. "Whether you are a returning Blackhawk or joining us for the first time, we invite you to be actively involved in your child’s learning journey. Together, we can make this year one of the best yet."

Edmonson County 5/6 Center Principal Charla Caudill described their first day as "wonderful."

'We were thrilled to welcome our new 5th graders and reconnect with our returning 6th graders," said Caudill. "The energy in our classrooms was amazing, and both students and teachers had a fantastic start to the year. We can’t wait to see all the great things our Wildcats will achieve!"

ECMS Principal Ben Grey said he woke this morning to an email from one of 8th grade students from last year who thanked Mr. Grey for being there for him.

"It’s a good reminder how far showing these students a little bit of love, kindness and patience will go with them," he said.  

"Overall, today was a great day and I was excited to be back. Our staff has been busy the last several days getting the building and classrooms prepped. I’m excited for the new school year and always look forward to meeting our new students and building those relationships. Obviously we have a strong focus on academics, but we still prioritize work ethic and being an overall good person here at ECMS," Grey said.

Edmonson County High School Principal Jonathan Williams said today was a great first day of school.

"It's always exciting to start a new school year," Williams told the Edmonson Voice. "Our kids seemed to enjoy their classes, were excited to see their friends and mostly stayed awake," he joked.  "We look forward to a great 25-26 school year."

Superintendent Alexander said he felt like things got off to a great start, countywide.

"This morning went very smooth.  There is a great feeling when you walk through our schools of positive energy.  It's a great time to be a part of Edmonson County Schools," Alexander said.

The Edmonson County Schools calendar is always available on the Edmonson Voice and you can find it here.

Darren Doyle, story:
An Olive Hill, KY man was arrested yesterday after a trooper-involved shooting incident yesterday in Warren County.

In a press release issued by KSP,  police stated that the Kentucky State Police Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was requested by KSP Post 3 Bowling Green to investigate a trooper-involved shooting that occurred on Monday Aug. 11, 2025, around 2:45 p.m. CDT in a wooded area near Interstate 165 and Sweeney Road in Warren County. 

Police stated that KSP was notified of a collision on I-165 southbound where a male subject, who had been involved in the collision, was attempting to forcibly steal multiple vehicles. Troopers responded to the scene and encountered the male subject, later identified as Gregorio Lopez, a 24-year-old male from Olive Hill, Ky, near the 5 mile marker of I-165 southbound, the press release stated.

Lopez allegedly began to flee from the troopers into a wooded area, where during the interaction, at least two troopers discharged their agency-issued weapons, KSP said. Lopez was not struck by the gunfire, and was ultimately arrested, according to police.

KSP stated that following his arrest, Lopez was transported to a local hospital as a precaution for a suspected reaction to an illegal substance. No other injuries were reported.

Lopez was charged with:

•  Criminal mischief first degree
• Operating motor vehicle under influence of controlled substance, aggravated circumstance
• Wanton endangerment first degree, two counts
• Leaving scene of accident, failure to render aid/assistance
• Carjacking, two counts
• Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol, aggravated circumstance
• Fleeing or evading police second degree on foot
• No registration plates
• Public intoxication of controlled substance, excludes alcohol
• Resisting arrest
• Probation violation for felony offense

Lopez is lodged in the Hart County Jail with a current cash bond of $25,000.

Darren Doyle, story:
An Edmonson County Grand Jury indicted a Chalybeate man on numerous felony counts associated with alleged child sexual material.

Tyler Skaggs, 36, was indicted on 11 counts of Promoting a sexual performance by a minor – victim less than 16 years of age. No other information was available in the indictment documents, provided by the Edmonson County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. 

No other context or narrative was written in the arrest citation.

Kentucky State Police Post 3 is currently investigating this case and declined comment. 

KSP partially denied an open records request for information pertaining to this case citing state law that allows police agencies to withhold information on open investigations; however, they provided a partially redacted Kentucky Incident-Based Reporting System Report, (KYIBRS) per our open records request.

The report listed multiple seized electronic devices and listed the names of four witnesses in the case.

Police arrested Skaggs on the indictment warrant Friday, July 25th. Skaggs was also arrested in April of 2024 on the charge of video voyeurism, which was later dismissed.

KSP also declined to comment on if the two cases are related, however, the incident report listed the report date of April 6, 2024. 

Skaggs was released on a $2,500 bond, signed by 8th Judicial Circuit Judge John Grise, according to the Hart County Jail. 

The charge is a Class B Felony, which carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison for each  of the 11 counts. 

Skaggs is set to appear in court on August 14th. 
 
Editor’s note: For transparency, Tyler Skaggs is a cousin of Edmonson Voice founder and director Darren Doyle. This article was delayed in publication because The Edmonson Voice did not receive a response to our open records request until today, August 5, 2025.  The Edmonson Voice will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Darren Doyle, story:
A Lindseyville woman was arrested after a crash Saturday night that damaged a landmark country store building in Sweeden.

According to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to the intersection of Old Kyrock Road and KY HWY 259 N in Sweeden to the report of a single vehicle crash involving the old store building around 9:30PM on August 2nd.

The sheriff's office stated that Lorrie Skaggs, (55) of Lindseyville was headed south on HWY 259 in a 2024 Nissan Murano when her vehicle exited the left side of the roadway and narrowly missed two homes before hitting the front concrete column on the porch of the old Lane's Store, now owned by Edd and Sherry Williams. 

According to the sheriff's office, the car crossed over Old Kyrock Road, up an embankment, and came to rest in the guy wires of an electric pole in the yard of a neighbor. The porch column was carried some 250 feet and landed near the roadway.

The sheriff's office stated that a field sobriety test was conducted where the driver showed multiple signs of impairment.

Skaggs was arrested and charged with Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. 

Edd Williams said it was second time since 2017 that someone had crashed into the building, which is over 100 years old. The 2017 crash caused considerable damage that required extensive repairs. Mr. and Mrs. Williams said they bought the store approximately 10 years ago and have remodeled it with several of the original furnishings, including a pot-bellied stove, a set of scales, cash register, and original counter tops.

The store is partially used as an art studio for Mr. Williams and has several local historic items on display. The Williams were unsure of the extent of the damage caused by the crash.

Also responding was the Kyrock Fire Department.