MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – Joppa Church in Mammoth Cave National Park is now designated as a day-use area. Vandalism to the church building in the last year has caused the park to limit its availability to the public to daylight hours only. “Joppa Church is a valued cultural asset to the park and the surrounding community,” said Superintendent Sarah Craighead. “Joppa Church and its cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, important as being representative of religion and funerary practices from 1900-1949. The park is committed to their protection and preservation.” “We are asking the public to help us keep watch on Joppa Church, and all park resources,” said Chief Ranger Lora Peppers. “Please report suspicious activity to our law enforcement staff at 270-758-2115.”
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MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – Mammoth Cave National Park will offer free Discovery cave tours on Saturday, September 26, in recognition of National Public Lands Day. The Friends of Mammoth Cave have organized their Walk in the Park on the same day, offering an above-below hike in the park.
“Find Your Park is the catchphrase of the 2016 National Park Service centennial,” said Superintendent Sarah Craighead. “It can easily be applied to other public lands, too, in drawing attention to fun and fascinating landscapes set aside for all to enjoy. In Kentucky there are many parks, forests, reservoirs and wildlife areas managed by county, state and federal governments. Get out and find your special place on your public lands.” Mammoth Cave Discovery tour Free Mammoth Cave Discovery tours will be offered on September 26, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Participants need to pick up a free ticket in the visitor center before going on the tour. Allow at least 30 minutes; this is a self-guided tour. The Mammoth Cave Discovery tour requires a walk down and up the steep hill below the visitor center, as well as 160 steps. In the cave, visit the Rotunda, one of the largest rooms, explore a vast canyon passageway, and learn about 19th-century saltpeter mining operations and the geologic origins of Mammoth Cave. Walk in the Park Come for a free family-friendly activity and take a hike below and above ground, sponsored by the Friends of Mammoth Cave. Pick up your free cave ticket in the visitor center, then meet on the back porch at 10 a.m. The Friends will start with a half-mile cave hike along the Discovery cave tour route, then hike past prominent karst features on the surface, and finish up by checking out the expanded services at the Caver’s Camp Store. Walk in the Park participants will receive a complimentary bottle of water with a purchase, courtesy of Forever Resorts. Total distance: about 3 miles. Note: tour requirements regarding white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats: While there are no known harmful effects to humans, WNS is responsible for the deaths of millions of hibernating bats across the eastern United States since its discovery in 2006. WNS was found in Mammoth Cave in winter 2012-13. To minimize the spread of WNS fungus, all participants on cave tours must walk across bio-security mats to clean footwear immediately following the conclusion of their cave tour. Edmonson County Sheriff Shane Doyle has released the activity report for the month of August. He reported the following:
The following locations are approved safety traffic checkpoints in Edmonson County used by local law enforcement:
by Darren Doyle It was a light agenda for Edmonson County Fiscal Court on Monday, Sept 14, as the bulk of the meeting was absorbed by approving reports and fees from various county offices. Keith Sanders, Director of Edmonson EMS, gave an updated report on the property tax rates adopted by the ambulance service taxing district. Property taxes fund several necessary county offices, one being our local ambulance service. The local office has the authority to set their portion of the taxes on property tax bills. Sanders said the organization has been operating at a loss over the past 4 years, accumulating a deficit of approximately $75,000. He broke down how the ambulance service is funded: The income they receive through real estate taxes only covers about 40% of their operating budget. He noted that Obamacare has caused Medicare and Medicaid to cut back on what they pay to the service. He said when the ambulance makes a run with a Medicare patient, the ambulance service is only reimbursed 55%. When transporting a Medicaid patient, the reimbursement is only around 17%. "A lot of times on a Medicaid run, we spend more than we make," he said. He said that Medicaid billing nearly doubled after Obamacare went into effect. "Reimbursements are down, number of runs are down, and we're running in the hole. We only have two ways to generate revenue, one is tax rate, the other is making transports, and we have no control over the transports." So, what does it mean for the local taxpayer? Actually, not much. The rates will add one dollar for every $100,000 worth of property. So, if you drive a $20,000 car, you'll pay an extra 20 cents. Live in a $150,000 home? A buck fifty. Sanders said with the increase, their increased revenue will only be around $10,000 for the year. Not nearly enough to make up for the deficit seen over the last 4 years. County Road Foreman Ray Page reported that a new major drainage tile was nearing completion on Indian Creek Road and the mowing crew had recently finished all of district 3, part of district 2, and are now working in the Chalybeate area. He also gave an update on the state required salt bin project, which now requires a plot plan including all buildings and building specs on the road department property. This will probably have to be done by a surveying company which will increase the overall cost of the project. Judge Cannon reported that Parks & Rec Coordinator Greg Hudson was attending the National Parks and Rec Convention in Las Vegas, and hopes to bring back lots of new ideas for the program here. Magistrate Mark Woosley, who also serves on the Little League Basketball Board said the league will have sign ups soon. We will bring you more info when it becomes available. David Embrey, County Extension Agent, thanked the court for working with his office during the recent tax rate discussions. A new Extension Office tax was put in place and will take a six-figure financial burden away from the county budget. Rhonda Clemmons from Tourism and Chamber of Commerce reported that had been a ton of great feedback on Edmonson County's booth at the State Fair. She also said she's been collecting more Room and Rec taxes which helps the Tourism board and Parks & Rec.
The court also:
The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 28. Darren Doyle, story and photos The Kyrock Fire Department responded to a house fire at 8321 KY HWY 259 around 6AM on Monday, September 14, 2015, just north of Jones and Gravil Tax Service. Because of the quick response, firefighters were able to save the structure, although it sustained heavy damage. The house, a rental property owned by Patrick Vincent, was vacant at the time and no injuries were reported. Officials don't yet know the cause of the blaze, however, the state fire marshal has been requested at the scene. Assisting Kyrock FD at the scene was Anneta Fire Department, Brownsville VFD, and the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.
Darren Doyle, story and photo
A rear-end collision snarled traffic on HWY 743 even worse than it already was around 7:20AM this morning. According to eyewitness reports, Dale Massey, 59 of Wingfield slowed down while driving his 2004 GMC Sierra 2500 Truck across the newly constructed bridge, on the east side of Denham Road. That's when Steven Vincent, 26, of Wingfield who was following, said the glare from the sun hindered his vision and he didn't notice Massey had slowed down. Vincent's Honda sedan collided with the rear of Massey's truck. Massey's truck showed very minimal damage while Vincent's car will need significant repair. Luckily, there were no injuries. There are two very noticeable "dips" in the road while driving on and off the bridge, something that Massey said needs to be fixed. "I guess it'll be fixed before the new road is finished, but something needs to be done now," he said. Vincent obviously wasn't happy. "This road is a piece of junk," he said. "All this work, and it's still crooked as all get-out, and this bridge is messed up, too." The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Construction crew members helped with traffic and the scene was cleared quickly. Black clouds of diesel smoke filled the brisk autumn-like air Saturday night at the Edmonson County Fairgrounds during the 2015 Pro Stock Truck Pull. There were a total of three classes, Mini Truck, 5200lb, 5500lb 4 x 4, and Diesel Pro Stock. The following drivers took home the hardware in their respective classes:
Video and Photos by Darren Doyle Courtesy of Edmonson County Fair Pageants on Facebook photos by J. Duvall and M. Kemble The much anticipated Miss Edmonson County pageant was held last night at South Edmonson Elementary for the second night of the Edmonson County Fair. McKenna Reese Kemble was crowned as Miss Edmonson County by last year's winner, Jhonna Basil. McKenna, a senior at ECHS, is the daughter of James and Laura Kemble of Brownsville. Laney Meredith took home the title of Miss Edmonson County Fair 2015, which will allow her to compete in the Miss Kentucky County Fair in January. Laney is also a senior at ECHS and is the daughter of Granville and Kathy Meredith of Morgantown. Each year there is a Fair winner and a local winner, as sometimes the fair winner is from outside of the county. In this year's case, both winners were local girls. From L-R: 3rd Runner Up - Kelsey Taylor Cockriel, daughter of Clifton and Melissa Cockriel of Leitchfield, 2nd Runner Up - Erin Elizabeth Perkins, daughter of Gerry and Caroll Perkins of Elizabethtown, 1st Runner Up - Alexandra Watts, daughter of Jim and Violet Watts of Owensboro, Miss Edmonson County McKenna Reese Kemble, and Miss Edmonson County Fair, Laney Meredith. 2015 Miss Teen Edmonson County Fair - Madison Olivia Duvall, daughter of Brant Duvall and Dena Buczkowski of Leitchfield, 2015 Miss Teen Edmonson County - Rachel Nicole Cowles, daughter of Scott and Dana Cowles of Chalybeate, 1st Runner Up - Zoey Ellen Norris, daughter of Mike and Sheri Norris of Breeding, 2nd Runner Up - Madelyn Elizabeth Garrett, daughter of Jon Garrett and Emily and Kevin Dexter of Hanson, 3rd Runner Up - Cassidy LeAnn Robertson, daughter of Michael Robertson and Sonya Kinnett of Russell Springs. 2015 Miss Pre-Teen Edmonson County Fair - Keiley Hope Johnson, daughter of Brian and Missy Johnson of Greensburg, 2015 Miss Pre-Teen Edmonson County - Courtney Elizabeth Garrett, daughter of Andy and April Garrett of Windyville, 1st Runner Up - Cora Antoinette Towe, daughter of Brad and Diane Towe of Scottsville,
2nd Runner Up - Brooklyn Marie McCawley, daughter of Steven and Deborah McCawley of Cave City, 3rd Runner Up - Ashlynn Marie Jaggers, daughter of Josh Jaggers and Shannon Edwards of Edmonton. Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. The Hon. Judge Renona Carol Browning presiding. Patrick Burns, Tampering with physical evidence. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial hearing set for 9/21/15. Zachary D Hogan, Possession of marijuana, pleaded guilty. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess, merge into count one. 45 days in jail, credit for one day served, remaining 44 days probated for 2 years. Must attend substance abuse class. Total costs and fines $309. Jonathan M Burris, Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs, first offense. Pleaded guilty. Total costs and fines $718. Nathan A Jaggers, Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol or drugs, aggravator 2nd offense. Disregarding stop sign. Careless driving. Pretrial conference 9-22-15. Jesse M Ordunez, Speeding 15mph over limit, no motorcycle operator's license, failure to comply with helmet law over 21 yrs old, regs for operating and riding on motorcycles. Failed to appear, notice sent to dept. of transportation. Dustin A Lang, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. No-expired registration plates, no/expired KY registration receipt. Failure of non-owner operator to maintain required insurance, 1st. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 9-22-15. Dereka M Rigney, No/expired registration plates. No/expired Ky registration receipt. Proof shown, both dismissed. Kenneth Buchanan, Cultivate in marijuana, less than 5 plants-1st offense. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference for 9-22-15. Kevin Shawn Haycraft, Operating vehicle with expired operator's license. License to be in possession, failure to produce insurance card. Proof shown, all dismissed. Jason W Abney, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial conference 9/22/15. Elizabeth J Perry, Failure to produce insurance card. Failure to register transfer of motor vehicle. Continued in 2 weeks. Paul Gill, Operating ATV on roadway, fined $163, paid. Brian Elmore, Operating ATV on roadway, fined $163, paid. Robert Crabtree, No operator's moped license. Failure on non owner operator to maintain required insurance, 1st. Improper registration plate, no-expired registration plates, failure to produce insurance card, no tail lamps. Obstructed vision and/or windshield, improper display of registration plates, failure to register transfer of motor vehicle. Failed to appear, $500 bench warrant issued. Richard O. Lindsey, Speeding 26mph over limit. Amended to 25mph over, pleaded guilty. Will attend County Attorney traffic school. No/expired registration plates, proof shown, dismissed. No/expired KY registration receipt. Proof shown, dismissed. Rod Lee Perry, Failure to produce insurance card, proof shown, dismissed. Jeffrey L Goodwin, Operating motor vehicle under influence of alcohol/drugs, aggravator 1st offense. Failed to appear, $2,500 bench warrant issued, pretrial suspension. Jonathan Michael Humphrey, Trafficking in controlled substance, first degree, first offense, less than 2 grams of meth. Unlawful possession of meth precursor, first offense. Pleaded not guilty. Attorney appointed. Pretrial hearing for 9-22-15. Bobby Allen House, Possession synthetic cannabinoid agonists/piperazines. Currently lodged in Warren Co. Jail, wasn't transported to court, continue for 9-22-15. Jennifer Fink, Alcohol intoxication in a public place, first and second offense. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial conference for 9-22-15. Amy L Garrison, Possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia-buy/possess, failure to notify address change to dept of transportation. Failed to appear, $500 bench warrant issued. Stephen R Roberts Jr, Possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia-buy/possess, operating on suspended/revoked operator's license, failure to produce insurance card, violation of Ky EPO/DVO. Failed to appear, $2,000 bench warrant issued. Justin W Brown, No/expired KY registration plates, no.expired KY registration receipt, failure to produce insurance card, failure of owner to maintain required insurance.security 1st, operating on suspended.revoked operator's license, possessing license when privileges are revoke/.suspended. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 9-22-15. courtesy of Edmonson County Fair Pageants on Facebook photos by Jimmie Duvall, Paige Probus The 2015 Edmonson County Fair kicked off last night at South Edmonson Elementary School for the opening round of the annual Fair Pageants. Last night featured Mrs Edmonson County, Tiny Miss, and Little Miss. Winners are listed below: 2015 Mrs. Edmonson County Fair - Nancy Critchelow, wife of Aaron Critchelow of Leitchfield 1st Runner Up - Lauren-Paige Probus, wife of Benjamin Probus of Munfordville 2nd Runner Up - Tosha LaShea Brown, wife of Eric Brown of Leitchfield 3rd Runner Up - Dawnann Hack, wife of Travis Hack of Leitchfield L-R: 3rd Runner Up - McKenna Marie Saltsman, daughter of Billy and Lora Saltsman of Leitchfield, 2nd Runner Up - Bree Ann Johnson, daughter of Allen and Courtney Johnson of Brownsville, 1st Runner Up - Averie Madison Foster, daughter of Calla Foster and Lindsey Carroll of Chalybeate and Billy and Jessica Foster of Bowling Green, 2015 Tiny Miss Edmonson County - Jocelyn Nichol Decker, daughter of Jason and Jennifer Decker of Brownsville, 2015 Tiny Miss Edmonson County Fair - Hannah Claire Cassady, daughter of Kyle and Staffanne Cassady of Smiths Grove. L-R: 3rd Runner Up - Alivia Grace Mabrey, daughter of Richard and Brittany Mabrey of Cedar Springs, 2nd Runner Up - Patience Gail Anderson, daughter of Barry and Kimberly Anderson of Bowling Green, 1st Runner Up - Brooklyn Nicole Patrick, daughter of Allen and Courtney Johnson of Brownsville, 2015 Little Miss Edmonson County - Leah Gail Ballance, daughter of Bill and Tyra Ballance of Smiths Grove, 2015 Little Miss Edmonson County Fair - Abigail August Pennington, daughter of Jesse and Casey Pennington of Leitchfield.
Darren Doyle, story and photo If you're like most Edmonson County parents that try to have some sort of involvement with your child's school, you know all to well the importance of test scores. Sometimes it seems like too much, but unfortunately, test scores are how schools are ranked and judged in the state of Kentucky. The most common complaints from parents are things like "If it's not on the test, then it's not being taught," or "There's more to life than what's on these tests," and even "Test scores may be higher, but our kids are dumber." As a parent myself, I certainly see the significance and truth to all three. It especially gets under my skin when I see a question like this (which, by the way, is a real test question): "Elijah went to dinner and a school concert for 3 and 7/12 hours. The concert lasted 1 and 2/3 hours. How many hours was dinner?" Ok, I get it, this is supposed to teach adding and subtracting fractions (I think). The problem is, no one talks like this in real life. Have you ever said, "Can you be there in 7/12ths of an hour?..." We have some of the finest teachers and staff right here at home and they don't have much control over questions like these. They must follow state requirements, and those requirements are very plain spoken. Some of those requirements don't make a lot of sense to sensible people, but it's part of school these days. ECHS has now implemented a program that seems to be able to bridge the gap between the emphatic stress on test scores and helping kids succeed in the real world, all without using 7/12ths of an hour. Under the new program, the current freshman class will have to be college or career ready in order to graduate in 2019.
ECHS Principal Tommy Hodges says "college ready" has been an emphasis in most school systems for 25-30 years, but the new piece of the puzzle being "career ready," which was first introduced in some schools 6-7 years ago, and now being introduced to Edmonson County this year. "I'm a firm believer that average is not good enough," Hodges said. "I've talked to many factories and folks in lots of other types of jobs and asked what they wanted in new employees. Over the past 16 years in education, it's three things: Show up on time, work hard, and be adaptable. They say that someone that can do these three things can be a foreman if not running a plant in a certain number of years. But those three characteristics are missing from our youth nowadays." He says the addition of "career ready" in the school system teaches kids how to develop those three characteristics along with responsibility, and to learn what it takes to make a good employee. He said he would never say that college is always the "best way to do it," as he admitted he didn't think so when he was in high school himself. "To be honest, there are people I went to high school with that didn't go to college and they make way more money than I do and work half the time." He quickly pointed out that ECHS still pushes college education, which also includes tech schools. "Most of those that were successful outside of college had to bust their hump to do it," he added. He said one of the main goals to adding "career ready" is that it teaches students work ethic and helps give them a better idea of which career path they can follow by the end of their sophomore year. Hodges said the program requires all students to graduate ECHS college OR career ready, while honor students have to graduate college AND career ready. "Say you want to be a doctor. Ok, we'll give you all the math and science capabilities we can, but it's also good to have some other career opportunity, because anymore, with high level jobs, you need a background in something else, too." If you're worried about classes being shifted around and students no longer being able to take electives, Hodges said only one required class has been added to the curriculum, and electives (band, drama, etc.) are still available. He said that for the most part, ECHS will continue their business much the same as they have over the past several years. "Based on the accountability that we have to the state of Kentucky, we have to concentrate the majority of our time on scores. If not, then the state comes in and takes over. Our scores are up, they're improving and the teachers worked hard to see that and they're working hard to do it again this year," he said. Hodges says he hears parents' concerns with the emphasis on test scores. "I can understand where some parents think the common sense part is being left out, but again, we run by scores and that's why we spend the time on them, but we also do our best to include what I call an informal common sense education," he added. He explained that there was basically a formal education, which is English, math, science, etc. and then the informal education, which is simply how to be successful in the world. He said the "career ready" has been added to teach students things like how to dress and act during an interview, how to be a good employee, and similar ideas not found on tests. "I've seen some top academic students and worry about them in the real world," he said. "They do fine in college, but they never really learn real work ethic, so they're found lacking and it's going to be a struggle." Hodges said he's always been a believer in students having some sort of job while in school. "I think it's important for them to see, hey this is the world. I know there are lots of B and C students here because they have jobs, but you know what? They're going to make it." He also discussed the disadvantages to being in a rural area when it comes to job opportunities and that sometimes students have "culture shock" when they get in the real world, but he quickly spoke of the many advantages that lie within as well. "It has zero to do with me...zero, but this high school is great. The teachers and individuals that work here, they're great, they do a great job here and they were doing that long before I got here." He said that the program will see the students all the way through to their senior year and if it doesn't look like they're going to be college or career ready, there are emergency plans in place to help students in need by pairing them with a business for a short internship to help them complete the requirements needed to become ready. So, if you're tired of hearing about testing, testing, and more testing, cheer up. This program seems to fill in some holes that many parents feel are being stepped in by their kids. I would guess 7/12ths of them or more will be happy with being college or career ready, or both. Edmonson Voice Staff On Friday September 4th, at around 7:30 pm while conducting routine patrol, Brownsville Police said they observed a white Chrysler PT Cruiser carelessly disregard a stop sign at Veterans Street and Washington Street, making no attempt at all to stop or slow down. Police then pulled the car over and said that multiple indicators of impairment were detected from the driver, Nathan Jaggers, 35, of Brownsville. Police then administered field sobriety tests, and based on the observations, Jaggers was placed under arrest for the following charges:
Happy Labor Day Edmonson County! For those of you that have today off, we hope you enjoy your day doing whatever it is you choose. Have you ever wondered why there's a holiday that gives most of the full time workforce the day off while calling it Labor Day? Shouldn't it be called "Day Off Day?"
Labor Day in the United States is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September of each year. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country. For most, it symbolizes the end the summer and the beginning of fall activities. An older tradition not used much anymore (for you members of the fashion police) is that Labor Day is also the last day to wear white or seersucker. If you're like most of us here at the Edmonson Voice, wearing white is not a good idea on Labor Day because mustard stains are hard to get out. (BBQ sauce, too.) So, enjoy your day, and thanks for reading. We've got tons of great stuff headed your way this week. Edmonson Voice Staff Local police arrested a Bee Spring man yesterday for attempting to cheat his way out of a required drug test. Officials said the man, Patrick Burns, 24, is required to take periodic drug tests due to being on probation for burglary charges in Simpson County from 2013. Police said Burns' probation officer found a small container filled with urine that Burns was trying to place in the official testing container. He was arrested on the spot and charged with tampering with physical evidence, a class D felony. Police said that Burns told them he brought the other urine with him because he knew he would fail the drug test. If found guilty, he could face up to 5 years in jail. He was transported and lodged in the Hart County Jail. Nolin River Lake is proud to support the new "Every Kid in a Park" initiative. Fourth grade students will be able to obtain their interagency annual fourth grade pass at Nolin River Lake Corps of Engineers office. The pass will cover boat launch fees for the student and their families at the Corps managed boat ramps on Nolin River Lake.
Park Manager Deryck Rodgers encourages participation by saying "Many children are losing their connection to the outdoors. Studies show that children today spend half as much time outdoors as their parents did. The Every Kid in a Park initiative is an excellent program to encourage families to visit Nolin River Lake". The Army Corps of Engineers is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, managing more than 400 lake and river projects in 43 states. To find the Army Corps of Engineers’ recreation site near you, visit www.CorpsLakes.us. For more on Every Kid in a Park follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube: Twitter: https://twitter.com/everykidinapark or @EveryKidinaPark Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Every-Kid-in-a-Park/1433456993647993 Instagram: https://instagram.com/everykidinapark/ YouTubeChannel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8NsvUGYCA93hlCfXxCwVlw If you have any questions, please contact the Nolin River Lake Corps office at 270-286-4511. Local Program Helps Hungry Edmonson County Students But Will Fall Short Unless More People Help9/4/2015 Darren Doyle, Edmonson Voice When most of us hear about helping hungry kids, we often think of the tv commercials with the kids from third world countries. We hear a sad commentary about how the kids eat garbage, have no clothes, and are ridden with filth and disease. Most of us here in Edmonson County dismiss the pleas for help because small town folks are sometimes leery of national or worldwide charity organizations. No doubt, there are hungry people all over the world and it seems like there's not a lot one individual can do, but when it comes to Edmonson County, there are some folks that have tried to change that over the last few years with the Adopt-A-Backpack Program. The program sends non-perishable food items home to hungry EC students every Thursday throughout the year to help get them through the weekend. "While the students are at school, we know they're being fed, but when they go home, some of them don't have anything to eat until they return to school," said Michelle McCoy, program volunteer. Several years ago, when McCoy was president of the 5/6 Center PTO, she heard Lynette Salings with the Family Resource Center give a report on the shortage of funding that was needed to help hungry Edmonson County children. McCoy asked her church to step in and donate, which they did, and other local churches have done the same. Last year, an employee of the Edmonson County Extension office helped coordinate the effort. The employee was paid through a grant but the grant money expired, forcing the employee to find another job and no one was immediately able to help see that the program continued. That's where McCoy stepped up and decided to volunteer. "This was going to put the entire program on hold for months," she said. "No food, no money, nothing, because nobody was there to take care of it...I couldn't stand to see that happen so I volunteered to do it." McCoy said the program usually feeds 140-150 kids during a school year, but there's only enough funding right now to take care of 95-100. That means Edmonson County kids are still in need. How great is the need? "Teachers have caught kids stealing ketchup packets to take home," McCoy said. "Some of these cases are probably instances where parents have food stamps but aren't using them correctly," she continued. "The parents could do better, but they choose not to...that's not the kids' fault. The worst part is, according to school staff, the problem is getting worse because they see more parents that aren't taking care of their kids." Are you ready to do something yet? For a one-time $100, you can sponsor an Edmonson County child for an entire school year. Your $100 stays right here in the county and it will be used to fill a bag with food items that a child can eat without cooking or needing additional help. Things like snacks, juice boxes, ravioli, other prepackaged goods and non perishables are sent home with the kids. Morgan Esters, Youth Service Coordinator for ECMS and ECHS, said the program is very discrete and the food items are sent home with the needy kids while the other students are kept unaware of the ones that use the program. "A one-time donation guarantees one child food every Thursday or Friday, " she said. Esters said all Youth Service Centers and Family Resource Centers are involved in the program for anyone wishing to contact any of those offices. "In one of our recent meetings, we were asked the question of which was more important, the backpack program or Christmas angel program," she said. "I would tell you it's food over gifts. The Christmas Angel is a great program, and we need help with that, too, but this is so important." "There are approximately 12 to 15 items in the bags that go home with the kids," McCoy added. "It's just heartbreaking, really." She also told us that the kids' appreciation for the acts of kindness and knowing that they have something to eat was worth all the work that volunteers put into it. To make a donation online that will go directly to Edmonson County children, simply click here, be sure to choose $100 donation, and make sure your donation is designated toward Edmonson County in the form. You can either download the form below or print the photo and mail with a $100 check. Your one time donation will certainly make a difference in one child's life. Ravioli may not sound like much to you, but it's better than ketchup packets, or nothing at all.
Mammoth Cave National ParkThursday, September 3, 2015
Green River has fallen to a level where it is not safe to transport vehicles towing trailers. Green River ferry is closed to trailer traffic until the river rises. For ferry information, please call 270-758-2166. The 2015 Edmonson County Fair is scheduled to kickoff Thursday, Sept 11 at South Edmonson Elementary for the first night of beauty pageants. Edmonson County Lions Club Fair Board Director Mike Blanton said the organization has been working all year long to prepare for the event, and a new carnival company has been hired for this year's rides. The theme for the 2015 Fair is "Kentucky Proud," which is also the name of the organization that promotes Kentucky grown food and ag products and the people that grow and make them. Blanton said that this year's carnival is expected to be even bigger and better than last year's, which most fair-goers will say was an improvement over years past. The carnival is set to feature 16 or 17 major rides including a Ferris Wheel. Blanton said that some folks still aren't happy with the $10 admission cost, but reminds everyone that the carnival requires 50% of all gate fees. "You just can't get good carnivals, period without that percentage," he said. The fair is the biggest fundraiser for the Lions Club, and 100% of all profits are used for charitable events and causes throughout the year. If you think the club only piles broken eye glasses in a cardboard box, you're mistaken. The organization is a large benefactor of the Backpack Program that feeds hungry Edmonson County children, they have their own college scholarship, they organize both parades, they buy each Head Start student a new coat at Christmas, they co-sponsor the annual Parks & Rec Fireworks, and make tons of anonymous donations to various causes, events, and people in need all year long. Thursday, Sept 10, 7pm, opening night, will see the Little Miss, Tiny Miss, and Mrs. Edmonson County pageants. Admission will be $5 per person, with kids 6 & under free. The event will not be at the fairgrounds, it will be held at South Edmonson Elementary.
Friday night, Sept 11th will be the second series of pageants, featuring Miss Edmonson County, Miss Teen, and Miss Pre-Teen. The event will be held at South Edmonson Elementary. Admission is $5/person, with kids 6 & under free. You can find out more on the Edmonson County Fair Pageants Facebook page. Saturday night, Sept 12th features the Kentucky Outlaw Truck Pullers Association Multi-Class Truck Pull. Considered a premier event, admission is $10 per person (no carnival) and starts at 7pm. You can visit the association's website for rules and procedures here. There will also be a featured Line Dancer performance in the exhibit barn. Monday night, Sept 14th at 6pm, will be the Annual Baby Show. Sponsored by the EC Homemakers, classes are 0-6 mos, 6-12 mos, 13-18 mos, 19-24 mos, 2 yrs, and 3 yrs. Call the EC Extension Office at 270-597-3628 for more info. Admission is $5/person. The Homemakers receive a portion of the proceeds as they handle all of the exhibits that are entered in the exhibit barn. This helps them continue their many charity causes throughout the year. Tuesday night, Sept 15th, will be the Dirt Track Drag Racing at 7pm. This event is modeled after any popular drag strip with timing lights and a 250ft dirt strip. Cash prizes will be awarded, call 859-576-7380 for more info. Weds night, Sept 16th will feature the new carnival only. Gates will open at 4pm and there is no admission cost, only a $10 charge if you choose to enjoy the unlimited rides. For example, if a parent brings a child and only the child wishes to ride, it's only $10 for the child, the parent won't be charged unless they choose to ride attractions. Thursday Sept 17th will feature exhibit entry from 8am to 12 noon. Judging will be from 1pm to 6pm. Thursday night will feature a new event, Performance Go-Cart Racing. It will feature national riders from the pro circuit, carts are capable of doing 85-100mph. For more info, call 270-202-3570. Friday, Sept 18th is the annual Parade and School Day Event. To participate in the parade, you must meet at the ECHS parking lot at 8am. The parade begins at 9am with the carnival opening immediately after the parade ends. $10 armbands will be available until 3pm. At 4:00pm an additional $10 will be required for the Friday night event. For school or parade info, call 270-791-8363. Fri night, Sept 18 will be the Mud Bog at 7pm, featuring 5 different classes. Gates open at 4pm, and is expected to attract a huge crowd. Admission is $10/person. Get there early for best seating or for registration if you wish to participate. Call 270-246-1202. Saturday night, Sept 19 will be the much anticipated Demolition Derby. The event is the fair's most popular event and draws an audience from many surrounding counties. This year will also feature a live local band "Black Gold" to kick off the night, beginning at 5pm. Group members are Vincent Langdon, Steven Hunt, and Beau Kellie. The Derby will begin at 7pm and admission is $10 per person. Call Bud Woodcock at 270-246-1202 for rules and more info. Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, August 27, 2015. The Honorable Judge John M. McCarty presiding. Lisa M Johnson, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Amend all others. Failed to appear, notice sent to dept. of transportation. Jessica R Monroe, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Failure to produce insurance card. Proof shown on all counts, all charges dismissed. Wendy L Browning, Careless driving, pleaded not guilty. Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license, pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 9/22/15. Jason Wayne Abney, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 9/29/15. Shelry Wade Byrd, No/expired other state registration receipt or plate. Failure to produce insurance card. Pleaded not guilty to both, pretrial conference 9/29/15. Kimberly Ann Killion, Possession of controlled substance 3rd degree-drug unspecified. Carrying a concealed deadly weapon. Continued 9/8/15. Joshua T Ervin, Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Possessing license when privileges are revoked/suspended. Rear license not illuminated. Continued in one week. Raymond Thomas McCormick II, Criminal mischief-3rd degree. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial conference 9/29/15. Ashlie Logsdon, Criminal trespass-2nd degree. Criminal mischief, 3rd degree. Pleaded not guilty to both, pretrial conference 9/29/15. Jonathan Michael Humphrey, Trafficking in controlled substance-first degree-first offense, less than 2 grams of meth. Unlawful possession of meth precursor, 1st offense. Currently in Warren County Jail, transport order set for 9/8/15. Scott H Stewart, Driving DUI Suspended license-2nd offense. Pleaded not guilty, pretrial conference for 9/29/15. Woody D Woodson, License to be in possession, No/expired KY registration plate, No/expired registration receipt, Failure of non-owner/operator to maintain insurance/security, 1st offense, Giving officer false name or address. Pleaded not guilty to all, pretrial hearing 9/8/15. Quentin A Hornback, Failure to or improper signal. Operating on suspended/revoked operator's license. Pleaded not guilty to both. Pretrial conference for 9/29/15. After two cancellations, it's been a long time coming, but with good weather in the forecast, the annual Parks & Rec Freedom Fest Music and Fireworks is on it's way. Parks and Rec Coordinator Greg Hudson said not only are the fireworks and live music back on, they're also adding a cornhole tournament as well.
The event will still be held at Chalybeate Park this Saturday with cornhole beginning at 5pm, live music from Roosterfish at 7pm, and fireworks beginning at dark. If you're interested in entering the cornhole tournament, registration will begin at 4pm. Please call 270-991-3578 for more info. The event is free thanks to sponsors, EC Parks & Rec, The Edmonson County Lions Club, and Bank of Edmonson County.
UPDATE: "Roosterfish" will not appear due to a scheduling conflict, "Brian Alexander and the Throw-Togethers" will be performing instead. (FRANKFORT, Ky.) – The national campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs through Labor Day weekend and is aimed at reducing deaths and injuries caused by motorists driving drunk or impaired by drugs. During the 2014 Labor Day holiday, there were six alcohol-related highway deaths on Kentucky roadways. Statewide, law enforcement officers arrested 55 people for DUI during that same time period. The 2015 Labor Day enforcement period begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Sept.4 and extends through Monday, Sept. 7 at 11:59 p.m.
Kentucky State Police Operations Director Lt. Col. Mike Crawford encourages families to enjoy the holiday while also taking precautions to protect everyones’ safety. “We know there are going to be family celebrations during Labor Day where alcohol will be present, so your best bet is to always designate a sober driver before the parties begin,” says Crawford. “Make no mistake, our message is simple. If you are caught driving impaired, you will be arrested. We will be out in force to take drunk drivers off the road - and save lives that might otherwise be lost,” adds Crawford. In addition to statewide DUI enforcement, KSP will conduct statewide traffic safety checkpoints in an effort to enforce all traffic laws of the Commonwealth. Special detail will be paid to occupant protection (seatbelt adherence), vehicle safety, insurance compliance and registration violations. Citizens are encouraged to download the new KSP mobile app that allows individuals to report criminal activity confidentially or utilize the KSP toll-free number (1-800-222-5555) to report impaired or erratic drivers. The mobile app is available in both the Apple© and Google Play© stores free of charge and is titled ‘KSPOLICE’. Major Renovation Projects Coming To Cave, Tours & Attractions Will Undergo Temporary Changes9/2/2015 MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky., September 1, 2015 – Mammoth Cave National Park will remain open when two major renovation projects begin onTuesday, September 8, 2015: reconstruction of the cave trail along the Historic tour route; and upgrades to the concessions facilities at Mammoth Cave Hotel.
Beginning September 8: • The two-mile Historic tour will not be offered in its entirety until summer of 2016. The park has contracted with the Tradesmen Group Inc., of Plain City, Ohio, to reconstruct the 75-year old tourist trail built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. • The main lodge of the Mammoth Cave Hotel will close for upgrades to the electrical and HVAC systems, and installation of a fire/safety system. These utilities have not been changed since the hotel was built in the 1960s. The park has contracted with Lightsey Construction LLC of Forsyth, Georgia, for renovations of the concessions facilities. “The park will remain open and cave tours will continue,” said Superintendent Sarah Craighead. “Lodging, food service, and other concessions services will be available on a limited basis. There will be plenty of opportunities for visitors to enjoy the park.” To compensate for closure of the Historic tour: • Additional cave tours have been scheduled in other sections of Mammoth Cave. Eight Domes and Dripstones tours will be offered daily, as well as three Frozen Niagara tours, two Great Onyx tours, and a Grand Avenue tour. Crawling tours will be available on weekends. • On weekends, fall break, and spring break during the construction period, the park will open the Mammoth Passage or Discovery tours, which use a portion of the Historic route. To compensate for closure of the main lodge: • Forever Resorts will offer limited food service at the Caver Camp Store. • Gifts and souvenirs will be available at the Caver Camp Store and at the Forever Resorts outlet inside the park visitor center. • Lodging will be available in the Sunset Terrace Lodge, the Hotel Cottages, and the Woodland Cottages. Reservations must be made by telephone at 270-758-2225. Registration will occur at the Caver Camp Store. Lodging will close for the season on November 1, 2015, and reopen in March 2016. • Forever Resorts will continue to operate the bus transportation for cave tours, as part of its contract with the park. “We ask the public’s patience during construction,” added Craighead. “Improvements to the cave trails and the concessions facilities will allow the park to better serve our visitors and protect Mammoth Cave’s natural and cultural resources that are entrusted to our care.” Edmonson Voice Staff
Last year at this time, we were as nervous as could be as we watched to see if people would click on EdmonsonVoice.com. Our first day was very successful as we began to build EC's very first online news organization. Our main feature that day was our 2014 County Fair Preview and we began to add from there. The next night, although not a pleasant one, we broke the story of the Edmonson Health Center abuse case. We were the first news outlet to report it and that's what we've tried to do ever since, bring you accurate Edmonson County news and info before anyone else does. Even though today is our birthday, we're still at work and we have several updates to make to the site today. It might be a little later, though...Someone brought a cake. Well, you did it! We reached one million visits this afternoon and the numbers are still rising. Thanks to all of you that have made our first year a success. We continue to add around 30-50 new users each week and we're excited to see what the next year holds. We're lining up sponsors for our next year, so if your business would like to get on board Edmonson County's most popular news source, just send us an email. Coming up later in the week, we'll have a 2015 Edmonson County Fair Preview, ECHS Lady Cat Volleyball Updates, Football coverage and more community events and happenings. We'll announce our tshirt and hat winner sometime tomorrow. Remember to follow us on twitter, too (@edmonsonvoice) and (@wildcatslive) Thanks to everyone for your support and please continue reading EdmonsonVoice.com. |
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