MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky., November 30, 2016 – Superintendent Sarah Craighead announced today that access to the Green River at Houchin Ferry is closed due to the sudden drop of the level of Green River following the breach of Lock and Dam #6.  Park staff estimate the river level fell approximately nine feet at Houchin Ferry.  
 
“We are watching the river and observing the changes that have occurred over the last few days,” said Craighead.  “Our first concern is for visitor safety.  The ramp at Houchin Ferry no longer reaches the river.  The river bank is saturated with water and hazardous.”
 
Houchin Ferry campground and picnic area will remain open.  The park will reassess river access at Houchin Ferry in the coming months.
 
Park staff surveyed part of Green River and Nolin River on Tuesday.  They found the river banks to be extremely soft and muddy.  They encountered swift current in places that previously were still.  Downed trees blocked Nolin River above First Creek Lake.  
 
“It will take time for the river and its banks to stabilize,” said Bobby Carson, the park’s chief of science and resource management.   “The river is dynamic on an average day.  Now with this sudden change we are facing conditions we have not encountered before.”

Edmonson Circuit Court was held on November 21, 2016 where a Grand Jury returned the following indictments:

Johnny T. Burgess, Cultivating marijuana, five or more plants-Firearm enhanced. Trafficking in marijuana, eight ounces or more, less than five pounds-Firearm enhanced. Possession of drug paraphernalia-Firearm enhanced.

Keith Lockard, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Curtis Miller, Criminal mischief first degree. Driving on DUI suspended license. Leaving scene of accident.

Jessie W Johnson, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of marijuana less than eight ounces. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Tony Harper, Jr., Flagrant non support. Persistent felony offender first degree.

Kyle Smith, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Brian K. Green, Wanton endangerment first degree-police officer. Fleeing or evading police first degree-motor vehicle. Operating motor vehicle on suspended license. Persistent felony offender first degree.

Douglas Sanders, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of marijuana, less than eight ounces. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Speeding 25mph over limit.

​Travis Settle, Flagrant non support. Persistent felony offender second degree.

Richie D. Seabolt, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Travis Basham, Flagrant non-support.

Luis R. Downing, Wanton endangerment first degree. Criminal mischief second degree.

Calvin Dennis, Operating motor vehicle under influence of drugs or alcohol, first offense. Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Torture of dog/cat with serious physical injury or death.

Andrew Drees, Flagrant non support.

Fabian A. Romero, Assault first degree. Carrying concealed deadly weapon.

Sandra D Payton, Operating motor vehicle under influence of drugs or alcohol-aggravated circumstance. Wanton endangerment first degree. Possession of controlled substance first degree. Possession of legend drug. Prescription controlled substance not in original container. Possession of drug paraphernalia. Failure to provide insurance. One headlight.

Bobby Jo Hines, Jr, Rape first degree. Sodomy first degree (two counts). Incest. Persistent felony offender second degree.

Jason Murray, Flagrant non support.

​James K. Webb, theft by unlawful taking over $500. Receiving stolen property over $300. Tampering with physical evidence. Persistent felony offender first degree.

Joe Clark, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of controlled substance first degree. Prescription for controlled substance not in original container. Possession of drug paraphernalia.

John Adam Chapman, Possession of controlled substance first degree, meth. Possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Jimmy Bratcher, Theft by unlawful taking over $500. Receiving stolen property over $500. Tampering with physical evidence.

Rodney W. McNutt, burglary third degree. Tampering with physical evidence. Prescription controlled substance not in original container. Possession of controlled substance first degree-firearm enhanced. Possession of controlled substance third degree-firearm enhanced. Possesiion of drug paraphernalia-firearm enhanced.

Craig Troutman, escape second degree. Fleeing or evading police first degree, on foot. Burglary third degree. Persistent felony offender first degree.

Britani Willbanks, Flagrant non support. Persistent felony offender second degree.

Harold Durbin, Wanton endangerment first degree (two counts). Criminal trespassing second degree.

Dustin Wells, Sexual abuse first degree (20 counts). Rape first degree (six counts). Sodomy first degree (six counts). Incest (12 counts).

​Rich L. Jaggers, Knowingly exploit an adult, over $300. Theft by unlawful taking over $10,000. Possession of handgun by convicted felon. Tampering with a witness. Persistent felony offender second degree.

Tina Meredith, Knowingly exploit an adult, over $300. Theft by unlawful taking over $10,000.

William Wilson, Criminal mischief first degree. Wanton endangerment first degree. persistent felony offender first degree.

Mary (Johnson) Wilson, Flagrant non support.

Wesley Daniel Massey, Arson first degree. Arson second degree (three counts). Attempted arson second degree. Burglary second degree (four counts). Wanton endangerment first degree (41 counts).

Rachael S. Duncan, Arson second degree (three counts). Burglary second degree. Burglary third degree. Wanton endangerment first degree (40 counts).

Shirley Jaggers, Arson second degree (three counts). Burglary second degree. Burglary third degree. Wanton endangerment first degree (40 counts).

John Dennis "Richie" Woodcock, Arson second degree (4 counts). Burglary second degree (two counts). Burglary third degree. Wanton endangerment first degree (51 counts).

Dylan R. Ramsey, Arson first degree. Arson second degree (5 counts). Attempted arson second degree. Burglary second degree (5 counts). Burglary third degree. Wanton endangerment first degree (63 counts).

Tyler W. Hamilton, Arson first degree. Arson second degree (6 counts). Attempted arson second degree. Burglary second degree (5 counts). Burglary third degree. Wanton endangerment first degree (81 counts).

​An indictment is only a formal charge and is not an admission of guilt. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report
In a statement received earlier today, the Army Corps of Engineers has announced that the Green River Dam #6 is deteriorating. In the interest of public safety at the dam site, they are requesting the  public to keep out of the area and off the structures. Recreational boaters and those who canoe should stay clear of the area and not approach the upstream side of the dam.

The statement also said vertical lock walls are continuing to be undermined as well as the main dam concrete section.  These elements are likely to collapse in the near future. While low head dams always present dangers to recreational boaters, the current condition of the dam is hazardous.​

As a result, the water level at Houchins Ferry has dropped immensely. From the Edmonson Voice photos above, you can compare the current water level with where it should be, which is up near the orange barricades. The boat ramp at Houchins Ferry will remain closed until further notice.

by Darren Doyle: 
A wet road was listed as a key factor in an accident on Brownsville Road last night around 11:30pm that resulted in a vehicle crashing through a home.

Officials said Justice Drees, (17) of Brownsville, lost control of a 1987 Jeep Comanche pickup rounding a curve. The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office said the vehicle spun around, left the roadway, traveled through the front yard and eventually crashed through the wall and into the living room of Bobby Kerr's house.  

Mr. Kerr said he was away visiting a family member in Louisville at the time of the accident. He also said he normally would have been home and probably in the living room. "Nobody was hurt so it could've been a lot worse," he said.

Officials said that Ms. Drees was wearing her seat belt at the time of the accident and was not harmed in any way, not even a scratch. 

Warren Rural Electric was also dispatched to the scene to cut power to the home as a precaution until a qualified electrician could make sure the home was safe for power.

Also responding was the Chalybeate Fire Department.

​Wesley Daniel Massey, 20, of Brownsville was charged with:

• Arson 1st degree
• Arson 2nd degree (three counts) 
• Attempted Arson 2nd degree
• Burglary 2nd degree (four counts)
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (forty-one counts)

​John Dennis "Richie" Woodcock, 20, of Ambassador Shores was charged with:

• Arson 2nd degree (four counts)
• Burglary 2nd degree (two counts)
• Burglary 3rd degree
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (fifty-one counts)

​Tyler W. Hamilton, 20, of Brownsville was charged with:

• Arson 1st degree
• Arson 2nd degree (six counts)
• Attempted Arson 2nd degree
• Burglary 2nd degree (five counts)
•  Burglary 3rd degree
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (eighty-one counts)

​Rachael S Duncan, 18, of Sweeden was charged with:

• Arson 2nd degree (three counts)
• Burglary 2nd degree
• Burglary 3rd degree
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (forty counts)

​Dylan R. Ramsey, 21, of Brownsville, was charged with:

• Arson 1st degree,
• Arson 2nd degree (five counts)
• Attempted Arson 2nd degree
• Burglary 2nd degree (five counts)
• Burglary 3rd degree
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (sixty-three counts)

​Shirley M. Jaggers, 18, of Sweeden was charged with:

• Arson 2nd degree (three counts)
• Burglary 2nd degree
• Burglary 3rd degree
• Wanton Endangerment 1st degree (forty counts)

by Darren Doyle:
The Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted to postpone the paying of a bill from a local contractor once again because the contractor, Starnes Construction, was not present at today's court meeting.

"I say we pay this bill," said Judge Executive Wil Cannon. "Starnes Construction subcontracted this out to another contractor and I don't know that he's been paid. I'd hate for him to do the work out there and not get paid. The deal we made with Starnes had nothing to do with the subcontractor, so I say we pay it and move on."

A motion was made by Magistrate Edd Rich to pay the bill in the full amount of $2326.04 but the motion did not receive a second and therefore died.

There has been a disagreement between the Edmonson County Fiscal Court and Starnes Construction as to whether the court owes the bill for drainage work performed by the company in August of this year. Several members of the court say the work done should fall under a guarantee given by the company but the company says the work done was not part of the original deal. Don Starnes, owner of the company has also recently said that the court could do away with the bill if they didn't feel like they should pay it.

A brief discussion was held to see if the court could find out if the subcontractor had been paid for his work. If so, several magistrates alluded to the fact that they'd be in favor of not paying the bill; however, if the subcontractor had not yet been paid, the court would discuss the bill at the next meeting.

A motion was made and seconded to postpone payment again until the subcontractor had been contacted. All voted in favor except for Mag. Edd Rich, who opposed.

by Darren Doyle:
Edmonson EMS Director Keith Sanders reported to the fiscal court today that the ambulance service has now implemented another full time ambulance crew after 4pm, meaning that two full time crews are now available from 8am until midnight.

Until recently, only one crew was immediately available after the regular 8AM-4PM shift, causing the ambulance service to have to call in an emergency crew if the on-call crew was on a run. This caused longer response times and hefty overtime costs for the ambulance service.

"We could see that we were getting about as many calls after 4pm as we were before, so instead of paying overtime for the same service and causing longer response time, we decided it would be best to add a second crew full-time from 4pm to midnight."

Sanders said while safety has always been the EMS service's concern, there was no reason to have an additional full-time crew just sitting at the ambulance service for an entire shift if they weren't needed. He said an ambulance has always been available 24/7, but after normal shift hours a crew has to be called in, much like the same way firefighters are called in.

The addition now allows two full-time ambulance crews to be available from 8am to midnight everyday. 

"We will always put the safety of our citizens first," he said. "But some people don't realize we have to operate as a business. We have to make sure we're making good business decisions, too. With the addition of another full-time crew after 4pm, it's still cheaper than paying all the overtime we were getting into. This just allows us to have faster response times and we feel it will be better for everyone in the long run."

The fiscal court also approved a letter on behalf on the ambulance service, requesting a KBEMS Ambulance Service Block Grant in the amount of $10,000. Director Sanders said it's basically a guaranteed grant for the ambulance service but the court must approve the letter asking for the grant. The court approved unanimously.

by Darren Doyle:
The Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce has announced the launch of it's brand new local business promotional program "Shop EC," just in time for the Christmas shopping season.

The purpose of Shop EC is to encourage shoppers to purchase items here in Edmonson County. Gift certificates from local retailers and businesses can be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce office, located in the courthouse as well as PBI Bank and Bank of Edmonson County.

"We have some really great businesses, products, and services right here in Edmonson County," said Chamber Director Rhonda Clemmons. "You don't have to drive to Bowling Green or other places for great gift ideas. You can simply visit our office or one of the banks and purchase your certificate good for any local Chamber of Commerce business for any amount $25 and up."

Here's how it works for purchasers: You simply go to the Chamber office, PBI Bank, or Bank of Edmonson County and ask for the "Shop EC" program. You choose one or more retailers or businesses from the list of Chamber Members and select the amount of each certificate ($25 and up). The purchaser is issued individual certificates made out to the business(es) and serve as a check. An individual can pay for their goods or services directly at the business using the certificate.

For businesses, it works like this: You simply deposit your certificate as a check at your local bank as the certificate is actually a check made out to your business with a routing number. There is no service fee for either the purchaser or the business and all the money stays in Edmonson County.

The Chamber said they're working on expanding the program for online purchases, but that will be down the road as they work to make the program as efficient as possible. 

You can visit the Chamber of Commerce website by clicking here.

by Darren Doyle:
Edmonson County Jailer Hank Vincent expressed his frustrations to the fiscal court with what he calls a "broken system" as Edmonson County government seems to continually be on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills for county inmates, some of which Vincent feels shouldn't be the county's responsibility. Vincent shared more information with us after today's fiscal court meeting.

"Last night we had an inmate at the Hart County Jail that fell and sustained injuries to his face and head," Vincent said. "He was taken to the emergency room and they're now looking to see if he needs a surgeon. He's in jail for a state parole violation. We're talking about thousands of dollars in medical bills here. We're not saying the inmate didn't need medical attention, but according to his charges, he should be classified as a state inmate, not a county."

Vincent said he has a great working relationship with Hart County Jailer Israel Bergenson and that the jail has been good to Vincent's office and Edmonson County. He feels like the problem lies within red tape associated with delayed paperwork or simple missed details. He said the status of last night's inmate was changed to a state inmate today, but since the classification was county last night when the event occurred, the county must pay.

He also gave an example of another inmate from a few weeks ago that already suffered from various health problems. "Here's an inmate that had joint and mobile problems anyway," Vincent said. "The inmate stumbled and fell and was sent to the emergency room, underwent a Cat Scan, and I believe had some drug testing. The total bill was $4,383, which was dropped to the Medicare rate of about $3300. All this time she should've been classified as a state inmate, according to her charges, but the system said she's a county inmate."

The fiscal court voted to put the bill on hold until the correct classification of the inmate could be verified.

Vincent said there are also paper trails between the court and jail systems and that there are multiple possibilities of mix-ups, but until those mix-ups are found and remedied, the county is at the mercy of the system.

Another frustrating issue is that jailers also have to often baby-sit inmates as they're transported to hospitals, most of the time for bogus reasons. The manpower, fuel, and time costs are additional expenses that have to come from an already strapped jailer's budget. Vincent said he's even heard inmates bragging about how they plan on being admitted to a hospital when in fact, there was nothing wrong with them.

"We also have inmates that do nothing but abuse the system," he said. "We had a thirty-something year-old male who was in good health that all the sudden grabbed his chest and complained of chest pains. There wasn't a thing wrong with him. As a deputy jailer was putting him in the car, the inmate just flopped on the ground and said his arms were broken. Well, he had to go to the hospital and have an X-Ray. Of course, there wasn't anything wrong with him and they sent him home."

Vincent said rather than pointing a finger at the jail, the focus should be on the system. 

"Every jail system has their own set of policies and practices when it comes to medical concerns and there's a liability issue there," he said. "I think things could be simpler if there was a state-wide policy or something that spells these things out. It's a very difficult situation."

Some have argued that if Edmonson County had a jail, some of these problems could be eliminated.

"Even if we had a jail, we'd still have to send some of these inmates to the hospital. It's just the way it is," he said. "I'm not sure where you can pinpoint these problems other than the inmates themselves. The red tape is what it is, and the county will continue to have to pay these bills until something major changes."

by Darren Doyle
The Edmonson County Fiscal Court voted to implement a county-wide 35mph speed limit on all county roads with the exception of those that are already listed at 25mph or 15mph.

County roads are all roads with green road signs and are not numbered. They are mostly considered side or secondary roads and are used mainly for residential and agricultural purposes. Those that are numbered like HWY 259, 101, and 743 for example, are state roads and will not be included in the new county ordinance. 

The roads that will be affected by the new ordinance are the ones currently listed at 45mph, which is currently the highest speed limit allowed on some county roads. As soon as the ordinances are drafted and approved and the signage is replaced, the new 35mph speed limit will be in effect.

Magistrate Joe Durbin says lowering limits alone won’t change drivers’ habits but said it was a needed start. He made the motion which was seconded by Mag. Mark Woosley and passed by unanimous vote.

Madison Doyle, story and photos:
Chilly temperatures didn't seem to bother hundreds of parade goers at the 2016 Lions Club Christmas Parade as they lined up and down the streets of Brownsville to grab some candy and a glimpse of the big guy himself, Santa Claus.

​This marked the first year that the Edmonson Voice had an entry in the parade as we featured the newly added "Voicemobile" to the lineup, winning the prize in the Commercial Division. Other winners included:
​
Overall Winner: Rocky Hill Baptist Church
Civic: Edmonson Co 4-H
Tractor: Dick Davis
Commercial: EDMONSON VOICE: The Voicemobile
Horse: Clara Childress
Horse drawn: Carl Reed
School/Misc: Big Reedy Wreath (no schools entered the parade)
Antique Car: Sherry's Red Roof BBQ
Emergency Vehicle: Bear Creek VFD

Enjoy some of the highlights below in our slideshow:

(MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. – November 23, 2016)  November marks the end of the season for certain services at Mammoth Cave National Park, including the picnic area and campgrounds.
 
The picnic area, Maple Springs Group Campground and Mammoth Cave Campground (near the visitor center) will be closed December 1, 2015, through February 28, 2016.  
 
Houchin Ferry campground will remain open through the winter.  Backcountry campsites on the north side of Green River are available year round.

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. The Honorable Judge John M. McCarty presiding.

Jason Vincent, Operating vehicle with expired operator's license. Proof shown, dismissed.

Stephen T. Jones, No/expired registration plates. No/expired KY registration receipt. Proof shown for both counts, both dismissed.

Keith C. Wallingford, Obscuring the identity of a machine $500<$10,000. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial hearing 12/6/16.

Ryan Colbert Alvey, Possession of controlled substance-first degree-first offense-meth. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Continued 11/29/16.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report
A stolen vehicle reported out of Elizabethtown was recovered in Edmonson County on Friday, November 18, 2016, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

Officials said that the sheriff's office and Kentucky State Police responded to a drug complaint on New Grove Road in Chalybeate on Friday. Authorities said while investigating, they discovered a 1998 Ford F150 at the property with a license plate that was registered to a different vehicle.

It was also reported that all the VIN plates had been removed except the one on the dash, but a portion of the windshield had been spray-painted black to hide the plate. Officials said that no arrests were made that night, but through further investigation in conjunction with the Commonwealth Attorney's office the next day, Keith Wallingford, 31, of Chalybeate was arrested and charged with Obscuring the identity of a machine over $500-less than $10,000, which is a class B felony.

Wallingford pleaded not guilty to the charge in Edmonson District Court on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. A pre-trial hearing has been set for December.

The case is still under investigation and the sheriff's office said that more arrests are pending regarding the theft of the truck.

Edmonson Voice Staff
The Kentucky State Police Post 3 Bowling Green has announced a possible phone scam that where someone is soliciting donations. 

According to KSP, people are receiving phone calls where the caller claims to be representing KSP Trooper’s widows and coming from a possible number of (270)426-9813. 

The Kentucky State Police is not affiliated with this number or entity. If you receive this or a similar call, simply hang up.

Bowling Green, KY (November 20, 2016)-  Thirty-three year old Charles W. "Cotton" Lindsey, who was being sought for the Murders of two people that were discovered in a burnt vehicle in rural Butler County on November 9, 2016, was located today, Sunday, November 20, 2016 by officers with the Bowling Green Police Department in the limits of Bowling Green where he was taken into custody without incident and then relinquished to Detectives with the Kentucky State Police Post 3 Bowling Green.

Lindsey has been arrested and lodged in the Butler County Jail on a warrant where he was charged with Murder.

The investigation is still ongoing and being led by Detective Graham Rutherford.  No other details are available for release at this time.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
The Brownsville Police Department and Edmonson County Sheriff's Office responded to 411 S. Main St in Brownsville of what was first reported as a stabbing on Saturday, November 19, 2016 around 4:30pm along with Edmonson EMS, District 2 Constable, and local first responders.

Emergency personnel on scene said Thomas Davidson was apparently hit over the head with a glass plate, which caused severe injuries. Officials confirmed that one woman has been arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Davidson was transported to the Medical Center in Bowling Green by ambulance for injuries sustained in the alleged assault by a woman that fled the scene.

An earlier version of this story had an incorrect name listed as one person arrested, but officials said that person has not been arrested, but is wanted in connection with the assault. More arrests could be pending.

No other information is available at this time.

Darren Doyle story, Debbie Doyle, photos
Long time member and Fair Board Chairman of the Edmonson County Lions Club Mike Blanton was honored at last night's annual Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner with the 2016 "Friend of Edmonson County" Award.

The event was co-sponsored by the Edmonson County Tourism Commission. Several residents and businesses were presented certificates for volunteer work with the tourism board's booth at this year's Kentucky State Fair. 

Blanton, who has served the Lions Club for over 20 years recently retired as Fair Board Chairman and Coordinator both the Fair Day and Christmas parades. He has played an integral part of the Lions Club charitable events and causes over the years including the Christmas Angel Adoption program, Coats for Kids-benefiting local Head Start Students, and countless examples of helping those in need. 

Blanton was completely surprised by the award as he walked to the podium to accept the engraved plaque in front of a standing ovation.

"Ya'll didn't have to do this," he said, humbly. "I wasn't expecting this, but thank all of ya'll very much."

​Also recognized at the event was Chamber and Tourism Director Rhonda Clemmons for her outstanding work throughout another year of Chamber and Tourism events. Clemmons was honored for her regular work but also countless hours of behind the scenes attention she provides to necessary details in order to help both programs run smoothly. Clemmons was also humbled by the recognition.

ServPro was honored by the Chamber of Commerce with the Business of the Year Award for their numerous charitable donations in Edmonson County this year while Maurita Miller took home Citizen of the Year Award for her contributions to the Wiley Willis Veterans Memorial Wall project.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
A full house was on hand at the annual Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce Dinner held November 17, 2016 at Mammoth Cave Hotel.

Attendees enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the addition of wonderful salads, country ham and biscuits, and delicious desserts as ServPro of Butler, Hopkins, Ohio, Muhlenburg & Edmonson Counties was honored with the Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award. 

The local franchise of the national fire and water cleanup and restoration service was given the award based on several factors, the main one being their contributions to multiple Edmonson County charities and events all year long. They played large roles in helping local fire departments, Edmonson County schools, PAWS, and the Chamber, to name a few.

Maegan Hance, a member of ServPro accepted the award with great surprise.

"We appreciate this so much," she said. "This is certainly something we weren't expecting, thank you all so very much." 

Mrs. Maurita Miller was honored as Citizen of the Year for her outstanding work and effort on the Wiley M. Willis Veterans Memorial Wall, built in conjunction with the Edmonson County Fiscal Court. Miller took the lead as coordinator of the wall and put in countless volunteered hours to help oversee the entire courthouse square project.

She became emotional as she thanked the Chamber and those in attendance, giving honor to the veterans along with several other businesses and individuals for their contributions to the project. 

​"I'm just proud to be an American," she said as she closed to a standing ovation.

Darren Doyle, story and photos
Local emergency officials responded to a 9-1-1 call this morning from two fisherman who said they saw a man clutching to a log in the middle of the Green River near the city park boat ramp. 

According to the Sheriff's Office, the unnamed fishermen said the man was "acting crazy and hollering for help," but refused to help the man. Officials said they were told by the fisherman "No, we're not putting a crazy guy in the boat with us, you need to send somebody down here." Sheriff Shane Doyle said the fishermen were asked if they could keep an eye on the man until help arrived and they said, "Ok, but we're going to keep on fishing."

Sheriff Doyle said the man couldn't be located when rescue personnel arrived and there was fear that the man had drowned.

It was reported that the Sheriff, paramedics, Emergency Management, and first responders began searching the area, along with local volunteer A.B. Webb, who furnished his own boat to transport members of the Kyrock Fire Department down the river in attempt to locate the man.

Emergency radio traffic indicated that several calls were made to dispatch with reports of a shirtless man in jeans running around the Washington Street. 

Sheriff Doyle eventually saw the man, Jerry Matthew Napier (28) of Brownsville sitting on the sidewalk in front of Gravil Funeral Home. After speaking with the man, Sheriff Doyle said he suspected that Napier was under the influence of a controlled substance.

Sheriff Doyle said he asked Napier how he ended up in the river and Napier replied, "I used to swim in the river in November when I was a kid and I wanted to do it again." Doyle said apparently now that he's older, he's unable to swim as effectively as he once could.

Doyle said that when he told Napier he was going to be taken to the Sheriff's Office for a drug test, Napier then requested to go to the hospital for fear of hypothermia. He was transported to the Medical Center by Edmonson EMS. 

Officials said that Napier was released earlier this year from prison on parole on a charge of trafficking in controlled substance.

The Sheriff said the investigation will be turned over to Kentucky Probation and Parole once Napier is released from the hospital.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report
What began as a simple traffic stop for an expired license plate turned out to be much more, thanks to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office new certified K-9 Unit "Tango."

Officials said local officers stopped a car Wednesday night around 10pm in Brownsville for an expired license plate. It was discovered that the driver, Leila McCrady (28) of Lindseyville was wanted on an outstanding warrant in Warren County for second degree robbery.

After Brownsville Police officers handled the warrant issue, authorities said McCrady admitted to using meth a couple before. Tango was then deployed in and around the vehicle when the K-9 unit indicated the presence of narcotics in the passenger's side area where officers located a meth pipe with suspected meth residue inside, tucked away in a pocket of a jacket.

​McCrady was arrested and charged with Possession of a controlled substance first degree-first offense (meth), drug paraphernalia-buy/possess, Failure of owner to maintain insurance, No KY registration plates, and No KY registration receipt.

"There were a ton of personal items inside the vehicle," said Deputy Jordan Jones, who serves as the handler for Tango. "We might not have found the meth and paraphernalia without Tango's help." Jones said Tango was rewarded for his excellent work. The purchase of Tango was made possible entirely through donations.

Authorities also reported that McCrady was just released from the Grayson County Detention Center at the beginning of the week on a shoplifting charge. 
​
She was transported and lodged in the Hart County Jail where she is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.

Darren Doyle, story
If you've been contacted by "Agent Mariah Richards" through Facebook or by phone regarding the "lifetime opportunity you've been waiting for," be advised that this is in fact, a scam. How do we know? The profile picture for this account is not Agent Mariah Richards. In fact, it's actually Lisa Booth, branch manager for the Bank of Edmonson County in Smiths Grove. We know this because the profile picture is one of our copyrighted photos that was taken and published in the Edmonson Voice on September 24, 2015.

We spoke with Ms. Sarah Scatt Brianne in New York, who was able to discover that the photo and Facebook page was fake and contacted the Bank of Edmonson County.

"I was contacted by a telemarketer this morning who asked me if I'd received the information that had been sent to me regarding their free government loan programs and mortgage opportunities," Ms. Brianne said. "I told them that I hadn't, but started asking them more questions about their programs. I asked for a website, a phone number, or address that I could research, but all they gave me was a Facebook page. I knew government programs didn't operate under a Facebook alone so I did some digging around."

She said she visited the Facebook page, "Agent Mariah Richards," but thought that the profile picture looked off for some reason. 

"It just looked to me like a business profile picture for a company website, or something that would be in a business directory, not a government organization, so I did a reverse image lookup."

She said she downloaded the profile picture on her phone and Googled the phrase "reverse image search." She was able to use three different sites that allowed her to take the downloaded profile pic (of Lisa Booth) and trace it back to the original Edmonson Voice article from 2015. 

"I read the article and saw the bank's phone number listed where I contacted them immediately."

Bank of Edmonson County CEO Michelle Coleman confirmed that the bank had been contacted by Ms. Brianne and the Edmonson Voice's photo of Lisa Booth had, in fact been used without permission.

Ms. Brianne also said that through more research, she contacted the FBI and shared the same information.

"The FBI told me that if anyone suspects any type of internet scam to visit IC3.gov to report it."

It is important to note that while internet photos can be easily downloaded and used without permission, all photos and content published on the Edmonson Voice is property of Edmonson Voice LLC and may not be used without permission. If you'd like to use our photos or info for any reason, just contact us and ask. We grant permission all the time, but this is our content and we have the right to protect it.

Our photos have been stolen and used by others, even other news agencies in the past and we've had some unpleasant conversations to remedy those situations. Even though people think it can sometimes be a victim-less crime, photos from the internet can be easily traced, as proven by Ms. Brianne, and those using content without permission can be found in violation of copyright laws.

We encourage you to visit the Facebook page "Agent Mariah Richards" and report it to Facebook as spam.

We asked Ms. Brianne about her background and why she went to the trouble of going through each of those steps. She told us she just felt like she needed to. She's also studying to become a lawyer. 

​Sounds like someone you'd definitely want on your side.