Darren Doyle, story:
An innocent ride on an ATV has drastically changed one Brownsville family's Thanksgiving plans after an accident on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

According to family members, Joey Moon hopped on an ATV on Saturday evening as his family and friends had gathered together for a meal. Joey drove the ATV out of sight when a friend, who was on the porch, noticed that the sound of the engine had stopped. Fearing that something was wrong, he headed in the direction of the ATV.

"He took off running towards Joey, caught up to where he was, he saw him laying there and ran back and got me," said Joey's wife, Whitney Moon. "My friend and I took off running out there to him. It was a pretty good piece from their house. He was laid on his back on the edge of the field, it seems he had driven through an electric fence, and the four-wheeler was laid on its top."

Whitney said Joey was unresponsive and the family called 911. Joey was taken by ambulance to the Kyrock Elementary parking lot then air-lifted to University of Louisville Hospital where he is currently in critical condition.

"He has a severe traumatic brain injury, they are talking long term recovery with therapy," said Whitney. "He has several small brain bleeds all over his brain. He is on a ventilator and feeding tube. They are doing stimulation every hour with him to see if he wakes up and responds to commands, etc. He has been off of the sedative since 10:00am yesterday morning. We have had to give him medicine to calm him down, and pain medication to keep him comfortable."

Another family member reached out to the Edmonson Voice and shared their Facebook support page, "Prayers For Joey Moon," where prayers, photos, messages, and donations can be shared. Updates are also available on the page. Several friends and family members discussed that Joey is the single income provider for their household. All the details are available through the Facebook page.

One family member, who wished to remain unnamed, said that while donations are appreciated, they are asking for prayers above all.

Whitney said that Joey has awakened twice this morning on his own and is recognizing and responding to her voice. 

"We have had so many reach out to us," she said. "I’m just overwhelmed with the love everyone has shown already. I’m thankful we live in a small town that people actually care."

Edmonson County Schools will be closed on Friday, November 16, 2018, according to Patrick Waddell, EC Schools Superintendent.​

"We have over 900 homes without electricity, and I know of several roads around the lake that we can’t run for sure, and we are having numerous accidents around the county," he said. 

"I don’t see this improving.  There will be no school in Edmonson County tomorrow, November 16th."
  
Supt. Waddell said his wish was for everyone to be safe if out on the roads tonight.

Edmonson District Court was held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. The Hon. Judge Joseph B. Hines presiding.

Annie Jewell Bush, Arson, second degree. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial hearing 11/27/18. No contact with alleged victim. 

Robert T. Trent III, Tampering with physical evidence. Possession of controlled substance-first degree-2nd offense (meth). Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Pleaded not guilty to all. Pretrial hearing 11/27/18.

Matthew Daniel Thompson, Possession of marijuana. Drug paraphernalia-buy/possess. Guilty. Total fines and costs $154.

Kimberly Ann Deering, Possession of controlled substance-3rd degree-drug unspecified. Controlled substance prescription not in original container first. Pretrial conference 12/11/18.

Michelle Trent, Controlled substance prescription not in original container. Pleaded not guilty. Pretrial conference 11/27/18.

Patrick Nathan Blanton, Violation of KY EPO/DVO. Deferred. 

Thomas Matthew Minton, Speeding 23mph over limit. Failure to wear seat belt. Failed to appear.

Cody Wayne Vibbert, Careless driving. Not guilty. Review 1/8/19 for County Attorney Traffic School.

Gregory T. Houchens, Speeding 23mph over limit. Will attend County attorney traffic school. Failure of owner to maintain required insurance/security first. Dismissed with proof shown. Review 1/08/19.

Arron D. Miller, Reckless driving. Failure to produce insurance card. Failed to appear.

Joseph Charleston Jones, No/expired registration plates. Failure of non-owner operator to maintain required insurance first. Pleaded not guilty to all. Pretrial conference 12/11/18.

Dylan W. Bullock, Improper start from parked position. Dismissed by motion of county attorney. 

​Christina Irene Filback, Speeding 18mph over limit. No/expired KY registration receipt. Failure to produce insurance card. Pleaded not guilty to all. Pretrial conference 12/11/18.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
On Wednesday evening, a strong system of freezing rain caused outages that affected Warren RECC members across the eight-county service area. According to WRECC, approximately 7,000 members were without power at the peak of the event.

Ice and winds from the storm led to numerous downed lines and several broken poles.

"Crews worked through the night and will continue to work today until all outages have been restored," said WRECC's Kim Phelps in a statement. "In addition, crews from BGMU and South Kentucky RECC in Somerset have been dispatched to help aid in restoration."
 
Multiple local fire departments and first responders worked through the night to clear trees and limbs from roads. Superintendent of Edmonson County Schools Patrick Waddell announced this morning at 5:51am that school would be closed today, not because of slick roads, but because of hazardous conditions caused by the many downed lines and trees.

As of 8 am Thursday morning, Warren RECC has 173 outages with approximately 3,500 members without power. According to WRECC, there are still 851 Edmonson County customers without power. WRECC said they would have updates available from their social media accounts.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Mammoth Cave National Park is temporarily closed November 15, 2018 due to multiple downed trees across park roads. The closure includes cave tours, the visitor center, the Lodge at Mammoth Cave, roads and all park offices. 
 
Mammoth Cave National Park road crews have made significant progress in clearing roadways and reopening facilities after multiple trees fell and blocked park roads in the early hours of Thursday. The park visitor center, roads, Green River Ferry, park offices, and the Lodge at Mammoth Cave will open to the public at 10:30 am this morning. Cave tours may be available on a limited basis.

For up to date information about park road status visit us on our website, www.nps.gov/maca, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
 
For updated information on ferry operations, please phone (270)758-2166.
For updated information on park roads, please phone (270)758-2165.
For general park information, please phone (270)758-2180.

Edmonson County Schools will be closed on Thursday, November 15, 2018 due to hazardous road conditions in some parts of the county.

Some areas of the region saw up to a half inch of ice Wednesday night through the early morning hours of Thursday.

Edmonson County High School honored local veterans as well as those across the world today at the annual Veterans Day assembly, which was highlighted by the Voice of Democracy speech winners.

The ECHS FFA chapter welcomed guests and handed out programs and buddy poppies to all that attended. The crowd stood at attention as the colors were presented by the ECHS color guard, then remained standing as FFA member Hunter Ashley led the Pledge of Allegiance. The ECHS band then played the National Anthem. They also played "America the Beautiful" later in the program, along with a medley of songs from each of the Armed Forces.

Opening remarks were made by FFA members Jarrod Sanders, Laura Wilson, Savannah Lindsey, and Sha Vincent. All veterans in attendance were asked to stand and be recognized as each conflict was called, dating back to WWII.

The Voice of Democracy winners then delivered their speeches; with third place winner Lainey Alexander taking the podium first, followed by second place winner Macie Glass. First place this year went to Keylee Saling, and as the other contest winners did, much of the speech focused on the importance of voting, those who sacrificed in order to bring voting rights to all people over the years, and how we must never fail to properly use the right to vote.

This year's guest speaker was Lt. Colonel Floyd Houston, U.S. Marine Corps Retired, and Commander of local VFW Chapter 6937. Col Houston discussed some of his military history and experience, brought two very emotional prints and discussed their impact on him, and addressed the students in the crowd.

"It always makes me feel good to see bright faces like yours," he said. "It assures us that America will go on for at least one more generation."

FFA member then gave closing remarks and the program concluded. Most veterans in attendance stayed and fellowshipped with other veterans and their families and friends. 

Superintendent of Edmonson Schools Patrick Waddell was also in attendance at today's event.

"It's always been important to recognize and honor veterans in Edmonson County schools," he said. "All our schools have had some type of program for this occasion. I was glad to see the effort put into today's program at ECHS and to hear our student and guest speakers. It's our hope that our students, faculty, administration, and staff will continue to honor and appreciate our veterans."

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
For the fourteenth consecutive year, the Santa's Helping Hands charity event (formerly known as Santa's Secret Hands) grew once more, as Edmonson County's most popular local benefit organization drew people from all around at their annual charity auction, held on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Brownsville Community Center.

Not to sound like a broken record, but SHH, Inc., again, broke the record for the amount of money raised at both the auction and additional events throughout this year. Auction activities alone raised $43,000 on Saturday.

"Words can't describe how happy we are for this wonderful turnout and support from our community," said event coordinator Mark Wardlow. "This was overwhelming and we can't wait to put this back into our Edmonson County community."

Saturday's auction also included food sales, donations, and raffle ticket sales for a rifle and shotgun.

The group also hosted a golf cart raffle earlier in the year, along with a newly formed charity golf tournament. Overall, the group has raised $55,000 in 2018, which is another milestone in the group's achievements.

"We'd like to invite everyone to our annual shopping spree, which will be held on Sunday, December 2nd, at 3pm at Walmart on Morgantown Road, in Bowling Green," said Wardlow. "We'll meet in the garden center."

Wardlow and the other selfless board members work diligently all year round to ensure the success of the event, which in turn, means the difference for many needy Edmonson County seniors and children during the holidays.  

One can't have a discussion with Wardlow for very long until he either starts talking about the charity or just helping people in general.

"We're happy," said Wardlow. "Saying 'thank you' isn't enough, but this makes a big difference, so on behalf of everyone at Santa's Helping Hands, thank you."

Darren Doyle, story:
Edmonson County Fiscal Court met in the downstairs courtroom on Friday November 9, 2018 as a result of the regular Monday meeting falling on Veterans Day. The upstairs courtroom was occupied by other court activities.

Road Report: Assistant Road Foreman Greg Carroll said that crews will soon be moving into District 4. He said three bridges were underwater due to recent storms but are now okay. He also said some major work is being done on the paver. Discussion later in the meeting said costs could be upwards of $10K; however, that was better than spending $100K for a used paver.

Jailer Report: Deputy Jailer Todd Vincent reported there were 27 inmates currently housed in Hart County Jail, with one on home incarceration. He also said one car has been repaired while another one is still out of service. He discussed some recent medical bills for inmates that the county will have to cover. According to the bill list for this week's meeting, nearly $1300 was accrued in medical bills for inmates.

County Clerk: Kevin Alexander recapped the election process from Tuesday's general election. Overall voter numbers were up countywide 82 voters from the May primary, with all precincts up except for Kyrock. Total Absentees: 239 voted in the clerk's office, 64 submitted ballots. He said those numbers were up significantly since May, which was a total of 173.

Number of voters: he said in the primary, there were 3,000 voters, which was a 33% turnout, compared to 49%  in the general. More than 52% voted in District 1,  District 2 had 44.7%, District 3 had 43%, Kyrock had 48.4%, Lincoln was the lowest with 35.5%, and Bear Creek showed a 51.5%. He also mentioned the difficulty of finding poll workers, and this year they had some high school/college students participate as workers for the first time. He wanted to publicly thank them for their service. 

Parks and Rec: A.B. Webb, said that he had shut down the bathrooms for the winter in all the parks. He also said there had been more vandalism at Chalybeate, with the vandals stuffing paper into the toilets to clog them, along with stealing parts of the faucets. John Kiernan reported that they had another great year in soccer with 40 more kids in league. He commented on the recent Halloween on Square, which was the biggest ever. He said it was a good move to change the date as a result of the weather forecast, which he felt like drew the bigger crowd. He said little league basketball is about to begin with games starting the week after Thanksgiving.
​

​
​Judge Wil Cannon said that residents near Rock Castle shooting center are requesting berms to be installed around property, and have requested a county ordinance. County Attorney Greg Vincent said there is much to consider, according to law.

Cannon said because it’s a commercial shooting range, the county needed to consider an ordinance. He noted that everyone, including homeowners have to follow law regarding the use of firearms on their property (wanton endangerment possibilities). He said the court would research the options.

Judge Cannon also addressed apparent rumors of the county kicking out the backpack program from the county health department building, which he said were not true. He said the county is going to clean out some rooms at the facility to ensure there's enough room for supplies for the backpack program. 
 
James Simmons, a trustee of Hawks Cemetery, requested that the Hawks Cemetery Road be turned into a one-way street. Judge Cannon said property owners did not want this a few years ago but that the court will check again. Simmons said the road is too narrow for two cars that meet and recently a mower had to back a truck and trailer all the way back in order for an oncoming car to pass. Magistrate Buck Simmons confirmed that two property owners that have adjacent property to the cemetery didn’t want the change; however, they don’t live there.

Judge Cannon said the court would reach out to landowners to seek their input; however, Mr. Simmons appeared agitated at the comment. "Did you ask all the businesses on the street out here in front of the courthouse before you made it a one-way street (referring to Jackson St.)?" he asked. "What about Bowling Green? You think those folks ask everybody if it's ok with them?"

Simmons said there are no residents or driveways on Hawks Cemetery Road; that it's just the cemetery and some farmland. He agreed that the property owners of the area don't actually live there. Cannon again said he would contact the property owners.

As the meeting came to a close, Judge Cannon introduced three newly-elected magistrates that were in attendance. They will take office in January, which was District 2 republican Corey Vanmeter, District 6 republican James Vincent, and District 1 democrat Mark Meeks.

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 26th at 9am.

Darren Doyle, story:
At least two magistrates questioned Judge Executive Wil Cannon's recommendation to raise Edmonson County Parks and Rec's Program Administrator pay $1 per hour at today's fiscal court meeting; with one magistrate opposing the pay raise and another questioning the figures.

Judge Cannon recommended that Parks and Rec's John Kiernan's pay be raised from $12.24/hr to $13.24/hr, or an annual salary of $16,523.52. Cannon said that the Parks and Rec program has thrived since Kiernan took over in February of 2018 and that the pay increase was well deserved. 

The county has to keep Kiernan's position under 1200 yearly hours in order to stay exempt from retirement benefits, something the county does not pay to the part-time position. Currently, Kiernan is paid by the hour, for 24 hours per week; however, that exceeds the yearly hourly limit by by 49 hours (1248 total).

Cannon asked for an increase from $15,275.52 to an annual salary of $16,523.52, which he said was based on $13.24/hr for 1199 total yearly hours.

Magistrate Joe Durbin disagreed with the pay increase, citing examples of what he thought were unfair practices to other county offices. 

"Since he's been on the job, we've furnished him a truck, we've furnished him a cell phone, which the past park director did not get, and I think that's kind of unfair," Durbin said. "Any county employee that uses their phone should be compensated." He then asked the assistant county road foreman if he or any of the road department was reimbursed for personal cell phone use, to which the answer was "no."

"That's not really treating everybody fair," Durbin continued. Using the road department as an example, he said he guessed those guys conduct 75% of their business from their personal cell phones.

"One thing I've been about, in my position, and I instructed Ray (Page, road foreman) early on, I said if we can't do it for everybody, we're not going to do it for anybody," said Durbin. "The pay--you said we weren't going to start upping the rate of pay and John accepted that in that short of time. These guys, (he pointed to the asst. road foreman) and any county employee that's been on the job--some of them 15, 20 years--they sweat over that asphalt, they freeze in the winter months when they're out doing their work, we're not offering them anything besides the annual 2% increase. I just think it's unfair that if we can't do it for everybody, then we shouldn't be discussing it."

​
Cannon answered.

"If you remember right, we did it for everybody over the last four-year time period," he said. "We've given everybody at least a 50 cent raise per hour increase after they've been here for six months. The road department got a dollar an hour, on top of the 2% the year before last, I believe it was. So it's not like we haven't done it for others."

Cannon also the cell phone issue. He said Kiernan conducts 100% of Parks and Rec business from his cell phone. County Treasurer Tammi Willhite noted that it's because there is no landline for Parks and Rec like there is for other county offices. Cannon noted that fiscal court approved reimbursement to Kiernan earlier in the year. Fiscal Court voted to approve that upon proof of bill submission and an invoice, Kiernan would be paid $50 a month towards his phone bill. Disconnecting the park phone has saved $130.00 each month. That motion passed unanimously on June 25, 2018.

"You all agreed with me on that, and it's the same thing for the truck," Cannon said. "If we're paying an employee $12 an hour and he's having to drive to all the parks, all these events on his own dime, I thought that was unfair. For him, it's not just about getting in his car and driving to work then going home. He travels between the parks systems, the courthouse to conduct business, he goes to town to pick up materials for the park, it also helps pull lawnmowers at times. There's a lot of different reasons we bought the truck and again, we all agreed to buy the truck for those reasons. 

Durbin said he and other magistrates indeed agreed but said he didn't know the list was "going to go on and on."

"The truck was already lined up and was after-the-fact when it was brought to us, but still yet, I went along with it, but this pay increase, again, it's adding to what we're taking on in that parks and rec position, and John knew what the pay was 7 or 8 months ago when he took the position, and agreed to it. I don't see at this point it warrants an increase, myself."

Magistrate Mark Woosley said that when Kiernan was hired, nothing was ever mentioned about a pay increase after a certain amount of time and pointed out that the figures listed on today's agenda were not multiplied correctly. The agenda listed the requested salary amount of $16,523.52 but Woosley pointed out that 1199 hours at $13.24/hr equaled $15,874.76.

​​Treasurer Willhite then clarified the figures and said the $16k number was based on 24hrs per week, the number Kiernan currently works, at the new hourly rate of $13.24; however, under the pay raise, Kiernan would no longer be an hourly employee, but a retirement-exempt, part-time salaried employee. Cannon said the county has other part-time employees that are salaried and retirement-exempt.

At Kiernan's current hourly rate, if the county forced him to work a maximum number of 1199 hours, instead of the current 1248, Kiernan's yearly pay would decrease by $599.76. To counter that, Cannon wanted to change his employment status from hourly to salary, but base the pay on an increased hourly rate at his regular working hours. Changing Kiernan to salary would eliminate the need for keeping up with hours altogether.

Willhite noted that the request for pay increase should've been broken down into two different requests: 1. for Kiernan to be changed from hourly to salary with a pay increase, and 2. For notation, that the job requires working less than 1200 hours per year. She also noted that Kiernan actually works more than those hours because of his dedication to the program; however, he just doesn't turn in that time. 

Magistrate Woosley noted that magistrates use their personal cell phones, too but don't get reimbursed. Willhite said that's because magistrates are listed as full-time county employees with a $300 per month allowance for expenses. Magistrates are paid a base salary of $520.67 per month, plus the $300 for expenses for a total of $820.67 per month, plus retirement benefits and health insurance. Part-time employee receive no benefits or expense reimbursements.

She also noted that Kiernan's cell phone is the only advertised contact number for Parks and Rec and that magistrates have the option of advertising their personal cell phone numbers.

Magistrate Durbin said that Road Foreman Page also conducted most of his business from his personal cell phone and Cannon said that he was open to discussing reimbursement for Page's cell phone in a future meeting. 

Cannon said the court would table the issue until the next meeting. There was no vote on the item.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
A scary moment turned out to be fairly lighthearted after a Chalybeate woman drove through the front of Cee Bee Food Store today around 1:30pm.

Sharon Jacobs, who was driving a gold BMW sedan, said she was pulling into a parking spot directly in front of the building when suddenly her brakes didn't work. Her car went over curb, side-swiped a pillar,  and crashed through the front window.

When asked if she remembered exactly what caused the crash, "The Cokes were on sale, honey, I had to get inside," she said with a hefty laugh.

Store owner Jeff Rich said no employees or customers were close to the point of impact and he was able to first offer Mrs. Jacobs help.

"She got her necklace tangled up in a seat belt and she really didn't know what had just happened, but she started calming down pretty quick when she realized everything was ok," he said. 

Rich was helping other store employees clean up the broken glass, wood, and concrete blocks that were scattered about.

"This could've been so much worse, but no one was hurt and that's the main thing," said Rich. 

He said the front entrance will be framed up and boxed in as a temporary fix until all the windows can be properly replaced. He said the store will likely install steel dividers at the storefront to prevent this from happening again.

​Store employee Jason Hawkins said he was partially down an isle near on the right side of the store when he heard the crash.

"I thought a shelf had collapsed," he said. "I ran towards the front and then I saw it was car. I didn't know what to think."

The store is still open despite the mess. Even though a certain area is roped off, business was still active inside the store as employees took turns waiting on customers and cleaning up.

Emergency officials guessed that Mrs. Jacobs thought her foot was on the brakes when it was actually on the gas pedal; however, that was only a guess. All on scene were happy that no injuries were reported.

Mrs. Jacobs' son, Jeff Jacobs, a local business owner, was there with her. "Luckily, she's ok," he said with a grin. Mrs. Jacobs was laughing and joking with several friends in the parking lot. 

"Oh, I'm not sure what happened, I was scared to death," she said. "Oh, me..." she said laughing.

Jeff Rich said everything will be put back together as soon as possible but that business would go on as usual. 

"I've been wanting to put a drive-thru in, anyway," he said as several standing by laughed. "But seriously, no one was hurt and that's the key here. Everything is okay."

Assisting at the scene was the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, Brownsville Fire Department, and Edmonson EMS.

Here's how each district added up in the 2018 Edmonson County General Election. You can pause, move forward, and move backward in the slideshow below, just click an image for more.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
A Brownsville woman is facing a felony arson charge after she admitted to setting her own residence on fire, according to the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office said that fire departments were dispatched to the scene of a structure fire at a mobile home at 4103 Brownsville Road, across from Wells Road around 12:30am on Wednesday, November 7th.

David Bush, one of the residents, advised dispatch that his wife had started the fire and flames were visible from inside the mobile home. According to the Sheriff's Office, his wife, Annie Jewell Bush (40) of Brownsville, was found on scene by first responders and the smell of alcohol was present.

The Sheriff's Office said that Bush admitted that she had set a mattress on fire inside the mobile home, as a result of a verbal argument with her husband.

The 2018 General Election results for Edmonson County are now complete. Judge Executive Wil Cannon, Sheriff Shane Doyle, and State Rep. Michael Lee Meredith were each re-elected to their positions while half of the county magistrates are being replaced.

Republican Corey Vanmeter narrowly defeated Joe Durbin in District 2 by only five votes, republican James C. Vincent won over Chad Patton in the District 6 seat left open by Mark Woosley, and democrat Mark Meeks edged out incumbent Buck Simmons in District 1. 

Travis Madison won over Calvin Durham in the District 2 Constable race and republican Ben Minton won over Kenneth Smith for Constable in District 6. District 1 Constable came down to two write-in candidates, with republican Anthony Cobb defeating Brady Meeks with 67% if the vote.

Keith LaMastus narrowly defeated Jacqueline Snelling in the 5th Educational District board of education seat and all 6 seats available on the Brownsville City Council were filled by the only 6 that ran for the positions.

U.S. Congressman Brett Guthrie (R) won easily over democratic candidate Hank Linderman 161K votes to 76K statewide, while winning 77% to 21% locally.

​The remaining seats were those that ran unopposed.

Representative Michael Lee Meredith has been re-elected to the District 19 seat as he defeated democratic candidate William Fishback 9313 votes to 5832.

In Edmonson County, Meredith gathered 3,078 votes, compared to Fishback's 1,359. 

Meredith was first elected to the seat in 2011.

Districts 1 and 2 will now have new magistrates, with democrat Mark Meeks defeating incumbent Bennie "Buck" Simmons, 515 votes to 440 votes.

Corey Vanmeter squeaked by democrat incumbent Joe Durbin by only 5 votes. Vanmeter won with total of 373 to Durbin's 368.

​Republican James C. Vincent defeated Chad Patton 581 votes to 196, in the district 6 magistrate race.

We'll have the full precinct totals as they become available. 

Judge Executive Wil Cannon has been re-elected as Edmonson County Judge Executive, according to the unofficial results from the Clerk's Office.

Cannon's totals equal 2589 votes to Mark Woosley's 1917.

Full precinct totals will be published as they become available.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
The totals are coming in and are currently being tallied. Unofficial totals in the sheriff's race have been counted and Shane Doyle has unofficially been named the winner, defeating Democratic challenger Charles Pendleton 2699 votes to 1760.

The totals by precinct are as follows:
Lincoln
Doyle 301, Pendleton 252

Cedar Springs 
Doyle 186, Pendleton 89

Rocky Hill
Doyle 249, Pendleton 102

Kyrock
Doyle 403, Pendleton 295

Edmonson County Middle School
Doyle 375, Pendleton 233

Bear Creek 
Pendleton 389, Doyle 337

South Edmonson
Doyle 435, Pendleton 125

Wingfield
Doyle 179, Pendleton 147

Absentees
Doyle 180, Pendleton 102

Brownsville Electronic:
​Doyle 54, Pendleton 26

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
NWS Officials confirmed that a "brief tornado" touched down in Edmonson County on Monday night, around 10pm, at the intersection of Cedar Sink Road and Brownsville Road (HWY 259) on the inside border of Mammoth Cave National Park.

In addition, an NWS Damage Survey concluded that an axis of straight line winds started approximately 5 miles SE of Brownsville, KY near Highway 2325.

"In this area, many 1 to 2 foot diameter hardwood trees were uprooted, narrowly missing a residence," said the NWS in a release. "In addition, tarp roofing was ripped off a hay storage structure, destroying the metal framing that held it in place. Max winds were estimated at 78 miles per hour in this area. Some damage occurred to a tree in a field on the east side of 2325 as the path continued east."

The NWS said the survey crew was unable to reach the area between 2325 and the Mammoth Cave National Park border. However, sporadic damage likely occurred between the ridges and valleys. The end of the straight line wind path culminated in a tornado inside the park.

Local meteorologist Landon Hampton said the forecast played out as expected.

"I’m very happy that the worst of these storms occurred in the park instead of Brownsville," Hampton said. "It’s also nice that we had a few fine Edmonson County folks send us damage info, reports, and photos, so we could report to NWS."

​The National Weather Service would like to thank Edmonson County Emergency Management and Mammoth Cave National Park officials for their assistance.

Absentee votes are now being counted as the totals come in.
​ 
County Clerk Kevin Alexander has reported the following numbers:

Judge Executive:
Wil Cannon 172
Mark Woosley 116

Sheriff:
Shane Doyle 180
Charles Pendleton 102

State Representative: 
Michael Lee Meredith: 202
William Fishback: 85

District 2 Magistrate:
Corey Vanmeter: 34
Joe Durbin: 22

District 1 Magistrate:
Mark Meeks: 32
Bennie "Buck" Simmons: 28

Stay connected to the Edmonson Voice for more updates:
​

For more information, contact the clerk's office at 270-597-2624.

Darren Doyle, story:
Disgraceful acts of vandalism have continued at the historic Joppa Church, located in Mammoth Cave National Park.

As first reported from the Edmonson Voice, spray painted graffiti was discovered on the floor of the church on Sunday, October 28th. According to park officials, on Thursday, November 1, multiple windows were found broken or cracked.
 
"Unfortunately incidents of vandalism at Joppa Church and the other two historic churches is not rare," said Chief Ranger Lora Peppers. "It is very disappointing that this has occurred in a building that holds such a rich history for the local communities and the park. We are actively investigating the incidents, but do not yet know if the two acts are related."
 
In 2015 the Joppa Church was designated as a “day use area only” because of repeated vandalism observed at the structure. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as being representative of religion and funerary practices from 1900-1949. The current structure was built in 1900, and is still the site of annual gatherings, religious services and weddings.
 
It is unlawful to disturb or deface natural or historic resources within the park. Perpetrators may be sentenced up to 6 months in jail and or fined up to $5,000. Anyone with information as to the possible identity of the vandals is encouraged to call the ranger station at 270-758-2115 or park dispatch 270-597-2729.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
Edmonson County Clerk Kevin M. Alexander has announced that on General Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2018, the office will only conduct business related to the election. 

"Licensing and document recording will not be conducted that day, and deputies will be unavailable to assist customers as they will be helping with election activities," said Clerk Alexander in a statement.

The office will return to normal business on Wednesday, November 7, 2018.

Darren Doyle, story:
A deadly crash that claimed the life of a four-month old infant on Friday night has now claimed one more life, according to Kentucky State Police.

The Edmonson Voice has learned that Ruth Clemmons, (43), of Etoile has died as a result of her injuries sustained in the crash. She was transported to University of Louisville Hospital on Friday night and was listed in critical condition. According to KSP, she was pronounced dead at 6:30am this morning. She was the mother of the infant boy who was killed.

KSP also said that multiple felony charges are likely pending for the driver of the vehicle, James Settles, (54) of Glasgow. As earlier reported, an active meth lab was found at the scene, which was disposed of by the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office.  

None of the occupants in the vehicle, including the infant, were restrained at the time of the crash, according to KSP.

​Daylight Savings Time officially ends Sunday morning November 4, 2018 at 2 A.M., but most people will set their clocks back one hour tonight before they go to bed.  Don't forget, it's "Spring Forward" and "Fall Back," so please adjust your clocks back one hour tonight