Patton Funeral Home has announced that the 2019 Holiday Memorial Candlelight Ceremony scheduled for this Sunday, November 17, 2019 has been cancelled due to a family tragedy. 

Activities planned for this year's ceremony will be included in the 2020 program.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
For a tiny town that doesn't have a stoplight, Brownsville and Edmonson County knows how to have a big-time event. They've once again shown that they know how to care for their own with another record-breaking year at the annual Santa's Helping Hands, INC. benefit auction, which was held this past Saturday at the Community Center.

Over $50,000 was raised at the auction (auction items plus food sales and item raffles), which bested last year's event by more than $9K. Organization co-founder Mark Wardlow said all the credit goes to the community that supports the event, which in turn, supports Edmonson County's own needy seniors and children.

"We can get all the items, cook all the food, and work to put everything together, but that would mean nothing without our community showing up and making the difference that they do every year," Wardlow said. "We were blessed with good weather, which brought out a huge number of people that opened both their hearts and their checkbooks. A good time was had by all, and our volunteer auctioneers kept the mood lively and entertaining."

Wardlow said he tried to list all the businesses, organizations, and individuals that donated items or helped in any way, but the number quickly became to large to manage; however, he noted some of the largest auction items that sold on Saturday.

They included a handmade miniature barn with accessories donated by Dennis Basham  ($3,000), a signed Pete Rose jersey donated by Scott Lindsey of Rafferty’s ($3,000), UK vs U of L tickets donated by State Rep Michael Meredith ($2,700) and a signed Mickey Mantle item donated by Scott Lindsey of Rafferty’s ($2,500). Also included were two leather recliners and a leather couch donated by Jacob’s Furniture ($2,200).

Wardlow also credited the large amount of volunteers that work behind the scenes that put in countless hours to gather donated items,  set up the community center, prepare food and helped clean up after the event. He also wanted to thank the volunteer auctioneers, Jake Keith and Jeremy Spainhoward.

"This year has been a huge success for us with our golf tournament, raffles, and obviously our auction--but again, without the support of our county and all the volunteers, this would not be possible," he said.

This year's total that included the year-long activities directed by SHH, INC. volunteers is somewhere in the neighborhood of $60,000, Wardlow said.

"Also for those interested in shopping with us, the shopping date is set for December 1st a 3:00pm," he added. "We always meet in the garden center of Wal-Mart on Morgantown Rd, which is the same place we have been for 15 years now. We encourage you to come out and help us shop. The more the merrier for us."

Santa's Helping Hands, INC. is a local non-profit organization run by Edmonson County residents which all work voluntarily. Team members work all year long to raise money and to prepare for the annual auction.

​Josh Boyd, column and photo:
Excitement is building among many groups of outdoorsmen and women, in Edmonson County and surrounding areas, in anticipation for the upcoming opening day of the state’s modern gun season. We are mere days away from what is regarded by many as the high-point of the Kentucky deer season.
 
Saturday morning will see an army of camo and hunter orange clad hunters enthusiastically take to the woods in hopes of filling the freezer. Some will experience success, others will come away empty handed, but all will make memories. Even if a hunter does not harvest a deer, the camaraderie that is shared, and the stories that are recounted among fellow outdoorsmen undoubtedly make this a wonderful time to be a hunter.
 
Of added advantage is the fact that this weekend hunters will be taking to the woods during one of the most noteworthy and awe-inspiring portions of season to be afield, the rut. As bucks travel wherever necessary in search of available does, hunters are poised to experience fast-paced action and highly elevated levels of deer movement.
 
One distinctive quality of this noteworthy portion of season is that hunters gain the ability to make their own luck by attempting to take advantage of a buck’s love-struck and aggressive tendencies. Using calls, scents, and even a decoy in open areas can be of benefit during the rut, as all these tactics carry weight when playing off a buck’s natural instinct to assert his dominance.
 
Hunters can use several different methods when calling during the rut. One such method is using grunt or bleat calls to entice cruising bucks to investigate the underlying area. Likewise, rattling antlers can be used to peak a buck’s curiosity by simulating a dominance dispute within the herd. 
 
Scents can be utilized to a hunter’s advantage by luring a cruising buck in for a closer assessment of what has caught his attention. Doe-in-heat scents can be especially useful at this point of the season. Doe-in-heat scent piques a buck’s curiosity as they seek out any does within the area. This can be an effective strategy when used while hunting areas such as travel corridors and other high deer traffic locations.
 
A commonly overlooked, but often effective strategy when hunting the rut is to use a decoy. The use of a buck decoy can be an excellent way to catch a cruising buck’s attention. This strategy shines at its brightest when hunting open ground such as fields and open river bottoms. Upon sight, an attentive buck will typically come to check out the new “intruder” to the area.
 
An additional strategy when hunting the rut is to lengthen your time spent on stand. Contrary to other portions of the season when the bulk of the day’s deer movement is conducted during the first and last hours of daylight, deer movement during the rut can remain relatively prominent throughout the day. By planning an all-day sit on stand, or at the very least, staying afield a few hours longer, your chances of successfully harvesting a deer rise significantly.
 
As we close out the work week, thoughts will undoubtedly turn to the upcoming weekend’s adventures that await. With a little rut hunting know-how and a dose of luck, you will fill your tag in short order. Above all else, be safe and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Graves Gilbert Clinic's newest location was very crowded today despite cold and rainy conditions as they celebrated a ribbon cutting with the Edmonson County Chamber of Commerce.

The clinic says Melissa Baker, APRN will be the primary provider at Brownsville location under the collaboration of Pravin Avula, MD.

Chamber President Maegan Hance said the Chamber was excited for today's crowd at the event.

"Obviously we were hoping for nicer weather conditions, but we had a great crowd today anyway," she said. "We're so happy that Graves Gilbert Clinic now has a location here in Brownsville and it's an honor to welcome them to Edmonson County."

The clinic is located at 100 Park Place, Suite 6. Their hours of operation are Monday- Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. You can make an appointment or contact them by calling 270-597-8353.

Darren Doyle, story:
The annual Edmonson County Veterans Day Program is scheduled for Monday, November 11, 2019 at ECHS in the gym at 9AM.

This year's featured speaker will be retired Army Command Sergeant Major Kevin Engel, a Veteran of the Iraq War and a Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medal recipient. Kevin is also the VFW 5th District Commander and Brownsville VFW Post 6937 Senior Vice Commander.

The Voice of Democracy student winners from Edmonson County High School will also deliver their winning speeches as they received their awards.

The annual Veterans Breakfast, sponsored by Bank of Edmonson County, will also be available to veterans and their families at the high school, beginning at 7:45 AM. Ham biscuits, sausage biscuits, fruit trays, cookies, juice, and coffee will be served in the cafeteria. Students volunteers will be available to assist veterans and families.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:
The Edmonson County Cattleman’s Association was recently approved for the 2019 County Agricultural Investment Program, which is sponsored in part by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF).  Sign ups for the CAIP will begin on Monday, October 28 and end Tuesday, November 19, 2019.   Location for sign up will be at the Edmonson County Conservation Office, 100 Washington Street, Brownsville, Kentucky.  Office hours are Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Wednesday, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 
The following investments area will be offered:  (1) Agricultural Diversification  (2) Large Animal (3) Small Animals (4) Farm Infrastructure  (5) Fencing & On-Farm Water (6) Forage & Grain Improvement (7) Innovation Agriculture Systems (8)) On-Farm Energy (9) Poultry & Other Fowl (10) Technology & Leadership Development (11) Value-Added & Marketing.

All applications will be reviewed and scored based on the scoring criteria set by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board.  Money will be divided equally by the number of applications received and approved. 

For more information contact the Edmonson County Conservation Office at (270) 597-2761 or email [email protected]

​South Edmonson Elementary and Edmonson County Middle School partnered together to provide academic activities for kindergarten students on October 31, 2019

Eighth grade students planned math and reading activities, as well as various crafts and games for kindergartners, all while dressing in fun costumes to celebrate Halloween. ​