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This story originally appeared in the Sept. 30 issue of the Community Voice. For the latest local and news, call 270-384-94564 for your online or print subscription.

Arrests were made Monday night after a burglary over a week ago at Diamonds on the Square in Columbia. Kyle W. Jones and Marly D. Arms, both of Columbia, were taken into custody Monday evening when officers spotted the pair at their residence on Hill Street, just off Tutt Street.

“I am so relieved,” said Ben Watts, who owns the jewelry store with his wife, Bridget. “Justice was served and it makes me feel good to know the public will know what really happened.”

City Police Officer Kevin Atwood said the burglar y happened sometime Saturday, Sept. 18 through Sunday, Sept. 19.

“Whenever you have something like this happen, you do have persons of interest,” Atwood said. “We followed up on those leads. Whenever you have a case at the beginning, it seems like you have a haystack the size of the world to find the needle in. That’s kind of what we’re doing.”

The use of social media helped solve the case. Ben Watts shared information about the theft on a private group page for jewelers.

“It paid off in Nashville. Some of the stolen goods were able to be specifically identified,” Atwood said.

Currently Jones is being charged with two counts of receiving stolen property, $10,000 or more, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Arms is being charged with receiving stolen property, $10,000 or more. Additional charges are possible. Both are lodged in the Adair County Regional Jail.

Watts said Jones is a former employee at the store.

Sgt. Evan Burton initiated the contact with the subjects Monday with several officers on standby. He said they believed there was a possibility there would be a firearm involved. He was able to get them out of the house and the two were taken into custody without incident.

“This took a lot of teamwork , from a lot of different people, and within this agency,” Burton said. “But we’ve still got a lot more work to do.”

A weapon was seized on the property, as well as two vehicles with money and stolen property in each vehicle, Atwood said. Other items were recovered at Green Hills Jewelry and Loan Store in Nashville. Burton said approximately three-quarters of the stolen property has been recovered, and there are also reports some of the stolen property may be in Alabama.

Watts estimated the total value of the items stolen to be between $250,000 and $300,000.

Atwood said apparently Jones climbed up a pole on the outside of the building and broke out a window on the second floor. He made his way downstairs and cleaned out the cases. Watts believes Jones crawled on the floor around the showroom cases to avoid the motion detectors. Atwood said he has no idea why the alarms did not go off.

Burton said there’s really not much Watts could have done different in the case. He said this is why it is so important for the community to realize they need to work together with law enforcement.

“We’re eager to get open,” Watts said. “We don’t know how long it will take. Officers Kevin Atwood and Evan Burton did an awesome job on this case. I can’t stress how appreciative I am.”

A gofundme account (the Watts family) was organized for Watts and his family to help offset his losses before the stolen items were recovered. Watts said his insurance coverage would not cover the majority of his loss.

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

This story first appeared in the Sept. 30 issue of the Community Voice. For the latest local news and sports, call 270-384-9454 for your online or print subscription.

While many people fully recover after becoming ill from Covid-19, the community was reminded this past week that the virus is indeed deadly.

Adair County lost seven people during a seven-day period ending Tuesday to Covid-19. Since Sept. 1, a total of 11 Adair County residents have lost their battle to the virus. New case numbers are in decline on a state level, with a seven-day average dropping to levels seen in August.

Gov. Andy Beshear listed eight deaths over the weekend of Kentuckians in their 30s and 40s and encouraged people in those age ranges and younger to get vaccinated.

The Lake Cumberland District Health Department did not provide age information for the people who have died in the district this month. They did provide a report from Tuesday that showed that 58 percent of the active Covid-19 cases in the district were people under the age of 50.

The health district has reported 30 deaths during a seven-day period on Tuesday and 98 deaths during September for the 10-county area. Of those 98 deaths, 88 people were not vaccinated and 10 people were vaccinated. The district has experienced 22,590 cases since the vaccine started becoming available, and almost 94.56 percent were unvaccinated.

Adair County residents continue to lag behind other counties in making the decision to vaccinate, with the state’s vaccination rate now at 60 percent but Adair County’s lagging at 37.71 percent. Taylor County has the highest rate in the district at 52.42 percent. Casey County has the lowest at 35.29 percent. Other county rates are Pulaski, 48.89 percent; Russell, 46.21 percent; Green, 41.08 percent; McCreary, 40.8 percent; Wayne, 40.42 percent; Cumberland, 40.26 percent; and Clinton, 37.99 percent.

Hospitals are reporting a decline in Covid-19 patients, although numbers in the intensive-care units aren’t dropping as fast, Kentucky Health News reported Tuesday. Kentucky hospitals reported 2,045 Covid-19 patients on Monday, 617 in intensive care and 399 on mechanical ventilation.

The hospital-cases number was 166 fewer than Friday. It went down 49 Saturday, fell by 117 Sunday, then stayed the same Monday. ICU numbers dropped to 608 Saturday, but rose to 609 Sunday and to 617
Monday. Patients on mechanical ventilation were 30 fewer on Monday than on Friday, Kentucky Health News reported.

Also, fewer hospital regions are reporting using more than 80 percent of their ICU beds, although two of them are reporting 100 percent capacity: Northern Kentucky and Lake Cumberland.

Beshear said the state has 104 ICU beds available and 68 of the state’s 96 acute care hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages.

This story first appeared in the Sept. 16 issue of the Community Voice. For your access to local news and sports, call 270-384-9454.

Fiscal court meetings usually start with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer, but prayer by magistrate Greg Caldwell during Tuesday night’s meeting included words for one of their own.

Magistrate Terry Hadley was flown to a Louisville hospital earlier that day after suffering from a medical condition.

Judge Executive Gale Cowan said following the meeting that family members said doctors had not yet diagnosed Hadley’s condition.

The meeting, held at the Jim Blair center to allow social distancing, lasted less than an hour with what appeared to be the most difficult decision coming during other business from the audience.

Around a dozen members of Adair County EMS attended the meeting and Chad Wheet, assistant director, asked the court to include their staff in a pay incentive to employees coming from American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The court is still finalizing details but has approved giving up to $5,000 to full-time employees and $2,500 to part-time employees who have worked through the pandemic. Wheet asked that the incentive also be provided to EMS employees.

“Our employees are about as essential as you can get,” Wheet said.

Magistrate Chris Reeder quickly responded, “I totally agree. These guys didn’t have an option to stay home or get behind a shield.”

Sammy Baker agreed with Reeder but Billy Coffey said he believed the court would be “opening a can of worms.”

The ambulance service is operated as a taxing district that was created by the county, but it operates independently with its own budget and its own authority to impose taxes. The pay scale for EMS employees is not determined by the fiscal court nor are employees paid by county funds.

Coffey questioned how the court would respond when other taxing districts or the fee-based utility district make the same request for their employees. The county’s independent taxing districts include the health department, library, extension, conservation and schools.

Caldwell suggested he would like to wait until they know more about the cost.

County Attorney Jennifer Hutchison Corbin was asked if this was a legal use of ARPA funds and she said she believed it could be done. All uses of ARPA funds are being reviewed by a consulting firm hired by the county.

Reeder made a motion to approve the funding and Baker seconded. The motion failed, however, with Harold Burton, Coffey and Caldwell voting no.

Magistrate Daryl Flatt, who is director of Adair EMS, left the room prior to the discussion to recuse due to the conflict of interest. In addition, Reeder said if the funds are approved for EMS that Flatt would not receive any.

Following the vote, Judge Executive Gale Cowan asked Wheet to come back with information about number of employees and their qualifications for the funding.

Court further defines employee ARPA bonus

Earlier in the meeting, the court agreed with a recommendation from the ARPA committee on the way to pay an employee incentive for employees who have worked through the pandemic.

Treasurer Melinda Quinn said most counties are paying a specific amount an hour, with a set limit. The court agreed, upon approval, to pay employees who are currently employed $3 an hour for working hours from March 1, 2020 through Oct. 1, 2021. The hours must be hours worked and do not include vacations and sick time, or time off while under quarantine. Former employees do not qualify.

An employee would have to have worked 1,667 hours during the 19-month window to receive the maximum of $5,000 for full-time or $2,500 for part-time. An employee who did not work the maximum hours would still be paid $3 an hour extra based on qualified hours. The court agreed to send the proposal to consultants for approval with all magistrates voting yes.

Court approves first reading of animal ordinance

Also during the meeting, the court gave first reading to an animal ordinance that had been hotly debated in a past meeting. No discussion was held prior to the vote.

The ordinance requires a kennel license for anyone with more than 10 cats or dogs, or a combination of 10 cats and dogs. It exempts farms over 10 acres.

Enforcement will be provided through the county’s nuisance committee, which is primarily made up of appointed magistrates. Violations could lead to a misdemeanor charge and include a fine up to $250 and 90 days in jail.

Other action

The court approved more than $14,700 in ARPA funds for a CRT device for the ambulance service. The vote is pending approval through a consulting firm.

Magistrates voted to spend $280,000 in road funds, with $40,000 going to each magisterial district for blacktopping.

The court approved a $10,000 pass-through grant for the ambulance service.

The court approved first reading to change the speed limit on Gentry Mill Road to 30 mph. The court also approved a new pay scale as part of the jail’s policies to include a recent pay raise voted on by the court.

The next meeting date has been changed to Monday, Sept. 27 due to a conference for magistrates.

By Sharon Burton
snburton@adairvoice.com

This story initially appeared in the Sept. 16 issue of the Community Voice. To get your own subscription to local news coverage, call 270-384-9454.

The nominees are set for the special election to determine who fills the currently vacant state representative seat in District 51 following meetings last week between Adair and Taylor counties’ Republican and Democrat parties.

The Democrat board and precinct officers for Adair and Taylor counties met Thursday at Miller Park in Campbellsville for a meeting chaired by the Kentucky Democrat Party. Eddie Rogers, a former four- term judge executive for Taylor County, was theonly candidate, nominated by Vicky Pike and unanimously approved.

“They called me about 9:30 Thursday night and told me that I was nominated as the Democrat candidate,” Rogers, who was not in attendance for the meeting, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “It’s my goal to make Adair and Taylor counties prosper, more than we have in the past. I feel very honored that the committee, Adair and Taylor County, have given me the opportunity to go to Frankfort and represent the 51st district the way we should be, as two of the top counties in the commonwealth. We have so much here to offer; we just need to let people know.”

Adair County Democrat Party chairman Ben Loy said Tuesday that he expects Rogers to run a strong campaign, and that his success might hinge on voter turnout.

“I think Eddie represented Taylor County well for the 16 years he was in there, and I think he would really work for this area,” Loy said. “He’s a good leader and I think he would work well with the (Gov. Andy) Beshear administration. In a special election like this, you usually expect a 10 to 15 percent turnout, so it might come down to which party can mobilize their voters the best.”

Loy said that fundraising efforts for Rogers are in the planning stages. Rogers, for his part, said campaigning this time around would be much different from the four races he ran for judge.

“I’m kind of leery of going door-to-door this time because of Covid, which is what I always did before,” Rogers said. “I think right now people probably don’t want someone coming by their house like that, but I’ll do some advertisements and find other ways to campaign and meet people, interact with people.”

Republicans choose Pollock

Just 24 hours after Rogers earned the Democrat nomination, Sarge Pollock secured the Republican nod at a meeting held at the Campbellsville Community center, ran by the Kentucky Republican Party.

While Tim Shafer had publicly announced his intentions to seek the nomination, only Pollock was in attendance, and he was the only candidate nominated, securing all votes from both the Adair and Taylor delegations.

“I was the only candidate there, and they all voted for me,” Pollock said Tuesday. “I shared a few thoughts on my vision and what my intent is for the 51st District and that was about it. Obviously, I’m super excited for this opportunity to represent Adair and Taylor County. I look forward to meeting people, sharing my vision, what I stand for, and the values we hold dear to us in this district.”

Pollock said he plans to hit the ground running with his campaign, meeting as many people as possible. He said that he intends to spend plenty of time in Adair County between now and the election, scheduled for Nov. 2.

“We don’t have a lot of time, but I plan on working as hard as I can to meet voters and hear their concerns,” Pollock said. “I’m going to be out at events in Adair and Taylor County, so I hope to meet as many people as I can. I’m going to work for people’s votes.”

County Clerk gears up for election

The matter of where voters will go to cast their ballots on Nov. 2 has not yet been resolved. Adair County Clerk Lisa Greer submitted her plan – which includes five precincts – to the state last week, but has yet to receive word of approval or denial.

Another challenge for Greer this election will be finding precinct workers to fill the required roles. Two Democrats and two Republicans are required to work each precinct.

To contact Greer about working the election, or for information on receiving an absentee ballot, interested parties are encouraged to contact the county clerk’s office at 270-384-2801.

By Wes Feese
wes@adairvoice.com

This story first appeared in the Sept. 9 issue of the Community Voice. To get your subscription, call 270-384-9454 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Mary Ann Loy and other local volunteers have been diligently working over the past month to get ready for the 200th anniversary celebration of the Trabue Russell House on Jamestown Road. The home of Daniel Trabue and Mary Haskins, well-known pioneers and patriots, was built in 1821 to house themselves and five of their nine children.

The celebration is slated for Friday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., but some of the Lindsey Wilson College Chamber Singers will be here around 10 a.m. singing vintage songs from that time period,” Loy said. “There will also be a violinist and a guitarist moving throughout the property.”

Loy said Richard Phelps will portray Daniel Trabue in one room in the house, talking about his life, and Russell County author Mel Hankla will be there to talk about and sign copies of his new book.

Don and Betty Knifley will provide white beans and cornbread for visitors, Robert Flowers will make burgoo, and there will be fried pies with cider to drink.

Admission is free and visitors will be able to freely walk the property.

“Trabue was one of the three men, along with Creed Haskins and William Caldwell, that owned the land that would eventually become Columbia. They bought the land that is now the public square and the land immediately surrounding it,” Loy said. “All three men were leaders and prominent business men, and had leadership roles in county government.”

Trabue built the house in 1821, but owned it for only eight or nine years. Several other owners had the house before James Montgomery Russell bought it in 1873.

The Adair Heritage Association eventually took ownership before the city of Columbia took possession of the property in 2001.

Loy said credit for getting the property ready for the anniversary celebration goes to several people, but a big thank you goes to Vonny Kolbenschlag.

Loy said she turned the house into more than just a house, but “a history museum for the county.”

“I have an appreciation for the people that started the county,” Loy said, “and I think history needs to be local. You need to know your local history.”

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

This article first appeared in the Sept. 9 issue of the Community Voice. To order your subscription, call the office at 270-384-9454.

The Columbia City Council will consider an ordinance to increase garbage rates from $15 to $18 after hearing a report of monthly losses.

Council member Linda Waggener gave a report from a sanitation meeting and said rates are too low. She said the department director believes rates should be in line with the county (the county does not provide garbage pickup service but the service is provided countywide by private haulers).

Robert Flowers followed up saying the garbage department lost $20,000 in January and agreed the city is not charging enough.

Following the meeting, City Clerk Rhonda Loy said the city lost $10,000 last month but has improved its revenue by around $12,000 a month after assessing usage from commercial customers and adjusting billing based on usage.

In addition, Loy said, the city now employs three additional people in the department because they are no longer able to use jail inmates on the trucks.

Mayor Pam Hoots also made a recommendation that the city consider developing its own transfer station on property owned by the city on Hwy. 80, east of town. Hoots said they have spoken with environmental officials and are also getting a projected cost. The council voted to move forward with the project.

Tax Rate Proposed

The council gave first reading to setting the tax rate at .217 cents per $100. The proposed rate is the compensating rate and is reduced from last year’s rate of .221. The rate was .225 in 2019 and .227 in 2018. In 2017, the rate was .23.

The council held a brief public hearing due to applying for a $33,900 grant from USDA Rural Development. The city will contribute $11,300 to the project to purchase computers for the police department. Chief Jr. Murphy said the funds would equip seven or eight vehicles.

Council member Robert Flowers questioned if the city’s portion is budgeted and was told it is not and the budget would need to be amended if the project is approved.

“I don’t know how we approve these things until we have it in the budget,” Flowers said.

The council approved a bid from Gaddie Shamrock for $41,841 for road paving, which set the price at $84 a ton.

Hoots recommended Leon Lewis and Joe Willis to the city’s committee overseeing the use of ARPA funds.

Hoots told the council that they now have a draft agreement with Lindsey Wilson College for use of a track that adjoins the city park on Fairground Street and the agreement is expected to be for 10 years.

Hoots asked if the council wanted to pay $5,000 to $8,000 to paint “Columbia” on a water tank at the industrial park near Hwy. 55 south. Flowers again questioned using unbudgeted funds and remarked the city will need to raise taxes again if they continue to keep spending.

The proposal was tabled for council members to consider the cost and visibility of the tank.

The meeting ended with some council members recognizing that it would be Loy’s last regular monthly meeting as city clerk. Loy is retiring at the end of the month. The council then approved the appointment of Woody Sharpe as the next city clerk.

Flowers, Waggener, Sharon Payne, Mark Harris and Dr. Ronald Rogers were present for the meeting. Craig Dean was absent.

By Sharon Burton

snburton@adairvoice.com

The Adair County School District has released its latest cafeteria menu for the four schools.

FRANKFORT – Applications for quota hunts on public lands for deer, waterfowl and pheasants are being taken online during the month of September. Hunters may also apply for the statewide sandhill crane quota hunt during September.

The cost to apply for any of these quota hunts is $3. Applications and detailed information about hunts are available online at fw.ky.gov.

Kentucky will offer pheasant hunts on three wildlife management areas (WMAs), 38 quota deer hunts and several waterfowl hunts on WMAs. Kentucky also will issue 1,200 permits for sandhill cranes through a separate quota application. Hunters must pass a bird identification test before receiving their permit.

This year marks the return of the traditional in-person drawings for waterfowl blinds and in-person deer check stations at certain WMAs. These were altered in 2020 due to COVID-19 precautions. Hunters should periodically check the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ website at fw.ky.gov for any updates prior to their quota hunt.

A complete list of all hunts, dates and special regulations – some hunts are reserved for youths or mobility-impaired hunters – are listed in the “Quota Hunts” section of the 2021-22 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide publication.

Guides are available wherever hunting licenses are sold. Guides may also be viewed online at fw.ky.gov.

Results from these quota hunt drawings will be available by mid-October. Applicants can check to see if they have been selected by accessing the “My Profile” feature on the website.

Applications for Kentucky’s 2022 elk quota hunts will be taken from January 1-April 30 at fw.ky.gov and anywhere licenses are sold. The commonwealth offers hundreds of permits each year to hunt the largest elk herd east of the Rocky Mountains. These free-ranging elk occupy mountainous habitats spanning more than 4-million acres in 16 southeastern Kentucky counties. The random drawing to select elk hunt permit recipients is conducted in May each year.

For more information, call the Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern) weekdays.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced last week that Kentucky Health Care Heroes Appreciation Week will begin Sunday as health care workers continue extraordinary efforts to treat patients during the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations and record ICU admissions.

In honor of Kentucky Health Care Heroes Appreciation Week, there will be a proclamation signing by Columbia and Adair County officials Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot of T.J. Health Columbia, 901 Westlake Drive, Columbia.

The Adair County School District has released its school menus.

This story appeared in the July 22 issue of the Adair County Community Voice. To keep up with the latest news and sports in Adair County, get your subscription by calling 270-384-9454.

Rep. John “Bam” Carney, Kentucky State Representative for Adair and Taylor counties and former House Majority Leader, died Saturday in Lexington after a long illness. The 51-year-old fought pancreatitis and related medical issues for almost 18 months.

Carney, who was a teacher in Taylor County, had friends and family across the county with roots in Knifley, but his political career earned him respect across Kentucky and the nation as he served his communities and worked his way into House leadership.

“If you look at education policy, you look at someone who was a statesman, who worked well with all parties, who worked well with lobbyists, staff members, Bam Carney was one of the best,” said Sen. Max Wise. “He will truly be missed. His presence has already been missed by not having him in Frankfort.

“He was a calmness, sometimes in the midst of a storm. Bam had the ability to bring people together and I think that’s how we look at things in rural Kentucky. While we were always hoping and praying for him to return to Frankfort, right now I know he is rejoicing. He is no longer in pain.”

Carney, a Christian, was first elected in 2009. He served on the education committee and worked side-by-side with Wise on several legislative issues.

“From the blue jeans to the Brooks Brothers executive suits, Bam could talk with everybody. It did not matter. He never judged people and you always walked away from having a conversation with Bam feeling good about yourself,” Wise said. “In our line of work, it is so easy to get crossways on policy issues. Even when that would happen with Bam, I think our Democrat colleagues would say there was still a level of appreciation and respect.”

Carney’s passing brought words of condolence from elected officials and leaders everywhere.

“Bam was not only a great representative, but also a close friend,” said Adair County Judge Executive Gale Cowan. “I called him for advice many times. He was a true asset to have in Frankfort, but also a true friend who was always willing to help.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Rep. Bam Carney,” said Columbia Mayor Pam Hoots. “He cared for his community, his district and serving Taylor and Adair counties. He was a true friend and public servant for Columbia and Adair County.”

Carney Honored on U.S. House Floor

While words of condolences came from near and far, a close, personal friend recognized him on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This past weekend, Kentucky lost one of its best – my dear friend and the former majority leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Bam Carney,” Congressman James Comer told his peers Monday.

“He rose as high as majority leader and remained there and would have remained there as long as he wanted to be majority leader, until he fell ill. And those of us who have kept up with Bam over the last year and a half know that Bam fought a battle that few could have fought.”

Comer said the history books will report on Carney’s leadership and his role as “a great educator and a leader for education in the commonwealth,” but then his comments turned personal about his friend. Comer served in the Kentucky House of Representatives when Carney was first elected.

“He wasn’t like everyone else in Frankfort. Bam was genuine. What you saw was what you got. Bam and I became very close friends. In fact, I consider Bam Carney one of my best friends.”

Comer said Carney didn’t hide from controversial or difficult issues, and he would do what he thought was right for the people he represented.

“Bam Carney is the kind of person we all need in legislative bodies. Someone you can count on, someone that is honest, and someone that is in the legislative body for the right reason,” Comer said.

He talked about Carney’s interest in sports, playing golf, and his faith.

“In fact, one of the last things he said to me was he was ready to go to heaven, and I know that’s where he is right now,” Comer said. “I hope that those of us who knew Bam can learn from the greatness of Bam Carney.”

Others who voiced their condolences include U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

“Bam Carney was a tireless public servant whose devotion to his fellow Kentuckians knew no bounds,” said McConnell, who is Kentucky’s senior senator. “He uplifted the lives of his constituents through more than a decade of hard work and dedication, deeply committed to central Kentucky and its people. It is a testament to his strong character that he was chosen to lead Kentucky Republicans as the House Majority Leader, a role which he passionately embraced.”

Wise said one of the things Carney was known for was being straightforward and hardworking, dedicated to fighting for issues he believed in on his own or in unison with colleagues.

Probably one of Carney’s most important bills was the School and Safety Resiliency Act Bill (SB1) he championed with Wise in late 2017. It increased mental health funding for students and put funding in the budget for increasing the physical presence for arming school resource officers.

“Bam always talked about his roots in Knifley and I think that is something he carried with him until he passed,” Wise said. “He was humble, he had a great personality, and he had a knack for seeing the good in people. I think a lot of people will remember his wink and smile.”

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

Emily Sneed received a phone call on Wednesday, June 30 that she knew would forever change her life and the life of her daughter.

Fourteen-year-old Isabella Gonzalez would be getting a liver transplant.
Isabella was born with a chronic liver disease called biliary atresia. She spent her first 6 months of life at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, having surgeries and procedures.

Since then Isabella’s life has been riddled with constant doctors’ appointments, checkups, procedures, and daily medications to help give her the best quality of life possible. As was expected, her liver continued to deteriorate, and a few months ago she was placed on the National Transplant Registry in hopes of finding a new liver.

Isabella underwent a 12-hour surgery last Wednesday night. There were complications during the surgery but she is improving daily.

As she continues to heal during the next few months, her mother will be there by her side. That means she won’t be working her normal, busy schedule as a beautician. To help out, friends and family members have started an online auction to help raise money for the family.

“Emily is self-employed and had to navigate 2020 Covid regulations for salons, only to be faced with three months off work to care for Isabella during and after the transplant,” said Shannon Sexton, a local business owner who co-owns a boutique store located inside Emily’s salon, Hello Gorgeous. “The least we can do is step up and help them. That’s what’s great about Adair County. We always step up.”

Emily talks about the mixed emotions they have experienced knowing that the surgery would save her daughter but another family was mourning a loss. She has also been in awe of the support from the community.

“Isabella has made so much progress each day the doctors are just amazed. Right after surgery I couldn’t believe the amount of calls and texts we had started receiving. Everyone was praying so hard for her and prayers are getting answered every day,” she said. “Our community, friends, family, churches and even people I have never met started donating us money, care packages, e-cards (probably 100 + e-cards) and setting up fundraisers.”

A fundraising auction is taking place on a Facebook page named “Belle-A-Thon.” Items are being donated for auction and deadlines to bid will vary but begin on July 10. Locations to drop off donations are also provided on the Facebook page.

Sexton, LaGene Sexton, also a co-owner of the boutique, and Holly Owens, Emily’s cousin, are organizing the fundraiser.

“I couldn’t believe how many of our community have made donations,” Emily said. “It’s so amazing being part of a community that is there for you. I am so proud Columbia is my home. The nurses made comments about all the cards, stuffed animals, and balloons. They said, ‘this girl is loved,’ and the chaplain couldn’t believe the support we had from our community.

“We appreciate everything that everyone has done for us. It’s been amazing seeing the response. We hope everyone continues to pray for Isabella and also for the family of her donor. I hope someday I can personally thank them for giving Isabella the ability to live a full, happy life.”

Isabella is also the daughter of Daniel Gonzalez and is the granddaughter of Ronnie and Connie Stone, of Columbia.

For the latest in local news and sports, get a subscription to the Community Voice. Call 270-384-9454 for more information.

By Sharon Burton
snburton@adairvoice.com

The Adair County school board had a special called meeting Tuesday night and elected Troy Grider as chairman for the remainder of 2021. Terry Harvey will remain as vice chairman.
The election was required to fulfill former chairman Lisa Burton’s term. Burton resigned her post at last month’s meeting.

“I told Lisa that we’re going to blame everything on her,” laughed Grider. “I told her she has led in a very great manner. We understand her reasons for why she resigned, and I would have probably done the same thing. It is a very humbling experience for me, and I just hope I can do as good of a job as she did.

“I didn’t necessarily want or campaign for the position, but if my peers think I can do the best job at it, then obviously that’s what I want to do.”

Grider said he does not go into his new position with any agenda of what he wants accomplished during his term. He just wants to do the best job he can.

“With this board, we have always had some very good cooperation, compromise and ease in working together. Really, I just want to continue that,” Grider said. “We know within boards and especially within schools there sometimes is a lot of old politics. My goal is to try and keep that out. I want to be purpose driven, and that purpose is to do the best job I can for the children.”

The board then went into a working session for a presentation from Sarah Lamere, Brian Buckner, Kevin McCalla, and Greg Hosfield of Ross Tarrant Architects of Lexington. The group, well known for building schools around the state, worked with board members to discuss possible plans for a new middle school in the district and where it would best fit on campus. No decisions were made, but future meetings were discussed.

“We were just looking at potentially where we could build a new middle school,” Grider said. “We’re just excited to look at new ideas, and this firm did a good job of helping us do that.”
The board is seeking applications to fill Burton’s seat in District 3. The appointment will be effective until the 2022 general election. Applicants must be 24 years old, be a Kentucky citizen for at least three years, be a registered voter in District 3, and have a high school education or GED.

Applications are available at the Board of Education, 1204 Greensburg St. The appointment and swearing in are planned for July 22.

For the latest in local news and sports check out the Community Voice each Thursday. For subscriptions, call 270-384-9454.

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

The city council held two special called meetings this past week to make final adjustments to the budget ending June 30 and approving a budget for the incoming fiscal year.
Mayor Pam Hoots noted that the budget includes more than $494,000 in retirement costs, an increase of $85,000 this year.

Costs have also increased because the city has not been able to use county inmates to help with the sanitation department. In addition, landfill rates continue to increase.
The budget includes a 3 percent pay increase across the board for employees. The increase was not mentioned during the vote on the budget and Hoots said she checked with city attorney Derrick Helm and decided a specific vote on the increase is not necessary. In the past, council members would vote on any pay increases.

The new budget includes more than $105,000 in additional expenses for salaries across all departments compared to the previous year.

Gas rate increase included in budget
The new budget includes a higher rate per unit of gas for the city’s gas customers. The revenue shows an increase of nearly $302,000, based on increasing the unit rate from 33 cents to 44 cents.
The council did not specifically vote on the new rate, and when asked following the meeting, Helm reviewed pertinent documents and said that the council would need to put the increase into effect by a vote during a meeting scheduled for next week.

Gas customers pay a $12 base rate plus the actual cost of the gas and a “per unit” fee. Ann Marie Austin, an employee in the gas department, provided some examples of the impact of the increase from 33 cents per unit to 44 cents per unit.
As an example, a three-bedroom house in the city used 144 units in February and 30 units in July, so the residents would see an increase of $15.84 in February and $3.30 in July.
A local restaurant that uses gas for cooking uses from 430 to 537 units and would see a rate increase of $47.30 to $59.07 per month.

A large, older home in the city used 320 units in February and would see an increase of $35.20 a month, but would only see a 10-cent increase during the summer.
A dorm on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College used 1282 units during February, which would be an increase of $141.02.

Garbage carryover drops after truck purchase
The garbage fund is showing a revenue of $690,000, up from $550,200 from 2021. The carryover, however, is expected to drop from $274,993 to $128,3488. The budget includes $175,000 in expenses for the purchase of a new garbage truck.
Council member Robert Flowers voiced his concern about the reduction of the carryover, and said another year with another truck purchase “and we are going to be out of business.”

The city recently reviewed usage by commercial customers and adjusted rates based on usage. In addition, they found some customers were not being billed and corrected that.

Other funds
The city received $1,099,000 from payroll tax revenue for the past fiscal year and is estimating $1 million for the new year.
ABC funds – revenue from taxing the sale of alcohol – are expected to stay the same, at $136,000.
The city’s general fund begins with a carryover of $1.3 million and ends with $922,798.

Not built into the budget is any payment toward a $525,000 loan that is part of an economic development project. The city is receiving a $1 million grant and borrowing $525,000 to purchase the former Majestic Yachts property. The land will be leased to Synergy Food Group. Those loan and lease payments are not yet in the budget.
Also not yet in the budget is the first half of more than $856,000 the city will receive through federal relief funds. Guidelines for using the funds are still not complete and Hoots said the funds will be budgeted once it is clear where they can be used. The funds must be used by 2024.

Also during a special called me last Friday, the council approved a 90-day option on property located at 418 Hudson St. The city hopes to receive a grant to use toward purchasing the property for the city’s road department and parks and recreation.
All council members were in attendance except Craig Dean, who joined the second meeting via telephone.

By Sharon Burton
snburton@adairvoice.com

The fiscal court held a special called meeting last week to purchase an air conditioning unit for the jail but it appears the jail will remain with only one of two units in operation for a major part of the summer.

The court solicited bids to either make repairs to a current unit or to replace the 30-ton unit after learning that one of two units was not working properly.
Last Thursday, the court opened bids and accepted a low bid from Alpha Mechanical Services for $28,632 for a Carrier unit.

County Judge Executive Gale Cowan said the company hopes to have the product installed in six to eight weeks, but units of that size are not built until they are ordered. There is no guarantee when the unit will be ready, given the current difficulty of finding some products on the market.
Meanwhile, the county has purchased two portable coolers, has placed box fans in every jail cell, has added large shop fans in the hallways, and has taken other measures to keep the jail as cool as possible. Ice water is being made available in every cell, Cowan said.

The fiscal court held the special called meeting last week and met again Tuesday for a regularly scheduled meeting.
During both meetings, the need for summer employees on the road department was discussed. The county has tried to hire four different people but none of them accepted the position.

Road crew gets extra hours
At Tuesday’s meeting, magistrate Billy Coffey said he is concerned because the road crew is behind on boom mowing. He made a motion to allow the road department employees who do boom mowing to work 10 hours a day, five days a week. The motion was approved.
Coffey also brought up road department money for blacktopping and magistrate Daryl Flatt said they currently have $900,000 in the road fund, with more coming from the state in July or August. Flatt made a motion to allow each magistrate to use $60,000 in their district for roadwork. The motion was approved.
Judge Cowan urged magistrates to get their road requests into Gaddie Shamrock as soon as possible for the projects to get started.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the court voted to rescind an earlier vote to cancel a contract with Cintas Uniforms. Cowan said they learned it would cost the county more than $15,000 to end the contract early, but they were able to negotiate and cut their cost in half.
A rental agreement for use of the annex basement was approved that would require someone who does not leave the facility clean to pay a $100 cleaning fee.

Cat ordinance discussed
The court discussed what has been dubbed a “cat ordinance,” which has been brought up at several meetings after an apparent issue with cats being fed at a house in a subdivision that is often left unattended.

At the request of the court, County Attorney Jennifer Hutchison Corbin compiled two draft ordinances. One option includes more restrictions, including specifications for the size of kennels, and includes a penalty section.
Flatt first made a motion to accept the stricter ordinance. Magistrate Terry Hadley said the drafts were not in his box prior to the meeting and he had not read them, so any possible action was postponed.

The court approved a $10.6 million budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which includes more than $3.7 million in federal relief funds. The budget allocates $1.65 million in the general fund, $2.6 million in the road fund, $1.8 million in the jail fund, $504,700 for 911 dispatch, $50,500 from alcohol revenue, $49,700 for parks and recreation, $3.7 million for administration, and $98,200 for the animal shelter.

Transfer station move takes another step
The court will advertise its plans to move a garbage transfer station from its current location on L Willis road. The county signed a 10-year lease for the property at $12,000 a year for the first five years and $15,000 for the remaining years.
While there are several more years left in the lease, the county is taking steps to see if it would be feasible to move the transfer station to land the county owns near Campbellsville Road. Publicizing plans to relocate the transfer station is the next step required in the project.

The court voted to move meetings back to the annex effective in July. All magistrates were in attendance for both the special called and the regular meeting.

By Sharon Burton
snburton@adairvoice.com

It has been a long process for Sarah Streeval. The Adair County native has fought tooth and nail over the last two years to bring the disease of cytomegalovirus to the forefront of everyone’s attention. The rare disease took the life of Streeval’s young daughter. Bella, in 2020.

Streeval got the chance to bring her story to the state level last week when she spoke in front of legislators at the June interim Health and Welfare Committee meeting in Frankfort. She was there to highlight Gov. Andy Beshear’s signing of a proclamation making June CMV Awareness Month.

“It is a rollercoaster,” said Streeval. “We started with Bella’s Bill during the last regular session. During discussions with the House and the Senate, they suggested we shelf it and come back during the interim. So we went to Frankfort and we were able to take photos, a slide show. We were able to educate them even further.”

Bella was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus at birth. It impacts around one in every 200 births each year.

“Getting the proclamation signed by the governor is a great way to get the word out about CMV,” Streeval said. “I want the legislators to understand this is worthy of their time and effort. A lot of the misconceptions about CMV are out there – that it is so rare, that we can’t do anything about it. I want them to see all the families that have joined us in the battle and let them hear their stories.”

One of Streeval’s greatest advocates has been Sen. Max Wise.

“It was an honor to have Sarah at the June interim Health and Welfare Committee meeting and to hear her share Bella Dawn’s story.  Her strength and story was heartfelt and had every committee member fully engaged,” Wise said. “The advocacy and awareness that she and countless others are doing for CMV is to be commended.  I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 2022 session on Bella’s Law and seeing this become a reality in Kentucky.”

Streeval said there is a lot of work still to be done, but she would like to see the creation of a task force that would be able to focus on CMV in Kentucky and how it is being treated. She said her goal for the trip to Frankfort was to give legislators an introduction to the disease. She said she plans to head back to Frankfort during the next regular session.

Until then, Streeval said she’s going to keep telling everyone about CMV and the effects it has on babies and their families.

“We heard from the legislators and they all loved Bella and her story,” Streeval said. “A lot of them have misinformation about CMV, about it being more rare and that they can’t do anything about it. We heard (from the legislators) what’s done is done and that is discouraging.

“CMV attacks in utero, but a lot can be done after birth. Maybe we can’t affect the baby in utero, but we can do something.”

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

An effort to bring more visitors to Adair County seems to be bringing a lot more questions instead.
In 2015, Columbia was certified as a Trail Town destination for outdoor enthusiasts by then Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Bob Stewart.

The move was initiated locally by Ellen Zornes of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce and Jelaine Harlow, health education coordinator for the Adair County Health Department.

“We started working on it around 2012. Adventure Tourism was mapping trails all the way to Mammoth Cave,” said Harlow. “They reached out to us and, since they had Green County, Taylor County and maybe even Russell County, they wanted to complete the triangle, so they encouraged us to work on becoming a Trail Town.”

The health department was working on a community assessment at the time and realized there was a need for locations where people could get exercise at little or no cost.

“We had a lot of people that were kayaking at the time and going places to paddle, so that’s how the idea started. And it fit our health improvement plan,” Harlow said.

While the project got a good start, it soon stalled. Columbia continues to be promoted on a state “Trail Town” website hosted by the Kentucky Department of Tourism, but locally trails can be difficult to find for anyone not familiar with the terrain.

There is no signage at the trails, and access points are overgrown and barely maintained.

The city has been asked to take ownership of the project, and Columbia Mayor Pam Hoots said the city council plans to add oversight of the Trail Town program to the city’s parks and recreation department.

“There is not a good access point at some of the locations, so we’re hoping to create some steps to help with that,” Hoots said.

Drivers heading into Columbia on the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Expressway will pass signs that recognize Columbia as a Kentucky Trail Town and encourage drivers to take Exit 49 to find trails. In Columbia, that means mainly paddling Russell Creek.

After the exit, however, there are no signs to direct drivers to the different locations to enter the water. There is a kiosk near the water fountain on the public square with a map and list of different water trails that are available. However, there is no sign to send drivers to the kiosk.

One location people use for access to Russell Creek is just off Campbellsville Road past NAPA Auto Parts. They can also choose a location off Hwy. 206 just past Green Hills Road on property donated to the city. The third location, one of the older access points on the trail, is near the old city water plant.

“A good place to put in is probably our biggest need,” said Jada Atwood, a city employee and avid kayaker. “Most everyone puts in off Hwy. 206. We have a great thing here, if it would be just more accessible.”

Hoots said the work she wants done at the access points may start within the next six months.
“It is very important for economic development because people that come to town look for things they can share with their families. We want to make sure people have a place to go,” Hoots said.

Hoots said the first priority will be a ramp at each access point.
“It is something we’re going to have to allow in our budget, though we are looking at applying for a grant for this,” she said.
More information about the Trail Town Program can be found at kentuckytourism.com/ky-outdoors/trail-towns.

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

June is Dairy Month and for the Burton household in Adair County, that’s like a family tradition. Otis Burton, the family’s 87-year-old patriarch, made his living as a dairy farmer for well over 60 years. His two sons, Benny and Jeffro, carry on the tradition with dairy farms of their own.

This year’s annual celebration is not the same because the Burtons lost both their parents earlier this year.

Otis died on May 29 from injuries he sustained in an accident on his way to visit his wife’s grave. For Benny and Jeffro, and their sisters Bessie Judd and Mary Betty Helm, their parents will always be a big part of the farming operation.

“Daddy farmed probably all his life. I am 63 and he started farming before I was born,” said Benny. “And the thing is he did it all by hand (back in the day).”

Though no official records can be found, Benny believes his father was the oldest and longest running dairy farmer in the state, possibly the United States.

Jeffro and Benny said they have had a great life growing up on the farm. They, along with their sisters, were usually up around 5 a.m. each day because there was work to do before they headed out to school.

They learned a lot about hard work from their dad because Otis had work assignments for each of them, and getting the job done was everyone’s top priority.

“We learned a lot about honor, respect, character, discipline and love from him,” Jeffro said. “You also learned about how to survive on a farm. We didn’t have all this big high tech stuff, so we learned the simple things. Why buy a rope when you can tie some grass together and make your own. You did what you had to do to get the bottom line, get the job done.”
Benny and his siblings said they have plans for their father’s farm, but they’re in no hurry to make those decisions. They’re still trying to get back on their feet after their tragic loss.

Jeffro has about 80 head of cattle on his farm and Benny takes care of about 70 head of cattle. Combined, they work to take care of their father’s some 20 cows. A life they appreciate.

“This job of farmer is very labor intensive,” Jeffro said. “Especially when you do it yourself. There is a lot of work to do on the farm, but I love being at home and being self-employed.”
“People don’t realize just how much hard work goes into it,” said Benny, who even battled the coronavirus this year. “A dairy farm is a great place to raise kids. I raised three daughters here, and they were all good kids. Being in a farm environment offers a lot.”

Benny said the costs of operating a dairy are now probably the biggest obstacle facing a farmer. He gave an example of earning $14 per hundredweight of Grade B milk 40 years ago, and just last summer farmers were earning $14.50 for Grade A milk. He also mentioned the constant battle with mega-dairies.

“The preliminary incubation on milk starts to grow as soon as it leaves the udder. Our milk is picked up every other day, so some of the milk is 48 hours old before it leaves my farm,” Benny said. “Then they put it on a truck and take it somewhere and it might set there for a day. So, once they get it to the plant, it could be 72 hours old.”
Milk with long preliminary incubation has the chance of going bad. Farmers want to get the milk to the plant as soon as possible.

“Milking is not really a winning situation,” Jeffro said. “In Adair County, the farms that milk 250 cows are struggling just like we are. I think the government has good intentions, but the dairy industry has never had anyone to stand up for it.”
Benny said he has had a lifetime of dairying, and he doesn’t want to stop.
“I am set up to milk, so I can get by even though there isn’t much money in it. I just need to be able to take care of my family. The life of a dairy farmer just kind of gets in your blood,” he said.

The Burton brothers are really not sure what the dairy industry will look like 10, 15 or 20 years down the road. However, they said to expect many more changes.

“I don’t think the dairy industry will be here in 15-20 years,” Benny said. “People will be getting their dairy products from the large companies, and the smaller dairies will have it rough. I was told by a milk inspector there used to be over 200 dairies in Adair County. Now, we have 24.”

Benny believes improved government regulations could help dairy farmers, but at the end of the day, dairy producers need to be paid more for their product.

“And, there should also be incentives for farmers that do it themselves – like dad,” Benny said. “Our dad was motivated and a hard worker. He may not have had a lot of money, but he sure was a successful man.”

By Scott Wilson
scott@adairvoice.com

The City of Columbia will be sponsoring the second annual “Paint The Town” event on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 4-5.

The community is being asked to use chalk to design the sidewalks around the courthouse square, along with areas immediate off the square.

‘We would like families, businesses, churches, and organizations to come to town and paint a square,” said Columbia Mayor Pamela Hoots.

People will be asked to do their chalk design(s) Aug. 4-5 and in case of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled. Mayor Hoots will be sponsoring a gift basket for the winner.

If you would like a square of sidewalk, please call city hall at 270-384-2501.

The sidewalks will be for public view for the second annual “Truck It Up,”  event, scheduled Aug. 6.

The following are scenes from the kindergarten promotion ceremony this spring at Adair County Primary Center.

The Columbia Police Department has released its activity report for May, 2021.

Calls for service – 798

Citations – 128

Motorist assists – 11

Escorts – 29

Accidents investigated – 29

Injury accidents investigated – 4

Cases opened – 16

FRANKFORT – Try your hand at fishing in Kentucky at no charge June 5-6, 2021 during free fishing weekend.

With summer nearly here, the first weekend of June is a great time to grab a fishing pole and enjoy spending time with family and friends at the state’s beautiful lakes, streams and rivers.

Whether you are visiting from outside the state or you live in Kentucky, free fishing weekend is open to all. You won’t need a fishing license or a trout permit, but make sure you still follow the size and number limits on what you catch.

Need help getting started? Visit the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ website at fw.ky.gov and type, “Learn to Fish,” in the search box. Here you’ll find instructional videos covering gear, tying knots and preparing a fish for the table.

Don’t know where to fish? Click the “Fishing” tab on the department website to access the fishing forecast for tips and places to try.

The fishing page also includes a link to the Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) lakes. FINs offers dozens of easily accessible, specially stocked lakes near population centers throughout the state. Several of these locations will host special fishing events on Saturday, June 5.