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Kentucky town’s decade of revival topped by $50,000 grant for pocket park
BY JENNI GLENDENNING INSTITUTE FOR RURAL JOURNALISM UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PINEVILLE, Ky. — Tears rolled down Kitty Dougoud’s face in Pineville Thursday as the Bell County seat celebrated a milestone in a decade-long journey marked by resilience and community spirit: a $50,000 grant to enhance the pocket park in its redeveloped downtown. “You look at…
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Vanovers celebrate diamond wedding anniversary
LOVELY — The date July 3, 2024, marks six decades of love for William and Daisy Vanover of Lovely. It is a milestone that shines as brightly as the diamond that symbolizes the 60th wedding anniversary. Much like a diamond, their years together reflect a journey of resilience and beauty. A diamond, formed under pressure, emerges as…
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Happy Fourth of July
BY SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER Let us reflect on our nation’s remarkable journey, which started as a country that sought freedom from British oppression over 4,000 miles away. Our nation’s founders, driven by enlightened thought, fought tirelessly for the most extraordinary human experiment in self-governance the world has ever known. Today, our men and women in…
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Be careful walking after dark: The police may be scary
Freedom to move about the country is a wonderful privilege. Let us be appreciative of our freedom this Fourth of July week. Recently, I was taking a late-night walk in Owenton, Kentucky. Owenton is a little town of maybe 600 people in rural north central Kentucky. I had just finished watching the sad Biden-Trump debate…
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Appalachian phrases and words that you may still use
People who live in the heart of the Appalachia region, which spreads across the mountains of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southwestern Virginia, and into parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee, can easily be identified by their dialect. It still amazes me that when we travel away from the area, people can guess…
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Art, music and spirits: Appalachian Artist Festival debuts wine slushies in Inez
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — This year’s Appalachian Artist Festival (AAF) in downtown Inez is set to offer an unprecedented blend of art, culture and entertainment, complemented by wine slushies and other alcoholic beverages for the first time. On Saturday, Aug. 3, the courthouse square will be transformed into a vibrant hub of…
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Fletcher brings ‘All In’ attitude to commissioner of education role
KY Dept of Ed Advisory FRANKFORT — The love of math started early for Robbie Fletcher, Ed.D. Growing up in Martin County, Fletcher – who became Kentucky’s commissioner of education and head of the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) on July 1 – said he remembers grocery store trips with his mother when he was…
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Trustee proposes library relocate to former building in Inez
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Public Library Taxing District is facing financial difficulties prompting one board trustee to suggest relocating the library back to its former building on Main Street. During a special meeting June 26 the library board approved a budget of $899,250 for the fiscal year 2025. The…
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Kentucky PSC cracks down on Martin County Water District with major data demand
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) continues its persistent monitoring of the Martin County Water District (MCWD). The commission has issued a formal data request requiring the utility to provide a comprehensive set of documents and responses under oath. This directive, outlined in a June 18 PSC filing…
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Kermit officials sworn in
Newly elected Kermit officials took their oaths of office Monday night at Town Hall. Mingo County Commission President Nathan Brown performed the oaths for Councilman Scott Smith, Councilman Doug Collins, Councilman Tammy Hodge Preece, Mayor Charles Sparks, Councilman Wilburn Hawky Preece and Councilman J.W. Endicott. The officials will serve four-year terms.
