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‘Bill’ Preece unseats Kirk as voters deliver Primary Election upsets
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Republicans delivered several major upsets Tuesday night, unseating incumbents in the sheriff’s race and multiple county contests while returning other longtime officeholders to the ballot for November. The night’s biggest shake-up came in the Republican primary for Martin County sheriff, where challenger William “Bill” Preece defeated…
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Primary election results for Mingo County
Voter turnout light CITIZEN STAFF REPORT Voter turnout was very low for the Primary Election in Mingo County on Tuesday, May 12. According to one report only about 12% of the registered voters came out to vote in the off-year election. Mingo County has 28 precincts, whittled down from years past. The following is a…
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Lafferty presses senate, governor for $26M WWATERS funds
Judge/executive invokes coal legacy BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty used a special Fiscal Court meeting March 26 to publicly urge the Kentucky Senate and Gov. Andy Beshear to approve $25.8 million in WWATERS funding for local water and sewer projects, arguing the county has earned basic infrastructure after…
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House backs $25.8M in Martin County water, sewer projects
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — Martin County’s water and wastewater systems moved a major step closer to relief Tuesday. State Rep. Bobby McCool announced the Kentucky House passed House Joint Resolution 81, a measure that would release $52,502,260 in previously appropriated WWATERS funds, including $25,818,550 for eight Martin County water and sewer projects.…
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Several running for Mingo County BOE seats
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN The filing period for the 2026 Primary Election concluded Jan. 31, with several persons vying for seats on the Mingo County Board of Education. There will be four available non-partisan seats up for grabs. No more than two members shall be elected from the same magisterial district. Current member Deanna…
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Martin County Judge/Executive presses state officials on $40 million water bid
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty and other local officials met Tuesday in Frankfort with state leaders to discuss the county’s grant applications for nearly $40 million from the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems (WWATERS) program. The General Assembly created the program in…
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Martin County wins $4.8 million for sewer upgrade, awaits news of WWATERS grants
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — As Martin County waits on news of state funding to address its drinking water system, federal lawmakers have approved $4.8 million to modernize a long-troubled wastewater treatment plant in Inez. The funding, announced Thursday by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, is part of a broad federal appropriations package. Martin…
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Who is running in Martin County: Candidate filing closes
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The candidate filing deadline closed at 4 p.m. Jan. 9, setting the field for county and city races in Martin County ahead of the May 2026 primary election. Under Kentucky law, when only one candidate files for a party’s nomination in a race, that candidate automatically advances to…
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Candidates line up for Martin County races ahead of Friday deadline
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — With the filing clock ticking toward a 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 deadline, the 2026 May Primary ballot in Martin County is beginning to take shape as candidates line up to seek county and city offices. As of Tuesday, the following candidates had filed for races. The list…
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Big Sandy Regional Detention Center looks to Floyd County for female officers, cites no ‘hirable’ applicants in four counties
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Big Sandy Regional Detention Center will temporarily expand its search for female correctional officers to Floyd County after administrators said the jail has not received “hirable” applicants from Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin or Martin counties. The jail authority voted 4–3 at its Dec. 18 meeting to approve emergency hiring…
