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Sewer leak stinking up Inez
BY PHILL BARNETT MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The odor is overwhelming at the mouth of Saltwell Road along Route 645, residents say. As the complaints pile up, waste from a Martin County Sanitation District sewer lift station runs into Saltwell Creek, causing untold environmental damage. The lift station has been overflowing nonstop for weeks. Residents…
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Attention Martin County Water customers: Possible outages for leak detection work
INEZ — Martin County Water District will begin leak detection in the Inez pressure zone starting Friday night around 10:30 p.m. Alliance Water Resources announced Tuesday that the work would be performed at night to limit the effect on customers. The announcement states: “This will be the first time such leak detection has been performed…
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‘East Kentucky Flood’ documentary premiere
The Center for Rural Strategies’ film will air on WYMT Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Communities emerged battered but not broken, revealing the strength and resiliency that’s persisted after the storm of a century. The film reveals stories from the flood that killed 43 people across East Kentucky. WHITESBURG — By the time retired coal…
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Lafferty on mission to get $60 million to fix Martin County’s water system
BY RACHEL DOVE MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty has pledged to make Martin County’s water system his top priority over the next four years. He says he aims to fix it and is already working toward that goal. Following a catastrophic water system failure Dec. 26 that left the county’s population…
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Manager says 95% of system back in water
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Eight days after a catastrophic shutdown of the Martin County Water system, district manager Craig Miller said Tuesday evening that about 95% of the system is back in water. “There are little areas, such as Little Lick, where customers are on higher elevations, and we’ve got to blow…
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Displaced elderly residents need meals
Ruptured water line forces 13 tenants into motel “I personally believe some of these issues could have been avoided had the proper action been taken and the water lines bled.” –Sheriff John Kirk BY RACHEL DOVE MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Thirteen residents of the Skeeze Ward Manor (age 62 and above) were forced from their…
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McCoy, inmates had a busy 2022
BY RACHEL DOVEMOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Code Enforcement Officer Paul McCoy and inmates enrolled in the litter cleanup program made a significant dent in roadside litter and illegal dumps in the county in 2022. Still, McCoy is hoping for a better way in the New Year. “I’m hoping people will start caring more…
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Judge declares state of emergency as winter weather cripples Martin County Water District
BY RACHEL DOVE MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County has declared a state of emergency due to ongoing widespread water outages in the county. Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty declared the emergency Friday evening following days of frigid weather that ruptured a 14-inch main line near the water treatment plant on Turkey Creek, emptying the plant’s clear…
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When water safety violations arise, quick public notification can help prevent millions of dollars in costs
This article was originally published Dec. 20 in The Journalist’s Resource. BY CLARK MERREFIELDTHE JOURNALIST’S RESOURCE Each year, there are an estimated 16 million cases of acute gastrointestinal illness in the U.S. stemming from contaminants in community water systems. New research in The Review of Economics and Statistics finds quick notification of water problems can…
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Outgoing magistrates attend last meeting
Mayor brings issues to fiscal court BY RACHEL DOVEMOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Three of the current Martin County magistrates attended their last fiscal court meeting in their official capacity Thursday evening. The December meeting was the second overseen by Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty, who thanked the departing for their dedication to the county and the residents…
Category: Water Crisis
