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A clarion call for fairness
In our community, the newspaper serves as a foundation of informed citizenship, diligently reporting the news that keeps the public aware and engaged. Over our 35 years at the Mountain Citizen, we have encountered complaints from various individuals, including citizens, public officials and political factions who have found themselves or their associates spotlighted in our…
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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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Saluting Deputy Bellamy’s heroic actions and the critical role of Narcan and training
In the early hours of Thursday, a situation that could have ended in tragedy was averted through the quick thinking and decisive actions of Deputy Justin Bellamy of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. This incident brings to the limelight the life-saving importance of Narcan and comprehensive emergency response training. Deputy Bellamy responded to a call…
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A preventable tragedy at Pontiki/Excel coal tipple
The collapse of the Pontiki/Excel coal preparation plant last fall in Martin County, which resulted in the deaths of Alvin Nees and Billy Joe “Bo” Daniels, was a catastrophic consequence of negligence, flagrant disregard for safety regulations and the lack of moral and legal responsibilities. A litany of failures As a report by Kentucky Lantern…
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‘The sun shines bright’
BY GARY WAYNE COX I believe all Kentuckians have heard that song and like it. It is the most recognized state song in America. Just about everyone who has been to a Kentucky basketball or football game feels a certain amount of pride standing for our state anthem just before the national anthem. Most people…
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Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal
The proud halls of Martin County High School bore witness to the achievements of its graduating class last week. On May 24, students adorned in caps and gowns crossed the stage with diplomas in hand, marking the end of their high school journey and the beginning of the next chapter of their lives. As these…
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Time for Martin County Water Board to stop kicking the can
The Martin County Water District faces a critical situation with its raw water intake project. Slated for completion by July, this project holds significant implications for the district’s financial stability and its service commitments to the community. According to Tony Sneed, vice president and director of operations at Alliance Water Resources, finishing the project on…
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Honoring mothers: celebrating love, resilience and pioneering spirits
As we approach Mother’s Day this Sunday we pause to honor the irreplaceable figures in our lives: mothers. This special day is an opportunity to consider the influence that our mothers have on our lives and society. These women gave us life and taught us to tie our shoelaces. They imparted unspoken lessons of resilience,…
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A final nod to the Legend and the Dean of Press Row
BY JOSHUA BALL The passing of Teddy Paynter has been difficult to process. We had talked about spending some time together soon. That didn’t and won’t happen. We went on to do other things in life, but every time we saw one another it was just like the good ol’ days and we didn’t miss…
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Kentucky’s 2024 Legislative Session recap
The 2024 Legislative Session adjourned April 15 sine die until Jan. 7, 2025, unless otherwise called into extraordinary session by the governor. During this 60-day session, there were 1,220 bills introduced with the House having filed 838 bills and the Senate filing 383. This is the highest number of bills filed since 2000. Of the…
Category: Editorial
