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Native son steps into agriculture agent role
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County has a new agriculture agent at the extension office—and for the first time, he is a native son determined to stay. Dan Howard, who accepted the position in May, introduced himself and his plans Thursday during a Kiwanis Club lunch at Giovanni’s in Inez. “I am
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CAIP grants offer up to $5,000 for Martin County producers
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Soil Conservation District is urging local farmers to apply for cost-share grants of up to $5,000 through the County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP), a state initiative that helps producers improve and diversify their operations. District director Vicky Evans outlined the program’s benefits Thursday as the
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Extension Notes: Beekeepers meeting Sept. 8
from Daniel Howard The Martin County Extension Office will host the return of the Martin County Beekeepers Association. The Beekeepers will meet Monday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. Following the September meeting, meetings will take place on the first Monday of each month throughout the remainder of the year. Meetings will be at the Martin
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Soil Conservation District reports funding for Martin County farmers
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — For three-quarters of a century, the Martin County Soil Conservation District has worked to show local farmers that every shovelful of earth can shape their future. On June 18, its chairman Tom Dials stood before the Fiscal Court with a $157,914 budget for the upcoming fiscal year. He
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Study in contrasts: Racing, breeding shine in Kentucky as sport dims across America
BY TIM SULLIVAN Kentucky Lantern Beyond Kentucky’s borders, horse racing is a sport in steep decline. Within the commonwealth, however, wealth is common. Though no fewer than 48 American racetracks have closed since 2000, Kentucky operators continue to invest hundreds of millions in their facilities and are reaping an outsized return, and not only on
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Decode ‘Alphabet Soup’ of government programs
LOVELY — Navigating the complexities of government programs should not stand in the way of securing the resources you need. That is the message behind an upcoming virtual workshop led by Spencer Guinn of the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD). The workshop is designed to demystify the so-called “alphabet soup” of agriculture
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Agriculture poster and essay contest deadline March 7
Kentucky students can enter the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) annual Poster and Essay Contest by the March 7, 2025 deadline. Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell announced the theme of the 2025 contest is “Kentucky Agriculture Makes Me Proud” encouraging contestants to illustrate in words, original artwork or photographs how agriculture gives them pride. Students
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Local farmers to benefit from $95K investment program; Martin County gears up for Heritage Day
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — At Thursday’s Kiwanis Club luncheon at Masterpiece Kitchen & Café in Inez, guest speaker John “AJ” Haney dropped two significant announcements. One focused on new opportunities for local farmers and the other on Heritage Day, an event set to kick off this Saturday. Haney, a retired educator and
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Level 1 drought declared in all Kentucky counties
FRANKFORT — The Office of the State Climatologist and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, in coordination with the Kentucky Drought Mitigation Team, are issuing a Level 1 Drought Declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Level 1 Drought signifies moderate to severe drought conditions mainly affecting soil moisture and vegetative health. Serious impacts to
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U.S. Department of Commerce invests $752,000 to support apple sorting facility in Martin County
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced Wednesday that it is awarding a $752,000 grant to the Martin County nonprofit Community at the Core Inc. in Debord. The EDA stated in a press release that this grant will support the procurement of production equipment at a new apple sorting facility.
