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Martin County rises in WWATERS ranking; lawmakers will decide funds
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — After receiving no funding last year due to scoring errors, Martin County returned to a competitive statewide process this fall with 12 water and sewer projects that ranked near the top for assistance under the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems program. The…
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Kentucky’s fight against substance abuse
Few challenges have weighed more heavily on Kentucky families and communities than substance abuse. Addiction has touched every county, every community, every school district, and countless homes across the Commonwealth. It tears apart families, burdens our health care and justice systems, and cruelly steals both lives and livelihoods. However, there is hope. Each September we…
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Mural unveiled in Inez honors fight for clean water
Beneath a vivid mural of a woman strumming a banjo as water flows from her figure through green mountains and starry skies, community members gathered Saturday in downtown Inez to celebrate the new public artwork honoring Martin County’s fight for clean, reliable drinking water. Appalachian Pioneer Program founder Austin Shuck commissioned the mural and led…
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Legislative Update: Protecting what is rightfully yours
BY BOBBY MCCOOL In Kentucky, property ownership has long been a cornerstone of personal freedom and economic stability. However, many property owners face the ongoing challenge of protecting their investments from the act of squatting—when a person occupies an abandoned or unoccupied space without legal permission. This practice has become a significant and often contentious…
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McCool appointed to regional energy and environment committee
FRANKFORT — State Representative Bobby McCool of Van Lear has been appointed to serve on the Energy and Environment Committee of The Council of State Governments South (CSG South), House Speaker David Osborne announced on Feb. 5. “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve on the Council for State Governments South Energy and…
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Kentucky’s rich history of veterans
BY REP. BOBBY MCCOOL “I hope to have God on our side, but I must have Kentucky.” These are the words of President Abraham Lincoln, one of Kentucky’s favorite sons and the man who led our nation from division to unity during the Civil War. His words echo a common theme, the need for not…
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Legislative Update: Aviation in the Commonwealth
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOBBY MCCOOL As August hits its midpoint and we are reminded that fall is right around the corner, we gear up to celebrate one of the more lesser-known holidays: National Aviation Day. Established in 1939, National Aviation Day falls on Aug. 19 of each year, the birthday of Orville Wright, who along with…
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Legislative Update: Why lower income taxes?
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOBBY MCCOOL Before I begin this week’s legislative update, I want to thank everyone who took the time to complete my legislative questionnaire. As I read through the responses, I noticed that someone asked, “Why do we want to lower income taxes?” and thought I might answer it in this column. The fact…
