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Kermit school opening delayed by a day due to land slippage
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN KERMIT, W.Va. — The first day of school for students at Kermit PK8 was delayed by one day due to land slippage behind the school. School was supposed to start Aug. 27. However, a phone call went out to parents the evening of Aug. 26 stating that there would be no school
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FEMA extends deadline for February floods
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — Kentucky residents whose homes and property were damaged during the severe storms and flooding in February now have until May 25 to apply for federal disaster assistance, FEMA announced in a recent press release. The original deadline was April 25. Assistance is available to both homeowners and renters who experienced
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Document April storm damage, KY EM says
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT Kentucky Emergency Management advises homeowners and renters who suffered damage or losses caused by the severe storms, high winds, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred April 2-7 to document damages before cleaning up in order to be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance if it becomes available. On April 11, the Gov. Andy Beshear
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Ground gives way beneath home, couple flee with nothing
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN GRASSY, Ky. — John and Lisa Mollett fled for their lives Saturday as the ground beneath their home gave way, splitting the foundation and crumbling the back wall and floor into the shifting soil below. They left with the clothes on their backs. Their house, perched along Old Route 3
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Flood-damaged road worries residents
‘We’re up a holler’ BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN JOB — When part of the narrow, one-lane road leading to Sarah Bowen’s home collapsed in mid-February, it left her family — and roughly 50 other residents living on the holler — teetering on the edge, both literally and figuratively. The partial collapse of the steep
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A potpourri of thoughts
It is simply disgusting seeing how much litter lines our roadways and ditches. It is sickening to see this month after month. There are people in this area that have no pride. My wife and I recently went out of town on vacation and the thing I noticed a lot was the lack of litter
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Flood leaves Martin County’s water and sewer systems in ruins; repairs to cost millions
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN MARTIN COUNTY — The February flood that swept through Martin County, swelling Tug Fork River, left the county’s water and sewer infrastructure heavily damaged. Officials expect repair costs to approach $3 million. Floodwaters inundated the sewer treatment plant in Warfield as well as lift stations, grinder pumps and other critical
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House rejects Senate changes to bill granting school districts calamity days
by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky LanternMarch 11, 2025 FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House on Tuesday rejected Senate changes to a bill originally meant to give relief to Kentucky schools from weather-related closings. In a voice vote, the House refused to concur in the Senate version of House Bill 241. Last week, the Senate tacked on changes that
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Trapped by the flood: My survival and a community’s strength
BY BARBIANN MAYNARD Against all odds, I survived the historic flood that ravaged our area Feb. 16, 2025. Now it is time to share my experience. Let us back up a little. When I was 12 and my Leigh Ann Maynard was three, our mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29.
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Flood destroys bridge, traps families on Mac Pinson Drive
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Four families in a Martin County neighborhood found themselves trapped last week after floodwaters undermined the only bridge connecting them to the main road. Officials condemned the structure, leaving residents of Mac Pinson Drive cut off from essential services. On Friday, Martin County Road & Bridge crews worked
