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Man arrested after dropping drugs in Martin County Government Center, police said
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — If you happened to lose a pouch of drugs inside the Martin County Government Center last week, Sheriff John Kirk had a message for you: call the sheriff’s office. He would be happy to help — and by “help,” he meant jail. The odd episode began after hours…
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Traffic stop leads to suspected meth seizure in Martin County, two arrests
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN TOMAHAWK — A traffic stop Sunday night in Martin County led to the seizure of about 16 grams of suspected methamphetamine and the arrest of two Inez men—a father and son. Martin County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a white 2011 Chevrolet truck about 8 p.m. on Route 40 near the old…
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Harvest Fest generates buzz with tease of ‘The Voice’ headliner
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Harvest Fest is generating buzz with a teaser that a contestant from “The Voice” will headline Sept. 19 in downtown Inez. Promotional materials released by the Kiwanis Club stop short of naming the artist, instead promising a full headliner reveal is coming soon as part of…
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Frontier Housing fails to deliver jobs, says EDA chair
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Nine months after Frontier Housing leased the speculative building at the Eastern Kentucky Business Park in Debord, Martin County Economic Development Authority Chairman James Ayers said the project has produced neither the jobs nor the activity the board was led to expect. Speaking at the EDA’s March 11…
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Tomahawk man gets two-year prison sentence in stolen ATV case
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Tomahawk man was sentenced March 19 in Martin Circuit Court to two years in prison for his role in a stolen ATV case dating back to 2023. Rush Fraley, 49, pleaded guilty Feb. 5 to receiving stolen property valued at $1,000 to $10,000/complicity, a Class D felony.…
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Lovely man draws six-year prison sentence in fentanyl case
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County man drew a six-year prison sentence March 19 in Martin Circuit Court after pleading guilty to a fentanyl trafficking charge. Henry Butcher, 27, of Lovely, received the sentence after pleading guilty Feb. 5, 2026, to first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (over 2 grams of…
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Coal truck spills load in Inez
Traffic control underway Monday at the KY-645 ramp near Coldwater in Inez after a coal truck lost some of its load on the roadway. (Citizen photo by Roger Smith)
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Martin County to open baseball season with new coach, new energy
BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County baseball enters the 2026 season with a new head coach, a mix of veteran leadership and young talent, and a team mindset centered on effort and improvement. Ethan Osborne, previously an assistant in the program, takes over the Cardinals after Martin County finished 10-16 overall last season,…
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Martin County court dockets
INEZ — Judge John Kevin Holbrook heard cases March 5 in Martin Circuit Court, while Judge Brett Butcher heard cases March 3 in Martin District Court. Circuit Court James Crabtree (status hearing) — Reset 5/7/26 at 10 a.m. David Joshua Brown (change of plea) — 1. Fleeing or evading police, second degree (on foot), amended…
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Maci Maynard named to 15th Region All-Tournament Team
BY BRITTNI MCCOY MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — Martin County’s Maci Maynard earned a spot on the 15th Region All-Tournament Team after turning in two dominant performances for the Lady Cardinals in postseason play. Maynard, a key force in the paint for Martin County, showcased her scoring touch and rebounding ability throughout the regional tournament. In…
