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Mountain Citizen wins Tom and Pat Gish Award for courage, integrity and tenacity
BY AL CROSS A scrappy little newspaper that has fought for more than 30 years for clean water and open government in its Appalachian county is the winner of the 2025 Tom and Pat Gish Award for courage, integrity and tenacity in rural journalism. The Mountain Citizen is a weekly paper serving the 11,000 people
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Martin County man goes to jail for false reports to 911, father also charged
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County man went to jail after he called 911 repeatedly making false reports for the purpose of luring law enforcement to his home to harass them, police said. Moments after his arrest, police took his father into custody for interfering with government operations. Deputy Billy Wells
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Counties to pay more for inmate housing
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — Member counties will pay $5 more per day to house inmates at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center after the jail’s governing board voted Friday to raise the daily rate to $36.34. The increase came during a special meeting called less than three weeks after auditor Darrell Blair
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Students take center stage at Board of Education
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Board of Education celebrated student achievement both in and out of the classroom during its meeting Monday at the central office. ‘Medal of Honor’ Martin County Middle School (MCMS) “Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Program” medal recipients Martha Maynard, Zoe Sammons and Zandra Sammons
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Operation Christmas Child collection week Nov. 17-24
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 17 – 24. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, including First Baptist Church in Inez and others in the region. For Inez First Baptist, this will be the
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Kermit swears in Kominar
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN KERMIT, W.Va. — Kermit Mayor Charles Sparks swore in Steve Kominar as councilman Monday to finish the term of Councilman Hawkey Preece, who passed away in late August. “Taking this seat to replace Hawkey, I can’t do,” Kominar said. “Hawkey was not only my brother-in-law but my brother in Christ,
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Todd joins Martin County Schools Police Department
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Schools Police Department has expanded its ranks with a familiar face. Police Chief Chris Kidd announced that Officer Nathan Todd of Inez has joined the department as its third officer. “Officer Todd was raised here in Martin County and went to school here his whole
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School speech therapist arrested for public intoxication
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County school speech therapist was arrested Thursday afternoon at Eden Elementary after officers said she appeared to be under the influence while supervising students. Martin County Schools Police Chief Chris Kidd and Officer Nathan Todd arrested Leigh Ann Marquez, 44, of Paintsville, around 3 p.m. on
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Six indicted in Martin County
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A Martin County grand jury indicted six people Thursday on charges that include drug trafficking, assault, wanton endangerment and driving under the influence. Hailee J. Joseph, 31, of Paintsville, is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (methamphetamine) and use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Regional jail near financial collapse, will ask counties to pay higher inmate housing rate
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PAINTSVILLE — The Big Sandy Regional Detention Center is teetering on the edge of financial collapse. In what officials describe as a last-ditch effort to keep the facility operating, the regional jail board is preparing to ask its four member counties—Johnson, Martin, Magoffin and Lawrence—to approve an increase in the
