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EJ Harless wins full ride to Duke
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Schools Superintendent Larry James and the Board of Education on Monday recognized Martin County High School senior EJ Harless for earning a QuestBridge Scholarship. This highly competitive award provides him with a full ride to Duke University and marks a first for the school. “It’s a
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Superintendent honors school board members
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — January is School Board Recognition Month, and Martin County Schools Superintendent Larry James is using the occasion to highlight the service of the Martin County Board of Education, recognizing members both in a written statement and during Monday night’s meeting. “In Martin County, our community values a quality
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Bill would boost coroner pay
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Coroner Chris Todd and coroners across Kentucky are backing proposed legislation that would place their salaries on a scale comparable to other county constitutional offices. House Bill 138, sponsored by Rep. Deanna Frazier Gordon, would establish a new base pay structure for coroners and create four
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Martin County wrestling overwhelms 22-team field at Belfry Clipson Jones Classic
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN BELFRY — Martin County arrived at Clipson Jones Classic Saturday morning at Belfry High School and left that night with the championship. The Cardinals scored 258.5 points to win the 22-team tournament and finish well ahead of Braxton County’s 207. Coach Josh Muncy’s Cardinals built the margin one match at
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Who is running in Martin County: Candidate filing closes
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The candidate filing deadline closed at 4 p.m. Jan. 9, setting the field for county and city races in Martin County ahead of the May 2026 primary election. Under Kentucky law, when only one candidate files for a party’s nomination in a race, that candidate automatically advances to
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Butterfly weigh station, pollinator gardens, bee apiary proposed for Inez
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A monarch butterfly weigh station, a pollinator garden and a community bee apiary could soon take root in Inez as the Martin County Beekeepers Association moves forward with a slate of hands-on conservation and education projects. Dan Howard, agent for agriculture, outlined the ideas Monday afternoon during the
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Beekeepers regroup, focus on education and sales
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — As the Martin County Beekeepers Association works to rebuild after several inactive years, members received practical tools and regulatory guidance Monday aimed at strengthening local beekeeping, improving marketing readiness and preparing for the county’s first farmers market. Association president Chris West opened the meeting Monday afternoon at the
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Local man jailed for allegedly stealing ex’s car from hospital after she gave birth
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN A Martin County man remained jailed Tuesday after police say he stole his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle while she was in the hospital recovering from the birth of their child. The Pikeville Police Department responded to Pikeville Medical Center Saturday where the woman was staying. She told police that her ex-boyfriend, Christopher
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Candidates line up for Martin County races ahead of Friday deadline
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — With the filing clock ticking toward a 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 deadline, the 2026 May Primary ballot in Martin County is beginning to take shape as candidates line up to seek county and city offices. As of Tuesday, the following candidates had filed for races. The list
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Martin County wrestles to the wire, finishes runner-up at Hatfield-McCoy 32
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN PIKEVILLE — For two days at Appalachian Wireless Arena, the margins were razor-thin and the pace relentless. It was the kind of tournament where a single scramble can tilt an entire team race. Martin County High School lived in that tension at the Hatfield-McCoy 32. The Cardinals stalked the lead










