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PSC rejects Martin County Water District request to end monitoring
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Kentucky Public Service Commission has denied the Martin County Water District’s request to end state monitoring and close the long-running oversight case, ruling that the district has not yet shown it can operate without continued scrutiny or without the support of its outside management company, Alliance Water…
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Legislation heads to governor with nearly $26 million for Martin County water, sewer projects
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — Legislation that would release $25.8 million for eight Martin County water and sewer projects cleared the Kentucky General Assembly on Tuesday, moving to Gov. Andy Beshear. The measure, House Joint Resolution 81, would release $52,502,260 statewide in previously appropriated funding through Kentucky’s Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled…
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Kermit water project advances in federal funding process
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN KERMIT, W.Va. — The Kermit Town Council learned Monday that the town is one step closer to securing $2.9 million for water and sewer improvements after its funding request advanced in Congresswoman Carol Miller’s Community Project Funding process. The project is one of 20 requests selected to move forward from…
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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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Former lieutenant’s sentencing closes yearslong federal prison abuse scandal
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LONDON — A former lieutenant at the United States Penitentiary Big Sandy in Martin County was sentenced Tuesday to 17 months in federal prison for falsifying records to cover up the beating of an inmate who had pleaded for protective custody. This is the final sentencing in a yearslong federal civil rights…
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Tomahawk man pleads guilty to federal gun charge after undercover buys
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LEXINGTON — A Tomahawk man has agreed to plead guilty in federal court to one of two gun charges after authorities made undercover purchases of methamphetamine and a shotgun at his Martin County home in 2025. Jimmy D. Cornett, 61, pleaded guilty April 7 in U.S. District Court in Lexington…
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Trash complaint sparks code enforcement reckoning in Martin County
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — A complaint about missed garbage pickups turned into a reckoning over code enforcement in the April 1 meeting of the Martin County Solid Waste Code Enforcement Board. Residents, officials and law enforcement questioned whether haulers are meeting contract requirements and whether the board and code enforcement are doing…
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Election officials sound alarm on voter ID
Ayers, Skyles discuss election BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Board of Elections members James Ayers and Susie Skyles shared important updates on voter identification requirements, absentee voting and key deadlines during a recent Kiwanis Club luncheon at Giovanni’s in Inez. As has become their tradition leading up to elections, Ayers and…
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Jordan Doyle publishes novel rooted in trauma, addiction and recovery
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN Martin County native Jordan Doyle has released a new novel, “The Girl Who Named the Fire,” a story of trauma, addiction and recovery. Now living in Floyd County, Doyle launched the book in June 2025. The novel follows a traumatic fire and the aftermath of rebuilding a life. “She didn’t…
