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  • News
    Partial In-person school in Lawrence Co. to begin Monday Jan. 25

    Partial In-person school in Lawrence Co. to begin Monday Jan. 25

    Fiscal Court will lease property on Town Hill to Fair Board for 20 years

    Fiscal Court will lease property on Town Hill to Fair Board for 20 years

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RECENT NEW HIRES INCREASES TO ITS LARGEST SIZE IN ITS HISTORY; NOW HAS 10 DEPUTIES, 6 COURT SECURITY OFFICERS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RECENT NEW HIRES INCREASES TO ITS LARGEST SIZE IN ITS HISTORY; NOW HAS 10 DEPUTIES, 6 COURT SECURITY OFFICERS

    CITY HALL, FIRE AND POLICE STATIONS WILL BE REMODELED IF $750,000 GRANT IS APPROVED

    CITY HALL, FIRE AND POLICE STATIONS WILL BE REMODELED IF $750,000 GRANT IS APPROVED

    DON’T CALL:   LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    DON’T CALL: LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    COURTHOUSE TO BE CLOSED TO PUBLIC UNTIL FEBRUARY 1

    COURTHOUSE TO BE CLOSED TO PUBLIC UNTIL FEBRUARY 1

    FLETCHER ANNOUNCES TWO WEEK DELAY IN ‘IN-PERSON’ LEARNING CLASSES; NEW DATE IS JAN. 25

    FLETCHER ANNOUNCES TWO WEEK DELAY IN ‘IN-PERSON’ LEARNING CLASSES; NEW DATE IS JAN. 25

    209 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LAWRENCE COUNTY SINCE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

    209 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LAWRENCE COUNTY SINCE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SEES OVER 10% OF TOTAL COVID-19 CASES IN 4 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SEES OVER 10% OF TOTAL COVID-19 CASES IN 4 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

    21 MORE CASES OF COVID-19 AT JORDAN CENTER, 44 TOTAL IN COUNTY FOR DECEMBER 28

    21 MORE CASES OF COVID-19 AT JORDAN CENTER, 44 TOTAL IN COUNTY FOR DECEMBER 28

  • Sports
    Adkins and Feltner help propel Lawrence Co. to lopsided win over Prestonsburg

    Adkins and Feltner help propel Lawrence Co. to lopsided win over Prestonsburg

    Dawgs take care of Chesapeake in the Boyd Co. Shootout

    Dawgs take care of Chesapeake in the Boyd Co. Shootout

    Lawrence Co. edges Martin Co. in girls action, Host Prestonsburg tonight in District action

    Lawrence Co. edges Martin Co. in girls action, Host Prestonsburg tonight in District action

    Dawgs come up short against Boyd Co.

    Dawgs come up short against Boyd Co.

    DAWGS BLAST ROSE HILL TO GET BACK ON RIGHT TRACK

    DAWGS BLAST ROSE HILL TO GET BACK ON RIGHT TRACK

    Lady Bulldogs bounce back after first loss of the year

    Lady Bulldogs bounce back after first loss of the year

    CARTER CO. NATIVE AND UK TWO SPORT MAN DIES AT AGE 22

    CARTER CO. NATIVE AND UK TWO SPORT MAN DIES AT AGE 22

    Winter Sports in West Virginia will open up February 15th, Spring Sports March 15th

    Winter Sports in West Virginia will open up February 15th, Spring Sports March 15th

    Dawgs win at Fairview and fall on the road at Johnson Central

    Dawgs win at Fairview and fall on the road at Johnson Central

  • Lifestyles
    Carter honors BOE members during School Board Appreciation Month

    Carter honors BOE members during School Board Appreciation Month

    GAS PRICES RISING AT THE PUMP DESPITE LOWER DEMAND

    GAS PRICES RISING AT THE PUMP DESPITE LOWER DEMAND

    Newton’s Third Law and Silver Linings… By Rebecca Webb

    Newton’s Third Law and Silver Linings… By Rebecca Webb

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to The Salvation Army

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to The Salvation Army

    ‘A RAY OF HOPE’ AND SOME COUNTY OFFICES SPONSOR TOY DISTRIBUTION

    ‘A RAY OF HOPE’ AND SOME COUNTY OFFICES SPONSOR TOY DISTRIBUTION

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

    LOUISA ROTARY HEARS FROM STATEWIDE REPORTER VIA ZOOM

    LOUISA ROTARY HEARS FROM STATEWIDE REPORTER VIA ZOOM

    New boutique coming to Louisa just in time for Christmas

    New boutique coming to Louisa just in time for Christmas

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to White House Clinics

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to White House Clinics

  • Courthouse
    Lawrence County weekly civil suits, marriages and deeds January 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly civil suits, marriages and deeds January 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly court docket, January, 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly court docket, January, 17-22, 2021

    Kentucky State Police Post 14 Welcomes New Troopers

    Kentucky State Police Post 14 Welcomes New Troopers

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – DECEMBER 26, 2020-JANUARY 17, 2021

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – DECEMBER 26, 2020-JANUARY 17, 2021

    Lawrence County civil suits for the week of Jan 11-15

    Lawrence County civil suits for the week of Jan 11-15

    Lawrence County court docket for the week of January 11-15

    Lawrence County court docket for the week of January 11-15

    PAIR OF BROTHERS CONVICTED OF 1986 LAWRENCE COUNTY DOUBLE MURDER ARE UP FOR PAROLE

    PAIR OF BROTHERS CONVICTED OF 1986 LAWRENCE COUNTY DOUBLE MURDER ARE UP FOR PAROLE

    Louisa City Council Regular Meeting January 12, 2021–7:00pm

    Louisa City Council Regular Meeting January 12, 2021–7:00pm

    Lawrence County District and Circuit Court Docket for the week of January 4-8

    Lawrence County District and Circuit Court Docket for the week of January 4-8

  • Recollections
    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Comforts of Home

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Comforts of Home

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Disappearing Activities

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Disappearing Activities

    CANON WAS IN FRONT OF MRS. RICE’S PLACE IN LOUISA, WE KNOW WHERE IT IS NOW

    CANON WAS IN FRONT OF MRS. RICE’S PLACE IN LOUISA, WE KNOW WHERE IT IS NOW

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA… Can you Dig it?

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA… Can you Dig it?

    FRED JONES: I was thinking of Ben Compton today…

    FRED JONES: I was thinking of Ben Compton today…

    GLENN MOLLETTE: What Six Dollars Can Do  

    GLENN MOLLETTE: What Six Dollars Can Do  

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Coincidence

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Coincidence

    KENTUCKY EXPLORER MAGAZINE WILL NO LONGER BE PUBLISHED

    KENTUCKY EXPLORER MAGAZINE WILL NO LONGER BE PUBLISHED

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Old vs New Year

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Old vs New Year

  • Obituaries
    Joe Allen Hart, 90, of Louisa

    Joe Allen Hart, 90, of Louisa

    William T.  ‘Bill Tom’ Diamond, 78, of Louisa, Ky.

    William T. ‘Bill Tom’ Diamond, 78, of Louisa, Ky.

    Ruth Lemaster Kimbler, 90, of Louisa, KY

    Ruth Lemaster Kimbler, 90, of Louisa, KY

    Teresa Ann Daniel, 67, of Tomahawk, KY

    Teresa Ann Daniel, 67, of Tomahawk, KY

    Robert G. Miller, Jr., age 53, of Paintsville, Ky.

    Robert G. Miller, Jr., age 53, of Paintsville, Ky.

    Ethel “Edie” Borders Young, 91, formerly of Lawrence County

    Ethel “Edie” Borders Young, 91, formerly of Lawrence County

    Carl M. Howard, 75, of Louisa, KY

    Carl M. Howard, 75, of Louisa, KY

    Frances Ratcliff, 92, of Louisa, KY

    Frances Ratcliff, 92, of Louisa, KY

    Luther Samuel Parsons, 55, of Fort Gay, WV

    Luther Samuel Parsons, 55, of Fort Gay, WV

  • Regional News
    Kentucky State Police Investigates Fatal in Clay County; involves four vehicles

    Kentucky State Police Investigates Fatal in Clay County; involves four vehicles

    Kentucky State Police Asking For Assistance In Identifying Body

    Kentucky State Police Asking For Assistance In Identifying Body

    TRI-STATE AIRPORT EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FELONY EMBEZZELMENT

    TRI-STATE AIRPORT EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FELONY EMBEZZELMENT

    ‘MAJOR’ DRUG DEALER AND GIRLFRIEND ARRESTED BY WAYNE SHERIFF’S DEU

    ‘MAJOR’ DRUG DEALER AND GIRLFRIEND ARRESTED BY WAYNE SHERIFF’S DEU

    Dozens of Kentucky State Police Troopers Detailed to Presidential Inauguration

    Dozens of Kentucky State Police Troopers Detailed to Presidential Inauguration

    GOVERNOR VETOES BILLS HE DEEMS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’; UPDATES ON COVID

    GOVERNOR VETOES BILLS HE DEEMS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’; UPDATES ON COVID

    KSP LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF SHOOTING DEATH CASE OF CARTER COUNTY MAN IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY

    KSP LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF SHOOTING DEATH CASE OF CARTER COUNTY MAN IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY

    PLANNED ARMED PROTEST IN FRANKFORT FIZZLES

    PLANNED ARMED PROTEST IN FRANKFORT FIZZLES

    KENTUCKY STATE POLICE CHARGE LOGAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH CHILD SEX EXPLOITATION OFFENSES

    KENTUCKY STATE POLICE CHARGE LOGAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH CHILD SEX EXPLOITATION OFFENSES

  • Announcements
    Lawrence County students not able to return to school today due to weather conditions

    Lawrence County students not able to return to school today due to weather conditions

    FRED M. VINSON MUSEUM TO OPEN ON HIS BIRTHDAY, JAN. 22

    FRED M. VINSON MUSEUM TO OPEN ON HIS BIRTHDAY, JAN. 22

    DON’T CALL:   LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    DON’T CALL: LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    COUNTY ISSUES INVITATION TO BID ON NEW 911 SYSTEM

    COUNTY ISSUES INVITATION TO BID ON NEW 911 SYSTEM

    Louisa Utilities Board Meeting Agenda January 5, 2021, 6:00PM

    Louisa Utilities Board Meeting Agenda January 5, 2021, 6:00PM

    COURTHOUSE OFFICES TO REMAIN CLOSED TO PUBLIC PAST JAN. 4 DATE

    COURTHOUSE OFFICES TO REMAIN CLOSED TO PUBLIC PAST JAN. 4 DATE

    Last day to pay property taxes at the Face Amount is Thursday, December 31

    Last day to pay property taxes at the Face Amount is Thursday, December 31

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

    Lawrence County Board of Education REGULAR DECEMBER  MEETING Video Teleconference

    Lawrence County Board of Education REGULAR DECEMBER MEETING Video Teleconference

  • Editorials/Letters
    Kentucky Public Service Commission issues ruling in Kentucky Power rate case

    Kentucky Public Service Commission issues ruling in Kentucky Power rate case

    Busting myths and verifying facts about coronavirus vaccines

    Busting myths and verifying facts about coronavirus vaccines

    Trump-supporting evangelicals may face a reckoning

    Trump-supporting evangelicals may face a reckoning

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE…Jan. 14, 2021

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE…Jan. 14, 2021

    This Week in Frankfort:  Speedy start marks General Assembly’s 2021 session

    This Week in Frankfort: Speedy start marks General Assembly’s 2021 session

    AP: Capitol event was riot or insurrection, not coup attempt

    AP: Capitol event was riot or insurrection, not coup attempt

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2021 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2021 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    ‘Born-alive’ bill clears Ky. Senate committee

    ‘Born-alive’ bill clears Ky. Senate committee

    Work Ready Scholarship designed to fast-track Kentuckians from classroom to career

    Work Ready Scholarship designed to fast-track Kentuckians from classroom to career

  • News
    Partial In-person school in Lawrence Co. to begin Monday Jan. 25

    Partial In-person school in Lawrence Co. to begin Monday Jan. 25

    Fiscal Court will lease property on Town Hill to Fair Board for 20 years

    Fiscal Court will lease property on Town Hill to Fair Board for 20 years

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RECENT NEW HIRES INCREASES TO ITS LARGEST SIZE IN ITS HISTORY; NOW HAS 10 DEPUTIES, 6 COURT SECURITY OFFICERS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RECENT NEW HIRES INCREASES TO ITS LARGEST SIZE IN ITS HISTORY; NOW HAS 10 DEPUTIES, 6 COURT SECURITY OFFICERS

    CITY HALL, FIRE AND POLICE STATIONS WILL BE REMODELED IF $750,000 GRANT IS APPROVED

    CITY HALL, FIRE AND POLICE STATIONS WILL BE REMODELED IF $750,000 GRANT IS APPROVED

    DON’T CALL:   LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    DON’T CALL: LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    COURTHOUSE TO BE CLOSED TO PUBLIC UNTIL FEBRUARY 1

    COURTHOUSE TO BE CLOSED TO PUBLIC UNTIL FEBRUARY 1

    FLETCHER ANNOUNCES TWO WEEK DELAY IN ‘IN-PERSON’ LEARNING CLASSES; NEW DATE IS JAN. 25

    FLETCHER ANNOUNCES TWO WEEK DELAY IN ‘IN-PERSON’ LEARNING CLASSES; NEW DATE IS JAN. 25

    209 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LAWRENCE COUNTY SINCE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

    209 NEW COVID-19 CASES IN LAWRENCE COUNTY SINCE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SEES OVER 10% OF TOTAL COVID-19 CASES IN 4 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

    LAWRENCE COUNTY SEES OVER 10% OF TOTAL COVID-19 CASES IN 4 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

    21 MORE CASES OF COVID-19 AT JORDAN CENTER, 44 TOTAL IN COUNTY FOR DECEMBER 28

    21 MORE CASES OF COVID-19 AT JORDAN CENTER, 44 TOTAL IN COUNTY FOR DECEMBER 28

  • Sports
    Adkins and Feltner help propel Lawrence Co. to lopsided win over Prestonsburg

    Adkins and Feltner help propel Lawrence Co. to lopsided win over Prestonsburg

    Dawgs take care of Chesapeake in the Boyd Co. Shootout

    Dawgs take care of Chesapeake in the Boyd Co. Shootout

    Lawrence Co. edges Martin Co. in girls action, Host Prestonsburg tonight in District action

    Lawrence Co. edges Martin Co. in girls action, Host Prestonsburg tonight in District action

    Dawgs come up short against Boyd Co.

    Dawgs come up short against Boyd Co.

    DAWGS BLAST ROSE HILL TO GET BACK ON RIGHT TRACK

    DAWGS BLAST ROSE HILL TO GET BACK ON RIGHT TRACK

    Lady Bulldogs bounce back after first loss of the year

    Lady Bulldogs bounce back after first loss of the year

    CARTER CO. NATIVE AND UK TWO SPORT MAN DIES AT AGE 22

    CARTER CO. NATIVE AND UK TWO SPORT MAN DIES AT AGE 22

    Winter Sports in West Virginia will open up February 15th, Spring Sports March 15th

    Winter Sports in West Virginia will open up February 15th, Spring Sports March 15th

    Dawgs win at Fairview and fall on the road at Johnson Central

    Dawgs win at Fairview and fall on the road at Johnson Central

  • Lifestyles
    Carter honors BOE members during School Board Appreciation Month

    Carter honors BOE members during School Board Appreciation Month

    GAS PRICES RISING AT THE PUMP DESPITE LOWER DEMAND

    GAS PRICES RISING AT THE PUMP DESPITE LOWER DEMAND

    Newton’s Third Law and Silver Linings… By Rebecca Webb

    Newton’s Third Law and Silver Linings… By Rebecca Webb

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to The Salvation Army

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to The Salvation Army

    ‘A RAY OF HOPE’ AND SOME COUNTY OFFICES SPONSOR TOY DISTRIBUTION

    ‘A RAY OF HOPE’ AND SOME COUNTY OFFICES SPONSOR TOY DISTRIBUTION

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

    LOUISA ROTARY HEARS FROM STATEWIDE REPORTER VIA ZOOM

    LOUISA ROTARY HEARS FROM STATEWIDE REPORTER VIA ZOOM

    New boutique coming to Louisa just in time for Christmas

    New boutique coming to Louisa just in time for Christmas

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to White House Clinics

    Kentucky Power and AEP Foundation provide grant to White House Clinics

  • Courthouse
    Lawrence County weekly civil suits, marriages and deeds January 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly civil suits, marriages and deeds January 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly court docket, January, 17-22, 2021

    Lawrence County weekly court docket, January, 17-22, 2021

    Kentucky State Police Post 14 Welcomes New Troopers

    Kentucky State Police Post 14 Welcomes New Troopers

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – DECEMBER 26, 2020-JANUARY 17, 2021

    LAWRENCE COUNTY ARREST LIST – DECEMBER 26, 2020-JANUARY 17, 2021

    Lawrence County civil suits for the week of Jan 11-15

    Lawrence County civil suits for the week of Jan 11-15

    Lawrence County court docket for the week of January 11-15

    Lawrence County court docket for the week of January 11-15

    PAIR OF BROTHERS CONVICTED OF 1986 LAWRENCE COUNTY DOUBLE MURDER ARE UP FOR PAROLE

    PAIR OF BROTHERS CONVICTED OF 1986 LAWRENCE COUNTY DOUBLE MURDER ARE UP FOR PAROLE

    Louisa City Council Regular Meeting January 12, 2021–7:00pm

    Louisa City Council Regular Meeting January 12, 2021–7:00pm

    Lawrence County District and Circuit Court Docket for the week of January 4-8

    Lawrence County District and Circuit Court Docket for the week of January 4-8

  • Recollections
    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Comforts of Home

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Comforts of Home

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Disappearing Activities

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Disappearing Activities

    CANON WAS IN FRONT OF MRS. RICE’S PLACE IN LOUISA, WE KNOW WHERE IT IS NOW

    CANON WAS IN FRONT OF MRS. RICE’S PLACE IN LOUISA, WE KNOW WHERE IT IS NOW

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA… Can you Dig it?

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA… Can you Dig it?

    FRED JONES: I was thinking of Ben Compton today…

    FRED JONES: I was thinking of Ben Compton today…

    GLENN MOLLETTE: What Six Dollars Can Do  

    GLENN MOLLETTE: What Six Dollars Can Do  

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Coincidence

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Coincidence

    KENTUCKY EXPLORER MAGAZINE WILL NO LONGER BE PUBLISHED

    KENTUCKY EXPLORER MAGAZINE WILL NO LONGER BE PUBLISHED

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Old vs New Year

    GROWING UP IN LOUISA: Old vs New Year

  • Obituaries
    Joe Allen Hart, 90, of Louisa

    Joe Allen Hart, 90, of Louisa

    William T.  ‘Bill Tom’ Diamond, 78, of Louisa, Ky.

    William T. ‘Bill Tom’ Diamond, 78, of Louisa, Ky.

    Ruth Lemaster Kimbler, 90, of Louisa, KY

    Ruth Lemaster Kimbler, 90, of Louisa, KY

    Teresa Ann Daniel, 67, of Tomahawk, KY

    Teresa Ann Daniel, 67, of Tomahawk, KY

    Robert G. Miller, Jr., age 53, of Paintsville, Ky.

    Robert G. Miller, Jr., age 53, of Paintsville, Ky.

    Ethel “Edie” Borders Young, 91, formerly of Lawrence County

    Ethel “Edie” Borders Young, 91, formerly of Lawrence County

    Carl M. Howard, 75, of Louisa, KY

    Carl M. Howard, 75, of Louisa, KY

    Frances Ratcliff, 92, of Louisa, KY

    Frances Ratcliff, 92, of Louisa, KY

    Luther Samuel Parsons, 55, of Fort Gay, WV

    Luther Samuel Parsons, 55, of Fort Gay, WV

  • Regional News
    Kentucky State Police Investigates Fatal in Clay County; involves four vehicles

    Kentucky State Police Investigates Fatal in Clay County; involves four vehicles

    Kentucky State Police Asking For Assistance In Identifying Body

    Kentucky State Police Asking For Assistance In Identifying Body

    TRI-STATE AIRPORT EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FELONY EMBEZZELMENT

    TRI-STATE AIRPORT EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FELONY EMBEZZELMENT

    ‘MAJOR’ DRUG DEALER AND GIRLFRIEND ARRESTED BY WAYNE SHERIFF’S DEU

    ‘MAJOR’ DRUG DEALER AND GIRLFRIEND ARRESTED BY WAYNE SHERIFF’S DEU

    Dozens of Kentucky State Police Troopers Detailed to Presidential Inauguration

    Dozens of Kentucky State Police Troopers Detailed to Presidential Inauguration

    GOVERNOR VETOES BILLS HE DEEMS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’; UPDATES ON COVID

    GOVERNOR VETOES BILLS HE DEEMS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’; UPDATES ON COVID

    KSP LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF SHOOTING DEATH CASE OF CARTER COUNTY MAN IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY

    KSP LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF SHOOTING DEATH CASE OF CARTER COUNTY MAN IN MAGOFFIN COUNTY

    PLANNED ARMED PROTEST IN FRANKFORT FIZZLES

    PLANNED ARMED PROTEST IN FRANKFORT FIZZLES

    KENTUCKY STATE POLICE CHARGE LOGAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH CHILD SEX EXPLOITATION OFFENSES

    KENTUCKY STATE POLICE CHARGE LOGAN COUNTY, KENTUCKY HUSBAND AND WIFE WITH CHILD SEX EXPLOITATION OFFENSES

  • Announcements
    Lawrence County students not able to return to school today due to weather conditions

    Lawrence County students not able to return to school today due to weather conditions

    FRED M. VINSON MUSEUM TO OPEN ON HIS BIRTHDAY, JAN. 22

    FRED M. VINSON MUSEUM TO OPEN ON HIS BIRTHDAY, JAN. 22

    DON’T CALL:   LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    DON’T CALL: LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ASKS THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS TO NOT CALL TO MAKE VACCINE APPOINTMENTS, AS THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF VACCINE

    COUNTY ISSUES INVITATION TO BID ON NEW 911 SYSTEM

    COUNTY ISSUES INVITATION TO BID ON NEW 911 SYSTEM

    Louisa Utilities Board Meeting Agenda January 5, 2021, 6:00PM

    Louisa Utilities Board Meeting Agenda January 5, 2021, 6:00PM

    COURTHOUSE OFFICES TO REMAIN CLOSED TO PUBLIC PAST JAN. 4 DATE

    COURTHOUSE OFFICES TO REMAIN CLOSED TO PUBLIC PAST JAN. 4 DATE

    Last day to pay property taxes at the Face Amount is Thursday, December 31

    Last day to pay property taxes at the Face Amount is Thursday, December 31

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

      LAWRENCE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY, INC RECEIVES $14,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

    Lawrence County Board of Education REGULAR DECEMBER  MEETING Video Teleconference

    Lawrence County Board of Education REGULAR DECEMBER MEETING Video Teleconference

  • Editorials/Letters
    Kentucky Public Service Commission issues ruling in Kentucky Power rate case

    Kentucky Public Service Commission issues ruling in Kentucky Power rate case

    Busting myths and verifying facts about coronavirus vaccines

    Busting myths and verifying facts about coronavirus vaccines

    Trump-supporting evangelicals may face a reckoning

    Trump-supporting evangelicals may face a reckoning

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE…Jan. 14, 2021

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER’S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE…Jan. 14, 2021

    This Week in Frankfort:  Speedy start marks General Assembly’s 2021 session

    This Week in Frankfort: Speedy start marks General Assembly’s 2021 session

    AP: Capitol event was riot or insurrection, not coup attempt

    AP: Capitol event was riot or insurrection, not coup attempt

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2021 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    SENATOR PHILLIP WHEELER ANNOUNCES COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2021 GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    ‘Born-alive’ bill clears Ky. Senate committee

    ‘Born-alive’ bill clears Ky. Senate committee

    Work Ready Scholarship designed to fast-track Kentuckians from classroom to career

    Work Ready Scholarship designed to fast-track Kentuckians from classroom to career

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Home Content Lifestyles

Tight state budget, lack of summer programs impacts child hunger in West Virginia

School lots turned into drive-in feeding sites

Lazer Staff by Lazer Staff
July 29, 2020
in Lifestyles
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Wednesday, July 29, 2020

A story out of West Virginia shows the impact tight state budgets and lack of summer programs have had on child hunger. The state’s “plan to feed out-of-work families relies on the state’s cash-strapped nonprofits to fill in gaps in the system, including food distribution sites only accessible by vehicle and a two-hour pickup window in the middle of one workday for a week’s worth of food,” Amelia Ferrell Knisely reports for Mountain State Spotlight.

The story comes on the heels of a recent Brookings report showing that food insecurity overall is up, and that about 14 million children in the U.S. are eating less these days.

“When Gov. Jim Justice mandated that schools close in March, schools and nonprofits jumped into action to make sure food was available to kids. School lots turned into drive-in feeding sites, bus drivers dropped off meal boxes to kids hidden in hollers, and the National Guard assisted in food handouts. State officials said they served a million meals to students in one month,” Knisely reports. “Then summer arrived, and the number of food sites shrank. School systems with tight budgets couldn’t sustain as many feeding programs or pay bus drivers to deliver meals to isolated communities. Many summer camps and in-person tutoring programs, which typically help feed kids in summer, never opened because of covid-19.”

Written by Heather Chapman Posted at 7/29/2020 12:59:00 PM

 

###

 

 

Here’s a story by a new online publication in W.Va. called the Mountain State Spotlight. You can sign up for their newsletter in the post.  –Editor

July 22, 2020

Some West Virginia kids go hungry as state touts summer feeding plan

“My son seems like he’s never full. It’s disheartening.”

Jennifer Boyle-Hempel and her daughter, Laura Hempel, 17, tend to their family garden on July 13, 2020, in Randolph County. The farm is about 30 minutes away from the nearest school summer feeding site. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Jennifer Boyle-Hempel and her daughter, Laura Hempel, 17, tend to their family garden on July 13, 2020, in Randolph County. The farm is about 30 minutes away from the nearest school summer feeding site. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

 

By Amelia Ferrell Knisely

EDITOR’S NOTE: When we started Mountain State Spotlight, our plan was to start publishing on our website later this summer. But then, we found a story that couldn’t wait. Keep up with us by signing up here to receive our email newsletter.

Jennifer Boyle-Hempel eats just once a day so she can save her limited food for her kids. She and her husband run an art studio in Elkins, but they are out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At times, she hasn’t had enough food to feed everyone in her house, which includes three teenagers.

“I’m a mom. I can handle it,” she said. “But it’s different when you eat once a day because you’re tired. I know I have to save food for tomorrow because my daughter is going to be hungry.”

Her teenage daughter relies on a free food box that’s available at her designated summer feeding site at Elkins High School.

But Boyle-Hempel’s family has only one car, and they can’t always get to the high school, which is a 30-minute drive from their family farm in Beverly. Boyle-Hempel picks up a food box when she can.

“Our daughter is always trying to give us food out of her lunches,” she said.

When Gov. Jim Justice mandated that schools close in March, schools and nonprofits jumped into action to make sure food was available to kids. School lots turned into drive-in feeding sites, bus drivers dropped off meal boxes to kids hidden in hollers, and the National Guard assisted in food handouts. State officials said they served a million meals to students in one month.

Then summer arrived, and the number of food sites shrank. School systems with tight budgets couldn’t sustain as many feeding programs or pay bus drivers to deliver meals to isolated communities. Many summer camps and in-person tutoring programs, which typically help feed kids in summer, never opened because of COVID-19.

Justice has touted an online map of summer feeding sites for students and seniors.

 “ … In West Virginia we are truly knocking it out of the park on this,” the governor said in June.

But the plan has holes: Feeding sites are only accessible by families who have a vehicle. There is a two-hour pickup window in the middle of one workday for a week’s worth of food. And the plan relies on the state’s cash-strapped nonprofits to fill in the gaps.

Even before summer, West Virginia hunger advocates, including parents, said that kids were going hungry. The West Virginia Department of Education estimates it will hand out 6 million meals this summer, according to communications director Christy Day, but the department did not know the total number of students in need of food.

A week’s worth of food rations for Laura Hempel for the week of July 13, 2020. The food box is provided by Randolph County’s summer feeding program. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

A week’s worth of food rations for Laura Hempel for the week of July 13, 2020. The food box is provided by Randolph County’s summer feeding program. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

The Food for All Coalition, a statewide group of individuals and organizations focused on hunger, didn’t have a count either. In a strongly worded April letter to the Republican governor, the coalition outlined problems in the state’s plan and warned that a better, more comprehensive plan needed to be in place before federal dollars arrived to address COVID-related needs.

The group asked the governor in the letter to direct funds to bus driver deliveries, and to better coordinate summer feeding plans among the state, schools and nonprofits.

“Your leadership is especially critical,” the letter said.

Justice hasn’t spent any of the state’s $1.25 billion in CARES Act funding — federal money for coronavirus-related expenses — on feeding kids this summer, Day said.

The governor has not directly designated CARES Act money for any food relief efforts in the state, according to Deputy State Auditor Anthony Woods, though local governments receiving funds could use the money for food relief provided they meet the requirements of the CARES Act.

Some states have done just that. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy allocated $20 million in CARES Act funds to local food banks. Gov. Tim Walz in Minnesota said he will spend $12 million on hunger relief.

Jennifer Boyle-Hempel, left, and her husband, Kevin Boyle, feed chickens on their family farm on July 13, 2020, in Randolph County. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Jennifer Boyle-Hempel, left, and her husband, Kevin Boyle, feed chickens on their family farm on July 13, 2020, in Randolph County. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

In June, after West Virginia schools closed and food access worsened, the Food for All Coalition sent a second letter to Justice about the problem. The group emphasized that the governor now had federal money to put toward the issue, and asked for CARES funds to address the feeding gaps, specifically to pay bus drivers to deliver meals.

The bus routes were already set up, and drivers would know kids most in need, coalition members argued.

“The fastest and most comprehensive way to close the nutrition gap this summer is to financially support county boards of education ability to deliver meals via bus route throughout West Virginia,” the letter said.

Justice did not respond to the coalition’s letters, the group said. The governor’s office also did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story.

“The situation is clearly not as good as the governor is telling people,” said Seth DiStefano, policy outreach director at the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy and a member of the coalition. “[The state] is just counting on families having the ability to get to a fixed site to get a five-day meal drop in a 90 minute or two-hour period. A fraction of a fraction of [CARES Act] money, if put toward [food] delivery would make an enormous difference in making food accessible.”

The second letter did result in a meeting between coalition members and state education department officials on June 29.

During that meeting, department administrators did not make a plan to address food access and transportation issues, DiStefano said.

West Virginia lawmakers have repeatedly failed to advance a “Summer Feeding for All” bill that would have required districts to survey student food insecurities during summer, as well as during unanticipated breaks from school. If the bill had passed, superintendents could have written detailed feeding plans before the pandemic and known the scope of hungry kids in their counties.

Researchers with the Food Justice Lab at West Virginia University estimated that in 2019, before COVID-19 worsened the state’s unemployment rate, 178,000 West Virginia students missed out on summer meals. Those students relied on school food during the school year, and researchers compared how many students were eligible for meals to how many actually received free food in their counties.

Additionally, one in five children in West Virginia struggle to get food on a regular basis, according to Save the Children’s recent report. The global nonprofit ranked the state 42nd in the country for childhood hunger.

Melanie Purkey, senior administrator for the state’s Office of Student Support and Federal Programs, said that for the first time this year, the department asked counties to create at least one feeding site for each high school attendance area.

Schools, some through partnerships with local nonprofits, have handed out more than 1.9 million meals so far this summer, said Day, the department’s spokeswoman.

Cabell County, which has one of the state’s most robust summer feeding programs with 51 sites and six bus drivers, handed out more than 800,000 meals before July 7, said school spokesman Jedd Flowers.

The feeding programs vary from county to county. Only a handful of school systems are paying to deliver food by bus, while others are only offering a once-a-week meal box pick-up to families with vehicles.

For families without cars — about 9% of West Virginia households did not own a vehicle in 2018 — or gas money, it’s almost impossible to get to a school feeding site miles away.

Kanawha County, the state’s largest school system, has 19 such sites handing out an average of 4,250 meals a week, but Riverside High School remains out of reach for Jessica Smith.

The 39-year-old mom lives in Belle with two kids at home. She doesn’t have a car and can’t pick up food at her designated site. The high school is six miles from her home, and the walk is alongside a four-lane road.

“We’re just stuck with no way to get lunches,” Smith said. “I’m having to scrape up stuff for my kids. My son seems like he’s never full. It’s disheartening.”

Jessica Smith, foreground, tosses a football with her son, William Smith, outside the family home in Belle on July 9, 2020. Smith said her son “seems like he’s never full” this summer as the family struggles to access food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Jessica Smith, foreground, tosses a football with her son, William Smith, outside the family home in Belle on July 9, 2020. Smith said her son “seems like he’s never full” this summer as the family struggles to access food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Money has been tight in her household during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her husband, who works at a nearby hospital, was recently furloughed.

She said 10 other families in her community don’t have the means to get to the high school for food boxes. During the school year, meals were available at a nearby elementary school within walking distance.

“If we just had a car and could get up there, then we’d be up there every week,” Smith said.

The summer feeding program is costing Kanawha County $1.3 million, which does not include paying bus drivers, according to Kanawha County Schools spokeswoman Briana Warner.

Angelica Smith, 14, left, plays a video game as her brother William Smith, 13, background, works on the family computer. Their mother, Jessica Smith, looks on in the family home on July 9, 2020 in Belle. The family is not able to get to their designated summer feeding site because they do not own a vehicle. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Angelica Smith, 14, left, plays a video game as her brother William Smith, 13, background, works on the family computer. Their mother, Jessica Smith, looks on in the family home on July 9, 2020 in Belle. The family is not able to get to their designated summer feeding site because they do not own a vehicle. Photo by F. Brian Ferguson

Greenbrier County — home to Justice and his luxury resort, The Greenbrier — can’t afford to deliver meals on bus routes, said state Sen. Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier.

Baldwin has been heavily involved in food distribution plans for the county since the pandemic started. He works with nonprofits, the local health department and schools to meet the needs of families in his district.

The county went from 18 feeding sites and bus deliveries when school was in session to six sites this summer.

Jenny Curry, child nutrition director for Greenbrier County Schools, said the school system has never fed as many students during the summer as it is now.

But that doesn’t mean kids aren’t going hungry, she said, and the absence of bus driver deliveries is one of the reasons why.

The school system ordered and distributed around 2,000 food boxes per week at the beginning of the summer break, based on the need they’d seen during the school year. Curry said they estimated they’d need 770 boxes per week in July for numerous reasons, including parents who couldn’t make it to food pick up sites.

Bus drivers are key to reaching the neediest kids, Baldwin said.

“Bus drivers were the unsung heroes,” he said. “They know every kid on those bus routes and what their situation is. They knew that kids wouldn’t be home at certain times, like, if they’d be staying with their grandparent.”

In Kanawha County, nonprofit Step by Step is paying the county to use its bus drivers to deliver food three times a week to a handful of affordable housing developments in Charleston.

“We know there are a lot of students who lack transportation, and they will not have the means to get out and get their meals,” said Michael Farmer, Step by Step’s program director.

Throughout the state, other nonprofits are partnering with school systems or attempting to fill in the feeding gaps.

Jenny Anderson, who runs a Facebook page aimed at connecting West Virginia parents with food resources, said she regularly sends parents to food banks and nonprofits rather than school feeding sites because they are more accessible.

“I think the governor is [assuming] these nonprofits can feed kids for the rest of the summer,” Anderson said. “He doesn’t understand the limit of the volunteers and the funding. Even the nonprofits that specialize in feeding kids did not anticipate the needs they see now.”

It’s not feasible for nonprofits and small church food pantries to pick up the tab for feeding kids across the state, said Josh Lohnes, food policy research director at WVU.

Getting food will be an ongoing problem for students who do not return to the classroom five days a week. It is unclear what the upcoming school year will look like.

“If you’re banking on the philanthropic community to do this, then only Kanawha County and some of these wealthier counties are going to be able to deliver food,” said Lohnes, who’s a member of the Food For All Coalition. “We’re saying it is the state’s responsibility, and you have this money. It doesn’t have to be a bus driver, it can be a church driver, but you need to pay them.”

DiStefano said the coalition is asking the governor to give the Department of Education $12.5 million, 1% of the state’s CARES Act budget, to get food to families.

A large chunk of the requested money, DiStefano explained, would be spent on making sure a food delivery system that includes bus drivers is in place from now through the upcoming school year. The coalition also asked the governor to require superintendents to publish concrete plans for feeding children during the pandemic.

“There are a lot of kids left behind,” DiStefano said. “We are clear that it is the government’s responsibility and the Justice administration’s responsibility to make sure kids are fed, period.”

Amelia Ferrell Knisely writes about poverty for Mountain State Spotlight and is a Report for America corps member. Reach her at ameliaknisely@mountainstatespotlight.org and follow on Twitter: @ameliaknisely. Contact Amelia if you’ve experienced issues accessing food during COVID-19 and would like to share your story. 

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Comments 8

  1. Avatar Hungry says:
    6 months ago

    Bad choice of picture for this story. Some places should slow down the feeding program. Child obesity is a problem.

    Reply
    • Avatar Charles says:
      6 months ago

      Yep, no hunger going on in that last picture! Is that KAG’s family?

      Reply
      • Avatar Weezie says:
        6 months ago

        Pretty sure it is.

        Reply
        • Avatar Charles says:
          6 months ago

          🙂

          Reply
  2. Avatar Harold says:
    6 months ago

    Americans don’t know what hunger is.

    Reply
  3. Avatar Harry says:
    6 months ago

    About 4k worth of electronics in the picture but can’t afford transportation.

    Reply
    • Avatar Charles says:
      6 months ago

      I noticed that too Harry! The government does a piss-poor job of helping “the poor”, or should I say the professional poor? They assist the ones who apply; and certain people know everything that’s available. People who haven’t mastered the ‘system’ get nothing. People who work in fast food, at the Dollar Store and other low paying jobs get nothing. It’s been this way since the 60’s. Another ‘Democrat failure! One of a long list, that’s never been for ‘the working poor’, only the low life’s, the ones who think their to good to work. We are supposed to cry for these people…I don’t.

      Reply
  4. Avatar Charles says:
    6 months ago

    Doritos, hot pockets and bagged snacks? How about a bag of potatoes, some corn meal, flower and maybe some dry soup beans? What would be wrong with that. There are ways to cook that has nothing to do with a microwave, and the food is far better!

    Reply

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