Here is a closer look at the top 6-10 stories of 2025 as voted on by the news staff of the News Journal.
6) Baptist Health Corbin breaks ground on $100 expansion project
In May, local, state and national officials gathered at Baptist Health Corbin to break ground on a new $100 million, 80,000-square-foot, three-story patient wing that will more than double the amount of space in both the emergency department and Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Some key features of the new patient care wing are increasing the number of treatment rooms in the emergency department from 14 to 36, expanding the ICU from 10 to 24 patient rooms, increasing the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from 2,165 square feet to 6,647 square feet, and adding 24 private rooms on the second floor, allowing for all-private acute care nursing units.
The new wing will be connected to the current hospital by an enclosed pedestrian bridge that is climate controlled.
In addition, the helipad will be relocated to a rooftop location directly above the new emergency department, which will be designed to accommodate up to 60,000 patient visits annually.
The estimated project completion date is summer of 2027.
“We are thrilled to officially launch this project today, which represents a major step forward for Baptist Health Corbin and our community,” Baptist Health Corbin President Angelia Foster told the crowd on hand at the groundbreaking. “This new patient care wing will allow us to meet the growing demand for healthcare services while ensuring a modern and compassionate environment for our patients. We’re excited for the impact this will have on our ability to deliver exceptional care to our patients and their families.”
Foster added the expansion means that fewer folks in the hospital’s market area will have to travel to receive critical care when they need it, and wait times in the emergency department will improve.
7) Whitley County Detention Center breaks ground on transformative expansion project
In November, Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White, Jr. welcomed officials from the local and state level as ground was officially broken on the long-planned expansion to the Whitley County Detention Center.
White called the occasion “momentous” for Whitley County, explaining that the $10 million project will add 100 beds and an additional community room. Most importantly, he said that the expansion should improve the county’s overall financial situation.
White said that costs associated with jails is currently the single biggest issue for counties across the state. By investing in an expansion that will help to bring down costs in the long term, he said that Whitley County will be able to do things like pay employees more, invest in new equipment, have better facilities and pave more roads.
Also excited to break ground on the expansion was Whitley County Jailer Jason Wilson.
“This project will help solve two issues,” Wilson said. “It will bring more revenue to Whitley County, and it will also help our neighboring county (McCreary) house their inmates. It’s really a win-win for both counties.”
Currently, McCreary County inmates are being transported to Knox County to be housed. By utilizing the newly expanded Whitley County facility, costs and safety concerns related to longer transports will both decrease drastically.
“This is a game changer for McCreary County for many reasons,” said McCreary County Judge Executive Jimmie “Bevo” Greene, who was also present for the groundbreaking. “One of them being the safety of our inmates and transport drivers.”
Greene said he is thankful for being able to partner with Whitley County to improve the situation.
Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers spoke further on the partnership, saying, “It makes sense for everybody to make this kind of investment. When you think about the time that it will save the court system, it made sense as a regional project.”
Stivers said that he worked closely with 82nd District State Representative Nick Wilson to secure about $7.5 million to help fund the expansion.
Wilson also spoke at the groundbreaking, saying, “This project is something that I’m very proud of. It makes a lot of sense. It makes dollars and ‘cents.’ It just adds up.”
Wilson also took the opportunity to speak on his personal experience travelling long distances to meet with inmates during his stint as a public defender in McCreary County. “I just can’t stress enough how good it is for the criminal justice system as a whole for this to happen,” he said.
8) Dr. Quentin Young named University of the Cumberlands’ 11th president
The University of the Cumberlands began a new and exciting chapter this past year, as Dr. Quentin Young was selected to succeed Dr. Larry Cockrum in the role of president. Young is now serving as the 11th president in the university’s illustrious 137-year history.
Cockrum, meanwhile, has made the transition to President Emeritus after a decade of strong leadership that was marked by incredible growth and remarkable innovation.
Dr. Young, who initially came to the university in 2016, has served in various capacities leading up to his appointment as president, including Executive Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer. Holding these titles has allowed him to play a key role in fostering institutional growth in recent years, a goal that he now hopes to continue as he oversees operations from the president’s office.
During a presentation at the October Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon, Young spoke about how UC is continuing to invest in its students, saying, “In the fall of 2024, we introduced new scholarships for our on-campus undergraduates, with a clear goal… to help students graduate with little-to-no debt. Today, full-time on-campus undergraduates pay on average no more than $4,000 per year out of pocket, making a high-quality education at Cumberlands within reach for more students than ever before.”
“The Cumberlands Commitment reflects our belief that a transformative education must also be an attainable one, and the impact is clear,” Young added. “According to U.S. News and World Report, Cumberlands students graduate with the lowest average student-loan debt in Kentucky and rank highest in social mobility among the state’s universities. That means our students are graduating, finding meaningful work, and impacting their families for generations.”
Young also spoke about the importance of building community partnerships in order to achieve growth throughout the region, saying, “We know that we can’t do this work alone.
That’s why we’re working to build stronger relationships with local school districts, healthcare providers, government agencies, and employers across the region. That’s why we are engaging with the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and sponsored this year’s SOAR Summit. We’re listening. We’re learning. And we’re looking for ways to align our programs with the needs of our communities.”
9) Williamsburg Police Department officer-involved shooting
On May 25, Williamsburg Police Officer Dorman Patrick Jr. responded to an attempt to locate a speeding motorcycle on I-75 and got into pursuit of that motorcycle, which was heading south.
Through an open records request to Whitley County E-911, the News Journal obtained an audio recording of communications between Williamsburg police and E-911 dispatchers regarding the incident.
“I am already at the six-mile marker trying to catch up with a motorcycle. It is a crotch rocket. I am not successful so far,” Patrick said soon adding that he could just barely see it as speeds were at 120 mph.
Williamsburg Assistant Police Chief Bobby Freeman radioed Patrick to discontinue the pursuit if it crossed the state line into Tennessee, which Patrick acknowledged.
Patrick then told dispatch that he was at the three-mile marker.
The chase soon reached Tennessee.
A dispatcher told Patrick that Freeman advised to discontinue the pursuit at the state line. Patrick gave a description of the suspect, and the dispatcher replied that Campbell County, Tennessee, dispatchers had been notified.
“I will let you know whenever I discontinue,” Patrick told the dispatcher.
“Shots fired! Shots fired!” Patrick can soon be heard telling dispatchers on the phone. “He is going the wrong way down the interstate! I am about a mile into Tennessee!”
Patrick explained that the motorcycle stopped, turned around and started going the wrong direction on I-75.
“I had to do something because I thought he was going to kill somebody or something,” a frantic sounding Patrick told dispatchers over the telephone. “He stopped in the middle of the road. Then he took off the wrong way down the interstate. Then he was going head on into cars. I had to do something to try and stop him.”
About an hour after Patrick started the pursuit, the motorcycle rider was caught while involved in a vehicle pursuit in Anderson County, Tennessee. His motorcycle and a patrol vehicle collided with the front end of the Anderson County patrol vehicle ending up on top of the motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider was taken to the hospital before being taken to jail.
Patrick was placed on leave by the Williamsburg Police Department, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) was called to investigate the officer-involved shooting portion of the investigation.
10) I-75 road widening project gets underway in Whitley County
In August, several local, regional, and state-level officials gathered at Martin’s Peterbilt in London for a special ceremony marking the start of the next phase of the I-75 widening project that will eventually see six lanes extending all the way to the Tennessee border.
“The widening of I-75 between Laurel and Whitley counties is about far more than just moving pavement,” 21st District Senator Brandon Storm said at the ceremony. “It’s about long-term investment and safety, economic growth and quality of life for the people of this region. When completed, this section will connect the rest of the six-lane expansion to the Tennessee border. This means improved freight movement, a boost in tourism, and a wide-open gateway for new opportunities.”
Karen Kelly, Chief of Staff for the office of U.S. Representative Hal Rogers, was also present, and spoke on behalf of the Congressman, saying, “If he were here, I feel sure the two things that he would say is ‘a project without funding is a hallucination’ and ‘plan your work, work your plan.’”
“It takes years of planning and preparation to make a project like this happen,” Kelly added.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) District 11 Chief Engineer Chris Jones offered some specifics on the project itself, saying, “This is another significant investment in our region’s future, improving safety by reducing congestion and preparing one of Kentucky’s most heavily traveled corridors for future growth.”
Jones explained that the project will involve the widening of I-75 from four-to-six lanes beginning at mile point 23.2 in Whitley County and continuing up to mile point 28.9 in Laurel County. Additionally, he said that the project will include the widening of 10 structures, including bridges and overpasses, that he said will improve both safety and capacity.
Jones said the total cost for the project is just below $148 million, representing a “significant investment in this regions connectivity, economy and safety.”
Among the local elected officials who spoke at the ceremony was Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus, who said, “It’s just so exciting for our communities, and for the workers who will be working on this project. The amount of dollars that are going to [flood] into our communities… it’s truly hard to believe that I’m standing up here and that its actually happening.”
“We’re in a new day, and a new age,” Razmus added. “And it’s thanks to the vision of the leaders who have gotten us here, and their dedication to the people that they represent. I just want to say thank you, and let’s get to work!”
