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A Siler man, who police had been searching for in connection to an Aug. 21 shooting, is now behind bars in the Whitley County Detention Center. Kentucky State Police arrested Zachary Austin Partin, 27, at 1:16 p.m. Monday charging him with attempted murder. His bond is set at $1 million. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Whitley District Court. The incident allegedly took place at approximately 2:35 p.m. on Aug. 21, at a Harpes Creek Road residence when Partin reportedly shot 64-year-old Delbert Bolton, according to his arrest warrant. For more details, see Wednesday’s edition of the News Journal.

UPDATE: At 2:58 p.m., I-75 Southbound has reopened. Northbound lanes remain closed at this time. Drivers should continue to avoid the area and expect delays while crews work to clear the scene. Please use caution and allow extra travel time. Original post: Kentucky State Police are advising I-75 is shut down in both directions between Exit 29 and Exit 38 in Laurel County. The cause of the shutdown is a serious collision involving several commercial motor vehicles. One commercial vehicle was reportedly on fire. The crash occurred at approximately 1 p.m. near the 33-mile marker. Kentucky State Police are investigating. Northbound and southbound traffic is being diverted off the interstate onto US-25. Expect significant...

Kentucky State Police are advising I-75 is shut down in both directions between Exit 29 and Exit 38 in Laurel County. The cause of the shutdown is a serious collision involving several commercial motor vehicles. One commercial vehicle was reportedly on fire. The crash occurred at approximately 1 p.m. near the 33-mile marker. Kentucky State Police are investigating. Northbound and southbound traffic is being diverted off the interstate onto US-25. Expect significant delays and congestion. Please avoid the area and seek alternate routes if traveling this afternoon.

Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Commissioner Julian Tackett announced he is retiring, and Senior Associate Commissioner Butch Cope won’t be far behind. KHSAA made the announcements on Monday. Tackett’s last day is expected to be later this school year, and Cope’s last day will be July 1, 2027. Tackett was named commissioner in 2010 after having previously served as sports information director from 1984-1991; business affairs director from 1991-1995; assistant commissioner from 1995-2008; and executive assistant commissioner from 2008-2010. He is the KHSAA’s seventh commissioner. “Mark Twain is attributed with the quote that says – The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day...

Kentucky State Police (KSP) is asking for the public’s assistance to locate a man wanted in connection with a shooting incident, which happened at approximately 3:35 p.m. Friday in Whitley County. The subject is identified as Zachary A. Partin, 27. He was last seen on foot near the 900 block of Harps Creek Road in the Siler community of Whitley County. His direction of travel is unknown, according to a KSP release. Anyone, who sees this individual or has information regarding his whereabouts, is urged not to approach him, and to contact KSP Post 11 at (606) 878-6622 or dial 911. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

A Boone County man is behind bars in the Whitley County Detention Center after being arrested early Sunday morning for allegedly kidnapping a teenager and strangling her among other offenses. Judge Fred White entered a not guilty plea Monday morning for Roy Wesley Cox, 18, of Erlanger, during his arraignment in Whitley District Court on charges of kidnapping-minor, first-degree strangulation (domestic violence related), third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, first-degree unlawful imprisonment and fourth-degree assault. White set his bond at $100,000 cash, appointed the public advocate’s office to represent Cox and scheduled a Aug. 18 preliminary hearing in his case. The alleged incident happened Saturday at approximately 6 p.m. in Corbin, according...

A flightless bird caught the attention of several people in Williamsburg Thursday afternoon. At approximately 2:19 p.m., an Emu was spotted near IGA, which is off US25W between Main Street and Cumberland Avenue. Williamsburg Police Chief Jason Caddell said the bird apparently got loose on a farm off KY-26 a day or two ago. “How it ended up in Williamsburg, I have no idea,” he said. “Luckily, the owner was there with it by the time we got there.” (Photo courtesy of Tom Shelley)

One person died, who was found laying in a driveway near Corbin Thursday morning, but authorities say foul play is not currently suspected. “At this time, there doesn’t appear any foul play to have been involved. At this time, we don’t suspect any,” said Whitley County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tony Dingess, who is the investigating officer. The victim’s name is not being released pending notification of next of kin. The man was discovered at approximately 10:43 a.m. at 3390 Cumberland Falls Highway. “A passerby observed him lying in the driveway,” Dingess said. “He appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound.” Whitley County EMS responded to the scene and transported the man to Baptist...

A Williamsburg woman died after being struck by a train Monday afternoon in southern Whitley County. Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley pronounced Loretta Dean, 41, dead shortly before 2 p.m. Monday at Baptist Health Corbin. “She was walking on the tracks right around the Cool Camp area and was struck by an oncoming train,” Croley said. No autopsy was ordered. She died from multiple blunt force injuries, Croley said.

Corbin is getting a Kroger Marketplace. The Corbin Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing Thursday afternoon to consider a request for a plat approval for a Kroger Marketplace. The store will be built on the old King’s Truck Stop property in southern Laurel County off Exit 29. The new store will sit on nearly 19 acres of land and measure approximately 100,000-square-feet. It will be approximately 40,000 to 50,000-square-feet larger than a typical store. In other words, the two existing Kroger stores in Corbin would come close to fitting inside the new store. Construction is expected to take approximately 10 to 12 months to complete, weather permitting. The start date is contingent...