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The City of Corbin officially has a new tourism director, and she is a 15-year veteran of the tourism industry. During a special called meeting Wednesday afternoon, the Corbin Tourist and Convention Commission voted to name Nancy Conley as its new executive director. “With great excitement, Nancy Conley has accepted the position of executive director of the City of Corbin Tourist and Convention Commission. Her skills and experiences combined with her deep passion for tourism and community development will serve Corbin, Kentucky well,” the tourism commission said in a statement. Conley’s background encompasses a 15-year career in tourism with the City of Berea where she works in the business and tourism development...

10 percent of Whitley County voters went to the polls to cast their ballots in Tuesday's May Primary election in the Republican and Democrat presidential primaries. As former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden had long since secured enough delegates for their respective party's nomination, turnout was expectedly light. Trump received 73 out 84 votes cast in Whitley County's Republican presidential primary with "uncommitted" receiving five votes, Nikki Haley getting four votes, and Chris Christie and Ron DeSantis each receiving a single vote. Biden received 13 out of the 17 votes cast in Whitley County's Democratic presidential primary with "uncommitted" and Marianne Williamson each receiving two votes each. Republican voters also...

James Wren, II, the Williamsburg attorney charged with DUI last spring while on his way to court for a jury trial, was taken into custody Friday afternoon in Whitley District Court following a two-day trial in which jurors found him guilty of multiple charges. Prior to meeting to deliberate their verdict, Wren, who acted as his own attorney, used his closing arguments to ask jurors for leniency while they considered their decision. “Please, acquit me of the DUI,” Wren asked. “Even if you feel you have to find me guilty of something, convict me of reckless driving…Please, do not send me to jail.” On May 24, 2023, Williamsburg Police arrested Wren, 68,...

The Corbin City Commission has selected its next city manager to replace Marlon Sams, who is retiring effective April 1, and he is a familiar face with extensive knowledge about the workings of city government. The Corbin City Commission held a special meeting late Friday afternoon and met in executive session for more than 80 minutes before returning to regular session and unanimously voting to hire former mayor Scott Williamson as the next city manager at a salary of $72,000 annually. Williamson was one of four finalists for the job. On Jan. 31, the Corbin City Commission interviewed two of the four finalists, and on Feb. 5, they interviewed the other two...

A Williamsburg man who has been missing since Sunday evening has been found alive. Walter Dewayne Dale, 35, was last seen in the area of the Eagle Falls trailhead at Cumberland Falls State Park Resort traveling on foot. A Golden Alert D was issued Monday by the Kentucky State Park Ranger Division and Kentucky State Police, who were actively searching for Dale. Since Dale was last seen, the region has seen several inches of snowfall, which impeded search attempts. However, Dale was located Tuesday afternoon following a report concerning a hiker in need of help, according to Whitley County Emergency Management Director Jerry Rains, who was assisting park rangers and KSP...

Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams announced his pending retirement at the end of Monday's monthly Corbin City Commission meeting. His official retirement date will be April 1, 2024. The Corbin City Commission agreed to accept Sams pending retirement, and voted to advertise for the hiring on a new city manager. The deadline to apply is Jan. 16 at 4 p.m. For more information, see Wednesday's edition of the News Journal.

Update: As of 2:15 p.m., KY92E has been reopened and normal traffic flow has resumed. Original story: Motorists traveling in eastern Whitley County are encouraged to seek an alternate route as KY92E is expected to remain closed for several hours due to a two-vehicle fatality involving a commercial vehicle, according to a Whitley County Sheriff's Department release. Shortly after 10 a.m., the sheriff's department issued an alert on its Facebook page about the accident, which occurred just east of Whitley East Elementary School. "At this time it is unknown how long the roadway will be closed," the sheriff's department release noted. Motorists are urged to seek an alternate route, such as taking KY11...

There was allegedly a pattern of abuse in the home where 4-year-old Chloe Darnell most recently resided before her untimely death, according to investigators, and though the cause of that death still remains unknown, preliminary autopsy results indicate Darnell had suffered multiple fractures to the head and ribs that were likely sustained before her body was buried in a makeshift grave. Brittany Slaughter, 24, who had joint custody of Darnell at the time of her death, and Adam Hayes, 34, both of Williamsburg, have each been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. The pair appeared in Whitley District Court for a preliminary hearing Monday morning,...

UPDATE: A body believed to be that of four-year-old Chloe Darnell, who had not been seen since September, has been found, according to a release from the Whitley County Sheriff's Department. The release, posted early Friday morning, stated that the body has been sent the state medical examiner's office in Frankfort for an autopsy and positive identification. The child's custodian, Brittany Slaughter, 24, who had also been missing for several weeks, was located unharmed Thursday night. Slaughter is Darnell's aunt and had custody of Darnell when the child disappeared. Slaughter has since been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence. A man, identified as Adam Hayes, 34, has...

Outdoor burning is now prohibited for the near future in Whitley County due to extremely dry conditions. "Due to current and predicted weather conditions, and the extreme danger of forest fires in Whitley County, I, Pat White, Jr., County Judge Executive of Whitley County, do hereby issue the following Executive Order effective at 9 a.m., November 8, 2023," White wrote in the order. "All outdoor burning in Whitley County is prohibited under authority of KRS 149.401. This prohibition is in effect until this executive order has been rescinded by public notice. I urge all Whitley County citizens to comply with this executive order so that we can preserve Whitley County's timber...