Business

Efforts to reclaim abandoned mine lands, spur economic development, and to bring high-speed, high capacity broadband Internet to the region were among the topics U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers covered as the keynote speaker for the first ever Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Knox County Chamber of Commerce collaborative luncheon Thursday in Williamsburg. “It’s great to see these two chambers meeting together,” Rogers told the crowd. “You will find you can get so much more done when you are pulling together as one.” Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President Trent Knuckles welcomed the crowd of over 150 people, who gathered at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center for the event. “I...

The former Dino’s Restaurant on Cumberland Falls Hwy. is in new hands and will be getting a new lease on life. According to a Master Commissioner Deed filed Aug. 8 with the Whitley County Clerk, the building and property was sold to Lester Stewart of Paint Lick for $905,000. The restaurant had been ordered closed in late November by order of the Kentucky Department of Revenue over unpaid sales and withholding taxes dating back to February 2013, totaling $86,283.15. Stewart said Tuesday that he is partnering with Jeff Gillum to remodel the building to open a new location for Gillum’s Sports Bar. “He has a nice concept,” Stewart said of Gillum, who owns...

Two new restaurants, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks, which are both located on the campus of the University of the Cumberlands, will be opening to the public on Monday. “Our students and staff are very excited to have Chick-fil-A Express and Starbucks at UC. We hope the community will take time to visit campus and enjoy the offerings at both of these great establishments,” said Leslie Ryser, Director of the Office of University Communications. In April, UC announced construction of the new restaurants on their campus. Both are located in the Boswell Campus Center. Chick-fil-A is located on the main level in the grill. Starbucks is located on the mid-level of the campus center,...

For a guy who loves politics, Corbin native Ryan Lawson has secured an ideal job this fall. He will be interning for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in our nation’s capitol. “Politics is my passion. I am always looking for ways I can help the community and better myself,” Lawson noted. “Senator McConnell is definitely a legislative expert and a leader for conservatives across the nation.” Lawson said that he is looking forward to the internship, which will run from Sept. 5 – Dec. 15, and is “really excited” about it. Lawson said that he found out that he had received the internship on Aug. 1 while he was attending 39th Annual...

Unemployment rates rose in 96 Kentucky counties between June 2016 and June 2017, fell in 20 and stayed the same in four counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Whitley County's June unemployment rate was 7.2 percent. Laurel County's June unemployment rate was 6.9 percent. Knox County's June unemployment rate was 9.2 percent. Bell County's June unemployment rate was 9.6 percent. McCreary County's June unemployment rate was 7.8 percent. Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the Commonwealth at 3.8 percent. It was followed by Shelby County, 4.2 percent; Oldham and Spencer counties, 4.3 percent each; Fayette County, 4.4 percent; Campbell,...

With the cost of medical care continuing to increase, one trend in the medical community is to move toward smaller, more specialized facilities and the Cumberland Valley Surgical Center in north Corbin is providing one such avenue for 35 area physicians. The center, located off of Ky. 770, provides the credential physicians with the facilities and staff to perform outpatient procedures in eight different specialties including: Ophthalmology, Gynecology, Podiatry, Gastroenterology, pediatric dental, adult dental, ocular plastics and general surgical procedures. “Part of the solution to the healthcare crisis is to deliver healthcare at a higher quality and lower cost,” said Dr. Alan Graham, the Medical Director at the facility, who is...

Forcht Group of Kentucky Chairman Terry Forcht (center in photo) spoke to broadcasting students on July 25th at the Western Kentucky University Radio Talent Institute in Bowling Green. The topic of Mr. Forcht’s session with the students was how to make the transition “from college to the pros”. Dan Vallie, founder of the National Radio Talent Institute, said “it’s a great experience to see the caliber of broadcasters giving their time to teach these young people who have a passionate desire for a career in radio.” Forcht Broadcasting owns and operates 18 radio stations and 4 translators in Kentucky, making it the largest group of stations in the state.

Starting August 1, First State Financial will be changing its name to First State Bank of the Southeast. Originally founded as First State Bank of Pineville in 1899 by George H. Reese, the institution has remained locally and family owned for over 118 years. Reese’s greatgranddaughter Katherine Reese Capps is the current president and CEO of the bank and she wanted to stress that the change in names has nothing to do with any kind of change in ownership. “We want everyone to know that we are a bank, not some other type of financial institution, especially in our markets outside of Bell County that might not be aware of our...

The Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF) is pleased to announce that Barbourville Health and Rehab is among six long-term and post-acute care members across Kentucky were recognized with a 2017 Bronze - Commitment to Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) for their dedication to quality care. The National Quality Award Program by AHCA/NCAL spotlights providers across the country that have demonstrated their commitment to delivering quality care for seniors and persons with disabilities. “I am honored that Barbourville Health and Rehabilitation was selected as a Bronze Quality Award recipient,” said Janna Shelley, Barbourville’s administrator. “This is a testament to the...

A University of the Cumberlands online education program has recently been ranked among the top programs in the nation. Teacher Certificate Degrees, a leading education resource, recently published its list of top-ranked online master’s in education program rankings with the University of the Cumberlands placing seventh on the list. UC has an average online tuition of $315 per online credit hour. About 12 percent of the program’s faculty is tenured, and a 2.75 is the minimum GPA needed for acceptance. UC ranks 92 on U.S. News Best Online Graduate Education Programs ranking. “Our ranking is designed to help those considering a career change into teaching understand and compare their options for hybrid and...