Business

As part of AT&Ts continuing efforts to drive economic development and investment in Kentucky, AT&T and representatives from the Southeast Kentucky Industrial Development Authority today announced that the Southeast Kentucky Business Park has been designated AT Fiber Ready. The AT&T Fiber Ready designation helps economic development leaders more effectively position their communities for site selection by emphasizing the availability of high-speed, fiber-based services. In today's world, connectivity is vital to new employers and businesses of every type. "It truly has been remarkable to watch Kentucky's economy grow and communities thrive as we have worked with local leadership to improve the business environment here in Kentucky," said Senate President Robert Stivers. "It is...

A local bank's investment in the future will result in two new computer labs for a small school district. As part of a joint project, Forcht Bank donated $19,000 Friday morning to Williamsburg Independent School, which will add $19,000 of its own technology funds, to purchase $38,000 worth of new computers for the school media center. The nearly 70 computers will enable the school district to replace every computer in both computer labs at the school media center. Williamsburg Superintendent Dr. Amon Couch said that the new computers are badly needed. "This is a real game changer for our school district in regards to technology. Technology is one of those things that...

Thanks to an expansion and renovation of the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service Office in Whitley County, local officials are hoping to offer additional services. It also means that local residents have access to a commercial kitchen that is available for public use. Garrard Coffey, agriculture and natural resources extension agent, said the addition is pretty badly needed. A year ago, some employees were in the main building while others were in a doublewide trailer behind the main building. "The extension service, if you went back 10 years, it was three extension agents and a secretary," Coffey noted. "At this point we are up to 10 employees and we are...

Unemployment rates fell in 74 Kentucky counties between September 2015 and September 2016, including Whitley and Knox counties, but rose in 41 counties, including Laurel County, and stayed the same in five counties (Grayson, Henderson, Livingston, Logan and Simpson), according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Whitley County's unemployment rate fell from 6.3 percent in September 2015 to 6.2 percent in September 2016. This was a 0.2 percent decrease from the August's rate. Whitley County tied Ohio County with the 39th highest September unemployment rate in Kentucky. Knox County's unemployment rate fell from 7.6 percent in September 2015 to...

Ruth Siler Manning, who has worked as a beautician in Williamsburg for over 53 years, said that the secret to keeping a business successful for so many years is being friendly and treating your customers well. "It has been both ways and I have always had good customers" Manning added. Manning said the thing she has enjoyed the most about her career has been all of her customers, and they are the thing she will miss most in retirement. "I have always had a good bunch of customers. I love meeting people," she said. "I have some customers that I have had ever since I have been working." Manning, who was 19 years...

Cancer patients coming to Baptist Health Corbin for treatment Monday entered a whole new world. After more than five months of construction, the hospital opened its new cancer center to patients Monday morning. “We had clinics Friday until about noon and moved everything over the weekend,” said Debbie Hardin a spokesperson for the hospital. “The new location is 7,900 square feet, which is almost double the old space,” Hardin said. Hardin said hospital officials used the additional space to house four private infusion rooms for patients that require IV’s to lie down, a departmental lab, consultation, conference and office space, a larger open infusion area for patients that want company while receiving treatment,...

Local residents will have the chance to find out a little bit more about some of the candidates for local office during the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's Candidates Forum, which is scheduled for next Tuesday in Williamsburg. The forum will take place during the chamber's October membership luncheon, which starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Cumberland Inn. "The Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring this forum to provide an opportunity for our local candidates to speak directly to voters about important issues in their respective races," said Trent Knuckles, President of the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. "I'm looking forward to everyone's participation in this event. Our chamber wants...

After comparing the eight bids and ensuring it met all of the specifications, H2O Construction out of Pikeville was awarded the contract to install the water and sewer lines for the new Grace Community Health medical campus and Euro Sticks facility that are under development on the Corbin bypass. At a special called meeting of the Corbin City Commission last Thursday, the bidding for the project was closed and the sealed bids were opened. H2O Construction turned in a bid of $226,050. The next lowest bidder was Lc Excavation and Dirt Work out of London with a bid of $254,200. After the bids were opened, a motion was made for the bids...

A little over a month after threatening to file legal action against several restaurants in the city that were woefully behind on paying taxes, iconic downtown Corbin restaurant The Dixie Café is the first to actually be taken to court. Corbin City Attorney Bob Hammons filed the civil complaint Sept. 19 in Whitley Circuit Court against The Dixie. The lawsuit claims The Dixie has not made quarterly restaurant tax payments for a total of seven quarters. The tax is a three-percent charge on gross receipts, excluding state sales taxes. City officials say The Dixie owes: $1,012.32 for the first quarter of 2015, $1,503.17 for the second quarter of 2015, $1,245.09 for...

Unemployment rates fell in 82 Kentucky counties between August 2015 and August 2016, including Whitley, Knox and Laurel counties, rose in 36 and stayed the same in Montgomery and Wayne counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training, an agency of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Whitley County's unemployment rate fell from 6.5 percent in August 2015 to 6.4 percent in August 2016. This was a 0.5 percent decrease from the July's rate. Whitley County tied Clinton and Union counties with the 37th highest August unemployment rate in Kentucky. Knox County's unemployment rate fell from 7.7 percent in August 2015 to 7.5 percent in August 2016. Knox...