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The Williamsburg City Council is considering whether the city should impose regulations on Airbnb, Verbo and other short term rentals. “They are popping up everywhere. They pop up before you even know it,” Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison told the council during its regular monthly meeting Oct. 12. Harrison said there are 14 short-term rental places in the Williamsburg area, and 12 inside the city limits. There is no law preventing people from having one. Harrison said the city needs to have the planning and zoning commission set requirements for such properties. He noted the city could limit short term rentals to a set number inside a certain distance, require the rentals to have one...

Construction is happening in Williamsburg, and more building work is being planned, according to Mayor Roddy Harrison. Harrison told the Williamsburg City Council during its monthly meeting Oct. 12 a new hotel is in the planning stages but did not go into details about the project. He added L&N Federal Credit Union is having a building constructed next door to Goodwill, and the University of the Cumberlands is also building some new townhouses behind Torres restaurant. One city official said they believe the plan is to move some of the staff out of townhouses on campus to make room for more students there. The city council also voted Monday to name a new...

Police have arrested a Corbin man in connection with a fatal shooting early Sunday morning in the North Corbin area. Corbin Police Detective Robbie Hodge arrested Mark Allen, 18, of Corbin, charging him with murder in the death of Dustin Deaton, 28, of Barbourville, according to a Corbin Police Department release. At approximately 1:30 a.m., Corbin police responded to a report of shots fired at Speedy Mart, which is located at the intersection of KY 3041 and US25. Officers determined an argument allegedly occurred between Allen and the victim. “The argument escalated, resulting in Allen allegedly shooting Deaton,” the release stated. With assistance from the Barbourville Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and...

A group of gift and talented Corbin Middle School seventh graders is trying to do what it can to help animals at the Knox-Whitley Humane Society while another group of gifted and talented students is trying to get the school dress code changed. These were two of the projects middle school students did a presentation regarding during the Corbin Independent Board of Education monthly meeting Thursday. Principal Evan Robinson said the gifted and talented students are part of a new class, which was created in response to Senate Bill 190. The bill called for advanced coursework and accelerated learning. “This is a class where students are exploring a passion. In this case,...

The Corbin Police Department is conducting a "murder investigation" in connection with a fatal shooting during the early morning hours Sunday, according to a Corbin Police Department release. The incident occurred in a business parking lot in North Corbin. The victim has been identified as Dustin Deaton, 28, of Barbourville. He suffered a fatal gunshot wound, according to the release. Detective Robbie Hodge is continuing the investigation. Assisting at the scene were Patrolman First Class Brentley Patrick, Patrolman Jonas Saunders, the Corbin Fire Department, Knox County EMS, Kentucky State Police and the Knox County Coroner’s Office. “The Corbin Police Department offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Deaton during...

Demolition work on the buildings destroyed by the Jan. 20 Main Street blaze in Williamsburg is 99.9 percent complete, Mayor Roddy Harrison told the Williamsburg City Council during its monthly meeting Monday. Harrison said there is a little more gravel, which needs to be pushed to fill in some holes. The site has been demolished down to the concrete and will remain concrete and gravel for the time being. Harrison noted demolition of this nature is usually taken down to the dirt, but local officials decided it would be better to leave the concrete for now He said the surface has been smoothed out with all the “toe stumps” taken out. The surface is...

The Williamsburg City Council has formally accepted a $1.5 million Kentucky Infrastructure Authority grant to pay for construction of an additional water tower. During its regular monthly meeting Monday, the council approved a resolution accepting the money and authorizing Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison to sign any documents related to the city receiving the grant money. During the last legislative session, Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers and 82nd Rep. Nick Wilson helped secure the funding. Harrison said officials initially thought about placing the new water tank on 10th Street just above Briar Creek Park but are now looking at placing it on 11th Street near the University of the Cumberlands practice soccer field. The...

Makenna Hibbard was crowned Homecoming Queen on Oct. 9 during Corbin’s football game against Harlan County. She was escorted by Louey Horvath. (Photo by HUNTER JUAREZ)

Due to the weather, turnout for the 2026 Corbin October Fest was limited, but the event still drew a number of vendors and classic cars and trucks in conjunction with the final Cumberland Valley Cruise-In of the season.

The wooden bridge on Fifth Street in Williamsburg, which goes over the railroad tracks, is expected to reopen by late next week. The city sent out a Reach Alert on Oct. 6 noting the bridge would be closed for repairs until further notice. Mayor Roddy Harrison told the Williamsburg City Council during its regular monthly meeting Monday CSX is supposed to be back next week to repair the bridge. It should reopen by Oct. 22 or Oct. 23 and be drivable. He said plans are for the bridge to be replaced later, but it should be open in time for the annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. The Turkey Trot is an annual 5-K...