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The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced that one lane of northbound Interstate 75 in Campbell County will be opened to traffic Thursday morning. According to TDOT officials traffic near the 142-mile marker will be reduced to one lane as workers continue repairs to the damage caused by a rockslide on Feb. 26. TDOT officials estimate that repairs to the second lane will be completed on or before April 15. “We asked that motorists use extra caution in this area as workers are present,” TDOT officials said in a press release.

An effort to provide free saliva-based drug testing kits to parents at various locations in Whitley County has been delayed. The "Give Me A Reason" drug prevention initiative is a voluntary drug-testing program through the Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and Operation UNITE. The program is designed as a way for youth to avoid peer pressure and give them a reason to say no to drug use, such as the fact that their parent's drug test them. Operation UNITE recently got 10,000 drug testing kits that will be distributed to the public. Carl Varney, a coalition coordinator for Operation UNITE, said late Monday afternoon that distribution of the kits will probably...

A Whitley County community forum is planned for Thursday afternoon in Williamsburg to update local residents on what has happened with the Promise Zone over the last 12 months. Promise Zone Coordinator Sandi Curd will also give an give a review during the forum about the strategic plan and provide information about new partners participating in the program. "Share what you have done to grow small businesses, advance leadership, train entrepreneurs and create jobs," Kurd said in a release. "Changing our economy will take all of us. Share your ideas. Please join us for a chance to voice your opinion on what you want to see for our community." The forum will...

Over 2,800 Easter eggs will be hidden in Briar Creek Park waiting for local youngsters ages 10 and under to find Saturday as part of the Sixth Annual Williamsburg Community Easter Egg Hunt, which will take place starting at 1 p.m. The children will be divided up into three separate age groups, 1-3 years, 4-6 years, and 7-10 years. There will be first, second and third place prizes in each age group. "We have the eggs ready to be hidden and ready to go. We have 240 dozen eggs that is 80 dozen per age group," noted Williamsburg Main Street Manager Nannie Hays. "We want the kids to have a good...

Sidewalks on three of Corbin’s main downtown streets have over 100 “trip hazards,” and the city’s leaders voted Monday to do something about them. During the regular monthly meeting of the city’s Board of Commissioners, city leaders voted unanimously to approved a $15,450 contract with Precision Concrete Cutting — a company that specializing in removing hazardous areas in city sidewalks by cutting them away with a specialized saw blade. The process, said Gary Kelly, Corbin’s Director of Public Works, is much more inexpensive and efficient than replacement of bad areas of sidewalk. “The materials alone would cost $600 …” Kelly said in regards to a sample area the company fixed in front...

A Rockholds woman and her boyfriend were arrested Thursday night when her attempt to keep them from going to jail by fleeing the scene of a traffic stop ended when the car got stuck in a ditch. Ramey Calloway Kentucky State Police arrested 24-year-old Brandi Calloway, 18-year-old Tyler Ramey and Derrick Partin. Trooper Shane Jacobs, public affairs officer at Post 10 in Harlan, said Trooper Sammy Faris stopped the 2002 Chevrolet driven by Calloway after he witnessed the vehicle cross the centerline on Ky. 3606 multiple times. During the traffic stop, Farris took Ramey and Partin’s information and determined they both had outstanding warrants. After placing Partin in his cruiser, Faris reportedly returned to the...

Corbin Police arrested a Corbin man Wednesday that they have been searching for in connection with two burglaries at Gatti’s Pizza on consecutive nights in early March. According to Corbin Police Major Rob Jones, the department’s public affairs officer, officers received a tip about 2 p.m. that 20-year-old Jacob Huff was at the Marathon gas station on U.S. 25 near Hunter Hills Elementary School. Huff Jones, along with Detective Rusty Hedrick and officers Jeff Hill and Amanda Neal responded. “When we rolled up he was sitting in the car,” Jones said. “Hill blocked him in the front and I blocked him in the back and we got him out of...

Two world champion kayakers have become local Internet sensations after successfully going over Cumberland Falls Saturday and living to tell about it. Twenty-seven-year-old Nick Troutman, and 22-year-old Dane Jackson added traversing Cumberland Falls to their list of accomplishments including: first complete descent of Rio Alseseca in Veracruz, Mexico, descent of the powerful Niagara Gorge which gains much of its force from the water coming off of Niagara Falls, and Rock Island Side Falls in Tennessee. “Doing something like Cumberland Falls is less of a stunt and more of a personal challenge,” Troutman said of the trip down the 68-feet-high drop. “A lot people think it is a death wish,” he said. “For...

There wasn’t an empty chair left in the room as the Knox County Board of Education began their meeting Tuesday afternoon. Once seats were filled, people began to line along the walls and sit in the floor. All were eager to hear the outcome of the meeting. For weeks, the community has voiced their support for current Superintendent Kelly Sprinkles. Sprinkles’ contract was up for renewal, a subject that was originally scheduled for the board’s regular meeting 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22. However, a last-minute decision was made to hold a special meeting at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 15. A time many disagreed with, as it was during school hours. Only three...

Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison, who is spearheading an effort to allow packaged alcohol sales in Williamsburg and sales of alcohol by the drink at smaller restaurants, doesn't want to see a bar on every corner or Williamsburg turn into the wild west. For him, it's not even about being able to go around the corner to his local convenient store to buy a six-pack of beer.   Harrison told the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club during its monthly meeting Thursday that for him the effort is about helping the town progress, showing that Williamsburg is a progressive community and trying to bring in some additional business to town.   "It levels us on a playing field...